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The Outdoor Partnership will work with clubs, schools, individuals, and specialists to increase opportunities for people in the Swansea Bay Region to achieve their potential through outdoor activities, active participation, volunteering, training, and education.

Sioned Thomas - Swansea Bay Region Outdoor Activities Development Officer

Sioned Thomas is our Swansea Bay Region Outdoor Activities Development Officer. She is based virtually and she covers Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea and Pembrokeshire.

You can stay up to date with what is happening in the Swansea Bay Region by following The Outdoor Partnership Swansea Bay’s Social Media Accounts:

Facebook: Sioned Thomas | Facebook

What have we achieved so far? The Outdoor Partnership has been active in the Swansea Bay Region since July 2021. Here’s what we have been up to:

Adventure employability program

We have just started on our adventure employability program with Llamau in Swansea with a bush craft and walks session.

The program will be running until summer 2025, with the aim of increasing the confidence of the young people through outdoor activity.

Towards the end of the  project the young people will have the opportunity to gain accredited qualifications such as outdoor first aid.

Thanks to South Wales Police youth trust for the funding.

This Girls' Adventure
  • So far, we have organised over 20 sessions for Women and Girls in the Swansea Bay Region helping over 800+ women and girls
  • This has given the Women and Girls the Opportunity to try a variety of different Outdoor Activities including Windsurfing, Wild Swimming, Map Reading and Navigation, and Paddle Boarding.
  • International Women Day events – over the past two years we have celebrated international women’s day by doing outdoor activities and putting on events with female speakers highlighting their journey and celebrating their engagement in the world of the outdoors.
  • Llandysul Paddlers have set up a female only section of their kayaking club, this includes female only sessions, female only courses & an interactive and supportive WhatsApp group.
Community Development

Here are some examples of the community development work we have been doing around the Swansea Bay region since starting in 2021:-

  • Provided opportunities for young people to try a wide range of Outdoor Activities in their local areas including Wild Swimming, Rock Pooling, Bush Craft and Map Reading and Navigation skills.
  • Also attended events such as Yr Egin Adventure Festivals, Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, Banff Film Festival to highlight the work we are doing across the communities within Wales.
  • Supporting local sports clubs though with joining in on their litter picks, river festivals and engagement weekends.
Coach Education
  • Over 10 clubs have joined our Coach Education Programme which has supported over 20 amazing volunteers within the region within Outdoor Activity Clubs including Surf Lifesaving, Paddling, and Sailing.
Club Guidance
Bant a Ni! Welsh Language Programme

New for 2022, the Bant â ni! (Let’s Go!) project is a partnership between Mid Wales and Swansea Bay Region to develop a network of Welsh-speaking outdoor instructors in the region.

The project aims to support instructors who are learning Welsh to gain confidence leading outdoor activities through the medium of Welsh via practical sessions in real-life outdoor contexts as well as supporting Welsh speakers with a love of the outdoors to join the outdoor industry.

Our first session, paddleboarding and pizza in Llandysul, was a great success. Get in touch if you’d like to get involved.

Inclusive Adventure

Our Inclusive Adventure programme has provided people with mobility limitations and neurodiverse conditions and their families to access a variety of outdoor adventure activities.

  • So far, we have organised Paddle Ability, Sit Skiing and Adaptive Bikes, inclusive climbing & inclusive walks.
  • Inclusive water sports festival where we collaborated with the RNLI, Pembrokeshire national park, Ross Handling & Cerebra UK.
Social Prescribing Pilot (Land to Water Programme)

5-week programme introducing the Young People from Adferiad (EIP team) to the Land and Water

We explored the Sea, Coastal Paths, Waterfalls, and woodland.

ITV Wales’ Coast and Country programme even came along to have a look what we did!

Have a look at our video;

ITV Coast and Country
Looking to get involved?

If you’d like to know more or are an outdoor activity club that would like to get involved, please contact Sioned on 07706735791 or sioned.thomas@outdoorpartnership.co.uk.