Community Initiatives & Funding at the Port of Milford Haven

We take enormous pride in our role within the community and in supporting great local initiatives.

As a Trust Port, we re-invest any profits back into the business. This ensures we can maintain our principal operations and deliver projects that will create jobs, support economic growth and deliver a bright outlook for the region.

Our commitment to the region is not just about our economic impact. We also support the community's prosperity through a wide range of direct initiatives.

In 2025, we invested almost half a million pounds into community initiatives, including £80,000 awarded through our Community Fund. These investments reflect our long‑term commitment to supporting people, strengthening communities and building a more resilient future.

Our approach to community support

Our community investment is guided by three key themes, shaped by the needs of local people and the organisations working to support them.

A safe, inclusive and enjoyable Waterway

We support initiatives that help everyone access and enjoy the Milford Haven Waterway safely, regardless of background or ability. This includes water safety education, skills development and opportunities to get on the water.

A skilled and confident community

With a particular focus on young people, we invest in projects that build skills, confidence and wellbeing - helping individuals reach their potential and feel empowered within their communities.
(Previously known as ‘Building a vibrant and prosperous community’)

A sustainable and resilient environment

We work to protect and enhance the natural environment, ensuring the Waterway and surrounding areas can be enjoyed responsibly now and by future generations.

Making a difference across Pembrokeshire

Our support reaches a wide range of local initiatives, large and small, all working to strengthen our communities.

Supporting safety on the water

We are proud to support a wide range of water safety and inclusive water sports initiatives across Pembrokeshire, helping people of all ages and abilities build confidence on and around the water. Together, these partnerships help create safer, more inclusive access to the Milford Haven Waterway.

During 2025, we supported over 500 Year 6 pupils from eleven local primary schools to take part in Swim Safe workshops with Windswept CIC, equipping young people with essential lifesaving and water safety skills.

Over the summer, we also worked with Paddle West to deliver a programme of fun, engaging water safety sessions at Milford Waterfront. These sessions helped embed core water safety messages while encouraging young people to enjoy the Waterway safely and responsibly.

Accessibility and inclusion are central to our work. We were delighted to collaborate with Blue Horizons, enabling people from all backgrounds and abilities to get out on the Waterway through the use of their adapted boat. In addition, we supported Blue Horizons’ accessible surfing programme, opening up life enhancing watersports experiences to even more people throughout the summer.

Enjoy the Waterway safely

We're here to help you enjoy the waterway safely.

Read our Waterway Safety Guidance here

As a trust port, our community investment is fundamental to who we are. Our success must translate into tangible, lasting benefits for the people and places that live alongside the Waterway, and this investment reflects our deep commitment to the long term strength, resilience and wellbeing of Pembrokeshire.”

Tom Sawyer, Chief Executive, Port of Milford Haven

Empowering young people and investing in creative opportunities

We are committed to supporting young people, education, wellbeing and opportunity across Pembrokeshire through longstanding partnerships with local charities, cultural organisations and educational providers. Beyond organisational partnerships, a number of Port staff actively support the community by serving as governors at local secondary schools and Pembrokeshire College, as well as trustees of local charities. We actively encourage and support staff involvement of this kind, providing them with 12 hours paid volunteering time year, as we recognise the positive impact it has across our communities.

In 2025, we were proud to renew our long running partnership with Milford Youth Matters, a local charity providing year-round support for young people aged 14–25. Milford Youth Matters offers a wide range of development opportunities, regular activities and events, as well as access to hot meals and a warm, safe space during the colder months.

Together, we continue to deliver our multi-award winning ‘Under the Bridge’ project, which provides a programme of free summer activities for young people. These include sports sessions, creative workshops, volunteering opportunities, games and social activities, alongside refreshments and a safe space to relax and connect.

Megan’s Starr Foundation supports young people and raises awareness of bullying and mental health issues. By funding over 300 hours of counselling for young people in Pembrokeshire, we are helping ensure timely access to professional mental health support when it is most needed.

Culture and creativity also play a key role in community wellbeing. We continue our support for the Torch Theatre, a cornerstone of Pembrokeshire’s cultural scene. The Torch provides creative and developmental opportunities for young people beyond traditional academic or sporting pathways. Our partnership was recognised at the Arts & Business Cymru Awards, where we proudly won the Arts, Business and Community category in June.

Additional partnerships focused on youth development, education and life skills included our ongoing sponsorship of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, where we continue our involvement as a Gold Associate member, supporting 375 young people in 2025 and 2026 across nine local schools.

The SPARC Alliance, a Port supported initiative designed to encourage young women to explore careers in STEM, celebrated a hugely successful first year in 2025. The programme, which focuses on the energy and construction sectors, saw 172 girls enrol. Delivered by Pembrokeshire College, it included over 90 engagement sessions, ranging from designing floating wind platforms to handson welding experience. The Alliance brings together partners including RWE, Blue Gem Wind, Floventis, Ledwood Engineering, Pembrokeshire County Council, and the Swansea Bay City Deal.

Our in‑kind support for Milford Haven Library, hosted at Cedar Court, continued throughout the year. The library is a vital community asset and, in light of growing concerns around declining literacy levels among younger people, we remain committed to working with Pembrokeshire County Council to provide easy access to books, learning resources and a welcoming learning environment.

We are committed to our mandate to ensure we hand on the Port in a better condition to future generations. We do this by placing responsible growth, environmental stewardship and prosperity for the communities who depend on the Waterway, at the forefront of our decision making process.
These programmes are not just about preparing the workforce of the future, they are about ensuring every young person has the opportunity, confidence and support they need to thrive in life. By nurturing potential today, we are helping to build a resilient, ambitious and inclusive generation for tomorrow.

Dr Siân George, Chair, Port of Milford Haven

Protecting our environment

Environmental stewardship is central to our community work. We are proud to be a long‑standing supporter of the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer role, helping protect this special marine environment while promoting understanding and shared responsibility.

Our involvement with the Milford Haven Waterway Environment Surveillance Group supports over 30 years of monitoring habitats and wildlife across the Waterway.

We also inspire future environmental leaders through programmes such as Tomorrow’s Changemakers, delivered in partnership with Cymbrogi Futures, engaging schools across Pembrokeshire.

Our community investments are some of the most rewarding ways we support people across Pembrokeshire.
Every year, we see incredible dedication from local groups working to make our communities safer, more inclusive and more inspiring — especially for young people.
By focusing on helping people gain skills, confidence and opportunity, we are investing in stronger, more resilient communities for the future.

Anna Malloy, Communications and Marketing Director, Port of Milford Haven