News
Working together to transform longstanding eyesore on historic quayside
HAVERHUB is a community project in our county town, bringing together a wide range of people in the town centre through repurposing an old derelict former post office site.
“The biggest reward for all the hard work our small team has volunteered since 2017, is hearing our community café full of happy chatting people of all ages as I drop in to do my shifts!” says Gitti Coats the project founder.
“Already we have our hands full fitting in all the booking requests for meeting rooms, class spaces,
events and private gatherings. We have had grants to save the old post office, and next on the huge
to-do-list is to get the rear of the site improved to offer better facilities while retaining the warehouse vibe much loved by many, most recently our Wednesday night Open Mic community”.
Backing onto Haverhub’s DEPOT event space is this derelict old warehouse which could be providing useful entrance and storage spaces. Negotiations have gone on for almost 4 years as Haverhub’s determined team tries to find away to include it in the site for the community.
“Apart from discussions with the Carmarthenshire owner, we have asked for financial help from organisations who are keen to see improvements to the town center and I am delighted to say we have scraped together the funds to purchase this next challenge! Our major support came from the PCC
Enhancing Pembrokeshire Fund, and smaller equally essential contributions to get us over the line
have come from the Perrot’s Trust, who already helped towards the new glasswork over the sorting
office space; and the Haverfordwest Town Council who have also helped support other purchases
such as paint.” Explained Gitti who project manages Haverhub with a team of volunteers and small
paid team in the office.
Summarising this update for everyone watching out for Town Centre improvements, Gitti explains
“ We had hoped to have completed on this purchase by now, but legal details are still being finalised.
Step one however, is having the money! So a big thank you to our local funders standing
next to Jerry and I . Everyone is dying to see this eyesore turned into something wonderful at long
last, as part of creating a sociable and attractive quayside. I hope it will also boost Quay street to
become the social heart of Haverfordwest bringing together people of all ages and interests! Well…
you’ve got to dream, or nothing happens!”
L-R Jerry Evans & Gitti Coats (Haverhub directors), Alan Buckfield – Mayor representing HTC, Peter
Stock for the Perrot’s trust and Dr Steven Jones representing the PCC Enhancing Pembrokeshire
Fund.
Crime
Police arrest suspects following vehicle interferences in Haverfordwest
HAVERFORDWEST police responded swiftly after reports of multiple vehicle interferences in the Tasker Way area on Sunday night/early Monday morning (Nov 4).
Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPPT) conducted extensive house-to-house enquiries, gathering evidence and reassuring the community. These efforts led to the identification of two suspects.
Both NPPT and Response teams acted promptly, locating and arresting the suspects, who are now in police custody.
News
Ancient Welsh hymns brought into 21st century with unique collaboration between Lleuwen Steffan and National Eisteddfod
Some of Wales’ long-forgotten hymn tunes are being brought vividly back to life this month, thanks to award-winning singer, songwriter and composer Lleuwen Steffan and her unique collaboration with the National Eisteddfod of Wales.
Performing as ‘Tafod Arian’ (Silver Tongue), the collaboration pays homage to the lost voices of the past, and infuses these timeless melodies with some highly contemporary electronic arrangements.
The project originated in 2012 when Lleuwen was working on a music project at St Fagan’s National History Museum where she came across some long-forgotten recordings of hymns which had been left in the sound archives. None of these hymns could be found in the official hymn books nor the older hymnal editions, possibly as the result of their informal, conversational lyrics, or because they often delved into the world of addiction, mental illness and the darker side of the psyche.
But now these unpublished and unknown hymns will be heard for the first time in over a hundred years when Tabernacl Chapel, Maenclochog, will be one of 50 Welsh chapels to be visited by Tafod Arian.
With translations and insights, the tour breathes new life into archive recordings, ensuring these cherished sacred songs rightfully claim their place in today’s spotlight. Lleuwen masterfully combines electronic and acoustic instrumentation, seamlessly blending the past with the present, and takes the stage alongside a dynamic quintet of international musicians including Sioned Webb and Gethin Elis from Wales, and Nolwenn Korbell and Brieg Guerveno from Brittany.
Despite the hymns’ long-distant past, the music is firmly in the present as Lleuwen uses various instruments to provide angular electronic accompaniment as well as her soulful vocals and guitar. She provides translations and explanations as she proudly puts the archive recordings of the lost |Welsh hymns on centre stage. As a result, these sacred songs are being passed on orally rather than via the hymn book which is precisely how Welsh folk music was conveyed.
The long-forgotten hymns will be heard once again in all their glory at Tabernacle Chapel, Maenclochog on Sunday, November 17 at 6.30pm.
Crime
Suspended sentence for Goodwick man who sent sexual messages to young girl
THE FATHER of a young girl sent sexual messages to an individual he believed to be a 12-year-old girl online, Swansea Crown Court heard this week.
An undercover police officer posed as a 12-year-old girl on the website RandoChat, with the decoy’s profile stating they were 18.
James Roberts messaged the decoy on 9 August, stating he was “looking for a naughty girl”.
The decoy promptly informed him that she was 12 years old; however, the defendant continued to send messages referencing sexual acts and self-gratification.
Roberts added the decoy on Snapchat, claiming to be 19 and living in England.
He again sent sexualised messages and, referring to the decoy’s age, said they were “never too young to start sending pictures”.
The defendant also told the decoy that he was having similar sexual conversations with a 14-year-old, Mr Dickens said.
Police attended Roberts’ home in Goodwick on 17 August, and he was arrested. He denied having a mobile phone, claiming he “had sent it off to Samsung to be fixed” but was “extremely vague” when asked for further details. Mr Dickens said no phone was ever recovered by police.
The 28-year-old Roberts pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child. The court heard that he had no previous convictions.
Hannah George, in mitigation, said the defendant showed “some degree of remorse” and that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
“In the 13 months since he was interviewed there have been no further offences,” she said.
Ms George said Roberts had suffered “significant” shame and embarrassment as a result of the offences, and it had led to him losing his job.
He had previously been diagnosed with PTSD and suffered “deep periods of depression”, Ms George said.
She added that his contact with his young daughter “has been diminished” following these offences.
“You were in contact online with who you firmly believed to be a 12-year-old girl,” said Judge Paul Thomas KC, addressing Roberts.
“You have a two-year-old daughter. Just think how you would feel if a man in his thirties tried to have that sort of conversation with her in 10 years’ time.”
Roberts was sentenced to 30 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must complete 35 days of an accredited programme and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement programme days.
He must also register as a sex offender for 10 years and was made the subject of a three-year sexual harm prevention order.
-
Crime6 days ago
Pembrokeshire man charged with sexual penetration of seven-week old baby
-
Crime7 days ago
Dock man collapses when sentenced for throwing hot meal over his wife
-
Crime6 days ago
Drink-driving Neyland rugby player drove Discovery into two cars
-
Crime7 days ago
Suspended sentence following serious threats to a 14-year-old child
-
News6 days ago
£1.7bn boost for Welsh Government in UK Budget
-
Health7 days ago
RAAC problems to persist at Withybush General Hospital
-
Crime6 days ago
Man sentenced following police chase through broken window
-
Crime6 days ago
Man admits punching woman ‘forcefully’ causing her to fall to ground