Campaigners lobbied for years against the closure plans

Ysgol Hermon closed last term despite a protracted legal battle by parents to keep the 53-pupil school open. Two others nearby shut at the same time.

The parents have launched the National Small School Fund to help current and future schools threatened with closure.

Members of the group are asking for support from 800 rural schools.

Chris Tomos, chair of the Hermon campaign, said the fund would "offer support to Welsh schools who are being threatened by their local education authority".

He said that, during their fight to keep the school open, there were "several lost opportunities" during the consultation period with the education authority.

He said that the group could have been "much more vigorous and strengthened their case" if they had known how the consultation would proceed.

Jane Davidson backed the council's decision

"Had there been external support from a national fund, then additional courses of action could have halted the closure notice," he said.

The group has said it will be sending the letter to thousands of schools, associations and individuals across Wales.

In July, the parents lost their appeal to save Hermon School in Cardiff's High Court.

They had mounted a strong campaign since Pembrokeshire council made the decision to shut Hermon Community Primary School last September.

However, they have said they are determined to fight on and hoped to find a way to run the school independently.

The fight over the school has been a long-running affair, with many twists and turns.

In April, campaigners won permission to mount their legal challenge, and they secured legal aid to cover the costs.

Then in June, the Welsh Assembly Government lost an appeal to prevent the judicial review, arguing that the parents' challenge should have been brought earlier.