Enjoy a behind-the-scenes, some-holds-barred look at the valuable work Pembrokeshire Community Hub does out and about in the communities across the county week in week out.
A sneak peak into what it's like to work in a thriving and ever growing third sector organisation.
Almost as dramatic as a Friday evening out in Haverfordwest, and twice as interesting.
Phone: 01437 723660
Email: [email protected]
Pembrokeshire Community Hub was absolutely delighted to be invited along with our Community Connector Julie Pavs to the Llanrhian Connected Community's latest Winter Warmers Drop In Lunch up there in the fresh sea air and the gorgeous surroundings of Llanrhian village.
Bathed in shafts of warm, rejuvenating Llanrhian sun which streamed through the church hall windows, over 40 people laughed and chatted while Delyth's crack team ensured they were fed like kings.
This is a short video of The Community Hub's idyllic afternoon, out of the office and away from the glare of a computer screen, up on the north Pembrokeshire coast, seeing at first hand the great work done by volunteers in the heart of a north county community.
"I have seen more drunkenness on the streets of Haverfordwest in three days than in ten years in Washington, which has a population of three hundred and fifty thousand people.' so said General George Herbert Harries in 1904.
It's been a cinema and a bingo hall, while, for a short period during the Second World War, it was used to billet a large number of Dutch soldiers, but now, long left to dusty rack and ruin, home only to weeds, damp and the occasional family of mice or crows (rent still owed), Haverfordwest's Temperance Hall, built in 1888, is finally being restored and lovingly so.
Today PAVS and Pembrokeshire Community Hub staff were lucky enough to enjoy a private guided tour, casting a collective discerning eye over building progress under the individual discerning eye of our guide, Mr Richard Blacklaw-Jones: a big thank you to Richard for a fascinating hour.
The enormous difficulties of life throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, combined with the widespread danger of unsanitary drinking water, meant that the consumption of large quantities of alcohol was almost inevitable, often simply used as an anaesthetic to numb the horrors of poverty.
Indeed many of us may have seen the recently discovered footage of male workers leaving a hot Blackburn factory around the end of the 19th century and heading straight for a chap selling beer from a stall to quench their thirst at the end of the day.
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Temperance Movement became prominent in many countries, particularly in English-speaking, Scandinavian, and Protestant ones, their campaigns designed to instruct men on the importance of their moral outlook while insisting on the value of religion and teetotalism.
Medical knowledge, despite advances throughout the nineteenth century, had no answer to the problems of alcoholism and tended, like the Temperance Movement, to view the issue as a difficulty particular to the working class and their perceived lack of willpower.
Several of the largest Temperance organisations still survive albeit under different names. For example, 'The Band of Hope' is now named ‘Hope UK’, whose stated aim is ‘providing drug and alcohol education and training for children and young people, parents and youth workers.’
And interestingly, the former Manchester City football stadium Maine Road took its name from a street that had been renamed ‘Maine Road’ (from ‘Dog Kennel Lane’) by members of the Temperance Movement, who selected the new name as a result of the 1851 Maine Law prohibiting the manufacture and sale of alcoholic beverages in the US state of Maine.
Back in the here and now, Haverfordwest’s Grade II listed Temperance Hall is set to be transformed into a flourishing arts facility as part of a community-driven regeneration of the town centre.
"With its rich history, The Temperance Hall is the perfect starting point for Haverfordwest Heritage, and we are thrilled to be able to bring it back into use for the benefit of the town, “ Stuart Berry, the new Chief Executive of Haverfordwest Heritage, told Pembrokeshire Community Hub.
People can learn more about the planned renovation and how they could get involved at an open day at the Temperance Hall on June 15 or by visiting the Haverfordwest Heritage website.
Both PAVS and Pembrokeshire Community Hub were thrilled to welcome Eluned Morgan on Friday on a visit to PAVS HQ.
In between meetings with our friends at Citizens Advice Pembrokeshire and the VC Gallery Haverfordwest, the First Minister, along with her PA Kirsty Jones, spent time with Louise Wilkinson, the Senior Volunteering Development Officer at PAVS, Lee Hind, manager of Pembrokeshire Community Hub, and PAVS' CEO Jess Bickerton.
With Volunteering Week looming on the horizon, the First Minister was particularly interested in learning more about the role volunteering can play in giving experience to people as a gateway to employment in Pembrokeshire.
Luckily for Eluned and Kirsty, Friday, as always, is Farmers' Market day in Havefordwest, which means a plentiful and readily availalbe supply of homemade cakes at PAVS HQ.
Pembrokeshire Community Hub was absolutely thrilled to be able to attend the Eisteddfod Y Garreg Las 2026 Proclamation ceremony in Narberth on Saturday 17 May and take a few snaps for our followers to enjoy.
More photos of the ceremony can be seen soon elsewhere on this platform on our dedicated Eisteddfod Y Garreg Las 2026 mini website by clicking the button below.
A key part of the Eisteddfod since its revival by Iolo Morganwg in the late 18th century, the proclamation is a formal announcement that an Eisteddfod will be held in a specific location, and is traditionally held a year and a day before the event.
On Saturday over a thousand local residents and members of Gorsedd Cymru formed a procession through the streets of Narberth to celebrate the visit of the National Eisteddfod to Llantood in Pembrokeshire in 2026, and the procession was followed by a colourful ceremony held in the Gorsedd Circle.
During the ceremony, this year it was John Davies, Chair of the local Executive Committee, who had the honour of presenting the first copy of the List of Competitions to the Archdruid.
The ceremony was also a chance for the Archdruid, Mererid Hopwood, to address the crowd from the Maes Llog, and communicate her strong message, a message of peace.
She said: “One of the brightest pupils of this town’s grammar school, pleaded for peace throughout his life, Waldo Williams, the poet who dared to ask all the big questions: ‘What is living?’ ‘What is forgiving?’
Don't forget, you can follow all the build up to Y Garreg Las 2026 over the coming year on our Pembrokeshire Community Hub digital platform:
https://pembrokeshirecommunityhub.org.uk/eisteddfod-y...
What a challenge we have taken on!
To walk the ENTIRE Pembrokeshire Coast Path in just one day.
Our plan is to split the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, divide it into sections and have as many groups as we can commit to walking one of those sections, with the intention of completing the whole path in a single day.
Well, who would come up with something like this? Step forward, Mr Jim Bowen, custodian of Clynfyw Care Farm up near Boncath in the north of Pembrokeshire: this scheme was his brain child. In fact, let me let him tell you all about it
We will make sure that there are flat sections, slightly more challenging sections and, if you're really up for it, there will also be some sections that are strictly for experienced hikers and walkers. We are even hoping to be able to record a section and have some people with more profound mobility issues complete a section via the use of Virtual Reality.
Watch this space for more details.
Would you like to find out more? Maybe complete a section with your group and be part of this communal walk along one of Pembrokeshire's greatest assets?
Our next meeting is on the 10th April.
Email [email protected] for a teams link to the meeting, and use the same email if you have questions or need more information ahead of the meeting.
Join us for a truly Pembrokeshire activity.
Pure West Radio Community Hour 23 February 2025
Pembrokeshire Community Hub manager and Community Hour's Master of Ceremonies Lord Sir Lee Hind. Cllr Randell Isiah Thomas-Turner. Cllr Dani Thomas-Turner. AND the Hub's Digital Communications Officer, Tim Barrett. All one one show.
What more could a local radio listener ask for? If you were unlucky enough to have missed the councillors Thomas-Turner talk about their wonderful Feed the Communities project, and Tim Barrett extol the virtues of this very community digital platform, click on the above link immediately.
You won't be disappointed.
Ban KI-moon, referring to Mao Ze Dong’s famous quotation and the subject of gender equality, in his farewell address as UN Secretary General in 2016 said:
Women hold up more than half the sky
Yet in the afterglow of International Women’s Day 2025, and at the current rate of progress, the World Economic Forum estimates it will take until 2158, five generations from now, to reach full gender parity in the workplace.
Feminist, journalist and activist Gloria Steinem once said,
The story of women's struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights
As PAVS Health & Wellbeing Facilitator, Ana Reis-Rogers, along with PAVS Business Operations Manager, Maudie Hughes are two people who definitely care about those human rights not to mention equality for women in the workplace, they had no hesitation in driving off into a recent early morning Swansea sunset, like a modern day Thelma and Louise, to take part in a panel discussion hosted by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) to assess what is needed to overcome barriers in the workplace for women. The discussion was both fascinating and productive and you can read Maudie’s report on it below.
Maudie's Report on The Panel Discussion | 04-03-2025:
‘Overcoming Barriers For Women in The Workplace’
WCVA Panel Discussion | Swansea | Tuesday 4 March 2025
Report by Maudie Hughes, PAVS Business Operations Manager
March 8th 2025 is International Women’s Day, and this year the theme is Accelerate Action. On the International Women’s Day website, it is noted that, at the current rate of progress, it will take until 2158 (roughly five generations from now) to reach full gender parity according to the World Economic Forum.
You can find out more about the theme and what it means here.
Earlier this week, PAVS Health & Wellbeing Facilitator, Ana Reis-Rogers, and Business Operations Manager, Maudie Hughes, joined colleagues from across South Wales at an event hosted by the Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA) to take part in a panel discussion looking about what is needed to overcome barriers in the workplace for women.
Panel members included Fflur Jones, Managing Partner at Darwin Gray, Rachel Joseph, winner of the 2022 Young Volunteer of the Year Award and volunteer for Fair Treatment for the Women of Wales, Dr Jessica Laimann, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Women’s Equality Network Cymru, Daisy Namuddu, Locality Manager for South West Wales and Jumana Mohamed, Senior Support Worker BME Specialist at BAWSO, and Nerys Evans, former MS and Director of Cavendish Cymru (and also a mentor in the Mentor Mums scheme).
Discussions opened with a question being posed about women’s health in the workplace, and what barriers exist in this area. The panel noted that at times it can feel as though there is not enough understanding about women’s health, nor acknowledgment that the needs of women are different to men. It is, however, relatively easy to challenge this and build a far more supportive workplace: and a good place to start is to simply encourage a conversation about it. Whether you start with an anonymous survey to all staff, asking about what their individual needs and priorities are, or, if the culture is already open to such conversations, having a team get together to discuss it, showing an interest in, and acting on the feedback can quickly bring positive results.
Many work places are able to offer flexible working, remote working or hybrid approaches and these features can be built on by ensuring that there is also the ability to make reasonable adjustments and apply sensible flexibility to sick leave. As a ‘for instance’, some women suffer significant pain during their period, or from other gynaecological conditions like endometriosis, therefore, in such cases, allowing a variation in working pattern to accommodate the problems caused can make an employee feel heard and supported. Keeping an open mind, being flexible and ensuring that the conversations take place using inclusive language will help support employees in talking about what matters to them.
Across Wales, and indeed the UK, waiting times for gynaecological care are extensive. At present there are enough people on waiting lists for this to fill Wembley Stadium 8 ½ times over. A lack of awareness and understanding of the range of conditions women may suffer, and the impact of them both physically and mentally further compounds women feeling unable to talk about adjustments that could be made for them. It should be noted when devising policies in the workplace that women have different needs to men, not special needs, and that the language and approaches used need to reflect those different needs. Likewise, if a women is experiencing significant symptoms relating to endometriosis, in the eyes of the law this can be considered a disability and employers should make reasonable adjustments to assist their employee.
The panel discussion in Swansea moved on to consider what policy makers at governmental level need to take into account. Again, there was an across-the-board recognition that childcare options are not adequate, nor is there sufficient support available for women who may be caring for children and aging or unwell parents. Panellists noted that whilst some organisations are obliged to publish information about gender pay gaps, it would be good practice to encourage all organisations to do this, so it becomes something that is being properly measured and recorded. Afterall, it is not possible to determine success of legislation around equal pay if the data is not comprehensive.
There have been some positive changes in employment legislation, the ability to share parental leave and the fact that employees are now able to request flexible working from their first day of employment being cited as two examples. Such changes often mean that organisations need to update policies, and this is where collaboration is a useful and important tool and often seen to happen successfully in the charity sector. There are often resources available free of charge online that can support policy updates, but equally, working with other organisations of a similar size or within a similar sector to share information on policies and procedures can mean that a lot of time and effort is saved.
Meanwhile, the figures around discrimination against women have increased across the last decade. Panel members discussed the reasons for this, feeling that it was a combination of factors with the two key points being an increase in awareness of what constitutes discrimination has led to more women being prepared to call it out and take action, and also that there are some organisations which are still not doing their bit to ensure discrimination in the workplace is prevented and dealt with.
Nerys Evans gave personal examples of her experiences as an MS where she was subjected to sexual harassment, and that when she did speak up about it, she became the target of victim blaming activity as well as outright hate, noting that many women in politics find there to be a lack of support available if they make a complaint. The recent change in legislation requiring all organisations to take positive action to prevent sexual harassment in the workplace was noted as a significant step forward, with expectation that cases will be brought in the coming months using this very change in legislation.
Daisy Namaddu and Jumana Mohamed also noted that cultural differences can create additional barriers for women with some having already had to work hard against the expectations of their culture in order to leave the family home and go to work. This in turn can create additional barriers as women from BME communities may not be fully aware of their rights or the support and protections that are available to them both in the workplace and beyond; employers can, of course, take steps to ensure relevant information is available and also develop networks of support.
One of the core messages the panel left with those attending was to believe women when they say something needs dealing with – whether that’s a change in policy, or in response to a complaint made. Furthermore, call out the ‘bad’ behaviour, the incorrect practice, the discrimination. Adding to this, and reflecting on how current political trends are moving, attendees were encouraged to think creatively when facing challenges or negative comment. It’s easy to simply disagree with an opposing point of view, and that can often result in a negative and unproductive conversation, but if we take time to engage in a conversation, find out what is motivating a particular viewpoint then there is more chance of a positive outcome.
I can honestly say that both Ana and I came away from the event feeling positive about the progress that has been made across the last century, but fully appreciative that there is still much to be done – we don’t yet have true equality for women; if anything women are often working harder as they juggle their roles as parents, carers, partners and employees. So, on this International Women’s Day, take time to celebrate the women in your world, and find ways to dismantle the barriers that continue to exist across the world.
Those of us (cough) of a certain age might remember those jerky, glitchy 1970s ads shown before any feature film at the infamous local flea pit The Empire cinema in Milford Haven and bookended by the Pearl and Dean jingle.
From Butterkist to Benson and Hedges to ‘The Taste of India’ local takeaway, or the ‘now the time’s for ice cream’ tune still playing on a loop in older minds, or even the cool man in sun glasses escaping from a gaggle of bikini clad women on a speedboat to promote St Bruno Rough Cut tobacco.
Pembrokeshire Community Hub recently had the huge pleasure of meeting Annie Taylor, Marketing Consultant at the Torch Theatre in Milford Haven, where stories, coffee and cake were shared in the theatre cafe before the original reason for the meeting was finally remembered: arranging for the Community Hub to grace the silver screen. Like those ads of old.
Yes, you did read that correctly. Pembrokeshire Community Hub on the cinema screen.
The Hub is currently in negotiations with Mother Goose Films in Bristol, as well as a number of local cinemas and community film groups, to put together and show a promo film which captures in just 30 seconds the huge range of work carried out by us across Pembrokeshire.
Yep, these days even constant coverage on a myriad of social media platforms, in local newspapers, on posters, fliers, and through good, old-fashioned word-of-mouth, might not be enough.
Pembrokeshire Community Hub is, therefore, taking it to the next level: the cinema. Though, unfortunately, NOT the Empire, long disappeared into Milford memory.
