Hannah-Mae Samson taking on unofficial women’s world-record distance in aid of hospital that cared for little Efa

A WOMAN from Cilgerran is taking on an extraordinary endurance challenge today (Friday, Jun 12) in a bid to raise money for two children’s charities close to her family’s heart.

Hannah-Mae Samson, 34, began the mammoth challenge at 6:00am with an 11-kilometre swim at Crymych Leisure Centre before embarking on a 322-kilometre cycle ride and an 80-kilometre run.

The total distance, which Hannah believes could amount to an unofficial women’s world-record triathlon, is expected to take around 30 hours of continuous effort, with a finish anticipated around lunchtime on Saturday.

The fundraiser is being held in support of Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Sandy Bear Bereavement Charity.

The challenge is particularly personal for Hannah after Birmingham Children’s Hospital cared for Efa, the young daughter of her cousin Rachel Powner, who was diagnosed with craniosynostosis at just nine months old.

The rare condition affects the bones of the skull and can stop it growing properly. Efa underwent major surgery lasting around seven hours and will continue to receive specialist check-ups until she is 15 years old.

Rachel, whose family lives near Llandysul, said the support from Hannah meant a great deal.

She said: “What Hannah is doing means so much to us. We’re so grateful to her for raising money for the charity, having seen the amazing work they do.”

Now approaching her second birthday in September, Efa is said to be developing well following treatment last October.

Hannah told BBC Cymru Fyw the challenge would be the toughest thing she had ever attempted, both physically and mentally.

“It will mean sleepless nights and around 30 hours of continuous effort,” she said.

“But if a challenge doesn’t scare you, is it really a challenge?”

Months of preparation have gone into the event, with Hannah training twice a day and completing up to 23 hours of training during her toughest weeks.

By day, Hannah works as a plumber and joked that even her rest days involved physical work.

“I’m a plumber – not a typical job among women – so when I have a rest day, I’m plumbing!” she said.

“It helps with strength training!”

The second charity to benefit, Sandy Bear Bereavement Charity, supports children and young people in Pembrokeshire and west Wales who are coping with grief following the loss of someone close to them.

Hannah said she had been surprised by how many local people had told her they had received help from the charity.

Rachel and her partner, Huw Jones, are expected to join Hannah for part of the run to support and encourage her through the final stages of the challenge.

The family hope the fundraiser will not only raise money but also awareness of craniosynostosis and the work carried out by the charities supporting families during difficult times.

Photo caption: Going the distance: Hannah-Mae Samson, from Cilgerran, is attempting an extraordinary long-distance triathlon challenge in aid of Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Sandy Bear Bereavement Charity (Pic: BBC Cymru Wales).

CYMRU’S hopes of reaching the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup remain alive after Rhian Wilkinson’s side secured their place in this autumn’s play-offs.

The national side finished top of League B Group B1 in the UEFA Women’s European Qualifiers, collecting 14 points from six matches and ending three points clear of Czechia.

Cymru won four games and drew two, scoring 17 goals and conceding five, before sealing first place with a 3-1 victory over Czechia in Cardiff.

Play-off draw

The play-off draw will take place on Thursday, June 18, with 32 nations still in contention for Europe’s remaining places at the tournament in Brazil.

The play-offs will be played over two rounds of home-and-away ties.

As one of the four League B group winners, Cymru will enter Path 2 alongside the four nations who finished bottom of their League A groups.

Those eight seeded teams will be drawn against nations who finished second or third in the League B groups, with the seeded sides hosting the second leg.

Cymru’s possible first-round opponents are Czechia, Türkiye, Finland, Belgium, Northern Ireland, Slovakia, Israel and Albania.

Familiar opponents

A tie against Czechia would bring another meeting between two sides who have already faced each other twice in qualifying.

Cymru drew 2-2 away before beating Czechia 3-1 in Cardiff to secure top spot.

Albania are also among the possible opponents, having been in Cymru’s qualifying group. Wilkinson’s side beat them 1-0 away and 4-0 at home.

The first round of play-off ties will be played between October 7 and October 13.

What Cymru need

To qualify for the World Cup, Cymru must win both their first-round and second-round play-off ties.

The eight Path 2 winners will advance to Round 2, where they will face the winners from Path 1, which includes teams from Leagues A and C.

Those ties will be played between November 26 and December 5.

Eight teams will win through from Round 2, but only seven will qualify automatically for the World Cup. The seven highest-ranked winners, based on the overall UEFA Women’s European Qualifiers rankings, will go directly to Brazil.

The remaining Round 2 winner will enter the FIFA Women’s World Cup Inter-Confederation Play-Offs in February 2027 for one final chance to qualify.

Brazil will host the FIFA Women’s World Cup from June 24 to July 25, 2027.

New Hedges/Saundersfoot United praised after another sell-out fundraiser

A COMMUNITY football club in Pembrokeshire is being praised after raising money for two important causes through another packed charity evening in Saundersfoot.

New Hedges/Saundersfoot United (NHSU) hosted a sell-out event at Regency Hall on Saturday night, bringing together local residents, supporters and well-known faces for an evening of entertainment and fundraising.

The event featured an appearance by Welsh rugby legend Shane Williams, comedian Lenny Dee, a silent auction and fundraising activities in support of the Maxwell Family Genomics Fund and Sandy Bear Children’s Bereavement Charity.

Organisers said the evening highlighted the power of community spirit in Pembrokeshire and the difference local support can make to charities which rely heavily on fundraising to continue their work.

Sandy Bear Children’s Bereavement Charity supports children and young people coping with bereavement across west Wales, offering specialist help to families facing difficult circumstances.

Support for families

The Maxwell Family Genomics Fund also benefited from the evening, with money raised helping efforts linked to medical research and support for affected families.

The event was organised by New Hedges/Saundersfoot United, a club increasingly earning a reputation for successful charity fundraising alongside its sporting activities.

Saturday’s fundraiser marked the third consecutive sell-out charity event hosted by the club, following previous popular evenings featuring former Wales striker John Hartson and former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

Club praised

Local supporters have praised NHSU for creating events that not only entertain but also raise substantial sums for good causes at a time when many charities face growing financial pressures.

One organiser said community fundraising remained vital, particularly for smaller charities that often struggle to secure long-term funding.

Without local backing, many organisations helping vulnerable families would simply be unable to continue their work.

The evening at Regency Hall was widely described by attendees as another major success for the club and a reflection of the strong community spirit in Saundersfoot and New Hedges.

Photo caption:

Charity night success: Guests gathered at Regency Hall, Saundersfoot, for New Hedges/Saundersfoot United’s latest sell-out fundraising evening (Pics: Darth Marty Media).