Community

Welsh Dragon Boats announce charities

Published

10 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

Pembrokeshire asked to shape new walking, wheeling and cycling routes

Published

11 hours ago

January 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE residents are being invited to have their say on where new walking, wheeling and cycling routes should be created or improved, as the county council updates its Active Travel Network Map.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s public consultation opens on Monday (Jan 26) and runs until Monday (Apr 20).

The map is intended to help identify where infrastructure improvements are needed to make everyday journeys safer and easier, including for people who use mobility aids or who are new to walking, wheeling or cycling.

A wooden post with a sign on it, in Pembrokeshire

The council says the work forms part of the Active Travel (Wales) Act, which requires local authorities to plan and map suitable active travel routes.

The consultation focuses on the county’s designated localities, which include Fishguard and Goodwick, Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, Tenby, Saundersfoot, Haverfordwest, Neyland, Milford Haven, Johnston, Narberth and St Dogmaels.

People can take part online using an interactive mapping tool hosted by Data Map Wales, where users can view proposed future routes and existing routes and leave comments.

The online consultation can be found at: https://datamap.gov.wales/survey/Pembrokeshire-AT-survey/

Drop-in sessions have also been arranged for people unable to access the online material, with council representatives attending to answer questions.

The sessions are:

Thursday (Feb 5)
Pembroke Dock Library, 10:00am to 1:00pm
Pembroke Town Council, 2:30pm to 5:30pm

Tuesday (Feb 11)
Ocean Lab Café, Goodwick, 10:00am to 1:00pm
Fishguard Library, 2:00pm to 5:00pm

Monday (Feb 24)
Neyland Library, 10:00am to 1:00pm
Johnston Baptist Church, 2:00pm to 6:00pm

Wednesday (Feb 26)
Narberth Library, 2:00pm to 5:00pm

Thursday (Mar 5)
Tenby Town Council, 9:30am to 12:30pm
The Regency Hall, Saundersfoot, 1:30pm to 5:30pm

Wednesday (Mar 18)
St Dogmaels Memorial Hall, 2:00pm to 6:00pm

Wednesday (Mar 25)
Milford Haven Library, 10:00am to 1:00pm

Thursday (Mar 26)
HaverHub, Haverfordwest, 2:00pm to 6:00pm

Paper copies of plans are available on request, although the council says hard-copy plans can only be provided for specific areas due to the extent of the consultation.

Residents who need alternative formats such as large print, easy-read, Braille, audio or another language have been asked to contact the council.

For more information, email: [email protected] or call 01437 775182.

Community

Jenkins & Davies investigating alleged racist remarks after video circulates online

Published

1 day ago

January 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

AN ENGINEERING firm has launched an internal investigation after a video circulated online over the weekend which is said to show a senior member of staff at the Pembroke Dock firm making comments described as racist.

The video was uploaded to YouTube and TikTok by DJ Clips UK. In the footage, a member of staff is heard saying he was concerned about a drone being flown in the area because of travellers nearby.

He is quoted as saying: “There are gypsies down the corner, and we just don’t want stuff going missing.”

In response, members of the traveller community have erected a banner outside the company’s gates accusing the firm of “racial abuse”.

Jenkins & Davies Engineering has since issued a public statement acknowledging the video and apologising to those affected.

The company said it was “aware of a video circulating online involving comments made by a senior member of our team” and added: “The message stated was inappropriate and does not reflect our values or the views of the company.”

It continued: “We recognise the hurt and offence this has caused to members of the community, and we would like to sincerely apologise to anyone affected by these unwarranted comments.”

The firm said it takes discrimination “extremely seriously” and confirmed the employee involved had been removed from all duties while a full investigation is carried out.

Charlie Price, described as a prominent voice within the local traveller community, said he believed the remarks were racist and that the response so far had not gone far enough.

He said: “What was said was not acceptable in 2026. We are not happy at all and we see they put an apology on Facebook with the help of their fancy £300 an hour solicitors in Cardiff, but we wants them to come out and give us an apology in person.”

The company statement was signed by managing director R Barnard.

Community

Fire chiefs back Register My Appliance Week to cut risk of white goods fires

Published

2 days ago

January 19, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service says registering appliances is free, quick, and could help households receive urgent safety alerts or recalls.

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is urging households across the region to register their white goods and other electrical appliances as it backs Register My Appliance Week, running from Monday, January 19 to Friday, January 23.

The campaign encourages people to sign up items such as washing machines, tumble dryers, dishwashers and smaller appliances so manufacturers can contact owners quickly if a fault is discovered or a product recall is issued.

The fire service said it had attended 40 incidents involving faulty white goods over the past 12 months, and believes registration is a simple step that could help reduce the risk of accidents in the home.

Home Fire Safety Manager Gareth Hands said: “Smart, efficient appliances make life easier, but it’s essential to get them registered. It’s quick, free, and ensures you’re alerted first if a safety repair is ever needed. A few minutes now helps you enjoy the benefits without compromising safety.”

Residents are being directed to the Register My Appliance portal, which offers access to more than 70 leading brands, with many accepting registrations for both new and older appliances, including items bought second-hand or acquired “nearly new”.

To register, households can visit www.registermyappliance.org.uk.