Community

Mum’s ‘Walk of Love’ reaches Pembrokeshire

Published

9 years ago

May 16, 2016

Natalia Spencer: Heading towards Pembrokeshire

THE MOTHER of a five-yearold girl who passed away from a rare illness will soon arrive in Pembrokeshire as part of her ‘Walk of Love’ around the coast of Great Britain, to raise money in her daughter’s memory.

Natalia Spencer, from Cheltenham, is walking 6,000 miles around the coast after her daughter Elizabeth passed away at Bristol Children’s Hospital in December last year.

Elizabeth took ill in November with a relatively common virus, which triggered an autoimmune condition known as Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH).

This rare condition caused Elizabeth’s body to go into septic shock, shutting down her major organs and cutting off the blood supply to her limbs.

Elizabeth spent eighteen days on life support in Bristol Children’s Hospital, but despite doctors’ best efforts passed away on 10 December. Natalia now hopes to raise £100,000 for The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, in her daughter’s memory.

Bristol Children’s Hospital treats 100,000 critically ill children and babies a year from an extensive catchment area, covering the entire South West of England, Monmouthshire, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

Natalia’s ‘Walk of Love’ started on Valentine’s Day at Durdle Door in Dorset, the last beach she and Elizabeth visited together. She has since then covered more than 850 miles and will reach Tenby on 29 April, her sixty-sixth day of walking.

On her journey around Pembrokeshire she will be passing Angle, Milford Haven, Dale, Solva, Abercastle and Fishguard, before making her way up the West Wales coast. She is inviting anyone who would like to walk with her to join her for part of the journey.

Natalia said: “Elizabeth particularly loved the beach and the sea and we went to the seaside a lot. After she passed away I went to the seaside quite a few times and I realised that it is the only place that helps me to feel better and connect with her.

“The walk has been challenging in places but arriving in Wales was a huge milestone, and the coastline here is beautiful.

“Walking up to 20 miles each day is exhausting but I have met so many incredible people along the way, who have walked with me, offered me a place to stay, or just somewhere to have a cup of coffee and a rest. Their kindness and support is a huge comfort to me and means I am not on my own.

“I hope that by completing this walk I will be able to bring something positive from Elizabeth’s death. Her memory will live on through the people I meet along the way and all those who are touched by her legacy.”

Natalia’s walk has already raised more than £30,000. To donate, visit www.justgiving.com/Natalia-Spencer or text ELIF55 and your donation amount to 70070. You can follow her progress at www.elizabethsfootprint.com.

The Grand Appeal has to date raised more than £35m to support critically ill children and babies at Bristol Children’s Hospital, providing life-saving medical equipment, patient facilities and therapies and accommodation for families.

Community

Drop in sessions to help reshape Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Published

5 days ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) is pleased to announce the launch of a series of community drop-in sessions designed to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders. This initiative aims to identify issues and challenges that may impact the delivery of the Community Risk Management Plan 2040 (CRMP 2040).

The CRMP 2040 outlines the Service’s commitment to addressing risks, threats, and challenges faced by communities. These drop-in sessions provide an opportunity for residents to help shape the future of fire and rescue services in Mid and West Wales, ensuring safety and well-being remain a priority.

Shaping the future together

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Iwan Cray said: “We believe the best way to serve our communities is by involving them in the planning process. These drop-in sessions are an opportunity for us to listen, learn, and collaborate with the people we serve.”

The drop-in sessions, details of which are available on the MAWWFRS website, offer a platform for open dialogue. Residents can share their insights, concerns, and suggestions, contributing to the development of a modern Fire and Rescue Service tailored to their needs.

A data-driven approach

The CRMP 2040 adopts a data-driven approach, focusing on prevention, protection, and response to reduce emergencies’ impact and enhance public safety. By tailoring services to community needs, MAWWFRS is committed to building safer and more resilient communities.

Get involved

Community members are encouraged to attend these sessions and provide their feedback. To thank participants, MAWWFRS is offering a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher. To enter, simply attend a session and complete the survey.

For more information about the plan or the upcoming drop-in sessions, visit the MAWWFRS website or contact the team at [email protected].

About MAWWFRS

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is dedicated to protecting and serving the communities of Mid and West Wales. Through prevention, protection, and response, the Service works tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors.

Community

Landfill odour sparks calls for inquiry and legal action

Published

5 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS near Withyhedge landfill in Haverfordwest are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action after foul odours returned just weeks after the site reopened on 6 January.

The landfill, closed last May to address odour issues, was declared fit to reopen by operator RML, which claimed its improvements would protect nearby communities. However, Colin Barnett, of campaign group Stop the Stink, said: “People in Crundale, Haverfordwest, and Spittal are being subjected to horrendous smells again.”

Describing the site as a “stink bomb on steroids,” Barnett supported Conservative MS Paul Davies’ calls for a public inquiry. “We’ve been flanneled by NRW, public health, and Pembrokeshire council. It’s disgraceful,” he said, adding that delays in resolving the issue had left litigation as the only option.

RML, part of Dauson Environmental Group, is owned by businessman David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental crimes in 2013 and 2017. Last year, another of Neal’s companies pleaded guilty to environmental offences.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving 34 complaints since 6 January, with a rise in recent days coinciding with the end of a slurry-spreading ban. However, NRW stated no odours attributable to the landfill were detected and plans to inspect the site with Pembrokeshire council on 29 January.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I’ll keep a very close eye on this, and if concerns persist, we’ll discuss further steps with NRW.”

RML and the Welsh Government declined to comment.

Community

Public transport users urged to ‘check before travelling’ due to storm

Published

5 days ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRANSPORT FOR WALES and Network Rail are urging all customers to check before they travel on Friday morning and into the weekend with weather warnings in place across the country.

With Storm Eowyn set to hit Wales and winds reaching 90mph on Friday morning, customers should expect disruptions and are strongly urged to check before they travel.

There will be alterations to rail services, replacement road transport on certain routes and blanket speed restrictions at some locations, meaning journeys could take longer than usual.

Stand by buses are being planned at key locations around the network in preparation for travel disruption.

Across Wales and the Borders, Network Rail have positioned response teams to address any storm related problems to keep disruption to a minimum.

TfW Operations Director Sarah Higgins said: “It’s so important for our customers to plan ahead when looking to travel this Friday.

“While we’ve made a number of changes to our services based on detailed forecasts, storms can still be unpredictable.

“We’ve seen the impact storms can have, with damage to trains and infrastructure sometimes taking weeks or months to repair, so our cross-industry approach will hopefully limit that and keep our colleagues and customers safe. We apologise to customers for any disruption to their journeys as a result.”

Network Rail Wales & Borders Operations Director Rachel Heath added: “Our priority is always keeping safe everyone who travels and works on the railway.

“Unfortunately, there will be some delays and cancellations on Friday, as trains will not run on some lines and there will speed restrictions on other parts of the route.

“We are working closely with our train operator colleagues to ensure we can safely reopen affected lines as quickly as possible and urge passengers to check before they travel.”

Rail service changes:

No services to run on the Conwy Valley Line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
No services to run on the Heart of Wales line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
Speed restrictions at various locations around the network, meaning some journeys will take longer than usual. These include:

  50mph speed restrictions imposed from 0200 to 1500 Friday on the North Wales Coast – Bodorgan to Llandudno Junction.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Carmarthen to Kidwelly.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Neath and Swansea.
  50mph restrictions from 0100 – 0800 between Newport and Llanwern.

Customers who have connecting tickets for the following operators who have suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions, we’ll honour tickets dated 24 January on either Thursday 23 January or up to and including Tuesday 28 January.