News

New S4C documentary focuses on Pembrokeshire company

Published

8 years ago

January 5, 2017

14654295164_a8840a44a0_b MANSEL DAVIES & SON, based in Llanfyrnach near Crymych, is the focus of a brand new S4C documentary which airs later this month.

The new six-part documentary series, Lorïau Mansel Davies a’i Fab, starting on Wednesday, January 18 on S4C (English subtitles available), demonstrates how the company remains very much a family business and the emphasis is on employing local people in the Pembrokeshire area.

The company has kept going in one form or another since 1875 and has been a goods and freight supplier since 1900, initially with horse and cart and then increasingly by lorry. These days, using the latest logistics technology, it has a fleet of over 150 lorries and employs 300 people in its HQ and other locations.

And, as the Tinopolis production team found out, the company is full of colourful characters who combine hard work and utter professionalism with a great deal of humour, leg pulling and the milk of human kindness.

The company is headed by Stephen Davies, although his 80-year-old father Kaye Mansel Davies still has more than a say in the running of the yard!

The family own a number of companies in all, but the freight business is the mainstay, and the lorries are a regular site on Wales’ winding ways.

Stephen Davies says: “We are now into the sixth generation of Davieses involved in the business and we want to keep the business within the family. We employ most of our staff from a 25-mile radius of the village and some of our employees are into the third generation of families working for us.

“This is a 365-day-a-year business, carrying all kinds of freight throughout the UK and Europe, so we all work hard. We carry milk from some 400 farms and take them in articulated lorries to processing plants all over the country.”

In the series, viewers will follow the lorry drivers on their journeys, see how the staff cope on Christmas Day and join in Kaye Mansel’s 80th birthday celebrations.

You will get to know the Davies family, Stephen’s wife, Siân, daughter Sasha and son Scott, who all work for the business. Staff camaraderie is pretty evident too, as we meet colourful lorry drivers such as Alan George and Dai Hands, and a host of staff, from schedulers to welders and technicians.

Lorry driver Alan George says: “My dad was a transport manager with the company for many years and that’s how I got involved. It’s a good company and driving is in my blood. Being a lorry driver can be a lonely life and the worst thing is that I’ve missed out on some parts of my son’s upbringing but once you’re behind the wheel and the adrenaline starts flowing you are hooked to it.”

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.