Community

Firm fundraising plans for town library

Published

9 years ago

April 28, 2016

Newport Library literary festival: National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke will be headlining the fundraising event (Pic. BBC)

THE SMALL and quaint coastal community of Newport in Pembrokeshire may be small, but they are most certainly thinking big when it comes to fundraising for the running of their town library.

The National Poet of Wales, Gillian Clarke, is just one in an exciting line up of well-known artists who are taking part in a series of literary and musical events in support of the Newport Library Working Group.

The group was initially set up in response to a series of governmental cuts, which would have meant the town’s library would been closed down and replaced by a mobile service.

Because there has been a lending library present in Newport for more than 100 years, Newport residents decided that this mobile service wasn’t an option.

So, from Friday July 1, the group will be in charge of running the community-led library in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council.

On Wednesday afternoons, the library will be manned by the current council librarian, but on Fridays between 10am and 2pm and on Saturdays between 9.30am and 12.30pm the service will be maintained by volunteers, with a view to expanding the hours and facilities offered.

So far, the Newport Library Working Group have had an incredible response to appeals for help, which now means that there are in the region of 40 different volunteers willing to undertake a wide variety of different duties.

Kate McEvoy, Chair of the Newport Library Working Group, said: “We are progressing really well and are on track to take over on July 1. We have had a fantastic response and volunteers have already undertaken initial training for working in the library – though we would love to hear from anyone else wanting to get involved.

“We are tremendously grateful to Richard Wheeler, who has been responsible for organising this fantastic series of events which are taking place at Llys Meddyg on Saturday April 23 and at Ebeneezer Chapel on Sunday May 8.”

The celebrated author and documentary maker John Gower will be the first to speak at a series of literary talks and readings in Newports at Llys Meddyg.

The programme of events for Llys Meddyg will commence at 1pm and will continue on throughout the day into the evening, allowing people to attend as many of the items as they wish.

The line-up will then continue with a host of different fasincating talks and readings from Welsh author and presenter Trevor Fishlock as well as author Jane Blank. Also there will be Newport’s own author of the popular Angel Mountain series, Brian John, and poet Menna Elfyn who will be reading in both Welsh and English.

Between 3pm and 4.30pm, there will be a special children’s event, with Pembrokeshire authors Eloise Williams, who penned ‘Elen’s Island’, and Diane Doona, whose first book ‘The Keeper’s Secret’ was released last year.

Rounding off the lively literary day at 7.45pm will be acapella group Scaramella, who are taking to the stage for a joyous musical finale.

Cost of entry to the event, which will have something for all the family to enjoy, is £10 for adults and free for children.

Community

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

Published

12 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.”