Community

Busy year for Royal Artillery Association, South Pembrokeshire Branch

Published

1 year ago

September 28, 2023

THE SOUTH PEMBROKESHIRE BRANCH of the Royal Artillery Association has enjoyed a 12-month period full of events and changes. After several changes of venue, the Branch have now settled down and hold their monthly meetings in the Pembroke Dock Cricket Club. Also, the Branch’s Secretary for the past 28 years retired from the post at the AGM in 2023. Colin Friend and his wife Florrie continue to attend meetings and contribute fully to the running of the Branch.

After a very successful St Barbara’s Day Lunch in December 2022 and an AGM in February 2023, 3 new members joined the branch.

Wreaths were laid by the Branch`s Chairman, Chris Roberts at the Remembrance Ceremony in Pembroke, and at ceremonies at Freshwater West (near Pembroke), Milford Haven on Anzac Day (where a Wellington bomber aircraft crashed into an area of Milford Haven killing 4 New Zealand and Australian officers and soldiers) and the Normandy Veterans Service (also held in Milford Haven and organised by the British Legion). A wreath was also laid by other members of the branch at the Pembroke Dock Remembrance Service. Finally, a wreath was laid in the Pembroke Dock Military Cemetery, near to the site of the former Llanion Barracks which saw the last Royal Artillery unit leave Pembroke Dock in 1967. Poignantly and sadly, members of the branch attended the funeral of Ted Owens, a native of Pembroke Dock who died at the age of 99 years old. Ted, a Royal Marine, had landed as a 21-year-old on the beaches of Normandy during the D Day landings, had been wounded and evacuated to a field hospital and subsequently, after being wounded 3 times, was demobbed at 21 years old! The large turnout of all Regiments and Corps paid tribute to this fine old soldier. The branch Standard was paraded at all these events by our Standard Bearer John Swilka.

The Branch have enjoyed visits to Pembroke Dock by the quite recently appointed Veterans Commissioner for Wales – James Phillips – who gave a talk on his new role and responsibilities. The branch also welcomed our Regional Representative Clive Boyles who highlighted the fact that Wales had only 3 RAA branches still operating, namely Wrexham, Rhondda and South Pembrokeshire. Clive also spoke regarding his role as the Regional Representative.

Liaison continues with our Affiliated Royal Artillery Battery – 12 (Minden) Air Assault Battery RA. The Branch send best wishes on Minden Day and received a warm response. The Branch also send a message of congratulations to King Charles III on his Coronation and received a letter of thanks.

Probably the highlight of the year was the visit made to the National Memorial Arboretum for the RA Service of Remembrance Day in July, when 6 members travelled from Pembroke Dock to Burton on Trent to attend the occasion. A full day of events was enjoyed by the visiting members , some for the first time, and the opportunity of meeting up with old comrades. Despite the weather, Standard Bearers from all over the country maintained their usual high performance.

The Branch has continued to forge links with the British Legion in Milford Haven and the VC Gallery Centre which operates both in Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest. Although consisting of only 24 members, South Pembrokeshire Branch have organised many fund-raising events throughout the year and continue to make contributions to the RACF.

During the visit by Clive (and his partner Gill), a branch photograph was taken and is enclosed with this article.

In this area of historical Royal Artillery presence, with Manorbier, Pendine, Penally and Castlemartin (in their heydays!), seeing many Gunners pass through their gates, it is considered that there are many RA veterans in our area, and we continue to try and recruit new members, to foster good social ties and maintain the feeling of the Gunner Family.

So, if you live in the South Pembrokeshire Area and you are reading this, don’t delay – PLEASE GET IN TOUCH, TODAY!

Community

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

Published

2 days 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

3 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

3 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.