News

Ollie Cole leaving Radio Pembrokeshire after ‘sad’ changes

Published

8 years ago

October 19, 2016

Tom Sinclair

Ollie Cole: Leaving Radio Pembrokeshire due to ‘sad’ changes

OLLIE COLE has announced that after “4 years of fun” working on Radio Pembrokeshire, he’s off to pastures new.

In a blog post on his website, Ollie cites changes to Nation Broadcasting’s services as a large deciding factor for the move.

He said: “You’ll probably want to know why I’m leaving West Wales. I’ll spare you too much detail, but as you may have seen in local news reports etc, the way that Nation Broadcasting’s West Wales services (Radio Pembrokeshire/Carmarthenshire/Ceredigion) are delivered is changing. The main daytime presentation of the stations will soon be coming from studios at St Hilary, in the Vale of Glamorgan.

“Though I fully understand the reasons behind this change, personally I do feel this is a sad change for local radio across West Wales and within the industry itself. Networking definitely does have massive benefits to presenters & listeners, but I do feel these counties will miss out greatly on the knowledge and experience of presenters who know their patch inside and out. Something which is hard to replace, and yet should be the true lifeblood of a local station.

“Despite this, I wish the team well – there are some superb people there who I’ve had the great privilege to work with & I’m sure will continue making some great radio for the counties. The group has given me so much in the way of experience and happy memories and I’ll always be thankful for that. These stations have changed my life.”

Last month news broke that Nation Broadcasting was in talks over the future of its west Wales studios.

At the time Martin Mumford, who is the Group Managing Director, said: “At Nation Broadcasting we are investing in technology and resources and looking to improve our business all the time.

“At the moment we’re discussing proposals around the future technical delivery of our West Wales services and until that process is complete it would be inappropriate to comment in detail.

“However, I can confirm that there are no plans to re-brand any of the market-leading services in West Wales or diminish the specific local information we provide to thousands of listeners across the area every day.”

One of the original DJs for the station, Simon Williams, said: “As someone who was one of the original DJs on Radio Pembrokeshire, after it was trialled as Haven FM, I am deeply saddened to read that the station that was given the licence to broadcast permanently, on the basis that it remained firmly locally based, locally focused and run by local people, is now set to be farmed out of the county, indeed totally out of the area, to be potentially run from Cardiff.

“We were always told by the original CEO of Radio Pembrokeshire, Keri Jones, to mention local places, local names, local events etc in every show, as regularly as possible. It sometimes has the feel of a slightly amateurish station, as it did from the beginning, yet this is part of the charm and aesthetic sound of the station.

“Removing broadcasting to Cardiff and sharing programming with other South Wales stations such as Bridge FM and Nation will remove it’s Pembrokeshire identity to an extent that all the promise and initial foundations on which it was granted it’s broadcasting license will be betrayed.

“Pembrokeshire was one of the last parts of the U.K. to get its own, dedicated local radio station, and it looks like the Nation Broadcasting Group will cause it to be one of the first to have lost it’s own, purely devoted station.”

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

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.