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National Lottery gives £63m to Pembrokeshire over 25 years

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THE National Lottery celebrates its 25th Birthday today and charities and community groups in Pembrokeshire are marking the incredible impact of the £63 million awarded to more than 2,400 good causes in the area over the last quarter of a century.

The National Lottery’s first draw took place on 19 November 1994 and the 25th Birthday is a moment to celebrate the extraordinary impact the National Lottery has had on good causes in Pembrokeshire – large and small – in the areas of arts, sport, heritage and community.

Whether it’s funding for large iconic projects and landmarks; small community projects which make a big difference; producing the most amazing films; or supporting grassroots sports clubs – it’s thanks to National Lottery players, who raise more than £6.4 million each month for good causes in Wales, that brilliant projects which support our communities and make a vital and sustained contribution to our national life are possible.

As part of the celebrations today, an unique map of Wales, featuring 14 of the most iconic landmarks funded over the last 25 years will be unveiled. The map, created by Welsh artist Hannah Davies, will be on display at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff from November 19th – 25th, features Skomer Island, which was awarded more than £1.6 million from the National Lottery in 2004 for renovation and conservation work, including refurbishing the 150-year-old farmhouse and outbuildings. The map also features St Davids Cathedral which was awarded a £524,000 grant from the National Lottery in 2004 to restore the historically important Cloisters at St Davids Cathedral. The cloister walks were built on the exposed foundations of the original 14th century Cloisters and have been reconstructed to their original heights. New educational facilities, meeting rooms, vestries and lavatories were also built and a new Treasury housing unique artefacts.

A wide variety of other local projects in Pembrokeshire have received National Lottery funding over the last 25 years, including:
· £4.8 million towards modernising and redeveloping the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven – a vibrant centre for the arts;
· £2 million to Revitalise, renovate and conserve historic properties in Haverfordwest town’s conservation area so they can become more attractive and commercially viable; and
· £427,000 to build Haverfordwest Skatepark – a free to access outdoor skateboarding, skating and biking facility in the town which opened in 2013. Wales and Pembrokeshire’s own World Champion wheelchair sports superstar, Lily Rice, can often be seen practicing her tricks here.

70% of all National Lottery grants however have been for small amounts worth up to £10,000, bringing benefits to communities far and wide. These include:
· £10,000 for Pembrokeshire based The DPJ foundation in 2016 to launch and raise awareness of Share the Load – a 24/7 telephone and counselling service for people with mental health problems in rural communities. The charity was established by 31-year-old Emma Picton-Jones, whose 34-year-old husband, Daniel Picton-Jones, an agricultural contractor, tragically took his own life in 2016 after battling with depression and anxiety;
· £4,885 for the Fishguard Unit 142 of the Sea Cadet Corps to create an IT suite which will benefit the cadets and the wider community; and
· £1,500 for Fishguard and Goodwick Jemima Rowing Club to purchase new equipment and coaching training.

In the last 25 years, more than £166 million of National Lottery funding has been invested to 17,300 grassroots sports projects in Wales – creating opportunities for everyone to get fit and improve their lives through sport. The National Lottery has also helped develop some of Wales’ most successful and recognisable athletes to thrive. Those currently reaping the rewards from the National Lottery funded World Class Programme include 30-year-old Matt Bush from Neyland who became the first British man to claim a title at the World Para-taekwondo championships in Turkey this year. The World Class Programme affords athletes coaching, training, and competition support, medical, technology and scientific services. Matt, who stands at 6ft 5in is joined by Welsh Taekwondo star Jade Jones on the programme and has his sights firmly set on representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the Olympics in Tokyo 2020.

Highlighting the impact of the National Lottery in Wales over the last 25 years, Nick Capaldi, Chair of The Wales National Lottery Forum and the Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Wales, said: “For 25 years, The National Lottery has been creating possibilities and making us proud of our communities whilst protecting the things we’re most passionate about in Wales. Without the funding, many of our most loved and iconic landmarks wouldn’t exist and many charities wouldn’t be changing lives to the scale they are now. The 25th Birthday is a time to recognise and reflect on the momentous and positive impact the National Lottery has had on the lives of people in communities throughout Wales.”

Discover the positive impact playing the National Lottery has had on your community over the past 25 years by visiting www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk and get involved by using hashtag: #NationalLottery25.

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Major traffic jams following accident on M4 near Swansea

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A ROAD traffic accident has closed the M4 in both directions as of Tuesday morning (Mar 19).

Police, paramedics and the fire service were called to the scene of the crash on the eastbound carriageway between Pont Abraham and Hendy at 23:20 GMT on Monday.

A fire which had broken out was extinguished before they arrived.

The motorway remains closed in both directions between J48 and J49.

The affected section is between junction 49 Pont Abraham and junction 48 Hendy, Llanelli, in Carmarthenshire.

As of 8.30am there were 45-minute delays with Traffic Wales saying: “Road continues to remain closed.

https://x.com/DyfedPowys/status/1769963608048378117

“Busy in the area delays showing as approximately 45 minutes in the surrounding areas. Please allow additional time for travel and thank you for your patience.”

Traffic monitors are showing there is already slow traffic in the area and congestion.

There are delays on surrounding routes in the area and on the A48.

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Dredging work set for Tenby Harbour

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TENBY HARBOUR and North Beach users are being asked to be aware of heavy moving machinery from Tuesday March 26 th to Friday 29 th as dredging work is carried out.

Sand will removed from the mouth of the Harbour and deposited at the north end of the beach. The work will not affect vessel movements at the Harbour.

Tenby Harbourmaster Chris Salisbury said a licence for the dredging had been issued after several months of application work.

“We ask that the public please keep clear of the operating area and that dogs are kept on a lead during this time,” Chris added.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “I’m grateful to our officers for securing the licence for this work to go ahead. This dredging is essential
for the operation of Tenby Harbour.

“The timing of the work has been governed by the tide and the dates represented the last opportunity for the work to be carried out before the boats are placed back in the
water.”

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Closure of Tata Steel’s coke ovens sparks political and union backlash

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THE recent announcement by Tata Steel to close the coke ovens at its Port Talbot plant in South Wales has ignited a firestorm of political and industrial action, highlighting the deepening crisis within the British steel industry and the challenges facing the transition to green steel.

Jo Stevens MP, the Shadow Welsh Secretary, expressed her concerns over the impact of the closure on the Welsh steel industry and the workers affected. Stevens emphasized the need for assurances about the workers’ immediate future and pledged that a UK Labour government would invest in the steel industry to support the transition to green steel, harnessing the skills, talent, and ambition of Welsh steelworkers.

The closure, slated for Wednesday due to concerns over the ovens’ “operational stability,” has been criticized by regional Senedd Members for South Wales West, Tom Giffard MS, and Dr. Altaf Hussain MS. They accused the Labour Welsh Government of neglecting its support for the Tata Steelworks in Port Talbot, highlighting a lack of financial assistance since 2019 and calling for a change in response to the current developments.

Unite, the UK’s leading union, has been vocal in its opposition to Tata’s decision, describing it as a shock and a “result of years of betrayal.” The union criticized Tata for not disclosing the imminent risk of closure during recent consultations and announced a ballot for industrial action among 1,500 Tata workers. Unite insists there should be no job losses at Port Talbot or Llanwern and that a blast furnace should remain operational.

Peter Hughes, Unite’s regional secretary for Wales, called for Tata to halt its closure plans in anticipation of Labour’s promised £3 billion investment to rejuvenate the UK steel industry. He accused Tata of managing the decline of UK steel while accepting government subsidies, describing the company’s actions as “deliberate industrial vandalism.”

The closure has not only raised concerns about the future of steel production in the UK but also spotlighted the political and economic strategies required to ensure the industry’s survival and transition towards more sustainable practices. The unfolding situation underscores the need for a collaborative approach between the government, industry stakeholders, and the workforce to navigate the complex challenges ahead.

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