Profits from sales of a book of poems written by a Welsh author will go to support the charitable activities of a Pembrokeshire countryside centre focussing on people with special needs and their carers. Clynfyw Countryside Centre in Abercych, north Pembrokeshire, won the Queen's Award for Enterprise in the category Sustainable Development, presented by HRH The Prince of Wales to the centre's director, Jim Lewis-Bowen, during the Prince's visit in July 2004. The collection of 19 previously unpublished poems, entitled 'Let Me Die Peaceful", was written by Llechryd author Peter Heneker over a period of some 20 years, and deals with a variety of themes from the personal to the effects of war. The book, which is self-published with the aid of local Cardigan printer Wynford Jones, sells for £4 a copy, and has a reproduction of a painting by Peter Heneker on the cover. At least £2 a copy will go to help 'Friends of Clynfyw', who have so far attracted European funding of over £100,000 for the development of a wheelchair-accessible network of paths throughout the property's 77 acres of mixed woodland, as well as the provision of braille signage, educational facilities and a sculpture trail. The book is dedicated to the memory of the late Richard Walter, who died earlier this year from the long-term effects of a severe stroke. When his family lived in Llechryd in the 1940s, Richard was a close childhood friend of the author, as described in the final, moving poem in the book.

BACKGROUND

Author Peter Heneker (73) was born in Tenby, but now lives in Llechryd. He is a first-time published poet. "I have always loved and read poetry," says Peter, "mainly Welsh poets writing in English, such as Dylan Thomas, R. S. Thomas, and Gerard Manley Hopkins, but also others such as W. H. Auden and Louis MacNeice. I'm sure their influence shows in my work, although of course I would not claim any comparison whatsoever!" His father, the late David Heneker, was well-known as composer of stage and film musicals (Half a Sixpence, Charlie Girl, Expresso Bongo and many others). Peter is married to Jojo Heneker, daughter of the late Colonel and Mrs. Lewis-Bowen, of Clynfyw. They have five sons and 14 grandchildren. He was educated at Wellington and Oxford, and worked in television until his return to Wales in 1970. He became the first Wales National Organiser for the Catholic Fund for Overseas Development (CAFOD), for which he was appointed a Papal Knight. This led to a commitment to social justice, and to active support for Amnesty International. Among other local initiatives Peter helped to found regional development agency Antur Teifi and Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan. 'Let Me Die Peaceful' may be ordered direct from the author for £4.50 (incl.p&p) at Parc Helyg, Llechryd, Cardigan SA43 2NJ, from where lifetime membership of 'Friends of Clynfyw' may also be applied for at a one-off fee of £5 (single) or £7 (double).