Community

Helicopter chief raises nearly £4,000 for charity

Published

4 years ago

September 28, 2021

A PEMBROKESHIRE aviation boss has raised nearly £4,000 for two charities by walking an epic 186 miles along the coastal path.

Steven Landrey whose life was saved by the Wales Air Ambulance set off from Amroth in May and finished the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Charity Walk at St Dogmaels in August.

Steven, 52, raised £3,900 for the Wales Air Ambulance and the British Heart Foundation.

Steve, who worked as European managing director for air ambulance operator, Babcock, collapsed while out cycling with friends. He suffered a cardiac arrest and stopped breathing.

Thankfully the Wales Air Ambulance was able to respond swiftly to the scene and gave Steve the lifesaving care he needed.

Ironically, Babcock holds the contract to run the Wales Air Ambulance’s aviation operation.

The challenge, which took place just nine months after his cardiac arrest, saw Steve covering 314km on foot in 76.5 hours, climbing over 8,400 metres in the process – just a few hundred metres shy of the summit of Mount Everest.

Steve started his epic challenge with his cardiac rehabilitation instructor David Braithwaite, who carried a defibrator ‘just in case’ throughout the 186 miles.

A delighted Steve said: “What an experience! There was some amazing scenery, wildlife that put a smile on your face, rain that only Wales can deliver, and sunrises that remind you how small you really are on this planet we call home.

“After ‘competing’ all my life – whether in a sporting sense, a career sense, or indeed with myself, this walk has started to educate me to focus on ‘enjoying’ rather than pushing to best I can be all the time. It’s only taken me 52 years to get to this epiphany!”

Dedicated Steve walked twice a week to get the miles in and was joined by his wife Katrina and their two dogs, Jumble and Nigel. Many family and friends showed their support to Steve by joining him on his walks throughout his fundraiser.

Steve is extremely grateful to everyone who has supported him since he became ill and during his challenge.

He added: “Most important of all, are the people that supported me on this adventure. My wife who, not just over the course this walk, but over the past 12 months, has constantly been there when I needed her most, when I’ve been at my most vulnerable and when at times I’ve lost perspective. I love you.

“David Braithwaite, who planned and guided the walk. Who helped me to be in good enough cardiac condition to do the walk and who carried a defibrillator the whole 314km’s “just in case”. Thank you.”

Steve would also like to thank everyone who has not only walked with him but has supported and encouraged him throughout. He was grateful for the company on his walks that ‘made the whole endeavour so much more enjoyable’.

Steve said: “I’m delighted by the amount of money we’ve raised, now nearing £4000. I’ve sure Wales Air Ambulance and British Heart Foundation will put the money to good use as they continue to support the health and wellbeing of our communities. Of course, none of this would have been possible without those that have supported and donated towards this charity walk, thank you so much.”

Babcock Director Hayley Belmore said: “We know what we do is important, and we are extremely proud to be part of the incredible service the Wales Air Ambulance Charity provides, but when you respond to someone you know, it really amplifies it. Everyone at Babcock is so pleased Steve has made such a good recovery and we congratulate him on his epic fundraiser!”

Wales Air Ambulance Chief Executive, Dr Sue Barnes, said: “Congratulations to Steve who raised an incredible £3,900 for two charities close to his heart. It is incredible that he set himself the challenge of walking 186 miles less than a year after his life was saved by our medics. His dedication following his experience is an absolute inspiration and it’s a great relief to hear that Steve is recovering well after his illness.

“Our Charity has worked in partnership with Babcock for many years and Steve was on the receiving end of a service that he has proactively been involved in. On behalf of our Charity, I’d like to offer my heartfelt thanks to Steve and his supporters, who have supported him throughout his recovery and fundraiser. Every contribution helps to keep our helicopters in the air so that we can continue to provide a lifesaving service for the people of Wales.”

In December 2020, the Charity achieved its aim of operating a 24/7 service. Wales now has access to the service’s Emergency Department-standard critical care around the clock and to keep the helicopters in the air, the Charity needs to raise £8 million every year.

There are several ways that the public can continue to support the Wales Air Ambulance.

These include online donations, signing up to the Charity’s Lifesaving Lottery or by coming up with their own innovative ways to fundraise at home. Further information can be found via www.walesairambulance.com.

Alternatively, a £5 text-message donation can be made by texting the word HELI to 70711.

Community

Santa to tour Neyland before festive grotto opens at Community Hub

Published

3 hours ago

December 8, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NEYLAND will welcome Father Christmas on Friday 19 December as the town’s annual sleigh tour and Christmas grotto return, organised by Neyland Town Council with support from Gareth Hughes Motors.

The Christmas Fairy announced the event on social media with the seasonal message: “It’s tiiiiiiimmmmmmeeee! I hope you’ve all been good… come and meet the big man himself. You might even get a little treat if you’re on Santa’s good list. We can’t wait to see you all there.”

Santa will begin his sleigh ride around Neyland at 5:30pm, with the elves from Gareth Hughes Motors escorting him through several of the town’s residential streets. The planned route will take in Rose and Willow at 5:30pm, Springfield Avenue, the entrance to Gordon Parry, the Forresters, Policeman’s Bank, the Yacht Club area, and Riverside Avenue by the cenotaph.

The sleigh will then arrive at Neyland Community Hub at 6:30pm, where Santa’s Grotto will open for families to visit. Hot festive food will be available to buy from The Hub’s kitchen throughout the evening.

The event is free to attend, with the Town Council encouraging as many families as possible to come along and enjoy the festivities.

Community

Flood alert updated for Pembrokeshire coast as high tides and storms approach

Published

12 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Tom Sinclair

NATURAL Resources Wales (NRW) has updated a flood alert for the Pembrokeshire coast, warning that flooding is possible between St Dogmaels, Cardigan and Amroth over the next two days.

The alert, which covers the stretch of coast from St Dogmaels down to Amroth, was first issued on Friday (Dec 5) and was updated around midday today (Sunday, Dec 7). NRW says the risk comes from a combination of high tides, large waves and unsettled weather, with the greatest impacts currently expected around Tuesday’s tides.

Flooding of low-lying land and roads is expected around the time of each high tide on Monday (Dec 8) and Tuesday (Dec 9). A further spell of wet and windy weather is also expected to keep river and surface water levels high across parts of south-west Wales.

Residents in coastal communities and estuary areas are being urged to be prepared and to take some simple precautions. NRW’s advice includes:

What people are being urged to do

Follow your household flood plan if you already have one.
Check where your loved ones and pets are, and think about how you would move them to safety if water starts to rise.
Move sentimental items, important documents and valuables to higher shelves or upstairs where possible.
Keep your mobile phone charged and switched on so you can receive warnings and updates.
Make sure you know how to turn off your electricity, gas and water supplies.
Pack a small grab-bag in case you need to leave home in a hurry – including medication, phone and charger, warm clothing, baby and pet supplies, sanitary products and insurance documents.
Consider moving cars, livestock and equipment away from low-lying or exposed areas that are likely to flood.

What not to do:

Officials are again stressing that people should not drive or walk through floodwater. Just 30 centimetres (around one foot) of fast-moving water can move a car, and as little as 15 centimetres can knock an adult off their feet.

For the latest official information on this alert, residents can visit the NRW flood warning page for the Pembrokeshire coast (area code 102WABT02), or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188 and use quick dial number 503013.

Up-to-date river, rainfall and sea level data is also available via the ‘river, rainfall and sea data’ pages on the Natural Resources Wales website.

Community

Plan to offer construction and hospitality roles to young people in west Wales

Published

16 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Government invests £820m to tackle rising youth unemployment, with targeted support across south-west Wales

YOUNG people on Universal Credit in West Wales will be offered new training and work experience placements in sectors such as construction, hospitality, and health and social care, as part of a UK Government drive to bring down rising youth unemployment.

The programme – funded from the £820m announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in last month’s Budget – will create 350,000 training and work-experience places across the UK, and guarantee 55,000 jobs in areas judged to be most in need from spring 2026. South-west and south-east Wales are among the regions singled out for focused support.

Ministers say the measures aim to move young people aged 16–24 off long-term benefits and into stable work. Almost one million young people across the UK are currently classed as NEET (not in education, employment or training), a figure that has been rising steadily since 2021.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said the new pathways would give out-of-work young people “a fair chance to make something of their lives”. The support will include a dedicated work session for every claimant aged under 25, followed by four weeks of intensive coaching before they are placed on one of six routes: paid work, work experience, an apprenticeship, wider training, classroom learning, or a workplace-based training scheme with a guaranteed interview.

Focus on sectors vital to the West Wales economy

For West Wales – where seasonal work, rural isolation and limited transport links have long affected youth employment – the concentration on construction, hospitality, and social care is likely to be significant. These industries remain major employers across Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion, with businesses regularly reporting difficulties recruiting local staff.

The Herald understands that officials expect more than 1,000 young people nationally to move into jobs within the first six months, with additional programmes promised as the government prepares to publish its national youth strategy.

Political dispute over the impact

The Conservatives accused the Chancellor of “driving youth unemployment up” through recent tax decisions, claiming the new scheme “gives with one hand while taking with the other”. However, ministers insist the investment represents a “downpayment on young people’s future” and will help address the rise in long-term sickness and disability among under-25s – one of the biggest barriers to work.

Further announcements are expected next week, including new details on the government’s pledge to make apprenticeships for under-25s at small and medium-sized businesses completely free.