News
Ollie Cole leaving Radio Pembrokeshire after ‘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.”
Crime
Police arrest suspects following vehicle interferences in Haverfordwest
HAVERFORDWEST police responded swiftly after reports of multiple vehicle interferences in the Tasker Way area on Sunday night/early Monday morning (Nov 4).
Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPPT) conducted extensive house-to-house enquiries, gathering evidence and reassuring the community. These efforts led to the identification of two suspects.
Both NPPT and Response teams acted promptly, locating and arresting the suspects, who are now in police custody.
News
Ancient Welsh hymns brought into 21st century with unique collaboration between Lleuwen Steffan and National Eisteddfod
Some of Wales’ long-forgotten hymn tunes are being brought vividly back to life this month, thanks to award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Lleuwen Steffan and her unique collaboration with the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
Performing as ‘Tafod Arian’ (Silver Tongue), the collaboration pays homage to the lost voices of the past, and infuses these timeless melodies with some highly contemporary electronic arrangements.
The project originated in 2012 when Lleuwen was working on a music project at St Fagan’s National History Museum where she came across some long-forgotten recordings of hymns which had been left in the sound archives. None of these hymns could be found in the official hymn books nor the older hymnal editions, possibly as the result of their informal, conversational lyrics, or because they often delved into the world of addiction, mental illness and the darker side of the psyche.
But now these unpublished and unknown hymns will be heard for the first time in over a hundred years when Tabernacl Chapel, Maenclochog, will be one of 50 Welsh chapels to be visited by Tafod Arian.
With translations and insights, the tour breathes new life into archive recordings, ensuring these cherished sacred songs rightfully claim their place in today’s spotlight. Lleuwen masterfully combines electronic and acoustic instrumentation, seamlessly blending the past with the present, and takes the stage alongside a dynamic quintet of international musicians including Sioned Webb and Gethin Elis from Wales, and Nolwenn Korbell and Brieg Guerveno from Brittany.
Despite the hymns’ long-distant past, the music is firmly in the present as Lleuwen uses various instruments to provide angular electronic accompaniment as well as her soulful vocals and guitar. She provides translations and explanations as she proudly puts the archive recordings of the lost |Welsh hymns on centre stage. As a result, these sacred songs are being passed on orally rather than via the hymn book which is precisely how Welsh folk music was conveyed.
The long-forgotten hymns will be heard once again in all their glory at Tabernacle Chapel, Maenclochog on Sunday, November 17 at 6.30pm.
Crime
Suspended sentence for Goodwick man who sent sexual messages to young girl
THE FATHER of a young girl sent sexual messages to an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old girl online, Swansea Crown Court heard this week.
An undercover police officer posed as a 12-year-old girl on the website RandoChat, with the decoy’s profile stating they were 18.
James Roberts messaged the decoy on 9 August, stating he was “looking for a naughty girl”.
The decoy promptly informed him that she was 12 years old; however, the defendant continued to send messages referencing sexual acts and self-gratification.
Roberts added the decoy on Snapchat, claiming to be 19 and living in England.
He again sent sexualised messages and, referring to the decoy’s age, said they were “never too young to start sending pictures”.
The defendant also told the decoy that he was having similar sexual conversations with a 14-year-old, Mr Dickens said.
Police attended Roberts’ home in Goodwick on 17 August, and he was arrested. He denied having a mobile phone, claiming he “had sent it off to Samsung to be fixed” but was “extremely vague” when asked for further details. Mr Dickens said no phone was ever recovered by police.
The 28-year-old Roberts pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child. The court heard that he had no previous convictions.
Hannah George, in mitigation, said the defendant showed “some degree of remorse” and that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
“In the 13 months since he was interviewed there have been no further offences,” she said.
Ms George said Roberts had suffered “significant” shame and embarrassment as a result of the offences, and it had led to him losing his job.
He had previously been diagnosed with PTSD and suffered “deep periods of depression”, Ms George said.
She added that his contact with his young daughter “has been diminished” following these offences.
“You were in contact online with who you firmly believed to be a 12-year-old girl,” said Judge Paul Thomas KC, addressing Roberts.
“You have a two-year-old daughter. Just think how you would feel if a man in his thirties tried to have that sort of conversation with her in 10 years’ time.”
Roberts was sentenced to 30 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete 35 days of an accredited programme and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement programme days.
He must also register as a sex offender for 10 years and was made the subject of a three-year sexual harm prevention order.
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