Community

Police Unity Tour 2022 officers joined by family of fallen officer DC 504 Roger Meyrick

Published

2 years ago

September 4, 2022

AUGUST 2022 marked the 10th Anniversary of the UK Police Unity Tour. The primary purpose of the Police Unity Tour is to raise awareness of Law Enforcement Officers who have died in the line of duty, but also to raise funds for Care of Police Survivors (COPS), a UK charity dedicated to helping the families of police officers who have lost their lives on duty. The UK Police Unity Tour has now raised over £1.1 MILLION for the Care of Police Survivors charity since the start of the tour. Dyfed-Powys Police officers have raised in the region of £4,000 so far this year.

Cyclists participating in local chapters from throughout the UK take on the challenge of cycling a route from their region. Dyfed Powys officers were joined by other Welsh forces and rode a challenging route of approximately 180 miles, finishing at the National Memorial Arboretum, a national site of remembrance in Lichfield, Staffordshire to coincide with The Care of Police Survivors Annual Service of Remembrance.

Twelve officers from Dyfed-Powys Police participated – PC Andrew Smart, Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cockwell, DCI Llyr Williams, DCI Jon Rees, Superintendent Huw Davies, Detective Superintendent Jayne Butler, Detective Sergeant Kevin Allen, PC Mark Thomas, Sergeant Emily Davies, Sergeant Sarah Evans, Inspector Gwyndaf Bowen and PC Jon Halliday.

This year the team had the privilege of being joined by members of fallen officer DC 504 Roger Meyrick’s family – his wife Frances, daughter Laurie, son David, daughter in law Tiffany, and grandchildren William and Ella. This is the first time that the Dyfed-Powys Police chapter had a police survivors family at the service with them, which made it all the more poignant.

DC Roger Meyrick was a Pembrokeshire drugs officer, who tragically died on October 18th 1990 in a fatal road traffic collision whilst on duty with three other colleagues from the force. He was 37 years old at the time of his death, and left behind a wife and three children. He was a keen sportsman who loved to spend time outdoors with his family.

Roger Meyrick’s daughter Laurie thanked the officers after the service: “You will always be very special to us for riding in memory of my Dad. We have loved every minute we have spent with you all. The kindness and dedication you have shown to not only my family and my Dad, but to all fallen officers and their families too means so much.”

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cockwell added: “The team are proud to be a part of the Police Unity Tour again this year, and were humbled by the opportunity to ride for those who died. It was even more special to meet DC Roger Meyrick’s family and to share the experience with them, remembering Roger as both a loved family member and as a Dyfed Powys officer. The COPS charity provides such a valuable service to survivors, as they aim to ensure that survivors have all the help they need to cope with such a tragedy, and that they remain part of the police family as they rebuild their lives. The charity also provides that reassurance to serving officers that if the worst was to happen, there is an organisation that will continue to support their family”

Further information about the charity can be found on their website https://ukcops.org/ and there is still time to give to this important cause – just go to this Just Giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Dyfed-Powys-Police-Cyclists2

Community

Drop in sessions to help reshape Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Published

1 day ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) is pleased to announce the launch of a series of community drop-in sessions designed to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders. This initiative aims to identify issues and challenges that may impact the delivery of the Community Risk Management Plan 2040 (CRMP 2040).

The CRMP 2040 outlines the Service’s commitment to addressing risks, threats, and challenges faced by communities. These drop-in sessions provide an opportunity for residents to help shape the future of fire and rescue services in Mid and West Wales, ensuring safety and well-being remain a priority.

Shaping the future together

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Iwan Cray said: “We believe the best way to serve our communities is by involving them in the planning process. These drop-in sessions are an opportunity for us to listen, learn, and collaborate with the people we serve.”

The drop-in sessions, details of which are available on the MAWWFRS website, offer a platform for open dialogue. Residents can share their insights, concerns, and suggestions, contributing to the development of a modern Fire and Rescue Service tailored to their needs.

A data-driven approach

The CRMP 2040 adopts a data-driven approach, focusing on prevention, protection, and response to reduce emergencies’ impact and enhance public safety. By tailoring services to community needs, MAWWFRS is committed to building safer and more resilient communities.

Get involved

Community members are encouraged to attend these sessions and provide their feedback. To thank participants, MAWWFRS is offering a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher. To enter, simply attend a session and complete the survey.

For more information about the plan or the upcoming drop-in sessions, visit the MAWWFRS website or contact the team at [email protected].

About MAWWFRS

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is dedicated to protecting and serving the communities of Mid and West Wales. Through prevention, protection, and response, the Service works tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors.

Community

Landfill odour sparks calls for inquiry and legal action

Published

2 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS near Withyhedge landfill in Haverfordwest are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action after foul odours returned just weeks after the site reopened on 6 January.

The landfill, closed last May to address odour issues, was declared fit to reopen by operator RML, which claimed its improvements would protect nearby communities. However, Colin Barnett, of campaign group Stop the Stink, said: “People in Crundale, Haverfordwest, and Spittal are being subjected to horrendous smells again.”

Describing the site as a “stink bomb on steroids,” Barnett supported Conservative MS Paul Davies’ calls for a public inquiry. “We’ve been flanneled by NRW, public health, and Pembrokeshire council. It’s disgraceful,” he said, adding that delays in resolving the issue had left litigation as the only option.

RML, part of Dauson Environmental Group, is owned by businessman David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental crimes in 2013 and 2017. Last year, another of Neal’s companies pleaded guilty to environmental offences.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving 34 complaints since 6 January, with a rise in recent days coinciding with the end of a slurry-spreading ban. However, NRW stated no odours attributable to the landfill were detected and plans to inspect the site with Pembrokeshire council on 29 January.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I’ll keep a very close eye on this, and if concerns persist, we’ll discuss further steps with NRW.”

RML and the Welsh Government declined to comment.

Community

Public transport users urged to ‘check before travelling’ due to storm

Published

2 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRANSPORT FOR WALES and Network Rail are urging all customers to check before they travel on Friday morning and into the weekend with weather warnings in place across the country.

With Storm Eowyn set to hit Wales and winds reaching 90mph on Friday morning, customers should expect disruptions and are strongly urged to check before they travel.

There will be alterations to rail services, replacement road transport on certain routes and blanket speed restrictions at some locations, meaning journeys could take longer than usual.

Stand by buses are being planned at key locations around the network in preparation for travel disruption.

Across Wales and the Borders, Network Rail have positioned response teams to address any storm related problems to keep disruption to a minimum.

TfW Operations Director Sarah Higgins said: “It’s so important for our customers to plan ahead when looking to travel this Friday.

“While we’ve made a number of changes to our services based on detailed forecasts, storms can still be unpredictable.

“We’ve seen the impact storms can have, with damage to trains and infrastructure sometimes taking weeks or months to repair, so our cross-industry approach will hopefully limit that and keep our colleagues and customers safe. We apologise to customers for any disruption to their journeys as a result.”

Network Rail Wales & Borders Operations Director Rachel Heath added: “Our priority is always keeping safe everyone who travels and works on the railway.

“Unfortunately, there will be some delays and cancellations on Friday, as trains will not run on some lines and there will speed restrictions on other parts of the route.

“We are working closely with our train operator colleagues to ensure we can safely reopen affected lines as quickly as possible and urge passengers to check before they travel.”

Rail service changes:

No services to run on the Conwy Valley Line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
No services to run on the Heart of Wales line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
Speed restrictions at various locations around the network, meaning some journeys will take longer than usual. These include:

  50mph speed restrictions imposed from 0200 to 1500 Friday on the North Wales Coast – Bodorgan to Llandudno Junction.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Carmarthen to Kidwelly.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Neath and Swansea.
  50mph restrictions from 0100 – 0800 between Newport and Llanwern.

Customers who have connecting tickets for the following operators who have suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions, we’ll honour tickets dated 24 January on either Thursday 23 January or up to and including Tuesday 28 January.