Local Assembly Member Paul Davies has criticised the Welsh Government’s decision to cut funding from the Wales YFC movement. Wales’ YFCs will lose out on £140,000 in the next financial year, with £20,000 coming from Natural Resources Wales and the remainder from the Welsh Government via the National Voluntary Youth Organisations grants programme being refused.

Speaking from the Senedd, Mr Davies said “This is an unfair and inexplicable decision by the Welsh Government and I felt it only appropriate to raise the issue with the First Minister in the Assembly Chamber. The YFC movement does a fantastic job of supporting and providing educational opportunities for children and young people in rural areas.”

He added, “Indeed, I myself went to a young farmers’ club and I’ve had the pleasure of attending plenty of local YFC events. The scale of the cut in the YFCs funding will have a significant impact on the programmes that they will be able to provide. I sincerely hope that the Welsh Government revisits this decision and looks at other sources of funding, including the Rural Development Programme, so that YFCs across Wales can continue to provide their much-valued services in rural areas.”