Community

Butcher is cut above rest

Published

11 years ago

May 28, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Winner: Ken davies Butchers: Crymych

A CRYMYCH butcher will aim to be a cut above the competition in the Welsh heat of a national skills testing event.
21-year-old Dafydd Jenkins, who works for Ken Davies Butchers in Crymych, will be showing off his skills at the Wales-wide heat of the Butchery Workskills National Competition in Llandiloes on Sunday (May 17). Five other butchers from across the country will be competing against him for a place in the final, which is to be held at Birmingham’s NEC in November.
The Herald spoke to Dafydd, who started out working for Ken Davies five years ago as an apprentice, about the competition: “I’ts a preliminary heat, we’ve got to bone a half-side of beef and do some barbecue in this round,” he told us. When asked if he fancied his chances, he was confident. “I should manage,” he said.
Ken Davies said that it was something Dafydd had wanted to do. “It’s nice to see youngsters wanting to get involved in these things, I wish him all the best and hope he does well,” he said.
The competition is being organized by Welshpool-based training provider Cambrian Training Company on behalf of WorldSkills UK. The company says they are ‘delighted’ with the number and quality of entries from butchers across Wales, England and Northern Ireland.
Three regional heats have been organised, starting with the Wales heat at Randall Parker Foods, Dolwen, Llanidloes on Sunday, May 17. The Northern Ireland heat will be held at Southern Regional College, Newry on June 18 and the England heat at Leeds City College on July 9.
The heats are being sponsored by The National Federation of Meat and Food Traders, Institute of Meat, PBEX and Randall Parker Foods.
The six top scoring butchers from the combined three heats will qualify for the final to be held at The Skills Show, to be held at the NEC Birmingham from November 19 – 21.The Skills Show is the nation’s largest skills and careers event and helps to shape the future of the next generation.
WorldSkills UK National Skills Competitions are designed to enhance apprenticeship and training programmes and improve and drive skills in the industry. Butchery is one of more than 60 skills to feature in this year’s competitions.
The line-up for the Wales heat is: Tomi Jones, 24, of Jones Brothers, Wrexham, Daniel John Allen-Raftery, 31, of Randall Parker, Llanidloes, Matthew Edwards, 23, of Vaughan’s Family Butchers, Penyffordd, Peter Rushforth, 19, of Swans Farm Shop, Mold, Dafydd Jenkings, 21, of Ken Davies Butchers, Crymych and Clinton Roberts, 58, of Ponty Butchers, Pontardawe.
It promises to be a closely contested heat as Rushforth is defending champion of the Welsh Young Butcher Competition, a title that both Jones and Edwards have won in the past. Last year, Edwards represented Great Britain in a European butchery competition and Rushforth will follow in his footsteps later this year.
Having taken butchery apprentices to demonstrate their skills at the Skills Show every year since 2011, Cambrian Training Company was keen to add the vocation to the skills competition to raise the profile of skilful butchers across the UK.
“We are delighted that so many talented butchers from across the United Kingdom have entered this new competition, which will showcase the wealth of butchery skills that we possess on these islands,” said Chris Jones, Cambrian Training Company’s head of curriculum for food manufacture. It’s a major step forward for butchery to be represented as a skill at WorldSkills UK, as we believe the craft needs to be benchmarked and promoted. Its inclusion for the first time is a great tool to further raise the industry’s standards and profile.”

Community

Loch Ness cruise boat Jacobite Queen makes stop in Milford Haven

Published

1 hour ago

February 8, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A BOAT best known for carrying tourists on Scotland’s famous Loch Ness has been spotted alongside the docks in Milford Haven, drawing interest from locals and harbour users.

The Jacobite Queen, a traditional passenger excursion vessel built in nineteen forty-nine, was photographed tied up at Milford Dock earlier this week.

Originally launched as the Tyne Queen, the craft operated as a ferry and pleasure boat in the north east of England before later being renamed and used for sightseeing cruises on Loch Ness, where thousands of visitors boarded her for trips across the iconic Highland waters.

According to comments shared locally, the vessel is currently “on passage heading down on the south coast”, suggesting Milford Haven is a temporary stop rather than a permanent base.

The boat’s windows and lower sections appear boarded up, a common practice when older passenger vessels are laid up or travelling between seasons, helping protect interiors from weather and damage. There are no signs of incident or emergency repairs.

Her arrival has provided an unusual sight against the working backdrop of the docks, with the vintage white-and-purple hull standing out among commercial traffic.

For many, it is a small but welcome reminder of Britain’s surviving historic passenger fleet quietly passing through Pembrokeshire waters.

Cover Photo: Jacobite Queen alongside Milford docks this week (Pic: Berty Barrett).

Community

Milford Haven community invited to honour fishermen lost at sea

Published

2 hours ago

February 8, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Annual memorial service at Milford Haven Cemetery to remember those who never returned home

A MEMORIAL service will be held at Milford Haven Cemetery to honour local fishermen who lost their lives at sea on Thursday, February 12, 2026.

Organised by Milford Haven Town Council, the annual gathering gives families, friends and residents the opportunity to come together in quiet reflection and remembrance of those who made their living on the water but never returned home.

The service will start at 11am and will be officiated by Rev Dr Adrian Furse SSC.

Milford Haven has long been shaped by its fishing and maritime industries, with generations of local families connected to the sea. While the harbour has provided work and prosperity, it has also brought tragedy, with storms and accidents claiming lives over the years.

The service will include prayers, readings and the laying of wreaths, creating a moment for the community to pause and acknowledge the sacrifices made by fishermen past and present.

Town councillors say the event is always a moving occasion and are encouraging anyone with links to the fishing community, as well as members of the wider public, to attend and show their support.

The aim, they say, is to ensure those who were lost are never forgotten and that their contribution to the town’s heritage continues to be recognised.

Residents wishing to attend or find out more can contact Milford Haven Town Council on 01646 692505 or visit www.milfordhaven-tc.gov.wales.

Community

Community run to support Tenby food bank returns this February

Published

3 hours ago

February 8, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Traffic-free Wiseman’s Bridge event invites walkers, joggers and dog owners to donate food for James Criddle Foundation

A COMMUNITY charity run supporting families in need across south Pembrokeshire will take place next month.

Saundersfoot Runners are hosting their annual Food Bank Run on Sunday, February 15, starting at 10:00am from the Wiseman’s Bridge Inn.

The event is open to everyone, whether running, jogging or walking, and follows a traffic-free route suitable for all ages. Dogs are welcome but must be kept on leads. Organisers say the route will take no longer than an hour, with hot drinks available at the inn afterwards.

Entry is free, with participants encouraged to bring a bag of food donations for the Tenby-based food bank run by the James Criddle Foundation.

From small club run to national movement

The Food Bank Run began as a simple idea from runner Sarah Don, who organised a collection event with her club in Fareham to support their local food bank. After seeing the impact, the initiative grew.

Following delays during the pandemic, the project expanded nationally in 2023 when Sarah invited running groups across the UK – and beyond – to host their own local events.

Saundersfoot Runners answered the call and have supported the Tenby charity every year since.

The Foundation operates its food bank from the Tenby AFC clubhouse at The Clickets.

Rachael Criddle, one of the charity’s founders, said: “The Food Bank Run has been a huge support to the Foundation. We are grateful to everyone who takes part, to Saundersfoot Runners for organising such an uplifting and positive event, and to Wiseman’s Bridge Inn for generously allowing us to use their premises.”

Donations needed

Organisers are asking participants to bring essential food and household items, including:

Dried goods such as pasta and rice
Tinned beans, soup, meat, fish, fruit and vegetables
Tinned pies and sausages
Cook-in sauces
Toiletries including toothpaste, shampoo and shower gel

A full list is available on the Saundersfoot Runners events page.