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.

Almost 400 children from eight local primary schools have taken part in practical coastal safety sessions in Dale

ALMOST 400 Pembrokeshire pupils have been taught essential skills that could help save their lives during a programme delivered by Windswept CIC.

Year 5 and Year 6 children from eight primary schools attended sessions in Dale throughout June and July, learning how to stay safe in and around the sea.

The programme, funded by the Port of Milford Haven, taught pupils how to recognise beach warning flags, understand the risks of cold-water shock and use the RNLI’s Float to Live technique.

Children were also shown how to call for help during an emergency and given practical experience of entering and moving through open water safely.

Schools taking part included Mary Immaculate Catholic Primary School, Coastlands Community Primary School, St Francis Catholic Primary School, Milford Haven Community Primary School, Broad Haven Community Primary School, Waldo Williams Primary School, Gelliswick Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School and Cleddau Reach Voluntary Controlled School.

Emily Jones, Stakeholder Engagement Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, said: “These sessions delivered by the Windswept team provide invaluable knowledge and practical skills for young people who live, learn and spend time around our coastline.

“As a Port, we are committed to supporting initiatives that help educate young people about water safety and build their confidence in coastal environments.

“We are delighted that so many schools have engaged with this important programme.”

The sessions formed part of Swim Safe, an accredited educational programme developed by the RNLI and Swim Wales for schools and community groups.

It gives participants practical experience of outdoor water environments while teaching them how to recognise risks and respond during an emergency.

Sarah West, director of Windswept CIC, said: “We believe every child should have the opportunity to enjoy the water safely and with confidence.

“Living in Pembrokeshire, young people grow up surrounded by the coast, so understanding the risks and knowing how to respond in an emergency are skills that could one day save their lives.

“Through Swim Safe, we aim to give children practical experience in the water while building confidence, awareness and respect for the marine environment.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the Port of Milford Haven for supporting this programme and helping us reach hundreds of local children with these vital skills.”

The Port of Milford Haven said it invested almost £500,000 in community initiatives during 2025 as part of its commitment to supporting local people and strengthening communities.

Photo caption:

Pembrokeshire primary school pupils took part in water safety sessions delivered by Windswept CIC in Dale.

After being alerted by The Herald, Evri traced the packages to a seller using a false returns address and collected items delivered by several carriers

A TIKTOK seller has been removed from the platform after a Haverfordwest woman’s home was used as a false returns address, leaving her surrounded by unwanted parcels and struggling to move safely around her property.

Perryn Butler, of Goat Street, contacted The Pembrokeshire Herald after large boxes and packages began arriving for a person she did not know.

The deliveries included bulky electrical goods, with parcels stacking up inside the house because there were too many to leave safely in the porch.

Photographs supplied to The Herald showed packages transported by several delivery companies, including Evri, DPD and Royal Mail. Some labels identified TikTok Shop as the retailer involved.

Mrs Butler said she had no connection to the intended recipient and feared her address had been caught up in a scam.

She told The Herald: “There were far too many to put in the porch. It would be wonderful if somebody could stop them coming and get them picked up.”

The Herald contacted Evri after seeing its labels on several of the packages.

Following an investigation by the company’s Loss Prevention team, Evri established that the parcels originated from sales made through TikTok Shop.

Evri said it worked with TikTok Shop to identify the seller responsible. The seller was subsequently deactivated for using a false returns address, alongside what the platform described as a number of other concerns.

The delivery company stressed that the packages had been transported by multiple carriers and that Evri had not created or supplied the false address.

However, Evri arranged for every parcel at the property to be collected, including those delivered by DPD and Royal Mail.

The company said the items were electrical goods and would now probably have to be disposed of at Evri’s expense.

An Evri spokesperson said: “We have spoken with Mrs Butler and understand the inconvenience and concern this situation has caused.

“Following a swift investigation, we collected all of the parcels, including those delivered by other carriers, and worked closely with TikTok Shop to identify the seller responsible.

“The seller has since been removed from the platform for using a false returns address.

“While Evri was not responsible for the misuse of the address, we acted quickly to support the resident and resolve the matter.”

Mrs Butler had also contacted the police after becoming concerned about the repeated deliveries.

The Herald has approached TikTok Shop for an explanation of how the seller was able to register a private residential property as a returns address without the occupant’s knowledge.

We have also asked what checks are carried out on seller addresses, how many orders were linked to Mrs Butler’s home, and whether the matter has been referred to police, Trading Standards or another authority.

TikTok Shop has been asked to confirm that the address has now been removed from its systems and what action is being taken to prevent other residents being affected.

This story will be updated when TikTok Shop responds.