News

Initiative in place to curb the sale of fake goods on local social media groups

Published

2 years ago

December 12, 2023

EFFORTS to protect local consumers and small businesses from the harm caused by the growing trade in fake goods on local social media buying-and-selling groups are being boosted thanks to an important initiative.

The Real Deal Online programme is a national initiative that makes sure social media buying-and selling groups are not promoting the sale of counterfeit goods and other illicit products. It encourages closer working relationships between the groups and their local Trading Standards service.

During the run up to Christmas Trading Standards across Wales supported by the National Markets Group, Intellectual Property Office and National Trading Standards eCrime Team will be identifying buying-and-selling groups in Wales that are operating on social media. Contact will be made with administrators of the groups to make them aware of their legal responsibilities and to invite them to follow the Real Deal Online Code of Practice.

The Code of Practice requires group administrators to welcome officers of Trading Standards as members of the group and to agree to five simple steps:

1. To prohibit the sale of counterfeit and other illicit goods;

2. To act on information from IP rights owners and their representatives who highlight the sale of illegal goods;

3. To notify trading standards if they believe that illegal goods are being sold within the group and to exclude the sellers of these goods;

4. To highlight warnings and advice notices posted by trading standards;

5. To make sure that all members of the group are aware of its fake-free policy.

Selling groups that agree to follow the Real Deal Code of Practice will be allowed to display the Real Deal logo which will act as a visual assurance to shoppers and to traders that it is a fake-free shopping zone.

The new initiative is a natural extension of the Real Deal campaign which has been in place at physical markets and car boot fairs since 2009 and has seen over 500 markets across the UK sign-up to the voluntary Real Deal Charter to prevent the sale of fake goods. The campaign has been so successful that it has now been extended into the digital arena of online and social media marketplaces and is being rolled out by local authority Trading Standards Services across the UK.

It is vital that any illicit traders, who thinks they can make easy money by ripping off consumers with illegal, sub-standard, often dangerous counterfeits, are deterred at the earliest stage.

Judith Parry, Chair of Trading Standards Wales, said: “This programme demonstrates that Trading Standards are engaged in seeking out those who advertise fake goods on social media sites and will take appropriate action against them. Neither the internet nor social media offer an easy hiding place for those who attempt to trade illegally.

“Trading Standards services within Wales carry out excellent work to protect consumers and support traders. I hope that anyone running a buying-selling group across social media, will be motivated to engage in this project, and seek advice from Trading Standards to enable them to run their buying-selling group legally and responsibly.

“Adopting the Real Deal Code of Practice and displaying the logo provides reassurance for group members that it is a safe place to buy and sell. It also enables the administrator of a group to send a strong ‘keep out’ message to those seeking to use that group to sell counterfeit products and who clearly have no scruples about ripping off consumers, selling unsafe products or damaging local businesses.”

Gavin Terry, Chair of the National Markets Group for IP Protection, said: “Online and social media marketplaces are a growing phenomenon, offering many economic and social benefits. Just like markets and car boot fairs in the physical world, local buy-sell groups on social media platforms can provide great bargains and a friendly, lively environment for individuals to trade with each other. However, as online and social media marketplaces are not uniformly regulated, they can offer easy opportunities for those who wish to stay below the radar and trade illegally, particularly in counterfeits and copyright infringing products.

“When illicit traders move into a local selling group, a whole host of problems follow. Consumers are ripped off and sold inferior, potentially dangerous goods; revenue is lost from the economy to the black market; and often the trade in fakes is linked to the funding of organised crime.”

Mike Andrews, National Co-ordinator of the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, said: “Most shoppers and the administrators of buy-sell groups would be horrified to think that they may, unwittingly, be funding organised crime. And many administrators are not aware that, ultimately, they could be held responsible for allowing illegal products to be advertised by members of their group. The Real Deal Online programme is designed to help. It offers anyone running a local selling group the opportunity to work closely with participating Trading Standards Services who will help them to introduce procedures to deter illicit traders from joining the group and causing harm.”

Anyone running a buy-sell group in their area, who wishes to sign-up to the Real Deal Online Code of Practice, should contact their local Trading Standards Service.

More information on the Real Deal campaign is at www.realdealmarkets.co.uk

Community

Weather presenter spotted filming in Pembrokeshire

Published

2 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WELL-KNOWN Welsh weather presenter was spotted in Pembrokeshire as he filmed scenes for a new series celebrating the county’s coastline.

Derek Brockway, who has been a familiar face on BBC Wales since 1995, was in St Davids recently working on another instalment of his popular walking series along the Pembrokeshire Coast.

Local resident Thomas Tudor said it was “lovely” to meet the broadcaster during filming, posing for a photograph alongside his mother, Beryl Tudor, and sister, Bethan Thomas Price.

Brockway, who is based at BBC Cymru Wales in Cardiff, is widely known not only for his weather forecasts across television, radio and online, but also for his programmes showcasing Wales’ landscapes and coastal paths.

The latest filming in St Davids is expected to form part of an upcoming series highlighting the natural beauty and walking routes of Pembrokeshire, an area long regarded as one of the jewels in Wales’ tourism crown.

Ministry of Defence

Defence families in Wales to save up to £6,000 under new childcare scheme

Published

3 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A MAJOR new childcare support scheme for Armed Forces families will be rolled out across Wales from September 2026, the UK Government has announced.

The initiative is expected to save eligible families up to £6,000 per child each year, providing a significant boost to household finances amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

The scheme will be delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s existing Early Years childcare reimbursement system and will bring Wales in line with the level of support already available to forces families in England.

Today, 19/03/2026 The Secretary of State for Defence John Healey visited Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh, home to 3rd Battalion the Rifles. He met with families to launch a new scheme for Defence Families in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Ministers say the move is part of a wider effort to improve recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces, with childcare costs identified as a key pressure affecting morale.

The new support will cover children from nine months old until they reach three years of age in Wales and Scotland, and up to four years old in Northern Ireland.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP announced the scheme during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

He said: “Our Armed Forces families are at the heart of our nation’s security. As the demands on defence increase, it is right that we step up our support for those who serve.

“This offer will ensure more military families get the childcare support they need, wherever they are posted.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: “Service families in Wales make huge sacrifices and deserve the best possible support.

“They contribute not only to our national security but also to the Welsh economy. This scheme delivers meaningful help with the cost of childcare.”

The scheme will reimburse the difference in early years childcare costs for eligible working families. To qualify, both parents must be in employment and meet the income thresholds required for a Tax-Free Childcare account.

Hundreds of families across Wales are expected to benefit.

The announcement forms part of a broader package of support introduced since July 2024, including improved military housing, the largest Armed Forces pay rise in two decades, and plans to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

Further details will be provided in the coming months, with families encouraged to begin considering childcare arrangements ahead of the scheme’s launch.

Community

Broad Haven volunteers secure ‘national asset’ status for nature reserve

Published

3 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SMALL stretch of woodland and former opencast coal mine has been transformed into a nationally recognised biodiversity site, in a major first for Wales.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve has been awarded ‘Naturfa’ status, becoming the first community-managed site in Wales to receive the designation.

The recognition, confirmed by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, classifies the reserve as an “Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM). This means the volunteer-led work of the Support the Boardwalk group will now contribute directly to Wales’ 30×30 target – the global commitment to protect 30% of land, freshwater and sea for nature by 2030.

In a further boost, the site has also been included in the National Forest for Wales, recognising its role in strengthening a connected network of woodlands and habitats across the country.

Once a simple local walkway, the Slash Pond has developed into a thriving wildlife haven. The reserve now supports a wide range of species, including critically endangered European eels, otters, ten species of bat, and more than fifty species of birds, alongside diverse aquatic plants and insects.

Huw Irranca-Davies said: “These special places are a testament to the care and dedication of people working on the ground – securing a legacy for future generations. Nature can only thrive where habitats are resilient, protected and effectively managed.”

The new status is expected to unlock future funding opportunities, supporting long-term plans for maintaining the boardwalk, monitoring biodiversity and water quality, installing new signage, and expanding environmental education work with Broad Haven Primary School and the wider Havens community.

Andy Drumm, a volunteer with Support the Boardwalk, said: “We’ve always known how special the Slash Pond is, but this recognition puts it firmly on the map as a national asset. It’s a tribute to years of hard work and shows that local communities can lead the way in tackling the nature crisis.”

To mark the achievement, a Spring Family Fun Day will take place on Friday (May 9) from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Slash Pond car park.

The event will feature guided nature walks, pond dipping, a wildlife treasure trail, live music, and family activities including crafts and face painting. The official unveiling of the Naturfa certificate and new reserve branding will also take place, alongside the launch of a new book, From Culm to Calm: A History of the Slash Pond by local author David Meanwell.

Karen Riggs, a long-time volunteer, said: “This achievement belongs to everyone in Broad Haven who has supported the site over the years. We’re not just celebrating a new title – we’re celebrating what our community has built together.”

The day will also see the installation of new benches at the observation decks and the launch of a floating island habitat to support wildfowl and other bird species. Visitors will also be invited to share feedback on plans for an improved picnic area designed to withstand local flooding.

Naturfa is a Welsh Government initiative recognising areas outside traditional protected sites, such as SSSIs, that are managed in ways which deliver long-term benefits for biodiversity.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve is managed by the Support the Boardwalk group in partnership with The Havens Community Council, and is maintained entirely by volunteers.

Further information and updates are available via the Support the Boardwalk Facebook page.