News
One thousand march to save Withybush Hospital A&E services

Over 1,000 people marched in Haverfordwest today (June 16) to show their support for the A&E department at Withybush General Hospital.
The protesters marched from Haverfordwest football club, leaving at 11.30am and made their way via Bridge Street to Castle Square, and then around to the Riverside Shopping Centre, and back to the field behind the football club where a family fun day had been organised.
There were rumours that there would be inclement weather for the protest, but just on cue, the sun came out as the first walkers left the field for what many were describing as a “now or never” attempt to retain services at Withybush.
Conservative politicians joined the march including local MP’s Simon Hart and Stephen Crabb as well as Paul Davies AM. County Councillors and representatives from the Labour party were also at the protest, amongst others.
Stephen Crabb MP told The Herald that all of the University Health Board’s proposals for Withybush Hospital included a “downgrade”, and that this was not acceptable for the people of Pembrokeshire. In a passionate interview with Herald TV he said that today was the day that “local people fight for the services that they deserve.”
Mr Crabb said that he knew that recruitment of staff was a “challenge across the whole of the UK” but the Health Board need to be told they need to do more for Pembrokeshire.
Just before the protest, the admin of the Save Withybush Group on Facebok posted: “Over 22,000 have joined this group and almost 23,000 have signed the petition so we know there is massive support among the people of Pembrokeshire to save our hospital. Now we just need everyone to turn out this Saturday and show Hywel Dda Health Board that we mean business and that they will not get away with closing our A&E or any of the vital services at Withybush.”
Drivers of vehicles honked their horns as they drove past the protest which was led by musicians from the Saint City Jazz Band from St Davids.
Many people told Herald reporters that they felt that the hospital had been “deliberately undermined” ans that uncertainty created by the Health Board themselves in relation to hospital services was having a negative effect on the recruitment of staff.
This large march and fun day is described by organisers as the first stage in a summer of action to fight for services at Withybush Hospital.
Those who have not already done so are urged to fill in the consultation document published by Hywel Dda University Health Board.
- Photography by Mike Hillen and Aad Oostermeijer.
- Additional reporting by Matthew Roberts
Community
Native oyster success story on the Milford Haven Waterway

AFTER more than a year of careful rearing, thousands of juvenile native oysters have now been returned to the Milford Haven Waterway, marking a major milestone in an ambitious restoration project involving the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
Since the project began in late 2023, Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences has been nurturing native oyster broodstock collected from Angle Bay and Burton Ferry. These oysters spawned multiple times in controlled conditions, producing hundreds of thousands of larvae. The tiny larvae were then reared until they were ready to settle on to shells, where they mostly remain fixed as they grow. Some scallop shells held as many as 160 individual oyster spat, ranging from 4mm to 10mm in size.
In February, an estimated 200,000 baby oysters were released into the Waterway by students from Paddle West. Braving a strong easterly wind, the team (assisted by Sky the dog, and with rescue cover support from Rudders Boatyard) successfully deposited the oysters onto the seabed. While not all will survive, many are expected to take hold and contribute to the recovery of the native oyster population.
Once abundant in UK waters, native oyster populations have dramatically declined due to habitat loss, pollution, over-harvesting and disease
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Biodiversity Officer, Sarah Mellor, said “This collaborative project is a major step forward for native oyster restoration in Wales. Achieving complex native oyster reefs once again in the Daugleddau may seem a distant dream, but this project has accelerated our learning and made the dream tangible. These oysters will play a vital role in improving water quality, storing carbon and creating habitat for marine life.”
To further support the restoration effort, some of the oyster-covered scallop shells have been placed into oyster hotels at Rudders Boatyard, where they will be closely monitored. Atlantic Edge Oysters will also oversee a selection of the young oysters to assess their growth rates.
The oysters will be tracked as part of the Natur am Byth! Mòr restoration project, delivered by the Marine Conservation Society with assistance from Sue Burton, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer.
Sue said,“Native oyster restoration needs oyster suppliers and growers, and this project has proved that we can deliver this in Wales with our home-grown native oysters and expertise.”
The project is being delivered in partnership with Bangor University, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer and Tethys Oysters in Angle Bay. It forms part of the Blue Carbon Strand of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s Wild Coast! Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places Programme, funded by the Welsh Government and co-ordinated by Tirweddau Cymru Landscapes Wales.
The restored oysters will now be closely monitored to assess their survival and growth, helping to inform future restoration efforts and strengthen the long-term recovery of the species in the Milford Haven Waterway.
News
Oriel y Parc opens its doors to a world of peace and tranquillity

An exhibition featuring the work of two leading artists and illustrators is to open at the National Park Discovery Centre in St Davids.
Featuring the work of Jackie Morris and Elly Morgan, ‘Tangnefedd Rhyngom: Peace Between Us’ invites visitors to explore the theme of peace, creating an opportunity for people to pause, reflect and connect with the quiet beauty of the world around them.
The exhibition brings together two distinct approaches to peace. Jackie Morris – illustrator, artists and writer best known for The Lost Words and The Lost Spells – presents a series of prints depicting painted doves, using her signature style to convey peace as a dynamic force. In contrast, Elly Morgan, known for her intricate ceramic work, offers a tactile interpretation of peace through her ceramic doves which draw inspiration from Pembrokeshire’s natural landscapes.

On World Poetry Day (March 22), Jackie Morris will host a talk and a question and an answer session which will provide a deeper insight into the exhibition as well as themes that inspire her work. The free event will take lace between 2 pm and 3 pm.
Meanwhile Elly Morgan will lead a family-friendly workshop from 11 am to 3 pm on Sunday, March 23. The drop-in invites participants of all ages to contribute to a collaborative installation using recycled materials and acrylic paints.
The exhibition will be on display at Oriel y Parc until Sunday, April 27.
Crime
Haverfordwest woman jailed for assault occasioning actual bodily harm

A HAVERFORDWEST woman has been jailed for assaulting another woman, with magistrates ruling that only a custodial sentence was justified.
Sarah Moane, 34, of Three Meadows, Haverfordwest, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Mar 13), where she was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The court heard that on December 27, 2024, Moane assaulted Kayleigh Summers, causing her injuries. She was found guilty of the offence on March 13, 2025.
Moane was already serving a 10-week custodial sentence, imposed by Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on August 6, 2024. The latest sentence is to run consecutively, with the court citing the seriousness of the offence and the fact that it was committed while Moane was subject to a suspended sentence. The offence was further aggravated by intoxication and domestic violence.
She was also ordered to pay £650 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Restraining order imposed
A restraining order was issued against Moane, preventing her from:
- Contacting Kayleigh Summers by any means, directly or indirectly.
- Entering any premises occupied by Summers as her usual place of residence.
- Posting or causing to be posted any references to Summers on social media or any other electronic platform.
The order remains in place until March 12, 2026.
The court noted that no compensation was awarded due to the provoked nature of the attack.
Presiding over the case were Magistrates Ms V Knapp, Miss L Gunter, and Mr N Samuel, with Ann Griffiths prosecuting.
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