£900,000 lifeline for UK Post Offices
Post offices in isolated and disadvantaged communities in Wales are to receive almost £900,000 of funding.
The cash, to be shared by 21 post offices, is the second stage of a rescue fund announced last year which will see a total of £2.5m made available by 2005.
Approving the funding, Edwina Hart, the Welsh Assembly’s minister for social justice and regeneration, said: “Post offices are a key community facility and the funding provided will help develop a viable sustainable network in the most deprived and isolated areas across Wales. “This fund is not just about supporting post offices in their current role but also about encouraging sub-postmasters to find ways of developing their role and the services they provide by linking their activity with other community facilities, such as credit unions, community shops and food co-operatives.”
Last year the fund provided £500,000 of grants.
Post offices have to apply for the money and need to prove the high social value of the branch and how the cash will improve its services.
Those sharing the latest round of grants include post offices in Gwynedd, Powys, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Newport,Neath,Port Talbot, Caerphilly, Cardiff and Pembrokeshire.
