County's American Link

Compared to Haverfordwest - which is celebrating its 900^th anniversary this year - the city of Pembroke Pines in Florida is still in its infancy.

But the American community - which at 150,000 has a population significantly larger than Haverfordwest's - is also celebrating a milestone in 2010.

Throughout April, Pembroke Pines is marking its 50^th birthday with a series of civic events and a letter of congratulations from Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman, Anne Hughes, is winging its way across the Atlantic.

Said Councillor Hughes: "Historical research has proved that Pembrokeshire, Wales and Pembroke Pines, USA, do share a common link.

"Sir Edward James Reed who was a Member of Parliament for the County of Pembroke between 1874 to 1880 later bought and farmed a large area of land in Florida - the same land on which Pembroke Pines is built. Hence the name."

Together with Preseli Pembrokeshire MP, Stephen Crabb, Councillor Hughes has selected a number of Pembrokeshire-themed products to send to her American counterpart.

They include the Pembrokeshire flag, a baseball cap marked ‘Pembrokeshire' and a DVD collection of the county's best known views.

Pembroke Pines was recently voted one of the top cities to live in the USA.

Caption
Councillor Hughes - complete with Pembrokeshire baseball cap - and Stephen Crabb with the Pembrokeshire flag and other gifts for Pembroke Pines.

ID: 19651 Revised: 10/3/2010