A DRIVE to rebrand Barry has been launched in the town.

The Barry: Making Waves project is part of the Sense of Place programme of work which has been awarded £252,000 of Heritage Lottery funding as part of the Great Place Scheme.

The Vale council, in partnership with Barry Town Council and the Memo, was awarded funding for a pilot scheme in 2018.

Place board members met at The Pumphouse on Friday, March 8.

A Vale council spokesman said: “We have now achieved the objectives of work stream one – the appointment of a Place manager and the establishment of a Place Board.

“The Barry Place Board’s inaugural meeting took place last week and they will now be meeting bi-monthly to steer the project forward.

“Work stream two is the next priority.

“Consultants, Thinking Place ltd have been appointed to help with this.

“They will be developing a Barry Story Book and Design tool-kit – two strategic documents that will inform long term plans for Barry.

Barry is one of five special places across Wales sharing close to £1.5million of National Lottery money to support future cultural development.

The third work stream three will involve building social capital and will concentrate on establishing a community volunteers bank; the delivery of a Digital Place Making project; and a marketing and outreach programme.

Baruc ward town councillor, Shirley Hodges said: "The Place Board is all about the promotion and development of Barry.

“There was a massive amount of enthusiasm and anticipation in the first Place Board meeting.

“Barry has a cultural and historic heart, we need to develop our confidence to celebrate this more."

Barry Island businessman, Marco Zeraschi, also on the board, said: “I’m really encouraged with this board.

“It’s got so much positive energy.

“It’s bringing the image of Barry up.

“People have this 1970s idea of Barry, but Barry has undergone a Renaissance.”

Fellow board member and Holton Road Traders Association chairman, Dave Elliott said previously different administrations had each made decisions and there had been no clear long-term vision.

“Going forward, it’s great for Barry,” he said.

High Street trader, and brand expert, Fay Blakeley said: “It’s an exciting time to be living and working in Barry.

“I’m very enthused and encouraged by the scope of the project and its potential outcomes for the town.”

Vale council cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr Jonathan Bird added: “Barry is a town with a great history and a unique story and the regeneration of the town, most notably at the Waterfront, is bringing with it a vibrant new look and feel.

“The making waves project is about making sure the sense of pride that has always defined Barry grows in line with this and ensuring that we harness local knowledge and enthusiasm to create a new generation of advocates for the town.”