STAFF, volunteers and visiting pupils at Lower Treginnis Farm were delighted to welcome a very special guest on Wednesday (April 2), as Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited the site in support of the charity Farms for City Children.

The Princess Royal, who has served as Patron of the charity since 1991, spent the afternoon touring the farm, which lies just outside St Davids and is the most westerly farm in Wales. It was her fourth visit to the site since first attending in 2010.

Farms for City Children was founded by author and former Children’s Laureate Sir Michael Morpurgo and Lady Clare Morpurgo. The charity provides immersive week-long farming experiences for urban children, helping them connect with nature, food production and rural life.

During the visit, The Princess Royal met children from Pembroke Dock Community School as they took part in hands-on farm activities including grooming donkeys, feeding rare-breed piglets, and planting vegetables in the market garden.

She also joined the children for a coastal workshop led by Câr y Môr, Wales’ first regenerative seaweed and shellfish farm, which operates just off the nearby shoreline.

Her Royal Highness was accompanied on her tour by Gethin Jones, Farm School Manager, and later met members of The Friends of Treginnis—a local fundraising group that has supported the charity since 1991. Over the past three years, the group has raised more than £30,000 to help schools from across Pembrokeshire, including Pembroke Dock Community School, take part in the farm’s week-long programmes.

Before departing, The Princess Royal was introduced to members of the charity’s staff and to Aled Davies, the farm’s local partner farmer. She was then presented with a gift of fresh farm produce by two pupils, Erin Hubbard and Jack Kinnard.

Tim Rose, Head of Operations for Farms for City Children, said: “We were delighted to welcome The Princess Royal to Lower Treginnis and to share the experience of being ‘farmers for a week’ with her. Her visit was greatly enjoyed by everyone at the farm and it was our pleasure to be able to show her how the work of the charity interacts with so many different aspects of the Pembrokeshire community.

“We are hugely appreciative of Her Royal Highness’s continued support and enthusiasm for the work that we do.”

Thousands still eligible before application window closes on 31 May

FAMILIES across Wales are being urged to apply for the School Essentials Grant before the deadline on Saturday, 31 May, 2025, with up to £200 available per child to help cover the rising costs of school-related expenses.

The Welsh Government’s grant offers £125 for each eligible learner and £200 for those entering Year 7, acknowledging the higher costs associated with starting secondary school.

Uniforms, coats, shoes, stationery, sports kits, musical instruments, and equipment for after-school clubs are among the many essentials the grant can help pay for.

Currently, 90% of those eligible have already applied – but thousands of families across Wales could still be missing out on vital financial support.

What is the School Essentials Grant?

The grant is part of a wider support package for low-income families, children in care, and those seeking asylum. It is available to all eligible learners aged 4 to 16 in any school setting, including special schools and pupil referral units.

To qualify, parents must receive one or more of the following benefits:

• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• Guaranteed element of Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit (with no Working Tax Credit, and annual income under £16,190 before tax)
• Working Tax Credit run-on (for four weeks after stopping qualifying)
• Universal Credit (with annual net earned income under £7,400, excluding benefits)

Even if a child already receives Free School Meals, families must still check their eligibility separately to access the School Essentials Grant.

Beth Williams, a teacher at Maesyrhandir CP School in Newtown, said: “The School Essentials Grant is a massive help to parents. We all know how hard it is, especially if you’ve got more than one child, to buy all the things that they need, and it all comes at once.”

Support for schools too

As well as the direct financial support to families, schools also benefit from the Pupil Development Grant (PDG), which helps reduce barriers to learning by providing additional resources.

Caroline Bufton, Headteacher at Maesyrhandir CP School, explained: “It’s very important for parents to check their eligibility because this allows us to have funding which is vital to supporting their children.”

How to apply

Applications must be made through the local authority, and families can apply every year for each eligible child. The current application window closes on Saturday, 31 May, 2025.

Eligible families will receive:

• £125 per child in primary or secondary school
• £200 per child entering Year 7

To check eligibility and apply, visit: gov.wales/get-help-school-costs

A GROUP from the Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Programme (PSEP) enjoyed a memorable day out at Haverfordwest Airport this week as part of their continued education activities.

The visit gave learners the opportunity to explore a wide variety of aircraft and gain hands-on experience with the airport’s emergency services. Highlights of the day included sitting inside a fire truck and trying on some of the firefighter uniform.

The group said they particularly enjoyed learning new facts about aviation and seeing planes up close in real life – a first for many. The trip helped build independent learning skills and teamwork in a fun and engaging environment.

A spokesperson for the team said: “Everyone had a great day! It was an exciting and educational experience for all involved. Thank you to Haverfordwest Airport for allowing us to visit the site.”

PSEP, supported by Norman Industries, continues to offer valuable opportunities for people with disabilities in Pembrokeshire to gain life skills, explore new interests, and build confidence.

Photo caption: Taking flight: Learners from the supported employment programme enjoyed their day at Haverfordwest Airport (Pic: PSEP).