News

Police investigating missing charity funds at Narberth fire station

Published

4 years ago

January 26, 2021

Where is the cash?: Money from fundraisers was never banked

DYFED-POWYS Police have confirmed to The Pembrokeshire Herald that they are investigating allegations of dishonesty concerning raffle and fundraising efforts involving Narberth Fire Station.

The Herald was contacted by members of the public and family members of Narberth firefighters expressing their concern that ‘a considerable amount of money’ that has been raised for charitable causes has gone missing from the station.

Alarm bells started ringing last year, after funds raised in memory of local firefighter Josh Gardener, were never banked.

Josh Gardener, tragically died aged just 35-years-old, during a training exercise conducted by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) in September 2019.

A source told us each local station took charge of their own fundraising for the cause, but it was overseen by Milford Haven Station and all raised money was to be collated together by staff there.

It is alleged that around £500 was raised by Narberth station. However, officers at Milford Haven raised suspicions, after no money was received.

A source also told us that each year, two members from Narberth’s crew don full uniform to sell raffle tickets in the town’s High Street.

One source claims that those concerned have been unlawfully fundraising, as they do not have the relevant licences in place to do so.

We asked Pembrokeshire County Council to confirm whether Narberth Fire Station had an up to date licence which would enable them to fundraise publicly in such a manner.

A spokesperson said: “Pembrokeshire County Council has contacted the organisation involved for further information and to offer advice on the rules regarding lotteries.”

It is alleged money raised from these raffle tickets, which sources tell us is also ‘a considerable amount’, is unaccounted for.

We asked Dyfed-Powys Police to confirm if they were investigating allegations of theft at the station, a spokesperson said: “We are investigating an allegation of theft from Narberth Fire Station.

We were told: “Enquiries are ongoing.”

The raffle tickets were sold on the basis that all funds raised were being donated to The Firefighters Charity and Narberth First Responders.

We contacted The Firefighters’ Charity to ask if they had been receiving regular donations from the station, they told us that they had been asked by MAWWFR not to comment.

All monies raised from fundraising is said to be kept in a locked safe within Narberth Station before it is banked, said our source.

They added that the only crew members who have keys which would enable them to have access to the safe are those who’ve sold the raffle tickets.

Due to an ongoing active police investigation into the thefts, we are unable to name the two individuals.

It has also been brought to our attention that since the investigation opened, last year, a member of staff allegedly took early retirement due to illness.

This newspaper has recontacted Dyfed-Powys Police to clarify whether they suspect a break-in or another possible explanation, we await their response.

However, the police have made no appeals to the press or public for information that would relate to the possibility that a burglary may have occurred.

The Herald asked MAWWFRS whether they had a licence in place to sell the raffle tickets lawfully, did all raised funds reach the advertised charities, and what procedures would they be implementing to ensure funds raised reached their intended target.

A spokesperson said: “Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service take any allegations around the conduct of our staff seriously and have procedures in place to deal with such concerns appropriately.

“We also take our responsibilities in terms of respecting the personal confidentiality of all employees seriously and as such will not comment further in this regard.”

News

Police close Westfield Pill Bridge over concerns for person’s welfare

Published

46 seconds ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

FEARS for a person’s safety led police to close Westfield Pill Bridge, near Neyland.

The bridge, on the A477 between Honeyborough roundabout and the Cleddau Bridge, was shut for just over an hour, with drivers advised to seek alternative routes.

The incident took place on Friday evening and was concluded when the person was located safe and well.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Dyfed-Powys Police received a call for a concern for the welfare of an individual on Westfield Pill Bridge at around 7:30pm on Friday, December 20.

“The road was closed and reopened at around 8:40pm.

“The individual was located safe and well.”

This is not the first time such an incident has led to a bridge closure.

There have been several previous similar incidents, including on Friday, October 4, 2024, the Cleddau Bridge was closed for about an hour following a call reporting a welfare concern. The closure occurred at around 4:45pm, and the bridge reopened at 5:45pm.

The person involved was taken to the hospital for treatment.

In June, a multi–agency rescue operation unfolded at Neyland Marina after a youth jumped approximately 40 metres from Westfield Bridge into the water below.

Emergency services, including crews from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) stations in Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Pembroke Dock, and Carmarthen, were swiftly dispatched to the scene.

According to a spokesperson for MAWWFRS, members of the public were instrumental in rescuing the youth before the arrival of the emergency crews.

Charity

NatWest Cymru encourages customers in Wales to spread Christmas cheer

Published

16 mins ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

NATWEST has introduced a new way for its customers to support Social Bite in the fight against homelessness this festive season.

Through its mobile app based MyRewards programme, customers can now easily donate their available Rewards (over £5) to buy someone experiencing homelessness a Christmas dinner with Social Bite. NatWest has also pledged to match all donations to any of its 16 MyRewards charities, including Social Bite, up to the value of £50 until 31st December, up to a total of £150,000.

The initiative comes as part of Social Bite’s ‘Festival of Kindness’ – an annual mission that aims to provide 300,000 meals, gifts, and essential items to people who are homeless and vulnerable this Christmas.

NatWest has previously worked with the Scottish charity to open a coffee outlet for colleagues and visitors in its Royal Bank HQ in the capital Edinburgh, as well as launching a public coffee shop at its site at 440 Strand, London.

Since the launch of Festival of Kindness in 2020, Social Bite has successfully distributed 1.1 million meals, gifts, and essentials to people who are homeless during the festive period.

Jessica Shipman, Chair, NatWest Cymru Regional Board, said: “Social Bite makes a positive difference to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. The festive season often brings into focus the hardship so many face every day.

“We know that people want to help but don’t know how. We’re excited to support Social Bite’s inspiring ‘Festival of Kindness’ initiative, giving our customers a way to gift a homeless person a warm meal.

“We encourage everyone to join in and help make the festive season a little brighter for the most vulnerable in our society.”

Josh Littlejohn MBE, Founder of Social Bite, added: “Social Bite is proud to have had the support of NatWest for a number of years, and together, we’ve made great strides to help people break the cycle of homelessness.

“For many of us, Christmas is a period where we look forward to spending time with friends, family and loved ones. However, the reality is very different for people without a place to call home over the festive season. With homelessness rising across the UK, it’s more important than ever that we do what we can to help people affected by homelessness and food poverty.

“A big thank you to all the wonderful NatWest customers who chose to donate their rewards to Social Bite. Your contribution will make a real difference to someone in need, including a hot meal with all the trimmings in loving company on Christmas Day.”

To find out more about NatWest’s MyRewards and the other charities which are being supported, please visit: https://personal.secure1.natwest.com/app/MyRewards

Information on Social Bite’s Festival can be found: https://www.social-bite.co.uk/

Community

Emergency call outage affected Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire

Published

19 mins ago

December 23, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS in parts of Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire faced difficulties contacting emergency services via the 999 landline number on Sunday (Dec 17) due to a temporary outage.

Dyfed-Powys Police issued alerts on social media, warning residents of potential issues when trying to dial 999 from landlines in affected areas. Locations impacted included Pembroke, Manorbier, Carew, and surrounding areas.

In a statement, police advised: “You may have faced problems calling 999 from a landline in the Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire area. Places likely to have been affected were Pembroke, Manorbier, Carew. Please try calling from a mobile phone as mobile networks may have been working normally. Normal service will be restored as soon as possible. Non-emergencies can be reported online. Please look out for further updates.”

Later in the day, an update confirmed that the 999 landline service had been restored in the Llangrannog and Llanteg areas.

The temporary disruption raised concerns about access to emergency services in rural areas, where mobile coverage can sometimes be unreliable.

Authorities urged residents to remain vigilant and use alternative communication methods in the event of future disruptions. Further updates are expected as investigations into the cause of the outage continue.

For non-emergency issues, residents can continue to report incidents via the Dyfed-Powys Police website or contact their local police station directly.