Support for bereaved children among local causes chosen in Pembroke Dock

LIDL colleagues in Pembroke Dock have chosen a Pembrokeshire children’s bereavement charity to receive a community donation as part of the retailer’s expanded investment programme across Wales.

Staff at the store selected Sandy Bear Children’s Bereavement Charity as one of two local organisations to receive a £500 donation. The charity provides specialist support to children and young people up to the age of 25, helping them cope with loss and rebuild confidence.

Sandy Bear was chosen in recognition of its work supporting bereaved families across Pembrokeshire, including more than 20 families in the Pembroke area.

Ben Rees, shift manager at the Pembroke Dock store, said the scheme allows staff to support organisations making a real difference locally.

Martin Jones, business development manager at Sandy Bear, said: “Behind every child we support is a story of loss that no family should have to face alone. Support from local businesses like Lidl means we can continue to be there when families need us most, helping children understand their grief and find a way forward.”

Colleagues also selected Pembrokeshire and Carmarthen Mind, which provides mental health support through community programmes and wellbeing initiatives across the region.

The donations form part of Lidl GB’s wider community investment programme, which has supported more than 145 causes in Wales since 2022, contributing over £188,000 to local charities.

Alongside financial donations, charities linked to Lidl stores also receive support through the retailer’s ‘Feed it Back’ scheme, run in partnership with Neighbourly. The initiative redistributes surplus food, providing the equivalent of more than 2.3 million meals in Wales since 2016.

Lidl GB chief executive Ryan McDonnell said the programme empowers staff to support causes that matter most to their communities.

The retailer says its wider community work in Wales includes investment in initiatives such as its Foodies programme, which promotes healthy eating in schools and has reached more than 25,000 children across the country.

PAUL DAVIES MS and Samuel Kurtz MS visited Sandy Bear Children’s Bereavement Charity at its new base in Narberth on Friday 20^th March, highlighting the organisation’s expanding role in supporting children and families across Pembrokeshire and Wales.

The charity recently relocated its administrative headquarters to Narberth as part of plans to strengthen its services and reach more families in need. Founded in Pembrokeshire, Sandy Bear has grown significantly in recent years, now supporting more than 1,000 children and young people annually across Wales.

During the visit, the Pembrokeshire Conservative Members of the Senedd met with staff and volunteers to hear first-hand about the increasing demand for specialist bereavement support, as well as the impact the charity is having on young people navigating grief.

Sandy Bear provides one-to-one and group support to children and young people, helping them understand loss, express their emotions, and build resilience for the future.

Speaking after the visit, Paul Davies MS said: “I have always been incredibly supportive of the vital work that Sandy Bear undertakes, and it was interesting seeing their new base in Narberth. It represents an important step forward allowing them to reach even more children and ensure that no young person has to face grief alone.”

The move to Narberth, based at The Old School community hub, reflects the charity’s continued growth and its focus on making the best use of resources to invest in frontline services.

Samuel Kurtz MS added: “Charities like Sandy Bear play a crucial role in supporting emotional wellbeing and preventing longer-term challenges for young people. It is essential they are recognised and supported to continue this life-changing work.”

Martin Jones, the BDM and Finance Lead for the charity said: “Last week was a special milestone for Sandy Bear as we welcomed Samuel Kurtz MS, Paul Davies MS, and their teams to our new Narberth office. It was a privilege to also have Rev. Robert Moore bless the space. Thank you to Sam, Paul, and Rob for taking the time to visit us and for their unwavering commitment to making our communities better every day.”

Sandy Bear’s mission is to ensure that no child grieves alone, providing compassionate, specialist support at some of the most difficult times in a young person’s life.

RNLI LIFEGUARDS have saved more than 300 lives in Wales since patrols were first introduced in Pembrokeshire in 2008, as the charity prepares to return to beaches for the Easter holidays.

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution said its lifeguards have saved 315 lives across Wales, aided more than 45,000 people, and responded to over 26,000 incidents. They have also carried out more than six million preventative actions to stop situations becoming emergencies.

The service, which marks its 25th anniversary this year, will see lifeguards return to key Welsh beaches from Saturday (Mar 28) as schools break up for Easter.

In Pembrokeshire, patrols will resume at Whitesands, St Davids, from March 28 to April 12, and at Tenby South from April 3 to April 6.

The RNLI said its lifeguards play a crucial role in keeping beachgoers safe, with around 95 per cent of their work focused on prevention, including advising swimmers, identifying hazards, and educating visitors.

Tom John, a Lifeguard Supervisor in Swansea who joined the service in 2009, said: “We’ve seen more people visiting our beaches each year. While the fundamentals remain the same, we are now a much more proactive service.

“Our training and equipment are excellent, and we have a brilliant team. This time of year is always special as lifeguards return with energy and enthusiasm for the season ahead.”

He added that lifeguards spend much of their time engaging with the public, offering safety advice, and helping people understand the risks before incidents occur.

Across Wales, more than 35 beaches are now patrolled by RNLI lifeguards, forming part of a wider UK network covering over 245 beaches.

The charity is urging anyone heading to the coast this Easter to choose a lifeguarded beach and to swim between the red and yellow flags.

Visitors are also advised to check weather and tide conditions, understand local hazards, and carry a means of calling for help when taking part in water activities.

The RNLI’s “Float to Live” advice remains central to its safety message. Anyone who gets into difficulty in the water is urged to float on their back, keeping their airway clear until help arrives.

In an emergency, people should call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

The RNLI said its lifeguards will continue to play a vital role in protecting coastal communities and visitors as demand on beaches grows year on year.