Since the initial open meeting in relation to the repair of Pembroke town walls, a steering group was formed in order to formalise the process involved of progressing to seek funding.

The Heritage Lottery Fund have indicated to the group that they may be willing to fund repairs to the walls as long as this work is part of a much broader remit to include local community involvement, links to the castle, education and skills training.

The steering group are aware that the HLF will not award grants to individual wall owners, and so letters were sent to wall owners to see if they would be willing to lease their part of the town wall to a Charitable Trust for a period of say 25 years (the minimum acceptable period of lease by the HLF), so that the Trust could seek funding on their behalf to carry out the repairs and act as project co-ordinators.

There was a good response to this initial letter, but no real clarity on ownership, so a second letter has now been sent out asking for additional information.

With the support of PAVS (Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services), the Pembroke Town Walls Trust has now been formally constituted.

After liaison with the Ludlow Town Walls Trust and the chief conservation officer and archaeologist for Shropshire County Council, the Pembroke Town Walls Trust was advised that trying to obtain leaseholds from individual owners would be a complex and expensive exercise, and that it would be more advantageous to persuade the county council to act as 'contractors' for the works using their 'term contractors', and that individual wall owners would be more likely to agree to this. The county council will now be approached to find out if this way forward will be acceptable.

Initial contact has been made with the Pembrokeshire College and the Cardiff School of Architecture about skills training and support.

Community Association Heritage and Environmental group are putting together an exhibition about the Pembroke Town Walls using historic photos, information and maps, which could form the basis for a permanent educational display. Some maps and information are already on display at the Tabernacle United Reformed Church, along with the 'Pembroke Story'.

The Trust's first general meeting will be held on Monday, October 8, at 7 pm, in the Town Hall.

Owners and all interested members of the public are invited to attend and hopefully subscribe to Trust membership for a nominal sum of £5. It is important to make the most of the processes of the project and to maximise the benefits to be had for the whole community of Pembroke.

Please bring any ideas to the general meeting or give them directly to members of the committee.

Janet Drogan,

Chair