THE PORT OF MILFORD HAVEN and Blue Horizons Surf School are proud to announce a new partnership that enables more inclusive access to the Milford Haven Waterway. The monthly boat trips onboard a vessel that can facilitate safe embarkation for wheelchair users are enabling more people to safely enjoy the waterway and the associated wellbeing benefits that brings.

As custodians of the Milford Haven Waterway, the Port of Milford Haven actively promotes, encourages and enables sustainable recreational use of the Haven. There is increasing recognition of the importance of spending time in and around the water and nature, also known as ‘blue spaces’, and studies have proven it to have a positive impact on physical and mental wellbeing.

Blue Horizons Surf School is a Community Interest Company offering surf lessons, beach days and coastal exploration for children and adults in Pembrokeshire. This collaboration merges the dedication Blue Horizon has to inclusivity and the Port’s commitment to providing a safe and enjoyable waterway, as well as equality and diversity.

The Port of Milford Haven’s community outreach programme focuses on providing opportunities for young people, enjoyment of the waterway and promoting skills and jobs. The boat trips, which are on board a vessel provided by Dale Sailing in Neyland, will take small groups to explore the different areas of the Milford Haven Waterway. Each trip is adapted to the needs of those attending to ensure it’s a safe space to socialise and explore.

Oliver Bird from Blue Horizons Surf School, said “The inspiration for these boat trips in Pembrokeshire was born from listening to individuals and families with shared experiences in order to understand what was needed to make a boat trip truly accessible. The trips give everyone the opportunity to safely and comfortably experience the open seas, seeing a different aspect of our beautiful coastline and learning about our fascinating waterway. The feedback has shown it has positively impacted so many in varied ways; the calming effects of watching the water swirl by, the salt air helping bring a better night’s sleep, the support of a team onboard and the company of like-minded people allowing them the chance to relax and enjoy an adventurous activity together. Every trip has a unique story to tell and we feel very privileged to be a part of it.”

Supporting the trips, Coxswain at the Port of Milford Haven, Graham Howells added: “After a conversation with a friend whose son has cerebral palsy and autism, it became apparent that accessible adventure activities in Pembrokeshire were severely limited. Blue Horizons had been running accessible surfing sessions last summer, but their season had to come to a halt as the water temperature dropped in the autumn. The idea that we might be able to get people and their carers out on a warm dry boat was met with great enthusiasm by all partners concerned. It is my great pleasure to be involved on behalf of the Port of Milford Haven. We are extremely grateful for the Port’s financial support and to Dale Sailing for the use of an accessible boat. I hope this is just the beginning of an exciting opportunity to provide accessible activities and respite for service users, their families and carers.”

Communications and Marketing Director at the Port, Anna Malloy, commented “We’re really excited to be partnering with Blue Horizons. At the Port we’re committed to ensuring safe enjoyment of the Milford Haven Waterway for all, and who knows, maybe the experience of being out on the waters will inspire some of the passengers to consider a career in maritime. What a fantastic outcome that would be!”

For more information about the boat trips, contact Blue Horizons CIC Surf Club on Facebook.

POLICE confirmed on Wednesday (Jul 3) that a body has been found in the search for a missing 85-year-old man from Cross Hands.

Dyfed-Powys Police launched an appeal to help find Charles after he was reported missing from his home last week.

It was believed he had last been seen in the Brynamman area.

Charles’ family have been informed, police sad.

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “Sadly, we can confirm a body has been found in the search for Charles.

“Formal identification has not been completed however his next of kin have been informed, and our thoughts are with the family.”

• Welsh milk sourced, processed, and bottled exclusively in Wales

PEMBROKESHIRE CREAMERY has officially launched its cutting-edge milk processing facility in Pembrokeshire, marking a significant milestone in its mission to bring ‘fully Welsh’ milk to Welsh consumers.

The creamery opened on Tuesday (Jul 2). It is the only BRCGS-accredited liquid milk facility in Wales, meaning it is the only facility able to supply major retailers in Wales with Welsh milk. By removing the need for Welsh milk to be transported to bottling plants in England, Pembrokeshire Creamery is reducing food miles, increasing supply chain efficiency, creating new skilled jobs, and supporting local farming communities.

Pembrokeshire Creamery, which has created around 80 new jobs, has the capacity to bottle more than a million litres of milk a week and has recently announced major deals to supply own-branded milk to Asda and Lidl stores across Wales. When the dairy reaches full capacity, it will be able to supply around 2 million litres of milk a week.

The development of Pembrokeshire Creamery was initially supported by the Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire County Council when they formed a joint venture to create the Pembrokeshire Food Park. This was instrumental as it created the plots and infrastructure required (drainage, water, and power) for Pembrokeshire Creamery to locate its new state-of-the-art dairy.

Subsequent Welsh Government support was awarded with £5 million grant funding through the Food Business Investment Scheme and an additional £1.4 million of grant funding from the Food Business Accelerator Scheme.

Funding support has also been provided by HSBC and to date, nearly £20 million has been invested in the site to process high-quality Welsh milk that is farmed, bottled, and sold in Wales.

The company recently announced plans to support the development of a second milk processing line and automated trolley fillers, meeting the growing demand for locally sourced Welsh milk while ensuring the industry’s future sustainability.

Commenting on the opening, Mark McQuade, managing director of Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd said: “This has been a great opportunity to celebrate our early successes and all that means for the people that we’ve employed and the dairy farmers who we work with. We’re creating new markets with major retailers for authentic Welsh milk which in turn is helping us complete our mission to deliver sustainably sourced Welsh milk, bottled right here in Wales while offering a fair and transparent price to farmers.

“We are already committing to more investment and increasing our capacity – and we would like to thank all of the people locally, our staff and suppliers, who have supported us as we’ve built and opened our new state-of-the-art facility,” he said.

Huw Irranca-Davies, Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said: “I am delighted that the new Pembrokeshire Creamery has started processing Welsh milk for Lidl and Asda. This new facility, supported by Welsh Government Rural Development investment underlines the commitment of the Welsh Government to the dairy sector in Wales. This investment ensures that milk which previously had to be transported to England is now processed in Wales. As a result, Welsh consumers will now be able to buy Welsh milk, produced in Wales.

“This commitment is part of our vision for achieving growth and productivity improvement which benefits the workforce, people and society. It also supports the industry to reach high levels of sustainability, raising the Food and Drink industry’s reputation in Wales, the UK and overseas,” he said.

Led by an experienced team, Pembrokeshire Creamery emphasises fair pricing for farmers who tirelessly produce high-quality Welsh milk. Their commitment extends to paying a fair market-related price for dairy farmers, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare, which is consistent with their aspiration to be at the forefront of the dairy industry.

At the heart of Pembrokeshire Creamery’s mission lies a commitment to sourcing 100% of its milk from Welsh cows, reducing food miles, and supporting local farming communities. Their ultimate goal is to be the leading supplier of Welsh milk.

Images Martin Cavaney/Pembrokeshire Creamery