Communities in some of the Valleys’ most disadvantaged areas have been ‘revitalised’ following £10.2m investment from a five-year regeneration initiative.

More than 141 jobs and 27 social enterprises have been created - providing services for more than 14,140 people - by the South East Wales Community Economic Development programme, which has come to an end.

Funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, the scheme was set up in 2010 by a six-local authorities’ consortium of Merthyr Tydfil, Bridgend, Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Torfaen.

The aim of SEWCED was to tackle unemployment and deprivation by supporting the growth of social enterprises, which trade to tackle social problems and improve communities, people's life chances and the environment.

They make their money from selling goods and services on the open market and reinvest their profits into the business or local community.

The programme has given financial and development support to 147 organisations, the majority of which have also adopted or improved environmental management systems, equality strategies and monitoring systems.

They include projects as diverse as Wales’s oldest continuously-running cinema, the Market Hall in Brynmawr; Rhondda astronomy education provider Dark Sky Wales; and Merthyr’s New Pathways, a charity supporting people affected by rape and sexual abuse.

Furniture and electrical equipment recycler the Furniture Revival in Pontlottyn, Caerphilly, was awarded £90,000 in capital and revenue funding towards the purchase of vehicles and employment of business development and marketing manager Kylie Bell.

“The funding from SEWCED has been fundamental in the growth of our social enterprise,” she said.

“We’ve increased both the services that we offer and our staffing levels from seven in 2012 to 12 today. It has also allowed us to invest in new infrastructure, enabling us to attain our core environmental, social and community aims.

“Without the investment and continued support, this would not have been possible. I would greatly advocate the investment in projects such as SEWCED which are revitalising the Valleys in such a positive way.”

Awards were targeted at projects making physical and environmental improvements; improving services for communities where there were gaps; developing local networks encouraging communities to find local solutions; and promoting social inclusion through cultural and heritage activities.

“Social enterprises in general find it difficult to access finance from traditional sources such as high street banks,” said SEWCED Programme Manager Ian Evans. “The majority of our projects would not have received the same support elsewhere.”

Many organisations were able to raise finance as match funding because of SEWCED’s support and, as revenue funding was tapered towards the end of the project, many social enterprises provided matchfunding through their increases in turnover, he added.

“SEWCED has worked to encourage increased income generation from trading, diversification, growth and investment. This has helped reduce the sector’s reliance on funding, promote sustainable volunteering opportunities, provide ongoing employment, and support the development of services within areas of market failure where the private sector cannot go due to low - or no - profit margins.

“We are proud of what we have achieved and look back over five years of helping Valleys communities to help themselves.”