News

Local climate activists join massive London protest calling for ‘urgent action’

Published

3 years ago

April 22, 2023

PROTESTERS from across Pembrokeshire joined climate activist groups taking part in several days of protests in central London, demanding more action to tackle the climate crisis. The West Wales Climate Coalition, Friends of the Earth, and local Extinction Rebellion groups were busy last week, getting the word out and arranging transport and accommodation, and were ‘overwhelmed’ by the response.

“The numbers just kept growing,” said Sian Vaughan, a retired head teacher from Fishguard. “As soon as the first bus filled up we needed to arrange a second one. We’ve had to print more leaflets to distribute.”

The protesters gathered in London to call for more action to tackle the climate crisis, with groups of activists chanting and dancing outside government departments on Friday. More than 30,000 people had said they would attend the protests, branded ‘The Big One,’ between April 21 and April 24.

While Extinction Rebellion has previously adopted methods of direct action, with activists blocking roads and glueing themselves to objects to prevent police from moving them on, climate activists have promised protests this weekend will not disrupt the London Marathon, which took place on Sunday.

Supporters of the protest group Just Stop Oil attended Friday’s demonstration, attempting to recruit participants for slow marches, which it plans to carry out next week. Protesters held signs calling for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to scrap plans to develop the Rosebank oil and gas field that lies west of Shetland.

Doctors in their scrubs protested outside the Department of Health and Social Care, including Dr. Daniel Roberts, an accident and emergency registrar, who attended the protest wearing a large mosquito costume. He said he came to London for the weekend because “the effects of pollution and climate change will cause a massive health crisis.”

“We’re standing on a very busy street now, these health pollutants will cause dementia, asthma, lots of respiratory diseases, and stunt growth,” he said. “I’ve worked in refugee camps, I’m carrying a huge mosquito because there is more malaria, more dengue (fever), there are so many more problems than people realize.”

Jen Newall, a former university scientist, said she left her career due to the reality of climate change, which she described as “absolutely terrifying to the point it paralyzed me.” “I’ve come down to London really to speak truth to power ultimately,” she said.

“Any new oil and gas is a death sentence to the majority, they (the Government) are handing out death sentences. There cannot be any new oil and gas for a livable future.”

Ms. Newall said the campaign group started this year with a “very clear” change to their protest “tactics and strategy,” moving away from more infamous disruptive protests it has carried out in recent years.

“We are listening to the public attitude, and we understand that disruption doesn’t bring everybody on board,” she said. “We don’t really want to be alienating anybody because, ultimately, we need everybody in this fight for our future. We will ensure that we can still have our voice without having to disrupt the marathon.”

Despite concerns of disrupting the London Marathon, the protests were peaceful and did not cause any significant disruptions to the event. Protesters gathered in Westminster to call for immediate action to address the climate crisis, and they vow to continue their efforts until meaningful action is taken.

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

44 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Charity

Two Welsh families fund Childline across the UK on Christmas Day

Published

59 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Staff Writer

Joint £40,000 gift ensures vital support is available when children need it most

TWO Cardiff families have joined forces to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service across the whole of the UK on Christmas Day, ensuring children have somewhere to turn during one of the toughest times of the year.

The Peterson family and the Bowles family are each donating £20,000 as part of the charity’s One Unforgettable Day project. Their combined £40,000 contribution will cover the entire cost of running Childline for 24 hours on 25 December.

Childline operates 12 bases nationwide and offers a free, confidential service to anyone under 19, available day and night, 365 days a year. The festive period is often one of the most demanding for counsellors and volunteers; between 24 December 2024 and 4 January 2025, Childline delivered 4,261 counselling sessions.

Young people reach out to Childline for a range of reasons at Christmas, including mental health struggles, family tensions, financial worries, loneliness, and increased risks of abuse or domestic violence. With schools closed and regular support networks unavailable, demand for help typically rises.

Childline relies heavily on donations, fundraising and charitable partnerships. The support of Alan, Maggie and Hywel Peterson, and Nathan and Claire Bowles and their four children, will ensure counsellors are available throughout Christmas Day for any young person who needs them.

Hywel Peterson MBE, Chair of the NSPCC Cymru Fundraising Board, said:
“It’s an honour to help fund Childline across the whole of the UK this Christmas. This joint donation will ensure our dedicated staff and volunteers are there to support any child who needs us.”

Cardiff entrepreneur Nathan Bowles added:
“We know that Christmas can be a difficult time for some children, so our family is delighted to be joining forces with the Petersons this year to support this vital service.”

Louise Israel, Childline team manager at NSPCC Cymru’s Cardiff base, said:
“While children and young people need Childline all year round, we speak to many who find this time of year particularly difficult. It is only with the support of such generous people as the Peterson and Bowles families that our staff and volunteers can continue to be here throughout the Christmas holidays. This kindness will genuinely make a difference.”

Children can call Childline free on 0800 11 11 or visit www.childline.org.uk.
Anyone concerned about a child’s welfare can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or visit www.nspcc.org.uk for advice.

Crime

Man charged with strangulation and assault offences after October incident

Published

13 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Court Reporter

A MAN recorded in court as having no fixed abode has appeared before magistrates charged with intentional strangulation and two further assault offences.

Michael Sudbury, 50, whose address was not read out in court, but in Herald records is Glan Hafan, Llangwm, appeared before the bench facing multiple charges.

The charges relate to an incident on 22 October 2025 and include: