News

Sporting achievements celebrated at the Sport Pembrokeshire Awards 2023

Published

2 years ago

December 2, 2023

The remarkable achievements of Pembrokeshire’s sporting community were celebrated at a glittering awards ceremony on Friday evening, November 24^th.

The Sport Pembrokeshire Awards 2023 were held at Folly Farm and paid tribute to efforts both on and off the pitch by sports people, coaches and volunteers alike.

Record nominations had been received as the awards continue to go from strength to strength.

The judges had an extremely difficult task to whittle the numbers firstly down to finalists and then deserving winners.

The winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award was race walking star Heather Warner who has represented both Wales and Team GB at the highest levels.

A Pembrokeshire Harrier, Heather soon discovered a natural talent for race walking and it was no surprise that a collection of local and national titles followed.

Welsh and Team GB vests at both junior and senior level were the natural progression in her career.

Heather collected a fantastic seventh place in the Commonwealth Games in 2018 on Australia’s Gold Coast and a British record followed in Birmingham four years later to go with a brilliant sixth place.

While competing around the world Heather has always continued to coach at Pembrokeshire Harriers and passing on the breadth of her knowledge and experience and is a worthy winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023.

“Heather’s outstanding success, coupled with an obvious desire to one day guide others, can only help raise the profile of the sport in a positive way,” said Geoff Williams from BBC Wales, who presented Heather with her award.

The winner of the Chairman’s Special Achievement Award, presented by Cllr Thomas Tudor, was Makala Jones.

Makala has taught cold water confidence and a proper swimming technique to countless people of all ages in Pembrokeshire, enabling them to enjoy the coastline all year round. She also successfully swum the English channel solo in July this year.

She has been described as a legend, an inspiration, a real-life super hero, great fun to be around, a role model proving you can achieve your dreams and an incredibly strong and helpful human being.

In presenting her award, Cllr Tudor said what makes her so special is her passion for sharing the benefits of outdoor swimming for improved mental health.

This year the School Award was won by Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi.

The judges were impressed by the wide range of sports and activities provided by and hosted by Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi and how the school is a focal point for sports health and wellbeing in the St Davids community and surrounding areas.

Under Headteacher Rachel Thomas and Head of Wellbing Bruce Evans, young people are given the opportunity to try a wide variety of sports and activities to embed a love of staying active and protecting the natural environment from an early age.

It was also a significant evening with the announcement that host Bill Carne would be retiring after 17 years presenting the awards.

Matthew Freeman, manager of Sport Pembrokeshire, paid tribute to his dedication and professionalism over the years.

“Bill Carne has become synonymous with the Sport Pembrokeshire Awards and is rightly regarded as the voice of sport in Pembrokeshire,” he said.

“Sport Pembrokeshire are truly honoured to have had his support at the awards for all these years along with his wider support in advocating and raising the profile of the work that Sport Pembrokeshire team do across the county.

“Bill can now retreat from the stage and enjoy the evening from the audience’s vantage point and enjoy the spectacle that is the Sport Pembrokeshire awards.”

The other winners are as follows:

Girls (U16) Sporting Achievement: Josie Hawke
Boys (U16) Sporting Achievement: Ramon Rees-Siso
Club of the Year: Pembroke Cricket Club
Junior Disability Sport Award: Saskia Webb
Disability Sport Award: Bleddyn Gibbs
Young Volunteer of the Year: Elizabeth Clissold
Junior (U16) Team Achievement of the Year: South Pembs Sharks U14
Unsung Hero: Dave Astins
Team Achievement of the Year: Haverfordwest County AFC
Male Sporting Achievement: Mickey Beckett
Female Sporting Achievement: Gracie Griffiths
Club Organiser of the Year: Stefan Jenkins
Coach of the Year: Samantha Feneck

List of Finalists and Winners

Girls (U16) Sporting Achievement

Josie Hawke – Winner
Chloe John-Driscoll
Nina Marsh

Boys (U16) Sporting Achievement

Finley Bruce
Reuben Lerwill
Ramon Rees-Siso – Winner

Club of the Year

Haverfordwest Tennis Club
Pembroke Cricket Club – Winner
Tavernspite Short Mat Bowls Club

Disability Sport Award

Bleddyn Gibbs – Winner
Michael Jenkins
Jules King

Junior Disability Sport Award

Lewis Crawford
Saskia Webb – Winner
Ioan Williams

Young Volunteer of the Year

Elizabeth Clissold – Winner
Ellie Phillips
Lukas Tyrrell

Junior (U16) Team Achievement of the Year

Pembrokeshire Schools Football U14’s
South Pembs Sharks U14’s – Winner
Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi Tennis Team

Unsung Hero

Dave Astins – Winner
Piers Beckett
Sam Rossiter

Team Achievement of the Year

Haverfordwest County AFC – Winner
Haverfordwest Ladies Rugby
Llangwm RFC Youth

Male Sporting Achievement

Micky Beckett – Winner
Jeremy Cross
Moritz Neumann

Female Sporting Achievement

Katie Dickinson
Gracie Griffiths – Winner
Seren Thorne

Club Organiser of the Year

Rachel Grieve
Stefan Jenkins – Winner
Huw Jones

Coach of the Year

Sam Feneck – Winner
Daisy Griffiths
Michael Newman

School Award

Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi

Special Achievement Award

Makala Jones

Lifetime Achievement Award

Heather Warner

Climate

Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum project endorsed as UN Ocean Decade Activity

Published

2 hours ago

November 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Climate adaptation toolkit joins global sustainability programme

PEMBROKESHIRE COASTAL FORUM (PCF) has announced that its Climate Adaptation Toolkit for Coastal Communities has been officially endorsed as a United Nations Ocean Decade Activity, recognising the project’s contribution to international efforts to build a more sustainable relationship with the world’s oceans.

The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030), coordinated by UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, brings together organisations across the globe to generate and share knowledge that can support resilient and sustainable coastal futures. Endorsed activities contribute to one or more of the Decade’s ten scientific and societal challenges.

PCF’s Climate Adaptation Toolkit is designed to help coastal communities prepare for the realities of climate change. The project provides accessible information, guidance and learning materials for local authorities, educators and community groups as they plan for coastal erosion, flooding, sea-level rise and other long-term environmental pressures.

Running from December 2025 to March 2026, the project will use online learning resources, case studies and engagement sessions to increase understanding of how climate change is already affecting the coastline, and what practical steps communities can take to adapt.

Jetske Germing, Managing Director of Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, said: “We’re honoured that the Climate Adaptation Toolkit has been recognised as part of the United Nations Ocean Decade. This endorsement highlights the importance of collaboration and knowledge-sharing in tackling coastal challenges, and reflects our ongoing commitment to building resilient, sustainable coastal communities.”

The endorsement places the toolkit within an international network of projects working towards the UN Decade’s vision of “the science we need for the ocean we want”.

PCF’s involvement adds to Wales’ growing profile in the field of coastal sustainability. The organisation’s wider programme of work includes Marine Renewable Energy, Sustainable Recreation, Education and Skills, Water Quality, and Land Use — all centred on its vision of a sustainable coast and ocean for future generations.

Further information about the UN Ocean Decade can be found on the initiative’s website.

Crime

Youth given conditional discharge for smashing pub windows

Published

2 hours ago

November 13, 2025

Court Reporter

A TEENAGER has been handed a conditional discharge after admitting damaging windows at a Pembroke pub last year.

A 17-year-old boy from Pembroke Dock, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Nov 13).

The court heard that on April 10, 2024, he damaged several windows at a premises owned by Marston’s PLC, causing £1,002 worth of damage.

He received a six-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £500 compensation. Magistrates made no order for costs, noting that compensation should take priority.