Dementia advisers are to join farmers for breakfast in Pembrokeshire, and are ready to chat to anyone who would like to know more about what help is on offer for those who have had a dementia diagnosis.

The breakfasts, held on Tuesday 22 January 2019, at Canolfan Hermon, Hermon, SA36 0DT and Friday 25 January 2019, at Crundale Hall, SA62 4DF, have been organised by the Pembrokeshire branch of the Farmers’ Union as part of the Union’s Farmhouse Breakfast week (Monday 21 - Sunday 27 January 2019).

Dementia Advisers Heather Harrison and Maxine Ford cover all of Pembrokeshire and offer support and information about dementia.   

Their referrals come mainly from the memory clinic, G.P.’s, other organisations and self-referrals. The information they provide is through the ‘Dementia Connect’ service, which is a combination of telephone, print and online support, as well as face to face home visits.

Both Dementia Advisers are able to discuss individual’s needs and concerns and signpost to the relevant support.

Breakfast will be served from 8.00am to 10.30am in Hermon and 8.30am to 11am in Crundale and will cost £10 per person, with all the proceeds being split between Alzheimer’s Society Cymru and Farming Community Network.

It’s that time of year again when we start thinking about Single Application Forms (SAF). The application window opens on Monday 4 March and the Farmers’ Union of Wales is reminding its members that county staff are here to help and ready to take the stress of filling the form away from you.

The FUW provides this free service exclusively to all paid-up members as part of their membership package, which has proved invaluable for thousands of members over the years - saving them time and a paperwork-headache.

FUW Managing Director Alan Davies said: “Our staff are not only well trained but very well practised in dealing with the complex application process.The SAF completion process is probably the single most important form completion exercise being carried out by Welsh farmers since 2004, and the financial repercussions of errors on the forms are severe.”

Since the Welsh Government mandated that all applications should be done online, the FUW is focused on providing the best possible service to its members.

“I encourage our members and first time form fillers to contact their local office as soon as possible to book an appointment if they need help in filling out the form,” added Alan Davies.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales Meirionnydd branch is holding their Annual General Meeting themed ‘The future relationship between Welsh Government as administrators of farming, and farmers as practitioners’, on Friday, 25 January at the Rugby Club, Dolgellau. The event will start at 7.30pm.

Confirmed guest speakers on the night are Head of Agriculture – Sustainability and Development Division, Welsh Government Gary Haggaty, winner of the New Entrants Category of the British Farming Awards - tenant farmer from Abercegir, near Machynlleth Rhidian Glyn and RSPB Land Use Manager Arfon Williams.

Those attending the AGM can look forward to a short presentation from each of the speakers as well as a question and answer session.

“At a time of recent important announcements in the context of agricultural support for the future and the formation of agricultural policy following Brexit, this should be a thought-provoking event for anyone involved in the agricultural industry. The event is open to all and I hope many of you can join us on the night,” said FUW Meirionnydd CEO Huw Jones.

For further information contact the County Office, either by calling 01341 422298 or emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A Bingo night organised by the Carmarthen branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales has successfully raised £450 for the FUW President’s charities - Alzheimers’ Society Cymru and The Farming Community Network.

The event was held at the Talardd Inn, Llanllwni, on Monday, 7 January and was well attended by members and friends of the Union.

David Waters, the County Executive Officer for Carmarthenshire, said: “I would like to thank you all for joining us for a fun evening of Bingo, it was a good laugh and I look forward to many more fundraising events this year for our very worthy charities.”

Farmers in Carmarthenshire got up to speed with the new tax rules, which come into force on 1 April 2019. The ‘Making tax digital’ scheme will see millions of businesses and self-employed people having to file multiple tax returns each year.

So in order to help those VAT-registered businesses with a taxable turnover above the VAT threshold, the Carmarthen branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales organised a special information evening.

Held at Llanarthney village hall on Thursday 3 January 2019, those attending the event heard all about the scheme from Eirian Humphreys of LHP accountants and had the opportunity to ask questions.

FUW Carmarthen CEO David Waters said: “This new way of filing your taxes has the potential to be a real headache for our farmers, especially as paper returns will no longer be accepted.

“We had a really successful evening, with many members and non-members attending the information evening and getting up to speed on the new way filing their tax returns. I would like to thank Eirian Humphreys of LHP accountants for providing much needed clarity and hope members now feel better informed.”

Glamorganshire beef and sheep farmer Lorraine Howells, who took early retirement from teaching at the local comprehensive school in 1997 to devote more time to farming, has been elected as the FUW’s Glamorgan county President.

She served as the Union’s Glamorganshire county vice chairman from 1989 to 1991, county chairman from 1991 to 1995 and was elected as South Wales member of the central finance and organisation committee in 2000 before being elected vice president in June 2011.

Lorraine Howells also chaired the FUW’s central common land committee for over ten years and is current vice chairman of the central hill farming and marginal land committee.

“On behalf of our members, I would like to congratulate Lorraine on being elected as our new county President. She takes over the role from former county President John Llewellyn who sadly passed away in March 2018.

“Lorraine is known by many, not just through her work with the FUW but also through her role as President of the Welsh Black Cattle Society. Her successful and renowned butchers shop ‘Cig Mynydd Cymru’, which she set up with five fellow breeders in the Rhymney and Merthyr Valley, is testimony to her commitment to the farming industry and we look forward to continue working closely with her,” said Glamorgan CEO Rachel Saunders