Community
Fire training for people with learning disabilities


In training: People with learning difficulties are learning to understand the risks of fire
MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service and Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Speech and Language Therapy Department have teamed up to help people with learning disabilities in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire better understand the risks of fire, prevention and what to do in the event of a fire. Fire Officer Sean Lloyd and Speech and Language Therapist Yvonne Bruton Miller were tasked with ensuring potentially life-saving information was available in a user friendly format.
The final result is an easy read leaflet and presentation pack, reviewed and approved by a group of people with learning disabilities. The easy read leaflet uses alternative forms of communication including symbols, photos and plain English. The presentation pack includes objects of reference to support understanding and learning and provides and opportunity for service users to view first hand damaged sockets, fire alarms and even the protective clothing worn by fire fighters.
Sean and Yvonne recently launched the easy read leaflet and presentation pack at Bryn Y Wawr Residential Home in Llandeilo. Sean Lloyd, Watch Manager Community Safety Carmarthenshire at Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said: “Mandatory training for managers and staff is essential but service users are often excluded from essential training but now we have this presentation and training developed in partnership with the Carmarthenshire Total Communication group.
The feedback from staff and residents has been great and on request we’ll be coming back in twelve months for a refresher course!” Yvonne Bruton Miller, Speech and Language Therapist at Hywel Dda University Health Board said: “This has been a fantastic project to work on and the Community Team for Learning Disabilities (CTLD) and fire service will continue to work together to ensure all service users linked to the CTLD are automatically offered free fire safety checks through the individual’s annual review process.”
Community
Dredging work takes place at Tenby harbour

TENBY HARBOUR and North Beach users are being asked to be aware of heavy moving machinery as dredging work is carried out.
Sand will be removed from the mouth of the Harbour and deposited at the north end of the beach. The work will not affect vessel movements at the Harbour.
The work started on Monday and will continue to Thursday, March 13.
Tenby Harbourmaster Chris Salisbury said a licence for the dredging is in place.
“We ask that the public please keep clear of the operating area and that dogs are kept on a lead during this time,” Chris added.
Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “I’m grateful to our officers for the work being undertaken at Tenby Harbour – this dredging is essential for the operation of Tenby Harbour.
“The timing of the work has been governed by the tide and the dates represented the last opportunity for the work to be carried out before the boats are placed back in the water.”
Community
Planning a VE Day street party? Don’t forget to apply for a road closure

ARE you planning a street party to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day this May?
If so, please ensure you apply for a temporary road closure to Pembrokeshire County Council’s traffic team by March 24th.
There are four days of celebration planned for the UK from May 5th to 8th including military processions, flypast, concerts and a special service at Westminster Abbey.
Communities are also invited to come together to celebrate this historic occasion and the Council will waive road closure application fee. Costs associated with any required Traffic Management would be payable by applicants.
The Council will be collating all successful temporary road closure applications into one order
To allow time for processing, applications must be received by Monday, March 24th.
In order to consider a road closure application, please provide:
· Name of applicant
· Contact details – email address, full address and telephone number
· Location of event – this would need to be residential street/close/estate and not a main arterial route
· Date (specify May 5th, 6th, 7th or 8th) and times of the proposed event
· Plan – please provide a plan or sketch of where you wish to hold the event
All temporary road closure applications must be sent to Roadclosures@pembrokeshire.gov.uk by March 24th at the latest.
Requests will be assessed for suitability before permission is granted.
Information will then be provided on how to proceed, clear signage will be required for closures of the Public Highway. A traffic management company would be required to advise on what is necessary and to supply at the applicant’s expense.
Please note an application should only be submitted where the event is requested to take place on the highway.
Applicants are kindly asked to liaise with their local town or community council before submitting to ensure there is no duplication of applications.
Events ‘off road’ on grassed areas, village greens, play parks etc. would need the landowners’ permission.
Community
Sign up now and join Spring Clean Cymru 2025: March 21– April 6

COMMUNITIES across Wales are invited to join Spring Clean Cymru 2025 and help pick up the litter that pollutes our neighbourhoods, beaches and parks.
The 2024 event saw 5,000 volunteers take part in 700 events across Wales. Keep Wales Tidy hopes to beat that in 2025, making this year the most successful spring clean yet.
Families, friends, community groups, schools, businesses and individuals can get involved between Friday 21 March and Sunday 6 April 2025.
Participants can register their own event – such as litter picking their street, local park, beach or other beauty spot – or sign up to join an organised clean-up on the Keep Wales Tidy website.
Spring Clean Cymru is part of the Great British Spring Clean, run in England by Keep Britain Tidy and in Scotland by Keep Scotland Beautiful.
Every single piece of litter collected and safely disposed of makes a difference in protecting the environment in Wales, whether you pick up one bag or 100.

This year Spring Clean Cymru will kick off with a World Record Attempt. Keep Wales Tidy, and other likeminded organisations are partnering with leading environmentalist Kate Strong and freshwater expert Dr Numair Masud to break a new Guinness World Record for Most Participants in a River Clean-up (at Multiple Locations). The attempt will begin in locations along the River Taff, including Merthyr Tydfil, Pontypridd and Cardiff’s Taff Embankment from the stroke of midday on Friday 21 March.
Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive Owen Derbyshire said: “Every year we are inspired and humbled by the thousands of people across Wales who take part in Spring Clean Cymru and give their time to make a cleaner Wales for everyone. Our message this year is #LoveWhereYouLive and we really see that in the commitment of those who take part.
“In an ideal world, there would be no need for people to spend time litter picking, but we are continually grateful to everyone who does so, making their local communities and beauty spots cleaner and safer for everyone.”
He added: “Litter picking is a great way of coming together as a community, getting active outdoors, and benefitting your health and wellbeing. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never taken part before – all the information you need is on our website. Every single piece of litter picked up makes a difference and we’d love for you to join us in looking after and protecting the environment in Wales.”
You can register or search for a Spring Clean event near you on the Keep Wales Tidy website: www.keepwalestidy.cymru
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