The Annual Pembroke and District Junior Schools Rounders Festival took place at Pembroke Dock Cricket Ground, organised by Pembrokeshire Education Authority, on Wednesday, May 23.

The winners of this event are each year presented with the Tessa Harries Shield by the Inner Wheel Club of Pembroke, while medals are donated for the winners and runners-up by the late Mrs. Harries's husband, Frank Harries.

This year, the weather was most suitable for the event with bright sunshine and no breeze to speak of, and the tournament produced its usual thrilling and close fought contest, with altogether seven schools competing, namely Cosheston, Golden Grove/Gelli Aur, Pembroke, Lamphey, Monkton Priory, Orielton, and Pennar, while a further team was formed from a number of reserve players from the schools so that they, too, would play an active part in the tournament.

In all, over 80 pupils took part, with teams of nine from each school, and the event lasted over three hours. At the end of the tournament, three teams finished equal on points, each having won five games out of seven, so the final placings were decided on the number of runs scored, with Orielton School a worthy winner, but with Golden Grove/Gelli Aur/Pembroke a very close second and Pembroke Dock Community School in third place.

The medals were distributed by Mrs. Fiona James, the granddaughter of Frank Harries, while the shield was presented to the winners, Orielton School, by Mrs. Monica Vanner, the president of the Inner Wheel Club of Pembroke, in the company of Mrs. Connie Hildrich, secretary of the Inner Wheel Club, and Mrs. Pat Omnet, the club treasurer.

Mrs. Tessa Harris, in whose name the shield is presented, was a longstanding member of the Pembroke Inner Wheel Club, having been press secretary, treasurer, and finally president, during her time with the group and was much involved in the provision of costumes and properties for the well-remembered Pembroke Rotary Variety Shows produced by her husband Frank.

Mr. Harries, himself, has been the proud recipient of the prestigious Paul Harries Award in recognition of the many years of service he has contributed to the Rotary movement, while Mrs. Harries herself had received a President's Citation for all her years of outstanding service to the movement.

The Inner Wheel Club are most indebted to Ann Mear, of Pembroke Dock Community School, for her yearly efficient and informed running of the festival, and also all those teachers from the competing schools and their pupils who made the day such an enjoyable occasion in which the enthusiasm and sportsmanship of each and everyone was first class.

A final thank you is extended to Pembroke Dock Cricket Club for allowing their fine ground to be the festival venue as in previous years, and wish to commend groundsman Mr. Maurice Leyland for his excellent area preparation.

Photographs and report by George Lewis