Community
Housing Provider picks two Important Causes as its Charities of the Year
WALES & WEST HOUSING ASSOCIATION has chosen the Wales Air Ambulance and Blood Bikes as its charities of the year.
The two important causes will benefit from funds raised by staff during a two-year period after over 850 staff were invited to nominate charities that were close to their hearts.
A shortlist was drawn up of the most popular suggestions and staff voted for their preferred charity.
Diane Barnes, Senior Administrator at Wales & West Housing said: “The Wales Air Ambulance and Blood Bikes Wales had the most support.
“One of the staff members who nominated Wales Air Ambulance had personal experience of the service when one of the older residents living at the housing scheme she manages was taken ill. Wales Air Ambulance flew the resident to hospital and our staff member was in no doubt that the speed of the service was critical in saving the person’s life, so we are delighted to be able to support the Charity’s vital work.”
This will not be the first time that Wales & West Housing has raised funds for the Wales Air Ambulance, they raised more than £6,000 in 2006.
Some of the other charities they have supported in recent years include Cancer Research Wales, Stroke Association, Help For Heroes, Alzheimer’s Society, NSPCC, Tenovus and Guide Dogs.
Wales Air Ambulance offers advanced critical care and is often described as a ‘Flying ED’.
The on-board consultants and critical care practitioners are highly skilled and carry some of the most pioneering medical equipment in the world. They can deliver blood transfusions, administer anaesthesia, and undertake emergency operations at the scene of the incident, before flying the patient directly to specialist care.
Now operational 24/7, the Charity needs to raise £8 million every year to keep the helicopters flying.
Speaking on how valuable the company thinks the lifesaving service is, Diane added: “Wales Air Ambulance is hugely important. It saves lives every single day of the year. When we learned that the service relies entirely on public donations to keep their emergency helicopters flying to all parts of Wales, our staff were keen to help support the Charity and make a difference to its fundraising for the next two years.”
The staff kicked off its fundraising with an Easter egg raffle which raised more than £400.
Diane said: “We also have people running marathons, doing sponsored challenges and baking cakes over the coming months and are looking forward to many other innovative and fun fundraising ideas and suggestions that we can take part in and support over the next two years. We also asked staff to donate the odd number of pennies from their pay to our charity. This way we can raise thousands of pounds every year without having to do anything!
“In the past we have held regular raffles in our offices, bake sales, dress down days and special events such as a Ride the Nation charity cycling challenge from North to South Wales and a rugby tournament, which helped to raise money for a previous staff charity Age Cymru.”
Katie Macro, Campaigns Manager for the Wales Air Ambulance said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been chosen as one of Wales & West Housing’s charities of the year for the next two years. Support from businesses like Wales & West Housing is vital in helping us to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most.
“It sounds like Wales & West Housing have some exciting fundraising plans coming up and we wish them well. Their support of our lifesaving charity is much appreciated.”
There are several ways that the public can continue to support the Wales Air Ambulance. These include online donations, signing up to the Charity’s Lifesaving Lottery or by coming up with their own innovative ways to fundraise at home. Further information can be found via www.walesairambulance.com
Alternatively, a £5 text-message donation can be made by texting the word HELI to 70711. For more information on Wales & West Housing visit www.wwha.co.uk
Community
Be wary of gulls as breeding season approaches
AS families across Wales head to the seaside for the bank holiday weekend, a national trade body is urging people to be wary of gulls as their egg-laying season gets underway.
During the breeding season, gulls have been known to launch attacks on people, says British Pest Control Association (BPCA).
After mating and nest-building in February and March, many gulls will be protecting nests and eggs towards the end of April and into May.
However, BPCA is also reminding people that avoiding gulls wherever possible is always the best course of action as interfering with wild birds, their eggs or nests could lead to prosecution.
The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 states that all wild birds and their eggs are protected, but people with the appropriate knowledge on licences, such as BPCA members, can take steps if the birds are causing a public health and safety concern.
Natalie Bungay, Technical Manager at BPCA, said: “We love British birds. All wild birds and their eggs are rightfully protected by law in the UK, so it is absolutely vital that holidaymakers, householders or business owners don’t interfere with them.
“However, gulls can pose a serious safety concern. They have been known to attack people unexpectedly, which can be a frightening experience, especially if they draw blood, which can occasionally happen.
“We often think of gulls as a coastal problem – which they can be in seaside towns where people have fed them regularly. But for some time now they have also been an increasing problem in towns and cities away from the coast too.”
Gulls can live for 25 to 30 years and many weigh around 1kg, with wingspans of around one metre.
Seaside visitors can try to avoid attracting gulls by ensuring picnic foods or chippy take-aways are kept covered or eaten out of sight of gulls where possible.
Nesting gulls can cause problems for homes and businesses both on the coast and inland, as well as at supermarkets and hospitals, as these buildings can offer ideal nesting sites which are difficult to access and proof.
Nests can clog gutters or chimneys, which may cause water overflows, or potential issues with carbon monoxide, as well as bringing a risk of secondary infestation from bird mites, ticks, fleas and beetles.
Properties are also at risk from bird droppings, which can carry some harmful bacteria and diseases, as well as even cause slips, trips and falls where they build up.
Natalie added: “Gulls are also protected by the law, so it really is important to seek professional help.
“BPCA members are trained in bird control and will be able to offer a management plan that will alleviate the issue.
“There are a variety of bird-proofing measures available, all of which will deter birds without causing them harm, and as gulls are large and heavy, any proofing measures need to be suitable for the job, very heavy duty and correctly installed by a professional.
“Bird prevention, proofing and control is a highly specialised area requiring specific equipment and techniques. Pest professionals are required to try all reasonably practicable non-lethal bird control methods before they consider lethal control.
“Always consult a BPCA member before considering any form of bird management. You could be prosecuted if you illegally interfere with a bird, its nest or eggs.”
BPCA members are trained, experienced professionals with access to a range of specialist products not available to the public, as well as being regularly assessed to the British Standard in Pest Management BS EN 16636.
BPCA members are also endorsed by the Government via the TrustMark quality scheme.
To find a professional pest controller visit bpca.org.uk/find
Community
Social housing plans for Cleddau Bridge Hotel site backed
A SCHEME to build 38 affordable and social housing units on the site of a fire-ravaged former Pembrokeshire hotel has been backed by senior Pembrokeshire councillors.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on April 22, supported a contract with developer Castell Group Ltd for the mix of affordable homes and social housing units at the Cleddau Bridge Hotel site, Pembroke Dock.
Members, in a report presented by Cabinet Member for Planning & Housing Delivery Cllr Jon Harvey, heard Castell had approached the council’s housing service to determine whether there is an interest in working with them to bring forward the development as a social/affordable housing site.
Castell Construction Ltd specialises in the construction of affordable / social housing, typically for registered social landlords across south Wales, and hopes to build 12 one-bedroom flats, 15 two-bed houses, five three-bed, two four-bed, and four two-bed bungalows.
The development package would be part-funded from the housing revenue account, the remainder from the Social Housing Grant and/or second homes premium for affordable housing if it becomes available for the Housing Service to use in this manner.
Cllr Harvey – who moved approval – said the scheme was expected to provide £230,000 a year in rentals income, describing it as “an excellent opportunity to work with a proven developer for extra social housing in an area of proven need.”
Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said he was supportive of the scheme, as was local member Cllr Joshua Beynon, saying: “It’s a bit of an eyesore at the moment, if we can bring this site back into meaningful use, and in an area where there is a need, I’m all in support of this.”
Members backed senior officers be delegated powers to enter into the works contract, and to have powers to proceed with the land acquisition.
If a subsequent planning permission is secured for the site, the homes could be built by autumn 2026.
In a prime location at one of the entrances to Pembroke Dock, the former Cleddau Bridge Hotel has been derelict since a fire in March 2019, which brought emergency services from as far afield as Ammanford, Aberystwyth and Swansea.
Community
County Hall to offer space for community banking
A CALL for Pembrokeshire County Council to potentially change its banking arrangement with Barclays, after it closed its Haverfordwest branch has been turned down, but County Hall is to offer space for community banking.
Barclays Bank, on the town’s High Street, is to close on May 10.
The council has had a banking services contract with Barclays since 2013.
Councillor Huw Murphy, in a notice of motion heard by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet meeting of April 22, asked the council to review its banking arrangements with Barclays following the announced closure.
e said the loss of a branch “not only impacts upon town centres and businesses but also disproportionately impacts the elderly who are less likely to embrace on-line banking options”.
A report for Cabinet members said, in terms of the impact on Pembrokeshire residents, Barclays has said that it is “not leaving Haverfordwest and [will] continue to provide face-to-face support for those who need it” via community locations.
Two options were presented to Cabinet: to retender the banking services contract, and, the favoured, to work with Barclays to ensure a community location is set up in Haverfordwest.
Members heard the costs associated with moving to a new banking service provider could be in excess of £50,000.
For the second, favoured option, members heard Barclays was in discussions with the council about a location for potential community banking.
Cabinet Member for Corporate Finance Cllr Alec Cormack, after outlining the risks in the report for members, and moving the notice be not adopted, said he had “considerable sympathy” with Cllr Murphy’s notice.
He told councillors there was a glimmer of light for banking arrangements in the county, with an agreement now signed for two ground floor rooms at County Hall, Haverfordwest, to be used for community banking.
From April 25, the rooms will be available on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, members heard.
Cabinet Member for Planning & Housing Delivery Cllr Jon Harvey also said he had “a lot of sympathy” for the motion, adding: “It’s excellent news a deal has been struck to occupy the ground floor rooms three days a week; hopefully this will mitigate, to a certain amount, the closure.
“If we can work with the respective banks to get a community-type approach let’s move forward.”
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