A UNIQUE community in north Pembrokeshire has been granted a year's reprieve after a Crowdfunder appeal generated more than £10,000 and demonstrated widespread support to help the community buy its home.

Brithdir Mawr was set up 25 years ago with the aims of becoming self-sufficient and minimising its footprint on the earth.

The community is off-grid for energy and water, grows almost 95 per cent of its fruit and vegetables and is visited by 100 volunteers, plus many other guests, each year. The land is managed sensitively without the use of chemicals, with a focus on biodiversity and particularly pollinators.

The lease on the farm expires at the end of the year and the community has been given first refusal to buy it. However, it needs to raise £1m to do so.

It has now been given another 12 months to raise the necessary funds.

"Thank you to each and every one of you who donated, shared, liked, commented and assisted us in any way. We are beyond grateful to all of you," said the community's Lea Trainer.

"The good news is, despite not reaching our target, we have managed to secure a 12-month extension on our lease.

"We have been able to draw down the donations from the Crowdfund as we did not set up 'an all or nothing' campaign.

"The success of the campaign massively helped us in our negotiations with the landowner, so we are eternally grateful to all who supported us.

"The Brithdir Mawr Housing Cooperative has met and to show our appreciation to our supporters decided to match the Crowdfund donations of over £10,000."

However Lea said that the community is "by no means out of the woods yet". It would use the year's extension to continue to try to raise funds and the profile of Brithdir Mawr. Working on phase two of the campaign alongside the day to day activities of the community.

The Brithdir Mawr Community Benefit Society trust has now been formed and the application submitted to the Financial Conduct Authority.

It is hoped that a community share offer will be launched in March where anyone can buy shares in the society and have a say in the future plans of this unique community.

Community members are also exploring suggestions made by members of the wider north Pembrokeshire community on how Brithdir Mawr can benefit them.

They are now looking at setting up a Community Supported Agriculture venture which will bring the wider community closer together socially and bring them closer to the land from where their food comes from, as well as providing employment opportunities to better support the community.

Brithdir Mawr is also putting on events open to the wider community; on December 27 there will be a Lle Cabare - Open mic night and in January a Welsh for beginners taster day and course.

"The support we have received over the last few months has been amazing and has filled us with the confidence that we can succeed next year," said Lea.

"This next year is going to be action packed and extremely exciting, please check out our Facebook and Twitter pages for all events, updates and news."