Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship

Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship (PATCH), formerly Milford Action To Combat Hardship (MATCH), is a British non-profit Christian faith based charitable organisation, founded in June 2008, that aims to help people who are in a financial crisis. They are based in Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire and have other 'bases' in Monkton and Haverfordwest.

It is based on a similar charity in Southampton, SCRATCH.

Aim

PATCH's main aim is to provide short term relief to people who find themselves in a financial crisis, regardless of circumstances. They work on a referral only bases, so only people who are genuinely in need can access their services.

As the name suggests, they currently only operate in the Pembrokeshire area. Although future expansion can not be ruled out based on their past (i.e. Going from just Milford Haven to Pembrokshire as a whole).

Projects

Basics Banks

PATCH was fist started as a 'basics bank' providing non-perishable food along with clothing and household items. The basics bank works on a referral only basis from outside agencies which give vouchers valid for use in the various PATCH basics banks. There are currently three basics banks in Pembrokeshire in Milford Haven, Monkton and Haverfordwest. However, food parcels are held in churches and other locations around the county in order to enable access to the services for those without transport.

Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire (/ˈpɛmbrʊkʃɪər/, /ˈpɛmbrʊkʃər/, or /ˈpɛmbroʊkʃɪər/; Welsh: Sir Benfro [ˈsiːr ˈbɛnvrɔ]) is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. Pembrokeshire County Council's headquarters are in the county town of Haverfordwest.

The county is home to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only coastal national park of its kind in the United Kingdom and one of three national parks in Wales, the others being Snowdonia and Brecon Beacons national parks. Over the years Pembrokeshire's beaches have been awarded many International Blue Flag Awards, Green Coast Awards and Seaside Awards. In 2011 it had 39 beaches recommended by the Marine Conservation Society.

Pembrokeshire's population, according to the UK Census, was 114,131 in 2001 rising to 122,400 by the following census in 2011, an increase of 8.2%.

Much of Pembrokeshire has been speaking English for many centuries. The boundary between the English and Welsh speakers is known as the Landsker Line and southern Pembrokeshire is occasionally referred to as Little England beyond Wales.

Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)

Pembrokeshire (Welsh: Sir Benfro) was a parliamentary constituency based on the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament (MP) to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.

History

The Laws in Wales Act 1535 (26 Hen. VIII, c. 26) provided for a single county seat in the House of Commons for each of twelve historic Welsh counties (including Pembrokeshire) and two for Monmouthshire. Using the modern year, starting on 1 January, these parliamentary constituencies were authorised in 1536. In practice, the first known Knights of the Shire from Wales (as Members of Parliament from county constituencies were known before the nineteenth century) may not have been elected until 1545.

The Act contains the following provision, which had the effect of enfranchising the shire of Pembroke.

And that for this present Parliament, and all other Parliaments to be holden and kept for this Realm, one Knight shall be chosen and elected to the same Parliaments for every of the Shires of Brecknock, Radnor, Mountgomery and Denbigh, and for every other Shire within the said Country of Dominion of Wales;