Community
COUNTY COUNCIL WINS ‘INSPIRATIONAL EMPLOYER’ AWARD

Pembrokeshire County Council has been named an ‘Inspirational Employer’ at a ceremony in Cardiff for Welsh employers. The award was presented on Wednesday (5 th February) by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). It recognises the Council’s achievement not only in becoming the first local authority in Wales to achieve the Disability Confident Leader
status but also the work that it has done through Norman Industries and Workways+ to support people with disability and long term health conditions to gain paid work. Norman Industries is the Haverfordwest-based factory employing people with disabilities.
The award was collected by Karen Davies – project manager for the Council’s supported employability projects – and Rachel Bailey who was a Workways+ participant but now works for the Authority as a Learning Disability Champion for Employability.
The journey to Disability Confident Leader began when Rachel – who has cerebral palsy – gave a presentation at a DWP conference in December 2018 about the work she has been doing to promote employment for people with learning disabilities.
The process culminated in the Council achieving Disability Confident Leader status in September 2019.
Through this process the County Council was able to demonstrate the extensive support that it provides both in its own workforce and through projects like Norman Industries and Workways+. Said Karen: “Becoming a Disability Confident Leader was the culmination of a lot of work by a number of people including the Council’s Human Resources department.
“Pembrokeshire County Council is definitely leading the way in employing people with disability with over 60 people working within Norman Industries and Workways+ alone. “We have been able to demonstrate the benefit of employing people with disability and there is now interest across the council to open up employment opportunities.
Rachel revealed that working at Norman Industries had given her a lot more confidence.
She explained: “It has provided me with a purpose to be able to work. I really enjoy going out to events and I like getting the message across to people that being employed with disabilities and learning disabilities means that it is achievable.”
The inaugural Disability Confident awards attracted nominations from across Wales for employers and organisations who have shown outstanding commitment to the Disability Confidence campaign. The Council was nominated by Alyson Phillips, DWP’s Partnership Manager in Pembrokeshire.
RACHEL’S STORY
In September 2018 Rachel was a participant of Workways+. She really wanted a job – her first ever paid job – and worked with her Employment Mentor to consider work opportunities. When the opportunity to become a Learning Disability Champion came up, it seemed like a good match. Rachel does not have learning disabilities but her physical disability means that she understands the issues. With the help of her mentor Rachel applied for the job. Due to her pronounced speech impediment, the team at Norman Industries needed to amend the interview process to ensure that Rachel had a fair chance to demonstrate her ability in the interview.
Having accepted the offer, the team then worked with Rachel and Access to Work to ensure that she had the support both with physical adaptations and support in work to ensure she could do the job.
Community
Milford Haven and Neyland Police issue appeal for missing man

POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.
Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.
He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.
Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: | Online portal
| 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk
| Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.
Community
Fire service delivers vital kit to Ukraine

Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy
MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.
The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.
Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.
Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”
Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”
The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.
Community
Trefin to host VE Day 80th anniversary celebrations

TREFIN and surrounding communities will mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a full day of commemorative events on Thursday, May 8—culminating in the lighting of a coastal beacon.
The local programme closely mirrors events happening across the UK to honour Victory in Europe Day, marking the end of World War II in Europe on May 8, 1945.
The day will begin at 9:00am in the centre of Trefin with the reading of the VE Day 80 Proclamation, Together We Stand, followed by the raising of a special VE Day 80 flag to unite the nation in remembrance of those who sacrificed so much during the war.
At 12 noon, in Trefin Square, piper LCpl Spencer of Cawdor Barracks will perform Celebratum, a tune specially composed for the occasion.

At 6:30pm, Llanrhian Church bell will ring out in unison with churches and cathedrals across the UK. Simultaneously in Trefin Square, the “Lamp Light of Peace” will be blessed, and a handbell performance by local adults and children will take place. Participants are encouraged to wear wartime-style clothing, with prizes awarded for the best costumes.
Evening celebrations will then move to The Ship Inn, where a fish and chip supper will be served (advance booking and payment required). A display of wartime memorabilia will also be available to view.
At around 8:00pm, the community will proceed from The Ship Inn to Penlac field, overlooking the coast, for the continuation of the festivities. Attendees will be invited to sample the official Women’s Institute VE Day 80 Orange and Ginger Cake. Warm clothing is recommended.
There will be music from the wartime era, and local choir Côr y Felin will lead a singalong of well-known songs from the period. Representatives from each decade since the end of the war will read the VE Day 80 Global Tribute, joining communities across the world. A minute’s silence will be held in memory of those who did not return home, followed by a bugler performing the Last Post and Reveille. The piper will then play Flowers of the Forest.
Just before the lighting of the beacon at 9:30pm, the community will join nearly 1,000 choirs across the UK in singing I Vow to Thee, My Country. The coastal beacon is part of the official chain being lit across the country and worldwide (in respective time zones). The “Lamplight of Peace” will also be lit in solidarity with lanterns around the globe.
Those wishing to continue the celebrations can return to The Ship Inn afterwards.
Organisers are encouraging all attendees to dress in wartime-themed attire throughout the day, with a prize for the best-dressed individual.
The events are being coordinated by the Gwelliant Trefin Improvement Group (GTI) and Llanrhian Connected Community. All are welcome.
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