Business
Roadshow gives visitors chance to meet the meat
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THE WELSH Red Meat Roadshow will be stopping off at Oakwood Theme Park on August 16 and 17.
The Pembrokeshire attraction is playing host to the roadshow which aims to encourage people from Wales and further afield to eat a healthy balanced diet and show how easy and convenient it is to cook with red meat. The Roadshow features cooking demonstrations using Welsh Lamb, Welsh Beef and pork from Wales. It is also an opportunity to provide spectators with healthy eating advice and information about the clean, green production methods employed by farmers in Wales. Samples of the fresh food as well as copies of a glossy souvenir recipe booklet, Out and About, will be distributed to onlookers. Oakwood Theme Park’s Clare Stansfield said: “We are delighted to be hosting the roadshow and looking forward to sampling the best in Welsh red meat. “Wales has a fantastic reputation for finest quality local produce and this is a great way of highlighting just what is available to people. “Our newly-opened Oak Tree Restaurant Bar and Grill showcases the best in local produce and we are passionate about promoting Welsh food and drink to a wider audience,” she added. Now in its second year, the twoyear project is funded by the Rural Development Plan 2007-13 and run by Welsh red meat promotion agency Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC). The Roadshow has visited a number of locations and events including the Canoe Slalom World Cup, Cardiff; Bodnant Food Centre, Conwy; Elvis Festival, Porthcawl; Abercycling Festival, Aberystwyth; Woodfest; and the Senior Open Championship at the Royal Porthcawl Golf Club.
Business
Becoming a business owner in Carmarthenshire inspires Paul to learn Welsh
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Paul-Raven-scaled-e1739966947884.jpeg)
MOVING to and establishing a business in Carmarthenshire has inspired Paul Raven, co-owner of Tea Traders, to learn Welsh.
Paul was born in Aberystwyth, and grew up in Swansea in a non-Welsh speaking household. After years of living and working in London and Flintshire, North Wales, in 2017, Paul and his partner, Nick, moved to the Gwendraeth Valley, and opened a specialist tea shop in Carmarthen.
Shortly after moving to the area, Paul found himself living in a Welsh-speaking community, with many local customers speaking Welsh in the shop.
Paul explains: “We are a very community-focused business, and the desire to chat in Welsh with customers and to use more Welsh within our business gave me the motivation to start learning Welsh.”
Paul’s language journey began in 2017, and he took advantage of free translation support and services from ‘Helo Blod’ and Menter Gorllewin Sir Gâr to create a bilingual menu and website. Alongside the business, Paul enrolled on a Learn Welsh course for beginners, but, due to work commitments at the time, and Covid-19, Paul decided to take a break from the learning.
At the beginning of 2024, Paul came across a programme called ‘Cymraeg i Fusnesau Sir Gaerfyrddin’ (Welsh for Carmarthenshire Businesses), which helps local businesses to embrace and promote the Welsh language. The initiative is a collaboration between Carmarthenshire County Council’s ARFOR programme and the National Centre for Learning Welsh’s Work Welsh scheme.
Paul has been following an online course alongside other local businesses, led by a tutor from Learn Welsh Ceredigion-Powys-Sir Gâr, run by Aberystwyth University on behalf of the National Centre. Paul told his staff about the course, and two others enrolled, so now all three are learning Welsh together.
Paul says, “I hear and see a lot of Welsh language around me every day, whether I’m at the supermarket, visiting suppliers, or meeting customers at the shop. It certainly feels as though I’m part of a thriving Welsh community and this gives me extra motivation to learn Welsh and to improve my skills.”
Paul enjoys the weekly sessions on Zoom, and says that everyone in the group supports and encourages one another.
“Learning Welsh has had a really positive impact on our business. We have always actively engaged with our local community. We aim to be customer focused, inclusive, and to provide a warm welcome to all our customers. In addition to connecting with local Welsh speaking customers and increasing the amount of Welsh that we use at the shop, we have also discovered that many visitors to Carmarthen are curious about the Welsh language, and that they really enjoy hearing Welsh and picking up a few words during their visit to our tea shop.”
Paul says that his skills and confidence are improving every day.
“I’m recognising and understanding a lot more spoken Welsh at the shop. I’m practising with my colleagues. I’m encouraging customers to speak to me in Welsh, and I try to respond in Welsh if I can.”
Here’s Paul’s advice to anyone learning Welsh: “Go for it! Find a method that works for you. There are so many ways to learn. Learning with others is fun and a great way to meet people.”
He adds: “Let people know that you’re learning, and when you’re out and about look out for opportunities to use your Welsh in your local community. You’ll soon build up a network of other learners and Welsh speakers who’ll encourage you and help you to practise. Try to find ways to listen to Welsh every day – maybe listen to Radio Cymru, or find a TV programme you enjoy on S4C.”
Paul is now following a Foundation-level course, and is looking forward to gaining confidence and using his Welsh in both the business and the local community.
Business
Over 150,000 journeys made using new Pay As You Go rail ticketing
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MORE than 150,000 journeys have been completed using the new Pay As You Go ticketing system in South Wales since its launch three months ago, making it Transport for Wales’ (TfW) fastest-growing ticketing product.
TfW became the first train operator outside London and the south-east of England to introduce the system last year. In November 2024, tap-in, tap-out technology was made available at 95 railway stations across South Wales, with fares starting at just £2.60.
The system provides automatic daily and weekly fare capping, offering significant savings compared to standard anytime singles and seven-day season tickets.
Expanding ticketing technology
Similar technology, offering tap-on, tap-off ticketing, is also being used for bus services in North Wales. Recent figures show that over 40% of transactions for those services are now made through the system.
Three years ago, TfW introduced a single integrated ticket covering both bus and rail services, allowing faster and cheaper travel between South Wales and Aberystwyth. Between April and December 2024, around 7,000 people used the integrated ticket for journeys between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth.
Transport leaders welcome success
Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said: “I am delighted that more and more passengers are opting for Pay As You Go, making the most of a simpler and fairer way to pay for rail and bus tickets.”
Alexia Course, Chief Commercial Officer at TfW, added: “We want to offer customers the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ticketing option, and tap-on, tap-off technology enables us to do this.
“We are proud to be one of the first train operators outside London to introduce this system at 95 stations across South Wales. It was a key commitment of the South Wales Metro, and its success as our fastest-selling product reflects strong passenger demand.
“We are also using similar technology for bus services in North Wales, and our integrated ticketing model continues to gain traction. These developments are crucial as we move towards our vision of ‘one network, one timetable, one ticket.’”
Business
SPARC’s Career Connections event inspires next generation of young women
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SPARC1-1.jpg)
MORE than 150 female secondary school students from the SPARC Alliance initiative came together for a successful Career Connections event at Pembrokeshire College this month.
The SPARC Alliance introduced the young women to leading industry professionals to explore career opportunities in renewable energy, construction, engineering, and maritime industries.
Luciana Ciubotariu, CEO of Celtic Freeport and SPARC Patron, delivered an inspiring opening speech, encouraging students to embrace curiosity, stay open to new opportunities, and step boldly into industries where women have historically been underrepresented.
Ms Ciubotariu said: “This event is all about you—your future, your possibilities, and the incredible careers waiting for you. All industries need more women, and even though some spaces haven’t always seemed open to us, they absolutely are. You belong wherever you want to be.”
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SPARC3-1-1-1024x576.jpg)
Designed to inspire, empower, and connect, the event included the recording of a podcast interview hosted by Apollo Engineering, and an inspiring closing talk from Captain Louise Sara and Kristy Dawson (Carnival Corporation), who shared their experiences of navigating the maritime industry.
There was also an interactive ‘Career Connections’ session where SPARC pupils used Career Passports to engage directly with industry professionals and discover skills essential for Wales’ fastest-growing sectors.
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/SPARC2-1-1024x576.jpg)
Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in STEM careers and with the UK’s low-carbon energy workforce set to grow by nearly 500,000 jobs by 2030, initiatives like SPARC play a critical role in ensuring young women see themselves in these careers and have the confidence and knowledge to pursue them.
Throughout the day, students engaged in career discussions, interactive activities, and hands-on experiences with professionals from Apollo Engineering, Blue Gem Wind, Celtic Freeport, ERM, Laing Rourke, Ledwood Engineering, Lincweld, , KIER, INSITE Technical, Morgan Sindall, Marine Power Systems, Pembrokeshire College, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, the Port of Milford Haven and RWE.
Hayley Williams (Pembrokeshire College), Rob Hillier (Pembrokeshire County Council), and Holly Skyrme (Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum), who coordinated the event, expressed their gratitude to industry partners for making the event such a success.
“Your engagement and enthusiasm have made a real impact, helping students to recognise the exciting career paths available to them. We’re looking forward to seeing what this incredible cohort of young women achieves in the future,” they added.
For further information about the SPARC Alliance and future events, please contact holly.skyrme@pembrokeshirecoastalforum.org.uk or follow on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PCFCiC
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