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Volunteer coffee shop could go from Withybush

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Coming soon to a hospital near you?

Coming soon to a hospital near you?

THE ROYAL VOLUNTARY SERVICE, formerly the WRVS, has responded to the announcement that the Local Health Board is to oust its existing coffee shop from Withybush General Hospital.

Earlier this week, the Local Health Board revealed that it is seeking expressions of interest from companies to replace cafés and shops in its hospitals.

A spokesperson for the Health Board said: “Hywel Dda UHB is looking for potential tenants to operate high quality cafe environments and retail outlets in Bronglais, Glangwili, Prince Philip and Withybush Hospitals.”

Interested parties are being asked to outline their plans for the refurbishment of areas of the hospitals at zero cost to Hywel Dda UHB in order to generate income for the organisation through rent and turnover rent. This can then be used to improve the hospital environment for patients and visitors.

At present, the identified spaces are used for cafés and shops provided by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), other private providers and in-house staff providing:

  • Glangwili Hospital – separate café and shop (both provided by RVS)
  • Bronglais Hospital – shop (provided in-house by Hywel Dda employees)
  • Prince Philip Hospital – combined cafe and shop (private provider)
  • Withybush Hospital – separate cafe (RVS) and shop (WH Smith)

Peter Skitt, Director of Operations for Hywel Dda UHB said: “More and more hospitals across the UK are looking at opportunities to support the patient and visitor experience, whilst also generating income that can be reinvested into improving hospital environments.

“We are still very early on in this process and are being very clear that contracts will only be awarded if the offer given is deemed to deliver the quality and financial returns we expect against what is currently provided at each site. This will be based on potential income for Hywel Dda UHB, as well as quality and scope of services being offered.”

Hywel Dda UHB staff will meet with the private provider at Prince Philip Hospital in advance of the notice and with in-house staff providing services at Bronglais Hospital. There will be no redundancies of Hywel Dda staff as a result of this process. Hywel Dda UHB will provide the required three month notice to the WH Smith shop at Withybush Hospital and a meeting will be held in early October with WH Smith in advance of this notice being served.

Hywel Dda UHB paid tribute to the services already provided, particularly the many years’ service and support provided to patients, staff and visitors by the RVS in Glangwili and Withybush hospitals.

Mr Skitt explained: “We are very mindful that for many years Glangwili and Withybush hospitals have been provided with highly regarded, first class services by the RVS. This decision to explore alternative providers is in no way a reflection on the service RVS or their employees and volunteers have provided us. Members of our estates teamhavemetwithRVSrepresentatives and RVS employees and volunteers have been informed.”

Peter Llewellyn, Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships, added: “Regardless of the outcome of this process, RVS will continue to be a valued partner providing vital services to patients. I have already begun discussions regarding potentially extending current RVS community based transport services across the region. This will greatly enhance patient access to hospitals and other health care settings, particularly for those from rural areas.”

Hywel Dda UHB is also being clear to interested companies and other potential providers that Hywel Dda UHB is committed to the Welsh Government’s vision to supporting healthy eating and this will need to be reflected.

The announcement makes it clear that the Health Board is seeking to follow the path taken by hospitals in the rest of Wales and parts of England, where primary health care providers have effectively been compelled to look to private companies to bolster already squeezed budgets.

Lesley Thompson, Royal Voluntary Service, Head of Support and Development for West of England and Wales, told The Herald: “We are aware that the Board is inviting tenders and we are currently in discussion with them regarding how we continue to work with one another going forward. Our volunteers and staff have worked tremendously hard at the hospitals for many years and we know that their efforts have been hugely appreciated. Whatever the outcome of discussions, we would like to take this opportunity to thank them for everything they have done to make the services at the hospitals a success.”

A local RVS volunteer told us that there was a sense of regret at the end of an era: “There is a lot of disappointment amongst the staff and we feel like we have been let down by the hospital. People are very upset. We have been at Withybush and before then at the old County Hospital for years. It all seems to be about money, these days.”

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Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

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A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

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News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

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THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

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Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

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RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”

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