NEWYDDION DINAS TYDDEWI ST DAVIDS CITY NEWS Hydref 2018 Autumn St Davids First Responders attend Rob Chalmers nominated aircraft crash at Whitesands By Les Owen for top teaching award Rob Chalmers, son of Andrew and Lucina Chalmers, was recently shortlisted as one of three finalists for the Manchester Evening News Teaching Awards 2018. A former pupil at St Davids Church in Wales VA School and Ysgol Dewi Sant. Rob is currently a teacher it St Chrysos- Photograph by Ella Richardson tom’s Church of Eng- land Primary School On the day of the recent crash, we received a call to where he is recognised an aircraft that had ditched in the sea at Whitesands. as an ‘excellent and On arrival our priority was the safety of the pilot, promising teacher.’ members of the public and our crews. Rob (pictured with one The pilot had already been assisted from the aircraft of his pupils) was by the RNLI beach lifeguards and taken to their res- nominated for his in- cue hut for a medical assessment. The coastguard clusive work with chil- team had secured the site keeping onlookers at a safe dren challenged by distance. As the tide was ebbing we discussed a plan additional and special to remove the aircraft. When we had agreed the plan learning needs. with other attending agencies and the tide had dropped sufficiently, we managed to complete our He has been extremely task successfully without further damage, using Fire fortunate to have been Service slings, strops and rope lines guided by his uncle, Barie Chalmers, who The agencies attending worked well together and a also attended both big thanks to the following: Mid and West Wales Fire schools in St Davids and Rescue service, Dyfed Powys Police, RNLI and was the youngest Beach Lifeguards, RNLI Inshore Lifeboat crew and Deputy Head in Man- Coastguard teams. A special thanks to the retired pilot chester at the age of who came forward to offer his assistance and also to 27. Rob is very grate- Alan and Sian Richardson of Pencarnan who supplied ful to all of the teachers at Ysgol Dewi Sant for helping a vehicle to tow the aircraft off the beach. him to achieve his success. Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi procession from Cathedral to new school A letter from the Mayor, Cllr Michael Chant Hi All, Well this summer has certainly been a busy one with some fantastic events throughout and loads of great music amongst it all. As many of you will know music is a huge part of my life and I am happy to see an increase in musical activities around the City. I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part and came to support the St Davids Music and Arts Festival back in July. We had some lovely events including a lovely acoustic concert out on Ramsey Island with the festival closing with a big gig in the Grove gardens on the Sunday evening. All performances were free entry and that is how we plan to run future Festivals. This was only our second festival and we have had tremendous support from local businesses and hope to build the event in the coming years. 14th Signal Regiment once again put on a free concert in the Bishop’s Palace which was outstanding. Being the first time I had attended their annual Big Band concert I will make sure I’m at the next one and highly recommend it to everyone. Another musical endeavour which is proving to be hugely successful are the newly formed ‘Ty Boia gigs’ at the RAFA club. Organised by Steve Prior and Rob Marsh, these events are bringing artists from as far afield as the USA and generally sell out so keep your eyes on the posters or so- cial media for upcoming events and be sure to check them out. Gerald Miles out at Caerhys Organic farm had his annual harvest party which is a great event which even the rain couldn’t spoil, with many local bands performing. This is another great musical event, set to grow in the future and I would recommend it to everyone and it’s child friendly. The Cathedral open day on August bank holiday was a huge success and I was kindly invited to play at the garden party in the Deanery gardens in the evening which was a lovely event (the first of many I hope) and I would like to extend my thanks to Dean Sarah and Cannon Leigh for inviting me to play. It was a real treat. On the evening of Sunday 12th August both St Davids Lifeboats were launched to go to Solva Harbour for peo- ple to come on board and view the lifeboat at close quar- ters. We were delighted to be joined en route by ex St Davids lifeboat Joseph Soar which has been maintained in original condition and also tied up alongside our new boat so visitors had a double treat. 2018 turns out to be a year of big anniversaries with 30 years of the sand church competition on Whitesands, 40 years of Care in the Community in St Davids, 50 years of Festival Arts and their superb performances in the Bishops Palace and Mathry hall, and not forgetting this November will be 100 years since the end of the First World War. I had great fun with Dean Sarah as we were asked to judge the amazing array of sand churches trying to beat the tide which nearly washed them all away be- fore we had finished judging. We were joined by two film crews, both BBC and ITV were making separate TV pro- grammes. The ITV show called ‘Britain’s Smallest City’ which will have six epi- sodes to be aired in November and has been following a number of locals throughout the summer so keep an eye out for that. I was invited to the 40th Anniversary of Photograph by Ella Richardson Care in the Community and got to meet many of the families who had come down The Mayor and guests at the Civic Service at the Cathedral. to celebrate the open day at Trehenlliw. 2 All of the families asked me to let everyone know how grateful they are at how well the people of St More volunteers Davids have embraced the residents of Care in the needed at Cathedral Community and welcomed them as part of our community. It struck me that it is actually a two- Three hundred thousand visitors a year could way street as I have made many friends among the threaten to overwhelm our national shrine Care in the Community residents and they have without more volunteer support. Could you be been a real asset to St Davids and long may it last. one of those to help fill that gap? If you feel th that you are this person then your assistance This November sees the 100 anniversary of the will be very welcome indeed. end of the First World War and in addition to the remembrance service on the Cross Square on Sun- The Cathedral is actively seeking for more volunteers day the 11th there will be other tributes on Satur- to assist in welcoming the three hundred thousand day the 10th. pilgrims and visitors who arrive in St Davids every year. There is also a pressing need for more helpers in stewarding services and the many other events, partic- I have organised a football match with a St Davids th ularly concerts held at the cathedral, especially in the team playing 14 Signal Regiment in a friendly summer months. The present band of loyal volunteers game to commemorate the 1914 Christmas day feel that they need that extra support, and would truce in the trenches where Allied and German hopefully be looking to the rest of the community for Troops spontaneously ceased hostilities and start- it. ed singing carols and ended up exchanging gifts and having a knock about with a football. The question is are you that person who might be helping to promoting and running some of these activ- ities, or do you know somebody else who might be In the evening there will be a film show in the City that person if not yourself? Hall with music and readings relating to WW1. The film Gathering the Graves made by local film There are a host of activities which in fact need assis- maker Bob Phillips tells the story of a mother and tance, not least the all important role of weekday wel- wife who go looking for the remains of their loved come, the very first contact which many people will ones in no man’s land in 1919 a year after the war have at the cathedral, supporting the cathedral’s daily ended and also includes the story of how the body worship, its always ongoing educational and pilgrim- of the Unknown Warrior was chosen for the tomb age role, possibly becoming a trained guide yourself as well as the stewarding of special events and con- in Westminster Abbey. Anyone who would like to certs which take place throughout the year. be involved in the football match or the evening event please contact me or the Clerk and I would None of these roles are in fact particularly onerous be interested in any local photographs relating to and would only take up to a few hours of your time WW1 for a slide show which we plan to put to- per week, but would give you yourself an opportunity gether.