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School staff video spreads positive message to students

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A VIDEO featuring hundreds of Pembrokeshire educators, teachers and support staff is spreading a positive message to their students and around the world.
The video, set to the Madness hit ‘It Must Be Love’, features all staff from the education world in Pembrokeshire from hub schools to staff in their own homes, writing uplifting and supporting messages to their students.

It has been a difficult time for teachers, staff and students, with schools closed for the vast majority of pupils due to the coronavirus outbreak.
And the video underlines that the education world, including teachers, is thinking of their students and urging them to remain upbeat.
Positive messages include ‘keep moving forward’, ‘keep calm, stay safe, look after each other’, ‘keep smiling’ and ‘we will get through this’.
There are also messages of support for key workers and NHS staff.
And the final video – which went from idea to release in just two days – has been a hit on social media, reaching more than 33,000 people in less than a week.
It has attracted supportive comments from Canada to Australia.
Educators rallied to the call to get involved in the Together Educate project which was the idea of Kelly Monroe, Schools Curriculum Manager with Really Pro who provide innovative alternative education services to secondary schools across the county.
Kelly, along with teachers from HHVC school Kate Hudson-Brown, Mollie Hughes, Rhian Owens, and videographer Dean Harries from We The Dee set about getting all educational staff involved in the project.
As well as filming at hubs which have remained open to cater for children of key workers, such as Milford Haven and Haverfordwest High School, an essential ingredient was to get school staff who are currently are at home to join via video link.
And when the time came, the response from the educational world was incredible.
“We didn’t really know what the response would be,” Kelly explained.
“But when we turned on we were absolutely blown away.
“We had to get extra screens just to try to fit everyone in. We had about 300 people wanting to get involved.
“The whole idea was about bringing people together and what shone through is the way that teachers and school staff are missing their students, missing the buzz and the noise of school life and missing what they are fantastic at – educating and teaching.”
The messages that have flooded in following the video have been full of support.
One from a NHS worker said they had suffered a bad day but the video had greatly lifted their spirits.
Kelly added: “The response has been overwhelming. It was a balancing act to bring some joy without being flippant at the situation.
“It was eerie filming in some of the empty classrooms and corridors.
At times I felt quite tearful and overwhelmed because when you love this profession seeing an empty classroom is actually hard to absorb especially when you know what’s going on outside in the world, and you care about the kids.
“But the video’s aim was not to focus on the situation but be full of positivity and the message is that those classrooms and corridors will be full of life again.
“We may not know exactly when but they will and when they are all the amazing educators, support staff and teachers will be there ready to greet our pupils with energy and gratitude”
Together Educate Facebook page has also re-released a video entitled ‘The Gift of Kindness’ filmed in Milford Haven School with Really Pro and the staff and pupils from the school which was originally shared on social media in December 2019.
The video has taken on extra meaning in the current circumstances.

Crime

Ceredigion man sentenced for selling £150,000 in illegal DVDs

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A CEREDIGION man has been sentenced for selling counterfeit DVDs worth £150,000 under major brand names without authorization.

David Robert Thomas, 47, from Sarnau, ran a sophisticated online operation, producing and selling fake DVDs labeled with brands like Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Sony, and Universal City Studios LLC. Thomas used seven different websites and managed multiple bank and PayPal accounts, including those of family members, to carry out his business.

Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “Counterfeiting is often thought of as a victimless crime, but it harms the local economy by undermining legitimate businesses that pay taxes and create real jobs. This result sends a clear message that counterfeit sales will not be tolerated, and we will act against offenders.”

Thomas pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court on Monday (Nov 11) and was sentenced to 20 months in prison, suspended for 18 months. His sentence includes a four-month curfew and fifteen Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Under the Crime Act 2002, forfeiture proceedings will follow to reclaim the financial benefits from Thomas’s criminal activities. Judge Richards took into account the market value of equivalent genuine goods, the sophisticated setup of Thomas’s business, and his previously clean record in reaching the sentencing decision.

The case was brought forward successfully by Ceredigion County Council’s Trading Standards Service.

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News

Poignant Poppy Walk created in Milford Haven following Remembrance Day

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YOUNG people have again created a fitting tribute in honour of Remembrance Day with a Poppy Walk established along Hamilton Terrace.

On Monday (Nov 11) veterans working for the youth service identify young people to support them in using wreaths laid at the cenotaph to mount them along the railings between the Royal British Legion in Milford down to the Cenotaph itself.

This has now become an annual event with the service, in previous years young people from Milford Haven School and members of Milford Haven Youth Club have completed this work. This year it was young people and staff from Futureworks who helped youth workers.  

In previous years the feedback from the public has been extremely positive and this year was no exception with members of the public stopping and speaking to the young people to ask what they were doing and to share their thanks for adding to the community in a respectful way. 

Milford Town Council has supported the Poppy Walk since its inception and again were grateful to the youth service and the young people for leading on this work.

Jimmy Wilson, youth worker and former member of the Kings’ Own Royal Border Regiment said: “The fact that these young people have come in on their day off to volunteer their time to create the poppy walk shows that they value the service of the armed forces and understand the significance of remembrance day and the sacrifices made by both serving and ex forces members.”

The above picture includes Alfie, Kaden, Lily, Megan and Jenna with staff from Pembrokeshire Youth Service and Futureworks.

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Entertainment

Creatives connect in Fishguard: Mastering social media and sparking collaborations 

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Musicians, photographers, filmmakers, and content creators gathered for an inspiring evening of collaboration and conversation at Creative West Wales’ latest event.

A well-attended panel discussion and networking event held in Ffwrn, Fishguard last month, focused on the use of social media and digital images to market the music sector.

A panel of experts from the music industry including Siân Adler of Trigger Happy Creative, Alun Llwyd CEO of PYST Ltd and Owain Elidir Williams, founder of music magazine Klust, discussed the use of social media platforms as a tool for the creative industries.

A speed-networking session enabled those attending to connect with fellow creatives from across the sectors and explore potential collaborations, business opportunities and support.

Siân said: “It’s really exciting to see projects like Creative West Wales exist – it can be difficult to make new connections in the industry especially outside of the city but having opportunities like the panel/networking event held at Ffwrn was great. 

“Every year our company films at Other Voices Festival and are always looking for local crew so to be able to meet and connect with local creatives was a great opportunity for us.”

The Creative West Wales event was funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund and supported by Pembrokeshire County Council’s business team.

Creative Industries Officer Anwen Baldwin said: “It was great to get so many talented local people with a range of skills together in one room. Often people are unaware of fellow creatives who may be living and working just down the road. 

“Hopefully this will lead to many future collaborations. We’ve already had positive feedback about the value of this event, and plan to arrange more networking events of this kind to bring people together from across the sectors.”

Creative West Wales aims to facilitate conversations and connections. Primarily focusing on the music, screen, gaming, publishing and animation sectors, the network links people working in the creative industries across the counties of Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, in a bid to share opportunities, information and encourage collaboration.To find out more about the available activities or to join the Creative West Wales Network please visit: www.creativewest.wales

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