A DOCUMENTARY capturing ultrarunner Sanna Duthie’s record-breaking run along the full length of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path is now available to watch online.

Filmed and directed by Martin from Kelp and Fern, the film follows Sanna as she completed the 186-mile National Trail in 48 hours, 23 minutes and 49 seconds, setting a new Fastest Known Time.

From the physical demands of running almost non-stop to moments of quiet reflection among Pembrokeshire’s cliffs, coves and headlands, the documentary offers a close-up look at the determination, resilience and motivation behind one of the UK’s toughest solo endurance challenges.

The film premiered at Theatr Gwaun in Fishguard in November at an event hosted by the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust. The evening raised more than £500 through ticket sales and a raffle, adding to the £3,000 already raised through Sanna’s run. All proceeds are supporting conservation, heritage and engagement projects across the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

Sanna has since been named an official Ambassador for the Pembrokeshire Coast Charitable Trust, recognising her passion for the landscape and her ongoing support for the Trust’s work to protect and promote the Park for future generations.

The documentary is available to watch online via the Trust’s Fundraisers page:
https://pembrokeshirecoasttrust.wales/impact/our-fundraisers

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Sanna Duthie’s 186-mile Pembrokeshire Coast Path run is the subject of a new documentary now available to watch online.

A PEMBROKESHIRE respite centre supporting children and young people with disabilities has been rated ‘excellent’ in all areas by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW).

Following a recent inspection, Holly House in Haverfordwest achieved the top rating for wellbeing, care and support, environment, and leadership and management.

The result marks a significant turnaround for the service, which had previously been classed as a service of concern. CIW said the move to an excellent rating reflected sustained improvement driven by highly effective leadership focused on children’s safety and wellbeing.

In its report, CIW noted: “The Responsible Individual (RI) provides excellent strategic direction and demonstrates a clear commitment to continuous improvement, while the manager is skilled and proactive in maintaining high standards. Oversight of the service is robust and has driven significant improvements, resulting in positive outcomes for children’s wellbeing.”

Inspectors highlighted the choice, independence and opportunities offered to children who attend the centre, saying they are supported to feel safe, valued, and involved in decisions about their care. The report also praised strong relationships with families, with plans in place to build on this work and expand activities and community trips.

Feedback from families was described as highly positive, with all survey respondents rating care and support as excellent.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Head of Children’s Services, Chris Frey-Davies said: “The Council is delighted to hear the outcome of the recent CIW inspection of Holly House. Achieving excellent ratings across all four themes is an incredible accomplishment and a true testament to the dedication and leadership within Holly House.

“As highlighted by CIW inspectors, to move from a position of significant concern to sustained excellence speaks volumes about the commitment to children’s safety and wellbeing at every level.”

Cabinet Member for Young People, Communities and the Well-being and Future Generations, Cllr Marc Tierney, congratulated the team and said the report underlined the importance of the service to local families.

“It is clear to see that the young people who attend Holly House really do benefit from the quality of care provided by our hardworking, dedicated team,” he said.

“I want to thank them for their role in supporting our young people, which also provides essential respite for local families from their caring responsibilities. This external report puts on record the high quality of this provision and underlines that our young people are at the heart of this vital service.”

Crews from three Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire stations take part in large-scale exercise

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews carried out a large-scale water rescue training exercise at Llys-y-frân Lake on Monday (Jan 19).

The lake, set in the foothills of the Preseli Mountains and covering more than 200 acres, was used for a scenario designed to test swift water rescue skills in challenging conditions.

Specialist teams from Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Milford Haven Fire Stations took part, each attending with swift water rescue capability.

The exercise simulated a serious incident involving a collision between two boats, with multiple casualties spread across the lake and along the shoreline.

To make the scenario as realistic as possible, mannequins of different sizes and weights were positioned at various points around the site, including floating on the surface, submerged, and placed along the water’s edge.

Boat crews carried out searches on the water and recovered casualties, while wading teams were deployed to areas that could not be reached by boat, including sections of shoreline and shallow water.

Throughout the session, firefighters practised coordinated search techniques, casualty handling and communication between crews and the Incident Commander.

The training ran from the afternoon into the evening, allowing both wholetime and on-call firefighters to take part and put their skills into practice.

The fire service is currently recruiting on-call firefighters, and says the role offers training, teamwork, leadership and problem-solving opportunities, with pay including retainer fees and call-out payments.