News

Badger’s Birthday Honours

Published

11 years ago

March 4, 2015

HELLO READERS!

badgerlovescake It is one year since Badger was lured out of the comfort of his sett to cast a jaundiced eye over the outside world. And what a year it has been! Starting almost from the beginning, Badger has managed to burrow away to find information and, where possible, to bring it out blinking and shy into daylight. Badger has written something in the region of 50,000 words over the last twelve months. Some pieces have been funny; some have expressed outrage in varying degrees of bemusement and dismay; but Badger hopes that they have, at least managed to entertain and inform.

The almost unfettered licence has been given to follow his nose has sometimes caused offence, but not too often, Badger hopes, and not to people to whom Badger did not mean to cause offence. With the caveat that causing offence to those Badger thinks deserve it is both a worthwhile pursuit and causes only those with something to hide to wriggle in discomfort or complain. Being one of the friendly woodland folk of whom tree-huggers are so fond, and ( as is customary on birthdays, there will be gime gifts. Being an odd sort of Badger, it is Badger that will be doling them out to those he deems most deserving. It is for you, Badger’s readers to decide whether the right people have had their just deserts (Badger checked the spelling this time!) Public Servant of the Year.
This prestigious award is for the person who has done the most to expose the sheer incompetence at the heart of the administration of our County. The overwhelming winner of this award is Badger’s old chum ‘DIMOND’ DAVID PUGH. No single councillor did more to make sure that the Pembrokeshire public were made fully aware of just how supine, dim-witted and in the pocket of officers the !PPG Cabinet and its band of carpet-baggers are than ‘Dimond Dave’. Not a man to stint on digging a bloody big hole for himself and then to carry on digging, ‘Dimond’ Dave ranted and fulminated against those Councillors seeking information. He misled the Full Council; invented an imaginary wall on a building he claimed to have inspected; and said there was nothing to see in the grants scandal that has enveloped the council. The same scandal which has led to European funding being pull from other deserving Projects. How could ‘Dimond’ Dave have known what was afoot?

Well, he could have engaged his own critical faculties, presuming they exist, and done his own research. But no, he relied on the necessarily self-serving advice of officers who were tying to cover the tracks of their own serial incompetence and laxity (Badger said kindly).
Council Employee of the Year
Which employee has most contributed, whether deliberately or inadvertently to the gaiety of public discourse in Pembrokeshire? On the one hand Badger has to consider the claims of the Red Czar of the Kremlin, Bryn Parry-Jones, whose achievements go without explanation. On the other you have the claim of Doctor Doolittle himself, Dr Steven Jones the Council’s Director of Development, who memorably told the Audit Committee that anything found wrong with the Town Heritage Initiative and Commercial Property Grants Scheme in Pembroke and Pembroke Dock would amount to the equivalent of a few missing bread rolls from the canteen. Then we come to Gwyn Evans, the Council’s European Manager, whose Humpty-Dumpty like way with a dictionary and semantics belies his bean-counting background.

A tough call, this one. The little tin god in the CEO’s chair has come in for a lot of flak and a lot of attention. All of it richly deserved. On the other hand, he has let the muppets and puppets in the IPPG Cabinet do his speaking for him, without being quite so crass as to venture into the public debate himself. And it would be unfair to pick again on Gwyn Evans. After all, kudos should always go to the organ grinder and not his monkey. It is for this reason that the bland, arrogant and patronising remarks of Dr Steven Jones mark him out as a man apart.
As in only tangentially touching upon reality as he floats by in a cloud of self-contained self-assurance.

So: well done DR STEVEN JONES Badger sincerely hopes your future in industrial catering is a long and happy one. Remember bread rolls count when considering margin.
Business of the Year As the song goes: “You and me, we sweat and strain/ body all weary and wracked with pain”. But not if you were responsible for presiding over the almighty collapse of a business in hock to local businesses for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Mope, in those circumstances you just walk away and pretend that the accounts which showed Mustang Marine as your subsidiary were in error, even though the same accountants prepared them as prepared your own. You change your website as Mustang Marine was collapsing in effort to evade liability for Mustang Marine’s debts. Traders claim they were told that you stood behind Mustang Marine and that you would make sure they were paid. You had your own men involved at Mustang Marine, so you cannot say you did not know what was going on and what went wrong when money went on paying big directors’ bonuses and building new offices. Refineries come and dry docks go, but that old man river, the MILFORD HAVEN PORT AUTHORITY, it just keeps rollin’ along. Way to go Alec Don!
Trevor Purt Award
This award, formerly the Gordon Brown Memorial Cup, is given to the person who has created the biggest god-awful mess and then walked away from it to another well paid job.
On the basis that Bryn Parry Jones’ exit is not imminent and that Jamie Adams has the type of neck most often found on brass giraffes, there can be only one winner in the award’s inaugural year. Hats off, readers, to ‘Honorary Professor’ TREVOR PURT. Man. Legend. Beloved cost-cutting axe-man who thinks ‘excellence’ is synonymous with wrecking local health services and overseeing a series of decisions that has irreparably damaged the relationship between local people and their health care provider. The Rochdale Ranger rides off into the gloom of North Wales with Pembrokeshire’s curses ringing in his ears. Yes readers like TS Eliot’s Macavity the Mystery Cat, when the well-known brown and smelly stuff hits the fan (and it will) Pimpernel Prof Putt, won’t be there. Will we miss him, readers? It depends how big the field gun is and how accurate its ranging. (Watch out Betsi Cadwaladr! ‘Unforeseen recruitment problems’ ahoy!)
The Badger Award
That Badger has amused, annoyed, perplexed and informed his readers for the last twelve months is always nice to discover. Someone, whilst in their cups, said to Badger that he must really hate the Council, the Health Board and the Welsh Government. Badger was mortified. Badger LOVES them all. Without the constant stream of imbecilities pouring out of those bodies and others, Badger would have no material with which to work. But most of all Badger could not be Badger without the information readers send to him. And to you, readers, Badger gives his most personal and heartfelt award. His thanks.

Crime

Emergency bags rolled out to support domestic abuse victims across Dyfed-Powys

Published

5 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Thirty packs provide immediate help for families fleeing dangerous situations

A NEW initiative aimed at supporting victims of domestic abuse has seen thirty emergency bags distributed for use across the Dyfed-Powys Police area.

The bags, which contain essential items including toiletries, non-perishable snacks and emergency supplies, are designed to offer immediate practical support to individuals and families forced to flee abusive situations, often with little or nothing.

The scheme forms part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s wider commitment to improving outcomes for victims and is being delivered in partnership with Dyfed-Powys Police and Dal i Godi, the commissioned Independent Domestic Violence Adviser (IDVA) service.

Dal i Godi provides specialist support to victims at high risk of serious harm, including safety planning and advocacy through the criminal justice process.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said the initiative was already proving its value.

“This is an incredible initiative that I’m proud to support,” he said. “It provides meaningful help to those experiencing trauma and reflects our ongoing work to put victims first.

“Within just a few days of the bags being distributed to the Dal i Godi service, one was given to a victim fleeing a domestic abuse situation, along with a children’s pack to support their young family. That shows just how essential this support can be and how quickly it can make a difference.”

Detective Chief Inspector Llyr Williams, from the Dyfed-Powys Police Vulnerability Hub, said the emergency bags could provide a vital lifeline at critical moments.

“These emergency bags offer support at some of the most difficult moments in a person’s life,” he said.

“The contents provide immediate comfort, dignity and practical help for those leaving their homes in crisis. While simple, they represent an important first step towards safety and recovery.

“We are proud to be working with partners across the Dyfed-Powys area to ensure this support reaches people when they need it most.”

Anyone experiencing domestic abuse, or concerned about someone else, is encouraged to seek help. In an emergency, call 999.

Domestic abuse can also be reported online via Dyfed-Powys Police.

Support services available include Victim Support Dyfed-Powys, which offers free and confidential help to anyone affected by crime, whether or not it has been reported, and Dal i Godi, which provides specialist IDVA support for high-risk victims.

The Live Fear Free Helpline offers 24-hour support for those experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence across Wales.

If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse, please consider reporting it. If you are in danger or need support right away, please call 999.

You can report domestic abuse through the online crime reporting service here: Report domestic abuse | Dyfed-Powys Police.

Support is also available via the below support services:

Victim Support Dyfed-Powys

Free, independent support for anyone affected by crime in the Dyfed-Powys area, whether or not it has been reported to the police.

0300 123 2996

Victim Support Dyfed-Powys

Dal i Godi (IDVA Service)

Specialist support for victims of domestic abuse at high risk, offering safety planning, emotional support, and advocacy with agencies such as police and courts.

01267 221194

Dal i Godi

Live Fear Free Helpline

24/7 support for anyone experiencing domestic abuse or sexual violence.

0808 80 10 800 | Text 07860 077333

[email protected]

News

Welsh-language school praised for ‘happy, proud and friendly community’

Published

6 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Estyn highlights strong leadership, positive attitudes and a clear curriculum vision at Ysgol Bro Preseli

A WELSH-medium all-age school in Crymych has been praised by inspectors for fostering a “happy, proud and friendly community,” according to a recent Estyn report.

Inspectors said pupils at Ysgol Bro Preseli show pride in their local area, thrive both academically and socially, and are well prepared for the next stages of their learning.

The school currently has 932 pupils on roll, including 118 in the sixth form, and has operated as an all-age school since 2022.

Estyn found that most pupils demonstrate extremely positive attitudes to learning, treat staff with respect, and listen carefully to the contributions of their peers.

The report also notes that, in almost all cases, teachers show strong subject knowledge. Inspectors highlighted the close and supportive relationships staff build with pupils, alongside the creation of a safe learning environment where pupils are not afraid to make mistakes.

It states: “As a result of a clear strategic direction and detailed planning, teachers provide beneficial practical activities that allow pupils to develop purposeful oracy, reading and writing skills in language sessions and across the other areas of learning and experience.”

Inspectors also praised the school’s clear curriculum vision, rooted in its motto Gwreiddiau a Gorwelion (Roots and Horizons).

“Leaders and teachers provide a coherent curriculum and learning experiences that bridge the primary and secondary sectors effectively,” the report said. “Staff plan stimulating activities and experiences for pupils to learn and deepen their understanding within the areas of learning and experience. This contributes positively to the sense of belonging that permeates the whole curriculum of Ysgol Bro Preseli.”

Headteacher Rhonwen Morris said the report was a reflection of the collective effort across the school community.

“As a successful all-age Welsh-medium school, we are delighted that the report recognises our commitment to excellence and the unique identity that makes Ysgol Bro Preseli so special,” she said.

“Since becoming an all-age school in 2022, our cohesive leadership team and governing body have focused on building a strong foundation based on our values of Welsh ethos, kindness, community and responsibility.

“The report highlights the excellent strategic work of staff at all levels, which is a testament to the shared dedication and vision that drives our school forward.

“It is gratifying that the report reflects what we continuously aim to achieve day in and day out. This achievement belongs to our entire community — staff, pupils, parents and governors — and together we will continue to build on this success and provide the very best education for every pupil.”

Charity

Welsh opticians raise £1,600 for people experiencing homelessness

Published

6 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SPECSAVERS Pembroke Dock has helped raise £1,600 to support people experiencing homelessness this winter, with all funds going to The Wallich’s winter appeal.

Thirteen stores from North, South and West Wales donated £1 for every customer feedback form completed during November to help The Wallich, Wales’ largest homelessness and rough sleeping charity, continue its vital work.

Supporting more than 8,000 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness across the nation each year, The Wallich runs around 100 diverse projects across 20 local authorities to provide hope, support and solutions to end homelessness.

Funds raised by Specsavers will go directly to the Wallich’s Flexible Assistance Fund, which provides small but vital emergency grants. The grants support people at crucial turning points, helping cover essential costs such as phone credit, rent or food shops.

This initiative is a continuation of Specsavers’ wider homelessness programme, which sees over a hundred Specsavers stores and Home Visits services hold out-of-hours or pop-up clinics and invite people affected by forms of homelessness to use their services for free.

Specsavers’ North Wales regional relationship manager, Martin Lawrence, who helped organise the fundraiser, says: ‘We’re really proud to be supporting The Wallich’s winter appeal at a time when support is needed most.

‘Homelessness affects people in every community and as locally owned and run businesses, Specsavers stores are committed to raising awareness of the issue and supporting people through their toughest moments.

‘We’re excited to build on the success of this fundraiser and strengthen our partnership with The Wallich in the new year.’

Louisa Turner, head of fundraising at The Wallich, adds: ‘Winter can be an incredibly difficult time for people experiencing homelessness and this support from Specsavers will make a real difference.

‘The funds raised will help provide emergency grants at critical moments – whether that’s putting food on the table, helping someone stay connected with their loved ones or preventing someone from losing a safe place to live.

‘This kind of support creates vital turning points and helps people move towards a safer, more secure future.’

Specsavers works year-round with homelessness charities including Crisis, Vision Care and The Big Issue, to improve access to healthcare and advocate for policy change – ensuring people experiencing homelessness can receive free eye tests, glasses and hearing checks.