Crowds lined the streets for an afternoon of floats, fancy dress, music and family entertainment at one of Pembrokeshire’s longest-running carnivals

NARBERTH was transformed into a sea of colour, costumes and smiling faces on Saturday (July 25) as the town’s annual carnival brought its week-long civic celebrations to a spectacular conclusion.

Families began gathering along the route well before the procession set off, securing their places to watch one of the town’s most eagerly anticipated events of the year.

With music echoing through the streets and carnival entrants preparing their costumes and decorations, excitement steadily built before the grand parade began at 2pm.

Floats and walking groups had assembled around Station Road from midday, ready to make their way through the town before joining the celebrations at the Carnival Field.

The parade once again demonstrated the imagination and community spirit for which Narberth Carnival has become known. Colourfully decorated vehicles were joined by fancy-dress entrants of all ages, with children and adults enthusiastically waving to the crowds lining the route.

Spectators responded with cheers and applause as each new entry appeared, while youngsters watched from pavements, doorways and vantage points throughout the town centre.

The procession offered plenty for Gareth Davies’ camera to capture, from carefully prepared costumes and decorated floats to the expressions of those taking part and the families enjoying the spectacle.

Narberth Carnival is regarded as Pembrokeshire’s longest-running carnival and remains the traditional finale of the town’s annual Civic Week. This year’s programme ran from Sunday, July 19, until Saturday, July 25, with competitions, children’s activities, entertainment, community events and live music taking place across the town.

Once the procession had passed through the streets, the attention moved to the Carnival Field, where visitors were able to enjoy food stalls, fairground rides, music and an afternoon of family entertainment.

The carnival provided an opportunity for generations of Narberth families to come together, while also attracting visitors from surrounding towns and villages and holidaymakers staying in Pembrokeshire.

For younger participants, the afternoon offered the excitement of dressing up, riding through the town and receiving cheers from the crowd. For many older residents, it continued a community tradition they have supported since childhood.

The event also gave local organisations, clubs, businesses and groups an opportunity to showcase their work and play their part in one of the biggest dates on Narberth’s summer calendar.

Among those present at the Carnival Field was the Narberth Eisteddfod Fundraising Committee, which recently celebrated reaching its £8,000 target ahead of Eisteddfod y Garreg Las.

The committee held its final fundraising event during the carnival, offering locally produced and hand-printed Eisteddfod T-shirts as excitement continues to build ahead of the festival’s return to Pembrokeshire.

Saturday’s celebrations marked the culmination of months of preparation by the Narberth Civic Week committee and its supporters.

Behind the colourful procession was a considerable amount of work involving road closures, licences, traffic management, risk assessments, fundraising, sponsorship and the coordination of dozens of volunteers and participating organisations.

Civic Week chairman Chris Walters thanked everyone who had contributed to this year’s programme, including committee members, volunteers, sponsors, advertisers, venues and local businesses.

He said: “It’s been a huge team effort, and I’m incredibly proud of everyone involved.”

The successful afternoon once again underlined the importance of traditional community events in bringing people together.

While many towns have struggled to maintain their annual carnivals, Narberth has continued to support its celebration through the dedication of volunteers, organisations and businesses prepared to invest their time and energy.

The result was another memorable day of laughter, music and community pride, with the streets packed as residents and visitors came together to celebrate everything that makes Narberth special.

As the final floats completed the route and the festivities continued at the Carnival Field, the carnival brought another busy Civic Week to a fitting conclusion.

Organisers have thanked everyone who took part, volunteered, sponsored an event, decorated an entry or simply came along to support the procession.

For those who lined the streets, Saturday’s carnival delivered the sights, sounds and atmosphere of a much-loved Pembrokeshire tradition.

Pictures: Gareth Davies Photography

Successful community event raised money for Forever11 and launched three consecutive weekends of waterside activity in Pembroke

MORE than 100 competitors took to the water at Castle Pond as Paddle West staged its first annual Pembroke Regatta.

The event brought together rowers, paddlers, families, sporting clubs and community groups for a packed day of racing beneath the historic walls of Pembroke Castle.

Competitors of different ages and abilities took part in a varied programme of events, including rowing boat races, solo and tandem kayaking and team canoe competitions.

Crowds gathered around the pond to support those taking part, while volunteers worked throughout the day to help keep the inaugural event running smoothly.

Paddle West thanked everyone who raced, attended or supported the regatta, describing the turnout as an encouraging start for an event it hopes will become a regular fixture in the Pembroke calendar.

The organisation said: “Thank you to everyone who came, raced and supported. Well over 100 racers took part, and thank you for bearing with us as we worked things out in our first year.

“Let’s make 2027 bigger and better.”

Money raised through the event is being donated to Forever11, a charity established in memory of 11-year-old Zac Thompson.

The charity works to improve awareness of water safety, swimming and first aid, while also supporting the provision of life-saving equipment and safety education.

Forever11 was also due to hold a family fun day at Pembroke Dock Harlequins RFC on Sunday, July 26, continuing a weekend of fundraising and community activity.

The regatta was the first in a series of three consecutive weekends of events at Castle Pond.

The Welsh Open Canoe Polo Championships are due to take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2, bringing teams and supporters to Pembroke for two days of fast-paced competition.

Canoe polo combines elements of kayaking, water polo and basketball, with teams competing to score goals while manoeuvring their boats around a specially marked pitch.

The championships are expected to attract teams from Wales and further afield, adding another major sporting event to the summer programme at the pond.

The Pembroke River Rally will then take place on Saturday, August 8, when a flotilla of boats is expected to travel along the river and into Castle Pond.

The rally traditionally attracts a wide range of vessels and provides spectators with an opportunity to watch the boats arrive beneath Pembroke Castle.

Food, drink and community stalls are also expected to form part of the day’s activities.

The three events highlight the growing use of Castle Pond as a venue for watersports, community celebrations and visitor attractions.

Paddle West’s successful first regatta has now provided organisers with a strong foundation on which to build ahead of a possible return in 2027.

Further information about future Paddle West activities and next year’s regatta is expected to be announced through the organisation’s social media pages.

Retired police officer Max Jones has adapted his Honda Goldwing trike so severe arthritis cannot stop him enjoying motorcycle adventures across Britain and Europe

A PEMBROKESHIRE motorcyclist who refused to allow severe arthritis to end his life on the open road has found an unusual way to combine his passion for biking with the mobility support he needs.

Max Jones, 75, travels on an 1800cc Honda Goldwing Tourer converted into a three-wheeled trike, towing a specially adapted trailer containing his powered wheelchair.

The arrangement allows the retired police officer to continue touring around Britain and Europe before unloading the chair and independently exploring the places he visits.

Max, who jokingly describes himself as “25 for the third time”, has been riding motorcycles since the 1970s. Over the decades, he has toured extensively through Ireland, Scotland and mainland Europe, creating memories he was determined not to leave behind as his mobility deteriorated.

Severe arthritis eventually made conventional motorcycling and walking increasingly difficult. Converting the Goldwing into a trike gave Max greater stability and back support, but another problem remained.

Although he could reach his destination, he was often unable to explore it.

“I bought my first powered chair because I was becoming increasingly isolated,” Max said.

“We would visit places such as National Trust homes and gardens, but I was forever leaning on a stick, which was painful, and always looking for somewhere to sit down.

“In the end, my wife would go off on her own while I sat in the car park and read a book. I couldn’t carry on like that.”

Max needed a powered chair capable of supporting his six-foot-three frame while still fitting inside the trailer behind his trike. After trying several options, he chose a WHILL C2 powerchair, which can cope with different surfaces and longer days out.

The chair now travels behind the Goldwing, allowing Max to switch from the saddle to powered mobility whenever he reaches a destination.

He has since added a lighter folding model for journeys by car, bus and train.

The couple recently stopped at mobility specialist TGA while travelling to Norfolk for a motorcycle holiday. During the trip they visited Norwich Cathedral, Norwich Castle, Blickling Estate and the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum.

Max said the powered chair made it possible to explore places he would otherwise have been forced to miss.

“I would never have managed to get around all those places on foot, especially the vast gardens at Blickling,” he said.

“I was able to travel across the grass and tackle the hills without any trouble.”

Max spent 27 years in the police, serving as a constable and later as a sergeant in different parts of South Wales. He also spent two years working as a law instructor at the Welsh Police Training Centre.

He recalls that policing in his early career involved considerably less comfortable vehicles than the Goldwing he now rides.

“In those early days, being six-foot-three was hard when packed into a Mini Panda car with four other burly officers doing a top speed of around 40mph,” he joked.

When off duty, Max also helped teach safer riding skills to people beginning their lives on two wheels.

His involvement with motorcycling has continued into retirement through the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, an organisation for serving and former police and law enforcement officers.

Max and his wife attend motorcycle events with the club and help raise money for charitable causes.

For Max, the trike is about much more than simply getting from one place to another. It provides a connection with the countryside and a sense of freedom he does not believe can be replicated inside a car.

“You can see the animals and birds, sense the atmosphere and smell your surroundings,” he said. “You cannot experience that in the same way from a car.”

He now hopes his experience will encourage other former bikers who have given up riding because of age, disability or health concerns to consider whether an adapted machine could help them return to the road.

“There must be so many people who still want to ride a motorcycle but feel they cannot because of health issues,” he said.

“With a trike, trailer and powered chair, it may still be possible. Take your time and do not put yourself under pressure. Learn something new slowly. That is the best way to broaden your horizons.”

Despite the challenges caused by arthritis, Max said continuing to travel has made a significant difference to his independence and wellbeing.

“We think we don’t look our age because we are happy,” he said.

“We are happy doing what we want to be doing, which is riding on the open road. It is a huge thing for us and massively important for our mental health.”

Picture caption:

Pembrokeshire biker Max Jones with his adapted Honda Goldwing trike and wheelchair trailer.