News

Coal miner’s cannabis crusade

Published

10 years ago

January 8, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Eric Mann: Cannabis campaigner

A PEMBROKESHIRE pensioner is on a campaign to have the class B controlled drug cannabis legalised, a campaign, he says, has cost his 50 year marriage. 72 year old, Eric Mann, a former coal miner from Pembroke Dock, appeared this month in Swansea Crown Court after admitting to growing and supplying cannabis and was subsequently given a 12 month suspended sentence after pleading guilty. The judge, Paul Thomas, responded to his claims that the drug was for medical use telling him to ‘find legal pain relief’. However, Mr Mann was unrepentant and stated that he believed the drug should be regulated for medical use. This was not the first time the pensioner had fallen foul of the law having collected a string of convictions over the years including a 9 month suspended sentence in 1997 and a prison sentence in 1999.

He spoke about the effect the campaign has had on his everyday life and, in particular, his marriage: “I have lost my marriage because of it. My missus got fed up and left. That was three years ago. I have been married 50 years this year and now I am going through a divorce. I have got to sell my house and move out. That’s life and it’s not easy. But there you go. My wife, Bridget, had put up with the long campaign for nearly three decades but finally decided she had had enough. The house kept getting raided and being searched. People were talking all the time and she did not like it.” He went on to describe a prison sentence he served back in 1999, saying: “I quite enjoyed it actually.

I went to an open prison with my own room and a key. I helped a young boy to read and enjoyed the company of people. I came out and just got on with my life. They left me alone for about nine years after that.” He went on to talk about his sister’s death from cancer, and his own fight with pain, after having been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis: “That made me determined to fight for its (cannabis) use as a medicine. I’m not screaming about social use. I just want it to be made available as a medicine. She, June, (my sister) was drugged up and lying there in pain and was like that for a year until she died.

It just made me determined to get people to understand cannabis is a medicine. I would have given June the cannabis oil if I could have. It would have stopped her being in pain. It could have given her a better quality of life. That’s what it does for me. I contemplated getting rid of myself because I was in so much pain. It was hard to stand that pain. I was taking medication but it was getting worse.

Then someone said, ‘Have you tried cannabis?’ It did not take the pain away but it was more acceptable and it meant I could get a night of sleep, which I could not do before,” On the people to whom he has supplied the illegal drug, and how he uses it, he said: “They have always benefited. It makes me angry to think people are suffering because of this stupid law. Whatever I do I am going to keep secret. Official information about cannabis is all lies. The problem is that judges and people like that believe it. It worked better than legal medicine for me.

I’ve not taken pharmaceutical medicines since ’92. All I take is my cannabis oil. I don’t have flu jabs or anything. I was not selling it, I was just giving it to people, anyway. I use oil and I mix it with honey. I take a little bit in the morning and some in the afternoon and some at night. I just have it on the end of a tea spoon. I don’t take a lot. I don’t walk around zonked-out all day.

I’m not too bad, I keep OK, but there is going to be a time when I have to go to hospital or a home. And I don’t intend to do either of those. I’ll die before I go in there. I don’t trust doctors because I’ve had lots of problems with them. I’ve lost my faith in the medical profession”. On whether or not this latest conviction would change his approach to the drug he told The Herald: “I’m not frightened of policemen or judges. Britain is not a fair society because it has unjust laws.

However, If I was in the US I would have been sentenced to life in prison. I’m grateful for the place I live in.” Earlier this month experts, however, expressed concern that the use of cannabis was leaving young adults with ‘lungs of 80-year-olds’, and that the drug was not as benign as some would have people believe. The findings came from a Bangor University study that found some hospital patients in Gwynedd had accelerated forms of emphysema in as early an age group as the 30’s, and they went on to state that they believed lungs became damaged at a faster rate when cannabis is mixed with tobacco.

Dr Damian Mckeon, a consultant in respiratory medicine at Ysbyty Gwynedd and honorary senior lecturer at Banger University, said: “We are seeing young people on the wards with lungs of 80 year olds after less than a decade of smoking cannabis and tobacco. Our study was in a rural region of north Wales but we believe these cases may represent the tip of the iceberg.” In October of 2014 Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, had called for a change in direction on cannabis laws asking for a focus on treatment rather than punishment, although the Government has remained steadfast in its drugs policy, that it said, would not change

Business

Wolfscastle Country Hotel crowned Wales’ best boutique wedding venue

Published

5 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa has been named Wales’ Best Boutique Wedding Venue for 2024 at the prestigious Welsh National Wedding Awards.

The ceremony, held on Sunday (Nov 10) at Swansea’s Brangwyn Hall, welcomed more than 600 guests for its 13th annual celebration. Thousands of votes were cast by brides, grooms, and supporters to determine the winners from over 300 shortlisted nominees.

Double victory

The Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa not only won the regional title for west Wales but also secured the national accolade for the second time in three years.

Known for its glamorous reception spaces and elegant ceremony room, the hotel offers a comprehensive bridal package. This includes wedding accommodation and a private spa experience featuring a hot tub, sauna, and various treatments.

Celebrating success

Taking to social media, the hotel expressed gratitude to its guests and staff for their role in achieving this prestigious honour.

Hotel owner Andy Stirling said:
“We’re very proud to have been nominated and voted winners in both our local and national categories.

“I have the pleasure of seeing how tirelessly Lowri, and my wife Mandy Stirling, our wedding coordinators, work on every wedding to tailor the experience to suit the couples we have joining us.

“We pride ourselves on offering exquisite in-house catering provided by head chef Seb, head pastry chef Adama, and our excellent kitchen team, backed up by first-class table service from our highly experienced waiting staff.

“I am overwhelmingly grateful for the support of our guests and couples who have wedded with us in helping achieve this award.

“I know that myself and the team all look forward to hosting many more phenomenal weddings in the future.”

Welsh National Wedding Awards

The awards celebrate the best wedding venues and services across Wales, with attendees from all regions of the country.

***Celebrations: Andy and Mandy Stirling with wedding co-ordinator Lowri Nicholas (Pic: Wolfscastle Country Hotel and Spa)***

Community

Special guests for Torch showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’

Published

12 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY was the most appropriate day for the screening before a Pembrokeshire audience of a remarkable film, narrated by the last surviving ‘Dambuster’ of the RAF’s 617 Squadron.

The RAF’s Air Officer Wales, Air Commodore Rob Woods, and World War II Veteran Duncan Hilling, of Saundersfoot, were chief guests at the Torch Theatre for the showing of ‘Attack on Sorpe Dam’, one of three large dams in Germany attacked by 617 Squadron in May 1943.

They were joined by service representatives, air cadets and many locals – the evening being a fundraising event for the International Bomber Command Centre (IBCC) in Lincolnshire.

Exquisitely created in digital format, the film describes the story of Avro Lancaster bomber AJ-T which attacked the Sorpe Dam, with the narration by the late Squadron Leader Johnny Johnson, who died in 2022. He was the bomb aimer on the aircraft which dropped an ‘Upkeep’ bomb on the dam.

It is the culmination of six years of work by film producer Andrew Panton and Pitor Forkasiewicz and is now part of the IBCC archive. Also shown was a short film ‘Remembering the Avro Lancaster’ in which four wartime aircrew visit a preserved Lancaster at a Lincolnshire museum. The film was launched that day by the IBCC, with the Torch audience being the first to see a live screening.

The event was organised by Andrew Panton’s brother, Ian, of St Davids, who commented: “There was no doubt that many found this a very special occasion for Remembering Them, and so many others, on Remembrance Sunday.”

On display during the evening was a Lancaster bomb aimer’s panel, re-created by Dr Andy Watkin, a Trustee of the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.

Entertainment

Two-day Christmas fair set for Pembrokeshire

Published

1 day ago

November 17, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s annual Christmas Fair will run for two days this year, on Thursday, December 14, and Friday, December 15.

Held at the Parkhouse Building on the Haverfordwest Showground, the venue will transform into a festive shopping destination, offering an expanded range of stalls, live music, Santa’s Grotto, and an outdoor food court.

Expanded event

Event organisers Judith Roach and Emma Thomas expressed their excitement about the extended format. They said:
“We are thrilled to announce that our Christmas Fair will run for two days instead of just one. We are building on last year’s success with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. The Parkhouse Building will become a one-stop shop for everyone preparing for Christmas.”

The fair will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on both days, with free admission for all visitors.

Festive treats and unique gifts

Attendees can expect to browse an extensive selection of unique gifts, handmade decorations, artwork, and homeware. Local food and drink producers will also showcase festive delights, including chocolate brownies, fudge, spirits, and Welsh cheeses.

An outdoor food court will cater for visitors on the go, with a variety of hot and cold options.

Santa’s Grotto

Santa himself will make a special appearance, with children able to visit him for £3 per child. Each child will receive a small gift, with all proceeds going to the Sandy Bear charity. Advance bookings can be made via the Sandy Bear website.

Community effort

Adam Thorne, president of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, praised the efforts of the event’s organisers:
“The society would like to thank Judith and Emma for their dedication in organising this two-day event. We’re delighted to offer visitors a chance to do their Christmas shopping while enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

The Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society encourages visitors to follow the Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for updates and a complete list of stallholders.

The event promises to be a perfect start to the holiday season, welcoming families and shoppers alike.