News
Fishguard: Chamber of Trade focus on micro-loans


Nicola Edwards, Finance Wales
FISHGUARD and Goodwick Chamber of Trade and Tourism’s recent meeting had a packed agenda, hearing from Nicola Edwards, Micro loans Fund Manager at Finance Wales.
Nicola, who joined the meeting to highlight potential funding options available from Finance Wales, manages a team of six staff based all over Wales making micro loans of between £1,000 and £50,000 to Welsh start-ups and small businesses.
Businesses can use micro loans from Finance Wales for a range of purposes, including to buy stock and new equipment, to fit out their existing or new premises, boost cash flow, recruit new staff or to unlock much-needed additional investment. They can also be used to buy a business.
“I was pleased to meet members of Fishguard and Goodwick Chamber of Trade and Tourism recently to explain the funding options open to them from Finance Wales. We also work closely with the Welsh Government’s Business Wales service to sign-post Welsh businesses to the support they need to help them grow.
“We’re backing a wider range of start-ups and small businesses than ever and in the last financial year, businesses in Wales’ retail, wholesale, hospitality and tourism sectors benefitted from over 40% of the micro loans Finance Wales made. We’re keen to talk to more ambitious businesses about how a micro loan from Finance Wales could help them achieve their growth plans,” Nicola explained.
The Chamber’s own project manager, Kate Lindley, reported on the work of Refreshing North Pembrokeshire to date. The project staff have been working with tourism businesses, community groups, festivals and events’ organisers and other local organisations on a variety of projects across north Pembrokeshire to develop and enhance the tourism offer and to extend the tourism season.
Kate reminded the meeting of the aims of the project and how events and businesses are supported. ”As part of the support the RNP will be holding a series of informative networking events across the north of the county in autumn, and I would like to encourage businesses to attend. Further details will be available shortly in local press,” said Kate.
Plans for a campaign on Radio Pembrokeshire to promote Fishguard and Goodwick to Pembrokeshire residents was supported, as there is so much vibrancy and community effort in the twin towns which deserves to be better known. This campaign will start on October 12. Anyone hearing the advertisement slots are asked to tell shopkeepers and others that they have heard about the campaign to attract new “invaders” of our towns.
The Welsh Government has agreed to pay for a coach drop off point in the town, which will enable us to promote the town as a destination to coach operators who have shunned us previously because there is no safe place to deliver their passengers. POINT have agreed to make bunting to decorate the streets next summer; a greening of the towns project is taking shape with the agreement already obtained from the Trunk Road Agency on many locations for planting and additional seats.
Community
Choir joins Welsh Guards Band for memorable concert

PEMBROKE and District Male Voice Choir shared the stage with the renowned Band of the Welsh Guards during the band’s tour of Wales, delivering a stirring performance at Harri Tudur School hall.
A capacity audience enjoyed the collaboration, with the choir and band uniting for powerful renditions of Welsh classics Cwm Rhondda and Gwaddoloddiad. The Band of the Welsh Guards also performed a medley of traditional Welsh folk tunes and music from the acclaimed film Wicked.
Choir MC Matthew John introduced the evening in his distinctive style, while the choir’s set—featuring newly added pieces Let A New Day Dawn and Tell My Father—was selected by Musical Director Juliet Rossiter. Accompanist William Lambert, a recent addition to the choir, provided support on the keyboard.
The event was co-ordinated by Councillor Aden Brinn, with distinguished guests including Deputy Lord Lieutenant Sharon Lusher, Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Councillor Steve Alderman, Mayor of Pembroke Councillor Ann Mortesen, Senedd Member Sam Kurtz, and mayors from neighbouring communities.
Proceeds from the evening were donated to the Welsh Guards Charity. A special guest was David Silcox of Haven Self Storage, whose company has sponsored an impressive banner to promote choir concerts.
A moment of silence was observed in memory of the choir’s senior member, Frank Harries, who recently passed away at the age of 95.
The following evening, the choir performed again at Monkton Priory Church, raising funds for the RNLI in another well-attended concert.
Community
Castle Ward Councillors Meet at Waldo Lounge to Discuss Residents’ Concerns

ON MONDAY (Mar 11), County Councillor Thomas Baden Tudor, alongside Councillors Randell Izaiah Thomas-Turner and Dani Thomas-Turner from Haverfordwest Town Council, held a joint meeting at the Waldo Lounge.
The gathering provided an opportunity for the councillors to address issues raised by Castle Ward residents and discuss matters of local concern. Councillors were joined by representatives from Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust and Haverfordwest, Fishguard, and St Davids Police, who provided valuable updates on their current and future plans.
Councillor Tudor expressed his gratitude to the services for their insightful contributions, which highlighted ongoing efforts and future projects aimed at improving public services in the area.
Education
Children learn how delicious potatoes are produced locally in Pembrokeshire

SCHOOL children from across Pembrokeshire, aged from five to 16, learnt how the food produced locally is delicious and nutritious during a highly successful ‘Food Story / Stori Bwyd’ event, held by the Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society.
During the event potato, dairy, sheep and poultry farmers from all over the county volunteered their time to talk to the children and give hands-on demonstrations. They explained to the children how they produce potatoes, dairy products, eggs and meat. They also demonstrated how they farm sustainably, look after local wildlife and how they care for the countryside.
The event was held on the Pembrokeshire County Showground and the focus was on potato growing, production and supply. The children also got the opportunity to taste locally produced jacket potatoes with a variety of toppings cooked perfectly and served by staff from Castell Howell.
Kathy Wilson, a former teacher and now an Honorary Pembrokeshire Show Governor, organised the event on behalf of the Society’s Food Story / Stori Bwyd. She said, “I would like to say a massive thank you to each and every one of the volunteers and who took two days out from their busy work on the farm to come and talk to the children and demonstrate how they produce food and drink. A big thanks also to the local providers who contributed to the event. The smiles on the faces of the children said it all, they listened intently, enthusiastically took part in the demonstrations and the teachers took resources back with them to their schools to continue the learning.
“One of the important elements of Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s work is educational and spreading the word around the county about how local food is produced by farmers. Everyone enjoyed eating the jacket potatoes after they had learnt how hard the farmers work to produce them.”
As well as food production, the event was an opportunity to teach the children about the seasonality of what farmers produce locally and how the weather and climate affects the work farmers do as well as the different food groups and healthy eating.
Adam Thorne, Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s President was one of the farmers who volunteered their time to talk to school children at the event. He said, “The Society would like to thank Kathy Wilson and Jo in the show office for all the hours they have put in to organise this magnificent event. To see how much the children enjoyed learning how their food is produced through hands-on demonstrations is heart warming.”
Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society would like to thank NFU Mutual Pembrokeshire, the CLA Charitable Trust and Women in Wales, for their financial support. Thanks also to the Camrose Vintage Working Day for their support as well as the NFU, Wales Farm Safety and Puffin Produce for providing educational resources and buckets for the schools and pupils.
Food Story volunteers will be at the County Show on 20 and 21 August 2025 with an interactive display and demonstrations for children to have fun and take part in to learn where their food comes from.
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October 20, 2015 at 3:53 pm
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