Community

Willkommen in Wales

Published

11 years ago

March 27, 2015

CRICCIETH CASTLE, South Stack Island and the Green Bridge of Wales will brighten up the landscapes of German cities with the launch of a new Visit Wales advertising campaign.

The huge posters of iconic Welsh landmarks will be seen in key sites in Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Cologne, Dusseldorf, Duisburg and Essen from March 10. The adverts feature key products that are of interest to German visitors, highlighting our culture, heritage and the Wales Coast.

This work is part of a wider campaign in Germany to raise Wales’ profile and inspire visitors to come to Wales in 2015.

A new German website went live in December, along with the publication of the new international brochure, Explore Wales. The campaign includes marketing partnerships with P&O Ferries, Expedia, Hotels.com, Dertour, KLM, DFDS Seaways and Golf Extra. The campaign will also promote the Flybe route from Dusseldorf to Cardiff and the newly announced Flybe Route from Munich.

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Ken Skates said: “Germany is one of Wales’s three key overseas markets, along with Ireland and the USA. Visitor numbers from Germany to Wales showed strong growth in 2013, totalling 107,000 visits with expenditure of some £49m. With overseas visitors figures for the first three quarters of 2014 showing a 14% increase on previous years we hope that the recovery experienced in 2013 will be maintained. This campaign will further raise the profile of Wales as a holiday destination and will keep Wales at the front of visitors’ minds during this key holiday booking period in Germany. Partnerships are at the heart of the Welsh government’s strategy for Tourism and they play a vital role in the German campaign. Working with carriers and operators in Germany is of particular importance in highlighting access to Wales and promoting products available in the market via tour operators.”

The campaign launch follows Visit Wales’ attendance at the world’s largest and most important tourism trade fair – ITB Berlin – where Visit Wales met with tour operators, press and media and other important partners from Germany to raise Wales’ profile as a holiday destination. The new campaign is set to stimulate demand for tours, itineraries and routes to Wales which tour operators, agents and carriers have to offer.

Katharina Barry, Product Manager at Dertour, a German tour operator, which met with Visit Wales in ExploreGB and ITB, said: “It’s great to see Visit Wales delivering campaigns to drive awareness in the German market and we are really pleased to be working in partnership with Visit Wales to deliver agent and consumer communications to promote our coach and car tours through Wales as well as independent bookings. I visited Wales in February and I was deeply impressed by the stunning nature and the warm Welsh welcome I received.”

Community

Family safe after major house fire in Letterston, community told

Published

6 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Memorial hall opened to help those affected after blaze in Station Road area

A FAMILY escaped without injury after a major house fire in the Station Road area of Letterston, according to local residents.

The blaze prompted a major emergency response on Wednesday (Apr 15), with fire engines seen at the scene and the road closed while crews tackled the incident.

People posting in the Letterston community group said the family was safe, although one kitten was sadly lost in the fire.

One resident wrote: “They lost a kitten, but the family were ok. Nothing worse than a fire. There were 4 fire engines here at one time.”

Others described hearing multiple sirens and seeing smoke rising from the area, with one local woman saying her partner could see the fire engines from nearby fields.

As news of the fire spread, the local community quickly rallied round. The memorial hall was opened for anyone affected, while residents offered practical help and support to the family.

Messages posted online described the loss of the home as heartbreaking, with one resident writing that while the house had gone, the family were “alive and well to make more new memories”.

The Herald has approached the emergency services for official confirmation on the cause of the fire and the full extent of the damage.

Community

Police investigate reports of door-to-door salespeople in Milford Haven and Johnston

Published

9 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Residents urged to stay alert as officers carry out patrols and work to establish whether the callers are legitimate

MILFORD HAVEN and Neyland Police said they are aware of concerns raised by residents following reports of door-to-door salespeople operating in the Milford Haven and Johnston area.

Local officers, together with neighbourhood policing and prevention teams, are working to establish the legitimacy of those involved and will be carrying out patrols while enquiries continue.

In the meantime, members of the public are being advised to familiarise themselves with crime prevention advice relating to unwanted visitors, which is available on the force’s website.

Anyone with information that could assist enquiries is asked to get in touch online, by email at [email protected], by direct message on social media, or by calling 101.

In an emergency, always dial 999.

Alternatively, information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or visiting its website.

Community

Big plant sale set to bloom in Narberth

Published

12 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Family-friendly spring event will bring together local growers, craftspeople, food and live entertainment

GREEN fingers and creative talents will come together in Narberth next month as West Wales’ popular Big Plant Sale returns for 2026.

The event will take place at Narberth CP School on Saturday, May 2, offering visitors the chance to browse a wide range of plants, locally made crafts and eco-friendly products.

Organised with support from SPAN Arts, the annual sale has become one of the first major plant events of the season in the area, attracting gardeners of all ages and experience levels.

Stallholders are expected to offer everything from windowsill succulents and young seedlings to unusual and specialist plants, giving visitors plenty of choice as they prepare their homes and gardens for spring and summer.

Alongside the plants, there will also be a craft fair featuring handmade and environmentally conscious products, including soaps, textiles and wooden items made by local producers.

Organisers say the event is designed to be more than just a market, with locally produced food, live music and entertainment helping to create a lively and welcoming atmosphere for families and visitors of all ages.

SPAN Arts is also inviting local growers, nurseries, craftspeople and makers to get involved, particularly those working with sustainable and eco-friendly products.

The Big Plant Sale will run from 10:00am until 3:00pm at Narberth CP School, Jesse Road, Narberth, SA67 7FE. Visitors are asked to make a suggested £2 donation on entry.

Anyone interested in booking a stall can contact [email protected].

SPAN Arts, which is based in Narberth, has spent 30 years supporting arts and community projects across Pembrokeshire. The charity runs a broad programme of music, theatre, comedy and wellbeing activities, with a focus on reducing rural isolation and improving access to the arts.

For more information about the event, contact SPAN Arts on 01834 869323 or email [email protected].