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Pembrokeshire Coast Path walkers campsite plans submitted

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A CALL to approve a new campsite close to a Neolithic burial chamber for Pembrokeshire coastal path walkers, at which building works have started without permission, has been made to county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Raffale Colella is seeking partly-retrospective permission for a proposed 12-pitch campsite at Tir Fynhad, New Hill, Goodwick.

The application is partly-retrospective as part of a concrete and timber facilities building for the site, near the chambered tomb of Garn Wen, a scheduled ancient monument on land owned by the applicant, has already been built.

A supporting statement through Johnston Planning Ltd says the applicant “seeks to establish a high-quality, all-season facility which will cater primarily for walkers on the Pembrokeshire coastal Path who currently lack any meaningful accommodation of this nature in the locality”.

It adds: “The scheme proposes some 12 individual camping pitches set on a north-south axis on the site divided by an access track running the length of the facility with the proposed welfare building set midway along the eastern side of the site.

“In this instance the proposal relates to the establishment of new camp site on the periphery of a recognised settlement. The proposal will fulfil a recognised need for low impact and financially competitive tourist accommodation along the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park which is amplified somewhat by the recent restriction of temporary camp sites under the ‘28 day rule’ in the nearby Pembrokeshire Coast National Park (and the anticipated introduction of a similar measure within the plan area).

“The provision of temporary visitor accommodation in this location will lead to increased spend in the settlement of Goodwick helping to underpin the service function of that town and having general indirect benefits in terms of social and economic sustainability.

“Ecologically the development proposes significant enhancement measures in terms of planting that will have clear positive impacts in terms of habitat creation and foraging habitat for a range of inset and animal species.”

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

 

Community

HaverHub secures place on Cwmpas growth programme

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HAVERHUB has been accepted onto a one-year Cwmpas Growth Programme as it looks to strengthen its long-term future.

The community venue, based at the former Post Office site in Haverfordwest, said it will receive specialist support from Huw and Cathy at Cwmpas, an organisation which works with social enterprises and community groups across Wales.

The announcement comes after a difficult period for many community venues, with rising costs, financial pressures and the challenge of keeping spaces open, affordable and accessible.

HaverHub said the programme would help it build stability, support its team and volunteers, strengthen the business side of the organisation and protect what the community has already created.

A spokesperson said: “From a derelict old Post Office site to a busy and much-loved community hub, HaverHub has been built through volunteer effort, local talent, creativity and community belief.

“It truly belongs to the community that made it happen.”

The venue has hosted local groups, businesses, performers and events over the years, becoming a place where people can meet, celebrate and connect.

HaverHub said public consultation carried out two years ago had helped secure planning consent for the next stages of development.

The team also said it was looking forward to welcoming new members this year, alongside the return of some familiar faces.

The spokesperson added: “Thank you to everyone who has contributed ideas, skills, encouragement or simply used the space over the years. HaverHub would not exist without you.”

 

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Climate

Free film screening to examine climate and nature risks

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Public invited to Letterston event followed by local discussion

A FREE public screening of The People’s Emergency Briefing will take place at Letterston Memorial Hall on Friday, May 29, at 7:00pm.

Doors open at 6:30pm, and the event will be introduced by Dr Sarah Beynon of The Bug Farm.

The screening is being hosted by Transition Bro Gwaun, a North Pembrokeshire grassroots organisation which works to help communities move towards a more sustainable future.

The 50-minute film has been adapted from the National Emergency Briefing, held at Westminster Central Hall in November 2025, where more than 1,200 MPs, peers and leaders from business, culture, faith, sport and the media gathered to hear from experts on climate and nature risks.

Introduced by Chris Packham CBE, the briefing examined the implications of climate and nature breakdown for food security, public health, infrastructure, the economy and national security. It also set out evidence-based actions aimed at reducing those risks.

The People’s Emergency Briefing was launched nationwide in April and is now being screened in communities across the UK. Organisers say more than 300 showings have already taken place, with around 1,000 scheduled during the summer.

As well as the Letterston event, further screenings are planned for Solva and Cardigan in June.

Transition Bro Gwaun said the screening comes at a time when severe weather and higher rainfall are making communities in Pembrokeshire more vulnerable. November and December 2025 saw flooding affect several areas, with the Met Office confirming rainfall was more than 50% above average during the period.

The group also warned that dry periods can create other risks, including wildfires on heathland, which can damage important habitats and wildlife.

After the film, attendees will be invited to take part in a structured discussion about the issues raised and what they may mean locally.

Henry Tufnell MP, Pembrokeshire county councillors and town and community councillors from across the county have been invited to attend.

Tom Latter, trustee at Transition Bro Gwaun, said: “TBG welcomes the opportunity to host one of many Emergency Briefing events around the UK, addressing the climate and nature crisis.

“Co-ordinated restorative action is urgently needed, and understanding of the urgency for honest commitment to resilience planning from all branches of society.”

Tickets are free and refreshments will be provided. The event takes place at Letterston Memorial Hall, SA62 5RY.

 

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Health

Nursing warning over ‘deadly mix’ of staff shortages and complex care

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RCN says patients are at growing risk as nurses report unsafe staffing levels

NURSING leaders have warned that collapsing growth in the registered nurse workforce, combined with increasingly complex patient needs, is creating a “deadly mix” for patients.

The Royal College of Nursing said staff across hospital and community settings are being left struggling to keep people safe, with more than a quarter saying nurse numbers on their last shift were so far below what was needed that there was a high risk of harm.

The warning comes from the RCN’s latest Last Shift survey, which gathered responses from more than 13,000 nursing staff across the UK.

Professor Nicola Ranger, the RCN’s General Secretary and Chief Executive, is expected to tell more than 3,000 frontline nursing staff at the union’s annual Congress in Liverpool that governments are failing in their duty to keep patients safe.

She will say that widespread registered nurse vacancies are always unsafe, but that the risk is now being made worse by an ageing and sicker population with more complex needs.

Four in five nursing staff said clinical complexity had increased over the past two years, while only one in ten said staffing was at the right level to meet all patient needs. More than two thirds said they were being forced to make difficult decisions about which care to prioritise.

In Wales, nurses and health care support workers described growing pressure across wards and community services.

A nurse working on an older people’s ward in the NHS in Wales said: “We need to increase the agreed establishment; nurse to patient ratio due to increasing acuity, dependency and complexity of patients’ condition and presentation.

“More and more patients are now presenting with worsening cognitive function and often display challenging behaviour.”

A health care support worker from an inpatient mental health unit in Wales said: “Our ward has been bombarded with high acuity for around a year now and staffing levels have barely seen an increase.”

The RCN said the findings also show the toll on staff wellbeing. More than three quarters of respondents said they felt emotionally exhausted on their last shift, with exhaustion highest among those who said their shift was understaffed.

RCN Wales Executive Director Nicola Williams said: “Nursing staff across Wales are telling us clearly that staffing levels are not matching the complexity and intensity of care patients now need.

“Too many shifts are operating without enough registered nurses to deliver safe and effective care.

“When more than a quarter of nursing staff describe staffing levels as unsafe and nearly half report compromised care, we need to listen and take action to address it.”

She said members were “going above and beyond every day” but were demoralised, missing breaks and having training time cancelled.

Ms Williams added: “They cannot continue carrying the burden of workforce shortages indefinitely. Emotional exhaustion is becoming normalised across the profession and that is dangerous for staff, patients and the future sustainability of services.

“The newly elected Welsh Government must urgently invest in growing and retaining the nursing workforce, ensure they have the training they require, alongside delivering safe staffing levels that are properly planned and enforced.

“Without action, patient safety risks will continue to grow.”

The RCN said the survey showed an urgent need for workforce investment, robust nurse staffing plans based on patient need, and action to improve recruitment and retention across Wales.

 

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