Community

Neyland community rallies to raise £6,000 for local ‘gentle giant’ Keri

Published

3 years ago

May 16, 2023

Carli Newell

Organisers Rebecca Charlton, Jamie Charlton Donna Matthews and Keri Matthews Organisers Carys and Tom Obrien

THE NEYLAND community have rallied together to raise funds for local man Keri Matthews and his family.

Keri, described by those who know him as a ‘gentle giant’ is a much loved character within the community, and when news broke of his ongoing illness, the community rallied to set up a fundraising event.

Fundraising organisers Rebecca Charlton, Jamie Charlton, Carys O’brien and Tom O’Brien who are all residents at Neyland, set up the ‘Keri Matthews get together’ which was held on Saturday, May 13.

The first leg of the day was a huge fishing competition, which then led onto a family fun day at the Legionnaire pub, Neyland, a place that holds a special meaning to Keri and his family, having played Santa at the pub’s annual Christmas grotto for an astonishing 20-years.

The event included a bbq, bouncy castle and a live performance from the band dig deep.

Two mega raffles were held which included a fantastic array of prizes donated by local businesses.

One local woman, Amanda Legg, went the extra mile and had her hair shaved off, which raised a fantastic £500 towards the fundraiser.

The day was a huge success and raised a staggering £6,000 for Keri and his family.

Speaking on the achievement, the event organisers thanked the Neyland community for their spirit and generosity. They said: “The community spirit shown was outstanding and between all of the raffles, generous donations, fishing competition entry monies, and food sales on the day we handed over an incredible £6,000 to Keri and his family.”

Community

Festive creativity shines as Kurtz MS meets card competition winner

Published

50 minutes ago

December 15, 2025

Tom Sinclair

SAMUEL KURTZ, Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, visited Pembroke Dock Community School on Friday 12th December to present a prize to the winner of this year’s Christmas Card Competition.

The competition invited pupils to design a festive Christmas card, with entries received from schools across the area. The standard of artwork was exceptionally high, showcasing the creativity, imagination and talent of young people in the community.

During the visit, Samuel Kurtz congratulated the winning pupil and thanked all those who took part, as well as the teachers and staff who supported the competition. Each child who entered also received a certificate in recognition of their hard work and effort.

Speaking after the presentation, Samuel said, “It was a real pleasure to visit Pembroke Dock Community School today and announce the winner of my Christmas Card competition. This year the winner is Mair Moseley, aged 10, and she designed a wonderful Santa image that really stood out. She has won a chocolate selection set and a £20 book token to enjoy over Christmas.”

He added, “ The creativity and enthusiasm shown by all the children was fantastic, and it made choosing a winner extremely difficult. I want to congratulate all the entrants and thank the staff for their ongoing support.”

Pembroke Dock Community School Headteacher, Mrs Katie Crockford-Morris, added, “We were delighted to welcome Samuel Kurtz MS to the school to present the prize. The children thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the competition, and they were incredibly proud to receive their certificates.”

The winning design will now be used as Samuel Kurtz’s official Christmas card this year, with one copy already on its way to His Majesty, King Charles.

Community

Narbelles WI support Food Bank with festive donation

Published

20 hours ago

December 14, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Group marks December meeting with charity collection and Christmas celebrations

NARBELLES WI rounded off the year with a festive December meeting featuring a bring-and-share buffet, party games and a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Members also used the occasion to support families in need across the county, collecting food items and presenting a £120 cheque to Ann Watling from Pembrokeshire Food Bank. The donation represents the proceeds of the group’s bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week 2024.

A spokesperson for the WI said the group was delighted to finish the year “with fun, friendship and a chance to give something back to the community.”

(Photo: Narbelles WI members presenting the cheque to Ann Watling, Pembrokeshire Food Bank.)

Community

Annual charity carol service raises funds for good causes

Published

2 days ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service held its annual Charity Carol Service on Wednesday (Dec 10) at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel in Crymych.

The event brought together members of the local community alongside Fire Service staff for an evening of carols, readings and festive refreshments, marking the Christmas season in a warm and inclusive atmosphere.

This year’s service supported two important charities — the Fire Fighters Charity and Cancer Research Wales — with all proceeds going directly towards their ongoing work.

A total of £597 was raised on the night, which will be shared equally between the two charities.

The Service thanked the congregation at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel for hosting the event, as well as everyone who gave their time, support and generosity to make the evening such a success.