Connect with us
Advertisement
Advertisement

News

Sandy Bear: Local child bereavement service to shut its doors in June

Published

on

sandyA BEREAVEMENT service helping children and young people will close within months, it has been confirmed today.

In a statement a spokesman said for Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “The Sandy Bear Service will end in June 2016 as a commissioned service.

“We continue our work with the county council and other partners to explore new opportunities for bereavement services for children young people and their families.”

The Pembrokeshire-based community service has been working with children aged from 0-18 for 19 years and has been cited as an example of best practice in helping children with unresolved grief issues.
The service has ​two​ funded part-time coordinators and volunteers recruited from health, education and social services.
The development of this service was unique and innovative within Pembrokeshire as research states that by and large the mental health service field had not previously appreciated the impact of loss and bereavement on a child’s emotional health and well-being.
Despite the excellent work being delivered by the service, a post appeared in the Save Essential Services Facebook group from an unimpeachable source stating that the service is definitely to close.
Reactions to the news were appalled.
Samantha-Jane Connor wrote: ​”​Sandy bear helped me when I lost my dad 10 years ago (I was 11) I still even have the teddy they gave me and the memory box that was created! It’s wrong … I think children need this!​”​

Service users, both past and current, were unanimous in their condemnation of the service cut. A check on the County Council’s website revealed that there appeared to have been no discussion of cutting the service with councillors, and the service is not mentioned in the string of cuts to the social services budget rubber-stamped by the County Council’s Cabinet.
As the cut to funding is likely to have an impact on the welfare of a defined group of young people, the Council should have carried out an impact assessment. There is no sign of it having done so.
The Herald asked the local authority to confirm or deny that the services was to close, in a statement which neither confirmed nor confirmed its closure, a spokesperson told The Herald: ​”​Council services provided by the Families First grant – including Sandy Bear – are currently being reviewed following a reduction in funding from the Welsh Government.​”​
Sandy Bear is part of the Council’s Emotional Health and Well Being service commissioned from the Hywel Dda University Health Board.

​”​Tellingly, an online link to information on the county council’s own website no carries the information described on a Google search as being held there.

As the Council’s statement had flagged up the involvement of the Health Board, we approached it for a comment as well. Libby Ryan-Davies, Director of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, told us: “Hywel Dda University Health Board are working together with Pembrokeshire County Council to review the current provision of Bereavement services in Pembrokeshire as a result of the recent confirmation of Welsh Government funding reduction.
“We are committed to looking at all opportunities to ensure the delivery of evidence-based services, locally.”
Pembrokeshire County Councillor Stephen Joseph joined the online discussion on Thursday (Mar 24), commenting: ‘I have only become aware that funding has been cut to this service through Facebook today. I have spent the morning trying to establish who has made the decision and why it has been made without, it appears, any involvement from any councillors’.
At the time of writing this article, an online petition started by Nina Evans has gathered 2,600 signatures in under forty-eight hours.
Nina’s petition states: “​This is a service that help hundreds of children who have encountered bereavement. They carry out an amazing service supporting children & helping them understand what has happened. I would hate to think what dark place my child would be in now if he had not been lucky enough to have the support from Sandy Bears.

​”​Please help to make Pembrokeshire county council sit up and re-think their decision. As a mother of a child who has suffered a bereavement of a parent I know how difficult it is dealing with grief, so please sign and let others have the support that that my family did.
​”​Fiona Skeate, a former volunteer with the service responding to the petition wrote: ​”​I work with some of the most damaged LAC children in Wales and see first-hand the devastating emotional and psychological impact that bereavement and loss can have on children and young people, both in the immediate and long term.
​”​I volunteered for Sandy Bears a few years ago and have seen first hand the positive difference this kind of support group provides to troubled teens and children as well as providing vital support to families who are having difficulty supporting themselves and are often at a loss as to how best help their children.

​”​Karen and Anita have been able to visit families in their homes to provide immediate guidance and develop a rapport with families.At a later date, children can then share their grief, express feelings and emotions, talk, share memories, carry out therapeutic activities and have pertinent questione answered that in most cases they have previously been unable to do.
​”​Think again and research into the therapeutic value of this kind of intervention before it is too late.”​
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Business

Trains resume between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock as works end

Published

on

TRAIN services resumed this morning (Thursday 28 March) after ten days of essential round-the-clock work to upgrade track and drainage between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock.

The railway was closed from Monday 18 March to Wednesday 27 March to allow Network Rail teams to replace more than 200 metres of track and 300 tonnes of ballast (track stones) between Pembroke station and Pembroke Dock.

Work to improve the drainage between Narbeth and Kilgetty stations was also completed at the same time.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential work in Pembrokeshire demonstrates our commitment to improving the reliability of the service we provide to passengers along our route.

“We know that replacing the track can be disruptive and very noisy, so I would like to thank the residents of Pembroke for their patience while our team carried out this crucial work.”

Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales said: “We’re pleased that our colleagues in Network Rail have completed this essential work and that Transport for Wales rail services resumed today.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this work has progressed and look forward to welcoming passengers back in time for the Easter weekend.”

Continue Reading

News

Welsh Water has increased sewage discharges into waterways ‘by 40%’

Published

on

NEW figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Dwr Cymru discharged sewage into waterways for a staggering 23,354 hours last year, a 40% increase on 2022. 

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in Welsh waterways.

The party has also called for a halt on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Conservative MPs have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis.

The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into our nation’s rivers and waterways without consequence.

“It’s beggars’ belief that both the UK Conservative Government and the Welsh Labour government are allowing water firms to get away with this environmental vandalism.

“We as a party are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local waterways. We have also called for a halt on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways.”

Continue Reading

News

New bus services announced by Pembrokeshire County Council

Published

on

A NUMBER of changes to local bus services will be introduced in the coming weeks as a result of a shake up to bus funding. 

From April 2024, the funding which has been provided directly to bus operators by the Welsh Government to keep services going in the wake of the Covid pandemic will cease. 

Additional funding will instead be provided to Local Authorities to support their local bus network.

In total, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government will provide over £3million in support for bus services in Pembrokeshire during the coming year.

As part of this process, all Pembrokeshire’s local bus services have been re-tendered. 

A public consultation, receiving over 300 responses, helped to inform decisions about which services should be prioritised. 

Councillor Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services said: “I am delighted to be able to report that we are able to maintain the whole of Pembrokeshire’s current local bus network in the coming year.

“We have also secured key improvements such as reinstating an hourly service on the 349 route between Haverfordwest and Tenby via Pembroke Dock, and the popular Strumble Shuttle and Puffin Shuttle coastal bus services during the summer.”

The changes will also see two key services, the 302 Haverfordwest to Milford Haven and 349 Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock, brought under Council oversight for the first time. 

This will give the Council greater oversight of service operations and fares.  Pembrokeshire residents will also benefit from a new fare structure on all First Cymru services, due to be introduced from 1 April 2024. 

This will use Tap On Tap Off to allow passengers to pay the cheapest fare depending on the number of journeys they make or distance travelled, and will cap the maximum adult fare at £3 single and £5.40 return. 

More information about these fares can be found on the First Cymru website

A number of additional service changes and improvements are being considered for introduction during the course of the coming year in response to feedback received from the public consultation.  

The following bus service changes have been confirmed:

From 23 March 2024:

  • The Celtic Coaster (403) on the St Davids peninsular will restart for the 2024 season on Saturday 23 March and will run until Sunday 29 September. This is an hourly service, increasing to half-hourly during the whitsun half term and school summer holidays. There will be no service departing Caerfai Road at 13.00 and 13.30.
  • The 351 (Tenby to Pendine via Amroth) will return to its summer timetable.

From 1 April 2024

  • An hourly service will return on the 349 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock) service (April to September only).
  • The 356 (Milford Haven to Monkton) service will no longer call at Waterston and Hazelbeach due to operational issues caused by the narrow lanes in this area. The Fflecsi service will still be available.
  • A Saturday service, between 07:30 and 18:30, will be reintroduced in the Fflecsi Mid Pembrokeshire zone (formerly known as Bwcabus). This zone covers the area between Letterston, Crymych, Clunderwen and Wiston.  Passengers can also travel from this zone to Fishguard and Haverfordwest. 
  • The 302 (Haverfordwest to Milford Haven) and 349 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock) services operated by First Cymru will come under Pembrokeshire County Council control, giving the Council greater oversight of service operations and fares.
  • The 322 (Haverfordwest to Carmarthen) and 381 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Narberth) services will be run by First Cymru. The 322 timetable will remain the same. The 381 timetable will remain the same from Haverfordwest to Tenby but journeys from Tenby to Haverfordwest will depart slightly earlier (37 past the hour instead of 45).
  • The X22 and X61 services which provided journeys at the start and end of the day between Pembroke Dock and Kilgetty, and Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest will be withdrawn.
  • The 410 (Fishguard Town) and T11 (Haverfordwest to Fishguard via St Davids) services will be operated on a commercial (T11 part commercial) basis by Richards Bros. An improved connection with the ferry at Fishguard Harbour will be provided at 12.30.

From 19 May 2024

  • The Tenby Coaster service between Tenby and Saundersfoot will return for the summer season.

From 25 May 2024

  • The 400 Puffin Shuttle and 404 Strumble Shuttle services will return to the coast between Marloes and St Davids, and St Davids and Fishguard. These services will operate 7 days a week until 29 September 2024.  The Fflecsi service is also available in this area throughout the year.
  • The 387/388 Coastal Cruiser service around the Angle Peninsula will also return to its summer timetable, operating 7 days a week until 29th September 2024.

Further information about all Pembrokeshire bus services can be found on the Council’s website.

Continue Reading

News10 hours ago

Police ask motorists to avoid A44 trunk road due to heavy snowfall

DYFED-POWYS POLICE have issued an appeal to motorists to avoid a 25 mile section of the A44 trunk road between...

Crime1 day ago

Woman will quit the booze after seeing shocking drunken video in court

A HAVERFORDWEST woman this week vowed to undertake ‘a complete alcohol abstinence’ after being shown court video footage of her...

News2 days ago

Family heartbroken by loss of ‘larger than life character’ in M4 crash

THE FAMILY of the man who died in a collision on the M4 motorway say ‘he will be greatly missed...

Business2 days ago

Victory for WASPI women but the fight goes on

A LANDMARK ruling by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman could benefit around 5,000 women in Ceredigion born in the...

Entertainment4 days ago

A night to remember: Symphonica Tywi’s ‘Film Fantastics’ was a triumph

ON SATURDAY (Mar 23), Haverfordwest High School was ablaze with the soaring melodies and dramatic scores of some of cinema’s...

News4 days ago

Memorial for all those affected by Covid-19 unveiled at County Hall

A LASTING tribute for Pembrokeshire loved ones lost during the Covid-19 pandemic and those working on the frontline has been...

Top News5 days ago

Princess of Wales announces cancer diagnosis and treatment

CATHERINE, the Princess of Wales, has shared her recent health struggles with the public, revealing a diagnosis that has sent...

Charity6 days ago

RNLI lifeguards back on patrol in Pembrokeshire for the Easter Holidays

RNLI lifeguards will be on patrol once again in Pembrokeshire ahead of the Easter holidays. This Saturday, 23 March 2024,...

Community7 days ago

Neglected Pembrokeshire poodles find their forever homes 

THIRTY poodle type dogs were in total rescued after they were found in an unsuitable environment where their owner also...

Crime1 week ago

Pembrokeshire’s sniffer dogs locate illegal vapes and counterfeit tobacco

IN A MAJOR bust led by Swansea Council’s Trading Standards Officers, a series of raids uncovered a substantial quantity of...

Popular This Week