Solva Edge Festival will return from Friday, July 24 to Sunday, July 26, bringing three days of live music, literature, crafts and community activities to the Pembrokeshire coast.

Held at Solva Football Club’s Maes y Môr ground, the volunteer-run festival will feature performances across two stages, alongside poetry readings, storytelling, wellbeing sessions, creative workshops and outdoor activities.

The weekend will open on Friday with a performance by Gelliswick Community Choir, setting the tone for a festival rooted in Pembrokeshire talent and community spirit.

Main stage acts

This year’s main-stage headliners are The Stickmen Project on Friday, Electric Kicks on Saturday and UK Foo Fighters, who will close the festival on Sunday.

They will be joined by local favourites Twpsyn and Cardinal Sin, while Sunday’s Legends Slot will feature ABBA tribute act Bjorn to Be.

Stowaway, a young band from Ysgol Bro Gwaun and winners of the Pembrokeshire Battle of the Bands, will also make their Solva Edge debut.

Acoustic performances

The Shipwreck Stage will host a weekend of acoustic and intimate performances, including sets from Robyn Benge and Bryony Sier, alongside a line-up of emerging artists.

Literature at the Edge

The festival’s literature programme will include poet Ifor Thomas, reading from his new collection, The Undertaker’s Invoice.

Matthew Raggett will discuss his latest book, Crab Salad with Books and Bards, while Simon Alderwick will share work from his collections published by Broken Sleep Books, much of it inspired by the local landscape.

Storyteller John Roach will explore the origins of the Welsh Red Dragon through a mixture of history, writing and hands-on craft activities.

Pilates and dance sessions led by Viktoriia will also take place during the weekend.

Crafts and outdoor activities

Visitors will be able to take part in a range of creative workshops, including flower crown making with The Floral Goat, pottery design with Mary George and mosaics and printing with Penny Dafforn.

Outdoor activities will include coastal foraging with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Get Outdoors co-ordinator Ben Macare, a Smugglers and Pirates session with long-standing park volunteer Gordon Lewis and a Solva beach clean organised by EcoDewi.

Food, drink and family activities

The Green Scar Bar will return, serving local ciders, craft beers and traditional favourites.

Food stalls, makers, artists and family activities will operate throughout the weekend.

Solva Edge Festival is organised entirely by volunteers from the village, with surplus funds used to support youth and community organisations across the area.

Previous beneficiaries have included Solva AFC, St Davids Guides, Strength Academy Wales, Simpson Cross Activities Group and Roch’s Victoria Hall Association.

The festival will be held at Solva Football Club, Maes y Môr, Solva, SA62 6XW, with parking available.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate.

Further information is available at www.edgefestival.co.uk.

More than 50 young performers will take to the stage in 133 sustainably sourced costumes

MORE than 50 young people from across Pembrokeshire are preparing to bring the legend of Robin Hood to life at the Torch Theatre this month.

The theatre’s Summer Youth Show, Robin Hood: The Legend of the Black Knight, will feature 133 costumes, all of which have been sourced with sustainability in mind.

Supported by the Port of Milford Haven and the Ingles Charitable Trust, the production will run for three nights only, from Monday, July 20, to Wednesday, July 22.

Costume designer Fi Russell has been responsible for creating a distinctive look for the large cast while working within the production’s budget.

She said: “There are more than 130 costumes in this show, so it has been a challenge to source that many outfits within budget while also making them identifiable, rooted in each character and fun.”

Fi trained in scenography at Aberystwyth University before specialising in theatre design and completing a postgraduate diploma at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

She has now worked as a professional theatre designer for more than 15 years.

Fi said the audience’s experience is central to her approach when designing costumes.

She explained: “I love thinking about how the audience will understand, react and respond to the costumes.

“For this show, I have used really strong colour distinctions between the different character groups to make the story as easy to follow as possible.”

Fi’s recent work includes designing the set and costumes for Le Navet Bete’s fast-paced comedy Oh Zeus! and working with magicians The Great Baldini and Peter Clifford on The Curious Case of the Masked Magician. Both productions are currently touring the UK.

Environmental considerations have also played an important part in the preparations for the Torch production.

Fi added: “Sustainability and the environment are really important to me and are embedded in my work.

“We are hiring and borrowing many of the costumes rather than buying new ones, and we will make sure that no clothing goes to landfill at the end of the show.”

Robin Hood: The Legend of the Black Knight will be performed at the Torch Theatre at 6.30pm on Monday, July 20, Tuesday, July 21, and Wednesday, July 22.

Tickets cost £10, or £8 for concessions, and are available through the Torch Theatre website or by calling the box office on 01646 695267.

Keeping players safe when gambling online is critical. As hackers have adapted to new safety measures and scams have become more sophisticated, the need for identity verification is more apparent than ever before. 

Thankfully advanced identity verification is successfully preventing fraud, supporting anti-money laundering measures, and protecting player accounts, and we’ll explore how in this article.  

What is KYC? 

KYC (know your customer) is a process used by many banks, financial services, and businesses, including online casinos, to verify the age and identity of a customer, authenticate documents, and assess potential risks (in the case of gambling, this includes problem gambling and affordability issues). 

KYC regulations are becoming increasingly important as criminals alter their strategies to tackle more stringent security measures. However, they do create a lengthier registration process and many people express privacy concerns over sharing their personal documents online, which is why many gamblers seek out no-KYC casinos, despite the safety and security KYC provides. 

How Does KYC Improve Online Casino Safety? 

KYC has a number of safety advantages: 

Reduces the Risk of Fraudulent Behaviour 

KYC checks can flag those providing false information, using stolen identities, or engaging in any other fraudulent transactions and activities. This adds an extra layer of protection which increases the safety and security of a platform.

Prevents Money Laundering 

Online casinos are at a very high risk of money laundering, so knowing who is moving money around and why is essential. These detailed identification processes make it much more difficult for criminals to launder money though online casino sites. 

Lowers the Rate of Problem Gambling 

Gambling can be highly addictive. Gaming online, while convenient, does give people access to gambling 24/7, which can easily fuel an addiction. KYC can help operators filter out problem gambling, by monitoring player activity and spending to identify those at risk. Flagging these behaviours quickly allows people to evaluate their habits and seek help early on, lowering the risk of developing a dangerous gambling addiction. 

Safety is Crucial When Gambling Online 

The best new online casinos are the ones that take player safety and financial security seriously. By implementing proper safety measures and identifying individuals accurately, online casinos can protect themselves and their players, prevent fraud, and create a more positive gambling experience. 

While registering for online gaming using a KYC casino can take longer and feel more disruptive, it’s crucial that you stick to sites that follow these regulations to help keep you safe online.