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FUW put spotlight on dairy industry

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(FUW Eve of Welsh Dairy Show) FUW staff and officials: Enjoying a farm visit at Daioni Organic, highlighting

(FUW Eve of Welsh Dairy Show) FUW staff and officials: Enjoying a farm visit at Daioni Organic, highlighting

ON THE EVE of the Welsh Dairy Show on Monday (Oct 24), the Farmers’ Union of Wales put the spotlight firmly on the dairy industry at a farm visit at the home of Daioni Organic.

Joining the visit at Ffosyficer Farm, Boncath, Pembrokeshire, were many Union members and officials, as well as Mr Michael Eavis of Glastonbury Farm, who is mostly known as the founder and organiser of the Glastonbury Festival.

VALUE ADDED FARMING

A dairy farmer for over 40 years, Laurence Harris has taken Daioni – meaning ‘goodness’ – from strength to strength.

Since taking over Ffosyficer Farm – still the heart of the Daioni business – from his father in 1970, Laurence expanded the family farm from 150 acres to well over 3,000 acres of fertile pasture.

The farm was converted to organic production in 1999 and since then, Laurence and his team have added value to their premium quality dairy produce which has culminated in the launch of the Daioni brand and a suite of products that are being sold internationally.

In 2008, Daioni flavoured milk was exported overseas for the first time and is now stocked in outlets around the world as well as in small retailers and major supermarkets across the UK.

In addition, in 2012, Daioni became the first British dairy company to gain organic certification in mainland China and in 2014, they opened their Hong Kong office to focus on Asia Pacific sales. Today, exports account for over 15% of the business turnover.

Around 20 local people are employed by the farming business which, today, is solely owned by the Harris family and continues to go from strength to strength.

Speaking at the farm visit, Mr Harris, who last year was awarded with the FUW/HSBC Outstanding Service to Welsh Dairy Industry award, said: “We all welcome the visit of Michael Eavis to Ffosyficer. As a person who has seriously added value to his dairy farm, we can all learn from his enthusiasm and foresight in attracting urbanites to the lovely pastures of Worthy Farm. It is so important to try and enlighten our consumers to the issues that dairy farmers currently face.”

FUW Deputy President Brian Thomas told delegates at the event: “Our dairy industry has suffered quite a bit with low prices over recent years. Many producers have seen their milk cheque cut in half and often find themselves having to deal with unfair contracts. The unfortunate truth is that our dairy producers will have to cope with extreme price volatility in the future.

“Whilst there have been some notable price increases in recent months – and these must be welcomed – full price recovery may still be some way into the future due to a continuing global supply and demand imbalance.”

BREXIT NOT THE ONLY CONCERN

Mr Thomas further told delegates that capitalising on new markets may well be a vital component of the Welsh dairy sector post-Brexit and it is essential that the prices paid to our farmers allow room for investment and innovation so that we can be globally competitive.

“While prices and supply and demand issues are ongoing, our dairy sector also faces two other critical issues.

“The Welsh Government is currently consulting on the four yearly review of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and the result could mean that financial implications are imposed on those who live in designated areas.

“We have been involved in the NVZ review and have made successful representations on several designations, which resulted in their removal from the discrete areas option of the consultation.

“However, the number of proposed new designations remain a concern and we continue to reiterate the operational and financial impacts those designations would have upon farms that reside within an NVZ area.”

WG ‘SQUANDERED MONEY’

Given such costs, Mr Thomas stressed that there must be full justification for any proposed increases in designation and he urged FUW members to make sure they work with their local county office and submit a response to the consultation.

Addressing the issue of bovine TB, Mr Thomas said: “Bovine TB still poses a significant problem here in Pembrokeshire. Last week, we welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement that it will consider a badger test-and-cull type approach to TB and it is as a small step in the right direction, but many farmers will be concerned at the implications of splitting Wales into TB zones.”

He added that targeting infected badgers would be a welcome move, but it is disappointing that it has taken so many years to move back towards common sense after the original comprehensive plan to tackle the disease in wildlife was abandoned by the previous Welsh Government.

“I want to be clear on one thing though – we cannot place any further financial or administrative burden on the industry. The Welsh Government has a moral obligation to fund the next steps – given the millions of pounds squandered on an ineffective badger vaccination program,” added the FUW Deputy President.

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Anzac Day commemoration service held in Milford Haven

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IN a service held on Sunday (Apr 28), the Milford Haven Branch of the Royal British Legion led a poignant commemoration service to mark Anzac Day, honouring the valor and sacrifices of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the Gallipoli campaign in World War I.

The service, which took place at 11:00am, on Hamilton Terrace, Milford Haven, witnessed a significant turnout.

Attendees included members of the Australian Signals and Signal Company as well as representatives of Milford Haven Town Council and the Milford Haven Sea Cadets.

The service commenced with a welcome and introduction by Lt Col Warren Coetzer, followed by a rendition of the National Anthems of Australia, New Zealand, and Wales, embodying a spirit of unity and remembrance. The anthems were a moving tribute to the camaraderie and international bonds formed in times of conflict.

ANZAC service: Remembering soldiers who fought bravely (Pic: MHTC)

During the service, the Ode of Remembrance was recited, a profound moment that prompted reflection on the courage and fellowship of the ANZAC forces.

The emblematic Rising Sun Cap Badge and the Union Flag were prominently displayed on the event programme, symbolising the service and sacrifice of those who served under them.

Local dignitaries laid wreaths, and a two-minute silence was observed, offering a chance for personal reflection on the cost of war and the price of peace.

Sea Cadets and member of the public at the service (Pic: MH Sea Cadets)

The commemoration concluded with a prayer for peace, leaving the attendees with a message of hope and a renewed commitment to the values for which the ANZAC soldiers bravely fought.

The service was not just a remembrance of past sacrifices but also a reminder of the enduring spirit of the ANZACs, which continues to inspire and guide future generations.

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Survey of Picton Castle reveals groundbreaking medieval architecture

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THE first ever detailed architectural survey of Picton Castle, Pembrokeshire, has revealed a medieval castle ahead of its time in terms of design and high status living. Much altered in the Georgian period, the castle was surveyed by the author, Neil Ludlow, with Phil Poucher of Heneb – Dyfed Archaeology (formerly Dyfed Archaeological Trust) and funded by the Castle Studies Trust: it reveals a sophisticated building fit for royalty.

However, the building was actually built between 1315-20 by a senior royal government official called Sir John Wogan, who held office in Pembrokeshire, Northern England and Ireland and possibly fought on a military campaign in Gascony.

While outwardly it retains much of its medieval flavour, the interiors were extensively made over during the eighteenth century so that it now presents itself first and foremost as a Georgian country seat. But beneath this veneer, much medieval work still survives – though a lot of it is tucked away behind stud-walls, in cupboards, or is otherwise obscured.

Picton’s unique layout makes it a castle of great importance and architecturally ground-breaking for when it was built in the early fourteenth century. Most castles have at least some close parallels, but Picton is effectively one of a kind. Close study shows that it resolves as a central first-floor hall, flanked by services and a chamber-block to form a very early example of the three-unit ‘H-plan’ house.

The gatehouse – unusual in buildings of this kind – led onto an equally unusual ‘grand stairway’ to the hall; a second ground-floor entry probably led to an external kitchen and bakehouse.

The castle’s spatial disposition, access and circulation are meticulously planned, while the domestic appointments show a remarkable level of sophistication for the period, including what appear to be vertical serving-hatches between the ground floor and the service rooms above. At second-floor level, the east towers and gatehouse form two integrated suites of residential apartments either side of a chapel, in a manner firmly rooted within royal planning. The opposite pair of towers, at the west end, seem to have been united internally to form a residential chamber-block, for Wogan’s officials and guests, possibly served by latrines in the former west tower; the present partition walls are later.

Neil Ludlow told The Pembrokeshire Herald: “The enigmatic castle at Picton in Pembrokeshire is best-known for its magnificent Georgian interiors. But beneath this veneer is a medieval castle, from around 1315-20, with a unique layout. A towered hall-block with a pioneering ‘H-plan’, it reveals elements derived from royal planning, and sophisticated domestic arrangements including serving hatches between the floor levels. These innovations show it to have been a castle that was ahead of its time.”

Castle Studies Trust Chair of Trustees Jeremy Cunnington added: “The Castle Studies Trust is delighted to have funded the first ever detailed survey of Picton Castle and to have learned so much more about the medieval form of this unique building.”

Dr Rhiannon Talbot-English, Director at Picton Castle Trust told this newspaper: “Picton Castle has always been something of an enigmatic mystery: hidden gothic alcoves and arches, secret spiral staircases and untouched medieval Undercroft. Picton Castle Charitable Trust is extremely grateful to the Castle Studies Trust for its generous financial support which has enabled this research to be undertaken and we look forward to sharing this new knowledge with the public in a new exhibition about the early castle.”

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Solemn tributes at Freshwater West for WWII maritime tragedy

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IN an emotional gathering at Freshwater West, Pembrokeshire, the public and veterans convened on April 29, to honour the memory of the 85 souls lost in the tragic sinking of Landing Craft, Gun (LCG) 15 and LCG 16 during a brutal storm in April 1943.

The memorial service took place near the scenic, surf-popular beach, where the community assembled to reflect on the calamity that struck during a perilous wartime operation.

The service highlighted the sacrifices made by those aboard the LCGs, as well as six valiant crew members from the HMS Rosemary, who perished while attempting a daring rescue amidst the tempest.

Originally designed as Landing Craft, Tanks (LCTs), LCG 15 and LCG 16 were converted at Belfast’s Harland & Wolff shipyard to support amphibious operations by equipping them with heavy artillery.

Their redesign included the installation of two 4.7 inch guns intended for use during D-Day, suggesting that, had they survived, these crafts and their crews could have played a pivotal role in the Normandy Landings.

The crafts were en route to Falmouth when they encountered severe weather off the coast of Freshwater West.

Compounded by their flat-bottomed design, which was ill-suited for rough seas, both vessels tragically succumbed to the stormy conditions.

Denied shelter at Fishguard, they were compelled to continue towards Milford Haven, a decision that ultimately led to their sinking.

Today, the wrecks of LCG 15 and LCG 16 lie as protected war graves, and a poignant memorial stands overlooking the beach, a testament to the bravery and enduring legacy of the men lost to the sea.

Visitors to the memorial site at Freshwater West, which also hosts another commemorative marker at Thornton Cemetery in Milford Haven, can reflect upon the harrowing experiences faced by wartime naval personnel and the profound impact of their service.

The event served not only as a remembrance but also as an educational experience, particularly for younger generations unaware of the perils faced by their forebears during such tumultuous times.

The memorial at Freshwater West remains open to the public, offering a place for contemplation and respect, against the backdrop of one of Wales’ most beloved surfing beaches, where the echoes of history resonate with the sounds of the waves.

Pictures by Martin Cavaney

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