Community

Support grows for new parents

Published

11 years ago

February 23, 2015

NCT West Wales Branch is pleased to announce they are stepping up the support they offer to families in west Wales.

“There have been a lot of changes going on in local maternity care recently” says Kalindi Black, NCT West Wales Branch Coordinator. “Parents are telling us that they feel confused and apprehensive about the level of support on offer to them. They feel uncertain about how and where to access help and information. It has been some years since NCT have offered antenatal courses locally and we are hoping that by introducing our Signature Antenatal courses to the area we will be able to provide additional support to expectant parents during this time of change and confusion in maternity services.”

NCT is the UK’s largest parenting charity and supports parents through pregnancy, birth and the early days of parenting. NCT Signature Antenatal courses will be offered in Carmarthen from March onwards. The 17 hour course offers parents the opportunity, to meet other expectant parents, to share hopes, fears and experiences and attend a group reunion after their babies are born. Courses cost £170. Reductions of up to 90% are available to families earning less than £26,000 a year. Expectant parents who are interested should phone 0844 243 6974 or email: [email protected]. uk to enquire or reserve places.

“We are also very excited to be piloting a series of standalone Breastfeeding Workshops through the winter months” says Kalindi. “These have been funded as part of Carmarthenshire’s Integrated Community Strategy and are offered for free to parents living in Carmarthenshire. Research has shown that mothers in Wales are less likely to be shown how to position their baby at the breast, feel less confident at recognising if their baby is getting enough milk, feel less confident about breastfeeding in public and are less likely to be given the contact details of helplines and local support groups than their English counterparts. We hope that attending these workshops will provide vital breastfeeding information antenatally to mothers and encourage them to come along to our Breastfeeding Support Groups “Y Cwtch Llaeth – Whitland” and “Y Cwtch Llaeth – Newcastle Emlyn”.

One mother who attended the January Breastfeeding Basics workshop said “It was great to meet some other mums and share experiences. It certainly made me view things differently. I feel quite positive now – I don’t expect it to be a walk in the park (in fact I fully expect it not to be!) but I feel so much better knowing where support can be found and that I am not alone. I think with my first I was far too afraid to ask for help.”

To reserve a place please contact us via the West Wales NCT Facebook page or phone 01545 580559.

Community

Duck race draws crowds to Cresswell Quay

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

AN ANNUAL Rotary duck race and pig roast brought crowds to Cresswell Quay on Friday (May 29), with organisers hailing the evening a success.

The event, organised by Narberth and Whitland Rotary, saw yellow ducks released onto the water as spectators gathered along the quay to watch the race unfold.

Perfect conditions

ORGANISERS said the tide and weather “could not have been better” for the popular community event.

Families enjoyed a relaxed evening of entertainment, food and fundraising, with Bat-A-Rat proving popular with youngsters while adults enjoyed a pig roast, with pork provided by Tom at Andrew Rees Butchers.

Live music from Jack Castle added to the atmosphere as people gathered at the riverside venue.

***Rotary fun: Crowds gathered at Cresswell Quay for the annual Narberth and Whitland Rotary Duck Race and Pig Roast***

Thanks to supporters

JOHN Sleigh, of Narberth and Whitland Rotary, thanked everyone who attended and helped make the evening such a success.

He said: “What a fantastic evening. The tide and weather could not have been better for the annual Rotary Duck Race and Pig Roast at Cresswell Quay.

“We thank you all for being there and making the event such a success.”

Community

Crisis response dogs launched to support people through trauma and distress

Published

1 day ago

June 4, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW project using specially trained dogs to support people during moments of trauma, grief and crisis has been launched by Cariad Pet Therapy.

The volunteer-led Crisis Response Dogs project aims to provide comfort, emotional support and compassionate human contact to people experiencing distress, loss or heightened stress.

The dogs and their trained handlers will be able to support people in hospitals, schools, emergency response settings, wellbeing events, relief centres and community support environments.

Cariad Pet Therapy says the project is designed to offer a calm and non-judgmental presence at times when people may be struggling to cope.

Volunteers involved in the scheme have undertaken a bespoke training programme, including accredited Mental Health First Aid, Emotional First Aid, Trauma-Informed Practice, Safeguarding, Professional Boundaries, Dynamic Risk Assessment, Dog Welfare, Crisis Awareness, and training in psychological responses to trauma and distress.

The project is also working with emergency management and resilience partners, including the South Wales Local Resilience Forum, to support communities during emergencies, major incidents and recovery situations.

As part of its development, volunteers have attended specialist seminars on suicide prevention, the human-animal relationship, emergency planning and resilience.

Robert Thomas, Crisis Response Dogs lead for the project, said: “We have already witnessed the incredible impact these dogs can have on people facing difficult moments.

“Sometimes a calm presence, a conversation, or simply the comfort of a dog can make someone feel seen, supported, and less alone.”

The project has received funding from The National Lottery.

For more information about Crisis Response Dogs, or to request a deployment, contact Robert Thomas on 01437 609985 or visit www.crisisresponsedogs.co.uk.

Crisis response dogs: Cariad Pet Therapy has launched a new project to support people during trauma, grief and distress across Wales (Pics: Cariad Pet Therapy).

Community

Youth centre given colourful new look thanks to local firm

Published

2 days ago

June 3, 2026

Tom Sinclair

YOUNG people at a Haverfordwest youth centre have helped transform one of its rooms into a bright and welcoming space.

The Edge Youth Centre, Haverfordwest, has thanked W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd for supporting the painting and decorating project, which saw young people work alongside Chris, a painter and decorator from the company.

The project has given the room a colourful refresh, creating a cheerful space for young people using the centre.

Rabart Decorators Merchants, Pembroke Dock, also supported the work by supplying the colourful paints.

A spokesperson for The Edge Youth Centre said: “We’d like to extend a huge thank you to W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd for supporting us with the painting and decorating of one of the rooms at our Youth Centre.

“The young people were fortunate enough to work alongside Chris, a painter and decorator from W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd, to transform the room.

“Thanks to Chris and the young people’s hard work and enthusiasm, the space is now looking bright, welcoming, and cheerful.

“We’d also like to thank Rabart Decorators Merchants, Pembroke Dock, for generously supplying the colourful paints. Your support has helped create a vibrant room that young people can enjoy for years to come.”

The centre added: “Thank you both for your generosity and for helping us create such a positive space for our young people.”

Photo caption: Bright new look: Young people worked alongside W.B Griffiths & Son Ltd to refresh a room at The Edge Youth Centre, Haverfordwest.