Community

Po-Palestine protest planned on International Women’s Day in Haverfordwest

Published

9 months ago

March 6, 2024

ON International Women’s day (Mar 8) Women from the local Pro-Palestinian Group Solidarity with Palestine Pembrokeshire & Stop the War Pembrokeshire will lead a rally and deliver a petition to Stephen Crabb’s Office aimed to highlight the 12,300 children and babies as well as the 8,400 Women who have so far been slaughtered in Gaza at the hands of Israel’s genocide over the last few months. The rally will assemble at 3pm on Castle square. There will then be a peaceful procession led by women and children to deliver letters and the petition to Stephen Crabb’s office.

Since October 7, local demonstrations have repeatedly marched on Stephen Crabb’s constituency office as well as targeting Marks & Spencer and Barclays bank over their support for Israel’s war and occupation in Palestine, weekly vigils have also been held. Weekly letters including invitations to meet with the group to discuss the situation have also been sent to Stephen Crabb. The group have recently set up a Change.org petition urging Stephen Crabb MP to Condemn Bombings and Support Peace in Palestine.

Organisers of the demonstration issued this plea: “On International Women’s Day, Friday 8th March Please join us on Castle Square, Haverfordwest at 3pm to make a stand for Palestine.”

“We are asking the women, children and families of West Wales to come together in solidarity with Palestinian women, children and families. We want to draw attention to the genocide that is happening in Gaza and we want to hold the local MP in Haverfordwest, Stephen Crabb, accountable for his continued support of the Israeli Government in all if its genocidal actions. The United Nations has described Gaza as a graveyard for children. Current figures estimate that 12,300 babies and children have been killed but this is rising every day. Please join us with your children and families for a peaceful protest. Bring placards, poems, paintings, banners, letters to read out. But most of all bring yourselves and use International Women’s day to come together and show solidarity with women in Palestine.”

The devastating impact this is having on Women and children makes for “gruelling reading”, one of the organisers said: Since October 7th, over 30,228 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza,12,300 of these were children and 8,400 women. A staggering 71,377 have been injured with over 8,000 more missing & presumed dead. Women & Children are having to have caesareans and limbs amputated with absolutely no anaesthetic whatsoever. 15 children are known to have died from starvation already. There has been a 300% increase in incidents of miscarriages and 19,000 children have been orphaned.

As well as this, 1.7 million Palestinians are now displaced with desperately limited access to food, medicines and water, 1.5 million of them crammed into Rafah because Israel has destroyed over half of all Gaza’s residential homes, that’s over 360,000 homes destroyed and Israel has also destroyed over 280 schools.

Key organiser; Anna Monroe said: “As a new mother myself, it breaks my heart over and over to witness the mass killing of so many people. I especially struggle to cope with the murder of children and babies, nearly 13,000 now!!. I am filled with grief and feel so helpless, so one thing I can do is to go to my MP and ask him how he can support this. Is he ok with killing babies?? If not, why is he not only allowing but actively supporting the violence to continue? Would he support the killing of my baby? If the answer is no, then does he think Palestinian babies are less worthy of life than mine? I hope that us bringing our children to his office might help the gravity of what’s happening sink in.”

As part of delivering weekly open letters to Stephen Crabb on Palestine, This week’s letter focussed on Islamophobia from within the Conservative party itself, pointing to the controversy around racist rhetoric coming from key Tories such as Suella Braverman & Lee Anderson, the letter went on to highlight recent incidents of Islamophobic hate speech and attacks locally in Pembrokeshire and asked Stephen Crabb: “Would you support an independent investigation into racism within the Conservative Party?”.

Urging mothers and families to attend Friday’s protest, local campaigner Tasmin Nash said: “At the time of writing 17,000 children in Gaza are unaccompanied as their parents have been killed or separated from them due to the continuous Israeli onslaught on Palestinians. As a mother of four, I am appalled at the disregard for the universal rights of children in Gaza. An unprecedented number of babies and children have been injured and murdered over the last 150 days and despite constantly writing to our local MP Steven Crabb to call for a Ceasefire, our pleas are being ignored by Crabb, the Chairman of the Conservative Friends of Israel. We will continue to voice our opposition to genocide and stand for humanity.”

All details of Friday’s demonstration can be found at the group’s Facebook Page.

Community

Rent in Pembrokeshire rises 7% over past year

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2024

Design Team

NEW figures reveal that private rental costs in Pembrokeshire have climbed by 7% in the past year, with the average monthly rent reaching £625 in October. This is a significant increase from £582 a year earlier and represents a 22% rise over the past five years, where the average rent was estimated at £511.

The data, collected by Rent Officers Wales as part of the Housing and Regeneration Division, highlights growing pressure on tenants amidst rising costs. The collection aims to cover approximately 15% of the rental market by gathering data from landlords and letting agents.

Across Wales, the average monthly rent has risen 8% year-on-year to £766. Cardiff recorded the highest rental cost in the country at £1,062 per month, while Powys had the lowest at £556.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, commented on the challenges faced by renters in a press statement sent to The Pembrokeshire Herald. She said: “Getting good news about your rent is about as common as discovering your housemates have washed up for you, or your landlord suggesting you get a dog. For many, the only way out of the endless cycle of rising costs is to buy, but that’s far easier said than done when rents absorb so much of your income.”

The situation is compounded by a lack of available rental properties. Nathan Emerson, chief executive at Propertymark, explained: “As we continue to see further increases in rental prices across the UK, our members emphasize the lack of rental stock versus an ever-growing number of tenants. Selling up or turning to the short-term letting market has become a more attractive option for landlords due to challenging legislative changes and increased financial liabilities.”

Breakdown of Rental Costs in Pembrokeshire

The figures show a range of costs depending on property type and size in Pembrokeshire:

– A one-bedroom property: £462 per month

– A two-bedroom property: £576 per month

– A three-bedroom property: £732 per month

– Homes with four or more bedrooms: £934 per month

By property type:

– Detached houses: £768 per month

– Semi-detached houses: £653 per month

– Terraced houses: £629 per month

– Flats or maisonettes: £521 per month

In October, the average rent for private properties across Great Britain stood at £1,307 per month—up 9% compared to the same period last year. This equates to an increase of £105 per month.

As landlords adapt to changing regulations and financial pressures, the shortage of rental properties continues to push prices higher, creating further challenges for tenants across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

Climate

Pembrokeshire group plans for larger community wind turbine

Published

1 day ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A NORTH Pembrokeshire group which has raised more than £76,000 from its community wind turbine for local projects is hoping to expand with a bigger turbine.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd is hoping to get permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.

The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.

In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.

“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”

In 2015, TBG raised its 50 per cent share of capital funding for the project by means of loans from 28 local individuals and four community groups, contributing a total of £286,500, the other 50 per cent contributed by landowners Parc-y-Morfa Farms Ltd.

The statement added: “Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine. By the end of 2022, all loans had been repaid, allowing the launch of TBG’s Community Climate Fund. This year we have awarded our third round of grants bringing the total amount granted to £76,036.”

In 2022, £15,274 was awarded to seven projects, including Fishguard Sports AFC to install solar panels on their clubhouse as part of their Tregroes Park development, Ysgol Bro Gwaun for their Increasing Biodiversity and Bees project, and Nevern Valley Veg / Llysiau Cwm Nyfer to install a solar powered vegetable irrigation scheme.

In 2023, £39,85 was made available for seven projects, including Sea Trust Wales to part fund the installation of solar panels on the Ocean Lab roof and to produce a display on solar technology, Letterston Memorial Hall to part fund the installation of an air source heat pump heating system, and Fishguard and Goodwick Rugby Club to install solar panels on their clubhouse.

2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun to insulate their loft to reduce heating loss, Parc Cerrig Growers for developing a rainwater harvesting system with a pond to irrigate their allotments, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture for an electric cargo bike for delivering organic vegetables in the Fishguard and St Davids areas, and Nevern Valley Veg to develop wildlife ponds and rainwater harvesting for food production.

The supporting documentation concludes: “The repowering of the existing turbine at Trebover would require a limited increase in turbine size which would result in a very limited change in landscape and visual effects in comparison to the existing Trebover turbine.”

The application will be considered by planners at a later date.

Community

Council warns of icy conditions as temperatures drop

Published

2 days ago

November 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ROAD users in Pembrokeshire are being urged to exercise caution tonight as temperatures are forecast to dip below freezing.

Pembrokeshire County Council has announced that road surface temperatures could reach as low as -2°C, with the possibility of sleet or snow on higher ground. In response, precautionary salting of the county’s primary routes will be carried out this evening and overnight.

A spokesperson for the council said: “Road users are advised to take care if travelling on untreated roads.”

Motorists are reminded to plan ahead and drive carefully, particularly in areas that may not have been treated.