FOLLOWING a recent Church in Wales legal threat against Pembrokeshire’s council over plans to remove church status from Cilgerran’s school, Wales Humanists has supported the council plans.

The Humanist support comes after the Church in Wales issued a formal notice that it will take legal action against Pembrokeshire County Council if it presses ahead with plans to remove church status from Cilgerran Voluntary Controlled Primary School.

Back in May, the council voted to remove the Voluntary Controlled status of the Welsh-speaking rural school and to establish it as a 3-11 community school despite 97 per cent of the responses to a consultation about its potential discontinuation opposing it.

That consultation followed a review which “considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population,” the council has previously said.

Hundreds opposed the proposed changes, with a petition on the council’s own website gaining 391 signatures.

During the consultation, 203 responses were received; 97 per cent (197 responses) against the proposal, with just 1.5 per cent (three) in favour.

Following this, a letter was sent to council officers on behalf of the Diocese of St Davids and the Church in Wales saying that, if the council persists with this course, the Church will take legal action on the grounds of claims of “public misrepresentation and unqualified legal assertions made by Pembrokeshire County Council officers,” and “discrimination against faith schooling”.

The letter also says that, if the council removes VC status from the school, the Church will not make the site available for a successor school, which it says will render “the case on which the proposed removal of VC status is based untenable”.

The legal warning described “the gratuitous attack on the church status of Ysgol Cilgerran” as amounting to “a targeted assault on the inclusive Christian education which Church in Wales schools have provided to their communities for generations”.

Since then, Wales Humanists has welcomed the move, which would remove church status from Cilgerran Voluntary Controlled Primary School, and has written to Pembrokeshire County Council expressing its support for the proposal “on behalf of the area’s substantial non-religious community”.

It says, according to the 2021 Census, almost half of people in Pembrokeshire identified as having no religion.

Kathy Riddick, Campaigns and Policy Manager for Wales Humanists, said: “Schools should exist to serve their whole community. Where publicly funded schools no longer reflect the beliefs of the communities they serve, it is entirely appropriate for local authorities to consider whether they should continue to have a religious character.

“The question is whether publicly funded schools should continue to be legally designated as belonging to one particular religion when they serve increasingly diverse communities.

“We believe education should be equally welcoming to every child, regardless of their religion or belief, and call on local authorities across Wales to keep the religious character of maintained schools under review so that school organisation reflects local demographics and the needs of modern communities.”

A PIONEERING Pembrokeshire skills initiative encouraging young women to consider careers in sustainable power, renewable energy and construction has welcomed The Crown Estate as its newest partner.

The SPARC Alliance works with secondary schools across the county to bring future local career opportunities to life for girls aged 12 to 14, with a particular focus on STEM-related pathways.

The programme is already supported by RWE Generation and RWE Renewables at Pembroke Power Station, the Port of Milford Haven, Blue Gem Wind and Ledwood Engineering.

It has now announced new backing from The Crown Estate, the independent organisation which manages land, property and the seabed across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Crown Estate is playing a key role in the development of floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea, with South West Wales expected to be at the centre of a new clean energy industry.

Three sites for new windfarms are being taken forward by some of the world’s leading offshore wind companies, creating major opportunities for the region and its supply chain.

The Crown Estate has also awarded funding through its £50m Supply Chain Accelerator Programme, including projects in Pembrokeshire, and is co-funding the regional Fit For Offshore Renewables programme in South Wales with the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult.

Supporters say the growth of the sector could create significant demand for engineers, welders, construction workers, environmental specialists, business support professionals, maritime experts and port operatives.

Current forecasts suggest more than 5,000 jobs could be created through new Celtic Sea windfarms and their associated supply chains.

However, with an ageing population and changing demographics, there is increasing pressure to ensure local young people have the skills and confidence needed to take advantage of these opportunities.

SPARC aims to help meet that challenge by engaging young women who have historically been underrepresented in engineering, construction, manufacturing and clean energy careers.

Through direct contact with industry, pupils are given insight into the range of roles being created by renewable energy, from traditional power generation to offshore wind and hydrogen technologies.

Hayley Williams, of Pembrokeshire College, the lead partner for SPARC, said: “The Crown Estate’s commitment to SPARC will enable the programme to expand its reach across more schools and strengthen its support for young women aspiring to become STEM professionals.

“This includes enhanced mentoring opportunities, helping participants explore both university pathways and work-based apprenticeships as routes into the industries that will shape Pembrokeshire’s future.”

SPARC Alliance partners say the programme is helping ensure local young people are informed, inspired and equipped to seize the opportunities presented by one of the most significant economic developments Wales has seen in a generation.

VOLUNTEERS’ Week this year (June 1-7) brought organisations together across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, to celebrate and say a heartfelt “thank you” to the incredible people who give their time to support others.

Volunteering brings wide-reaching benefits – for organisations, for the communities they serve, and for the volunteers themselves.

This contribution is recognised in the Social Model for Health and Wellbeing Charter, adopted by partners across the region, including Hywel Dda University Health Board, in March 2025.

Senior leaders from the Health Board joined celebrations across the three counties to show their appreciation in person.

Professor Phil Kloer, Chief Executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board, attended a vibrant multi-agency event hosted by Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS). The event, held at Parc Dewi Sant, was organised and funded by CAVS and supported by Lucy Cummings, New Business Development Officer.

The gathering brought together a wide range of organisations supporting local communities, including Dolen Teifi, Angor, People Speak Up and many more. Carmarthenshire County Council Chair, Councillor Giles Morgan, was also in attendance.

Professor Kloer said: “Health Services make just a small contribution to our health and wellbeing – connection, belonging, education and opportunity make a significant contribution to our health and wellbeing.

“The Health Board is keen to recognise and celebrate the fact that everyone has a contribution to make. I want to thank organisations and our partners across the region who work together to grow this understanding and important work on behalf of the Health Board.”

In Pembrokeshire, Dr Bruce Bolam, Deputy Director of Public Health, took part in a community event at Simpson’s Community Hall and Gardens. The event was organised and funded by Pembrokeshire Association of Voluntary Services (PAVS) and brought together partners including Community Connectors, Bluestone, South Hook, 2Wish and the VC Gallery, who provided a much-enjoyed lunch for attendees.

Meanwhile, in Ceredigion, Megan Harris, Consultant in Public Health, joined one of the eight multi-agency celebrations in Ceredigion, in Llandysul to thank volunteers for their invaluable contributions. The event was organised by Arts4Wellbeing and funded by Ceredigion Association of Voluntary Organisations (CAVO), with contributions from organisations including Dolen Teifi and Pont Tyweli.

Across all three counties, the events were marked by warmth, gratitude and a shared recognition of the essential role volunteers play in supporting health and wellbeing in local communities.