Community

Deadline approaching for Enhancing Pembrokeshire Panel

Published

5 years ago

October 25, 2021

THE LOCAL AUTHORITY is urging organisations and community groups to apply for the final round of Enhancing Pembrokeshire grants of the current political administration.

The deadline is 22 November so the council is encouraging those who have thought about applying to do so prior to the closing date.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet will meet in January next year to make its final decision.

The Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant, uses funds raised via the Second Homes Tax, to provide funding for new projects that help address the negative impact of second homes – and in doing so adds value to our communities.

Cllr Bob Kilmister, the Cabinet Member for Finance, said: ‘I would urge organisations and groups to get in touch and take this opportunity to improve and enhance the services they provide.

‘This fund has been critical to so many projects and has helped to develop incredible and worthwhile initiatives.’

To date, the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant has supported a significant amount of people in the county through a variety of projects that focus on connecting people. These initiatives address a range of issues from raising standards of health and wellbeing by providing affordable housing and improving social care – to promoting self-sustained and vibrant communities, regeneration and safeguarding our environment.

Here are some examples of current projects to see how people’s lives have been improved and supported:

Neyland Community Hub Community Interest Company £46,150.00

This project was to establish a Community Interest Care Company in Neyland Community Hub focussed initially on domiciliary care.

Skrinkle Park Play Area £9,741.00

Providing essential play equipment created a more vibrant village facility supporting the wellbeing of families and children in Manorbier.

Clydau Communty Council £12,611.00 split between the three wards of Crymych, Boncath and Clydau

The Helping Halls project provided a Project Support Officer who supported volunteers managing community halls in four villages. Working with the volunteers they identified ways to make the halls more resilient to changes in their communities, and more economically sustainable.

Fishguard Sports AFC £13,600

The Project prepared and developed a good quality cricket pitch. This enabled the sports facility to attract more sports participants, families and Fishguard School to enjoy all year round. It will ultimately make the Club more sustainable and help restore vibrancy to a large section of the Fishguard and Goodwick community.

Cantabile Singers of Pembrokeshire £2,377.60

The project was to encourage community participation in isolated areas through singing. Beneficial to those suffering from dementia, mental health issues or loneliness, enhancing the wellbeing of all. The project was for the provision of PA equipment necessary to reach bigger audiences, performance overheads and the purchase of Welsh and English music to support maximum audience.

The Tenby Talking Newspaper (TTN) £5,240.00

The project upgraded their recording equipment. It enabled them to maintain and improve their service to around 75 local people with impaired sight, offering participants news and information via audio extracts from the weekly Tenby Observer newspaper, allowing them to remain part of, and stay in touch with their community.

Cllr Kilmister adds: ‘This round is the final of the current administration so it is even more important to get involved and engage with the process. If you have any questions about how the scheme works please contact the email below and one of the team will call you back and talk you through the process.’

Community

Bongo Clive brings rhythm and smiles to VC Gallery celebration

Published

6 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK MARKED WITH MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND INCLUSION IN PEMBROKE DOCK

THE VC GALLERY in Pembroke Dock was filled with music, laughter and energy as visitors came together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.

The event saw popular entertainer Bongo Clive lead a lively session of singing, drumming and participation, with those attending joining in throughout the day.

The gallery said the session had created a joyful atmosphere, with music helping to bring people together and celebrate inclusion, creativity and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for The VC Gallery said: “The smiles said it all. A huge thank you to Bongo Clive for bringing your incredible energy, enthusiasm and positivity to The VC today. You certainly had everyone moving to the beat.”

Learning Disability Week celebrates inclusion and the abilities, creativity and individuality of people with learning disabilities.

The Pembroke Dock event highlighted the role of community spaces such as The VC Gallery in supporting wellbeing, friendship and confidence through shared creative activities.

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

8 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.

Community

Lord Rhys emerges from the mist in St Davids

Published

10 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Giant puppet begins historic journey marking 850 years since the first Eisteddfod

MIST swirled around St Davids Cathedral on Friday evening as a giant Lord Rhys puppet emerged from the fog to begin a journey celebrating 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod.

Accompanied by traditional musicians and followed by crowds of spectators, the towering figure cut an imposing sight against the backdrop of the ancient cathedral.

The procession marked the start of Taith yr Arglwydd Rhys (The Journey of Lord Rhys), a cultural pilgrimage retracing the legacy of the Welsh prince whose gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle in 1176 is widely regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

As fog drifted across the city and church towers faded into the background, the scene felt more like a chapter from Welsh folklore than a modern-day celebration.

The giant puppet, accompanied by fellow performers and musicians, travelled from St Davids Cathedral to Oriel y Parc before beginning a wider journey through west Wales.

The travelling celebration will visit communities across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion before culminating in Cardigan, where Lord Rhys originally staged his famous cultural gathering eight and a half centuries ago.

Video and photographs shared by DrifterStDavids captured the remarkable atmosphere, with many describing the spectacle as one of the most memorable cultural events seen in St Davids for years.

Photo caption: Lord Rhys emerges from the mist outside St Davids Cathedral as celebrations begin to mark the 850th anniversary of the first recorded Eisteddfod

(Pic: SmallWorld – Video: Drifter St Davids)