Latest news with #Pembrokeshire-based
Western Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Cwm Arian Renewable Energy awarded £246,724 from Ofgem
Pembrokeshire-based Cwm Arian Renewable Energy (CARE) has been awarded £246,724 through the Ofgem Energy Redress Scheme to deliver its Unlocker project, which aims to expand renewable energy generation in rural West Wales. The funding comes from the scheme's Just Transition fund and will support the development of community-led renewable energy schemes and long-term income streams for vulnerable households. Michael Shakib, renewable energy project coordinator at CARE, said: "We're hugely grateful for this support which will enable us to expand our renewable energy work across rural West Wales, assisting staff to deliver innovative community-led projects that cut carbon and build long-term local resilience." CARE plans to develop Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) in community facilities, exploring new models for energy trading and larger-scale renewable energy initiatives. The funding is part of the 11th round of the Ofgem Energy Redress Scheme, which has awarded more than £9 million to 31 charities across Great Britain to support energy-related projects. Graham Ayling, senior project manager for the Energy Redress Scheme at Energy Saving Trust, said: "We've seen the positive impact of previously funded projects in Wales, and we're excited to announce how this latest round of funding will benefit local communities. "This round of funding will support charities and community groups to help those most in need to heat and power their homes. "It will also enable the voluntary sector to scale up the UK's transition to net zero, ensuring no one is left behind." The Energy Redress Scheme channels funding from Ofgem's enforcement and compliance work, where energy companies that breach regulations make voluntary payments into the scheme. Russell Ogilvie, head of enforcement at Ofgem, said: "This funding, which is a direct result of Ofgem's enforcement and compliance work, shows that when energy companies fall short, we hold them to account and help deliver tangible support for those who need it most. "From tackling fuel poverty to backing innovative carbon-cutting projects, the Energy Redress Scheme continues to empower communities across Wales." Since its launch in 2018, the scheme has distributed more than £181 million to support 721 projects across England, Scotland and Wales.
Wales Online
26-05-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Welsh beauty brand boss quits festival after she's followed to tent and 'shouted at for 20 minutes'
Welsh beauty brand boss quits festival after she's followed to tent and 'shouted at for 20 minutes' The boss of Hair Syrup, which featured on Dragon's Den earlier this year, was with a colleague handing out free samples at In it Together Festival in Margam when the incident happened Lucie Macleod started her multi-million pound business after her TikTok went viral during lockdown (Image: Veolara Studio, Mervè Key ) The founder of Pembrokeshire-based company Hair Syrup and her best friend and social media manager have said they were forced to leave a music festival early after they were followed back to their tents. Lucie Macleod's company, started in 2020, has gone from TikTok to Boots in the space of four years after the now 24-year-old founder filmed a viral TikTok about her hair transformation leading to people requesting her "magic syrup". She and Lucy Palmer, who go by "The Two Luc's", attended the In It Together festival at Old Park Farm, Margam, after sponsoring the event and decided to give out samples of their hair care products to festival-goers. Unfortunately for them the weekend took a bad turn as they were then followed back to their tents leading them to feel unsafe and making them feel they had to leave the festival early. They shared their experience on TikTok to fans of the brand, as well as informing security and the festival's management. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Lucie said in a TikTok video: "Umm we've just had a really weird experience this morning so we were obviously supposed to be at In It Together Festival until tomorrow, but we basically had a big group of people sit outside our tent for about 20 minutes, shouting, looking through the windows, being like 'come and speak to us, we want to try your hair oil, we've seen you on TikTok. We found out where you were staying.' Article continues below "That's obviously not cool, we love meeting people of course but you cannot turn up where we're staying, it's like really a massive invasion of privacy coming to our tent. It's really not cool." She continued: "So, we're not going to stay here again tonight. So, we're not going to be here tomorrow. We just don't feel comfortable, like we've got all our stuff in here, this is where we sleep and it's just not really the vibe and there's no other places we can move to. So, yeah we're actually going to leave this evening." The pair then decided to spend the day a little more under the radar, without all the merchandise and without their branded t-shirts as Lucie said: "I feel a bit weird about it to be honest." Content cannot be displayed without consent The pair had been handing out free samples across the weekend at the festival, and even had a queue that didn't go down for four hours. They lugged around over 2,000 samples of their products and ended up giving most of their weekend stock out in the first day. In a separate post, they shared: "We love meeting you guys, but pretty please don't turn up outside where we are staying for 20 minutes shouting at us." In the video you can hear festival-goers outside of the tent asking for products and saying "don't break my heart," as the the founder of the company looks terrified. Content cannot be displayed without consent Social media users shared their support in the comments of the video. One said: "This is beyond breaking a boundary. This is your personal space. So sorry that a small minority of people have ruined your experience and made you feel uncomfortable. Do not blame you for not wanting to stay. Hope you guys can still enjoy your day." Article continues below Another added: "Hope you're both okay, unfortunately people forget we all deserve a normal peaceful life as well as what we do for work." Since their start on the social media platform, the business has grown and grown and their products can be purchased at Boots, BeautyBay, Lookfantastic, ASOS as well as directly from the company shop on Tik Tok where they have amassed over 400k followers. You can read more about the brand and our interview with Lucie here.
Pembrokeshire Herald
28-04-2025
- General
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Gone, but most definitely not forgotten
SOMEWHERE in the heart of Pembrokeshire sits a long-abandoned farmhouse, barely visible through decades of overgrowth. Its windows are broken, its front door stands ajar and its floors are covered in debris. A solitary Singer sewing machine stands in the centre of the kitchen as poignant reminder of the lives of the people who once lived there. 'Coming across places like this – beautiful properties which have just been abandoned and left to decay – is tragic,' said one of the people responsible for setting up B&R Urban Explorers UK, the Pembrokeshire-based group whose mission is to seek out forgotten places. 'Each of these properties were once full of life, but now everything has just been left standing still.' Last week B&R were given permission to visit the Haverfordwest Junior Voluntary Controlled School in Barn Street, which closed its classroom doors for the last time in 2018. There they discovered three wooden plaques dating back to the 1920's, each bearing testimony to the pupils' successes, while dozens of classroom photographs were found discarded on the floor. A similar discovery was made in Tasker Milward School where plaques naming the head boys and head girls from 1978 and the students who had won scholarships were found in the vacated building, as well as a full-sized Bechstein grand piano left abandoned in the main hall. 'These things meant so much to so many, and that's not just the children, but their parents, their families and the teaching staff at each of the schools,' continued R, who prefers to be called by his initials. 'Surely items such as these should be respected and looked after? And if they can't be moved to an alternative school, then why can't they be placed in the town museum?' Since launching B&R Explorers UK in March of this year, R and his partner have visited a number of forgotten properties all over the UK. But it goes without saying that the couple has a special affinity for the places they're discovering closer to their home which is in Milford Haven. In addition to the Haverfordwest schools, they recently explored Hakin Infant School which is due to be demolished later this year, where they discovered discarded photographs of children, which included ones of their daughter, as well as Oakwood, the Brawdy Lanes bowling alley, Roch Gate Hotel and many abandoned Pembrokeshire farmhouses. 'We recently visited a property that we've christened 'The Whiskey House', because when we walked into the outside shed, we found a whiskey bottle lying there, waiting for its owner's return and in the middle of the kitchen, we found an old Singer sewing machine. 'We've also visited Dylan Thomas' auntie's house, near Laugharne, which has obviously been empty for many years because one of the upstairs ceilings had fallen through. The house is still full of items, some of which are antique, and it's so sad to see this happening to so many properties around our county. 'Little Milford House is another prime example. It's owned by the National Trust, and when we got there earlier this year, we discovered that the front door had been left open. The yale lock had been left on its latch, so anyone could have walked in. We made sure the door was properly closed when we left, but once again it's such a shame to see a property of this stature being left to decay. Little Milford is such a popular area with walkers, I'm sure the house could be enjoyed by so many others.' Since launching B&R Urban Explorers UK on social media, the site has attracted a healthy 1,000 people who have begun following in just just over a month. 'This has been something of a surprise to us, but it also shows just how much interest people are taking in the properties and the communities around them,' concludes R. 'By discovering these properties and by sharing our findings with the public, we're hopeful that a little more attention will be given to them and items, like the plaques we found in Tasker Milward and Haverfordwest Junior voluntary schools, will get the recognition and respect that they deserve.'
Powys County Times
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Powys County Times
Haiti Couleurs collects brilliant Irish National victory
Haiti Couleurs put up a tremendous performance to win the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse for Rebecca Curtis and Sean Bowen. A winner at the Cheltenham Festival last month when his regular rider Bowen missed out, the champion jockey-elect in the UK was back in the saddle and gave his mount the perfect ride up front. Sent off at 13-2, Haiti Couleurs was in the front pair throughout along with Bushmans Pass and when that one dropped away it became a case of could he hold on. 🇬🇧 The Brits strike in the €500,000 @BoyleSports Irish Grand National Haiti Couleurs & @sean_bowen land the @Fairyhouse feature for @rebcurtis — Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 21, 2025 The Ted Walsh-trained veteran Any Second Now emerged as a big threat, as did the favourite Quai De Bourbon, while Dunboyne had also travelled well into contention. But Bowen had saved plenty and he went away to win by three and a quarter lengths from the gallant Any Second Now – was was finishing in the runner-up spot for the second year running – with Quai De Bourbon third and Dunboyne fourth. Bowen told RTE: 'I honestly can't believe it. He was doing a half-speed the whole way round, he was hacking and at the same time I was frightened as he got fairly revved up beforehand. 'I actually thought I'm a bit too keen, as he was doing everything in second gear. I'm so grateful to everyone, obviously I couldn't ride him at Cheltenham and I'm so grateful to Becky for letting me back on him. 'He just stays very well and jumps very, very well. No words, no words.' Bowen – who was having just his second ride at Fairyhouse, his first being earlier in the day – added: 'To be champion jockey is all I've ever wanted and I supposed when you get it then you want to do more. I need the big winners as well and it's great that this lad has done it for me.' Pembrokeshire-based Curtis said: 'Sean just said to me there 'I thought we had another circuit to go, I was in second gear the whole way'. 'He is so tough to do it like he has done it, on that ground as well as it was a bit of a worry – but it wasn't a bother to him. 'He does (travel through his races). Although he stays well, he is not what I call a slow horse at all. He has got a high cruising speed. 'I think this feels like one of our best wins, just the atmosphere and everything. 'I did feel the pressure, I haven't slept for about two weeks. I was calm until the last two fences. 'To me, it is a bigger win than Cheltenham because it is hard to come here and win an Irish handicap, I know that.' When asked if he could be a Gold Cup horse next year, she replied: 'If he keeps improving, yes.' Following the race, Walsh announced the JP McManus-owned Any Second Now – who has also finished runner-up and third in the Grand National at Aintree – had run his last race and would be retired.
