Community

Pembrokeshire says thank you to local carer

Published

11 years ago

June 13, 2014

A FORMER electrician from Pembroke has been chosen as one of five winners of the inaugural National Carers Awards launched by pharmacy chain LloydsPharmacy and Carers UK. Following a nomination from a close friend his moving story was picked from among hundreds of entries.

Bill Smith, aged 55, has devoted his life to caring for his two adult children, a son who has cerebral palsy and spina bifida, and a daughter with complex behavioural problems and learning difficulties. Bill gave up his full time job as an electrician to provide the 24 hour care they need, and nine years ago Bill’s wife was also diagnosed with a rare form of dementia, Pick’s disease, that has led to her needing the same level of care. Although Bill receives help from paid carers during the day, he cares for his family alone at night, despite having health problems himself. Bill has kidney disease, eye thyroid disease and several other health problems. Last October he was diagnosed with lymphoma but managed to beat the cancer and was given the all clear in March. Despite all of these challenges, Bill continues to provide compassionate and loving care in order keep his family under one roof. Bill is being recognised for a lifetime of unpaid work caring for loved ones and represents one of more than 15,000 people in the Pembrokeshire area who provide unpaid care on a daily basis. It is also estimated that those caring for loved ones who are older, seriously ill or disabled save the UK economy £119billion a year. The awards, launched by pharmacy chain Lloyds Pharmacy in partnership with Carers UK, are designed to recognise the hugely important role that thousands of unpaid carers play in society. In April people around the country were asked to nominate someone who they felt should win a National Carers Award. A panel of judges then chose five winners, one of whom is Bill Smith. On the 10th June he was awarded an all expenses paid break in London, staying at a five star hotel and attending a gala dinner where he was presented with a trophy. He also received £1,000 worth of high street vouchers. Speaking about his nomination, Bill said: “I feel deeply honoured to have been nominated for this award and I feel happy that through this initiative carers like me all around the country may get a little more help and understanding.” Cormac Tobin, managing director of Lloyds Pharmacy said: “Many of our customers around the country are carers. Managing the medication of a loved one is a huge responsibility and is just one of the challenges carers face on a daily basis. I am so pleased that Bill has been recognised for all his hard work and that we are able to celebrate him as well as raise awareness of the tireless work that people like Bill undertake every day, all around the country .” Heléna Herklots Chief Executive of Carers UK said: “Looking after an older or disabled loved one is part and parcel of life, but these carers show just how hard caring can be. Their stories echo the experiences of so many other carers across the UK and set down a challenge for all our society – to recognise carers’ contributions and ensure they get the support they need so they aren’t pushed into isolation or crisis as they care for their loved ones.” Earlier this year Lloyds Pharmacy became one of the first UK businesses to sign up to the ‘Dementia Friends’ initiative, encouraging its staff to learn how to support customers who have dementia in the best possible way.

Community

Welsh Government invites applications for National Park Authority posts

Published

5 hours ago

May 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Three new members sought for Pembrokeshire Coast body

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT is seeking applicants to fill three upcoming vacancies on the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

The Authority is responsible for protecting the landscape, encouraging public enjoyment, and supporting sustainable development within the National Park.

Members play a key role in governance, planning decisions, and setting strategic direction.

Three Ministerial appointments are due to end in the coming months, and the Welsh Government is now overseeing the recruitment of their successors. Each appointment will be for a four-year term.

To help prospective applicants understand the responsibilities involved, the Park Authority is holding a series of informal drop-in sessions:

Tuesday 20 May – Garn Fach Room, Yr Hen Ysgol, Dinas Cross, Newport SA42 0XB

Thursday 22 May – Giltar Hotel, 9 Esplanade, Tenby SA70 7DU

Monday 2 June – Online session (details at gov.wales/public-appointments)

More information and full application details are available at gov.wales/public-appointments. For further queries, email: [email protected].

Please note that this role will not be listed on Webrecruit, as applications are being handled directly by the Welsh Government.

The deadline for applications is 4:00pm on Wednesday, 12 June 2025.

Community

Plans for ‘alien’ Tenby harbour gate refused after outcry

Published

14 hours ago

May 20, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

COUNCIL plans for ‘alien’ and ‘industrial’ metal gates to prevent vehicle entry on to Tenby’s iconic harbour have been refused by the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Pembrokeshire County Council sought permission to install a swing gate that prevents unauthorised vehicle entry, but allowing pedestrians, at Tenby Harbour Yacht Station & Harbour Office, Pier Hill, Tenby, in the town’s conservation area.

The proposed gates would be sited approximately mid-way along the harbour office.

The scheme included a related listed building consent application covering the harbour ‘pier’.

The scheme was supported by Tenby Town Council but Tenby Civic Society objected due to design, operation, justification and impact on the harbour setting.

A national park officer report recommending refusal said: “Whilst consultees are generally supportive of the proposal, it is not regarded as acceptable in terms of its impact upon the special qualities of the National Park including both character and appearance of Tenby Conservation Area and the setting of listed buildings.”

It detailed the scheme: “This application is for the installation of a metal gate on Tenby Pire alongside the Harbour Office to restrict unauthorised access to the end of the pier. The pier itself is Grade-II-listed and the site lies within Tenby Conservation Area central to the iconic harbour view.

“Due to the industrial design of the gates in what is a highly sensitive and extremely popular area, the proposal is not considered to preserve the setting of the listed pier or the character or appearance of Tenby Conservation Area.

“It therefore follows that there will be an impact on the special qualities of the National Park, that the proposal will cause visual intrusion and that it pays little regard to the sense of place and local distinctiveness.

“Whilst it is recognised that restricting access to the working pier would sustain harbour activities and may contribute to a certain extent to supporting community cohesion and health, the proposal is not considered to conserve or enhance the existing character of the harbour.”

It added: “The design and scale of the gates neither preserve or enhance the character of the area. In terms of character, the pier currently is available for users and visitors to enjoy daily except when during occasional events and operations when temporary fencing is erected. The proposed meshed metal gates are seen as intrusive in this context, quite alien to the public enjoyment of the area.

“Officers have considered the weight to be given to the desirability of restricting access to the working pier and reducing conflicts such as tombstoning activities and conflicts with boats. Temporary fencing has currently been used to achieve this which does not require permission.”

The application was refused on the grounds it “would introduce an unacceptable visual intrusion due to the overly industrial design of the proposed gates which would not conserve or enhance the existing character of the harbour,” and would “also cause harm to the setting of a listed building”.

Business

White Hart Inn in St Dogmaels’ expansion bid approved

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to expand the licensed area of a Pembrokeshire community pub, recently hailed as one of the most friendly in Britain, has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

The White Hart Inn in St Dogmaels was ranked second friendliest pub in the UK in a study by security experts Get Licensed, which looked at Tripadvisor reviews and median crime scores around each pub to find the friendliest in the UK.

The 250-year-old White Hart, on Finch Street, reopened as a community pub in 2021 following a campaign after it closed in May 2019, when the last landlords decided to refocus to other activities.

The White Hart Community Inn Ltd was formed as a Community Benefit Society and a community share offer launched with the guidance of the Wales Co-operative Centre.

Two years of fund-raising and campaigning saw enough money raised through individual community shares purchases together with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government via the Social Business Growth Fund administered by Social Investment Cymru at WCVA, alongside a grant from Pembrokeshire County Council.

White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd had asked Pembrokeshire County Council for permission the expand the licensed premises through a change of use of the former manager’s accommodation, vacant since early 2022.

The application was conditionally approved by planning officers.

This is the second application for works at the White Hart recently.

An application by White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd to install solar panels at the historic pub was recently granted by Pembrokeshire County Council.

That proposal was backed by St Dogmaels Community Council, which said it “fully supports the application for the installation of photovoltaic panels”.

Receiving the recent Get Licensed award, the White Hart Inn received a top score of five on Tripadvisor, and 66.67 per cent of its reviews highlighted the pub’s ‘friendly’ and ‘welcoming’ atmosphere.