Education
Wales’ oldest university building renovated
LAST autumn, Lampeter-based building company, J&E Woodworks Ltd started working on the renovation of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s iconic St David’s Building on the University’s Lampeter campus.
Built between 1822 and 1827 to the designs of English architect and antiquary C R Cockerell, the Grade II* listed building in Lampeter has witnessed great change over the past two centuries.
With the University looking forward to celebrating its bicentenary in 2022, the building is being given a £2M refurbishment and modernisation plan to provide fit-for-purpose facilities for twenty-first-century learning and teaching.
The refurbishment is being undertaken in partnership with the Chin Kung Multi-Cultural Educational Foundation. This partnership has already seen the development of new provision delivered at Lampeter via the Academy of Sinology, including professional doctorate programmes and conferences as well as investment into the campus infrastructure.
The building reconfiguration and refurbishment work are being undertaken by local contractor J&E Woodwork Ltd which last year celebrated its fiftieth year of trading. With the company based in Lampeter, the project is already having a positive economic impact on the wider community.
Since being awarded the contract, J&E has extended its workforce by employing additional staff – three of whom were previously unemployed and another five regular sub-contractors who have been awarded six-month contracts. Two new apprentices have also been taken on by the company resulting in a total of four apprentices working on the project with an additional apprentice about to start with the team via the Cyfle Building Skills shared apprenticeship scheme.
“The majority of those working on the project are based in the Lampeter area and the average mileage to work for all employees and regular sub-contractors during this project is 6 miles one-way,” says Alan Thomas, Director of J&E Woodworks Ltd.
“Our workforce includes carpenters, plasterers, plumbers, electricians, painters and groundsmen – all of whom are regularly spending in the town, contributing to the local spend. All of the bespoke joinery required for this refurbishment is manufactured in our workshop in Lampeter and we’re also sourcing most of our materials from the local builders’ merchant, again contributing to the local economy,” adds Alan.
The St David’s building houses the campus’ reception, accommodation, conference facilities, Founders’ Library, Chapel and a range of multiple purpose meeting spaces. It is used extensively to support the academic work of the University including international conferences and lectures and its architectural character with traditional quad and cloisters also makes it a popular venue for external clients.
The Grade II* building comprises a quadrangle with four ranges that cross at the angles. An entrance tower is to the south and a T-shaped projection to the north. There are further extensions to the quadrangle, most notably to the north-west and south-east.
The refurbishment will include upgrading the current facilities to include en-suite accommodation as well as an enhanced library and multi-purpose spaces.
“The St David’s Building is a treasured part of the University estate and signifies the birthplace of higher education in Wales”, said Gwilym Dyfri Jones, Provost of the Lampeter campus. “I’m delighted that the refurbishment, whilst being sympathetic to its architectural heritage, will ensure that the facilities are commensurate with the needs of learning and teaching in today’s competitive higher education environment”.
“The University makes a valuable contribution to the region’s economy and I’m delighted that the refurbishment work is being undertaken by local suppliers, J & E Woodwork who are also ensuring that the supply chain provides work for companies in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire.”
Education
Don’t miss out on help with school essentials
88% of those eligible have claimed their free School Essentials grant to help with costs like school uniform, shoes, bags, sports kit and equipment. Have you claimed yours?
Children of families on lower incomes who receive certain benefits, those seeking asylum and children in care can claim £125 per year to help with school costs. Because of the extra cost families might face when their children start secondary school, £200 is available for eligible pupils going into year 7. It could also mean extra funding for your school.
There’s still time to check eligibility and apply for this year’s funding now before applications close on 31 May.
You can apply every year for each of your children. Pupils from all kinds of education settings are eligible as long as they are aged 5-16. This applies to pupils in all schools and settings, including special schools and pupil referral units.
Headteacher of Ysgol Gymunedol Trimsaran, Steffan Jones, explained how the grant helps pupils at his school: “You want every child to be treated the same, and you want every child to have the same experiences. These grants do help, so that all children can get involved and enjoy their time at school, not just those who can afford it.”
The grant can be used to pay for:
- school uniform, including coats and shoes.
- school activities, like learning a musical instrument, sports kit and equipment for after school activities.
- classroom essentials, like pens, pencils and bags.
Even if your child already receives a Free School Meal, you still need to check eligibility to access the School Essentials Grant and extra funding for your school. To find out more about the Schools Essentials Grant and to check eligibility, visit Get help with school costs | GOV.WALES
Charity
Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter
THE INFAMOUS Bags of Books is set to return to Milford Haven and surrounding areas over the Easter holidays.
Milford Haven School who launched the project with Milford Youth Matters over 3 years ago are continuing in their bid to improve literacy skills and encourage a love of reading for pleasure by giving away over 700 books.
Thanks to funding from the South Hook LNG Community grant they have purchased books for young people of all ages and reading abilities and will be hanging them on the fences of the schools in their catchment area.
The community are invited to come and choose a book from the following locations over the Easter holidays:
- Neyland Community Primary School – Monday 25th March
- Johnston Community Primary School – Tuesday 26th March
- Coastlands Primary School – Wednesday 27th March
- Gelliswick Primary School – Tuesday 2nd April
- Milford Haven Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
- St Francis Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
Milford Haven Secondary School will also hang over 150 books on their fence after the Easter Holidays on Wednesday 10th April for those in our community who cannot attend the other locations.
Education
Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening 2024
THIS week, Milford Haven School celebrated the achievements of Year 11 pupils from the Class of 2023 at the Milford Haven School’s Aspire Celebration Evening.
Chair of Governors Dayle Gibby opened the evening by welcoming past pupils, parents and carers and guests from the community as they joined together to proudly celebrate the outstanding achievements of their past pupils. Mr Gibby said “Tonight is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate your achievements academically, and achievements that go far beyond the classroom like sporting, musical, through drama, enterprise, environmental and those that reach into the heart of community. Throughout your time here you have all showed, resilience, determination, and aspiration. With these attributes you have set yourself targets and goals to achieve, manage difficult problems and overcome unexpected events.”
The annual Aspire Celebration evening recognises the exceptional talents, dedication, and hard work demonstrated by these pupils throughout their academic journey. The evening was an enjoyable one that showcased the remarkable accomplishments of the young people, highlighting their academic excellence, leadership skills,and contributions to the school and wider community. Among the many accolades awarded were prizes for outstanding academic achievement, extra-curricular participation, personal development and services to the community.
One of the highlights of the evening was the inspiring address from guest speaker and former pupil of the former Milford Haven Grammar School Ms Makala Jones. Pupils, staff and guests were captivated and inspired by her stories of cold water swimming and how joining the world renowned Blue Tits changed her life and played a big part in her accomplishments of recently swimming the English Channel completely solo. Her motivational speech, insights and personal anecdotes resonated deeply with the entire audience, encouraging them to pursue their passions fearlessly, love themselves completely and embrace opportunities that lie ahead.
As pupils received their well-deserved awards, there was an overwhelming sense of pride and accomplishment filling the room. Headteacher Ms Morris said “This evening is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our young people. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and the positive impact they have made on our school community. I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the prize winners. I have no doubt that you will continue to excel in whatever task you choose to do next. I am personally proud of each and every one of you and wish you continued success in your future endeavours.”
For more information and a full list of prize winners please visit: www.milfordhavenschool.co.uk/aspirecelebrationevening
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