NEW six-part BBC One programme is looking for five to eight-year-olds across Wales who are finding it hard to make friends

A NEW BBC television series is looking for children across Wales aged between five and eight who are finding it hard to make friends.

Will You Be My Friend? is a new six-part series for BBC One and iPlayer from Five Mile Films, the makers of Channel 4’s The Dog House. The programme will focus on children who are struggling socially, whether through shyness, feeling left out, or finding it difficult to connect with others their own age.

The series will centre on what producers call The Friendship Centre, where a team of psychologists will help children build confidence and social skills to form real and lasting friendships.

Each child will then be sensitively matched with a potential new friend from their local area for a play date. Six weeks later, the programme will return to see how their new-found confidence has helped them at school, in the playground and beyond.

The production team says the series aims to explore the challenge of friendship in modern childhood, at a time when many families remain concerned about loneliness, social confidence, screen time and the lingering effects of the Covid pandemic.

Emma Loach, Interim Head of Commissioning, Documentaries at the BBC, said: “The longing to connect, to be seen, and to belong is universal.

“Whether you’re five or fifty-five, I defy anyone to watch these children without seeing a little bit of themselves reflected.

“In a world that can feel increasingly disconnected, this series shows that the simplest gestures – a smile, a shared joke, a tentative ‘will you be my friend?’ – still have the power to change everything. Five Mile Films has brought us something very special, and we couldn’t be prouder to give it a home on the BBC.”

Nick Mirsky, CEO of Five Mile Films, said: “I don’t think there’s a commission I could be more thrilled to bring to Five Mile. Will You Be My Friend? will be joyful, warm and funny, but it also does something genuinely new – inviting us to look closely at the challenge and art of making friends.”

Filming is due to take place in July and August, and producers are now inviting applications from families in Wales who feel their child could benefit from taking part.

The series is being made by Five Mile Films for BBC One and iPlayer, with All3Media International acting as international partner.

Parents or guardians who would like more information or wish to apply can visit: bemyfriend.tv

Based on the press release and fact sheet you uploaded.

A MAN was arrested after police stopped a car on Dimond Street, Pembroke Dock, on Saturday afternoon (Apr 4).

Witnesses said the incident happened at around 5:00pm outside Bargain Booze, when two police vehicles – one marked and one unmarked – pulled over a motorist.

According to one bystander, officers searched the boot of the vehicle and arrested the man straight afterwards.

The same witness said what was suspected to be Class A drugs were found, although that detail has not been confirmed by police.

The man was taken away in a police car, while an officer drove the suspect’s vehicle from the scene.

The Herald has contacted Dyfed-Powys Police for comment.

Image: File photo

Students to get wider access to EMA support

MORE students in Pembrokeshire could soon qualify for a £40-a-week education grant as the Welsh Government expands eligibility for the Education Maintenance Allowance.

From September, an extra 1,500 students aged 16 to 18 across Wales will be able to claim the weekly payment, which is designed to help young people stay on in education.

Eluned Morgan MS welcomed the change, saying it would allow more families in Pembrokeshire to benefit from the support.

She said: “Wales already has the most generous EMA offer in the UK. Under a Tory government it was scrapped in England, while Scotland and Northern Ireland offer students less money than in Wales.

“EMA helps young people with costs like books, transport and meals – all things which can affect the cost of living for families.

“Every young person deserves the opportunity to reach their potential, so I am proud that, because of Welsh Labour choices, more students will be supported to do so.”

More than 18,000 students in Wales currently receive EMA, which is available to learners aged 16 to 18 from households below a set income threshold.

The Welsh Government said the latest expansion will mean even more young people can access weekly support from September.

Eluned Morgan said: “The Welsh EMA is breaking down barriers for learners in Pembrokeshire. Everybody deserves an equal opportunity to access education, and providing £40 a week to those eligible is one of the ways in which the Welsh Labour Government is making this a reality.

“Hundreds of learners in Pembrokeshire claim their EMA every year. At £40 a week, Welsh Labour delivers the most generous offer in the UK.

“I know this money makes a real difference for students and their families with the cost of living.

“And, of course, the Welsh Government’s £1 bus fare scheme for young people is helping to make the EMA go even further for families across Pembrokeshire.

“I would urge all 16 to 18-year-olds and their families in the county to take a few minutes to check whether they qualify for support.”

EMA can be used to help with education-related costs including transport, meals and study supplies.

Applications for the new EMA offer open on Monday (Apr 27).

Students and families can check eligibility and apply through Student Finance Wales, or speak to their school or college.

If you want, I can also turn this into a fuller Pembrokeshire Herald article with headline and subheading.