Pembroke Soup is a bi-monthly event that supports community groups in Pembroke and surrounding area.

People come to Pembroke Soup and pay £4. They will come to choose a bowl of home-made donated soup and bread (donated from the Co-op) and then will silently vote for how the ‘door money’ is to be distributed amongst those community groups that day seeking funding.

Help came to Pembroke Scout and Community Hall on the Green when John Bird, Scout leader, explained they needed funding for a number of things at the Scout and Guide Hall at Woodbine Terrace, Pembroke, which is in a poor state of repair. The hall requires refurbishing, a new notice board and equipment. However, a more pressing need had arisen. John explained that the Scouts’ much-loved and much-used table tennis table had collapsed the previous week and was irreparable. The table tennis table was a focus for the diverse group to bond. As well as completing their badge work, proudly displayed by one of the Scouts, the group supports members who may have extra needs.

The Scouts are also keen to meet new helpers and youngsters interested in joining. Times are Monday, Cubs 5.30-7 pm; Monday, Scouts 7-9 pm and Wednesday, Beavers 5.30-7 pm.

The Scouts were to receive £215 - the cost of a new table tennis table and a couple of bats too! But additionally, they gained two new volunteers from Pembroke Soup! If anyone wishes to enquire further about the Scout group, please contact John Bird, Scout leader, on [email protected] or pop in on the day.

Chris Atherton arrived all the way from Cardiff to keep Pembroke informed about the Town Walls Trust. The pilot project of repair to a section of the town walls should soon begin. This will be on the section of wall at the back of the Tabernacle Church. Here work has been ongoing within the church building to add an area for community use and for The Pembroke Story.

The Pembroke Story will be a visitors’ centre that guides people through the history of the town. This will link by a walk down through a heritage garden to the Commons. There will be a viewing balcony to admire both the view and down into the Garden through the Ages.

The pilot work on the walls will be undertaken in close liaison with Cadw to ensure the walls are preserved and restored to a high standard and in keeping with their historical construction.

If you are interested in the history of Pembroke and would like more information about these projects, please contact Janet Drogan at [email protected]. Opportunities are there for people to become visitor guides, to gather historical information, to develop the visitors centre!

Greig Headley, vice-chairman of Pembrokeshire Mencap Limited, came to share about Stackpole Walled Garden. This is a favourite place for many local people and holidaymakers to enjoy the peace and beauty of the gardens and this experience has been enhanced in the last few years, by a café within the garden, where light lunches and refreshments can be enjoyed. The garden is very beautiful, but also produces fruit, vegetables and plants.

There are only three gardeners at the centre who support and provide horticultural training to a team ranging from young adults to those of more advanced years, with special needs. They grow a vast array of fruit, vegetables and plants and harvest the crops daily. The café, too, provides training and work experience for people with support needs.

Stackpole Walled Gardens is a beautiful place and Greig urged people to continue to come, enjoy and relax in the garden, knowing that when buying fruit, vegetables, plants or refreshments, they are supporting this brilliant project.

If anyone would like to enquire further about how to support this project, including volunteering themselves with a few hours gardening, please contact Stackpole Walled Garden on 01646 661442.

Kate Bailey, from Riverhouse Life Church, shared at Pembroke Soup about the forthcoming visit to Pembroke of a team of South Korean Christians. She explained how the South Korean Church has grown vastly and now has one of the largest churches in the world, where thousands meet together. However, their awareness of the Christian faith was attributed to a missionary from Wales called Robert Jermain Thomas, who went to Korea in 1865. He died sharing his Christian faith. But the Christian faith grew from the Bibles he had left, some of which were used as wallpaper within homes.

In gratitude for the sharing of Christianity, the South Korean church pray for the United Kingdom and from a large church based in London, South Korean Christians go out to different areas of the United Kingdom on prayer missions. They will be returning to Pembrokeshire for the fourth year during the week of June 26 - July 2. A team will be based in North Pembrokeshire at Letterston and a team in South Pembrokeshire at Pembroke.

They will be holding a prayer vigil each night from 11 pm - 5 am and invite people to ask for prayer or to join them in prayer. After resting in the morning, they will be out and about in the afternoon and evening - so please come and say hello!

Also all are very welcome to join with the family friendly barbecue on Saturday, July 1, from 12 noon - 3 pm, outside Foundry House on the Common.

Any enquiries, please contact Kate Bailey at Riverhouse Life Church whose email is riverhouselife.org.uk or Joan Marsh 0791 720 5512.

Do come along to the next Pembroke Soup on Saturday, July 22, at Pembroke Town Hall, 12 noon - 1.30 pm, to support your local community.

If you are involved in a community group and are seeking help, publicity, support or ideas and would like your opportunity to tell us about it in a four-minute presentation, please contact Joan Marsh on 0791 720 5512.