News

‘Bags of Help’ for Pembroke woodland

Published

9 years ago

April 19, 2016

Holyland Community Woodland: Pembroke project receives £8,000 from Tesco scheme for refurbishments

HOLYLAND COMMUNITY Woodland in Pembroke has managed to successfully bag a share of Tesco’s Bags of Help initiative.

The supermarket, teaming up with Groundwork to launch its Bags of Help scheme, dispensed a series of grants with values between £8,000 and £12,000.

The money, which was raised by Tesco’s 5p carrier bag charge, is given to local environmental and green space projects.

To whom the grants were given was decided by over eight million shoppers around Wales who voted in Tesco stores up and down the country.

It was recently revealed that the Holyland Community Woodland Project in Pembroke, which is managed by Pembroke 21C Community Association, has been awarded an impressive £8,000 of funding.

Following this announcement, it is expected that work on the site will begin soon, bringing the project to life.

John Hayes, Chairman of the 21C Community Association, said: “We are delighted to have received the grant and thank all those who voted for us in the local Tesco stores.

“It is now nearly ten years since we installed paths and a boardwalk through the reed bed and marsh areas of Holyland to create a circular walk around the woodland which has a wide range of important habitats.

It has been very well used and is much loved by the local community for walking, recreation and monitoring biodiversity.

“However, the boardwalk is now suffering wear in several places and needs upgrading.”

The project is hoping to improve access to the beautiful woodland area by upgrading the popular boardwalk. The group will raise the sunken sections that are prone to flooding as well as straightening other sections of the boardwalk which have been buckled by willow roots.

Additionally, the group will alter the boardwalk to help ensure that it can be safely enjoyed by wheelchair users by adding raised wooden edges all along, and installing posts to prevent movement of the walk.

Caroline Silke, Head of Community at Tesco, said: “Bags of Help has been a fantastic success. We have been overwhelmed by the response of our customers and the feedback has been brilliant.

“We can’t wait to see the money being put to use bringing these projects to life.

“Nominations for the next round of the initiative will open in April and we look forward to helping a further round of groups and projects bag their share of the bag charge fund.”

The grant will be used to pay for the additional materials needed, as well as the tool hire and the cost of labour to carry out the work, which will be done alongside a team of experienced volunteers.

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s National Chief Executive, said: “We have been delighted to have been involved in the Bags of Help project. It has been wonderful to follow the projects through the application process to the final announcement.

“This is money that will go directly back into the communities up and down the country creating places to meet people, be active, play or simply relax.

“This initiative is really putting something back into the local environment, transforming green spaces and helping the community at a grass-roots level.”

Voting ran in local Tesco stores between February 27 and March 6, with supermarket customers choosing which group they’d like to get the top award using a token given to them at the check-out in store.

Nominations and applications for the next round of the Bags of Help initiative’s funding will open on Monday, (Apr 18) and votes can be cast in local Tesco stores.

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

1 day 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.