SIMON PEARCE, the esteemed Organist and Master of the Choristers at St Davids Cathedral, was honoured to attend a royal garden party at Buckingham Palace, hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

The event, celebrating the UK’s Creative and Cultural Industries, featured an array of celebrities, stunning displays of spring gardens, and performances by the Band of The Marines.

Mr Pearce, who attended with his wife Katherine was appointed in 2022 as the Director of Music at the cathedral—a position he has held since 1998 in an assistant capacity—expressed his delight at the opportunity to represent the festival. “Every single moment was to be savoured,” he remarked, noting the “wonderful music, fantastic host of celebs, a sumptuous tea party, stunning gardens and Palace, and glorious British spring weather.”

The St Davids Cathedral Music Festival 2024 will open with a dazzling performance by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales on May 25. The orchestra will treat audiences to Mathias’s Festival Overture and Brahms’ Second Symphony.

Adding to the splendour, award-winning violinist Inmo Yang will grace the stage with his rendition of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto.

This year’s festival will also introduce several new performers. The Choir of Royal Holloway is set to debut on May 27, enchanting attendees with choral arrangements of orchestral classics. Local talent is also in the spotlight, with Pembrokeshire-born horn player Simon Lewis performing alongside Trio Preseli on May 26, showcasing works by Welsh composer Anthony Randall.

Adding a touch of environmental consciousness to the festival, clarinet virtuoso Emma Johnson returns on May 28 with her Orchestra for the Environment.

Their repertoire will include pieces by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and Johnson’s own composition, ‘The Tree of Life’.

The festival will kick off with the 150-strong Children’s Festival Chorus on May 24, captivating audiences with their youthful energy and a live band.

Throughout the week, the cathedral musicians will feature prominently in several concerts, with the highlight being the full Cathedral choir performing Choral Evensong live on BBC Radio 3.

This prestigious invitation to Buckingham Palace came just two years after Mr Pearce’s official appointment as the Master of Choristers, a role in which he has pledged to continue enhancing the cathedral’s distinguished musical tradition.

At the time of his appointment, the Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, as Dean of St. Davids, praised Mr Pearce’s exceptional talents, saying, “It has been a pleasure to enjoy the excellence of Simon’s playing and conducting over the years.”

Under his leadership, the Cathedral Choir and Choral Foundation have been furthering their well-deserved reputation for excellence. “St Davids Cathedral is a spiritually inspiring and beautiful place in which to make music,” Mr Pearce said, acknowledging the special connections the cathedral maintains with the local community, school, and the wider Pembrokeshire area.

CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council is reducing the number of empty properties within the county through the introduction of the Empty Properties Framework.

Combining enforcement, the implementation of council tax premiums on empty properties and providing support to help owners bring empty properties back into use, the Empty Properties Framework aims to:

•            Reduce the number of long-term empty homes across the county

•            Increase the supply of affordable housing to meet demand

•            Tackle issues relating to property nuisance, blight and the impact on communities

The following case study is an example of how Carmarthenshire County Council is supporting communities and owners to bring empty properties back into use.

An empty property was reported to the Council with loose rendering falling onto a neighbouring driveway and refuse/waste material in the garden. Investigations revealed that the property had been recorded as empty for seven years and was privately owned by a limited company. 

The property was visited by the Council’s Empty Homes Officers and scored as high risk (Category A), requiring enforcement. The owners responded positively to the notice served and assisted with the Council’s formal inspection of the property, during which various category 1 (the most serious) hazards were identified.

As a result, statutory notices were served on the property. These notices provided varying timeframes for work to be carried out. In the event of non-compliance, the Council may choose to undertake works, recovering all costs from the owner.

The owner complied with the work which posed an imminent risk and then sold the property at public auction. The Improvement Notices remained with the property when sold. Upon purchase, the new owners immediately began work to improve the property and this is progressing well.

Cllr Linda Evans, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Homes said: “The introduction of the Empty Homes Framework aims to be bold in bringing about the improvement and occupation of empty homes, increasing the supply and use of housing to all.

Carmarthenshire County Council is committed to reducing the number of empty properties in the county, with various methods of support in place to assist owners of these properties to bring them back into use including financial assistance, subject to eligibility.”

From 1st April 2024, council tax premiums were also introduced on properties empty for more than 12 months to encourage owners to reflect on whether they could make better use of their property.

For more information on the support available to owners of empty properties visit the Council’s website – Carmarthenshire.gov.wales/housing

PEMBROKE Leisure Centre will play host to a free disability sports and physical event later this month with lots of sports and activities to try.

The insport series, in partnership with Disability Sport Wales, Sport Pembrokeshire and Pembrokeshire Leisure is an inclusive sport and physical activity event.

It offers opportunities for disabled young people (ages 5 years+) and adults across Pembrokeshire and friends and family are welcome.

On offer to try are: boxing, boccia, swimming (on a separate first come first serve booking basis), football, wheelchair rugby, target shooting, adaptive bikes, cricket, golf, multisport, and more.

The event takes place Pembroke Leisure Centre, on Wednesday May 29^th between 10am-2pm.  

Booking for the event and swim places is required.

For more information please contact: Jess West from Sport Pembrokeshire byemail [email protected] or by calling 07795305871.