A PEMBROKESHIRE community pub, which earned the support of a Hollywood star, has been allowed to keep a disabled access walkway and restored platform used for performances by local choirs.

In a retrospective application submitted to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Cymdeithas Tafarn Sinc sought permission to retain works at the Tafarn Sinc community pub in Rosebush.

In its submission, the community group said: “An existing platform adjacent to the pub has been restored and slightly expanded; with a new access walkway installed.

“The walkway was added for Health and Safety reasons and allows both able bodied and disabled people to safely access the platform. The platform is used for a variety of activities, such as performances by local choirs.

“The platform was formerly railway platform on a small branch line, and has been restored to look as it did when it was operational.”

The works were undertaken in 2022, the application said.

Tafarn Sinc had been in danger of closing when the old landlord and landlady retired back in 2017 but a huge fund-raising effort that attracted worldwide interest – including support from Hollywood star Rhys Ifans – meant it is now owned and run by the local community.

Campaigners raised a staggering £325,000 in little more than three months to buy the pub and keep it open and at the heart of community life.

Other public figures like Huw Edwards, Jamie Owen, Dewi Pws, Dafydd Hywel and ‘Heno’ presenter Mari Grug gave their support, with £200 shares bought by people from all over the world.

An officer report for the scheme proposed said: “The pub itself is constructed from corrugated metal and has an historical, industrial appearance. Historically, Rosebush Railway Station was adjacent and to the west of the pub building, built as part of the same development in the latter 19th century.

“A section of the Maenclochog Railway and platform still exist and form part of the pub and village’s visitor attraction. An inaccessible platform mock-up of a family of passengers had existed prior to this current development.”

Recommending approval it said: “The scale of proposal is proportionate to the existing ‘railway’ features and will create little impact on the special qualities of the National Park.

“There is concern however that the proposal could create an amenity impact for which this proposal has not been assessed for. An appropriate condition restricting the use of the development to prevent harmful noise pollution is therefore included.”

BROAD HAVEN Beach will be one of over 30 locations across the UK hosting protesters today, as thousands take to coasts and rivers to demand an end to sewage pollution. The nationwide protests are organised by Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), who are calling for immediate action to stop the sewage discharges that are contaminating the UK’s waterways and harming both ecological and human health.

From Cornwall to Edinburgh, local beaches and rivers will see demonstrations, with flagship protests at West Pier in Brighton and Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth. Notably, double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes will join protesters on the south coast, highlighting the widespread support for the cause.

Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, commented: “Once again, the public face a grim choice this summer – risk swallowing sewage or forgo a dip in the water. This year offers an opportunity to turn our collective anger into action and end the sewage scandal. Politicians must now listen, with a general election imminent and public sentiment clear. All parties need to show genuine and quantifiable commitments to eliminate sewage pollution, or they will face the consequences.”

The issue of water quality is expected to be a significant factor influencing voters in the next general election, which must occur before January 2025. In June, regulator Ofwat will deliver recommendations on water companies’ investment plans for the next five years. Water companies have proposed £11 billion in investment to reduce sewage discharges, with corresponding increases in customer bills, a move that has sparked public outrage, especially considering the profits paid out to water company executives and shareholders.

According to the Financial Times, water companies in England and Wales paid out £2.5 billion in dividends over the past two financial years, and over £78 billion since privatisation 33 years ago.

Bristow added: “Thousands are protesting this weekend to demand clean seas and rivers. We need ambitious plans to end sewage pollution in high-priority nature sites and the waters we swim, surf, and paddle in by 2030. The public will not tolerate this broken system any longer.”

Dame Kelly Holmes, set to paddle out with protesters in Brighton, emphasised the importance of clean waterways: “I love nothing more than getting out into the open water on my paddle-board – it does wonders for my mental health, and there’s a strong sense of community among those who use our wild waterways. But this special pastime is tainted by the persistent risk of pollution. It’s shocking and infuriating that whole generations are deprived of safely enjoying our blue spaces. Our waterways are crucial for our health and wellbeing, and it’s scandalous how they are treated.”

In 2023, there were 584,001 recorded sewage discharges across England, Scotland, and Wales—a 51% increase from the previous year—totaling 12,966,322 hours of sewage released into waterways. United Utilities was the worst offender, with 97,537 discharges, followed by Yorkshire Water and Severn Trent Water. Welsh Water reported 108,860 discharges, although these figures are not directly comparable due to different reporting methods.

This weekend, paddle-outs will occur in most water company catchments, including Scottish Water, which recorded 15,289 spills last year, and Northern Ireland Water, which lacks discharge data due to insufficient monitoring.

The Environment Agency claims that 100% of storm overflows in England are now fitted with monitoring devices. However, SAS analysis reveals that monitors at 1,930 storm overflows, representing 13.3% of the total, are operating below 90% capacity, suggesting that the reported figures for England in 2023 are underestimated.

Local protest organiser and SAS supporter Sally McGee highlighted the impact on Tynemouth’s beaches: “Every surfer across the UK knows the risk of getting sick if they surf. Many beaches around Tynemouth are subjected to raw sewage discharge during storms. It’s upsetting and feels like we are going backwards in time. We demand an end to sewage discharges in our bathing waters by 2030.”

Surfers Against Sewage is calling for the end of sewage discharges into all bathing waters and high-priority nature sites by 2030, urging water companies, regulators, and politicians to prioritise people and nature over profit.

The prevalence of vision problems is growing in the United Kingdom, putting the elderly in a more vulnerable position. According to a report by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), over two million people are living with sight loss in the UK. Of that number, nearly 80% are from the older population aged 65 and above. The RNIB also predicts that the number of people experiencing sight loss will double and reach 4 million by 2050, making access to eye care all the more crucial.

Ocular problems like cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma are all age-related. Thus, people experiencing vision issues may be at risk of going blind as they grow older, especially with challenges in accessing eye health care services. But what is being done to mitigate these risks? Below, we take a look at the state of elderly eye care in the UK and what’s being done to bridge the gaps.

Hindrance to elderly eye care

Backlogs in the National Health Service (NHS) waiting list continue to be a primary barrier to the ageing population’s access to eye care. Data published by NHS England shows that there were over 7 million people on waiting lists last December 2022; of that number, around 630,000 were waiting for an appointment with an ophthalmologist. Due to the capacity challenges faced by the NHS, an estimated 22 people end up with severe or permanent sight loss every month, as reported by the Association of Optometrists (AOP). The AOP also says eye problems are more common in elderly patients, making the older population more at risk for blindness. But what alternatives are being implemented to prevent this?

Bridging the gap

Accessing eye care services can be difficult for elderly people with mobility issues and other health concerns that may hamper their ability to communicate their eye care needs. This is especially true for people living in care homes who cannot go outside. As a response, Specsavers offers home visits to provide eye care services to residents who cannot leave their nursing homes. In 2022, the group of mobile opticians provided more than a quarter of a million glasses to care home residents and referred more than 2,500 people in Wales for eyesight treatment. This helps bring ocular health care closer to older people who have no means to visit an eye doctor.

The increasing popularity of e-commerce has also made eye care services more accessible. These online retail stores help minimise the need for older people to travel to brick-and-mortar stores. Glasses Direct is an online eyewear retailer that offers a diverse range of glasses frames that seniors can wear, such as the Elaine and Grayson. Through its Home Trial feature, older adults can also try up to four frames, which will be delivered directly to their homes so they can wear and select the best possible option before going back to the site and ordering their preferred frames. That way, travel time is reduced, and elderly people with mobility issues can still access eyewear options from the comfort of their homes. 

Researchers in the UK have also developed an artificial intelligence (AI) program that is capable of detecting and treating eye disorders through retinal images. RETFound is an AI model that uses millions of eye scans from the NHS to pick up early signs of blindness. This can provide a huge boost in the accurate diagnosis of ocular problems that can threaten the eyesight of older adults, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and other diseases that the human eye can overlook. RETFound can also reduce the workload of eye doctors in analysing retinal images, thus potentially making waiting times in hospitals or even in the NHS much faster. 
Access to eye care remains a problem that threatens the eyesight of the elderly in the UK. Luckily, initiatives are in place to bridge this gap and reduce the likelihood of age-related vision loss across the country. For more articles like this, visit The Pembrokeshire Herald website.