Community

Brave Teddy highlights need for ‘Gift of Life’

Published

11 years ago

May 13, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Adam Hughes: Just after his transplant.

FOR Jess Evans and Mike Houlston from Cardiff, the birth of twin boys Teddy and Noah on April 22 2014 was one of both heartbreak and hope. Teddy was born with a rare yet fatal condition – anencephaly – but his parents were determined his short life would not be in vain. Once the diagnosis was confirmed during pregnancy, the parents discussed and wanted, if possible, for his organs to be donated. The family managed to spend precious time with him before he passed away and Teddy became the youngest organ donor in the UK. In the last ten years, 39 babies younger than two years old have become organ donors helping to save the lives of strangers.

As his twin Noah celebrated his first birthday the family used the anniversary to mark the occasion when his brother Teddy became a hero. His kidneys were transplanted to help save the life of another person.

Jess, 28, said: “Knowing that part of your loved one is living on in someone else is comforting. If it stops any other person going through the same thing then this can only be good. Teddy´s life had a very important role to play. Unless you have been through the same thing or know someone affected it´s hard to understand how important organ donation is.”

Mike, 30, added: “We want Teddy´s story to inspire others and help break any taboos people might still hold regarding organ donation. Organ donation wasn´t prominent in my life growing up and while I was up for it I never got round to doing anything about it. I´m sure there are many more men like me who think the same! I want to spread the word as much as possible about how organ donation saves lives, and that we should all speak to each other about our wishes. Without that discussion it is a very difficult conversation to have when it comes out of the blue. Put simply, you should ask yourself the question “Would you take an organ if you needed it?” Everyone would do so if the truth were told so we hope what Teddy did can educate people and prompt them to get talking.”

April 22 2015, the one year anniversary of Teddy’s heroism, was also a personal milestone for myself, it marked six months to the day since I received my kidney transplant and got to experience first hand the ‘gift of life’. In April 2013 I was admitted to hospital with symptoms of cramps, breathlessness, headaches, nosebleeds and chest pains. A simple blood pressure test at the doctor’s surgery had indicated a blood pressure reading of 230/170, high by anyone’s standards, but stratospheric for a 25 year-old.

This was the start of a three week stay in hospital. I had suffered Chronic Renal Failure, my blood readings were so dangerously unbalanced that I was told I may not have survived a fortnight longer. My blood pressure had been so high for so long that my heart’s muscular walls had doubled in size, I was seriously ill. Although I knew I hadn’t been feeling right for a few months, my decline from being a fit and healthy individual to being registered on the transplant waiting list was swift.

For nearly two years I was in a daily routine of medications, injections and ten hours of dialysis which took place overnight. I was unable to eat almost all of the food I liked and travel, which had been one of my main interests, was made almost impossible through the sheer amount of equipment and supplies I would have to take with me in order to survive.

For me the only option was a transplant and with an average waiting time for a kidney of between three and five years I was incredibly fortunate to have received a match in just under two years. I am one of the lucky ones and the need for donors has never been more urgent. More than 8,000 people in the UK need an organ transplant. Despite the huge advances in medicine and the great success of transplant operations, people are still dying while waiting.

There is a critical shortage of organs and the gap between the number of people waiting for a transplant and the number of organs donated is increasing. One donor can save the life of several people, restore the sight of two others and improve the quality of life of many more. The more people who pledge to donate their organs and tissue after their death, the more people stand to benefit.

In a recent survey 90% of people said they supported organ donation and almost everyone would accept a transplant if they or their loved one needed one. Yet only a third of people in the UK have registered to be an organ donor. Last year, over 40% of families refused to allow organ donation to go ahead, sometimes even when their loved one was a registered donor.

In September 2013 the Welsh Assembly passed what it described as it’s ‘most significant’ legislation to date. From December 1, Wales will be the first UK country to introduce a soft opt-out system for organ and tissue donation. The new law aims to make it easier for people in Wales to become organ donors. From this date, if you have not registered a decision to opt-in or opt-out of organ donation, you will be treated as having no objection to being an organ donor. This is called deemed consent. Thus meaning that if you did not want to donate your organs then you would have to ‘opt-out’.

In 2012/13, 36 people died in Wales whilst waiting for an organ transplant as a donor could not be found. In 2011/12 30,000 people died in Wales. Around 250 of these died in a way that would have allowed them to become a potential organ donor. But only 67 people became organ donors. Through the ‘opt out’ legislation it is hoped that waiting times for people requiring organ transplants and the number of preventable deaths can be reduced significantly.

It is rare for families to be in the awful situation where their loved one could be a potential donor. In 43% of cases where organ donation is possible, families say no to donation because they don’t know whether their loved one wanted to be a donor. When the new system is in place, families will know their loved one could have opted out if they didn’t want to be a donor. Therefore by proceeding with organ donation, they can be reassured that they are carrying out the decision of their loved one.

The law will mean if you support organ donation but simply haven’t got around to signing the Organ Donor Register, you won’t need to. As someone who has experienced first hand the positive impact organ donation can have upon a person’s life, the law change is an extremely positive move. Despite this I would still encourage people to sign up to be an organ donor. My message is a simple one: if you would accept an organ, surely you should be prepared to be a donor. Sign up to the NHS Organ Donor Register and tell your relatives that you want to donate. You can do this online by following the links on http://www.organdonation. nhs.uk or by calling 0300 123 23 23.

Charity

Welsh opticians raise £1,600 for people experiencing homelessness

Published

1 hour ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SPECSAVERS Pembroke Dock has helped raise £1,600 to support people experiencing homelessness this winter, with all funds going to The Wallich’s winter appeal.

Thirteen stores from North, South and West Wales donated £1 for every customer feedback form completed during November to help The Wallich, Wales’ largest homelessness and rough sleeping charity, continue its vital work.

Supporting more than 8,000 people experiencing or at risk of homelessness across the nation each year, The Wallich runs around 100 diverse projects across 20 local authorities to provide hope, support and solutions to end homelessness.

Funds raised by Specsavers will go directly to the Wallich’s Flexible Assistance Fund, which provides small but vital emergency grants. The grants support people at crucial turning points, helping cover essential costs such as phone credit, rent or food shops.

This initiative is a continuation of Specsavers’ wider homelessness programme, which sees over a hundred Specsavers stores and Home Visits services hold out-of-hours or pop-up clinics and invite people affected by forms of homelessness to use their services for free.

Specsavers’ North Wales regional relationship manager, Martin Lawrence, who helped organise the fundraiser, says: ‘We’re really proud to be supporting The Wallich’s winter appeal at a time when support is needed most.

‘Homelessness affects people in every community and as locally owned and run businesses, Specsavers stores are committed to raising awareness of the issue and supporting people through their toughest moments.

‘We’re excited to build on the success of this fundraiser and strengthen our partnership with The Wallich in the new year.’

Louisa Turner, head of fundraising at The Wallich, adds: ‘Winter can be an incredibly difficult time for people experiencing homelessness and this support from Specsavers will make a real difference.

‘The funds raised will help provide emergency grants at critical moments – whether that’s putting food on the table, helping someone stay connected with their loved ones or preventing someone from losing a safe place to live.

‘This kind of support creates vital turning points and helps people move towards a safer, more secure future.’

Specsavers works year-round with homelessness charities including Crisis, Vision Care and The Big Issue, to improve access to healthcare and advocate for policy change – ensuring people experiencing homelessness can receive free eye tests, glasses and hearing checks.

To find out more about Specsavers or to book an appointment at your local store, visit: https://www.specsavers.co.uk/stores.

Business

Community council objections to Tenby Lidl store scheme

Published

12 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for a new store on the edge of Tenby by retail giant Lidl, which has seen objections from the local community council, are likely to be heard next year.

In an application recently lodged with Pembrokeshire County Council back in October, Lidl GB Ltd, through agent CarneySweeney, seeks permission for a new 1,969sqm store on land at Park House Court, Narberth Road, New Hedges/Tenby, to the north of the Park Court Nursing Home.

The proposals for the latest specification Lidl store, which includes 103 parking spaces, would create 40 jobs, the applicants say.

The application follows draft proposals submitted in 2024 and public consultations on the scheme, with a leaflet drop delivered to 8,605 local properties; an information website, with online feedback form; and a public exhibition, held last December at the De Valence Pavillion in Tenby, with a follow-up community event held at New Hedges Village Hall, close to the site, publicised through an additional postcard issued to 2,060 properties.

Some 1,365 responses have been received, with 89 per cent of respondents expressing support for the proposals, the applicants say.

A supporting statement says: “Lidl is now exceptionally well established in the UK with the Company operating c.980 stores from sites and premises both within and outside town centres. Its market share continues to increase substantially, and the company is expanding its store network considerably. The UK operational model is based firmly on the success of Lidl’s operations abroad with more than 10,800 stores trading across Europe.

It adds: “The granting of planning permission for the erection of a new Lidl food store would increase the retail offer and boost the local economy. The new Lidl food store would create up to 40 employment opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds, providing opportunities for training and career development. This in turn will create an upward spiral of economic benefits.”

Local community council St Mary Out Liberty Community Council has formally objected to the scheme, saying that, while it supports the scheme for a Lidl store in principle, recognising “the economic benefits a new retail store could bring,” it says the proposed location “is unsuitable, conflicts with planning policy, and cannot be supported in its current form”.

Its objections add: “The A478 is heavily congested in peak tourist months. A supermarket would worsen congestion, increase turning movements, and heighten risks to pedestrians, cyclists, and emergency access.”

It also raises concerns on the potential impact through “noise, lighting, traffic disturbance, and loss of quiet amenity” on a neighbouring residential care home.

An initial assessment by Pembrokeshire County Council, highlighted concerns about the visual impact, with the authority’s landscape officer commenting that the store would introduce “an intense urban function into an otherwise rural context”.

The report added: “It is not considered to be compatible with the character of the site and the area within which it is located; and furthermore, will lead to a harmful visual impact on the setting of the National Park.”

The application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

Community

Craig Flannery appointed as new Chief Fire Officer

Published

17 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID AND WEST WALES FIRE SERVICE LEADERSHIP CHANGE

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service has announced the appointment of Craig Flannery as its new Chief Fire Officer, with effect from Monday, December 15, 2025.

Mr Flannery has served with the Service for more than twenty years, progressing through a wide range of middle management and senior leadership roles across both operational and non-operational departments.

During his career, he has been closely involved in strengthening operational delivery, risk management and organisational development. His work has included leading innovation in learning and development, overseeing the Service’s On-Call Improvement Programme, and driving investment in key enabling functions such as workforce development and information and communication technology.

The appointment followed a rigorous, multi-stage recruitment process led by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority. Candidates were assessed through structured interviews, strategic leadership exercises and scenario-based assessments designed to test operational judgement, organisational vision and the ability to lead a modern fire and rescue service.

External professional assessors were also engaged to provide independent scrutiny, ensuring the process met high standards of fairness, transparency and challenge.

Mr Flannery emerged as the strongest candidate, demonstrating clear strategic leadership capability, detailed organisational knowledge and a strong commitment to community safety and service improvement.

Councillor John Davies, Chair of Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Authority, said: “Craig brings a deep understanding of our Service and a clear vision for its future. His appointment will strengthen our ability to innovate, support our workforce and deliver high-quality protection for the communities we serve.

“As we navigate a rapidly changing landscape, Craig’s experience in driving innovation and organisational development will be invaluable in helping us adapt and transform for the future.”

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Flannery said: “It is a privilege to lead this outstanding Service. I am committed to supporting our people, strengthening partnerships and building on the strong foundations already in place.

“As the challenges facing fire and rescue services continue to evolve, we must modernise and innovate, ensuring we have the skills, technology and capability needed to meet the needs of our communities. I look forward to working with colleagues and partners across Mid and West Wales to deliver a resilient, progressive Service that keeps people safe and places our staff at the heart of everything we do.”