Community

Quadriplegic Adventurer Receives Warm Pembrokeshire Welcome

Published

2 years ago

May 20, 2024

A QUADRIPLEGIC adventurer received a warm Pembrokeshire welcome this weekend after stopping off in the county as part of a record-breaking first-of-its-kind challenge.

Geoff Holt MBE DL set sail from St Katherine’s Dock, London on 13 May, circumnavigating the UK coastline in a specially adapted Wetwheels boat in just over a month. Yesterday, Geoff and his team stopped off at Milford Haven, one of 17 accessible ports to be visited during the challenge.

This marks the first time a Wetwheels boat has ever been to Wales. The aim of Geoff’s “Finishing The Dream” challenge is to raise enough funds to house a permanent Wetwheels boat in Wales.

Geoff was paralysed in a swimming accident in 1984 and has spent 40 years in a wheelchair, facing and overcoming often unimaginable challenges. His adventurous spirit and determination have seen him achieve feats most people would consider impossible. In 2007, he became the first severely disabled person to sail single-handed around Great Britain. In 2009, he was the first quadriplegic to sail across the Atlantic Ocean unassisted.

He was awarded an MBE for Services to Sailing in 2010 and named ‘Yachtsman of the Year’ shortly after. In 2011, Geoff set up his own charity, The Wetwheels Foundation, to enable disabled people to access the sea barrier-free in purpose-built, state-of-the-art motor boats.

This is Geoff’s final adventure in his quest to raise £1.2 million for the Wetwheels Foundation to purchase four new specially adapted Wetwheels boats. These boats would offer life-changing experiences to over 5,000 of the most profoundly disabled people each year.

In Milford Haven, his team paired up with South Pembrokeshire’s Blue Horizons, an adaptive surf school that also runs accessible boat trips for people with additional needs.

Some of the CIC’s projects have included rehabilitation surf therapy for patients recovering from brain injuries in conjunction with Hywel Dda health board, taking a 96-year-old with dementia from a local nursing home out to sea, and offering surfing experiences for all through its community projects for people with disabilities.

“Last year we were fortunate enough to win the Inclusive Tourism Award at the Croeso Awards,” said Blue Horizons’ Ollie Bird. “We also made contact with a fantastic charity called The Wetwheels Foundation and Geoff Holt MBE, its founder.”

That contact resulted in a day of collaboration as Wetwheels and Blue Horizons ran boat trips out of the marina together, showing and inspiring the community with what can be possible.

“Our layover day at Milford Haven was filled with so much fun and laughter with the guys from Blue Horizons CIC Surf Club and Port of Milford Haven,” said Geoff and his team. “We ran two boat trips, full of memories that will last a lifetime,” added the Blue Horizons team.

Geoff said that for the past 40 years, the sea had been his salvation. “The freedom and independence I get when I am afloat, I can forget about my disability. I have devoted most of my life to promoting the opportunities and benefits sailing offers disabled people and now this is my opportunity to spread that message throughout the United Kingdom.”

“My biggest hope is we can inspire more disabled people to join us for an experience on Wetwheels. Hopefully, this will also inspire people to raise money to achieve my dream of acquiring another four Wetwheels boats, making a total of 12 around the UK.”

To find out more about Geoff’s Finishing the Dream mission, the Wetwheels charity, and to make a donation, visit finishingthedream.co.uk.

Community

New town map unveiled in Fishguard

Published

18 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A NEW town map has been installed in the heart of Fishguard to help residents and visitors discover more of what the area has to offer.

The map, created by Visit Fishguard & Goodwick’s in-house graphic designer, has been placed on the Abergwaun Hotel tunnel, near Offshore Surfwear’s new shop.

The group said it was “incredibly proud” of the finished result and thanked the building owner for allowing the map to be installed on the premises.

Visit Fishguard & Goodwick is now hoping to create a similar map for Goodwick and is asking for help from a centrally located building owner who may be willing to host it.

Anyone who can help, or knows of a suitable location, is being asked to get in touch with Visit Fishguard & Goodwick.

Community

Tenby Summer Spectacular cancelled amid council row over harbour access

Published

23 hours ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Organisers say popular charity events cannot safely go ahead without clear powers to control crowds

TENBY ROUND TABLE has announced that this summer’s Tenby Summer Spectacular events have been cancelled until further notice amid a dispute with Pembrokeshire County Council over crowd control at the harbour.

The events, which were due to take place on Sunday, August 16 and Sunday, August 30, have been a major feature of Tenby’s summer calendar for decades, drawing large crowds to the harbour for entertainment, food, drink and fireworks.

In a statement, Tenby Round Table said the decision had been made “with enormous sadness” and claimed it had been forced on organisers because of unresolved issues over the safe management of pedestrian access.

The organisation said it needed the council’s Public Realm department to use statutory powers to temporarily restrict pedestrian access through the event area when capacity is reached.

Organisers said the matter had first been raised with the council in September 2025 and again formally in writing in May 2026.

They said volunteers had attended meetings, commissioned professional health and safety consultants and worked on Event Management Plans, but claimed the council had still not provided a clear answer.

Tenby Round Table said: “PCC’s Public Realm department has had nine months to answer one question on safe and controlled access to the harbour. It has not done so.”

The group also alleged that recent written responses from the council contained factual inaccuracies and misleading statements about the relevant legislation.

It added that the council’s legal advice was understood to be provisional and still under internal review.

The cancellation is currently described as provisional, with organisers giving the council a final deadline of June 25 to provide what they describe as a clear, accurate and legally grounded answer.

Tenby Round Table said that if this is provided, it will do everything possible to reinstate the events.

The group said the Summer Spectacular had raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for local charities, sports teams, community groups and worthy individuals since it began.

It said the cancellation would be a devastating blow to those who benefit from the funds raised.

The statement added that organisers are still working with Dyfed-Powys Police and other relevant authorities ahead of a council licensing committee meeting in July, which is expected to consider whether the event licence should be renewed, amended or withdrawn.

The Herald has asked Pembrokeshire County Council for comment.

Community

Haverfordwest lounge praised for charity work

Published

1 day ago

June 22, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A HAVERFORDWEST venue has been praised for raising more than £2,600 for local charities through a series of community events.

Castle Ward county councillor Thomas Tudor visited The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest with Henry Tufnell MP, where they met manager Stephanie Davies.

Cllr Tudor said Stephanie had “truly embraced” her role in the community, organising events including a duck race, sports quiz, Mad Hatter’s tea party for Little Loungers, a bake sale and a drag night show.

Together, the events have raised £2,637 for local good causes.

Charities to benefit include The VC Gallery, Tŷ Hafan and Adam’s Bucketful of Hope Cancer Support Centre.

Cllr Tudor said: “It was lovely to introduce Henry Tufnell MP to Stephanie Davies, manager of The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest.

“Stephanie has truly embraced her role in the community of Haverfordwest, running many exciting initiatives and raising a staggering £2,637 for local charities.”

The fundraising continues this week, with Rock ’n’ Roll Bingo and a Wild West country and western night featuring a rodeo bull.

Caption: Community support: Thomas Tudor, Stephanie Davies and Henry Tufnell MP outside The Waldo Lounge in Haverfordwest.