Charity

Charity distances itself from viral post as £4,000 theft claim goes viral

Published

1 month ago

April 17, 2025

A VIRAL social media post accusing a man of stealing £4,000 from a veterans’ charity has been described as “unauthorised and irresponsible” by a senior member of the organisation.

The post, shared over 2,100 times on Facebook, was made by campaigner Eddy Cooper and alleges that Darren Edmundson – also known as Pembrokeshire Patriot – took money raised for PTSD Camp Bath while entrusted with access to the charity’s accounts.

However, when contacted by The Herald, a man who identified himself as the second in command at PTSD Camp Bath — and asked not to be named — strongly criticised the post and distanced the charity from its claims.

He told The Herald: “The post put out by Eddy Cooper was done without authorisation from the camp. He did this of his own volition and if he is going down to Pembrokeshire to find [Darren], then he is doing that on his own.”

“It was very irresponsible of Eddy Cooper to have shared that post on Facebook. I am not on there myself so I have not seen anything.”

He added that he remains in contact with Darren Edmundson, who has reportedly lost his phone but is communicating via email. “We understand that he is down in Pembrokeshire as he has ‘welfare business’ there and we expect him to return.”

On the key allegation of financial misconduct, he said: “Darren has no access to money which is ringfenced, and as of yet the accusation is unsubstantiated, as we have not seen the account to see that any money is missing.”

The man also disputed one of the more serious claims in the post — that Mr Edmundson had “ripped off” a 73-year-old former Royal Marine staying at the camp.

“That accusation is false,” he said. “Because that is me. I shall be having a word with Eddy Cooper.”

“If we see money is missing then it becomes a police matter”

He confirmed that the organisation is aware of the concerns raised and said a formal statement will be issued shortly.

The Herald spoke to Jo Drayson who runs the camp with her husband Dion. Mrs Drayson confirmed that she had been in contact with the police, and that she was advised it could be a civil matter.

This is because Darren is generally legally authorised to make payments from the charity’s account as the account holder.

She said that she had not yet contacted her bank, SumUp, to find out if the money had been spent but was intending to contact them shortly.

She said she thought it may be difficult to access the account because she was told Darren had allegedly changed the passwords and taken her off as a signatory.

The Herald has approached Avon and Somerset Police for comment.

Charity

Milford Haven Inner Wheel donates £700 to Megan’s Starr Foundation

Published

21 hours ago

May 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MEMBERS of the Inner Wheel Club of Milford Haven have donated £700 to the Megan’s Starr Foundation following a successful charity fashion show.

The fundraising event, held at Image by Vanessa, raised funds in support of the foundation’s ongoing work promoting youth wellbeing, suicide prevention, and mental health support in the local area.

Representatives from the Inner Wheel were warmly welcomed to The Dizzy Bear on Thursday evening (May 23), where they presented the donation and spent time learning more about the foundation’s projects.

A spokesperson for Megan’s Starr Foundation said: “It was so lovely to host the ladies of the Inner Wheel Club at The Dizzy Bear last night. Their support means the world to us and helps us continue making a real difference in our community.”

The Megan’s Starr Foundation, based in Pembrokeshire, was established in memory of Megan Evans, who tragically died by suicide at the age of 14. The charity works to ensure young people feel heard, supported, and empowered.

Photo caption:

Grateful thanks: Members of the Inner Wheel Club with Megan’s Starr Foundation team at The Dizzy Bear (Pic: Megan’s Starr Foundation)

Charity

Wales sees surge in food bank use as celebrities urge UK Government to act

Published

1 day ago

May 22, 2025

Tom Sinclair

171,673 emergency parcels distributed across Wales last year

A GROWING number of Welsh families are relying on food banks, with new figures showing that nearly 172,000 emergency food parcels were distributed across Wales between April 2024 and March 2025.

The data, released today (Friday, May 23) by anti-poverty charity The Trussell Trust, shows the scale of food poverty in the UK – with 2.9 million parcels handed out nationally. Over one million of those were for children.

In Wales, food parcel distribution has increased by 26% since 2019/20, a sign that for many communities, hunger is becoming normalised.

The figures have sparked renewed calls for government action, with well-known faces including Dame Julie Walters and Lesley Manville urging ministers to address what they describe as a national emergency.

Dame Julie said: “Emergency food distribution is being normalised in the UK. These stats highlight the need for us to come together and play our part in saying this isn’t right.”

In Pembrokeshire and across rural Wales, campaigners warn that the situation is worsened by isolation, limited services, and higher energy bills – all pushing vulnerable people to crisis point.

Actor Lesley Manville, who recently won an Olivier Award, said: “I’m shocked at the extremely high levels of emergency food parcels being distributed by food banks, especially the sharp rise in children under five needing support. This has to be a wake-up call for the UK government.”

In Wales, more than 187,000 parcels were distributed the previous year – a drop in 2024/25, but still far above pre-pandemic levels. Trussell Trust chief executive Emma Revie said this cannot be seen as a success: “Thousands of families, disabled people, and working households had to access food banks. This should be a massive wake-up call.”

Comedian Rosie Jones said that proposed UK Government cuts to disability benefits could make matters worse: “Slashing the income of someone already struggling to cover life’s essentials is cruel and counterproductive.”

In Pembrokeshire, food banks such as PATCH in Milford Haven and the Trussell-linked outlets in Haverfordwest and Fishguard have seen sustained high demand. Volunteers warn that without local donations and support, they would struggle to meet needs.

TV presenter and Trussell ambassador AJ Odudu added: “Right now, someone needs an emergency food parcel every 11 seconds. It’s never been more vital that we all play our part.”

The charity is calling for an urgent re-think on proposed welfare cuts and for the UK Government to take decisive action to reduce hunger and hardship.

Campaigners are also urging the public to donate food or money to their local food bank. A postcode search tool showing how many parcels were distributed in each area is available at: campaign.trussell.org.uk/parcels-by-postcode

Charity

St Davids RNLI duck race returns this bank holiday

Published

3 days ago

May 21, 2025

Tom Sinclair

700 ducks to race the River Alun in fun-filled fundraiser

ST DAVIDS RNLI is preparing to welcome crowds once again for its much-loved duck race, which takes place on bank holiday Monday, 26 May, on the River Alun outside St Davids Cathedral.

Building on the success of last year’s event, this year’s race will see 700 plastic ducks released into the river, all competing for cash prizes. The race begins at 1:00pm, with festivities kicking off from 11:00am.

Visitors can enjoy a pop-up shop, home-made cakes, and the chance to name a duck for just £2 – with all proceeds supporting the vital, lifesaving work of the RNLI in St Davids.

“The duck race is always a fantastic day out for all ages and a brilliant way to support the lifeboat station,” said Simone Eade, RNLI volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer. “Every duck sold helps us continue our mission of saving lives at sea.”