Community

Concern over ageing dads

Published

10 years ago

November 19, 2014

PEOPLE across Great Britain with older parents have spoken out about their fears for their lonely Dads after new research revealed that 63 per cent believe their Dad is lonely even though 30 per cent say they don’t think their Dad would admit to it. Half (50 per cent) of people with an older Dad (over 75) who lives alone said that they don’t think their Dad enjoys his hobbies as much as he used to.

The reasons for older men letting go of their hobbies include a lack of motivation (35 per cent), having no one to enjoy them with (19 per cent) and 10 per cent said a lack of transport was a reason for letting hobbies go. The research is released to coincide with the launch of Royal Voluntary Service’s ‘Let’s Tackle Loneliness’ campaign which aims to recruit more male volunteers. The initiative will help the charity to rekindle dwindling social lives of older men who live alone. A host of high profile rugby clubs have pledged support and the charity is calling on more to come forward now to help raise awareness of the issue and encourage their supporters to become volunteers.

‘Let’s Tackle Loneliness’ clubs including Cardiff Blues, Leicester Tigers, Castleford Tigers and Harlequins, and rugby legends including Dan Cole and JPR Williams, are pledging their support by joining the charity’s virtual Silver Squad (#tackleloneliness), calling on men across Great Britain to share their skills and hobbies and a small amount of time to help local older men stay connected. David McCullough, Chief Executive at Royal Voluntary Service, said: “Supporting your local or national sports team gives a feeling of belonging and comradery for many men and women.

Our research shows that on average men spend 3.3 hours a week chatting about sport with their friends and family. So it also provides an excellent common ground to grow new friendships. “Through the Let’s Tackle Loneliness campaign we want to minimise the barriers to continuing with hobbies and interests. Our volunteers can provide companionship, give a lift where it is needed or buddy-up go to the local rugby game.”

JPR Williams, Welsh rugby legend is supporting the Let’s Tackle Loneliness campaign: “It’s hard to imagine what life will be like when we are older when we are in peak physical fitness but it is important to realise that everyone has something to offer. We all have different skills and interests, whether that’s supporting your local or national team, playing golf, popping to the pub for a pint or going for a drive, those skills and hobbies can easily be shared with someone local to you.

As part of the Let’s Tackle Loneliness campaign I encourage you to register to volunteer for as little as an hour a week to share your skills and interests with an older man who may be suffering from loneliness in silence.” Launched in 1938 as the Women’s Voluntary Services, the charity’s founder, Lady Reading, attracted over one million female volunteers to lend their support on the home front during the war.

Now called Royal Voluntary Service, the charity supports older people and wants more men to volunteer. The charity currently has an army of over 35,000 volunteers but less than a fifth of its cohort are men. Royal Voluntary Service helps over 100,000 older people with services such as Good Neighbours (companionship), Meals-on-Wheels and Books-on-Wheels that help alleviate loneliness. Royal Voluntary Service also provides practical support for older people who have been in hospital through its On Ward Befriending and Home from Hospital services. To volunteer or find out more about Royal Voluntary Service or to sign up as a volunteer call 0845 608 0122 or visit www.royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk

Community

Step into a magical festive adventure at Oriel y Parc

Published

16 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

FAMILIES are invited to embark on a magical journey this winter with the launch of the Winter Festive Nature Trail, opening Saturday 23 November at Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre, St Davids. Perfect for explorers of all ages, this enchanting trail combines nature, fun and festive cheer in an outdoor adventure.

Visitors will uncover seven glowing animals, each hidden within a unique habitat. Armed with a special magic torch, participants will reveal and collect glowing animals as they follow the trail. Once completed, families can return to the desk to reunite the animals with their festive homes and claim a Nature Adventurer’s treat.

This engaging event runs daily from 9.30am-3.30pm until Friday 20 December. Entry is £4 per child, making it an affordable and memorable activity for families.

Adding to the festive magic, Oriel y Parc welcomes the return of its North Pole Post Box. Children can write letters to Santa, sharing their festive wishes, and drop them into the special post box. After three days, families can return to pick up a personalised reply from Santa along with a surprise from the elves’ workshop. The Free Post Office will operate from Saturday 23 November – Thursday 19 December, spreading holiday cheer to visitors of all ages.

The festivities continue with the highly anticipated Christmas Market on Saturday 7 December from 10am to 3pm. This market is a perfect opportunity to embrace the holiday spirit while browsing an array of local craft and food stalls. Live music performances by the Solva Ukulele Pirates and the Barn Howlers will create a lively atmosphere throughout the day.

Visitors will find a wide selection of unique handmade gifts and treasures from talented local makers and producers, perfect for Christmas shopping. Seasonal food will be available from the new team at The Brunch House, offering warming and delicious dishes to enjoy during the event. With free entry and parking, the market is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the season and support local artisans.

Oriel y Parc is delighted to welcome visitors to these special seasonal events, offering something for everyone to enjoy. From magical trails to festive shopping and Santa’s special deliveries, the holiday season at Oriel y Parc promises to be unforgettable.

For more details on Christmas events and The Brunch House opening hours throughout November and December, visit www.orielyparc.co.uk.

Community

Pembrokeshire trains set for major timetable changes

Published

18 hours ago

November 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RAIL passengers in Pembrokeshire are being urged to plan ahead as the ‘most significant mainline timetable change in a generation’ is set to take effect in December. The changes promise increased services, better train spacing, and improved connectivity for the county’s rail users.

The new timetable, which comes into force on Sunday, December 15, will see adjustments across south Wales, made possible by the introduction of the state-of-the-art Class 197 train fleet. Transport for Wales (TfW) says these changes will result in additional services, later departures from Cardiff Central and Swansea, and more consistent scheduling with trains leaving at the same time past each hour.

Pembrokeshire passengers will see several significant improvements:

Milford Haven: Two extra services will run from the station.
Fishguard Harbour: The timetable will eliminate a six-hour midday gap, with more evenly spaced services to and from the station.

TfW’s journey planner indicates new service times:

Outbound from Fishguard: A new service at 4:04pm will bridge the current gap between 12:53pm and 7:32pm.
Inbound to Fishguard: A train arriving at 3:24pm will now fill the gap between 12:22pm and 6:57pm.
Milford Haven: An additional three trains will run to Carmarthen after December 15.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, highlighted the impact of the changes:
“This is a major change which will make a real difference to customers, who will benefit from a more consistent service. This has been made possible by our £800m investment in new trains, and it’s great to see the results coming through across Wales.”

Colin Lea, TfW’s Planning and Performance Director, emphasized the scale of the changes:
“This is the most significant timetable change in a generation for mainline services. We’ve been working towards this timetable for four years, and the consistency it will deliver will be a massive improvement for many customers.”

TfW also revealed plans for further improvements over the next 18 months, including updates to the North Wales Coast and Cambrian lines, with newer trains and expanded capacity.

Passengers are advised to check the updated timetable in advance. For details on how your journey will be affected, visit TfW’s journey planner at tfw.wales/plan-a-journey.

The Herald understands that these changes are designed to make rail travel more convenient and accessible for all users.

Community

Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed

Published

2 days ago

November 24, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.

The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.

Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.

Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.

The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.

With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.

“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”