Move to Narberth administrative base described as “growth, not closure”

SANDY BEAR Children’s Bereavement Charity has announced it will relocate its administrative headquarters to Narberth in March 2026, as the organisation approaches its ninth year supporting children and young people across Wales.

Founded in Pembrokeshire, Sandy Bear originally supported around fifty children and young people each year. Today, the charity provides bereavement support to more than 1,000 children and young people annually across multiple regions of Wales.

The move from Milford Haven reflects the charity’s continued growth and its commitment to ensuring resources are used as effectively as possible, allowing greater investment in frontline bereavement services.

The new administrative base will be located at The Old School in Narberth, a community hub managed by PLANED, an organisation Sandy Bear already works closely with through its Carmarthenshire provision.

Lee Barnett, Chief Executive of Sandy Bear, said: “Our priority is, and always will be, the children and young people we support. This move is not about changing who we are, but about strengthening how we work. By using our resources more effectively, we can reach more families across Pembrokeshire and across Wales while staying focused on our core mission.”

The charity has confirmed the relocation will not affect service delivery across Pembrokeshire. Sandy Bear will continue meeting families and running peer support groups in community settings throughout the county and across Wales.

Welcoming Sandy Bear to The Old School, Iwan Thomas, Chief Executive of PLANED said: “When third sector organisations work more closely together, communities benefit. Shared spaces allow charities to collaborate more effectively, unlock new funding opportunities and ultimately increase the impact they can have both locally and nationally.”

Sandy Bear says the move represents a positive and sustainable step forward, ensuring the charity remains accessible, resilient and focused on its mission that no child, wherever they live in Wales, should grieve alone.

DECISIONS following Hywel Dda University Heath Board’s recent consultation on nine of its services, which includes 22 alternatives to the initial options proposed, are to take place at a special two-day extraordinary meeting next week.

Last year, the Health Board consulted with its communities on options for change in critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology.

It said its Clinical Services Plan focuses on nine healthcare services that are “fragile and in need of change”.

At the launch of the consultation it said the services, and potential changes at the four main hospitals of Haverfordwest’s Withybush, Carmarthen’s Glangwili, Llanelli’s Prince Philip and Aberystwyth’s Bronglais, would see no changes to how people access emergency care (A&E) or minor injury care as part of the consultation, with an ongoing separate consultation on minor injury care at Prince Philip.

These nine clinical services were selected because of risks to them being able to continue to offer safe, high-quality services, or care in a timely manner, the board has previously said.

The proposed changes, with many different options in each of the nine services across the area, could mean some hospitals gaining or losing services, along with community site options in some cases.

An independent consultation report prepared by Opinion Research Services is part of the information the Board will consider on February 18 and 19; with more than 4,000 questionnaire responses in addition to the feedback shared at public events, staff meetings and stakeholder sessions.

During the consultation, communities shared an additional 190 alternative ideas for the services, which have been narrowed down to 22.

These will be considered alongside the options that were shared during the consultation, with members also considering whether further engagement, or additional information may be required, before a final decision is made.

Of the nine areas, critical care has three options, and one alternative; dermatology four options; emergency general surgery, two options and two alternative; endoscopy, three options and one alternative; ophthalmology, three options and six alternatives; orthopaedics, four options and five alternatives; stroke, two options and two alternatives; radiology, four options and four alternatives; and urology, one option and one alternative.

Dr Neil Wooding, Chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “At our meeting next week, the Board will carefully consider the consultation feedback alongside the latest clinical evidence, workforce insights, updated impact assessments and the alternative options that were put forward during the consultation.

“Our responsibility is to consider the full range of evidence and ensure we make decisions that ensure that our services are sustainable for the future. No decisions have been made ahead of the Board.

“We are committed to a thorough and transparent process, ensuring each option and alternative options are considered in the round, and focused on improving services for the people who rely on them.”

The first day of the two-day event will be dedicated to reviewing the evidence and considering the options in detail, with decisions on the second.

PLANS for life-size artwork reproductions of many National Gallery masterpieces, including works by Turner, Constable and Cezanne, at locations throughout Pembrokeshire’s national park have been withdrawn.

In a Pembrokeshire Coast National Park application to the park’s own planners, permission was sought for the installation of 12 life-size National Gallery artwork prints on various locations in the national park, between June and November of this year.

Of the 12 locations for the ‘Art on your doorstep’ project, 11 would be on existing structures, the last on a self-standing structure at Oriel y Parc, St Davids.

Carew would see four artworks: Constable’s The Hay Wain, at the tidal Mill Bridge; Koninck’s ‘An extensive landscape by a road, with a river,’ in the car park opposite Carew River which overlooks the castle; Hans Holbein the Younger’s ‘The Ambassadors,’ in the national park workshop; and Turner’s The Fighting Temaraire, by the village’s war memorial.

Castell Henllys would feature two works: Cezanne’s Bathers, and Titian’s Baccus and Ariadne.

St Davids’ Oriel y Parc will feature Van Gough’s Wheatfield of Cypresses, and Canaletto’s The Stonemason’s Yard.

Porthclais would host Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, with Claude-Joseph Vernet’s A shipwreck in Stormy seas at Strumble Head.

Rosebush’s Tafarn Sinc would display Turner’s Rain, Steam, Speed, and a site at the skate park overlooking Tenby’s South Beach was planned to host Monet’s Bathers at La Grenoville.

National Park Building Conservation Officer Rob Scourfield made no adverse comments on the proposals, conditional on their removal in November 2026, but added: “Shame the famous Turner painting of Carew Castle isn’t included – not many locals know that he painted the castle.”

However, concerns about the scheme in its current form were raised by historic environment conservation service Cadw, saying the application “is inadequately documented and we recommend that additional information is required to enable a balanced decision to be taken [against planning guidance].”

It added: “It is unlikely that the proposed artwork will have any significant impact on the settings of the above scheduled monuments and any effect will be short-term. However, it should be noted that the location selected at Carew to display the Fighting Temeraire is inside the boundary of scheduled monument PE001 [Carew Castle].

“As such, the applicant should be informed that they need to contact Cadw, giving the precise location and how the picture will be mounted, to determine if scheduled monument consent is required before the artwork can be displayed.”

The application has since been withdrawn.