News

Dan’s incredible challenge gets people talking

Published

10 years ago

January 29, 2016

November Challenge: With friends Matthew Evan and Jason Jones

CAREW’s Dan Mumford set himself a challenge at the start of 2015: to run 2015 miles in the year.

At nearly 39 miles a week or an average of 5.5 miles a day, it was going to be a serious test, but Dan had a great inspiration for trying to achieve this incredible feat, raising money for a cause close to his heart. Dan was raising money for Mind Pembrokeshire after suffering with depression for a number of years. He has found running to be of great assistance in helping him to regain control in his life, but he also wanted to do something that he felt could help others in the same situation: “Something had to be done to get people talking, to help others like me who couldn’t talk about it, to make people aware that they do not need to settle for poor mental health, to show people that they can achieve great things and to raise awareness of the help that is out there.”

A target was set to raise £1200 for Mind Pembrokeshire to help train a member of staff to become a Mindfulness Practitioner, at the end of the challenge just over £3000 and counting has been raised which will pay for all the staff to receive the training, which will benefit everyone who attends in the future. Dan is very open about his own battle with depression, saying: “It all began years back when I slipped deeper and deeper into depression. “Despite being a Gym Instructor and also a PTI in the Territorial Army, I stopped exercising. I struggled to socialise, my weight increased and my marriage was struggling under the pressure. “The emptiness of the depression left me feeling nothing, well apart from the worthlessness that I felt. I was suffering but felt too ashamed to discuss it, I felt that no one would understand and it got worse. “I started on medication, which numbed me further, I struggled with Neuralgia and other conditions which made the problem worse. I ended up on the sick for months.”

But then the breakthrough came when a good friend suggested he should go out running with him: “I hadn’t run for years, but I always loved running. Running used to make me feel relaxed and the benefits of running were almost instant. I could feel something, even if that something was pain and discomfort. “I kept going, with a fair bit of help and persuasion from my wife and a good friend. Slowly, things just seemed to get a bit easier. I returned to work, lost weight and the pain started to drop off.

“That was three and a half years ago and here I am recapping my 2015 challenge.” But how did Dan go from running to ease his depression, to raising thousands of pounds and completing a remarkable challenge? “I contacted my local Mental Health Charity, Mind Pembrokeshire. We discussed my challenge and what I aimed to do. The funds raised would go to pay for the whole team to be trained as ‘Mindfulness Practitioners’. “Mumford & Runs was born, I laced up my trainers and off I went. I signed up to a few races including the Born to Run 40 mile Ultra.”

“I had to run long in training. Running 30 milers on your own is tough, so I organised a tag-a-long run. We would run from Tenby to Mind Pembrokeshire in Haverfordwest and people could join in where they wanted. Around 30 people joined me that day, most of them had a story to tell, and they felt safe to talk with me, as I was so open with them. The miles flew by and we soon arrived at Mind to a warm welcome and cake!” When the day arrived for the 40-mile Ultra, Dan was inundated with messages of support on social media and through his dedicated page ‘Mumford and Runs’.

He flew through the marathon point with a personal best time, and he kept on going well, finishing in 4th with a time of 5hours 28mins, which set the tone for the year to come. Dan entered numerous races over the course of the year, including the Manchester Marathon, Swansea Half, Tenby10k, Wales Marathon, Ealing Half & Cardiff Half. He worked extremely hard to get ready for every race, and wanted to go faster every time, which he achieved. Although he ran in all these high profile events, Dan’s favourite event was one that was dubbed ‘Mumford’s Mile’ and was ran alongside The Autism Centre at Pembroke School: “We arranged a sponsored 1 mile run, as running helps to calm and keep the youngsters active. We set off on the route, some running, some walking, but everyone had a smile on their face, and this is what it is all about!”

Continuing with the community events, Dan helped set up the Carew Running Club which aimed to get people of the community get out running and the club has helped numerous people to achieve their own personal goals, with many people who have never ran before having taken part in 10k and half marathon events in the last year. However a year of non-stop running, as you may expect didn’t always go according to plan. The challenge had it’s pressures and this pressure at times affected his mental health, as he struggled to fit in his weekly miles and missed out on time with the family.

“Racing took it out of me and left me unable to run for days. I suffered a couple of injuries and illness too. The challenge was almost out of reach at the end of October, meaning I’d have to run 9 miles a day every day until New Year’s Eve. I had to do something and this is when I decided to do the November Challenge. “This was to run an extra mile every day in November. If I completed this it would bring me right back on track, but it would be tough. There was no guarantee I could finish it and I didn’t! “On day 23 the weather was awful, I ran in the morning outside covering about 12 miles of the 23 I had to cover that day before heading to the gym to finish off the remaining 11 miles on the Treadmill. I was feeling good until the arch on my right foot started playing up. I thought it was going to tear. I dropped the pace and nursed it to the end.

“On day 24 I got up out of bed, my foot throbbing from the 140 miles I had ran in the last 7 days, double what I’d ever done before. I couldn’t risk carrying on, and with my 2015- mile challenge under threat. I pulled out.” He did however recover in time to complete his challenge, with his children joining him on their bikes to help him get through the final miles; his daughter even dragged him out on Christmas day! “Boxing Day I went out on my tod and quietly crossed the finish line of my personal challenge. It was meant to be the following day at Carew Fun Run but I thought to myself, this is about “Doing more, talking more and Going the extra mile.” So that is what Dan did.

Over 130 people gathered at the Carew Sports Club for the Annual Charity Fun Run to support Dan and run the extra mile together. So Dan completed his remarkable challenge with 5 days to spare, and in the end ended up running 2020 miles in the year, but he couldn’t have done it without some key people and organisations: “It has been a journey that has created a bit of a buzz, started some conversations, raised awareness of our great local charity and raised a good sum of money too. I owe great thanks to everyone who has supported me all year long, especially those who fundraised under Team Mumford & Runs, WP Lewis and Son who sponsored my travel, Feel Good Inc. for collecting and doing the ‘Bungee off the Bridge’, Tees R Us for kit, Carew Club for all of the fundraising and Pembrokeshire Leisure for collecting and donating prizes.

“The biggest thanks has to go to my wife and children who continue to support me every day and put up with my coping mechanisms.” If you would like to donate to Dan’s cause you can online at http://www.everyclick.com/mumfordruns. For more information on Mind Pembrokeshire you can go to http://www.mindpembrokeshire.org.uk . You can also follow Dan’s new blog at www.mindrunner. co.uk or on Facebook or Twitter at either ‘Mumford and Runs’ or ‘Mindrunner’.

Community

Who has the power to save Tenby Summer Spectacular?

Published

11 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Tom Sinclair

As Henry Tufnell MP joins calls for a solution, questions remain over harbour access, pedestrian safety and who can legally authorise the event

WITH Tenby Summer Spectacular still at risk, attention is now turning to a simple but crucial question: who actually has the power to save it?

The much-loved charity event, run by Tenby Round Table, has become one of the town’s biggest summer attractions, bringing thousands of people into the harbour area and raising money for local good causes.

But organisers have warned that the event may not be able to go ahead unless outstanding concerns over pedestrian safety and access around the harbour are resolved.

Henry Tufnell MP has now added his voice to calls for a solution, saying he is “very concerned” that the event is at risk.

The local MP said he had written several times to Pembrokeshire County Council over the past few months to help resolve the outstanding issues, and that his office met with the council this week to press for progress.

Mr Tufnell said he welcomed the council’s public statement confirming its support for the Spectacular, and said he would continue speaking to the council, Tenby Round Table and police.

At the heart of the row is a practical but important issue: how the harbour area can be made safe for thousands of visitors while still allowing access for residents, businesses and emergency services.

Pembrokeshire County Council has said it supports the event and wants it to go ahead. It has also said it has not directed organisers to cancel.

However, Tenby Round Table has said one key legal question remains unanswered after months of discussions.

That question appears to be whether the organisers can legally control or restrict access in the harbour area in the way required to satisfy safety concerns.

For an event of this size, the issue is not simply whether the council, police or organisers want it to happen. The question is whether the right legal powers, safety plans and permissions are in place.

The council has a role through licensing and public safety. The police may advise on safety, traffic and crowd management. The organisers are responsible for putting forward an event plan that can be safely delivered.

That means no single person can simply “save” the Spectacular by saying it should go ahead.

Instead, the event now appears to depend on whether the council, police and Tenby Round Table can agree a workable solution over harbour access, crowd control and emergency arrangements.

The row has also sparked strong reaction online, with many residents frustrated at the possibility of losing one of Tenby’s best-known summer events.

Supporters say the Spectacular is not only a family night out, but an important boost for traders and a major charity fundraiser.

Others have argued that safety concerns cannot simply be brushed aside, particularly when large crowds gather in a confined harbour setting.

Mr Tufnell said: “The Tenby Summer Spectacular is an incredible event run by the Tenby Round Table for our community, supporting local businesses and raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity.

“Like many of you, I am very concerned to see that the event is at risk of not going ahead.

“I have written several times to Pembrokeshire County Council to help resolve the outstanding issues regarding pedestrian safety and access around the harbour.

“I welcome the statement published by the council reinforcing their support for the Spectacular. I am reassured by their public commitment to finding a path forward.”

The coming days are now likely to be crucial.

For the event to be rescued, the key question is whether a legally sound and practical access plan can be agreed quickly enough for organisers to proceed with confidence.

Until then, the future of Tenby Summer Spectacular remains uncertain — not because there is a lack of public support, but because no one has yet produced a final answer to the question of who can lawfully control the harbour when thousands of people arrive.

News

Police watchdog referral made after fatal A4075 crash

Published

12 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Tom Sinclair

No suggestion of pursuit or contact between police vehicle and motorcycle, force says

A VOLUNTARY referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct following the fatal A4075 crash which claimed the life of 22-year-old Callum Hanson.

Dyfed-Powys Police has confirmed the referral was made because a police vehicle was in the vicinity of the collision, which happened between Canaston Bridge and Yerbeston on Wednesday (Jun 17).

The force said the referral was made to ensure full transparency and independent oversight.

However, police have stressed that there is no suggestion of an active pursuit or any contact between the police vehicle and the motorcycle at the time of the incident.

The IOPC has now referred the matter back to Dyfed-Powys Police for an internal investigation by the force’s Professional Standards Department.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “A voluntary referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct in relation to this case, due to the presence of a police vehicle in the vicinity.

“This was to ensure full transparency and is a standard requirement in order to ensure independent oversight.

“There is no suggestion of an active pursuit or any contact between the motorbike and the police vehicle at the time of the incident.

“Due to this, the IOPC have referred the matter back to Dyfed-Powys Police for an internal investigation by the Professional Standards Department.

“While PSD carry out their enquiries it would not be appropriate to comment on the matter further.

“The thoughts of Dyfed-Powys Police remain with Callum’s family and friends at this time, and we would still ask that anyone with information about the incident contacts the force.”

Callum, from Haverfordwest, died in hospital following the collision involving a grey Kia Sorento and a white Yamaha motorcycle. A 22-year-old woman who was travelling as a pillion passenger was also taken to hospital.

His family later paid tribute to him as a “kind, loving” young man who lived life to the fullest despite his own personal challenges.

They said he was deeply caring and had spent the last month looking after his grandad, who had also recently passed away.

Callum had a passion for gaming and motorbikes and was training to become a mechanic at college.

Police are continuing to appeal for witnesses or anyone with dashcam footage from the A4075 between Canaston Bridge and Yerbeston at around 6:15pm on Wednesday (Jun 17).

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dyfed-Powys Police online, by emailing [email protected], by calling 101, or by direct message on social media.

Quote reference 362 of June 17.

News

Wales inactivity rate rises as opposition warns economy is ‘flatlining’

Published

13 hours ago

June 25, 2026

Tom Sinclair

ALMOST one in four working-age people in Wales are economically inactive, according to the latest labour market figures.

The Welsh Government’s June labour market overview shows the economic inactivity rate in Wales was 24.8% for people aged 16 to 64.

That is down 0.6 percentage points on the previous quarter, but up 0.6 percentage points over the year. The UK rate stood at 21.0%.

Economic inactivity refers to people who are not in work and are not classed as unemployed because they are not actively seeking work or are not available to start.

The figures have prompted criticism from the Welsh Conservatives, who said Wales’ economy was failing to grow strongly enough.

Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Shadow Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, said: “These latest figures show the Welsh economy has continued to flatline with too many people economically inactive.

“We urgently need welfare reform to get people off benefits and into work, where they can pay their taxes and help generate more revenue to invest in better public services.

“The new Plaid Cymru government needs to focus relentlessly on creating the conditions for businesses to start up and expand because this is the only way to grow the Welsh economy and make Wales more prosperous.”

The latest statistics also show Wales’ unemployment rate was 3.8%, up 0.3 percentage points on the quarter but down 0.9 percentage points over the year. The UK unemployment rate was 4.9%.

The Welsh Government said evidence from a range of sources suggested the Welsh labour market was following a similar trend to the UK as a whole.

It also said Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy Adam Price was keen to meet the Office for National Statistics to discuss the reliability of labour market data for Wales.

The issue is likely to remain politically significant because economic inactivity affects the size of the workforce, business recruitment, tax receipts and pressure on public services.

Across Wales, inactivity can include people out of work because of long-term illness, caring responsibilities, study, early retirement or other reasons. For rural and coastal areas, including Pembrokeshire, the challenge is often linked to the availability of suitable jobs, transport, skills and seasonal work.