Pupils at Ysgol Glannau Gwaun have been celebrating after their school became one of only nine in Wales to achieve Gold Active Travel status

The Fishguard school recently travelled to the Senedd in Cardiff to receive its prestigious Walk, Wheel, Cycle Gold Active Travel Award, recognising the work pupils and staff have done to promote walking, cycling and scooting.

It was the second time pupils from Ysgol Glannau Gwaun had travelled to the capital to present their active travel projects to a range of audiences.

The school now has a fleet of 60 scooters and 40 bicycles, allowing children from Nursery through to Year 6 to build their confidence and skills.

Through a range of grants and funding opportunities, weekly cycling and scooter sessions are now offered to all pupils, regardless of age or ability.

In 2023, only 11 of 41 pupils were able to complete their Level 1 and 2 cycle training, as many did not have access to a bicycle.

Since then, the school has worked hard to change that. Thanks to investment in school bikes, every pupil can now take part in cycle training.

Older pupils have also taken on leadership roles, supporting younger children with balance bike and scooter sessions.

Progression Step 3 pupils have designed a 1.5km community scooter trail, beginning at Fishguard Library and finishing in Goodwick. The route has been created not only for pupils, but for the wider community.

To further encourage active travel, the school also loans scooters to families, helping to ensure everyone has the opportunity to take part.

Staff help run a walking bus to after-school music activities at the secondary school, while the School Senedd regularly develops new ideas to promote active travel.

One recent initiative was a six-hour scootathon, which raised £1,000 for the RNLI.

To mark the Gold award, the school held a special celebration day for all pupils. Fusion Extreme delivered BMX workshops, while British BMX champion Matti Hemmings impressed pupils with a spectacular display of skills.

Pupils also presented their journey to achieving Gold status to parents, governors and community partners, including Transition Bro Gwaun, which helped fund the school’s bicycle fleet.

Headteacher Mrs Mari Jones said: “I am incredibly proud of our pupils, whose enthusiasm, leadership and commitment have driven many of the initiatives that contributed to this award.”

Deputy Headteacher Mrs Sharon Osborne added: “We are extremely grateful to the Pembrokeshire Road Safety Team, Alice from the Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust, Transition Bro Gwaun and the Catrin Vaughan Foundation for their support.

“Their funding and resources have enabled our pupils to develop exceptional cycling and scooting skills, alongside valuable leadership and communication skills.

“This has culminated in pupils confidently presenting their achievements to a wide range of audiences.”

Pupils say their active travel journey does not end with the Gold award, with more ideas already being planned.

As they proudly put it, nothing stands still at Ysgol Glannau Gwaun.

As the health service marks its 78th birthday, people in Pembrokeshire are being urged to support local NHS charities helping patients, staff and communities across west Wales

AS THE NHS marks its 78th birthday on Sunday, July 5, NHS charities are urging people to use the anniversary as a moment to support their local NHS charity.

For Pembrokeshire, that means Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity supporting NHS services across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

The NHS has a particular resonance in Wales. It was founded in 1948 by Aneurin Bevan, the Labour Minister for Health and MP for Ebbw Vale, on the principle that healthcare should be free at the point of delivery and available to all, regardless of income.

That founding ideal remains one of the defining achievements of post-war Britain. It brought security to families who had previously feared the cost of illness, injury or childbirth. In Pembrokeshire, as across Wales, generations have relied on that promise.

But as the NHS turns 78, it does so under intense pressure.

Hywel Dda University Health Board serves a population of around 385,000 people across west Wales, covering hospitals, community services, mental health care and primary care across a large rural area. Demand continues to rise, while the challenges facing the health service grow more complex.

Wales has an ageing population, higher levels of long-term illness and areas of significant deprivation. Those pressures place greater demand on health and care services. At the same time, workforce shortages, waiting lists and financial strain continue to dominate debate about the future of the NHS in Wales.

The Welsh Government recently announced an extra £145m for NHS Wales this financial year, including funding aimed at reducing waiting times, developing surgical and diagnostic hubs, and tackling maintenance across the NHS estate.

But the wider financial picture remains difficult. Audit Wales has reported that all seven health boards in Wales again failed to meet their break-even duty in 2024/25, underlining the scale of the challenge.

That is why NHS charities say the birthday should not only be a celebration, but also a chance to give something back.

NHS Charities Together says more than 220 NHS charities across the UK collectively invest around £1.5m in the NHS every day. That funding helps support patients, staff and communities, paying for projects and equipment which go beyond core NHS provision.

Hywel Dda Health Charities allows donors to support a general fund for the areas of greatest need, or to direct donations to a particular hospital, ward, department or service. Funds can help provide medical equipment, staff training, research, patient comforts and community-based support.

Other local organisations also play an important role in supporting health and wellbeing in Pembrokeshire, including the VC Gallery in Haverfordwest, Honeyborough HOPE Therapy Centre and Pembrokeshire Samaritans. Their work in areas such as mental health, veterans’ support, therapy and community care helps ease pressure elsewhere in the system.

The NHS remains one of Wales’ most important institutions. It was created by a Welshman, built on a principle that still matters, and continues to serve people from birth to the end of life.

On its 78th birthday, the message from NHS charities is simple: celebrate it, value it, and support it where you can.

First Milk site secures four major trophies as co-operative celebrates 26 awards at International Cheese & Dairy Awards

FIRST MILK’S Haverfordwest Creamery has celebrated major success at this year’s International Cheese & Dairy Awards, after helping the farmer-owned co-operative secure 26 awards at the world’s largest cheese show.

First Milk won eight gold medals, 11 silver medals, one bronze medal and six major trophies at the prestigious awards, with cheese produced at Haverfordwest Creamery securing four of the competition’s top honours.

The Pembrokeshire creamery won the CHR Hansen Trophy for Champion Double Gloucester, the Tetra Pak Tebel Award for Best Extra Mature Creamery Block Cheddar, the ICDA Award for Best Medium Creamery Block Cheddar and the First Milk Past Masters Trophy.

The results underline the quality and consistency of the cheese produced at the Haverfordwest site, which continues to play a key role in First Milk’s award-winning cheesemaking operation.

Held annually, the International Cheese & Dairy Awards attracted its highest number of entries in several years, with many of the creamery cheddar classes receiving between 30 and 40 entries.

First Milk was recognised across a wide range of cheddar and regional cheese categories, including Double Gloucester, Red Leicester, Welsh cheese, vegetarian cheese and English creamery cheddar.

Jack Eade, Customer Quality Manager at First Milk, said the awards reflected the hard work of teams across the business.

He said: “These awards are incredibly hard won and reflect the dedication, expertise and passion of everyone involved in producing our cheese.

“To receive recognition across so many categories at one of the world’s most respected cheese competitions is something everyone at First Milk can be enormously proud of.

“While our grading team selects and prepares the entries, none of these achievements would be possible without the commitment of our farmer members producing exceptional quality milk, and the highly skilled teams at our creameries transforming it into consistently award-winning cheese.”

The latest success continues First Milk’s long-standing record at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards and reinforces Haverfordwest Creamery’s reputation as one of the leading producers of award-winning British cheese.

Photo caption:

Rod Addy, Director General of the Provision Trade Federation, with First Milk’s Matthew Hooper and Dawn Mason at the International Cheese & Dairy Awards