CHORAL voices rang out at Pembroke’s St Mary’s Church in a joyful effort to raise funds for the return of the church bells.

The Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir performed their latest concert in a busy spring programme, drawing a large and appreciative audience to the parish church. The event was a fundraiser to help restore the bells to working order in the church tower.

The Vicar, the Rev Heidi de Gruchy, welcomed both choir and audience, and the project’s background was outlined by the St Mary’s Bell Conductor, Frances Bunker.

In a heartwarming display of teamwork, Rev Heidi stepped in during the choir’s opening item, ‘Rachie’, when the music stand on the keyboard collapsed. Her husband, the Rev William Lambert, who is the choir’s accompanist, played on seamlessly as she held up the sheet music.

Once equilibrium was restored, the choir continued in strong voice, with humour and introductions from MC Matthew John keeping spirits high throughout the evening. Highlights included ‘Anthem’ from the musical Chess, songs from Les Misérables, and the spiritual ‘My Lord, What a Morning’.

The encore, ‘American Trilogy’, brought an added touch of fun, with three members of the audience—including a visitor from the Wirral—joining the choir onstage at Matthew’s invitation.

Rev William also performed two solo piano pieces, showcasing his musical talents with Chopin’s ‘Polonaise’ and Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’.

Among the evening’s notable moments was the concert debut of new baritone chorister Jonathan Price. He will soon be joined by other recruits in the baritone and bass sections. The choir continues to encourage more local men—especially tenors able to reach the higher notes—to come forward and join this welcoming group.

The choir’s next concert will take place on Sunday, May 4 at 3:30pm at Monkton Priory Church. They will be joined by old friends from the Mansfield Male Voice Choir, with around 60 choristers expected to fill the historic venue with sound. More details are available on the choir’s Facebook page.

Cover image:

Bringing back the bells: The Revs Heidi de Gruchy and William Lambert are pictured at St Mary’s Church with Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir chairman Huw Morgan (left) and new chorister Jonathan Price. (Pic: P&D MVC)

MILFORD HAVEN TOWN COUNCIL will hold a Full Council meeting on Monday (April 28) at 7:00pm at the Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets Unit on Havens Head Business Park.

Councillors will be asked to review a packed agenda, with items ranging from committee reports and planning matters to the election of the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2025-2026 municipal year.

Current Mayor, Councillor W. Elliott, will chair the session, which includes updates on recent engagements by councillors, feedback from outside body representation, and financial matters relating to the town council’s accounts and expenditure for the past year.

The council will receive and discuss minutes from recent sub-committee meetings, including the Public Events Sub-Committee (April 22) and the Standing Orders Sub-Committee (April 23), as well as a review of the council’s insurance, financial regulations, and standing orders.

Financial accountability is a major theme of the meeting, with members set to review the Statement and Schedule of Accounts for March 2025 and a summary of expenditure covering April 2024 to March 2025. Applications for financial assistance from Milford Haven Men’s Shed and Milford Haven Round Table will also be considered.

Two councillors, V. Hammett and M. Woodward, have put their names forward for the role of Deputy Mayor, while the Mayor’s position for the forthcoming year will also be decided.

Later in the agenda, members will vote on whether to move into private session to consider confidential matters, including reports from informal meetings regarding the long-term future of Milford Haven Library. Representatives from Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven have taken part in these discussions.

As per legislation under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, remote access will be made available to members of the public upon request.

The Herald will be following the outcomes of the meeting and providing updates online

A SCHEME for a rural Pembrokeshire One Planet Development, which would eventually include a charcuterie business using meats from a rare breed ‘flerd’ and a ‘natural health service’ has been turned down by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Malcolm and Nichola Blunsden sought permission for the One Planet Development including a three-bed house, polytunnel and a freestanding photovoltaic array at Covert View, some one kilometre from the village of Jeffreyston, near Kilgetty.

A supporting statement through agent Sureline Design Services Ltd said of the applicants: “They have experience of managing this piece of land and are excited to have the opportunity to develop their ideas for an eco-house, rare breed ‘flerd’ [mixture of a flock and herd], a charcuterie business and a ‘natural health service’ that brings local community groups and schools closer to nature.”

Covering a five-year plan, it says the applicants would produce 56 per cent of their own food, with a small vegetable garden and polytunnel as well as a flock of chickens and ducks for eggs and meat, and will also keep geese, sheep, pigs and cattle for meat; the main enterprise on site will sell fresh meat and charcuterie products from the sheep, pigs and cattle.

“In addition to this they will develop a subsidiary enterprise based on community groups and general public visiting the site for educational and therapeutic purposes,” the statement adds.

Detailing the ‘Cleddau Charcuterie’ proposal, it says: “The overall objective is to use traditional rare breeds of Welsh farm animals, raise them in a dynamic ‘flerd’ (mixture of a flock and herd) to create a rich tapestry of diverse meadows in a regenerative ‘mob’ grazed system whilst also building soil carbon.”

It says the meats produced will be slaughtered and butchered locally and then cured in a purpose-built meat curing room, this will be located in one of the existing farm buildings on site.

“Research undertaken by Malcolm suggests a high demand for locally produced fresh meat as well as charcuterie products with known origins and high animal welfare.  The nearest producer for charcuterie is currently in Powys.”

An officer report, recommending refusal raised concerns about the robustness of financial figures and realistic possibility of achieving them, with “almost 90 per cent of the projected income would come from a single source, namely meat products production,” adding: “There is no supporting evidence from local schools or groups for a demand for the services offered. It is considered that there is not sufficient certainty to conclude that a significant proportion of the applicants’ food and income needs would be met on the site within five years”.

It also raised concerns about insufficient water resources on the site with a borehole required for drinking water.

The application was refused by planners.

Since the refusal, the application is listed as having an appeal against the decision lodged.