Community
National Lottery marks £2.5bn milestone with giant sand sculpture on Tenby beach
THE NATIONAL LOTTERY has marked a landmark moment in Wales, celebrating more than £2.5 billion in funding distributed to good causes since 1994 with a striking Fingers Crossed sand sculpture on Tenby beach.

Funding milestone
More than 75,000 Welsh projects have benefitted from lottery grants over the past three decades. The wide-ranging support includes grassroots sport, heritage and arts initiatives, as well as vital health and wellbeing services.
In Tenby alone, almost £200 projects have received a combined £7.7 million. These include Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club (£99,000), Tenby Sailing Club (£139,000) and Tenby Sea Cadets (£48,000). The Millennium Stadium – now Principality Stadium – remains the single biggest Welsh recipient, awarded £46 million in 1994.
Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club
To mark the milestone, The National Lottery joined with Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club, which provides volunteer patrols, lifeguard training and education. The club has received significant support since 2002.
Chairman Tai Jackson said: “The National Lottery funding has been truly life-changing. Without that support we wouldn’t have our facility, and the equipment we’ve purchased has trained members who’ve gone on to become professional lifeguards. It helps us save lives on our beaches.”
A community celebration
The celebration saw a 7ft sand sculpture unveiled on the resort’s main beach, part of a UK-wide series of “Fingers Crossed” installations designed to symbolise hope and optimism.
Local retailer Fiona Malone, who runs Tenby Stores and Post Office, added: “When anyone buys a ticket in our shop, we always say good luck – everyone feels the excitement it could be them! When we get a winner, the whole town celebrates.”
Three decades of support
National Lottery operator Allwyn’s Director of Communications, Gillian Taylor, said: “This major milestone reflects over three decades of support for Wales. None of this would be possible without National Lottery players. We’re proud to support organisations like Tenby Surf Lifesaving Club that show the real impact funding makes.”
Across Wales, The National Lottery has also backed Conwy Castle (£800,000), the Brymbo Heritage Trust (£12 million) and Wrexham’s new football museum (£2.8 million).
Since its launch, more than 420 people in Wales have become millionaires thanks to National Lottery draws.

Community
Tenby sailing club works approved by national park
PLANS for works at Tenby’s historic sailing club building, part of the ‘iconic view’ of the town’s harbour have been given the go-ahead by the national park.
In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Tenby Sailing Club, through agent David J P Morgan RIBA Architect sought permission for the two openings in second floor gable wall along with two new windows at Tenby Sailing Club, Penniless Cove Hill, along with a related listed building consent.
The application was supported by Tenby Town Council and Tenby Civic Society, the latter saying it will “add value to the use of the building and maintain the character and value of the listed building and the conservation area”.
Supporting documents for the application said: “The proposal is to form two new openings in the stonework and install two windows. These will replicate the existing windows at first floor level below. The openings will have red brick head as on existing original openings on the building. The proposal will have very little adverse impact on the listed building.”
They added: “The proposed new windows will improve observation of the harbour and bay from the second-floor level. This is where yacht racing is monitored and observed by officials and safety personnel.”
An officer report, recommending approval said: “The sailing club was built as a warehouse c. 1825, abutting the C17 sluice. Originally wine stores, it was later used by the local fishermen for stores and is now the home to Tenby Sailing Club, established in 1936. The rubble-built building is of three storeys and four bays, the glazing all later C20 with a slated roof and a modernised interior. There is a large steel stair to north (seaward) elevation.”
It added: “The building forms part of a group picturesquely clustered around the sluice, in turn forming part of the iconic view of Tenby Harbour. The proposal is to insert two windows at second floor level to the north (seaward) elevation, flanking the existing door,” adding: “The area retains its mercantile character not just in appearance, but also through its character due to ongoing use as fishing boat stores and winter moorings.
“The sailing club has occupied the building for many years and remains very active. The proposal is intended to improve the amenity of the building to provide better viewing at elevation and seeks to copy the detail and proportions of the windows at first floor stage.”
The application, and the related listed building consent, was conditionally approved by park planners.
Community
Pembrokeshire students speak at national Holocaust Memorial Day event
TWO Haverfordwest High School pupils addressed senior political and religious figures and a Holocaust survivor at Wales’ main commemoration in Cardiff
Holocaust Memorial Day was marked in Cardiff this week with a powerful contribution from two Pembrokeshire students, who were invited to speak at Wales’ national commemoration event.
Awel Jones and Olivia Beal, both Year 13 pupils at Haverfordwest High School, attended the ceremony at the Temple of Peace on Monday (Jan 27) in their roles as ambassadors for the Holocaust Educational Trust.
The pair were asked to deliver speeches reflecting on their work with the Trust and their involvement in the “Lessons from Auschwitz” project, which educates young people about the Holocaust and the dangers of prejudice, discrimination and hatred.
They spoke in front of a distinguished audience that included the First Minister for Wales, Eluned Morgan, the Archbishop of Wales, senior civic leaders and Holocaust survivor Peter Lantos.
The national event formed part of Holocaust Memorial Day 2026, which was held under the theme “bridging generations”, highlighting the responsibility of younger generations to carry forward the lessons of the past as the number of living survivors declines.
Awel Jones and Olivia Beal were the only young Holocaust Educational Trust ambassadors representing Wales at the national ceremony, a distinction described as a significant honour for both the students and Pembrokeshire.
A parent said the occasion was “profoundly emotive and important”, adding that being invited to speak at such a high-profile event was an accolade for the students and a reflection of the strength of Holocaust education work taking place locally.
Holocaust Memorial Day is observed annually on January 27, marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945.
Business
Final wind turbine deliveries completed after months of disruption
Last major component reaches site as Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy thank communities for patience
DRAGON LNG and Dragon Energy have confirmed that the final large component for a new wind turbine project has now been successfully delivered, bringing months of complex abnormal load movements on Pembrokeshire roads to an end.
The companies said the final turbine blade was delivered to the site on Wednesday (Jan 28, 2026), marking the completion of all major component deliveries associated with the project.
In a statement, Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy thanked the local community for its patience and cooperation throughout the delivery programme, acknowledging that the operation caused disruption on local roads.

Residents across parts of the county have previously experienced temporary road closures, traffic delays and police escorts as oversized turbine components were transported from the Port of Milford Haven to the site under tightly controlled conditions.
The abnormal load movements required months of detailed planning and coordination, involving route surveys, traffic management, police support and liaison with local authorities to ensure deliveries were carried out safely and with minimal disruption wherever possible.
The companies also apologised for the inconvenience caused during the delivery phase, saying the support and understanding shown by residents had been “invaluable” in allowing the project to reach this milestone.
A number of organisations were involved in supporting the operation, including Pembrokeshire County Council, Dyfed-Powys Police, haulage specialists Collett & Sons Ltd and Green Light Traffic Management.
Local media outlets, including The Pembrokeshire Herald, provided advance notice and updates during the delivery process to help keep residents informed.
With the final major deliveries now complete, Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy said the project would continue to progress to the next phase of construction on site.
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