News
The fast and the furriest: Milford mechanic’s secret rabbit life

A MILFORD MAN who found himself on furlough from his day-job as a mechanic has been indulging in his favourite pastime: being a rabbit.
Father-of-three Adrian James, who’s spent over £12,000 on his hobby, has swapped his oily overall’s for a rabbit costume and, when a rabbit, goes by the name of ‘Keel’.
Keel regularly joins up with other ‘furries’ for meets, but lockdown has put an end to that for the time being.
That paws in socialising has given Adrian the time to perfect his own ‘creature creation station’ that contains his seven full-sized rabbit costumes, he’s also been using lockdown to meet more ‘furries’ online and discuss their interest.
Talking to the Daily Mail, Adrian said: ‘I have always had a soft spot for rabbits. I had a rabbit teddy when I was younger which I rediscovered as teen and have been obsessed ever since,’
‘I converted my attic into a sort of studio where I can create the outfits, and tend to find that I’m enjoying myself the most when sewing together my latest designs.’
Adrian, who has been interested in rabbits since he was a child, has found great comfort in the extensive network of like-minded people he has found online.

Adrian James, from Milford Haven
‘People are into furries for different reasons, for me it’s the community feel within it and the artistry in the outfits. I love seeing new outfits when they’re made.’My new suit, who I called Chiral, was originally supposed to be sold on. But I liked him so much I decided to keep him for myself.
‘It can take months to finish a suit so being able to stay at home for such a long time gave me plenty of it to start making new furry outfits.
‘It was a continuous process so I would go into my little space at home and work on him, it’s really intense work that takes a lot of patience.
‘I understand that it’s an unusual hobby but we’re not hurting anyone, so I don’t see why it’s seen as strange. Some people like football and rugby but I like rabbits and the furry community is full of great people.
‘It was difficult when the lockdowns happened because as a result, furry meets stopped and I didn’t have many people to enjoy my time as Keel.
‘I started making suits as something to do while I couldn’t meet up with anyone, and I realised I was quite good at it, so I kept going.
‘My new suit is great, it hooks up to an app on my phone and I can change all the lighting while I’m in the suit. The next thing I want to make is a voice and eyes that open and close.
‘For me it’s all about expression, the community are a very active bunch and rabbits are just the animal that I attached myself to.
‘I have met some of my closest friends through the furry community so I’m looking forward to being able to meet them all again in the future.’
Adrian wishes more people wouldn’t judge him for his hobby and try to understand the great ‘furry’ movement in general.
‘There are some not very family-friendly sub communities in my community, like the fetish guys who have a sexual interest in furries, but I do not judge them for that.
‘But that’s not me, for me it’s all about the creative side of the suits and the way it lights up faces when I walk past.
‘Of course I get teenagers being cheeky, but mostly its kids loving the outfit and smiling when they walk past and parents asking how I made the outfit.
‘All in all it’s a great community to be a part of, but like anything there are bad eggs.’
Adrian, who has now returned to his day job and packs his suit away for the day, puts it back on when he gets home.
Adrian said: ‘I work hard and support my family so I don’t ever feel bad for spending time as Keel, it’s a harmless interest and one I aim to keep up.’
News
Launch of Haverfordwest Castle Conservation Management Plan

MEMBERS of the public are being asked to help shape the future of Haverfordwest Castle as a draft Conservation Management Plan (CMP) is launched.
One of Pembrokeshire’s most important historical assets, the Castle is owned by Pembrokeshire County Council, which has produced the CMP.
The plan:
▪ sets out the significance of the castle and describes how the building will be protected with any new use, alteration, repair or management;
▪ will help with the planning of maintenance, conservation and repair work and adaptation of the site to meet new or changing uses;
▪ will help promote understanding of the site and look at improving public access and activities for local people and visitors;
▪ will support proposals to conserve the castle and adaptations of the site in response to climate change;
▪ and underpin funding applications to support improvements
An engagement exercise has been launched alongside the Plan, giving members of the public with an interest in the historic and/or environmental significance of the castle an opportunity to comment on the document and share their views.
To take part in the engagement exercise, please click on the following link:
https://haveyoursay.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/regeneration-communities
The deadline for responses is Sunday, March 28, 2021.
Business
Natural Resources Wales approves Ireland-UK interconnector licence

GREENLINK INTERCONNECTOR LIMITED says it welcomes the decision by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to approve its application for a Marine Licence for the Greenlink electricity interconnector project, which will link the power markets of Great Britain and Ireland.
An important project for Pembrokeshire, and the UK as a whole, NRW’s go-ahead is one of several consents required for the construction of the project and covers installation of the marine cable in UK waters.
The approval is a major milestone for Greenlink and joins the onshore planning consents granted unanimously in July last year by Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
Greenlink’s proposed 190km subsea and underground electricity cable will run beneath the Irish Sea to connect National Grid’s Pembroke Power Station in Wales and EirGrid’s Great Island substation in County Wexford, Ireland. It will have a nominal capacity of 500 MW.

The Wales-Ireland link is just one of four interconnectors being installed
Nigel Beresford, CEO for Greenlink Interconnector Limited, said: “We are delighted by Natural Resources Wales’s decision to grant this licence. This marks a significant milestone for Greenlink and another important step towards project construction, which we expect to commence later this year.
“The Greenlink team has worked constructively with Natural Resources Wales and Welsh marine stakeholders to find workable solutions to the many technical and environmental challenges facing a large infrastructure project like this, and this has been reflected in the quality of the final proposal.
“The thorough environmental and technical assessments we have undertaken, supported by the practical and value-adding feedback we have received from key marine stakeholders, have ensured that we move forward confident that we are delivering a well-designed project with the interests of the Welsh marine habitat at its core.”
The subsea section of the cable will be approximately 160km in length and uses high voltage direct current (HVDC) technology. The preferred route and installation methods were chosen following the conclusion of subsea surveys and consultation with key stakeholders.
In Ireland, a Foreshore Licence application was submitted to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (Foreshore Unit) in 2019 and the onshore planning application was submitted to An Bord Pleanála in December 2020.
Greenlink is one of Europe’s most important energy infrastructure projects and brings benefits on both sides of the Irish Sea for energy security, regional investment, jobs and the cost-effective integration of low carbon energy. The project will offer important local supply chain opportunities and plans are being drawn up for ‘meet-the-buyer’ events in the local area prior to construction.
Once fully consented, Greenlink is expected to have a three-year construction programme, with commissioning planned by the end of 2023.
News
Appeal from Fire and Rescue Service to install working smoke alarms

AT 01:17am this morning, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, crews from Milford Haven were called to a property fire in the Hakin area of Milford Haven.
The fire was confined to a pan on a stove in the kitchen area and extinguished by firefighters using two breathing apparatus, a hose reel jet and a thermal imaging camera.
Crews also ventilated the property and fitted smoke alarms within the property.
The Fire Service left the incident at 02:00am.
Watch Manager Alun Griffiths, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said “This fire was the result of cooking left unattended. It is so important to remove all pots and pans from a heat source when you are called away from the cooker.
“Thankfully, the occupiers of the property managed to exit the property before our firefighters arrived, but it could have ended very differently as there were no smoke alarms fitted in the property.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of installing working smoke alarms in your homes and testing them regularly. In the dreadful event of a fire, they can alert you to the danger sooner and could mean the difference between life and death.
“As a Fire and Rescue Service, we provide Home Fire Safety advice which is free of charge. We also offer Safe and Well Visits which you can arrange by phoning us on 0800 169 1234 or by visiting the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service website.”
For further Home Fire Safety advice or to talk about the possibility of a Safe and Well Visit by Fire and Rescue Service personnel, please phone us on 0800 169 1234. Alternatively please complete an online Request a Safe and Well Visit form on the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service website: https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/eng/your-safety/in-your-home/
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