News
Pembrokeshire karate school under investigation by national governing body over ‘irregularities’

A MARTIAL ARTS school in Pembrokeshire is being urgently investigated by a national governing body, after it came to light that it has been operating unlawfully.
Milford Haven Karate School, run by 6th Dan instructor Kevin John, is being probed by the top UK authority in karate for issuing dodgy certificates – and for failing to ensure that pupils were licensed and insured for the Japanese – now Olympic – sport.
Irregularities came to light after certificates, which cost parents £30 each, were issued with identical serial numbers – even to the same pupils at different times.
INVESTIGATION
An investigation by this newspaper has revealed that the certificates were fakes and not issued with permission of NAKMAS, the National Association of Karate and Martial Art Schools, nor had any funds been passed to NAKMAS for their issue – raising questions as to where funds have gone.
NAKMAS said that any mention of their organisation or use of their logo on certificates must be approved, but to date no approval has been given, they said.
Parents thought their children were getting official gradings in Karate – but the certificates are just photocopies of an original – going by the old-style logo – from at least ten years ago. Names of recipients and their grades were filled in with what looks like a black Sharpie marker pen.
However, parents were none-the-wiser, and kept paying. Some paid over a number of years, for more and more certificates as their children achieved new grades in the Wado Ryu type of Karate.
Reverend Joe Ellis, National Chair of the NAKMAS National Governing Body, whose photocopied signature appears on the certificates, said that they are fakes, and that he is “alarmed” by their issue.
Some pupils have been receiving the fake certificates as far back as 2019, despite parents forking out for each and every one. Without proper certification the belts that students have worked towards would not be recognised outside the school.
Rev. Joe Ellis said that he hopes work with the club to ensure that the pupils can keep their belts they have worked so hard to achieve.
Asked if pupils could lose belts they were recently awarded he said: “I will do everything in my power to see that this does not happen.”
NO INSURANCE
Parents at Milford Haven Karate School have told this newspaper they have paid between £25 and £30 per year for licences for the children, but NAKMAS has confirmed that no money has been recevied from Milford Haven Karate School – and therefore the pupils ‘shouldn’t be training or grading’ they said.
“Where has the money gone?” some parents have asked.
Other parents have said they have not received receipts for money paid, nor have they seen copies of the licences paid for – being told that the school is keeping the certificates ‘in case the kids lose them.’
NAKMAS said that although they believe that the school’s instructors may have a current employer’s liability insurance certificate, the children are not covered by any insurance policy as the club was operating as unlicensed.
NAKMAS said they were aware of the school, but had not been informed that it had re-opened post-covid.
The school re-opened last year in May, parents said.

SEVERAL IRREGULARITIES
As well as insurance, NAKMAS has explained that – especially where young children are concerned – their organisation provides governance and safeguarding. This, however, is not in place if the club is operating outside of the National Association. There are also implications for the club’s organisers under The Children’s Act 1989 if best practice when running the club is not adhered to.
Reverend Joe Ellis said: “It has been brought to our attention by The Pembrokeshire Herald, that several irregularities appear in the running of the Milford Haven Karate Club.
“We are alarmed by these and have, today, set in motion a full review and investigation of these issues.
“We will remain supportive of any adults and children in the club who have been adversely affected”
He added: “I am now writing to Kevin John informing him of how to resolve this urgently and to ensure legal and NAKMAS compliance. I am expecting a call from him soon to confirm urgent resolution.”
UNABLE TO COMMENT
Kevin John of Milford Haven Karate School told The Herald: “We are not able to get a meeting with NAKMAS to get to the bottom of this until later today.
“Their legal team has informed us we are not allowed to comment at present.”

Community
Showmen’s lucky scape as fairground lorry bursts into flames

A FIRE broke out in the cab of an articulated lorry at Pembroke Fair in the early hours of Sunday (Mar 16), prompting a call-out for Pembroke Dock firefighters.
Showmen sleeping in their caravans at the Commons had a lucky escape when their generator truck caught fire in the middle of the night. By the time the alarm was raised, the vehicle was already well alight.
Thanks to the swift actions of those at the scene, the blaze did not spread to nearby caravans—a potentially deadly situation due to the presence of sleeping occupants and Calor Gas bottles used for heating and cooking.
The incident occurred near Commons Road, Pembroke, with Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) receiving the call at 2:42am.
A MAWWFRS spokesperson said: “The crew responded to a vehicle fire involving the cab of an articulated lorry.
“The main fire was out on the crew’s arrival, and firefighters used one hose reel jet to dampen down the area. A thermal imaging camera was deployed to check for remaining hot spots.
“Safety information and guidance were given to the vehicle’s driver.
“The crew left the scene at 3:18am.”
No injuries were reported.
(Pictures: File images)
Community
Native oyster success story on the Milford Haven Waterway

AFTER more than a year of careful rearing, thousands of juvenile native oysters have now been returned to the Milford Haven Waterway, marking a major milestone in an ambitious restoration project involving the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
Since the project began in late 2023, Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences has been nurturing native oyster broodstock collected from Angle Bay and Burton Ferry. These oysters spawned multiple times in controlled conditions, producing hundreds of thousands of larvae. The tiny larvae were then reared until they were ready to settle on to shells, where they mostly remain fixed as they grow. Some scallop shells held as many as 160 individual oyster spat, ranging from 4mm to 10mm in size.
In February, an estimated 200,000 baby oysters were released into the Waterway by students from Paddle West. Braving a strong easterly wind, the team (assisted by Sky the dog, and with rescue cover support from Rudders Boatyard) successfully deposited the oysters onto the seabed. While not all will survive, many are expected to take hold and contribute to the recovery of the native oyster population.
Once abundant in UK waters, native oyster populations have dramatically declined due to habitat loss, pollution, over-harvesting and disease
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Biodiversity Officer, Sarah Mellor, said “This collaborative project is a major step forward for native oyster restoration in Wales. Achieving complex native oyster reefs once again in the Daugleddau may seem a distant dream, but this project has accelerated our learning and made the dream tangible. These oysters will play a vital role in improving water quality, storing carbon and creating habitat for marine life.”
To further support the restoration effort, some of the oyster-covered scallop shells have been placed into oyster hotels at Rudders Boatyard, where they will be closely monitored. Atlantic Edge Oysters will also oversee a selection of the young oysters to assess their growth rates.
The oysters will be tracked as part of the Natur am Byth! Mòr restoration project, delivered by the Marine Conservation Society with assistance from Sue Burton, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer.
Sue said,“Native oyster restoration needs oyster suppliers and growers, and this project has proved that we can deliver this in Wales with our home-grown native oysters and expertise.”
The project is being delivered in partnership with Bangor University, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer and Tethys Oysters in Angle Bay. It forms part of the Blue Carbon Strand of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s Wild Coast! Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places Programme, funded by the Welsh Government and co-ordinated by Tirweddau Cymru Landscapes Wales.
The restored oysters will now be closely monitored to assess their survival and growth, helping to inform future restoration efforts and strengthen the long-term recovery of the species in the Milford Haven Waterway.
News
Oriel y Parc opens its doors to a world of peace and tranquillity

An exhibition featuring the work of two leading artists and illustrators is to open at the National Park Discovery Centre in St Davids.
Featuring the work of Jackie Morris and Elly Morgan, ‘Tangnefedd Rhyngom: Peace Between Us’ invites visitors to explore the theme of peace, creating an opportunity for people to pause, reflect and connect with the quiet beauty of the world around them.
The exhibition brings together two distinct approaches to peace. Jackie Morris – illustrator, artists and writer best known for The Lost Words and The Lost Spells – presents a series of prints depicting painted doves, using her signature style to convey peace as a dynamic force. In contrast, Elly Morgan, known for her intricate ceramic work, offers a tactile interpretation of peace through her ceramic doves which draw inspiration from Pembrokeshire’s natural landscapes.

On World Poetry Day (March 22), Jackie Morris will host a talk and a question and an answer session which will provide a deeper insight into the exhibition as well as themes that inspire her work. The free event will take lace between 2 pm and 3 pm.
Meanwhile Elly Morgan will lead a family-friendly workshop from 11 am to 3 pm on Sunday, March 23. The drop-in invites participants of all ages to contribute to a collaborative installation using recycled materials and acrylic paints.
The exhibition will be on display at Oriel y Parc until Sunday, April 27.
-
Education19 hours ago
Former Ysgol y Preseli headmaster passes following battle with cancer
-
Crime5 days ago
Calls for urgent reform as violence among teens rises in Wales
-
News14 hours ago
Campaigners urge Welsh Government to end animal testing
-
Top News6 days ago
Pembrokeshire man sentenced for driving four times over drink-drive limit
-
News4 days ago
Delays to Wales’ tribunal system ‘deeply troubling’
-
Crime7 days ago
John Cooper appeal file still under review, but CCRC says process ‘will take time’
-
Crime6 days ago
Milford man jailed for hurling racial insults during verbal attack
-
Community14 hours ago
Much-loved radio DJ and entertainer Matt Baker passes away