News

New band are the ‘oldest swingers in town’

Published

11 years ago

March 31, 2014

THE Starlite Swing Band is the hottest ‘new’ band on the county’s music scene – and the five members of the band have a staggering combined age of 390 years!

The band boasts a total of 304 years in the entertainment business and they rehearse at the Milford Haven British Legion Club every Tuesday morning. They have already played at a couple of small venues and they specialise in the Big Band Sound, with numbers like “S’wonderful”, “Aint she sweet” and “Bye bye blackbird”.

Dennis Wheeler will celebrate his 88th birthday later this month and is the band’s trumpeter. He says he has been blowing his own trumpet for the last 80 years. He started playing with the Salvation Army at the age of seven and went on to run his own 19-piece dance orchestra in Lincoln. After retiring in Pembrokeshire, Dennis was enticed to take up the baton again to direct the Fishguard and Goodwick Brass Band.

Denis Wheeler (no relation) is the band’s 73-year-old alto/baritone sax player and was formerly head of the music department at Greenhill School, Tenby. Now living in Martletwy, Denis can still be seen at a few local jazz venues, including the Jefferston Arms.

Billy Jenkins is their 73-year-old accomplished keyboard player. Virtually self-taught, Billy has a wonderful ear for music, which is just as well as he doesn’t read a note. Billy has been on the local scene since the late 50s when he was with the Rebels. He later joined Don Wade and the Wayfarers and still goes out with this partner as “Jock-a-Billy”.

Eighty-seven-year-old Nick Carter is the bass player, who came to the county with the Fleet Air Arm and was stationed at Brawdy. Nick had the dubious pleasure of playing “slap bass” with a few of the dance bands at various venues. He also played tenor or bass horn with the Milford Haven Town Band and bass guitar with rehearsal band Opus 18. Having had his guitar stolen a number of years ago, Nick made one out of an old scaffolding plank and no-one has ever tried to steal it!

Finally the ‘youngster’ of the band is Roger Arnold, coming in at a sprightly 69 years. Another non-reader of music, Roger has been playing locally for almost 58 years, starting in school with Billy Bleep and the Satelites, and eventually graduating to Don Wade and the Wayfarers, the City Gents Six and 25 years with the well remembered Knight & Daye.

Roger says: “It’s wonderful to have something to look forward to again, but it would be much nicer to play in front of an audience again, that’s what we’re all best at.”

The Starlite Swing Band is ready and willing to appear at any function, whether it be an afternoon tea dance, birthday party of swing-era themed night.

For details call Roger Arnold on 01646 698003.

News

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby resigns following child abuse report

Published

55 mins ago

November 12, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has announced his resignation following the publication of a damning report that reveals the Church of England covered up decades of abuse by prominent barrister John Smyth QC.

Welby stated: “Having sought the gracious permission of His Majesty The King, I have decided to resign.”

The resignation follows the release of the independent Makin review last week, which detailed how Smyth, over a span of five decades, abused children and young men in the UK and Africa. The report estimates that as many as 130 boys and young men suffered severe physical, sexual, psychological, and spiritual abuse at Smyth’s hands, leaving lasting scars on their lives.

The review highlighted a critical missed opportunity, concluding that Smyth might have faced justice had Archbishop Welby reported the abuse to police a decade ago. Smyth, who died in Cape Town in 2018 at age 75, was under investigation by Hampshire Police but was “never brought to justice for the abuse,” according to the report.

Climate

Wales eyes £47 billion in renewable energy investment by 2035

Published

3 hours ago

November 12, 2024

Tom Sinclair

WALES is on the cusp of a £47 billion renewable energy investment wave that could transform its economy, create thousands of jobs, and breathe new life into communities. This promising outlook was unveiled today at the Future Energy Wales 2024 conference at Newport’s ICC, showcasing preliminary analysis by BiGGAR Economics on the economic potential of renewable energy across the nation.

Commissioned by RenewableUK Cymru, in partnership with Solar Energy UK and Marine Energy Wales, the study highlights the substantial economic gains Wales could achieve by meeting its renewable energy targets across onshore wind, offshore wind, solar, and tidal power.

**Heavy lift: The turbine under construction** **(Image: MHPA)**

The research projects an average annual investment of nearly £4 billion, reaching a peak of £7 billion by 2028. Offshore wind alone is expected to attract £32.4 billion, forming the foundation of Wales’ economic growth through 2035. However, capturing this opportunity requires an effective industrial strategy and substantial port infrastructure upgrades to support thousands of new, high-quality jobs.

While offshore wind presents long-term growth, onshore wind offers Wales a rapid boost, with a potential £4.5 billion in investments enabling an increase to over 3 GW capacity by 2035, contingent on addressing planning and grid capacity challenges.

The NESO 2030 Clean Power report underscores the need for grid reform to expedite renewable energy across the UK, but Wales remains hampered by immediate planning resource shortages.

The latest data from the 2024 Welsh wind power report shows a surge in renewable project interest, with Wales’ pipeline expanding by 18% this year, from 9 GW in 2023 to over 10.5 GW in November 2024, largely due to new onshore wind projects. However, with current deployment rates, Wales is forecast to contribute only 5% of the UK’s total wind capacity by 2035—well behind Scotland’s 64 GW target.

RenewableUK Cymru’s Call for Strategic Support

Jess Hooper, Director of RenewableUK Cymru, said:

“Wales stands at the threshold of a historic opportunity. By harnessing this renewable investment potential, we can secure Welsh jobs and build a robust, long-term local economy. But achieving this vision requires strong, immediate support from both the UK and Welsh governments.

“We urge a coordinated, four-nations approach to accelerate wind deployment and grid upgrades. With strategic investment in grid capacity and planning, wind energy can become central to Wales’ clean energy future—delivering real benefits for our climate, economy, and communities.”

£47 Billion Equals 208 Principality Stadiums

Nikki Keddie, Director at BiGGAR Economics, added:

“The scale of Wales’ renewables potential is extraordinary. The £47 billion needed to reach our targets is equivalent to building 208 Principality Stadiums. Investment in renewables will boost energy security, employment, industrial growth, and rural development.

“To maximise economic benefits, it’s crucial to dismantle barriers to project delivery and create opportunities for local businesses to capture value. We look forward to the next phase of this report, where we will detail the economic share Wales can secure.”