Community
Boardwalk still not ‘out of the woods’
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United: The community of Broad Haven have united to save the Boardwalk
A MAGNIFICENT £5600 of donations has been received in the first month of a Facebook campaign to save the Slash Pond Boardwalk in Broad Haven.
Residents, business and holiday home owners have united to save the Slash Pond Boardwalk from demolition by the Havens Community Council. The Boardwalk was created by volunteers in 2003 with funding from Cydcoed. A former culm pit which filled with water created the pond. The gently sloping edges are encircled by reed beds, meadow grassland and native trees. The boardwalk itself meanders along the north edge with seating areas to admire the views, watch swifts flying over the water and listen to bird song of willow warblers. This superb Boardwalk, forms part of one of Pembrokeshires’ most delightful walks to school and is popular with dog walkers, naturalists and birdwatchers. The Havens Community Council, experiencing difficulty in continuing to fund and maintain the boardwalk, had the area closed to the public for over eight months and then agreed they had no choice but to remove the boardwalk. The social networking campaign was successful in reaching those interested in keeping the boardwalk. “I couldn’t believe that the walk was about to disappear because there was an apparent lack of interest in it,” said Linda Reohorn. “So we launched a Facebook event and 27 people attended a meeting on May 12, clearly people were actually very fond of the boardwalk.” “Splitting into two ‘interest’ groups, one group focused on marketing the new brand ‘support the boardwalk’, raising funds to buy the materials to begin repairs; the other, evaluated the repairs required to get it open once again.” Repair work was scheduled for Saturday, May 24. “It was fantastic,” said volunteer Ben Dare. “A huge crowd of people arrived and conquered the weeds, cutback the overgrown trees, brushed away the moss, and repaired the rotten boards and bannisters. There was a great community spirit, good laughs, coffee, homemade chocolate cakes and cookies!” The Boardwalk was re-opened to the public on June 10. The group’s treasurer, Karen Riggs said, “I think the group is so successful because we involved all the relevant people. The membership consists of local business people, residents and holiday home owners as well as the landowners, representatives from the Baptist Church, National Parks, Keep Wales Tidy, Havens Community Council and local community development organisation PLANED. Other agencies such as PAVS have been especially useful in helping the group to become insured.” “We are still not ‘out of the woods’ yet, having a lot of fundraising to achieve, but despite some saying the boardwalk was halfway to being condemned , we like to think of it as being halfway to renovation.” The group continues to fund raise with various events and the donations will be used as match funding for grant applications. The plan is to replace the boards with new sustainable decking planks and widen the appeal of the boardwalk and the way in which it can continue to ‘connect the community’; its uses for education, people with disabilities and local groups. Other ideas include a community orchard and pontoons for children to learn to fish, pond dip etc.
Community
A quarter of Welsh workers struggle to pay bills despite overtime
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A QUARTER of Welsh workers are struggling to pay their bills, while nearly 40% say their salaries do not cover their financial goals, such as buying a home or saving for retirement, new research has found.
The study, conducted by recruitment firm Reed, also revealed that 30% of employees in Wales are unhappy with their pay. Of those, 63% said their wages had not kept up with the cost of living, while 46% blamed low pay within their industry.
Nearly 40% of workers reported working overtime, putting in an average of 6.2 extra hours per week. Among them, 44% said they had no choice due to excessive workloads, while 25% struggled to ‘switch off’ from work.
PAY DISPARITY
Despite working beyond their contracted hours, many employees are not being compensated. Only 21% said they were paid for overtime, while another 21% were able to accrue extra hours. Alarmingly, 44% reported receiving no compensation at all.
Becky Hole, Regional Director at Reed, said: “With 28% of Wales’ population classed as economically inactive, the labour market is tight. It may well be that those who are working feel they need to pick up the slack or work extra hours to compensate for staff shortages.
“It’s clear that Wales has a hardworking population, but the research highlights that many do not feel properly compensated. The extra unpaid hours aren’t alleviating financial worries and could contribute to stress or burnout.”
The findings are part of Reed’s annual salary guide research, which analysed over 21 million job adverts and surveyed 5,000 workers across the UK. The full sector-specific salary guides are available on Reed’s website.
Community
Bells ring out in Pembroke for St David’s Day parade
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PARADE BRINGS CELEBRATION TO PEMBROKE CASTLE
THE SOUND of bells, whistles, and cheers filled the air in Pembroke as the town marked St David’s Day with its inaugural parade on Saturday (March 1). Organised by Pembroke Town Team and Gwenno Dafydd, the event, titled “Ring Out the Bells for St David,” brought together residents and visitors to celebrate Welsh heritage in a lively and colourful procession.
The parade began at 11:15am, with participants gathering at the North Quay outside the Corn Store. At 11:30am, the procession made its way to Pembroke Castle, creating a vibrant atmosphere with banners, flags, and the sound of bells ringing in honour of Wales’ patron saint. The enthusiasm of the crowd was palpable as families, schoolchildren, and local groups joined in, waving Welsh flags and proudly wearing national colours.
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Upon arrival at the castle at midday, the bells rang out to mark the occasion, followed by a range of Welsh-themed entertainment. Traditional music, folk dancing, and performances celebrating Welsh culture kept the spirit of the event alive, reinforcing the importance of St David’s Day in the local community.
Speaking about the success of the parade, an organiser said: “It was fantastic to see so many people come together to celebrate our heritage. The energy and pride on display today truly reflected the spirit of St David’s Day.”
Locals praised the event as a welcome addition to Pembroke’s calendar, with many hoping it will become an annual tradition.
Images by Martin Cavaney
Community
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus i chi gyd – Happy St David’s Day to all of you
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THE FIRST MINISTER GIVES HER ST DAVIDS DAY MESSAGE
“Today people across Wales and across the world come together and celebrate all things Wales and Welshness – Cymru a Chymreictod.
On our national day we like to follow St David and what he did and do the little things – gwneud y pethau bychain.
Because lots of little things soon add up.
This sense of taking care of others is part of our national identity, as is our love of singing and sports.
We are right to be proud of our close-knit communities and strong sense of social justice and fairness.
Our tolerance and our progressive values are also key to us.
Wales is also home to innovators and creators, making it a place where brilliant ideas can thrive.
Our rich history, vibrant culture and language is as unique as our mountains, coastlines and thriving cities.
I promise that we will continue our work to create a stronger, fairer and a greener Wales.
A place where everyone is valued, and nobody is left behind.
And where our young people can achieve their dreams and their potential.
These are aims rooted in the lessons taught by Dewi Sant himself.
So, wherever you are celebrating St David’s Day this year, help us to turn the world a little more Welsh and do a little thing to brighten someone else’s day up.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus to you all – mwynhewch!”
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