News
Narberth: Groups join forces to improve youth project

TWO Narberth Community Service Organisations have joined forces to attack much-needed internal improvements to The Bustop Narberth Youth Project which is located in a building at the Lower Car Park in Narberth Town Centre.
Councillor Mrs Sue Rees is a trustee of the charitable youth facility and she explained that in recent years they have managed to obtain funds, donations and some grants towards making the exterior of the building watertight by cladding it in pvc-covered mild steel green sheets which certainly enhanced the external appearance of the facility.
The building is used by the Narberth Explorer Scouts and also the Army Cadets for meetings and youth activities. The cadets are the Narberth Detachment, E Squadron, Dyfed and Glamorgan Army Cadet Force.
Their website is www.armycadets.com and they are always open to new joiners, both cadets and adult volunteers.
During the past couple of years they kindly volunteered to assist Narberth & Whitland Rotary by marshalling the popular Santa Run around the Narberth town centre streets.
During a subsequent talk to Rotary by Staff Sergeant Instructor Gideon Carpenter it was revealed that the interior of the Bustop building needed decorative improvement to the two toilets and also they were seeking to have the kitchen re-fitted.
This is where Rotary became involved and Past President Elaine Bradbury, proprietor of Electrical Contractors Havenkey Ltd, initially encouraged members to volunteer their services to assist. Her husband an Rotarian and co-owner Rob Bradbury surveyed the building with Architect Rotarian Ken Morgan who was tasked to organise the work.
He contacted Narberth & Whitland Round Table members to see if they might help out. Without hesitation the Round Table members donated £250 to help secure the required building materials for the toilets.
Rotary President Phil Thompson will now oversee the work and he recently met Councillor Sue Rees and two of the Round Table members together with a squad of the cadets to officially launch the voluntary project.
A significant help in this project was given by Mr Phil Murray, the manager of D P Building g Supplies Ltd., of Narberth and Llanboidy. He enlisted the help of directors Dorian and Darren Phillips to secure advantageous discounts from the manufacturers of the internal decorative cladding panels for the toilets. Trustee Sue Rees had also secured a donation of kitchen fittings from a family member and so the project is now due to start in the immediate future.
Ken explained: “We are extremely grateful to Narberth & Whitland Round Table for their financial contribution which has kick-started the sourcing of materials and Councillor Sue Rees’s donation of the kitchen fittings gives us a good head start. I am sure we could not have achieved so much without the help of these organisations and D P Building Supplies Ltd.”
The Rotarians will now set about stripping out the toilet walls and the kitchen layout before starting to assemble the new kit.
President Phil Thompson will encourager Rotarians to volunteer the free time on a rota basis to undertake the various tasks. If any locals would like to assist in this project please call Ken Morgan on 07972378301.
The Army cadets would also be delighted to hear from any parents or young persons who might be interested in joining in with Cadet force. They meet in August 02,04,09,11,16 and 18 during the evenings 18.30 hours to 21.30 hours.

News
Two lives saved after children get in trouble in surf off Pendine

TENBY’S all-weather lifeboat was requested to launch at 1.40pm on Thursday 1st June, following a report of children in difficulty in the surf off Pendine.
The volunteer crew were soon on the water and made best speed to the scene, some 8 miles north-east of Tenby.
On arrival, they discovered that the crew of the range safety vessel ‘Spartan’ had pulled both casualties from the water. As they were being transferred to the lifeboat, a coastguard rescue helicopter arrived overhead and their paramedic was lowered aboard the lifeboat to check the children over.
It was decided to winch them into the helicopter and land them on the beach that that a land ambulance could take them to hospital as a precaution.
With both children now safely on the beach, the lifeboat was stood down to return to station arriving at 3.10pm.
News
Templeton man pleads guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child

A 53-YEAR-OLD man from Templeton has pleaded guilty in front of a Crown Court judge to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child whom he believed to be under the age of 16.
Phillip Bowley confessed to the offense, which took place between March 6 and March 9, 2023. The admission was made during his appearance before Judge Paul Thomas at Swansea Crown Court earlier today (Thursday).
Following a request from Bowley’s defense counsel, Ms. Hannah George KC, the sentencing has been adjourned until June 30. This delay will allow the Probation Service to prepare a pre-sentence report.
During the proceedings, the court was informed that Bowley has no prior convictions or police cautions on his record.
Bowley, residing at North Gate in Templeton, Narberth, was released on conditional bail. The conditions of his bail include mandatory residence and sleep at his home address, no unsupervised contact with children, and a restriction on using devices capable of accessing the internet.
Judge Paul Thomas made a noteworthy observation regarding the case, stating, “I can’t remember the last time I saw a pre-sentence report in a case like this that didn’t contain the fact that the defendant had no [sexual] interest in children. But that it was done out of curiosity. This does not help the defendant’s case. There may be other reasons for doing it, but as far as the court is concerned, it doesn’t help.”
The adjournment of the sentencing allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the circumstances surrounding Bowley’s offense. The court will consider the pre-sentence report when determining an appropriate penalty for his actions.
Business
Bluestone invests £30m into its Pembrokeshire resort to expand facilities

BLUESTONE NATIONAL PARK RESORT is investing £30million to expand its facilities and further support its efforts in meeting high environmental and sustainable standards that protects and enhances the local area and community.
The multi-million-pound investment projects at the luxury holiday destination include the launch of 80 new platinum lodges, transformation of a disused 19th century mill into a heritage restaurant, and development of an 11-hectare solar farm.
As well as enhancing guest experience, the exciting developments are set to boost the Pembrokeshire economy, with the new lodges alone estimated to increase visitor spend in the area by £1million a year.
This is in addition to the local employment opportunities and £1.5million injection that Bluestone brings to the local economy each year.
Around 250 jobs have been sustained during the construction phase of the platinum lodges and a further 100 operational jobs will be created once they open to guests. These figures add to the 800 people that Bluestone currently employs.
Bluestone’s Director of Sustainability, Marten Lewis, said: “Our ‘Free Range Future’ movement is at the heart of everything we do to ensure all our investments and initiatives benefit the local community and environment.
“It was key for us to channel this ethos through our latest investments, which have demonstrated our commitment to furthering our green credentials and making sure our environmental footsteps are as light as possible.
“Sustainable building practices have formed a huge part of construction of these projects, such as the platinum lodges which have been built upon the principles of biophilic design to bring elements of the natural world into the modern designs. Once complete, they will be heated by air source heat pumps.
“Guests are set to benefit from these major milestones coming to life as we open the doors to our highly anticipated Black Pool Mill restaurant and platinum lodges this month.”
Black Pool Mill is set to launch this week (Friday 19th May), after a £3million investment transformed the disused 19th century mill into a rustic heritage restaurant.
Designed to incorporate the mill’s original features and centuries-old architecture, chefs will create seasonal menus that are inspired by Pembrokeshire’s warm microclimate, rich soil and clear seas. They will strive to use locally sourced or foraged ingredients, to provide a unique and authentic local dining experience.
The family-run company has also invested £3million into the creation of an 11-hectare solar farm, which is part of its commitment to reduce carbon emissions and become net zero by 2040. The farm is set to generate 3.2 megawatts of electricity a year and has a lifespan of up to 40 years.
Bluestone’s chief executive, William McNamara, said: “The addition of the solar farm allows us to put money into a more sustainable future for Pembrokeshire, something we are incredibly passionate about at Bluestone.”
A large proportion of the investment has gone towards the development of 80 new Platinum Lodges on the resort which have been built in line with the company’s environmental values.
The lodges will offer new levels of comfort and luxury living with sunrooms, designated outdoor areas, picturesque surroundings, and ‘cwtch’ rooms to accommodate groups up to eight people.
Mr McNamara added: “All three projects are set to bring a boost to the local community, and being able to create so many jobs from these has been at the heart of driving forward these projects. At Bluestone, we’re always aiming to give something back to the community, and we’re delighted to be able to do that while building on the future of rural Pembrokeshire.”
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