THE RIVERSIDE LIBRARY in Haverfordwest has won an All Stories national competition to host a fully funded workshop, which aims to encourage and support aspiring writers from underrepresented backgrounds.

The workshop, taking place on Monday, 25th November at 2pm will introduce participants to the basics of writing for children and inspire them to develop their creativity.

Intended as a true introduction, the workshop requires no awareness of publishing, writing as a career or previous written work.

The workshop welcomes people from underrepresented backgrounds of any kind, including people of colour, disabled, neurodivergent, LGBTQ+, working class and socio-economically marginalised.

The workshop is one of 16 All Stories workshops being held across the UK, and made possible thanks to funding from Arts Council England, Inclusive Books for Children and the Authors’ Licencing and Collecting Society.

All Stories will also establish a writing group at The Riverside Library to continue supporting local writers, as well as providing a ‘writer resources’ pack, containing information about supportive writing organisations. The pack will be made available to workshop participants, along with anyone visiting the venue after the workshop.

The library team said: “We are thrilled to be part of this exciting opportunity to support budding children’s authors within our community. We hope it will be a successful event for all involved and look forward to meeting new people as well as continuing our relationship with those who already use the library.”

The workshop will be presented by Eloise Williams, an award-winning Welsh author. 

She has written seven books for young people including Gaslight, Seaglass, Elen’s Island, Honesty & Lies, all with Firefly Press and The Tide Singer and The Curio Collectors with Barrington Stoke.

She was a writer and co-editor of The Mab, a vibrant retelling of the stories of The Mabinogion published by Unbound. She was the inaugural Children’s Laureate Wales 2019-2021.

To find out more and book your free place at the workshop, please go to: allstories.org.uk/writing-workshops/

A direct ticket link is here: tickettailor.com/events/allstories1/1415035

If you are unable to attend a workshop in person, All Stories is also running online workshops. The final online workshop of the year takes place on Saturday 2nd November, 10am-12noon, and you can book a place via this LINK.

THREE new wind turbines to bolster renewable capacity at Waterston Renewables Energy Park

DRAGON Energy’s plans for three wind turbines at the Waterston Renewables Energy Park have gained planning approval. Supported by Dragon LNG, the company acknowledged the contributions of key stakeholders, including residents of Waterston, Llanstadwell, and Blackbridge, who have engaged since community consultations began in March 2022.

The turbines, designed to complement the park’s 18,500 solar panels, aim to cut emissions and support decarbonisation goals. The new energy infrastructure is expected to be operational by Q4 2026, boosting local renewable energy output.

Community fund to support skills

In line with its community-focused mission, Dragon Energy has established a community benefit fund, suggested by local residents and set to operate for at least a decade from the project’s launch. Beginning in September 2025, the fund will provide upskilling opportunities and energy subsidies specifically for Waterston, Llanstadwell, and Blackbridge residents.

Simon Ames, Managing Director of Dragon, said: “The addition of three wind turbines will bring both immediate construction jobs and lasting benefits to our community. Combined with our solar farm, these renewable assets will help offset about 11,500 tonnes of carbon emissions each year. When on-site demand is low, clean electricity will also be fed into the local grid. We’re immensely grateful for the project team’s hard work and the support from our stakeholders, allowing us to capitalise on this prime location for onshore wind, significantly reducing our scope II carbon emissions.”

Dragon Energy is partnering with Boralex, its consenting and construction advisor, and will maintain open communication with the community and stakeholders throughout the project.

ON Wednesday evening (Oct 30), a dramatic flaring event at the Valero refinery in Pembroke lit up the Milford Haven waterway, sparking significant attention on social media. Hundreds of observers shared their experiences and posted striking photos, with one witness comparing the flame’s appearance to “Elon Musk’s rocket flying upside down.”

The roar from the flare stack was heard as far afield as Letterston, Brawdy, Whitland, Carmarthen, and Haverfordwest, amplifying the visual spectacle. This incident followed a scheduled maintenance shutdown at the refinery—a routine industry practice to ensure safety and operational efficiency. During such shutdowns, flaring is necessary to safely dispose of excess gases, often resulting in high flames visible from miles away.

Although the flaring was bigger than expected, a call to the refinery resulted in reassurances to this newspaper that everything was okay, and that such events are expected when restarting operations after a shutdown.

(Image: Alex Mathias)