News

Angle’s new inshore lifeboat named after ‘Super Grandad’

Published

9 years ago

May 3, 2015

RNLI Angle’s new D Class inshore lifeboat SuperG II. (Photo: Martin Cavaney Photography.)

RNLI Angle’s new £41,000 inshore lifeboat was officially named and dedicated at a champagne ceremony on Thursday evening (April 30).

The D class lifeboat SuperG II (D-776) has been funded by The Coward Endowment, a small family trust established by the late Charles Coward in 1965.

The new lifeboat was officially handed over to the RNLI by Charles Coward’s son, Clive, of London. He was accompanied by his wife Frances; daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Zino Pece, of Swansea, and grandsons Oli and Tom Pece.

Indeed, it is Oli and Tom who are the inspiration for the lifeboat’s name – ‘SuperG’ (Super Grandad) being their name for grandad Clive.

Mr Coward said that although The Coward Endowment mainly supports small charities, the exception to this is the RNLI because the trustees believe the lifesaving charity does such valuable work.

The trustees are particularly impressed by the courage and dedication of RNLI volunteers. “The funding of the new inshore lifeboat is a significant gift for the trust and the trustees are excited about the opportunity to provide something so tangible for the RNLI’s volunteers at Angle,” he said.

Clive and Frances Coward, their daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Zino Pece and grandsons, Oli and Tom Pece, with RNLI Angle Lifeboat Operations Manager John Allen-Mirehouse, and the volunteer crew of SuperG II, Adam Stringer (Helmsman), David Dillane and Sarah Lunn. (Photo: Martin Cavaney Photography.)

Clive and Frances Coward, their daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Zino Pece and grandsons, Oli and Tom Pece, with RNLI Angle Coxswain Lewis Creese (left) and lifeboat and shore crew members. (Martin Cavaney Photography)

He praised the work of the RNLI, whose volunteers placed their own lives on the line every time they go to sea to save others. He was delighted that the new lifeboat was at a location with which they could identify – ‘just along the road’ from the home of their daughter, son-in-law and grandsons at Swansea. Tammy is a graduate of Swansea University.

The new lifeboat is the second craft to be donated to the RNLI by The Coward Endowment. SuperG I is a rescue water craft in service with RNLI Lifeguards at Bournemouth.

Earlier in the day, the family had joined Coxswain Lewis Creese and the crew of Angle’s all weather Tamar class lifeboat Mark Mason on a training exercise on the Milford Haven Waterway.

The new inshore lifeboat was accepted, on behalf of the RNLI, by Rear Admiral Mark Kerr, DL, RN, a member of the charity’s Council. He then handed her into the care of Angle lifeboat station.

Admiral Kerr spoke of the work of the RNLI and said it costs around £385,000 a day to run the lifesaving charity, all of which is generously donated by the public. “Lifesaving couldn’t happen without all the fundraising support,” he said.

The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and Government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Last year, lifeboats around the UK and the Republic of Ireland launched on over 8,500 occasions, rescuing over 8,000 people and saving over 300 lives.

In accepting SuperG II, on behalf of the station, Lifeboat Operations Manager John Allen-Mirehouse, paid tribute to The Coward Endowment for their significant gift. “It is a proud and satisfying moment to receive this new lifeboat for the Angle station,” he said.

Before Mrs Frances Coward formally named the new lifeboat with a bottle of champagne, a service of dedication was led by the Rev Geoffrey Howell, Team Vicar for the Monkton Rectorial Benefice. Particularly poignant was the singing of the Seafarers’ hymn, ‘Eternal Father, Strong to Save’.

Present at the ceremony was the RNLI’s Divisional Operations Manager Nigel Jones, and among the guests were representatives of neighbouring lifeboat stations at Little Haven, St Davids and Tenby, and Pembroke Ladies Lifeboat Guild members, who made the catering arrangements.

Afterwards, SuperG II, crewed by Adam Stringer (helmsman), Sarah Lunn and David Dillane, was launched and gave a short display off the lifeboat station.

Clive and Frances Coward, their daughter and son-in-law, Tammy and Zino Pece and grandsons, Oli and Tom Pece, with RNLI Angle Lifeboat Operations Manager John Allen-Mirehouse, and the volunteer crew of SuperG II, Adam Stringer (Helmsman), David Dillane and Sarah Lunn. (Martin Cavaney Photography)

The new lifeboat succeeds the D class Richard John Talbot Hillier (D-638), which was at Angle for 10 years and gave sterling service. She has now been transferred to RNLI Barry Dock as a boarding boat.

The D class inshore lifeboats have been the workhorses of the RNLI since 1963. They are fast, light and highly manoeuvrable and usually operate closer to the shore than all-weather lifeboats. They are specifically suited to surf, shallow water and confined locations, often close to cliffs, among rocks or even in caves.

The 5m long lifeboats each have a crew of 2 to 3, and the single 50hp outboard engine gives them a maximum speed of 25 knots. They have a range of 3 hours at their maximum speed.

The design of the class has continued to evolve since its introduction and the latest version was introduced in 2003. Equipment includes both fitted and hand-held VHF radio, night-vision equipment and first aid kits, including oxygen.

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Crime

Tragic blaze and standoff in Haverfordwest home as eviction looms

Published

17 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Tom Sinclair

A HAVERFORDWEST man ignited his own home during a prolonged confrontation with police, fueled by distress over a forced move after his mother’s death.

The ordeal unfolded on Jury Lane where Robert Ward, 56, resided in a three-bedroom council property he previously shared with his mother. Following her demise, Pembrokeshire County Council requested Ward to relocate to a smaller residence, prosecutor Georgia Donohue informed Swansea Crown Court.

The crisis escalated on October 21 when a dispute involving Ward and his sister led to a distressing 999 call by a neighbour at 4 PM, after overhearing threats of self-harm from Ward.

Upon arrival, police were met with a barricaded house. Ward, claiming to have booby-trapped the premises and armed with jerry cans and knives, refused entry, declaring his intent to end his life and warning of gas bottles placed behind the entrance.

As tensions heightened, a specialist negotiator was brought in while nearby homes were vacated and utilities to the property cut to prevent further risk. The standoff persisted into the night until police forcibly entered around 12:30 AM, finding the home ablaze.

During the confrontation, Ward hurled an unknown substance at officers, initially suspected to be an accelerant, though he later claimed it was water. Fire services extinguished the flames within 15 minutes, and Ward was apprehended in the loft of the burning structure around 1:06 AM, amid a suicide attempt. He suffered significant burns and was subsequently hospitalized.

During police interviews, Ward expressed remorse, stating his actions were driven by despair over his impending eviction. “He said he was extremely sorry for his actions and didn’t intend to harm [the officers],” Donohue relayed.

The court heard of previous convictions, including a 1983 arson charge. His counsel, Dyfed Thomas, highlighted the emotional attachment to the home and Ward’s troubled mental health, which significantly influenced his drastic actions.

Judge Geraint Walters recognized the “complex background” and the mental health struggles Ward endured for years, describing the episode as not “the acts of a person in his right mind.” He emphasized the need for substantial support post-release to prevent future incidents.

Ward was sentenced to three years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to arson recklessly endangering life, affray, and two counts of assaulting emergency workers. The incident, leaving behind £4,819.15 in damages, raises poignant questions about mental health support and housing policies for the vulnerable.

News

Welsh Lib Dems urge First Minister to return dodgy donation

Published

18 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THIS week in the Senedd, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have urged the First Minister to return the £200,000 donation he received from a company linked to environmental crimes.

Speaking to the Senedd on Wednesday, party leader Jane Dodds MS urged FM Vaughan Gething to return money donated to his campaign by Dauson Environmental, a refuse and recycling business owned by David John Neal.

Mr Neal received a 3-month suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste at a conservation site on the Gwent levels.

His companies Atlantic Recycling and Neal Soil Suppliers were also prosecuted and given fines and costs of £202,000.

Then in 2017, Mr Neal was given another suspended sentence of 18 weeks, with fines and costs of £230,000 after failing to remove the waste.

The Welsh Lib Dems have called on the FM to return the donation, as part of wider calls for a shift away from the influence of “big money” in Welsh politics.

Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said:

“This entire episode has casted a dark shadow upon Welsh democracy and has rightfully led to many questioning the integrity of Vaughan Gething’s leadership campaign and the way our democracy works here in Wales.

Unfortunately for many of us this is hardly surprising, as our political system has been broken for quite some time now.

A system that empowers the elite donor class whilst simultaneously shutting out the voice of the voter is a perversion of democracy itself.

This is why our wider goal must be to remove the influence of ‘big money’ from Welsh politics once and for all.

We cannot have another government that prioritises the interests of its financial benefactors over those of the Welsh people.

We need to take a firm stance in rooting out the influence of cash in Welsh politics, for the sake of our communities we must start prioritising their interests and needs instead of having more self-serving politicians.”

News

Council seeking legal advice to address Withyhedge enforcement

Published

18 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE County Council says it has sought legal advice and is contemplating legal proceedings against Withyhedge Landfill operators RML, in regards to the ongoing odour issues at the site.

The Council intends to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to abate the public nuisance odour arising from the landfill. Failure to comply with the injunction would be contempt of court, which carries a penalty of up to two years’ imprisonment and unlimited fine.

Following significant work undertaken by RML the Authority is disappointed that the problem has not been resolved and residents continue to be impacted by the odour.

Working in collaboration with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and Public Health Wales (PHW), we fully appreciate that the communities affected cannot tolerate this any longer.

NRW announced that the first set of deadlines for the completion of actions to tackle the ongoing odour issues at Withyhedge Landfill have been met, one week on following the issuing of further enforcement action on 18th April.

This will be closely monitored by NRW to ensure the operator complies with all the actions set out in Notice by 14 May.

It was deemed appropriate to wait until the operator had carried out mitigation to comply with the enforcement requirements by NRW prior to considering this additional action.

To that end, on 26th April 2024, the Council served RML with a letter of claim and invited them to give legally binding undertakings to abate the odour nuisance or face legal proceedings. The Council also asked for disclosure of documents relevant to the proceedings, including records of waste brought in or removed from the landfill.

The Council has given RML until 14th May 2024 to respond to its letter of claim. This aligns with the current deadline set by NRW under its enforcement notice.

Pembrokeshire County Council Chief Executive Will Bramble welcomed the move. He said: “We are extremely disappointed that RML has not delivered the necessary action to stop the completely unacceptable smells from the site.

“We fully support the additional enforcement action being taken by NRW and continue to work closely with them to do all in our power to correct the situation.

“Our intention to ask the Court for an injunction requiring RML to stop the odour nuisance arising from the landfill, is another part of our collaborative approach. The smell from Withyhedge is having a major impact on residents and visitors. This situation has gone on too long and it is unacceptable.”