Community

Volunteering champ Sam keeps his feet on the ground

Published

11 years ago

December 9, 2014

Tom Sinclair

Young achiever: Sam at the awards ceremony with his family.

HE may be the winner of Radio Pembrokeshire’s Volunteering Award but young Sam Davies has his feet well and truly on the ground. He is keen to attribute so much of his success to the St John’s Ambulance Service he has come to love and serve. 17 year-old Sam, who is currently a pupil at Pembroke School, hopes to join the Navy as a student nurse and is convinced that his volunteer work with St John’s is a marvellous stepping stone to success on that journey. “Medicine makes me tick” he says “which is why I first got involved with St John’s. I’ve always had a keen interest in and passion for the emergency services and their work confirmed to me that I want to work on the caring side of things. It is an amazing organisation.

They protect and take care of me as well as train me. I really do feel part of a family.” According to Sam the local division currently has some 15 cadets and a similar number of adults but things were not as healthy a few years ago when he first joined. He explained: “I was nominated by the Divisional Officer Victoria Stevens. There was a time when we were down to three members and she feels that I have done so much to get things off the ground by promoting it especially in school. We are so much stronger now and she has said she could not have done it without me.

She is delighted with what is happening and we seem to be getting so much better known locally which is good.” In nominating Sam Divisional Office Stevens wrote: “He was very quiet at first, but started training in First Aid skills, absorbing the skills and information like a sponge. By the time our busy season for duties started, he was a qualified First aider looking forward to helping his community. In that first season, he completed 234 duty hours and assisted dozens of sick and injured people in Pembrokeshire.He also noted that as a small division we needed help with fundraising.

That year he raised over £600 by doing bag packs in Asda and Tesco. He has performed duties at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, at the National Eisteddfod in Llanelli and regularly helps out at Parc Y Scarlets. He has travelled to Hungary with other cadets from St John Cymru to take part in First Aid simulations and competitions, where he was also roped into teaching local people First Aid there!’’

Sam is nothing if not an enthusiastic supporter of St John’s. “It has been amazing” he continued. “I go to meetings twice a week for training and personal development and then get to work with them over weekends. The amount will depend on the events and the season. We have great fun and all this has allowed me to gain lots of qualifications in youth leadership and personal development as well as first aid.” Sam has had already had a varied experience of health and emergency issues but he has also discovered the importance of sensitivity and compassion: “I have to admit that I have been surprised to see just how important the social side of the work is – comforting and consoling people in the hour of need” he explained.

“It really helps if you are a good talker. I’ve discovered just how important it is to deal with people as people and not just as statistics or numbers.” And through his encounters with role models such as Divisional Office Stevens, Sam Davies has come to see that he could be a link in an inspirational chain too: “My nomination came as a big surprise” he observed. “I had asked Victoria to nominate someone else but she told me that they already had someone in mind. I didn’t exactly guess but I had a suspicion it was me and I hoped I was wrong because I hate being embarrassed and fight shy of the limelight.

I was a bit gobsmacked when my mum told me and I really did not know what to say. But this has given me a big boost and has shown me that if you get stuck into something you can really achieve something. I would really encourage other young people to find something they can enjoy and get stuck into instead of being sat at home doing nothing it’s far better being out there doing something worthwhile I’ve seen the difference it can make when people come up and thank you. You meet so many inspiring people and you simply want to follow them in being an example.”

Divisional Officer Stevens would clearly agree given her nomination. Sam, she wrote: “Has now qualified as a Cadet Trainer – passing on his skills to the other cadets. I have watched him grow from a quiet, shy boy to a confident, self-assured young man who is always willing to assist others, putting them first before himself. I am nominating him for the volunteering award as I firmly believe that he deserves recognition for himself and the things that he has achieved. He is a role model to other young people – a true inspiration.’’

Community

New corporate member joins Narberth & Whitland Rotary

Published

6 hours ago

February 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

NARBERTH & Whitland Rotary has welcomed its first Corporate Member.

On Wednesday (Feb 11), Stephen Vale, Insurance Broker Manager with Lloyd & Whyte in St Clears, was formally inducted at the club.

The induction ceremony was carried out by South Wales District Governor Ian Hughes, following an introduction by Narberth & Whitland Rotary President Robin Bradbury.

Corporate Membership recognises the increasing emphasis businesses place on corporate social responsibility, enabling companies to give back to their local communities through Rotary’s established structures and projects.

Rotary says corporate membership also offers opportunities for staff development, leadership experience, and involvement in fundraising and volunteering activities that deliver tangible benefits to the community.

Pictured (left to right): South Wales District Governor Ian Hughes, Corporate Member Stephen Vale, and Narberth & Whitland President Robin Bradbury.

Community

Second Milford Haven webcam launched after 1.3m views and US TV feature

Published

9 hours ago

February 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Twin live feeds from Herald roof now showcase both marina and Milford Haven Waterway

A SECOND live webcam overlooking Milford Haven has gone live from the roof of 11 Hamilton Terrace — home of The Pembrokeshire Herald — expanding the town’s growing global digital footprint.

The original harbour-facing camera, streamed worldwide via EarthCam, has already clocked up more than 1,300,000 views. It even featured on ABC News in the United States, where the Milford Haven view was broadcast live ahead of a national weather forecast.

That first stream — listed on EarthCam as “Wales Waterway” — looks across Milford Marina and the busy lower reaches of the Haven, capturing ferry departures, commercial shipping, leisure craft and the changing light across the Pembrokeshire skyline.

Now, a second camera has been added, offering a complementary perspective further up the Milford Haven Waterway towards the Cleddau.

A global window on Wales’ largest port

The new feed captures daily activity along the largest port in Wales — from the twice-daily Wales–Ireland ferry sailings to petroleum, oil and gas tankers moving more than 60 million tonnes of cargo each year. Thousands of smaller vessels, from yachts to powerboats, also pass through the Waterway annually.

Together, the two cameras provide twin live perspectives of one of the UK’s most strategically significant maritime corridors.

As dawn broke over Milford Haven this morning, the Waterway lay still beneath a clear sky, the first light spilling across rooftops and masts before stretching out over the wide expanse of the Haven.

From the vantage point of Hamilton Terrace, the scene felt both intimate and expansive — a quiet town waking gently while a major working port prepared for another day of movement and industry.

It is moments like these that help explain the worldwide appeal of the EarthCam streams. Viewers tuning in from across the UK, Europe and North America are not simply watching ships pass; they are witnessing the rhythm of tide and trade, the sweep of weather systems, and the subtle beauty of West Wales unfolding in real time.

From dramatic winter steam plumes rising from power station chimneys to calm summer sunsets over the marina, Milford Haven’s live feeds have become a constantly changing digital canvas.

Watch live

Original harbour view (1.3 million+ views):
https://www.earthcam.com/world/uk/wales/?cam=waleswaterway

New up-the-Waterway view:
https://www.earthcam.com/world/uk/wales/?cam=waleswaterway2

The Herald hopes the second camera will prove just as popular — continuing to put Milford Haven on the global map, one sunrise at a time.

Community

Young people shine at Pembrokeshire Spotlight Awards

Published

2 days ago

February 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

YOUNG people from across the county were recognised for their courage, talent and community spirit at this year’s Pembrokeshire Spotlight Awards.

The fourth annual celebration, organised by Pembrokeshire Youth, the Children and Young People’s Rights Office and Pembrokeshire County Council Children’s Services, honours children and young people who achieve exceptional things and make a real difference in their communities.

Originally planned for November, the event was postponed due to severe weather but successfully went ahead on Thursday (Feb 6) at the Merlin Theatre, Pembrokeshire College, thanks to support from sponsors BAM Nuttall, Milford Haven Port Authority, Pure West Radio and Ascona Group.

Councillor Marc Tierney, Cabinet Member for Young People, Communities and the Wellbeing of Future Generations, praised those taking part.

He said: “It was a privilege to hear how our young people have triumphed within their own lives and within their communities. Huge thanks go to the organisers and sponsors who made this celebration possible.”

Chair of council Cllr Maureen Bowen added: “The evening was a joy to attend. It highlighted the incredible talent of Pembrokeshire’s young people and gave real hope for the future of the county.”

The ceremony opened with a video message from First Minister Eluned Morgan, who offered her congratulations despite being unable to attend in person.

Award winners

Among those recognised on the night were:

Welsh Language – Emma Nicholas
Fundraising – Ben Stanton (winner); Jack Gray and Milford Haven Youth Council (runners up)
EcoChampion – Tomos Roberts
Achieving Positive Change – Alfie Harper (winner); Amber Allerton and Thomas John
Arts – Dawn Clark (winner); LillieMai Radcliffe and Kali Flux
Education – Yuliia Bedyk and Andrii Volkov (joint winners); Courtney Waugh and Leo Credland
Making a Difference in the Community – Off The Streets Youth Forum (winner); Megan Mathias, Kyra Mottram, Lexi Jenkins and Pembrokeshire Youth Assembly
Most Inspiring Story – Kai Williams (winner); Carly Sharif, Caitlin Griffith and Berat Sahin
Music – Dylan Harwood (winner); Toby Draper and the cast of Bugsy Malone 2025 – Ysgol Harri Tudur
Sports – Samantha Barton (winner); Mary Falconer, Alannah Field and Destiny John
Voice – Young Voices for Choices Youth Forum
Young Leader/Peer Mentor – Caiden Meacham (winner); Amélie Houghton and Brooke Jenkins-McNamara

Overall Spotlight Award

The top honour went to the We Know Our Journey Youth Project, a collaboration between the You Should Know Girls Project and His Path His Journey Boys Project.

The group was recognised for promoting inclusion, challenging harmful attitudes and encouraging open conversations around violence against women and girls, domestic abuse and men’s mental health.

Members organised the countywide “Men Make It Safe” event and raised £1,600 for local mental health and domestic abuse charities through a sea swim and a 10k run involving 24 young participants.

Judges said the project demonstrated the powerful role young people can play in creating positive change.

Thanks and support

Organisers thanked presenters, nominators, performers and supporters, along with staff at Pembrokeshire College and event leads Nadine Farmer, Bethany Roberts, Nicky Edwards and Angie Moore. Businesses including National Grid, Princes Gate, Tan y Castell, Greggs and The Vine also backed the evening.

More information is available via the Children and Young People’s Rights Office social media pages.