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On this day: Pembrokeshire Archive

Pembrokeshire Archive

• Celtic Coaster draws national recognition

  In this year's UK Bus Industry Awards, the Pembrokeshire Greenways Parthership was highly commended in the 'buses for pleasure' category for the 'Celtic Coaster' summer service around the St Davids Peninsula. A major part of the funding for the service came from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park through the Environment Development Fund (EDF). So a certificate has been presented to the Park Authority in recognition of its key support of the service. Greenways officer Kirsty Morris presented the certificate to Authority chairman, Councillor Gordon Cawood, who praised the partnership and was delighted that an EDF project had been recognised with a UK award. read more

• Young farmers to represent Wales

  Three Pembrokeshire young farmers have been chosen to represent Wales at major YFC events next year. Former Miss Pembrokeshire County Show Georgina Cornock and Dylan Sandbrook will be ambassadors for the Wales YFC movement at the European Rally in Norway next July. Richard Davies, immediate past chairman of Eglwyswrw YFC, will travel to Ulster for two weeks in April to learn about the YFC movement in other countries. Lisa Jones, Wales YFC's international officer, congratulated them on getting through the tough selection process held at Stoneleigh each year. "Getting selected is no easy task. Candidates are always up against tough opposition and the interview process is there to ensure that only the best ambassadors get to visit their chosen country,'' she said. Fishguard YFC member Georgina Cornock, of Cefn-y-Dre Farm, Fishguard, is a revenue assistant with the county council and a part-time freelance farm secretary. She plays the harp, sings, acts and recites - talents she developed through the Young Farmers' movement. Georgina will be joined by Dylan Sanbrook, secretary of Eglwyswrw YFC, on the visit to Norway. He is a former pupil of Ysgol Y Preseli and graduated from the Welsh Agricultural College, Aberystwyth, with a BSc in Agriculture. He lives at Anneddwen, Crymych, and works for Clynderwen and Cardiganshire Farmers Ltd. Richard Davies also attended Ysgol Y Preseli and the Welsh Agricultural College. He works on the family farm at Rhydyman, Velindre, Crymych. Last year he travelled to Austria on a European exchange, courtesy of the YFC movement. He is very involved in the local community, including the running of Nevern Show. read more

• Charity events in jeopardy

  Vital fundraising at concerts and music recitals hosted by Pembrokeshire's churches and chapels is under threat from Government plans to license these events. More than 50 events, staged annually at St David's Cathedral, would have to be licensed by Pembrokeshire County Council if the legislation proposed by the Government becomes law. Under the new regulations, all churches and chapels in Pembrokeshire would need a licence to hold events. Many of these are major fundraisers for charities. The cost of the licensing application would have to be passed on to these organisations or absorbed by churches which themselves struggle financially. An initial registration fee of £5,000 has been suggested, together with a £700 annual licensing fee. The Dean of St Davids, the Very Rev J. Wyn Evans, was deeply critical of these proposals. He believed it would not only put an additional financial burden on churches, but would also stifle musical creativity. Organ recitals have been held at the cathedral since 1883. Other events include the cathedral's Festival Week in May. Charities are also encouraged to use the cathedral for fundraising events. "One of the glories of the British culture scene is amateur music-making. That could grind to a halt,'' he predicted. "The experience for schoolchildren and orchestras of performing in a setting such as St David's Cathedral is quite awesome. To have that experience taken away would be a huge loss.'' The cost implication is also a cause of major concern. Churches would almost certainly have to make health and safety improvements to comply with the licence. St David's Cathedral already meets the requirements of health and safety regulations but many other churches don't. They would find it difficult to meet the cost of installing smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, said the Dean of St David's. Improvements to the structure of these buildings could also be demanded. The Dean hopes the Government will change its mind. "There has been a lot of opposition to this proposal. The Government may back down,'' he said. The Government Bill which proposes this legislation will have its second reading in Parliament in January. Its critics are encouraging people to show their opposition by writing to their MP. CAPTION read more

• Cod cutbacks are crippling inshore fishing

  The crippling cod cutbacks, which are threatening to bankrupt Scottish fishermen, will also hit their South Wales counterparts. Trawlers fishing out of Milford Haven and other ports in South and West Wales are faced with the Hobson's choice dilemma of whether to stay in port or go to sea and fish for other species, throwing back any cod they catch. "It is a serious situation. At this time of year there is very little else to catch but cod," said Mr David Gardner, secretary of the South and West Wales Fishing Communities. "The industry needs government support to make sure it can survive in some form. The inshore sector is what we are talking about in this area and it has been hit even worse than the high seas sector until now, as it has been limited to 75 kgms of cod a month, and there are rod and line fishermen catching more than that without restrictions. You can't even afford to take the boat out for £200 a month." Mr Gardner said the full effect on the inshore sector is difficult to assess at the moment. "The majority fish for bass, lobster, crabs and whelks and the jury is still out on that. There are about 12 to 15 boats in our area and the South and West Wales Fishing Communities has made representations through the MPs and MEPs. But the response so far indicates that those in charge don't understand the inshore sector and don't give it much regard. They don't seem to understand the need for regional management of the inshore sector and differentiation between the high sea and inshore fishermen." A cod shortage could change the nature of the traditional fish and chip take away, with other species such as coley taking the place of cod, as its price soars. read more

• Plans for shake-up of doctors on call system

  Plans to improve access to patients' medical records for doctors on call, are being developed by Pembrokeshire's Local Health Group (LHG). The issue received attention after the death of Mrs Diane Midgely, an asthmatic treated by a doctor on call in January. Pembrokeshire Coroner, Mr Michael Howells, questioned whether the treatment given to Mrs Midgely, specifically a morphine injection, would have been different had medical notes been available. Although a post-mortem revealed the injection was unlikely to be a significant factor in her death, the incident tied in to an ongoing review of doctors on call information systems. Recording a verdict of death by natural causes, the Coroner said: "By setting up this co-operative scheme to cover the whole county of 60,000 patients, doctors' practices are delegating the care of their patients to a doctor who doesn't know them and has no access to their medical records." However, in a meeting with the Western Telegraph, LHG acting-general manager, Stuart Moncur, said the system was not as different as people might think from that at work in GPs' surgeries and hospitals. He said: "Ideally, everyone would want to see the doctor they are registered with. In a large practice that may be possible with a few days' notice but, for urgent cases, it is not. The same is true in hospital. Your medical records may be in the hospital and can be obtained, but it may take some time." The current doctors on call system involves 63 GPs from 16 practices providing night cover for the county on a rota basis. The LHG, and particularly the group's clinical governance team, has been in discussion for some time with doctors on call about ways to improve access to information. Possibilities include a computer database, 'smart card' technology and information cards which could be stored in patients' homes. While the hi-tech options would be easier to update, they would require a national system to operate properly. A card system, though technologically simple, would be difficult to keep up to date. Mr Moncur said: "Information would have to be continuously updated. If information was wrong, it could be worse than having none at all." Chris Martin, LHG chairman, is confident the clinical governance team can continue to improve the doctors on call system. He said: "The team has representatives from all areas of medicine and, most importantly, a lay member to ensure the patient remains at the heart of all decisions." read more

• Blaze sweeps through inn

  A CHRISTMAS EVE fire gutted a large part of one of Pembrokeshire's best known public houses. The Wiseman's Bridge Inn, a landmark on the South Pembrokeshire coast, went up in flames at 4.21 am on Tuesday. Firefighters took seven hours to bring the blaze under control. No-one was in the 100-year-old-pub at the time. But two families, planning to spend Christmas in adjoining holiday accommodation, were safely evacuated. They were later rehoused by letting agents. The licensee is Margaret Kemble, whose family have run the popular pub for more than 45 years. The business is managed by son Robert and daughters Helen and Jane. Another daughter Karen Howser, of Narberth, said: "It has been a very traumatic time for the family and the worst possible Christmas ever. "It looks as if the fire started in the central heating boiler. My mother and sister live next door to the pub and my other sister lives just behind. Two of my three children, aged seven and 12, were staying the night with my mother, who is partially disabled. Fortunately, they didn't need to be evacuated. But at first, firemen wouldn't let us through to see them because the smoke was so bad." There were also fears that flying debris might hit some other buildings, used to store propane gas for caravans. If that had happened there could have been a massive explosion. Although part of the pub roof has gone, the oldest section of the building is not as badly damaged. "We have had to board everything up because it is unsafe," said Karen Howser. "Hundreds of people turned up to look, but we don't want anyone to get inside. It will take a major rebuild before the pub can be re-opened." She praised firefighters for their efforts. "They did everything they could and managed to save part of the inn. It makes you appreciate how dangerous their job is when they go into a burning building. We would also like to thank everyone who has offered to help in any way," she added. It was the second major fire to hit Wiseman's Bridge in the past two months. The other involved a nearby bungalow occupied by Miss Gwen Jones. Her home was also gutted and she was given a roof over her head by Mrs Margaret Kemble, until she was able to move to a new home. "She had only been in her bungalow a few days when she died," said Karen. "My mother had a phone call on the Saturday before Christmas. She was devastated because Miss Jones had been a neighbour for more than 40 years. It really has been an awful Christmas." read more

On this day: Pembrokeshire Archive