News
Teenager needs specialist wheelchair to follow his tennis dream
WHEN the former Pembrokeshire College student began his studies in Cardiff, in September last year, he was keen to make new friends and improve his fitness further, so he joined Cardiff Wheelchair Tennis Club.
“The club train twice a week at the David Lloyd centre in Cardiff,” explained Harry. “Each session is two hours long and they are really beginning to improve my technique and understanding of the game.”
To allow him to play the game Harry currently has to borrow a specialist wheelchair from the club, but it’s far from ideal.
“Using a chair that hasn’t been set up for me specifically makes it more difficult to use and I’m at a disadvantage to the other players,” he exclaimed.
“I was advised that the specialist sports wheelchair that would best suit my needs would cost a whopping £5,574, which was obviously way out of my student budget!”
Without a specialist chair Harry’s tennis career could be over before it’s started. He said: “I love the game so much that during the summer I’m travelling the one hour forty five minute journey from my family home in Pembrokeshire, to continue training.
“I’m determined to become the best I can be at the sport but without a chair of my own I fear I’ll be unable to do this.”
The Grand Slam Tennis Sports Wheelchair that Harry needs is perfectly designed to improve his agility and speed on court. However, whilst he knows it would take him to the next level, the financial barrier initially appeared to be insurmountable.
But now, thanks to fundraising support from Caudwell Children, the national charity that provides practical and emotional support to disabled children and their families, Harry has started a campaign to help raise the money needed for the new chair. He said: “The charity has already helped me to contact a number of different organisations including; charities, rotary clubs and masons lodges.
“However, I want to appeal to the public and the business community and ask them to give me a helping hand. With their support I believe I may have a good future in the game.”
Mark Bushell, from Caudwell Children, hopes people will get behind Harry’s appeal. He said: “This piece of equipment will improve Harry’s life immeasurably. Unbelievably, there are 70,000 children and young people in the UK who would benefit from the correct mobility equipment, including specialist sports wheelchairs.
“I’m urging the public and business community to get behind this appeal. With the Wimbledon tennis championships highlighting how enjoyable the sport is, particularly quad wheelchair tennis, there couldn’t be a more fitting time to launch Harry’s appeal.
“With the publics support we can ensure that Harry has the specialist wheelchair that he so desperately needs, and deserves, to continue playing the game.”
EMERGENCY services were called after a car crashed into a house on Nun Street in St Davids on Thursday (Apr 24).
Dyfed-Powys Police and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended the scene at around 4:35pm following reports of a single-vehicle collision.
On arrival, they found that a car had collided with a residential property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
The road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.
A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “Dyfed-Powys Police attended a report of a single-vehicle road traffic collision where a car collided with a property on Nun Street, St Davids, at around 4:35pm yesterday. No injuries were reported, and the road remained open while the vehicle was recovered.”
POLICE are appealing for information to help locate a 54-year-old man who has been reported missing from the Milford Haven area.
Neil is described as being around 6ft 2in tall with a shaved head. He has tattoos on his arms and one of his fingers, and sometimes wears glasses.
He was last seen on Friday afternoon (Apr 26) wearing a black Superdry hoodie, ripped jeans, and orange and black Nike Air trainers. Neil is believed to be on foot.
Anyone with information that could help is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police: 
| Online portal
| 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk
| Call 101, quoting reference 262 of April 26.
Wales joins UK’s largest firefighting aid convoy
MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) has taken part in the UK’s largest ever convoy delivering vital firefighting equipment to Ukraine, joining 17 other Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) from across the country.
The convoy, coordinated by FIRE AID and supported by the UK Government, left the UK in early April. It travelled through France, Germany and Poland, delivering over 30 fire service vehicles and more than 15,000 items of equipment to support Ukrainian firefighters on the front line of the ongoing war.
Since the Russian invasion in 2022, UK fire services have donated 119 vehicles and over 200,000 pieces of equipment to Ukraine. Each participating service ensured local needs were met before donating surplus kit.
Watch Manager Rob Kershaw represented MAWWFRS on the convoy. He said:
“It’s been a privilege to be part of this convoy and to represent both FIRE AID and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
We received invaluable support and assistance from fire and police services across every country we passed through. Their help in coordinating, escorting, and hosting the convoy was outstanding.”
Chief Fire Officer Roger Thomas KFSM added:
“MAWWFRS is proud to support our colleagues in Ukraine by donating and delivering essential equipment.
The events in Ukraine have deeply affected the fire and rescue community, and this convoy is a demonstration of our ongoing commitment to helping those still working under extreme conditions.”
The donated equipment will support firefighters in Ukraine who continue to operate in war zones to save lives and protect property—often at great personal risk. Since the conflict began, 100 Ukrainian firefighters have been killed and 431 injured. A total of 411 fire stations and 1,700 firefighting vehicles have been destroyed.
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