Community

Welsh Prime Minister’s favourite cakes revived

Published

9 years ago

June 22, 2016

Tom Sinclair

Recipe restored: Rosalind
Raymond of Jordanston Church
with Mandy Stirling of Wolfscastle
Country Hotel

TO MARK the centenary of David Lloyd George becoming the only Welsh Prime Minister, a hotel has revived the original recipes for Welsh cakes he enjoyed and is using them to fund further restoration to his family church in Pembrokeshire.

Wolfscastle C ountry Hotel near Haverfordwest discovered the recipes for Welsh Cakes and Bara Brith which Lloyd George’s wife Dame Margaret, donated to a cookery book originally published in 1919 by the Criccieth Women’s Institute.

Subtitled ‘Recipes for the Favourite Dishes of The Prime Minister’ the book was reprinted in the early 1970s.

The hotel is working with nearby Jordanston Church in Pembrokeshire, which is to hold an exhibition (June 17-19) commemorating the centenary of David Lloyd George taking office as the only Welsh Prime Minister. The exhibition is open to the public at Jordanston Church and Hall between 10.30am-8pm each day.

Lloyd George’s father, grandfather, grandmother, and step grandfather are buried in the church and his family farmed the neighbouring farm of Trecoed.

As a curtain-raiser to the event Wolfscastle Hotel is hosting a fundraising afternoon tea featuring the Lloyd George cakes, on Sunday, June 12, commencing 4.30pm.

Andrew Stirling, proprietor of the four star Wolfscastle Hotel since 1976 said: “We were fascinated to learn about Lloyd George’s family connection with Pembrokeshire and wanted to help by supplementing the great fundraising work of the wardens of Jordanston Church in the best way we can, by baking cakes!

“We hope people will be equally fascinated to try out cakes made to the exact recipe which Lloyd George enjoyed over 100 years ago.”

Speaking on behalf of the Jordanston Church fundraising team, which has so far raised £100,000 to repair and restore the church including a £63,000 Heritage Lottery grant, Rosalind Raymond said: “We are thrilled that Andy and Mandy Stirling have offered to contribute to our exhibition in this way.

The whole purpose is to raise funds specifically to repair windows at this small and much loved church which has so many historic connections and is very much at the heart of our community.”

Of his roots in the county, Lloyd George once said: “I am a Pembrokeshire lad. I come from Pembrokeshire stock and am proud of it.” (David Lloyd George – Crymych, October 30, 1924).

The Welsh Cakes are referred to in the book as ‘Cachen Gri (Dame Margaret’s Way)’ and the ‘Bara Brith’ is also described as Currant Cake in the 1919 recipe.

Mandy Stirling of Wolfscastle Hotel said: “In trialling the recipes, we found the Welsh Cakes were less sweet than is the norm these days; they are almost savoury and you can imagine them being served spread with butter. These days we tend to add zest of fruit to give a little more flavour, mixed spices, again for more flavour.

The Bara Brith was even more of a marked difference than the style people expect these days. The 1919 recipe used lard, lots of eggs and milk, whilst we use warm black tea in the recipe, which is more common.

Whereas people today will be used to a Bara Brith that is moist and quite sticky, the Lloyd George recipe produced a crumbly, drier cake with just currants rather than the mixed fruit we have. But it is nonetheless delicious and we look forward to serving these lovely cakes to our guests.”

Tickets to the Lloyd George Exhibition Charity Afternoon Tea cost £12 per person, with £6.00 going to the Jordanston Church restoration fund.

Tickets are available from www. wolfscastle.com

Community

Haverfordwest’s first memory tree brings community together this Christmas

Published

2 hours ago

December 5, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Spud Box is delighted to launch a brand-new festive initiative for the people of Pembrokeshire – Haverfordwest’s first Memory Tree, now open to the public at our premises.

The idea, inspired by Drew from The Big Pembs Panto, invites members of the community to write and hang personal messages on the tree. These can be tributes to loved ones, cherished memories, or simple Christmas wishes.

The project has been created to give people a meaningful way to connect during the festive season. All materials – including paper, plastic pockets and ribbon – are provided free of charge. Visitors are also welcome to enjoy complimentary hot drinks, kindly supplied by Connect: Pembrokeshire, along with mince pies donated by Brakes.

Anyone who prefers to create their message at home can bring it in, and the team will be happy to help attach it to the tree.

Donations are being encouraged in support of Sandy Bear Children’s Bereavement Charity, making the Memory Tree both a reflective and charitable community event.

The tree itself looks spectacular thanks to Sion from DSR Batteries, who supplied the lighting. The project has also received generous support from Marty at Sandy Bear Children’s Bereavement Charity and Pure West Radio. Spud Box welcomes other community groups or organisations who wish to get involved.

Community

Pembrokeshire Lottery makes Superdraw winner’s Christmas extra special

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

ONE lucky Pembrokeshire Lottery player has scooped a festive windfall after winning the £10,000 Christmas Superdraw held on Wednesday 3 December.

The winner, Mr Damon McGarvie, formerly of Milford Haven and now living in Llangwm, was selected with lucky number 41475. He plays through a salary-deduction scheme run by his employer, Pembrokeshire County Council.

Mr McGarvie’s name was announced live on Radio Pembrokeshire, after which the Pembrokeshire Lottery team made contact and presented him with his cheque later that day.

Speaking after the win, Mr McGarvie said he and his wife will be jetting off on a once-in-a-lifetime holiday over the festive period, thanks to the surprise Christmas windfall.

Pembrokeshire Lottery Manager Abigail Owens said:
“I am so pleased for Mr McGarvie. He has contributed to the Pembrokeshire Lottery for many years, and it is only by the continued support of our players that we are able to assist so many local businesses with interest-free funding from the loan fund.”

The regular weekly £2,000 draws continue in the run-up to the January Superdraw, which will offer a £4,000 prize.

To sign up or order Pembrokeshire Lottery gift subscriptions for Christmas, call 01646 690800.

Photo caption: Damon McGarvie with his winner’s cheque.

Community

Care home fees in Wales remain among the lowest – but families still face crippling bills

Published

2 days ago

December 3, 2025

Tom Sinclair

WALES continues to offer some of the most affordable care home places in the UK, with residents paying hundreds of pounds less each week than in London or Scotland, new figures reveal.

The average weekly cost of a residential care home place in Wales stands at £1,156 – £392 cheaper than in London (£1,548) and £142 below the UK average of £1,298, according to data published by the country’s largest care home reviews website, carehome.co.uk.

Even when nursing care or specialist dementia support is required, Wales remains significantly cheaper than most of the UK. A week in a Welsh nursing home with dementia care costs £1,440 on average – £327 less than in London and £124 below the national figure.

The figures, based on self-funder fees collected on 9 September 2025, underline a stark north-south divide that has persisted for years.

London is by far the most expensive region, with basic residential care now averaging £1,548 a week. Scotland, where care workers benefit from a higher minimum wage settlement, comes a close second at £1,539. In contrast, the North East of England remains the cheapest area at just £1,112 a week for residential care – almost £200 below the UK average.

Sue Learner, editor of carehome.co.uk, said the regional variations were only part of the story.

“Wales is the third most affordable region for most types of care, which will come as a relief to many families here,” she said. “But even at £1,156 a week, the bills add up to almost £60,000 a year. For the 49 per cent of residents who pay for their own care, these costs are devastating.”

The financial pressure is compounded by differing rules on state help across the UK. In Wales, anyone with assets below £50,000 qualifies for local authority support – more than double England’s £23,250 threshold and well above Scotland’s £35,000 limit.

Ms Learner warned that rising staff wages and looming increases in employer National Insurance contributions would push fees higher everywhere.

“Local councils are already stretched to breaking point,” she said. “Without genuine reform of the social care system – something governments have been promising for decades – more and more families will have no choice but to sell the family home to fund care.”

The website, which carries 390,000 independently verified reviews, is urging people to plan early and seek expert advice. Its free Care Helpline (01488 501 499) is available to anyone looking for a home that offers both quality and value for money.

As the population ages and demand grows, campaigners say the latest figures are another reminder that the postcode lottery in care costs shows no sign of disappearing.