Plans to sever over 200 years of educational history strongly condemned by top Welsh politicians

Published

1 year ago

November 18, 2024

Plans to sever over 200 years of educational history at Lampeter University have prompted strong resistance from the Welsh Assembly’s Presiding Officer (Llywydd) Elin Jones.

Speaking from the University’s campus earlier this week, Elin Jones said the proposal to discontinue all undergraduate education at Lampeter University would have a devastating effect on the town centre.

“This has been a really difficult week for Lampeter as the campus is so important, not just for the education of students, but also for its contribution to the town and its community,” she said.

“The university’s announcement is bringing to an end undergraduate education after over 200 years of delivering it from the Lampeter campus.

“Our first aim is to try and persuade the university to re-think its decision and realise that there is a future for undergraduate education here in Lampeter.

“If this fails, we as a community need to get together to think about the future of this fine campus with its beautiful quad building, the library and the halls of residence

“Lampeter University has been here for a very long time and it’s important that it’s allowed to continue.”.

Elin Jones, who has served as a Member of the Senedd since 1999 before being appointed Llywydd in 2016, grew up on a farm near Lampeter and attended the town’s Comprehensive School.

Her comments have been endorsed by Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake who described the university as ‘a cornerstone’ of the town, stating it now has a duty to explain how it intends to continue higher education in Lampeter.

Last week The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) announced plans to end all undergraduate teaching at its Lampeter campus by September 2025, resulting in up to 30 courses being moved to Carmarthen. It claimed there had been a ‘progressive decline’ in face-to-face teaching with the result that the current situation was not sustainable.

But students have expressed their disappointment at the proposals, with many now considering changing universities.

“It’s not fair to be told that we have to move,” said international development and global politics student, Jamie Fitter. “I think the way the university has dealt with it is reprehensible.”

A petition has now been launched calling for UWTSD and the Welsh Government to ‘protect Lampeter’s legacy and commit to a sustainable future for this historic campus’. At the time of going to press, the change.org petition had gained 3,810 signatures.

“Lampeter is not only Wales’s oldest university institution but a pillar of its educational and cultural history,” states the petition, which was started by John Jennings

“By allowing undergraduate teaching to end, UWTSD would undermine the very essence of Lampeter’s mission, weaken the local economy, and sever its historic role as a centre of learning. The town of Lampeter, the alumni community, and the people of Wales deserve better.”

Lampeter University was founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, becoming the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales. It was a self-governing college of the University of Wales from 1972 until its merger (under its 1828 charter) with Trinity University College in 2010 to form the University ot Wales Trinity Saint David.

With fewer than 2,000 students on campus, it was often claimed to be one of the smallest public universities in Europe.

Education

School issues safeguarding alert over children’s use of Roblox

Published

5 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi warns parents about addictive gameplay, unsafe chat functions and scammers

YSGOL PENRHYN DEWI in St Davids has issued a safeguarding warning to parents after concerns were raised about children’s use of the popular online gaming platform Roblox.

In a letter sent to families today (Dec 15), Assistant Headteacher Louise Gray said the school had been made aware of a series of risks linked to the platform, which is widely used by children aged 8–13 – and in some cases younger.

Roblox allows users to create and play games developed by other players. However, the school says this user-generated model can expose children to inappropriate or harmful content depending on which games they access.

Range of risks highlighted

The letter sets out several specific safeguarding concerns, including:

Inappropriate content in user-created games
Highly addictive gameplay, with daily quests and reward systems designed to increase screen time
Easily changed parental controls, allowing children to adjust settings without verification
Chat features that expose younger players to inappropriate messages
Peer pressure from in-game ‘connections’, with children believing they know other users
Emotional dysregulation linked to heavy use of the platform
Scams, including fake offers of free Robux or cosmetic items

Parents are being urged to closely monitor how their children use the platform, who they interact with, and what content they can access.

Guidance available

The school has directed families to the Welsh Government’s Hwb website for further advice on parental controls and safe use of Roblox.

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

56 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Charity

Two Welsh families fund Childline across the UK on Christmas Day

Published

1 hour ago

December 15, 2025

Staff Writer

Joint £40,000 gift ensures vital support is available when children need it most

TWO Cardiff families have joined forces to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service across the whole of the UK on Christmas Day, ensuring children have somewhere to turn during one of the toughest times of the year.

The Peterson family and the Bowles family are each donating £20,000 as part of the charity’s One Unforgettable Day project. Their combined £40,000 contribution will cover the entire cost of running Childline for 24 hours on 25 December.

Childline operates 12 bases nationwide and offers a free, confidential service to anyone under 19, available day and night, 365 days a year. The festive period is often one of the most demanding for counsellors and volunteers; between 24 December 2024 and 4 January 2025, Childline delivered 4,261 counselling sessions.

Young people reach out to Childline for a range of reasons at Christmas, including mental health struggles, family tensions, financial worries, loneliness, and increased risks of abuse or domestic violence. With schools closed and regular support networks unavailable, demand for help typically rises.

Childline relies heavily on donations, fundraising and charitable partnerships. The support of Alan, Maggie and Hywel Peterson, and Nathan and Claire Bowles and their four children, will ensure counsellors are available throughout Christmas Day for any young person who needs them.

Hywel Peterson MBE, Chair of the NSPCC Cymru Fundraising Board, said:
“It’s an honour to help fund Childline across the whole of the UK this Christmas. This joint donation will ensure our dedicated staff and volunteers are there to support any child who needs us.”

Cardiff entrepreneur Nathan Bowles added:
“We know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some children, so our family is delighted to be joining forces with the Petersons this year to support this vital service.”

Louise Israel, Childline team manager at NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff base, said:
“While children and young people need Childline all year round, we speak to many who find this time of year particularly difficult. It is only with the support of such generous people as the Peterson and Bowles families that our staff and volunteers can continue to be here throughout the Christmas holidays. This kindness will genuinely make a difference.”

Children can call Childline free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.
Anyone concerned about a child’s welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk for advice.