Connect with us
Advertisement
Advertisement

Community

Haverfordwest Singer on song at festival

Published

on

on songSINGER Rowan Staden-Coates, of Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest was the overall winner of this year’s Secondary Schools Valero Music Festival.

The annual festival, which is organised by the Pembrokeshire County Council Music Service and sponsored by Valero, took place at Sir Thomas Picton School in Haverfordwest on Saturday (November 16).

Over 300 young musicians from the County’s eight county secondary schools took part in individual and ensemble competitions throughout the day.

Later in the evening an enthusiastic audience enjoyed a special concert showcasing the individual winners and the winners of the instrumental and vocal ensemble competitions.

Every secondary school in the county was represented by their school band or orchestra.

As the overall winner, Rowan Staden-Coates was presented with the Tim Bourne Memorial Cup. Earlier in the evening she had performed “Forsake me Not” by J. S. Bach, accompanied at the piano by her teacher Sarah Benbow.

Tuba player Aled Meredith-Barrett, of Ysgol Dewi Sant, was the winner of the Open Brass competition. He performed “Romanza” by Vaughan-Williams and was accompanied by Seimon Morris.

The Open String competition winner was Naomi Hunt from Greenhill School, who played “Polonaise Briliante” by Weieniawski on the the violin. She was accompanied by Anna Tiller. Hannah Taylor, of Greenhill School, was the winner of the Open Piano class. She is a pupil of Jan Hartzel and performed “Nocturne” by Grieg.

Marimba player Melissa Martin, of Sir Thomas Picton School, won the Open Percussion class. She performed “Prelude No1 for solo Marimba” by Rosauro.

The winner of the Open Woodwind class was flautist Amy Taylor, of Greenhill School, who performed “Hypnosis” by Ian Clarke accompanied at the piano by Stuart Evans.

The Open Vocal Ensemble class was won by Sir Thomas Picton Boy’s Quartet, who sang “Blue Moon” accompanied by James Olyott.

Saxophonist Molly Brick, of Tasker Milward School, was the winner of the Open Jazz competition. Her performance of “Georgia on my Mind” was accompanied by Clive Raymond.

The Open Ensemble competition was won by the Sir Thomas Picton year 12 group who performed an arrangement of part of Bach’s “Brandenburg Concerto No2”.

The invited professional adjudicators – Timothy Angel, voice; Adrian Morton , brass; , Lara James, woodwind; Christopher Lovegrove, piano; Denis Mahoney, ensembles; Robin Stowell, strings; Nick Baron, percussion – were greatly impressed with the high standard and strength of schools’ music on show from across the County.

Also performing at the evening concert were: Sir Thomas Picton School Orchestra (conducted by Melanie Walker); Ysgol Greenhill School Jazz Band (Paul Rapi); Milford Haven School Wind Band (Gareth Sanders Swales); Ysgol Dewi Sant School Orchestra (Tom Earey); Pembroke School Orchestra (Rebecca Whitehurst); Ysgol Bro Gwaun Orchestra (Phillipa Roberts); Ysgol y Preseli Wind Band (Gareth Sanders Swales) and Tasker Milward School Orchestra (Phillipa Roberts).

On behalf of Valero, William James said the company was very pleased to be involved in such a prestigious event featuring so many of the county’s talented young musicians.

County Music Co-ordinator and Festival MC Chris Llewellyn thanked the adjudicators, teachers, parents and students for making the Festival such a success.

“Once again the strength and quality of Pembrokeshire Schools’ music is evident at this event,” he said.

 

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Community

£5.25m Welsh Government funding to benefit unpaid carers

Published

on

UNPAID carers in Wales will continue to receive additional support to take well-earned breaks from their caring role, Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden has said.

The Minister has also confirmed funding is being made available to continue support for carers on low incomes to buy essential items.

The Short Breaks Scheme and Carers Support Fund will receive £3.5m and £1.75m respectively for 2025/26 from the Welsh Government.

These schemes are in addition to the duties that local authorities are under to provide appropriate support for carers.

The Short Breaks Scheme is on track to deliver, or exceed, the target of 30,000 additional short break opportunities by March 2025. Its extension will continue to help unpaid carers in Wales take breaks from their responsibilities to support their wellbeing.

The funding can be used, for example, for short holidays, activity days and cinema trips. It can also support carers in pursuing a hobby or sport.

Recent findings suggest only 14% of the adult carers who have benefitted from the scheme had also accessed a break from elsewhere in the last 12 months, demonstrating the crucial role it is playing. 80% of those benefitting from the scheme are providing more than 50 hours of care a week.

The Carers Support Fund provides emergency financial support for unpaid carers of all ages on low incomes to pay for essential items. This could be food, a household item or a utility bill. In addition, the fund also provides information to help people manage finances and ensure they are claiming all benefits and entitlements.

Almost half of unpaid carers accessing the schemes in the past three years were not previously known to services and so the schemes show the significant added value as a gateway to other forms of support.

Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden said: “Unpaid carers play a crucial role in providing care for their family members and friends.

“I am delighted we are providing funding for the coming year to help more unpaid carers take short breaks as there is good evidence they can have a big impact on wellbeing.

“We also know many unpaid carers experience financial pressures because of their caring role and the Carers Support Fund will continue to provide crucial additional assistance for carers on low incomes.”

Carers Trust Director for Wales, Kate Cubbage, said: “We’ve heard from thousands of unpaid carers that the Short Breaks Scheme has given them their first access to a break from caring and that grants through the Carers Support Fund have been essential to keep food on the table and heat in their homes.

“These programmes are needed now more than ever, as costs rise and our partners in health and social care face increasing pressures. Our colleagues in statutory services tell us that modest investments in these transformative programmes make a difference to sustaining carers in their vital caring role and prevent the need for further intervention from acute services.

“As the National Coordinating Body for the Short Breaks Scheme and the organisation leading delivery of the Carers Support Fund, Carers Trust welcomes Welsh Government’s commitment to safeguarding these vital programmes with an assurance of funding for another year.

“This funding will enable local carer organisations and delivery partners to reach thousands more unpaid carers with a much-needed break from caring and with protection from the sharpest end of poverty into 2026.”

Continue Reading

Community

Port issue warning over damage to Milford Beach access route

Published

on

THE PORT of Milford Haven has issued a warning regarding a wall collapse on the hot water slip access to Milford Beach.

Residents and visitors are urged to stay clear of the affected area and avoid using this access route while investigations and repairs are carried out.

Please share this message to help ensure public safety.

Thank you.

Continue Reading

Community

Feed the Community Event Attended by Local MS

Published

on

SENEDD Member Paul Davies has recently visited the Feed the Community initiative at the Haverhub in Haverfordwest. Feed the Community is supported by Haverfordwest Town Council and organised by Councillor Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner and Councillor Dani Thomas-Turner. The project, which supported by several local organisations, invites residents to the Hub where free hot meals are provided and there are free activities to get involved in.

Mr Davies said, “Feed the Community is a fantastic initiative and it’s great to see the local community working together to create these inclusive and welcoming events.”

He added, “It’s a great way for local businesses and charities to engage with residents and build bridges in the community. The event was so well attended, and I was delighted to talk to residents, business representatives and volunteers. The atmosphere at the Hub was very positive and I was delighted to see it all for myself.”

Continue Reading

News10 hours ago

The Sea Empress Disaster: Remembering the catastrophe 29 years on

IT WAS exactly 29 years ago. On the evening of February 15, 1996, at approximately 8:07pm, the oil tanker Sea...

Business1 day ago

Council take legal action against 686 Pembrokeshire-based businesses

Scores of firms listed in court for non-payment of business rates HUNDREDS of businesses across Pembrokeshire are facing court action...

Crime2 days ago

Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn launches ambitious four-year policing plan

Public trust at the heart of new strategy DYFED-POWYS Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn has unveiled his four-year Police...

Community2 days ago

Port’s support for library already ‘many hundreds of thousands of pounds’

THE PORT OF MILFORD HAVEN has confirmed that it is providing “significant financial support” to Milford Haven Library, with its...

Education3 days ago

Alarming new Estyn report reveals Welsh education in crisis

WALES’ education system is in turmoil, with an alarming new report from Estyn exposing deep-rooted issues plaguing schools across the...

News4 days ago

Concerns mount over rising violence in Welsh schools

VIOLENCE in Welsh schools has reached a deeply disturbing level, according to Darren Millar MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives,...

News4 days ago

Six-way battle for Haverfordwest’s Prendergast Ward council seat

A SIX-WAY battle to contest a Pembrokeshire seat made vacant following the resignation of local county councillor Andrew Edwards during...

News5 days ago

Broke local authority drops legal action against Withyhedge Landfill

Decision made due to financial constraints CASH-STRAPPED Pembrokeshire County Council has announced it will not proceed with legal action against...

News5 days ago

Secrecy over Milford Haven Library rent as council faces funding ultimatum

MILFORD HAVEN’S library remains under threat as Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) refuses to disclose the rent it pays to the...

News5 days ago

Person rescued as fire guts Clunderwen home

A PERSON was pulled from a burning house in Clunderwen on Friday (Feb 7) as a fierce fire ripped through...

Popular This Week