News
Saundersfoot: School exercise goes to plan
Saundersfoot CP School recently held a successful live exercise involving the evacuation of the whole school, to test the effectiveness of its Business Continuity arrangements.
Business continuity planning – a statutory requirement – enables schools to maintain their key functions in the event of an incident.
Having been given a scenario by Paul Eades, the Council’s Risk and Business Continuity Manager, the headteacher, Nick Allen and his staff quickly and calmly ensured the safe and speedy evacuation of all pupils to the Regency Hall in Saundersfoot.
The exercise was overseen by officers from Dyfed-Powys Police.
Mr Eades said afterwards: “The staff at Saundersfoot School did a terrific job, demonstrating in practical terms that they have robust business continuity arrangements in place.
“I would like to commend them for their excellent performance and all the hard work that has been put into the planning process.”
Headteacher, Mr Allen, added: “The evacuation of all pupils, staff and visitors to the Regency Hall went extremely well. This is a testament to all staff and pupils for their attitude and approach to the event.
“I am most grateful to the Regency Hall for allowing this event to be held there. They opened up all the facilities for the school to use and this helped ensure the procedure was a success.
“I would also like to thank the parents for their help in the collection of the children.
“The event helped test the school’s plans and I am glad to say is was a success. Let’s hope we never have to use it, but my attitude is similar to the boy scouts – ‘be prepared!’
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
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.
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Tomas
July 17, 2016 at 9:34 am
Having once been “caught” outside the school one afternoon I can be fairly asured no one’s going to get far away from the school to quickly – triple patking, just stopped in the main road, parking in drives, one woman at the back of the queue just did a 7 point turn and went the wrong way down the road just so that their “dear johnny” can manage the three steps to their car.
Two PCSOs there did nothing to alleviate the problem – givr a few tickets out before there’s an accident
Vanya
July 17, 2016 at 10:31 am
Tomas – this article is about how the whole school was able to carry out a mock evacuation. This saw approximately 400, most of which were children aged from 3 to 11 years old, having to walk from the school into the village to the regency hall timely and safely. The school parking you refer to is a separate matter altogether; a headache experienced by many village schools all over. I’m sorry you had experienced difficulty on the day you mention, and trust you would have brought this to the school’s attention, so they could act on your comments constructively, if the issue was as bad as you say it was.
It is quite sad in this day and age these measures need to be in place, but as a parent of Saundersfoot School pupils, I feel very reassured this exercise was a success. Well done to everyone involved, not just on this day, but keeping our children save everyday.