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Welsh communities benefit

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REPRESENTATIVES from the business, charity and education sectors joined Fund for Wales at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre last night to celebrate a new partnership with Melin Tregwynt to raise money for communities across Wales.

Raising money for communities across Wales: A new partnership.

Raising money for communities across Wales: A new partnership.

The Fund for Wales is a unique national community endowment fund set up by the Community Foundation in Wales to support small inspiring charities and community groups across the country. Since launching in 2011, the Fund has grown to an endowment of £2 million and awarded grants totalling £22,000 to a range of Welsh projects.

Thanks to the iconic Welsh brand Melin Tregwynt, 50 Welsh blankets and 50 cushions, sporting a limited edition pattern in Fund for Wales colours, have been produced to raise even more money for projects which enable young people, improve physical and mental health, promote education, enterprise & life-long learning, protect our environment and nurture heritage and culture projects across Wales.

Speaking of the partnership, Fund for Wales co-ordinator, Sian Stacey, said: “We were thrilled when Melin Tregwynt agreed to partner with us. Melin Tregwynt is a national treasure of Wales with customers across the world who love Wales, so it seemed a perfect partnership. The Fund for Wales enables everyone who cares about Wales to join their donations together to help people working at grassroots level to achieve lasting change in their own communities. Our limited edition blankets and cushions really are gifts that keep on giving.”

Eifion Griffiths of Melin Tregwynt said: “Melin Tregwynt is committed to celebrating and promoting our rich culture both at home and abroad. When the Fund for Wales approached us to talk about partnering on a limited edition design we didn’t think twice. The idea of creating something which leaves a positive mark on communities here in Wales really appealed to us and we look forward to selling out of what is sure to be a popular design.”

Youth projects in Merthyr, foster carer programmes in Pembrokeshire, environmental projects in Monmouthshire, a youth music projects in North Powys and the development of a community centre in rural Gwynedd are all projects that have received grants from the Fund for Wales.

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Business

Dinosaur park in Tenby up for sale for £4.5m

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A FAMILY-RUN dinosaur theme park in Tenby is up for sale for the first time, with a guide price of £4.5 million.

Specialist leisure property adviser Christie & Co has been instructed to handle the sale of the Dinosaur Park, which was built by its current owners in 1994.

The Pembrokeshire attraction features 36 rides and activities, more than 90 animatronic dinosaurs, a woodland trail, play areas, a VR experience, food and drink outlets, and a gift shop.

Located 2.5 miles from Tenby, the park attracts more than 60,000 visitors annually, with 650 families holding season tickets.

The sale includes the theme park, with an option to purchase an additional 120 acres of surrounding land and a three-bedroom bungalow under separate negotiation.

Gabriela Williams, business agent for Christie & Co, said: “The Dinosaur Park is an outstanding visitor attraction, and this is a unique opportunity to own a very profitable, turn-key leisure business.”

She added: “Over the past 30 years, the owners have built, grown and developed the park to the successful attraction it is today, and there is still further scope and potential for expansion.”

The Herald understands that the new owner could either run the park directly or appoint a general manager to oversee operations.

In other news, the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff Bay has announced plans for a new performance venue dedicated to digital and immersive arts.

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Business

Shoplifting crisis: National attention on Pembrokeshire’s favourite seaside town

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THE PICTURESQUE seaside town of Tenby, known for its golden beaches and bustling tourism industry, is now making headlines for an alarming rise in shoplifting. Once considered a safe haven for holidaymakers and retirees, the town has been grappling with a crime wave that has left local businesses reeling.

Surge in Retail Theft

Tenby business owners have reported a dramatic increase in thefts, with some estimating annual losses of up to £26,000 due to shoplifting. Fiona Malone, co-owner of Tenby Stores and Post Office, noted that the problem has escalated since the COVID-19 pandemic. “When we first moved here, crime was almost non-existent. Now, we’re facing theft on a daily basis, from teenagers to elderly individuals,” she said.

The town’s small independent retailers are among the hardest hit, as they lack the corporate security infrastructure of larger chains. Items such as alcohol, pet food, and high-value goods are frequently targeted. Business owners have been forced to lock away premium stock or remove certain products from shelves altogether to combat the issue.

Vince and Fiona Malone on Sky News
Vince and Fiona Malone on BBC’s Newsnight

National crisis reflected locally

According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), shoplifting offences in England and Wales surged by 23% in the year leading up to September 2024, with over 492,000 cases recorded. Tenby has not been spared from this trend, with Dyfed-Powys Police reporting a 12% rise in shoplifting incidents, the highest figure in the region’s recorded history.

The issue has gained national media attention, with coverage from The Express, Wales Online, and The Times highlighting Tenby as a microcosm of a broader crisis gripping UK retailers. The British Retail Consortium recently declared that retail crime has reached “epidemic levels,” warning of the impact on small businesses struggling with theft-related losses.

Business owners fight back

In response, Tenby traders have launched a community-led initiative known as ‘Shop Watch,’ where local businesses share intelligence, photos of offenders, and security advice. Many retailers have also invested in AI-driven surveillance technology, such as x-hopper headsets and security cameras, which automatically detect potential theft and alert staff in real-time.

However, the situation has escalated beyond theft, with reports of shop workers being threatened and even assaulted when confronting criminals. “Vince challenged a thief, and he was punched in the face. The thief actually asked, ‘Why are you stopping me?’ as if it was his right to steal,” Fiona Malone recalled. “Many people think independent shops can absorb the losses like Tesco or Sainsbury’s, but that’s simply not true.”

Calls for stronger policing

Despite increased store security, business owners believe law enforcement needs to take stronger action. While Dyfed-Powys Police have stepped up patrols, retailers argue that shoplifting is not taken seriously enough by the justice system. The Welsh Retail Consortium has called for harsher penalties and a more proactive policing approach, pointing out that Welsh retailers alone lose an estimated £100 million a year to theft.

Sara Jones, head of the consortium, stressed the severity of the issue: “The latest figures show the shocking reality of retail crime and its impact on our communities. The recent UK Government funding of £3 million to tackle retail crime is a start, but much more needs to be done to protect both shop workers and customers.”

Future of retail in Tenby

As the town enters another busy tourist season, business owners remain hopeful but cautious. “We love Tenby. It’s our home, and we want it to be a welcoming place,” said Fiona Malone. “But we also need to protect our livelihoods. Without proper intervention, small businesses will continue to suffer.”

The shoplifting crisis in Tenby reflects a nationwide issue that is forcing independent traders to adapt, invest in security, and call for more robust law enforcement. Whether these efforts will be enough to curb the rising tide of retail crime remains to be seen.

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Oyster comeback: Milford Haven project aims to restore native species

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THE RUDDER’S BOATYARD pontoon in Milford haven is the site for a native oyster hotel   – which aims to reverse the decline in native oyster population

Native British oyster populations have declined dramatically over the decades, as a result of habitat loss, pollution, over-harvesting and disease. 

During a recent visit to Pembrokeshire, the Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, saw the oyster hotel, which is part of a project to help restore their population and strengthen the marine ecosystem in Pembrokeshire.

Underneath the pontoon at Rudders Boatyard the Deputy First Minister saw the oyster cages – where oysters are kept as broodstock to release larvae into the Haven to boost the existing population.

The work is part of the ambitious 4-year Natur am Byth nature recovery partnership co-ordinated by Natural Resource Wales (NRW), to save Wales’ most threatened species.  The native oyster restoration project is led by the Marine Conservation Society within the partnership. The project aims to restore native oyster broodstock and, eventually, oyster beds within Milford Haven waterway. It includes an oyster citizen science programme and promotion of sustainable management.

The project works in close collaboration with Bangor University, who’s native oyster rearing research will see 200,000 baby oysters deployed to boost the restoration activities in February 2025. This work is being carried out in partnership with Bangor University, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer and Tethys Oysters in Angle Bay, and forms part of the Welsh Government funded Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places – Blue Carbon Strand of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s Wild Coast Programme.

The Deputy First Minister, said “This is a fantastic example of how environmental organisations, local volunteers and local businesses can help to protect and restore rare species and also connect our communities to nature.

“This project also goes to show how restoring nature provides green jobs, and supports local economies and sustainable growth in local areas for local people.

“It is inspiring to see the success that the team have achieved at this site and I look forward to hearing more about future developments.”

Sue Burton, Natur am Byth Pembrokeshire Regional Coordinator for the Marine Conservation Society, said “This native oyster work is an important step for the recovery of our marine environment. The Cleddau estuary in Pembrokeshire was once home to a thriving community of native oysters, a species that can build natural reef structures when in high numbers and improve water quality by filtering hundreds of litres of water a day. By bolstering the native oyster population, we hope to kick start the recovery of this natural ecosystem builder”.

John Clark, the Natur am Byth programme manager, said “Our species recovery partnership is driven by collaboration to save animals, plants and fungi on the brink of survival in Wales. The skills from all nine charities and NRW have come together to inspire local action for nature in communities across Wales. This native oyster release is one of our most ambitious projects within the partnership, and wouldn’t have been possible within the support of local businesses and aquaculture based here in Wales.”

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