Deadline approaching for Pembrokeshire residents ahead of Wales-wide poll

PEMBROKESHIRE residents are being urged to make sure they are registered to vote ahead of the upcoming Senedd election.

Voters across Wales will go to the polls on Thursday (May 7) to elect 96 Members of the Senedd who will represent constituencies across the country.

The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Monday (Apr 20). Residents can register online in just a few minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Anyone aged sixteen or over and living in Wales is eligible to register.

Changes to constituency boundaries mean there will now be sixteen constituencies across Wales instead of forty. Pembrokeshire will form part of the new Ceredigion Penfro constituency alongside neighbouring Ceredigion.

Those wishing to vote by post or by postal proxy must apply by 5:00pm on Tuesday (Apr 21). The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5:00pm on Tuesday (Apr 28).

Pembrokeshire County Council Chief Executive and Deputy Constituency Returning Officer, Will Bramble said: “It is really important that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so. Registering to vote ensures you can have your voice heard at the upcoming Senedd election.”

Further information about voting in Pembrokeshire can be found on the council’s elections page at:
https://www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/elections-and-voting

A new voter information website, vote.wales, has also been launched by the Electoral Management Board for Wales, part of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, providing guidance and details about the election.

A MODERN-DAY maritime hero has welcomed plans to commemorate the launch of HMS Erebus from Pembroke Dockyard two centuries ago.

Admiral Lord West has congratulated the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre after learning it has secured funding for its forthcoming exhibition, HMS Erebus: From Dockyard to Discovery.

He said: “I am delighted to send my warmest good wishes for the HMS Erebus: From Dockyard to Discovery exhibition.

“With strong family links to Pembroke Dock, it is wonderful to see this remarkable maritime story being celebrated and shared with new generations.

“I wish everyone involved every success with what promises to be a truly inspiring and fitting tribute.”

The exhibition comes as 2026 marks the 200th anniversary of HMS Erebus being launched from Pembroke Dock. (Pic: Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre)

Admiral Lord West – who served as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 2002 to 2006 – can trace his family links back to Pembroke Dock, where his great-grandfather worked at the Royal Dockyard.

He went on to enjoy a distinguished naval career.

In 1982, aged 34, he was the commanding officer of the frigate HMS Ardent when it was sunk by Argentine forces during the Falklands War. He was the last to leave the sinking ship, earning him the Distinguished Service Cross.

After retiring from the Royal Navy, Lord West went on to advise successive UK governments on defence and foreign policy.

Praise for the exhibition has also come from the much-loved British adventurer and storyteller Michael Palin, who has written a book about the famous vessel.

The Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre’s forthcoming exhibition, HMS Erebus: From Dockyard to Discovery, will mark the 200th anniversary of the ship’s launch.

HMS Erebus was built and launched at the Royal Dockyard on June 7, 1826, thanks to the exceptional skill of Pembrokeshire’s 19th-century shipwrights and the region’s proud maritime craftsmanship.

The ship went on to play a pivotal role in some of the most important explorations of the age, including the pioneering Ross Antarctic Expedition, before being lost during the ill-fated Franklin Expedition to the Arctic.

Her rediscovery beneath the icy waters of the Canadian Arctic in 2014 reignited worldwide interest in the mystery and legacy of polar exploration.

The exhibition will feature recovered artefacts never before shown to the public, alongside interactive displays and video footage telling the dramatic story of the ship’s construction, service and discovery.

Cover image: Painting by François Etienne Musin (1820-1888) – HMS ‘Erebus’ in the Ice, 1846 – BHC3325 – Royal Museums Greenwich

Service led by Archdeacon welcomes Revd Tim Nelson to new role

THE DIOCESE of St Davids has welcomed Revd Tim Nelson as the new Priest in Charge within the Local Ministry Area (LMA) of Bro Dyfri.

A licensing service was held recently where Archdeacon Matthew Hill formally licensed Revd Nelson to the post. The service was supported by Father Neil Hook, LMA Dean, alongside members of the Bro Dyfri ministry team.

Members of several congregations from across the ministry area gathered for the occasion, offering a warm welcome to Revd Nelson and praying for him and his family as he begins his ministry in the community.

The Diocese said the service marked an important moment for the Bro Dyfri LMA, bringing together clergy, ministry team members and parishioners in a shared act of worship and commitment.

Revd Nelson now takes on responsibility for pastoral leadership and ministry across the Bro Dyfri churches as part of the Diocese of St Davids within the Church in Wales.