Pembrokeshire graduate focuses on weddings and live events

JAKE ALDRED, a former Level 3 Creative Media student at Pembrokeshire College, has successfully launched his own business, Jake Aldred Media, specialising in photography and videography.

With a strong focus on the wedding industry, Jake has quickly built a reputation for capturing life’s most important moments with professionalism and creativity. His expertise extends beyond weddings, having covered major events such as Ironman competitions, the Pembrokeshire County Show, Saundersfoot Fest, and promotional work for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, the Cardiff Dragons Women’s Netball Team, and S4C. He has also provided videography for live music events, showcasing his versatility across various industries.

Jake credits Pembrokeshire College for providing the foundation of his skills, particularly the support of his tutor, Denys.

“I’m incredibly excited to take this next step and build something of my own,” said Jake. “The Creative Media course really helped me develop the skills I needed as a videographer and photographer. While studying, I started doing social media work for local businesses, which led to capturing my first wedding. My tutor, Denys, understood that university wasn’t my path and helped me make connections, including with the Enterprise Team at the College, who put me in contact with the local council and helped secure funding for my business.”

Jake Aldred Media is gaining recognition for its attention to detail, creative approach, and ability to capture raw emotion. Whether covering weddings, sporting events, or community festivals, Jake’s dedication to storytelling through visual content is evident in his work.

For more information or to book services, contact jakealdred.media@gmail.com.

For details on creative courses at Pembrokeshire College, visit www.pembrokeshire.ac.uk.

The Traitors star Elen Wyn invites faux Welsh Charlotte on a tailored tour to come and feel the hwyl in Wales

WITH ‘girl gang’ breaks on the rise, Visit Wales has launched four new female-focussed itineraries with a focus on wellbeing, adventure and meaningful multi-generational get-togethers to mark St Non’s Day for the first time.

Non, the mother of Wales’ patron Saint David, is honoured on March 2nd, a day after Wales’ national day, St David’s Day, which is dedicated to her son.

Female group travel has become a key travel trend for 2025. Visit Wales data shows the hashtag #GirlTrip has been viewed more than 7m times on TikTok in the last 120 days. On Pinterest, “Girls Trip” has seen a 20% year on year increase and 38% increase in mentions across social platforms – as well as spawning millions of the ‘when the girls trip leaves the group chat’ memes.

The four new itineraries can be explored on Visit Wales’ website and feature a host of activities from jumping in seaweed baths and steaming beachfront barrel saunas in the stunning coastal landscapes of north Wales, to sampling freshly foraged seafood in Pembrokeshire restaurants, dancing in a silent disco at the national museum in the Welsh capital or indulging in a book club break in Hay on Wye. The itineraries are part of Visit Wales’ wider campaign inviting people to ‘feel the hwyl’- a deep state of joy that comes from being totally immersed in the moment.

Star of BBC smash hit TV series The Traitors, 24-year-old Elen Wyn, a translator and opera singer from north Wales, says Wales is the perfect place for a girls trip and she would be delighted to host Traitors villain Charlotte, who adopted a Welsh accent throughout the series to soften her ruthless tactics.

Elen said: “Charlotte told me she’s more familiar with south than north Wales, so I would want to take her up there, to Llanddwyn Beach, which is beautiful and Mynydd Parys is strange but unique. I think Charlotte could do with chilling out a bit, so we would head to the beach and mountains.

“I’m in touch with Livi, Minah and Leanne and I’d love them to see the real Wales too. I would take them all to Barry Island – there were lots of Gavin and Stacey fans in the castle, so they would enjoy that.

“Charlotte tried to avoid me in the castle, because she was worried I would spot her accent and become suspicious, so I think we’ve got lots of catching up to do to get to know each other properly.”

Since moving to Cardiff to study three years ago, Elen’s ‘genod,’ or girls, in north Wales make much more effort to come together for a catch up.

“I’m definitely the organiser!” says Elen. “Wales is perfect for a girls’ trip because there are so many places to relax like going for a walk round Roath Park Lake while Cardiff’s St Mary Street is great for partying. My younger sister Beca and I love trying one of the many, many great restaurants here. I love the balance between being mindful and doing something totally exhilarating like swimming in the sea at Church Bay in Cemlyn or climbing Pen y Fan.

“I take mindfulness very seriously – for the mind, mental health and for the body. It makes you feel so good. I love chilling on the balcony after a day in the spa at Voco St David’s – the views over Cardiff Bay are something else. Beca and I are booked into the spa at Dylan Coastal Resort next month and I can’t wait for the trip to Laugharne, after a friend recommended we try it.

“I have lots of groups of female friends who enjoy different types of breaks and being the middle of three sisters, we love getting away together or going for a hike in the gorgeous north Wales mountains or along the coast and beaches.

“I’m familiar with most parts of Wales, because of my competing in Eisteddfods since I was little. From caravanning with the family at Eisteddfodau to winning for my solo last year, I have so many Eisteddfod highlights.”

While St David’s Day is full of ‘hwyl’ in Wales, fewer people may have heard of the significance of the day afterwards; St Non’s Day.

St Non’s ruined medieval chapel lies on a spectacular and remote part of the Wales Coast Path in North Pembrokeshire, where she is said to have given birth to St David. Labour pains caused her to grip a stone so hard that her fingerprints were left on it, splitting it in two.

Sian Kilcoyne, co-author of best-selling book Welsh Women on This Day said: “While the story of St Non is that of a nun living in the 5^th Century, the issues surrounding her are still highly pertinent to women and girls in 2025.

“A visit or retreat to St Non’s chapel and well in Pembrokeshire has long been seen as an opportunity for healing, self-reflection, wellness and connection with nature. Opening that idea out to new audiences of women around the world and to more locations across Wales is a wonderful opportunity to continue to reclaim and celebrate Non’s story on this day, centuries later.”

One uniquely Welsh venue embodying the modern-day trend for women travelling in groups and looking for modern day wellness and connection is The Dreaming, a wellbeing retreat nestled in the heart of the Elan Valley in Wales, brought to life by Welsh singer-songwriter, Charlotte Church.

Starting life as a 15^th-Century monastery, and later owned by another iconic Welsh woman, Laura Ashley, who ran her global interior design business from the house, The Dreaming site now offers day retreats that allow guests to slow down and reconnect with the nature of the area, which includes waterfalls, ancient forests and an international Dark Sky reserve for stargazing: to overnight stays providing longer opportunities for guests to heal and reconnect with themselves in the bohemian-luxury surroundings of the estate.

Specific packages on offer at The Dreaming include a Mother Daughter Retreat; a Queer Retreat and a Muslim Women Retreat.

Female focussed group events in Wales are also building in popularity, with the world’s largest female-only ultra-marathon, She Ultra, set to take place in the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales in April and attracting a record 1,800 entrants from around the world.

Organiser Huw Williams said many women would be travelling with groups of friends to attend and see the event, which raises money for women’s cancer charities, as more than a just a race.

He said: “The majority of the women are walkers and hikers and then you’ve got about 20 per cent who are runners. Women are coming from all over the UK, Italy, Portugal, Poland, France, Greece and America. It is going to be such a great weekend for the women and the local community.”

The four new itineraries can be explored on the Visit Wales website Girls’ weekend getaway in Wales | Visit Wales

TWO adventurers, Cain Peacock and Ryan Hipkin, are set to embark on a world record-breaking challenge to climb the highest point in every country in geographical Europe.

The challenge, known as The Continental Climb, begins on March 23rd, with the pair aiming to conquer 48 high points across 50 countries faster than anyone before them. The current record, set by Adam Stevenson in 2019, stands at 173 days, 20 hours, and 45 minutes.

Raising awareness for mental health

Beyond the physical challenge, Cain and Ryan hope to raise awareness around mental health and generate vital funds for two charities: Get The Boys A Lift in Pembrokeshire and the Jacob Abraham Foundation in Cardiff.

They want to inspire people to talk openly about mental health, embrace outdoor activity, and make positive changes in their lives.

The obstacles ahead

The journey will not be without its difficulties. Some of the major challenges they face include:

• Geopolitical tensions – Two of the peaks are in Russia and Ukraine, adding uncertainty to their attempt.
• Extreme ascents – They will tackle some of Europe’s toughest climbs, including Mont Blanc, Grossglockner, and Dufourspitze.
• Logistics – Most of the journey will be done by campervan, with flights required for more remote locations such as Malta, Iceland, and Cyprus.
• Schengen time limits – They must complete all climbs within Schengen countries in 90 days to comply with visa restrictions.
• Guinness World Records evidence – The record attempt requires extensive documentation, including GPS tracking, hourly video footage, summit photos, and witness statements from each country.

Support their mission

Cain and Ryan are seeking sponsors, partners, and media support to help make this journey a success. They welcome:

• Financial sponsorship – To cover travel, gear, and logistics. Sponsors will receive brand exposure across their social media, website, and YouTube content.
• Media promotion – Journalists, bloggers, and content creators are encouraged to share their story.

Follow their journey

Supporters can follow their progress and contribute to their fundraising efforts via the links below:

YouTube: www.youtube.com/thecontinentalclimb
Facebook: The Continental Climb
Instagram: @Thecontinentalclimb
TikTok: @Thecontinentalclimb
Donation link: GoFundMe

For sponsorship email thecontinentalclimb@gmail.com.