Make some noise: Crowds allowed at Welsh sport, festivals and outdoor gigs

Published

12 months ago

June 4, 2021

THE Welsh Government has announced that sporting events, festivals and outdoor concerts are back on.

The latest easing of lockdown measures means that crowds of up to 10,000 people sitting and 4,000 people standing are now allowed at outdoor events in Wales.

Up to 30 people are now allowed to meet outside, including in private gardens, and extended households can now include a third person.

Meeting indoors is still not permitted and is not expected to be announced until late June at the earliest.

The Welsh Government announcement regarding the easing of restrictions has been described as a ‘phased’ move to alert level one and will take effect from Monday, June 7.

The easing of restrictions comes as concerns rise over the growing number of ‘India variant’ cases across the UK.

This ‘India variant’, or ‘Delta variant’ as the WHO have named it, is currently responsible for 97 cases across Wales, a 67% rise from last week.

Mark Drakeford said: “The risk of infection is significantly less outdoors than it is indoors. This is why we are phasing in the changes in this three-week cycle.

“This will allow more people to enjoy events outdoors and take advantage of the Welsh summer, while we continue to roll out the vaccination programme to all adults.”

Drakeford did go to to say that: “We have to be realistic. The fact that the Delta variant is spreading so quickly in the north-west of England will mean that it will cross the border into Wales.

“That is why we are delaying some of the measures we might otherwise take to maximise the amount of vaccination that we can carry out because that is our best defence against that new variant.”

Restrictions will be updated again in Wales on June 21, it’s expected that all restrictions will end in England at that time.

New Chairman for Pembrokeshire County Council

Published

8 hours ago

May 26, 2022

Carli Newell

THE NEW Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council is Councillor Pat Davies, who represents Fishguard North West.

Cllr Davies, previously the Authority’s Vice-Chairman, was installed at today’s Annual meeting of Council at County Hall in Haverfordwest.

She succeeds Cllr Mike James, the Elected Member for St Dogmaels.

Councillor David Simpson – who will remain as Council Leader – proposed a vote of thanks to Cllr James.

The new Vice-Chairman of the Council is Councillor Thomas Tudor (Haverfordwest Castle) who expressed his pride at the nomination.

Councillor Simon Hancock will remain as the Authority’s Presiding Member.

Cllr David Simpson, who was elected to Council in 2004, was the sole nomination for Leader.

Cllr Simpson will complete his Cabinet choices over the coming days but he announced that Councillor Paul Miller (Neyland West) will become Deputy Leader of the Council.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Dyfed, Miss Sara Edwards, and the High Sheriff of Dyfed, Mr Rowland Rees-Evans, attended the Annual Meeting as guests.

Monkton: One person flown to Cardiff following incident

Published

12 hours ago

May 26, 2022

Carli Newell

THERE was a large emergency services presence in Monkton last night (May 25).

At around 7.30pm, emergency services were called to a report of an incident.

Back Terrace was temporarily closed off while officers dealt with the situation.

An Air Ambulance was dispatched and flew one person to The University Hospital of Wales.

A Welsh Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at approximately 7.30pm yesterday, Wednesday 25 May, to an incident in the Monkton area of Pembroke.

“We sent a rapid response car, an emergency ambulance and an air ambulance to the scene, where the crew were also supported by a duty operations manager.

“One person was flown to the University Hospital of Wales.”

Nature is blooming at Withybush Woods three years after enhancement project

Published

16 hours ago

May 26, 2022

Thomas Sinclair

THREE years after the launch of a project to enhance Withybush Woods, there are abundant signs that biodiversity is thriving.

Swathes of early purple orchid – a scarce wild flower – have been spotted in shadier parts of the tranquil woodlands while a pair of rare breeding stock doves have made the woods their home for the second year.

Song thrushes can be heard everywhere on the 1.5km accessible footpath together with chiffchaffs, willow warblers, nuthatch, woodpeckers, blackbirds, blue tits and many other woodland birds.

Mallards and moorhens and their young can be seen on the restored lower pond, together with the resident swans, and a new wetland area nearby is providing a new habitat for other species of invertebrates and pollinators.

The EU-funded improvement project was led by Pembrokeshire County Council, which owns the woods on the outskirts of Haverfordwest.

Dr Steven Jones, Director of Community Services, said: “Withybush Woods has always been a beautiful and special place to visit and even more so now, thanks to its increasing range of species and biodiversity habitats.

The enhancement work received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.

The scheme also received funding through the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme, through the WCVA.