CADETS from across West Wales have returned from the South West Area Sea Cadets Sail and Windsurf Regatta with an impressive collection of medals and team honours.

Strong performances across both sailing and windsurfing helped West Wales District finish third overall in the combined competition.

In the sailing events, Leading Cadet Jack, of Tenby Sea Cadets, secured third place in the Open Pico class.

Ordinary Cadet Sadie, of Port Talbot Sea Cadets, finished seventh in the Open RS Zest, while Cadet First Class Charis, of Tenby, placed 13th. Their combined results helped West Wales achieve sixth place overall in the Zest competition.

Milford Haven cadets also enjoyed success in the Junior RS Quest, with Cadet First Class Dylan and Ordinary Cadet Naomi taking second place. West Wales went on to finish third overall in the Junior RS Quest category.

In the Open RS Quest, Able Cadet Wilfred and Leading Cadet Reilly, of Swansea Sea Cadets, secured third place, contributing to a sixth-place overall finish in the class.

West Wales District finished fourth in the overall sailing competition.

The district produced even stronger results in the windsurfing events.

Cadet Harley, of Fishguard Sea Cadets, finished second in the up to 4.5-metre category, while Cadet Konrad, of Neath and District Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets, placed fourth. Their performances earned West Wales the overall title in the class.

In the up to 5.8-metre event, Able Cadet Noah, of Fishguard, finished second, with fellow Fishguard cadet Able Cadet Jakob taking fourth place. West Wales again secured the overall class victory.

Able Cadet Ryan, of Milford Haven, claimed first place in the up to 6.8-metre competition, helping the district take its third windsurfing class title.

The combined results saw West Wales District crowned overall winners of the windsurfing competition.

A strong team effort across every event ultimately secured third place for West Wales in the overall Sail and Windsurf Regatta standings.

West Wales District Sea Cadets congratulated all those who competed, describing the results as a fantastic achievement for the cadets and their units.

TRIBUTES have been paid to Gareth Griffiths, who worked for one of Pembrokeshire’s largest and best-known haulage firms for more than three decades.

Mansel Davies Group announced that its former employee sadly passed away on Monday, July 13.

During more than 30 years with the company, Gareth carried out a variety of roles, including tipper driving and vehicle recovery work.

The company shared a photograph of Gareth standing beside one of its distinctive Volvo lorries and paid tribute to his many years of dedicated service.

Gareth will be laid to rest at Hermon Chapel at 11:00am on Saturday, August 1.

The thoughts of his former colleagues are with Gareth’s family and friends.

Cysga’n dawel, Gareth.

SUPPORTERS of Ysgol Cilgerran’s Church in Wales school have protested at a Pembrokeshire County Council meeting against council plans to remove church status from the school.

Back in May, Pembrokeshire County Council voted to remove Voluntary Controlled (VC) status from the Welsh-medium rural school despite 97 per cent of the responses to a consultation having opposed a change which the church describes as ‘entirely unnecessary’.

The Church in Wales has objected formally to the proposal and has warned it will take legal action on the grounds of “public misrepresentation and unqualified legal assertions made by Pembrokeshire County Council officers,” and “discrimination against faith schooling”.

During Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council meeting of July 16, parents, teachers, and students travelled to County Hall, Haverfordwest to protest.

Their colourful protest signs, made by students, carried messages such as “You can’t fix what isn’t broken”, “Leave our VC status alone”, and “Don’t take away our identity for a few £££”.

One of the protesters, an ex-pupil and governor, Sarah Moore, has said: “I’m here today because I’m horrified that the council are talking about taking the church status away from our school. The church gave that land for the school over 180 years ago.

“97 per cent have voted against this and yet they’re still trying to do it. If we want our children to stay in a church school, the nearest one is Letterston. So where will these children have that good education that they are getting now?”

Kelly Davies, parent and governor, said: “We feel really strongly as parents, the pupils and the community that we’re not happy about them taking VC status away.

“We have really strong links with the church and the school and the community. It just seems that they’re taking this away from us permanently for no reason.”

The Church has said it has deep concern about what it sees as a pattern of the council’s recent actions regarding Church Schools.

In June, councillors voted to close Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, which was damaged by a fire in 2022.

The Church says it is taking formal action in this case.

It has also expressed concerns about VC status being lost for Tenby Church in Wales VC school after councillors backed a consultation on penitential education changes in the Tenby area.

A spokesperson for the Church in Wales said: “The entirely unnecessary threat to the status of this much-loved community school has had an impact on children, families, and the wider community. We are not prepared to allow another thriving rural school to lose its treasured character.

“Ysgol Cilgerran has our full support, and we hope that Pembrokeshire County Council listens to the voices of the community it serves, and chooses not to remove VC status.”