IN the days when Sara Edwards’ great-grandmother farmed, agriculture had an informal network of mentors in the shape of her neighbouring farmers, sharing ideas and passing on knowledge. Three generations later and Sara sees the Farming Connect Mentoring programme as the modern-day equivalent.

The former BBC journalist returned to Pantyfen Uchaf, her family’s 200-acre farm on the Carmarthenshire-Ceredigion border, to continue the work of her father, John Edwards.

Throughout his many years of looking after the farm he has seen great value in
agri-environment schemes, planting 2,000 native trees and managing 1.5 miles of riverbank along the River Teifi.

Sara shares his passion for nature and the environment but is the first to admit that what she lacked when she took on the management of the farm was her father’s practical knowledge. “I realised how little I knew about how things worked, but what I did know was how much I wanted to learn,’’ she says.

That gap was quickly bridged thanks to the Farming Connect Mentoring programme.

The scheme allows farmers and foresters to receive support and guidance from their peers on a wide range of topics.

The mentor Sara was matched with was her near neighbour, Ioan Williams, who has undertaken substantial environmental work on his own farm including many kilometres of hedgerow restoration and double fencing, tree planting and fencing streamside corridors.

With his support and guidance since September 2020, Sara has planted hedgerows and small blocks of woodland and coppiced hedgerows.

“Last year we carried out a programme of hedge coppicing and gapping up and recreated one of the original fields,’’ Sara explains.

From their very first meeting, she has felt her confidence grow. “Ioan has walked the farm with me and my observational skills have improved with his guidance. He has made me more aware of the possibilities.

Ioan’s comprehensive understanding of agri-environment schemes has also helped Sara with her applications for initiatives including the Glastir Small Grants scheme, the Habitat Wales Scheme and, with one eye on the future, with her understanding of the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme.

“If I am hesitant about applying for a particular scheme Ioan will get me to question what I want to achieve and gives me the courage to take on the right schemes for our farm, and I am carrying on with what my dad has always done, he has always been keen on planting here, and putting up nesting boxes.

“I am now the one who is physically doing these things and future proofing the farm for the next generation. It feels really good to see the farm in good heart while helping the environment and encouraging more wildlife.’’

Registering her interest with the Farming Connect Mentoring programme was a good decision, she says.

“It is a good feeling to feel connected to Farming Connect, it has certainly made me aware of what sort of things we can be involved in.

“As farmers we are all on a journey, all on a learning curve, and there is so much we can gain from the services that Farming Connect can provide.’’

POLICE confirmed this week that they are investigating an incident which occurred in the early hours of Sunday (Jun 23) in Pembroke Dock.

The police said that a 47-year-old woman was taken to hospital after being found with injuries on Pembroke Road, Pembroke Dock.

Witnesses at the scene described seeing a “pool of blood” on the pavement.

Detectives were seen doing door-to-door inquiries with local residents to collect statements from anyone who heard the disturbance or saw anything happen, The Herald understands.

A 32-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and released on bail pending further police enquiries.

After being treated, the woman was later discharged.

Speaking on Sunday, a resident living nearby the location of the incident, who spoke on condition of not being named, said: “We haven’t really been told anything yet, but the are loads of police here, and it looks like quite a serious incident has happened.

“The road was been closed off since the early hours of the morning with police tape. The pub is on the corner, and this happened just on the other side of the road of the side of it, just near where by neighbours had their wall repaired.

“Its quite frightening as we seem to be having a lot of trouble in the Dock at the moment, I hope that everyone involved is okay.”

The police have asked for help in piecing together what happened.

Officers have asked that anyone with any information that could help with their investigation report it to Dyfed-Powys Police, by calling 101. If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.

Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
Quote reference: DP-20240623-044

THE NUMBER of people crossing the English Channel in small boats during Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s tenure is poised to exceed 50,000 within the next 24 hours. This milestone comes as Sunak nears the end of his twentieth month in office, a stark contrast to the thirty-five months it took his predecessor, Boris Johnson, to reach the same figure.

The UK government says it wants to send some asylum seekers to Rwanda to deter people from crossing the English Channel in small boats.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak says if he wins the general election, the first flights will leave for Rwanda later in July.

But Keir Starmer has pledged to scrap the Rwanda scheme if Labour wins and would instead use counter-terrorism powers to stop gangs smuggling people across the Channel.

As of Saturday evening, the tally of small boat arrivals under Sunak’s leadership stood at 49,709. With three Border Force catamarans already active in the Channel and favourable weather conditions predicted for the next day, the count is expected to increase significantly before midday on Monday.

Currently, 2024 is on track to be the most challenging year on record for small boat arrivals. The total number of arrivals this year stands at 12,646, with projections indicating it will surpass 13,000 within the next 24 hours. This would be the first time such a figure has been reached before the midpoint of the year.

Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s Shadow Paymaster General, criticised Sunak’s handling of the situation, stating, “Rishi Sunak will always be known as the Prime Minister who broke his promises to Britain. He pledged to stop the boats, yet 50,000 people have made the crossing on his watch. This year is shaping up to be the worst ever for small boat arrivals.”

Ashworth also highlighted other areas where he believes Sunak has failed, including rising national debt, increased NHS waiting lists, and economic recession. He pointed out that Sunak’s promise to cut taxes resulted in the highest tax burden in 70 years and accused the Prime Minister of not maintaining integrity in Downing Street.

On Sunday morning, three of the five Border Force catamarans were deployed from Ramsgate to assist with operations in the Channel. Additionally, RNLI lifeboats were in use. Historical data shows that 2024 has seen a 16% increase in arrivals compared to the same period last year, with the total number of arrivals since 2018 now standing at 126,968. Notably, nearly 40% of these crossings have occurred during Sunak’s premiership.

Labour’s Five-Point Plan

Labour has proposed a comprehensive five-point plan to reform the asylum system:

1. Border Security Command: Establish a new elite Border Security Command to combat people smuggling gangs.
2. End Hotel Use: Halt the use of hotels for asylum seekers within 12 months and expedite returns to safe countries.
3. Resettlement Reform: Redesign resettlement schemes to include a clearer process for refugees with UK family connections.
4. International Agreements: Negotiate new agreements for safe returns and family reunions for child refugees.
5. Humanitarian Aid: Address humanitarian crises at their source and restore the 0.7% aid commitment when fiscally possible.

Ashworth concluded by urging voters to choose Labour for meaningful change, stating, “Change will only come if you vote for it with Labour.”