News
Change in the political landscape gives hope to millions of 1950s women
LOCAL organiser of the Pembrokeshire & Carmarthen West group, Jackie Gilderdale, said that there could be light at the end of the tunnel. Whilst congratulating Keir Starmer on becoming the new Prime Minister, Jackie said she hopes that he and the newly appointed DWP Minister, Liz Kendall, will accept an invitation for mediation talks with the Leaders of All 50s Women’s Groups as soon as possible.
All three Elected MPs who are linked to the local group, due to the boundary changes, Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru); Henry Tufnell (Labour) and Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru) have been contacted by the local group who have asked to meet with them as soon as possible. Jackie said that she has a great relationship with Ben Lake MP already, after doing multiple awareness raising sessions about the 50s Women’s campaign across Ceredigion a few years ago. Plaid Cymru have also said they’ll support a Public Inquiry should the women be forced down that route.
After years of lobbying, attending meetings and providing evidence, Welsh Parliament drew up the ask of Wales in March this year, based on proven maladministration in full and proven discrimination. This ask was sent to the then Conservative Government & former DWP minister, Mel Stride. This will be presented again to the new UK Labour Government, who received a copy back in March 2024.
Keir Starmer has quoted quite often, during multiple campaigns for the 1950s women, that they must be compensated as there is a “debt of honour”. Jackie said, we will now hold him to this.
3.6 million women were impacted by the raise in the state pension age, most without notice. Approximately 270,000 have died during this campaign and currently one 50s born woman dies every 13.5 minutes. So many will never see their state pension, or any financial redress and that’s why the ask from Welsh Parliament is so important and includes posthumous payments to those who’ve passed away.
Over £180 billion was saved by the former Chancellor, George Osbourne, when he made the reckless decision to raise the state pension age in the name of Tory austerity. That money must be used for financial redress in line with the ask from Welsh Parliament.
As Baroness Brenda Hale, President of the Supreme Court stated: “The fundamental principles of equal treatment cannot depend upon how much money happens to be available in the public coffers at any one particular time……That argument would not avail a private employer and it should not avail the state.”
The local group have contacted MPs Henry Tufnell (Labour), Ben Lake & Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru) for imminent meetings. They will also resume their work with Delyth Jewell & Ioan Bellin, Plaid Cymru at the Senedd.
EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).
Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.
On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.
A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”
POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.
Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.
He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.
Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 
| Online portal
| 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk
| Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.
Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy
MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.
The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.
Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.
Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”
Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”
The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.
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