News

Pembrokeshire farmer winner of the Brynle Williams Memorial Award

Published

4 years ago

February 26, 2022

YOUNG farmer, Bryn Perry, from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire has been awarded the Brynle Williams Memorial Award for 2021.

The Brynle Williams Memorial Award, celebrates the huge contribution made by the late Brynle Williams to Welsh agriculture, both as an Assembly Member and as a farmer. The Award was established in 2011 and this year the Award celebrates the achievements of young farmers who have excelled in the Welsh Government’s Mentro/Venture programme which supports new entrants to establish Share Farming agreements with landowners.

The Award went to a first-generation farmer, Bryn Perry, who is in his early 30s. He is currently a tenant on a Pembrokeshire Council Farm running a small sheep dairy enterprise. With a degree in business management and having worked in various industries and roles in the past, it has always been an ambition of Bryn’s to work in agriculture on his own farm.

Along with his partner Becca and young daughter, the family keep a flock of around 120 East Friesian ewes – a breed renowned for the quality of their milk.

Bryn has utilised the Farming Connect Venture programme to establish a successful partnership with local dairy sheep farmers. He has also participated in the Farming Connect personal development programmes including the Agri Academy and Business Bootcamp as well as took advantage of subsidised training relevant to food processing.

Bryn Perry said: “None of my achievements would have been possible without all these services available to me. They boosted my confidence and introduced me to a network of new rural contacts and skills that I needed to set up my own rural business.”

Bryn was announced winner at last night’s (Thursday 24 February) Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards, where the talents of Wales’s top environmental and land-based individuals and businesses were recognised and celebrated.

Commenting on the awards Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Cymru Wales, said: “The Lantra Cymru Awards highlights the outstanding contributions and achievements of all our winners and runner-ups who work within Wales’ environmental and land-based industries as well as the many rewarding careers available in the industry. I know the judges were very impressed again with the quality of nominations and I would like to congratulate all winners and finalists.

“We are of course very grateful to have the support of a range of people and organisations who make holding an event like this possible, including our media partner, Telesgop. We are pleased to have worked alongside the Food Skills Cymru, Future Farmers of Wales, Tyfu Cymru, and the Brynle Williams Memorial Awards, all giving a platform to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements within the agriculture, horticulture and food and drink manufacturing sectors.

“We are also grateful to the continued support of Farming Connect in helping us with these Awards.”

Now in their 27^th year, the awards were judged by leading Welsh agricultural Mr Peter Rees, chair of Lantra Wales, presided over this year’s selection panel which included agricultural Health & Safety expert Brian Rees; Dr Nerys Llewelyn Jones, founder and managing partner of Agri Advisor solicitors and Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Wales.

The full list of the Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards 2021 winners and runners-up is as follows:

College Young Learner of the Year Award – 20 years and under

Winner: Elin Protheroe (Beulah, Llanwrtyd Wells)

Runner-up: Hefin Owen (Llanrwst)

Runner-up: Morgan Jones (Glan Conwy)

Highly Commended: Caitlin Mann (Llangollen)

College Lifelong Learner of the Year Award – over 21 years

Winner: Emma Roberts (Llangollen)

Runner-up: Cai Roberts (Penrhyndeudraeth)

Farming Connect Young Learner of the Year

Winner: Tomas Richards (Hay-on-Wye)

Runner-up: Sarah Evans (Pentyrch, Cardiff)

Runner-up: Rebecca Williams (Llandrindod Wells)

Farming Connect Lifelong Learner of the Year

Winner: Tracey Price (Llanidloes)

Runner-up: Linda Evans (Penmaen, Swansea)

Farming Connect Progressive New Entrant

Winner: Thomas Phillips (Goodwick, Pembrokeshire)

Farming Connect Public Engagement Award

Winner: Cheryl Reeves (Bangor on Dee)

Farming Connect Animal Health and Welfare

Winner: Kim Brickell (Kilgetty)

Runner-up: Rhys Roberts (Wrexham)

Farm Innovator

Winner: Patrick Elliott (Kilgetty)

Runner-up: Ceredig Evans (Holyhead)

Tyfu Cymru Award

Winner: Derwen Garden Centre (Welshpool)

Runner-up: Vale Pick Your Own (Vale of Glamorgan)

Food Skills Cymru Large Business Category

Winner: Glanbia Cheese Ltd (Llangefni)

Runner-up: Randall Parker Foods (Llanidloes)

Highly Commended: Burton’s Biscuits (Llantarnum, Cwmbran)

Food Skills Cymru SME Business Category

Winner: Radnor Hills Mineral Water Ltd (Heartsease, Knighton)

Runner-up: South Caernarfon Creameries (Pwllheli)

Highly Commended: Glamorgan Brewing (Pontyclun)

Food Skills Cymru Micro Business Category

Winner: In The Welsh Wind Distillery (Tanygroes, Ceredigion)

Runner-up: Bluestone Brewing (Cilgwyn, Newport)

Highly Commended: Castell Gwyn Ltd (Rhuddlan, Denbighshire)

Future Farmers of Wales

Winner: Morgan Tudor (Llanerfyl, Powys)

Brynle Williams Memorial Award

Winner: Bryn Perry (Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Dai Jones Llanilar

Farming Connect was the main sponsor and leading multimedia production company Telesgop, was the awards’ media partner.

Over the past quarter of a century Lantra Cymru Wales has provided vital expert training and qualifications for the environment and land-based industries.

Award winners and runners up will be enlisted into the new Lantra Cymru Wales Ambassadors programme to champion skills development within the food and drink supply chain in Wales. A combination of resources and informal awareness raising will be made available to all ambassadors during the year.

To learn more about the Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards, visit https://www.wales.lantra.co.uk/news/lantra-cymru-awards-2021-call-entries

Education

Welsh-medium provision to be expanded in some urban areas of Carmarthenshire

Published

23 minutes ago

June 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

CYMDEITHAS YR LAITH has welcomed Carmarthenshire County Council’s decision to expand Welsh-medium education provision in some of the county’s urban areas.

The Council’s Education, Young People and Welsh Language Scrutiny Committee approved a recommendation to consult on making a regulated change to Welsh-language provision in the following primary schools: Ysgol Bro Banw, Ysgol Griffith Jones, Ysgol Llangynnwr, and Ysgol Llandybie. The decision will go before the Cabinet on Monday (29/06/2026) for final approval.

A spokesperson for Cymdeithas yr Iaith’s Carmarthenshire Region said: “We are very pleased that the Council intends to expand Welsh-medium education provision in these schools, moving closer to the goal of ensuring that no pupil is deprived of the ability to work and communicate confidently in both languages.

“We particularly welcome the changes at the large urban school, Ysgol Bro Banw. However, we seek clarification regarding the decision to introduce bilingual provision at the school, rather than converting it into a fully Welsh-medium school. Research shows that Welsh-medium education is the only way to ensure bilingualism among young people.

“It is worth noting that there are seven bilingual primary schools in the county, in addition to those mentioned in the report, and several of these provide only Welsh-medium education during the Foundation Phase. We therefore encourage the Council to continue the work of converting all these bilingual schools into Welsh-medium schools and to address gaps in Welsh-medium education provision in areas such as the south-west of the county and the town of Carmarthen as well.

“At the same time, we are disappointed that the Council is removing Welsh-medium education from our rural communities. Although they are increasing capacity in St Clears, they are simultaneously losing Welsh-medium capacity in the area through their plans to close Ysgol Meidrim. We therefore call for a new and sustainable strategy for rural education.”

The spokesperson added: “We look forward to the Council’s next announcement, when the names of four additional schools will be revealed. Nevertheless, it is disappointing that we have to wait until the autumn for that announcement. We respectfully ask the Council to accelerate the process in order to prevent the ongoing injustice whereby pupils are being deprived of the ability to communicate and work in Welsh as well as English.”

Education

Milford Haven School issues heatwave update as temperatures soar

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MILFORD HAVEN SCHOOL has thanked pupils and staff for the way they have supported one another during the current heatwave.

The school said cooperation and care across the school community had been greatly appreciated.

With tomorrow (Jun 25) forecast to be the hottest day of the current spell, pupils are being asked to come prepared by bringing plenty of water, wearing sunscreen, and staying as protected from the sun as possible.

Pupils will also be permitted to wear their PE kit to help keep cool.

The school said it will continue to monitor the situation closely and take all necessary steps to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of pupils and staff.

Business

Main Street Music to close retail shop as owner focuses on handmade guitars

Published

1 hour ago

June 24, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A POPULAR Pembrokeshire music shop is changing the way it operates, with Main Street Music confirming it will no longer trade as a retail shop from September 1.

The business said there will be an immediate 15% sale on all stock, but stressed that Main Street Music is not disappearing completely.

The owner said the decision had been made “with a heavy heart”, adding that the shop’s closure as a retail outlet would be a loss for Pembrokeshire as the county’s last professional guitar dealership.

He said his long-term passion had always been making musical instruments, something he had done since his teenage years, later receiving scholarships and a fellowship for his studies.

After college, he was given the opportunity to buy the business at the age of 24.

He said: “I have had an amazing time running this shop, giving it everything I’ve got, met some wonderful people and sold some incredible guitars.”

Although the business itself remains successful, he said tighter retail margins, dealership pressures and rising costs had made it difficult to grow in a way that would allow him to employ others and spend more time in the workshop.

The shop will eventually reopen as an appointment-only workshop and showroom for handmade guitars and repairs.

Current repair work will continue on a case-by-case basis by appointment only.

Main Street Music thanked customers for their support over recent years, saying the owner was proud of where the shop had been taken.

Caption:

Main Street Music will close as a retail shop from September 1, but will continue as an appointment-only workshop and showroom for handmade guitars and repairs.