Community
Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund brings joy to school children
THE ENHANCING PEMBROKESHIRE FUND PROJECT, with the support from Pembrokeshire County Council’s regeneration programme, has been hailed a huge success by the school children of Milford Haven Community Primary School.
An 11-week course, with the Torch Theatre at the helm, saw arts experts deliver a term of expressive arts sessions concluding with the young people sharing their hard work in a performance in the Torch’s studio theatre.
The Torch Theatre’s professional team worked with the school’s year 5 pupils on a playwriting and theatre design project in the company of playwright, Katie Elin Salt and theatre designer, Ruth Stringer. The creative activity was designed to support the school in the development of young people’s languages, literacy and communication skills.
The children created an epic play called Famous Authors which allowed each class to explore different aspects of a chosen favourite author’s life. Full of dramatic twists and featuring spectacular handmade props and costumes, all created by the young people themselves, the project opened doors to many.
Three quarters of the children said they would recommend the project to other year groups in the school as Tim Howe, Senior Manager for Youth and Community at the Torch explains:
“We’re so pleased the project was a success. Over three quarters of the children in this project indicated that they were more likely to write more stories after having completed the project; over half the children described their writing skills as excellent or good as a result of this project and almost half the children described their presentation skills as excellent or good.”
Rhian Johnson Year Leader for Year 5 and Expressive Arts Lead at Milford Haven Community Primary School said: “I’m so proud of the creative journey our students have been on. Over the Autumn term, they had dived into scriptwriting and prop making, building key skills in literacy, design, and collaboration. Working with creative professionals inspired them and opened their eyes to the possibilities of theatre. The culmination of their hard work, showcased on the Torch Theatre stage, was a true reflection of their creativity and determination. This experience has not only enriched their learning but also helped them develop critical thinking and teamwork—skills they’ll carry forward.”
One of the pupils undertaking the project said: “I have really enjoyed working with the Torch Theatre this term as the Torch has helped me understand how a play is put together.”
The children were asked the open question “Tell me what you learned from the Torch Theatre project.” Approximately a quarter of the young people spoke about how brave it made them feel or the courage it gave them to speak in front of people. A similar number of young people spoke about the importance of creativity and imagination and 20% of them spoke about teamwork and working with other people.
Tim added: “They were incredibly analytical in this with some talking about positives, and others discussing how they overcame issues presented by working in a team.
“We know that providing this opportunity for the children and staff has had a meaningful and lasting impact. Not only did our young people improve their literacy skills, but we also hope it gave them aspirations to be part of the creative sector. We know that maybe one day they will be writing plays for the Torch Theatre.”
A FAMILY has been left with nothing after a devastating house fire tore through their home in Tregunnor on Monday (Apr 7).
The blaze destroyed everything inside the house, leaving the homeowner, his children, and their family dog with only the clothes on their backs. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but the emotional impact of losing their home and belongings has been described as “immeasurable.”
In the wake of the tragedy, a GoFundMe page has been launched by the homeowner’s nephew, Kian Evans, in an effort to help the family rebuild their lives. The fundraiser, titled “Tregunnor House Fire,” has so far raised £40 from two donors, with hopes that more support will follow.
Mr Evans praised the emergency services for their swift response and thanked the local community for their messages of support and solidarity.
He wrote: “They have lost everything, from furniture to cherished memories. The goal is to help them get back on their feet after such a traumatic experience. Every little helps.”
The family now face the daunting task of starting over, but thanks to the generosity of those around them, they are not facing it alone.
To donate to the fundraiser, visit: gofundme.com/f/tregunnor-house-fire
Photo caption:
The fire which destroyed a family home in Tregunnor (Pic: Herald).
PEMBROKESHIRE JUNIORS IMPRESS IN CARMARTHEN FIXTURE
PEMBROKESHIRE JUNIOR CHESS CLUB travelled to Carmarthen on Monday (April 7) for a friendly fixture against their slightly older, but less experienced, counterparts. The match marked Carmarthen’s first official game.
Thanks to Peter Evans for organising the event, which saw 20 young players competing in a friendly but competitive atmosphere. A terrific evening of chess followed, with players mixing and matching across boards, ensuring each had at least two games—some even playing three or four.
The result of the first match was a tightly contested draw, finishing 5-5.
Standout players on both sides
For Pembrokeshire, standout performances came from:
- Suki, with 3 wins
- Huw, with 2 wins
- Joe, with 1 win and a draw
For Carmarthen, Matthew, William, and Eric stood out with impressive performances.
A return fixture in Pembrokeshire is already being planned before the season concludes. The club also hopes to arrange additional matches against Redhill Prep School and Castell Nedd Chess Club on May 29.
Strong performances in Redhill Festival
Ten Pembrokeshire players also took part in the Redhill Primary School Festival over the weekend, all performing with distinction. Special mention goes to Joe and Harry, who both won their first four rounds and competed in the final—Joe winning Gold, and Harry securing Silver.
Coach Martin Jones said he has been delighted with the progress made by all players this season, including the club’s younger and less experienced members, who are also showing great promise.
Martin also recently competed in the Bristol Chess Congress, where he took first place in his section out of 62 entrants.
“It’s great to see chess flourishing in Pembrokeshire,” he said.
Pembrokeshire Team (in board order)
- Barnaby Hinman – Ysgol Preseli
- Joe Othen – Home Schooled
- Harry Harling – Cosheston VC School
- Huw Holliday – Redhill Prep
- Sebastian Kummer – Neyland Community School
- Jude Taylor – St Mark’s VA School
- Henry Malone – Redhill High
- Suki-Rose Heulwen – Ysgol Bro Penfro
- Emily Thomas-Ward – Redhill Prep
- Carys Callan – Redhill Prep
Photos:
- Pembrokeshire Team
- Combined Pembrokeshire & Carmarthen Teams
FOUR original paintings of Sunderland flying boats have been donated to the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre by one of its leading supporters, Welsh aviation and military artist John Wynne Hopkins.
John, who lives in Llanelli, has also gifted several large prints and a collection of greetings cards, all depicting iconic images of the Sunderland aircraft.
“I have followed the excellent progress of the Heritage Trust over many years and I am so pleased that my art can support them,” said John. “The Sunderland is a favourite subject of mine and its long connections with Pembroke Dock have provided me with many topics to paint. I shall certainly continue this.”
The Heritage Centre already displays one of John’s earlier works — a dramatic World War I battlefield scene created in 2018 for its trench exhibit. The painting is featured in the original entrance of the Centre, housed in the former Royal Dockyard Chapel.
The Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is open Monday to Friday, from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
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