Pembroke Town Hall was filled with people keen to join in with Pembroke Soup’s first cawl competition on Saturday, February 24.

Five local eating establishments, Williams, Rite Bites sandwich/deli bar, Waterman’s Arms, Nash Farm Shop and Restaurant, and Pembroke Castle Café all enthusiastically and generously donated cawl.

During the morning, each of the delicious cawls was tasted and during this, everyone was entertained by four Welsh community groups. Jess Ward on harp accompanied by Holly Robinson on violin played at intervals throughout. Jess spoke of her passion for dancing and of her particular passion to teach Welsh clog dancing. She is currently teaching children in Lamphey School and for this she has managed to borrow wooden clogs of various sizes. She hopes to be invited in to more schools to share her love of dance. She can be contacted on 07896 325991. There were adults during the morning who expressed a strong interest in learning, too, and Jess would be happy to run an adults class.

Tomos Hopkins-Rees, a tutor with Welsh learners, explained how beginners and intermediate Welsh classes have been started in Pembroke and another is scheduled to begin in September in Foundry House. He then demonstrated how much fun learning can be as he led everyone in singing Sosban Fach. Interested? Contact Foundry House or Learn Welsh on 01437 770170.

With the audience nicely warmed up, Ali Moore spoke of how the local playgroup at Foundry House, meeting on a Wednesday morning, seeks to help children and carers to learn a little Welsh in a fun way. The children then entertained with three Welsh songs, with a short solo by Joe Price who was keen to try the microphone!

Lastly, Mavis Roberts shared her love of Welsh dancing. She explained how when she had previously spoken at Pembroke Soup and received funding, this had contributed towards the costs of the very successful Day of Welsh Dance in June last year. She holds a regular Welsh dance class open to all on Tuesday morning, 10.30-12.30, at Pembroke Town Hall. She closed the morning with some Welsh dancing, which many folks enjoyed joining in with and others watching.

The winner of the cawl competition? Rite Bites Café and Deli situated near the castle in Pembroke. They were thrilled with their award and said the same recipe cawl is available as one of their home-cooked frozen meals.

Each of the community groups were to receive £80 on the day from the event. Pembroke Soup supports community groups and entrance money goes to support groups seeking funding by donating a small cash grant.

Next Pembroke Soup is April 28 at Pembroke Town Hall, 12 noon - 1.30 pm.