Community

Restoration of iconic Temperance Hall is boost for ‘top of town’

Published

8 months ago

June 5, 2024

TEMPERANCE HALL, cinema, wartime billet and canteen, bingo hall, tax office and Freemasons’ Hall – the stunning Grade II Listed Temperance Hall at the centre of Haverfordwest has seen it all! Now it is being given a new lease of life following its acquisition by Haverfordwest Heritage, a community-run organisation supported by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Its Italianate façade has graced the high street since 1889, a symbol of the town’s collective social history. But after these many incarnations – and like many heritage buildings across the country – it has been unused, unloved and empty since 2009.

Now, through the work of a new Heritage Development Trust called Haverfordwest Heritage, it will once again be brought into public use. The Temperance Hall will be restored and repurposed to create a new Community Printworks which is set to open in summer 2025. This will include providing an exhibition space, print and design workspaces, and a well-equipped workshop with traditional printing presses which will host an exciting programme of courses.

AHF HH images — Archive image of The Temperance Hall (L) and Haverfordwest Printmakers Circle work party prepare to open the hall for a public preview before the renovation work begins (R). Credit Haverfordwest Heritage (L) and Heidi Baker (R).

Richard Blacklaw-Jones from Haverfordwest Heritage said: ‘By opening a welcoming and accessible Community Printworks, the aim is to create services and experiences that attract local people and visitors into the town, provide space and opportunities for creative businesses, develop skills, bring people together and enhance the town.

‘Our neglected heritage buildings symbolise the decline of our once thriving historic town. Unused and left to deteriorate further, The Temperance Hall would have epitomised this decay. But renovated and repurposed this stunning building can be part of the efforts to raise the perception of the town and provide a welcoming new facility.

‘By re-inventing The Temperance Hall as a Community Printworks, we want to help restore Haverfordwest as a vibrant and exciting place to live, work and visit. Community Printworks established in other towns have quickly become successful centres for fun and accessible art making for everyone who wants to have a go, as well as providing access to specialist equipment for professional printmakers. We can’t wait to welcome everyone in to find out more on Saturday 15 June at our open day.’

Heidi Baker, a graphic designer, art and design tutor at Pembrokeshire College and founder of Popty Press – a small design and print studio in the town said: ‘We’ve been testing the community print workshop model at our smaller studio and are thrilled to have the opportunity to move to a larger space to accommodate more printmakers and more activities. Printmaking is a very accessible form of art enabling everyone of all ages and abilities to benefit from getting involved in creative activities.

‘Haverfordwest has so much potential, and I feel excited to be part of a new energy reviving the town. Each little pinprick of new activity may be small, but when they all join up we’ll make our town a place we can be proud of.’

Haverfordwest Heritage is one of 12 Heritage Development Trusts (HDTs) across the UK that are funded through a three-year strategic partnership between the Architectural Heritage Fund and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. These people-powered social enterprises have been created to reimagine, repair, and reuse historic buildings that communities value, reinvesting revenues to build flourishing, prosperous places in every corner of the UK. As well as funding, the HDTs will be supported with expertise and advice as they develop.

The purchase and restoration of the Temperance Hall has been made possible with funding from the Community Ownership Fund, and the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Sir John Perrot Trust, and the Architectural Heritage Fund. Haverfordwest Heritage is now planning the renovation programme and would like to share these exciting plans with the community at an open day at the Temperance Hall on Saturday 15 June when there will be tours, exhibitions and staff on hand to explain more about the plans for the building and how people can get involved.

Kelcey Wilson Lee, Director of Programmes at AHF said: “AHF has been working with communities for nearly fifty years to find enterprising ways to revitalise old buildings by providing advice, grants and loans to put sustainable heritage at the heart of vibrant local economies.

‘We are delighted to have supported the purchase of The Temperance Hall to bring it back into community use as well as the wider work of Haverfordwest Heritage. This is just the start of their work as one of a number of Heritage Development Trusts across the UK, and we look forward to seeing how their work develops to bring about positive change in the town.’

New Chief Executive joins to spearhead wider plans

To drive forward the wider programme of work Haverfordwest Heritage have appointed a new Chief Executive, Stuart Berry. Stuart has joined from PLANED, the West Wales community development charity, where he has worked as the Cultural Coordinator for the past five years. Prior to joining PLANED, Stuart worked in museums in the north of England and west Wales, focusing on connecting people with their local heritage and promoting the role heritage attractions can play in economic and community regeneration.

Stuart said: ‘I am delighted to be taking on this exciting role and look forward to working with the community in Haverfordwest in bringing new life to buildings such as The Temperance Hall. With its rich history, The Temperance Hall is the perfect starting point for Haverfordwest Heritage, and we are thrilled to be able to bring it back into use for the benefit of the town. But it doesn’t stop there, and we would like The Temperance Hall to be the first of many heritage buildings we buy, renovate and repurpose in the town.’

To find out more about the open day on June 15 and the plans for The Temperance Hall visit www.haverfordwestheritage.org.uk

Community

Landfill odour sparks calls for inquiry and legal action

Published

7 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS near Withyhedge landfill in Haverfordwest are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action after foul odours returned just weeks after the site reopened on 6 January.

The landfill, closed last May to address odour issues, was declared fit to reopen by operator RML, which claimed its improvements would protect nearby communities. However, Colin Barnett, of campaign group Stop the Stink, said: “People in Crundale, Haverfordwest, and Spittal are being subjected to horrendous smells again.”

Describing the site as a “stink bomb on steroids,” Barnett supported Conservative MS Paul Davies’ calls for a public inquiry. “We’ve been flanneled by NRW, public health, and Pembrokeshire council. It’s disgraceful,” he said, adding that delays in resolving the issue had left litigation as the only option.

RML, part of Dauson Environmental Group, is owned by businessman David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental crimes in 2013 and 2017. Last year, another of Neal’s companies pleaded guilty to environmental offences.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving 34 complaints since 6 January, with a rise in recent days coinciding with the end of a slurry-spreading ban. However, NRW stated no odours attributable to the landfill were detected and plans to inspect the site with Pembrokeshire council on 29 January.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I’ll keep a very close eye on this, and if concerns persist, we’ll discuss further steps with NRW.”

RML and the Welsh Government declined to comment.

Community

Public transport users urged to ‘check before travelling’ due to storm

Published

8 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRANSPORT FOR WALES and Network Rail are urging all customers to check before they travel on Friday morning and into the weekend with weather warnings in place across the country.

With Storm Eowyn set to hit Wales and winds reaching 90mph on Friday morning, customers should expect disruptions and are strongly urged to check before they travel.

There will be alterations to rail services, replacement road transport on certain routes and blanket speed restrictions at some locations, meaning journeys could take longer than usual.

Stand by buses are being planned at key locations around the network in preparation for travel disruption.

Across Wales and the Borders, Network Rail have positioned response teams to address any storm related problems to keep disruption to a minimum.

TfW Operations Director Sarah Higgins said: “It’s so important for our customers to plan ahead when looking to travel this Friday.

“While we’ve made a number of changes to our services based on detailed forecasts, storms can still be unpredictable.

“We’ve seen the impact storms can have, with damage to trains and infrastructure sometimes taking weeks or months to repair, so our cross-industry approach will hopefully limit that and keep our colleagues and customers safe. We apologise to customers for any disruption to their journeys as a result.”

Network Rail Wales & Borders Operations Director Rachel Heath added: “Our priority is always keeping safe everyone who travels and works on the railway.

“Unfortunately, there will be some delays and cancellations on Friday, as trains will not run on some lines and there will speed restrictions on other parts of the route.

“We are working closely with our train operator colleagues to ensure we can safely reopen affected lines as quickly as possible and urge passengers to check before they travel.”

Rail service changes:

No services to run on the Conwy Valley Line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
No services to run on the Heart of Wales line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
Speed restrictions at various locations around the network, meaning some journeys will take longer than usual. These include:

  50mph speed restrictions imposed from 0200 to 1500 Friday on the North Wales Coast – Bodorgan to Llandudno Junction.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Carmarthen to Kidwelly.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Neath and Swansea.
  50mph restrictions from 0100 – 0800 between Newport and Llanwern.

Customers who have connecting tickets for the following operators who have suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions, we’ll honour tickets dated 24 January on either Thursday 23 January or up to and including Tuesday 28 January.

       London Northeastern Railway
       LUMO
       TransPennine Express
       Northern
       Grand Central
       Avanti

Community

Mid and West Wales Fire Service launches recruitment drive

Published

9 hours ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE MID AND WEST WALES FIRE AND RESCUE SERVICE has announced it is halfway through its recruitment window for Wholetime Firefighters. The service is actively seeking individuals from diverse backgrounds to join their ranks and contribute to the safety and well-being of communities across Mid and West Wales.

Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM emphasised the evolving nature of the firefighter’s role, stating, “The role of a Wholetime Firefighter goes far beyond tackling fires, road traffic collisions and water rescues. Modern-day firefighters play a crucial part in educating the public and working to prevent risks to life and the environment.”

The MAWWFRS is keen to attract applicants with a wide range of skills and experiences, recognising the diverse challenges faced by today’s fire service. “We encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply, emphasising the diverse skill set needed for this challenging yet rewarding career,” added Thomas.

This recruitment initiative is seen as a vital step in ensuring the service has the necessary personnel to respond effectively to emergencies and maintain safety standards across the region. The MAWWFRS covers a vast area, encompassing nearly two-thirds of Wales, making it the third largest Fire and Rescue Service in the United Kingdom.

Prospective candidates are encouraged to visit the MAWWFRS website for detailed information on fitness requirements, the application process, and how to apply. The online registration window closes at 12pm on Monday, 27th January 2025.

As the service continues its mission to create safer communities, this recruitment drive offers an opportunity for individuals to become part of a team that makes a real difference in people’s lives.

Citations:
[1] http://eastwoodacademy.co.uk/docs/How%20to%20write%20a%20newspaper%20article.pdf
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid_and_West_Wales_Fire_and_Rescue_Service
[3] https://midwestwalesfire.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s5689/HR%20People%20and%20Well-Being%20Update%20Report.pdf
[4] https://nickdale.me/2023/05/31/how-to-write-a-newspaper-article/
[5] https://www.gov.wales/find-your-local-fire-and-rescue-service
[6] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/eng/join-us/current-vacancies/
[7] https://www.superprof.co.uk/resources/questions/english/broadsheet-articles.html
[8] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk
[9] https://www.mawwfire.gov.uk/eng/join-us/
[10] https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/body/mid_and_west_wales_fire_and_rescue_service