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Students strengthen Lesotho link

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lesotho linkYSGOL Dewi Sant head boy Rhys Jones and head girl Ebony Owen are to spearhead a special fact-finding delegation from St Davids to the Royal Village of Matsieng, Lesotho next spring half term.

The visit, which is being organised by the St Davids Matsieng Link group, is planned to strengthen and broaden the link between the two communities which was first set up in 1999, when the Queen Mother of Lesotho paid a week long visit to St Davids.

Since then there have been regular visits to St Davids, especially at St Davidstide by the late Queen’s second son, Prince Seeiso, who until recently was Lesotho’s High Commissioner in London, while here in St Davids the support group has raised substantial sums of money to assist aids orphaned students at Matsieng’s secondary school.

The former St Davids Church in Wales primary school also at one time made links with St Matthews primary school in Matsieng when Mr Raymond Griffiths was head teacher.

The purpose of this new visit, which will be lead by the chairman of the group, St Davids City Councillor Chris Taylor, will be to explore all avenues for strengthening and updating the link, especially with the younger generation. High on the agenda will be visits to Moshoeshoe II High School in Matsieng, and also some of the local primary schools.

Both Rhys and Ebony are keen members of their Young Farmers Clubs, and they also hope to visit local farms in the area, as well as looking at other aspects of the local economy such as manufacturing, administration and tourism

“Our charitable work is very important, and will continue to be a significant part of our role in the future,” Chris Taylor told The Pembrokeshire Herald, “but we want the link to go much further than this. We want to build real links and bonds with our opposite numbers, and there will also be much that they can contribute to us. Twinning if it is to have any long term meaning has to be a two way process, and this is what we are hoping to initiate during this visit.”

Making up the fourth member of the party will be Ysgol Dewi Sant English teacher Eleanor Walker who will help to co-ordinate the school’s involvement in the visit.

The group is receiving considerable practical assistance from Dolen Cymru, the national organisation which co-ordinates links between Wales and Lesotho, and also from Wales Africa Community Links which is generously assisting with the costs of the journey to Lesotho.

“One of the unfortunate things is that we will be travelling back to St Davids on St Davids Day,” said Chris Taylor, “but I hope that we will be able to have an advance celebration before we leave. One thing I do know is that because of Dolen Cymru’s long standing involvement with Lesotho, the locals are very used to, and by all accounts very good at, celebrating our national Saint’s Day!”

It is hoped that Ysgol Bro Dewi will not be left out of the overall twinning with Matsieng, and plans are already afoot for Dolen Cymru to set up a teacher exchange between one of the primary schools there and St Davids.

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Crime

Police appeal for information after several tractors stolen

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POLICE officers in Pembrokeshire investigating a theft from several tractors, which happened overnight between April 17-18, 2024.

The tractors had been in a field near to Loch Turfin, Haverfordwest.

Included in the stolen items were vehicle keys, tools and waterproof clothing.

A spokesperson said “Police are now appealing for anyone with information that could help them with their investigation to contact PC 772 Boyt either through a direct message on social media, online at: https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected] or by calling 101.

“Quote reference: 24*355571”

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Community

Pembrokeshire firefighters help deliver fire engines to Ukraine

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FIRE services from across the United Kingdom have rallied together to donate vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, amidst ongoing conflicts that have seen local fire stations and firefighters come under direct attack.

The Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) was at the forefront of this international goodwill effort, donating three fire appliances and dispatching nine of their personnel to ensure safe delivery.

The initiative, coordinated by Fire Aid UK, involved a total of 11 UK fire services. Over a grueling 5.5-day journey that spanned several countries—starting from Kent Fire and Rescue Service and moving through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and into Poland—33 fire appliances were transported to a location just 20 miles from the Ukraine border. They left Kent on April 23.

This convoy, laden with not just fire engines but also 3000 items of critical firefighting gear including cutting equipment, fire hoses, first aid kits, and generators, was a sight of resilience and humanitarian commitment. Watch Manager Rob MakePeace, a Business Fire Safety Officer, and Watch Manager Keith Jenkins, who is retired but still oversees part-time personnel at Haverfordwest, played pivotal roles in the operation from Pembrokeshire.

Speaking on the experience, Keith Jenkins expressed the profound impact of the mission, “It was a fantastic experience to be involved in. The convoy itself was an amazing sight, but the people we met, places we stayed and the reason we were delivering the appliances was something we will remember for a long time.”

The donation comes at a critical time for Ukraine, where daily attacks have not only jeopardized the lives of local firefighters but have also devastated much of the essential infrastructure needed to fight fires effectively. The additional appliances and equipment from the UK are expected to significantly bolster the capabilities of the Ukrainian fire departments, providing them with the necessary tools to save lives and protect property under dire circumstances.

This act of generosity and the strenuous efforts by the UK firefighters underscore a deep commitment to aiding those in peril, transcending borders and showcasing the best of international cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

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Protest outside Stephen Crabb’s office over Rwanda deportations

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SUPPORTERS of West Wales Stand Up to Racism group will attend a protest outside the office of Stephen Crabb MP in Market Street at 6pm on Tuesday evening (May 7).

The protest is to highlight the inhumane scheme to send refugees to Rwanda.

Since the Rwanda Bill was finally passed last week, refugees have already been identified, detained and are being prepared to be flown to Rwanda to have their asylum claims processed there.

Rushi Sunak has said “To detain people while we prepare to remove them, we’ve increased detention spaces to 2,200.

“To quickly process claims, we’ve got 200 trained, dedicated caseworkers ready and waiting. To deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively, the judiciary has made available 25 courtrooms and identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days.”

The protestors are asking: why is all this money being spent when these vulnerable people could have their asylum claims dealt with in the UK?

If the Prime Minister hoped his Rwanda plan would help get more votes for the Conservative Party in the recent elections, it would appear he was mistaken.

A new report from the Refugee Council warns that the UK Government’s flagship Illegal Migration Act and Rwanda Plan will lead to another catastrophic “system meltdown”, trapping over 100,000 people in permanent limbo while costing taxpayers billions.

West Wales Stand Up to Racism has campaigned against the Government’s plan to send refugees to Rwanda from the time this scheme was first suggested.

Supporters have previously met with Simon Hart MP and attempted to deliver a giant postcard to his office.

The group has taken part in the online Hands in Protest project organised by Artisan Avenue, Tenby which allowed everyone to express on line how they felt about Rwanda by submitting drawings of their own hands. The collective Hands In Protest gives a powerful message that the Rwanda plan should be stopped.

The organisers said: “Supporters will be once more taking the giant postcard on Tuesday, to protest about the Rwanda scheme. We will have small post cards for supporters to write messages to Stephen Crabb, telling him how strongly we feel about this.

“All over the UK, anti-racists are picketing Home Office buildings to show their opposition to the Rwanda scheme and are trying to prevent arrests and giving support to the refugees being arrested and detained.

“West Wales Stand Up to Racism supporters want to make their voices heard too.”

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