A COMMUNITY football club has raised £1,000 for Ward 10 at Withybush Hospital following a successful charity guest speaker night.

New Hedges Saundersfoot United Football Club organised the annual event at the Regency Hall in Saundersfoot on Saturday (June 28), welcoming supporters for an evening of entertainment and football stories from former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

The club said the event was held in memory of Gareth Allen, a much-loved former player who died in 2023.

Simon Brace and Stuart McLaren from the club said: “New Hedges Saundersfoot United Football Club is a local amateur junior and senior football club serving the Saundersfoot community.

“This year’s event was organised in memory of Gareth Allen, a much-loved former player of the club who sadly passed away in 2023. We wanted to honour Gareth and show our appreciation for the care he received by donating the proceeds to Ward 10 at Withybush Hospital.”

Katie Hancock, Fundraising Officer for Hywel Dda Health Charities, thanked the club for its support.

She said: “Thank you so much to Simon, Stuart and everyone at New Hedges Saundersfoot Football Club for selecting Ward 10 as one of the beneficiaries of your charity night.

“Your generosity is a lovely tribute to Gareth, and the donation is truly appreciated by the team on Ward 10. We are so grateful for your amazing support.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide across the three counties of Hywel Dda, and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

For more information about the charity or how to support local NHS patients and staff, visit www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk.

SUPPORT organisations from across Ceredigion will gather at Cardigan Guildhall Market next week to raise awareness about cancer and the importance of early detection.

The event, organised by HAHAV Ceredigion, the county’s volunteer-led hospice-at-home charity, will take place on Thursday (Mar 19) between 10:00am and 3:00pm.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about local cancer support services, speak directly with specialists and pick up information about screening programmes which can help detect cancer at an earlier stage.

While one in four people in Wales sadly die from cancer, survival rates have doubled over the past 50 years. Health experts say this improvement is largely due to earlier diagnosis through national screening programmes.

HAHAV Ceredigion’s Living Well Manager, Susie Scott said: “A significant reason for the increase in survival rates is the success of screening programmes. Early detection saves lives and can mean shorter treatment times.

“However, survival rates in rural communities, of which we have many in Ceredigion, are still lower. That means it is even more important that people have access to the right information and support.”

Several organisations will be attending the event alongside HAHAV Ceredigion, including Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Cancer Information Support Service and the Lingen Davies Cancer Champions.

Susie added that a recent grant from the Lingen Davies cancer charity has helped HAHAV deliver important awareness and prevention work across rural communities.

Other groups attending include Cardigan Cancer Care and Knitted Knockers, a charity that creates handmade breast prostheses for women recovering from breast cancer surgery.

Susie said: “Breast cancer screening is a great example of how awareness and early detection can improve survival, with more women now reaching the five and ten-year survival milestones.

“But bowel cancer cases are increasing in people under fifty, and deaths from kidney and liver cancer are also rising. That makes it vital that people know where they can go locally for advice and support.”

Members of the public are encouraged to visit the event to speak with support organisations and learn more about cancer prevention, symptoms and local services.

Photo caption: Susie Scott, HAHAV Ceredigion’s Living Well Manager, with a giant breast model created by Ann Shrosbree of Small World Theatre in Cardigan. The model will also feature in the Lingen Davies ‘Titty Trail’, an 11-mile awareness walk highlighting the signs and symptoms of breast cancer.

A NEW report has urged the Welsh Government to work more closely with voluntary organisations to ensure communities are better prepared for future emergencies.

The call comes from the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which examined how lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have shaped Wales’ current emergency planning.

The report highlights the crucial role played by voluntary groups during the pandemic, particularly in supporting vulnerable people and responding quickly to rising community needs.

Clair Swales, Chief Executive of the Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations (PAVO), welcomed the committee’s findings and its recommendation that government bodies strengthen collaboration with the voluntary sector and commissioning organisations.

The recommendation includes making greater use of long-term funding arrangements to support infrastructure investment and improve the sector’s ability to respond to sudden surges in demand during emergencies.

Giving evidence to the committee last November, Swales warned that continued financial pressures across the sector could weaken its ability to respond effectively in future crises.

She said: “If I was asked to bring the third sector together to respond to an emergency at this moment, I could. However, future involvement may become more challenging as the sector continues to face significant financial and capacity pressures.”

The committee’s report, published on Tuesday (Mar 11), explored how the Welsh Government and public bodies responded to the pandemic and what improvements have been made since.

It also considered findings from Module 1 of the UK COVID-19 Inquiry, which examined resilience and preparedness across the UK.

Swales said the report recognises that the work carried out by voluntary organisations during the pandemic came at a significant cost to the sector.

She added: “Evidence from a number of voluntary organisations shows the sector is facing considerable funding and resource challenges.

“We will continue to work with commissioners and the Powys third sector to maximise opportunities, represent the sector’s voice in policy and investment discussions, and ensure rural communities are considered when funding and commissioning services.”

The report has been submitted to the Welsh Government and will be debated by Members of the Senedd during a plenary session on Wednesday (Mar 18).

Powys Association of Voluntary Organisations is the County Voluntary Council for Powys and operates offices in Newtown and Llandrindod Wells.