SINCE Miles’ last tour finished at The London Palladium in 2017, he’s been in The Full Monty on Disney Plus, The Durrells and Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? on ITV, as well as a heap of episodes of Frankie Boyle’s New World Order and Have I Got News For You. He’s made an award-winning radio series and he’s published a novel. But for Covid, he would have played a lead at the RSC. Hey ho. Nevertheless, he’s done a play in the West End and played the Emperor of Austria and Europe in a Ridley Scott film and now he heads here to the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven!

Yet one sunny day in the middle of all this, he suddenly suffered a brain seizure. This led to the discovery of a tumour the size of a cherry tomato, and a rather pressing need to undergo major neurosurgery. Obviously, one doesn’t wish to make a big deal of it, but the experience has left him with a story to tell and a few things that he’d like to share with the room. So that’s exactly what he’s doing in his new show On I Bang – a tale about surprise, fear, luck, love and qualified medical practitioners. 

Having received rave reviews by The Times, The Guardian and The Telegraph, On I Bang with Miles Jupp is one not to be missed here at the Torch, and tickets are selling like hot cakes. Awarded four stars and described as “Elegantly funny, terrible English account of a tumour” by The Guardian and awarded five stars by The Arts Desk 2024, this a performance that will be talked about for months to come.

Join Miles Jupp: On I Bang when he visits the Torch Theatre on Friday 10 January at 8pm.Ticket price: £25. For tickets phone the Box Office on 01646 695267 or visit torchtheatre.co.uk.

THOUSANDS of people affected by the transition to greener steelmaking at Tata Steel Port Talbot are set to benefit from support set up by the UK Government, Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has told a Senedd committee.

Appearing before the Senedd Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee as part of its report on the Future of Welsh Steel today (Wednesday 20 November) Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens explained that since taking up her post in July, the Tata Steel Port Talbot Transition Board she chairs had already released £26.5 million to support businesses and workers in Port Talbot and across steel communities.

The Welsh Secretary told the committee that the £80m Transition Board was not fully funded when she came into office. However, she fought for an initial £13.5m in August to support supply chain businesses and workers.

The full £80m was confirmed by the Chancellor in October’s Autumn Budget. Following this, the Welsh Secretary announced last week (16 November) a further £13m to fund grant schemes to help people start new businesses and grow or protect previous businesses.

Dozens of firms in the supply chain are already moving forward with applications and money will be granted in the coming few weeks. The Welsh Secretary added that she expected support in the coming months and years from the Transition Board eventually to help thousands of steelworkers, family members and businesses in the supply chain.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the Senedd: “Our focus is to make sure that we are protecting Port Talbot as a site of steelmaking in the future and that we will be helping thousands of people through this transition – not just direct employees but people in the supply chain and people in the wider community.

“We as a government see a bright future ahead for steel in the UK. We have a long-term vision that will deliver for the UK and I am determined that Port Talbot will be at the forefront of our steel industry in the future.”

The Welsh Secretary also reiterated to the committee that within weeks of taking office in July the UK Government delivered a better deal that secures the future of Port Talbot Steelworks, laid the groundwork for future investment and improved terms for the workforce without additional costs to the taxpayer. 

She added that on arrival in office it was found that the £80m commitment to the Tata Port Talbot Transition Board was unfunded. It was later fully funded at October’s Budget.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the committee: “The fund of £80m was initially announced last October. Between October 2023 and the General Election in July 2024 not a single penny of that £80m went out of the door to help steelworkers, the supply chain or the wider community.

“After we took office, I was horrified to discover that the £80m was an unfunded spending commitment.

“I have worked very hard to make sure that the £80m has now been confirmed through the Budget.”

Wednesday’s evidence session was the first time that the Welsh Secretary has appeared before a Senedd committee following her appointment in July.

Further funds from the Transition Board will be released over the coming months to provide a wide range of support for steelworkers and the wider community.

The committee was also told that the UK Government is committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which will be available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is in addition to the £500m for Tata at Port Talbot steelworks and will harness public and private investment to ensure a sustainable future for UK steelmaking.  

The UK Government is also developing a steel strategy that will set out a long-term vision for the steel sector in the UK.

The Welsh Secretary added: “We will have a steel strategy published in the spring to set out that vision for how Welsh steel and UK steel will play such an important part in the future.”

PEMBROKESHIRE COAST CHARITABLE TRUST is inviting the public to make a double impact this December by supporting vital efforts to combat coastal erosion and climate change across Pembrokeshire’s cherished coastal paths. For one week only, donations will have an even greater impact in protecting these scenic trails for future generations.

During Big Give Week, which takes place from 3–10 December, any donations made to the Trust’s Save Our Coastal Paths campaign will be matched – allowing each gift to go twice as far in safeguarding this precious coastline and its world-class walking trails.

Regarded by many as a national treasure, Pembrokeshire’s 186-mile Coast Path winds through a breathtaking landscape of cliffs, heaths, and dune grasslands, connected by a web of adjoining trails. This iconic pathway is enjoyed year-round by residents, wildlife, and visitors alike. Yet the increasing pressures of climate change – rising sea levels, frequent storms, and extreme weather – are eroding the coast at an alarming rate, threatening the accessibility of these paths, disrupting local ecosystems, and impacting the tourism that fuels the local economy.

In response, the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust has partnered with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and the National Trails team to launch a proactive approach through the Save Our Coastal Paths campaign. Funds raised during Big Give Week will go toward vital repair work, bridge restorations, debris removal, and re-routes where necessary, ensuring the Coast Path and its connecting pathways remain open and safe for generations to come.

Jamie Owen, Journalist, Broadcaster, and Patron of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust, said: “The Pembrokeshire Coast Path is one of the county’s greatest treasures. I have walked it from beginning to end. It would be a tragedy if it became impassable or parts of it simply disappeared. It’s crucial we all do our bit to ensure it’s preserved.”

Katie Macro, Director of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust, said: “The Big Give Week is the UK’s largest match-funding event, where supporters of UK charities can have their donations doubled. It’s a fantastic opportunity to rally support and raise funds to help protect Pembrokeshire’s much-loved coastal paths, ensuring they stay resilient against climate change and remain a joy for future generations.

“If you’d like to help, please consider donating during Big Give Week by visiting https://donate.biggive.org/campaign/a056900002TPSPiAAP.”

Further information on the work of the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust can be found at https://pembrokeshirecoasttrust.wales/.