News
Christmas leaves consumers strapped for cash
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.”
Crime
Train disruption after youths seen playing on tracks at Haverfordwest station
Police attend after dangerous incident involving football on railway line
TRAINS were delayed at Haverfordwest railway station on Tuesday (Apr 1) after a group of youths were seen playing with a football near live tracks, prompting a police response.
Footage captured by a bystander shows several young people on the platform throwing and kicking a ball across the station. In one clip, a youth is seen kicking a football from Platform 2 towards Platform 1, but the ball overshoots and lands beyond a fence into the station car park.
More concerning footage shows the ball rolling onto the railway line, with one youth climbing down onto the tracks to retrieve it—an act that poses serious risk of injury or death due to live rails and the potential for oncoming trains.
The incident caused disruption to services, with two trains delayed by 25 minutes while the situation was dealt with.
Police attended the scene, although it is not yet clear whether any arrests were made. Officers have been approached for comment.
Railway safety rules strictly prohibit access to the tracks except by authorised personnel, and incidents such as this are treated seriously due to the potentially fatal consequences.
The Herald understands that such behaviour can also lead to significant disruption across the rail network, affecting passengers and services well beyond the immediate area.
Anyone with further information about the incident is urged to contact police.
Business
Haverfordwest producers showcased by Tesco in national Welsh food event
Local firms highlighted as supermarket giant backs £27bn Welsh food sector
HAVERFORDWEST food producers were among those selected to take centre stage at a national showcase celebrating the very best of Welsh food and drink.
Supermarket giant Tesco hosted the St David’s Day event in partnership with the Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales initiative, bringing together leading suppliers from across the country.
Two Pembrokeshire-based businesses — Blas y Tir, part of Pembrokeshire Creameries, and Puffin Produce, both based in Haverfordwest — were among those chosen to represent Welsh produce on a national stage.The event, held to mark St David’s Day, showcased a wide range of products including dairy, baked goods, meats, curries and spirits, highlighting the breadth and quality of food produced across Wales.

Organisers said the showcase underlined the importance of supporting local suppliers, many of which are family-run businesses rooted in their communities and reliant on local agriculture.
The Welsh food and drink supply chain is estimated to be worth £27 billion, with companies like those in Pembrokeshire playing a key role in sustaining rural jobs and supporting farmers.
Visitors to the event were given the opportunity to meet producers and sample products, while a surprise performance from Welsh singers added a cultural element to the day’s celebrations.
Enfys Fox, relationship manager for local sourcing at Tesco Wales, said: “St David’s Day is a time to celebrate everything that makes Wales special, and our suppliers are at the very heart of that story.
“This event was a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible range, quality and heritage of Welsh produce available in our stores.
“We are incredibly proud to collaborate with the Welsh Government and work with so many dedicated Welsh suppliers, many of them family businesses with deep roots in their communities. By supporting them, we’re not only bringing great products to our customers, but also investing in local jobs and the wider Welsh economy.”
The Herald understands that products from Pembrokeshire suppliers featured at the event are widely stocked in Tesco stores across Wales, giving local shoppers direct access to locally sourced goods.
While the showcase celebrated success, it also highlighted the growing importance of ensuring Welsh producers continue to secure fair opportunities within major retail supply chains.
The event formed part of Tesco’s wider commitment to strengthening partnerships with Welsh suppliers and promoting locally sourced food throughout the year.
Health
Paramedic recruitment freeze confirmed in internal email to students
‘No jobs in 2026–27’ as graduates told service has ‘more paramedics than required’
AN INTERNAL email sent to student paramedics has confirmed that no newly qualified paramedics will be recruited in Wales during the 2026–27 financial year, escalating concerns over workforce planning in the NHS.
The message, seen by The Herald, was sent to final-year students following a board meeting of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust on March 26.
It confirms that the trust “does not require any NQPs” this year, stating the decision is based on affordability and workforce restructuring.
The development follows reporting by BBC Wales that students had already been advised to seek work overseas.
‘Simply not affordable’
In the email, the ambulance service states:
“Employing NQPs in 2026 is simply not affordable… No extra funding has been made available by Welsh Government or our commissioners.”
It adds that a review of workforce needs concluded:
“We currently have more paramedics than required and enough lead practitioners to fill any short to medium term vacancies.”
Students say they have also been told the service is aiming to reduce paramedic numbers, despite ongoing delays in ambulance response times across Wales.
Graduates left without roles
Around 70 students are expected to graduate this year from Swansea University and Wrexham University.
Training is heavily subsidised by Healthcare Education and Improvement Wales, with costs estimated by students at around £50,000 per person.
Despite this investment, graduates have now been told to consider employment outside Wales—or even overseas—to begin their careers.
Patient care concerns raised
Students have warned the decision could impact patient care if fewer fully qualified paramedics are deployed on the frontline.
They say being redirected into lower-grade roles means their full clinical training will not be used.
One student told The Herald: “We are ready to go straight into frontline care. Instead, we’re being told to look abroad. It doesn’t make sense.”
Government under pressure
A Welsh Government response seen by The Herald acknowledges the issue and says ministers are working with the ambulance service and universities to support affected graduates.
However, the internal email suggests the decision is already firm for the coming financial year.
The Herald has approached the Welsh Government and the Welsh Ambulance Service for further comment.
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