POLICE have now confirmed the identities of the teachers injured in the alleged attack at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, on Wednesday, April 24.

Fiona Elias, Liz Hopkins, and a teenager were taken to hospital with knife injuries, which were thankfully not life threatening. They were all discharged from hospital by the next day.

They have each provided a statement, and now ask for privacy for themselves and their families.

Fiona Elias, Assistant Headteacher, said: “From the bottom of my heart, my family and I would like to say a huge thank you for all the messages we have received from far and wide over the past few days. I am deeply indebted to the Police, Ambulance Service, and the NHS staff in Morriston for their excellent care and quick response.

“Many thanks also to the Air Ambulance for their excellent care of my colleague, Liz. This is another example of how vital this service is to us in Wales. Three of us were taken to hospital with injuries, but this incident has had an enormous impact on my colleagues and the wonderful pupils we have at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.

“I cannot comprehend what staff and pupils experienced on Wednesday. I would like to thank all members of staff for prioritising the welfare and safety of pupils at the school for four hours, and the pupils for responding so maturely and sensibly in a situation that no one expects to happen.

“One of our school’s core values is ‘resilience’, and there is no doubt that pupils have demonstrated this value in coping with a situation they should never have experienced. The last few days have shown that there is no other community quite like the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman community, and we will be working to support each other in the coming days and weeks.

“Many thanks to the parents of the school for their co-operation and understanding at such a difficult time and of course to the wider community and external agencies who have been so willing to support the staff and pupils. I understand that there has been great interest in this incident, but for the benefit of my family, colleagues, and pupils, I now ask for privacy.”

Liz Hopkins, Additional Learning Needs Coordinator, said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for the support shown to me and my family since the incident on Wednesday.

“I am deeply indebted to all the emergency services for their quick response and for the care provided to me and others who were admitted to hospital.

“Ysgol Dyffryn Aman is a big part of my life, and it is hard to comprehend that this has happened. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our school community for all the support and kind messages that I have received. I have been overwhelmed by the kindness from the close community that we have here.

“I believe what we need now is time to reflect on what has happened and therefore ask for privacy for the school, myself and my family, so we can take this time to reflect and recover.”

THE Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant is open and Expressions of Interest (EOI) are welcome.

More than £4million of funding has been distributed to areas where the impact of second home ownership is highest since Pembrokeshire County Council set up the Enhancing Pembrokeshire Grant.

Funded by the Council’s second home council tax premium, there is £700,000 available in 2024-2025 for small and large community groups and projects across the county.

A total of £300,000 is available for small grants up to £15,000 and £400,000 has been allocated for large grants up to £100,000. Small grants are assessed on a rolling programme throughout the year. The closing date for EOIs to the large grant scheme is 14th June, with full applications needed by 12th July 2024.

There is a focus on the well-being objectives including equipping learners with lifelong skills and knowledge for the future; prevention and ensuring vulnerable people are safe; initiatives that deliver decarbonisation, manage climate adaptation and tackle the nature emergency; projects that support communities and build active, resourceful, connected, sustainable and creative places to live and activity that supports the Welsh language within communities

More information about what can be funded and how to apply can be found on the Pembrokeshire County Council website.

To register a project, request an EOI form and access support please email [email protected].

A PEMBROKESHIRE man must remove abandoned cars, scrap and other waste from his land within weeks or face a potential prison sentence following Pembrokeshire County Council court action.

John Goruffydd Arthur Haffield of Fron Haul, Clynderwen, has until May 9th 2024 to clear land east of Gower Villa Lane, Clynderwen after District Judge Pratt granted an injunction to the Council.

The Council sought the injunction after Mr Haffield failed to take action to clear the land following a Council Enforcement Notice issued in 2018.

Mr Haffield pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the Enforcement Notice in March 2021 but there remained no effort to clear the land.

If Mr Haffield does not comply with the injunction he will be guilty of contempt of court and face a potential prison sentence and/or an unlimited fine.

Concerns about the state of the land at Gower Villa Lane date back to 2017 when complaints were received by the Council’s Planning department.

Visits to site discovered a static caravan, abandoned vehicles, machinery, trailers, white goods and significant general waste.

The Council wrote to Mr Haffield asking that the land be cleared within 28 days.

Further letters followed before Mr Haffield finally responded in January 2018, claiming that he intended to clear the site by that August.

When that work was not undertaken the Enforcement Notice was issued.

Mr Haffield initially appealed but failure to communicate with the Planning Inspectorate saw the appeal closed and the prosecution for failing to comply proceed.

Mr Haffield was fined £500 and ordered to pay £550 in costs and surcharge.

At the County Court earlier this month, District Judge Pratt said Mr Haffield had a lack of understanding of the seriousness of the proceedings.

The Council was awarded costs of £1,132.The injunction requires the removal all un-roadworthy vehicles, articulated box trailer, static caravan, various tanks, tyres, piping, baths, patio heater, machinery, white goods, scrap metals, plastics, timber and all other waste materials by May 9.

All of the above must be disposed of at an authorised location.

Council Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery, Cllr Jon Harvey, said: “I welcome the decision to grant the injunction in this case and thank the Planning Enforcement and Legal Teams for their work
“It is a shame that this situation has got to a point where the Council has had no option but to take this course of action.
“This case is a prime example of what happens if you do not engage with planning colleagues or ignore enforcement notices. The problem will not go away.”