Charity
SaundersFEST donates £25,000 to charities and local good causes
THE RECENT success of the first ever SaundersFEST can be measured by the huge amount of positive feedback received from guests, vendors and performers along with the fact that it raised over £25,000 for charities and good causes.
The volunteer committee played a significant role in developing the musical festival which took place over the weekend of 7th-9th July this year. This event would not have been possible without the cooperation of many local organisations, including Saundersfoot Harbour, Saundersfoot Sports Club, Saundersfoot Sailing Club and Saundersfoot Bowling Club, who all supported the activities over the weekend.
“Without doubt the sponsors played an incredible role in making sure that all monies from ticket sales from the event went to all the nominated charities” said Chris Williams who was the instigator of the event “without their support this wouldn’t have been possible”.
“To raise over £25,000 in our first event has fully supported our theory that there is the need for a music festival in the village. It was fantastic that the event was supported so well by residents, visitors and businesses. We would like to thank everyone who purchased tickets and hopefully you will all keep an eye out for 2024 event updates coming soon!”
This week Chris Williams handed out cheques to the following organisations who all play a vital role in the community supporting residents.
Saundersfoot Cricket Club – £2,250
Saundersfoot Football Club – £2,000
Saundersfoot Bowling Club – £2,000
Saundersfoot Sailing Club – £1,000
Tenby Lifeboats – £500
Saundersfoot in Bloom £250
There are still bigger cheques to present to the remaining four charities supported by SaundersFEST – Velindre, Sandy Bears, Ty Hafan and Greenacres Animal centre.
“Another major factor to the success of the festival” says Chris “was the army of volunteers who gave up their time, so this event ran as smoothly as possible – so thank you to all of them, they did a fabulous job”.
Next year the committee will look to promote projects in the community of Saundersfoot. The organisers are keen to repay the fantastic support shown this year by working with various organisation to help enhance the village community.
Here’s to 2024!
Charity
Charitable donations fund ambulatory heart monitors for Withybush Hospital
THANKS to generous donations, Hywel Dda Health Charities – the official charity of Hywel Dda Health Board – has funded 10 ambulatory heart monitors worth over £13,000 for Withybush Hospital’s Cardio-Respiratory Department.
The monitors are compact devices which are used to assess a patient’s heart rate and rhythm for a sustained amount of time.
The state-of-the-art monitors will help the Cardio-Respiratory Department provide the best possible service, with accurate, efficient and timely arrhythmia recognition provided on site or at home.
Rhys Bowen, Advanced Cardiac Physiologist, said: “We are so grateful that charitable donations from the local community have enabled us to buy the new monitors.
“The monitors are more adaptable to each patient’s presenting symptoms which will enhance the quality of the data gathered.
“They are more patient-friendly and easier to wear for the duration of the test, so there will be less need for repeat monitoring. They will also support quicker in-patient discharge due to an increase in the number of available monitors and the fact they can be worn by the patient at home and provide remote monitoring.”
Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”
For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, visit here.
Charity
St Davids RNLI teams up with Solva Rowing for joint exercise
THE RNLI St Davids lifeboat crew joined forces with Solva Rowing and Watersports Club for a unique joint training exercise on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The session focused on practising medical evacuation and tow techniques using a Celtic longboat, providing an opportunity for both lifeboat and rowing crews to enhance their rescue skills.
The training aimed to prepare volunteers for a variety of maritime emergency scenarios, ensuring that they are well-equipped to handle situations that may arise at sea. The use of the traditional Celtic longboat added an extra layer of challenge and realism to the exercise, simulating conditions that could occur during actual rescue operations.
The collaboration between the two groups was not only a chance for skill enhancement but also a way to strengthen community ties and mutual understanding among the local sea-going organisations. The exercise was documented in photographs by Lyn Jenkins and Cathy Morton, capturing the intense yet constructive nature of the training.
This proactive approach by both the RNLI and Solva Rowing and Watersports Club underscores the commitment of local maritime groups to safety and preparedness, ultimately aiming to ensure that their volunteers are ready and able to save lives at sea effectively.
Charity
Angle RNLI responds to four emergencies in two days
THE Angle RNLI lifeboat crew demonstrated remarkable dedication and skill in managing four separate emergency callouts over the span of just two days. The series of incidents began at midnight on Friday, 10th of May, when the all-weather lifeboat was launched to investigate reports of red flares over Pennar, Pembroke. Despite an extensive search of the area stretching from the 5A buoy east of Valero to Llanreath and into Pennar Gut, no evidence of distress was discovered and the team was stood down at approximately 1:45am.
The second incident occurred later the same day at 4:58pm, following a mayday call from a vessel between South Hook and Angle. The vessel’s skipper reported an unconscious crew member who had collapsed while fishing. The lifeboat reached the distressed vessel within minutes, where crew members provided immediate medical assistance. The casualty, now conscious and stable, was transported to the Port Authority Jetty, where further medical support awaited.
The crew’s third emergency call of the day came at 7:19pm, prompted by a 999 call reporting four individuals being swept out to sea on two surfboards at Freshwater West Beach. Fortunately, all four were safely out of the water by the time the lifeboat arrived, but the crew conducted a precautionary search to ensure no further individuals were at risk.
On Saturday, 11th of May, at 1:03pm, the crew was again called into action after a report of a person unable to reboard their boat south of Watwick Beach. The individual, who had been recovered from the water by a passing vessel, was safely transferred to the lifeboat. It was found that the casualty’s mirror dinghy had capsized. The lifeboat ferried the individual to the Port Authority Jetty for medical care.
Each of these operations underscores the critical role played by the RNLI and its volunteers in ensuring maritime safety and rapid response to emergencies along the coast.
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