Community
From isolation to inspiration: VR brings new hope to care in Wales
VIRTUAL REALITY is being used in Pembrokeshire and across west Wales to combat loneliness, lift mood and improve patient care.
As part of the Bevan Exemplar programme, Sarah Beauclerk, Director of Vere Experiences CIC, has been leading two pioneering projects in collaboration with Hywel Dda University Health Board and Pembrokeshire County Council.
Supporting older people
The VR Inclusive Mental Health Interventions (VRIMHI) project was set up with the Pembrokeshire Older Adult Community Mental Health Team to help older people struggling with low mood. Sessions were designed to improve wellbeing, reduce relapses and provide a “safe space” for patients.
Originally planned as home visits, the scheme shifted to group sessions during Mental Health Awareness Week – proving so successful that they continue every fortnight, alongside home visits for those unable to attend.
Three years on, VRIMHI is still running. Evaluation shows participants report an average mood improvement of nearly three points on a ten-point scale, with longer-term benefits also recorded. One patient described it as “my safe space,” while staff said demand for lighter-touch follow-up sessions is growing.
Connecting care homes
The Connecting Realities project brought VR into local care homes. Feedback showed that 80% of residents experienced mood improvement, with some effects lasting long after the sessions. Staff noted that the visits lifted the atmosphere of entire living rooms.
One resident, usually withdrawn, surprised staff by singing Wonderful World during a session, which a supporter described as a “miraculous reaction.”
The team now coordinate nearly 50 headsets across wards, community care and palliative services. In one case, a lifelong Liverpool FC fan was able to tour Anfield virtually just before she passed away – a powerful memory for her and her carer.
Backed by the Bevan Exemplar
Bevan Exemplar status gave the projects credibility and opened doors at health board and council level. Mentors including Mark Briggs (Cardiff and Vale UHB) and Mark Griffiths (Public Health Wales) provided vital support.
Sarah is now working with Public Health Wales on CarerVR, a new project using first-person VR to help unpaid carers build skills and reduce injury risks. The scheme is already being rolled out locally, with interest from care homes and plans to pilot VR booths in GP surgeries.
The projects have not only improved outcomes for patients but also boosted staff morale, strengthening relationships between carers, residents and families.
Sarah said that the key lesson for future innovators is simple: “Keep your reason at the heart of what you do, and take it step by step. If you hold on to your inspiration, you can overcome challenges and create real change.”
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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