News

£10m Lifeboat Station months from completion

Published

9 years ago

February 29, 2016

St Davids’ new station (foreground): And old station (background)

ST DAVIDS’ RNLI new Lifeboat Station at St Justinian’s head is now only months away from being completed. Held up by a windy Winter, momentum is building.

The city currently has two stations and operate two All-weather life boats the Tyne-Class and their new Tamar-class lifeboat. The oldest of the two stations has been running for 140 years with the most recent for the last century.

Station Coxwain, Dai John, explained that the two lifeboats are currently needed as the new high-tech Tamar vessel, which is currently being modified in Poole, can only be moored up off the coast, which when conditions are exceptionally rough could see the lifeboat become untethered and destroyed on the cliffs.

The current set up for the North County station is to, move the ship into safer harbours further south like Milford Haven and Neyland when bad weather is forecast. To keep the station going 24/7 they were allowed to keep housing the 28-year veteran Tyne class.

The new station will permanently house the Tamar boat as well as many other state-of-the-art facilities. St Davids RNLI was the last of those in Pembrokeshire to receive a newly constructed or upgraded station.

Undertaken by Bam Nuttall, work on the station was started in June 2014, with many members of contracted staff having worked on previous similar jobs across the country with the company.

Site manager Rhodri Jenkins, who tallies St Davids as his 4th station said: “This was one of the more awkward sites to work on, we’ve had to squeeze the station into a very narrow space.”

Rhodri used the cliff line as an example showing the sheeted rock. he explained: “That sort of rock can easily collapse or slide, so we had to put up this netting and cross-anchor the rock to prevent it happening.”

The site has already had the concrete station foundation stilts laid, the base level put in place and the steel slip stilts bored and placed which are now supporting the extra long slip.

The new slipway, extends further than the current one which will tackle the current issue St Davids’ RNLI faces of retrieving their vessel once launched. Although their current set up and launch 24/7 Dai explained: The issue is once we have returned, at low tide we have to wait a couple of hours before we can winch the boat up.”

The new station has been built with laminated-layered wooden beams which will be exposed upon completion and will last for over 100 years, Rhodri said: “Over the life of the station this style is very cost effective over steel, which others use, that are constantly fighting the elements needing parts cutting out and replaced.”

“With a mixture of the exposed beams and the under floor heating the station will have a very ambient atmosphere.”

The station utilises a method of harnessing sea water to create heat, Rhodri described how the system sucks water through pipework into the station at around 12 degrees with goes through a system which takes maybe four degrees and deposits the 8 degree water back.

“This sustainable heating is an alternative to having a large bore hole to create heat, which is often used.” He said.

The new premises will have full disability access including an internal lift, toilets and a tram system from headland to the front door following the steps.

The station will also join the ranks of few other stations which harbours their in-shore life boat within the same building. With its own indoor garage the in-shore rib, can be lowered to sea level via crane 24/7 to immediately attend incidents within a closer proximity that the all-weather boat needn’t be called out to attend.

Dai noted that all 26 volunteers live within a very short drive of St Justinian’s, which is vital to the rapid response they provide he said: “Our volunteers need to be able to get here in time for launch, which currently is about 10 minutes on the rib and 12 to release the all-weather boat”

According to Dai one of the major benefits will be to the crew facilities for the 28 team members of which two are permanent and 26 are volunteer, he stated: “At the moment we have meeting in the top of the station which has no wall space and is built into the roof so it’s all curved.”

The new design has a large crew designated room which will allow in house training and meetings to take place, he said: “We are lucky that St Davids fire department are letting us use their training room at the moment while we are running day and evening first aid courses.”

Rhodri explained that the whole project at St Davids will cost just shy of £10m by the time it is completed and also said that he expects the usable floor space to be three or four times more than they currently have.

In response to what might happen with the old site, which neighbours the new-build, Dai said: “It was put on the market a little time a go to see if there was any interest, but the future of the station is unclear at the moment.”

The work being done on the new station is heavily dependant on the large crane which is being used to move goods between the mainland and the stilted site, which according to Rhodri has had some trouble with the Winter weather.

Rhodri stated: “The crane cannot operate when winds are 30mph of above so since November lots of the work has been mopping up rather than moving forward.”

“We have been lucky enough to get days where we can move large quantities of what we’re going to need down onto the station which does make up for bad weather that follows.”

Despite the weather, the station’s shape can be already seen, and from the ground floor of the station which will be used solely for crew, the true size of the facility can be appreciated. Rhodri expects completion to be only months away.

Dai said the crew has pencilled in launch tests for June 2016, and they expect the site to be fully transitioned by September this year.

The RNLI rely almost solely on donations from the public as at present only 2% of their total funding comes from government sources.

The work they do has already saved over 140,000 lives nation wide, and the service they provide is made more vital in our county due to Pembrokeshire’s peninsula formation as well as the growing popularity of water sports and the 186mile coastal path.

Dai added: “We are so appreciative of the national and local support for the RNLI, last year we launched a fund raiser in St Davids which had fantastic response.”

For more details on the RNLI, the work they do, and how to donate go to:www.rnli.org

News

2024 Sport Pembrokeshire Awards Finalists announced

Published

1 hour ago

November 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE finalists for the 2024 Sport Pembrokeshire Awards have been announced.

In total, 252 nominations were received and, following a selection meeting, the judging panel has named 39 finalists.

Matt Freeman, Manager of Sport Pembrokeshire, said: “I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to provide nominations.

“Every year it gets harder to narrow the nominations down to three finalists and once again the quality of the nominees was enormously high.

“The number and quality of nominees just shows the strength of the sporting scene here in Pembrokeshire.

All the finalists will be invited to a grand presentation ceremony at Folly Farm on Friday, November 29th, where the winners will be announced.

The ceremony will also reveal the winners of two further categories – the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Chairman’s Special Achievement Award.

The awards are organised by Sport Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire County Council’s sport development team.

They are sponsored by Sport Pembrokeshire, Valero, Folly Farm and Pure West Radio.

The awards aim to recognise those people who have excelled in sport over the last 12 months, or who have given their time to coaching and organising grass roots sport.

Sport Pembrokeshire Awards 2024 – Finalists

(In alphabetical order)

Coach of the Year

Francesca Morgan (Swimming)

Philippa Gale (Netball)

Tom Richards (Tennis)

Female Sporting Achievement

Gracie Griffiths (Race Walking)

Helen Carrington (Powerlifting)

Seren Thorne (Shooting)

Male Sporting Achievement

Jeremy Cross (Tennis)

Rhys Llewellyn (Athletics)

Sam Coleman (Powerboat Racing)

Boys (U16) Sporting Achievement

Carter Heywood (Football)

Hugo Boyce (Cycling)

Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Girls (U16) Sporting Achievement

Cerys Griffiths (Swimming)

Chloe John-Driscoll (Shooting)

Ffion Bowen (Football)

Disability Sport Award

Evelyn Thomas (Powerlifting)

Jules King (Crossfit)

Marc Evans (Cricket)

Junior (U16) Disability Sport Award

Finnley Walters (Boxing)

Jac Johnson (Gymnastics)

Lewis Crawford (Boccia)

Unsung Hero

John Laugharne (Rugby)

Owen Shanklin (Pool)

Sue Christopher (Surf Lifesaving)

Team Achievement of the Year

Alan Evans, Andrew Evans & Michael John (Short Mat Bowls)

Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club

Pembrokeshire County Bowls Team

Junior (U16) Team Achievement of the Year

Chaos Thunder U12’s Netball Team

Hakin United AFC u16’s

Neyland Yacht Club Junior Sailing Team

Young Volunteer of the Year

Anna May (Tennis & Surfing)

Caitlin Chapman (Netball)

George Richards (Cricket)

Club Organiser

Nadine Tyrrell (Gymnastics)

Nick Shelmerdine (Cricket)

Paul Hudson (Short Mat Bowls)

Club of the Year

Camrose AFC Women & Girls Football

Haverfordwest Gymnastics Club

Strength Academy Wales Cymru

Pictured above: The 2023 Club of the Year winner – Pembroke Cricket Club.

Crime

Man jailed for Pembroke Dock cannabis farm involvement

Published

4 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Madeline Knox

AN ALBANIAN man, Armando Beti, 37, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison at Swansea Crown Court on Friday (Nov 15) for his role in producing class B drugs.

Beti, who has prior convictions in 2022 and 2023, was arrested on October 3, 2024, at 10:00am after police found him hiding in a neighbouring building’s attic. The arrest followed a raid on the former Woolworths building on Dimond Street, Pembroke Dock, where officers discovered three rooms containing 594 cannabis plants. The crop was described as part of a wholesale operation, with an estimated street value of between £64,000 and £196,000, depending on yield.

Using an aerial drone, police tracked Beti as he attempted to escape by crossing two rooftops. He pleaded guilty immediately after his capture, claiming the cannabis farm was already operational when he arrived 10 days earlier. Beti described himself as merely the gardener, tasked with watering the plants, and alleged he was coerced into the role by individuals he met at an immigration detention centre to repay a debt.

Beti’s defence counsel stated: “He is under no illusion regarding the seriousness of his offending. He is eager to start his prison sentence so he can ultimately reunite with his wife in Albania.”

However, Judge Geraint Walters rejected Beti’s claims, citing a pattern of similar excuses in previous cases. The judge noted that Beti had been convicted in Cardiff in 2022 for cultivating over 600 cannabis plants, during which he also claimed to be a coerced gardener with little knowledge of the operation.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Walters said: “People like you need to understand that judges are not completely naive. We know what is going on. We are well aware of the activities of criminal Albanian gangs in this country, as are you.”

Police believe the operation uncovered in Pembroke Dock is linked to a wider network of organised crime targeting rural locations for cannabis cultivation.

Community

Pembs Agricultural Society’s Christmas Fair expands to an all-weekend event

Published

7 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY’S Christmas Fair will be an all-weekend event next month. The Christmas shopping extravaganza is all set to take place on Saturday, 14 December as well as Sunday, 15 December.

The Parkhouse building on the Haverfordwest Showground will be transformed into a Christmas paradise. There will be even more stalls this year with a wide variety of quality local businesses exhibiting as well as festive music, Santa in his Grotto and an outdoor food court.

Judith Roach and Emma Thomas, the event organisers, said, “We are excited to be able to announce that our Christmas Fair will be on for two days rather than just one this year. We continue to build on the success of last year’s event with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. It will be the perfect start to the festive season as the Parkhouse Building will be transformed into a one-stop-shop for those preparing for Christmas.”

The Fair will be open from 10am until 4pm and admission is free. Visitors will find unique gifts, handmade decorations, art and beautiful homeware. Some of the county’s very best food and drink producers will also have stalls to give visitors the opportunity to stock up on all their festive treats. From decadent chocolate brownies, fudge, festive spirits to Welsh cheeses, there’s something to tantalise everyone’s tastebuds. There will also be a range of outlets for ‘on the go’ eating and drinking.

One special guest at the event will be everyone’s favourite bearded gentleman in red – Santa will be taking time out from his busy schedule to attend the event. There will be a charge of £3 per child to visit Santa and all proceeds will go directly to Sandy Bear charity to support their work. Each child will receive a small gift from Santa as part of their visit. Parents can book in advance via the website: www.sandybear.co.uk/santa

Adam Thorne, Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s President is looking forward to the festive event. He said, “The Society would like to thank Judith and Emma for all the hours they have put in, voluntarily, to organise the two-day Christmas event. We’re delighted to be able to offer visitors the opportunity to do all their Christmas shopping whilst enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

Follow Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for a full list of stallholders in the run up to the event.