News

Could you make a difference to people leaving foster care in Pembrokeshire?

Published

6 years ago

March 1, 2019

IF YOU GET on with teenagers, have a warm, patient nature, a sense of humour and a spare room, then a local scheme might be of interest to you.

People of all ages are being sought to provide lodgings, help and guidance for young people leaving foster care in Pembrokeshire.

The Supported Lodgings scheme is run by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Cllr Tessa Hodgson, Cabinet Member for Social Services, said it aimed to allow young people to develop the skills they need to make a success of living independently.

“Many young people who leave foster care or who can no longer stay at home are aged just 16 or 17,” she said. “Often, they’re just not ready to cope on their own.

“If you have a spare room in your house and a willingness to welcome a young person into your life, we would love to hear from you.
“You could make a positive difference to the life of a young person.”
The County Council is looking for a wide range of supported lodgings providers, as there are a range of young people needing lodgings.
Providers will receive £201 a week to cover the use of the room, heating, lighting and food. Young people receive their own personal allowance for basic needs such as toiletries. Clothing allowances are paid separately.

The young person will continue to be supported by the Local Authority and providers will have access to an experienced worker, and be in receipt of monthly supervision, ongoing support and assistance through appropriate training to develop their role.

At times the placement might be for a night or two, or sometimes for much longer.

Applications are welcome from families, couples, or single people from all backgrounds and ages; from those who are working or unemployed, and from home owners or council tenants.

“You might have already brought up children and having braved the teenage years, now have a wealth of experience and compassion to offer another young person,” said Tessa.

“Or perhaps you have a real empathy with young people and feel you are the right person to offer them support through a crucial stage in their life; their gateway to adulthood.

“As long as you have a spare room in your home, are in good health, have nothing in your background to suggest any young person in your care could be at risk of harm or abuse, then please get in touch.

“There are young people out there who need your help and you could make a difference.”

To find out what it’s like to be a Supported Lodgings provider, visit www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/supportedlodgings to view video clips of people talking about their experiences.

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

39 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

1 hour ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”

News

Protest in Lampeter to save Wales’ oldest university

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Wales’ oldest university staged a march and demonstration last Friday (Dec 20) in a bid to highlight the plight of the Lampeter campus.

The protest, organised by the Lampeter Society, brought together former and current students, along with local residents, to oppose plans by the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) to relocate humanities courses to Carmarthen next September.

The rally began at Lampeter Rugby Club at 10:30am, with demonstrators marching to the university campus. Despite the timing—on a weekday and so close to Christmas—organisers reported a strong turnout.

Ieuan Davies, one of the organisers and a Lampeter alumnus from the 1980s, said: “We wanted to show support for the students whose education is being directly affected by these plans, and to remind decision-makers of the devastating impact this will have on the local economy and culture.”

Established in 1822, Lampeter is Wales’ oldest higher education institution. In 2009, it merged with Trinity College Carmarthen and later joined with Swansea Metropolitan University to form UWTSD.

The proposed relocation of the humanities faculty has sparked concerns about the long-term sustainability of higher education in Lampeter. Campaigners argue that losing the faculty would mark the end of over 200 years of academic heritage in the town.

The Lampeter Society has also launched a petition calling on the university and the Welsh Government to create a ‘viable, sustainable plan’ for the campus’s future. The petition requires 10,000 signatures to trigger a debate in the Senedd and can be accessed at https://petitions.senedd.wales/petitions/246410.