News

Mind Cymru secures funding for perinatal mental health project

Published

12 years ago

November 20, 2013

MIND CYMRU has announced £145,000 grant funding from the Welsh Government for a twoyear perinatal mental health project targeting women in Pembrokeshire, and across Wales.

The project will raise awareness of perinatal mental health and the support available to ensure the general public and health and social care professionals better understand the problems women can face.

Alan Briscoe, the Welsh mental health charity, Mind Cymru’s Training and Consultancy Manager, said: “Mental ill health during pregnancy and early motherhood is a serious issue with potentially lifelong consequences for the mental health and wellbeing of women and their families.

“Pregnancy and early motherhood should be a happy and exciting time but for too many women this is sadly not the case. Expectant and new mums can be very vulnerable, but are often overlooked and not given appropriate help early enough. It was with this in mind that Mind Cymru developed the new perinatal mental health project.

“Our aim is to not only increase the number of women who seek early support but to also ensure support is available when needed. To do this we will work with a broad range of partners within communities and the voluntary and health sectors targeting women across Wales, including those living in rural areas and from BME and refugee backgrounds.”

Chris Coe, Regional Director for Wales for Farm Community Network, one of the organisations involved in the project, said: “Perinatal mental health problems affect women across Wales. People in rural areas can feel more isolated than those in larger towns and cities and find it harder to access the help and support they may need. I am therefore delighted to be involved with this project on behalf of the Farm Community Network.”

Two kinds of perinatal mental health training will also be developed and rolled out as part of the project. Alan explained: “The first will be aimed at health and social care professionals to help increase recognition of the early signs of perinatal mental health problems. This will increase opportunities for early intervention, resulting in improved support and better outcomes for those involved.

“The second will focus on helping to increase the resilience of women from at risk groups. This will allow those who take part in the workshops to learn skills that will have a long lasting impact on their personal health and the wellbeing of their families.”

Laura Jane, a mother of two, experienced mental health problems following complications during pregnancy. She said: “My pregnancies certainly weren’t easy. My problems probably started about 16 weeks into my first pregnancy and continued until after the birth of my second child. During this time I had a lot of physical health problems including intense pain and sickness, which had an effect on my mental health.

“As someone who experienced severe depression from my twentieth week of pregnancy, this project cannot come soon enough. I believe I would have really benefitted from resilience training.

“I also believe improving general awareness and recognition of signs and breaking down the stigma associated with perinatal mental health will certainly benefit women and families for years to come.”

Mark Williams’ wife suffered severe postnatal depression, which spurred him on to create Fathers Reaching Out, a charity to support men whose wives and partners experience postnatal depression. He said: “People struggling with perinatal mental health problems shouldn’t have to struggle in silence. This project is well overdue and will make a big change to the lives of many families across Wales.”

Mind Cymru is also looking for women who have experienced perinatal mental health problems to get directly involved with the project by sharing their story and help shape the content of project information and resources.

Allan added: “We’d like to offer women the chance to share their story by helping them to create their own digital story. Those who would like to get involved will be given training and support to create their story. We’re also asking women to help shape the content of the project’s information resources to ensure they are as useful and accessible as possible. We are especially keen to hear from Welsh speakers and women whose first language is neither Welsh nor English.”

Ministry of Defence

Welsh pride HMS Dragon sails to shield Cyprus base

Published

11 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

WALES’ Red Dragon is heading into a potential flashpoint in the eastern Mediterranean.

The HMS Dragon has been deployed by the Royal Navy to waters around Cyprus to strengthen air defences following a drone strike on the British base at RAF Akrotiri.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed the move as part of a wider effort to protect British personnel and assets in the region amid rising tensions in the Middle East.

Advanced air defence role

HMS Dragon is one of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 destroyers — regarded as among the most capable air defence warships in the world.

Equipped with the Sea Viper missile system and advanced radar, the vessel is designed to:

Track and intercept hostile aircraft
Destroy incoming missiles
Counter drone threats
Provide protective cover for allied forces

The deployment is understood to be focused on safeguarding UK interests, including RAF Akrotiri, one of Britain’s two Sovereign Base Areas on the island.

A Welsh symbol at sea

Although a UK warship, HMS Dragon carries a strong Welsh identity. Her crest bears the Red Dragon of Wales, and she has longstanding links with Welsh communities.

Commissioned in 2012, she has previously visited Cardiff and is often referred to as having a “Welsh heart” within the fleet.

With tensions escalating across the region, the presence of a Type 45 destroyer signals a serious defensive posture by the UK Government.

What happens next?

Defence analysts say such deployments are intended as both protection and deterrence — ensuring that British bases and personnel are shielded from further drone or missile attacks.

For Wales, the sight of the Red Dragon sailing toward a volatile theatre of operations will be a source of pride — and a reminder that Welsh symbols continue to play a role on the global stage.

Crime

Fraudsters posing as police officers target residents in cash and card scam

Published

12 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Public urged to hang up and verify calls using a different phone

AN INCREASING number of reports have been received of criminals impersonating police officers in an attempt to trick victims into handing over cash or bank cards — either directly or via a courier.

The fraudsters use sophisticated and convincing tactics to gain trust. They may already have basic personal information, such as a victim’s name and address, which can often be easily obtained online, making the call appear legitimate.

Rebecca Williams, Fraud Safeguarding Officer, said: “These criminals are extremely convincing and may even suggest that the victim dials 999 to verify their identity. However, they remain on the line and do not disconnect the call, meaning when the victim attempts to ring the police, they are still speaking to the fraudster.

“We strongly advise anyone who receives a suspicious call to use a different phone — such as a mobile — to verify the caller’s identity, or to contact a trusted friend or family member before taking any action.

“If you have received a call like this, or have been persuaded to send money, please do not feel embarrassed or ashamed. These criminals use coercive and manipulative tactics to exploit trust and create panic.

“Dyfed-Powys Police are here to support you. We are continuing to assist victims who have lost tens of thousands of pounds through this scam.”

Police have issued a clear reminder that officers will never:

• Ask you to withdraw cash, send money or hand over your bank cards
• Send a courier to collect cash, bank cards or valuables from your home
• Contact you unexpectedly and request that you withdraw money as part of an investigation

Anyone who receives a suspicious call is urged to hang up immediately and report it to police or Action Fraud.

Health

Davies and Kurtz attack ‘fantasy hospital’ pledge for west Wales

Published

12 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Senedd Members demand immediate investment in Withybush and Bronglais as election campaign intensifies

SENEDD Members Paul Davies and Samuel Kurtz have launched a fresh attack on Welsh Labour’s renewed pledge to deliver a new regional hospital for west Wales, branding the proposal a “desperate pre-election distraction” from mounting pressures on frontline services.

The intervention follows comments from First Minister Eluned Morgan, who indicated that plans for a new hospital serving west Wales would be progressed ahead of the Senedd election in May.

The concept of a new regional hospital has circulated for decades. Potential sites have previously been explored, but the project was effectively paused by Hywel Dda University Health Board, with delivery widely understood to be many years away due to financial and economic constraints.

***Protest in 2015 outside The Senedd (Pic: Herald)***

Davies and Kurtz argue that communities in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion cannot afford to wait while uncertainty continues over services at Withybush Hospital and Bronglais Hospital.

Paul Davies MS said: “People in Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion do not need vague long-term aspirations. They need certainty and investment now. Services are being centralised and downgraded while we are told to wait for something that is neither fully planned nor properly funded.

***Withybush Hospital has seen a steady decline in services over the last ten years*** **(Pic: Herald)**

“Instead of chasing headlines, the Welsh Government should focus on safeguarding and strengthening services at Withybush Hospital and Bronglais Hospital. The message from our communities is clear: invest in the hospitals we have so people can access the care they need closer to home.”

The two MSs contend that immediate capital and workforce investment in existing facilities is the only credible way to guarantee patient safety, reduce excessive travel times for rural residents, and provide sustainable healthcare across west Wales.

They are calling on the Welsh Government to publish a fully costed and deliverable plan to protect core services at Withybush and Bronglais, rather than relying on what they describe as “recycled promises that never materialise.”

Samuel Kurtz MS added: “Just ahead of a Senedd election, the First Minister dusts off a decades-old plan and tries to sell it to local voters who can see straight through this empty promise.

“When 10,000 local people sign a petition demanding the Welsh Government intervene on Withybush, and all they can do is issue a press release about a plan that may not happen for another decade, it shows Labour are not serious about supporting the communities of west Wales.”

Welsh Labour launches Senedd campaign with £4bn hospital pledge

Government response

The Welsh Government maintains that long-term transformation of NHS services is necessary to secure sustainable healthcare provision across rural Wales. Ministers have argued that ageing hospital estates, recruitment pressures and increasing demand require modern infrastructure and strategic planning.

Labour has pledged significant capital investment in NHS facilities as part of its wider health strategy and says any future regional hospital would form part of a long-term programme designed to improve clinical resilience and patient outcomes.

The debate over the future configuration of hospital services in west Wales has intensified in recent years, particularly around emergency and specialist provision, with campaigners arguing that protecting local access must remain the priority.

Davies and Kurtz said confidence in local healthcare will continue to erode unless immediate, visible investment is made in frontline services at Withybush and Bronglais.

The Welsh Government and Hywel Dda University Health Board have been approached for further comment.