Secretary of State for Wales, Mr. Paul Murphy, paid a visit to Pembrokeshire on Tuesday as part of a fact-finding tour on the effect of the foot and mouth disease on tourism in south-west Wales.
During his visit, he stopped off at Begelly Park Gardens, which was converted from derelict land with the help of Lottery funding.
The Secretary of State, accompanied by Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Jackie Lawrence, chairman of the Pembrokeshire Lottery, Mr. Danny Fellows, and members of the Lottery team, was given a guided tour of the tranquil gardens by proprietors, Margaret and Ken Hester.
From Begelly he moved on to Milford Haven to visit Rhyal Engineering, a company which has benefited from a Lottery loan and is now a sizable employer in the area.
After a tour of the Milford Haven waterway on board a Port Authority pilotage launch, Mr. Murphy went on to meet representatives of local businesses involved in the Lottery.
On Wednesday, he visited St. Davids and Broad Haven to view conservation work on the cathedral and to meet with Pembrokeshire tourism representatives to learn of the impact of foot and mouth on their business.
Speaking to the Observer after Mr. Murphy's visit to Begelly, Mrs. Mary Megarry, administrative controller of the Pembrokeshire Lottery, said that it had been a "momentous year" for the Lottery.
"Not only was our chairman, Mr. Danny Fellows, honoured with the OBE in June for services to employment and training in the county - of which the Lottery plays a big part - earlier this year we lent our millionth pound and we have given away £750,000 in prize money," explained Mrs. Megarry.
"Since we were established, we have assisted 87 businesses in the county and created some 300 jobs.
"The businesses supported by the Lottery reflect all of Pembrokeshire's economic activity," Mrs. Megarry continued. "They range from tourism and agriculture to heavy industry like Rhyal Engineering, which has gone from zero base to a turnover of over £1 million, and schemes like here at Begelly Park Gardens.
"We formed part of the funding package with other agencies to help establish the gardens and we are very pleased to have been in at the beginning of such an innovative scheme."