Interactive photobooth campaign aims to boost youth voter engagement in Pembrokeshire

AN INTERACTIVE Welsh Parliament roadshow designed to encourage voter participation will visit Pembrokeshire next month as part of a nationwide campaign ahead of the Senedd election.

The “More Power to You” photobooth experience will stop at Coleg Sir Benfro in Haverfordwest on Tuesday (Apr 15), offering students and members of the public the chance to learn more about how Welsh democracy works in a fun and accessible way.

The visit comes in the lead-up to the Senedd election on Thursday (May 7), which is expected to be one of the most significant in Wales’ political history. Changes include an expanded Senedd, increasing from 60 to 96 Members, as well as new constituencies and a revised voting system.

Visitors to the roadshow will be invited to take part in a shareable photobooth experience while learning how decisions made in Cardiff Bay impact everyday life in Pembrokeshire, including healthcare, education, transport and the environment.

Information will also be available on how to register and vote, with staff on hand to guide people through the process and answer questions.

Organisers say the aim is to make voting more visible and relevant, particularly for younger people and first-time voters, by bringing the campaign directly into communities and education settings.

The Pembrokeshire stop forms part of a wider tour across Wales, with earlier events taking place in Wrexham, Bridgend and Cardiff before moving into colleges.

Welsh social media influencers are also supporting the campaign, helping to raise awareness and encourage participation among younger audiences through online content.

Media organisations are invited to attend the Haverfordwest event, with opportunities available for interviews, photography and coverage.

EVERYDAY use of the Welsh language must extend beyond classrooms into workplaces, communities and online spaces if it is to thrive, according to a new report.

The study, published by the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities, highlights the need for greater investment in the social, cultural and digital environments where people live their daily lives.

The report, Cymraeg in every community: strengthening the Welsh language, focuses on areas where fewer than 40% of people speak Welsh. It examines how the language can become a more natural part of everyday life in these communities.

The Commission says that while education remains vital, it cannot carry the responsibility alone. Young people must have opportunities to use Welsh outside school, particularly in activities they enjoy such as sport, youth groups and cultural events.

Among its recommendations is the creation of a dedicated fund to boost Welsh-language content online, including support for young people producing digital media in Welsh.

The report builds on earlier work published in August 2024, which focused on areas with higher numbers of Welsh speakers.

Commission co-chair Dr Simon Brooks said: “To ensure Welsh is a national language that belongs to us all, its future as a community language must be secured in every part of Wales. We urge the next Welsh Government to act on these recommendations with ambition.”

Co-chair Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones added that there is strong appetite to use Welsh, but a lack of spaces to do so.

She said: “More than half of Welsh speakers live in areas where fewer than 40% of people speak the language. Public policy must create the right conditions for Welsh to flourish in everyday settings, with real investment in the spaces where people spend their time.”

She also pointed to international examples, including the Basque Country, where communities have actively created environments for their language to be used naturally.

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford, said the Welsh Government remained committed to its target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050.

He said: “Significant progress has already been made, with 17 recommendations from the Commission’s first report implemented during this Senedd term. This latest report provides a strong foundation to build on that momentum.”

FORMER BBC news presenter Huw Edwards has issued a strongly worded statement criticising an upcoming television drama based on his fall from grace.

Edwards, who received a suspended prison sentence after admitting offences relating to indecent images of children, said the programme was produced without properly checking its claims with him.

The two-part drama, Power: The Downfall of Huw Edwards, features actor Martin Clunes portraying the former newsreader.

In a statement published in the national press, Edwards claimed those behind the programme failed to verify key elements of the story before filming began. He said producers only approached him for comment after production had already been completed, and even then retained editorial control over any response.

He also questioned whether contributors to the programme had been paid, suggesting the drama may not accurately reflect events.

Edwards said he had already expressed “deep regret and remorse” for his crimes during court proceedings, having pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added that he found the offences deeply disturbing and offered a further apology, acknowledging that each image involved a real victim.

The former presenter said he is now working on his own account of the events, although progress has been slow due to ongoing health issues. He has previously spoken about long-term mental illness, which he said had worsened in the period leading up to his offences.

However, he stressed that mental health difficulties should not be used to excuse criminal behaviour.

Edwards rose to prominence as one of the UK’s most recognisable news anchors before his career collapsed following allegations of misconduct and subsequent criminal charges.

In September 2024, he was handed a six-month suspended sentence and placed on the sex offenders register for seven years. He was also ordered to complete a rehabilitation programme.

Responding to his criticism, a spokesperson for Channel 5 said the drama was based on interviews with those involved, including the complainant and journalists who broke the story, as well as court reporting and message evidence.

They added that the programme was produced in line with broadcasting regulations and that allegations featured in the film had been put to Edwards through his legal representatives in advance.