A BBC WALES investigation has uncovered an unregulated online market where women desperate to become parents are being harassed for sex and offered cheap, illegal sperm samples through social media.

Swipe Right for Sperm, a new BBC Cymru Wales programme, has found that people unable to access fertility treatment are turning to online groups, informal donor websites and so-called “Tinder for sperm” platforms.

The investigation found some men advertising sperm donations online and charging for samples outside licensed fertility clinics.

In one case, the programme team paid £100 for a next-day delivery sample from a man advertising his “baby batter” online. The sample was posted chilled beside a frozen carton of tomato passata.

The advert told women they could “rely” on a man calling himself Joe Donor, who claims to have fathered 180 children around the world through both sex and artificial insemination.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority said unregulated donation, outside an HFEA-licensed clinic, can be a criminal offence in the UK.

Joe Donor disputed the authority’s position and said he understood private donation, including charging for it, to be legal.

Tianna and her wife Nikki, from south Wales, told the programme they turned to unregulated donation after finding they were not eligible for NHS funding and could not afford private fertility treatment.

Tianna said: “I always knew I wanted to be a mum. We knew that there was something missing from our family.”

She said women using such websites were often placed in a vulnerable position.

She added: “You do get weirdos who are in it for the complete wrong reasons. There’s a website, it’s kind of like a mixture between a catalogue and Tinder. You can filter eye colour, hair colour, so you can look for exactly what it is you’re looking for.”

The couple wanted artificial insemination, but said some men repeatedly pushed sex as the best option.

Tianna said: “I think it was really helpful that me and my wife had each other, so there was no way that anyone could really pressure us into doing something we didn’t want to do.

“When all you want to have is a baby, you’re in a really vulnerable position.”

Tianna and Nikki eventually found a donor they felt safe with through a co-parenting website. They drew up an agreement setting out plans for contact and parental rights, but such arrangements are not legally binding.

Tianna said: “There is still a chance that in the future, he could come and try and start claiming parental rights and take us through a court case.”

Clare Ettinghausen, from the HFEA, said: “Some of these donors are advertising as natural insemination only, which is essentially in some cases coercing women to have sex when they possibly wouldn’t want to.”

Presented by Gemma Dunstan, BBC Wales Investigates: Swipe Right for Sperm airs tonight, Monday (June 8), at 8:30pm on BBC One Wales, and on Thursday, June 18, at 10:00pm on BBC Two.

The programme is also available on BBC iPlayer.

SPAN Arts is calling for more young people and families to join its volunteer team as demand grows for its events programme at a time when volunteer numbers are low.

The Narberth-based community arts charity has brought people together through creativity for more than 30 years, using the arts to spark ideas, build connections and inspire positive change across Pembrokeshire.

Like many community organisations, SPAN Arts relies heavily on volunteers, and that support is now more important than ever.

A CALL FOR SUPPORT

The SPAN Arts team said: “Volunteers are the backbone of our organisation, and at the moment we’re low on numbers.

“With more events coming up, we really need more people to step in, especially young people and families.”

The charity says there are opportunities for people who can spare a small amount of time, as well as those looking for a longer-term role.

WHY VOLUNTEER?

Volunteering with SPAN Arts offers the chance to become part of a welcoming creative community while gaining useful experience.

Volunteers can meet new people, build confidence, develop new skills, gain hands-on experience for their CV, and see behind the scenes of the creative industries.

Roles may include supporting live events, working alongside professional artists, and learning about areas such as marketing, lighting, sound and production.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

For young people, volunteering can provide an introduction to the arts and events sector.

SPAN Arts says it offers the chance to join a friendly team, learn practical skills outside the classroom, gain experience in live events, and build confidence through new challenges.

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING

Families are also being encouraged to take part.

With workshops and performances designed for young audiences, SPAN Arts says volunteering can be an enjoyable way for families to spend time together, support children in building confidence and teamwork skills, share new experiences with the local community, and do something meaningful together.

GET INVOLVED

Anyone interested in volunteering is invited to contact SPAN Arts’ Volunteer Coordinator, Belinda, for an informal chat.

She can be contacted on 01834 869323 or by emailing [email protected].

SPAN Arts is a community arts charity based in Narberth, with a 30-year history of contributing to the arts in Pembrokeshire.

The charity delivers music, theatre, comedy and spoken-word events, alongside arts and wellbeing projects in areas where people may otherwise have limited access to the arts.

SPAN Arts says it is driven by the belief that the arts can improve quality of life, health and wellbeing, while helping to reduce social exclusion and rural isolation through community-based participation.

PEMBROKESHIRE is preparing to play a central role in one of Wales’ biggest cultural events, with this year’s National Eisteddfod y Garreg Las now moving firmly into view.

Broadcaster and presenter Mari Grug has been announced as President of the 2026 Eisteddfod, which will open on Saturday, August 1.

The event is expected to bring thousands of visitors to west Wales, with Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and surrounding communities set to be at the heart of the celebrations.

Mari, who was brought up on a farm in Mynachlog-ddu and educated at Ysgol y Preseli in Crymych, will address the audience from the Pavilion stage during the opening ceremony.

She said: “It’s a great honour. Receiving the invitation was quite a shock, to be honest. I certainly wasn’t expecting it, but those who know me know that the Eisteddfod has always been a huge part of my life.”

Mari is well known to viewers and listeners across Wales through her work on S4C programmes including Heno and Prynhawn Da, as well as Radio Cymru.

She has also presented coverage from major Welsh events including the Urdd Eisteddfod, the Royal Welsh Show and the National Eisteddfod.

The announcement comes as preparations continue for a major event on Friday, June 19, when the Crown and Chair for this year’s Eisteddfod will be presented to the local executive committee.

That evening will also launch celebrations marking 850 years of the National Eisteddfod, with a five-metre-high giant puppet of Lord Rhys, created by Small World Theatre Company, travelling through local towns and villages.

The event will begin at 5:45pm at St Davids Cathedral, before moving to Oriel y Parc for a ceremony marking the start of the celebrations and the unveiling of this year’s Crown and Chair.

The Crown has been designed and made in silver by Elen and Dylan Bowen, the husband-and-wife team behind Bowen Jewellery in Newcastle Emlyn.

The Chair has been designed and crafted by Tomos Lewis and is being donated by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Mari said she hoped to act as an ambassador for the Eisteddfod and encourage more people to visit the Maes.

She added: “I hope I can be some kind of ambassador for the Eisteddfod, and attract more people to come to the Maes to enjoy what I have enjoyed for years.

“The week of Eisteddfod y Garreg Las is certain to be busy. The timetable is already full of events and ceremonies, but hopefully there will also be time to enjoy the week.”

Mari was previously involved when the National Eisteddfod came to St Davids in 2002, when she was the presenter of the flower token.

She said: “It was a wonderful experience to be part of the Eisteddfod the last time it came to the area. That was also a busy week, with Gorsedd ceremonies and competitions — and enjoying ourselves in the evenings.

“I’m looking forward to playing a role again this year, this time as Festival President.”

Mari will also be admitted to Gorsedd Cymru on Friday, August 7, on the Maes at Eisteddfod y Garreg Las.

More information about the Eisteddfod and tickets is available from the official Eisteddfod website.

Caption: Mari Grug has been named President of this year’s Eisteddfod y Garreg Las (Pic: Glyn Rainer).