North Wales Regional Forum: July 2026

By Michelle Clarke, Deputy Director for Wales

There is always something so powerful and uplifting when community transport operators meet. It is hard to put into words, but there’s a sense of resilience, care for each other, and a determination to continue supporting passengers despite the challenges operators often face, such as rising demand for services and funding uncertainty. 

Team Wales held a Regional Forum in Llandudno on 8 July to bring members and supporters together to share information about the Team’s work and to provide space for members to share insights and ideas about creating their dream CT service and the practical support needed in relation to fundraising.  

“There’s always a warmth in the room when we come to one of your events,” one participant told us, testament to the welcoming nature of operators and staff alike!  

The discussions included:

The need for closer working with the Health Board covering North Wales because ‘it’s really difficult to get an ‘in’ to the NHS’, and operators want to ensure that the work they do on a daily basis to help people access vital healthcare, is understood, acknowledged and funded.

That there is a high level of interest in events such as this one that bring people together, and members spoke about how important they are, especially as running a community transport service can feel quite isolating at times. There is something incredibly valuable about peer support and having the opportunity to chat informally with CTA team members as well as with other operators.

The need for practical support around funding, including help to understand the logistics of what is needed to start or expand a CT service, so that funding proposals can be accurately costed, leading to more financially resilient services. There was discussion about the need for an up-to-date tool that assists operators to base services on a Full Cost Delivery model.

Another key message highlighted the importance of sharing learning across the community transport sector. Coordinators and Managers of schemes have a wealth of skills, expertise and ‘know-how’ in funding, so we need to find more ways to share funding tips and techniques, information about supportive funders and live funding opportunities, and create space for collaboration.

 

There were so many ideas and insights that came out of the day and the challenge for Team Wales now is to prioritise and progress them! The day also reinforced our view that the motivation and joy we feel in our roles comes from working alongside so many dedicated, passionate and inspiring people in the community transport sector.   

Thank you to everyone who has attended the regional forums held in South and North Wales. We are delighted with the fantastic response and we will be using your feedback to help us plan other activities. Any future events will be added to the events section on our website.