A PEMBROKESHIRE resident has launched a bold rescue plan to bring Oakwood Theme Park back to life — just two months after its shock closure was announced.

Oakwood, Wales’ largest theme park, closed its doors suddenly on March 4 after four decades of family fun. The site, owned by Spanish firm Aspro Parks, had faced a sharp decline in visitor numbers and growing financial challenges in recent years.

But now, a new proposal has been submitted by a local group known as Richens Leisure Projects (RLP), which aims to restore Oakwood to its former glory and turn it into a flagship attraction once again.

The man behind the bid, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the project is deeply personal. “I grew up in west Wales,” he told The Herald. “I remember every queue, every hill climb, every first drop. Oakwood wasn’t just a theme park — it was a rite of passage for so many children in Wales. You didn’t just go there. You remembered it.”

RLP says its proposal includes a phased investment plan, promising to repair and update ageing infrastructure, reintroduce popular rides, and generate over 100 seasonal jobs in the local economy.

“This isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about rebuilding pride. It’s about giving today’s kids the same memories we had, but doing it with proper community backing and long-term thinking,” the group said.

Since its closure, Oakwood has been stripped of several well-known attractions, and the future of the site remains unclear. However, the new bid aims to change that, and discussions with Aspro Parks have been initiated.

“We’re not here to pressure anyone,” RLP said. “We’re trying to do things properly and respectfully. But if the park’s future is undecided, we’re ready to step in. What we’ve put forward isn’t just an idea — it’s a fully costed, deliverable plan that can begin immediately if given the green light.”

Asked about funding, the group said it would not disclose specific backers at this stage due to the uncertain ownership position. However, it claims the business case is robust and based on professional financial modelling.

The campaign has already attracted support from local residents, many of whom were shocked by the park’s closure. A petition launched just days after the announcement gathered thousands of signatures.

RLP added: “We’ve kept this quiet until now, out of respect for the owners and the park’s legacy. But the time has come to show people that there is a serious option on the table. This doesn’t have to be the end for Oakwood — it can be the start of something new.”

The Herald contacted Aspro Parks for comment but had received no response at the time of going to press.

Background

Oakwood Theme Park first opened in 1987 as a small family attraction before expanding dramatically during the 1990s and early 2000s. It was home to popular rides including Megafobia, Hydro, and Speed, and welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors each year at its peak.

In recent years, however, the park faced growing criticism over ageing infrastructure, rising prices, and the closure of key attractions. In March this year, its owners confirmed that keeping the park open was no longer viable.

Whether the new rescue plan will be accepted remains to be seen — but for many in Pembrokeshire, it offers a glimmer of hope that the thrills and laughter of Oakwood might one day return.

Award for Nicola Harteveld kept quiet to focus on charity work

MILFORD HAVEN campaigner Nicola Harteveld has been named one of the UK’s Top 100 Most Influential People for 2024—an accolade she kept secret for months to avoid drawing attention away from her team’s work.

The emotional award ceremony took place in Cardiff in March, but Harteveld, 44, only recently shared the news publicly. “I didn’t set out to influence—I set out to survive,” she said, dedicating the award to her daughter Megan, who died by suicide aged 14 after suffering cyberbullying.

“I’m still in disbelief,” Harteveld said as she accepted the award, “but I accept this for Megan, and for everyone in our community who believes in kindness and hope.”

The honour recognises individuals who have made a significant difference in British society. Harteveld was recognised for her work with Megan’s Starr Foundation, an anti-bullying charity she founded in memory of her daughter. The foundation has grown to become a leading grassroots voice on youth mental health in Wales.

Despite the national recognition, Harteveld said she didn’t want the award to overshadow recent projects in her home county. “We were busy opening The Dizzy Bear and our new support centre—that had to be the focus,” she said.

The Dizzy Bear, which opened earlier this year at Milford Waterfront, is more than just a café. Run as a social enterprise by the Megan’s Starr Foundation, it combines food, fun, and a mental health mission. Alongside waffles and street food, the café offers youth training schemes and a safe, welcoming space for those in need. Every purchase helps fund the charity’s free counselling and outreach services for vulnerable young people in Pembrokeshire.

“We’re unBEARlievably proud of what we’ve built,” said a spokesperson for the café. “This is about community, kindness, and giving young people a place to belong.”

Harteveld’s journey from personal tragedy to public impact has inspired people across Wales. Since losing Megan in 2018, she has devoted more than 40 hours a week to the foundation. In 2023, she was named Volunteer of the Year at the Welsh Charity Awards.

The charity’s motto—“Be kind”—comes from a note Megan wrote before her death, and has since sparked a movement in Pembrokeshire schools, encouraging empathy and mental health awareness.

From local coffee mornings to national talks, Harteveld has shared her story to highlight the dangers of bullying and the need for better support. “No young person should feel they have no choice but to end their life,” she said.

Volunteers with Megan’s Starr Foundation include those who’ve faced adversity themselves, offering peer mentorship and lived-experience counselling.

Organisers of the Top 100 Influential People list praised Harteveld’s dedication, saying she had turned heartbreak into hope and was “leading a quiet revolution” in youth mental health.

In Milford Haven, news of her award has been met with an outpouring of local pride. “This may have my name on it,” Harteveld said, “but it belongs to all of us—my team, our supporters, and of course Megan. We are just getting started.”

PLANS to expand facilities at a “state-of-the-art” Pembrokeshire abattoir, the only one of its kind in the county, have been approved.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Euro Farm Wales sought permission to extend the yard, together with the erection of a storage building and water tanks in association with the abattoir, at its existing facilities at Unit 7+8 Withybush Trading Estate, Withybush Road, Haverfordwest.

A supporting statement by Johnston Planning Ltd on behalf of agent GMW Design and the applicant said a previous application for the proposals, which had not drawn any objections, was withdrawn following officer concerns of the level of detail, particularly with regard to drainage provision and potential impacts to the nearby SAC.

Detailing the latest application, it says: “The applicants run a modern and welfare conscious facility at Withybush that is fitted with state-of-the-art mitigation to ensure there are no adverse impacts resulting from the business.

“This application which essentially seeks an extension to the rear yard is to allow for the better management of the facility through the improved circulation and management of vehicles attracted to the site.

“It will not involve any significant increase in throughput nor will the proposed extension host any animal storage or processing facilities.”

An officer report recommending approval says: “The abattoir has recently been extended and the statement submitted with the application states that the proposal is essential to allow for the better management of the facility through improved circulation and management of vehicles attracted to the site.

“The facility serves the whole county and is a slaughterhouse and meat (beef) processing facility, which is the only one of its kind in Pembrokeshire providing a vital service to the local farming community.”

It says the scheme would have positive economic benefits through the expansion of the existing business and retaining employment, along with positive environmental impacts “through the incorporation of a sustainable drainage system for surface water and the provision of landscaping on the eastern boundary and bird boxes on the external elevations of the proposed storage building”.

The application was conditionally approved.