News
Can you help young people needing care in Pembrokeshire?
THERE are currently 215 children and young people in the care of Pembrokeshire County Council and of those one in five are aged 16 or over.
So, in addition to recruiting foster carers to provide safe and loving homes for children and young people within the county, the Council also wants to hear from people who can provide a stepping stone for young people moving from foster care to independent living.
Some young people leaving care return home or live with friends but others move on to Supported Lodgings accommodation.
Mandy Thomas, Supported Lodgings Coordinator in the Family Placement Team, the Council’s fostering service, said the Supported Lodgings carers play a vital role.
They provide a safe and secure home to young people aged 16 to 21 from which they can work or study without having to worry about living independently before they are ready to do so.
Mandy added: “The young person will need their own bedroom, bed and storage for their personal belongings, access to a kitchen, bathroom and living room and their own key to the front door.
“Their carers help young people develop skills like cooking and budgeting, as well as providing encouragement and emotional support.”
Jane, who is currently being assessed as a Supported Lodgings provider, said: “I was immediately drawn to it given my own childhood and my experience of going through the care system.
“I was initially very apprehensive about whether it would work for me around my lifestyle but also if I would be suitable to provide this kind of support for a young adult.
“It’s hugely important to me that I know I can give a safe place to someone who needs it and share my experience and life lessons with those that may be struggling as I did going through the care system.
“Meeting Mandy for the first time I was instantly put at ease and felt reassured that this scheme is fantastic and that I have so much I can offer.
“I’ve asked many questions to help me fully understand how the scheme works and Mandy has been able to answer everything and has completely put my mind at ease. The process of assessment itself is very thorough and rightly so, but Mandy has explained everything in detail so that I am prepared and understand from beginning to end of how it all works.
“I’m really looking forward to completing what’s left of the assessment and supporting the young adults that really need that safety net and the opportunities in life that everyone deserves.”
Bridget has been providing a home to young people for two years.
She says that people she talks to are surprised by just how much practical and emotional support there is for someone who provides Supported Lodgings.
She added: “There is the misconception that you are just ‘left to get on with it’ which is not the case. Mandy and I meet regularly and there is always someone from the team available to answer any queries.
“The young people who have lived in my home over the two years have been amazing. I’ve been happy to be part of their journey towards independence by providing stability and security in order for them to thrive and succeed with their lives.
“I highly recommend this role and I hope that there are many more within our community who will consider providing this worthwhile and rewarding support to those of our young people who need it too.”
One young person who has benefitted greatly from Supported Lodgings, said: “I was once on the street but my carer gave me a bed and a safe place to live. I now have a job and a dream to invest in properties to secure a future for me and my family.”
Another young man added: “I work part time but am hoping to go back to college and have a career in IT. What meant the most to me was being given the space to be me and have carers understand me and care enough to help me feel at home!”
If you think you can help a young person on their journey to independence and would be interested in finding out more about being a Supported Lodgings carer call 01437 774650 or email [email protected].
Business
Thousands of homes in rural Wales gain from faster 4G boost
RURAL Wales is seeing a major upgrade in mobile connectivity, with faster 4G now live in several areas. Seven locations across North, South West, and West Wales are benefitting from new 4G mast upgrades funded by the UK Government’s Shared Rural Network (SRN), aimed at closing the digital gap between rural and urban areas.
The upgrades, which went live on Thursday (Nov 14), bring improved 4G coverage to communities including Bontddu, Llanelltyd, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Penmaenpool, Tabor, Snowdonia National Park, and Bontgoch. Local businesses, emergency services, and residents are expected to benefit from faster internet access, which supports daily communication, business opportunities, and economic growth.
Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said: “Fast, reliable connectivity is essential for modern life and should be available from Cardiff to the remotest parts of Wales. Today’s upgrades bring us closer to making this a reality.”
SUPPORTING DIGITAL INCLUSION
As part of the rollout, Peter Kyle and Telecoms Minister Sir Chris Bryant visited Ebbw Vale to discuss digital inclusion with charity and industry leaders. They met with representatives at BGfm, a digital inclusion hub in Blaenau Gwent, to learn about how connectivity impacts daily life in Welsh communities.
Telecoms Minister Bryant said: “We are working tirelessly to make sure rural communities aren’t left behind online.
“These upgrades mean businesses can now operate without connectivity limitations, 999 services are better equipped to respond, and residents and tourists can stay connected across the Welsh countryside.”
ADDRESSING CONNECTIVITY GAPS
An estimated 1.5 million homes across the UK remain without internet access, limiting people’s ability to access essential services such as banking and healthcare. In addition to the SRN upgrades, the Chancellor has allocated over £500 million in next year’s budget for digital infrastructure expansion, targeting these underserved areas.
Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens highlighted the importance of this investment, particularly for rural Wales, where fast, reliable internet can be transformative.
“Connectivity is critical for day-to-day life in rural areas – from supporting local businesses to ensuring emergency services are just a call away,” Stevens said.
The upgraded masts, previously limited to EE customers and emergency 999 calls, now serve a wider user base, bringing essential internet access to more people without requiring new infrastructure.
Ben Roome, CEO of Digital Mobile Spectrum Limited, said: “With the activation of five new SRN sites, Wales is seeing the tangible benefits of the Shared Rural Network, bringing crucial connectivity to rural communities.”
GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT IN REMOTE WALES
The improvements come alongside a £170 million agreement with Openreach to provide gigabit-capable broadband to 70,000 remote Welsh properties, helping future-proof digital access in even the most isolated locations.
The latest upgrades mark another step in the Government’s mission to improve mobile coverage and close the connectivity gap across Wales, creating opportunities and supporting economic growth across rural communities.
News
Milford Haven man admits to downloading indecent images of children
A MILFORD HAVEN man has been sentenced after admitting to downloading over 1,000 indecent images and videos of children, including highly explicit content involving young children. Gareth MacDonald, now 23, appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to possessing indecent images and videos across various devices.
The court heard that police visited MacDonald’s home, which was the scene of protests after his arrest, last year following intelligence suggesting that child abuse images had been accessed there.
Officers spoke with MacDonald’s mother at the door before entering to conduct a search.
During the operation, two mobile phones, a tablet, a laptop, and two hard drives were seized.
MacDonald initially spoke to one of the officers privately, admitting to downloading the images and saying, “It’s me.” Later, in formal interviews, he revealed that he had grown “bored with legal pornography” roughly a year earlier, knowing that what he was doing was illegal but continuing regardless.
Prosecutor Emily Bennett informed the court that MacDonald’s devices held 15 Category A images, the most severe classification, 26 Category B images, and 960 Category C images. Some content depicted children as young as nine, and the most serious material involved pre-teen children in distressing situations.
Bennett also noted that MacDonald had briefly joined an online group where members self-identified as paedophiles, although he left without sharing any material. Cleaning software was also found on his devices.
Defense counsel Dan Griffiths acknowledged that MacDonald’s actions had crossed the custodial threshold, but argued that there was “a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.” He highlighted MacDonald’s cooperation with police and his willingness to comply with rehabilitation programmes.
Judge Geraint Walters, presiding over the sentencing, addressed MacDonald, saying, “For some considerable time, you have accessed this kind of imagery, fully aware of the harm it represents.” He acknowledged that MacDonald largely isolated himself and stayed at home, factors he considered in the sentencing.
MacDonald was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation activity days and participate in the Horizon programme. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years and is subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same duration.
News
Welsh teenager jailed for creating 3D-printed gun at home
A TEENAGER who assembled parts for a viable semi-automatic firearm using a 3D printer has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Owain Roberts, 19, purchased nuts, bolts, steel barrels, and metal rods online, constructing components of an FGC-9 gun with the aid of a 3D printer.
Detectives said that this case marks the first of its kind in Gwent, where Roberts admitted to manufacturing a firearm component. He appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday (Nov 14).
In April, firearms officers executed warrants at two Newport addresses connected to Roberts. Seized items included a 3D printer, two laptops, six plastic reels, and parts for an FGC-9 firearm.
PC Tom Meazey, from Gwent Police’s East Serious Organised Crime team, stated: “Illegally-held firearms can lead to tragic consequences and devastate innocent people’s lives. To own a firearm, including a printable one, is illegal in the UK without a valid firearms certificate. Roberts’s reckless actions in buying items capable of manufacturing a firearm placed people at direct risk.”
This rare and complex investigation involved support from the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Roberts received a prison sentence of four years and nine months.
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