Community

Penguins join the anti-litter brigade

Published

11 years ago

May 27, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Lords of the deep: Neptune’s Army.

A DIVING group dedicated to clearing the county’s seabed of rubbish paid a visit to Folly Farm to educate visitors about the dangers of marine litter, as well as the impact it can have on the landscape and wildlife.
Volunteers representing Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners (NARC) based themselves at Folly Farm’s Penguin Coast for a day, joining forces with a giant penguin mascot and Folly Farm colleagues to draw in the crowds and spend some time raising awareness and welcoming contributions towards NARC’s efforts.
Over £1000 was raised on the day as a result of interest sparked by activities such as face painting and penguin bingo, as well as a £500 donation from Folly Farm.
Dave Kennard, local diver who founded Neptune’s Army of Rubbish Cleaners 10 years ago in conjunction with Keep Wales Tidy, praised Folly Farm for their support, both financially and in helping the group raise awareness of underwater litter: “Along with our hard working volunteers, we step out year after year to tackle underwater litter and it’s brilliant to be getting this kind of support from Folly Farm and its visitors,” he said.
“So much of our time is spent cutting wildlife free after it becomes entangled in debris such as fishing lines. Everyone in Pembrokeshire and beyond needs to wake up and realise that the rubbish they are dropping into the sea off clifftops, beaches or boats is doing major damage to our beautiful coastline and wildlife. Please help us protect our coastline.”
Tim Morphew, Zoo Curator at Folly Farm, added: “We are committed to conservation at Folly Farm and help raise awareness of and funds for many in-situ and ex-situ conservation projects. It’s great that our Penguin Coast exhibit benefits the beautiful coastal county in which we operate and we are able to educate and hopefully change visitors’ behaviour through the iconic species of the penguin.”
Further information about the work carried out by NARC can be found on their website at: http://www. narc-cc.org.uk/

Community

Narbelles WI support Food Bank with festive donation

Published

33 minutes ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Group marks December meeting with charity collection and Christmas celebrations

NARBELLES WI rounded off the year with a festive December meeting featuring a bring-and-share buffet, party games and a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Members also used the occasion to support families in need across the county, collecting food items and presenting a £120 cheque to Ann Watling from Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The donation represents the proceeds of the group’s bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week 2024.

A spokesperson for the WI said the group was delighted to finish the year “with fun, friendship and a chance to give something back to the community.”

(Photo: Narbelles WI members presenting the cheque to Ann Watling, Pembrokeshire Food Bank.)

Community

Annual charity carol service raises funds for good causes

Published

24 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service held its annual Charity Carol Service on Wednesday (Dec 10) at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel in Crymych.

The event brought together members of the local community alongside Fire Service staff for an evening of carols, readings and festive refreshments, marking the Christmas season in a warm and inclusive atmosphere.

This year’s service supported two important charities — the Fire Fighters Charity and Cancer Research Wales — with all proceeds going directly towards their ongoing work.

A total of £597 was raised on the night, which will be shared equally between the two charities.

The Service thanked the congregation at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel for hosting the event, as well as everyone who gave their time, support and generosity to make the evening such a success.

Community

3 Amigos toy bike run under way across Pembrokeshire

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Castle Inn fun runners back festive charity event

THE ANNUAL 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run is under way this afternoon (Saturday), with hundreds of motorcyclists setting off from Pembroke to raise funds for children’s services.

Riders gathered at The Commons car park in Pembroke from around midday before departing shortly after 1:00pm. The festive convoy is travelling along its traditional route, taking in Pembroke Dock and continuing through parts of the county including Neyland, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest.

The event is organised by the 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group and has become a much-anticipated Christmas tradition in west Wales, with toys and donations collected for children receiving care within the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.

Also supporting the event are fun runners from the Castle Inn in Pembroke, who have been fundraising in aid of the 3 Amigos. The group are pictured alongside participants from today’s run.

The 3 Amigos have been raising funds for children’s wards and health charities for more than twenty-five years, with their Easter and Christmas events continuing to make a positive difference to young patients and their families.

Organisers have thanked the public for their support and asked road users to be mindful of the large convoy as it passes through towns and villages this afternoon.

Photo caption:
Festive fundraising: Fun runners from the Castle Inn, Pembroke, pictured supporting the 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run (Pic: Martin Cavaney/Herald)