Community

Welsh Dragon Boats announce charities

Published

9 years ago

April 18, 2016

WHEN Narberth and Whitland Rotary Club started the Welsh Dragon Boat Event two year ago with the hope of raising some funds for charity they have exceeded all expectations by raising £25K over the past two years.

Mary Adams the Marketing Officer and PR officer for the Club commented: “The main aim of holding the Welsh Dragon Boat Championships was to raise money for the people of Wales.

We always said Money raised in Wales would stay in Wales. We are very passionate about welsh charities and all the money raised will help people locally.”

The theme chosen for 2016 as beneficiary of the Welsh Dragon Boat Championships is “support for young people with the development of their Life Skills and Additional Learning”. We intend to address three stages of education and development.

Princes Trust Wales, with funding, aim “to help 13 to 30 year-olds who are unemployed or struggling at school to transform their lives.”

Secondary school aged pupils with funding for Life Skills and ALN (at two secondary schools)

Primary school aged children with funding for ALN (at 12 primary schools and two support groups)

We believe that these three mutually compatible areas are deserving of our efforts and the contributions of our sponsors, without whom our work would be significantly diminished.

The Prince’s Trust Cymru supports 13 – 30 year olds who are unemployed and those struggling at school and at risk of exclusion.

Many of the young people we help are in or leaving care, facing issues such as homelessness or mental health problems, or have been in trouble with the law. PTC programmes give young people the practical and financial support needed to stabilise their lives.

The Princes Trust help young people develop skills, prepare for work and improve their confidence, improving motivation and attendance at school, work out whether selfemployment is right for them by helping them to test their ideas, write plans and start their own businesses, or achieve other goals in education, training, volunteering or work, overcome barriers and get their lives working with cash awards and mentor support for those leaving care or prison.

Also developing personal and social skills through residential schemes, group activities and tailored one to one support.

The Welsh Dragon Boat Funds will also raise funds for the two Additional Learning Departments of our two local Secondary schools Ysgol Dyfryn Taf in Whitland and Ysgol Preseli in Crymych. We will also hope to involve approximately 12 Primary Schools and two support groups in our immediate area with the same theme.

To give you an idea of how many young people require additional help at school or colleges. Approximately one in five learners in maintained schools in Wales has Additional Learning Needs (ALN). ALN refers to learning difficulties or disabilities which range from problems in thinking and understanding, to physical or sensory difficulties and/or difficulties with speech and language.

But they can also be social problems – how they relate to and behave with other people, or emotional and behavioural difficulties. The largest categories are “moderate learning difficulty” (24.2%), behaviour, emotional and social difficulties (22.7%) and speech, language and communications needs (16.3%). A much smaller proportion of pupils have physical disabilities (3.8%), visual or hearing impairments (3.4%), and autism spectrum disorders (8.1%).

Young people who need additional help in school have a huge battle and we feel that anything we can do to help them in their quest for success in a demanding job and skills market is worthwhile.

There is still a last minute opportunity to book your boat if you are p[passionate to help us raise these funds.

Community

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

Published

13 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.

Community

Officials announced for 2026 Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire

Published

23 hours ago

November 14, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD returns to Pembrokeshire in 2026, and organisers have named the officials who will steer this major cultural event over the next year and a half.

With the artistic and local committees already established, meetings to finalise competitions and adjudicators are underway to ensure the List of Competitions is ready by spring. Committee members have also been voting over the past weeks to elect key officials for the Executive Committee.

John Davies, former leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, has been appointed Chair of the Executive Committee. Known for his deep connection to Pembrokeshire and extensive experience with national organisations, Davies aims to make the Eisteddfod a true community event, welcoming involvement from all corners of the region.

Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, takes on the role of Deputy Chair (Strategy). With a strong passion for Welsh culture and language, Jones brings a wealth of experience working with local communities, visitors, and volunteers across three counties.

Deputy Chair (Culture) is Carys Ifan, Director of Canolfan Egin and a seasoned cultural organiser. Based in Llangrannog and originally from Llandudoch, Ifan has led numerous artistic and community projects across the region.

Cris Tomos, a community development veteran with over 30 years of experience, will lead the 2026 Eisteddfod Local Fund. Working with PLANED, a community development charity, Tomos has supported countless community enterprises and co-operatives in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire.

Non Davies, recently elected as Executive Committee Secretary, brings extensive cultural management expertise as Ceredigion County Council’s Corporate Manager for Culture. Having chaired the Cardigan Local Fund Committee for the 2022 Ceredigion Eisteddfod, Davies is well-versed in managing cultural projects.

National Eisteddfod Chief Executive, Betsan Moses, said: “We’re looking forward to working with John and the team over the next few months as we prepare for the 2026 Eisteddfod.

“There’s almost a quarter of a century since the Eisteddfod was last held in Pembrokeshire, and we’re very much looking forward to returning to the area. 2026 is an important year for us as we celebrate 850 years since the first Eisteddfod was held in Cardigan Castle in 1176.

“We’re looking forward to working in a new way within a catchment area which includes parts of another two counties, which is, of course, a chance to work with local people in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire again.”

Further announcements are expected in the coming weeks, including the sale of competition prizes and opportunities to donate the Crown and the Chair.

The National Eisteddfod will be held in Llantood from August 1–8, 2026.

Charity

Kurtz goes Jurassic as Pantosaurus visits Senedd NSPCC Campaign

Published

2 days ago

November 14, 2024

Richard Lewis

THIS WEEK, the NSPCC’s annual campaign to safeguard children from sexual abuse reached the steps of the Senedd.

Pantosaurus, the friendly mascot of the NSPCC’s PANTS campaign, appeared to raise awareness among Members of the Senedd and the wider public about the vital importance of child safety. The campaign encourages parents and carers to talk openly with young children about risks and protective measures.

The PANTS campaign is built around five key child protection messages:

Privates are private.
Always remember your body belongs to you.
No means no.
Talk about secrets that upset you.
Speak up; someone can help.

After meeting Pantosaurus, Samuel Kurtz MS, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, expressed his support for the campaign

He said: “I wholeheartedly support this important NSPCC initiative. Since its launch in 2013, it has empowered over six million families to discuss this sensitive subject.

“This issue affects communities across Wales, so promoting the five principles of PANTS is essential for everyone in Pembrokeshire and beyond.”