Community

Ajay Owen confirms key Herald reporting in lengthy online tirade

Published

7 months ago

November 28, 2025

In a 5,000-word website blog post described as a “corrective measure”, the SARS Cymru director has confirmed several of the most serious points raised in last week’s Herald investigation.

SINCE The Herald published its investigation into SARS Cymru on 25 November, director Ajay Owen has issued a lengthy public rebuttal.

In that statement, posted on Friday, Mr Owen confirmed that he reposted photographs of children without parental consent in order to “show residents how it felt to have their privacy invaded”. He also announced that he will “in the coming days” publish private messages and screenshots linked to the dispute.

Mr Owen’s new statement follows significant local concern about SARS Cymru’s activities, including volunteers attending incidents without invitation, the use of amber beacons on private vehicles, and the administration of several large local Facebook groups.

Three key admissions

On reposting photographs of children

“I reposted public images from their profiles to show them how it felt to have their privacy invaded. Was it the right choice? I apologised and removed it.”

This directly confirms the accounts of parents and residents who spoke to the Herald last week.

On plans to release private messages

“In the coming days, I am releasing the screenshots that the newspapers were too afraid to print.”

Police and Meta have been informed of the stated intention to publish large quantities of private correspondence.

On the safeguarding referral

Mr Owen again states that a Section 5 safeguarding referral was “unsubstantiated”. This confirms that a formal referral and threshold assessment took place, exactly as the Herald reported.

Additional resident concerns

Following publication of the Herald’s initial article, further residents have contacted this newspaper and commented publicly on social media.

One resident, Jerome Bartens, claimed Mr Owen attempted to stop farmers accessing livestock during snowy conditions by creating an unauthorised road block.
Mr Bartens said: “He blocked the road himself and told people they needed a permit to get through because the sign was covered. He was doing traffic management without authority.”

Another resident, commenting on Nation.Cymru’s report, described confusion about SARS Cymru’s appearance at a recent flood response.
Roger Thomas said: “Their uniform is very police-like. In a major incident with fire and ambulance crews, they were confusing. I still don’t know what role they played.”

Claims that collapsed

In his rebuttal, Mr Owen accuses this newspaper of suggesting he posted “inappropriate images of children”. The original Herald article made no such claim. It reported only that images of children were posted without consent and later removed.

Mr Owen also states that journalists “refused to look at hundreds of screenshots”. In fact, the Herald published his complete 5,000-word response verbatim.

It is also worth noting that the responses Mr Owen sent to the Herald, presented as a detailed rebuttal, were the same statements he had already posted publicly on his own Facebook page.

Statutory services restate their position

Dyfed-Powys Police, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, and Pembrokeshire County Council have all reiterated to the Herald that SARS Cymru has no formal partnership, memorandum of understanding, or delegated authority.

Herald response

Mr Owen states in his post that he will “not stop” and that SARS Cymru “will not stop”.

The Herald considers the public interest in this matter fully served by the original investigation, read more than 100,000 times in its first four days, and by Mr Owen’s own subsequent confirmations.

We have no plans for further commentary unless significant new evidence emerges.

Community

Bellringers praised at St Davids Cathedral service

Published

9 hours ago

June 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SERVICE was held today at St Davids Cathedral for the annual meeting of the Diocesan Guild of Bellringers.

Fr Jim, the guild’s chaplain, led the service, during which the Bishop of St Davids preached and thanked members for their dedication to churches across the diocese.

He spoke about the important role bells play in marking moments of worship, celebration and remembrance, and said he had been personally moved when bells marked significant points in his own ministry.

The guild is keen to encourage new people to take up bellringing and says it is a friendly and approachable group for anyone interested in getting involved in church life.

Community

Hundreds of pupils unite for special Eisteddfod song

Published

10 hours ago

June 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MORE THAN 500 CHILDREN FROM 50 SCHOOLS HELP CELEBRATE BRO’R GARREG LAS

HUNDREDS of primary school children from across west Wales have come together to release a special song celebrating the communities, language and landscape of Bro’r Garreg Las.

The song, Croeso i Fro’r Garreg Las, has been recorded by pupils from 50 schools across Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire ahead of this summer’s National Eisteddfod in Llantood.

The project marks the countdown to the festival, which will be held from August 1 to August 8.

More than 500 children have taken part, with the song celebrating the area’s Welsh language, local communities, culture and sense of identity.

The track has been released on digital platforms alongside a colourful video filmed at some of the region’s best-known locations.

Pupils travelled to sites including Cardigan, Tenby, St Davids, Pentre Ifan and Drefach Felindre to perform and help bring the song to life.

The lyrics were written by poet Ceri Wyn Jones, with the melody by Einir Dafydd. The track was produced by Mei Gwynedd and the video was filmed by Gareth Bull.

Pembrokeshire County Council leader, Cllr Tessa Hodgson said: “We are delighted to be welcoming the National Eisteddfod to Llantood this summer.

“It’s been a pleasure to see young people from the three counties come together to create a special song that celebrates the area, and builds excitement as we look forward to the Eisteddfod.

“Collaboration across Bro’r Garreg Las has been at the heart of this project.”

Cllr Catrin M S Davies, Ceredigion County Council Cabinet Member responsible for Culture, said: “This song celebrates the Welsh language and the unique character of the whole area – from the coast to the countryside.

“Ceri Wyn’s lyrics also offer a taste of our history and heritage. There will be an opportunity for the whole of Wales to enjoy our area in August and to hear some of our stories – come along!”

Cllr Glynog Davies, Carmarthenshire County Council Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language, said: “It has been a privilege to work with Welsh and English-medium schools across the counties to create this special song.

“Over 500 children have contributed to it, which is an incredible achievement. It is wonderful to see that the Welsh language and the Eisteddfod belong to everyone.”

The song can be heard on digital platforms now, while the video is available to watch on YouTube.

Photo caption: Children from schools across Bro’r Garreg Las have joined forces to record a special song ahead of this summer’s National Eisteddfod.

Community

Ceremonial gown linked to Prince Charles’ 1969 investiture discovered in Saundersfoot

Published

10 hours ago

June 13, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CEREMONIAL gown worn by the grandson of former Prime Minister David Lloyd George during the 1969 investiture of Prince Charles has been discovered at an antiques roadshow in Pembrokeshire.

The gown, worn by Owen Lloyd George, 3rd Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor, was found alongside his original invitation from Queen Elizabeth II to take part in the historic ceremony at Caernarfon Castle.

The items were brought to a WeBuyVintage roadshow in Saundersfoot by a member of the public who had acquired them after they were removed from Ffynone House, near Boncath, the Earl’s former Pembrokeshire country seat.

The Earl, who lived from 1924 to 2010, was the grandson of David Lloyd George, Britain’s wartime Prime Minister. He was given a prominent role at the investiture on July 1, 1969, carrying the ceremonial sword during the nationally televised event.

The red ceremonial gown bears the Earl’s name on a label inside and is believed to have been made especially for him for the ceremony. It was kept at Ffynone House for decades.

The current owner said she rescued the items in 2021 after seeing possessions from the house being advertised for sale.

She said: “The owner explained that many historic possessions connected to the Lloyd George family were likely to be discarded following the sale of the house and its contents.

“I felt I could not let that happen with the gown and the letter, as these felt like genuine pieces of Welsh history and I wanted to make sure they were preserved.”

Antiques specialist Neil Church, of WeBuyVintage, said the discovery was immediately significant.

He said: “Every so often, something comes through the door that truly stops you in your tracks, and this was one of those moments.

“Far more than an old ceremonial garment, it was a remarkable discovery directly connected to one of the most significant royal and historic moments in modern Welsh history, the investiture of the now King Charles.

“What made it especially fascinating was its provenance, tracing it back to the grandson of the former Prime Minister of Britain and the family’s historic country seat, Ffynone House.

“While we valued it at around £600, its historical significance reaches far beyond its monetary worth.”

The gown and invitation are now being described as a rare surviving piece of Welsh and royal ceremonial history, rediscovered in west Wales more than half a century after they were used at Caernarfon Castle.

Photo caption: Historic find: The ceremonial gown worn by Earl Lloyd George of Dwyfor at the 1969 investiture of Prince Charles was discovered at a Saundersfoot antiques roadshow (Pic: WeBuyVintage).