Community

Journey of respect and tribute

Published

13 years ago

August 26, 2013

A special Pembrokeshire Herald report by Dennis O’Connor
IF A tribute to the bravery of our armed forces can be measured in miles, then the rugged beauty of the 870 mile Welsh coastline will bear witness to a unique and moving tribute over the next few months as eleven teams of four men and women embark on a personal journey of respect and tribute.
Fifty young Welsh Guardsmen have lost their lives whilst on active duty since the end of WWII. Jan Koops and David (Dai) Graham are both veteran Welsh Guards who served in the Falklands War.
They are aware of the devastating impact that active service can have on soldiers and their families as they cope with bereavement and these two men are the driving force behind the team organising the Walk on Wales (WOW) challenge which aims to raise one million pounds for the benefit of two charities, the Welsh Guards Afghanistan Appeal and the Combat Stress Charity.
Each name, rank and number of the fallen has been inscribed on a specially commissioned silver baton which also conceals the names of a further eight soldiers from other regiments and Corps who were killed on active duty whilst attached to the Welsh Guards. The baton will pass from team to team along the coast for the duration of the walk (August 25th – November 2nd) before finally being delivered to its resting place at Llandaf Cathedral.
Both charities provide essential support. Many have returned safe from battle but have suffered and continue to suffer from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which severely inhibits their ability to lead “normal” lives.
In preparation for the event, the teams have undertaken months of arduous training out on the coast in all weather conditions. Each mile completed in training has been considered as a small sacrifice to those who have given so much more.
The WOW logistic team based in Cardiff has been busy ensuring that the success of the event and safety and welfare of the teams and guest walkers remains a priority. This has been aided greatly by significant sponsorship by large companies including Bluestone and Radio Pembrokeshire.
The Pembrokeshire coast bears host to the Walk on Wales teams as they enter St. Dogmaels on October 3rd before continuing along the whole of the coast towards the Carmarthenshire border.
Team 7 (New Quay to Whitesands Bay) is led by Jim Salmon, who is from St. Davids and Team 9 (Freshwater West to Burry Port) is headed by another local man, Rob Davies from Letterston.
Both men are veteran Welsh Guards, and Jim says: "I'm privileged to be part of a team involved in raising funds for these two charities.” Rob Davies added, ‘I loved my time in the Regiment and really enjoy getting involved with all things to do with the Welsh Guards, so when the message came to me that Walk on Wales was looking for someone to lead a team from Freshwater West to Burry Port, I jumped at the chance.”
Throughout the challenge, the teams will be joined by some well-known faces including including MPs Stephen Crabb and Simon Hart. Members of the public who want to pay their own personal respects are welcomed and encouraged to sign up to take part in this unique event. Registration is easy through the Walk on Wales website. You can walk any distance of your choice on any day or week stage.

Community

Lauren Clewes begins trainee solicitor role at Eaton-Evans and Morris

Published

24 minutes ago

April 12, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Pembrokeshire law firm confirms internal promotion after Lauren joined the business as a paralegal in 2024

LAUREN CLEWES has been promoted to trainee solicitor at Eaton-Evans and Morris Solicitors.

Lauren joined the firm in 2024 as a paralegal, working first with Helen Hodges and later with Pauline Mainwaring. Over the coming months, she will work alongside the firm’s fee earners across all departments as part of her training.

Sean Dyer, one of the firm’s directors (pictured), offered his congratulations on her promotion.

Community

Comedy in the Pavilion: Elis James at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las

Published

1 day ago

April 11, 2026

Richard Lewis

COMEDIAN Elis James will take to the Pavilion stage at the National Eisteddfod for the first time this year, performing on Wednesday, August 5 as part of the festival programme. Entry to the gig is included in the Maes day ticket, and with strong roots in the area, his return promises an evening of laughter and a warm homecoming atmosphere.

Famous for making quick connections with people from across Wales on his podcast ‘Elis & John’ on BBC Sounds, Elis will no doubt receive a warm welcome at the National Eisteddfod, arguably one of the best places in the world to connect with fellow Welsh people. With his observational comedy, often inspired by his upbringing in west Wales, this is expected to be an evening full of humour, marking the halfway point of the Eisteddfod week.

Elis said: “I’m very excited. I’ve never done stand-up in the Pavilion before. Mam will be there, I’m sure other members of the family will be there too, but don’t worry, I’m one of those people who is funny under pressure!”

Betsan Moses, the Eisteddfod’s Chief Executive, added: “It’s a pleasure to welcome Elis back home to the Garreg Las area.

“As a Welsh comedy giant, we’re looking forward to a night of humour in his company, reflecting the true spirit of the Eisteddfod.”

Elis was born in Haverfordwest and raised in Carmarthen. He’s a comedian, podcast presenter, actor and broadcaster. Since 2014, he’s presented a radio show with his friend and fellow comedian, John Robins, originally on Radio X before moving to BBC 5 Live in 2019.

Among the UK’s most popular comedians, Elis toured Wales with his show Derwydd in 2024, recording a performance at Carmarthen’s Lyric Theatre. He has since returned to English‑language stand‑up after a ten‑year break.

Day Maes tickets, which include admission to the gig, are available on the Eisteddfod website.

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol y Garreg Las will be held in Llantwd, north Pembrokeshire between August 1 and August 8.

Community

Letterston nursery cemetery container storage plans refused

Published

1 day ago

April 11, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for a storage container for a “well-established and valued” Pembrokeshire children’s nursery in a nearby cemetery has been refused by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Diane Evans of Meithrinfa Do Re Mi Nursery sought permission for the installation of a storage container, partially in retrospect, at Horeb Cemetery, Station Road, Letterston.

A supporting statement said: “The container is required to provide essential ancillary storage to support the lawful and established nursery use within the [nearby] chapel building.

“The site forms part of an active cemetery, owned and managed by a group of trustees. The applicant is one of the trustees and has obtained formal permission from the trustees for the container to be sited on this land.”

It added: “The container will be used solely for storage of nursery equipment and materials, including outdoor learning resources, maintenance equipment, and items required to manage both the nursery grounds and the cemetery land. No additional operational activity will take place within or around the container.”

It said the nursery, which provides childcare for approximately 83 children from the local community, “operates with a strong community focus and promotes sustainability and environmental awareness,” with plans to soften the container appearance through the planting of trees, shrubs and flowers.

An officer report recommending refusal said: “Whilst the container itself is modest in size and of a simple rectangular form, the proposal does introduce a rudimentary and visually incongruous structure. Its appearance is out of scale with its surroundings and detracts from the polite architectural character of Horeb Chapel.

“Consideration has been made with regards to alternative locations within the site, however, due to site constraints, the applicant has stated that there is no other feasible position for the container. Given the restrictive nature of the site, combined with its use as a cemetery, raises concerns as to whether a shipping container by its form and design can be considered an appropriate or complementary addition.

“Although the applicant has provided justification regarding the operational need for the additional storage, and while the local planning authority recognises and supports the functional requirements of the nursery, consideration must also be given to more sympathetic design solution.”

One letter of objection raised concerns including the container design, scale, inappropriate siting, visual impact and concerns about its deterioration, along with a potential impact on property values.

The application was refused on the grounds it would be “an overbearing and visually intrusive feature,” having “a detrimental impact on the character and appearance of the site and surrounding area,” and it “fails to identify the green infrastructure baseline of the site and follow a stepwise approach to provide sufficient and accurate mitigation and compensation measures”.