News

Campaigners urger public to lobby charity until Crabb quits Mencap patronage

Published

9 years ago

April 12, 2016

Protesters outside Stephen Crabb MP’s office (Pic: M Hillen/Herald)

A CAMPAIGN group calling itself the Pembrokeshire Peoples’ Assembly Against Austerity (PPAAA) has called on the public to lobby MENCAP Pembs directly to force Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Stephen Crabb out of his post as patron of the charity.

Mr Crabb’s appointment to the DWP post followed the high-profile resignation of former minister Iain Duncan-Smith, who accused his own party of following policies that targeted the vulnerable ‘because they do not vote for us’ (the Conservatives).

In his first Commons performance after his appointment, Mr Crabb said that the proposed clampdown on mobility assessments for PIP, which triggered Mr Duncan-Smith’s walkout, would not now proceed. However, Mr Crabb has stoutly defended the decision to cut ESA for sick people looking for work to the same level as Job Seekers’ Allowance. That move has been roundly criticised by disability and health charities as ignoring the fact that the ESA premium for ill claimants seeking work was intended to take account of the particular difficulties such people encounter in finding work.

Jim Scott of PPAAA said: “Out of respect for the local charity, we initially aimed all of our campaign efforts at Stephen Crabb, rather than at the charity itself, in the belief that they would recognise the deep disparity in having Crabb as a disability patron and quietly give him the boot!

“Sadly, Pembs MENCAP have still not made any such announcement, now over four weeks on from when the petition was raised, so as a campaign group we now feel that we have no choice but to turn our lobbying and campaign efforts on to Pembs MENCAP themselves.”

MENCAP’s national office has previously made it clear that Pembs MENCAP is a separate organisation and that it cannot interfere in the running of the local charity.

Jim Scott concluded: “We need people to continue to lobby Pembs MENCAP until Stephen Crabb is removed. His removal will be a small victory in some respects, but will send a resounding message to his Government that we will stand together in the face of injustice and that we will not accept this ideological assault upon our most vulnerable citizens while ministers cosy up to the tax dodging corporations and individuals who bankroll them.”

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

27 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

53 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

News

Protest in Lampeter to save Wales’ oldest university

Published

1 hour ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Wales’ oldest university staged a march and demonstration last Friday (Dec 20) in a bid to highlight the plight of the Lampeter campus.

The protest, organised by the Lampeter Society, brought together former and current students, along with local residents, to oppose plans by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to relocate humanities courses to Carmarthen next September.

The rally began at Lampeter Rugby Club at 10:30am, with demonstrators marching to the university campus. Despite the timing—on a weekday and so close to Christmas—organisers reported a strong turnout.

Ieuan Davies, one of the organisers and a Lampeter alumnus from the 1980s, said: “We wanted to show support for the students whose education is being directly affected by these plans, and to remind decision-makers of the devastating impact this will have on the local economy and culture.”

Established in 1822, Lampeter is Wales’ oldest higher education institution. In 2009, it merged with Trinity College Carmarthen and later joined with Swansea Metropolitan University to form UWTSD.

The proposed relocation of the humanities faculty has sparked concerns about the long-term sustainability of higher education in Lampeter. Campaigners argue that losing the faculty would mark the end of over 200 years of academic heritage in the town.

The Lampeter Society has also launched a petition calling on the university and the Welsh Government to create a ‘viable, sustainable plan’ for the campus’s future. The petition requires 10,000 signatures to trigger a debate in the Senedd and can be accessed at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246410.