News

Christmas leaves consumers strapped for cash

Published

12 years ago

February 11, 2014

NEW research released this week shows that around 55 per cent of consumers in Wales ran out of disposable cash in January, after failing to budget for the Christmas and New Year festivities.

The average shopper in Wales overspent by £324.54 at Christmas, and more than two thirds (68 per cent) found the first month of the year a real struggle to get through financially, as they waited for their first 2014 wage packet to pay off credit cards, overdrafts and other festive bills.

The findings from The Co-operative Food coincide with the launch of the retailer’s 2014 Saving Stamps scheme, designed to help people to manage their budgets by saving a little each week throughout the year to help spread the cost of Christmas.

The community retailer saw sales of the £1 savings stamps soar by 40 per cent in 2013, as savvy shoppers reverted to the old-school way of saving. Commonplace in households in the sixties when budgets were notoriously tight, saving stamps were a popular way to put a little away each week.

As an extra incentive, customers redeeming a full saving stamps book with £48 worth of stamps in December receive £50, which means they receive a free £2 bonus for each full saving book redeemed in the run up to Christmas.

The Co-operative is the only retailer to provide extra security for its customers’ saving stamps, by protecting the money in a trust fund, which is managed by an independent trustee.

The Co-operative’s trust fund was set up in response to the collapse of the Farepak Christmas Club in 2006, when nearly 120,000 people, many from low-income households, lost on average £400 each. When establishing the trust, The Co-operative worked closely with representatives of the Farepak Victims Committee,Andrew Mann, Customer Director, The Co-operative Food, said: “As our research shows, many people were left with a financial hangover after overspending at Christmas and are still paying for the festivities.

“As a responsible retailer, we are keen to help our customers manage their budgets, and our saving stamps scheme is a simple and effective way to help put money aside throughout the year to help spread the cost of Christmas.”

He added: “Sales of saving stamps rose by 40 per cent in 2013, and we are expecting our saving scheme to be just as popular this year, as customers adopt a prudent approach to managing their money and start saving now January is out of the way.”

Community

Dog rescued after multi-agency response in Pembroke Dock

Published

7 minutes ago

May 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

AN ALSATIAN dog was rescued in Pembroke Dock after falling down an embankment and becoming trapped near the water’s edge.

Fire crews from Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest were called to the incident near Cleddau Bridge Business Park at 12:41am on Thursday (May 21), following reports that the dog, named Lunar, was unable to climb back to safety.

The rescue involved a multi-agency response, with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service working alongside HM Coastguard, the RNLI and Drone Search and Rescue teams.

Lunar was located and safely recovered by the RNLI boat team before being brought back to dry land and reunited with her grateful owners.

A photo released after the rescue shows Lunar, her owners, and members of the teams involved.

Cymraeg

Welsh language report says students face mixed experiences across colleges and universities

Published

13 minutes ago

May 21, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW report has found that Welsh-speaking students face inconsistent access to Welsh language services across Wales’ colleges and universities.

The research, published by the Welsh Language Commissioner on Monday (May 25), gathered responses from more than 1,500 further and higher education students.

It examined four key areas: whether students can submit written work in Welsh, choose accommodation with Welsh-speaking students, access a Welsh-speaking personal tutor, and receive wellbeing support through the medium of Welsh.

The report also looked at the wider language culture on campuses, including how institutions promote Welsh language services and support students to use Welsh naturally in academic and social settings.

Osian Llywelyn, Deputy Welsh Language Commissioner, said colleges and universities had a vital role in helping students use Welsh as part of everyday life.

He said: “Given the importance of sustaining and developing the continued use of the Welsh language, it is essential to recognise the key role that further education colleges and higher education institutions play in ensuring that students have the opportunity to use Welsh naturally as part of their academic and social lives.

“While it is encouraging to see strong examples of good practice, that experience is not consistent across the sector. As a result, we have identified clear improvement actions, and we will be asking the relevant institutions to address them.”

Five improvement actions have been identified. These include standardising Welsh-medium assessment arrangements, proactively offering Welsh language services rather than simply making them available on request, addressing gaps in workforce Welsh-language skills, strengthening students’ sense of belonging through Welsh, and improving self-assessment and monitoring.

James Owen, Chief Executive of Medr, the body responsible for funding and regulating tertiary education in Wales, said the findings showed the need for more support across the sector.

He said Medr’s new Welsh Language Condition would place a clearer focus on providers promoting and supporting the use of Cymraeg, and on creating formal and informal opportunities for staff and learners to develop their Welsh-language skills.

Ioan Matthews, Chief Executive of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, said students’ experiences of Welsh at college or university could influence their willingness and ability to use the language later in the workplace.

He said the report showed the need for the Welsh-language experience to extend “well beyond the classroom”.

The report will be officially launched at the Welsh Language Commissioner’s stand at the Urdd Eisteddfod in Anglesey at 11:00am on Monday (May 25).

Crime

Milford Haven man admits assault and harassment charges

Published

21 minutes ago

May 21, 2026

Court Reporter

A MILFORD HAVEN has admitted assaulting a family member and harassing another relative following incidents in the town last year.

Wayne Whatling, 39, of Howarth Close, Milford Haven, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (May 21).

Whatling changed his pleas to guilty to one charge of assault by beating and one charge of harassment without violence.

The assault charge relates to an incident in Milford Haven on September 13, 2025, when Whatling assaulted Ben Whatling by beating him.

He also admitted pursuing a course of conduct amounting to harassment against Carol Whatling between September 1 and September 13, 2025.

The court heard the harassment allegation involved repeatedly asking Carol Whatling for money, with the complainant said to have feared repercussions if she did not provide it.

Magistrates adjourned the case for the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

Whatling was remanded on conditional bail and ordered not to contact Carol or Ben Whatling directly or indirectly.

He is due to be sentenced at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (June 9).