News

Badger and the ancient mariner

Published

9 years ago

March 4, 2015

badger and the ancient mariner BADGER is, by nature, a terrestrial sort. Subterranean by nature, he does not have much time for what goes on above his head. Cosy and warm in his sett, it seems to Badger that every time he peeks his grizzled snout out of his home he finds something to dislike about whatever it is humanity gets up to on the surface. As he is averse to the world above, imagine what Badger thinks about flying. Thin stuff air. You can’t dig and it’s impossible to find tasty hedgehogs upon which to dine 6,000 feet up. Still less is Badger fond of the sea. Awful stuff, water. It has associations with soap. flannels and rubber ducks. Badger’s acquaintance, Mr Toad. has tried to interest Badger in maritime pursuits. Badger read a book in preparation and discovered that some maritime pursuits are positively alarming.

He declined Mr Toad’s offer politely but firmly. However, while taking a turn around the docks one evening, Badger came across a grizzled old salt who was weary of making tasteless jokes about Captain Pugwash and discussing the impact of the EU’s fisheries policy, quotas and the total allowable catch. Deep in his cups, the sailor told Badger a tale of nautical naughtiness upon the River Cleddau that held Badger’s horrified attention.
“I’ll tell you a tale, said the salty dog As black as black can be Of what happens to those who do business, With the Port Authority.
I’ll tell you of a mighty ship, That brought a company low And how more was spent and wasted. The less we got our dough
“I was not always a sailor” At which Badger expressed surprise: “Once I had a house, a car, And a business that was my pride.
-Then came the Port Authority For credit to extend Saying ‘Trust us, doughty tradesman. Upon us. you can depend.”‘
His face went red, suffused with rage As he remembered the sad day When the Port Authority a-begging came And he didn’t send them on their way.
The sailor wiped away a tear From his pale and weeping eye As he remembered promises made That he’d be paid. By and by.

-Tomorrow!” he yelled. -Tomorrow! Always next month and not this! And every time, each empty word Was a Pembrokeshire promise.
“I believed them, friendly Badger. I took them at their word And now when I think of it It seems to me absurd

-Quite how a public body Worth many million pounds Can stand to see such as me Crushed into the ground.

-They had the same accountants The same directors too They must have known what was going on Before the whistle blew

-They built big shiny offices They paid themselves big pay All before the bubble burst Then they just walked away.
“So join me, good Badger, Let’s look across the water Let’s think of why the Authority Doesn’t do quite what it ought to.
“Greed is good, Wall Street says, Every rich man will want more And the greed of the Port Authority Will keep this poor soul poor.
-They’re dreaming of a revamp To change the Harbour round And the price of all their dreamings Is grinding good men down.
‘They’ll do away with trade and craft” Opined he in a rage “And they’ll have us bowing to tourists Grateful for minimum wage
-They don’t want local people Not like you and me They want visitors and Waitrose Do the Port Authority.
“Weep not for me. young Badger They’ll not catch me again Perhaps if they build their multiplex I’ll find a new job then:’
With that he turned upon his heel And vanished into the gloom While a very troubled Badger Went to his cosy room.
As he sat and pondered Badger thought of the cruelty Of an untrustworthy trust port, Milford’s Port Authority.

Business

Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants

Published

10 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CHARTERED, Certified Accountants, Ashmole & Co, are delighted to announce their expansion following the acquisition of JonesWard accountancy firm in Carmarthen.

Ashmole & Co Carmarthen has today taken over JonesWard who have closed their office in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. All JonesWard staff, including Ian Jones and James Ward, have transferred over to Ashmole & Co and will be based in the Old School, the Quay, Carmarthen.

JonesWard informed their clients that the administrative burden of running a practice had increased significantly over recent years due to the constant changing money laundering and tax regulations, software requirements and so on. Over the past 12 months it had become more challenging to maintain the level of service they had been used to providing.

Ian Jones said, “We feel Ashmole & Co share the same values as us and have the necessary expertise and resources to ensure we can continue to provide the personal touch and level of service clients have been accustomed to. Myself and James are not retiring but we will be supported by Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff from now on in their Carmarthen office.”

Ashmole & Co partners Sharon George, Carwyn Morgan and Vinal Patel will strive to ensure JonesWard clients will continue to receive the high quality of service they are used to.

Vinal Patel, Partner with Ashmole & Co said, “It is our priority to make the transition as smooth as possible with all employees of JonesWard having already transferred to Ashmole & Co and are now based in our office on the Quay in Carmarthen. We look forward to meeting our new clients and working closely with them to meet their needs in the future.”

Ashmole & Co Chartered and Certified Accountants have been established since 1897 and are one of the largest accountancies and auditing practices in south Wales, now operating from thirteen offices throughout south and west Wales including Swansea, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Ammanford.

Charity

Fundraiser to take on epic 87k steps challenge to raise funds for Withybush

Published

11 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SAM Faulkner is challenging himself to walk 87,000 steps in one day to raise funds for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in memory of his father.

Sam will be walking along the Brecon and Monmouth Canal from Brecon to Rogerstone in Newport.

Sam said: “Since losing my Dad last year, I made a personal commitment to do something to raise money every year for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest who looked after my Dad so well in his final days.

“I will be challenging myself to complete 87,000 steps in a day on July 20th 2024 – 1,000 steps for every year of my Dad’s life. I’ll be walking around 40 miles in about 10 hours.

“Canal walks were always a firm favourite of mine and my Dad’s, with many days spent walking along the Grand Union in Northamptonshire when I was growing up.

“My family and I, and the unit at the hospital, would be beyond grateful for anything supporters could give. Thank you ever so much in advance.”

Katie Hancock, Pembrokeshire Fundraising Officer, said: “We’d like to say a huge good luck to Sam with his challenge. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to raise more funds for the Cardiac Care Unit.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

You can donate to Sam’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sam-faulkner-1712508280259?newPage=true&fbclid=IwAR2tyVVQVea0DLQelSsrp7Ie2CKjX0jXGnwndR_tBKL-Av2kv8f5nchEolw

For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk

Business

Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes

Published

11 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DRAGON LNG, based in Waterston, Milford Haven, recently announced a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions.

The company awarded a contract to Worley, global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study.

The study is focussing on exploring the potential benefits of integrating LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
regasification and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) liquefaction processes at Dragon LNG’s facilities. This integration holds promise for a more efficient operation, with the potential to reduce energy consumption, carbon intensity and the levelized cost of CO2 export not only at the Dragon site but also for Haven industry companies.

If feasible, the technology at Dragon would support wider collaboration with RWE Pembroke Net Zero Centre, whose CO2 would be transported to the Dragon facility for processing before being shipped via non-pipeline transport (NPT) to carbon sequestration sites.

Key aspects to be addressed in the feasibility study include:

Technical Solutions: Worley will evaluate various technical approaches to seamlessly integrate LNG and
CO2 liquefaction processes, ensuring optimal energy efficiency and effectiveness.
Carbon Intensity Reduction: Dragon LNG is committed to sustainability, and the study will assess how the integration of processes can contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of operations, aligning with broader environmental goals.
Economic Viability: Understanding the financial implications is crucial. The study will delve into the levelized cost of CO2 and other economic factors to determine the feasibility and financial benefits of the proposed integration.

Commenting on the partnership, a spokesperson for Dragon LNG stated, “We are excited to collaborate with Worley on this important initiative. As a responsible energy provider, Dragon LNG is continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance our operations while minimizing our environmental footprint. This feasibility study represents a significant step towards achieving those objectives.”

Worley’s expertise in engineering and consultancy services including in the CO2 and LNG sectors makes them an ideal partner for this endeavour. Their track record of delivering sustainability solutions aligns perfectly with the ambitious goals of Dragon LNG.

This collaboration underscores Dragon LNG’s commitment to driving sustainable practices within the energy sector. By exploring the integration of LNG regasification and CO2 liquefaction processes, the company aims to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient energy future with their ambition of a net zero terminal by 2029.