If you want to experience more of what Pembrokeshire’s great outdoors has to offer, but are unsure of where to go or what to do, the new Pathways project can help steer you in the right direction.

Run by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and funded by the Welsh Government, Pathways aims to help more people spend time in the outdoors by providing volunteering, learning and training opportunities in the National Park and nearby areas.

The project is designed to remove some of the barriers faced by people wishing to explore the countryside, with transport provided for many of the activities.

The project will provide more than 2,000 volunteering experiences over a three-year period, and will focus on people who want to improve their health and wellbeing, as well as gain new experiences and skills as they make environmental improvements for communities in and around Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

In addition, the project will continue to provide support to groups that work with people to help them make better use of the outdoors.

The Park Authority’s Pathways poject coordinator, Tom Moses, said: “Pathways builds upon the success of our Your Park project, which helped more than 40 local organisations to access the benefits that the outdoors can offer their customers. We look forward to continuing developing our work with existing and new groups with this exciting project.

“People are very much at the centre of Pathways. Their views, skills and experience will help guide the development of the project, which will include the opportunity for them to develop leadership abilities as well as have some inspirational experiences across our beautiful county.”

The project is looking to recruit volunteers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds to work in groups to carry out practical projects at locations in and around the National Park.

Volunteers will need to be aged 16 or over and, in the early stages of the project, will need to be able to commit a full day at a time. There are also plans to provide some shorter opportunities to better meet some people’s needs.

The volunteers will tackle practical tasks ranging from footpath repairs, hedgelaying, grassland and woodland management, as well as other conservation projects both in the National Park and closer to where many people live.

Pathways will create a personal development plan for each volunteer so that they can work towards something they want to achieve and can be signposted to other relevant training or groups in order to continue their development.

If you would like to become a Pathways volunteer, contact Tom Iggleden by emailing [email protected] or call 07866 771190.

If you are a group or organisation interested in exploring how Pathways can help you achieve your goals, contact Tom Moses by emailing [email protected] or call 07773 788205.