Business
Bug Farm explains rush to keep people and animals safe as raging wildfire approached
A PEMBROKESHIRE business has taken to the internet to thank everyone who has supported them throughout the recent grass fires. The management of Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm said on Facebook: “Thank you everyone for your kind comments about the fire.
“Being told that you may lose your family home, cows and nature reserve is rather sobering.
The business describes itself as a visitor and research centre located on a farm wildlife reserve grazed by our Tyddewi Herd of Welsh Black cattle. IT has a focus on invertebrates (bugs) alongside sustainable food and farming, they are also home of Grub Kitchen & Bug Farm Foods.
However all of that was hanging in the balance with people and animals threatened by the oncoming flames.
They explained: “With the fire just one field away from them, our first priority was getting our cows to a safer area. We had a team of ecologists working on the land who thankfully saw the fire and got away in time. Then we looked up and said: “oh my gosh, the house”.
“All my memories of my late mum and dad were in the house. We drove through the smoke and flames to reach it. I will never forget seeing the small mammals running for their lives across the road, in particular a rabbit with charred fur that stopped in the middle of the road and looked straight at me before carrying on. The firefighters said their priority was trying to save the first 5 houses of Nun Street if possible.
“Ours was number 1, the house nearest to the fire. I was allowed one dash in by the firefighters to grab what I could. Typically, the fire expanded behind me, with Andy the other side of it not being able to contact me. It was completely terrifying for everyone.
“A huge thank you to my cousin Rachel and Nick for hosing down the garden as the fire reached the garden hedge and closing all the windows of the house while I grabbed precious memories. Thanks to a monumental effort, our house, Tabitha’s home, the cows and most of our fledgling nature reserve at Penweathers are safe. The fire team were amazing.
“After putting the main blaze out on Saturday, they must have returned 4 or 5 times on Sunday, when we, Adam Vincent at Clwb and the TYF Adventure guides couldn’t control the blazes.
“Following advice from the fire officer, Andy did an amazing job on Saturday night and Sunday cutting fire breaks around our meadows as a preventative measure to stop the fire spreading to the houses in St Davids and the cathedral cemetery if it reignited (which it did…time and time again).
“Tabitha and Angela worked tirelessly with us and Adam putting out the fires and a big thanks to Lou for helping out too.
“On Sunday, two big fires started, one at Newgale and another at a South Pembs recycling centre, and all the fire teams in the county were called away. It was an odd feeling on Sunday evening, hearing the local fire officer saying that all engines in west Wales were deployed elsewhere so, if it re-started, we were pretty much on our own and so we should do everything we could to extinguish the new, small fires so they couldn’t escalate.
“We managed to keep on top of the small fires and smoking bales thanks to regular patrols and local residents calling us whenever they spotted smoke so we could rush to extinguish new fires before they got too big.
“After almost 24 hours of fire-free time, we thought we had won and then, on Tuesday afternoon, got a call to say that smoke had been spotted again.
“By the time we arrived, Adam was extinguishing a smoking bale and then we found a smoking hawthorn tree in a largely unburnt hedge, at the edge of what had burnt: within seconds, the trunk was glowing bright red, with flames starting to spread.
“Thanks to the rain, we had our first fire-free day yesterday (the second busiest day of the year at The Bug Farm). Please bear with us over the next few days if we are a bit zombie-like, we are all exhausted and still a bit shaken, but so, so thankful that it has ended how it has.
“The fire burnt through our neighbour’s arable land and improved grassland, destroying the crops, but seemed to skirt around our wildlife habitat, going through the hedge banks but not making it across our fields, despite them being long grass meadows. Having been told at least 5 times over the past few days that it is: “long grass and bl**dy rewilding like you are doing” that is causing these fires to spread, it is worth noting that the re-wetted marshy grassland stopped the fire in its tracks and stopped it getting to the cemetery and to St Davids houses on Nun Street – you can see it very clearly in the pictures below. Oh and it started by someone leaving glass bottles on the footpath.
“Please take your litter home and don’t smoke or have barbecues in the countryside in a drought.
“Lots of people have kindly offered to help. If you would like to help, please grab gloves and a bag and walk the Pilgrim’s Way footpath that is now partially burnt, picking up glass bottles, cans and other human detritus that is now visible to help stop this happening again.
Business
“Unlikely to be any relaxation on planning” in Freeport area
There is “unlikely to be any relaxation on planning” in Pembrokeshire’s Freeport area, councillors heard.
In late March 2023 it was announced that Pembrokeshire had been chosen as part of the site for one of Wales’ first freeports, with hopes it will share in the creation of 16,000 new jobs.
The Celtic Freeport will be shared between Milford Haven and Port Talbot, with a second Welsh freeport on Anglesey.
The Celtic Freeport bid was lodged on behalf of a public-private consortium, whose partners include Associated British Ports (ABP), Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven.
The freeport aims to attract significant investment, including £3.5bn in the hydrogen industry, as well as the creation of 16,000 jobs, generating £900m in Gross Value Added (GVA) by 2030, and £13bn by 2050.
The UK Government will provide up to £26m of starter funding for each of the freeports.
In a submitted question heard at the May 9 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, member of the public Helen Meopham had asked: “Are councillors aware of the extent of the proposed boundary of the Celtic Freeport, and, if so, could they provide me with a boundary map?
“I understand that PCC have a seat on the board of the Celtic Freeport. Considering the Freeport boundary may include residential areas and that planning and/or other regulations may be ‘relaxed’ in the Freeport area how will council avoid and resolve any conflict between Freeport interest and resident interests?”
Responding, Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said the final boundary map was expected to be published later in the summer.
He added the Freeport boundary would not include any residential areas, and there was “unlikely to be any relaxation on planning”.
Business
Tata Steel Sticks to job cut plans despite Welsh pressure
IN an intense and pivotal meeting in Mumbai, Tata Steel firmly reiterated its decision to cut 2,800 jobs in the UK, primarily impacting the Port Talbot site, despite urgent appeals from Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething. Mr. Gething, who recently met with senior executives, expressed his disappointment at the firm’s unwavering stance unless there’s a shift in the UK government.
Despite these challenging circumstances, the First Minister underscored his commitment to protect jobs and prevent compulsory redundancies across Welsh sites. This dialogue comes as Tata plans to close both blast furnaces at Port Talbot by September, replacing them with a greener electric arc furnace by summer 2025, which promises to preserve thousands of jobs and reduce CO2 emissions significantly.
The Welsh Conservative leader, Andrew RT Davies, criticised Mr. Gething’s approach, suggesting that while the UK government has offered substantial financial aid, the Welsh government has only funded the First Minister’s travel to India. He accused Mr. Gething of “globetrotting” at a time of domestic scrutiny over controversial donations to his Welsh Labour leadership campaign.
Mr. Gething defended his trip, stating, “How can I sit at home and not be here in Mumbai, fighting for thousands of workers’ jobs?” He highlighted the potential of a change in leadership, with UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer poised to possibly become the next Prime Minister, which he believes could usher in a new era of capital investment for the steel industry.
Amid the uncertainty of an upcoming general election, possibly scheduled between October and January, there is concern that any governmental changes may arrive too late to alter Tata’s current trajectory. Tata CEO TV Narendran described the discussions as productive but maintained the company’s strategic direction, emphasizing their commitment to a sustainable future in the UK steel industry.
The GMB union and members of the Community steelworkers’ union have voiced strong opposition, with recent votes favouring industrial action against the restructuring plans. Plaid Cymru’s economy spokesman, Luke Fletcher, has called for the nationalisation of the steel industry, labeling Tata’s current worker treatment as “appalling.”
Meanwhile, both parties acknowledged areas of mutual benefit, such as potential investments around Port Talbot and collaborations with Welsh universities on green steel production. The First Minister also highlighted opportunities linked to the Global Centre of Rail Excellence near Neath, with Tata considering a formal agreement.
As Mr. Gething returns from Mumbai, the situation remains tense, with the future of many steelworkers hanging in the balance and the Welsh and UK governments at odds over the best course of action to mitigate job losses and transition to sustainable steel production.
Business
Port welcomes first vessel to new workboat pontoons
PEMBROKE PORT, which is owned and operated by the Port of Milford Haven, has welcomed the first customer to its new workboat pontoons. Installed as part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project to modernise the Port’s infrastructure, the pontoons are available for use by a range of vessels including workboats, barges and other small vessels.
CRC Sentinel, a dive support vessel owned by Commercial Rib Charter which is undertaking work on the Milford Haven Waterway, was the first to use the new pontoons.
Sharon Adams, Commercial Manager for Pembroke Port commented: “It’s great to see these new assets being utilised. Pembroke Port is perfectly positioned within the Port of Milford Haven to act as a hub for operations associated with marine activity taking place within the Port and the Celtic Sea. The pontoons are available for short and long term berthing and have secure access, as well as electricity and water hook ups.
The workboat pontoons compliment the other infrastructure upgrades we made as part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project including new laydown space and an expanded slipway.
We look forward to working with our existing customers, and welcoming new ones, to use the new facilities at Pembroke Port.”
The new infrastructure at Pembroke Port forms part of the Pembroke Dock Marine project to create a world-class energy and engineering centre of excellence and act as a focal point for capturing the economic value from wind, wave, and tidal renewable energy projects.
Alongside the Port’s own investment, Pembroke Dock Marine – a Swansea Bay City Deal project – is part funded by the UK Government and the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government as well as other private sector partners.
During construction, the project supported over 50 jobs including 6 apprenticeships. Contractors BAM, Walters Group and R&M Williams undertook community activity during the project, with the local community benefiting from over £11m local spend.
For further details on the facilities at Pembroke Port, and how the Pembroke Dock Marine investments have readied Pembroke Port for future energy, please visit www.pembrokeport.com.
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