Three Authorities MT (cy)

Merthyr Tydfil hosts European visitors as COLLABOR8 Project Kicks-Off - 24 Chwef 2009

With the current economic situation at the forefront of people’s minds two Local Authorities in Wales are considering ways of tackling the problem. Both Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Brecon Beacons National Park joint hosted a 5-day meeting between COLLABOR8 project partners and entrepreneurs from five European regions who are developing a more collaborative style of working. The COLLABOR8 project commenced in earnest on Monday 9th February 2009, when all partners and representative businesses met in Crickhowell, Powys.

During the week, eighty staff and associated entrepreneurs from the partner regions visited enterprises in and around the Merthyr Tydfil and Brecon Beacons National Park. In doing so they learnt from one another and created the beginning of a local and transnational network. Merthyr Tydfil was selected for a number of site visits during the week due to its unique history and adaptability regarding ever-changing tourism trends. Strategic ‘points of interest’ within the Authority were chosen in order for partner representatives and enterprises to visit, ask questions, and more importantly, learn from current ‘best practice’ taking place in the region.

The series of workshops used a different approach to training and sharing information by involving staff in working on a scenario of an area that has been made up from all the representative partners areas, the region of Abron! . This has been interspersed by talks and presentations from experts from UK, Ireland, Belgium, Netherlands and as far away as South Africa, from where Matt Drew, Chief Executive of the Midlands Meander, shared the success story of how enterprises working together have created a rural destination that rivals the wine routes of the Cape. During the week, eighty staff and associated entrepreneurs from the partner regions visited entrepreneurs in and around the Brecon Beacons National Park and Merthyr Tydfil. In so doing they learnt from one another and creates the beginnings of a local and transnational network.

A ceremonial dinner was held on Tuesday 10th February at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre to celebrate the launch of this innovative Interreg IVB project. In attendance on the evening was his Worship the Mayor of Merthyr Tydfil Clive Jones who presented each of the nine partners with commemorative Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council plaques. The Welsh themed evening also saw entertainment from the astounding Dowlais Male Voice Choir and an incredibly talented local harpist by the name of Amy Mason. Significantly, during his speech Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Leader Jeff Edwards informed attendees about the area’s unique history and its future plans regarding tourism and the involvement of the COLLABOR8 Project.

He stated "Each of the key partners bring experience of well developed tourism infrastructures within their respective regions; and it’s through the COLLABOR8 programme that we hope to develop our knowledge and understanding of this sector in Merthyr Tydfil, and in doing so, become an active partner in this initiative".

The partners involved in the COLLABOR8 project are: South Kerry Development Partnership Ltd. (IE) - (Lead Partner); DLG Government Service for Land and Water Management: Office of the National Project New Dutch Waterline Department (NL); Stichting Veemarktkwartier (NL); Flemish Land Agency (BE); Tourisme Meetjesland (BE), Westcountry Rivers Trust (UK); South Downs Joint Committee (UK); Brecon Beacons National Park Authority (UK); and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (UK). We all look forward to a sustained and mutually beneficial working relationship over the years to come and beyond this EU project funding period.

The COLLABOR8 Project, which is 50% funded by the ERDF Interreg IVB NWE Programme, has a budget of 10.5 million Euros. It aims to assist individual businesses to work as local clusters in the fields of creative arts, culture, outdoor activities, local food and hospitality providers. Their shared goals involve working together to produce quality, sustainable products and services that promote local ‘sense of place’, thus capitalising on the uniqueness of their regions to compete in the EU and global markets. The partnership consists of nine different organisations from Ireland, Wales, England, Netherlands and Belgium.

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