NARBERTH & WHITLAND ROTARY CLUB, in partnership with Narberth RFC, has successfully organised Narberth Outdoor Rock (NOR) for several years, bringing top-tier entertainment to the region. The annual event, held on the pitch at Narberth Rugby Club, has grown in popularity, production quality, and public awareness.

DJ and compere Steve Briers, a key figure in the event’s success, has seen firsthand how NOR has evolved. Speaking about this year’s festival, he said: “The 2024 event will feature a purpose-built professional stage, along with top-quality lighting and a PA system provided by EPS Events. While it’s an outdoor event, we have a superb 500-seater stand facing the stage, ensuring spectators can enjoy the show even in poor weather. We also provide additional marquees that can accommodate up to 400 people, though we’ve often been fortunate with the weather.”

Briers praised the festival’s vibrant atmosphere, saying: “It’s been an absolute pleasure to be part of this event. I’ve witnessed fantastic performances from both backstage and front-of-house, but most importantly, I’ve seen thousands of happy festival-goers enjoying the music, food, drinks, and hospitality without the commitment of an all-day or weekend event.”

Over the years, NOR has hosted a range of high-quality tribute acts, including Queen, Bon Jovi, Elton John, Bee Gees, Annie Lennox, Shania Twain, and Amy Winehouse, alongside talented local bands such as The Sleeping Dogs, Sorted, and Ella Guru. “It’s great to feature local talent alongside top tribute acts,” Briers said. “They bring something unique to the event and truly complement the whole occasion.”

This year’s event, scheduled for Saturday, August 16, 2025, will see the return of Queen tribute band ‘Don’t Stop Queen Now’, who last performed at NOR two years ago. They will be supported by rock band ‘4th Street’ and the high-energy ‘Funktion 22 Party Band’.

Gates open at 5:00pm, with three bands performing throughout the night. Briers, as DJ, will keep the energy high between sets with classic rock tracks, announcements, birthday shout-outs, and sponsor mentions. “I love keeping the atmosphere alive—it’s a job I truly relish every year,” he added.

Reflecting on his involvement, Briers said: “Working with Narberth & Whitland Rotary and Narberth RFC on the NOR committee has been a pleasure. We’re already looking ahead to 2026. See you on Saturday, August 16, 2025—and if you’re celebrating anything, let me know for a shout-out!”

DATA on phosphorus levels in Welsh Special Area of Conservation (SAC) rivers shows small improvements, while interim water quality classifications for Welsh rivers hold steady.

Collaborative and concerted efforts to tackle water pollution must continue at scale to drive water quality improvements, say experts at Natural Resources Wales (NRW) as new and interim water quality data is published.

Data for phosphorus compliance shows that 50% waterbodies in Welsh SAC rivers are now meeting stringent targets, compared with 39% in 2021.

In total, 122 individual water bodies within Wales’s nine SAC rivers were assessed – eight more than were assessed for the 2021 report.

A direct comparison between those assessed in both 2021 and 2024 shows 17 moving to a pass, and five falling out of compliance.

But while there are improvements recorded, due to the changes in passes and failures on individual water bodies, the number of whole SAC river catchments with non-compliances rises from five in 2021 to seven.

The Afon Gwyrfai and Afon Eden SAC rivers in north west Wales both previously met phosphorus targets, but now each have one failing water body.

This now means that the Afon Gwyrfai SAC will be subject to development restrictions to prevent further phosphorus impacting water quality. It will not be required for the Eden catchment as the failure was driven by one high sample.

Improvements downstream in the River Wye, which is now passing the phosphorus target, means that development restrictions on neutrality can be lifted in the most downstream water body only.

However, sustainable development will still be required in order to maintain compliance in the future.

Mary Lewis, NRW’s Head of Natural Resource Management said:

“The results for our Special Area of Conservation rivers are encouraging, and suggest that the scale of action undertaken in recent years is starting to make a difference.

“But we must also remember that there is a lag between our actions and measurable improvements in water quality, and it will certainly take more time before we see the kind of significant improvements we all want.

“Since our 2021 report, we have seen action at scale – by ourselves as environmental regulators, Government, industry and communities – to improve the health of our rivers.

“What is important now is that we use this evidence to continue to work towards our shared goal of better river health for people and nature. We must keep up the momentum that has been built in recent years, and we must all play our part in driving down phosphorus and pollution in our waters.”

Since NRW’s 2021 phosphorus compliance report, Nutrient Management Boards have been established in failing SAC catchments, tasked with reducing phosphate pollution.

A series of river pollution summits led by Welsh Government Ministers have brought together key representatives from different industries to deliver a plan of actions, including action to unlock housing development in phosphorus sensitive catchments.

This includes an extensive project led by NRW to review the environmental permits of larger wastewater discharges in SAC catchments. In total NRW has varied 162 permits to include or tighten a phosphorus limit – either immediately or within Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s Asset Management Programmes.

This work has been vital in informing water companies and local planning authorities about where there is capacity for new housing developments, without adding to the phosphorus load in catchments which are exceeding targets.

Also published today are interim classifications under the Water Framework Directive Regulations.

These show water quality remaining steady with 40% of water bodies at good or better overall status. This is the same as NRW’s most recent 2021 classification but an improvement of 3% from 2015 and 8% since 2019.

The Water Framework Directive Regulations uses a ‘one out all out’ approach for the overall status assessment, which means if one of the elements assessed fails, the whole water body fails. Without this, looking at each individual elements, 93% of water bodies reach good or better status.

The Water Framework Directive Regulations require measures to protect the ecological health of our rivers, lakes, estuaries and groundwaters using River Basin Management Plans to establish the collective actions required to achieve Good Ecological Status.

It provides a set of environmental standards for assessing the status of each water body. Regulators are required to undertake this assessment every six years. NRW has decided to publish an interim classification at year three in order to better track progress of water quality improvements.

Next financial year the Welsh Government is committing £16m to NRW’s Water Capital Programme to help tackle some of the key challenges facing our waters.

Later this year, NRW is aiming to also publish condition assessments for marine Special Areas of Conservation wholly in Wales.

Mary added:

“Wales’s marine Special Areas of Conservation support a wealth of habitats and species, but like our rivers, are under increasing pressure.

“These condition assessments will be vital evidence which will help to prioritise the actions and measures needed to improve these highly protected sites.

“It is our long term ambition to align all reporting on water quality data to provide a more holistic overview of the current state of water quality in our rivers, lakes, groundwaters and the sea.”

THE FARMERS UNION OF WALES has expressed concern following the release of UK Trade figures which revealed a significant increase of sheep meat imported to the UK in 2024.

Data released by the UK Government showed the UK imports of sheep meat surged by 40% on the year, reaching 67,880 tonnes, marking the highest level since 2018.

Increased imports from New Zealand (an increase of 14,300 tonnes) and Australia (6,500 tonnes increase) now account for 86% of UK sheep meat imports, marking an increase from 78% in 2023.

Analysis by Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) suggests a range of factors are responsible for the rise in imports, including lower prices from the Southern Hemisphere, new Free Trade Agreements, and a record level of deadweight prices in the UK.

Data by DEFRA also showed UK sheep meat production had declined by 7% in 2024, while UK beef production in 2024 increased by 4%.

Responding to the figures Alun Owen, Farmers’ Union of Wales regional vice-president said:

“The surge in sheep meat imports from New Zealand and Australia poses a very real threat that could undermine the livelihoods of Welsh sheep farmers and the sustainability of our rural communities.

The increased imports are perhaps unsurprising, and follow the Farmers’ Union of Wales’ longstanding warnings that previous governments’ liberal approach to trade negotiations with New Zealand and Australia could drastically undermine Welsh farmers and domestic food production.

Increasingly we are witnessing a potential displacement of high-quality Welsh and UK lamb – a product of world-leading sustainable farming practices – in favour of imports that have travelled thousands of miles.”

Gareth Parry, Farmers’ Union of Wales’ Head of Policy added:

“The tighter throughput of livestock across the UK reflects current confidence levels of the sector, whilst the resulting record-high prices are causing difficulties for processors and retailers across the supply chain which, in part, increases the attractiveness of cheaper imports.

In reality, however, inherent to the increase in food imports is a reduction in the UK’s food security, both through the displacement of domestic production and through additional reliance on food produced many thousands of miles away.”