A PROLONGED search that spanned several hours ended with the discovery of a 43-year-old man’s body in the early hours of Monday, September 11.
Emergency response teams, comprising of local police, coastguards, and the coastguard rescue helicopter, were deployed late on Sunday, September 10, following reports of a missing individual in the Saundersfoot vicinity.
Eyewitness accounts from social media detailed the unmistakable presence of the rescue helicopter, as it was seen and
heard hovering over key areas including the Glen Beach, Swallowtree, and Broadfield throughout the night and into the early hours of the morning
A representative from Dyfed-Powys Police commented, “Emergency services were rapidly mobilised following reports of a missing individual in the Saundersfoot region late on Sunday night. Regrettably, by approximately 4am on Monday, coastguard search units located the body of the man. We have since reached out and informed his immediate family.”
Pembrokeshire County Councillor, Paul Dowson, has been convicted of operating as a doorman at The Five Arches Tavern, Tenby, without the mandatory licence.
The 56-year-old was caught working at the establishment on St George’s Street from April 30 to June 4, 2022. Despite his licence having expired earlier on March 18, 2022, Barrister Eorann O’Connor, representing the Security Industry Authority, revealed to Haverfordwest magistrates that Dowson continued his role as a door supervisor. He was compensated ‘cash in hand’ by the pub owner.
O’Connor elucidated, “The defendant was
Tom Sinclair Editor@herald.emailunmistakably involved in manned guarding activities. He began his duties at the establishment in late November 2021, donning black attire with ‘Security’ emblazoned on it and wearing a badge.”
However, it was not until June 2022 that Mr Matthew Perkins, the proprietor of the Five Arches, was informed about Dowson’s licence lapse by a licensing officer.
Perkins recounted, “I was notified by a licensing officer regarding Dowson’s lapsed licence. Consequently, we decided he should immediately cease his
door supervisor duties.”
It was confirmed that Dowson, residing on Princes Street, Pembroke, was selfcontracted at the time and received cash payments for his illicit responsibilities at The Five Arches.
Contradicting the charges, Dowson denied any engagement in unlicensed door supervisor activities. Probation officer Julie Norman provided context, saying Dowson was grappling with financial woes.
“Following the passing of his mother, while aware of the absence of a licence, he was in dire need,” she mentioned.
Norman further added, “He recognises that working as a doorman is not a feasible
career choice for him.”
The magistrate’s decision encompassed a fine of £3,201.50 for his unlicensed activities: a £500 fine, £2,587.50 in costs to the Security Industry Authority, and a court surcharge of £114.
Presiding magistrate Iain Roberston-Steele remarked on the gravity of the issue. “Door supervisors play a pivotal role in ensuring public safety, governed by legislative authority. Being fully aware, you recklessly persisted in your duties. Although this is a jailable offence, we’ve opted not to incarcerate.”
In addition, Dowson received a 12-month community order and is mandated to complete ten rehabilitation activity days.
AROUND
200 engineering construction workers at the Pembroke oil refinery are being balloted for strike action over pay, Unite, the UK’s leading union, said today (Thursday).
The workers are employed by contractors under the National Agreement for the Engineering Construction Industry (NAECI) and carry out essential repair and maintenance at the oil refinery. Strike action would cause significant disruption at the site.
They are angry that the value of their pay has been progressively falling since the pandemic. During Covid, they agreed to a pay freeze even though they provided essential services throughout. In January 2022, they received a two year
pay deal of 2.5 per cent for 2022 and again for 2023.
Despite rocketing inflation and huge increases to the cost of living, the Engineering Construction Industry Association (ECIA), which negotiates NAECI with the trade unions, refused to reopen talks through 2022. After campaigning by Unite, the ECIA eventually agreed a non-consolidated supplement in February 2023, which ends in December.
As a result of the Covid pay freeze and two-year below inflation deal, the spending power of the workers’ pay has fallen dramatically. This is in stark contrast to the financial situation of the oil industry where
profits have increased irrespective of inflation.
Unite began preparing for formal industrial action proceedings when it became clear the twoyear deal put forward for 2024 and 2025 averaging six per cent per year was rejected by the workers. The offer does not go far enough to restore wages for NAECI workers.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This offer is completely unacceptable when the oil industry is awash with profits. It does nothing to reverse the shrinking value of these workers’ wages over successive years.
“It also ties these workers into gambling on the economy and inflation in 2024 and 2025 when their finances have already been
battered by increasingly unpredictable market forces. Unite stands rock solid with our NAECI members – the ECIA must come back with an acceptable offer.”
The ballot for strike action will close in midOctober, with strike action scheduled to start later that month.
Unite national officer Jason Poulter said: “The anger amongst our membership is such that we are balloting for strike action. The ECIA must acknowledge that without a better offer, falling recruitment and retention for NAECI roles will only get worse.
“Any disruption caused by potential strikes lies squarely at their door – a much improved offer needs to be put forward if this dispute is not to escalate into industrial action.”
THE TRAGIC events of 17th September 2019 have once more surfaced in the public domain following the dismissal of an application made by the Mid and West Wales Fire & Rescue Service by the High Court.
Joshua Gardener, a promising young firefighter from the Service, met with a tragic end that day.
A training exercise on the River Cleddau, involving two boats operated by the Fire & Rescue Service, resulted in a collision that claimed Joshua’s life.
In the aftermath of the accident, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) undertook a detailed investigation. This culminated in a report, dated 4th November 2020, outlining various conclusions about the incident, many of which were very critical of the Fire & Rescue Service.
The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) explained that the fatal boating collision occurred due to ‘uncoordinated manoeuvres at speed within the same water area’. It was reported that neither of the boat helmsmen recognised the looming danger until it was too late.
Firefighter Josh Gardener suffered a fatal blow to the head from one of the boats involved. The MAIB emphasised that the tragedy could have been averted had there been someone in overall charge of the training exercise.
A significant observation made by the MAIB was that neither of the boat
crews was maintaining an adequate lookout.
Chris Davies, Chief Fire Officer of Mid and West Wales Fire And Rescue Service, expressed deep condolences for the loss of Firefighter Gardener and acknowledged the findings of the MAIB report.
He added that, following their internal investigations, several of the report’s recommendations have been implemented by the service since the unfortunate incident of September 17, 2019.
Despite this, with an impending inquest into Joshua Gardener’s death by the HM Acting Senior Coroner for Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, disagreements arose between the Fire & Rescue Service and MAIB regarding how the report and its findings should be presented and approached during the inquest.
The Coroner’s ruling of 28th October 2022 clarified that the findings of the MAIB report concerning the accident’s cause will serve as conclusive evidence in the inquest, meaning these findings would be indisputable. Interestingly,
the Coroner’s Office was not present or represented in court as it chose not to actively participate in the proceedings.
Representing the MAIB’s interests were government lawyers, ensuring their stance was clearly presented and defended.
This dispute saw significant delays, with the inquest into Gardener’s death yet to commence even nearly four years post the tragic event. The delays, whilst procedural, have had a palpable impact on the grieving family of Joshua, leaving them in search of closure.
The Fire & Rescue Service subsequently sought a judicial review of the Coroner’s decision, based on seven grounds. This brought to light several pressing issues:
1. Report Presentation in Inquest: A significant contention revolved around how the MAIB report should be presented before the jury. The Fire & Rescue Service challenged that fairness requires them to question criticisms in the report and to give evidence in response.
Consideration: The Fire & Rescue Service claimed the Coroner misapplied the criteria to determine if a fresh investigation was necessary rather than relying on the MAIB report.
3. Misunder standing of Applicable Law: The Fire & Rescue Service alleges that the Coroner misunderstood regulatory standards, leading to a flawed perspective on the MAIB’s investigation and report.
4. Engagement with Submissions: The Fire & Rescue Service believed the Coroner misunderstood its submissions and failed to engage with them adequately in the Ruling. This, they argued, resulted in an incomplete and potentially skewed analysis of their challenge.
Mr Justice Eyre, after a comprehensive review of the presented facts and arguments, dismissed the application brought forth by the Mid and West Wales Fire & Rescue Service in July 2023. The judge’s decision was rooted in procedural rigour, clarity over jurisdictional matters, and understanding the scope and purpose of the inquest.
As Pembrokeshire watches on, this case serves as a sombre reminder of the tragic events of 2019, and the ongoing journey to justice and closure for the family of Joshua Gardener as they await the final inquest nearly four years later.
AN EXTRAORDINARY Hywel Dda Health Board meeting on Thursday, September 14, reduced the number of potential sites for a new “super-hospital” to two from three shortlisted locations.
The Board decided to proceed with consideration of two options: Tŷ Newydd, Whitland, and a site at St Clears.
A site at Whitland Spring Gardens will not be taken forward for further consideration.
The Tŷ Newydd site will cost more to develop but has the advantage of a willing owner, Carmarthenshire County Council, willing to sell and having space to expand.
The St Clears site is more conveniently situated for South Pembrokeshire and West Carmarthenshire. However, it is earmarked for residential development, and the landowner is reluctant to sell to the Board at below its potential housing development value.
Opinion Research Services (ORS) report on the consultation findings guided the Board’s decision.
While the Board’s press release notes the consultation achieved a Good Practice Quality Mark, it does not detail the less positive aspects it found.
Jon Coles jon.coles@herald.emailResistance to all of the shortlisted sites was marked. None of them got a positive approval rating.
Although opposition from Pembrokeshire was predictable and extensive, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire residents all expressed serious concerns about getting to a new urgent and planned care hospital.
Many pointed out the fanciful transport times to the new site from locations further away from the shortlisted sites.
Residents in Ceredigion were concerned about how they would get to either St Clears or Whitland without decent road infrastructure or dependable and regular public transport. Those elements are beyond the Board’s control. While it hopes the Welsh Government will help address those issues, its hopes remain only that: hopes.
Hoping the Welsh Government will come up with more money for new or improved roads is a forlorn hope. Meanwhile, it has yet to produce a coherent plan for the future of Welsh public transport.
The issues raised in the consultation did not end only with transport.
Many in Pembrokeshire wanted Withybush maintained as a main treatment hub. Their concerns included heavy industry presence along the Haven Waterway, the expansion of marine engineering and the huge increase in our County’s population during the summer.
The chances of recruiting more staff to a new site further west than Carmarthen, which is already a substantial problem for the Board, will likely continue. Staffing shortages remain chronic and unresolved across the whole NHS, and no sign of improvement exists. The clampdown on agency spending, while desirable to reduce
costs, will only make those shortages worse.
Steve Moore, Chief Executive Officer for Hywel Dda University Health Board, said:
“Today’s decision marks a step closer to identifying the site for the planned urgent and planned care hospital that is an important part of our Healthier Mid and West Wales Strategy.
“Our strategy also includes plans for a series of integrated health and care centres across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, and Pembrokeshire, and investment in Glangwili and Withybush hospitals to ensure they continue to provide important care
for our communities.”
Lee Davies, Executive Director of Strategy and Planning at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “We are very grateful to members of the public, staff, partner organisations, and the wider community for their active participation in the public consultation process regarding the new hospital site.”
Following Thursday’s decision, the health board will continue its planning and development process.
However, there are potential flies in the Health Board’s ointment.
The Welsh Government has not committed penny-one
to the new hospital’s construction or the Health Board’s regional strategy. That is hardly surprising.
The Welsh Government’s capital budget (i.e. for building things) is under extreme pressure. Construction, material and labour costs have all skyrocketed due to shortages, import problems, declining manufacturing capacity, and inflation.
Inflation is now baked into the cost of future development. Prices will continue only upwards. While hikes in the future will likely be less than those recently experienced, hikes they will be, and construction costs will now far exceed any initial or current estimates.
In addition, the Welsh Government is cutting spending in the current year thanks to its hopeless mismanagement of the budget-setting process. The bizarre ministerial excuse, offered by Education Minister Jeremy Miles that the Welsh Government set its budget knowing there would be a shortfall because it wanted to “show willing” won’t wash.
A shrinking funding envelope means the Welsh Government will look to save where it can. Big ideas and big visions are the easiest things to cut.
IN THE EARLY hours of Sunday, September 10, a man with severe injuries was airlifted to a hospital from Saundersfoot.
A representative from Dyfed-Powys Police shared that the individual is believed to have suffered a fall from a considerable height. The incident occurred on Captains Walk, located off St Bride’s Hill within the village.
The coastguard rescue helicopter flew the injured man to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
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Speaking about the incident, a spokesperson for the Welsh Ambulance Service stated, “We responded to a medical emergency on Captains Walk at approximately 2:40 am. Our team dispatched two emergency ambulances, an operations manager, a community first responder, and the crew was further assisted on site by the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service team aboard the search and
rescue helicopter.”
They added, “The patient was transported to the University Hospital of Wales.”
On Monday, September 11, the police spokesperson further detailed: “Shortly before 3 am on Sunday, September 10, we received a call about an incident at a property in Saundersfoot. The man is suspected of having fallen from height, incurring severe injuries. He was subsequently airlifted to the hospital, where he currently remains.”
ELUNED MORGAN answered an urgent question about the safety of Wales’s health estate on Wednesday, September 13.
The question, tabled by Plaid’s Health Spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor, referred directly to the discovery of unsafe concrete at Withybush Hospital.
As the Herald exclusively reported earlier this year, Withybush’s roof and ceiling supports are crumbling due to the use of lightweight concrete in their construction in the 1970s. The Board eventually declared a major incident at the hospital in August when the extent of the problem became clear. It shut wards and cordoned off part of the original hospital building.
The question, tabled by Plaid’s Health Spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor, referred directly to the discovery of unsafe concrete at Withybush Hospital.
The Health Minister confirmed work on the problems posed by RAAC had gone on in the background for four years. She explained that although the Welsh Government was unsurprised at the discovery of unsafe concrete use, it was taken aback by the scale of what survey work uncovered.
The Haverfordwest hospital’s condition is a
Jon Coles jon.coles@herald.emailcause of considerable local concern, set as it is against a backdrop of cuts to the NHS budget, Hywel Dda UHB’s chronic financial crisis, and questions over the site’s future.
Six wards have been closed due to the presence of RAAC in Withybush. Many patients have been relocated to South Pembrokeshire Hospital, and already, £12.8 million has been given for initial mitigation for support in Withybush and to make it safe.
A concerned patient painted a vivid picture of what’s happening at the hospital.
Construction workers hurriedly erected temporary supports in treatment areas as doctors and nurses went around their clinical duties.
As patients looked on, men, on stepladders shone torches into the spaces created by removed tiles in the ceilings.
The number of temporary supports is so large that whole sections of corridors have been cordoned off with roadworks barriers. The barriers keep patients and staff away from dangerous areas.
Poles are also supporting the ceilings in treatment
rooms, meaning staff and patients are forced to navigate around them.
Where barriers are not practical, they have been surrounded with foam tubing held on with zip ties.
On Thursday, workmen were overheard discussing whether more support was needed in the SDEC unit, the old A&E section of the hospital.
“We need at least another three here,” one worker said, pointing at the ceiling as patients sat in the waiting area.
Roof and ceiling supports are now common throughout Withybush, even in treatment areas.
The total cost of the works will not be known until survey work is completed later this autumn.
Local MS Paul Davies quizzed the Minister about when the Board alerted the Welsh Government about the issue. The Preseli Pembrokeshire MS also sought “a cast iron guarantee” that ward closures would not be permanent.
Eluned Morgan said the Welsh Government had examined the problem since 2019. It initially instructed Wales’s Health Boards to conduct inspections and report back. In June last year, the Welsh Government instructed a specialist engineering business to
examine the information provided. In February this year, it requested further information and survey work began in May.
The Minister continued: “There is a huge effort to make sure we address the issues of RAAC in those wards. It’s not going to be cheap, it’s not going to be fast, but we’re hoping that three of those wards will be reopened by the end of this year.
“The intention is very much to reopen those wards, if possible. But we must ensure that we do not put people back into a hospital setting if there is the slightest chance it is unsafe.”
Answering a question from Regional MS Joyce Watson, Baroness Morgan said the £12.8m provided to Withybush had come from a raid on the current year’s capital budget, which meant other planned projects could be delayed or cut.
Eluned Morgan conceded the importance of providing clear communications to the public and ensuring misinformation did not eclipse the progress being made. She revealed that of all sites inspected, Withybush was the worst affected.
That is hardly surprising due to the hospital’s age, its method of construction, and ongoing issues with its design’s fitness for modern
healthcare.
RAAC is much like a breeze block and lighter to manoeuvre into position than heavier concrete members.Its lightness and strength made it one of the first choices for roof planks in large buildings during the 60s and 70s.
RAAC is reinforced with steel rods. Water gets in through the holes, and rust eventually forms on the steel. Rust continues to grow on the
steel and expands around the rod. As the space taken up by the rod expands, the concrete begins to come apart. Once the concrete reaches its limit for expansion, it can give way without warning.
RAAC installed from the late 1960s to the late 1980s is most likely to be affected by the issues identified at Withybush. Because Withybush was built using concrete panels and concrete planks, problems there are more extensive than at other sites.
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT’s 20mph default speed limit will come into force this weekend after a last-minute attempt to delay it failed.
David Simpson, Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, had already expressed concerns about the costs being forced on local authorities to fund the policy and about the hoops councils have to go through not to impose 20mph restrictions.
The Welsh Conservatives introduced a motion to the Senedd on Wednesday, September 13. While they knew the motion was doomed to failure and it was nonbinding on the Welsh Government, in any event. Pressing the motion to a vote was the definition of “gesture politics”.
Conservative members of the last Welsh Parliament supported the legislation introducing a default 20mph speed limit. Those members’ views have shifted with the political weather.
Controversy over the speed limit’s introduction dominated much of Wales’s political discourse over the summer months, especially after the by-election result in Boris Johnson’s former constituency. The back and forth between Wales’s political parties became fiercer and more bitter as the summer recess progressed.
You cannot blame the Conservatives for political opportunism against an awful UK backdrop for the party. Equally, their reverse ferret against the new law months after it passed the Senedd highlights a degree of desperation on their part.
Against that, the Welsh Government’s messaging regarding the new limit has been tonedeaf and complacent. It
rejected any criticism of a lack of consultation, pointed out the 20mph limit was in its manifesto and dismissed concerns about the unintended consequences of the limit on retained and volunteer emergency services.
Battle lines drawn and both sides worked up into a frenzy of selfrighteousness, it took a Plaid Cymru amendment to the Conservative motion to introduce a note of sanity into Senedd proceedings.
Before the debate, there’d been a string of questions to the First Minister, the Minister for Social Justice, and a statement from the Deputy Minister responsible for the legislation, Lee Waters. In stormy seas, the last is the least likely MS to pour oil on troubled waters; kerosene and a match are more likely.
Natasha Ashgar opened the debate on the Conservative motion and hit the predictable notes. The change was “ludicrous”. Imposing a 20mph was a “Welsh Government moneymaking machine”. It “take into account local knowledge or opinions”.
The “overwhelming majority” opposed it. It would cost the Welsh economy billions.
Ms Ashgar failed to point out that the Welsh Government’s figure for the economic costs was highly uncertain (the range of values indicates a massive confidence interval in the data), and the economic cost would be spread over thirty years.
In addition, she missed one obvious avenue of attack. The Welsh Government rightly points out that local councils decide what roads remain outside the 20mph default. However, its position is disingenuous. The process for councils to exempt roads from the
20mph default is so timeconsuming and costly for local authorities that it deters local councils from acting on local concerns.
Plaid Deputy Leader Delyth Jewell moved an amendment providing for the new limit’s constant review and future consultation on any further changes. She also picked up on the bureaucracy surrounding the exemptions from the 20mph default and highlighted that councils faced Hobson’s Choice on the issue.
Labour MS John Griffiths welcomed the Welsh Government’s proposal but, like Delyth Jewell, sought flexibility with the exceptions for the councils and for those exceptions to be implemented as easily
as possible.
Plaid leader Rhun ap Iorwerth stuck to his party’s new line towards Labour and the Conservatives: a plague on both their houses.
On Tuesday, he’d stuck it to the First Minister - whom he managed to irritate - on Wednesday, he stuck it to Andrew RT Davies. Mr Davies was outraged at the implication he was being hypocritical. Mr ap Iortwerth told him that was what he meant and ignored the Conservative leader’s complaint.
Constant chuntering from the evercombative Lee Waters, his Conservative counterpart Janet FinchSaunders and assorted Labour backbenchers continued throughout the debate.
When Mr Waters rose to respond to the motion, he laid into the Conservatives with his
usual relish.
Never one to waste an opportunity to overstate a case, the Deputy Minister told the Welsh Parliament the Conservatives had always been on the wrong side of history. If you took Lee Waters’s words at face value, the Welsh Government’s achievement in introducing a default 20mph speed limit was up there with founding the NHS.
That’s some reach and some brass neck.
He went astray when he said the Conservatives opposed votes for women, as another comparison to introducing 20mph on roads. The Conservatives legislated for them twice (most notably in 1928). During almost all the rightto-vote protests, the Liberals were in power.
He was on far stronger ground when he eventually got down from his high horse and stuck to incontrovertible truths.
20mph will mean
fewer pedestrian fatalities. It will most likely reduce the number of road collisions and reduce the burden on other public services’ budgets for attending them.
Where Lee Waters was weak was where he always is weak. He cannot accept other points of view exist. The moral high ground has room only for the Llanelli MS.
Glossing the economic disadvantages of the 20mph limit does not mean disadvantages don’t exist. Dismissing concerns publicly given by retained firefighters and police does not mean those concerns have no merit.
The Conservative motion predictably fell, and the Plaid amendment passed. How much the waste of an opposition debate added to the sum of human knowledge and how many voters were swayed from their current voting intentions is likely nil.
car near a roundabout. He drove straight over the signage and his vehicle ended up stranded in wasteland. While Bedford was nowhere to be found when officers reached the vehicle, another individual was discovered in the passenger seat. Bedford was later located in nearby woods, having apparently fallen into a ravine and called out for assistance.
IN A RECENT appearance at the Swansea Crown Court, Guy Bedford admitted to possession of cocaine valued at nearly £6,000 concealed in his underwear. This comes just months after a daring high-speed chase with the police, during which he drove at speeds exceeding 100mph despite having three punctured tyres. All these incidents occurred while Bedford
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was already under a suspended sentence.
The court heard from Prosecutor Thomas Scapens that on the evening of October 25, police officers signalled a white Audi A3 on the A483 near Crossgates to pull over. As they approached, the driver, later identified as Bedford, accelerated away at dangerous speeds. He flouted road
safety by repeatedly crossing solid white lines and sped through Fron, an area with a 50mph limit, at an astonishing 70-80mph. In a bid to stop him, the police deployed a stinger, puncturing three of the vehicle’s tyres. Unbelievably, Bedford pressed on, reaching speeds above 100mph on his remaining inflated tyre.
The pursuit concluded dramatically when Bedford lost control of his
Upon his arrest, Bedford confessed, “I didn’t stop because I didn’t have a driving licence”, acknowledging his reckless driving speeds of over 100mph.
In a subsequent unrelated event on January 7 in Haverfordwest, a search at Bedford’s residence on North Court led to the discovery of snap bags filled with a white substance. This was later identified as cocaine. Cannabis was also retrieved from the property, confirmed Mr. Scapens.
PEMBROKESHIRE
residents face a retail blow as Wilko announces the closure of all its stores nationwide, impacting locations in Haverfordwest, Pembroke Dock, and Carmarthen.
Following unsuccessful negotiations with potential investors, the retail chain confirmed on Monday that its entire portfolio of 408 stores will be shuttered by the start of October. PwC, the administrators, relayed this distressing news to the employees.
Furthermore, next week will witness the closing of two significant Wilko distribution centres in Worksop, Nottinghamshire, and Newport, Wales. The latter centre holds significance for Welsh workers, where already 299 jobs have been terminated.
Nadine Houghton, GMB’s national officer, commented, “Wilko wasn’t just a retailer or a brand; it symbolised thousands of
Tom Sinclair Editor@herald.emaildevoted employees who are now grappling with an unpredictable future. It’s the workers who will bear the brunt of this collapse, even though they aren’t at fault.”
Earlier, PwC made public the termination of 52 Wilko outlets along with the unfortunate retrenchment of more than 1,300 workers.
Doug Putman, the individual responsible for the HMV turnaround in the UK and the owner of Toys R Us in Canada, had been actively engaged in discussions to save nearly half of Wilko’s outlets. This move would have provided a beacon of hope to the 12,000+ employees.
Despite last week’s £13m deal by B&M to rescue 51 store locations, job security for the staff wasn’t part of the agreement.
are ongoing between the administrators and Poundland for an approximate 100 store locations. However, any potential deal would only materialise post the closure of the Wilko stores, and it wouldn’t safeguard staff transfers.
The Range, another discount retailer, has shown interest in the
Wilko brand.
Unfortunately, Putman’s ambitious strategy, which presented the most promising prospect of retaining both the outlets and their workforce, encountered challenges earlier this month. Key suppliers, including household names like Unilever and Procter & Gamble,
expressed concerns about debts and supply commitments.
Wilko, with roots tracing back to 1930 and having stepped in to occupy spaces left vacant by Woolworths in 2008, seems set to become another name in the annals of high street history.
Commenting on the
situation, Susannah Streeter of Hargreaves Lansdown remarked, “The familiar red and white storefronts of Wilko might soon be memories. This setback couldn’t have emerged at a more challenging period for the high street, battling both the cost of living crisis and online competition.”
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT raised the escalation level of all seven Welsh health boards on Wednesday, September 13, amid concerns about their extreme financial challenges.
Due to the incredibly tough financial climate, health boards have been unable to submit financially balanced Integrated Medium-Term Plans. Those health boards, which were not already in a form of intervention for planning and finance, will be escalated to enhanced monitoring.
Despite already being the subject of targeted intervention regarding finances and planning, Hywel Dda UHB is off target to come within its TARGETED nine-figure overspend.
Health Minister
Eluned Morgan said: “It is disappointing that all health boards have been escalated to enhanced monitoring for planning and finance. We do not make these decisions lightly. Our decision
Jon Coles jon.coles@herald.email
reflects our very difficult financial position and the challenges affecting health boards.
“We are seeing operational pressures, long waiting lists, and an extremely challenging financial position in the NHS – but this is not unique to Wales.
“We will support health boards to improve their financial planning positions, but some difficult decisions must be made as we work through this tough financial challenge.
“In the coming weeks and months, together with the NHS, we will be working with the public to outline where savings need to be made to reduce these significant budget deficits.”
said: “All health boards in Wales are now in some form of escalated measures; this is serious.
“For the Government to publish this as a Written Statement with no opportunity for immediate Senedd scrutiny is a cynical move by a Minister that seems to have lost grip on the entire situation. It should not have taken until now for the Minister to realise the gravity of health boards’ situation and take action.
“The Health Minister must urgently address the implications of escalating intervention arrangements and provide both a clear picture of the financial wellbeing of Health Boards and a meaningful plan that gives confidence to patients, particularly with undoubted winter pressures approaching.”
Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS said: “This is a sad indictment of the state of our Labourrun Welsh NHS. After a quarter of a century of successive Labour Health Ministers, every health
OFFICERS
investigating a sexual assault at Carmarthen Railway Station are releasing a CCTV image in connection.
Just before 2.50pm on Thursday 13 July, a woman arrived at Carmarthen station to wait for the 2.50pm train to Pembroke Dock. Before her train arrived, a man sat next to her and engaged her in conversation, before sexually assaulting her.
When the train arrived, she boarded the service, the man followed her and sat next to her, blocking her in her seat. He continued to talk to her before sexually assaulting her again.
The man left the train at Tenby at around 3.50pm.
Officers would like to speak to the man in the image who they believe
may have information that could help their investigation.
Anyone who recognises him is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016
or by calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference number 2300081083.
Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111
board in Wales is now at some level of government intervention due to poor performance.
“While it is positive that
the Labour Health Minister is taking some action by acknowledging the dire state of our Welsh NHS, I have little faith, given the lack of improvements
we are seeing in health boards already being monitored, that much will change in the coming months.
cannabis oil, in addition to various drug-related paraphernalia.
Ms. Donohue reported that two mobile phones were seized during the operation, but efforts to access their contents were unsuccessful.
SWANSEA CROWN
COURT heard this week that Liam Arnold engaged in bulk purchases of amphetamine and cannabis due to their perceived scarcity, according to court records.
Arnold was apprehended with a substantial quantity of illicit substances in his possession, including over a kilogram of amphetamine and
more than 100 grams of cannabis, alongside cannabis oil, during a police search of his residence. In his defense, he asserted that these substances were intended solely for his personal use, although he acknowledged the possibility of supplying some to acquaintances.
The incident came
to light when authorities responded to reports of a disturbance at Three Meadows in Haverfordwest on the evening of October 24, 2021, as stated by prosecutor Georgia Donohue.
Upon executing the search at Arnold’s residence, law enforcement discovered 1,148 grams of amphetamine, 94.5 grams of cannabis, and 11.7 grams of
Arnold was subsequently interviewed the following day, during which he admitted to using drugs on a daily basis. However, he vehemently denied any involvement in drug dealing.
“He stated that he opted for bulk purchases due to the challenges in sourcing these substances,” Ms. Donohue explained.
Arnold also claimed to have produced the cannabis oil himself.
Although rnold initially admitted to possessing amphetamine and cannabis oil, he contested allegations of possession with intent to supply these drugs,
as well as cannabis. However, on the day of the trial, he altered his plea, acknowledging possession with intent to supply cannabis, on the grounds that he distributed the substances among friends on a social basis, without any profit motive. He did acknowledge accepting money from friends who voluntarily offered to cover his expenses.
Judge Geraint Walters commended the prosecution for accepting this revised basis of plea, stating, “On the face of things, that was a very generous decision.”
At 42 years old, Liam Arnold, residing at Three Meadows in Haverfordwest, has a prior criminal record comprising 12 convictions spanning 28 offenses, three of which were related to drugrelated incidents.
In mitigation, David Leathley contended that Arnold’s physical health was significantly deteriorated, compounded by a range of physical and mental health issues. Mr. Leathley also highlighted a severe injury Arnold sustained in a car accident, explaining that Arnold used drugs as a form of self-medication.
The court learned that since the commencement of legal proceedings, the defendant had actively transformed his life and was earnestly addressing his drugrelated challenges.
In sentencing, Judge Walters ordered a 12-month community order for Arnold. This order includes a mandatory drug rehabilitation requirement and participation in 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
FREEDOM of Information (FoI) processes not only uphold democracy but also reinforce the very pillars of a free press. They champion transparency, deter corruption, and empower both individuals and public bodies like the police to serve their communities more proactively. Through these processes, citizens can understand governmental activities, decisions, and expenditures, holding public officials accountable.
From a layman’s query about UFO reports in the past year to inquiries regarding staff misconduct, every FoI request is vital. Notably, public-funded entities must respond within 20 working days as legally mandated.
Such obligations, underpinning the law, bind individuals or groups
Tom Sinclair Editor@herald.emailto specific actions. These obligations are legally enforceable.
Most FoI requests are made through www. whatdotheyknow.com, which facilitates smooth interactions between public bodies and citizens. For example, the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service epitomizes efficient responses to such queries, highlighting the system’s potential.
Regrettably, Heddlu Dyfed-Powys Police’s performance contrasts sharply. Their profile on whatdotheyknow reveals an alarming backlog of over 150 unresolved requests, some lingering since 2020. The more probing the query, the longer they seem to dither. A particular request has languished for almost 200 days.
Questioned about
these glaring oversights, Rich Davies, the Disclosure Supervisor at Police Headquarters in Carmarthen, expressed in March 2023, “It is with regret that I have to inform you that we are still having difficulties in respect of this request.
“We are also having staffing issues which is causing further delays.
“On behalf of DyfedPowys Police I would like to apologise for not complying with this legal requirement in respect of this matter as well as for any inconvenience this may have caused.”
Earlier in May, local AMs, Sam Kurtz and Paul Davies, had praised the recruitment of 154 new police officers within Heddlu DyfedPowys. Kurtz viewed this as evidence of the UK Conservative Government’s commitment to locals, while Paul Davies considered it a boon for Mid and West Wales
communities. However, the effectiveness of these additions remains questionable, with the FoI backlog appearing to snowball. The
force’s commitment to addressing FoI delays is uncertain, especially since no timeline for resolution has been presented.
Despite repeated
inquiries since May, Heddlu Dyfed-Powys Police offered no clarification by our print deadline about measures to rectify their FoI unit’s escalating challenges.
with inert compacted hardcore/gravel to provide a clean and permeable surface, until any future redevelopment (subject to the necessary separate consents) is undertaken. Existing vegetation to boundary walls will be cleared to provide a neat and tidy appearance.”
I AM not a petrolhead and never have been.
A car is like a spanner. It’s a tool. You don’t get emotionally attached to a chisel. Well, not unless you have some very peculiar personal tastes. And there’s no point investing emotional capital in a car.
gravitated to the most expensive. Equally shocking was her choice of cars. There was no Chelsea tractor too large and no four-by-four too impractical that she did not yearn for it.
P EMBROKESHIRE
planners have approved the demolition of fire-ravaged garage buildings in Haverfordwest’s conservation area, which saw crews from as far afield as Ammanford tackling the blaze.
The fire broke out around 7.18am on Saturday, April 22 on Dew Street, Haverfordwest. It took place at a singlestorey commercial car engineering garage Crews from Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Narberth, Fishguard, Tenby, Carmarthen and Ammanford were called to the scene, and DyfedPowys Police were in attendance.
Chris Dungey has sought permission for
the demolition of firedamaged Dunlop Motors commercial garage buildings in the town’s Dew Street, including an associated site clearance and decontamination, along with a subsequent restoration and remediation of the site.
Agent Pembroke Design Limited in its supporting statement said the damage was extensive; the intense heat of the fire broke down the buildings’ asbestos cladding, most of which has fallen to the ground.
“It is also likely that the fire has compromised the structural frames of the building, although this cannot be fully assessed at this time, due to access restrictions prior
to decontamination of the site,” the statement said, adding: “Due to the extent of damage, the buildings are beyond economic repair and must be demolished. It is therefore proposed to demolish the buildings and clear the site.
“The floors of the building and the surrounding external area are contaminated, both by particles of ACMs and also petrochemicals and other hazardous substances due to the use of the building as a commercial garage and workshop (full extent of contamination to be confirmed when safe access is available to the site).
“It is proposed to remove existing concrete slabs and contaminated ground surfaces down to a suitable level and backfill
The report said the historic fabric of the site was lost when the original car dealership building was constructed in the second half of 20th century; the workshop buildings to be demolished are presumed to have been constructed at a slightly later date, being added to in a piecemeal fashion over the years.
“The fire damaged buildings do not contribute positively to the Conservation Area or relate well to the surrounding historical fabric or listed buildings. Their demolition, whilst being necessary from and health & safety and public welfare perspective, will allow for a replacement to be constructed in a more sympathetic style, to better relate to the context of the Conservation Area, subject to approval of a separate, future planning application.”
The application was conditionally approved earlier this month.
That said, there are certain cars it’s hard not to look at and think you’d like to get to know better, at least in the automotive sense.
The wife and I considered this the other day. Our sensible estate car has served us well. It accommodates luggage, does a sensible amount of miles to the gallon, and costs virtually nothing to insure and tax. When we bought it, we bought it cheaply and had a good return on our investment.
However, time has passed, and it’s getting slightly more expensive to maintain. It also bears the battle scars of close encounters with the concrete bollards that leap out at the missus and dings from other cars whose owners somehow passed their driving tests without learning how to park.
We gazed at it on our drive last weekend and thought there was no harm in having a little pootle to scout out potential replacements.
I have often referred to my wife’s origins in rural Ceredigion. A Cardi and their cash are not easily - if ever - parted. Drop a fivepence piece in Cardigan High Street, and it will hit someone on the back of the neck before reaching the pavement.
I was, therefore, shocked that when presented with a range of vehicles from which to choose, she
One had a winch. I don’t know what use the wife thought of for it, but my being lowered bound and screaming down a cliff face into the Irish Sea instantly occurred to me as a possibility.
Perhaps our acquisition of Mitzi, a dog who lives to roll in mud and muck, reminded my beloved of her farmhouse upbringing. But I’ve seen some of her old photos. As far as I can tell, the family car was an Austin Gipsy with a sheep in the back.
That humble vehicle was a mile away from the massive and massively expensive vehicles in which the wife expressed an interest. Gleaming chrome, massive tyres, air conditioning, climate control, heated seats, a “full in-car entertainment solution”, eye-watering car tax... One of them even had little folding steps from its tailgate to let furry friends easily get in. I felt my heart begin to beat out a warning to my wallet.
Then it happened. I saw the car of my dreams. It gleamed. It glistened. It looked magnificent. I called out to the wife and pointed out its many benefits.
I even did the music for her.
“Well, Mike, if you’re going to be silly, we’ll leave things as they are.”
She was unshaken by my pleas, and we headed home in our sensible car to think more sensible thoughts.
Honestly, you’d think she’d never seen an Aston Martin DB5.
OTHER Voices
Cardigan has revealed the next three headline acts to perform in St Mary’s Church at this year’s festival from October 26-28.
Mercury nominees Yard Act, King Creosote and Colm Mac Con Iomaire will join Adwaith, Cerys Hafana, Sans Soucis and Susan O’Neill in the church line-up on Friday and Saturday, with the performances also streamed live online via Other Voices YouTube.
The festival is thrilled to welcome one of the most essential British bands of the moment, Mercury Prize nominees Yard Act from Leeds, whose superb debut album, ‘The Overload’, hit No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart last year.
Dublin’s Colm Mac Con Lomaire is a skilled composer, multiinstrumentalist and violinist whose works have been featured on film scores, TV shows such as ‘Blue Planet’ and awardwinning animation shorts.
Colm draws inspiration from the countryside of his
home in Wexford and is a founding member of Kila and The Frames.
Since the mid-late 1990s, Kenny Anderson’s DIY pop alter-ego King Creosote has released more than 100 records and his songs have been covered and performed by artists including Simple Minds and Patti Smith.
Cardigan audiences will be treated to tracks from Anderson’s latest King Creosote album ‘I DES’.
The final Other Voices Cardigan Music Trail line-up has also been announced, with 80 performances taking place across the three days at venues in the town, featuring 40 hand-picked artists from Wales and Ireland.
With an extraordinary mix of talent ,across hiphop, folk, rock, RnB, punk, electronica, grime, soul and everything in between, the final 19 artists are:
Alffa, Autumns, Cáit Ní Riain, Catrin Finch and Aoife Ní Bhriain, Ceitidh Mac, Dionne Bennett, Edie Bens, Gallops, Gráinne Hunt, Lowri Evans, Malaki,
Mari Mathias, MissFaithee, Natasha Watts, Simon Whitehead, Sywel Nyw, Teddy Hunter, THUMPER and TRAMP.
Formed by the talented duo of Dion Jones (guitar) and Siôn Land (drums), Alffa is a Welsh rock sensation known for their electrifying live performances and raw energy. TRAMP are a constantly evolving altindie rock band, based in Donegal, Derry and Tyrone in the North West of Ireland, who cite Tool, Dander, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sinead O’Connor and CMAT amongst their influences.
From Wrexham, Gallops are an alternative instrumental trio presenting a mixed bag of sound and noise consisting of harsh electronic, sparse post-rock, jagged guitars and raucous percussion.
It’s a big weekend for Welsh harpist Catrin Finch and Dublin’s Aoife Ní Bhriain, who met through Other Voices in lockdown and now celebrate the launch of their Irish-Welsh lovechild debut album
‘Double You’ on October 27.
One of Ireland’s most prolific young talents, Malaki burst onto the scene in 2019 with the powerful spoken-word epic ‘Call Us By Our Names’ and the Dubliner has been steadily carving out his place in hip-hop ever since.
With a line-up of two drummers and four guitarists, THUMPER’s maximalist wall of sound has long since set them apart in the booming Dublin music scene and has them “punching like heavyweights alongside Fontaines DC and The Murder Capital”, according to Chris Hawkins, BBC Radio 6.
Back to Wales, R&B singer-songwriter MissFaithee creates soulful music based on personal experiences. Sywel Nyw is the brainchild of musician, multi-instrumentalist, and electronic producer Lewys Wyn, whose recent release ‘Deuddeg’ featured an enviable list of Welsh artists.
He has produced music for Dionne Bennett, a Welsh-Jamaican vocalist whose Afro/Caribbean cultural influences are woven into her vocals and who also features on this year’s trail.
Teddy Hunter, a Cardiff-based musician and songwriter, works in alternative music and immersive audio, her music taking its root in sonic arts, the environment and gentle, immersive ambience.
Mari Mathias conjours a mystical creativity inspired by the folk tales and traditional songs
of West Wales and Pembrokeshire. Her debut album ‘Annwn’ is described as an alternative folk sound.
A Welsh-born Tynesider, Ceitidh Mac is an alt.folk cellist/singer with a progressive twist to her music - indie-folk infused with a smoky style, lo-fi studio sound and a contemporary electronic edge - and a BBC Introducing tip for 2022.
Swansea-born Edie Bens blends folk and country influences with the momentum of grand pop hits and the honesty and twists of singersongwriters.
Gráinne Hunt is a contemporary folk singer and songwriter raised in Monaghan and based in Kildare, Ireland. With consistently on-point, captivating vocals and well-honed, insightful songs, Gráinne has been described by Declan O’Rourke as ‘a natural performer, with an astounding voice that will melt your heart.’
Kerry native, trad singer and musician Cáit Ní Riain brings potent songs for healing heads and hearts and Autumns is the solo project of Derry’s Christian Donaghey, an outlet for electronic postpunk with a lethal pulse.
Completing this year’s line-up from closer to home are Llangrannog-based Natasha Watts, a leading light in the international soul and funk scene, Abercych artist Simon Whitehead, who brings his watery experimental sound installation ‘Dulais’ to Cardigan gallery Canfas, and Pembrokeshire folk/Americana singersongwriter Lowri Evans
who joins the music trail for the first time.
They join the previously announced artists from Wales, Angharad, Climbing Trees, Dead Method, Gwilym Bowen Rhys, HMS Morris, Mace
The Great, Mali Hâf, MELLT, Minas, Samana, Tara Bandito, and, from Ireland, amy michelle, Chalk, Fia Moon, Joshua Burnside, Lemoncello, Les SalAmandas, Mount Palomar, Scustin, Seba Safe and Uly.
The festival will be hosted by Welsh TV and radio presenter Huw Stephens and presented in partnership between South Wind Blows, Mwldan and Triongl.
Sitting alongside the live music programme, the Clebran discussions and performances at Mwldan will bring together broad and compelling voices to consider the flowing tides of past, present and future.
First Minister Mark Drakeford joins the event alongside poets, musicians, journalists, playwrights, activists, authors and historians.
Early booking weekend wristbands, giving access to the festival events, are available now priced at £25, rising to £35 on October 1.
Full details on line up and tickets are available at Othervoices.ie
Other Voices Cardigan is produced by South Wind Blows in partnership with Mwldan and Triongl and made possible thanks to support and investment from Welsh Government and The Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.
WELSH funny man, broadcaster, and actor Elis James has teamed up with Ogi – Wales’s leading alternative telecoms company –to voice a new full fibre broadband campaign as the internet company looks to celebrate its Welsh roots and stand-out from the crowd.
One of Wales’s most recognisable voices, Pembrokeshire-born James narrates the animated campaign, designed to highlight Ogi’s unique Welsh take on internet services. The contemporary, confident animation plays on familiar Welsh icons –from zip lines on hillsides to sheep on skateboards - where everything is just a click away thanks to the latest broadband technology.
The campaign is a partnership between Ogi, Elis James, and some of Wales’s leading
creative businesses, including award-winning Cardiff brand agency, Uned Studio, and TV, event and marketing agency, Orchard Media.
The bold animation is the latest phase in Ogi’s ambitious plan to showcase nextgeneration internet services to tens of thousands of customers across south Wales –with the ultimate aim of becoming Wales’s first choice internet company.
Steadfast into its £200m first phase rollout, and with demand for full fibre broadband and voice services on the rise, Ogi’s playful sales and marketing campaigns have already attracted thousands of customers since its first connections some two years ago, boosted by its six months free cost-ofliving bundle and unique Wales-based set-up.
Often the first full fibre provider available in the area, Ogi’s multimillion
pound first phase plan is progressing ahead of schedule, currently ramping up in communities across Caerphilly County, Monmouthshire, Pembrokeshire and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
Mari Stevens, Chief Marketing Officer, added: “Elis is the perfect fit for the Ogi brand. People right across Wales will be familiar with his cheeky, down-to-earth approach, and that’s what Ogi is all about. “From the very start, we’ve worked with the best Welsh talent to show that Ogi is very different to other broadband companies, proudly based in south Wales, we really understand Welsh communities. We see that reflected every day in the feedback we get from customers, reflected too in our sector-leading customer satisfaction scores.”
Already popular
with customers, the challenger telecoms brand is rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot, with customers praising its friendly service and ultra-reliable full fibre speeds.
Customer, Mr Davies recently commented: “…every time they’ve
answered straight away not having to go through the normal irritating IVR [Interactive Voice Recording] options like other providers, nothing has ever been too much trouble and they always keep their promises.”
The new animation is part of Ogi’s latest
engagement campaign, which also includes local sponsorships and events and an awardwinning community fund. The TV spot first aired in September, showing on digital television platforms in areas where Ogi services are available.
PRESELI MP
Stephen Crabb has once again been vocal about the lack of NHS dental care available in Wales under new Welsh Government imposed contracts.
Another local dental practice, ‘mydentist’ located in Quay Street, Haverfordwest has made the decision to return their NHS contracts to Hywel Dda University Health Board effective 30 November. This will mean that from 1 December ‘mydentist’ will no longer be providing NHS dental care for existing patients and will not be taking on any new NHS patients.
Many constituents continue to contact Mr Crabb worried about availability of dental appointments before the cut-off date, and the long term impact of reduced NHS services on dental hygiene in Pembrokeshire.
Mr Crabb has previously questioned the First Minister of
Tom Sinclair Editor@herald.emailWales Mr Drakeford MS on this, and written to Health Minister Eluned Morgan, MS Minister for Health and Social Service regarding the poor provision of dental services in the region.
Commenting on the latest announcement, Preseli MP commented: “It is deeply concerning to hear the news that yet another dental surgery in Pembrokeshire will no longer be offering NHS appointments from 1 December. This is yet another example of Welsh Government dragging their feet on an important issue.”
“My inbox continues to fill up with emails from constituents who are anxious about how they are going to fund their dental work due to the lack of NHS provision locally.”
“Welsh Government must get a grip and address this before the problem deteriorates
further and stop forcing patients into financial difficulty through promoting private dental care over NHS.”
Local Senedd Member Paul Davies has expressed his frustration over news.
He said that the news comes as a particular shock, given that the First Minister himself has said that over 17,000 more patients are receiving NHS dental care in the Health Board area and that the Welsh Government has made extra investment to ensure more people can access NHS dental services.
Mr Davies said, “It’s deeply disappointing to see more dental practices handing back their NHS contracts to the local Health Board and I know this will be a blow for patients. Access to NHS dental services has long been a problem in Pembrokeshire and yet, when challenged, the First Minister simply won’t acknowledge the
severity of the problem and instead maintains the view that thousands more NHS dental appointments have been made available.”
He added, “I continue to receive
a significant amount of correspondence from people across Pembrokeshire regarding dental services. Many are living in discomfort and pain and it’s simply not good enough. The
Welsh Government and Hywel Dda University Health Board need to recognise that this is a crisis and redouble their efforts to attract dentists providing NHS care to the area.”
Job Centres in Pembrokeshire continue to host a full range of activities that bring our job seekers and employers together with a focus on helping those employers with live vacancies. Jobcentre work coaches and the employer and partnership teams are making a difference to the lives of jobseekers and changing their lives for the better. Furthermore, all this work results in boosting the economy of not just our county but also of Wales and the whole of the UK. Our country’s tourism and hospitality sector is vital to our local economy and the DWP efforts to help job seekers into jobs in this sector have been a priority. Fred Hatton from the Pembrokeshire Employer and Partnership team said, “It would appear that some of our larger employers in this sector have ridden a knife edge to attract sufficient employees this summer. Now as we enter the month for schools and university students returning to their studies, the loss of employees in these large hospitality and tourism businesses leaves a shortage to cater for their Autumn and Christmas events. For those jobseekers who have been laid off due to end of season downturns and are still available for work, there are still a great many jobs available across many sectors and we urge those seeking work to use all channels to search for those roles that are available”. Government statistics show that all our efforts are bearing fruit: Pembrokeshire has seen a drop in claimants to benefits by 4% since this time last year. For
our county’s age 50+ benefit claimants, the unemployed figure is down by 14% since this time last year.
Minister for Employment, Guy Opperman MP said:
“This Government’s record on employment is clear; there are one million fewer workless households than in 2010 and the number of people on company payrolls is a near record high. But we are not complacent about the challenges we face, which is why we remain focused on removing barriers to help people find and succeed in work.
“Our £3.5 billion package to deliver more tailored job support combined with our expanded childcare offer will help unlock individuals’ potential and grow the economy.”
Background
• Since 2010 the number of people in work has increased by over 3.8m while unemployment has fallen by more than a million over the same period.
• The number of workless households has fallen by over one million since 2010.
• Economic inactivity has fallen by 231,000 on the year. The rate of inactivity is 2.7% below the G7 average, lower than the US, France, and Italy.
• We are doing more to get people working through our £3.5bn package to boost workforce participation and grow the economy,
including £2bn of targeted support for people with long-term illnesses and disabilities.
• Last week the government announced the launch of a consultation on changes to the Work Capability Assessment to help people maximise their potential and ensure every who can benefits from the opportunities work can bring, both for their finances and personal health.
• We know people face a range of barriers to entering work which is why we have also increased the childcare costs parents on Universal Credit can claim back by around 50%, up to £950 a month for a single child and £1,629 for two children.
The number of people employed is at 1.484 million, up 42,000 on the quarter and up 33,000 on the year.
The employment rate (16-64) is at 74.0%, up 2.1%pts on the quarter and up 1.9%pts on the year.
The number of people unemployed is at 58,000 – down 15,000 on the quarter and up 10,000 on the year.
The unemployment rate is at 3.8%, down 1.1%pts on the quarter and up 0.5%pts on the year.
The number of people in workless households has fallen since April to June 2010 by 133,000.
AN application to extend a gypsy traveller site next to a residential complex will be visited by planners before any decision is made, despite a recommendation it be turned down. Nelson Jones and Sylvie Jones had applied for two additional gypsy traveller pitches, a shared day room, a new hay shed/ store and an update of a previously- approved layout on land adjacent to Pincheston Farm residential complex, Sageston.
A report for planners said the proposed two pitches would be sited along the eastern boundary of the application site and opposite the existing pitches at the site, which borders Pincheston Farm, a former agricultural complex has been converted into a number of residential units.
Each would include a static residential caravan, space for a touring caravan, car parking spaces and access to a detached single storey utility / day room with a home working office attached.
The application, recommended for refusal, had been brought to the committee rather than being decided under delegated powers following a request by the local councillor.
Reasons for refusal included visual intrusion when viewed from the
nearby A477 trunk road, a harmful effect on the character and appearance of the countryside, and the proposed development would lead to an increased use of the single lane access track resulting in inconvenience to users from being unable to pass.
“The subsequent adverse impact on residential amenity would hinder the peaceful and integrated co-existence between the site and the local community,” the report added.
Local community council Carew objected to the application due to an impact on community relations, the design of the development would impact on neighbouring occupiers, the site is too close to neighbouring properties, and the development would have a detrimental impact on amenity.
Ten letters of objection were also received, raising similar issues.
Agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries expressed his disappointment at the recommendation for refusal, adding: “The family has grown, currently they live in Castle Quarry [Pembroke] and have two pitches for five adults and two children; Castle Quarry has issues, a lot of investment is needed
there.”
He said the applicants had owned the site for 18 years, and that a concern about potential hostility “really isn’t there”.
He said as many as 46 pitches were needed for travellers in south Pembrokeshire in the next decade, adding: “The need is ever-growing; Pembrokeshire has done a lot for travellers in this county, but I’m worried that the public purse will not be available to do an extension to Castle Quary or Kingsmoor [Kilgetty] again.”
Local member Cllr Vanessa Thomas said there was no viable access to the site, and it would have a “detrimental effect on this peaceful rural community”.
Councillor Brian Hall moved a site visit be undertaken before any decision was made, backed by Councillor Tim Evans.
Tenby councillor Michael Williams called on his fellow councillors to support the officers’ recommendation of refusal: “There’s a clear recommendation; we’ve heard from the local member. We must support both the officers and the local member.”
Members voted eight to six in favour of a site visit; the application returning to a future planning meeting.
TUCKED away in the charming corners of St Davids, the Twr y Felin Hotel is poised to host an enchanting escape from the daily grind. Set against the backdrop of its distinctive roundroofed building, a unique wellbeing collage workshop will take centre stage on the 14th of October.
Helmed by the renowned Pembrokeshire artist, Di Ford, this interactive session promises attendees an immersion into the soothing world of collage-making. A passionate advocate for artistic expression, Ms Ford endeavours to reignite the unfettered creativity many fondly recall from their youth.
In an age dominated by screens and evermounting stress, this workshop comes as a breath of fresh air. It beckons to those seeking to rediscover that childlike joy of creating without apprehension, of indulging in the pure act of play. Ms Ford’s
workshop is not merely an art class; it is an invitation to dive deep into one’s creative reserves, emerging refreshed and rejuvenated.
The therapeutic benefits of such an activity cannot be overstated. Research has lauded the positive impacts of collagemaking, ranging from stress reduction to an enhancement in overall wellbeing. Beyond the artistry, participants will have the chance to reconnect with themselves, revelling in the tranquillity of this offline experience.
For a fee of £45, attendees can anticipate a captivating session running from 10 am to 1 pm. This price encompasses all requisite materials, a white bevelled mount to elegantly frame one’s creation, and a delightful cream afternoon tea. Special dietary needs will be catered to upon prior intimation.
Reservations for this promising artistic foray
can be secured at www. diford.com/products-1/ collageartexperiencebd39w. Further insights
about the venue, the iconic Twr y Felin Hotel, can be perused on www.twryfelinhotel.
com.
For those yearning to rediscover a simpler joy and bask in an
oasis of creativity, this workshop stands as an unmissable opportunity.
An Ysgol Caer Elen pupil and her family highlighted the experience of young carers on national television this month.
Year five pupil Nyfain, her mother Kelly and sister Lowis, travelled to London to talk about what it is like being a young carer on ITV’s This Morning.
Nyfain along with her family were honoured to be asked by Action for Children to represent young carers from around the UK.
She shared the famous sofa with both Holly Willoughby and Alison Hammond, and during the interview Nyfain explained how she manages her responsibilities as a young carer, with a particular focus on the summer holidays.
Tom Sinclair Editor@herald.emailMr Dafydd Hughes, Headteacher at Ysgol Caer Elen, said: “We have a number of pupils who are recognised as being young carers at Ysgol Caer Elen.
“I am so pleased that Nyfain and her family have been able to ensure that we, and the wider public, develop a deeper understanding of what being a young carer entails.”
Cllr Mike James, Carers Champion, added: “Being a carer has no boundaries and young carers are a lifeline to many families.
“It is so pleasing to hear of a young carer being recognised on national television. Well done Nyfain.”
Two Welsh International Search and Rescue teams have been deployed to support the response efforts in Morocco following the tragic earthquake on Friday, September 8th.
This week, UKISAR (UK International Search and Rescue Team) was deployed to Morocco supporting the response to the tragic earthquake, killing more than 2,000 lives.
Two Welsh ISAR teams are among the 62 strong that are there on the ground, currently helping and supporting with the rescue after being deployed to Morocco through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS)
have four members from their team – Head of Southern Division Steve Davies, Watch Manager
Gorseinon Station and Firefighter Derek Lewis of Neath Station, along with two from South
Wales Fire and Rescue Service (SWFRS) –Firefighter Alex Bland of Malpas Station and Firefighter Rob Buckley of Ely Station.
Speaking in Morocco, Head of Southern Division, Steve Davies, said:
“We’ve encountered very challenging conditions, as well as having to travel long distances. After meeting with the local team, we’re travelling two to three hours away to a remote village, pushing through any blockages on the way to see if we can enable rescues.
We will continue with our search and rescue work until the local authorities deem the rescue phase to be over. At the moment, our priority is trying to find saveable life.”
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:
The UK Government has sent immediate support to Morocco including a team of 62 search and rescue specialists and four rescue dogs to assist with the rescue effort.
in 2023 that SWFRS and the second that MAWWFRS has deployed Firefighters to a disaster zone:
In February 2023, a team of 77 UK International Search and Rescue (UKISAR) experts; three members of SWFRS, Firefighter Luke Davison of Malpas Station, Crew Manager Emma Atcherley of Cardiff Central Station and Firefighter Robert Buckley of Ely Station and two members of MAWWFRS, Head of Southern Division Steve Davies and Watch Manager Phil Irving of Haverfordwest Station, were part of the operation in Turkey.
“I remain in contact with Foreign Minister Bourita and offer my deepest sympathies to the people of Morocco after this tragic event.”
UK-ISAR is part of the National Fire Chiefs Council’s (NFCC) National Resilience Work and is on permanent standby to mobilise and assist when requested by disasteraffected countries.
National Fire Chiefs Council Chair, Mark Hardingham, said:
“The thoughts of the UK’s fire and rescue services are with all those affected by the devastating earthquake in Morocco.
A team of specially trained firefighters and medics from the UK has been deployed to assist following a request from the Moroccan government to the British government.
“They will be providing specialist technical support where it is needed most to save lives and support local emergency service teams”.
This is the third time
In March 2023, a team of 27 UK International Search and Rescue (UKISAR) experts; two members of SWFRS, Station Commander Darren Cleaves and Crew Manager Tristan Bowen had been deployed to Malawi through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in the aftermath of Cyclone Freddy.
The UK-ISAR team responds primarily to overseas urban search and rescue emergencies on behalf of the UK Government.
Any UK-ISAR team deployed is self-sufficient upon arrival and provides its own food, water, shelter, sanitation, communications and all necessary equipment to undertake search and rescue operations for up to 14 days. This is to ensure no additional burden is placed upon a country already suffering demands on its resources following a sudden onset disaster.
2023-09-11
MOROCCO UK ISAR TEAM SEARCHING FOR SURVIVORS IN THE HIGH ATLAS AS PART OF THE UK’S EARTHQUAKE RESPONSE
WELSH Minister for Economy Vaughan
Gething is visiting Birmingham, Alabama to mark 60 years since the racist bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church which killed four black girls, and to reaffirm the historic relationship between Wales and Birmingham through a new International Friendship Pact.
Following the 1963 bombing, which was a pivotal moment in the US Civil Rights Movement, the people of Wales collectively funded the creation of a unique stainedglass window to aid reconstruction efforts at a church that was a focal point for activism. With its powerful depiction of a black Christ on the crucifix, the window has, for decades, served as a moving symbol of solidarity. Designed by Welsh artist John Petts and supported by a fundraising campaign led by the Western Mail, the ‘Wales Window’ was gifted to the 16th Street Baptist Church in 1965.
Minister Vaughan Gething, the first black minister in Wales, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, will address the 16th Street Baptist Church Commemoration on the 15th of September, alongside the first black woman US Supreme Court Justice, Ketanji Brown Jackson.
To mark the occasion, and in honour of the historical relationship between Wales and Birmingham, the Economy Minister and Mayor of Birmingham Randall Woodfin will sign an International Friendship Pact, reaffirming a commitment to collaboration on the economy, education, arts and culture. The signing will be followed by the unveiling of a commemorative plaque and a dedication of four trees in Kelly Ingram Park in memory of the
four girls.
As well as marking the historic advances made since the 1960s, the Minister will highlight the collective need to act, emphasising that there are ‘powerful forces today that thrive on division and hate’.
Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said:
“Racism stole the future of four girls who should have been free to live long, fulfilled lives. It is a source of great pride for our nation, that 60 years on, the Wales Window remains a source of strength to a community that has done so much to turn suffering into hope for people across the world.
“There will be people in Wales who will remember donating what little they had to help create this unique expression of Welsh solidarity. They chose to act on that decent instinct and to do something to help people over 4,000 miles away. Their decision to act was powerful and stands as a reason for all of us to feel hopeful about our ability to take on racism together.
“Despite the advances we rightly celebrate, we know that justice and progress are not inevitable. There are powerful forces today that thrive on division and hate. As we honour the past, we owe it to those that made change happen to recognise the action needed today to create a better tomorrow.
“I’m delighted to sign the Birmingham – Wales International Friendship Pact with Mayor Woodfin as we renew our unique bond. We will build upon the strong relationships we have developed and learn from each other through continued cultural and economic cooperation and collaboration.”
Welcoming Mr Gething to Birmingham, Mayor Randall Woodfin said:
“The names Denise McNair, Cynthia Morris Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Addie Mae Collins will forever be etched in civil rights history. While the commemoration of these young girls will be a time of mourning and solemn reflection, it’s also a time of unity. That’s why the City of Birmingham is honored to welcome Minister Gething to share in this scared moment as we build the bonds of camaraderie and collaboration.”
The visit will also include a civil rights panel discussion and a cultural reception with stakeholders hosted by Birmingham Sister Cities, and various business engagements focused on Wales’ areas of key economic strength. The Minister will visit Wrexham based Moneypenny’s US headquarters in Atlanta as well as meeting with trade experts and black entrepreneurs and political leaders in the region.
THE Welsh Government has today announced it has sold Seren Stiwdios in Cardiff to major media infrastructure company Great Point Studios who have leased the studio since 2020.
The purchase is yet another show of confidence for Wales’ flourishing film and TV industry and in addition to the sale of the site, the Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital Region have agreed a funding package of £18m to further develop the studios and facilities in Wentloog. £12m debt finance has been secured through the CCR’s £50m Strategic Premises Fund, with £6m in grant funding through Creative Wales.
The investment will see Great Point Studios further upgrading the studio to create a selfsustaining, world-class studio facility that will not only support increased production demand but also deliver jobs, wealth and growth for the wider supply chain and region. The addition of a collaborative training facility will also help to build the supply of local skills and talent and embed the studio as an innovation hub for virtual production.
The project will deliver 257,000 sq. ft of world-class production space, with four stateof-the-art studios and a comprehensive support
infrastructure being built over two phases.
In addition, the project will also support up to 750 freelance crew per year, up from the current 250 and the studio in Wales will become the headquarters for Great Point Studios.
Great Point Studios is a media-focused company specializing in film and television infrastructure. The purchase of the Cardiff facility follows the development of their Lionsgate Studios in Yonkers, NY, as well as additional studio campuses Buffalo, NY and Newark, NJ. . Earlier this year, Great Point also announced the building of a major new production facility in Atlanta, Georgia – an area Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething is visiting today as part of a US visit.
Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Dawn Bowden, said:
“This is a very exciting time for the Creative sector in Wales - and Great Point Studios purchase of the studio and their planned investment is another show of confidence in Wales as a brilliant and established location for film and TV productions.
“This investment will create further jobs and help to cement a strong future for the sector –reinforcing the great demand and respect for our highly skilled
creative workforce here in Wales.”
Great Point Studios
Founder and CEO Robert Halmi said, “Cardiff has a thriving creative community and offers highly skilled industry professionals not to mention a beautiful setting for any location filming. With the continued strong demand for content, purchasing Seren Stiwdios and expanding our footprint in Wales was a natural
next step. We look forward to continuing our commitment to education, local community involvement and further developing many opportunities at Great Point Studios Wales as the country continues to experience such tremendous growth.”
Councillor Anthony Hunt, Leader of Torfaen County Borough Council and Chair of CCR’s Regional Cabinet noted
the important timing of the investment:
“This investment will enable the current Seren Studios site to realise its full potential as a key part of the CCR Creative Industries priority sector. It comes at a time when Film & TV production is changing shape worldwide - and will enable our Region to play an increasingly impactful global role in a creative industry that brings immense value, in
terms of both sustainable job creation and the deepening of local supply chains.
“I’m delighted that all the hard work put in by so many people has delivered such a tremendous result - for a development that perfectly encapsulates the aims and objectives of the CCR Regional Economic & Industrial Plan, and our ambitions to nurture ‘Good Growth’ across the Region.”
WEST WALES
celebrates as community-run pubs and shops promise a new wave of employment and trading opportunities. The recent trend of communities banding together to buy beloved establishments, turning them from privatelyowned entities into cooperatively-run ventures, has become a lifeline for some local favourites.
At the heart of Newport, Pembrokeshire, Havards Ironmunger’s store stands as a beacon of hope. The community has rallied behind its purchase, ensuring its doors remain open and its products accessible to the locals. However, Havards isn’t the only establishment to benefit from this community spirit.
Each establishment purchased through this
Tom Sinclair Editor@herald.emailcommunity cooperative model aims not only for profit but also seeks active participation from the community to steer its future. These “social businesses” have been sprouting all over West Wales. From the Tafarn Sinc pub in Rosebush, purchased in 2017, to the White Hart Pub in St Dogmaels and the recent community buyout of Tafarn y Vale in South Ceredigion, the wave of community-driven commercial ventures is unmistakable.
Two additional Pembrokeshire projects deserve special mention: the communitydriven purchases of Cross Inn, Hayscastle and Tafarn Crymych Arms pub. Each cooperative business relies on the tireless work of volunteers, all united by a common goal: to ensure local
trade thrives, offering employment to local residents.
The Tafarn Crymych Arms, which remained closed for two long years, is buzzing with activity once more. The team is actively seeking local suppliers for its restaurant and recruiting fresh talent for the roles they offer. With positions such as a 3-day-a-week Grants Manager and a full-time Pub Manager available, locals have a chance to be a part of this community resurgence.
Cris Tomos, a staunch supporter of these community cooperatives and a member of community development charity PLANED, expressed his enthusiasm, “The ability for communities to own and retain local establishments is pivotal. This model paves the way for local produce and offers competitive employment
opportunities.” He adds that there’s a wealth of support for such ventures, urging interested parties to visit the PLANED website for comprehensive guidance on community ownership projects.
Job seekers, take
note: the deadline for positions at Crymych Arms is approaching fast, set for the 16th of September. Full details can be found at www. cpdcrymych.cymru.
In Tomos’s words, “It’s truly heartening to witness the
rise of community cooperatives. These hubs – be it shops or pubs – are essential for community life, and the support they’ve garnered is nothing short of commendable.”
Youngsters from St Francis School in Milford Haven were captivated by Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho on Monday morning.
Joseph has been on a whirlwind tour of libraries in every county in the UK – 200 libraries in totaland stopped off at Milford Haven Library to read to delighted St Francis School pupils.
Joseph is championing local libraries and the vital role they play within the community and inspiring a love of reading in young people.
The youngsters listened intently as Joseph read and spoke with them about his love of libraries and books.
He said: “Libraries made me a writer and make communities thrive. They have been a vital part of my life.
“I’m immensely grateful to libraries and the services they provide, so I want to
use my platform to champion these essential launchpads of learning.
I want to hug every library, these miraculous institutions where new horizons line the shelves, where minds go to grow.”
Tracy Collins, Site Coordinator at Milford Haven Library & Information Centre, said:
“It was great to welcome Joseph to Milford Haven Library as part of his cross-country journey to join a library in every local authority in the UK.
“Thank you to the children from Dosbarth Skomer in Ysgol Sant Ffransis who joined us. We hope you were inspired to write your own stories and poems.”
The ‘Library Marathon’ will culminate in a special, public event at the British Library on 7th October to mark National Libraries Week 2023.
Caption: Waterstones Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho at Milford haven Library with children from St Francis School.
DOSBARTH Oak have had a fantastic day at Freshwater East Beach, learning about beach safety and the benefits outdoor activities can have on our mental health. All of the pupils and Mr Scale, took a cold sea swim/dip and they all enjoyed exploring our local environment. We are so lucky to live where we live.
G REETINGS , dear readers of the Pembrokeshire Herald. It is I, your resident seagull, Stephen Seagull, here to squawk about a matter of utmost importancethe undeniable link between man-made climate change and the surge in natural disasters around the globe. While I may not possess a doctorate in meteorology, the skies and oceans have been my home for many years, granting me a unique perspective on the world’s weather patterns. Today, I take to these digital pages to shed light on the stark reality that our actions are indeed fueling the wrath of Mother Nature.
For decades, scientists have been sounding the alarm, warning us about the consequences of burning fossil fuels and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. It is no longer a mere theory; it is a harsh reality that confronts us daily. A new scientific discipline known as extreme event attribution has emerged, allowing us to pinpoint the exact relationship between climate change and the surge in extreme weather events.
Heat waves, the harbingers of scorching summers, are directly attributed to the pollution of our atmosphere with greenhouse gases. Rising temperatures, combined with dry conditions and wind, serve as the ideal recipe for devastating forest fires. These infernos ravage places like the western United States and Australia, and the evidence is undeniable.
The fire season now stretches two months longer than it did in the 1970s and 1980s. Our planet’s warming is also intensifying tropical cyclones, unleashing havoc upon communities but not necessarily increasing their frequency. Warmer waters and moister air, direct results of climate change, provide these storms with the added energy to wreak havoc.
But how certain is this link? According to CarbonBrief.org, a reputable UK-based nonprofit covering climate science, a staggering 70% of extreme weather events studied since 2011 have been shown to be more likely to occur or have been made more severe due to global warming. These numbers
should send shivers down our spines.
Even cold weather is not exempt from the influence of climate change. Winters are becoming shorter, and blizzards and extreme cold snaps are less likely. The poles are warming at an alarming rate, with the North Pole heating up over twice as fast as the rest of our planet in the last three decades. This causes a decrease in temperature contrasts, leading to phenomena like the polar vortex bending and releasing cold air, as witnessed during the Texas power grid crisis in February 2021.
Recent examples of extreme weather paint a grim picture. Thousands lost their lives in Libya during the Mediterranean
storm Daniel, while the summer of 2023 set a global record for warmth. Wildfires ravaged Greece and neighboring countries, with the European Union witnessing its most devastating fire ever. Monsoon flooding claimed lives in India, and a heat wave followed, leaving a trail of death in its wake. Tropical Cyclone Mocha wreaked havoc in Myanmar, while the long-lasting Freddy took the lives of over a thousand people in southeast Africa.
So, where are we headed? Our world has already warmed by more than 1.1 degrees Celsius since the mid-19th century.
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC) warns that if we continue at this pace, we will reach the dangerous threshold of 1.5 degrees by the 2030s. Beyond that point, the intensity of extreme weather will increase exponentially, doubling at 2 degrees and quadrupling at 3 degrees, according to the IPCC.
The ramifications are clear. Over 5 million people die globally each year due to excessive temperatures, and heatrelated deaths are on the rise. Climate change is altering our living conditions fundamentally, while industries like agriculture, travel, and insurance face growing weather-related risks. Insurers suffered $89 billion in losses from disasters in 2020, with the majority resulting from natural catastrophes,
including hurricanes. Climate change adds billions to the cost of these disasters.
The message is clear: We cannot ignore the consequences of our actions any longer. Manmade climate change is fueling natural disasters with devastating impacts on lives, economies, and ecosystems. It’s time to take flight and soar towards a sustainable future, where we can mitigate these disasters and protect our precious planet. The sky’s the limit when it comes to addressing climate change, but first, we must acknowledge our role in creating this turbulent weather.
Squawk for change, dear readers, squawk for change!
www.pembrokeshire-herald.co.uk For up to date news please check our social network channels
WITH the grassroots football season in Wales kicking off, the nation is buzzing with anticipation for a promising future in the sport.
However, a new report from M&S Food suggests that changes are necessary to bridge the growing gap in health and fitness between footballing heroes and the Welsh public.
The report, commissioned by M&S Food in collaboration with the Football Association Home Nations’ partnerships, reveals a concerning disparity in nutrition and lifestyle between professional footballers and the general population. While footballers are known for their incredible fitness levels, capable of running up to 14 kilometres per match during a 60game season, public health paints a starkly different picture, with 25% of people in Wales classified as obese.
Furthermore, poor nutrition is affecting the growth and development of children in the country. British five-year-olds are up to seven centimetres shorter than their European counterparts of the same age, with noticeable height differences even within different areas of the UK.
To delve deeper into these issues, the report features research and interviews with current and former footballers, elite football nutritionists, and chefs. The goal is to use football’s power to create a healthier future for UK families.
The ‘M&S Eat Well, Play Well Report’ reveals that only one in five people in Wales (20%) feel they maintain a consistently healthy relationship with food. Additionally, 19% admit to a lack of confidence
in making healthy and balanced food choices.
One of the major issues highlighted in the report is the prevalence of unstructured eating habits, with over a fifth (22%) of respondents admitting to skipping lunch, and nearly the same number (18%) skipping breakfast at least once a month. Fast food is another concern, with 19% stating that their households request takeaways at least once a week, and 26% requesting other unhealthy foods during the same timeframe.
People find it most challenging to maintain a healthy diet in the evening, with dinner (25%) and evening snacks (20%) being the most common times for
consuming unhealthy food.
Cooking skills also play a role in people’s dietary choices. While the average person in Wales can cook 13 different meals at home, over 5% admit they never cook at home at all. Most respondents (57%) who do cook at home prepare just one meal for their households each week. Interestingly, 53% of those surveyed said their diets were influenced by others’ dietary requirements or fussy preferences.
When it comes to making healthy food choices, 41% check for sugar levels on food labels, 37% check the fat content, while a third (33%) admit to not checking labels at
all. Almost one in three (30%) are looking for easier-to-understand food labelling.
Cost is also a significant factor, with more than a quarter (27%) finding it too expensive to buy healthy food all the time, and 16% struggling to find healthy options within their budgets.
Despite these challenges, 59% believe they maintain a healthy and balanced diet, recognizing the positive impact of healthy foods and drinks on sporting performance. However, only 19% say they eat a healthy balanced meal before exercising.
To address these issues, M&S Food is pledging to help families make healthier and
more affordable nutrition choices through various initiatives, including supporting those in need, education, outreach, expanding the Eat Well range, and maintaining high standards of food sourcing.
Former Wales international footballer Danny Gabbidon emphasized the importance of nutrition, stating, “Nutrition has come a long way since I first started my career. We didn’t have the kind of personalized diet plans and scientific insights that exist in today’s game.”
Gabbidon added, “Football has a unique ability to bring people together and create a positive impact both on and off the pitch, and
with the expertise of M&S nutritionists and insights from footballers, we can pave the way towards a healthier future for Wales.”
Sophia Linn, M&S Eat Well Nutritionist and co-author of the report, stressed the need for families to have the knowledge to consume a nutrient-rich diet that helps them thrive, whether at school, work, or on the pitch.
“We’re here to help families get the nutrients they need through our campaign, with hints and tips perfect for everyday life,” Linn said.
For more information on M&S Food’s efforts to promote healthy eating, visit www.marksandspencer. com/c/food-to-order/health/ healthy-eating.
Llanelli, are extremely proud to announce that they have been named 13th in The Telegraph’s ‘Best UK Private Schools by A-level Results 2023’, an accolade which covers not only Wales but the rest of the UK as well.
The results that their pupils achieved this year were outstanding yet again, with 79.1% of all A-Level grades being an A* or A grade. 94.3% of grades were A*-B and 98.7% of grades were A*-C. 91.5% of pupils achieved at least one A*/A grade and the vast majority of pupils have gone on to achieve a place at their chosen university.
The school’s GCSE results were a similar story with over a quarter of pupils achieving all A* grades and 90% of pupils gained five or more A*/A grades.
Pupils benefit from smaller class sizes, flexibility, a strong culture of discipline
and being surrounded by motivated peers who are driven and dedicated. Consistency and quality in education continues to be vitally important, at a time of great change nationally. They focus on providing this stability and forward thinking, both in children’s academic development and their wellbeing.
There is a strong emphasis on extra-curricular activities within the school and pupils are encouraged to take part in the many music, sport and art classes and clubs that are available. As a result, many of their pupils represent the school at county and in some cases, national levels.
Pupils attend St. Michael’s School from across South and West Wales and this is made possible due to an extensive private transport network which is in place. There are stops in various locations across Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, making
it easier than ever for your child to attend the school. For those who live further afield or overseas, they offer excellent boarding facilities which are available to pupils in Year 7 and above. Weekly boarding is an option, as is full boarding for seven days a week (plus during half term holidays at no extra cost).
The next school Open Day is taking place on Friday 13th October and they invite you to come and see the school for yourself. There are two time slots available, one in the morning and one in the afternoon and both will include talks from the Senior Leadership Team, plus tours of the school. There is also a Welcome to Early Years event taking place on the 20th October and this is suitable for children age 3-4 and their parents.
To book your place, call us on 01554 820325, email admissions@stmikes.co.uk or visit stmikes.co.uk.
THE LUSH landscapes of Scolton Manor reverberated with the purr of classic engines as approximately 70 classic cars, including 40 Morris Minors, gathered to mark the 75th Anniversary of the iconic Morris Minor.
Among the attendees was Jeffrey Edwards, who celebrated his 77th birthday at the event, driving in with “Daisy”, his cherished Morris Minor.
Edwards expressed immense gratitude for the overwhelming support and celebration he received during the event. The highlight for him was a heartwarming gesture at Edie’s Cafe within the Manor’s premises. As the gentle aroma of fresh cakes wafted through the room, the entire cafe burst into a melodious rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’. To add to the delight, Anthony Coles and members from the South Wales Branch of the Morris Minor Owners Club presented Edwards with a special Birthday Rosette.
For Edwards, attending this event was a poignant occasion. He expressed with a touch of sentimentality that he might not be present for the centenary
celebration of the Morris Minor in 2048, making this gathering all the more significant.
In his own words, Jeffrey noted, “My very grateful thanks to everyone for making my special day so enjoyable, which was very much appreciated by both Sian and I.”
The event was also marked with phone calls, messages, and birthday greetings from wellwishers across the nation. The classic car community showcased their camaraderie by showering Edwards with birthday presents and heartfelt wishes.
Special appreciation was extended to Arthur, referred to fondly as Cathy Thomas, Ken –the Chairman and Secretary of the West Wales Branch of the Morris Minor Owners Club – and the ever-supportive Mark Thomas of Scolton Manor.
Car enthusiasts and readers alike are eagerly waiting for more photographs of the event, which Edwards promises will soon be shared. As classic car engines rested after a day of display and admiration, the tales of their grandeur will certainly live on for years to come.
IN the heart of North Wales, a football club once known primarily to locals is now a global sensation. The Racecourse Ground, home to Wrexham AFC, has become a stage for an extraordinary blend of cultures and ambitions.
This remarkable transformation is a result of Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s unprecedented venture into the world of football. A documentary series, “Welcome to Wrexham,” now in its second season on Disney+, chronicles their audacious mission and the highs and lows of a football club that has suddenly found itself in the international spotlight.
Before delving into the captivating world of “Welcome to Wrexham,” it’s essential to understand the unique backdrop
against which this story unfolds. Wrexham AFC, a club deeply rooted in its local community, received a surprising injection of £2 million in 2020 from Reynolds and McElhenney, who pledged to revive the struggling club and turn it into a Premier League contender. Simultaneously, they embarked on creating a documentary about this ambitious journey, blurring the lines between a TV show about a football club and a football club that provides material for a TV show.
What distinguishes “Welcome to Wrexham” from the myriad of behindthe-scenes football documentaries is its sensitivity to the profound role football plays in communities. In a city struggling with economic challenges, football becomes more than just a game. It serves as a
meeting place, a shared purpose, and a potential source of employment. Yet, as the show underscores, winning is a formidable challenge.
The first season of the series introduced viewers to the players, lifelong fans, and small business owners, all united by their fervent desire to see Wrexham rise to League Two. The crushing disappointment of falling short in the play-offs added a layer of suspense, leaving the fate of the club hanging by a financial thread. McElhenney’s candid assessment speaks volumes: “From a financial perspective, if we do not get promotion this year, we are in dire straits.”
Now, as the show covers the 2022/23 league season, the drama faces the test of maintaining momentum when most viewers already know
the outcome. The club’s latest challenge, securing £20 million in government funding to renovate the aging Kop end of the stadium, takes center stage. The term “levelling up” is explained for American viewers, but the show refrains from delving too deeply into political commentary. However, the rejection of the funding application prompts speculation about the government’s view of Wrexham’s future.
Despite the off-field struggles, the series pays a touching tribute to the history of the club as the old Kop is demolished. Stunning archival footage of goals scored in front of jubilant crowds and emotional interviews with former players evoke the rich heritage of Wrexham FC.
In the modern era, Wrexham AFC has
ambitions beyond the pitch, and this presents a unique challenge for manager Phil Parkinson. The show attempts to inject some charisma into his character with the “Phil’s Enthusiasm” counter, tracking his liberal use of expletives during team talks. Yet, his reliance on clichés leaves a void in the show’s narrative. While in-depth examinations of injuries and game tactics are essential for football aficionados, they risk losing the broader audience.
However, where “Welcome to Wrexham” truly shines is when it harnesses the star power of Reynolds and McElhenney. Their financial support has saved the club from collapse, and their onscreen presence injects charisma into the show.
In a noteworthy moment, the series welcomes King Charles III to the
stadium, raising questions about genuflecting pomp. The response from the Hollywood duo, opting for a simple handshake and a polite chat, reflects their understanding of the show’s core values: the importance of authenticity and staying true to the community.
In the end, “Welcome to Wrexham” is not just a football documentary but a captivating exploration of the intersection between sport, community, and ambition. It is a story of how two Hollywood icons dared to dream and breathe new life into a small football club, bridging the gap between continents and cultures. Whether you’re a football fanatic or a casual viewer, this series promises an emotional rollercoaster, reminding us all that the spirit of football transcends borders and backgrounds.
This Friday (15th September), the Torch Theatre will be bringing its Sunset Cinema event to Pembroke Port for the first time, to show the classic film ‘The Empire Strikes Back’.
The story picks up from the legendary Star Wars and sees Han, Luke and Leia fight Darth Vader and the Empire as part of the rebel alliance and features one of the most famous plot twists in movie history. Not only is it action packed, but it also has a special local connection.
The community is invited to bring a chair, wrap up warm and come along to enjoy the screening outside the Western Sunderland Hangar, where the Pembroke Dock Falcon was built for the film.
Jordan Gates (on Admiralty Way) will open from 7pm with the film starting when light levels allow. Tickets are £13 in advance, or £15 on the gate. Local businesses
will be present, with sweet and savoury treats and drinks on sale and a few ‘very recognisable‘ special guests will also be in attendance.
To celebrate its connections with the iconic movie spaceship, Pembroke Port will donate a percentage of profits from the event to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, which is home to the Pembroke Dock Falcon exhibition.
Sharon Adams, Commercial Manager for Pembroke Port said: “We’re very excited to welcome the Torch Theatre to Pembroke Port on Friday for an extra special Star Wars themed Sunset Cinema. It’s going to be a really fantastic occasion and we’re all looking forward to welcoming the local community into the Port for the evening.”
Mark Williams, Project Manager, Pembroke Dock Falcon said:“It is amazing that the Port has partnered with the Torch Theatre for this
event. We are incredibly excited to see ‘The Empire Strikes Back’, the very film that brought Star Wars to Pembroke Dock, being shown right here in the town next to the hangar where the Falcon was constructed. This will be a wonderful opportunity for the local community to, once again, come together and celebrate the story of the Pembroke Dock Falcon.”
To purchase tickets for the Sunset Cinema, visit www.torchtheatre. co.uk or call 01646 695267.
Please note: this event is an outdoor event, if weather conditions are not acceptable, an alternative indoor venue will be used on site.
Port of Milford Haven is not associated or linked to Lucasfilm Ltd in any way. Star Wars, its characters, costumes and all associated items are the intellectual property of Lucasfilm. © & TM. Lucasfilm Ltd, All rights reserved
TO MARK 83 years since his very first appearance in DC’s Detective Comics back in 1939, Vue is celebrating the iconic superhero Batman by bringing some of the most iconic films back to the big screen this Batman Day on Saturday 16 September.
Throughout the day, Vue Carmarthen will be allowing comic book fans to enjoy three films featuring the caped crusader and his gang of infamous rogues in some of their most beloved and acclaimed moments.
With Michael Keaton donning the famous cowl, Tim Burton’s Batman from 1989 brought the world of Gotham City to life with thrilling action pieces, an iconic score from Danny Elfman
and a comically wicked turn from actor Jack Nicholson, who played his iconic archnemesis The Joker.
In 2009, director Christopher Nolan took the helm with The Dark Knight, portraying the DC superhero in his most daring and dramatic role yet, leading to one of the most entertaining blockbusters to date, complete with awardwinning performances and jaw-dropping set pieces.
With Christian Bale grappling the dual role of Batman / Bruce Wayne against a very different take on the clown prince of crime, Heath Ledger’s legendary performance as The Joker which saw the actor win an post-humous Academy Award.
Finally, Gothamites can revel in the more recent capers that put DC’s fictional city in Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix in a much grittier and personal take on the infamous Batman villain. Watch the warped world of the man who would put a smile on people’s faces, for better or worse, become the iconic big screen baddie we know and hate to love.
All three of these epic Batman blockbusters also return to the big screen as part of Warners Bros 75th anniversary, which Vue has marked by rescreening a number of the production company’s most iconic films, including the The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and sci-fi film Interstellar, all of which will be screening at Vue venues
later this year.
Robert Lea, Head of Screen Content at Vue Entertainment, said: ‘Some of the most recognisable big screen moments of all time come from the adventures of Batman in his many blockbusters, so we’re thrilled to offer film fans to chance to catch some of his greatest adventures this Batman Day.
‘Our Back on the Big Screen releases have been proving incredibly popular with film fans looking to rewatch their favourites or even see classics for the first time –and we’re hugely excited to bring Batman back Vue this September.’
Super Saver Tickets available online from just £4.99 at selected venues. Book now at myvue.com
6.30 Escape to the Country.
(R) 7.15 Garden Rescue. (R)
8.00 Sign Zone: Gardeners’ World.
(R) 9.00 Nicky Campbell. 10.00 BBC News. 12.15 Politics UK. 1.00 Impossible. (R) 1.45 Eggheads. (R)
2.15 Murder, Mystery and My Family. (R) 3.00 The Wonder of Animals. (R) 3.30 Great British Railway Journeys. (R) 4.00 Who Do You Think You Are? (R) 5.00 Flog It! (R)
BBC2, 9pm
During her time at the top of the fashion world, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel was one of the most famous and glamorous women on the planet; even now, more than 50 years after her death, her name remains synonymous with style and grace. Despite that, few know what the real Chanel was like or are aware of her humble beginningssomething this documentary aims to put right.
6.30 BBC Wales Today; Weather.
7.00 The One Show. Live magazine show, hosted by Alex Jones and Roman Kemp.
7.30 Kiri’s TV Flashback. Kiri Pritchard-McLean salutes the unlikely heroes of Wales. (R)
8.00 Dragons’ Den. Pitches include eco-friendly disinfectant. (R)
9.00 Would I Lie to You? With Gyles Brandreth, Yung Filly, Sarah Millican and Lou Sanders. (R)
9.30 Mrs Brown’s Boys. Agnes tries out speed-dating. 10.00 BBC News at Ten.
10.30 BBC Wales Today; Weather.
10.40 Rewind: 60 Years of Welsh Pop. Featuring Bullet for My Valentine, Manic Street Preachers and Tom Jones. Last in the series. (R)
11.10 Starstruck. (R)
11.30 Starstruck. (R)
12.00 Film: A Bigger Splash. (2015) 2.00 BBC News.
6.00 Richard Osman’s House of Games. Babatunde Aleshe, Richie Anderson, Jo Caulfield and Carol Smillie take part. (R)
6.30 Marcus Wareing’s Tales from a Kitchen Garden. The chef decides to add 10 new piglets to his family of farm animals.
7.00 Villages by the Sea. (R)
7.30 Beechgrove Garden. (R)
8.00 Gardeners’ World. Monty Don considers a revamp of his Cottage Garden.
9.00 Coco Chanel Unbuttoned. Documentary examining the life of the iconic designer and her creations.
10.30 Newsnight.
11.00 Weather.
11.05 No Activity. (R)
11.25 ODI Cricket Highlights.
12.25 The Hidden World of Hospitality with Tom Kerridge. (R)
1.25 Sign Zone: The Dark Side of Ballet Schools- Panorama. (R) 1.55 Couples Therapy. (R)
2.25 Tommy Jessop Goes to Hollywood. (R)
3.25 This Is BBC Two.
6.00 Good Morning Britain. 9.00 Lorraine. 10.00 This Morning. 12.30 Loose Women. 1.30 ITV Lunchtime News; Weather. 1.55 ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather.
2.00 James Martin’s Spanish Adventure. 3.00 Tenable. 4.00 Tipping Point. 5.00 The Chase.
6.00 ITV News Wales at Six; Weather.
6.30 ITV Evening News; Weather.
7.00 Backstage. Arts programme showcasing the most exciting Welsh talent.
7.30 Emmerdale. David admits that his feelings for Victoria are burgeoning once again.
8.00 Coronation Street. Paul confronts Bernie about her fraud, Stu gets a disappointing update on Eliza, Adam intervenes to help out Dee-Dee, and Aadi and Courtney are thrown together by circumstance.
9.00 My Mum, Your Dad. The parents prepare for a school disco-themed party which causes temperatures to rise. A new connection starts to form, leaving one grown-up kid disappointed for her mum.
Tywydd. 12.05 Richard Holt: Yr Academi Felys. (R) 12.30 Heno. (R) 1.00 Dan Do. (R) 1.30 Cymry ar Gynfas. (R) 2.00 Newyddion S4C a’r Tywydd. 2.05 Prynhawn Da. 3.00 Newyddion S4C a’r Tywydd. 3.05 Drych. (R)
4.00 Awr Fawr. (R) 5.00 Stwnsh. (R)
6.00 Milkshake!: 9.15 Jeremy Vine. 11.15 Storm Huntley. 12.40 Alexis Conran. 1.40 5 News at Lunchtime.
1.45 Home and Away. (R) 2.15
Film: Charming But Deadly. (2021)
4.00 Bargain-Loving Brits in the Sun. 5.00 5 News at 5.
6.00 Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out. A trip to Devon, where Susan investigates a part of the coastline known as the English Riviera. She discovers intriguing places and inspiring sights on her 85-mile adventure. (R)
6.55 5 News Update.
7.00 Wetherspoons: How Do They Do It?! The inner workings of one of the UK’s most popular pub chains. (R)
7.55 5 News Update.
8.00 Puppy School for Guide Dogs. Paralympic skiing hopeful and GCSE student Hester takes potential match Pickle on her first guided walk, and older dog Lando teaches new pup Frankie how to navigate puddles.
The Simpsons. (R) 6.30 Hollyoaks. (R) 7.00 Channel 4 News. 8.00 PopMaster TV. (R) 9.00 Gogglebox. 10.00 Open House: The Great Sex Experiment. 11.10 That’s the Way, A-Ha, A-Ha, Joe Lycett. (R) 12.15 Film: X-Men: Apocalypse. (2016) 2.35 Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back. (R) 3.25 Come Dine with Me. (R) 5.30 Beat the Chef. (R) 5.55-6.15 Find It, Fix It, Flog It. (R)
9.00 Jane McDonald: Lost in Japan. The singer explores Osaka. Last in the series.
10.00 Britain’s Favourite Ads of the 70s & 80s. (R)
12.00 Yellowstone. (R) 1.40 PlayOJO Live Casino Show. 3.40 Friends. (R) 4.30 Nick’s Quest. (R) 4.55 House Doctor. (R) 5.20
Paw Patrol. (R)
1.00 BBC News; Weather. 1.15 Bargain Hunt. (R) 2.00 Money for Nothing. (R) 3.00 Weatherman Walking. (R) 3.30 Pizza Boys: World Cup Adventure. (R) 4.00 The Lottery Millionaire and the Spirit of Belfast – Our Lives. (R) 4.30 Final Score. 5.30 BBC News. 5.40 BBC Wales Today; Weather. 5.50 Alan Carr’s Picture Slam.
Alan Carr
Alan Carr’s Picture Slam
BBC1, 5.50pm
Are you good at recognising people, objects, animals and buildings in pictures?
Probably the majority of folk would answer ”yes” to that question. If you’re one of them, chances are you’d do well at this new game show. In each edition, three teams of two must identify whatever is in a series of pictures - the more they get right, the more money they stand to win, with up to £10,000 up for grabs.
6.35 Strictly Come Dancing. New series. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman welcome 15 celebrities to the Strictly ballroom. The launch show features three epic routines, and a performance from Jessie Ware.
8.20 Casualty. Donna has to accept a painful realisation as her sentencing looms. She tries to distract herself with work, but Mia and Ashley both confront her with the possible consequences.
9.10 Casualty. Jan and Gethin arrive in Switzerland, ready to go through with their plan. As they prepare for what is to come, they find themselves reconnecting and seeing past their differences.
10.00 BBC News; Weather.
10.20 Match of the Day.
11.45 Film: The Hurt Locker. (2008) Iraq War drama, starring Jeremy Renner.
1.50 Weather for the Week Ahead.
1.55 BBC News.
6.15 Hey Duggee. (R) 6.30
Supertato. (R) 6.35 Shaun the Sheep. (R) 6.45 Dennis & Gnasher Unleashed! (R) 6.55 Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese. (R) 7.10 The Deep. (R) 7.30 Pokemon: Sun and Moon – Ultra Legends. (R) 7.50
Deadly 60. (R) 8.20 Blue Peter. (R)
8.50 Newsround. 9.00 Gardeners’ World. (R) 10.00 Britain’s Secret Seas. (R) 11.00 Sort Your Life Out with Stacey Solomon. (R) 12.00 Britain’s Top Takeaways. (R) 1.00
Film: Funny Face. (1957) 2.40
Film: The Band Wagon. (1953)
4.30 Asia: Our Wild Adventures. (R) 5.30 Flog It! (R)
6.15 Golf: PGA Championship. Eilidh Barbour presents highlights of day three of one of the DP World Tour’s most prestigious events, held at Wentworth in Surrey.
7.20 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip. Catherine Southon and Ochuko Ojiri are joined by Kelle Bryan and Charlene White. (R)
8.20 Alicia Keys at the BBC. A selection of archive performances by the American singer-songwriter.
9.20 Rihanna at Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend 2012. (R)
10.15 Britney at the BBC. (R)
10.50 Film: Desperately Seeking Susan. (1985) Comedy thriller, with Madonna and Rosanna Arquette.
12.30 Film: Greta. (2018) 2.05
Sign Zone: The Woman in the Wall.
(R) 3.05 This Is BBC Two.
6.00 Love Your Garden. (R) 6.30 Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. (R) 8.20 ITV News. 8.25 Oti Mabuse’s Breakfast Show. 9.25 James Martin’s Saturday Morning. 11.35 Jason Atherton’s Dubai Dishes. 12.40 Ainsley’s Good Mood Food. 1.10 ITV News; Weather. 1.25 ITV Racing: Live from Doncaster. Coverage of day three of the St Leger Festival. 4.00 Rugby World Cup 2023 Live. Wales v Portugal (Kick-off 4.45pm).
7.00 ITV News; Weather.
7.05 ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather.
7.15 Rugby World Cup 2023 Live. Ireland v Tonga (Kickoff 8.00pm). All the action from the Pool B encounter at Stade de la Beaujoire in Nantes, France.
10.25 ITV News; Weather.
10.45 Bali 2002. Australian federal police are dispatched to Bali to work with the local officers, and it becomes clear the explosions were a coordinated act of terrorism.
11.50 Olivia Attwood: Getting Filthy Rich. The reality star explores the world of selling sex online, beginning with the OnlyFans subscription site, which now has more than 100 million users worldwide. (R)
12.50 English Football League Highlights. (R) 2.00 Starstruck. (R)
3.00 Bali 2002. (R) 3.50 Unwind.
5.05 James Martin’s Spanish Adventure. (R)
6.00 Cyw. (R) 8.00 Stwnsh Sadwrn: Siwrne Ni. 8.05 Dyffryn Mwmin. (R) 8.25 Byd Rwtsh Dai Potsh. (R) 8.35 Lego DREAMZzz. (R) 8.55 Cath-Od. (R) 9.10
Rhyfeddodau Chwilengoch a Cath
Ddu. (R) 9.35 Gwrach y Rhibyn. (R) 10.00 Ty am Ddim. (R) 11.00
Adre. (R) 11.30 Richard Holt: Yr Academi Felys. (R) 12.00 Bwyd
Bach Shumana a Catrin. (R) 12.30 Am Dro! (R) 1.30 Cynefin. (R) 2.30
Dau Gi Bach. (R) 3.00 Garddio a Mwy. (R) 3.30 Yn y Fan a’r Lle. (R)
4.00 Cwpan Rygbi’r Byd. Wales v Portugal (Kick-off 4.45pm).
7.15 Newyddion a Chwaraeon.
7.30 Am Dro! (R)
8.30 Noson Lawen 2023.
9.30 Anfamol. (R)
10.00 Seiclo: Vuelta a Espana.
10.30 Ralïo+. (R)
11.00 Pysgod i Bawb. (R)
11.35 Diwedd.
Channel 4: 6.15 The King of Queens. (R) 7.30 Cheers. (R) 8.25
Everybody Loves Raymond. (R)
9.55 The Simpsons. (R) 11.25
Film: The Call of the Wild. (2020)
1.20 Jamie’s £1 Wonders. (R) 2.25
A Place in the Sun. (R) 3.25 Four in a Bed. (R) 6.00 Channel 4 News.
6.30 Matt Baker’s Travels in the Country: USA. (R) 7.30 Formula 1
Singapore Grand Prix Qualifying
Highlights.
9.00 Dispatches. 10.35
Film: Olympus Has Fallen. (2013)
12.50 Film: Proxima. (2019) 2.35
Jamie’s Comfort Food Bites. (R)
2.45 Jamie’s Comfort Food. (R)
3.00 Food Unwrapped. (R) 3.25 Hollyoaks Omnibus. (R) 5.25-6.15 Undercover Boss USA. (R)
6.00 Milkshake! 9.55 The Smurfs. (R) 10.05 SpongeBob SquarePants. (R) 10.20
Entertainment News. 10.30
BBC Four
7.00 Lost Land of the Volcano 8.00 Ray Mears’ Northern Wilderness
Friends. (R) 12.30
Film: Rise of the Planet of the Apes. (2011) Sci-fi thriller, starring James Franco. 2.35 Film: Dante’s Peak. (1997) Disaster movie, starring Pierce Brosnan. 4.50 5 News Weekend. 4.55 Film: Pearl Harbor.
(2001) Romantic Second World War drama, with Ben Affleck and Kate Beckinsale.
8.20 Osborne House: A Royal Retreat. Behind the scenes of the royal residence on the Isle of Wight, which was where Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert went to escape the pressures of royal life.
9.45 Film: Love Actually. (2003) Interlinked tales of several people in search of love. Richard Curtis’s romantic comedy, with Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon, Emma Thompson, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy and Liam Neeson.
12.30 Friends. (R) 1.35 PlayOJO Live Casino Show. Interactive gambling. 3.35 Get Your Tatts Out: Kavos Ink. Leah from Wales orders a love heart tattoo. (R) 4.20 Nick’s Quest. (R) 5.10 House Doctor. A Chester house is revamped. (R)
5.30 Entertainment News. 5.35 Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures! Thomas heads to China. (R) 5.45 Paw Patrol. Mysterious holes are appearing all over Ms Marjorie’s yard. (R)
9.00 Film: Gold Run (2022) Premiere. Drama, starring Jon Oigarden. In Norwegian. 10.55 Parkinson Meets Paul McCartney
ITV2
4.25 Film: Matilda (1996) 6.25
Film: Shazam! (2019) Comedy adventure, starring Zachary Levi.
9.00 Film: Bridesmaids (2011) Comedy, starring Kristen Wiig.
11.25 Family Guy
ITV3
4.00 Coronation Street: Memorable Moments 5.00 Midsomer Murders
11.00 Lewis
ITV4
4.00 Dramatic Finishes 4.10 River Monsters 4.40 Monster Carp 5.45 World Series of Darts Finals. Day two from Amsterdam. 10.00 River Monsters 11.00 English Football League Highlights. Action from the latest fixtures.
E4
3.50 Young Sheldon 4.20 The Big Bang Theory 6.45 Film: Bumblebee (2018) Transformers prequel, starring Hailee Steinfeld. 9.00 Celebrity Gogglebox 10.00 Gogglebox
Film4
2.45 Shrek Forever After (2010)
4.30 Before We Go (2014) 6.20 A Knight’s Tale (2001) Medieval comedy adventure, starring Heath Ledger. 9.00 Snake Eyes (2021) Premiere. Action adventure, starring Henry Golding. 11.20 Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
6.00 Breakfast. 7.35 Match of the Day. (R) 9.00 Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg. 10.00 Politics Wales.
10.30 Animal Park. (R) 11.15
Homes Under the Hammer. (R)
12.15 Bargain Hunt. (R) 1.00 BBC News. 1.10 Weather for the Week Ahead. 1.15 Songs of Praise. 1.50 Points of View. 2.05 Lifeline. 2.15 Money for Nothing. (R) 2.45
Escape to the Country. (R) 3.45 Truckers: Life on the Road. (R)
4.15 Film: The BFG. (2016)
6.05 Garden Rescue. Charlie Dimmock and the team create a tranquil wildlifefriendly garden. (R)
6.35 BBC News.
George Michael
George Michael: Portrait of an Artist
Channel 4, 9pm
If Netflix’s recent documentary on Wham! left you wanting to know more about George Michael’s subsequent solo career, then you’re in luck. This film sets about to be the definitive portrait of the much-missed singersongwriter, looking at how he initially rose to fame as one half of the pop duo, and then went onto become a global superstar.
6.55 BBC Wales Today; Weather.
7.00 Countryfile. Coverage of One Man and His Dog from The Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, with Jane Drinkwater judging the efforts of four of the UK’s top sheepdog handlers.
8.00 Antiques Roadshow. Fiona Bruce presents the show from Glasgow’s Pollok Park.
9.00 The Woman in the Wall. Lorna and Colman piece together the information that Aoife brought to Kilkinure.
10.00 BBC News; Weather.
10.25 BBC Wales Today; Weather.
10.30 Match of the Day 2.
11.30 Film: Sorry to Bother You. (2018) Comedy, starring LaKeith Stanfield.
1.15 Weather for the Week Ahead.
1.20 BBC News.
6.40 Countryfile. (R) 7.35
Breakfast. 9.00 Beechgrove
Garden. (R) 9.30 Life in a Cottage Garden with Carol Klein. (R) 10.00
Saturday Kitchen Best Bites. 11.30
Mary Berry’s Quick Cooking. (R)
12.00 Rick Stein’s Seafood Odyssey. (R) 12.30 Film: Judgment at Nuremberg. (1962)
3.25 This Farming Life. (R) 4.25 Coast. (R) 4.30 Celebrity Race Across the World. (R) 5.30 A Special School. (R)
6.00 Golf: PGA Championship. Highlights of the fourth and final day.
7.00 Living Next Door to Putin. Katya Adler explores how life is changing for people on the Russian border. (R)
8.00 Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby. A new Italian hotel built to look like a 200-year-old village.
9.00 Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing. Paul Whitehouse and Bob Mortimer head to the Hampshire Avon.
9.30 The Fast Show. With Unlucky Alf and Bob Fleming.
(R)
10.00 Film: I Saw the Light. (2015) Premiere. Biopic of country singer Hank Williams, starring Tom Hiddleston.
11.55 Sign Zone: DIY SOS Strictly Special. (R)
12.55 Ambulance. (R) 1.55 The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies. (R) 2.55 This Is BBC
Two.
6.30 Bargain Hunt. (R) 7.15
Garden Rescue. (R) 8.00 Sign
Zone: This Farming Life. (R) 9.00
Nicky Campbell. 10.00 BBC News.
12.15 Politics Live. 1.00
Impossible. (R) 1.45 Eggheads. (R)
2.15 Murder, Mystery and My Family. (R) 3.00 Kelvin’s Big Farming Adventure. (R) 3.30 Great Canadian Railway Journeys. (R)
4.00 Serengeti. (R) 5.00 Flog It! (R)
6.00 Richard Osman’s House of Games. With Milton Jones, Ria Lina, Martin Roberts and Briony May Williams. (R)
Jimmy Doherty
Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape Channel 4, 8pm
Back in 2015, Jimmy Doherty travelled Down Under to film travel documentary series Jimmy’s Australian Food Adventure. Now, eight years on, the farmer and food lover is visiting the Aussies’ Antipodean neighbour New Zealand to shine a light on the country which he believes is home to some of the planet’s finest and most surprising foods.
8.00 Pizza Boys: World Cup Adventure. Ieuan Harry and Jez Philips arrive in Lyon.
8.30 Weatherman Walking. Derek Brockway visits Monmouthshire. (R)
9.00 Who Do You Think You Are? Comedian Katherine Ryan investigates her family history. (R)
10.00 BBC News at Ten.
10.30 BBC Wales Today; Weather.
10.40 The Repair Shop. A former goalkeeper brings in a 1970s football programme signed by Pele. (R)
11.40 Alan Carr’s Picture Slam. (R)
12.25 Weather for the Week Ahead.
12.30 BBC News.
6.30 Marcus Wareing’s Tales from a Kitchen Garden. The chef takes a masterclass in hedge laying.
7.00 Wynne’s Welsh 70s. Wynne Evans presents archive highlights from 1971. (R)
7.30 Mastermind. Specialist subjects include Chelsea FC, Franz Kafka and Harry Styles.
8.00 Only Connect.
8.30 University Challenge.
9.00 Laura Kuenssberg: State of Chaos. The journalist examines Boris Johnson’s premiership.
10.00 The Royle Family. (R)
10.30 Newsnight.
11.10 Weather.
11.15 Film: Dark Waters. (2019) Drama, starring Mark Ruffalo.
1.15 Sign Zone: Countryfile. (R)
2.10 Henpocalypse! (R) 2.40 Mrs Brown’s Boys. (R) 3.10 This Is BBC
Two.
6.00 Ainsley’s Food We Love. (R)
6.30 James Martin’s French Adventure. (R) 7.30 James Martin’s Saturday Morning. (R)
9.25 ITV News. 9.30 Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh. (R)
11.25 Love Your Garden. (R) 12.20
ITV News; Weather. 12.30 Jason Atherton’s Dubai Dishes. (R) 1.30
Rugby World Cup 2023 Live. South Africa v Romania (Kick-off
2.00pm). 4.15 Rugby World Cup 2023 Live. Australia v Fiji (Kick-off
4.45pm).
7.00 ITV News; Weather.
7.05 ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather.
7.15 Rugby World Cup 2023 Live. England v Japan (Kickoff 8.00pm). All the action from both teams’ second Pool D encounter, held at Stade de Nice in France.
10.25 ITV News; Weather.
10.40 The Savoy. Cameras return to follow life inside the glamorous London hotel as it finally reopens its doors after being forced to close during the pandemic. (R)
11.40 Paul O’Grady: For the Love of Dogs. Paul meets dogs still struggling to find a home, including two that have already been returned to Battersea once as they are so boisterous. (R)
12.10 English Football League Highlights. (R) 1.25 Sorry, I Didn’t Know. (R) 1.50 Starstruck. (R)
2.50 Motorsport UK. (R) 3.40 Unwind. 5.05 James Martin’s Spanish Adventure. (R)
6.00 Cyw. (R) 8.50 Penblwyddi Cyw. 9.00 Dau Gi Bach. (R) 10.00 Ffit Cymru. (R) 11.00 Eryri: Pobol y Parc. (R) 12.00 Dan Do. (R) 12.30
Ironman Cymru 2023. (R) 1.30 Y ’Sgubor Flodau. (R) 2.30 Y Gem. (R) 3.00 Cerys Matthews a’r Goeden Faled. (R) 3.30 Arfordir
Cymru: Llyn. (R) 3.55 Sain Ffagan. (R) 4.25 Pobol y Cwm Omnibws. (R) 5.30 Sgorio Byw. Wrexham
Women v Swansea City Ladies (Kick-off 5.45pm).
7.45 Newyddion a Chwaraeon.
8.00 Lorient 2023. Musicians Al Lewis and Mari Mathias visit the Lorient Interceltique Festival in France.
9.00 Cofio Clive Rowlands.
9.30 Seiclo: Vuelta a Espana.
10.05 Rycia o ’Ma. (R)
10.35 Rygbi Cymru: Y Gêm yn y Gwaed. (R)
11.40 Diwedd. Channel 4: 6.15 Cheers. (R)
7.35 The King of Queens. (R)
8.30 The Simpsons. (R) 9.30
Sunday Brunch. 12.30 The Simpsons. (R) 3.00 Devon and Cornwall: Farming Lives. (R) 4.00
A Lake District Farm Shop. (R) 5.00
Channel 4 News. 5.30 Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix Highlights.
8.00 Jamie Cooks the Mediterranean. 9.00 Film: George Michael: Portrait of an Artist. (2023) 10.50 Dispatches. (R)
12.25 Film: Blade of the Immortal. (2017) 2.45 Ramsay’s 24 Hours to Hell and Back. (R) 3.30 Jamie’s
One-Pan Wonders. (R) 3.50 Food Unwrapped. (R) 3.55-6.05 Come Dine with Me. (R)
6.00 Milkshake!: 9.55 The Smurfs. (R) 10.10 SpongeBob SquarePants. (R) 10.20
Entertainment News. 10.30 NFL End Zone. 11.00 Friends. (R) 12.30
Norfolk and Suffolk: Country & Coast. (R) 1.25 Film: You’ve Got Mail. (1998) 3.50 Film: Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. (2005) 5.55 5 News
Weekend.
6.05
Film: Dirty Dancing. (1987)
A dance instructor at a 1960s resort teaches a naive teenager about selfexpression as they perform in an important show. Romantic drama, with Patrick Swayze.
8.00 Hotel Benidorm: Fun Loving Brits in the Sun. The Spanish resort is hit by a rare rainstorm, resulting in the Hotel Benidorm Plaza springing leaks and causing the electricity to cut out.
9.00 Inheritance Wars: Who Gets the Money? New series. Stories of families who have been torn apart as they fight over what has been left in a loved one’s will, and the shocking legal battles that followed.
10.00 When Films Go Horribly
6.00 Good Morning Britain. 9.00 Lorraine. 10.00 This Morning.
12.30 Loose Women. 1.30 ITV Lunchtime News; Weather. 1.55 ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather.
2.00 James Martin’s Spanish Adventure. 3.00 Tenable. 4.00 Tipping Point. 5.00 The Chase.
6.00 ITV News Wales at Six; Weather.
6.30 ITV Evening News; Weather.
7.30 Emmerdale. Jacob has an allergic reaction, Amelia is left stunned, and Sam feels that Lydia is pushing him away.
8.00 Coronation Street. The police haul Bernie in for questioning about her scam, Aadi asks Courtney to contribute to the household bills, and Troy instructs Todd to undertake an unpleasant task.
9.00 My Mum, Your Dad. The parents take part in a group task which has the grown-up children reaching for the cushions again as they watch their parents getting closer.
10.00 ITV News at Ten; Weather.
10.30 ITV News Cymru Wales; Weather.
10.45 Sharp End. Political discussion.
11.40 My Mum, Your Dad. (R)
12.30 All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite. (R) 2.15 Tipping Point. (R) 3.05 Tenable. (R)
Unwind. 5.05 James Martin’s Spanish Adventure. (R)
4 News Summary. 12.00 Steph’s Packed Lunch. 2.10 Countdown. 3.00 A Place in the Sun. (R) 5.00 A New Life in the Sun. (R) 6.00 The Simpsons. (R) 6.30 Hollyoaks. (R) 7.00 Channel 4 News. 8.00
Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand
Escape. 9.00 Top Guns: Inside the RAF. 10.00 Gogglebox. (R) 12.10
The Queens that Changed the World. 1.00 The Duchess and Her Magical Kingdom. (R) 1.50 Screw. (R) 2.40 Bone Detectives: Britain’s Buried Secrets. (R) 3.30 Grand Designs. (R)
6.00 Milkshake!: 9.15 Jeremy Vine. 11.15 Storm Huntley. 12.40 Alexis Conran. 1.40 5 News at Lunchtime.
1.45 Home and Away. (R) 2.15
Film: Seven Deadly Sins. (2022)
4.00 Bargain-Loving Brits in the Sun. 5.00 5 News at 5.
6.00 Susan Calman’s Grand Day Out. The presenter visits the North Yorkshire Moors and the Yorkshire Dales. (R)
6.55 5 News Update.
7.00 Motorway Cops: Catching Britain’s Speeders. Inspector Anton Sullivan follows a white van being driven erratically. (R)
7.55 5 News Update.
8.00 Police Interceptors. Two men in a van embark on a dangerous race through four counties; 5 News Update.
9.00 The Inheritance. The siblings’ lives become more complex after the family home is burgled. A battle of wills leaves Chloe confused and Daniel is desperate to pay back his loan.
10.00 Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts. Barnsley Hospital faces one of its toughest shifts to date. (R)
11.05 Ambulance: Code Red. (R)
12.05 Police Interceptors. (R) 1.00 Live NFL: Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh Steelers v Cleveland Browns (Kick-off 1.15am). 4.30
JOIN me on a fantastical journey into the whimsical realm of Super Mario Bros Wonder! Picture this: Toad, transforming into an elephant before your eyes during my romp through this Mario masterpiece. The delight is enough to send shivers of joy down your spine!
I’ve been infatuated with this Power-Up since its reveal in June. Today, not just Mario, but the entire gang – Peach, Daisy, Luigi, Yoshi, Nabbit, Toadette, and Toad – embrace this elephantine spectacle. Each character’s elephant form retains their distinctive flair – Toad’s mushroom cap, Peach’s regal crown – it’s all there in splendid whimsy. Witnessing these transformations and frolicking with their new abilities is a perpetual carnival of mirth.
Imagine me guiding the ship as Daisy and Luigi through a vibrant tapestry of adventure. We swiftly seized this wondrous Power-Up, using our newfound elephantine might to obliterate colossal blocks and douse pesky plants with trunk-sprayed water – hilarity incarnate!
As I ventured through
one of those peculiar pipes, I was greeted by a delightful sight – Toad, squeezing his way out the other end, a sight that brought a grin wider than the Thames itself.
Hold on, dear comrades, for this ain’t your run-of-the-mill 2D escapade! Super Mario Bros Wonder whisks us away to the enchanting Flower Kingdom, teeming with psychedelic Wonder Flowers, each concealing surprises.
Encountering one of these flowery marvels triggers a surreal sequence called the Wonder Effects.
In my first rendezvous, the flower burst into a spectacle, casting an eerie darkness across the landscape. The pipes sprang to life, resembling wriggling worms, and the world turned topsy-turvy!
It’s as if these Wonder Flowers tore the rulebook to shreds – expect the utterly unexpected!
As I encountered these mesmerizing Wonder Effects, we embarked on another course, a rollicking adventure. Here, I nimbly dodged charging bulls and stumbled upon another Power-Up that turned me into a Goomba. This
time, I stepped into the shoes of Princess Peach, complete with crown and fluttery eyelashes. Our journey took on a stealthy twist, as my feeble hops fWorced me to cower behind bushes, evading the stampeding bulls and testing my timing.
But wait, there’s more! Upon encountering the next Wonder Flower, pandemonium reigned supreme. The oncestoic bulls transformed into a psychedelic conga line, swirling and soaring through the skies, leaving us to dodge and leap for dear life. I hopped aboard their backs, riding them like a carnival float, snatching coins from the air with each bound.
Although my time with Super Mario Bros. Wonder was a fleeting dream, those two courses unveiled the astonishing variety these Wonder Flowers and Power-Ups bring, injecting a breath of fresh air into the timeless Mario tapestry.
Hold onto your fancy hats, dear friends! As we journeyed from course to course, we navigated through a vibrant hub world map with the freedom of a jolly jaunt. In this co-op escapade,
up to 12 players can frolic together in this vibrant world, with four intrepid adventurers navigating each course as a merry band. These courses come with their own difficulty ratings, yet fear not, for you possess the power to tailor the challenge to your whims. Badges hold the key to customizing your character’s abilities and attributes, a boon on this rollicking journey.
And let us not forget the camaraderie that oozes from every pixel of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. One can place standees to lend a helping hand to fellow travelers. Even the charming course flowers shout words of encouragement as you pass them by, adding to the enchantment.
By the end of my adventure, I found myself grinning from ear to ear. This odyssey was a neverending carnival of joy. My yearning to unearth more of these unexpected wonders in this creative spin on the 2D side-scrolling genre knows no bounds. Mark your calendars, for the Flower Kingdom awaits, and it shall be unveiled in all its glory on October 20, 2023!
i bontio i ddull tymor hir, mwy cynaliadwy drwy gefnogi sefydliadau i ddarparu prydau iach i gymunedau a gwella sgiliau coginio pobl.
MAE pwysau costau byw yn sicr yn parhau i fod arnom. Mae biliau ynni aelwyd cyfartalog yn dod i lawr, ond mae’r cap ar brisiau ynni yn parhau i fod yn llawer uwch na phan ddechreuodd biliau gynyddu ddiwedd 2021. Mae aelwydydd hefyd yn cael llai o gymorth gyda biliau na blwyddyn yn ôl. Mae costau tai’n cynyddu, i dalwyr morgeisi a rhentwyr.
Mae chwyddiant wedi gostwng i 6.8 y cant, a disgwylir iddo ostwng i 5 y cant erbyn diwedd 2023. Er gwaethaf hyn, mae’n dal i fod yn llawer uwch na tharged Banc Lloegr, sef 2 y cant. Ac er bod y gyfradd y mae prisiau bwyd yn cynyddu wedi arafu, ym mis Gorffennaf roeddent yn dal i fod bron 15 y cant yn uwch na blwyddyn yn ôl.
Ddydd Mercher (13 Medi), bu Senedd Cymru yn trafod adroddiad ar ddyled a chostau byw cynyddol a baratowyd gan y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol.
Y GOSTYNGIAD
UCHAF ERIOED MEWN SAFONAU BYW
Mae’r Swyddfa Cyfrifoldeb Cyllidebol yn dweud y disgwylir y gostyngiad mwyaf erioed mewn safonau byw yn 2022-23 a 2023-24, cyn dechrau codi eto o 202425.
Mae Sefydliad Bevan yn tynnu sylw bod 15 y
cant o aelwydydd yn cael trafferth fforddio eitemau hanfodol, a bod gan 33 y cant arall ddigon ar gyfer y pethau sylfaenol, ond fawr ddim arall. Mae pedwar grŵp yn wynebu’r risg fwyaf o galedi ariannol: rhentwyr; pobl anabl y mae eu cyflwr yn cyfyngu arnynt yn fawr; rhieni plant dan 18 oed; a phobl sy’n cael Credyd Cynhwysol neu fudddaliadau etifeddol.
CEFNOGI AELWYDYDD
GYDA BILIAU YNNI
Nifer yr aelwydydd sy’n gofyn am gyngor gan Cyngor ar Bopeth Cymru am ddyledion ynni yn fwy nag erioed. Mae
Llywodraeth Cymru a Llywodraeth y DU wedi darparu ystod o gymorth i helpu aelwydydd gyda
biliau ynni a chostau byw.
Mae Ymddiriedolaeth
Trussell yn dweud, er bod y cymorh hwn yn
rhoi seibiant tymor byr i
aelwydydd sydd mewn
cyni, nad yw wedi bod yn
ddigon i’w helpu i reoli’r
argyfwng costau byw am
gyfnod estynedig.
Mae Cyngor ar
Bopeth Cymru yn tynnu
sylw na fydd y Cynllun
Cymorth Tanwydd gan
Lywodraeth Cymru ar waith y gaeaf hwn. Mae’n
dweud na fydd cael
gwared ar y cynllun yn
cael gwared ar yr angen, gydag effeithlonrwydd ynni gwell yn allweddol i fynd i’r afael â hyn.
Wedi oedi, cyhoeddodd Llywodraeth
Cymru ei chynlluniau ar gyfer yr iteriad nesaf o’r
Rhaglen Cartrefi Clyd ym mis Mehefin, y mae’n bwriadu iddi fod ar waith erbyn y gaeaf. Bydd hyn yn cefnogi aelwydydd incwm isel sy’n byw mewn anheddau â thystysgrif perfformiad ynni E ac is, neu D i unigolion â chyflwr iechyd cydnabyddedig. Bydd yn cael ei arwain yn bennaf gan y galw, er y gellir datblygu dull sy’n seiliedig ar ardal gyda llywodraeth leol.
MYND I’R AFAEL Â THLODI BWYD
Mae un o bob pump o bobl yng Nghymru wedi cael profiad o ddiffyg diogeledd bwyd dros y 12 mis diwethaf, gan fwyta llai neu hepgor prydau bwyd. Mae’r Mynegai Lleoedd â Blaenoriaeth ar gyfer Bwyd yn tynnu sylw mai’r Rhondda, Blaenau Gwent a Merthyr Tudful a Rhymni sy’n wynebu’r risg fwyaf o ddiffyg diogeledd bwyd.
Yn 202223, dosbarthodd Ymddiriedolaeth Trussell 185,320 o barseli bwyd brys ar draws Cymru, gan gynnwys 69,683 i blant. Fodd bynnag, mae wedi dweud nad banciau bwyd yw’r ateb, ac y dylai Llywodraeth Cymru ddatblygu cynllun tymor hir i leihau’r angen amdanynt.
Cydnabu’r Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol bwysigrwydd y cymorth tymor byr a gynigir gan fanciau bwyd. Mae am i Lywodraeth Cymru helpu
Gyda chyfraddau llog yn codi’n sydyn dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf, mae ad-daliadau morgais misol llawer o bobl eisoes wedi cynyddu. Mae Banc Lloegr yn rhagweld y bydd yn effeithio bron ar bob aelwyd sy’n talu morgais dros y tair blynedd nesaf. Mae’r Ganolfan Ymchwil Economeg a Busnes yn amcangyfrif y bydd aelwydydd yng Nghymru yn talu £3,000 ychwanegol y flwyddyn os byddant yn ailforgeisio ar gyfradd sefydlog yn 2023, neu £2,400 os byddant yn ailforgeisio ar gyfradd sefydlog yn 2024.
Mae’r Prif Weinidog yn dweud bod Llywodraeth Cymru yn datblygu cynlluniau i gefnogi pobl sy’n cael trafferth talu eu morgais i aros yn eu cartrefi, ac mae wedi dyrannu cyllid ychwanegol i gefnogi hyn.
Mae’r Swyddfa Ystadegau Gwladol yn adrodd bod prisiau rhent yng Nghymru wedi cynyddu 6.5 y cant dros y flwyddyn hyd at fis Gorffennaf 2023.
Mae Homelet yn tynnu sylw bod rhenti tenantiaethau rhent preifat newydd wedi codi 9.1 y cant dros y cyfnod hwn. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru wrthi’n ymgynghori ar bapur gwyrdd ar dai digonol, gan gynnwys mesurau sy’n ymwneud â fforddiadwyedd tai a rhenti teg.
CREU ‘SYSTEM
FUDD-DALIADAU YNG NGHYMRU’
Un o’r prif offer y mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu defnyddio i gefnogi aelwydydd incwm isel yw grantiau prawf modd, y cyfeirir atynt weithiau fel y ‘system fudd-daliadau yng Nghymru’. Mae’r cymorth hwn yn ychwanegol at
fudd-daliadau nawdd cymdeithasol, y darperir y rhan fwyaf ohonynt gan Lywodraeth y DU. Comisiynwyd Policy in Practice gan nifer o sefydliadau i gynnal astudiaeth ddichonoldeb i ddatblygu dull mwy cydlynol o weinyddu’r grantiau hyn.
Galwodd y Pwyllgor Cydraddoldeb a Chyfiawnder Cymdeithasol i Lywodraeth Cymru wireddu ei gweledigaeth ar gyfer ‘system fudddaliadau yng Nghymru’. Awgrymodd ddatblygu dull lle y mae aelwydydd sy’n cael un budd-dal yn cael eraill y maent yn gymwys i’w cael yn awtomatig. Nod Llywodraeth Cymru yw cyhoeddi siarter fudddaliadau erbyn diwedd y flwyddyn hon, gan nodi dan ba egwyddorion y bydd y system yn gweithredu. Mae hefyd yn datblygu cynllun gweithredu ar gyfer dull cyffredin o weinyddu’r grantiau hyn.
PWYSAU’R GAEAF
Ym mis Mehefin, pleidleisiodd y Senedd yn unfrydol i gefnogi cynnig yn seiliedig ar themâu ymgyrch Climate Cymru, sef ‘Cynnes y Gaeaf Hwn’ a oedd yn galw ar Lywodraeth Cymru i wneud mwy i gefnogi aelwydydd agored i niwed y gaeaf hwn. Mae hyn yn cynnwys cynyddu rhaglenni effeithlonrwydd ynni a chefnogi ynni cymunedol; a chodi’r angen am gymorth ledled y DU gyda Llywodraeth y DU.
Fodd bynnag, cyhoeddodd y Prif Weinidog yn ddiweddar fod Llywodraeth Cymru yn wynebu pwysau ariannol yn ystod y flwyddyn. Bydd yn gweithio i liniaru’r rhain yn seiliedig ar gefnogi’r rhai sydd â’r angen mwyaf a “diogelu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus rheng flaen, cyn belled â phosibl”. Bydd y penderfyniadau y mae’n eu gwneud, a sut y mae’n eu gweithredu, yn hynod bwysig i lawer o aelwydydd ar draws Cymru.
QUEEN guitarist and badger fan Sir Brian May recently shared the experience of efforts to eradicate tuberculosis on a farm he sponsors in a lecture at Aberystwyth University.
Backed by Sir Brian May, south Devon milk producer Gatcombe Farm has been testing strategies to combat the disease.
Working with the guitarist and anti-cull campaigner, the farm has trialled a series of alternative tests for detecting TB and improving biosecurity measures and slurry management.
At the time of the event, Gatcombe Farm was under restrictions due to an outbreak of bovine TB.
After addressing an audience of vets, farmers and academics at Aberystwyth University, Sir Brian May said:
“I began researching bovine TB ten years ago when I founded the Save-Me Trust.
Together, we embarked on a mission to find out the truth about cows and badgers and the scourge of bovine TB, in which the badgers stood accused of being a ‘wildlife reservoir’ of disease.
After an introduction from the NFU, we set to work in collaboration to battle the disease firsthand at the dairy farm at Gatcombe in South Devon.
“I hope my work
will pave the way for a better understanding between the various stakeholders in the fight against Bovine TB, and eventually lead to a better life for farmers, cows, and badgers in the UK. It is clear that Aberystwyth University is doing very important research in this field, and their work deserves support from all involved so that the scientific research on this disease
can continue apace.”
The Sêr Cymru Centre of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis at Aberystwyth University hosted the lecture.
Professor Glyn Hewinson, Head of the Sêr Cymru Centre of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis at Aberystwyth University, said:”Events such as these are important in promoting a dialogue about this devastating
disease. Here at the Centre of Excellence in Aberystwyth, we engage with all stakeholders in our joint endeavour to find new and better ways of combatting bovine tuberculosis.
“We aim to provide a strong scientific evidence base to support eradicating the disease and to grow and develop academic research expertise in Wales.”
SCIENTISTS at Aberystwyth University are investigating new technologies, including environmental DNA analysis and wearable behaviour sensors, to tackle a parasite that infects the majority of UK sheep flocks.
The liver fluke is a highly pathogenic parasite estimated to infect 85% of sheep flocks and 76% of dairy herds in the UK.
Infections are believed to cost the UK livestock industry up to £300 million a year due to their effect in decreasing growth rates, fertility and milk production and increasing mortality and veterinary costs associated with infection.
The agriculture industry regards it among the top five endemic diseases impacting sheep and cattle production and welfare.
Successful control of liver fluke is important for sustainable sheep production. This is mainly dependent on drug treatments, but excessive use of these over recent decades has led to the parasite developing
resistance. Climate change has also increased liver fluke prevalence over the past 50 years, thanks to increased summer rainfall and milder winters. This favours the parasite’s intermediate mud snail host, which liver fluke needs to infect livestock.
The new three-year study at Aberystwyth University will develop novel interventions to aid sustainable control of liver fluke in sheep. These interventions will include using environmental DNA and protein testing to identify liver fluke infection areas on farms and developing tools to determine which animals require treatment and when correctly.
Dr Rhys Aled Jones from Aberystwyth University, who leads the project, said: “Livestock producers face an unprecedented threat from liver fluke over the coming decades. Climate change, drug resistance and land management policy changes will all contribute to an increasing liver fluke threat, which, if not mitigated, will negatively impact animal
productivity, welfare and carbon emissions.
“With liver fluke populations rapidly becoming resistant to certain drug treatments, alternative control strategies which focus on infection avoidance through grazing and land management must be utilised on farms. However, for these measures to be effective, it is imperative that we can accurately identify liver fluke infection risk areas within farms and fields.
“This project will use environmental DNA analysis techniques previously developed at Aberystwyth University to identify mud snail habitats on project farms and evaluate the environmental features of these risk areas to enhance our understanding of factors that influence mud snail presence and ecology. The project will also develop a novel environmental protein analysis technique that will further enhance our environmental testing capabilities and offer insight into infection risk timeframes.”
“Drug treatments, however, will remain a vital component of liver fluke control strategies, and so tools must be developed to support the sustainable use of these treatments. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of using sheep performance data and wearable behaviour sensors on a small proportion of their flock to precisely guide liver fluke treatments.”
The project will also collaborate with project partners, Farmers Union of Wales, Menter a Busnes, the Welsh Veterinary Science Centre and Ridgeway Research, farmers and veterinarians. This direct collaboration will culminate in a co-designed knowledge exchange programme which can shape future sustainable liver fluke control strategies in the UK.
Dr Hazel Wright, Deputy Head of Policy at the Farmers Union of Wales, said. “The FUW is delighted to partner in this innovative and novel research project. The effects of liver fluke infection on the
growth and productivity of sheep flocks in Wales are significant. Therefore, research streams into those mechanisms that may reduce this parasite’s prevalence are welcome.
“As an industry, we recognise that factors such as climate change and its resultant effects on weather
patterns can tremendously impact the transmission of parasitic infections. Given the propensity of liver fluke to thrive in the warmer and wetter conditions now being experienced by our members, this project is vital in helping future-proof a sustainable and thriving sheep sector in Wales.”
THE FARMERS’ Union of Wales (FUW) is once again looking to recognise an individual who has made a great contribution towards the development of the dairy industry and has become an
integral part of the dairy industry in Wales.
To recognise such a person the Union is seeking nominations for its FUW Outstanding Service to the Welsh Dairy Industry award. The winner will be
announced, and the presentation made, at this year’s Welsh Dairy Show on Tuesday 24 October 2023.
FUW Carmarthen county executive officer David Waters said:
“There are a number of very worthy
individuals in Wales who deserve this award and looking back we have had some fantastic nominations and winners. So if you know of a person in Wales who has made a great contribution towards the development of the dairy industry and has become an integral part of it in Wales, then why not nominate them for this prestigious award?” Nominations should be in the form of a letter or citation giving full details of the work and achievements of the nominee and need to be emailed to the FUW Carmarthen office ; carmarthen@fuw.org.uk or sent by post to FUW Carmarthen, Suite 10, Ty Myrddin, Old Station Road, Carmarthen, SA31 1LS by close of play , Friday 6 October 2023.
NFU Cymru’s Rural Affairs Board has voiced concern that current Glastir contract holders could be left worse off as a result of the transition to the new interim environment scheme.
The Habitat Cymru Scheme is set to replace Glastir Advanced, Commons and Organic area-based contracts, which come to an end in December 2023 ahead of the introduction of the Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2025. The scheme is expected to provide a payment per hectare of eligible habitat land, including habitat land previously under management in 2023, additional mapped habitat land, not currently underpaid management, as well as maintaining environmental support for common land. The budget for the scheme and payment rates have yet to be announced by the Welsh Government.
The Welsh Government’s interim habitat scheme for 2024
was top of the agenda at NFU Cymru’s Rural Affairs Board, which met earlier this month.
NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board Chair Hedd Pugh said: “In a letter to the Minister last month, NFU Cymru stressed the need to provide a stable and well-planned transition from current to future schemes. We have welcomed the Welsh Government’s reassurances that it intends to make this period of change as easy as possible for farmers by offering a fair transition over several years and ensuring there is no cliff edge in funding.
“However, our concern is that the Welsh Government appears to have made a decision of such significance without a comprehensive impact assessment and economic modelling. This is deeply concerning. Thousands of farmers with Glastir contracts face the prospect of a significant loss of income from the
end of the year, with the Welsh Government unable to provide any reassurance that the new interim scheme will match levels of income currently received through Glastir. This is far from a ‘fair transition’.
“For contract holders, Glastir is a critical component of farm business incomes, including supporting the organic farming sector in Wales. With farm input costs through the roof and interest rates soaring, the loss of Glastir leaves farmers currently under contract in a worrying situation.”
Concluding, Mr Pugh
said: “We believe that Welsh Government should consider offering Glastir extensions for 2024 with the new interim habitat scheme offered to non-Glastir contract holders. The maintenance of current funding levels for farming through the Basic Payment Scheme in 2024, alongside the provision of adequate funding for agri-environment, is going to be essential to maintaining the confidence of the industry ahead of Welsh Government’s proposed introduction of the Sustainable Farming Scheme from 2025.”
OVER the last 2 weeks we have celebrated our red meat industry - first with World Iron week and then the Love Lamb week. Both of those weeks provided an excellent platform to shout from the rooftops why our red meat, lamb and beef, is as some would say, a cut above.
We have shone a light on the fact that sheep and beef production here in Wales and the rest of the UK is done in a sustainable way and further reminded consumers of the exceptional taste and quality that Welsh beef and lamb bring to our dinner tables.
For those of you out there in all weather, 365 days a year, the fact that beef and sheep farming in Wales is non-intensive, with animals reared in tune with our landscape using natural grass and rainwater, won’t be news. However, it is good to remind people of this fact every now and again. Even those of us who work within the agriculture sector here in Wales tend to forget how much we do for the environment and food security.
For example, when we met with our politicians during the show season, we repeatedly made the point that our farmers manage grassland in such a way that helps capture carbon, making a positive difference to climate change.
In addition, 80% of Wales’s farmland isn’t suited to
growing crops, so keeping cattle and sheep is the best way to produce high-quality food from marginal land.
You will have heard us say this many times before but it is important to remember - sustainable livestock farming, such as the way we do things here in Wales, are part of the solution to climate change according to international reports. What this means is that the environmental impact of sheep and beef farming in Wales is a fraction of the global figures we often see cited in the media whilst also being much less significant than other sectors such as transport, industry and energy.
However, farming doesn’t want to rest on its laurels. We want to help do more and producing renewable energy is part of that solution. We know that the UK Government has committed to producing 95% of the UK’s electricity generation using low-carbon sources by 2030, and to fully decarbonise the sector by 2035 - including a five-fold increase in solar - and in 2017, the Welsh Government announced a target of meeting 70% of Wales’ electricity demand from Welsh renewable energy sources by 2030. We want to be part of that journey but we need the UK and Welsh Government to work with us in such a way that food production and the way we already look after the environment isn’t compromised.
IF YOU’VE ever questioned the bond between a pet owner and their furry friend, a recent survey reveals just how profound that connection is, particularly in Wales.
According to a fascinating study conducted by leading animal healthcare brand, Johnson’s Veterinary Products, an astonishing 62% of pet owners in Wales confessed that their pet’s well being is of greater importance than their own. Only 16% of the surveyed Welsh said they’d put their own personal wellbeing before their pets. A testament, surely, to the paternal-like bond shared by many owners with their cherished companions.
When it comes to making choices for their pets’ health, the study divulged the mindset behind purchasing decisions. It appears that there’s a robust appetite among owners to spend significantly, which is why we’ve seen a surge in pet care products that fuse health benefits with a touch of luxury. Our furry friends
are now experiencing more pampering than ever before!
Regionally speaking, while Wales showed a strong affinity towards prioritising pet care, our Scottish neighbours topped the list, with 72% choosing their pet’s well being over their own. On the other side of the spectrum, Northern Ireland saw 50% of respondents in agreement.
Paul Gwynn, the Managing Director of Johnsons Veterinary Products, weighed in on the findings: “Many might find these figures surprising, but I believe they genuinely reflect the sentiments of numerous pet owners today. Our pets are not just animals; they are more like our children in the contemporary world.”
He further remarked, “There’s an undeniable bond between pets and their owners. Our pets offer us unwavering love and loyalty throughout their lives, and in return, they earn unparalleled care and attention.”
Diving deeper into
demographics, it was the younger generation, specifically those aged 25-34, who were most likely to prioritise their pet’s interests over theirs. And when it came to gender dynamics, 61% of female
owners resonated with the sentiment, compared to 57% of their male counterparts.
On a closing note, Johnson’s Veterinary Products has stood the test of time, being
a trusted family-owned brand since 1921. With its commitment to pioneering and marketing top-notch products, Johnson’s continues to be a dominant player in the UK’s pet care market.
“I hope this review acts as a catalyst to raise the prominence of vocational qualifications in Wales and encourages everyone to consider vocational education when making decisions about their futures.”
Designated Member Siân Gwenllian said: “Vocational qualifications are one piece of a wider jigsaw.
“Fundamentally, this is about people and ensuring they have every opportunity to realise their potential, whichever path they take. That will help realise our country’s collective potential.
THE FORMER
Principal of Pembrokeshire College, Sharron Lusher, delivered an independent review of vocational qualifications in Wales to the Welsh Government this week.
Ms Lusher chaired a review panel commissioned by the Welsh Government to consider the current and future structure of post16 vocational learning in Wales.
The panel’s report makes thirty-three recommendations to the Welsh Government and other bodies about its deliver
Vocational qualifications are practical qualifications that relate to a specific job or career sector.
Unlike A-levels, they combine a mix of theory and practical learning, often with work experience as part of the course.
The Welsh Government says the panel’s findings will help it decide what next steps to take in expanding the range of made-for-Wales vocational qualifications. The Welsh Government
hopes those qualifications will improve learners’ outcomes and meet the Welsh economy’s future workforce needs.
The panel focused on the systems within and surrounding vocational qualifications, how they respond to the ambitions for Wales set out by the Welsh Government, and how Wales should address external pressures.
Those external pressures include changes to vocational qualifications in other countries within the United Kingdom. While the system in the rest of the UK is complexand consultations and programmes in England, Scotland, or Northern Ireland remain in their infancy - the panel calls for the Welsh Government to get to work on delivery.
The report reveals that, unlike other UK nations, Wales does not have a strategy for post-16 vocational qualifications.
The Welsh Government does not have a strategy for vocational education and training. Neither does it have an overarching strategy for post-16
learning.
Despite those absences, the review panel does not recommend establishing new bodies or dissolving others. Neither does it recommend a brand-new approach to vocational qualifications.
The panel calls for incremental change instead of revolution, as “Wales is not starting from scratch”.
The number of learners starting vocational qualifications has decreased by almost one-fifth over the last five years. Although the panel acknowledges the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it notes that the decrease is not reflected in enrolments onto AS or A levels.
The panel review panel expressed particular concern that enrolments into occupations important to the Welsh economy, such as engineering and information communication technology, had - at best - remained static and, at worst, decreased as a percentage of overall enrolments.
The panel says the Welsh Government needs a strategy combining the elements involved in vocational education, training, and delivery of qualifications
into one coherent plan. In addition, it reported that the Welsh Government lacks a clear assessment of our national occupational and skills needs for the future.
The report recognises the need for strong employer buy-in to develop and deliver vocational qualifications.
Jeremy Miles said: “This report is an important step in ensuring learners have the qualifications to flourish and progress.
“I am committed to ensuring equality between vocational and academic learning routes in Welsh education.
“Improving the delivery and range of made for Wales vocational qualifications will be vital in ensuring we meet the future needs of the Welsh economy, while providing our students with opportunities to gain the skills and qualifications they need.”
At an event to launch the review panel’s report, Sharron Lusher said: “I have seen the difference that vocational education and training has made to the lives of so many people.
“Ensuring we have vocational qualifications to address the needs of Wales will make a significant difference to both our learners and the future of our nation.”
The Welsh Conservative Shadow Education Minister, Laura Anne Jones MS, said: “All other nations of the UK have strategic plans for vocational education. Once again, Wales is the outlier under this Labour Government, which has run education underground over the past 25 years.
“With skills shortages across multiple sectors in Wales, the Welsh Conservatives have repeatedly called for the Labour Government to do more to deliver the skills Wales needs. That’s vital for our young people’s good and the Welsh economy’s future health.
“Labour must follow suit, adhere to the recommendations in the review, and urgently implement its strategic plan for vocational education.
“Vocational education often leads to long and successful well-paid careers. The Labour Government’s lack of a strategic plan for vocational education will ultimately lead to a failure to provide the skills we need for Wales’ future.”
BMW Group has announced today a new investment of more than £600 million in the MINI factories at Oxford and Swindon. “With this new investment we will develop the Oxford plant for production of the new generation of electric MINIs and set the path for purely electric car manufacturing in the future,” said Milan Nedeljković, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for production.
The Oxford plant is gearing-up to build two new all-electric MINI models from 2026, the 3-door MINI Cooper and the compact crossover MINI Aceman. By 2030 production will be exclusively electric and the BMW Group will have spent over £3bn on its Swindon, Hams Hall and Oxford plants since 2000.
This development has been supported by the UK Government and will help to secure jobs at the Oxford manufacturing plant and at the bodypressing facility in Swindon.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “BMW Group’s investment is another shining example of how the UK is the best place to build cars of the future. By backing our car manufacturing industry, we are securing thousands of jobs and growing our economy right across the country.”
Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said, “This decision is a big vote of confidence in the UK economy and the work of this Government to ensure the continued strength of our worldleading automotive sector. We are proud to be able to support BMW Group’s investment, which will secure highquality jobs, strengthen our supply chains, and boost Britain’s economic growth”.
The Oxford plant celebrated its 110th anniversary this year and
has been successfully producing the current MINI Electric since 2019, where it is fully integrated into the production line with the conventional (ICE) models.
Stefanie Wurst, Head of the MINI brand, said, “MINI has always been aware of its history –Oxford is and remains the heart of the brand.
I am delighted that the two new, fully electric MINI models – the MINI Cooper and MINI Aceman – are also being produced in Oxford, thereby confirming our path to a fully electric future. The continuing high demand for our locally emission-free vehicles shows the openness of the global MINI community to electromobility, which we will be able to serve optimally in the future, also thanks to Oxford”.
MINI accelerates toward full electrification with new model lineup and enhanced production network
The MINI Plant Oxford currently produces the MINI 3-door, the MINI 5-door as well as the MINI Clubman and the MINI Electric. From 2024 the plant will start producing the next generation MINI 3-door and MINI 5-door with combustion engines, as well as the new MINI Convertible, before they are joined by the new all-electric
vehicles in 2026 – the MINI Cooper 3-door and the MINI Aceman.
The factory will reach a production capacity of around 200,000 cars per year in the medium term, with ICE and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) initially being built on the same production line. From 2030, the Oxford Plant will produce allelectric MINI models exclusively.
In a few weeks, production of the new MINI Countryman will begin at the BMW Group plant Leipzig. This larger crossover model in the MINI line-up will be offered with both pure electric drive and combustion engines.
Production of two next generation all-electric MINI Cooper 3-door and Aceman models will begin in China. The new manufacturing plant in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province is part of a joint venture with Great Wall Motor. Exports will begin in early 2024.
Today’s investment announcement will impact all main production areas in Oxford. The existing production lines will be developed further, with the key changes being an extension of the current body shop and a new area for battery installation. Additional logistics facilities will be
built on both the Oxford and Swindon sites.
“I am proud to say that our Oxford and Swindon plants will play a central role in the BMW Group’s transition to electromobility. We are determined to continue the historic success story of our plants, producing the most loved British car brand”, said Markus Grüneisl, CEO of Plants Oxford and Swindon.
Oxford and Swindon Plants facts and figures
Sustainability is deeply rooted in the BMW Group production network and so plays a key role at Oxford. A holistic approach aimed at reducing CO2 emissions and minimising resource consumption underpins Plant Oxford’s sustainability credentials.
For example, the body shop has one of the largest, roofmounted solar farms in the UK. It has more than 11,500 photovoltaic panels and covers 20,000 square metres, an area equivalent to five football pitches. It generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of 850 households, over three megawatts, and reduces the plant’s footprint by approximately 1,500 tonnes of CO2 per year.
MINI Plant Oxford has been at the heart of its community for 110 years and employs over 3,400 highly skilled employees
and apprentices, who together build up to 1,000 MINIs a day - one every 67 seconds. It is the third biggest vehicle producer in the UK and by the end of this year, the plant will have produced over 13 million cars bearing the badges of 14 different brands. Over 500,000 people have worked at this site over the years.
The Swindon plant was opened in 1955 by Pressed Steel as an overflow from the Oxford site. Around 600 associates work on three Blanking and 12 Press lines.
The BMW iFACTORY is the strategic plan overarching all BMW Group production sites, with the strapline ‘Lean. Green. Digital’. With the Oxford MINI Plant as a key facility in BMW Group’s transition to electromobility, it is part of the global BMW iFACTORY approach.
The Oxford and Swindon plants already use digitalisation and virtual planning tools to configure buildings and systems today, streamlining the planning of logistics routes and material, traffic flows and even the movement of employees. The whole of Plant Oxford and Swindon will be 3D-scanned in minute detail this year to obtain a full set of digital data of both the building and its systems.
AN AUDIT WALES probe found that six of the seven Health Boards failed to meet their statutory duty to break even over the last three financial years.
As a result, the Auditor General qualified his regularity opinion for those bodies as failing this duty means that the bodies have exceeded their authority to spend.
Three NHS trusts and two special health authorities met their duty to break even.
While Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board reported that it achieved its duty to break even over a three-year period, there remains uncertainty on the reported outturn arising from the residual impact of the qualifications and uncorrected errors in the 2021-22 accounts.
Those accounts found a nine-figure black hole in the Board’s accounts. Although no criminal investigation occurred following the accounting irregularities, the Betsi Cadwaldr UHB refuses to publish a report by auditors Ernst and Young, and the Welsh Government has refused to intervene to compel that disclosure even though the Board is now under Welsh Government control.
Due to the uncorrected errors, the Auditor General could not conclude that expenditure in 202223 was fairly stated and qualified the ‘true and fair’ opinion for the Health Board in 2022-23.
He also qualified his ‘regularity’ opinion as the Health Board incurred irregular expenditure and breached its standing financial instructions in making payments to a former interim executive member.
The Auditor General has, therefore, qualified his audit opinion on the
2022-23 accounts of all seven Health Boards.
Health services in Wales received £9.894 billion of revenue funding in 2022-23, a cash uplift of £131 million in 202223 but less than the £175 million in 2021-22.
With the impact of rising inflation, the 202223 cash uplift equated to a 4.9% real terms decrease in funding (compared with a 2.5 real terms increase in 2021-22).
Against a backdrop of significant pressure, the total in-year deficit for 2022-23 has increased to £150 million (£47 million in 2021-22), and the three-year cumulative over-spend across the NHS increased from £185 million in 2021-22 to £248 million in 202223.
Expenditure on agency staff has grown steadily over the last five years, with a further increase of 20% in cash terms in 2022-23, putting overall agency spending at £325 million across NHS Wales.
Most of the spending is to cover workforce vacancies, but some of the increase supports additional activity.
Outside observers will be hard-pressed to reconcile the massive increase in agency spending to cover staff
shortages with the Welsh Government’s risible claims that the Welsh NHS employs more people than ever.
The Welsh Government knows its statement is accurate while being intentionally misleading. More people work in the Welsh NHS; however, the number of full-time employees is sharply declining.
Positively, reported savings increased again in 2022-23, continuing the trend in 2021-22, but still at a lower level than in 2018-19. However, the proportion of savings delivered through oneoff actions, such as delaying spending rather than driving efficiencies, continues growing.
One-off savings were 60% of total reported savings in 2022-23 and exceeded recurring savings for the first time in the last five years.
By their very nature, one-off savings are unrepeatable. The capacity of the Welsh NHS and its boards to continue making such savings without affecting patient care is doubtful.
The Auditor reports strategic planning will be key to delivering transformation in the NHS.
From 2022-23, three-year planning arrangements were reinstated after the pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bodies have moved back to medium-term three-year planning from the more agile annual plans used in the previous two years. However, the current financial climate, alongside the need to deal with service pressures, means it will be increasingly difficult for NHS bodies to produce financially balanced plans.
Auditor General Adrian Crompton said: “Health revenue funding in the NHS in Wales fell in real terms in 202223 when the service continued to face the challenges of tackling backlogs and responding to immediate service pressures and new demand patterns.
“Whilst I recognise the scale of the financial and operational challenges faced by the NHS, I am concerned at having to qualify my audit opinion on the accounts of all seven Health Boards. In most cases, they have failed to break even over three years and meet the statutory duty imposed by the Senedd.
“The focus on recovery and remodelling must continue into the current year and beyond. However, our data points to ongoing workforce challenges, evidenced by growing expenditure on agency staffing and a need to develop a more strategic approach to service transformation.
“NHS bodies must use the reinstated medium-term planning process to set out a
financially sustainable path to service recovery and modernisation.”
Plaid Cymru’s Health and Care spokesperson, Mabon ap Gwynfor MS, said: “The Auditor’s report paints a deeply worrying picture of the financial wellbeing of our health boards.
“This is further evidence of the Labour Welsh Government’s continued lack of grip on the Health Service, and today’s dire verdict is compounded by the fact that waiting times are unacceptably long in Wales.
“A further increase in agency spending, bringing it to £325 million across NHS Wales, and a tenfold increase in agency spending within the ambulance service proves that there is still a lack of workforce planning.
“As a consequence, more and more money is going into the profits of private companies rather than front-line services.
“This Labour Government claims that it likes collaborative working with social partners, but that collaboration is a oneway street as far as the Labour Government is concerned.
“They need to listen to the workforce and plan more effectively. Greater flexibility and better training opportunities within work time is essential across the Board to retain more of the excellent staff we already have in our NHS.”
THE PUBLIC consultation about the future of urgent and emergency paediatric services at Withybush Hospital has ended.
Organised by Hywel Dda University Health Board (HDdUHB), the consultation started in May and ended at the end of August.
The Board claimed the consultation was “an integral part of the health board’s broader strategy to enhance health and care in the region”.
Anyone expecting anything other than a complete cessation of urgent and emergency paediatric care in Withybush will almost certainly be disappointed.
The Board has systematically and supposedly “temporarily” removed paediatric services from Withybush since 2016.
Repeated reassurances that services would be returned to Withybush and that their removals were short-term measures have never been met by action or proactive communication by the Board.
During the Covid pandemic, the Board removed paediatric services to Glangwili, citing concerns about clinical capacity. At the time, the Board reassured Pembrokeshire’s parents that services would return postpandemic.
However, the Board did not return services. It claimed fears of an outbreak of respiratory disease meant it was unsafe to do so. The feared outbreak never materialised.
The Board subsequently claimed that NO services being delivered at Withybush would be removed before a new urgent and planned care hospital was developed. If the Board permanently removes urgent and emergency paediatric care from Withybush, that assurance would technically be true, as
Jone Coles jon.coles@herald.emailthose services were not delivered at Withybush when Chief Executive Steve Moore gave his undertaking.
Parents potentially faced with transporting children needing immediate hospital treatment could believe the promise is another example of bad faith by the Board. Appalling ambulance waiting times in Pembrokeshire mean relying on emergency transport to attend a red call on time is no better than a 50-50 bet.
Professor Phil Kloer, Hywel Dda University Health Board Deputy Chief Executive and Executive Medical Director, said: “We would like to thank everyone who has participated in this consultation, whether attending one of our in-person or online events.
“We look forward to the next steps in the consultation process as we consider all the feedback received, to enable us to make the best decision on the future options for urgent and emergency services for children and young people at Withybush and Glangwili Hospitals.”
The Board claims there is no preferred option for how urgent and emergency paediatric services at Withybush Hospital and Glangwili Hospital will be delivered at this stage.
The sound of bitter laughter among campaigners who want to retain services in Pembrokeshire is almost deafening.
An additional complicating factor is the condition of Withybush Hospital. Parts of the original hospital are closed due to unsafe concrete. Some inpatients have already been decanted elsewhere, and pressure is building on other services’ provision at the hospital.
In addition, as The
Herald exclusively revealed, the Board’s financial position is such that it is desperately trying to find savings to avoid missing its TARGETED nine-figure overspending ambition.
The Board examined three options.
No matter the Board’s decision, access to children’s emergency care will be retained at Glangwili Hospital’s emergency department. Minor injuries for children will continue to be treated at both Withybush and Glangwili hospitals.
The Board commissioned Opinion Research Services (ORS), an independent social research organisation, to conduct the consultation. It has collected and will analyse the response to the consultation questions from staff and members of the public.
This feedback was gathered through online and paper questionnaires, inperson and virtual consultation events, and meetings.
ORS will present their report to the health board in the autumn. The Board will then formally consider it.
This rigorous review will ensure that Board members, which includes
Executive Directors and Independent Members, can evaluate views gained through the consultation and follow a model that seeks to be unbiased and
acknowledge relevant public concerns.
That will almost certainly mean discounting the concerns of Pembrokeshire’s parents.
The consultation findings and stakeholders’ views will be presented to the Board at the end of November 2023.
THE CELTIC SEA DEVELOPER ALLIANCE, managed by Marine Energy Wales, has expressed its disappointment that no contracts have been awarded to floating offshore wind (FLOW) projects in the latest round (AR5) of the UK Government’s renewable auction, including Erebus, Wales’s pioneering planned floating offshore wind farm, which received the necessary environmental consents earlier this year.
The Celtic Sea has the potential to deliver 24GW of renewable energy through floating offshore wind turbines, and Wales has the potential to be a global player, but without support and backing from UK Government, the CSDA believes we are at risk of falling behind.
These projects are vital to meet the UK Government’s 5GW floating offshore wind target by 2030, and today is a huge blow to these ambitions and efforts to reach Net Zero.
In the UK, the Committee on Climate Change states offshore wind will become the ‘backbone’ of the future energy system, requiring 100GW of installed capacity by 2050.
Floating Offshore Wind (FLOW) is set to deliver 50% of that target.
The development of the sector has huge potential to drive regional development, new supply chain opportunities, thousands of high-skilled jobs and support the energy transition towards Net Zero, but today this potential has not been realised.
Tom Hill, Marine Energy Wales Programme Manager and Chair of the Celtic Sea Developer Alliance expressed his disappointment at today’s announcement:
“Today’s news is deeply worrying for the sector. The UK Government is not providing the confidence for investment that this
industry desperately needs.
Unless the CfD process is reformed to move away from a focus on competition for the lowest electron, the supply chain in Wales and the UK will be disadvantaged, particularly at this stage, where developments are in their infancy.
The absence of offshore wind developers on the list of contract winners is also a huge blow for Wales and Welsh Government Net Zero ambitions. The fact that the Erebus project could now be delayed will have tremendous knock-oneffects on Welsh supply chain, ports and send the wrong message to the world.”
On behalf of its members, the CSDA is calling for:
• The Crown Estate, Welsh Government and UK Government to clearly signal the scale and pipeline for FLOW within the Celtic Sea to inspire market confidence and attract the appropriate level of investment.
• Investment in port infrastructure
to develop the capabilities required to deliver FLOW and secure existing and attract new local supply chains, stimulating economic growth.
• A Regional Development Strategy – The Celtic and North Seas are both developing FLOW but at different stages. It is essential to balance government support and ensure both regions have development opportunities and the chance to maximise supply chain benefits.
• Upgraded Grid capacity – There is currently no grid capacity available to deliver the existing 4GW seabed leasing or anything beyond this. Electricity System Operator (ESO), National Grid and Ofgem must urgently recognise this requirement and invest in increasing grid capacity and improving infrastructure.
• Cross border collaboration between Ireland and the UK –
Governments in Wales and Ireland are already collaborating to identify strategic work areas to support FLOW and maximise socioeconomic impacts. UK Government should also be supporting crossborder collaboration.
Commenting on the results of Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 5, which were announced today by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Co-Chair of the Offshore Wind Industry Council, Richard Sandford, said:
“Although today’s auction results are disappointing, the offshore wind industry’s continued focus is working closely with the Government to reform the auction process so that we can secure far more capacity next year and beyond. The UK has the second largest offshore wind pipeline in the world, with more than a hundred projects at all stages of development.
“It’s clear that this year’s auction represents a missed opportunity to strengthen Britain’s energy security and
provide low-cost power for consumers. If all the offshore wind projects eligible to bid into this auction had done so, we could have powered the equivalent of more than five million British homes a year. So, lessons must be learned to ensure that the parameters of the auction are set correctly in the future. The landmark report published earlier this year by the Government’s offshore wind champion Tim Pick shows how the industry can grow successfully in the years ahead.
“Our plans to accelerate the growth of this innovative sector in the years ahead remain ambitious and undimmed. We will continue to work with Ministers to build up a world-class domestic offshore wind supply chain around the UK, creating tens of thousands of jobs and attracting billions in private investment, as well as providing further opportunities to export our products and expertise globally. We are determined to get back on track to meet the Government’s clean energy targets and net zero goals”.
A guest house set in picturesque rural West Wales is set for expansion with the support of the Development Bank of Wales.
Picton House, an eight-bedroom hotel based in a former coaching house near St Clears, Carmarthenshire, has been able to start expansion plans into adjoining land and renovating old outbuildings into new rooms thanks to a six-figure loan from the Wales Tourism Investment Fund.
Owners Gareth Peters and Holly Nelmes took on ownership of the hotel in 2017, and have since turned it into an attractive guest spot for those visiting the beaches and scenic highlights of the West Wales coast.
The hotel includes a restaurant serving locally-sourced and fresh food – including vegetables from Picton
House’s own grounds.
Conversion of the outbuildings – including a former stable - has already started, with owners looking forward to having them ready and available to guests in time for the 2024 season.
Plans will see the addition of two new twobedroom apartments and four one-bed apartments with hot tubs, as well as using a neighbouring field to offer ecocamping.
Holly Nelmes, owner and manager at Picton House, said: “We’re really pleased that we’ve been able to start work on our expansion plans, and we’re looking forward to welcoming even more guests and visitors to this beautiful part of Wales once they’re complete.
“A lot of the outbuildings were in need of renovation, and we wanted to take advantage of the space we provided so we could expand on
our existing offer. We’re really glad to have done this with the support of the Development Bank of Wales.”
Ashley Jones, investment executive at
the Development Bank of Wales, said: “It was a pleasure to work with Holly and Gareth at Picton House. The effort and hard work they’ve put into the business is
amazing, and we’re glad to have helped them reach the next phase of what they want to do with the hotel.”
The Wales Tourism Investment Fund offers
loans between £100k and £5million, with repayment terms of 10 to 15 years.
For more information, please visit www. developmentbank.wales
been the problems of the RAAC concrete found in school buildings, just as the new school year was about to start.
We also had the escape from Wandsworth Prison, of Daniel Khalife, on remand, charged with offences of spying for Iran. On the run for 4 days, the media carried the story until he was caught 14 miles away.
But I am concentrating on the need to fix our Parliament. Writers describe Westminster politics as a toxic culture.
Sir Chris Bryant MP (Labour, Rhondda) has published a book “Code of Conduct: Why We Need To Fix Parliament – And How To Do It”. Having had a high profile as Chair of the Commons Committee on Standards and Privileges, but has now returned to the Labour front bench in the recent reshuffle, he describes the current Parliament as the worst in our history.
More than 20 MP’s have been suspended or left under a cloud. Rules flouted. Ministers have lied and refused to correct the record and a widespread view that politicians believe the rules don’t apply to them.
government’s control of parliamentary business, leaves limits on executive authority dependent on the self-constraint of ministers – and that has broken down in the past seven years. ‘Parliament needs to rediscover its backbone and reassert its freedom. Good government and better decisions depend on the proper exercise of power.’
The case for political reform – constitutional change – is now being made by a rising number of voices. Those who listen to Rory Stewart and Alastair Campbell’s podcast are hearing a similar message and Anthony Seldon’s incendiary description of the chaos of Johnson’s government was serialised in The Times.
Lord Ashcroft’s latest analysis of public opinion for his largely Conservative audience reports that 72% of respondents agreed with the statement that ‘Britain is broken – people are getting poorer, nothing seems to work properly, and we need big changes to the way the country works, whichever party is in government.”
ACCORDING to a new report from the Electoral Commission, challenges facing the electoral system present a significant threat to future elections. With a UK general election due in the next 16 months, the Commission is calling for urgent action to eliminate barriers for voters and to mitigate risks to the delivery of elections.
In May, the former Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees Mogg, admitted that introducing Voter ID for elections was an attempt to sway future national and local polls in the Conservative Party’s favour.
SBryant sees ‘something rotten’ in the structure of the Westminster system, with far more ministers than in comparable democracies, dependent on prime ministerial patronage. Bryant details the lies Boris Johnson as PM made to Parliament, the bullying habits of government whips, the conflicts of interest that arise through moves from ministerial office to private directorships and consultancies. He reports the massive outside earnings that former ministers and PM’s make –noting that in the first three months of 2023 Johnson registered £3,287,293 in outside earnings.
Bryant’s proposed remedies come close to Liberal Democrat policy. ‘We need to look at the underlying structural problem in our British way of doing politics… the “Winner Takes All” system is at the core of our problems.’ Our voting system, combined with the
Labour promises to reform the House of Lords if it forms the next Government. However, the real problem in our democracy is not the Lords, it’s the House of Commons and the First Past the Post voting system.
Every opinion poll says we need a change of Government and for Sunak to go. However, a change to a Labour Government, almost as centralist and as committed to executive dominance as the Conservative could lead to an even more worrying situation in the 2028/29 General Election.
We need change to a more open and decentralised democracy, and for stronger checks on executive power.
If you have any issues or comments, please contact me at andrew.lye@pembslibdems.wales
Making it harder to vote for people with the right skews the electorate by discouraging or preventing specific groups of people from voting. It’s most commonly seen in authoritarian or oligarchic regimes desperate to keep a grip on power regardless of public sentiment against them.
And that is what Mr Rees Mogg admitted he and Boris Johnson’s Cabinet members intended.
He lamented that the scheme had backfired because many of those who could not meet the scheme’s requirements were older and, therefore, more likely Conservative voters.
He said: “Parties that try and gerrymander end up finding their clever scheme comes back to bite them, as dare I say we found by insisting on voter ID for elections.
“We found the people who didn’t have ID were elderly, and they, by and large, voted Conservative.
“So we made it hard for our voters and we
upset a system that worked perfectly well.”
Despite arm-lifteraimed tabloid headlines screaming about nonwhite voters cheating the system, in the 2019 General Election, authorities identified only seven cases of possible Voter ID fraud. There was only one prosecution.
Labour Deputy Leader Angela Rayner observed: “Over the last 10 years there have been about 243 million votes cast in elections, and how many people have been convicted of voter fraud? Four. That is 0.0000005%.”
“You are more likely to be hit by lightning 54 times than fall victim to voter personation fraud,” she added.
While a significant minority of the electorate is concerned about Voter Fraud, their concern comes from a problem that doesn’t exist.
It’s enough to make you wonder why the
tabloids were so upset by Black and Minority Ethnic voters exercising their right to vote.
And why Boris Johnson’s Government fell into line behind them.
Contrary to Mr Rees-Mogg’s claim, Boris Johnson and his Cabinet did not engage in gerrymandering. They attempted voter suppression.
The May 2023 local elections report in England identifies several challenges for voters, administrators and campaigners, which would be exacerbated at a general election.
A significantly higher number of voters would be expected at a national poll, including those who do not tend to vote at local elections and are less likely to be familiar with recent changes.
The research shows that some people found it harder to vote because of the new
requirement to show photo ID at polling stations, including disabled people and the unemployed. Barriers stemmed from two overlapping issues: a lack of ownership of the appropriate ID and awareness of the need to bring it when voting. Low awareness of the availability of the free Voter Authority Certificate was also an issue.
The Commission has made specific recommendations to the UK Government to improve accessibility at future polls. These include reviewing the list of accepted IDs to identify if additional documents could be added, exploring whether the deadline for applying for the free ID can be pushed closer to polling day, and providing options on polling day for voters without accepted ID, such as another registered voter being able to ‘vouch’ for their identity.
Craig Westwood, Director of Communications, Policy and Research, said: “Elections in the UK are well run, and voters have high levels of confidence, but challenges need to
I’m sure
Pembrokeshire Herald readers will have seen the disappointing news that the {My} Dentist practices at Quay Street in Haverfordwest and at Hendy-Gwyn in Whitland will not be providing NHS dental care from December 1st, as both practices have decided to return their General Dental Services contracts to Hywel Dda University Health Board.
be addressed across the system if that is to continue, and if barriers experienced by some voters are to be lifted.
“The new voter ID requirement has posed a barrier to some voters and is likely to have a larger impact at higher turnout polls. We have made recommendations to expand accessibility and support for voters, which should be introduced ahead of the next UK general election to ensure large numbers of people are not prevented from taking part.”
More work is also needed to increase awareness of the support available for disabled voters, as it remains low and would help more people participate.
The capacity and resilience of election teams also remain a significant concern in delivering elections.
Administrators’ capacity is already stretched, with struggles to recruit staff and significant pressures created by delivering changes to how elections are run.
With further changes to be made before future elections, sufficient time, capacity and functional resources are needed to support them in implementing those changes.
Craig Westwoodadded: “The capacity and resilience of electoral administrators were really stretched this year, and they could only make these elections work by exceptional efforts, commitment and support from authorities not holding polls.
“At the next UK general election, there will be even greater demands on staff and polling station venues, as well as more new legislative requirements and added complexity.
“To ensure administrators can continue to deliver well-run elections, the UK Government must ensure that dependencies and delivery risks are carefully managed for future changes.
“We are ready to work with government and wider electoral community to tackle these issues and mitigate risks to wellrun elections in future.”
Responding to the Electoral Commission’s report on the impact of voter ID on the 2023 local elections, Dr Jess Garland, Director of Research and Policy for the Electoral Reform Society, said: “The Electoral Commission’s report gives us a clearer
picture of who was turned away from voting due to voter ID rules at the local elections and shows that it was disabled and unemployed voters as well as people from an ethnic minority background and younger people who bore the brunt.
“This paints a picture of a damaging and disproportionate policy affecting some voters more than others.
“However, this could be just the tip of the iceberg because, as the report highlights, data collection on who was turned away on the day was patchy. So far, more people may have been affected than the headline 14,000 figure.
“Ultimately, we should be trying to increase turnout at elections and improve access to voting, not putting unnecessary barriers in front of people.
“Our concern, as raised in the report, is that voter ID could cause more serious problems at a general election, where turnout tends to differ.
“We would urge the government to reverse this unnecessary policy or, at the very least, make wide ranging-changes to it to ensure we don’t see thousands of people being prevented from casting their vote in a general election.”
It’s another blow for patients in Pembrokeshire and will sadly result in more people either having to have treatment privately – or in some cases, living in pain and discomfort. The provision of NHS dental services is already very vulnerable across the county and I’m sure this latest news will leave a bitter taste in many people’s mouths.
So why is the provision so bad and what is the Health Board doing about it? To my mind there are several major challenges facing the Health Board – it needs to recruit and retain dentists in Pembrokeshire. I understand the Health Board is working closely with Health Education and Improvement Wales to develop a workforce plan for the profession and I hope that we see some positive outcomes as a result.
There also needs to be a transparent picture when it comes to understanding those waiting for treatment. My inbox continues to be flooded with people telling me that they’re struggling to access an NHS dentist and yet when I raise this with the Welsh Government, the First Minister himself tells me that more than 17,000 extra appointments have been made available in the Health Board area last year! Well those patients certainly aren’t in Pembrokeshire if my postbag is anything to go by!
Now, at one time,
the Health Board held a waiting list centrally and would work through that systematically, advising patients when a vacancy became available in a local dental practice. However, sadly, this is no longer the case. Instead, most practices in Pembrokeshire prefer to manage their own lists. Therefore, the only way to be placed on a waiting list for NHS care is to contact practices in your local area to see whether they are taking on NHS patients. It sounds crazy doesn’t it? – that in 2023 patients need to habitually call around practices until an opportunity comes up. But that’s the current state of play – it really is a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
So what needs to change? For one, funding and support is needed urgently, and the Welsh Government need to work with the local Health Board to attract dentists to the area. Once they’re here, the Welsh Government and the Health Board need to keep them here. They also need to work with the dental profession to ensure that their dental contract is robust and actually works for dental practices. And last by no means least, the Welsh Government need to stop burying their heads in the sand and dismissing the view that there is a dental crisis in west Wales. Patients are living with severe pain, and many cannot afford private treatment – and the Welsh Government must leave no stone unturned in ensuring that people can access affordable dental care as close to home as possible.
It is clear that thirteen years of Tory government in Westminster has left families in Wales worse off. Families in Wales are struggling with the cost of living and skyrocketing energy and mortgage bills are hitting Welsh households hard. In fact, the Conservatives have presided over the worst fall in living standards since records began. And recent events have shown us that even the very safety of the public is not being taken seriously by this reckless Tory Government.
The abundance of Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in English schools has rightly had a number of parents worried, but in Pembrokeshire the council confirmed on the 8th September that condition surveys have been undertaken on all Pembrokeshire school buildings and to date on initial assessment no autoclave concrete had been identified in any of the council’s property. Some of this is no doubt fortunate with some of the older buildings in the council estate not being built with RAAC. However, what isn’t an accident is the new school buildings you will see across Pembrokeshire, from Haverfordwest to Pembroke and Fishguard to Tenby.
Band B represents the second tranche of investment between April 2019 and March 2024 and the approved investment totals £106.4 million in Pembrokeshire alone. This Sustainable Communities for
Learning scheme is a Welsh Government initiative with a funding mix from Welsh and local government – the biggest school building programme since the 1960s. By the time the final school is built, around £3.7 billion will have been spent on upgrading schools – investment which shows the clear difference that a Labour government makes.
Indeed, since 2010 education building capital budgets in England have fallen by almost half in England under the Tories, a figure that stands in stark contrast to the 23% increase in funding for school buildings in Wales in the last decade under Welsh Labour. And all this achieved with one hand tied behind our back, with Welsh Government budgets severely affected by 13 years of Tory economic mismanagement, including the devastating impact of a decade of austerity.
Imagine how much more we could achieve by working together locally, and nationally. Locally, every single Conservative and Independent Group Councillor (Yes, apparently you can get an independent group and still be independent) on Pembrokeshire County Council voted against the councils budget last year. They even brought a motion of no confidence in the current Council Leader, David Simpson in April of this year, for what I can see as purely political reasons. It’s time for change in Westminster and to call out those blocking positive change in Pembrokeshire.
LOCAL councils have made major changes in how and where their staff work but must build on their experience of the pandemic.
Councils also need to develop strategic approaches to plan for the longer term.
The Well-being of Future Generations Act’s sustainable development principle should be implemented by councils when planning for the future.
That’s according to a report from Audit Wales published this week.
The report notes that all councils rapidly changed how and where their staff worked during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The shift was characterised by a mass move to remote working, which happened virtually overnight.
Audit Wales recently examined asset management and workforce planning on all 22 councils in Wales.
It found that most councils were working through what their ‘new normal’ should look like as staff tended to work partly remotely, at council offices or out in the community.
The report also found that councils needed to develop their thinking further to plan and deliver for the longer term, balancing recruiting and retaining staff while providing efficient and effective services to the public.
However, the report highlights weaknesses in their arrangements that could hamper their ability to do this. For example, we found that councils needed to develop welldefined strategies, along with supporting service planning arrangements and effective monitoring arrangements. That will allow them to achieve flexible working arrangements and strong service delivery while using their buildings and other assets best.
We also found that councils were not always utilising the data available to help them manage the present or plan for the future.
Some councils also didn’t understand the current workforce risks well. Those who did could improve their understanding of the medium and longer-term challenges that will likely impact them.
Benchmarking appeared to be seldom undertaken, meaning councils cannot compare and grasp the extent to which they are achieving value for money. More generally, there are perhaps more opportunities for them to learn from each other as they develop new working methods.
As they look ahead and seek to develop their approaches, councils must use the sustainable development principle to help them. However, our report found that councils do not fully recognise
the relevance of the sustainable development principle to the design and delivery of assets and workforce. For this reason, many of our recommendations across the 22 councils focused on ensuring they use the sustainable development principle to help them plan and deliver.
Wales’s Auditor General, Adrian Crompton, said:
“The pandemic has accelerated change for local councils, including how and where their workforce is working.
“To ensure they deliver in a modern and sustainable way, councils need to recognise how they can use the sustainable development principle to help them plan and deliver their approaches to workforce and assets.
“As part of this, they need to understand the risks ahead and work with each other and their partners to manage them.”
WALLACE Thompson is not well known in Wales, Scotland or England but his evolving view on Irish unity matters to all of us.
For readers who’ve never heard of Wallace, he was a founding member of Northern Ireland’s Unionist party, the DUP. An evangelical Protestant, a special adviser, member of the Orange Order, and a fully committed, lifelong Unionist. No longer.
The penny has dropped for Wallace when it comes to Northern Ireland and the inevitability of reunification with the Republic of Ireland.
‘’We are in an inevitable move towards that…there is an inevitability in my mind that we are moving towards a new Ireland…This is the problem with Unionism, we’re in denial’.
Just to underline the point that Wallace is making, on the other side of the Irish border, Irish premier Leo Varadkar has predicted there will be a united Ireland in his lifetime.
THE WELSH GOVERNMENT raised the escalation level of all seven Welsh health boards on Wednesday, September 13, amid concerns about their extreme financial challenges.
Due to the incredibly tough financial climate, health boards have been unable to submit financially balanced Integrated MediumTerm Plans. Those health boards, which were not already in a form of intervention for planning and finance, will be escalated to enhanced monitoring.
Despite already being the subject of targeted intervention regarding finances and planning, Hywel Dda UHB is off target to come within its TARGETED nine-figure overspend.
Minister Eluned Morgan said: “It is disappointing that all
health boards have been escalated to enhanced monitoring for planning and finance. We do not make these decisions lightly. Our decision reflects our very difficult financial position and the challenges affecting health boards.
“We are seeing operational pressures, long waiting lists, and an extremely challenging financial position in the NHS – but this is not unique to Wales.
“We will support health boards to improve their financial planning positions, but some difficult decisions must be made as we work through this tough financial challenge.
“In the coming weeks and months, together with the NHS, we will be working with the public to outline where savings need to be made to reduce these significant budget deficits.”
Plaid Cymru’s Health and Care spokesperson Mabon ap Gwynfor MS said: “All health boards in Wales are now in some form of escalated measures; this is serious.
“For the Government to publish this as a Written Statement with no opportunity for immediate Senedd scrutiny is a cynical move by a Minister that seems to have lost grip on the entire situation. It should not have taken until now for the Minister to realise the gravity of health boards’ situation and take action.
“The Health Minister must urgently address the implications of escalating intervention arrangements and provide both a clear picture of the financial wellbeing of Health Boards and a
meaningful plan that gives confidence to patients, particularly with undoubted winter pressures approaching.”
Welsh Conservative Shadow Health Minister Russell George MS said: “This is a sad indictment of the state of our Labour-run Welsh NHS. After a quarter of a century of successive Labour Health Ministers, every health board in Wales is now at some level of government intervention due to poor performance.
“While it is positive that the Labour Health Minister is taking some action by acknowledging the dire state of our Welsh NHS, I have little faith, given the lack of improvements we are seeing in health boards already being monitored, that much will change in the coming months.
In a world where the restoration of the Empire is not possible, the conclusion that England too will be better off as an independent nation must follow.
Like Wallace, who believes that engagement and constructive discussions on the creation of a new, united Ireland is the way forward for Irish Unionists –so too for the rest of Britain. Engagement and discussion across and between the nations to find the best way to part ways will be the pathway to success for all three newly independent nations.
The history of the Empire can end on a positive note. The Union can unwind in a ‘conscious decoupling’ rather than a messy divorce. New, close, mutually beneficial relationships between the nations of the new British Isles can blossom and grow immediately.
The Taoiseach made the comments after being asked about the Wolfe Tones, an Irish band that drew huge crowds to a tent at the Electric Picnic music festival at the weekend.
“I believe that there will be a united Ireland in my lifetime, and in that united Ireland there is going to be a minority… and you judge the success and the quality of a country by the way it treats its minorities and that’s something we’re going to have to think about.”
There will be a new Britain too, the independence movement in Scotland is well established with roots so deep it won’t ever be quashed.
In Wales support for independence is growing stronger, becoming wider, deeper and more present across the length and breadth of the country.
As with Wallace, the penny will drop that the UK is not fit for purpose, that it does not work as a relatively small and less important part of the international landscape.
The people who live in each nation can enjoy the fruits of the renewal that independence brings. A 21st century renaissance of smaller, independent nations.
There are plenty who are still wedded to the Union in spite of the weakness of the arguments they make for its preservation.
There are plenty who believe in an incremental approach, a path which soothes their fear of the unknown and ameliorates their natural resistance to change and innovation. But the place with the most rapid growth in support is amongst those who have realised that this should happen now.
Why wait? There is nothing to gain in procrastination and prevarication. Wallace gets it. The writing is on the wall and the wall is already falling down. Instead of waiting for it to crumble, be part of tearing it down so that something new and better can be built in its stead.
For up to date news please check our social network channels www.pembrokeshire-herald.co.uk
J
Martin passed away peacefull on the 6th September, 2023 agged 55 years. Dearly loved, he will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
Funeral Service, Friday 22nd September, 10am at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth. Family flowers only. Donations in memory of Martin for MIND Pembrokeshire can be sent to 2 Perrot Road, haverfordwest, SA61 2HD. All enquiries to Roy Folland & Son Funeral Directors (01437 763821)
of Carolyn, Moira and Ellis, and a much loved grandmother. Funeral Service Thursday 14th September at 1.00pm at Harmony Chapel, Pencaer followed by interment at Rehoboth Chapel Cemetery. Family flowers, donations if desired for Paul Sartori, Winch Lane, Haverfordwest, SA61 1RP
Enquiries to W.G. Bernard Mathias & Daughter, Funeral Directors, St.Davids 01437 720537
Funeral Directors W & M J Rossiter & Sons Ltd
The Old Rectory, The Norton, Tenby, SA70 8AB or Landsker House, 21 Station Road, Narberth, SA67 7DR or via www. rossitersfunerals.co.uk
T HOMAS
Mrs Christina Owen Thomas Fishguard
Mrs Olive Charles of Llanrhian Peacefully at her home Henllys on September 7th, Olive, aged 98 years. Beloved wife of the late Gwilym, dearly loved mother
Mrs Angela Edwards Llawhaden With great sadness as a family we announce the passing of Angela Rose Miriam Edwards. She passed away on the 27th of August 2023, aged 70. She has left behind a loving husband, Haydn, children Joanna, Suzannah, Mark and Annie-Marie, along with respective partners, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. The funeral will take place at Narberth Crematorium on the 19th September at 1pm. Followed by a celebration of the life of Angela, at the Hean, Saundersfoot. Traditional dress with a splash of colour. Family flowers only, in lieu of flowers any donations should be made to “cats protection league” c/o
Peacefully on Sunday 20th August at Withybush Hospital, Christina of Bryn Road, Fishguard (formerly of Glyn Y Mel, Lower Town). Beloved wife of the late Eifion, loving mother of Ian, Richard and MaryLynne and a much-loved grandma of Cerys and Sophie. Funeral service on Wednesday 20th September at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth at 12.15pm. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if desired, made payable to the ‘Paul Sartori Foundation’ c/o Paul Jenkins & Sons Funeral Directors, Feidr Castell, Fishguard, SA65 9BB. Tel - 01348 873250.
R EES
REES Patricia June Peacefully at her home on
Monday 4th September 2023 Patricia June Rees of Dudwell Farm, Camrose aged 95 years. Beloved wife of the late Charles, much loved mother of Elizabeth and Charles, mother-in-law of Ruth, grandmother of Tom and Mary, great grandmother of Rory. The funeral service will take place on Thursday 21st September, 11:00am at Keyston Chapel. Family flowers only. Donations in lieu, if desired, made payable to the Paul Sartori Foundation may be sent c/o Tania HancockLlewellin, Camrose Country Hardware, Folly Cross, Camrose, SA62 6JG. Further enquiries to F. G. Rees & Sons, Haverfordwest. Tel: 01437 764418.
B EYNON ( NEE P ETRIE )
BEYNON Frances Jean (nee Petrie) Peacefully at her home in St. Davids on September 3rd, Jean, beloved mother of Alastair. Private funeral but donations if desired for the Paul Sartori Foundation c/o W.G.Bernard Mathias & Daughter, 62 New Street, St.Davids, SA62 6SU.
Mr Alan Hemmings
Rosebush The death occurred peacefully at Belvedere House Care Home, Tenby on 7th September of Mr Alan Hemmings, he was aged 97 Alan will be sadly missed by his wife Jane, sons Roger, Louis and Guy, and Grandsons Luke and Lawrence. The funeral service takes place on Thursday, 21st September at Parc Gwyn Crematorium, Narberth at 1.00pm There will be family flowers only with donations in memory of Alan made payable to Belvedere Care Ltd. c/o Funeral Directors
Messrs W & M J Rossiter & Sons Ltd The Old Rectory, The Norton, Tenby, SA70 8AB or Landsker House, 21 Station Road, Narberth, SA67 7DR.
A RNOLD
Mr Neville Peter Arnold Weston Super Mare (Formerly of Pembroke Dock) Mr Neville Peter Arnold, affectionately known as “Pete”, passed away peacefully on 3rd September 2023 in Weston Super Mare. Peter
was formerly of Pembroke Dock and Pennar, and born in Acocks Green, Birmingham in 1939. Pete was married to Fay Arnold, (nee Hill) who passed away in 2008. They met in Pembroke Dock when Pete was in the Royal Navy and married in 1960. Family left to mourn are Geraldine, Julia and Michelle (daughters); Cheselle, Harrison, Amelia, Brooke, Abigail and Henry (grandchildren); Great Grandchild Effie; Peter, and Nick (sonsin-law); Vera (Sister-inLaw) Ted (Brother-inLaw) Harry Dennis and Mario (Brothers-in-Law) Yvonne, Christine and Gloria (Sisters-in-Law) A much loved Uncle to all his nephews and nieces. The funeral service will take place at St. Johns Church, Pembroke Dock on Monday 25th September 2023 at 2.30pm followed by the interment at Llanion cemetery. There will be famWily flowers only, with donations if so desired for Cancer Research UK c/o E.C. Thomas & Son Funeral Directors, W21, Main Street, Pembroke SA71 4JS (01646) 682680 or via www. ecthomasandson.co.uk
Well, whatever the security lapses or blunders that led to escape from HMP Wandsworth Daniel Khalife is back in prison again and we can only applaud the Metropolitan’s Police’s outstanding work in tracking him down. Having said that it will be interesting to learn if anyone helped him escape, and whether the offer of £20,000 reward played any part in his eventual capture.
As I listened to the news of his audacious break-out and eventual capture I couldn’t help remembering the story of Malcolm Worsley. Malcolm left prison at the end of his seventh and final sentence with a warder’s words ringing in his ears ‘You’ll be back Worsley. I know your type. You’ll be back’. And the warder had good reason to say that given his track record. Demobbed in 1959 his hopes of ‘the good life’ had soon faded and before long his life had descended into a pattern of ever descending circles, or as he once put it ‘going
around and around and down and down’.
But then God intervened in the most amazing way. You can read his story in ‘Out of Bounds’ written by Judith Wigley, the wife of the Anglican Minister who first encouraged him to read the New Testament because he knew it would introduce him to a God who could offer him hope and a new direction in life. And that is exactly what happened because Malcolm’s remarkable story is a powerful reminder of what can happen when someone takes the Christian faith seriously. Malcolm got married and worked with the homeless before obtaining a Social Work qualification and working as a Probation Officer in the very prison where he had served his last sentence! In fact, if my memory serves me correctly it was all a little overwhelming for one prison officer who remembered the Malcolm of old. It seems that it took him two whole days to
work through the challenge of having to hand over the keys to the doors in his prison. Malcolm then went on to be ordained in the Anglican Church as well as establish the Philippi Trust as an International Counselling and Training organisation.
Malcolm Worsley clearly discovered that the God we encounter in the Bible can do more than forgive people then. He can offer them a new start in life too, as well as give them the resources they need to live in ways that bless others rather than feed their own selfish needs. And thankfully we don’t need to go to prison to discover that. He’s only a prayer away.
Interestingly, one review of Judith Wigley’s book has pointed to ‘the pivotal role of a Christian community on his release’. As I read those words I couldn’t help thinking that they are a timely challenge given the current challenges facing our prison service. ROB
DEAR SIR
I WRITE to share a recent development wherein I received a letter from the Metropolitan Police, inviting me to an interview pertaining to an alleged charge of perverting the course of justice.
This stems from an incident wherein 24 of us peacefully gathered outside the Inner London Crown Court, displaying placards aimed at reminding jurors of their intrinsic right to acquit based on their consciences.
However, I have chosen not to attend this interview. My reason is straightforward: the real perversion of justice lies in judges not permitting juries to fully hear a defendant’s evidence. The cornerstone of our legal system, the right to trial by jury, is
threatened when the evidence highlighting the untruths propagated by the government and the fossil fuel industry remains unheard. It’s been observed that when juries are privy to such evidence, they often acquit those who courageously hold these entities accountable.
Worryingly, courts have now resorted to censoring mentions of ‘climate change’ and ‘fuel poverty’, even imprisoning individuals for merely uttering these terms. In doing so, they veil a jury’s inherent right to acquit a defendant based on moral grounds. How is a jury supposed to exercise a right they aren’t informed of? Such practices eerily transform jury trials into mere theatrics, where jurors are misled into believing their choices are limited.
My faith resides more in my fellow citizens than in the corridors of the legal system. It’s disconcerting to witness regular citizens facing prison sentences -
sometimes longer than those for grave crimessimply for advocating the right to life. Meanwhile, fossil fuel magnates, who profit from deceit, roam unchallenged. This disparity underscores the importance of defending the right to trial by jury.
For these reasons, guided by my conscience, I shall persist in my endeavours.
Angie Zelter ,More than 800 years ago, we knew how to build cathedrals in this climate, with sloping roofs and a layer of lead to prevent the ingress of water, using Gravity to remove it. Over centuries, even lead ‘creeps’.
Today, because criminals steal lead, some lead has been replaced on churches,
with a waterproof plastic layer, still dependent on Gravity.
But we always knew that in 4 months of the year, water could freeze and thaw, up to 100 times per winter, if it remained trapped in pools, on a flat roof, by a light layer of snow or a heavy barrier of ice. Ice is as sharp as a scalpel, expanding every time it freezes, with the destructive power of an explosive. Every schoolchild knows all this.
Schoolchildren also know that water and air combine with iron to create rust. It is stupid to use steel bars to strengthen concrete, if you already know they will rust, while you could galvanise them, to retain that strength, long term.
How do you explain that all of our economy acts against received knowledge?
Knowledge has been available to humans
for centuries, and yet all decision-making authority in our economy is based completely on totally different and opposite motivation, at every level, that the shareholder has one interest above all else, when he votes for directors and CEO’s, who will serve his primary purpose.
This is an economy founded upon the selfinterest and greed of a small section of the nation and wealthy foreigners, who make decisions suited to their immediate interest in every aspect.
It is totally unreasonable for Conservative voters to expect any efficiency in an economy, which has never had any intention to serve the Common Good.
Name and address supplied ,
Amidst a world facing escalating environmental crises and the threat of ecosystem collapse, it is disheartening to witness our ‘leaders’ engage in geostrategic war games to further their interests at the expense of our planet’s wellbeing.
The upcoming arms fair at London’s Excel centre in September, subsidized by the UK, is set to sell arms to oppressive regimes, prioritizing profits over human lives. Moreover, the recent revelation that the USA will deploy armed drones from its military bases in the UK, specifically from ‘RAF’ Fairford in Gloucestershire, operated by the US Air Force with minimal oversight from our government, raises
significant concerns.
The use of drones in unlawful operations, termed as extrajudicial killings by the UN, various states, and international law experts, undermines global peace and security. It is deeply troubling that our current Government seemingly disregards international law and the loss of civilian lives in distant lands under the pretext of the war on terror.
The potential consequences of these drones flying over our homes and villages in Powys cannot be ignored. With a history of frequent crashes, both the Global Hawk and Reaper drones pose safety risks, especially in our densely populated country with crowded skies. Becoming mere collateral disaster statistics is a real possibility.
Furthermore, the development of technology enabling autonomous drones to act without human
oversight is alarming. Such advances raise ethical questions and challenge the very essence of humanity’s responsibility in warfare and decision-making. Adding to the distressing news, the Government’s decision to issue 100 new oil and gas licenses reflects a continuation of the military-industrial complex that perpetuates human misery and environmental devastation. It is high time for citizens to rise and voice their dissent against this path towards destruction.
We, as a society, must demand an end to the unsustainable growth and destruction driven by the capitalist, corporate profit system. It is incumbent upon us to take a stand, raise our voices, and engage in meaningful activism to protect our future from this looming catastrophe.
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Cymru kept their Euro 2024 qualification hopes alive with a crucial 2-0 victory over Latvia in Riga. The win, which came in their Group D qualifier, was seen as a must-win for manager Robert Page, and it keeps Cymru in contention with just three games remaining in the group stage.
The match saw Cymru take the lead in the 28th minute as Kaspars Dubra fouled Harry Wilson in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick. Aaron Ramsey, showing his composure and experience, calmly converted the spot-kick for his 100th career goal.
Despite several chances for Cymru, including wastefulness from Brennan Johnson, Latvia remained in the game and aimed for an unexpected equalizer.
Latvia’s Janis Ikaunieks survived a VAR review for a potential red card after a reckless kick at Jordan James. Slovakian referee Michal Ocenas chose to uphold his initial decision, allowing Ikaunieks to stay on the pitch.
The game’s outcome was eventually sealed in the sixth minute of stoppage time when David
Brooks scored, putting the result beyond Latvia’s reach.
With three games left in Group D, Cymru will face Croatia (home), Armenia (away), and Turkey (home) as they strive to secure a spot in Euro 2024.
Cymru received an additional boost as group leaders Croatia won 1-0 in Armenia, aiding Cymru’s qualification cause.
Cymru had an early opportunity to take the lead when Ethan Ampadu set up
Brennan Johnson, but the Tottenham striker missed his chance. Chances continued to come and go for Cymru, with Johnson and Ben Davies both missing opportunities.
Latvia’s attacking efforts came to life late in the first half, with goalkeeper Danny Ward making a crucial save, and Raimonds Krollis almost capitalized on a defensive lapse.
The match briefly became scrappy in the
final quarter, with Cymru defending deeper. However, Janis Ikaunieks’ long-range shot flew wide, and David Brooks sealed the victory with a wellplaced chip.
Manager Robert Page praised his players for their support, emphasizing the unity within the team, stating, “Pressure doesn’t exist; it is created from outside influence.”
As for Brennan Johnson, the young forward faced the challenge of playing in
a central role for Cymru, a departure from his usual position as a dynamic wide forward. While he showed intelligence in adapting to his new role, his finishing let him down on the night. Nevertheless, his talent remains promising, and Cymru will rely on him in the upcoming crucial matches.
Former Cymru international Robert Earnshaw hailed the win as “monumental,” expressing relief for Page and highlighting the need for Cymru to maintain their confidence as they face Croatia, Turkey, and Armenia in their final group matches.
If Cymru fails to qualify through their group, they still have a chance through the Nations League, with three Euro 2024 spots allocated based on Nations League performances. Cymru’s spot in the playoffs is nearly guaranteed, with the draw scheduled for November 2023 and the semi-finals and finals set for March 21-26, 2024.
Looking ahead, Latvia will face Armenia in their next Euro 2024 Qualifier on October 12, while Cymru will play Gibraltar in a friendly on October 11 at the Racecourse Ground.
HAKIN delivered a standout performance against Monkton Swifts, clinching a 3-1 victory and securing their place at the top of the league table with a four-game winning streak
The game began with Hakin United taking the lead in the 10th minute as skipper Ryan Wilson set up Leon Luby, who made a triumphant return from Ammanford United. Luby struck from 15 yards, giving the Vikings an early advantage.
SMonkton Swifts, however, fought back. In the
33rd minute, Jamie Wilkes managed to equalize with a deflected shot, making it 1-1 at halftime.
The second half saw Hakin United capitalizing on their downhill advantage. Leon Luby’s cross found Shane Walsh, whose shot was parried by Swifts’ keeper Taylor Gullam. Sam Christopher seized the opportunity and netted from close range, putting Hakin United ahead 2-1.
Despite the Swifts’ efforts with several corners, Hakin United sealed the win when Shane Walsh headed the ball back across the goal, and Callum Stannett volleyed it home from six yards. The final score: Hakin United 3, Monkton Swifts 1.
AT BUSH CAMP, Pennar Robins produced a sensational comeback, securing a dramatic 3-2 victory over Milford United and claiming the top spot in the Pembrokeshire League.
In the 20th minute, Milford United took the lead as Morgan Picton assisted Liam Parks.
Milford United extended their lead to 2-0 with a penalty in the 54th minute, converted by Liam Parr.
However, Pennar
Robins mounted a remarkable comeback.
In the 60th minute, Sean Edmundson scored from the penalty spot. In the 92nd minute, Liam Topp’s cross resulted in a scramble and an equalizing goal for Pennar Robins.
Just a minute later, Pennar Robins secured a stunning victory. Keeper Rory Williams launched a long punt that evaded the visitors’ defense, allowing Sean Edmundson to round the United keeper and slot home the winning goal. The final score: Pennar Robins 3, Milford United 2. Pennar Robins now sit at the top of the league table after a thrilling turnaround.
TENBY triumphed 4-1 against Merlins Bridge at Pembrokeshire Sports Village, with Adam Muskett shining. Merlins Bridge took an early lead through Steffan Williams, but Adam Muskett’s 24thminute strike leveled the score.
Muskett then dazzled with goals in the 67th and 72nd minutes, completing a hat-trick. Jack Tucker sealed the 4-1 victory in stoppage time.
Johnston II v Letterston II
Manorbier United v Milford Athletic II
Pembroke Boro II v Herbrandston II
St Clears II v Lawrenny II
IN THE ENTHRALLING opening weekend of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the rugby world witnessed a series of captivating clashes, setting the stage for what promises to be a memorable tournament.
\The festivities kicked off with the hosts, France, squaring off against the formidable New Zealand All Blacks in a contest that had aficionados on the edge of their seats. The encounter was, without a doubt, the most anticipated curtainraiser in the annals of this prestigious competition.
In a startling turn of events, New Zealand stunned the world by
scoring the fastest-ever try in a World Cup opener, with Mark Telea crossing the try line in less than two minutes. France, however, showcased their resilience, demonstrating their mettle against the mighty All Blacks. Under the astute leadership of Fabien Galthié, Les Bleus managed to orchestrate a sensational comeback, ultimately prevailing 2713. This defeat marked the largest margin of loss New Zealand had ever endured in the Rugby World Cup, highlighting the French team’s formidable prowess.
The first half saw France edge ahead with a 9-8 lead,
bolstered by a dominant scrum and exceptional scramble defense. As the second half unfolded, their momentum surged, and New Zealand found themselves faltering in the kicking battle, unable to escape their own half. The prolific Damian Penaud, who had emerged as the top try-scorer in the 2023 Guinness Six Nations, notched his 30th try for France, while Melvyn Jaminet celebrated his first. It was a testament to the character of the French squad, who, under immense pressure, delivered the crucial victory needed to bolster their confidence and
prospects in the competition.
England faced a daunting task against Argentina, especially after Tom Curry received a red card within the first three minutes. Yet, the English squad displayed remarkable resilience and adaptability. Georgeaab Ford emerged as the linchpin, orchestrating the game with three expertly executed drop goals. This strategic approach allowed England to maintain a 12-3 lead and disconcerted their opponents. Rather than expending energy chasing tries, they methodically built their score, ultimately securing a 27-10 victory that positioned them favorably in Pool D.
The clash between Wales and Fiji in Bordeaux served as the pièce de résistance of the weekend. Sixteen years after their iconic showdown in Nantes, these two teams once again delivered a spectacle for the ages. Warren Gatland’s Welsh side triumphed 32-26, earning a valuable five points. The match featured exhilarating tries from the likes of Josh Adams, George North, Louis Rees-Zammit, and a pivotal bonus-point score by Elliott Dee.
Wales had to withstand a ferocious Fijian resurgence
in the final 20 minutes, as the Pacific Islanders launched a relentless assault. Only a late knock-on by Fiji denied them the opportunity to replicate their historic success from 2007. In this wide-open group, Wales departed the encounter with maximum points, showcasing their attacking prowess and ingenuity that consistently troubled the Fijian defense. With upcoming matches against Portugal, Australia, and Georgia, this victory marked a nearly perfect start for the Welsh squad. Ireland, entering the tournament as the topranked team in the world, lived up to their billing with an emphatic 82-8 triumph over Romania. Though the opening two minutes saw Ireland caught off guard, they swiftly rebounded with a multi-phase attack that yielded a dozen tries. Despite sweltering conditions, the Grand Slam champions exhibited exceptional ballhandling skills, and Bundee Aki emerged as a constant threat. Johnny Sexton’s triumphant return, marked by two tries and a 24-point haul, further bolstered Ireland’s dominance.
While more challenging opponents await, Ireland’s performance in this opener
exceeded expectations. Italy, often viewed as outsiders in a group featuring France and New Zealand, commenced their campaign with a resounding 52-8 victory over Namibia. Although the Azzurri encountered early challenges and led by just nine points at halftime, they surged ahead in the second half. Tommaso Allan’s flawless kicking secured all five second-half tries, as Italy showcased their depth and determination, especially among the substitutes.
ScotlanW, however, faced a formidable challenge in their opening game against reigning world champions South Africa. The encounter proved to be an uphill battle for Gregor Townsend’s squad, as they struggled to establish dominance. A malfunctioning lineout hampered their efforts, and despite brief glimpses of promise, they found themselves trailing 6-3 at halftime. In the second half, the Springboks asserted their dominance in the scrum, rendering Scotland’s defensive efforts futile. The final scoreline of 18-3, while not insurmountable, sets up a must-win scenario for Scotland against Ireland, with Tonga and Romania awaiting in the group stage.
WALES’ head coach, Warren Gatland, has opted to give Dan Biggar some much-needed rest as he introduces 13 changes to the lineup for their upcoming Rugby World Cup match against Portugal.
Among the starting players retained from the previous clash with Fiji are Louis ReesZammit and Taulupe Faletau, while a notable addition is Leigh Halfpenny, who earns his 101st cap as a fullback.
In this significant lineup shuffle, Tomos Williams steps in as the scrum-half for his 50th cap, and Gareth Anscombe secures his first start of the tournament as the flyhalf. Gatland has also decided to grant four players their World Cup debuts: Dewi Lake will captain the side from the hooker position, Johnny Williams and Mason Grady will feature in the centers, and Christ Tshiunza will join the team as a lock.
The front row consists of Nicky Smith,
Dillon Lewis, and Dewi Lake, while Dafyyd Jenkins partners with Christ Tshiunza in the second row. Rio Dyer joins forces with ReesZammit on the wing. Dan Lydiate takes on the role of blindside flanker, while Tommy Reffell makes his first start of the tournament as the openside flanker. Faletau continues as No. 8 to gain more game time following his return from a calf injury.
Wales’ bench includes Gareth Davies, Sam Costelow, and Josh Adams in the backs, with Ryan Elias, Corey Domachowski, and Tomas Francis
available for the front row, and Adam Beard providing cover for the second row. Taine Basham, set for his World Cup debut, is the final forward replacement.
Coach Gatland commented on the changes, stating, “We’ve made a few adjustments this week due to the sixday turnaround. This presents an opportunity for our matchday 23. There’s healthy competition within the squad, which is encouraging. This group now has a chance to make their mark in the tournament.”
