Community

Claire wins Inspire! Award

Published

11 years ago

June 25, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Inspirational adult learner: Claire Arnold

A PEMBROKESHIRE mum-of-three who helped adults in her community get back into education has been crowned overall winner at a major learning award ceremony.
Claire Arnold was presented with the Learner of the Year award for Wales at the Inspire! Awards as part of Adult Learners’ Week 2015.
The 39-year-old, who left school at age 15 with no qualifications, went on to set up a community-based degree course for people in one of the most deprived areas of Wales.
Adult Learners’ Week runs from June 13 to 19 and celebrates lifelong learning, whether work-based, as part of a community education course, at college, university or online.
Now in its 24th year, it aims to promote the range of courses available to adult learners, from languages to computing and childcare to finance.
The Inspire! Awards are hosted each year ahead of Adult Learners’ Week to celebrate the achievements of outstanding learners in Wales who have shown exceptional passion, commitment and drive for learning, often in the face of difficult circumstances.
“I struggled at school, I was never a high flyer,” said Claire, who also won the Learning Progression award. “I wanted to be a teacher. I was always making work sheets for my class mates on wet weather days. But I never thought I was good enough.”
Claire, who lives in St Twynnells in Pembroke, found work at an old people’s home, spending the next few years working as a care assistant.
“It wasn’t what I wanted to do but I’d messed around at secondary school and didn’t think there was any way of me following my ambition to be a teacher,” said Claire, who lives with husband Matthew and daughter Cara, 17; son Euan, 14, and daughter Amelia, three.
Ten years after leaving school, Claire found out about a learning support assistant job at her former primary school, Monkton Community Primary.
“I got the job and I loved it,” she said. “I loved working with children and found education had changed so much. I watched the teachers and learned from them and thought, maybe I can do that.”
Claire’s head teacher suggested she enrol on a new project set up to provide adult education in the community and, along with 15 others, she completed a Foundation Degree for Learning Support Assistants.
“We were travelling to the University of Wales Trinity St David, an hour away, and I realised it meant not everybody could have access to education,” she said. “So when more funding became available, I asked whether there was anything that could be done to help those who wanted to learn but struggled with childcare and transport.”
Claire, who has worked closely with the area’s gypsy families, arranged for a maths GCSE course to be run at Monkton Community Primary with Learning Pembrokeshire.
“It started at 5pm and we had a kids’ club, which meant childcare wasn’t an issue,” said Claire. “The year after, we started doing GCSE English, and science the year after that.”
Claire, who had by then also completed a BA Joint Honours Degree in Education and Social Inclusion, also arranged, with the school’s head Shelley Morris, for the University of Wales Trinity St David to run the same degrees at the school in Monkton.
While helping others, she was completing her own degree while living out of a static caravan with no internet access.
“We were building a house so we lived in the caravan for four years,” she said.
“I used to go to my sister-in-law’s every night to use their computer when the children were in bed.”
“I stay in touch with what’s going on at the degree courses at Monkton,” added Claire, who is now preparing to graduate with a teaching degree, in Primary Education with QTS.
“We have all ages and I’m really proud of what the scheme has achieved – it has around 20 students a year. I never want to stop learning. It’s never too late to learn.”
Adult Learners’ Week is organised by NIACE Cymru with the support of the Welsh Government and European Social Fund.
Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, Julie James, said: “Adult Learners’ Week gives everybody the opportunity to learn something new, whether you learn from home, in the workplace or in your local community.
“The Inspire! Awards recognise the people who have taken that step, and their examples should encourage anybody who thinks it’s either too late or too difficult to learn a new skill.
“We hope Adult Learners’ Week will encourage adults across Wales to find out more about their skills and career options by going along to events in their area. Adults can also access the Skills Gateway to get careers advice and guidance, whether they want to improve their skills and employability or get back into work.”
Cerys Furlong, Director of NIACE Cymru, said: “The Inspire! Awards remind us of the power of learning and every story is a testament to the hard work of the learners and the tutors. “Each winner has come such a long way and shown real determination and passion for learning and we wish each one every success for the future. Everyone can get involved with Adult Learners’ Week by joining a free learners’ event in their area on anything from first aid to digital photography.”
For more information on Adult Learners’ Week, go to www. careerswales.com/skillsgateway, call 0800 028 4844 or follow @ skillsgatewaycw

Community

New women’s support hub opens at Parc Dewi Sant

Published

8 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WOMEN across the Dyfed-Powys area are set to benefit from improved access to specialist support following the opening of a new Women’s Centre Hub at Parc Dewi Sant.

Operated by The Nelson Trust, the hub forms part of the continued development of trauma-informed services for women experiencing multiple disadvantage.

It provides a safe and supportive environment where women can access practical advice, guidance and specialist help to address the challenges they face.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner has worked alongside The Nelson Trust and partners from the Local Criminal Justice Board to support the development of the facility.

The project forms part of the board’s wider commitment to improving outcomes for women throughout the Dyfed-Powys area.

The hub was officially opened on Friday, July 3, bringing together organisations involved in delivering support and recognising the partnership work that helped establish the new service.

Peer support will also play an important role, with volunteers drawing on their own lived experiences to help women facing similar circumstances.

Referrals to the Dyfed-Powys service are currently made through the Community Rehabilitation Service via probation. The hub is not presently accepting self-referrals.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Women experiencing multiple disadvantage deserve access to the right support at the right time.

“By working closely with our partners, we can help ensure that women across our communities are able to access the specialist services they need to address the challenges they face and build safer, more positive futures.

“This partnership demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations come together with a shared commitment to supporting vulnerable members of our communities.”

Community

Green Flag flies at Manorbier Community Garden for first time

Published

9 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Volunteer-run garden recognised among record number of award-winning green spaces across Wales

THE DEDICATION of local residents has secured Manorbier Community Garden its first prestigious Green Flag Community Award.

Around 50 people gathered at the garden to celebrate the achievement with food and refreshments before watching the Green Flag being raised.

The award was announced by Keep Wales Tidy as part of the 2026 Green Flag Awards, which recognise the best-managed parks and green spaces across Wales.

A record 330 Welsh sites have met the standards required to fly a Green Flag this year. Of these, 93 received full Green Flag Award status, while 237 volunteer-run spaces were presented with Green Flag Community Awards.

Manorbier Community Garden was recognised for its environmental work, welcoming visitor facilities and strong level of community involvement.

Green Flag Community Awards celebrate high-quality spaces managed largely by volunteers, including community gardens, local nature reserves and other valued neighbourhood sites.

Wales has now secured more Green Flag Community Awards than any other country taking part in the scheme for the third consecutive year. The total has risen from 223 last year to 237 in 2026.

Work on Manorbier Community Garden began in April 2024, transforming an area of scrubland into a flourishing community space in little more than two years.

Led by local couple Ollie and Sian Cromwell, volunteers have built raised beds using repurposed materials and filled them with vegetables, flowers and other plants donated by residents.

Everything is grown organically, without the use of pesticides or herbicides, and produce from the garden is available for the community to share.

The site also includes a secure chicken enclosure housing six hens, a children’s mud kitchen and spaces where residents can meet, play and enjoy the outdoors.

Pick-a-Pumpkin events have also been organised for local children.

Keep Wales Tidy supported the project by providing food-growing and orchard packages, a metal tool shed and a small polytunnel. Volunteers have since constructed a larger polytunnel using donated materials.

Sian Cromwell said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received the Green Flag Community Award. It means so much to our community and celebrates what can be achieved when people come together with a shared vision.

“Just over two years ago, this was simply scrubland. Today, it is a thriving and welcoming space, rich in biodiversity and bursting with life.

“There are fresh vegetables for everyone to share, flowers, chickens, a mud kitchen for children and space for people to play, meet and connect.

“The garden belongs to the whole community. We are incredibly proud of how far we have come and warmly invite everyone to play a part in its sustainable future.”

The Green Flag Award scheme was established 30 years ago and now recognises well-managed parks and green spaces in more than 20 countries around the world.

In Wales, the awards are administered by Keep Wales Tidy.

Community

Young players make their move as Pembrokeshire hosts annual chess fixture

Published

9 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FIFTEEN young chess players put their skills to the test when Pembrokeshire Chess Club welcomed visitors from Castell Nedd to Steynton for their annual summer fixture.

The match, held on Tuesday, July 21, saw players compete across four rounds, with each given 20 minutes on the clock.

Despite the start of the school holidays, the Royal Welsh Show and several late absences, organisers were delighted with the turnout and the high standard of chess on display.

The games were closely contested, particularly on the leading boards, with several decided by only the smallest of margins. Coaches said one of the main lessons from the day was the importance of taking time to consider each move rather than rushing.

Castell Nedd’s Advik Ram produced an impressive unbeaten performance. Pembrokeshire’s Harry Harling held him to a draw in one game before narrowly losing a second encounter during a tightly fought endgame.

Aarush Ram and Jakob Josh-Wright also performed strongly for the visitors.

For Pembrokeshire, Henry Malone and Emily Thomas each secured three points. Jozef Othen and Osian Griffiths collected two-and-a-half points apiece, while Sebastian Kummer finished with two points.

Pembrokeshire Chess Club said it was encouraging to see the standard of play continuing to improve each year and thanked Castell Nedd for making the journey west, with special thanks to Hywel Griffiths for helping to organise the visit.

Home advantage once again proved important, although the club said the greatest benefit was the opportunity for every player to gain experience against new opponents.

Pembrokeshire also recently played a friendly against the newly reformed Narberth Chess Club, giving its adult and junior members an opportunity to compete against different players. A return visit to Steynton is now being planned.

Pembrokeshire Chess Club, which has changed its name during its history, recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of its formation.

The club will resume its regular meetings ahead of the new season in September. It welcomes adults and juniors of all abilities, from complete beginners to players interested in friendly or competitive matches.

Anyone interested in joining can message the Pembrokeshire Chess Club Facebook page or contact Martin Jones on 07884 384131.

Pembrokeshire team: Harry Harling, Jozef Othen, Sebastian Kummer, Osian Griffiths, Emily Thomas and Henry Malone.

Castell Nedd team: Advik Ram, Aarush Ram, Jakob Josh-Wright, Virat Nagari, William O’Connor, Oscar Purcell, Ethan Tirukoti, Misha Nigari and Cae Aubrey.