CAREW CASTLE will host its annual Classic Car Show on Monday, May 4, from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

The popular event, one of the highlights of the local spring calendar, will see classic and vintage cars, motorbikes and military vehicles on display against the historic backdrop of Carew Castle.

Vehicles from across south Wales are expected to take part, with the show again offering a day out for motoring enthusiasts, families and visitors to the castle.

There will also be live music throughout the day from local folk band Razor Bill, along with a mini funfair run by Pembrokeshire Attractions.

Food and drink will be available on site, with Nest Tearoom serving light lunches, homemade cakes and coffee. Fresh bacon rolls will also be on sale in the Walled Garden.

Families visiting over the Bank Holiday weekend can also take part in Time Traveller’s Quest, a new treasure hunt running daily from Saturday, May 2, between 10:00am and 4:00pm.

The self-led activity invites children and families to explore Carew Castle’s past, travelling from the Iron Age through the Medieval and Elizabethan periods and into World War Two.

Using a smartphone, participants can uncover clues and secrets hidden within the castle walls as part of an interactive journey through history.

The treasure hunt costs £2.50 per child, with normal admission fees applying. It is bilingual in Welsh and English and includes stepped access.

The manager of Carew Castle, Daisy Hughes said: “The Classic Car Show is always one of the most anticipated events in our calendar.

“It brings together a wonderful mix of heritage, community and family fun, and there is always a fantastic atmosphere on the day.

“With live music, fairground rides and plenty to explore around the site, it promises to be a brilliant Bank Holiday day.”

No advance booking is required.

The event is weather dependent and may be cancelled in poor conditions.

For the latest updates, visit www.carewcastle.com or follow Carew Castle and Tidal Mill on Facebook.

Caption:

Classic day out: Carew Castle will host its annual car show on Monday, May 4 (Pic: Carew Castle).

THE NUMBER of Welsh speakers living in Wales has fallen for the second year in a row, according to the latest annual population survey.

Figures published on Wednesday (Apr 22) show that 844,300 people aged three and over were able to speak Welsh in the year ending December 31, 2025.

That represents 27.3% of the population.

The figure is down from 896,300, or 29.2%, in the year ending December 31, 2023.

Despite the recent fall, the overall trend since 2010 remains upward. In March 2010, the survey recorded 731,000 Welsh speakers in Wales, equivalent to 25.2% of the population.

The Welsh Government said the latest data showed that the number of Welsh speakers had “declined in general over the past two years”, but added that the longer-term picture since 2010 was still one of growth.

However, officials have also urged caution when interpreting the figures.

The Annual Population Survey has seen falling sample sizes in recent years, and the estimates have not been reweighted to the latest population estimates. As a result, the Office for Statistics Regulation has agreed that the figures should no longer be treated as accredited official statistics for the time being.

The Welsh Government says the census remains the key source for measuring the number of Welsh speakers in Wales.

According to census data, the number of Welsh speakers was 582,400 in 2001, 562,000 in 2011, and 538,300 in 2021.

Cardiff had the highest estimated number of Welsh speakers in the 2025 survey, with 96,800, followed by Gwynedd with 91,300 and Carmarthenshire with 88,100.

The lowest estimated numbers were in Blaenau Gwent, with 8,200, and Merthyr Tydfil, with 10,200.

Gwynedd had the highest estimated percentage of Welsh speakers, at 74.7%, followed by Anglesey at 63.5%.

The lowest percentages were recorded in Blaenau Gwent, at 12.1%, and Bridgend, at 15.5%.

Children and young people aged three to fifteen remain the age group most likely to speak Welsh, with 48.8%, or 237,900, reporting that they could do so.

But the percentage of children and young people able to speak Welsh has generally fallen since the start of 2019.

The survey also found that 14.5% of people aged three and over, around 448,800 people, said they spoke Welsh daily.

A further 4.9%, or 151,200 people, said they spoke Welsh weekly, while 6.5%, or 200,400 people, said they spoke it less often.

Around 43,500 people said they could speak Welsh but never did so.

The figures also showed that 31.5% of people could understand spoken Welsh, 24.9% could read Welsh, and 22.3% could write in Welsh.

Support from Princes Gate helps expand school lessons and launch new open-water initiative across South Wales

MORE children in Pembrokeshire are learning to swim thanks to an expanding programme backed by Long Course Weekend and Princes Gate water.

The 2026 Pembrokeshire Learn-to-Swim Legacy Programme is set to reach 55 local schools this year, giving more than 1,000 pupils access to structured swimming lessons.

Organisers say the scheme is already making a clear difference. Last year, 62 per cent of Pembrokeshire pupils in Years three to six achieved the national swimming standard, which is 22 per cent above the national average. Among Year six pupils, 80 per cent reached the National Curriculum standard.

At one participating school, the swim pass rate reportedly rose from just 8 per cent to 80 per cent in a single year.

The programme was first launched by Long Course Weekend in 2022 after Swim Wales reported that up to 52 per cent of children leave primary school unable to swim.

Its aim is to improve access to lessons in schools, raise swimming standards, and ensure cost and opportunity are not barriers for children in communities around Long Course Weekend host towns.

This year’s programme will also include a new open-water initiative across South Wales, with planned sessions designed to help both children and adults build confidence in natural bodies of water.

Matthew Evans, CEO of Long Course Weekend, said: “Although each host region shapes the Programme around its own needs, the purpose remains the same: to leave a long-term, positive legacy, ensuring accessibility and affordability are never obstacles to participation or progression.

“With the support of our partners such as Princes Gate water, our initiative is designed to help overcome barriers in sport and create opportunities not only for children, but for people of all ages to participate in physical activities in a positive, supported environment.”

Princes Gate, which bottles its water at source near Narberth, has continued its support for the programme through its Pembrokeshire site.

Niall Bridge, Plant Manager of the Princes Gate bottling site, Nestlé Waters & Premium Beverages UK, said: “Being a water company, with our site based near the Pembrokeshire coast, it was a natural choice for us to support the Long Course Weekend Legacy Programme with its mission of improving the swimming ability across the region.

“We want to be a good neighbour in Pembrokeshire, where we bottle our Princes Gate water. We are proud to call this beautiful place home and share the same vision as LCW – to improve access, opportunity and wellbeing in our local communities.”

Long Course Weekend Wales, founded in 2010, has become one of Europe’s best-known multi-sport endurance festivals, bringing athletes from around the world to Tenby each year.

Through its Legacy Programme, the event also aims to leave a lasting benefit in its host communities by directing funds into projects that help people learn to swim, cycle and run.

Photo caption: Backing the scheme: Matthew Evans, Abigail Felstead, Morgan Grieve and Niall Bridge (Pic supplied).