Community

Beating of the Bounds brings music, boats and tradition to Haverfordwest

Published

39 minutes ago

June 14, 2026

CENTURIES-OLD CEREMONY DRAWS FAMILIES TO THE RIVERSIDE

HAVERFORDWEST’S historic Beating of the Bounds returned on Sunday (Jun 14), with boats, music and crowds gathering along the riverside for one of the town’s most distinctive civic traditions.

The ceremony saw the Mayor of Haverfordwest and Admiral of the Port, Cllr Randell Thomas-Turner, lead a water-borne procession along the Western Cleddau to the White Stone, the painted boundary marker of the Borough and Port of Haverfordwest.

He was joined by Deputy Mayor Cllr Adam Benson-Davies, Town Sheriff Cllr Dani Thomas-Turner, Deputy Lieutenant Patricia Porter OBE and her daughter, the Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, the Chairman of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, Reverend Sophie Whitmarsh, Andrew Merfyn Phillips the High Sheriff of Dyfed, and other invited guests.

A flotilla of boats from Neyland, Milford Haven and other parts of the Haven made its way upriver for the ceremony, with civic leaders and dignitaries travelling out to the White Stone.

Upon reaching the marker, Reverend Sophie Whitmarsh, the Mayor’s Chaplain, gave a blessing as the boats gathered around the painted white rock.

Cllr Thomas-Turner then delivered the traditional proclamation, formally reaffirming the town’s ancient boundaries and rights.

He declared: “Let it be known that I come to the White Stone and do this day acknowledge and maintain the ancient bounds and privilege of the Borough and Port of Haverfordwest.”

The ceremony was accompanied by a busy family event at the Quayside Car Park, where Pure West Radio broadcast live from the riverside and crowds enjoyed face painting, bouncy castles, ice cream and food stalls.

Civic gathering: The Chairman of the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society, ***The Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council***, ***and The High Sheriff of Dyfed pictured with their wives (Pic: Herald)***

***Civic tradition: Town Sheriff Cllr Dani Thomas-Turner, Mayor of Haverfordwest Cllr Randell Thomas-Turner, Deputy Lieutenant Patricia Porter OBE and her daughter at the Beating of the Bounds ceremony*** ***(Pic: Herald)***

***Toby Ellis from Pure West Radio broadcasting from the event with assistant (Pic Darthy Media)***

Local artist and musician Steve Bartram performed during the afternoon, while children from Vision Arts entertained the crowd with songs from Disney films and musical theatre, including I’ve Got No Strings from Pinocchio.

Milford Haven Town Band also performed, adding a traditional soundtrack to the occasion as the historic ceremony unfolded on the river.

***Music for the civic occasion: Milford Haven Town Band performed at the event (Pic: Aad Oostermeijer)***

With the Bristol Trader open and people sitting out on benches along the river enjoying the evening atmosphere, the event brought a relaxed summer feel to the town centre.

Security for the event was provided by RM Training and Security Solutions, helping ensure the celebrations ran safely for families and visitors.

First aid cover was provided by St John Ambulance Cymru, with four team members on site throughout the event.

***Keeping the crowds safe: St John Ambulance provided First aid Cover (Pic: Herald)***

Beating the Bounds is an ancient civic custom, once used to mark and remember parish or town boundaries before modern maps and records. In Haverfordwest, the tradition survives in a particularly distinctive form, with the Mayor travelling by boat to the White Stone to acknowledge the historic bounds and privileges of the borough and port.

This year’s event combined formal civic ceremony with music, family entertainment, river activity and a strong community turnout, helping to keep one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known traditions alive for another generation.

Photos by The Pembrokeshire Herald, Aad Oostermeijer, Cllr Thomas Tudor and Darthy Media

Community

Pembrokeshire Chess Club crowned Welsh champions

Published

3 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Herald Sport

PEMBROKESHIRE Chess Club is celebrating a fantastic weekend after being crowned champions of the Welsh Chess Union Premier League Under-1850.

The club played its final match of the season today, beating Abergavenny to win the league outright.

Earlier in the season, Pembrokeshire recorded wins against Castell Nedd, North Cardiff and Morriston, as well as drawing with Cardiff Tigers.

Although the club previously won the competition online during the Covid period, this is its first over-the-board league title.

A club spokesperson said it was “great to represent the county against teams from across Wales” and congratulated all the players who registered for the competition.

Those involved were Ben Brewer, Martin Jones, Scott Hammett, Mark Paffard, Henry Burton, Huw Jones and Kevin Heady.

Following its recent AGM, the club has now decided to enter two teams in next year’s competition, giving more members, especially junior players, the chance to take part.

It was also a successful weekend for two of the club’s juniors, Jozef Othen and Harry Harling, who played with distinction in an invitation Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire match against Carmarthenshire on Saturday afternoon.

Jozef also competed in an online Megafinals event on Saturday morning, progressing to the Gigafinals.

The club will hold its first ever Junior Rapid Tournament on January 24, with more details to follow.

Pembrokeshire Chess Club also praised FIDE Master Alexis Harakis, who has been coaching and supporting juniors and senior members of the recently formed Fishguard Chess Club.

The club said his involvement would help raise standards and benefit chess across the county.

Pictured are today’s winning team: Ben, Martin, Scott and Mark.

Pembrokeshire Chess Club are the 2026 champions of the Welsh Chess Union Premier League Under-1850.

Community

Christians gather at Pembroke Castle for day of prayer and praise

Published

8 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

HUNDREDS of worshippers gathered at Pembroke Castle today for a major Christian event bringing churches together from across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

The Picnic, Prayer and Praise event took place on Sunday (Jun 14), with people invited to bring chairs, blankets and picnics for an afternoon of worship inside one of Wales’ most historic castles.

***Faith at the castle:*** **The mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes** **and Town Crier, Cllr Gareth Jones, attended the event**

The event was led by Sound of Wales, alongside local churches, and also included Korean Christians from London who took part in their own distinctive style.

The programme began at 1:00pm, with free entry for worshippers between 12 noon and 5:00pm.

***Visitors: Mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Jonathan Grimes, and Pembroke Town Crier, Cllr Gareth Jones, with members of the SCON Korean Christian youth group***

Organisers said the aim was to unite Christians in prayer for Pembrokeshire and Wales, while celebrating faith through music, worship and fellowship.

Castle Trustee Roger Baker previously described the gathering as “an extraordinary opportunity to unite Christians in one of the great castles of Wales.”

***Faith at the castle: Worshippers gathered at Pembroke Castle for the Picnic, Prayer and Praise event on Sunday (Pic: Herald).***

He said: “What a way to give Pembrokeshire a united voice of praise to our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The event has become a growing fixture in the Pembrokeshire Christian calendar, with previous gatherings attracting large crowds despite challenging weather.

Today’s event made full use of the castle’s dramatic setting, with worshippers gathering within the ancient walls for an afternoon of praise, reflection and community.

***Faith at the castle: Excellent weather for Prayer and Praise event on Sunday (Pic: Herald).***

Community

Milford Haven School pupil praised after stepping in during real-life emergency

Published

8 hours ago

June 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A YEAR 11 pupil at Milford Haven School has been praised after putting his first aid training into action to help an injured member of the public following an accident.

Aryan, who is currently working towards lifesaving qualifications, including first aid training, found himself faced with a real emergency when a woman suffered a head injury after a fall.

Rather than panic, the teenager stepped in immediately and calmly took control of the situation.

According to Milford Haven School, Aryan used a first aid kit to treat the injury, helped make the woman comfortable, and provided clear aftercare advice while remaining calm and compassionate throughout the incident.

School staff said his actions demonstrated maturity, confidence and professionalism beyond his years.

Applying first aid in a genuine emergency can be far more challenging than practising in a classroom setting, but Aryan rose to the occasion and put his training into practice when it mattered most.

Milford Haven School said it was “incredibly proud” of the Year 11 pupil, describing him as “a fantastic example of courage, responsibility and care for others.”

The school added that Aryan’s response showed the importance of young people learning practical lifesaving skills and highlighted the positive impact they can have within the community.

Da iawn, Aryan — a credit to Milford Haven School and the wider community.

Photo caption: Helping hand: Year 11 pupil Aryan has been praised after using his first aid training to help an injured member of the public following a fall (Pic: Milford Haven School).