A MAJOR new childcare support scheme for Armed Forces families will be rolled out across Wales from September 2026, the UK Government has announced.

The initiative is expected to save eligible families up to £6,000 per child each year, providing a significant boost to household finances amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

The scheme will be delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s existing Early Years childcare reimbursement system and will bring Wales in line with the level of support already available to forces families in England.

Ministers say the move is part of a wider effort to improve recruitment and retention in the Armed Forces, with childcare costs identified as a key pressure affecting morale.

The new support will cover children from nine months old until they reach three years of age in Wales and Scotland, and up to four years old in Northern Ireland.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP announced the scheme during a visit to Dreghorn Barracks in Edinburgh.

He said: “Our Armed Forces families are at the heart of our nation’s security. As the demands on defence increase, it is right that we step up our support for those who serve.

“This offer will ensure more military families get the childcare support they need, wherever they are posted.”

Secretary of State for Wales Jo Stevens added: “Service families in Wales make huge sacrifices and deserve the best possible support.

“They contribute not only to our national security but also to the Welsh economy. This scheme delivers meaningful help with the cost of childcare.”

The scheme will reimburse the difference in early years childcare costs for eligible working families. To qualify, both parents must be in employment and meet the income thresholds required for a Tax-Free Childcare account.

Hundreds of families across Wales are expected to benefit.

The announcement forms part of a broader package of support introduced since July 2024, including improved military housing, the largest Armed Forces pay rise in two decades, and plans to strengthen the Armed Forces Covenant in law.

Further details will be provided in the coming months, with families encouraged to begin considering childcare arrangements ahead of the scheme’s launch.

A SMALL stretch of woodland and former opencast coal mine has been transformed into a nationally recognised biodiversity site, in a major first for Wales.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve has been awarded ‘Naturfa’ status, becoming the first community-managed site in Wales to receive the designation.

The recognition, confirmed by Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies, classifies the reserve as an “Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measure” (OECM). This means the volunteer-led work of the Support the Boardwalk group will now contribute directly to Wales’ 30×30 target – the global commitment to protect 30% of land, freshwater and sea for nature by 2030.

In a further boost, the site has also been included in the National Forest for Wales, recognising its role in strengthening a connected network of woodlands and habitats across the country.

Once a simple local walkway, the Slash Pond has developed into a thriving wildlife haven. The reserve now supports a wide range of species, including critically endangered European eels, otters, ten species of bat, and more than fifty species of birds, alongside diverse aquatic plants and insects.

Huw Irranca-Davies said: “These special places are a testament to the care and dedication of people working on the ground – securing a legacy for future generations. Nature can only thrive where habitats are resilient, protected and effectively managed.”

The new status is expected to unlock future funding opportunities, supporting long-term plans for maintaining the boardwalk, monitoring biodiversity and water quality, installing new signage, and expanding environmental education work with Broad Haven Primary School and the wider Havens community.

Andy Drumm, a volunteer with Support the Boardwalk, said: “We’ve always known how special the Slash Pond is, but this recognition puts it firmly on the map as a national asset. It’s a tribute to years of hard work and shows that local communities can lead the way in tackling the nature crisis.”

To mark the achievement, a Spring Family Fun Day will take place on Friday (May 9) from 1:00pm to 4:00pm at the Slash Pond car park.

The event will feature guided nature walks, pond dipping, a wildlife treasure trail, live music, and family activities including crafts and face painting. The official unveiling of the Naturfa certificate and new reserve branding will also take place, alongside the launch of a new book, From Culm to Calm: A History of the Slash Pond by local author David Meanwell.

Karen Riggs, a long-time volunteer, said: “This achievement belongs to everyone in Broad Haven who has supported the site over the years. We’re not just celebrating a new title – we’re celebrating what our community has built together.”

The day will also see the installation of new benches at the observation decks and the launch of a floating island habitat to support wildfowl and other bird species. Visitors will also be invited to share feedback on plans for an improved picnic area designed to withstand local flooding.

Naturfa is a Welsh Government initiative recognising areas outside traditional protected sites, such as SSSIs, that are managed in ways which deliver long-term benefits for biodiversity.

The Slash Pond Community Nature Reserve is managed by the Support the Boardwalk group in partnership with The Havens Community Council, and is maintained entirely by volunteers.

Further information and updates are available via the Support the Boardwalk Facebook page.

Cold War fears resurface as Iran’s reach grows and Britain admits it has no independent shield

PEMBROKESHIRE has long been considered a strategic target — and during the Cold War, the county’s energy infrastructure and Atlantic access placed it firmly on the radar of military planners.

Today, those same strengths are raising uncomfortable questions once again.

As tensions rise following Iran’s attempted strike on a UK–US base at Diego Garcia on Saturday (March 21), the debate has shifted sharply: not whether Britain is under immediate threat — but whether it would be protected if that ever changed.

Strategic target

Milford Haven is home to some of the UK’s most critical energy assets, including major LNG terminals and oil infrastructure that supply a significant share of the nation’s gas.

In strategic terms, such facilities would rank among the most valuable economic targets in any high-level conflict.

For many in Pembrokeshire, that reality is nothing new. During the Cold War, the area was widely regarded as a potential target due to its importance to Britain’s energy security.

Lessons from Diego Garcia

The attempted strike on Diego Garcia has become a defining moment in the current crisis.

The joint UK–US base is a heavily defended military installation, supported by advanced radar systems and US naval assets. Reports indicate that one of the incoming missiles was intercepted before it could reach its target, while another failed.

But that success raises a more troubling question.

If a missile can be intercepted over a fortified base in the Indian Ocean, what happens when the target is a civilian energy hub in west Wales?

No shield over Britain

The UK has no dedicated system to intercept long-range ballistic missiles over its own territory.

While RAF Fylingdales provides early warning and tracking, it cannot stop an incoming threat.

Britain’s air defence network is designed to deal with aircraft, drones and cruise missiles — not high-speed ballistic weapons travelling through space.

In practical terms, if a missile were ever heading toward a location such as Milford Haven, there is no British-operated system that could reliably stop it at the last moment.

Reliance on the United States

Instead, any interception attempt would fall to the United States and wider NATO systems.

These include:

• Aegis Ashore missile defence bases in Eastern Europe
• US Navy warships equipped with SM-3 interceptors
• Integrated NATO tracking and command networks

These systems are capable of striking a missile in space during its midcourse phase — but only if the missile passes within range.

If it does not, there may be no interception at all.

Even when an attempt is made, success is not guaranteed. Analysts estimate that such systems have a probability of success of between 50 and 80 per cent under test conditions, meaning multiple interceptors are often fired at a single target to improve the odds.

Europe now “within range”

The debate has intensified following warnings from Israel that Iran’s latest missiles could reach far beyond the Middle East.

Israeli officials have claimed that the system used in the Diego Garcia attempt was a two-stage ballistic missile with a range of around 4,000 km — potentially placing parts of Europe within reach.

Cities such as London, Paris and Berlin have been cited as falling within the outer limits of that range, although experts stress that range on paper does not necessarily translate into reliable, repeatable strike capability.

Experts divided

Defence analysts remain split.

Some say the attempted long-range strike marks a clear step forward in Iran’s capabilities, moving the threat from theoretical to credible.

Others caution that Iran’s operational missile arsenal has historically been limited to around 2,000 km, suggesting that any longer-range capability may still be experimental rather than deployable.

UK Government response

Ministers have sought to calm fears, insisting there is no current evidence that Iran has either the intent or the capability to strike the UK mainland.

At the same time, the government has condemned Iran’s actions as “reckless” and emphasised that Britain will work with allies to protect its interests.

That response reflects a broader reality.

Deterrence, not defence

Britain’s primary protection is not interception — it is deterrence.

Any successful strike on UK soil would almost certainly trigger a major NATO response, making such an attack extraordinarily risky for any adversary.

But deterrence does not eliminate vulnerability.

The bottom line

Pembrokeshire’s strategic importance has not changed — but the conversation around long-range threats has.

The UK can detect a missile. It can track it. It can coordinate with allies and attempt an interception at distance.

But when it comes to stopping it over Britain itself, there is no independent shield — only reliance on US and NATO systems being in the right place at the right time.

For communities built around critical infrastructure like Milford Haven, that raises a stark and uncomfortable question:

If the unthinkable ever became reality, who — if anyone — would be able to stop it?