Churches across West Wales urged to take message of faith back into their communities

HUNDREDS of people gathered at Carmarthenshire Showground for a major Diocese of St Davids event celebrating worship, community and Christian mission.

The Agored i Dduw – Open to God event brought together clergy, church members, families and visitors from across the diocese, which covers Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

The event included worship, music, teaching, prayer, children’s activities and presentations, with a large stage, big screens and a programme designed to bring people together from churches across West Wales.

Photographs from the day show a packed venue, with clergy in robes, Bishop Dorrien Davies leading worship, and families taking part in activities throughout the day.

The Diocese said it was grateful to everyone who attended, describing the event as “a joy” and thanking those who helped make the gathering possible.

The event formed part of the Diocese’s continuing focus on mission — spreading the word of God in the community through worship, outreach, fellowship and service.

Those attending were encouraged to look beyond the walls of their own churches and consider how the Christian message can be shared more widely in local towns, villages and communities.

The bilingual title, Agored i Dduw – Open to God, reflected the Church in Wales’ aim of being open to faith, community and renewal.

The gathering also highlighted the continuing role of churches in rural and coastal communities across West Wales, where congregations often support local events, pastoral care, youth work, foodbanks, community groups and services for families and older people.

A spokesperson for the Diocese of St Davids said: “Our sincere thanks go out to everyone who attended the Agored i Dduw – Open to God event; it was a joy to see so many familiar and new faces there.”

The event follows similar diocesan gatherings in recent years and is part of a wider effort to encourage churches to grow in confidence, welcome new people and take a more active role in community life.

Photo caption: Faith gathering: Hundreds attended the Agored i Dduw – Open to God event at Carmarthenshire Showground (Pic: Diocese of St Davids).

Environmental training session at Neyland Marina aims to connect communities with coastal conservation

PEMBROKESHIRE residents are being invited to discover more about the wildlife, landscapes and environmental pressures shaping the Cleddau Waterway at a free event in Neyland next month.

The session, organised by the Pembrokeshire Marine Code, will take place at Neyland Marina on Monday (June 29) from 6:30pm to 9:00pm and will focus on local wildlife, responsible recreation and how people can help protect sensitive marine habitats.

Organisers say the event will give people who spend time on the water — or simply enjoy Pembrokeshire’s coastline — the chance to better understand the challenges facing local marine environments.

Attendees will hear from local experts and speakers, explore best practice for minimising disturbance to wildlife, and learn about tools including the Wales Coast Explorer App.

The event follows a recent environmental training day at Celtic Camping and Abereiddy Bay, where participants examined the geology and ecology of one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known coastal locations.

Environmental specialists including Sue Burton, John Archer-Thomson and Sid Howells helped attendees explore rock formations dating back around 500 million years, alongside marine species which now depend on the coastline’s unique habitats.

The session also looked at the growing impact of climate change and invasive species on Pembrokeshire’s coastal ecosystems, while giving participants an opportunity to discover local wildlife and geological features first-hand.

The Pembrokeshire Marine Code project aims to promote responsible enjoyment of the county’s coastline while helping protect vulnerable wildlife and habitats increasingly coming under pressure from recreation, environmental change and human activity.

With the Cleddau estuary at the heart of Pembrokeshire’s marine economy — supporting leisure boating, wildlife, tourism and industry — organisers say understanding how people can reduce their impact has never been more important.

The free Neyland event is open to anyone with an interest in Pembrokeshire’s coast, marine wildlife or environmental conservation.

Places can be booked through the Pembrokeshire Marine Code website.

Photo caption: Learning the coastline: Participants at a recent Pembrokeshire Marine Code environmental training event at Abereiddy Bay (Pic: Pembrokeshire Marine Code).

This could also work well with a sidebar on marine wildlife under pressure in Pembrokeshire (seals, seabirds, dolphins, disturbance from paddleboards/jetskis, invasive species etc.) to make it a bigger page lead.

A 21-YEAR-OLD woman from Llanybri in Carmarthenshire has died after a car she was driving collided with a tree on Saturday, May 23. 

Annie Evans-Lewis was living in East Pingelly, Perth, with her boyfriend Cai James, 22, before the incident. 

She suffered critical injuries after the vehicle she was driving reportedly left the road and struck a tree on Saturday afternoon around 15:30 local time. 

Annie was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital after the crash where she unfortunately passed away while holding Cai’s hand. 

The police said they are investigating the crash and have asked for witnesses to come forward.

Annie, who loved animals and spending time outdoors, met Cai four years ago while out driving a tractor with a friend.

At 18, Cai travelled to New Zealand for seasonal farm work but cut the trip short because he missed Annie too much.

After later securing a three-year farming sponsorship in Australia, Annie joined him there in September 2025.

“She was excited to start this next chapter with me,” Cai said.

He explained that Annie enjoyed working for grain company CBH and also spent time helping on a local farm during quieter periods, assisting with cooking, cleaning and caring for others.

The couple had been making plans for a long-term future in Australia, which Cai described as a major opportunity for them both.

Following six demanding weeks of farm seeding work, the pair finally had a day off together on Saturday and spent it shopping and having lunch.

On the journey home, Cai dropped Annie off to collect her own car from a nearby farm before briefly stopping to pick up petrol for his chainsaw.

While driving again shortly afterwards, he noticed a vehicle at the roadside and quickly realised what had happened. 

Cai said: “I wanted us both to be old and watching our grandchildren running around.

“She was everything and with her gone, I don’t know what to do with myself.”

Paying tribute to her daughter, Angharad Evans described her daughter as her “whole life” and said she fell deeply in love with Annie from the moment she first held her.

She also reflected on Annie’s childhood battle with leukemia, describing her as “strong” and “brave”.

“The fun and laughter we shared will stay with me forever,” she said.

“We were more like best friends, always laughing and getting up to silly things together.

“I will never be the same without you, my Annie, my angel.”

A fundraising campaign, organised by Annie’s cousin Emily Davies on behalf of the family, has raised more than £32,000 to help cover the costs of bringing Annie home to Wales and paying for funeral expenses.