Community
Local families donate £10,000 to Hywel Dda Health Charities
TWO families have raised nearly £10,000 for maternity and bereavement services across the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.
Clare Last and Gareth Morgan-Isaac wanted to help after sadly losing their baby daughter Mari-Leisa Jên, who was still-born.
The donation to Hywel Dda Health Charities has funded nearly 3,000 special pregnancy advice wallets which will be given to mums-to-be across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
The bilingual wallets are a visual aid, giving healthy pregnancy tips on staying active, eating well and keeping appointments, along with advice on monitoring the pattern of baby’s movements. Parents can also keep their pregnancy notes inside.
Clare and Gareth have also donated a cuddle cot to Glangwili Hospital to help parents bereaved by stillbirth or neonatal loss to spend precious time with their babies at home before laying them to rest. And they have donated two more cots to funeral directors to help in the community.
The money was mainly raised through a walk up Snowdon by Clare and Gareth and their two families.
Clare, 29, who works in non-emergency patient transport for the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “The wallets are a visual aid which can be referred to at home by parents or with their midwife.
They are always on hand if anyone requires reassurance or guidance on what is normal in a pregnancy or if they need to voice any concerns.
“I hope mums-to-be and new mums will see the benefit of having the wallets and their important information and reassurance.”
Clare added: “When we lost Mari-Leisa, that time at home with her in a cuddle cot was so precious.
It enabled us to make special memories that we’ll never forget. We are, therefore, extremely pleased to be able to purchase three to help other families. It means so much.
“We hope the wallets will enable mums-to-be and new mums to have important information in one place.”
Sharon Clement Thomas, Interim Deputy Head of Midwifery, said: “Hywel Dda Maternity Service would like to extend our gratitude and thanks to Clare Last, Gareth Morgan-Isaac and their families who have fundraised and donated a considerable sum of money in memory Mari-Leisa Jên.
This money has been used to purchase Pregnancy Advice Wallets containing information to help keep pregnant women and their babies safe during their pregnancy.
“In addition to this generous donation, Clare has also kindly purchased a cuddle cot for Glangwili Hospital. These temperature-controlled cots prove invaluable to bereaved families, allowing them to spend precious time with their babies, creating memories that they will cherish.”
Community
Lord Nelson Hotel refunds lucky couple the full cost of their wedding day
WHAT an amazing Christmas present!
In an extraordinary gesture of generosity, the Lord Nelson Hotel delighted one lucky couple by refunding the full cost of their 2024 wedding. Abby and Simon Hooper, who tied the knot at the historic venue on August 3, were thrilled to learn they were the winners of this year’s giveaway.
The initiative was part of a special promotion open to all couples who celebrated their weddings at the Lord Nelson in 2024. The winners were selected through a random draw using a fair generator system, with the Hoopers emerging as the fortunate recipients.
The hotel has announced plans to continue the tradition in 2025, offering next year’s couples the same opportunity to win their wedding costs back.
A spokesperson for the Lord Nelson Hotel said: “If you’re planning to get married in 2025, it’s not too late to book with us and secure your spot in next year’s draw.
“We are thrilled to celebrate love and create moments to cherish, and this is just one of the ways we give back to our incredible couples.”
Known for its elegant venue spaces and exceptional wedding team, the Lord Nelson Hotel remains a top choice for couples seeking a perfect wedding day. This annual giveaway further cements their commitment to delivering unforgettable experiences.
Abby and Simon Hooper shared their gratitude after their special day: “From start to finish, the team at the Lord Nelson Hotel was incredibly helpful, and nothing was too much to ask.
“The day went smoothly, the food was fantastic, and the staff were polite, hardworking, and attentive. Mia and Jenna, in particular, stood out for their thoughtfulness and attention to detail.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better experience.”
Business
Derelict Cilgerran house to be transformed into cafe
PLANS by a village shop owner to convert a house “in a state of disrepair” to a café to “improve the variety of community facilities” locally have been given the go-ahead.
Mrs Morris, through agent Harries Planning Design Management, sought permission from Pembrokeshire County Council to convert The Old Post House, High Street, Cilgerran, currently a four-bed dwelling, to a ground floor café, along with a first-floor flat.
The application received five letters of support, saying it would provide local jobs, support the community, promote Welsh and local food, and provide a local community hub, with three letters of objection, raising concerns about parking and traffic, and potential odours from the premises.
A supporting statement, through the agent, said: “The proposed site is currently a dwellinghouse, in current need of modernisations and renovations throughout. The site is under the same ownership as the neighbouring village stores Siop Y Pentre,” saying the proposal “can be read as an extension to the existing Siop Y Pentre”.
“Siop Y Pentre is a thriving local community village shop which acts as a village hub. The shop provides local residents with day-to-day necessities, with a focus on local, sustainable and minimal waste products,” the statement says, adding the dwelling it seeks to convert “is in disrepair and in need of internal works to make suitable for modern living”.
It went on to say: “The proposed café seeks to retain its focus on local and seasonal produce with minimal waste and would provide a welcomed opportunity for socialising, especially during the daytime. The café will also seek to employ local staff retaining a community feel throughout. As such, the principle of the café adjacent to the existing village store is considered acceptable. The site seeks to encourage a sustainable community, with development of an appropriate scale and nature.
“Further to this, the location of the development is within the settlement boundary and seeks to fulfil a need for day-time socialising environments currently lacking within Cilgerran.”
The application was conditionally approved by county planners.
Community
Emergency call outage affected Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire
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.
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