WONDERWOOL WALES 2025, the premier wool and natural fibre festival in Wales, is on course to be a record-breaker with advance ticket sales ahead of previous years.

The popular, award-winning show will be held at the Royal Welsh Showground, Builth Wells on April 26 and 27 with 220 exhibitors and is expecting more than 6,000 visitors.

A star attraction will be special installation to mark this year’s 80^th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day, which is being created by a group of knitters in France and across the world.

The knitters are so enthusiastic that the installation, which will be in Hall 3, is going to be much bigger than originally envisaged.

“It has grown from eight to 10 metres and could well be even larger by the time of the show!” said Chrissie Menzies, Wonderwool Wales director. “People from around the world are knitting panels for the installation which is quite amazing.

They previously knitted an 80 metre, 3D wool art depiction of the D-Day landings, which toured the UK, before going off to America, and wanted to do another one for VE Day to showcase at Wonderwool Wales before it tours the UK, with panels being added at each destination.”

The VE Day project has been organised by Tansy Forster and her fellow knitters who also headed The Longest Yarn installation for D-Day. More than 1,000 knitters from across the world contributed to that project.

Wonderwool Wales will have a truly international flavour, as Kimberly Perkins from Cat Mountain Fibre Arts, Colorado, will be showcasing her hand dyed, multi-textured, yarn bundles and knitting and crochet patterns on stand M1 in Hall 1. She’s the first exhibitor to fly in from America.

Chrissie revealed that there will be more than 15 new exhibitors at the show, including Paint-Box Threads from near Leominster and Cold Harbour Mill from Devon.

Zoe Acketts, of Paint-Box Threads, specialises in beautiful, hand-dyed threads along with fabric for the textile crafting market.

“I’m sure we will all be coming away with some of Zoe’s threads,” said Chrissie. “Her curated boxes of colours are just too good to use, you just want to display them in your studio and look at them!”

Cold Harbour Mill will be joining other working mill exhibitors who use heritage machinery to produce yarn collections and woven textiles.

The company’s yarns are 100% British wool, with single breed Blue Faced Leicester and Shetland collections in a range of natural and woodland inspired colours and four registered Tartans designed and woven at the mill.

Away from the show, Newtown Textile Museum is opening early to attract people visiting Wonderwool. Run entirely by volunteers and housed in two weavers’ cottages, the museum will be open from April 24-28 from 12 noon to 4pm.

The British Coloured Sheep Breeders’ Association will be adding natural colours to the show by bringing sheep for the first time. Sheep Walk fashion shows, demonstrations and have-a-go sessions hosted by some of the exhibitors are regular features.

Wonderwool Wales covers everything from the start to the end of the creative process.

Exhibits of sheep, raw and hand dyed fibres, yarn for knitting and crochet, embellishments, equipment, dyes and books can be found alongside superb examples of finished textile art, craft, clothing and home furnishings.

A CALL to extend a Pembrokeshire cemetery to provide a space for eco-friendly natural burials has been refused by county planners.

A natural burial is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial, burying a body in the ground without a coffin or headstone.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, the Trustees of Tabernacle Chapel sought permission for a change of use of agricultural land to extend the existing Tabernacle Cemetery, Fishguard to include a natural burial site.

A supporting statement, through agent Gethin Beynon, said the land has been in the cemetery ownership since 1945, adding: “Based on the development forming a similar use to the adjacent cemetery and being in the same ownership as the Trustees of Tabernacle Chapel, the proposal would be classed as an extension to an existing community facility.

“As the development is not proposing any engineering or physical features with the natural habitat being retained, it is considered the change of use of the land would be in keeping in an area where other cemeteries exist to the north, east and west of the application site.”

It added: “With regard to the operation of the burial ground, when a burial takes place, a plot is allocated, and the turf cut and set aside. The topsoil and subsoil are then heaped alongside the grave. The graves would be dug to the appropriate depth to earth over the coffin to protect it whilst allowing the body to recycle in the active/living layer of the soil.

“After a burial, soil is returned in compacted layers around and on top of the coffin, with topsoil and turf on top. Grave locations are plotted and recorded on plan. It is intended that such administration and management duties of the site would be undertaken by the applicants.

“Due to the development not resulting in marked graves and there being no maintenance requirements from mourners, visits and any associated vehicle movements would be of a low intensity and infrequent.”

The application was supported by Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council, subject to satisfactory outcomes of an archaeological survey in relation to nearby Castell Mwrtach, an Iron Age defended enclosure and possible associated earthworks, along with discussions with the south Wales Trunk Road Agency.

An officer report, recommending refusal, said Natural Resources Wales (NRW) had raised concerns “that cemeteries have the potential to cause pollution to controlled waters, with the level of risk dependent on many factors and to fully assess potential impact of each site an initial Tier 1 assessment which shall define potential pathways and receptors in proximity of the site,” adding: “No such risk assessment has been submitted in support of this application resulting in a development that does not adequately confirm the level of risk to controlled waters the development poses.”

Archaeological advisors Heneb has said a geophysics survey of the site is needed to determine any effect on adjacent to Castell Mwrtach.

“As a geophysics survey has not been submitted in support of the application, it cannot be demonstrated that the development would have an acceptable impact on the historic environment in conflict [with policy].”

The scheme was refused by planning officers on the grounds of the concerns raised.

MULTIPLE sources are reporting that several people have been taken ill after taking suspected recreational drugs in the Haverfordwest area over the Easter weekend (Friday, April 18 – Sunday, April 20).

Emergency services were called to a number of incidents, with individuals believed to have been hospitalised after becoming seriously unwell.

There are growing concerns that a dangerous batch of drugs, possibly laced with an unknown or highly toxic substance, may be circulating locally.

One man is believed to have died following a suspected drug-related incident, although this has not yet been confirmed by the police.

A concerned resident told The Herald: “It’s awful. People are talking about a bad batch of pills doing the rounds – People need to be really careful.”

Public health warning

Anyone who has taken drugs in the area over the weekend and feels unwell is urged to seek immediate medical assistance. Even a single tablet or dose of an unknown substance can be fatal, especially if it contains powerful synthetic opioids such as pentynyl or fentanyl, which are often undetectable until it is too late.

Parents and carers are encouraged to speak openly with young people about the dangers of recreational drugs. The Talk to Frank website (www.talktofrank.com) offers accessible and up-to-date information about a wide range of substances, their risks, and how to seek help.

What to do in an emergency:

• If someone becomes unwell after taking drugs — especially if they collapse, have trouble breathing, or lose consciousness — call 999 immediately.
• Stay with them, try to keep them awake, and place them in the recovery position if they are unconscious.
• Do not be afraid to tell medical professionals or paramedics what has been taken. This information could save a life and will not lead to criminal charges for those seeking help.

General advice:

Avoid taking drugs alone — there is no one to help you if something goes wrong.

Don’t mix substances — combining drugs or alcohol increases the risk of overdose.

Be wary of pills or powders that are sold as MDMA or ecstasy but may contain far more dangerous substances such as synthetic opioids.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, support is available locally through Dyfed Drug and Alcohol Service (DDAS) and other charities.

Contact information:

DDAS: 03303 639997 or visit www.ddas.org.uk

Talk to Frank: 0300 123 6600 or text 82111

Crimestoppers (anonymous tip line): 0800 555 111

The Herald will continue to follow this developing story and publish official updates as soon as they are available.