The PLANED Podcast

Abi Marriott talks to Dilys Burrell in a breezy bit of parkland in Pembroke Dock. Dilys discusses the LEADER-funded regeneration project and talks about the positive impact that it has had on the local community. You can find out more about this and other projects on the website   www.arwainsirbenfro.cymru this episode was produced by the DATRIS Project which is supported by the National Lottery C...

Once again I meet up with archaeologist Tomos Jones at an excavation, this time at Caerfai just outside St David's. The excavation was being run by DigVentures, a project that brings the archaeological experience to all. You can find out more on their website: digventures.com . Tomos is a native Welsh speaker and you'll hear that I'm not but I do ask him some questions in Welsh anyway, even though...

Gemma is an artist and speaks openly about her mental health in this episode, talking about childhood trauma and the issues that have been brought about by it. She has been attanding the VC Gallery for five years. The paintings and poetry that she has created have both helped her to resolve some issues but, she hopes, they will also reach out to others who may need to experience them. You can see...

I talk to Tomos Jones, the Community Archaeologist for the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park about heritage and archaeology in and around the county. We met at St Govan's Chapel on a blustery morning and you can hear the wind and the crashing waves as we chat.  Tomos mentioned a number of useful websites, the links are here: Archaeology Mailing List - Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Coflein - Th...

I went to Porth y Rhaw, just outside of Solva, to visit Fran Murphy and her team from Dyfed Archaeological Trust as they excavated an Iron Age promontory fort. It's an impressive place, you can hear visitors being shown around the site at one point and, of course, the wind and waves crashing below us all the way through. from the DATRIS Project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund

A short episode this week. I called at a blustery Whitesands Bay in St Davids to talk to Dyfed Archaeological Trust who were running an excavation of St Patrick's Chapel. Well, I just happened to have my recording equipment with me so I asked archaeologist Jenna Smith to tell me what they were doing. from the DATRIS Project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund  

Gareth successfully completed the Talisker Whisky Challenge and rowed, unaided, for 3000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean raising money for the MS Society along the way. After a bit of a lie down, he came to PLANED to speak to Iwan Thomas about the adventure. You can find out more, and donate, via his website: https://www.atlanticdragonrow.com from the DATRIS Project supported by the National Lotte...

I visited Barry John MBE in Pembroke Dock in one of the VC Gallery sites. We spoke about the work that he does and its impact on mental health and wellbeing within the county. In this episode Barry talked about both the VC Gallery's website ( https://thevcgallery.com ) and Youtube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0MYwtX1-SzPXlzd5ZU5y1g ) from the DATRIS Project supported by the National...

In the lead up to PLANED's Community Heritage Week (31st May to 4th June) I talk to Stuart Berry about all things heritage. The details of this year's Community Heritage Week can be found on his website, here: http://www.echoeswales.cymru/projects/pembrokeshire-community-heritage-week/ In this episode Stuart mentions his own Echoes Podcast, https://anchor.fm/pembs-echoes  which is a fascinating ex...

I took my portable recorder and sat in a beautiful piece of woodland with Nancy, Emily, Jerry and Beth one Spring morning in 2021 to talk about the organisation Tir Coed. They told me about Tir Coed's mission to unlock the potential of woodlands to provide a community facility, educational and health activities, and to create job opportunities for disadvantaged individuals in rural Wales. With the...

Gareth 'Gaz' Owens is well known in Haverfordwest for being one of the founder members of that excellent coffee and clothing shop: Get The Boys A Lift. Well now he's started a new venture called 'Second Chance Caravan' and in this episode he talks about mental health, positivity and how he hopes to use the caravan as a chance for people who have fallen out of the employment loop to get back into w...

I put on a hard hat to talk to Andrew Rees and Donna Harding about the renovation of the old school in the centre of Narberth working with Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC). They are building a food hub for the centre of the town, you can find out more from their website: https://hwbnarberth.com from the DATRIS Project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund

I talk to the Dean of St Davids Cathedral, the Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones LVO OBE over a zoom link. We talk about what a cathedral is, what a Dean does and how lockdown has affected the work of St Davids Cathedral.   You can find out more by linking to their website: https://www.stdavidscathedral.org.uk You can follow the Cathedral on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/stdavidscathedral/ );...

Gary talks about the existing Leisure Services within Pembrokeshire as well as an exciting new venture called Pembs Leisure Live . With this facility, Pembrokeshire County Council customers will be able to access fitness classes from their own homes during lockdown. It is the aim of Pembrokeshire Leisure Services to provide access to this resource in village halls and community venues across the c...

I spoke to Gareth Davies, the CEO of Tir Dewi at the end of December 2020. In this episode, Gareth describes how his organisation helps people working on farms within Wales. From signposting other organisations to simply being a sympathetic ear to those who need it. Tir Dewi can be reached via their website: https://www.tirdewi.co.uk/  or by phoning them on: 0800 121 4722 from the DATRIS Project s...

Towards the end of December 2020, I spoke to Amanda Absalom-Lowe, from Pembrokeshire Care Share and Give about her work recycling the waste that we produce and using the results to help to support other charities and people in need within our County.  The ethos of the project is to promote recycling and sustainable waste management in Pembrokeshire; to support people in need within our County; and...

Back in May of this year I spoke to Rhys Bugler about the Pen2Paper Challenge that they were running. We also talked about lockdown and how it was affecting people in the Arts. At the end of the podcast I asked Rhys if he would come on again and tell us about the project ... and here he is. We discuss the Pen2Paper Challenge but talk about many more of the events that have happened since we last s...

Gareth Reynolds whilst being the Managing Director for Dale Sailing in Neyland, and a Trustee with PLANED, is also embarking on a life changing challenge by rowing 3,000 miles solo, across the Atlantic this December. He talks to Iwan Thomas from PLANED about the impact of COVID on his business, his motivation behind the challenge, the charity he is supporting, as well as his playlist for the 45 da...

Aled Jones has a unique standpoint within farming in Wales. He talks with experience and clarity about the issues affecting farming during this pandemic as well as drawing comparisons with other epidemics to hit farming over the past few years. Aled muses over the interesting few months ahead and how they will affect agricultural businesses. https://www.aledrhysjones.com from the DATRIS Project su...

Bruce talks about the effect that lockdown has had on his business, www.newsurf.co.uk , this year. We spoke just days before the Wales-wide 'firebreak' lockdown was announced on the 19th October 2020.   from the DATRIS Project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund

Josh Helps was raised in West Wales and his rugby skills have enabled him to play Lock for the Scarlets ( https://www.scarlets.wales ) in Llanelli. He talks about his career so far and about the effect that the coronavirus pandemic has had on the game.  from the DATRIS Project supported by the National Lottery Community Fund

Robert Visintainer, the Project Manager for Men's Sheds Cymru ( www.mensshedscymru.co.uk ), talks about the Men's Shed movement. We hear how it started in Australia and has traveled across the globe to support positive mental health and tackle isolation. Men's Sheds Cymru is a Hafan Cymru project funded by the National Lottery Community Fund. from the DATRIS Project supported by the National Lotte...

In 2016 Patrick started Connect Assist, a specialist contact centre which provides potentially life-saving support and advice to charity users 365 days a year, in many cases 24/7. As CEO, Patrick Nash has made a significant contribution to the lives of both Connect Assist's users and its staff. He established Connect Assist to make a positive improvement to people's lives. The social business prov...

Since June 2008 PATCH has been giving free food parcels, clothing and household items to those in a financial crisis in Pembrokeshire. They work closely with referral agencies to help those that are experiencing hardship through perhaps a delay in benefits, fire, theft and escaping emergency situations. Website: http://patchcharity.org.uk Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PatchCharityPembs/ from...

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park is split into four parts, each one with its own quirks and qualities and although nowhere in the National Park is more than ten miles from the sea, there's far more to explore than you may think. The coastline is backed by hills, estuaries, valleys and woodlands that allow you to discover something different. The Park Rangers are the face of the National Park...