News

Badger looks for a shovel

Published

11 years ago

March 4, 2015

badger shovel MANURE. Badger has been thinking quite a lot about manure in the days since last week’s Council meeting. Seldom, if ever, has so much been spread by so few for the benefit of even fewer – or for the benefit of one. Where Badger lives, one often sees tankers ferrying waste hither thither and yon and, at the right time of year, smells rich and foul-smelling ordure spread on the fields. Of course, the thing with dung is that in the right circumstances it promotes growth. It enriches the soil and enables it to be utilised to grown the kind of things important to humans: broccoli, mangel wurzles, and bureaucrats (although, left to their own devices, some bureaucrats will propagate solely from waste products). At County Hall last week, the only thing that manure was being used for was to obscure the truth. In much the same way as a startled squid will escape in a cloud of ink, a succession of statements were made by IPPG Councillors that ejected large quantities of nature’s own fertiliser over the proceedings. No doubt the IPPG collectively hoped either that people would be too appalled to dig through their efforts or that the ceiling-high and reeking mound of filth would deter their pursuers. Badger was particularly exercised by those concerned in education and safeguarding. Councillor Daphne Bush is a newcomer to Badger, although he has been aware of her peculiar brand of deranged loyalism for some time. Badger was particularly entranced by her eager toadying. Anyone would think she was repaying a favour. How wonderfully the wise leadership had managed to pass the
last Estyn inspection. Forget why we were in special measures.

It was all a long time ago. Let’s just rejoice, rejoice! Well, even a turd gleams if one rolls it in sequins. Cllr Sue Perkins, the spectacularly graceless Labour turncoat, extolled the virtues of a school of which she is governor. A governor of a school which ignored the wishes of parents. A governor of a school which “needs to improve outcomes for learners”. A governor who thinks, as well she might, that big is better. However, a large amount of ignorant bilge delivered from Cabinet member is still a large amount of ignorant bilge. Sue’s desperate groping for facts to justify the Council’s lying stance on Hakin and Hubberston schools suggested that she had lost her way in the thicket of barbs and petty sniping she confuses for logic. Ignoring your constituents’ views is one thing, there is scarcely a member of the IPPO who doesn’t do that every time they rock up to vote as Bryn tells Jamie to tell them to vote. But ignoring your constituents and telling them that everything is roses in the garden when they can see fresh guano all about them is quite another. In June 2017, when she will most likely be an ex-councillor, Sue might want to ponder if there was any point in her political journey that ensured she occupied the seat next to her bestest buddy Ken “the voice of Ken” Rowlands on has-been row. Sue’s defiant proclamation to the masses that an independent investigation was not required into the way the Council handled the Mik Smith affair is almost certainly a staging post on her way out of County Hall.

From the !PPG benches, and while her colleagues sat abouther nodding rather like they were auditioning as stunt doubles for a car insurance commercial, Sue said it had all been looked at, lessons had been learned and she was sure that everything was now okay. We have heard that sort of language before from the IPPO seats on the Council. Remember Johnny Mirehouse? Who could forget the sound of the Angle Foghorn in December, as he boomed and rumbled in his lordly way about the grants scandal in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock: “Nothing to see here”? All been checked by them accountancy-wallahs. They know what they’re talking about those officer chappies. Sound, all of them. One of ’em read me a report that said everything was ‘rickety-boo’, as you crazy mixed up kids say nowadays.” Now then, readers: what happened next? Whoops. Sue’s words were echoed and added to by Jamie Adams. Now what Jamie said bears some close consideration.

Pointedly declining to apologise to Sue Thomas, who blew the whistle on Mik Smith in 2004, he repeated practically verbatim the letter that Bryn Parry Jones sent to her in November 2005. Talk about His Master’s Voice, readers. Using his knowing and regretful voice (#2 out of a very limited edition of 4) Jamie decided to attack the questioner rather than answer the question. Lying that Paul Miller had not spoken to the Director of Education about the Smith case, Jamie then went on to say: “I too have seen that correspondence (letter from Sue Thomas to Bryn Parry Jones) and I remain still or the opinion that the
whistleblowing of Mrs Thomas was separate from her correspondence to him. Further misunderstanding has occurred in relation to that correspondence. It does not refer to his Mik Smith’s behaviour, the CEO thought the letter intimated a breakdown in the relationship between herself and her line manager.” The email to Bryn Parry Jones says: “It has been intimated that there is some kind of professional vendetta being pursued against the above person. If this were true, why an there at least eight professional youth workers that I am aware of, with serious concerns regarding the work practices of (Mik Smith)?” Straight off the bat, there goes the thrust of Jamie’s point. But there is more, readers. And worse.

The email had already referenced — at more than one point — Mik Smith’s inappropriate conduct towards children. It also pointed out — with some force — that Pembrokeshire County Council’s views on “appropriate behaviour with children” was “widely divergent” from accepted or acceptable models followed by the Police, national bodies and other county councils. Now: Jamie. Let’s assume there is something between your ears. It’s a leap in the dark, but let’s just take that chance. Serious concerns about work practices inappropriate behaviour w i t h children, eight youthworkers with concerns. What does that sound like to you, Jamie? Does it sound like “your perceived problem seems, however, to relate to your personal circumstances and relationships with others”? That’s what Bryn said in 2005. Sounds like what you said on July 17 , 2014 Jamie. Dees not sound much like what was written, though: anything but. In the law of conspiracy, you can be guilty of wilfully turning a blind eye to the obvious. Moral culpability for what happened rests fairly and squarely with Bryn and with people like Sue and Jamie who continue to defend him. An unequivocal apology and a public enquiry is a bare minimum. In the meantime, Badger will just keep digging.

Community

Ice rink campaign launched for Pembrokeshire

Published

7 minutes ago

February 8, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Survey underway as resident explores sites and funding for year-round skating facility

PLANS to bring a permanent ice skating rink to Pembrokeshire are gathering momentum after a local resident began talks with council officers and launched a public survey to test demand.

Jemma Davies, from Newgale, says the county is missing out on a major leisure attraction that could benefit families, schools and visitors while creating new jobs.

At present, the nearest full-time rink for Pembrokeshire residents is in Cardiff — a round trip of several hours — making regular skating sessions difficult for many families.

She believes a local facility could change that.

“I think it would give people something completely different to do here,” she said. “It’s exercise, it’s social, and it’s something children could take up after school instead of having to travel out of the county.”

Early talks with council

Jemma has already met officers from Pembrokeshire County Council’s sport and recreation department to discuss whether the idea could be viable.

She is also hoping to approach Sport Wales to explore possible funding streams and support.

To measure interest, she has set up an online questionnaire asking residents whether they would use an ice rink and how far they would be willing to travel.

She said early responses have been positive, with families, young people and skating enthusiasts backing the idea.

Reusing empty buildings

Rather than constructing a new arena, Jemma is investigating whether vacant premises could be converted, reducing costs.

Potential options include a former retail unit in Haverfordwest or a large hangar-style building near existing leisure attractions.

She said: “If we can reuse a building that’s already there, it keeps the costs down and brings life back into empty spaces at the same time.”

As part of her research, she plans to visit Vindico Arena to better understand the practicalities of running a rink.

More than just skating

Beyond public sessions, she believes a rink could host school trips, birthday parties, events and competitions, while encouraging young people to take up winter sports.

“Pembrokeshire has produced plenty of sporting talent over the years,” she said. “There’s no reason we couldn’t develop figure skaters or ice hockey players here too.”

Residents who want to share their views can complete the online survey.

Cover image:

Jemma Davies: Hopes to bring a permanent ice rink to Pembrokeshire (Pic: Supplied).

Cymraeg

Moonpig’s Welsh fail still on sale as mistranslated St David’s Day card sparks laughs

Published

33 minutes ago

February 8, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A GREETING card meant to celebrate St David’s Day has become an accidental comedy hit after shoppers spotted its Welsh message makes absolutely no sense – and, even better, it is still on sale.

The card, sold by online retailer Moonpig, reads: “Hapus Dewi Sant Dydd.”

Unfortunately for the designers, that translates back into something closer to “Happy David Saint Day” or “Day Saint David Happy” rather than the correct Welsh phrase, “Dydd Dewi Sant Hapus.”

In other words, the words are right – just in completely the wrong order.

The mistake was first highlighted by Nation.Cymru, prompting plenty of amusement online, with some joking it looked like the result of a lazy copy-and-paste from an automatic translator.

The Herald decided to check for itself.

And yes – as of today – the card is still live and available to buy on Moonpig’s website.

Customers can personalise it and add it to their basket just like any other design, with no sign the message has been corrected.

One reader joked: “It’s like they put the words in a hat and picked them out at random.”

Another described it as “peak AI Welsh”.

For Welsh speakers, the error is immediately obvious. Welsh sentence structure differs from English, so simply translating each word individually rarely works. It’s the linguistic equivalent of writing “Birthday happy you” on a cake.

There was also online chatter that the dragon artwork may be facing the wrong direction – though by that point, the language had already stolen the show.

With St David’s Day cards meant to celebrate Welsh culture, the gaffe feels particularly ironic.

Still, if you fancy a collector’s item or a bit of office wall décor, you might want to be quick. Once someone at Moonpig finally runs it past an actual Welsh person, this one could quietly disappear.

Photo caption: The mistranslated St David’s Day card still available for sale on the Moonpig website (Pic: Moonpig).

Charity

West Wales boy’s long road back to school after rare illness

Published

43 minutes ago

February 8, 2026

Staff Writer

Family thank Cardiff children’s hospital charity as figures show thousands of visits each year from Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire

A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD boy from Aberaeron who spent months unable to walk after a rare neurological illness has returned home and back to school following specialist treatment at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital Charity.

Lewis was diagnosed last year with Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, leaving him temporarily paralysed and unable to walk.

He spent seven months as an inpatient at the children’s hospital in Cardiff, missing Christmas at home while undergoing intensive treatment and daily physiotherapy.

Today, one year on from his diagnosis, Lewis is back in school and rebuilding his strength.

But the return to normal life has brought mixed emotions.

His mum Lizzie said: “We knew this day would eventually come. Lewis woke up feeling sad, but also happy. Happy he’s come so far, happy he’s beating Guillain-Barré syndrome and really happy to be back in school with friends. But on the flip side, he was really sad.

“He misses the hospital. He misses Bechan, the ward counsellor he played with often and had the best chats with. He misses Polly, the play specialist who took Lewis on adventures around the hospital every day. He misses Emily and Morgan from the charity, who used to make us laugh so much. I knew he would miss Noah’s Ark when we got home, because although it was hard, it wasn’t all bad thanks to all these people.”

***Lewis during his recovery journey at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales (Pic: Supplied)***

Thousands travel from West Wales

Figures supplied by the charity show just how many families from West Wales depend on the Cardiff hospital for specialist care not available locally.

During 2025 alone there were:

• 648 patient visits from Pembrokeshire
• 227 from Ceredigion
• 901 from Carmarthenshire
• 848 from Neath
• 1,380 from Swansea

That amounts to more than 4,000 visits from the wider region in a single year.

Across Wales, around 90,000 children receive treatment at the hospital annually.

The charity helps fund new and innovative medical equipment and facilities, supports families with emotional wellbeing services, and provides play specialists who help make long hospital stays less frightening for young patients.

It also offers practical support such as meals and comfort items for parents sleeping at their child’s bedside.

Giving something back

Inspired by the care Lewis received, his swimming teacher Martienus decided to give something back by walking from Aberaeron to Cardiff, raising £5,670.78 for the charity.

The money helped provide hot meals for parents spending Christmas Day in hospital — something Lewis’ family say can make a huge difference during the toughest moments.

Lizzie added: “Lewis’ journey shows not only his strength but also the difference a little kindness and support can make for families facing tough times.”

For more information or to support the charity, visit noahsarkcharity.org