MORE than 70 girls from two Pembrokeshire secondary schools enjoyed a morning of sport, fitness and fun at Fishguard Leisure Centre.

Pupils from Ysgol Bro Gwaun and Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi took part in the event on Monday, July 6, which was organised by Sport Pembrokeshire and sponsored by Valero.

The initiative was designed to encourage more girls to become physically active by giving them the opportunity to try a wide range of sports in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Activities included football with POINT Youth Club, rugby with Whitland Ladies RFC, hockey with Fishguard and Goodwick Hockey Club, taekwondo, tennis, sailing, table tennis, rowing and bowls.

Participants were also given the opportunity to use the fitness suite at Fishguard Leisure Centre, with some experiencing gym equipment for the first time.

Young Ambassadors from Ysgol Bro Gwaun supported the event and helped to deliver activities throughout the morning.

Refreshments were provided by Morrisons and Princes Gate, while Hair Syrup and Boots donated a selection of gifts for those taking part.

Dan Bellis, of Sport Pembrokeshire, said: “The girls had a brilliant morning taking part in a fantastic range of activities.

“A big thank you must go to all the clubs and organisations that delivered sessions, the Young Ambassadors for their support, and the local businesses that provided refreshments and gifts.

“We hope the event has inspired the girls to try something new and continue taking part in sport.”

The participants responded enthusiastically to the chance to experience activities they may not previously have considered.

One pupil said: “It was so much fun and it was great to try so many different activities.”

Another added: “I loved trying all the different sports, especially the ones I had never done before.”

A third participant said: “I had never been in a gym before, so it was fun being able to use the bikes and treadmills.”

The event forms part of Sport Pembrokeshire’s continuing work to help young people discover new activities, build their confidence and develop lifelong habits of exercise and physical activity.

Boat trips gave primary school children the chance to learn about water safety, marine wildlife and the environment on their doorstep

NEARLY 300 primary school pupils have taken to the water as part of an education programme designed to help young people learn more about the Milford Haven Waterway.

The Port of Milford Haven worked with Pembrokeshire Outdoor Schools to provide a series of educational boat trips for Year 4 pupils from schools across the county.

During the trips, children learned about water safety, the local marine environment and the wide variety of wildlife found in and around the Waterway.

Participating schools included Pennar Community School, Cleddau Reach VC School, Golden Grove School in Pembroke, Milford Haven Community Primary School and Monkton Priory Community Primary School.

Emily Jones, engagement executive at the Port of Milford Haven, joined pupils on the trips and said the programme offered children valuable learning experiences outside the classroom.

She said: “It was fantastic to see the children enjoying time on the water while learning new facts about the environment, wildlife and water safety.

“The Port is committed to creating opportunities for young people to access new experiences, develop their knowledge and build confidence around the Waterway.

“This project has been a wonderful way to support those aims while helping pupils connect with the unique environment on their doorstep.”

Bryony Rees, Pembrokeshire Outdoor Schools co-ordinator, said the trips had helped bring classroom learning to life.

She said: “It was a pleasure to facilitate the Waterway boat trips with the Port of Milford Haven and local schools, taking learning beyond the classroom and bringing the curriculum to life.

“The engagement and enthusiasm shown by the pupils and teachers highlights the success of these fantastic trips.”

The primary school programme ran alongside a separate community initiative funded by the Port, which enabled more than 200 Year 8 pupils from the Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock areas to experience the Waterway.

As well as spending time on the water, the secondary school pupils heard from local industry professionals about their work, career pathways and the range of employment opportunities connected to the Waterway.

The Port of Milford Haven said it invested £426,000 in community activity during 2025. Its programmes are intended to encourage the safe and enjoyable use of the Waterway, support young people in developing skills and confidence, and contribute to a sustainable and resilient local environment.

Photo caption: Pupils from Cleddau Reach VC School enjoy an educational trip on the Milford Haven Waterway.

CAERFYRDDIN MP says multi-year settlement will help farms plan ahead, but farming organisations have warned that payment rates, bureaucracy and the unfinished elements of the Sustainable Farming Scheme remain crucial

ANN DAVIES MP has welcomed a Welsh Government commitment to maintain agricultural support at £340 million a year until March 2030, saying it will provide farmers with greater certainty during a period of rising costs and significant change.

The funding will support the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which began replacing the European Union-era system of agricultural payments in Wales this year.

The three-year commitment amounts to just over £1 billion, although it is a guarantee of continued annual funding rather than an additional £1 billion being made available immediately.

Under the settlement, £238 million a year will be allocated to the Universal Layer of the scheme, which provides payments to farms completing a series of required actions.

A further £102 million annually will support Optional and Collaborative actions, including more ambitious environmental work, productivity improvements and projects involving groups of farmers.

The commitment was announced by Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability Llŷr Gruffydd at the Royal Welsh Show on July 20. It replaces the recent practice of confirming the agricultural budget one year at a time.

Ms Davies, who represents the rural constituency of Caerfyrddin and has a farming background, said the settlement would allow agricultural businesses to make decisions over a longer period.

She said: “As someone who has spent my life in the sector, I know that farmers do not work to annual timelines. Decisions made today often will not bear fruit for several years.

“Farming is built on long-term thinking and, for the first time in many years, Welsh farmers have greater certainty about what support will be available in the years ahead.

“That gives businesses the confidence to invest, innovate and plan for the future. This investment will strengthen family farms, support food production and help rural communities prosper for years to come.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has also welcomed the move, having repeatedly called for a multi-year agricultural budget.

FUW president Ian Rickman said the commitment provided “much-needed stability” following years in which annual settlements had made long-term investment and financial planning increasingly difficult for family farms. The union had previously sought a five-year funding framework, although it accepted that certainty until March 2030 represented a significant improvement.

NFU Cymru described the announcement as a “major boost” and welcomed the decision to retain the current 70:30 division between the Universal and Optional and Collaborative parts of the scheme.

However, the union has previously argued that an annual agricultural budget of more than £500 million is required to meet the farming sector’s economic, environmental and food production ambitions.

It has also warned that the administration, costs and record-keeping requirements associated with parts of the Sustainable Farming Scheme are considerably greater than under previous support arrangements. Detailed payment rates and technical guidance for some Optional and Collaborative measures will therefore remain important to farmers deciding whether particular actions are financially viable.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has similarly warned that the scheme asks participating farms to deliver additional environmental and social outcomes, meaning the overall value of the budget must be considered alongside the costs of complying with its requirements.

Earlier union evidence also highlighted reductions made to rural affairs spending during previous budget years and argued that maintaining the current total does not necessarily represent an increase in support once inflation and additional scheme requirements are taken into account.

Welsh Conservatives have called for a further £100 million to be added to the agricultural budget over the next four years. They argue that additional support is needed to strengthen domestic food production and help farmers respond to economic and environmental pressures.

Ms Davies said the importance of agriculture extended beyond individual farm businesses.

She said: “Farming is woven into the fabric of our communities in Wales, supporting thousands of jobs, sustaining family businesses and helping to maintain the Welsh language and culture that are such a vital part of our identity.

“These are facts commonly ignored in Westminster, but at last we have a Welsh Government that understands the sector’s all-round importance.”

The Welsh Government has also commissioned a nine-month review of the administrative burden facing farmers, led by former NFU Cymru president and Breconshire farmer John Davies.

Initial changes include plans to align the Animal Health Improvement Cycle required under the Sustainable Farming Scheme with participating farm assurance schemes. Ministers say this could allow farmers to meet both sets of requirements through one form and one veterinary visit from 2027.

Ms Davies added: “The Welsh Government is taking action to put the sector on a more stable footing while also reviewing the bureaucratic burden placed on farmers.

“The funding certainty is an important step, but it must now be accompanied by a scheme that is practical, accessible and capable of supporting productive family farms.”

The longer-term success of the settlement is likely to depend on the final payment rates, the accessibility of Optional and Collaborative funding and whether ministers respond quickly if the scheme is shown to disadvantage particular types of farm or regions of Wales.