Community

Great turnout for PATH’s Stakeholder Engagement Event

Published

2 years ago

March 20, 2024

PEMBROKESHIRE ACTION FOR THE HOMELESS (PATH) said they were were delighted that nearly 40 attendees joined them on Tuesday (March 19) at The County Hotel in Haverfordwest for their Stakeholder Engagement Event.

The aim of the event, The Herald has been told, was primarily to provide an update on the progress of our UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UK SPF) projects – being delivered by Pathway Counselling and our Numeracy team – but it was also a chance for us to update our partners on other areas of the organisation as well.

The UK SPF projects are being funded by the UK Government’s Multiply initiative, through Pembrokeshire County Council.

***Michael Hooper, Managing Director, opened the event with an update on the direction of PATH over the next year***

Michael Hooper, Managing Director of PATH, opened the event with a summary of the changes which have impacted the organisation since PATH were successful in our bid for nearly £1m of funding from the UK SPF.

This extra funding, which has resulted in rapid growth of the organisation, has allowed us to help more people than ever with over 2,500 people now contacting us every year for help.

However, a growing homelessness problem, the shortage of housing, and uncertain funding for other areas of the organisation due pose challenges for the future.

The future is positive though, as he outlined our plans to be more sustainable, expand strategic partnerships to amplify our impact, empower teams to develop a future focused business plan, and ultimately help more people and prevent homelessness whenever possible.

***Dean Flood, Senior Tutor of the Numeracy Project***

***Sally Berry, Tutor from the Numeracy Project***

Dean Flood, Senior Tutor on the Numeracy Project, was joined by Sally Berry, Tutor on the Numeracy Project, to outline how this innovative new service has started months ahead of schedule.

The project is available to anyone aged 19+ and living in Pembrokeshire, with guidelines recently changing to allow even those with a level 2 qualification in maths to participate.

Originally teaching was meant to start in April 2024, however PATH started in January 2024 with two pilot groups at The VC Gallery in Pembroke Dock and The Mount Community Centre in Milford Haven.

So far PATH has engaged 797 PATH clients, with 68 hours of teaching delivered, with 18 venues identified as suitable locations across Pembrokeshire.

***Jonathan Clarke, Senior Pathway Lettings Coordinator***

Jonathan Clarke, Senior Coordinator at Pathway Lettings, then updated our partners about the big changes at our social lettings agency in recent months.

Using powerful new software – Alto – PATH says it can now place people into accommodation quicker than ever, and a digital hub where tenants can view their documents and files makes managing a tenancy much simpler.

Pathway Lettings is operating in a difficult market, with inflation and the rising cost of living making it harder than ever to provide affordable housing options. However, PATH are working, they say, with landlords to keep rent as low as possible.

Jonathan also outlined our plans to find more landlords and add new properties to our portfolio, so that PAT can continue to provide affordable options across Pembrokeshire.

Currently, Pathway Lettings manages more than 170 properties.

**Julie Ashley-Jones, Mental Health Manager at Pathway Counselling**

***Helen Hillary, Counsellor at Pathway Counselling***

Julie Ashley-Jones and Helen Hillary provided an update on the huge amount of support that Pathway Counselling has provided with the addition of their UK SPF funding.

The team has seen a huge demand for our free counselling services – available to anyone aged 16+ in Pembrokeshire – and has now grown to 30 counsellors. This comprises of 15 qualified counsellors and 15 trainee counsellors.

At the team’s permanent base at 19 Market St in Haverfordwest, drop-in sessions are now taking place on Monday and Thursday every week (12pm – 3pm) and wellbeing workshops are also being held there.

Since September, over 300 referrals for counselling have been received by the team from 30 different sources (crisis teams, social media, partner organisations, etc) with an estimated 1500 hours of counselling delivered.

Several members of the audience were quick to voice their experiences of referring to Pathway Counselling and their positive experiences of rapid support being provided to their clients.

John Harris, one of our trustees, closed the event before everyone tucked into the buffet by thanking everyone for their attendance and reiterated the point that PATH are looking for future funding options to ensure the long term viability of these projects and our future plans.

Community

Bongo Clive brings rhythm and smiles to VC Gallery celebration

Published

16 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK MARKED WITH MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND INCLUSION IN PEMBROKE DOCK

THE VC GALLERY in Pembroke Dock was filled with music, laughter and energy as visitors came together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.

The event saw popular entertainer Bongo Clive lead a lively session of singing, drumming and participation, with those attending joining in throughout the day.

The gallery said the session had created a joyful atmosphere, with music helping to bring people together and celebrate inclusion, creativity and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for The VC Gallery said: “The smiles said it all. A huge thank you to Bongo Clive for bringing your incredible energy, enthusiasm and positivity to The VC today. You certainly had everyone moving to the beat.”

Learning Disability Week celebrates inclusion and the abilities, creativity and individuality of people with learning disabilities.

The Pembroke Dock event highlighted the role of community spaces such as The VC Gallery in supporting wellbeing, friendship and confidence through shared creative activities.

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

18 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.

Community

Lord Rhys emerges from the mist in St Davids

Published

20 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Giant puppet begins historic journey marking 850 years since the first Eisteddfod

MIST swirled around St Davids Cathedral on Friday evening as a giant Lord Rhys puppet emerged from the fog to begin a journey celebrating 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod.

Accompanied by traditional musicians and followed by crowds of spectators, the towering figure cut an imposing sight against the backdrop of the ancient cathedral.

The procession marked the start of Taith yr Arglwydd Rhys (The Journey of Lord Rhys), a cultural pilgrimage retracing the legacy of the Welsh prince whose gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle in 1176 is widely regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

As fog drifted across the city and church towers faded into the background, the scene felt more like a chapter from Welsh folklore than a modern-day celebration.

The giant puppet, accompanied by fellow performers and musicians, travelled from St Davids Cathedral to Oriel y Parc before beginning a wider journey through west Wales.

The travelling celebration will visit communities across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion before culminating in Cardigan, where Lord Rhys originally staged his famous cultural gathering eight and a half centuries ago.

Video and photographs shared by DrifterStDavids captured the remarkable atmosphere, with many describing the spectacle as one of the most memorable cultural events seen in St Davids for years.

Photo caption: Lord Rhys emerges from the mist outside St Davids Cathedral as celebrations begin to mark the 850th anniversary of the first recorded Eisteddfod

(Pic: SmallWorld – Video: Drifter St Davids)