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Enthusiastic endorsement for history project

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pembroketownhallPEMBROKE TOWN HALL was packed last Saturday morning (Oct 4) as AM Angela Burns gave her enthusiastic endorsement to the Pembroke and Monkton Local History Society’s latest initiative: Through My Eyes: a community history of Pembroke and Monkton. ‘Through My Eyes’, which has been published as a book and accompanying DVD, contains a wealth of local memories which should prove of inestimable value to future historians as well as those interested in the history of one of the most historically fascinating areas of the UK. Speaking on behalf of the project team Linda Asman said: “Pembroke has a prestigious history, and although its distant past is well documented there has been no book written about the history of Pembroke and Monkton in more recent times. It has long been my aim to rectify this”. Ms Asman added: “After many years of recording oral histories, I came up with the idea of telling the history of Pembroke through the individual stories of members of the community.

These stories, like pieces of a jigsaw, would combine to paint a portrait of Pembroke, and illustrate how it has changed through time as well as record them for posterity” “It was the formation of the P&M Local History Society in 2010 which provided the platform to develop the project, the aim of which was to make a DVD of digital stories (short fi lms) of local people and to print the scripts in an accompanying book. Although we were prepared to carry out the work on a voluntary basis, we needed money to provide us with training and ultimately to publish the project.

We applied to the Heritage Lottery Fund which fortunately approved the project and awarded us almost £10,000 in July 2012” “Putting all of this together has been no mean task. We needed to capture personal stories which conveyed social change in Pembroke from differing aspects of community life so it was important to the success of the project that we selected the right people. Fortunately all participants when approached, willingly embraced the project, which is greatly to their credit as making a story is very demanding time wise.

It turned out to be considerably bigger than originally planned: 45 people contributed their stories and so many have offered support. Then there are the professionals without whom we could not have brought the project to a successful conclusion: Matt White guided us through the digital storytelling training, tweaked our fi lms and produced the DVD while Keith Johnson (editor of Pembrokeshire Life) produced the book”. Refl ecting on the large number who turned out for the launch she continued: “I was really overwhelmed.

In just two hours we sold 170 copies! I am very grateful to our Assembly Member, Angela Burns for opening proceedings at the Launch, along with Pembroke’s Mayor Clr Aaron Carey and Mayoress Natalie and to Pembroke Town Council for sponsoring the event. “The previous evening the Pembroke & Monkton Local History Society held a pre-launch get together for the people who had participated in the project, and this proved very popular with around 90 people attending. The Society Committee had worked hard to produce a lovely buffet and everyone who had written a story was presented with a complementary copy of the book. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening”

“I do think that this response illustrates the extent of community involvement in the project and the huge interest in our great past, a past which has been somewhat overlooked. I hope in this project we have at least done something to capture that sense of place which is Pembroke, to preserve the memory for posterity”. ‘Through My Eyes’ is a voluntary community project – no member of the Society received any money for their work and all proceeds from sales will be invested in future projects of the Society and in the Pembroke Museum.

The Museum is the result of a partnership between Town Council and various heritage groups including West Wales Maritime Heritage Society and Pembroke Civic Trust. “It is a much needed facility in Pembroke” Linda Asman explained. “So much has been lost because we have not had a museum, hard to believe for a town with such a great heritage. However, we are working to develop it and for this we rely on community support, for donations of artefacts, photographs and memorabilia as well as for volunteers.

There is much to be done” A clearly enthused Angela Burns AM added “Through our eyes is a story told through 45 sets of eyes and yet it is a story of a community from the turn of the First World War and in some instances even earlier. It is so good to be able to record this because our communities are changing so quickly and we need to have these tales for our children and their children too – to look back on and say this is who we were, this is where we came from and this is where we are going. It’s about the past and the present but above all it’s about saving things for the future” It is a wonderful, wonderful project and a real labour of love” For more information on how to obtain copies of the book (Including the DVD can be obtained from the local history by calling in at the town hall.

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Community

Mayor of Bergen visits Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre

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IT was a Mayoral gathering when the Burgermeisterin of Bergen, in Germany, paid a visit to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre in the company of Councillor Aden Brinn, the Mayor of Bergen’s twin town, Pembroke.

There to meet Burgermeisterin Claudia Dettmar-Muller and her colleague Silvia Bothe were two former Mayors of Pembroke Dock, Councillors Pam George and Maureen Colgan, and trustees and volunteers who run the Centre. Joining them was Pembroke’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ann Mortenson.

Trustee Peter Mitchell and colleagues gave a guided town of the Centre which has extensive displays on Pembroke Dock’s rich maritime and military history spanning just over two centuries, and its connections with RAF flying boats.

Pic By Martin Cavaney.

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Community

Wonderful night at Haverfordwest Library for special Poet Laureate event

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HAVERFORDWEST Library was delighted to be part of the prestigious Poet Laureate Library Tour for 2024 with a special event on Friday, March 8.
Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman, Cllr Thomas Tudor extended a special welcome to the guests of honour: Poet Laureate Simon Armitage; his guests Owen Sheers and Bethany Handley; plus the winners of the recent library Poetry Competition.
The poetry began with writer, poet and disabled activist, Bethany Handley. Bethany campaigns for better access to nature for disabled people, and her work explores nature and disability, challenging the barriers that disabled people experience.
Bethany’s first poem was heartfelt and humorous about her experience of visiting a beach in her wheelchair. Her final poem also drew on her experiences, being a compilation poem of many well-intentioned, yet impractical or inappropriate, advice that she has received as a wheelchair user.
Owen Sheers is an award winning Welsh poet, author and playwright. He has twice won the Wales Book of the Year as well as the Hay Festival Poetry Medal.
His film-poem, the Green Hollow, about the Aberfan disaster, was BAFTA and Grierson nominated and won three BAFTA Cymru awards, including best writer.
Owen read an extract from the Green Hollow, bringing the horror of the disaster to life. He also read poems about parenthood and his experiences as a son and as a father.
The Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry.
Simon launched into a poem about humanity, the universe and working as one. He then used his back catalogue of poems written for music. His poems covered some unusually random themes, particularly those he crafted during the Covid pandemic.
He said that he’d even written a poem inspired by a Velux window and read a beautiful poem about laying in a hammock watching a pair of newly-weds sail overhead in a hot air balloon.
His performances were engaging, humorous and moving and he brought the words to life.
Simon also spoke warmly about the importance of libraries as a child but also as an adult travelling about the country, with libraries always offering a warm welcome.
Ashok Ahir, President of the National Library of Wales thanked the three poets and introduced the new exhibition in the gallery, Dylan: The Lyrical Life of Dylan Thomas.
The exhibition is open to the public until 14th September 2024. Further information can be seen online.
The event drew to a close as Cllr Tudor issued the prizes to the winners of the recent poetry eisteddfod competition. The competition celebrated the language, culture, heritage and literature of Wales.
The theme was Dylan Thomas. Entries could draw inspiration from any of his works or seek inspiration from a specific quote: “from where you are, you can hear their dreams”.
Entries received were of a high standard and were judged by Wendy Morse (leader of the Haverfordwest Library Poetry Group, who would welcome new members, contact Haverfordwest Library for more information); representatives from the Library staff and the National Library of Wales staff. The poems will be on display at Haverfordwest Library until the end of the Easter Holidays.

Prizes have been awarded to:
• Sian Davies: Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, adult written poem category
• James Purchase: I Shall go Gentle into that Good Night, adult written poem category
• Philippa Davies: Dylan is in the Library, adult spoken word category
• Tony Potts: Windfall, adult illustrated poem category
• John Matthews: Dylan Cwmdonkin, adult Welsh language category
• Ellie McGrath: It was all a Dream, 11-14 age category
• Skye-Lea Jones: Are you Listening?,11-14 age category
Thanks to the judges of the poetry competition and to Faber & Faber, who donated the book prizes in support of the Poet Laureate’s Library Tour.
Cllr Thomas Tudor said: “The Riverside opened its doors in December 2018 and has enjoyed many fascinating exhibitions since thanks to the continued partnership with the National Library of Wales.
“The Riverside was one of just six libraries to host this Poet Laureate Library Tour for 2024.
“It is a fantastic achievement for Haverfordwest Library to be a part of these significant events, helping to raise the profile and regeneration of the County Town and I thank everyone who has worked hard to make the event a success.”
The event would not have been possible without the continued support from The National Library of Wales and Haverfordwest Town Council. The President of the National Library of Wales and the Mayor, Sheriff and Clerk of Haverfordwest Town Council were all present.

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Charity

Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter

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THE INFAMOUS Bags of Books is set to return to Milford Haven and surrounding areas over the Easter holidays.

Milford Haven School who launched the project with Milford Youth Matters over 3 years ago are continuing in their bid to improve literacy skills and encourage a love of reading for pleasure by giving away over 700 books.

Thanks to funding from the South Hook LNG Community grant they have purchased books for young people of all ages and reading abilities and will be hanging them on the fences of the schools in their catchment area.

The community are invited to come and choose a book from the following locations over the Easter holidays:

  • Neyland Community Primary School – Monday 25th March
  • Johnston Community Primary School – Tuesday 26th March
  • Coastlands Primary School – Wednesday 27th March
  • Gelliswick Primary School – Tuesday 2nd April
  • Milford Haven Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
  • St Francis Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April

Milford Haven Secondary School will also hang over 150 books on their fence after the Easter Holidays on Wednesday 10th April for those in our community who cannot attend the other locations.

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