Communities of North Wales can now keep up to date with personalised local policing news, following the launch of a brand new free messaging service - North Wales Community Alert.

North Wales Police are the first force in Wales to launch the alert system which has been funded as part of the Home Office Safer Streets Fund. The system is currently used by several other police forces in other parts of the UK and has seen positive results and greater engagement with communities.

North Wales Community Alert is quick and simple to sign up to and gives the public a voice in our neighbourhood policing priorities. The system includes a messaging service that allows users to tell us what really matters to them.

This is also a great platform to gain a real insight into police activity in your area and what we are doing to tackle any issues. We hope this will help residents to feel safer in your home, out in community and whilst at work.

The conversation around food production and its impact on climate change has gained tremendous momentum. With the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UN FSS) fast approaching and the UK hosting the next major UN climate change summit, COP26, in Glasgow this November, the environment has rapidly returned to being one of the top challenges that we face.

Addressing issues around climate change and food production, the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) hosted a webinar at the virtual Royal Welsh Show to explore how food production and looking after the environment can and do go hand in hand, placing farmers firmly in a position to deliver sustainable development goals. 

The event, which was chaired by FUW Deputy President Ian Rickman, heard from FUW Head of Policy Dr Nick Fenwick; Laura Ryan from the Global Meat Alliance; Hybu Cig Cymru-Meat Promotion Wales, Industry Development and Relations Manager, John Richards; Dairy UK Chief Executive Dr Judith Bryans and Snowdonia beef and sheep farmers FUW President Glyn Roberts and his daughter Beca Glyn.

Opening the webinar, FUW Deputy President Ian Rickman said: “For years the farming industry and our red meat and dairy produce have come under fire from every corner and camp conceivable. The narrative pushed by the anti-livestock lobby however has been steady and is gaining momentum. Decision makers at all government levels, from Welsh Government right up to the United Nations, are listening. And so are our consumers.”

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has welcomed a report and recommendations by the Welsh Affairs Committee on the implications of a UK Australia Free Trade Agreement for Wales.

The report, published after two evidence sessions held in July, calls for the UK Government to take a number of steps the union says would increase transparency around the deal and its impacts for Wales and clarify what, if any, safeguards would be in place in worst case scenarios that adversely impacted UK agriculture.

Speaking after the report’s publication, FUW Head of Policy Dr Nick Fenwick, who gave evidence to the Committee, said: “We wrote to the committee in June suggesting that such an inquiry takes place, and welcome the recommendations which, if accepted by the UK Government, would mark a small step towards achieving transparency and a sensible position on the UK-Australia trade deal.” 

The devastating impacts vast tree plantation plans can have on rural communities and Welsh culture were highlighted in a recent meeting between Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) members and Aberconwy MP Robin Millar.  

Hosting the meeting at their farm at Llechwedd Hafod in Cwm Penmachno were FUW Caernarfonshire County Executive Committee member Dafydd Gwyndaf and his wife Anwen. Mr Gwyndaf gave a presentation on how the Forestry Commission, as it was previously known, bought many of the farms on one side of the valley and planted trees on the land from the 1940’s to the 1960’s .  

“Afforestation has resulted in too many people leaving the area and has resulted in over 30% of the houses in the area being turned into second homes or AirBnB. It is having a detrimental effect on the community, it’s culture and consequently the Welsh language. The depopulation of Cwm Penmachno and Penmachno villages is living proof of the result of large-scale afforestation and we don’t want to see the same happening to other communities,” said Mr Gwyndaf.