News

Pembrokeshire Catholic schools federations backed

Published

1 year ago

November 13, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

SENIOR councillors backed the federation of four Pembrokeshire Catholic schools earlier this week.

In April, members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet backed a recommendation for a consultation on federations between Haverfordwest’s Mary Immaculate Catholic School and Tenby’s St Teilo’s Catholic School, and between Fishguard’s Holy Name Catholic School and Milford Haven’s St Francis Catholic School.

Cabinet members previously heard the need for federations were due to various headteacher vacancies and a growing inability to recruit, the Diocese of Menevia expressing a wish to consider establishing federations.

The consultation drew 52 responses, with the majority of the 10 for Holy Name / St Francis views in favour of the proposal, both schools having been in an informal collaboration during the 2022/23 academic year.

The vast majority of responses, some 80 per cent, were opposed to the proposal for Mary Immaculate / St Teilo’s, raising a variety of concerns including distance between the two schools, and that parental views were not sought early enough in the process.

At the November Cabinet meeting, it was recommended that, from April 8 of next year, the two federations take place.

A report for members stated: “As previously outlined to Cabinet in April, the reason for pursuing a Federation model was the need to secure stable and formalised leadership in the four Catholic schools.”

It added: “At the time of the above report, only two of the schools had a substantive headteacher; this has now reduced to one following the departure of the headteacher of Mary Immaculate Catholic School at the end of the 2022/23 academic year.”

It added: “The concerns of Mary Immaculate School parents, in particular, are acknowledged, but it is considered that the advice given to the governing body by the directors of education of the council and the Diocese of Menevia was based on a pragmatic approach to the recruitment challenges being faced.”

Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Guy Woodham, who moved the recommendation, again stressed the federation route was “not an amalgamation, a takeover, or a route to school closure,” adding the schools would remain as separate establishments.

He was seconded by Leader David Simpson, who recalled the success of the federation of the Tavernspite and Templeton schools in his own ward, where the former was “thriving” and the latter “going down in numbers”.

“It must be about seven or eight years ago we decided to have a federation, there was an excellent response and now both schools are thriving. To me, it is a wonderful way forward; it’s not a takeover, I cannot recommend it more.”

Members unanimously backed the recommendation.

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

2 days ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.