News

Pembrokeshire farmer winner of the Brynle Williams Memorial Award

Published

3 years ago

February 26, 2022

YOUNG farmer, Bryn Perry, from Haverfordwest in Pembrokeshire has been awarded the Brynle Williams Memorial Award for 2021.

The Brynle Williams Memorial Award, celebrates the huge contribution made by the late Brynle Williams to Welsh agriculture, both as an Assembly Member and as a farmer. The Award was established in 2011 and this year the Award celebrates the achievements of young farmers who have excelled in the Welsh Government’s Mentro/Venture programme which supports new entrants to establish Share Farming agreements with landowners.

The Award went to a first-generation farmer, Bryn Perry, who is in his early 30s. He is currently a tenant on a Pembrokeshire Council Farm running a small sheep dairy enterprise. With a degree in business management and having worked in various industries and roles in the past, it has always been an ambition of Bryn’s to work in agriculture on his own farm.

Along with his partner Becca and young daughter, the family keep a flock of around 120 East Friesian ewes – a breed renowned for the quality of their milk.

Bryn has utilised the Farming Connect Venture programme to establish a successful partnership with local dairy sheep farmers. He has also participated in the Farming Connect personal development programmes including the Agri Academy and Business Bootcamp as well as took advantage of subsidised training relevant to food processing.

Bryn Perry said: “None of my achievements would have been possible without all these services available to me. They boosted my confidence and introduced me to a network of new rural contacts and skills that I needed to set up my own rural business.”

Bryn was announced winner at last night’s (Thursday 24 February) Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards, where the talents of Wales’s top environmental and land-based individuals and businesses were recognised and celebrated.

Commenting on the awards Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Cymru Wales, said: “The Lantra Cymru Awards highlights the outstanding contributions and achievements of all our winners and runner-ups who work within Wales’ environmental and land-based industries as well as the many rewarding careers available in the industry. I know the judges were very impressed again with the quality of nominations and I would like to congratulate all winners and finalists.

“We are of course very grateful to have the support of a range of people and organisations who make holding an event like this possible, including our media partner, Telesgop. We are pleased to have worked alongside the Food Skills Cymru, Future Farmers of Wales, Tyfu Cymru, and the Brynle Williams Memorial Awards, all giving a platform to recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements within the agriculture, horticulture and food and drink manufacturing sectors.

“We are also grateful to the continued support of Farming Connect in helping us with these Awards.”

Now in their 27^th year, the awards were judged by leading Welsh agricultural Mr Peter Rees, chair of Lantra Wales, presided over this year’s selection panel which included agricultural Health & Safety expert Brian Rees; Dr Nerys Llewelyn Jones, founder and managing partner of Agri Advisor solicitors and Kevin Thomas, Director of Lantra Wales.

The full list of the Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards 2021 winners and runners-up is as follows:

College Young Learner of the Year Award – 20 years and under

Winner: Elin Protheroe (Beulah, Llanwrtyd Wells)

Runner-up: Hefin Owen (Llanrwst)

Runner-up: Morgan Jones (Glan Conwy)

Highly Commended: Caitlin Mann (Llangollen)

College Lifelong Learner of the Year Award – over 21 years

Winner: Emma Roberts (Llangollen)

Runner-up: Cai Roberts (Penrhyndeudraeth)

Farming Connect Young Learner of the Year

Winner: Tomas Richards (Hay-on-Wye)

Runner-up: Sarah Evans (Pentyrch, Cardiff)

Runner-up: Rebecca Williams (Llandrindod Wells)

Farming Connect Lifelong Learner of the Year

Winner: Tracey Price (Llanidloes)

Runner-up: Linda Evans (Penmaen, Swansea)

Farming Connect Progressive New Entrant

Winner: Thomas Phillips (Goodwick, Pembrokeshire)

Farming Connect Public Engagement Award

Winner: Cheryl Reeves (Bangor on Dee)

Farming Connect Animal Health and Welfare

Winner: Kim Brickell (Kilgetty)

Runner-up: Rhys Roberts (Wrexham)

Farm Innovator

Winner: Patrick Elliott (Kilgetty)

Runner-up: Ceredig Evans (Holyhead)

Tyfu Cymru Award

Winner: Derwen Garden Centre (Welshpool)

Runner-up: Vale Pick Your Own (Vale of Glamorgan)

Food Skills Cymru Large Business Category

Winner: Glanbia Cheese Ltd (Llangefni)

Runner-up: Randall Parker Foods (Llanidloes)

Highly Commended: Burton’s Biscuits (Llantarnum, Cwmbran)

Food Skills Cymru SME Business Category

Winner: Radnor Hills Mineral Water Ltd (Heartsease, Knighton)

Runner-up: South Caernarfon Creameries (Pwllheli)

Highly Commended: Glamorgan Brewing (Pontyclun)

Food Skills Cymru Micro Business Category

Winner: In The Welsh Wind Distillery (Tanygroes, Ceredigion)

Runner-up: Bluestone Brewing (Cilgwyn, Newport)

Highly Commended: Castell Gwyn Ltd (Rhuddlan, Denbighshire)

Future Farmers of Wales

Winner: Morgan Tudor (Llanerfyl, Powys)

Brynle Williams Memorial Award

Winner: Bryn Perry (Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Winner: Dai Jones Llanilar

Farming Connect was the main sponsor and leading multimedia production company Telesgop, was the awards’ media partner.

Over the past quarter of a century Lantra Cymru Wales has provided vital expert training and qualifications for the environment and land-based industries.

Award winners and runners up will be enlisted into the new Lantra Cymru Wales Ambassadors programme to champion skills development within the food and drink supply chain in Wales. A combination of resources and informal awareness raising will be made available to all ambassadors during the year.

To learn more about the Gwobrau Lantra Cymru Awards, visit https://www.wales.lantra.co.uk/news/lantra-cymru-awards-2021-call-entries

Crime

Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property

Published

7 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.

Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.

The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.

The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.

The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.

News

Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’

Published

7 hours ago

November 25, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”

The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.

Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”

NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.

“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.

“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”

The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”

This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

9 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”