Community
Deadline approaching for £500 payment to unpaid carers

THE DEADLINE to apply for a one-off £500 payment to eligible unpaid carers in Wales is rapidly approaching.
The Welsh Government scheme, administered by Pembrokeshire County Council, is open to all unpaid carers in Wales who were in receipt of Carers Allowance on 31 March 2022.
The deadline to apply is 5pm on 15th July 2022 and those who believe they are eligible are urged not to miss out.
The Council is also sending out 400 letters this week to those they believe may be eligible and who have not yet applied.
The payment is in recognition of the increased financial pressures many unpaid carers experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic and to help with some of the additional costs they have incurred.
The payment is targeted towards those individuals who care for someone for at least 35 hours a week and have low incomes.
You will not be eligible for the payment if:
- You have an underlying entitlement to Carers Allowance but do not receive a payment because you are in receipt of another benefit at the same or higher rate; or
- You only receive the carer premium
If you have already applied please be assured the Council is working its way through the applications as quickly as possible.
How to apply
Applicants (this should be the person in receipt of carer’s allowance)
are required to complete the online form at: https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/grants/unpaid-carers-500-pound-payment
Required information is:
- Your name, address, telephone number and email address
- Date of Birth
- National Insurance Number
- Post code
- A bank statement showing your name, address, account number and sort code
If you are having problems completing the on-line application form please email: [email protected] alternatively call 01437 764551 for assistance.
Community
Hedgehogs successfully rehomed at Bluestone National Park Resort

THIS month, May 2025, Bluestone National Park Resort in Wales has rehomed three juvenile hedgehogs aged one year old as part of the five-star holiday resort’s long-standing partnership with Pembrokeshire Hogspital. Pembrokeshire Hogspital rescues and rehabilitates sick, injured and orphaned hedgehogs, returning them to the wild in most cases.
Three hedgehogs, twin brothers and a single unrelated female, are now in the process of a soft release at Bluestone National Park Resort. A purpose-built lodge is made for them, gradually they are given more space, the fences are then taken away, and food will continue to be provided for them until eventually they are successfully integrated into the wild.
Marten Lewis, director of sustainability at Bluestone, said: “Over the past five years, Bluestone has been part of several heartwarming hedgehog releases. This spring we were delighted to have rehomed and released more hedgehogs who have received incredible care from Pembrokeshire Hogspital. This one is extra special as we also got a little help from our community, asking Bluestone’s social media followers to name the hedgehogs’ new ‘lodges’; so, the new official lodge names are Tŷ Draenog and Hodge Lodge.”
Bluestone has a longstanding partnership of five years with its local Hogspital, having donated money for an intensive care unit to provide incubators for looking after baby hedgehogs; and serving as an emergency release site, which is a safe place for hedgehogs that are ready to leave the Hogspital but for a variety of reasons can’t be taken back to where they were found.
Find out more about how people and the planet are at the heart of Bluestone National Park Resort and book a stay at bluestonewales.com
Community
Kilgetty public toilets to be transferred to community council

A TRANSFER of a Pembrokeshire village’s public toilets to the community council from the county council won’t lead to it forking out for remial repairs, councillors heard.
A question submitted at the May meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council by local member Cllr Alistair Cameron, Transfer of Responsibility for Kilgetty Public Conveniences from Pembrokeshire County Council to Kilgetty Begelly Community Council, asked for an update on the transfer.
“Kilgetty Begelly Community Council is willing to accept responsibility for maintaining Kilgetty Public Conveniences. However, two actions are necessary to enable the transfer to take place.
“The county council needs to terminate its lease with the Co-op to enable the community council to negotiate a new lease with the Co-op.
“The county council needs to undertake repairs and maintenance work on the public conveniences so that they are in a fit state for the community council to take them over. Please could the relevant Cabinet Member(s) let me know how much progress has been made against these two actions?
“Could the Cabinet Member confirm that until the county council have completed the two actions above (i.e terminated the lease with the Co-op and undertaken the necessary repairs and maintenance work to bring the public conveniences up to an acceptable standard) there will be no requests for maintenance payments made to Kilgetty Begelly Community Council.
Responding, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said the council was continuing to work with the community council, with discussions surrounding the surrender underway, including agreeing any remedial works, which would be undertaken at the county council’s expense.
He said there would be a 28-day advance notice once agreements were in place with the landowner.
Members also heard it was hoped to arrange a site meeting for all concerned parties.
Back in 2023, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet produced a list of public toilets in the county at potential risk of closure if community asset transfers to town and community councils or other sources of funding weren’t agreed.
At the time, Kilgetty was one of those listed for a potential asset transfer.
Community
Art Afoot trail brings sculpture and storytelling to Fishguard and Goodwick

A NEW public art trail is turning heads in North Pembrokeshire as sculptures, kinetic installations, and augmented reality artworks transform the coastal towns of Fishguard and Goodwick.
The initiative, called Art Afoot, links the twin towns through a trio of scenic walking routes, using existing paths such as the Goodwick Moor boardwalk, the Marine Walk overlooking Fishguard Harbour and Lower Town, and a community orchard route.



All trails are free, family-friendly and open daily, encouraging locals and visitors alike to explore the area’s rich natural beauty and cultural heritage in an interactive way.
Each of the artworks—many of which were inspired by drawings and ideas gathered through community engagement sessions—tells a story about the area’s unique biodiversity, wildlife, and local history. Highlights include a dramatic steel seahorse sculpture, a kinetic shoal of fish that moves in the wind, and a finely detailed dragonfly installation located within the wetlands.
One of the more playful features is a cut-out board showing traditional Welsh costume, allowing walkers to pose for photos as part of the living artwork. QR codes placed along the trails unlock augmented reality experiences via smartphone, adding another layer of interaction to the journey.
The trail map, which includes both new and existing works—such as the well-known Last Invasion Tapestry displayed at Fishguard Library—is available online and in print from local venues.
Organisers say Art Afoot offers not only a creative boost to the area but also a new way to appreciate Pembrokeshire’s coastal paths and community spaces.
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