News

‘Excellent achievement’ for social worker

Published

8 years ago

December 16, 2016

Top of the class: Sarah Handley and Jonathan Griffiths, Director of Social Services and Leisure

A SOCIAL WORKER for Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) has achieved first-class honours alongside a prestigious award for being the highest-performing student in Wales.

Sarah Handley, 38, of Haverfordwest, achieved this outstanding feat whilst working full-time and balancing family life.

Having completed her three-year course, Sarah was awarded the Andrew Cornwell Prize (Wales) 2015 from the Open University for receiving the highest results of her graduate cohort in the BA Honours in Social Work.

In order to undertake this qualification, the mother-of-two applied for and received an annual bursary from PCC in 2012, without which Sarah says she wouldn’t have been able to do it.

Sarah said: “I’m just very grateful that Pembrokeshire County Council invest in their staff and give them the opportunity to progress in their career. It was the only way I could have studied for a professional qualification without stopping work – which wasn’t possible.”

PCC’s new Director of Social Services and Leisure, Jonathan Griffiths, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Sarah on a personal level and demonstrates a real commitment to achieving this qualification. The Open University also recognises this excellent achievement by making this award.

“I can also say that Pembrokeshire County Council is very proud of this level of attainment. To be recognised nationally in this way must be a source of great joy to Sarah and her family, making all the effort worthwhile.”

Before becoming a trainee social worker, Sarah worked for five years as an assessment coordinator in the council’s joint discharge team based at Withybush Hospital. Prior to that, she had various roles within healthcare and health promotion.

Sarah said: “I had found a profession I felt passionate about, and with the children getting a bit older, I wanted to do something for myself. I used to start working at 9am and carry on late into the evening, and every weekend. You have to put your life on hold. I missed a lot of telly!

“But I was motivated, and my mindset was to do it properly, or don’t do it at all. And the girls were studying for GCSEs and A-levels at the time, so we just became a studying household.”

She added: “It was completely worth it. Even though it was hard, I loved it.”

As part of her degree, Sarah spent six months with PCC’s social services family intervention team and six months with the mental health team. Her role now is Continuing Health Coordinator specialising in adult care, which includes a substantial amount of work with dementia patients and more complex cases.

Sarah said: “It’s a hugely rewarding career. You work with people when they are at their most vulnerable, when they are going through traumatic experiences. If you can alleviate that and make it easier for them, it’s very rewarding.

“The most important thing is to be very open-minded, very non-judgemental – and honest. People have such varied lives and society is changing so much.”

Sarah said how her family had been incredibly supportive while she was studying and are very proud of her achievement. She is now hopeful that her experience might encourage other young parents to be positive about what the future might hold in terms of their career.

She said: “I didn’t do well in school, and I had my eldest daughter at the age of 19. But you should never write somebody off because they are a young parent. Good things can happen to you.”

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

1 day 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

1 day 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.