News

Man returns to Pembrokeshire roots with new Oakwood position

Published

6 years ago

July 30, 2018

A PEMBROKESHIRE man who spent more than a decade working abroad has decided to return to his Welsh roots and the very company that kickstarted his career in tourism over 25 years ago.

Paul Stone, 48, from Begelly, has been appointed as Business Relationship Manager for Wales’ largest theme park, Oakwood, 26 years after first working at the park in his early twenties.

The father of one spent two summer seasons working at the Pembrokeshire-based attraction as a ride supervisor back in the early 1990s, and after an eleven-year stint working abroad, could not pass up the opportunity to return back to where it all started.

Paul is now taking on the role of Business Relationship Manager to help grow Oakwood’s relationship with local partners and promote the investments made to the attraction in recent years. Having spent more than 30 years in sales and customer service positions, including a regional sales manager role at an education insurance firm, as well as seven years at an independent publisher, where he was instrumental in leading the company to a £1.4m turnover, Paul is well placed to combine his business skills with his local knowledge and contacts for the role.

The sales specialist also spent over a decade overseas in the tourism industry, working as director of national sales for a Dominican Republic tour operator and as a business manager for First Choice holidays across a number of countries including Mexico, Dominican Republic and the Balearic Islands. Both roles saw him responsible for a team of 12-100, overseeing budgets and health and safety protocols, organising excursions and increasing sales.

While his international stint enabled him to indulge in a number of bucket list activities, including swimming with dolphins and scuba-diving in the Caribbean, the green grass of home in Pembrokeshire was calling.

Paul said: “Having lived abroad for over 10 years, I was really beginning to miss Wales and decided to make the move back. After seeing the role at Oakwood advertised, I knew it was the job for me.

“Oakwood holds so many fond memories for me. I loved working at the park when I was younger and combined with my passion for sales, I couldn’t wait to return and help the park to grow. Coming back after so many years was completely surreal but it’s good to be home and fantastic to see that stalwarts of the Pembrokeshire tourism industry, like Oakwood, remain.”

Now living in Carmarthen, Paul is looking forward to using his expertise in his new job to help boost Oakwood’s visibility and uphold excellent custom satisfaction. His new role will see him support the park’s growth and development, liaising with companies and customers across Wales and further afield to maintain and build new and existing relationships.

Sue Elaiho, Director at Oakwood Theme Park: “We are thrilled to bring Paul on board at Oakwood and believe that he will be a great asset to the park and its customers across the UK. Paul has vast experience within the sales and client relations sector, with a proven track record of delivering excellent results. Paul also has an inside knowledge of the park and an extensive list of contacts and friends across Pembrokeshire.

“It’s great to welcome him back after all of these years and we have no doubt that his appointment will help to support our ambitious growth plans for the years to come.”

Business

Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants

Published

6 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CHARTERED, Certified Accountants, Ashmole & Co, are delighted to announce their expansion following the acquisition of JonesWard accountancy firm in Carmarthen.

Ashmole & Co Carmarthen has today taken over JonesWard who have closed their office in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. All JonesWard staff, including Ian Jones and James Ward, have transferred over to Ashmole & Co and will be based in the Old School, the Quay, Carmarthen.

JonesWard informed their clients that the administrative burden of running a practice had increased significantly over recent years due to the constant changing money laundering and tax regulations, software requirements and so on. Over the past 12 months it had become more challenging to maintain the level of service they had been used to providing.

Ian Jones said, “We feel Ashmole & Co share the same values as us and have the necessary expertise and resources to ensure we can continue to provide the personal touch and level of service clients have been accustomed to. Myself and James are not retiring but we will be supported by Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff from now on in their Carmarthen office.”

Ashmole & Co partners Sharon George, Carwyn Morgan and Vinal Patel will strive to ensure JonesWard clients will continue to receive the high quality of service they are used to.

Vinal Patel, Partner with Ashmole & Co said, “It is our priority to make the transition as smooth as possible with all employees of JonesWard having already transferred to Ashmole & Co and are now based in our office on the Quay in Carmarthen. We look forward to meeting our new clients and working closely with them to meet their needs in the future.”

Ashmole & Co Chartered and Certified Accountants have been established since 1897 and are one of the largest accountancies and auditing practices in south Wales, now operating from thirteen offices throughout south and west Wales including Swansea, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Ammanford.

Charity

Fundraiser to take on epic 87k steps challenge to raise funds for Withybush

Published

6 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SAM Faulkner is challenging himself to walk 87,000 steps in one day to raise funds for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in memory of his father.

Sam will be walking along the Brecon and Monmouth Canal from Brecon to Rogerstone in Newport.

Sam said: “Since losing my Dad last year, I made a personal commitment to do something to raise money every year for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest who looked after my Dad so well in his final days.

“I will be challenging myself to complete 87,000 steps in a day on July 20th 2024 – 1,000 steps for every year of my Dad’s life. I’ll be walking around 40 miles in about 10 hours.

“Canal walks were always a firm favourite of mine and my Dad’s, with many days spent walking along the Grand Union in Northamptonshire when I was growing up.

“My family and I, and the unit at the hospital, would be beyond grateful for anything supporters could give. Thank you ever so much in advance.”

Katie Hancock, Pembrokeshire Fundraising Officer, said: “We’d like to say a huge good luck to Sam with his challenge. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to raise more funds for the Cardiac Care Unit.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

You can donate to Sam’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sam-faulkner-1712508280259?newPage=true&fbclid=IwAR2tyVVQVea0DLQelSsrp7Ie2CKjX0jXGnwndR_tBKL-Av2kv8f5nchEolw

For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk

Business

Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes

Published

7 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DRAGON LNG, based in Waterston, Milford Haven, recently announced a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions.

The company awarded a contract to Worley, global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study.

The study is focussing on exploring the potential benefits of integrating LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
regasification and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) liquefaction processes at Dragon LNG’s facilities. This integration holds promise for a more efficient operation, with the potential to reduce energy consumption, carbon intensity and the levelized cost of CO2 export not only at the Dragon site but also for Haven industry companies.

If feasible, the technology at Dragon would support wider collaboration with RWE Pembroke Net Zero Centre, whose CO2 would be transported to the Dragon facility for processing before being shipped via non-pipeline transport (NPT) to carbon sequestration sites.

Key aspects to be addressed in the feasibility study include:

Technical Solutions: Worley will evaluate various technical approaches to seamlessly integrate LNG and
CO2 liquefaction processes, ensuring optimal energy efficiency and effectiveness.
Carbon Intensity Reduction: Dragon LNG is committed to sustainability, and the study will assess how the integration of processes can contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of operations, aligning with broader environmental goals.
Economic Viability: Understanding the financial implications is crucial. The study will delve into the levelized cost of CO2 and other economic factors to determine the feasibility and financial benefits of the proposed integration.

Commenting on the partnership, a spokesperson for Dragon LNG stated, “We are excited to collaborate with Worley on this important initiative. As a responsible energy provider, Dragon LNG is continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance our operations while minimizing our environmental footprint. This feasibility study represents a significant step towards achieving those objectives.”

Worley’s expertise in engineering and consultancy services including in the CO2 and LNG sectors makes them an ideal partner for this endeavour. Their track record of delivering sustainability solutions aligns perfectly with the ambitious goals of Dragon LNG.

This collaboration underscores Dragon LNG’s commitment to driving sustainable practices within the energy sector. By exploring the integration of LNG regasification and CO2 liquefaction processes, the company aims to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient energy future with their ambition of a net zero terminal by 2029.