The Pembrokeshire Herald 22/11/2024

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Tribute paid to ‘kind and caring’ solicitor who died in crash

THE FAMILY of Emily ThorntonSandy, a 30-year-old woman from Pontarddulais who tragically lost her life following a collision, have paid heartfelt tributes to a wife and daughter described as an “intelligent, kind, and caring soul.”

Emily passed away after her vehicle was involved in a collision on the A48 between Cross Hands and Pont Abraham on Tuesday (Nov 5) while she was driving home from a veterinary appointment. Her beloved dog, Scout, also died shortly after the crash.

Despite being rushed to the University Hospital of Wales, Emily’s condition worsened, and she died on Monday (Nov 11), with her husband by her side.

Emily’s husband shared his grief in a moving statement: “This still feels unreal, and none of us can take it in. Emily was kind, compassionate, and had so much more to give. She used her intelligence in her work as a solicitor, where she strove to help others affected by industrial disease. Emily loved literature and was passionate about her house plants.

Tom Sinclair editor@herald.email

“Her passing has left a hole in our lives that can never be filled. I wake up every morning in disbelief at the fact that I will never see her smile again.

Emily deserved a long and happy life, and the thought of what happened to her that day brings the greatest pain to all those who love her.

“Scout was the most gentle, affectionate dog you could ever meet,

and I have not been able to grieve for her death as I should. She brought great happiness to both me and Emily, and the world has lost so much joy.

“I wish to thank all emergency services staff and persons at the scene for all the help they provided to Emily and Scout, and to the staff at University Hospital of Wales for doing everything they could for Emily in the days following the collision.”

Emily’s parents also shared their heartbreak in a separate statement:

“The loss of Emily, our only child, is devastating. She meant the absolute world to us, and our lives have been changed forever. Not only have we lost our baby girl, but we mourn the loss of the grandchildren that we will never have.

“Emily has always been our pride and joy, and she achieved so much during her short life. She was an intelligent, kind, and caring soul who touched the lives of so many people, both in life and in death. She will never be forgotten.”

Emily’s death has left a lasting impact on all who knew her, and her family’s tributes reflect the deep love and admiration they held for her.

Haverfordwest motorist ‘was well and truly over the limit’

A MOTORIST , described by the Crown Prosecution as being ‘well and truly over the limit’, has been banned from driving by Haverfordwest magistrates.

Police were called to the County Hall car park, Haverfordwest just before midnight on Hallowe’en following reports of the way in which an Alfa Romeo was

being driven along Old Hakin Road.

When officers arrived, they discovered Ashley Horrocks, 32, behind the wheel.

“When officers spoke to him, he was displaying the demeanour of someone who was intoxicated,” said Crown Prosecutor Nia James.

A roadside breath test was positive

and subsequent breath tests carried out at the police station showed that Horrocks had 78 mcg of alcohol in his system. The legal limit is 35.

“He was well and truly over the limit,” added Ms James.

Horrocks, of Rack Hill Terrace, Hawthorn Rise, Haverfordwest, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge. He

was legally represented by Mr Michael Kelleher.

“It was an incredibly stupid decision on his part to drive, but he hasn’t drunk any alcohol since,” he said.

Horrocks was fined £250 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £100 surcharge. He was disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Regular cocaine user from Milford Haven taken off the road

A MILFORD HAVEN resident who admits to being a regular cocaine user has lost his driving licence after being found behind the wheel when he was 15 times over the legal Benzoylecgonine limit.

Teifion Morse, 41, was stopped by officers just before midnight on May 1 following reports that he was driving his Vauxhall Insignia along the A477 at excessive speeds.

“The vehicle was travelling westwards towards Kilgetty, and Teifion Morse was the driver and the sole occupant, “ Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates

this week.

A roadside drugs wipe proved positive while further blood tests carried out at the police custody suite showed that Morse had 800 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system (the legal limit is 50), and 20 mcg of cocaine. The legal limit is 10.

Ms James said that when Morse was spoken to by officers, he told them that he knew the readings would be positive.

“I’ve done stupid amounts today,” he said.

Morse, of Hawthorn Path, Milford Haven, pleaded guilty to two charges of drug driving. A probation report stated

that since leaving the military five and a half years ago, Morse has suffered from mental health issues.

He’s been using cocaine as a coping mechanism,” said the probation officer. “He freely admits that he uses cocaine to help him cope, but it’s spiralled and is getting more and more out of control. He would like support to kick this habit.”

Morse chose to be legally unrepresented when he appeared before magistrates.

“It was my stupid fault and I’m trying to take the correct steps to get on the right path,” he said in mitigation.

Morse was sentenced to an 18-month

community order during which he must carry out 15 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work. He was disqualified from driving for 15 months and must pay a £140 court surcharge and £85 costs.

Three men charged with cannabis production

THREE men have been charged with producing cannabis following a police raid on the former school on Heol Llyn y Fran, Llandysul, on Friday (Nov 15).

During the operation, officers uncovered a substantial cannabis grow

consisting of 737 plants, which were seized as evidence.

Armeld Troski, 29, Njazi Gjana, 27, and Ervin Gjana, 24, have been charged with producing a controlled class B drug. All three have been remanded in custody and are due to appear at

Haverfordwest Magistrates Court today (Nov 18)

Officers remain at the scene as they continue to remove items and conduct further enquiries. Local police have assured the public that they will maintain a presence in the area while the building is secured.

A spokesperson said: “We are committed to making our force area hostile to those who produce and deal drugs. The local community can help us by continuing to report any signs of criminal activity. Any bit of information, no matter how small it may seem, could make a big difference.”

Residents who are concerned about drug-related crime or suspect someone is being exploited are encouraged to report their concerns. Reports can be made online via the police website, by emailing, or by calling 101. Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously at 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.

Local officers have thanked the community for their ongoing support and cooperation.

Police appeal after fatal collision on A48 near Cross Hands

DYFED-POWYS POLICE are appealing for information following a fatal road traffic collision on the A48 eastbound between Cross Hands and Cwmgwili.

The incident occurred at approximately 5:05pm on Friday (Nov 15).

A grey Isuzu D-Max was involved in the crash, which tragically resulted in the death of a 55-year-old man at the scene. His family has been informed and is being supported by specialist officers.

Emergency services closed both the eastbound and westbound carriageways while attending the scene.

The westbound carriageway and one lane of the eastbound carriageway reopened at midnight, with the eastbound carriageway fully

reopening at 12:30pm on Saturday (Nov 16).

Police are urging anyone with information that could assist their investigation to get in touch. You can contact Dyfed-Powys Police via the following:

• Submit information online

• Email: 101@dyfed-powys.police. uk

• Direct message on social media

• | Call: 101

• Please quote reference: 24*970191.

Teachers were ‘absolutely horrible’ to a girl who died after cyber-bullying

A 14-YEAR-OLD girl who died following a harrowing cyberbullying campaign was “let down at every possible opportunity” by her school, an inquest heard this week.

Megan Evans, from Milford Haven, was found dead at her home in February 2017 after allegedly being targeted online with an “I hate Megan Evans” group and other abusive messages urging her to “kill herself.”

Her heartbroken mother, Nicola Harteveld, discovered additional bullying groups after logging into Megan’s social media accounts.

Allegations against teachers

Megan’s best friend, Chloe Boswell, told the inquest in Haverfordwest that the school environment added to Megan’s distress. Chloe, now 22, described the teachers as “absolutely horrible” to Megan, claiming one staff member responsible for behavior management “picked on her” about her uniform.

“The school didn’t create a safe space for students to speak about bullying,” Chloe said.

Nicola Harteveld shared similar frustrations, accusing the school of failing to address her daughter’s struggles. “At every opportunity, she was belittled by people she was supposed to trust,” Nicola told the inquest.

The lead-up to Megan’s death

The hearing was told Megan appeared to be her “normal bubbly self” on the day of her death. She had attended a school meeting about a trip to France and seemed in good spirits.

Later that evening, her parents left for Cardiff with Megan’s younger siblings, leaving her at home with her older siblings. Around 10:00pm, her brother found her locked in an upstairs bathroom. Despite efforts from her family and emergency services, Megan could not be saved.

Friends said Megan had expressed feelings of hopelessness on Snapchat before her death. Her friend Travis Johnson recalled Megan saying, “I CBA [could not be bothered] anymore,” hours before she died.

Megan Evans: Was found dead at her home in February 2017 (Image: Family)

But the inquest heard differing views on whether Megan was bullied. While Chloe reported witnessing bullying and suggested students felt unable to confide in teachers, Malcolm Duthie, representing Pembrokeshire County Council, said friends questioned at the time did not believe Megan was being bullied.

Duthie acknowledged the difficulty schools face in tracking online abuse, particularly on platforms like Snapchat, where messages vanish after 24 hours.

Megan was remembered as a talented artist, hockey player, and a caring, vibrant teenager. Her family described her as

having “a big heart” and bringing “love and laughter” to their home.

In the wake of Megan’s death, her mother founded Megan’s Starr Foundation, a charity offering free counseling and peer support to young people across Pembrokeshire. Nicola has since campaigned to raise awareness of mental health challenges and the dangers of social media bullying.

The inquest continues.

For confidential support, contact Samaritans on 116 123 or visit www. samaritans.org.

New NHS data shows the same old problems

ALTHOUGH the latest batch of NHS performance data contained some good news for the Welsh government, chronic problems with meeting targets remain the headline.

The Welsh Government announced further funding to reduce waiting lists earlier this week. Following that announcement, the Health Minister, Jeremy Miles, led a Welsh Parliament debate on waiting times on Tuesday, November 19.

HARD FIGURES

The number of patient pathways increased from 800,163 in August to 801,307 in September, the highest figure on record, equivalent to onequarter of the Welsh population.

There were still around 618,200 individual patients waiting for treatment in September.

Two-year waits remain at 23,701 in Wales. Eluned Morgan promised to eliminate these waits by March 2023 and again by March this year. The dial is moving slowly in the right direction, but progress is painfully small.

At the end of September, the average (median) time patient pathways had been waiting for treatment was 22.7 weeks.

In October, only 50.4% of red calls (the most serious) received an emergency/ambulance response within eight minutes. This is a tiny improvement but a long way short of the Welsh Government’s performance target for the Welsh Ambulance Service. The Ambulance Service has never hit any of its performance targets since the Welsh Government first set them.

Performance worsened against the 62-day target for patients starting cancer treatment; it is now 55% as of September.

MINISTER FINDS THE POSITIVES

Wales’s Health Minister, Jeremy Miles, responded to the data: “I’m pleased to see the number of patient pathways waiting more than a year and two years for treatment have fallen in the last month.

“This shows positive progress is being made across Wales to reduce the longest waiting times. I hope to see this continue.

“While there has been a small rise in the overall number of patient pathways waiting to start treatment, more than half are waiting less than 26 weeks, and there was a fall in the number waiting more than 36 weeks in September.

“We recognise the impact long waits for treatment can have on someone’s life, both mentally and physically, so we have a laser-like focus on reducing the longest waits

Jon Coles jon.coles@herald.email

and improving access to patient care.

“More than 1,800 people started cancer treatment in September, and nearly 14,000 people received the good news they didn’t have cancer.

“There were also reductions in the long waits for both diagnostics and therapies services and some reductions in the numbers of pathway of care delays.

“Urgent and emergency care services continue to be under great pressure – in October, the Welsh Ambulance Service received the second highest number and proportion of immediately lifethreatening calls per day on record, but more than half of these calls received a response within eight minutes.”

NHS “AT CRISIS POINT”

Sam Rowlands MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister, said: “I fear that we are at a crisis point as waiting list figures continue to head in the wrong direction in Labour-run Wales.

“The Labour Health Minister’s latest initiatives, even if his expectations are met, will barely scratch the surface in terms of tackling these excessive, record-breaking waits for treatment. Something needs to change fast.

“The Welsh Conservatives will stand up for the Welsh people’s

priorities by eliminating restrictive guidance blocking cross-border and cross-sector working and by enacting a substantial workforce plan to boost staffing numbers, with a tuition fee refund for healthcare workers at its heart.”

LOCAL TRENDS

The month-to-month performance data provide a limited snapshot of the details. Their nature encourages politicians to exchange barbs and engage in self-praise. Specious comparisons between Welsh NHS performance and English NHS performance crumble under the gentlest scrutiny, not least as the English NHS counts waiting times and collates patient data differently from the Welsh.

Long-term trends are more revealing.

Immediately before the Covid pandemic (data released in March 2020), 1.6% of patients in the Hywel Dda UHB area waited over 36 weeks from referral to treatment. 85.7% of patients went from referral to treatment within 26 weeks.

By March 2022, 35.2% of patients in the local health board area were waiting for more than 36 weeks, and the percentage seen within 26 weeks had fallen to 56.7%. By the following March, just over 60% were seen within 26 weeks, and the proportion of patients waiting more than 36 weeks had fallen to 28.2%.

If you move forward to September 2024, Hywel Dda UHB’s performance

figures have marginally slipped. There are no peaks and troughs in the performance data; they remain steadily bumping along at the same level and are far worse than they were in March 2020.

The Health Minister’s honest acknowledgement that the £50m funding injection to address waiting times is a short-term measure to boost performance and not a longterm solution highlights the scale of the problem. The question of waiting lists is not how much money it will take to tackle them but how much money will be spent before radical reform tackles systemic problems with healthcare delivery.

Placing Hywel Dda’s difficulties in a national perspective, the Welsh Government’s planned care recovery plan established a target to eliminate two-year waits in most specialities by March 2023. ‘Most’ refers to all specialities, excluding seven recognised as exceptionally challenging even prior to the pandemic.

Those specialisms, which include Orthopaedics, ENT, and Gynaecology, are large areas of surgical practice. They are excluded from targeted improvements because tackling them is too difficult. Proposals to establish surgical hubs made by the Welsh Conservatives have not attracted Welsh Government support as resources and staffing remain highly problematic. However, a quick win for the Welsh Government on the longest waiting times is potentially available.

IPG stakes out ground for PCC budget

THE IPG has invited all of Pembrokeshire’s unaffiliated councillors to a meeting at the Plough Inn, Sageston, on Friday, November 22.

The only unaffiliated councillor who did not get an invitation was council leader Jon Harvey.

The invitation came via an email to councillors from IPG leader Huw Murphy on Tuesday, November 19.

In the email, Cllr Murphy says the meeting will discuss the upcoming budget and the priorities of backbench councillors.

Cllr Murphy wrote: “We can all have a view on the budget setting for 2024/25, but I think most of us would agree it was not a satisfactory process, where an on-the-day amendment proposing a CT of 12.5% was passed over a Cabinet recommended 16.3%. One reason for this meeting is an effort to avoid such an outcome again, where we make clear our priorities and our “red lines” and how we can offer some solutions to assist the production of a balanced budget.”

Cllr Murphy says that, despite reassurances given in July by the Council’s Leader and deputy leader (Cllrs Jon Harvey and Paul Miller), no meetings have been held to discuss this year’s budget with the IPG, the Council’s largest opposition group.

While Cllr Harvey offered a future meeting via a phone call on November 18, the date for that has not been set. Cllr Murphy suggests that the meeting this Friday between unaffiliated and IPG councillors is essential to ensure the Council’s Cabinet takes account of members’ views.

He adds: “All Independent Councillors should vote only with the best interests of their Ward and Pembrokeshire at heart.”

Huw Murphy acknowledges that not all unaffiliated or IPG councillors hold the same view on Council Tax and voted differently when this year’s rate was set.

“However,” he adds, “at Corporate O&S on November 14, it emerged that PCC has approximately 60,000 properties subject to Council Tax and, since April 2024, when the 12.5% CT came in, we have sent out approximately 14,000 reminders (late/ non-payment) and issued approaching 5,000 summonses. Therefore, around 10% of our total Council Tax is unpaid, adding even further pressure to our budget.”

Cllr Murphy claims: “The evidence is clear, households are creaking under the pressure of the cost-of-living crisis, and we must make this clear to WG/UK Govt and PCC Cabinet/Senior

Jon Coles jon.coles@herald.email

Officers when setting the Council Tax next year.”

Cllr Murphy acknowledges the difficult financial position of local authorities and says that Pembrokeshire County Council will need to use its reserves to bridge a significant forecast deficit for the next financial year.

Huw Murphy adds: “I am currently enrolled on a WLGA Course with Councillors from all over Wales. It’s a crumb of comfort that it appears we in PCC are in a better position than many Welsh local authorities. It appears we must thank our Senior Officers for their stewardship of our finances. As Leader of the Opposition, I am not here to lambast the current administration when credit is due. Our financial position could be a lot worse than it is, and some of the credit for this must be given to the current administration.”

Huw Murphy does not ignore the importance of political arithmetic. No Council political group can form an administration unaided. The loose coalition that has led Pembrokeshire County Council since 2017 is fragile and brittle. There is no formal agreement between unaffiliated councillors and

the Council’s leadership to sustain the latter in power.

Speaking of IPG and unaffiliated councillors collectively, Cllr Murphy says: “We are the majority of Councillors in the Chamber. We have a Labour Cabinet member for finance (Cllr Joshua Beynon) who is also employed by the MP for Mid/South Pembrokeshire. Do I have concerns that, as a result, we are going to have budget proposals placed before us that are geared up for a Labour agenda? Then yes, I do.

“We all know where the significant budget pressures lie, which is Social Care.”

Echoing an email to the Welsh Government from North Wales council leaders, Huw Murphy notes the number of unfunded commitments made by Westminster and Cardiff Bay shovelled on top of already stretched local authority budgets.

Cllr Murphy sees the problem as Pembrokeshire councillors relying on guesswork. The Council’s (membersonly) Budget seminar will happen on December 6, but Cardiff Bay won’t announce the local government’s financial settlement until several days later. In addition, budget modelling tools have not yet been circulated to all councillors and are based on no more than a best guess.

The difference could be substantial. Cardiff Bay’s Finance Minister, Mark Drakeford, has hailed the most significant budget increase for the Welsh Government since devolution 25 years ago. However, the demands on the Welsh Government to increase spending are significant, and the NHS is vying for a bigger slice of funding. Whether the funding will stretch to cushion councils from the need for large increases in Council Tax is uncertain.

The email acknowledges that problem and calls on its recipients to consider: “[W]hat is important in respect of the services that we protect even if the consequence is a higher Council Tax. This meeting is to gather views and to strengthen the voice of Independent Councillors within Pembrokeshire in a forum where all voices will be heard, listened to and respected.”

Regardless of the meeting’s success, it is a sign that this year’s Council budget is a fresh battle over services and revenue. Last time out, the administration just got its budget through with a last-minute wheeze. That cannot happen again. Compromise is not only inevitable, but it is also desirable for all groups in the Council Chamber to avoid any repetition of last year’s bitter recriminations.

Burglar jailed for stealing cars worth £90,000

BRIAN DAVIS, 53, of Bush Street, Pembroke Dock, has been sentenced to 15 months in prison after admitting to three counts of non-dwelling burglary at Swansea Crown Court.

The court heard that Davis and an accomplice targeted Sinclair Garages in Neyland during the early hours of April 2 last year, stealing four vehicles: a Mercedes CLA, an Audi A1, an Audi Q3, and a Volkswagen Tiguan worth around £90,000 in total.

Sentencing Davis, Judge Paul Thomas KC said the crimes were too severe for a suspended sentence and noted little hope of rehabilitation. “These offences display planning and determination,” the judge remarked.

The burglars forced entry into the garage, using a crowbar to access a key storage board. Nine sets of keys were stolen, allowing them to take multiple vehicles. Prosecutor Matthew Murphy told the court: “The men left with two cars initially, returned 14 minutes later to steal a third, and returned again for a fourth.”

The stolen cars were valued at approximately £90,000. Three vehicles – the Volkswagen Tiguan, Audi A1, and Audi Q3 –were recovered the following day. However, the Mercedes CLA, worth £12,382, was only located in January this year. Damages included £5,541 to replace locks on several vehicles.

Police traced Davis through partial fingerprints found on a glove left in one of the stolen cars. He was arrested after surrendering at Haverfordwest Police Station on August 14.

Struggles with addiction

Tom

Sinclair editor@herald.email

The court heard Davis had left Pembrokeshire in December, breaching post-sentence supervision for an unrelated offence, to stay with family in Glasgow and recover from drug addiction. Stuart John, defending, explained: “The defendant struggled with heroin addiction from

a young age. Family bereavements caused a relapse.”

Mr John noted that Davis had been clean when he returned to Pembrokeshire and voluntarily handed himself in. While in custody, Davis completed courses and attended counselling, demonstrating awareness of the consequences of further drug use.

Recovered vehicl es

• Volkswagen Tiguan: £36,577

• Audi Q3: £26,041

• Audi A1: £15,000

• Mercedes CLA: £12,382

Police praised the recovery efforts, but the incident has left a costly mark on Sinclair Garages, with damages to vehicles and security.

Motorist admits gaving false name to the police

A MOTORIST was in court this week for giving police officers false information concerning his identity before driving off at high speed through red traffic lights with a front seat passenger and two babies strapped in the rear of his vehicle.

Lewis Palmer, 22, was stopped by officers on March 3 as he drove his Seat Ateca along Pembroke Road, Pembroke Dock.

“In the back were two very young children,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates

this week. “One was four months old and the other was 14 months. In the front was his partner.”

Magistrates were shown bodyworn footage in which Palmer could be heard telling the officer on several occasions that his name was Jordan. Subsequent checks carried out by the officer revealed that the information he had given was false, but when Palmer was questioned about this, drove off at a high speed.

“By now the passenger had unbuckled herself and was tending to the two babies in the back,” said Nia

James. “So when the defendant drove off, she was unstrapped

“The officer had to step away to avoid impact and the defendant screeched off at high speed. He drove towards the traffic lights on Ferry Lane, and other motor vehicles had to stop to avoid a collision.

“There was only one reason that he drove off, and that was to avoid the police.”

Ms James informed magistrates that Palmer had already been disqualified by a court sitting at Aberdeen in May of this year, after being convicted of

dangerous driving.

This week Palmer pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, obstructing a police constable in the execution of her duty, driving on a public road without third party insurance and failing to stop when required to do so by an officer.

After considering the facts, magistrates requested a full probation report before sentencing. Palmer was released on unconditional bail and will reappear before magistrates on December 10.

An interim disqualification was imposed.

Motorist banned from driving after being caught over limit

A PEMBROKE DOCK motorist has been ordered off the roads after driving through Pembroke town centre when he was over the drinkdrive limit.

Just before 1am on October 31, police officers stopped a Vauxhall Zafira that was being driven along South Road by Cameron Sell, 23, who was exceeding the speed limit.

Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverofrdwest magistrates this week.

The legal limit is 35.

“He was acting erratically when he was speaking to the officer,”

A roadside breath test proved positive and subsequent breath tests carried out at the police station showed Sell had 42 mcg of alcohol in his system.

After considering the facts, magistrates fined Sell £300 and ordered him to pay a £120 court surcharge and £85 costs. He was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Woman caught in finger-lickin’ supermarket crime spree

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been sentenced by magistrates after stealing three packets of chicken from The Food Warehouse.

Marion Picton, 45, was seen by store staff removing three packs, each weighing 1.7kg, from the shelves of the Milford Haven store on April 10.

“She was about to leave the store with the chicken but she was spoken to by the staff and all the items were recovered,” Crown Prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“They went back for resale so there is no claim for compensation.”

Ms James described Picton as ‘no stranger to the courts’. In November 2023 she served a custodial sentence for a previous conviction of theft.

Picton, of Hawthorn Path, Mount Estate, Milford Haven pleaded guilty to theft. She was fined £40 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £16 court surcharge.

Court hears man exposed his flaccid manhood ‘by accident’

A 21-YEAR-OLD Pembrokeshire man has appeared before magistrates charged with intentionally exposing his genitals in a public place.

Thomas Jones is accused of carrying out the act at a property in New Moat, Clarbeston Road, on November 9, 2022.

“The defendant knocked on the door of a female and offered his gardening services,” Crown prosecutor Nia James told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.

“She accepted his offer and moved her car so that he could move his van, but when she turned around, she could see his flaccid penis was outside his

trousers. When she pointed this out to him, he said he didn’t know that it was exposed.”

Jones denies the charge. He was released on unconditional bail to await his trial at Haverfordwest magistrates court on January 6.

Rape and sexual assault charges

A PEMBROKE man has appeared before magistrates charged with raping a woman on New Year’s Day 2015.

Mark Jones, 31, is accused of raping the woman at an undisclosed location in Pembroke and of sexually assaulting the woman in Llangain on September 19, 2020.

Jones, of Lord Meadow View,

Pembroke, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday but entered no pleas. Due to the seriousness of the charges, magistrates declined jurisdiction, and Jones will now appear before Swansea Crown Court on December 20. He was released on unconditional bail.

Pupils wear wellies to back farmers

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY

COUNCIL has denied trying to stop pupils from wearing Wellington boots to school in support of local farmers.

However, following a request, the Council refused to promote the wearing of the boots on its website or to allow schools to do so on theirs.

The Council communicated its decision on Monday, November 18, ahead of the national farmers’ protest in London on Tuesday, November 19.

Regardless, pupils across Pembrokeshire wore Wellington boots to school on Tuesday to show their support.

At Ysgol Bro Preseli many pupils had wellies on, and three older pupils reportedly drove to school in tractors.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “The Education Act 1996 clearly prohibits practitioners from promoting partisan political views, and therefore, our schools are not permitted to promote the farmers’ protest taking place in London today.”

Dyfed-Powys Neighbourhood Watch said: “It’s is very upsetting to learn that Pembrokeshire County Council has pressured all schools across Pembrokeshire to withdraw their communications to parents and guardians, showing support to farmers regarding wellies day.

“Farmers are the cornerstone of our country. If there are no farmers, there

“They’ve been rolling over for Labour in Cardiff Bay for years.

is no food. If there is no food, there is no way to survive, meaning no Future. It really is as simple as that. Farmers deserve to be recognised.”

A local farmer was unimpressed:

“Of course, Pembrokeshire County Council would roll over for their Labour paymasters in London.

“It’s as if the Council doesn’t understand just how important agriculture is to the county’s economy, our identity, and our culture.

“Regardless of your political persuasion, a serious threat looms over the industry, and a show of solidarity would’ve been gratefully received by Pembrokeshire’s farmers.”

Another said: “The support for

farmers is wide-ranging, and we owe much to those in London exercising their democratic right to represent rural Britain.

“It felt like a real community in London, and I’m proud to be a part of it.

“Even Londoners supported the farmers and loved the good-natured atmosphere: they said it was so much different than the usual protests they have there.”

Man accused of witness intimidation remanded in custody

A PEMBROKESHIRE man accused of intimidating a witness in a legal case involving him has been remanded in custody following a hearing at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Nov 14).

David Rees, 62, of St Dogmaels Road, St Dogmaels, is charged with intimidating a witness, contrary to Section 51(1) and (6) of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.

The alleged incident occurred on October 30, 2024, near Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court, where Rees was attending a hearing for allegations of possession of an offensive weapon and common assault.

The original charges against Rees stem from a dramatic incident in St Dogmaels on September 16, 2024, which prompted an armed police response. Rees is accused of assaulting a man at a local building plot and being in possession of a concealed weapon—a sword stick, a bladed weapon hidden inside a walking stick. The episode resulted in a significant police presence, including armed officers, canine units, and a helicopter, in the usually tranquil village.

At his initial court appearance on October 9, Rees did not enter a plea to these charges. The hearing was

adjourned for clarification from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and Rees was granted conditional bail, with restrictions preventing him from visiting certain addresses or contacting named individuals.

Prosecutors now allege that on October 30, while on bail, Rees approached a key witness in his case, Tom Long, at Harbour House in Trefechan, near the court.

Rees is accused of telling Long to withdraw his complaint, an act intended to intimidate him and interfere with the course of justice, the CPS allege .

At Thursday’s hearing, prosecutor Eurgain Lloyd argued against granting bail, citing the defendant’s alleged actions while on conditional bail and the risk of further interference with witnesses. Defence solicitor Geraint Parry, of Geraint Jones and Co.,

contested the remand, but magistrates Mrs M Hambidge, Dr M Morel Du Boil, and Mr H Davey rejected the application.

The court determined that the seriousness of the charges and the potential risk to the administration of justice warranted remanding Rees in custody. The magistrates cited the alleged offending on bail as a key factor in their decision.

Rees will remain in custody until his next court appearance, scheduled for November 20, 2024, at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court. This mention hearing, estimated to last 10 minutes, will take place at the Aberystwyth Justice Centre. A trial on the intimidation charge is set for December 19, 2024, with an estimated duration of 20 minutes.

The charges and the nature of the allegations have drawn significant local attention. The earlier alleged incident in St Dogmaels left the community shaken, with a heavy police presence continuing into the evening to reassure residents.

The subsequent charges of witness intimidation further complicate the legal proceedings against Rees, as the court seeks to ensure the integrity of the justice process.

This case continues to develop, with key hearings scheduled in the coming weeks.

Milford Haven Port Authority in Burry Port Harbour takeover talks

MILFORD Haven Port Authority is in the frame to take over the running of Carmarthenshire’s only harbour.

The Trust Port is in discussions with Carmarthenshire Council, which owns Burry Port harbour, after the previous operator went into administration.

Council cabinet members discussed a harbour report behind closed doors at a meeting in October, the minutes of which said they’d agreed to team up with a “reputable” third party, Milford Haven Port Authority, as soon as legally possible to “develop and sustain” the harbour.

The accumulation of silt and sand at the harbour and concerns about the state of its pontoons have been the cause of many complaints in recent years. A group, Friends of Burry Port Harbour, has been campaigning for action. The council had awarded a 150-year lease in 2018 to a company called Burry Port Marina Ltd to operate the harbour on its behalf. The company went into administration last year.

Speaking on November 4, cabinet members Cllr Hazel Evans and Cllr Alun Lenny said the council had a legal duty as the harbour authority and as its owner to take reasonable steps to ensure it could be used safely.

“We are, therefore, pleased to be able to update stakeholders and the local community that Carmarthenshire Council are in discussions with a reputable and trusted organisation

to secure the long-term future of the harbour,” they said.

The Port of Milford Haven handles millions of tonnes of liquefied natural gas and various bulk cargo every year. A freight and passenger ferry service to Ireland also operates there. Its chief executive, Tom Sawyer, confirmed it

was in discussions with the council about how it could support the marina operation in Burry Port. “As no formal agreement has been made yet it would be inappropriate for us to comment further,” he said.

Bob John, chairman of Friends of Burry Port Harbour, described Milford Haven Port Authority as well-established and experienced. Welcoming its potential involvement, Mr John said: “Once the formal side of things has been completed we will be looking to have a meeting with the county council.”

The harbour was placed under temporary management following Burry Port Marina Ltd’s administration, and Mr John said there have been some “minor improvements” since such as work at the approach to the harbour channel and the replacement of a barrel post. However, a dredging vessel sank in the harbour in January this year.

Mr John said the number of boat owners who used the harbour had decreased. “It is the only one in Carmarthenshire – it really is a jewel in that respect,” he said.

Port supports Cruising Free’s Atlantic Dash with donation of safety equipment

THE PORT OF MILFORD HAVEN has announced a donation of vital safety equipment to support local group Cruising Free, who will be embarking on a challenging 3,200-mile rowing journey across the Atlantic Ocean. The crew of Cruising Free will row from Lanzarote to Antigua to raise funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Paul Sartori Hospice at Home.

The Port of Milford Haven’s donation includes a comprehensive range of safety gear designed to support the crew’s journey and ensure their safety during this extraordinary expedition. Items provided include:

• Flare Kit

• Satellite Phone

• VHF Radios

• First Aid Kits

• GPS Equipment

• Lights

• Safety Lines

• And more

The Port of Milford Haven, the UK’s leading energy Port, is committed to supporting local maritime initiatives. This donation is a key part of the Port’s ongoing efforts to promote safety in all aspects of maritime activity, particularly for adventurous projects like Atlantic Dash.

“We are proud to support the amazing crew of Cruising Free as they undertake this monumental challenge,” said Mike Ryan, Harbourmaster at the Port of Milford Haven. “Safety is paramount for anyone taking to the sea, and we hope that the equipment we’ve provided will support them

as they navigate the Atlantic. Their journey will not only raise vital funds for two incredibly worthwhile causes but also inspire people across the UK and beyond. We are excited to be part of their journey and wish them the very best of luck.”

The Atlantic Dash will see the

team of experienced rowers tackle the gruelling transatlantic journey, which is expected to take several weeks. The funds raised by Cruising Free will directly benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, which supports research and care for people living with cystic fibrosis, and the Paul Sartori Hospice at Home, which provides specialist palliative care services to individuals in West Wales.

“We are truly and eternally grateful to Port of Milford Haven who have provided us with the essential safety equipment needed to embark on our 3,200 mile journey from Lanzarote to Antigua. We are hoping not to need to use the flares or safety lines, but the satellite phone and VHF radio will keep us connected with land and loved-ones through the entire 2-month journey. Thank you!” said Polly Zipperlen, team member of Cruising Free.

Cruising Free’s row across the Atlantic will begin in January 2025, and the crew’s journey will be tracked in real time to allow supporters to follow their progress. The team is already actively fundraising and plans to hold several community events in the lead-up to their departure.

To learn more about Cruising Free’s Atlantic Row and how you can support their cause, visit their Linktree here.

Haverfordwest High VC School raise £12,775 for Children in Need

THIS week students at Haverfordwest High VC School have raised a record breaking £12,775 for Children in Need. The week has been led by an incredible group of Senior Prefects and their Year 12 and 13 Children in Need Army. The Sixth Form events have consisted of:

• 150 students taking a Big Dip at Broadhaven Beach.

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• Bushtucker Trial – where students went up against HHVCS staff to eat some gruelly delights.

• Buffee and Barnes’ Wednesday Night Takeaway – a quiz night held at Haverfordwest RFC.

• A carwash – where staff, pupils and brave members of the public had

their cars washed.

• Our Head Boy Harry shaved and dyed his hair. Closely followed by Year 12 Oscar and Kayden shaving their heads in front of the entire Sixth Form Block

• Senior Prefects Katie and Ffion conducted a half marathon around Haverfordwest and were joined by Head Boy Harry and Deputy Head Boy Finn.

• Year 12 Libby and Year 13 Molly held a sponsored silence – it was a lovely day!

• Netball and football matches

• A bake sale

• Sweet shop led by Year 12 Leah, Queenie and Chloe.

• Cyclathon – where students cycled all day outside the Sixth Form Block on spin bikes.

• Leg waxing – Brave Year 12 and 13 boys had their legs waxed in front of the whole school.

• Fun Run – which involved pupils from across the whole school.

• Teddy and Pudsey ears sale.

• The younger year groups also played a huge part in the fundraising efforts with Achievement Leaders planning a range of events including:

• Year 7 danceathon – where students danced all day to some disco classics. Led by Senior Prefect Lucy and her sidekicks Brianna and Carys.

• Year 8 Awesome Auction – hosted by Year 8

• Year 9 Quiz

• Year 10 and 11 football and bingo

The week was topped off with a whole school fancy dress. We couldn’t be more proud of what our pupils and staff have achieved. This amount of money will make a huge difference to children in need.

New development in Haverfordwest showcased to Welsh Government

MEMBERS of the Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire

County Council toured Augustus Grange, a new housing development in Haverfordwest created by Lovell in partnership with housing association Pobl Group.

The development, located off St David’s Road, will provide 115 two and three-bedroom homes, including 36 homes for open market sale and 79 affordable homes. Of these, 37 will be available through Shared Ownership, and 42 will be for affordable rent.

The Welsh Government has contributed more than £8.6 million through its Social Housing Grant to fund the affordable rent homes, addressing a significant demand for accessible housing options in the area.

A COLLABORATIVE VISION

During the visit, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, Jayne Bryant MS, praised the project’s contribution to increasing housing availability.

“Delivering more homes is a key priority for this government, and it’s fantastic to support Lovell and Pobl’s vision for Augustus Grange,” she said. “This investment will provide high-quality, affordable housing for individuals and families in Haverfordwest.”

Tom Sinclair editor@herald.email

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Leader, Cllr Jon Harvey, and Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Michelle Bateman, also attended alongside other officials, including Gaynor Toft, Head of Housing, and David Meyrick, Housing Strategy and Affordable Housing Manager.

Cllr Bateman highlighted the importance of the development:

“Increasing affordable housing is a key priority, and it’s fantastic to see a mix of open market, affordable, and social rent homes being developed in our county town.”

PROGRESS ON DISPLAY

Lovell and Pobl showcased the site, including the sales office and a newly launched Lambourne-style show home. The Augustus Grange development is Lovell’s first project in West Wales and represents a key part of its growth strategy.

“We are incredibly proud of Augustus Grange,” said James Duffett, Lovell’s Regional Managing Director. “This project demonstrates our team’s achievements, combining the best of our partnerships and sales expertise to create a development people will be proud to call home.”

DESIGNED FOR COMMUNITY

Claire Tristham, Director of Development at Pobl Group, underscored the collaborative effort behind the project.

“This development secures muchneeded housing for the community, designed to meet high sustainability

standards, ensuring affordability in both rent and heating costs,” she said.

The site’s proximity to Haverfordwest’s rich history and natural beauty further enhances its appeal. Future residents will enjoy access to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Haverfordwest Castle, and excellent shopping and commuter links.

Woman shaves head to honour murdered partner and fight knife crime

A WOMAN whose former partner was murdered in a cowardly town centre attack has shaved her head to raise awareness and funds to combat knife crime, nearly three years after his killer was jailed for life.

John Bell was fatally stabbed in

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the back after walking away from an argument near a friend’s house. He was found seriously injured in a side street adjacent to the Fusion restaurant in Cardigan, having sustained seven stab

Poppy Brown wins national bravery award

A BRAVE four-year-old girl from Tenby, who has undergone ten life-saving operations since being diagnosed as a newborn with congenital heart disease, has been honoured by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) at a prestigious national awards ceremony.

Poppy Brown received the BHF Young Heart Hero Award from Dr. Charmaine Griffiths, the charity’s CEO, at an event held at Chessington World of Adventures in Surrey.

The awards, now in their seventh year, celebrate inspirational children who have faced serious heart health challenges with courage or raised vital funds through extraordinary efforts.

wounds inflicted by Ashley Keegan at nearby Golwg y Castell.

Despite efforts to save him, Mr Bell succumbed to his injuries at the scene due to significant blood loss. A postmortem examination confirmed the brutal extent of his injuries.

Keegan, who had been drinking and became increasingly aggressive on the day of the attack, was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2021 for what was described as a “brutal and cowardly” act. The court heard how Keegan retrieved a knife from a garden before launching the fatal assault after Mr Bell walked away from their altercation.

Remembering John

Mr Bell, who was a devoted father to a teenage daughter, is remembered fondly by his former partner, Louise Faller.

“John was a good-hearted man,” Louise shared. “As a first-time dad, he was amazing—he took to it naturally. John and I will always have the bond of being first-time parents together. He was a lovely man.”

Louise reflected on the profound impact of his death on their family, particularly on their daughter Cindy.

“There is still sadness, hurt, and anger about it,” she said. “Cindy will

turn 18 on December 4, but the impact has changed her view of people and life. Her only comfort is me, her siblings, and her cats, which bring her love and peace.”

A Bold Act for Change

On Saturday, Louise had her hair shaved off in a buzz cut at Cardigan’s Hair Studio to raise money for Lives Not Knives, a youth-led charity focused on preventing youth violence through mentorship and guidance for people aged 9 to 21.

“I chose to shave my hair because it marks nearly three years since [Keegan] was sentenced for what he did,” Louise explained. “I wanted to highlight the dangers of knife crime and how easily a life can be taken. It’s a ripple effect of damage and broken hearts left behind.”

Louise is close to reaching her £500 fundraising target for Lives Not Knives and expressed deep gratitude for the support she has received.

“I couldn’t be more thankful for every single person who has donated and supported me,” she said. “It really has and will help this world in a small but huge way. Thank you from my heart.”

To donate to Louise’s campaign, visit www.justgiving.com/page/louisefaller-1727971243840.

Hosted by CBBC’s Dr. Dan and Dr. Raph Olaiya, the event treated Poppy and her family, along with other young award recipients, to a fun-filled day. Tours of the park and party activities sponsored by Claire’s added sparkle to the occasion.

Dr. Griffiths praised Poppy for her bravery and determination, saying: “Poppy is an incredible example of strength and resilience. Her story inspires everyone in our mission to fight heart disease.”

The family described the day as “truly special” and thanked the BHF for recognising Poppy’s journey and achievements.

200 hours at sea in RNLI’s 200th year for Fishguard volunteer

A FISHGUARD RNLI volunteer has become the first crew member at the station to clock 200 hours at sea in 2024, the RNLI’s bicentenary year.

Jessica Rogers, who joined the crew in September 2021, serves on Fishguard’s Trent-class allweather lifeboat Blue Peter VII and the D-Class inshore lifeboat Edward Arthur Richardson.

This year has been a milestone for Fishguard RNLI, with over 30 service launches, the addition of a full-time coxswain, and the introduction of a tiered training scheme. Jessica’s achievement highlights the station’s commitment during this historic year, which marks 200 years since Sir William Hillary founded the RNLI.

Jessica has excelled in her training, achieving Tier One and Tier Two crew qualifications for both lifeboats, enabling her to operate as a fully competent crew member on either vessel. She is now advancing her skills as a helm and navigator. Her dedication has resulted in over 200 recorded hours at sea—the highest seen at the station in eight years.

These hours include 35 hours responding to 15 rescue shouts, with the remainder dedicated to training, including supporting other crew members during exercises. Beyond her sea hours, Jessica contributes as the station’s Lifeboat Training

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Coordinator, ensuring all crew training is up to date.

Professionally, Jessica is a selfemployed podiatrist in Fishguard. Her clients are familiar with her RNLI commitment, with lifeboat news often a topic of conversation during appointments. On occasion, her pager has gone off mid-treatment, requiring her professional judgement to prioritize her clients’ safety before responding to a shout.

Jessica’s milestone coincides with the RNLI’s 200th year, showcasing the dedication of volunteers who have supported the lifesaving charity for two centuries. While Jessica is the first to surpass 200 hours at Fishguard in 2024, a handful of other crew members are expected to achieve this milestone by year-end.

Earlier this year, Jessica, her husband Cedwyn Rogers, Florian Caroff, and Jake Thomson were recognized for completing 100 hours at sea, each receiving commemorative glassware crafted by full-time coxswain Gemma Gill. Gemma is now creating a special memento to mark Jessica’s 200-hour achievement.

Gemma Gill, full-time coxswain at Fishguard RNLI, said: “I am incredibly proud of our team, especially Jess

for reaching this significant milestone during the RNLI’s bicentenary.

Jess’s 200 hours afloat are just part of her contribution—she’s also dedicated countless hours to training, fundraising, and community events. Thank you, Jess, and all our Fishguard crew, for your unwavering commitment.”

Jessica Rogers reflected on her achievement: “I was surprised to learn I’ve spent so much time at sea this year! I love being part of the Fishguard crew, and as they say, time

flies when you’re having fun.

This milestone isn’t just my achievement—it’s thanks to the hard work of RNLI staff and volunteers, as well as the generous support of our donors. I look forward to continuing my training and becoming an even more valuable crew member in the years ahead.”

Fishguard RNLI’s year of milestones underscores the dedication of its volunteers and the enduring legacy of the RNLI in saving lives at sea.

Help protect Pembrokeshire’s coastal paths this Big Give Week

PEMBROKESHIRE COAST CHARITABLE TRUST is inviting the public to make a double impact this December by supporting vital efforts to combat coastal erosion and climate change across Pembrokeshire’s cherished coastal paths. For one week only, donations will have an even greater impact in protecting these scenic trails for future generations.

During Big Give Week, which takes place from 3–10 December, any donations made to the Trust’s Save Our Coastal Paths campaign will be matched – allowing each gift to go twice as far in safeguarding this precious coastline and its world-class walking trails.

Regarded by many as a national treasure, Pembrokeshire’s 186mile Coast Path winds through a breathtaking landscape of cliffs, heaths, and dune grasslands, connected by a web of adjoining trails. This iconic pathway is enjoyed year-round by residents, wildlife, and visitors alike. Yet the increasing pressures of climate change – rising sea levels, frequent storms, and extreme weather – are eroding the coast at an alarming rate, threatening the accessibility of these paths, disrupting local ecosystems, and impacting the tourism that fuels the local economy.

In response, the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust has partnered

with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and the National Trails team to launch a proactive approach through the Save Our Coastal Paths campaign. Funds raised during Big Give Week will go toward vital repair work, bridge restorations, debris removal, and re-routes where necessary, ensuring the Coast Path and its connecting pathways remain open and safe for generations to come.

Jamie Owen, Journalist, Broadcaster, and Patron of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust, said: “The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is one of the county’s greatest treasures. I have walked it from beginning to end. It would be a tragedy if it became impassable or parts of it simply disappeared. It’s crucial we all do our bit to ensure it’s preserved.”

Katie Macro, Director of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust, said: “The Big Give Week is the UK’s largest match-funding event, where supporters of UK charities can have their donations doubled. It’s a fantastic opportunity to rally support and raise funds to help protect Pembrokeshire’s much-loved coastal paths, ensuring they stay resilient against climate change and remain a joy for future generations.

“If you’d like to help, please consider donating during Big Give Week by visiting https://donate.biggive.org/ campaign/a056900002TPSPiAAP.”

Further information on the work of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust can be found at https:// pembrokeshirecoasttrust.wales/.

Ascona wins at the 2024 Allica Bank Vreat British Entrepreneur Awards

PEMBROKESHIRE businessman

Darren Briggs, founder of petrol station operator Ascona, has been named a winner of the prestigious Allica Bank Great British Entrepreneur Awards in the ‘Scale-Up Entrepreneur of the Year – Wales’ and the inaugural ‘Randal Foundation Entrepreneur of the Year – Wales’ categories.

Now in its 12th year, the Great British Entrepreneur Awards shine a spotlight on the individuals and businesses driving innovation, creating jobs, and shaping the future of the UK economy.

This year, the brand new ‘Randal Foundation Entrepreneur of the Year’ award celebrated entrepreneurs whose business embodied The Randal Foundation’s core mission – to save lives, improve life chances, and contribute positively to local communities.

Ascona has been committed to supporting local communities since its inception, having established The Ascona Foundation in 2020. The success of the Group over the years has enabled Darren and the team to support many charities in the areas in which it operates, with the Company donating over £400,000 to local, national and community organisations since 2017.

Darren Briggs, Founder and

Chief Executive Officer of Ascona Group,

commented: “It is a great honour to be recognised for such prestigious awards at this year’s Great British Entrepreneur Awards.

“I am incredibly proud of Ascona and everything we have achieved over the years. This is another milestone for our business and the recognition is a testament to everyone’s hard work,

MIKE EDWARDS

WE WERE somewhere around Bala, on the edge of the National Park, when the drugs kicked in. Berocca is powerful stuff when mixed with Junior Disprin and Prince’s Gate fizzy water. We’d stopped for a rest on our drive north towards the bright lights of Betws-y-Coed. I needed a pickme-up and something for a headache that’d been growing in strength since Dolgellau.

My beloved and I parked in a car park on the shores of Llyn Tegid to stretch our legs and get some air. The wife wandered off to find some Welsh so she could criticise the writer’s grammar. I remained by the car, thinking about nothing in particular apart from my headache.

Without thinking, I dropped the soluble vitamin C and a Disprin into two-thirds of a bottle of mineral water left over from our loo break in Machynlleth. The result was spectacular.

A fountain of orange-scented froth erupted from the bottle. Thinking quickly, I tried to prevent any spillage by placing my mouth over its top.

There was a party in my mouth as the carbonated mixture tried to drown me in good health.

Mitzi the Mutt, who was watching the drama unfold from inside our car, found the sight of foamy flecks escaping from my nostrils almost unbelievably exciting. The wretched creature yipped, scratched at the window and began to wag her tail vigorously.

I couldn’t help but briefly wonder whether this was how I met my maker. Drowned 500 feet from the waters of the largest natural lake in Wales sounded like the plot of an Agatha Christie story. I envisaged Hercules ap Poirot staring at my corpse, turning to Captain ap Hastings, and droning on about the operation of his little grey cells while referring to himself in the third person. It’s said that your life passes in front of your mind’s eye when you’re drowning. My musings’ left-field content reassured me that whenever the hand of the Reaper fell onto my shoulder, this was not the moment for it to happen.

I choked down the fizzing fluid as best I could. I opened the car door, grabbed Mitzi’s lead, and decided to take a short walk to clear the head I’d nearly choked to death trying to relieve.

Mitzi was very excited. She pulled at her lead as we walked towards the shore.

As Mitzi emptied her bladder, I looked down the lake and at the hills surrounding it. It was pleasant, in a bleak sort of way. If I was about to cark it, there were worse places to go.

I almost leapt out of my skin as a cold and pale hand touched my shoulder. It was my darling wife.

commitment, and ‘Team Ascona’s’ ethos over the years.

“However, I am most proud of our charitable endeavors and the team’s commitment to giving back. It is something that is very close to my heart. We’re committed to supporting our various charity partnerships, including the Wales Air Ambulance this year, as we continue our extensive fundraising initiatives across the Group.”

“Bloody hell, Mike Edwards,” she gently bellowed, “what’s got into you?”

I thought of telling her about my near-death headache cure.

“Oh, nothing, dearest,” I replied. “I was just enjoying the view. It’s almost like you can see forever.”

“It’s only Gwynedd, Mike, not eternity.” Little did she know.

Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund supports Torch Theatre education work

THE Torch Theatre in Milford Haven is delighted to be the recipient of the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund, part of Pembrokeshire County Council’s regeneration programme, in order to deliver a term of expressive arts sessions at Milford Haven Community Primary School.

Torch Theatre’s professional team has begun working with the school’s year 5 pupils on a playwriting and theatre design project. This exciting creative activity has been created to

support the school in the development of young people’s Languages, Literacy and Communication skills.

“We’re incredibly pleased to be working with Milford Haven Community Primary School on this project and could not be doing it without the support of Pembrokeshire County Council and the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund,” said Tim Howe, Senior Manager for Youth

project said: “I have really enjoyed working with the Torch Theatre this term as the Torch has helped me understand how a play is put together. My favourite part was making the oven and microwave to be used as props with Ruth, I also enjoyed making the script with Katie and Tim.”

“The pupils have thoroughly enjoyed their sessions with Katie and Ruth. Some of our young people already have experience of working with Tim, through the Torch’s youth theatre program, so have been delighted to welcome him into their school environment. Working alongside each other we have been able to run a magical thread that joins our Interdisciplinary Learning topic with the skilled professionals’ areas of expertise, providing thought provoking connections with our wider learning,” said Rhian Johnson, Year Group lead for Year 5 at the school.

and Community at the Torch.

Tim continued: “We know that providing this opportunity for the students and staff will have a meaningful and lasting impact. Not only will our young people improve their literacy skills, but we also hope it will give them aspirations to be part of the creative sector. Who knows one day they could be writing plays for the Torch Theatre.”

Playwright Katie Elin Salt and Theatre Designer Ruth Stringer are giving lessons each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon at the school. The students are hoping to create an epic play which combines famous authors with technology. It promises to be filled with dramatic twists as well as spectacular sets and costumes all created by the young people themselves.

At the end of the 11-week project, the young people will share their hard work in a performance for their friends and family in the Torch’s studio theatre.

One of the pupils undertaking the

Rhian continued: “The children have created some fantastic scripts and are now in the process of creating props to aid the performances of their forthcoming show; Famous Authors. It’s a wild ride of contemporary and classic children’s literature combined with the latest technology – they can’t wait to get back into the workshops after half term!”

Alongside the project part of the funding is supporting additional free teacher training sessions for teachers across Pembrokeshire and beyond. These will take place at the Torch in both the Autumn and Spring terms, with theatre professionals delivering activity around creative writing, lighting, sound and theatre design.

Tim concluded: “One of the founding principles of the Torch almost 50 years ago was to provide educational opportunities for our community through the arts. That approach continues today with this project. It is our ambition to be an essential part of the educational landscape in Pembrokeshire and across west Wales.”

Young Changemakers Drive Wales Toward a Net Zero Future

AS world leaders gathered at COP29 to address global climate challenges, young people in Wales were making their own mark on the path to a greener future. The Tomorrow’s Changemakers Hackathon, held last Friday, showcased the ingenuity, passion, and practical solutions of 26 young finalists from across Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

This flagship event, hosted by Pembrokeshire-based education enterprise Cymbrogi Futures, is part of a year-long programme empowering young learners with the skills and confidence to tackle climate challenges head-on.

THE WINNING IDEA: FAIR FASHION

The team from Queen Elizabeth High School, Carmarthenshire, stole the show with their innovative project addressing fast fashion waste. Their idea? Personalised soft toys crafted from discarded fabric destined for landfill. By engaging with local businesses and charity shops, the team not only demonstrated creativity but also gained practical insights into the environmental impact of textile waste.

Nia John, lead teacher for the team, shared: “This project allowed us to incorporate real-world learning into the classroom. Pupils were thrilled to interact with industry experts, growing their ideas through meaningful collaboration.”

Ariana, the team leader, reflected: “I enjoyed learning skills like collaboration and creativity, which will help me in the future. This experience has inspired me to start our school’s Climate Action group.”

OTHER FINALISTS: CONNECTING COMMUNITIES

Equally impressive was Milford Haven School’s ‘Cafe Cleddau’, a visionary concept featuring a solar-powered boat to connect communities along the Haven waterway. With sustainable snacks, a soft-play area, and hydro-powered backup systems, the idea aimed to revolutionise tourism and nightlife in the region.

All finalist teams received vouchers for the ethical online store Social

Supermarket, while the winning team took home a £300 cash prize to fund biodiversity projects at their school.

BUILDING A NET ZERO FUTURE

Cymbrogi’s founder, Liza Lort-Phillips, underlined the importance of initiatives like Tomorrow’s Changemakers:

“Today’s learners will face far greater challenges in a climate-changed world than any of us. By sparking their imaginations now, we can equip them to become the innovators and leaders of tomorrow.”

The programme was supported by major partners, including the Port of Milford Haven and Cwm Environmental, who provided real-world insights into the challenges and opportunities in Wales’ green economy.

Anna Malloy, Communications and Marketing Director at the Port of Milford

Haven, remarked: “This initiative is vital. Empowering the next generation with green skills and confidence ensures they are ready to lead the charge toward a net-zero future.”

A COMMUNITY-ROOTED CHALLENGE

The hackathon is the culmination of a three-stage learning journey inspired by the Well-being of Future Generations Act and the UN Global Goals. The programme began with an online course introducing topics such as the circular economy and systems thinking, followed by mini-challenges rooted in realworld scenarios in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.

Learners explored diverse challenges, including:

• Sustainable Tourism: Imagining a car-free holiday in Milford Haven.

• Energy: Exploring renewable solutions for rural Wales.

• Fashion: Tackling fast fashion waste.

The finalists worked with industry experts, visiting sites such as the Port of Milford Haven and Cwm Environmental to gain hands-on experience.

A CALL TO ACTION

Samuel Kurtz, MS for South Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, praised the event:

“The curiosity and ingenuity of these students are truly inspiring. Their ambition shows they are ready to embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead. Initiatives like this are essential for building a resilient and sustainable future.”

Cymbrogi Futures hopes to expand the programme to schools across Wales, with plans to reach Wrexham and Neath Port Talbot in 2025.

As Wales leads the charge toward a net-zero future, the Tomorrow’s Changemakers programme reminds us that the solutions of tomorrow lie in the hands of today’s young minds

Feedback wanted on Council’s My Account online services

USERS of Pembrokeshire County Council’s My Account are being asked for feedback to help continue to improve their experience.

My Account is the platform for all of the Council’s online services.

My Account allows customers to make payments, report problems, sign up for service notifications such as waste and recycling collections and school closures, and check local planning applications. These are just some of the services available.

The survey will take less than five minutes to complete.

Please complete the survey before Wednesday 27 November.

If you do not currently use My Account you can register online.

Wolfscastle Country Hotel crowned Wales’ best boutique wedding venue

THE Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa has been named Wales’ Best Boutique Wedding Venue for 2024 at the prestigious Welsh National Wedding Awards.

The ceremony, held on Sunday (Nov 10) at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, welcomed more than 600 guests for its 13th annual celebration. Thousands of votes were cast by brides, grooms, and supporters to determine the winners from over 300 shortlisted nominees.

Double victory

The Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa not only won the regional title for west Wales but also secured the national accolade for the second time in

three years.

Known for its glamorous reception spaces and elegant ceremony room, the hotel offers a comprehensive bridal package. This includes wedding accommodation and a private spa experience featuring a hot tub, sauna, and various treatments.

Celebrating success

Taking to social media, the hotel expressed gratitude to its guests and staff for their role in achieving this prestigious honour.

Hotel owner Andy Stirling said:

“We’re very proud to have been nominated and voted winners in both our local and national categories.

“I have the pleasure of seeing how tirelessly Lowri, and my wife Mandy Stirling, our wedding coordinators, work on every wedding to tailor the experience to suit the couples we have joining us.

“We pride ourselves on offering exquisite in-house catering provided by head chef Seb, head pastry chef Adama, and our excellent kitchen team, backed

up by first-class table service from our highly experienced waiting staff.

“I am overwhelmingly grateful for the support of our guests and couples who have wedded with us in helping achieve this award.

“I know that myself and the team all look forward to hosting many more phenomenal weddings in the future.”

Welsh National Wedding Awards

The awards celebrate the best wedding venues and services across Wales, with attendees from all regions of the country

Pembrokeshire celebrates 60% Gigabit capable connectivity milestone

GIGABIT Capable broadband is now in place for more than half of the county with aspirations from Swansea Bay City Deal’s Digital Infrastructure Programme for the county to be fully connected to better broadband.

Pembrokeshire County Council said it is proud to announce a significant milestone in its journey to better broadband. 60% of homes and businesses in the county can now access full fibre broadband compared to 5% in 2019.

This achievement is the culmination of a concerted effort by various stakeholders, including Alternative Network providers (AltNets) Ogi, Voneus, Dragon Wifi as well as Openreach and dedicated local authority’s Digital Champions, who have continuously engaged with communities to ensure they are aware of the benefits of being better connected and the ways in which they can make that happen.

Funded by Swansea Bay City Deal’s Digital Infrastructure Programme, the Digital Champions in place at Pembrokeshire County Council are continuing to assess the needs of people locally and advise on the options available to them to help improve their broadband. This paired with the strong relationships being

built with infrastructure supplier and mobile network operators, means that Pembrokeshire is well placed to see further increases to this milestone in the very near future.

Cllr Paul Miller: Deputy Leader, Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change, said: “Thanks to the hard work of all the stakeholders and this local authority’s Digital Champions, we’re thrilled to see Pembrokeshire reach 60 per cent broadband coverage.

“This is a testament to their dedication to bridging the digital divide and ensuring all our residents have access to the critical tools they need to succeed in today’s economy. Pembrokeshire County Council is committed to supporting this type of innovative programmes, and I look forward to seeing Pembrokeshire reach even greater levels of connectivity.”

Looking at the broader picture, Pembrokeshire’s digital team have been working closely with the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) and the Welsh Government on funding streams, helping facilitate a high level of support for digital infrastructure projects, whilst empowering communities to actively advocate for improved connectivity in their areas.

Much of the behind the scenes work within Pembrokeshire County

Council has also been an integral part of reaching this milestone, with close working relationships with supportive community and county councillors, planning, infrastructure, highways departments within Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority all contributing to the successful delivery of projects.

Pembrokeshire’s rural communities

and towns, including the county town of Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, and Fishguard, have benefited immensely from these efforts, with the county’s journey towards digital inclusion being far from over. But reaching the 60% gigabit capable milestone marks a significant step forward in realising the vision of a connected and prosperous future for the region.

Carew Castle’s ‘Glow’: A festive wonderland of light and music awaits

CAREW CASTLE is thrilled to invite families and visitors of all ages to experience Glow – a magical event illuminating the season every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 29 November to 15 December, between 4:30pm and 7:30pm.

Upon arrival, guests will be greeted by a stunning display of lights throughout the Walled Garden, creating an enchanting atmosphere that leads into the heart of the festivities. At Nest Tearoom, visitors can indulge in

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seasonal treats, adding warmth and flavour to the experience.

This year’s event brings new areas and captivating displays, transforming the Castle into a Christmas wonderland with fresh elements designed especially for the 2024 season. Children are invited to join Santa’s Workshop Trail, an interactive adventure where they

can hunt for clues hidden around the Castle, with a special treat awarded upon completion. Entry to the trail costs £2 per child.

Committed to sustainability, Glow’s impressive display uses only the most energy-efficient LED lights, designed to minimise environmental impact while maximising visual impact. The lighting setup uses approximately 85% less energy than traditional bulbs and can even operate from a single household socket.

Visitors will notice that all lighting is focused on the Castle’s east face and east range, illuminating beautifully preserved rooms such as the Lesser Hall, undercroft, chapel and kitchen, all decorated for the season and open to explore. To safeguard the resident bats, who have their own spaces within the Castle and are cherished members of the Carew community, lighting and access to certain areas are limited at night.

Adding to the festive spirit, local choirs and musical groups will fill the Lesser Hall with seasonal melodies each weekend, bringing an extra touch of holiday magic to the experience.

Due to high demand, visitors must pre-book arrival slots to secure entry. Tickets are available online, priced at £2.50 for adults and £1.50 for children aged 4-16 years. This nominal fee helps maintain and enhance Glow each year, ensuring it remains affordable for the community.

Free entry is offered to holders of annual passes, Carew parish residents, wheelchair users, and accompanying carers, though these visitors must also book online and present proof of eligibility.

Visitors purchasing tickets for daytime admission to the Castle and Grotto are welcome to attend Glow on the same evening without further booking.

For a full schedule of live performances, and for Castle and Nest Tearoom opening hours through November and December, please visit www.carewcastle.com

Fresh bid for new ‘staycation’ dog kennels in Pembrokeshire

A FOURTH call for a south Pembrokeshire dog boarding and day care centre, refused on multiple occasions and dismissed on appeal has been submitted to planners. Michelle Bramwell, of Little Langdon, near Kilgetty, had submitted re-sited plans for a commercial dog boarding and day care centre at Little Langdon following the previously-refused applications and appeal.

A supporting statement by agent

Hayston

Developments & Planning

Ltd said: “The application involves the erection of a single boarding kennels building providing a total of 12 kennels together with various ancillary facilities, with upgrading of the existing vehicular access together with parking, landscaping and biodiversity enhancements.

“The application follows on from three previous applications for a similar form of development, which were refused by the council with the more recent application also having been dismissed at appeal in October 2023.

“This planning practice has been brought in to seek a solution for the development of the site. Having reviewed the previous applications and the appeal decision, the scheme has been reviewed with a materially different proposal now being presented for consideration by the council. The revisions made are significant and have significantly reduced the impact of the development with additional planting and provision of a hedgebank.

“This revised submission provides additional information which demonstrates that such a location is justified and that with the economic and social benefits highlighted and would align with the thrust of TAN 6 which encourages business developments within the countryside.

“Whilst it is acknowledged this revised proposal would still have some impact upon the countryside, it is contended that those impacts have been minimised such that it would be compatible with the capacity and character of the countryside in which it is located.”

It says that, while dismissing the appeal, “the Inspector concluded that such a business in this location could be acceptable in principle, the Inspector expressed concerns over the scale, siting and visual impact of the proposed development and how possible outdoor noise disturbance from associated activities could be satisfactorily controlled, such as through mitigation measures”.

It concludes: “In our view, the changes made are such to in effect to represent a materially different

scheme from that which was before the Inspector in 2023. Further, certain aspects of the proposal, including its layout and operation, have been clarified by the applicant.”

The agent, in previous applications has said: “One of the key benefits of such a proposal, as fully acknowledged by the appeal Inspector, was that with the proximity of several local visitor attractions it would provide a useful service to their customers, amongst other clients.

“As part of the appeal application, it was contended that with staycation on the rise and the increase in pet ownership, boarding kennels and day care services are in demand.

“The proposal would allow tourists to visit, knowing their dogs can board within a reasonable distance of their holiday accommodation. It would allow tourists to visit nearby attractions which quite often have no-pets policies, such as Oakwood, Manor Wildlife Park, the Dinosaur Park, Heatherton and Folly Farm.”

The latest proposal will be considered by county planners at a later date.

Keir Starmer ‘spotted’ in Cardigan for climate action

SHOPPERS and visitors in Cardigan were taken by surprise recently when Keir Starmer— or someone who bore a striking resemblance to him—made an appearance at a climate action stall. The stall, set up in the town centre, invited people to write to their Members of the Senedd urging them to support an international Fossil Fuel Treaty.

‘Keir’ led the way, being the first to post his letter in a special postbox on the stall, which was part of a Global Day of Action for climate justice.

Slow progress at COP29

Organiser Philippa Gibson, a retired Welsh teacher, explained the urgency behind the event. She said:

“The COP29 meeting in Azerbaijan this week is moving at a snail’s pace. Oil lobbyists and petro-states like Azerbaijan have overwhelming influence, blocking serious action on reducing fossil fuel dependency. But ordinary people across the world are saying enough is enough—it’s time for a fossil-free future.

“The climate crisis is already affecting Welsh communities. Rising sea levels are eroding our coastlines, while extreme weather endangers lives, homes, and food security. The economic shockwaves are being felt everywhere.”

Wales urged to lead the way Physics teacher David Grace, another volunteer at the stall, highlighted the global stakes:

“These threats are even more severe for Pacific Island states, some of the most climate-vulnerable nations in the world. They are leading the Fossil Fuel Treaty campaign because their survival depends on it. Wales has a duty to stand with them and support their demands

for a rapid global transition away from fossil fuels.”

The organisers noted that Wales has an opportunity to lead on climate action by endorsing the Fossil Fuel NonProliferation Treaty. Thirteen nations, the World Health Organisation, the European Parliament, and thousands of organisations worldwide have already joined the growing movement.

‘Strong support’ in Cardigan

The stall drew significant local

support, with many residents signing a petition and posting letters or postcards to their Members of the Senedd. The postbox quickly filled up as people expressed their backing for the Treaty.

A campaigner from Parents for Future, who was helping at the stall, stressed the importance of action:

“By endorsing this treaty, the Welsh government would align with existing policies and commitments. As part of a global effort, Wales could set an

example, showing that early action is key to preventing climate disaster. This is vital for the sake of all children, both here in Wales and in more vulnerable countries.”

The event highlighted a growing desire among communities to push for urgent climate action. As part of the day’s activities, ‘Keir’ left a memorable mark—not just as a leader, but as a symbol of the change people want to see.

New hope for rare dormouse after forest find

A RARE hazel dormouse has been discovered in Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, bringing fresh hope for the survival of the endangered species in the area.

The golden-brown rodent, known for its distinctive big eyes and long whiskers, has seen a dramatic population decline across Britain—down 70% since 2000. It is now one of seven vulnerable mammals in Wales.

Conservationists made the significant find during a project aimed at linking habitats across the park. Volunteers had set up nesting boxes in the Nevern woodland, roughly five miles west of the dormouse’s known habitat in Pengelli Forest.

A lucky discovery

Park conservationist Mary Chadwick said the team had been trying to connect isolated dormouse populations across the park’s ancient oak woodlands, including Pengelli Forest and areas near the Pentre Ifan Neolithic site.

“We were looking at linking up

those important sites and checking whether populations were isolated,” she explained. “A licensed dormouse volunteer took on a new site and set up the boxes. It can take years for dormice to use the boxes, but we got lucky this year.”

The discovery marks the first recorded dormouse population in the Nevern valley, raising hopes for the species’ ability to spread across the landscape and bolster genetic diversity—key to its long-term survival.

Supporting conservation efforts

To ensure a brighter future for dormice, conservationists are calling on farmers and landowners to adopt wildlife-friendly practices, such as cutting hedgerows less frequently.

“We’re asking people to trim hedges on alternate sides each year,” said Ms. Chadwick. “That would be much better for our dormice.”

Building a future

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With ongoing conservation efforts and discoveries like this, researchers hope the dormouse can move closer

to recovery in Pembrokeshire. The new find has confirmed their belief that dormice could thrive across the Nevern valley, creating vital connections between isolated populations.

Two-day Christmas fair set for Pembrokeshire

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THE Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s annual Christmas Fair will run for two days this year, on Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15. Held at the Parkhouse Building on the Haverfordwest Showground, the venue will transform into a festive

shopping destination, offering an expanded range of stalls, live music, Santa’s Grotto, and an outdoor food court.

ExPANDED EVENT

Event organisers Judith Roach and Emma Thomas expressed their excitement about the extended format. They said:

“We are thrilled to announce that our Christmas Fair will run for two days instead of just one. We are building on last year’s success with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. The Parkhouse Building will become a one-stop shop for everyone preparing for Christmas.”

The fair will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on both days, with free admission for all visitors.

FESTIVE TREATS AND UNIQUE GIFTS

Attendees can expect to browse an extensive selection of unique gifts, handmade decorations, artwork, and homeware. Local food and drink producers will also showcase festive delights, including chocolate brownies, fudge, spirits, and Welsh cheeses.

An outdoor food court will cater for visitors on the go, with a variety of hot and cold options.

SANTA’S GROTTO

Santa himself will make a special appearance, with children able to visit him for £3 per child. Each child will receive a small gift, with all proceeds going to the Sandy Bear charity. Advance bookings can be made via the Sandy Bear website.

COMMUNITY EFFORT

Adam Thorne, president of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, praised the efforts of the event’s organisers:

“The society would like to thank Judith and Emma for their dedication in organising this two-day event. We’re delighted to offer visitors a chance to do their Christmas shopping while enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourages visitors to follow the Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for updates and a complete list of stallholders.

The event promises to be a perfect start to the holiday season, welcoming families and shoppers alike.

Special guests for Torch showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY was the most appropriate day for the screening before a Pembrokeshire audience of a remarkable film, narrated by the last surviving ‘Dambuster’ of the RAF’s 617 Squadron.

The RAF’s Air Officer Wales, Air Commodore Rob Woods, and World War II Veteran Duncan Hilling, of Saundersfoot, were chief guests at the Torch Theatre for the showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’, one of three large dams in Germany attacked by 617 Squadron in May 1943.

They were joined by service representatives, air cadets and many locals – the evening being a fundraising event for the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincolnshire.

Exquisitely created in digital format, the film describes the story of Avro Lancaster bomber AJ-T which attacked the Sorpe Dam, with the narration by the late Squadron Leader Johnny Johnson, who died in 2022. He was the bomb aimer on the aircraft which dropped an ‘Upkeep’ bomb on the dam.

It is the culmination of six years of work by film producer Andrew Panton and Pitor Forkasiewicz and is now part of the IBCC archive. Also shown was a short film ‘Remembering the Avro Lancaster’ in which four wartime aircrew visit a preserved Lancaster at

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a Lincolnshire museum. The film was launched that day by the IBCC, with the

Torch audience being the first to see a live screening.

The event was organised by Andrew Panton’s brother, Ian, of St Davids, who commented: “There was no doubt that many found this a very special occasion for Remembering Them, and so many others, on Remembrance Sunday.” On display during the evening was a Lancaster bomb aimer’s panel, recreated by Dr Andy Watkin, a Trustee of the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.

Llandeilo Antiques and Vintage Fair will have a taste of Christmas cheer

THE next Antiques and Vintage Fair to be held at the Civic hall Llandeilo , will be bursting with variety and good quality antiques on Saturday 7 th December. It will definitely will have some Christmas cheer and the stands will be full of Christmas decorations.This successful fair has recorded record visitor attendance this year and there will definitely be a very festive feel to the event.

The fair can be located in the heart of Llandeilo, close to the main car park. Here you will find a bustling, vibrant Fair with lots of antiques and vintage to whet your appetite. The event now includes a vintage element with a touch of retro. This is the ideal time to browse the fair for an unusual Christmas gift , at affordable prices to meet most pockets . Christmas is full of old traditions and this festive season is very much about giving. it’s a time when we get in touch with love ones and friends we have not seen in years and sent Christmas greetings .

In this era of high tech we are more likely to send a text or an e card to family and friends ,instead of a traditional card and so the trend in recent years , has been not to send Christmas cards .However I still get a thrill when cards tumble through the letter box .

Like many Christmas traditions, Christmas cards date from the Victorian era. Queen Victoria sent the first official Christmas card, and Sir Henry Cole, who amongst other things was an assistant to Sir Rowland Hill in the introduction of the penny post 3 years earlier and the

first Director of the V&A, commissioned the first commercial Christmas card. The initial print run was for 1000 cards.

Designed by painter John Callcott Horsley, cards were printed lithographically and then hand-coloured by the professional colourer Mason. Cole used as many of these cards as he required and sold the rest for one shilling each under the pseudonym Felix Summerly.

The world’s first commercially produced Christmas card, designed by John Callcott Horsley for Henry Cole in 1843

Horsley’s design depicts two acts of charity – “feeding the hungry” and “clothing the naked” – and a family party scene, in which three generations are drinking wine to celebrate the season. The depiction of children drinking wine proved to be controversial, for this was an era when the temperance movement was gaining in popularity in the UK, but this did not stop people buying the cards and more were printed to satisfy demand.

Very few of the first Christmas card remain.

A Christmas card is generally commercially designed and purchased for the occasion. The content of the design might relate directly to the Christmas narrative with depictions of the Nativity of Jesus, or have Christian symbols such as the Star of Bethlehem or a white dove representing both the Holy Spiritand Peace. Many Christmas cards show Christmas traditions, such as seasonal figures eg Santa Claus,

snowmen, and reindeer, objects associated with Christmas such as candles, holly, baubles, and Christmas trees, and Christmastime activities such as shopping, caroling, and partying, or other aspects of the season such as the snow and wildlife of the northern winter.

Some secular cards depict nostalgic scenes of the past such as crinolined shoppers in 19th century streetscapes; others are humorous, particularly in depicting the antics of Santa and his elves.

The first known Christmas card was sent by Michael Maier to James I of England and his son Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales in 1611.It was discovered in 1979 by Adam McLean in the Scottish Record Office.It was handmade and with the words of the greeting – “A greeting on the birthday of the Sacred King, to the most worshipful and energetic lord and most eminent James, King of Great Britain and Ireland, and Defender of the true faith, with a gesture of joyful celebration of the Birthday of the Lord, in most joyand fortune, we enter into the new auspicious year 1612” – being laid out to form a rose.

Early British cards rarely showed winter or religious themes, instead favoring flowers, fairies and other fanciful designs that reminded the recipient of the approach of spring. Humorous and sentimental images of children and animals were popular, as were increasingly elaborate shapes, decorations and materials.

The production of Christmas cards was, throughout the 20th century, a profitable business for many stationery manufacturers, with the design of cards continually evolving with changing tastes and printing techniques. The now widely recognized brand Hallmark Cards was established in 1913 by Joyce Hall with the help of brother Rollie Hall to market their self-produced Christmas cards.The Hall brothers capitalized on a growing desire for more personalized greeting cards, and reached critical success when the outbreak of World War I increased demand for cards

to send to soldiers.The World Wars brought cards with patriotic themes. Many organizations produce special Christmas cards as a fundraising tool. The most famous of these enterprises is probably the UNICEF Christmas card program,launched in 1949, which selects artwork from internationally known artists for card reproduction. The UK-based Charities Advisory Trust used to give out an annual “Scrooge Award” to the cards that return the smallest percentage to the charities they claim to support although it is not universally well received by the Christmas card producers.The RSPB produced the first ever charity Christmas card in 1898, selling 4,500 that

From the beginning, Christmas cards have been avidly collected. Queen Mary amassed a large collection that is now housed in the British Museum. The University College London’s Slade School of Fine Art houses a collection of handmade Christmas Cards from alumni such as Paula Rego and Richard Hamilton and are displayed at events over the Christmas season, when members of the public can make their own Christmas cards in the Strang Print Room.Specimens from the “golden age” of printing (1840s–1890s) are especially prized and bring in large sums at auctions. In December 2005, one of Horsley’s original cards sold for nearly £9,000. Collectors may focus on particular images like Santa Claus, poets, or printing techniques. The Christmas card that holds the world record as the most expensive ever sold was a card produced in 1843 by J. C. Horsley and commissioned by civil servant Sir Henry Cole. The card, one of the world’s first, was sold in 2001 by UK auctioneers Henry Aldridge to an anonymous bidder for a record breaking £22,250.

During the first 70 years of the 19th

century it was common for Christmas and other greeting cards to be recycled by women’s service organizations who collected them and removed the pictures, to be pasted into scrap books for the entertainment of children in hospitals, orphanages, kindergartens and missions. With children’s picture books becoming cheaper and more readily available, this form of scrapbooking has almost disappeared.

Recent concern over the environmental impact of printing, mailing and delivering cards has fueled an increase in e-cards.

The U.K. conservation charity Woodland Trust runs an annual campaign to collect and recycleChristmas cards to raise awareness of recycling and collect donations from corporate sponsors and supporters. All recycled cards help raise money to plant more trees. In the 12 years that the Woodland Trust Christmas Card Recycling Scheme has been running, more than 600 million cards have been recycled. This has enabled the Woodland Trust to plant

more than 141,000 trees, save over 12,000 tonnes of paper from landfill and stop over 16,000 tonnes of CO2 from going into the atmosphere – the equivalent to taking more than 5,000 cars off the road for a year.The scheme has had celebrity supporters including Jo Brand, Dermot O’ Leary and Sean Bean and is the longest running scheme of its type in the country

Modern Christmas cards can be bought individually but are also sold in packs of the same or varied designs. In recent decades changes in technology may be responsible for the decline of the Christmas card. Some card manufacturers now provide E-cards. Let’s hope the humble Christmas card continues to be a part of our many Christmas traditions and sometimes this one act of kindness, can bring such joy to a person receiving your card.

Start collecting these nostalgic cards and you may find your collection will appreciate in value and be a taste of what Christmas use to look like.

There will also be a selection of Welsh blankets and textiles on display , the result of Wales having a rich heritage , in the woollen industry. A welsh theme will continue with a display of Welsh art .Attractive displays of gardinalia has proved extremely popular at the fair, including watering cans , wheel barrows and garden tools.

The Llandeilo fair has a rich cross section of antiques and vintage on display, from jewellery,watches, books, ephemera, militaria , post cards and vintage clothes and accessories. There will also be a collection of French brocante.

There will also be collections of glass and up cycled and pre loved furniture, plus interior design pieces . In addition there will be several outside stands to add to the diversity. I’m sure visitors will not be disappointed with the selection on offer at this popular fair.

Homemade refreshments will be available and doors open at 10 am until 4pm.Admission is £2 and dogs are welcome at this busy fair

As winter tightens its icy grip on the UK, homeowners must prepare for the frosty challenges ahead. Freezing temperatures, heavy rain, and the occasional snowfall can test your property’s resilience. But with some proactive planning, you can transform your home into a snug fortress against the cold while avoiding costly surprises.

Central heating is the beating heart of every home during winter. Ensuring your heating system is in peak condition is non-negotiable. A professional boiler service before the chill sets in can prevent inconvenient breakdowns and maximise efficiency. Radiators that feel cold at the top may need bleeding to release trapped air, restoring their warming power. For those keen on saving energy, a smart thermostat can regulate temperatures with precision, keeping your home cosy without sending energy bills soaring.

Proper insulation is another cornerstone of winter readiness. Heat loss through poorly insulated lofts or walls is a common culprit behind skyrocketing energy costs. Adding or upgrading loft insulation to the recommended 270mm can save up to £250 annually. Similarly, homes with solid walls benefit from internal or external insulation, while cavity wall insulation remains a cost-

effective solution for many. Don’t overlook draught-proofing – sealing gaps around windows and doors keeps the warmth inside where it belongs.

Winter’s wet and windy weather can wreak havoc on roofs and gutters. Heavy rain and melting snow often reveal hidden weaknesses. Clearing gutters of leaves and debris prevents blockages that could lead to water damage, while inspecting your roof for missing tiles or cracks can avert leaks. If you’re unsure about tackling this yourself, hire a professional roofer to give your roof a clean bill of health before the worst of the weather hits.

For homes with open fires or wood-burning stoves, a little extra care is required to keep things safe and cosy. Hiring a certified chimney sweep to clear soot and blockages not only improves efficiency but also reduces fire risks. It’s equally important to inspect fireplaces for wear and tear, ensuring that flues and vents are clear to allow proper airflow and prevent carbon monoxide buildup.

Frozen pipes are a winter nightmare no one wants to face. Insulating exposed pipes in unheated areas like lofts and basements, known as lagging, can protect against freezing and bursting. Outdoor taps

are particularly vulnerable; shutting off their water supply and draining the lines is a simple yet effective safeguard. On exceptionally cold nights, leaving an indoor tap to drip slightly can also keep water moving and reduce the risk of freezing.

Even your garden isn’t immune to winter’s wrath. Protecting sensitive plants with horticultural fleece or relocating them to sheltered areas can prevent frost damage. Outdoor furniture fares best when stored indoors or covered securely. Meanwhile, garden tools should be cleaned and stored in a dry shed to prevent rusting.

Winter is also a time for vigilance when it comes to safety. With increased heating usage comes a higher risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, making it essential to test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms regularly. Replace batteries if needed to ensure they’re ready for action. As snow and ice transform driveways into skating rinks, salting or gritting walkways can reduce the risk of accidents.

Windows and doors are often overlooked in winter preparations, but they play a vital role in keeping your home warm and dry. Replacing

old weatherstripping or resealing gaps can eliminate draughts, while managing condensation is crucial to avoid mould growth. Briefly ventilating rooms or using dehumidifiers can help strike the right balance.

Winter also brings a sharp reminder of how energy bills can spiral out of control. Now is the perfect time to review your energy supplier. Comparing tariffs could uncover significant savings, while installing a smart meter helps monitor consumption and identify waste. Finally, preparation is key to surviving unexpected winter emergencies. Keep a list of trusted tradespeople, from plumbers to roofers, handy in case of urgent repairs. Stocking an emergency kit with essentials like flashlights, blankets, and non-perishable food is a wise move for power outages or severe weather events.

By tackling these winter preparations now, you can ensure your home is ready to withstand whatever the season throws its way. Stay warm, stay safe, and enjoy the cosy comforts of a winter-ready home.

New art trail is afoot in Fishguard and Goodwick!

A NEW sculpture trail Art Afoot / Celf ar Droed linking Fishguard and Goodwick is due to be launched December 15th 2024.

Commissioned by Pembrokeshire County Council with UK Government funding, the trail has been designed and delivered by local creative organisation Small World Theatre, based in nearby Cardigan.

Local artists from the region have designed and fabricated the artworks in their studios. The trail also includes augmented reality artworks that the viewer can see in the landscape using their phone.

The trails make use of existing and maintained pathways such as the boardwalk on Goodwick Moor, a wildlife reserve and the Marine Walk which is an accessible coastal path.

The new artworks will also be interspersed with existing artworks and heritage monuments and tell the twin towns heritage stories while celebrating the unique biodiversity and wildlife of the area.

A hand drawn and illustrated map will guide walkers along the various route options and website will give further details about the artworks, the artists and a digital version of the map.

Six new sculptures and eight augmented reality artworks have been commissioned as well as a series of decorated waymarkers. Sculptural archways created by Bill Hamblett will mark key route directions and celebrate local wildlife and heritage.

The launch event begins 2pm at Ocean Lab, Goodwick Sunday, December 15th and the artists will lead a guided walk along one of the trail

routes.

Everyone is welcome, this is a free family friendly event and the route taken will be accessible to wheelchair users.

Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, said: “This innovative project will bring the rich history of Fishguard and Goodwick to life through both physical and virtual art for us all to enjoy. It promises to be a really interesting experience, not just for those visiting the area but also those who already live in this beautiful part of Pembrokeshire.”

A stunning five metre stainless steel seahorse created by Pembrokeshirebased artist Gideon Peterson will sit at the entrance to the Marine Walk, overlooking Goodwick beach and Fishguard Harbour.

Many of the artworks are interactive or kinetic such as a wind-powered shoal of fish and a giant kaleidoscope showcasing local children’s drawings at Goodwick Parrog, made using reclaimed materials by artist duo Toby Downing and Ben Cramp.

A playful hand painted sculpture of Jemima Nicholas, created by Ann Shrosbree with painting by Sarah Hope, was originally inspired by a young person’s drawing and an augmented reality immersive experience awaits viewers with artworks by Seán Vicary and Steve Knight.

The area is known for its focus on arts and culture and these trails are the latest manifestation of this. For those who love culture as well as stunning coastal scenery and wildlife, this is an ideal combination.

Cilgerran cafe could close but a new one could open as plans submitted

A CALL to convert a Pembrokeshire village café back to a house, while another ongoing scheme in the same village seeks to convert a house to a café, have been submitted to county planners.

David McDonald, through agent Acer Town Planning, seeks permission to change the use of the ground floor of Awelfa, High Street, Cilgerran from a café to being used as part of the attached dwelling.

A supporting statement, through the agent, says Adele’s café at Awelfa, High Street was originally a dwelling but has seen mixed commercial use for decades.

“Prior to opening as Adele’s café by the applicant, the ground floor commercial use had been vacant for around two years having previously been operated as a Chinese takeaway.

“The current owners took over the rental of the property in April 2019 (purchasing in October 2020) and have operated Adele’s café from the premises between June 2019 and August 2024

Bruce Sinclair Local Democracy Reporter

whilst living in the linked dwellinghouse.

“During this period, the Awelfa, Cilgerran business has been under prolonged and sustained economic pressures from the cost-of-living crisis with the subsequent increases in utility and food costs and minimum wages.

“Summers 2023 and 2024 saw a significant drop in trade from both local customers and, in particular, a drop in the number of tourists visiting the area. The closure of the toilets and visitors centre at Cilgerran Castle is considered to have contributed to this reduction in visitor numbers.

“The business was closed during January due to low trade and opened again in February for three days a week and then four days a week from April. Even with reduced opening hours the business has not been viable for the applicant to continue operating. The reluctant decision was therefore made to sell the property and trading ceased

on August 24.”

The statement says was put up for sale with no offers to buy despite several price reductions, with only three viewings in total.

“In order to increase the pool of buyers for the property, the applicant is now applying for the change of use of the café areas back to form part of the residential use of the main dwelling (as per the original building),” the statement

adds.

It also references an unrelated application to convert The Old Post House, High Street, owned by nearby village stores Siop Y Pentre, from a dwelling to a café and flat, saying it “could act as a replacement facility for the community”. Both applications are currently before planners and are expected to be considered at a later date.

Squid game arrives boxing day DONT FORGET THE DATE!

The global phenomenon Squid Game is returning for its second season, set to premiere on Netflix in December 2024. Following the groundbreaking success of its debut season, which became Netflix’s mostwatched series with over 111 million viewers, Season 2 promises to delve deeper into the sinister world of survival games and their organisers.

Season 2 picks up three years after Seong Gi-hun (played by Lee Jung-jae) won the deadly games. Haunted by survivor’s guilt and driven by a new purpose, Gi-hun returns to dismantle the organisation behind the games from the inside. However, this time, the stakes are even higher as the games evolve into a more complex “game-within-a-game.” Gi-hun must navigate alliances and betrayal as other players

question his motives for returning. Returning characters include the enigmatic Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), the recruiter played by Gong Yoo, and detective Hwang Jun-ho (Wi Ha-jun), whose storyline with his brother— the Front Man—will receive more focus. New participants join the roster, including Yim Si-wan, Kang Ae-sim, and Jo Yu-ri, as well as expanded roles for previously minor characters.

Creator Hwang Dong-hyuk has hinted at a darker, more mature narrative. Gi-hun, no longer the naive and clumsy underdog, is now a steely figure carrying the weight of his past. Fans can expect “many twists and turns,” along with fresh, highstakes challenges that push the contestants to their limits.

The official teaser, released in October 2024, offered glimpses

of new and returning games, including the iconic “Red Light, Green Light” doll. It also featured intense moments of Gi-hun warning other contestants about the deadly stakes and their slim chances of survival.

The series’ return is one of Netflix’s most eagerly awaited releases, with fans speculating about the fate of beloved characters and the future of the games. Season 2 aims to explore unanswered questions from the first season, such as the organisation’s origins and the motivations of the Front Man and his brother.

With its intriguing premise and expanded cast, Squid Game Season 2 looks set to captivate audiences once again. For more updates, keep an eye on Netflix’s announcements as the release date approaches.

The first reactions to the film adaptation of Wicked suggest it may be one of the standout releases of 2024. Directed by Jon M. Chu, the two-part cinematic event translates the Tony Awardwinning Broadway musical into a visual and emotional spectacle. Early screenings have left audiences and critics raving about its grandeur, heartfelt performances, and fidelity to the original production.

Set in the magical world of Oz, Wicked explores the complex and evolving relationship between Elphaba, the misunderstood Wicked Witch of the West, and Glinda, the glamorous Good Witch. Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande lead the cast as Elphaba and Glinda, delivering what many are calling career-defining performances. Critics have highlighted Erivo’s commanding vocals and emotional depth, while Grande has drawn praise for her comedic timing, charm, and scene-stealing portrayal of Glinda. Chris Murphy of Vanity Fair described Grande’s performance as “the role she was born to play,” while other reviewers noted that Erivo’s voice adds a fresh and soulful

dimension to the iconic character of Elphaba.

Beyond its lead actors, supporting performances from Jonathan Bailey as Fiyero and Ethan Slater have also earned acclaim. Bailey’s portrayal has been described as “phenomenal,” while Slater’s contributions add depth to the narrative. Gregory Maguire, author of the novel that inspired the musical, commended the cast, remarking on their ability to bring the characters to life with intensity and authenticity.

The film’s visuals are another major highlight. Critics have described the production design and costumes as breathtaking, with the vibrant landscapes of Oz brought to life in stunning detail. The artistry behind the film has been compared to the best musical adaptations of all time, such as Chicago and Mamma Mia!. One reviewer called it “a cinematic spectacle that perfectly captures the magic of the Broadway show while adding new flourishes.”

However, some reviewers have noted a few drawbacks. The decision to split the film into two parts and its extended runtime have drawn mixed reactions.

While some believe this allows the narrative to delve deeper into character development and emotional arcs, others feel it might test audience patience. Nevertheless, most agree that the film delivers a satisfying and self-contained first half, with a climactic ending that leaves viewers eagerly awaiting the sequel.

With its dazzling visuals, powerful performances, and faithful adaptation of the beloved Broadway hit, Wicked is shaping up to be a critical and commercial success. It is already being touted as a strong contender for major awards, with some speculating Oscar nominations for Erivo, Grande, and the film itself. As a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, Wicked offers fans of the franchise a fresh yet familiar perspective, packed with themes of friendship, power, and the nature of good and evil.

The first instalment of Wicked is set to hit cinemas on 22 November 2024, with the second part following a year later. Fans of the musical and newcomers alike can expect an immersive and unforgettable cinematic experience.

ALRIGHT, my darlings, picture this: LEGO, the pinnacle of playful ingenuity, marries the unbridled exhilaration of openworld exploration in LEGO Horizon Adventures.

It’s as if the creative muses of childhood whispered into the ears of gaming masterminds, “Go big, or go brick!” and what emerged is nothing short of digital nirvana, a sprawling symphony of colour, chaos, and creation.

We’re talking biomes, people—lush forests, blistering deserts, and snow-kissed mountains—all rendered in that iconic LEGO aesthetic, yet somehow imbued with the gravitas of an art gallery. And at the heart of this multicoloured utopia lies the Horizon Core, a mysterious artefact that’s practically begging for your inquisitive little minds to uncover its secrets. You’re the hero, of course, customisable to your heart’s content—whether you fancy yourself a swashbuckling space cowboy or a rainbow-clad builder extraordinaire.

But wait, there’s more! As you prance about this dynamic world, you’ll face off against robotic beasts, chat with quirky NPCs whose banter is equal parts humour and wisdom, and tackle

environmental puzzles designed to tickle that grey matter. And here’s the genius of it all: you’re not just solving problems—you’re building solutions. Oh yes, you’ll gather LEGO pieces scattered across the land, crafting tools, vehicles, and even weapons to aid your quest. It’s like your inner child teamed up with an engineer and threw a party in your brain. Combat, too, is a dazzling affair. Forget mere buttonmashing; this is strategy-meetsbrick-mania. Assemble your squad—a brainiac for puzzles, a scrapper for fights, and a builder to whip up life-saving creations on the fly. The result? Gameplay that’s as much about creativity as it is about survival, demanding experimentation, wit, and no small measure of audacity.

Now, let’s talk world design. This place is vast, teeming with side missions, collectibles, and secrets that would make even Indiana Jones blush. Each corner of the map brims with potential—rare LEGO parts here, hidden challenges there— all begging for your attention. And it’s all dressed up in visuals so sumptuous, you’d swear the bricks had come to life. Dynamic weather and lush lighting breathe soul into every LEGO piece,

while the customisation options for characters and vehicles allow you to truly make this adventure your own.

Musically, it’s an orchestral tapestry—a blend of epic and cheeky, capturing the highs of discovery and the lows of nearbrick-based disaster. The voice acting? Utterly charming, laced with humour and, dare I say, a surprising emotional depth. It’s a narrative treat wrapped in a bow of light-hearted mischief.

And if you fancy dragging your mates along for the ride, the multiplayer co-op is a revelation. Whether tackling puzzles or constructing colossal creations, the cooperative mechanics demand communication, strategy, and a healthy dose of shared laughter.

In short, LEGO Horizon Adventures is a love letter to imagination and adventure, guaranteed to ignite that spark of creativity while delivering hours of joyous exploration. Whether you’re a devoted fan of the iconic bricks or simply in search of a game that’ll whisk you away to a realm of unbridled fun, this is your golden ticket. Let’s face it—who doesn’t want to save the world, one brick at a time?

HOROSCOPES

certainly going to know about it. In fact, everything you feel will be quite obvious to whoever you’re with, and those feelings will last for a long time. That means you have a decision to make. Are you going to be polite and stifle what you’re feeling or just let it out?

LIBRA

While you’re waiting for the Universe to catch up with what you want to do, make plans. Sticking to your routine will be far easier than breaking out of it now, even if you’re in the mood for change. You can spend this time wisely by deciding what your next move will be. This makes much more sense than just sitting there tapping your fingers on the table. Or you can make excuses. That’s not really a choice, is it?

SCORPIO

Buckle your emotional seat belt. You’re about to hit a rocky patch on a rough journey. You might need to travel or make contact with someone who is quite a distance from you now, and it’s probably going to be for some very serious reasons. The good news is the end result will make you feel good about yourself and far more secure in all your relationships.

SAGITTARIUS

It’s time to lay all your cards on the table, for better or worse, and it’s going to be for the better. It’s time to say goodbye to a friend, a lover, a toxic relationship, or a bad habit. Don’t take this farewell lightly. When you get a surprised stare instead of an actual response, don’t be upset. They’re just not as prepared for this as you are.

CAPRICORN

Get the show on the road as far as your finances are concerned. Money matters have been problematic lately, but it’s all going to clear up soon. In fact, an action you take over the next few days will do wonders to rectify this situation in the long term. That goes double for yourself, especially if you’ve been avoiding a certain issue. You’ll know exactly what to say and do, so why hesitate?

AQUARIUS

You’re far more interested in tending to someone’s emotional problems than taking care of business. Of course, those two things may end up being one and the same. If anyone starts complainin, or

Badger and the Case for Certainty

THE LAW can be an ass, but it is still the law.

There are good laws and bad laws, but in a nation where the rule of law is respected, the quality of laws does not determine whether citizens are obliged to obey them. Whether laws are good, bad, indifferent, or poorly drafted, what ultimately matters is that they are consistently applied.

As Badger writes these words, The Assisted Dying Bill is going through Parliament.

The Bill is a well-intentioned piece of legislation. Badger does not doubt the sincerity of its supporters and their belief that this legislation is needed to right what they regard as an intolerable wrong. There is, in Badger’s opinion, no doubt that terminally ill people with capacity have the right to end their lives however they see fit.

Many of the Bill’s opponents have strong religious objections to its passage. Badger has no comment to make on their beliefs. He does not share them, but he respects the rights of those who do to express them to prevent what they see as a moral wrong.

Badger’s issue with the Assisted Dying Bill has nothing to do with personal disquiet about the rights and wrongs of either position. In simple terms, the Bill before Parliament is not the way for campaigners to reach their desired goal. By way of explanation, Badger contends it is badly drafted and ill-conceived. The Bill also poses so many practical problems in implementation that it runs the first risk of any law brought in to meet a sincerely held grievance: that of inconsistent application. In the case of a Bill dealing with emotive issues around personal choice and the end of life, consistency is sacrosanct. It’s not enough to contend that the Bill contains safeguards to prevent abuse and error. Its operation must (beyond any possibility of dispute) be funded and resourced in such a way as to remove any possibility of safeguards being breached.

Please remember: this is meant to be a statutory provision and involves the future use of public money and resources to ensure its proper operation. So, readers, where is the money for it coming from?

Wes Streeting, the Secretary of State for Health, says that he cannot

support the Bill because it will take resources away from other parts of the NHS. His words got intemperate responses from the Bill’s parliamentary sponsor, Kim Leadbetter MP, and also from the former Labour Deputy Leader Baroness Harman. To simplify their argument to the easily digestible, both contend that money should not be an issue when considering the Bill’s merits.

As Baroness Harman’s Cabinet career ended so long ago, she might be forgiven for forgetting that assessing the financial impact of nongovernment legislation is one of the roles a government plays in deciding its position on it. Even neutrality requires an impact assessment in case such a Bill passes. If Mr Streeting says the Bill’s operation will take resources away from other services, it’s up to its proponents to show that this is not the case.

However, the money issue, or rather its impact on the NHS, is not even Badger’s second-order objection to the Assisted Dying Bill.

Ahead of that comes the nature of the judicial safeguards the Bill’s backers propose. There are not enough experienced High Court Judges in the Family Division, where such cases will be decided, to hear the number of applications the Bill’s proposers contend will be made each year. Absent that judicial capacity, there are two possible and equally unpleasant scenarios. Less experienced and less well-qualified judges will hear for Assisted Dying, or there will be long waits for applications to be heard. The seniority of judicial scrutiny and oversight is one of the safeguards the Bill’s proponents offer as a guarantee that decisions will be robust and rigorous. That means the former drawback would be indefensible. The latter would run straight through the Bill’s secondary safeguard: that decisions can only be made during the last six months of life. People will die waiting for their applications to be heard. The number of hours of judicial time estimated to deal with the ADDITIONAL

workload passage of the Assisted Dying Bill would entail is 34,000. That would virtually triple the amount of judicial time the Family Division has for all other parts of its business. If you think that’s acceptable, you are living in la-la land.

What about the rest of the judicial backlog? Should applicants have a fast track because Kier Starmer promised something to Esther Rantzen during the General Election campaign? This isn’t an episode of “I’m a Celebrity: Get Me Out of Here!”

Under the Bill’s terms, a judge hearing an application certifies that the statutory procedure has been followed. The judge has zero judicial discretion beyond that. Judges with sincerely held religious objections to the Assisted Dying Bill should not be compelled to make decisions that offend their conscience and faith. Doctors can opt out of participation in the process, but there is no such provision for judges. If doctors’ views are respected, judges must expect the same.

Badger regards the above, on their own, as enough to oppose the Bill without engaging with the moral cases presented by both sides. Those are concrete objections to the Bill’s passage without even considering whose rights (and whose wrongs) might be involved in an application under an Assisted Dying Act.

In a Twitter post, Dying in Dignity, an organisation that supports the Bill, said the following:

“If MPs agree that the status quo is not working, they must back this Bill on 29th November to ensure a full, constructive debate can take place.” No.

A full, constructive debate must take place before this legislation can be passed. If the Bill passes, the time for debate is over. The Bill will become the law as soon as Royal Assent is granted. You don’t pass legislation and then stick baubles on it like a Christmas tree. An Act of Parliament must provide certainty. If the Bill, as drafted (and as Dying in Dignity’s post implies), is not final in form and needs further debate, it must not pass. MPs who vote to approve a Bill that even its supporters say needs more debate will fail to exercise that one thing that they must exercise in an unwhipped vote: good judgment.

WARRING WITH REALITY

Squawk! Humans, let me tell you, there’s no creature alive that loves a good squabble more than you lot. But this time, it seems you’ve gone and declared war on reality itself. On one front, you’ve got folks who believe they’re heading straight for the golden birdbath in the sky after some apocalyptic spring cleaning. On the other, you’ve tech heads convinced they’ll upload their noggins into machines, ready to soar into some high-tech paradise. Two flavours of the same stale biscuit, if you ask me.

See, both ideas – the celestial rapture and this so-called “Singularity” – have the same feather-brained notion: that the mind or soul can float free of the body and the Earth. Trouble is, when you’re busy dreaming of life after the grubby business of living here, you forget about keeping the nest in order. And let me tell you, this planet’s nest is looking more like a bin full of chip wrappers every day.

Now, it’s easy to squawk at the science-denying fanatics flying high in American politics, but don’t be fooled, mateys – the war on reality is everywhere. Look at this shiny new carbon capture scheme the British government is chirping about. They’re saying it’s going to save the world, but really, it’s just an excuse to puff out more greenhouse gases while calling it progress. And over at COP29 – this year’s climate jamboree in Azerbaijan – the bigwigs are busy tinkering with carbon markets. What’s that, you ask? Oh, just a fancy way of letting countries and companies pay to keep polluting. Now, in theory, these markets could have a purpose. Buy a carbon credit, and in return, a tonne of carbon dioxide gets reduced or removed somewhere else. Sounds clever, right? But here’s the rub – instead of being a last resort for emissions we can’t avoid, these credits have become a first-class ticket for carrying on as usual. “Decarbonisation at home?” they chirp. “Nah, let’s just dump the problem on someone else!”

Take soil carbon credits, the latest wheeze. They’re claiming you can lock carbon in the dirt forever. Except soil’s not some magical treasure chest –

it’s more like a sieve. Carbon doesn’t stay put; it flits in and out faster than a seagull at a chip shop. Want to measure how much is there? Good luck. Soil depth varies, carbon levels fluctuate, and any attempt to measure it properly would cost more than a fresh catch at Billingsgate.

And even if you could measure it, there’s another snag. Soil can only hold so much carbon before it says, “Thanks, but I’m full.” It’s like filling up on worms – there’s only so much room in the belly. On top of that, soil carbon is reversible. Rising temperatures? Out goes the carbon. A drought? There goes more. And let’s not forget the nitrogen problem – the more carbon you add to soil, the more nitrogen it needs, which means more emissions from fertilisers

and manure. A right pickle, that. But it gets worse. Even under the most generous market standards, you’re supposed to prove that stored carbon will stay put for at least 40 years. Yet, as one clever study squawked recently, that’s nowhere near enough. If we’re going to offset fossil fuel emissions, we need carbon to stay put for 1,000 years. And the only thing that might last that long is biochar – charcoal added to the soil. Trouble is, making biochar is costly and tricky. Get it wrong, and you produce more emissions than you save.

So, what’s the big idea behind all this? Simple – it’s a smokescreen. Governments and corporations don’t want to ruffle the feathers of the fossil fuel industry, so they cook up schemes

that sound good but don’t actually solve anything. It’s all about keeping up appearances while the planet burns. Here’s the truth, folks: you can’t win a war against reality. You can dream of shiny machines and heavenly ascensions, but when the Earth’s systems collapse, there’s no escaping the fallout. The tide’s coming in, and if you’re not ready to adapt, you’ll be swept away.

So, while the big shots are busy chasing their illusions, the rest of us better get our claws into the dirt – and I mean that literally. Protect the soil, plant the trees, clean the oceans. Because when the chips are down, this old planet is all we’ve got. Squawk wisely, humans, or we’ll all end up wingless in the end.

Dogs Trust: Antifreeze poses deadly risk to dogs

AS winter sets in, Dogs Trust is warning pet owners across Wales of the hidden danger posed by antifreeze, a substance commonly found in de-icing products and car engine coolant. Antifreeze contains ethylene glycol, a sweet-tasting but highly toxic chemical that can cause severe illness or death in pets if ingested.

Just a small amount of antifreeze can have fatal consequences, leading to acute kidney failure and neurological damage. Symptoms may not appear immediately, but early signs to watch for include:

• Vomiting

• Lethargy or weakness

• Unsteady or drunken-like behaviour

• Increased thirst and urination

• Rapid breathing

• Seizures or muscle twitching

Urgent action is critical

If you suspect your pet has ingested antifreeze, contact a vet immediately. Prompt treatment is vital to prevent irreversible damage. Without swift care, ingestion can lead to kidney failure, coma, and death.

Charlie Dobson, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Dogs Trust, explained:

“Antifreeze is extremely dangerous for dogs and other pets because even a small amount can cause serious, often fatal, health issues. Its sweet taste can be particularly enticing, making it crucial to store antifreeze securely and avoid using it near pets. If ingestion occurs, seek veterinary care immediately.”

Winter tips for keeping dogs safe

Dogs Trust has shared advice

to help protect pets during the colder months:

• Stay warm: Dogs feel the cold, so consider letting their fur grow longer in winter or invest in a suitable coat for short-haired breeds. Introduce coats gradually to ensure your dog is comfortable.

• Keep your dog on the lead: Snow can disorient dogs, increasing the risk of them becoming lost. Ensure your pet wears a collar with an ID tag, and that their microchip details are up to date.

• Wipe after walking: Road grit and dampness can irritate your dog’s skin. Wipe their legs, feet, and stomach after winter walks.

• Avoid ice: Frozen lakes or ponds may be unsafe for dogs and owners alike. Thin ice could break under

a dog’s weight, leading to potential falls into freezing water.

• Increase visibility: Use reflective collars, leads, and high-vis clothing for both you and your dog to stay visible during shorter, darker days.

• Check your lead: Inspect leads, collars, and harnesses regularly to ensure they’re functioning properly. Wet weather can cause metal clips to rust or break.

• Try indoor games: Bad weather may keep you indoors, so keep your dog entertained with games like hide and seek or enrichment toys such as rubber foodreleasing puzzles.

For more guidance on keeping dogs safe this winter, visit www.dogstrust.org.uk/ coldweather.

Save Lampeter University petition hits 2,600 in two days

A 2,600-STRONG petition has been launched calling for a sustainable future for Wales’ oldest university, Lampeter, after fears all undergraduate teaching is to end.

The change.org petition, by John Jennings, was started on November 13 and, to date, has gained 2,579 signatures

It says: “The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has announced a plan to end all undergraduate teaching at its Lampeter campus by September 2025, a decision that would sever nearly 200 years of Lampeter’s role as a centre of higher education and devastate the local community.

“As alumni, students, and supporters, we call upon UWTSD and the Welsh Government to protect Lampeter’s legacy and commit to a sustainable future for this historic campus.”

It adds: “Lampeter is not only Wales’s oldest university institution but a pillar of its educational and cultural history. By allowing undergraduate teaching to end, UWTSD would undermine the very essence of Lampeter’s mission, weaken the local economy, and sever its historic role as a centre of learning. The town of Lampeter, the alumni community, and the people of Wales deserve better.

“We urge UWTSD and the Welsh Government to halt the planned end of undergraduate teaching at Lampeter and instead work with all stakeholders to create a viable, sustainable plan for the campus. This must include a serious investment in new courses, marketing, and student recruitment efforts to ensure Lampeter’s relevance and appeal for future generations.”

The petition has three demands.

It calls for a “deep and transparent consultation,” saying: “UWTSD must engage meaningfully with all stakeholders, including current students, staff, alumni, and the local community, to ensure that any decision regarding the campus’s future is fully informed by those who care most deeply about its heritage and potential.”

It also asks for a “Commitment to Sustainable Solutions,” saying: “Rather than abandoning Lampeter’s undergraduate provision, UWTSD should commit to a strategy that revitalises the campus, leverages the unique academic and cultural appeal that Lampeter has held for nearly two centuries, and makes use of the considerable skills, knowledge, and dedication of its alumni.”

It finishes: “As outlined in UWTSD’s Royal Charter, the

university has a constitutional responsibility to maintain ‘a significant physical University presence’ at Lampeter. Closing undergraduate provision would effectively hollow out the campus, eroding its educational mission and violating the university’s own mandate to uphold Lampeter’s historic role within Welsh higher education.”

A spokesperson for UWTSD said: “The university is aware of the petition. We held a very helpful and extensive meeting with our students on Wednesday afternoon in which we listened to a range of opinions and concerns which we will be carefully considering as we develop the initial proposals further.

“We are early in the process and as well as our students we are discussing the best way forward with staff and representatives of other key stakeholders.”

Farmers’ Union recognises lifelong success of leading business founders

THE Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) presented its ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ to the founders of a leading North Wales business during a special dinner held at the Kinmel Hotel, Abergele, on Friday, November 8, 2024.

Gareth and Falmai Roberts, founders of the popular yoghurt business Llaeth Y Llan, started their venture in 1985 from a converted cow shed at their farmhouse in Llannefydd, Denbighshire – with the first product trials carried out at the back of their airing cupboard!

Over the past three decades, the business has gone from strength to strength. In 1995, they moved to a modern dairy designed and built using a disused barn and other farm buildings. By 2015, with their brand stocked across Wales in four major retailers and dozens of independent shops, the old dairy had reached full capacity. A larger production facility was designed and built on the Roberts’ farm and was officially opened in 2017 by Lesley Griffiths MS, the then Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs.

The business combines traditional values with modern techniques, producing 14 different yoghurt flavours using Welsh milk sourced from the

local area. The yoghurt is sold across Wales and England, with the business having already won the Food Producer of the Year award at the inaugural Wales Food and Drink Awards in 2022.

The FUW Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Gareth and Falmai Roberts by FUW President Ian Rickman. The evening also featured entertainment from operatic baritone John Ieuan Jones.

Ian Rickman, President of the Farmers’ Union of Wales, said:

“The Farmers’ Union of Wales was unanimous in recognising Gareth and Falmai’s incredibly successful business, and we were delighted to host this dinner to honour their achievements and present this award to them.

From producing their first yoghurt pot to their current success as one of Wales’ most renowned food producers, Llaeth Y Llan is an outstanding example

of Welsh entrepreneurship, with local farming and food production at the heart of their success. I congratulate them on this well-deserved achievement, and I have no doubt that their business will continue to grow from strength to strength.” Proceeds from the dinner and the highly successful auction will be donated to the Dai Jones Memorial Appeal Fund, administered by the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society.

Farmers fight back: Inheritance tax row at Welsh Labour conference

THE Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno, Conwy, on Saturday (Nov 16) became the backdrop for a large and impassioned protest by farmers opposing the Labour government’s controversial inheritance tax changes. Hundreds of farmers descended on the venue with tractors and vehicles, voicing their frustration at what they describe as policies that will devastate rural communities and family farms.

The protest was a coordinated effort by Digon yw Digon (“Enough is Enough”), a group advocating for rural communities. Protesters carried signs reading “Labour War on Countryside” and “No Farmers No Food,” while tractors lined the promenade outside Venue Cymru.

STARMER’S ABSENCE DEEPENS ANGER

Farmers had hoped to confront Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly and present their concerns. However, Starmer avoided the protesters, leaving the venue without meeting them. This decision was sharply contrasted by the actions of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who earlier this year attended the Welsh Conservative Conference and took time to speak with farmers about their challenges.

One farmer remarked, “Starmer didn’t have the guts. He left without

facing us.”

THE FARMERS’ MESSAGE

In lieu of a direct meeting, the farmers delivered a strongly worded letter addressed to Starmer, outlining their grievances:

“Dear Prime Minister, Croeso i Gymru,

Today you can see the depth of feeling and concerns that you are creating as the PM of this country towards the rural areas and farming community.

The outcome of your Budget highlights the government’s incapacity to look at the position as a whole rather than a tick-box exercise to fulfill your selfless ambition.

The inheritance tax debacle highlights this case. This new tax represents a considerable challenge not only for farmers but also the broader agricultural sector. The £1 million threshold is alarmingly low, and many farmers will face impossible decisions to sell portions of their land to cover these costs. This will affect the smaller family farm the most.”

WHY FARMERS ARE PROTESTING

The changes announced in the Autumn Budget include:

• A new 20% inheritance tax on farms valued over £1 million.

• Modifications to Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR), effective from April 2026. Farmers fear these changes will force many family-run farms to sell land, leading to reduced food production and driving up food prices.

Becky Wall, a farmer at the protest, made an emotional appeal: “Please support our farmers; they work hard over long hours to feed us. Without them, we have no food. These changes will also impact small businesses connected to farming,

posing a serious threat to our economy and our bellies.”

RURAL WALES UNDER PRESSURE

The letter also highlighted the cumulative challenges faced by Welsh farmers, including the draconian impact of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations, increasing incidences of bovine tuberculosis (TB), and uncertainty surrounding the Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).

“This cumulative approach has created despair in the countryside,” the letter continued. “As food supplies decrease, it will become more

expensive, and the poorest in society will suffer the most.”

Gareth Wyn Jones, a farmer and broadcaster, expressed the emotional toll on rural communities:

“They’re destroying an industry already on its knees mentally, emotionally, and physically. We need government support, not hindrance, to feed the nation. Enough is enough.”

A STRIKE AS A LAST RESORT

As frustration boils over, some farmers have announced plans to go on strike starting Sunday. While economically challenging, the strike reflects the growing anger in the countryside.

The protest in Llandudno is part of a larger movement, with a major demonstration planned for Westminster next Tuesday. The event has already drawn so

much support that its location was moved from Trafalgar Square to accommodate the expected turnout.

STARMER DEFENDS BUDGET

Inside the conference, Starmer defended the Budget, describing it as a tough but necessary measure to stabilise the economy:

“Make no mistake, I will defend our decisions in the Budget all day long. Tough decisions were necessary to protect the payslips of working people, fix the foundations of our economy, and invest in the future of Wales and Britain.”

Starmer also hailed Labour’s collaboration between Westminster and the Welsh government as a “gamechanger,” promising that communities in Wales

would benefit from Labourled governments pulling in the same direction.

INVESTMENTS AND PROMISES

Despite the protests, the conference included announcements of major investments:

A £160 million investment zone for Flintshire and Wrexham, described by Starmer as a turning point for the region’s economy.

An additional £22 million to tackle NHS waiting lists in Wales, adding to the £28 million pledged earlier this year.

A record £21 billion Budget allocation for Wales in 2025.

First Minister Eluned Morgan touted the “power in partnership” between the two Labour governments and emphasised their commitment to delivering for Welsh communities.

Farmers and rural advocates insist that their voices will not be ignored. The inheritance tax changes have become a flashpoint for broader frustrations with government policies affecting rural areas.

As the protest letter concluded: “Prime Minister, we ask that you revisit the whole approach to farming and rural communities as a matter of urgency. This is a last resort, but growing anger in the countryside has brought us here. The one thing Labour has achieved is uniting farmers, businesses, and rural communities against these policies.

I F you find yourself in a hole, stop digging; advice several politicians should have heeded as temperatures remain high in the farming community following the proposed changes to the inheritance tax. From the First Minister’s unfortunate ‘calm down’ quip, to a former aide of Tony Blair suggesting family farms were ‘an industry we could do without’. At a time of worry and frustration, such words do little but rub salt into the wound of an industry already in distress.

The latter of these comments, and the suggestion that the Government should do battle with family farms in the way Margaret Thatcher did with striking miners, was particularly poignant for us here in Wales. We already know that small family farms are the backbone of Wales’ agricultural sector, with an average farm size of 120 acres - almost half that of a typical English farm (217 acres).

The disproportionate prominence of these smaller, family farms, provide an unique feel for Wales’ farming sector and communities - playing a key role in local employment, and maintaining the social fabric of our rural areas, including the Welsh language. In many instances, these farms have been passed from parent to child for centuries, another reason why the Chancellor’s shakeup to inheritance procedures has caused so much hurt over recent weeks.

Last weekend the Farmers’ Union of Wales welcomed the opportunity to highlight the key importance of the family farms

at the Welsh Labour Conference in Llandudno. The conference provided an opportunity to directly discuss the changes to the inheritance tax reform with MP’s and MS’s, as well as meeting the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS.

Of course, it wasn’t just Labour politicians that assembled in the seaside town either, and we welcomed the opportunity to engage with the significant number of farmers that had congregated to voice their concerns.

Whilst the changes to the inheritance tax continue to dominate the headlines at Westminster, much of the talk with Labour Senedd Members revolved around the revised Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS). We expect a statement from the Cabinet Secretary on the proposals next week at the Winter Fair. Whilst the announcement of the revised scheme outline will merely mark the end of the beginning - it will provide an important insight into the expectations and support that will be put forward for farmers in Wales to produce quality, sustainable food alongside other environmental and public goods. The FUW looks forward to engaging with its members once these plans are announced. And in mentioning the Winter Fair, do remember to call by the FUW stand near the cattle ring this year. It does promise to be a brilliant event once again - highlighting the very best of rural Wales and showcasing the key importance of our family farms.

New MG HS secures outstanding safety rating

MG’s new and highlypopular HS SUV – launched this summer – has already secured the highest possible safety rating from Euro NCAP.

Euro NCAP awarded the MG HS SE 1.5T a 5 Star rating with the model excelling in both adult and child occupant safety evaluation tests as well as having features designed to protect vulnerable road users.

The MG HS joins the multi award-winning MG4 EV which also holds a 5 Star Euro NCAP safety rating as well as being awarded top marks by Green NCAP, the industryleading European emissions assessment programme.

Euro NCAP commented:

“The last time Euro NCAP tested MG’s largest vehicle, the HS, was in 2019 when it received a five-star rating. Euro NCAP’s protocols have been upgraded twice since then, and MG has ensured that this mid-size SUV has kept abreast of developments, with new technologies to ensure a 2024 5-star result. This demonstrates the continuing influence of Euro NCAP on vehicle safety, and the willingness of manufacturers such as MG to respond, pushing their cars to ever-higher levels of performance.

For example, the car has good protection for pedestrians and cyclists as well as an effective autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system that responds well to a range of vulnerable road users. The car also includes protection against ‘dooring’ where a door is suddenly opened in the path of a cyclist approaching from behind. All in all, under Euro NCAP’s 2024 testing programme the car receives an impressive fivestar Euro NCAP rating.”

All models in the HS range benefit from an enhanced MG Pilot package which includes key features such as Active Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Bicycle

Detection, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning System, Blind Spot Detection with Lane Change Assist, Driver Attention Alert, Forward Collision Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Door Open Warning as standard. MG HS DCT models are also equipped with Adaptive Cruise Control and Traffic Jam Assist. Unveiled at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the all-new HS petrol and plugin hybrid (PHEV) models also underline MG’s commitment to offering the best possible overall value in the SUV marketplace. The petrol HS SE 1.5T is available from just £24,995 and the range-topping HS Trophy PHEV for £33,995 and there

is a generous 7-year/80,000miles manufacturer’s warranty supported by a 160-strong dealer network.

Since 1997, the European New Car Assessment Programme has been the benchmark for the safety of new vehicles on sale in Europe – helping consumers to make informed decisions when choosing their next vehicle. Euro NCAP performs comprehensive, objective and independent safety evaluations, now taking into account standard assist systems and passive safety.

Past and present vehicle test results are available at www.euroncap.com.

SPlan to ban lying politicians ‘wholly unrealistic’

A PROPOSAL to disqualify dishonest politicians from the Senedd is wholly unrealistic and could see the courts inundated with complaints, barristers warned.

The Criminal Bar Association, which represents practising members in Wales and England, criticised calls to create an offence of deliberate deception.

Jonathan Rees, a Welsh barrister, urged real caution before making any changes made to the criminal law as he gave evidence to the Senedd’s standards committee.

He suggested the Welsh Parliament could instead expand the scope of the “tried-andtested” offence of misconduct in a public office which is subject to important safeguards.

Mr Rees raised concerns about a model proposed by the Institute for Constitutional and Democratic Research, warning a new offence would put a huge burden on courts.

The think tank recommended disqualifying Senedd politicians and candidates from office for deliberate deception, to further the aim of restoring public trust in politics from record lows.

But Alex Greenwood, who practises regulatory and criminal law, warned the proposed model could infringe on longstanding

rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

He told the committee: “It fails to address, potentially, fundamental issues not just in terms of European human rights case law but also natural justice and common law.

“There are fundamental issues … in terms of the reversal of the burden of proof, in terms of arguably infringements with the right to silence.”

Cautioning that crucial safeguards could be sidestepped or diluted, Mr Greenwood warned of the practical consequences of creating an offence with courts already struggling to cope.

He said: “The current backlog in the crown court is in excess of 67,000 cases – it’s the worst it’s ever been – and in magistrates’ courts, I think it’s in excess of 383,000 cases.”

Mr Rees added: “In many respects, it’s wholly unrealistic. It states that a key objective … is the need for swift justice. Well, the proposal they have then set out will not come anywhere near meeting that objective.”

The King’s Counsel pointed to examples including “fake claims” on chancellor Rachel Reeves’ CV and Labour’s

manifesto commitment not to raise tax on working people.

He said: “We think it is entirely foreseeable that the courts … would simply be swamped, inundated with applications by voters of all political persuasions competing.”

Labour’s Lee Waters countered: “On the practicality point, that’s an argument for not bringing any more criminal sanctions in … I don’t deny the courts are swamped but I’m not sure if that should be the first basis on which we make law.”

Mr Greenwood said: “In reality, one only has to consider the number of disgruntled individuals reading today’s papers….

“But, more fundamentally, it is an entire departure from our present system which has a reviewing body to ensure only merited matters are put before the courts.”

Mr Waters said the paper’s model should not be treated as the last word, pointing out that it is only evidence to the committee rather than a firm Welsh Government proposal.

The former minister suggested it would be perfectly possible to address the witnesses’ concerns while departing from a system of self-regulation in the Senedd.

In July, the Welsh Government committed to introducing a ban before the next election.

Mick Antoniw, then-counsel general, the government’s chief legal adviser, said: “The Welsh Government will bring forward legislation before 2026 for the disqualification of members and candidates found guilty of deception through an independent judicial process.”

During the meeting on November 18, Mr Antoniw, now a member of the standards committee, reiterated concerns about the implications for parliamentary privilege.

Under the principle, parliamentary proceedings receive protection from legal challenge and Labour has committed expanding privilege in the Senedd to match Westminster.

Mr Rees agreed about the danger of politicisation, saying: “To introduce the courts as some sort of third-party arbiter of hotly disputed statements … would undermine the independence of the courts and, moreover …, would not serve the public interest whatsoever.”

He warned of a chilling effect on political discourse and freedom of speech.

‘Give voters a greater say on replacing misbehaving politicians’

CAMPAIGNERS called for voters to be given a say over who replaces Senedd politicians booted out of office for bad behaviour under a proposed system of recall.

Jessica Blair, director of the Electoral Reform Society (ERS) Cymru, supported calls for a recall system to allow voters to remove misbehaving politicians between elections.

But Ms Blair said voters should have a say over the replacement, warning an element of personal accountability will be lost with the Senedd’s new “closed-list” electoral system.

From 2026, people will vote for parties rather than individuals as Wales ditches first past the post in favour of a full form of proportional representation, with no by-elections being held.

Ms Blair said: “This idea of replacing someone with the next person on the list, it could be … from the voters’ perspective … seen as a party being rewarded for bad behaviour.”

Giving evidence to the Senedd’s standards committee, she added: “This shouldn’t be necessarily about parties keeping control, it should be about voters having their say.”

Labour’s Mick Antoniw pointed out it is the person, not the party, that has transgressed.

But Ms Blair said: “That could also reflect badly on the party or the way a party’s handled it, so I don’t think it’s necessarily as clear cut, as this is one person’s actions.”

She told the committee that three of the four UK Parliament by-elections triggered by recall petitions since 2019 were won by

a different party.

She said: “Parties can be punished for an individual’s bad behaviour or it could be a reflection of changing political support post election. There doesn’t seem to be a real case for retaining that party’s seat, especially three years after an election, for example.”

The standards committee will make recommendations on how a recall mechanism should work in Wales as part of its inquiry on Senedd Members’ accountability.

Hannah Blythyn, who chairs the committee, asked witnesses whether the circumstances for recalling a Senedd member should be the same as Westminster.

Ms Blair suggested the triggers – a custodial sentence of less than 12 months, a suspension of at least ten sitting days, or an expenses offence conviction –make a good starting point.

Nia Thomas, ERS Cymru’s research officer, agreed rules should be the same for Senedd Members as councillors who can be removed if they do not attend meetings for six months.

Ms Blair added: “In any other job, you wouldn’t be able to do that? If I didn’t turn up to work … people would be like ‘what’s happening here?’, I think there has to be a line in the sand and I think a recall petition is probably appropriate in this instance.”

In an earlier evidence session on November 19, Clare Sim, of the Association of Electoral Administrators, warned against replicating Westminster’s “flawed” system of recall.

BLUE VIEW

ALED THOMAS

THERE is a deep sense of consternation in the air of the British countryside Farmers and rural communities across the UK are rightly outraged by the chancellor’s disastrous Autumn Budget. Not only was it an attack on family farms forged through generations of hard work, but it was also a reminder that Labour candidates would say anything (or, in some cases, not say anything) to get themselves into power.

that farmers work at all to put high-quality food on British tables—a mistake it will quickly come to regret.

Even Labour voters aren’t particularly supportive of this policy change. Exclusive polling from More in Common for the Conservative Rural Forum shows a higher proportion of Labour voters disagreeing with taxing family farms than those who agree, at 45% to 41%.

Ms Sim described the recall process as a massive administrative burden as she raised concerns about the cost to the public purse.

She argued recall petitions, which are open for six weeks in Westminster, should close once the threshold of 10% of the electorate signing has been met.

Mr Antoniw, the former counsel general, suggested a simple yes-no public vote on whether a politician should remain in office in place of a “pointless” two-stage process.

Colin Everett, chair of the Wales Electoral Co-ordination Board, said it could be a feasible alternative to reduce the administrative burden while protecting the voice of electors.

Ms Sim added that a minimum 25-day timetable would be required for a quasi by-election.

She warned of complications with the 32 constituencies used in July’s general election being paired to create 16 for the Senedd poll in 2026, with each returning six members.

She said: “We’re talking about potentially three-four authorities being involved … it’s far more complex than any other process anywhere else in the UK.”

Calling for consistency and simplicity, Mr Everett said electors would expect to be able to vote in person on a designated day or days, with a right to a postal or proxy vote.

He rejected suggestions the 10% threshold should need to be met in each of the paired constituencies, saying this would question why they were combined in the first place.

Indeed, I remember sitting in a farming community hustings in my home farm’s constituency of Mid and South Pembrokeshire where the Labour candidate – now MP –Henry Tufnell said that Labour would categorically not change Agricultural Property Relief, and any suggestion otherwise was scaremongering from the Conservatives.

The irony that Henry Tufnell MP comes from the large Calmsden Estate, which is reported to include 2,000 acres and 16 dwellings in the Cotswolds, is certainly not lost on me.

The introduction of the spiteful family farm tax was just one attack on farmers. The budget document contained more nasty surprises, hidden in the hopes that no one would see them.

Amongst them were taxes on pick-up trucks that farmers rely on to do their day-to-day tasks and taxes on fertilisers, which will inevitably hamper food production. All of this notwithstanding the tax rise in NICs payments for those farms that do provide work opportunities for rural communities, particularly young farmers.

With Labour doubling down on its claim that it hasn’t raised taxes on “Working People,” one can only assume that this government doesn’t believe

This government will soon learn the meaning of the adage: “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” However, as someone who has grown up in rural Wales, where Labour has controlled agriculture policy for a quarter of a century, I’m surprised they haven’t already learnt their lesson from the last time they turned against farmers and ended up making an embarrassing U-turn.

Conservative and Plaid Cymru members spoke passionately to the crowds. Labour Senedd Members refused to leave the building and address farmers’ concerns face-to-face.

Welsh farmers stood up for their communities and ruled the day, resulting in reconsideration and delay of the Sustainable Farming Scheme policy. That bought Labour a little time before the General Election, but the clock is now ticking again.

This week, as the air horns, orange flashing lights and huge tractor tyres made their way down Whitehall, Labour MPs in rural seats were left wondering why Rachel Reeves picked on rural pensioners and the poorly paid farmers they rely on to feed them three times a day.

The government has underestimated the farming community’s determination and resilience. The prospect of a Labour crop failure in rural Wales in 2026 has never seemed more likely.

Labour’s leaders enjoy Llandudno love-in

LABOUR’S conference in Llandudno last weekend was an opportunity for the Party’s great and good to come together and tell each other how wonderfully things are going.

The key message was that, while the Labour Government in Cardiff Bay was nothing less than a roaring success, things could only get better with Labour governments at either end of the M4. Labour in Wales must hope that this last phrase sticks in the electorate’s consciousness and glosses over Welsh Labour’s problems.

There are plenty of those problems, although you’d be hard-pressed to identify any of them from the keynote speeches delivered to the faithful.

Speakers hit all the important notes:

• Labour was delivering more money to the Welsh Government to spend (big cheer).

• There would be money to spend on the NHS (bigger cheer).

• There were no more Conservative MPs from Wales in Westminster (ecstatic rapture).

• And so on and so forth in all the key speeches.

PREACHING TO THE CHOIR

It’s only fair to begin with the big cheese himself, Sir Keir Starmer. Cheese is the right word. The Prime Minister recapped his October speech at Labour’s national conference, and he laid on added Welsh schtick with a trowel. Nye Bevan, the NHS, the Industrial Revolution, the sense of community. All his speech lacked was the Morriston Orpheus Choir humming “A Hyd a Nos” in the background. Thankfully, as is the way things are nowadays, there were no big announcements in Keir Starmer’s speech. Its content had been welltrailed. Bashing the Tories while taking credit for their policies and adding the odd million here and there is enough for a Labour leader in Wales to get a rapturous reception. And he got one.

Eluned Morgan was more old school: “There’s a new Wales on the horizon, and I intend to lead us there,” the First Minister began.

She continued to explain that: “The people’s priorities are my priorities. Improved health and social care, delivering future-proofed jobs and growth, higher standards in our schools and more social housing because your postcode should never determine your prospects, improving transport and keeping people in touch. New trains, a new bus bill, better roads.

Nobody could disagree with those objectives. Nobody casting a more critical eye over them could help but wonder why it’s taken 25 years for the

Jon Coles jon.coles@herald.email

penny to drop.

The First Minister’s attempt to create some pithy soundbites was undermined by how she introduced them: “They offer soundbites – and we deliver sound policies. They sow division - we build unity. They promise walls - we build bridges. They complain – while we campaign.

And while they look backwards - we move forwards.”

It was a bit like Tony Blair. “Now is not

the time for soundbites, but the hand of history is on out shoulders.”

STEVENS STANDS OUT

Jo Stevens, the Secretary of State for Wales, hit an altogether stronger note.

She announced £13 million to provide support for workers, families and businesses affected by the closure of the Tata Steel blast furnaces in her first address to the Welsh Labour Conference since Labour won a landslide General Election result in July.

The investment from the Transition Board, which will provide non-repayable

grants of up to £10,000 to help workers and their families set up their own businesses, is part of a wider £26.5 million package committed by the UK Labour Government since taking office, and part of an £80 million commitment to fully fund the Transition Board and to support workers that came out of Labour’s Autumn Budget.

Jo Stevens developed her theme by attacking the Conservatives’ failure to bankroll a scheme they’d announced: “In October last year, the Tories had promised £80m to support workers and businesses in Port Talbot. Nine months later, they hadn’t delivered a single penny.

“Now we know why - the £80 million was never there. It was one of a long list of unfunded spending commitments.

“Today, I am announcing a £13 million fund to support existing and new businesses in Port Talbot and across our steel communities. And Labour’s first Budget confirmed that £80 million in full.”

The conference loved it all. But apart from Jo Stevens repeating an attack line that Labour had already developed in the preceding weeks, it was rather thin gruel, albeit enthusiastically delivered.

THE PARTY OF GOVERNMENT

Wales’s Transport Minister, Ken Skates, announced a “new” Bus Bill to reregulate bus services and integrate train and bus timetables, tickets and routes. The inverted commas around the word “new” are advisable as this is a Bill that’s long been out for consultation. Councils have already outlined their responses to it, and it was one of his predecessor’s major pieces of legislation. When the Bill is finally published next March, it will be only four years since the commitment appeared in the 2021 Manifesto and seven years since the Welsh Government announced its intention to legislate.

Having announced £22m to cut waiting times just over a fortnight before the Labour conference, Health Minister Jeremy Miles announced a further £28m, which included £3m to shorten waiting lists for children awaiting neurodevelopmental assessments.

Remarkably, the entirely nonpartisan Welsh Government press office was on hand to announce these initiatives in almost identical terms to the Labour Party’s press releases on the same subjects and as they were made to the Party faithful. There is a separation between the party political activities of Welsh Government ministers on the one hand and Welsh Government actions on the other. While the lines have blurred over recent years, it is not the business of Welsh Government employees to assist Ministers with campaigning activities, such as a conference speech. Labour is the Party of government in

Wales, but it is not the Party of the Welsh Government.

LABOUR’S WELSH PROBLEM

In Westminster opposition, Labour made many of the right noises about doing right by Wales. Chief among those noises was sending Wales “£4bn” as a consequential payment for the HS2 project that the Conservatives (boo!) had denied Wales. There were other promises, too:

Rejigging the basis upon which Westminster allocated money to the devolved governments.

Making sure the Welsh Government regained control over the funding that had replaced the European Union’s money.

Devolving more powers to the Welsh Government.

BIG PROMISES, ALL OF THEM.

In the thrill of victory and delivering and taking the credit for projects launched by the Conservatives (boo!), those promises have vanished into talking shops and the language of “hard choices”.

And so, to make up for the fact that the Westminster Labour Government has left its Cardiff comrades in the same position as the Emperor wearing his new clothes, Labour’s conference speeches were long on triumphalism and mood without any sign of much that was new.

Turnout in Wales on July 4 was down over 10.5%, and Labour’s share of the vote fell by 3.9%. Labour’s share of the General Election vote in Wales has only

twice slipped below July’s level (in 2010 and 2015). Even in 2019, Labour polled better. In 1997, when Tony Blair’s New Labour swept the Conservatives from power almost as dramatically as in July, Labour won almost 55% of the vote in Wales.

Labour’s polling for the next Senedd election is even more dire than July’s outcome, with some polls showing support hovering around 30%. In 2026, the low turnout and divided vote that skewed General Election outcomes in Welsh constituencies could cause a very different outcome. Turnout in Welsh elections is often pitiful,

and the new voting system could erode Labour’s dependable “red rosette on a donkey” vote.

Between now and May 2026, Labour must not only say what it wants to deliver but also get on with it. The lack of urgency about its previous Manifesto commitments and the ongoing omnishambles that is the Welsh NHS leave Eluned Morgan little room for manoeuvre.

In opposition, parties abuse the government of the day. In government, parties abuse the preceding government. In Wales, where Labour’s been in power for twenty-five years, the problem goes without saying.

MABON ap GWYNFOR, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Health and Social Care, has criticised how the Welsh NHS is run under Labour and says Plaid Cymru will change NHS governance to improve patient outcomes and futureproof the service.

Mr ap Gwynfor’s commissioned report, “The Welsh Health System: Accountability, Performance and Culture”, says that governance and accountability in the NHS are currently “inherently confused, overly complex and inimical to systematic collaboration.”

The report identified several shortcomings and proposes the following reforms to strengthen the health service: Goals, Priorities and Planning: simplify healthcare planning and ensure more realistic and deliverable targets

Roles and Accountability: improve accountability by redefining the responsibilities of the Welsh Government and NHS Executive to stop Ministers from micromanaging the NHS;

Partnership Working: closer working between health and social care through efficient resourcesharing;

Capability and Capacity: increase specialist knowledge of healthcare governance in the civil service to improve public health policies and delivery;

Performance

Measurement and Management: greater data collecting on health service performance and clearer criteria for escalation measures;

Public and Patient Engagement: empower the patient voice and promote a culture of welcoming comments and complaints to improve the patient experience and public transparency; Culture: create standardised rules for

senior NHS leaders to ensure that accountability arrangements are met.

Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, said: “Most people would agree that the NHS is not as it should be. People shouldn’t have to wait years for treatment nor struggle to get a GP appointment, and ambulances shouldn’t be queuing outside A&E departments for hours on end.

“Despite NHS funding accounting for half of the Labour Welsh Government’s entire £20bn budget, it simply isn’t being used strategically and neither is the NHS being run efficiently.

“With all seven health boards in Wales in some form of escalation and intervention status, it’s clear our NHS needs a change of direction.

“If we want a health service that’s fit for the future, we need to tackle the root causes of these issues and improve the way it’s run. That’s why we’ve commissioned a report to look at how we do exactly that.

“From setting more realistic and deliverable targets to improve services, promoting closer working between health and social care, empowering the patient voice to improve the patient experience and public transparency –to redefining roles and accountability of the NHS Executive and Welsh Government, and improving NHS culture.

“All of these steps would strengthen NHS governance to improve its efficiency and patient outcomes in return.

“Labour have pondered over what to do with the NHS for 25 years.

“A Plaid Cymru government will offer the NHS a fresh start – no more sticking plaster solutions and short-term thinking which only punishes staff and patients. It’s time for change.”

W ITH ANDREW LYE

Welsh Liberal Democrats have reiterated their calls for Labour to exempt health and social care providers from the National Insurance tax rise following a stark warning from Care Forum Wales (CFW) which stated the measure contained in Labour’s budget could cause a collapse in the social care system in Wales.

According to the CFW, the controversial measures announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves pose a “greater threat than Covid” to the sector with a £150 million funding hole to be plugged as a result of the changes announced.

The CFW highlight the 1.2% rise in Employer National Insurance contributions and a cut to the Secondary Threshold to £5,000 as two of the primary pressures being placed on care providers thanks to the changes being implemented by Labour.

In Wales, the majority of adult social care providers are private, with 72% of the over 2,000 sites in the sector run by private service providers.

Since the announcement of the budget, the Liberal Democrats have called on the Government to exempt all health and social care providers from the national insurance rise. The party has pointed out that the rise will hit GPs, pharmacists, dentists as well as care providers. It will also impact charities working

Steel support ‘will reach thousands’ Welsh Secretary tells Senedd committee

in the healthcare setting such as palliative care providers and the air ambulance.

The Liberal Democrats have warned that the rise will add even more stress to sectors already experiencing high demand, especially in the case of social care, which they have stated is key to reducing bed blocking at hospitals and the related delays in ambulance response times.

Welsh Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader David Chadwick, MP for Brecon, Radnor & Cwm Tawe said:

“This is yet more evidence that Labour is taking us down completely the wrong path when it comes to solving the social care crisis in Wales.

“Increasing National Insurance tax on health care and social care providers is in direct contradiction with the aim to improve health outcomes across Wales.

“We are not going to get waiting lists and ambulance waiting times down if we do not have the beds in social care to discharge patients to and that isn’t going to happen if Labour risk collapsing or destabilising the entire care sector.

“The Liberal Democrats have been calling on Labour to scrap this awful policy from day one and we will continue to push the Government to do the right thing and protect our healthcare providers from unnecessary financial pressure.”

If you have any issues or comments,

THOUSANDS of people affected by the transition to greener steelmaking at Tata Steel Port Talbot are set to benefit from support set up by the UK Government, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has told a Senedd committee.

Appearing before the Senedd Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee as part of its report on the Future of Welsh Steel today (Wednesday 20 November) Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens explained that since taking up her post in July, the Tata Steel Port Talbot Transition Board she chairs had already released £26.5 million to support businesses and workers in Port Talbot and across steel communities.

The Welsh Secretary told the committee that the £80m Transition Board was not fully funded when she came into office. However, she fought for an initial £13.5m in August to support supply chain businesses and workers.

The full £80m was confirmed by the Chancellor in October’s Autumn Budget. Following this, the Welsh Secretary announced last week (16 November) a further £13m to fund grant schemes to help people start new businesses and grow or protect previous businesses.

Dozens of firms in the supply chain are already moving forward with applications and money will be granted in the coming few weeks. The Welsh Secretary added that she expected support in the coming months and years

from the Transition Board eventually to help thousands of steelworkers, family members and businesses in the supply chain.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the Senedd: “Our focus is to make sure that we are protecting Port Talbot as a site of steelmaking in the future and that we will be helping thousands of people through this transition – not just direct employees but people in the supply chain and people in the wider community.

“We as a government see a bright future ahead for steel in the UK. We have a long-term vision that will deliver for the UK and I am determined that Port Talbot will be at the forefront of our steel industry in the future.”

The Welsh Secretary also reiterated to the committee that within weeks of taking office in July the UK Government delivered a better deal that secures the future of Port Talbot Steelworks, laid the groundwork for future investment and improved terms for the workforce without additional costs to the taxpayer.

She added that on arrival in office it was found that the £80m commitment to the Tata Port Talbot Transition Board was unfunded. It was later fully funded at October’s Budget.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the committee: “The fund of £80m was initially announced last October. Between October 2023 and the General Election in July 2024 not a single penny of that £80m went out of the

door to help steelworkers, the supply chain or the wider community.

“After we took office, I was horrified to discover that the £80m was an unfunded spending commitment.

“I have worked very hard to make sure that the £80m has now been confirmed through the Budget.”

Wednesday’s evidence session was the first time that the Welsh Secretary has appeared before a Senedd committee following her appointment in July.

Further funds from the Transition Board will be released over the coming months to provide a wide range of support for steelworkers and the wider community.

The committee was also told that the UK Government is committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which will be available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is in addition to the £500m for Tata at Port Talbot steelworks and will harness public and private investment to ensure a sustainable future for UK steelmaking.

The UK Government is also developing a steel strategy that will set out a long-term vision for the steel sector in the UK.

The Welsh Secretary added: “We will have a steel strategy published in the spring to set out that vision for how Welsh steel and UK steel will play such an important part in the future.”

NHS staff at risk during pandemic due to PPE issues, Covid Inquiry hears

NHS staff in Wales may have put their health at risk during the Covid-19 pandemic by treating patients without adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), former health minister Vaughan Gething has admitted.

Giving evidence to the Covid inquiry, Gething acknowledged significant challenges in distributing PPE despite assurances that national-level supplies were maintained. He revealed that stocks of key items ran out far quicker than anticipated, with some equipment deemed unfit for purpose and discarded.

“There were some very real challenges,” Gething said, noting that gloves, expected to last 15 weeks, were depleted within 11 days. Aprons and other essentials soon became critical concerns. He also condemned opportunistic profiteering during the crisis, calling some suppliers “shysters” who exploited global demand to sell inadequate equipment.

The Welsh Conservatives described the revelations as “completely unacceptable” for NHS staff, while Plaid Cymru accused the Labour-led Welsh Government of “significantly letting down” frontline workers.

The inquiry also heard of chaotic conditions in some hospitals. An email from a consultant at Prince Charles

Hospital in March 2020 described a dire situation, with staff lacking protection, low morale, and masks unavailable.

In some instances, healthcare workers resorted to makeshift solutions, including wearing bin bags or purchasing their own safety gear. Trade unions highlighted that schools even stepped in to produce masks and hand sanitiser for local health services.

When asked whether healthcare workers treated Covid-19 patients with inadequate PPE during the first wave, Gething replied, “I’m afraid that’s possible.”

D ECISIONS UNDER PRESSURE

The session also addressed difficult decisions made during the pandemic. Evidence was presented that some patients with little chance of survival were not admitted to critical care due to limited space.

“It’s very upsetting to read,” Gething said, acknowledging the heartbreaking choices faced by medical teams, though he claimed to be unaware of specific instances.

Gething, who served as health minister until May 2021, conceded that delays in tackling hospital-acquired infections could have contributed to the challenges. He admitted he might have acted earlier in

forming a task group to address the issue, which worsened during the second wave.

F IRST M INISTER REFLECTS ON BIRTHING PARTNER RULES

Current First Minister Eluned Morgan also testified, reflecting on delayed decisions to allow birthing partners in hospitals during the pandemic.

Morgan, who succeeded Gething as health minister in May 2021, acknowledged that guidance was not updated until May 2022, more than a year after England implemented similar changes.

“If I had my time again,

that’s one of the things I definitely would have changed,” Morgan said, calling the delay regrettable for new parents.

She also defended the decision not to launch a national investigation into hospitalacquired infections, citing extensive reviews conducted by health boards. However, Morgan acknowledged shortcomings in resuming routine surgery and criticised poor management at some facilities.

The inquiry continues to examine decisions made by Welsh ministers and NHS leaders during the pandemic, focusing on lessons learned to prevent similar issues in future crises.

SEND YOUR LETTERS TO: THE EDITOR, 11 HAMILTON TERRACE, MILFORD HAVEN, PEMBROKESHIRE, SA73 3AL

EMAIL US AT: editor@herald.email

TAKE URGENT ACTION DURING CARBON MONOxIDE AWARENESS WEEK

DEAR SIR,

This year during Carbon Monoxide Awareness Week (18-24 November) we are urging individuals and local communities to understand the simple steps that can be taken to protect themselves, and their loved ones, from the severe risks of carbon monoxide (CO).

Carbon monoxide is known as the ‘silent killer’ because you can’t see it, smell it or taste it, and it kills approximately 40 people every year in England and Wales and hospitalises many more. The most significant source of exposure to carbon monoxide for the general public is from cooking or other fuel burning appliances, such as home boilers and log burners. The risks of carbon monoxide poisoning increase if these appliances are poorly installed, faulty or used inappropriately without adequate ventilation.

The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, tiredness, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, shortness of breath and, in extreme cases, loss of consciousness. Its symptoms can be mistaken for food poisoning and the flu, due to their similarities.

As the gas emergency and pipeline service for Wales and south west of England, Wales & West Utilities is urging people to stay safe by taking simple actions including:

Get an audible carbon monoxide alarm in every room with a gas appliance and test it regularly.

Have all your gas appliances regularly serviced and safety checked every year by a Gas Safe register engineer. If you rent your home, ask for a copy of the landlord’s current Gas Safety Record.

Know the signs of carbon monoxide: Look out for your gas appliances burning a floppy yellow or orange, not crisp and blue; pilot lights on boilers frequently blowing out; extra condensation inside your window; soot or yellow stains around appliances.

Know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning: similar to the flu or food poisoning without a high temperature.

If your alarm sounds, or you suspect carbon monoxide, take action: move outside into fresh air, leaving doors and windows open as you go. Then call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800

111 999. In a medical emergency, don’t delay, call 999 immediately.

We urge everyone to use this time of year to check they have an audible carbon monoxide alarm and also to remind family and friends to check, to help everyone stay gas safe this winter.

By following these simple steps and sharing information with family, friends and neighbours, we can help save lives.

Rob Long Chief Operating Officer

COP29 AND NET ZERO INTELLIGENCE: A LESSON FOR WALES?

DEAR SIR,

COP29 may have seen over 150 nations send participants, yet only one sent its head of state: step forward, Sir Keir Starmer, backed by a striking delegation of 470 ministers and officials.

Among the 33,150 participants, the UK — with just 0.08% of the world’s population — accounted for 1.4% of the attendees, leading the green crusade toward netzero emissions. Meanwhile, countries like Indonesia, China, and India, among the world’s largest polluters, are stepping back from green policies. Under Trump, the U.S. is expected to exploit cheap fossil fuels, and Russia shows no inclination to join the green cause.

The host nation, Azerbaijan, had

its president address the UN climate conference, calling oil and gas a “gift from God.” Blaming “Western fake news” for any criticism of his country’s emissions, he argued that nations shouldn’t be penalized for fossil fuel reserves. Azerbaijan even plans to boost gas production by up to a third over the next decade.

The British delegation’s net-zero goal may well achieve a different kind of “zero” at the conference: actual change. The UK’s proud boast of emissions reduction has been achieved largely by offshoring production and importing what we once manufactured. Since the 1990s, our share of GDP from manufacturing has halved, and the last time we had a power surplus was in that same decade. Today, UK electricity generation per capita is only two-thirds that of France and roughly a third of the USA’s. British businesses pay almost four times what American firms do for energy, with households paying triple the costs.

The push for renewable energy has left us increasingly dependent on imports, with over £3 billion spent each year importing electricity from France, Belgium, Norway, and others. This year alone, net imports hit a record 26.3 terawatt hours between January and September. With more power plants closing, it’s projected that imports could supply a third of our energy needs by 2030.

The flaw in this plan? Europe has similar weather to the UK, so in severe winters, little surplus power will be available to export to us, leading to potential deaths

from cold. OFGEM, our energy regulator, is approving more costly interconnectors to other countries, ensuring we’re reliant on foreign power for decades. While the Energy Minister touts this as progress toward a “clean energy superpower,” it likely means more shore substations, pylons, and onshore wind farms across Britain’s landscape. In the 1990s, we had 40 nuclear power plants, yet today we’ve lost that expertise, with new reactors designed abroad. Currently, gas powers over half our energy, yet policymakers like Mr. Miliband aim to halt gas production by 2030. Who will make up the shortfall? OFGEM’s optimistic goal of making Britain a “net exporter of energy by 2030” seems detached from reality. Without reliable, affordable energy, our competitiveness plummets, and with it, any hope for economic growth, new jobs, or increased public funding. This push for net zero risks leading us to zero growth, zero competitiveness, zero opportunities, and, eventually, a crisis of zero energy security.

The Net Zero 2050 law urgently needs re-evaluation if not a complete repeal. But under the current government, the chance of this is zero. Perhaps it’s time for Wales to reflect on the lessons from COP29?

Yours in despair, Terry Breverton

A tribute to Honey Arteya Foxx French, written by her family

MILFORD HAVEN turned into a sea of yellow on Tuesday, 12th November, as the community gathered to bid farewell to Honey, who tragically passed away at her home on Saturday, 19th October, aged just 12 years old.

Honey was the cherished daughter of Alan and Jess, a beloved sister to Travis and Felix, and a deeply adored granddaughter, great-granddaughter, niece, and cousin. She was a bright, intelligent young girl who attended St. Davids School, leaving an unforgettable impression on all who knew her.

The funeral cortege left her home led by a convoy of bikes, passing her favourite play park, Gellyswick Beach— where she spent countless joyful hours—and her former primary school, where staff stood to pay their respects as the hearse passed.

Before arriving at St. Katharine & St. Peter’s Church, the cortege paused on the Rath for a moving tribute. Tugboats flew yellow flags and released a spectacular display of water, followed by 12 blasts of their horns to honour Honey’s age.

At the church, her yellow coffin, engraved with her name and adorned with honeybee carvings, was carried in to the song I Can’t Help Myself by The Four Tops, a nod to her name. The congregation sang All Things Bright and Beautiful, a favourite from Honey’s primary school days. As the service concluded, Little Bitty Pretty One by Thurston Harris, from her favourite film Matilda, played alongside a touching visual tribute.

At Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Honey’s personality shone through in the music choices, with Rock Superstar by Cypress Hill, her favourite song, and Sail Away by David Gray playing as the service ended.

Honey’s floral tributes were later

placed at Milford Haven Cemetery on the graves of loved ones. Flowers from her coffin spray were sent out to sea from Gellyswick Bay that evening, a poignant final farewell.

Her heartbroken parents, Alan and Jess, wrote this loving tribute:

“Once upon a time, oh best beloved, there was a little girl called Honey-bee.

Honey-bee was the most loved of all little girls—before her and after her. She filled every inch of space around her with her presence. Her laugh was

husky, cheeky, and contagious. Even if her jokes crossed a line, you couldn’t help but laugh—she was hilarious.

Honey loved to sing, much to her mama’s pride. Whether in the car, the garden, or pottering in the kitchen, she memorised songs with ease, belting out her favourites for all to hear. She danced too—many hours were spent grooving to James Brown or Biggie Smalls in the kitchen. Dramatic and bold, she was destined for the stage.

Honey was her Nana’s girl, and their

bond was unbreakable. Sleepovers at Nana’s house meant scary movies, silly photos, and endless laughs. One unforgettable day at Scolton Manor spa, Honey, Mum, and Nana found themselves laughing like children in the rain, with Honey unknowingly pulling a rope that dumped a bucket of icy water over her. Chaos followed, but it was legendary.

Honey had a knack for mischief. She once tried to disprove the Tooth Fairy by hiding a tooth for three days, only to pen a threatening letter to the Easter Bunny demanding payment. When her dad tried to play along, she caught him redhanded, sitting upright with a grin and her hand out, saying, ‘I’ll take that.’

Her adventurous spirit extended to animals—she had a pet duck that followed her everywhere. One morning, her dad replaced the duck’s egg with a Cadbury’s Creme Egg. Honey’s delight at finding ‘chocolate-pooping ducks’ was unmatched.

On her third birthday, she was gifted a Shetland pony dressed as a unicorn, which she proudly rode to school. She even tried to save a live rat from the neighbour’s cat, much to her family’s horror.

In school, Honey shone on stage and in sports. She led a petition for a girls’ rugby team, represented Pembrokeshire in shot put, and played the Evil Queen in a school production, dazzling everyone with her confidence and talent. She was a natural leader and a cherished friend to many.

Honey’s love of life and her fearless, mischievous spirit will forever be remembered. She was, and always will be, the most loved little girl.”

Rest in peace, Honey-bee. Your light will never dim, and your memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved you.

Death Notices

ANNE ROBERTA ALLSOP

THE death occurred peacefully on Saturday 2nd November 2024 at Withybush Hospital of Mrs Anne Roberta Allsop, aged 87 years of Hanover Court, Tenby.

A much-loved Mum, Nanna and Great Grandmother who will be greatly missed by all her family.

The funeral service will take place on Friday 29th November 2024 at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth at 11:30am.

There will be family flowers only with donations in lieu if desired for Cancer Research UK c/o E.C. Thomas & Son Funeral Directors, Zoar Chapel Funeral Home, Llanteg, Narberth (01834) 831876 & 21, Main Street, Pembroke (01646) 682680 or via www.ecthomasandson. co.uk

DIANE PENGELLY

Peacefully on Friday 1st November at Withybush Hospital, Diane of Fishguard (formerly of The Grove Hotel, St Davids).

Beloved wife of Grahame, loving mother of Richard and Chris, much loved grandmother of Callum, Oliver and Jonathan.

Funeral service on Wednesday 27th November at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth at 1pm.

Family flowers only. Donations in lieu if desired, made payable to ‘M S Society’ or ‘Wales Air Ambulance’ c/o Paul Jenkins & Sons Funeral Directors, Feidr Castell, Fishguard, SA65 9BB. Tel: 01348 873250.

MAIR LEWIS

Peacefully on Sunday 10th November at Withybush Hospital, Mair

of Fishguard.

Beloved wife of John, loving mam of Hedydd and Elin and Richard, much loved mama of Cerys, Rhys, Llŷr and Megan. Loving sister of Aeres and Philip and the late Ann. Aunt to Owain and Katie, Rhys and Bethan, Tomos and Jen.

Funeral service on Friday 29th November at the Chapel of Rest, Feidr Castell, Fishguard at 1pm followed by interment at Tabernacle Cemetery.

Family flowers only.

Donations in lieu if desired, made payable to ‘British Heart Foundation’ c/o Paul Jenkins & Sons Funeral Directors, Feidr Castell, Fishguard, SA65 9BB. Tel: 01348 873250.

MURIEL ELAINE BLUNSDEN

THE death occurred peacefully at Park House Court on Monday 11th. November, following a long illness, bravely borne, of Mrs. Muriel Blunsden of Webbs Drive, Pembroke.

The devoted and much loved wife of the late George, she was 81 and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

The funeral will take place on Friday 6th December with a service at Monkton Priory Church at 1.00.pm followed by interment at Monkton Cemetery.

Family flowers only please but if desired, donations in lieu in memory of Muriel for Monkton Church and the local branch of The Macmillan Nurses may be sent to John Roberts & Son, Funeral Directors, 51, Bush Street, Pembroke Dock, SA72 6AN, Tel. 01646 683115, who are carrying out the arrangements.

RICHARD HOWELL JAMES

Peacefully on Thursday, 31st October at his home, Howell, of Spring Gardens, Whitland.

Formerly “James the Saddler” of Llandissilio and Narberth. Dear father of Steven and Teresa and a loving grandfather.

Funeral Service at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth on Thursday, 28th November at 11.30a.m.

Family flowers only.

Enquiries to Ken Davies & Sons, Funeral Directors, Clunderwen. Tel: 01437 563319.

PETER JAMES LOCKE

Peter passed away peacefully at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest on Sunday 3rd November with his family at his side of Peter James Locke, aged

70 years of River View, Llangwm. Dearly loved husband of Hazel, devoted father to Zoe and her partner Andrew, beloved brother of Janette, Kevin & Keith, a special friend to Finley & Charlotte and best mate of Teddy. Peter will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

The funeral service will take place on Friday 22nd November at 2.30pm at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth.

Family flowers only, donations if desired for Llangwm RFC may be sent to Mr. Gavin Jones (Treasurer), 29 Marble Hall Road, Milford Haven, SA73 2PD.

Enquiries to Tom Newing and Sons Ltd, Funeral Directors, Dartmouth Street, Milford Haven, SA73 2AN. Tel 01646 693180.

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The Kilgetty Messi strikes TWICE!

AN unforgettable night in

CRAIG BELLAMY has made a dream start to his tenure as manager of Cymru, guiding his team to promotion to the top tier of the UEFA Nations League.

The achievement caps an undefeated campaign under his leadership, cementing a significant milestone for the national side.

Heading into the final match against Iceland, automatic promotion seemed an unlikely prospect. Türkiye held the advantage, but a shock 2-1 defeat to Montenegro opened the door for Cymru to seize the opportunity. Even so, Bellamy’s side faced a precarious start in Reykjavík.

Iceland dominated the early stages, with Andri Gudjohnsen firing the hosts ahead in the eighth minute. At that point, Cymru appeared to be staring at the possibility of a relegation playoff rather than promotion. However, Bellamy’s side gradually found their rhythm and turned the game on its head in a stunning first-half display.

Liam Cullen, nicknamed ‘The Kilgetty

Messi’ for his flair, spearheaded the comeback. The Pembrokeshire-born forward scored his maiden international goal in the 28th minute, meeting Brennan Johnson’s cross with a perfectly timed header past Hákon Rafn Valdimarsson. Neco Williams had initiated the move, finding Johnson in space to deliver the assist.

Cullen struck again just before the break. When Dan James’ shot was parried by Valdimarsson, the ball fell kindly to Cullen, who calmly slotted it into the net to complete a remarkable turnaround. The two goals showcased his predatory instincts and ensured Cymru entered half-time in control.

Iceland threw caution to the wind in the second half, committing players forward in search of an equaliser. This left them vulnerable at the back, and Cymru capitalised ruthlessly.

Cullen played a key role in the third goal, threading an inch-perfect through ball to Johnson. Despite being under pressure from a defender, Johnson demonstrated superb

cardiff

composure and technique, slotting the ball inside the far post to extend Cymru’s lead. Harry Wilson sealed the result with a spectacular long-range effort. After a foul on Johnson, Wilson picked up the loose ball in midfield and unleashed a rocket into the net, leaving Valdimarsson with no chance.

With confirmation of Türkiye’s loss in Montenegro, Cymru’s promotion was secured. The team will now return to Europe’s elite in the next edition of the UEFA Nations League, a significant step forward under Bellamy’s guidance.

Speaking after the match, Bellamy praised his players: “This is a fantastic moment for Cymru. The resilience and quality the lads showed tonight reflect the progress we’re making as a team. It’s exciting to think about what we can achieve moving forward.”

Cymru fans can now look forward to competing with the continent’s top teams, a reward for a thrilling campaign that showcased both determination and flair.

A broken system: Wales suffer historic rugby loss

On a sombre afternoon at the Principality Stadium, Wales endured one of the darkest days in their rugby history. The Wallabies’ relentless attack culminated in a crushing defeat for the home side, marking Wales’ 11th consecutive Test loss – their worst-ever run.

As Australian winger Tom Wright crossed the line for his third try, one Welsh supporter nudged his mate, urging him to pause and watch. But the man, like many others, had already seen enough. The crowd, smaller than last week’s match against Fiji, was streaming out long before the final whistle. The sea of empty seats revealed the red and green hues of the stadium tiers – a bleak metaphor for the state of Welsh rugby.

This defeat epitomised the dire straits of Welsh rugby, where dwindling results have mirrored systemic failures. The sport, long regarded as a source of national pride, now feels broken. As one fan cheered a missed Australian conversion late in the game, the gesture felt hollow – a meagre consolation on a grim day.

Even the players and coaches appeared

beleaguered. In the post-match press conference, Wales head coach Warren Gatland paused for an agonisingly long moment before answering the first question. When asked if he still had the drive to lead the team forward, his response was a mix of defiance and resignation.

In the background, WRU executive Nigel Walker looked on, his own position potentially under scrutiny amid the team’s struggles.

The day began chaotically, with journalists struggling to gain entry to the stadium – an ironic omen for the disarray that unfolded on the pitch. Australian fans, in high spirits, serenaded the stadium with Waltzing Matilda as the Wallabies wasted no time asserting dominance.

Wales had moments of resistance in the first half, holding the deficit to just six points at the break. A well-earned penalty brought cheers of “Great scrum!” from captain Dewi Lake, and chants of “Wales, Wales” briefly echoed through the stands. But these glimmers of hope were fleeting.

The second half opened dramatically, with

theatrical lighting and music attempting to rally the Welsh side. Yet, the Wallabies emerged stronger. Even when Australia’s Samu Kerevi received a yellow card – later upgraded to red – Wales failed to capitalise. Instead, they conceded 21 points while playing with a one-man advantage.

As the match wore on, Welsh players looked increasingly drained, both physically and mentally. Tom Rogers, one of Wales’ standout performers under the high ball, grimaced after each leap, his efforts yielding little reward. Miscommunication among teammates compounded the struggles, as decisions were questioned and errors multiplied.

The Wallabies continued to find gaps with ease, racking up try after try. The final stages of the game became a procession, with Australia’s dominance underscored by more raucous renditions of Waltzing Matilda. When Max Llewellyn fumbled a late interception opportunity, it summed up the match – and Wales’ current plight – in one painful moment.

Local rugby action: Thrills, wins, and tough battles across divisions

Crymych

19 – Llanelli Wanderers 33

Llanelli Wanderers showcased their title aspirations with a decisive bonus-point victory over Crymych. Despite a spirited effort from the Preseli Men, who trailed 1218 at halftime, they couldn’t capitalize on second-half opportunities.

Crymych’s hooker Lee Griffiths scored two tries in the first half, and a late penalty try offered some consolation. The Wanderers, under Sean Gale’s guidance, proved dominant with tries from Rhydian Morgan, Lewis Jones, Rhodri Owens, and Sam Icke. Jones contributed two conversions and three penalties, keeping the Wanderers in contention at the top of the table. Crymych remain in a relegation battle.

DIVISION O NE (W EST )

Pontarddulais 17 – Tenby United 26

Tenby United maintained their unbeaten streak with a hard-earned seventh victory of the season, defeating a determined Pontarddulais side. Though missing a bonus point, the disciplined Seasiders secured a valuable win.

Lloyd Thomas played a pivotal role, kicking four penalties and converting tries by Gwion Jones and Rob Luly. Acting skipper Jones shone with an individual effort. Pontarddulais responded with tries from Ethan Miles, Lewis Edwards, and Iwan Evans. Tenby stay second in the

league with a game in hand over leaders Aberystwyth.

DIVISION T WO (W EST

)

Whitland 13 – Fishguard & Goodwick 10

A late Harry Fuller penalty sealed Whitland’s narrow victory in a fiercely contested clash with Fishguard and Goodwick. The Seagulls led 7-3 at halftime after Ben John’s converted try answered Johnny Thomas’s penalty.

Rhys Nicholas turned the game in Whitland’s favor with a crucial intercept try, converted by Thomas. Although Mark Jones briefly leveled the scores, Fuller’s decisive penalty secured Whitland’s fourth win of the season.

Carmarthen Athletic 23 – Milford Haven 10

Carmarthen Athletic overturned a halftime deficit to claim a solid home win over Milford Haven. The Mariners led 10-6 at the break, thanks to Robbie Jones’s converted try and a James Trueman penalty.

The Athletic surged back with 17 unanswered points, including tries from Gethin Phillips, Morgan Morse, and Deian Morgan. Zak Williams added the conversions and penalties to seal the victory. Milford missed out on a losing bonus point in their fourth defeat of the season.

DIVISION T HREE (W EST )

Cefneithin 16 – Cardigan 29

Cardigan continued their strong form with a bonus-point win over Cefneithin. The Teifisiders led 15-6 at halftime, with Marcus Castle and Shaun Leonard crossing the try line. Leonard was instrumental, adding another try and three conversions.

John Lumb and Jack Taylor scored second-half tries as Cardigan capitalized on excellent possession. Cefneithin fought back with a try by Jonathan Morgan and three penalties from Carwyn Evans but fell short.

DIVISION F OUR (W EST )

Llanybydder 17 – Neyland 43 Neyland dazzled with a six-try bonuspoint victory over Llanybydder. Leading 24-5 at halftime, the All Blacks saw tries from Owain Evans, Matthew Coles, Owen Hamer, and skipper Georghe Williams.

Young winger Josh Watts added two second-half tries. Llanybydder responded with tries from Jake Evans, Dan Davies, and Dan Jones, converted by Ethan Sion Mathias, but Neyland’s dominance was unshaken as they returned to the top of the table.

Teirw Crymych 17 – St Davids 17

Teirw Crymych and St Davids battled

to a draw in a thrilling encounter. The Bulls dominated early, building a 14-0 lead with tries from George Plummer and Trystan Griffiths, both converted by Adam Phillips. St Davids stormed back with tries by Will James and Tom Clarke, before George Raymond’s late try leveled the scores. The conversion went wide, leaving both teams to share the points.

Dreigiau Emlyn 14 – Narberth Athletic 3

Narberth Athletic’s unbeaten run ended at Ddol Wiber as Dreigiau Emlyn’s forward strength secured a gritty win. A single forward-driven try and three penalties proved enough for the Dragons.

Athletic struggled to convert pressure into points, their only score coming from a Shane Rossiter penalty. The Dragons celebrated their third victory of the season.

Llangwm 17 – Pembroke 22

In a heated Division Four West derby, Pembroke edged out Llangwm in the first leg of the Palmer Cup at Pill Parks. The Scarlets held firm against a late surge to secure the win.

Llangwm opened strongly, with James Morgan and Dan Richards scoring tries, both converted by Harry Makepeace. Pembroke’s forwards turned the tide, with Jamie Brayford (2), Robin Badham, and Josh Greenwood crossing the line. Despite Llangwm’s late efforts, Pembroke extended their winning streak to three matches.

Pembrokeshire Vikings triumph over Port Talbot panthers

PEMBROKESHIRE VIKINGS faced a tough challenge against the formidable Port Talbot Panthers at Milford Haven RFC on Sunday afternoon. In a fiercely contested battle, the Vikings emerged as worthy winners with a final score of 33-17.

The Vikings’ try scorers included Dave Roberts, Karl Bate, Shaun Treadwell, Richard Williams, and Jack Elliott. Callum

Power added to the scoreboard with four successful conversions. Karl Bate’s standout performance earned him the Man of the Match award.

A special mention goes to Sean Phillips, who made a welcome return to the team. Phillips delivered a brilliant 30-metre line break, unselfishly passing the ball to Dave Roberts, who crossed under the posts. His contribution exemplified the

team spirit that defines the Vikings.

Matches between the Vikings and the Panthers are always marked by fierce rivalry, but also by strong friendships forged on and off the field. The team eagerly anticipates the return fixture in 2025.

The Vikings also extended their gratitude to Barry from Pembrokeshire College, a loyal supporter of the team. Additionally, thanks were given to sponsors

Austwel LTD, Hedley Asset Management, and The Pembrokeshire Herald for their ongoing support.

This Saturday, the Pembrokeshire Vikings will travel to Llandaff RFC to make history in a match against Rygbi Senedd Cymru. The team looks forward to another thrilling encounter as they continue their successful season.

mANDeRwooD PembRokeSHIRe Le AgUe 2024/2025

DIVISION ONE

Goodwick United 3–0 Merlins Bridge League leaders Goodwick United claimed a commanding 3–0 victory over Merlins Bridge at the Pembrokeshire Sports Village. Rhys Jones broke the deadlock in the 33rd minute with a spectacular 25-yard free kick. An own goal by Nick Squire early in the second half doubled the advantage, and Jones sealed the win with a stoppagetime strike. The result keeps Goodwick four points clear at the top as they push to retain their title.

Carew 16–0 Herbrandston

Carew delivered a record-breaking performance, thrashing Herbrandston 16–0 at the Gerald Hicks Memorial Ground. James Hinchliffe led the charge with six goals, supported by Shaun Whitfield’s rapid hat-trick. George Waters contributed four goals, Gareth Lewis added two, and Leon Davies completed the rout. The emphatic win lifted Carew out of the relegation zone, while Herbrandston remains firmly at the bottom of the table.

Clarbeston Road 5–2 St Ishmaels

Clarbeston Road cruised to a 5–2 victory over St Ishmaels at Knock Field. Ben John missed an early penalty for Clarbeston but redeemed himself by assisting Jake Wesley’s equaliser. Laurie Haworth and Dan Rees found the net, with

Wesley adding a second to complete the scoring for Clarbeston. St Ishmaels’ captain Brennan Devonald netted twice, but his side dropped into the relegation zone.

Monkton Swifts 1–4 Hakin United Hakin United strengthened their title challenge with a 4–1 win over Monkton Swifts. Dylan Davies put Monkton ahead early, but Hakin responded through Ryan Wilson and Mark Jones to take a 2–1 lead into halftime. Jay Kilby scored twice in the second half, sealing a vital away win for the Vikings.

Milford United 2–2 Pennar Robins

Milford United and Pennar Robins played out an entertaining 2–2 draw at Marble Hall. Liam Davies gave Milford the lead, but Jamie Wilkes equalised for Pennar. Dan James then put Pennar ahead, only for Leon Davies to bring Milford level again. Milford’s Sam Davies was sent off late, but neither side could find a winner in the closing stages.

Tenby 2–3 Kilgetty

Kilgetty staged a thrilling comeback to defeat derby rivals Tenby 3–2 at the Clicketts. Joe Leahy opened the scoring for Tenby, with Jordan Gorman quickly levelling for Kilgetty. Scott Ferney restored Tenby’s lead before halftime. However, Kilgetty turned the tide in the final ten minutes as Lloyd Hughes equalised, and

captain Richard Cope struck the decisive winner to secure a dramatic victory.

DIVISION TWO

Narberth 4 – 0 Neyland

Narberth stormed to a dominant 4-0 win over Neyland, with Chris Brown delivering a sensational hat-trick. Ifan Rees also found the back of the net, rounding off a commanding performance that keeps Narberth firmly in the promotion race. Neyland struggled throughout, unable to contain the home side or create meaningful chances.

Broad Haven 1 – 6 Merlins Bridge II

Merlins Bridge II overwhelmed Broad Haven with an emphatic 6-1 victory. George Mabuzane dazzled with a hat-trick, while Jack Ashman and Josh Knapp also scored, alongside an unfortunate own goal from the hosts. Owen Sheppard provided a consolation for Broad Haven, but they were comprehensively outplayed by the dominant visitors.

Hakin United II 7 – 2 Lawrenny

Hakin United II dismantled Lawrenny in a thrilling 7-2 encounter. Evan Rutherford was unstoppable, netting four times, with Corey Riley, George Wheeler, and Thomas Evans adding to the scoreline. Lawrenny’s Kye Bradbury and Charlie Arthur found the net for the visitors, but their contributions

could not stem the tide of Hakin’s relentless attack.

Solva 1 – 4 Camrose

Camrose secured an impressive 4-1 victory at Solva, powered by a brace from Jordan Raymond. James Williams and Joe Haworth, with a coolly converted penalty, also scored for the visitors. Kieran Price grabbed a goal for Solva, but Camrose’s sharp finishing and strong team performance ensured a comfortable win.

Johnston 6 – 1 Carew II

Johnston dominated Carew II in a resounding 6-1 triumph. Joey George and Craig Bendall each scored twice, while Ryan Doyle and Steve Mills completed the tally for the hosts. Carew’s Sam Goodwin managed to score their lone goal, but Johnston’s attacking prowess proved too much to handle.

Fishguard Sports 9 – 1 Monkton Swifts II

Fishguard Sports delivered a masterclass, thrashing Monkton Swifts II with a stunning 9-1 victory. Luke Thomas and Haydn Hughes both registered hattricks, with Ieuan Llewellyn adding a brace. Greg Hughes rounded off the scoring, while Monkton’s only mark on the game was an own goal, as Fishguard showcased a nearflawless performance.

mANDeRwooD PembRokeSHIRe Le AgUe

Fixtures

Division

Division

Division 5

Hundleton Reserves v Lawrenny Res

THE ‘KILGETTY

MESSI’ LIAM CULLEN STRIKES TWICE