Community

Anchorage Day Centre given last minute stay of execution

Published

1 year ago

September 25, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A SUCCESSFUL ‘call-in’ by the leader of Pembrokeshire’s main political opposition group could see a breathing space for Pembroke Dock’s Anchorage day centre, due to close in little over a month.

The ‘call-in,’ made by Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy at the September 23 extraordinary meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s social care overview and scrutiny committee, was supported by fellow group members.

The county council is currently changing care provision for older adults and those with learning disabilities, and closure of Pembroke Dock’s Anchorage day care centre was agreed by senior councillors at the September 9 meeting of the council’s Cabinet.

This follows a series of engagement events at The Anchorage, outlining the reasons and the options in continued service, part of which is much-needed building maintenance costs at the centre, set against a background of increasingly tight budgets, councillors have heard.

The Anchorage Day Care Centre in Pembroke Dock has been a “safe and happy place” for adults with learning difficulties and additional needs for decades.

In more recent years it has expanded to support elderly dementia sufferers, but numbers attending the centre have declined, especially post-Covid, previous reports for councillors have said.

At the July meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, members received a petition calling for the council to keep the centre open, with an impassioned plea by Peter Welsh for the centre to remain open.

Despite a plea by local councillors Tony Wilcox and Brian Hall to give the centre a breathing space ahead of a potential move to an as-yet-unbuilt facility at Pembroke’s South Quay development, the matter was brought to the September meeting of the council’s Cabinet, when its closure was backed “with effect from November 1, 2024,” along with, as part of wider changes in the service, establishing social enterprise models in Crymych’s Bro Preseli and Narberth’s Lee Davies Centre with effect from April 1, 2025.

The anchorage building is council owned while the other two are not.

After that Cabinet decision, the ‘call-in’ was submitted, saying: “This call in is requested to further examine the financial savings that is claimed will occur through closure (Anchorage) of one day centre and moving two other day centres (Lee Davies & Bro Preseli) to a social enterprise model. Further scrutiny is required to establish the robustness of the proposed social enterprise models to provide an adequate service to replace that currently in place through PCC.”

Speaking at the September 23 meeting, safeguarding champion Cllr Murphy said it would be “a dereliction of duty” if he “did not speak up,” adding: “Listen and do the right thing and return this to Cabinet and we will work with you.”

Cabinet Member for Social Care & Safeguarding Cllr Tessa Hodgson, who had presented the previous reports said the council had listened to concerns raised, saying that while the service was a statutory provision, buildings were not, and the changes were from a need to ensure the service was sustainable, with more than 3,000 adult social care users in the county.

She told members the number of service users attending the Anchorage had declined, with “people making a free choice to access services differently”.

“It’s not about us imposing solutions on people, it’s about us working with them to plan for the future,” she told committee members.

Following a call by Cllr Anji Tinley, committee members agreed, by six votes to five, for the September 9 decision to be referred back to Cabinet for further discussion on the social enterprise model, with a potential piloting in Bro Preseli, along with what bridging options could be considered for the Anchorage while awaiting the South Quay development.

The ‘call-in’ will be considered at a future Cabinet meeting.

Community

Annual charity carol service raises funds for good causes

Published

18 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service held its annual Charity Carol Service on Wednesday (Dec 10) at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel in Crymych.

The event brought together members of the local community alongside Fire Service staff for an evening of carols, readings and festive refreshments, marking the Christmas season in a warm and inclusive atmosphere.

This year’s service supported two important charities — the Fire Fighters Charity and Cancer Research Wales — with all proceeds going directly towards their ongoing work.

A total of £597 was raised on the night, which will be shared equally between the two charities.

The Service thanked the congregation at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel for hosting the event, as well as everyone who gave their time, support and generosity to make the evening such a success.

Community

3 Amigos toy bike run under way across Pembrokeshire

Published

19 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Castle Inn fun runners back festive charity event

THE ANNUAL 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run is under way this afternoon (Saturday), with hundreds of motorcyclists setting off from Pembroke to raise funds for children’s services.

Riders gathered at The Commons car park in Pembroke from around midday before departing shortly after 1:00pm. The festive convoy is travelling along its traditional route, taking in Pembroke Dock and continuing through parts of the county including Neyland, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest.

The event is organised by the 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group and has become a much-anticipated Christmas tradition in west Wales, with toys and donations collected for children receiving care within the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.

Also supporting the event are fun runners from the Castle Inn in Pembroke, who have been fundraising in aid of the 3 Amigos. The group are pictured alongside participants from today’s run.

The 3 Amigos have been raising funds for children’s wards and health charities for more than twenty-five years, with their Easter and Christmas events continuing to make a positive difference to young patients and their families.

Organisers have thanked the public for their support and asked road users to be mindful of the large convoy as it passes through towns and villages this afternoon.

Photo caption:
Festive fundraising: Fun runners from the Castle Inn, Pembroke, pictured supporting the 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run (Pic: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Special delivery of thanks as MP visits Haverfordwest sorting office

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Christmas cheer for posties working through the festive rush

A CHRISTMAS message of thanks was delivered in person this week as Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell paid a visit to Royal Mail staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office.

The MP met postal workers during one of the busiest periods of the year, praising staff for their hard work in ensuring cards, parcels and gifts reach homes across Pembrokeshire in the run-up to Christmas.

Mr Tufnell said postal workers were going “above and beyond” throughout the year, but particularly during the festive period when demand is at its highest and delivery rounds are often made in challenging weather conditions.

He described postal staff as “unsung heroes”, highlighting their role in keeping communities connected and helping families stay in touch at a time when it matters most.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Tufnell said: “Our posties play a vital role in our community, and at Christmas that importance is felt more than ever. They work incredibly hard to make sure gifts and cards from loved ones arrive safely and on time.”

Staff at the Haverfordwest site were pictured alongside the MP, with some embracing the festive spirit in Christmas jumpers and seasonal outfits while continuing their daily work.

The MP also extended his thanks to postal workers across the whole of Pembrokeshire, acknowledging the dedication required to keep services running smoothly during the seasonal rush.

Royal Mail experiences its highest parcel volumes in December, with thousands of additional items passing through local sorting offices each day as Christmas approaches.

Delivering Christmas cheer: Henry Tufnell MP with staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office during a festive visit (Pic: Facebook).