News

‘Haverfoodfest’ – A huge food success

Published

10 years ago

May 28, 2015

Tom Sinclair

A huge amount of people attended Haverfoodfest: A brilliant day

Saturday (May 9), the first Haverfoodfest took place in the county town, and was more of a success than any of the businesses who attended could have predicted.
The food festival welcomed a wide range of businesses from Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire to present their goods to the people of the county. The range of food, which catered for everyone’s dietary requirements, was incredible. With fresh meat, organic produce, sweet and savoury options, Vegan and Vegetarian specialities and gluten-free additions, everyone was happy. With the number of entries exceeding 4,000, many of the businesses were unprepared for the prodigious turnout. We spoke with Colin Davies from Good and Proper Brownies, based in Carmarthen, after being very disappointed that he had no more speciality brownies to sell. He told us that he had brought 700 brownies, expecting to sell only half of them, but he had sold out by 2.30pm.
Speaking with representatives from the businesses who attended, it was impossible to find anyone with anything bad to say about the day. Everyone had just wished that they were more prepared for the huge attendance. Carole Harrington from Cafe Tuk Tuk in Newport said that it had been an absolutely fantastic and wonderful day: “I would absolutely do it again. I haven’t stopped all day.”
The visitors were just as pleased with how the day had gone as the business representatives. We spoke with Jo Swift, who is a community carer at Elliot’s Hill, who said; “Lots of our customers are here today. We used to go to Narberth Food Festival, but it is great to have something in the county town. We have all really enjoyed the day.” Simon Briggs from Haverfordwest was also keen to talk about how successful the day had been. He had sampled the wood-fired pizza, which he said was fantastic, as well as Shindigz’s paella. He commented that the paella was particularly good, with the correct ratio of chickpeas, chorizo, spices and a thick sauce. He said it had been a great day with a fantastic atmosphere. He went on to say that Kyle Kirkhouse had been a brilliant start to the day.
Throughout the day, musicians took to the stage to provide entertainment from 12pm until the festival closed at 6pm. Kyle Kirkhouse, from the band Kirkhouse, began the day with an acoustic session. Matt Baker, the owner of The Tiddly, followed with acoustic guitar and singing partner Misty. Caroline Harrison played next with her strong vocal harmonies, as well as Jessie Doughty and Raul Speek. Later in the day, the Haverfordwest Ukelele club took to the stage, much to the delight of the children who were dancing around at the front of the crowd. Lucy Jones, the highlight of the day, followed Gavin Bernard’s victory in the eating challenge with a collection of unique covers and fantastic original songs. Ragsy from The Voice concluded the day with a range of covers.
Haverfoodfest have commented following the event: “Well what can we say? What a day! Numbers exceeded 4,000, the amount of people to thank is endless. Just what Haverfordwest has been waiting for. Thank you to all involved no matter how small your input, every little detail made the day a huge success.”

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

18 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.