SPAN Arts is calling for more young people and families to join its volunteer team as demand grows for its events programme at a time when volunteer numbers are low.

The Narberth-based community arts charity has brought people together through creativity for more than 30 years, using the arts to spark ideas, build connections and inspire positive change across Pembrokeshire.

Like many community organisations, SPAN Arts relies heavily on volunteers, and that support is now more important than ever.

A CALL FOR SUPPORT

The SPAN Arts team said: “Volunteers are the backbone of our organisation, and at the moment we’re low on numbers.

“With more events coming up, we really need more people to step in, especially young people and families.”

The charity says there are opportunities for people who can spare a small amount of time, as well as those looking for a longer-term role.

WHY VOLUNTEER?

Volunteering with SPAN Arts offers the chance to become part of a welcoming creative community while gaining useful experience.

Volunteers can meet new people, build confidence, develop new skills, gain hands-on experience for their CV, and see behind the scenes of the creative industries.

Roles may include supporting live events, working alongside professional artists, and learning about areas such as marketing, lighting, sound and production.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

For young people, volunteering can provide an introduction to the arts and events sector.

SPAN Arts says it offers the chance to join a friendly team, learn practical skills outside the classroom, gain experience in live events, and build confidence through new challenges.

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING

Families are also being encouraged to take part.

With workshops and performances designed for young audiences, SPAN Arts says volunteering can be an enjoyable way for families to spend time together, support children in building confidence and teamwork skills, share new experiences with the local community, and do something meaningful together.

GET INVOLVED

Anyone interested in volunteering is invited to contact SPAN Arts’ Volunteer Coordinator, Belinda, for an informal chat.

She can be contacted on 01834 869323 or by emailing [email protected].

SPAN Arts is a community arts charity based in Narberth, with a 30-year history of contributing to the arts in Pembrokeshire.

The charity delivers music, theatre, comedy and spoken-word events, alongside arts and wellbeing projects in areas where people may otherwise have limited access to the arts.

SPAN Arts says it is driven by the belief that the arts can improve quality of life, health and wellbeing, while helping to reduce social exclusion and rural isolation through community-based participation.

CARDIFF AIRPORT has welcomed more than one million passengers over the past 12 months, marking a major milestone in its continued recovery.

New Civil Aviation Authority figures also show the airport was the second-fastest growing in the UK in the first quarter of 2026, with passenger numbers up 24 per cent compared with the same period last year.

The airport said the growth reflected increasing demand for flights from Wales, with airlines expanding services and adding more destinations.

New routes boost numbers

Recent developments include the launch of WestJet’s direct Cardiff to Toronto service, offering onward connections across Canada and the United States.

TUI is also basing a fourth aircraft at Cardiff this summer, with new destinations including Hurghada in Egypt, Faro in Portugal, Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands, and Kittilä in Finland.

Crystal Ski has introduced new winter flights to Turin in Italy, following strong demand for Chambéry in France and Salzburg in Austria.

Additional TUI capacity has also been added to Antalya, Gran Canaria, Palma, Enfidha and Tenerife.

Rugby fans add to milestone

Cardiff Airport said more than 19,000 international rugby fans travelled through the airport during the EPCR Challenge Cup Final, Investec Champions Cup Final and Six Nations fixtures.

The airport has also reported a 14 per cent rise in passengers compared with the 2024/25 financial year, while Ryanair is operating its busiest-ever summer programme from Cardiff.

Jon Bridge, chief executive of Cardiff Airport, said: “Welcoming more than one million passengers is a major milestone for Cardiff Airport and a clear sign of the growing demand for flights from Wales.

“To be recognised by the Civil Aviation Authority as the second fastest-growing airport in the UK is a fantastic achievement and reflects the hard work of our colleagues and partners, as well as the confidence passengers and airlines continue to place in Cardiff.

“We are focused on building on this momentum, expanding connectivity and delivering long-term benefits for Wales and the wider economy.”

Push to restore Qatar link

Despite the recent growth, questions remain over whether Cardiff Airport can restore one of its most important long-haul connections — the direct Qatar Airways service to Doha.

The route, which launched in 2018 and provided a key global hub connection to Asia, Australia and the Middle East, was suspended during the Covid pandemic and has yet to return.

Cardiff remains the only former UK Qatar Airways destination not to have seen the service resume after the pandemic.

Efforts to bring the airline back are continuing. The Welsh Government has previously said Cardiff Airport executives remain in commercial negotiations with Qatar Airways over the possible return of the Doha route, with ministers saying they would welcome its resumption when the timing is right for both sides.

The loss of the service has been keenly felt by business and leisure travellers from Wales, many of whom now travel via London, Birmingham or Manchester for long-haul flights.

Before its suspension, the Doha route offered onward connections to destinations across Asia, Australasia and the Far East, including Thailand, Japan and Australia.

Economic impact

Cardiff Airport says it supports thousands of jobs across South Wales and contributes more than £200 million annually to the Welsh economy.

Alongside passenger growth, the airport said cargo remains a major strategic focus, with opportunities to grow freight capacity, attract new commercial partnerships and strengthen the airport’s long-term resilience.

PEMBROKESHIRE farmers and land managers are being encouraged to apply for the latest round of Ffermio Bro support, with the next Expression of Interest window now open.

The scheme supports practical, farmer-led projects within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, helping to improve nature, water quality, habitat links, traditional boundaries, wildfire resilience and the wider farmed landscape.

The programme has already supported a range of projects across Pembrokeshire, including habitat restoration, watercourse fencing, traditional boundary restoration, firebreak creation and woodland connectivity work.

FARMERS SUPPORTED

During its first year, Ffermio Bro supported 37 farms and land managers across the National Park, with projects covering just under 3,000 hectares.

The work included more than four kilometres of hedgerow creation and restoration, over 800 metres of watercourse improvement and protection works, and around 27 hectares of woodland support and management.

A number of collaborative projects have also focused on improving biodiversity and ecosystem resilience across the National Park.

Arwel Evans, Conservation Farm Liaison Officer with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “The first year of Ffermio Bro has shown what can be achieved when farmers and land managers are supported to deliver practical conservation work on the ground.

“We’ve worked with farms across the National Park on projects ranging from habitat restoration and water quality improvements to traditional boundary work and wildfire resilience.

“Looking ahead to the next two years, we’re particularly keen to support projects that improve water quality and river resilience across catchments such as the Eastern and Western Cleddau, Nyfer and Gwaun.

“That includes practical measures such as riparian fencing, buffer strips, healthier soils and habitat management that help keep rivers clean and resilient for the future.”

FARM-LED PROJECTS

Gareth Waters, Ffermio Bro Advisor, added: “One of the strengths of the scheme is that projects are designed around individual farms and local priorities.

“We’re keen to support practical projects that deliver long-term benefits for both farming businesses and the landscape, and we’d encourage interested farmers to contact us before the deadline.”

The current application window for Ffermio Bro: Farming within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park will remain open until Monday, June 22.

Further information on the scheme, eligibility and how to submit an Expression of Interest can be found at www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/ffermio-bro.

Caption: Farmers and land managers within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park are invited to apply for the latest round of Ffermio Bro landscape and conservation funding.