THE SALVATION ARMY is hosting drop-in events across Wales this week to mark national Employability Day (June 20). Jobseekers can get expert advice from the Employment Plus team and maybe even find a match with a local employer.

There will be local drop-in sessions in Wrexham, Aberystwyth and Carmarthen where jobseekers can get employment advice, training and volunteering information and review live job vacancies and some employers will be present.

Simon Evans (49) from Wrexham, is full of praise for The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus team after he found himself searching for work. As a thank you, Simon will be volunteering at this year’s Employability Day event in the city. Mr Evans said:  “My life changed. They listened. They empathised. They understood. You can’t put a monetary value on being able to change somebody’s life for the better. Now it’s important to me that I give something back to others.”

Abi Gardner is Assistant Regional Manager for The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus service in Wales, Abi said: “We work with people across Wales who are desperate to work but who face the biggest barriers to getting employment, such as physical and mental ill-health or a lack of relevant skills, education or affordable childcare. Employability Day is a way of highlighting the importance of work in people’s lives and a reminder to the team of the many jobseekers they have helped into work in throughout Wales.”

On Tuesday, the Employability Day event includes coffee and chat held from 10am until midday on Tuesday June 17 at The Salvation Army in Carmarthen at 108-109 Lammas Street.

Thursday June 19 will see two events, one at The Salvation Army’s newly refurbished church hall at 2, Ffordd Alexandra Road in Aberystwyth from 10am to 1pm. From 11am to 12:30pm the church in Wrexham at Garden Road will host. 

An Employability Day walking event will be held at Victoria Park in Neath on Tuesday June 17. Around 15 people who live with mild-to-moderate mental health issues and are being supported by the local Employment Plus team, will join the walk. It’s a community event designed to create a friendly, supportive space for anyone who may feel disconnected or overlooked, offering opportunities to connect with others and grow in confidence.

Analysis by The Salvation Army of the Annual Population Survey for people aged 16-64 from January 2024 to December 2024 from the Office for National Statistics showed in Wales an estimated 7.8% were real unemployed, an estimated 4.6% were economically inactive but wanted a job, and 3.3% were unemployed.

In the past 12 months, Employment Plus has fully supported 4905 people across the UK and Ireland on their employability journey. This cohort has completed 14,452 milestones – such as building a new CV, completing a training course or a work experience placement – with 930 of them gaining employment.

Our Employment Plus service is delivered from 247 Salvation Army churches, centres and hostels for people who are homeless. We are also working in 160 other locations such as at Job Centre plus or other local partners, and 11 prisons.

SAUNDERSFOOT RNLI has launched a colourful new initiative to banish the blues and raise funds for the lifesaving charity this summer.

Visitors to the popular seaside village are being encouraged to take part in the Yellow Welly Trail — a light-hearted scavenger hunt featuring the charity’s iconic yellow lifeboat boots. The bright miniature wellies have been dotted around the town, with families and supporters invited to track them down.

The campaign was launched this week (Friday, June 13) by the Saundersfoot RNLI Branch. Participants can collect an entry form from the RNLI shop in exchange for a small donation, then follow clues to find the hidden wellies and explore the town. Prizes and RNLI merchandise are also on offer, with a range of yellow welly-themed items now in stock at the Saundersfoot lifeboat shop.

The trail is part of a broader effort to raise awareness of the RNLI’s vital work along the Welsh coast and to support its fundraising targets. Proceeds will go directly towards maintaining lifeboat services and supporting volunteers in the area.

An RNLI spokesperson said: “This is a fun, family-friendly way to engage the community while highlighting the work our crews do all year round. Every welly spotted brings us a step closer to saving more lives at sea.”

Photos shared by the RNLI show wellies perched around the village — including one mounted on a blue bollard with a sea view behind it — drawing attention and smiles from passersby.

The campaign is also being promoted online under the hashtags #saundersfootywt2025 and #yellowwellies, with Saundersfoot residents and visitors encouraged to share their photos and join in the fun.

For more information or to take part in the trail, visit the RNLI shop in Saundersfoot and speak to the volunteer team.

Photo caption:

Iconic sight: One of the RNLI yellow wellies placed in Saundersfoot for the Yellow Welly Trail (Pic: RNLI Saundersfoot Branch/Facebook).

Volunteer praises ‘lifesaving service’ as community rallies behind his fundraising efforts

A PEMBROKESHIRE coach driver who volunteers for Wales Air Ambulance has raised an incredible £41,000 for the charity over the past six years.

Richard ‘Barney’ Lewis, who works for Pembrokeshire County Council’s Transport Bus and Coaches team, began fundraising after a serious health scare in 2010.

“I had a mini-stroke,” said Barney. “The two paramedics who came to my aid also worked for Wales Air Ambulance. Back then, there were no helicopters flying at night, and there weren’t any clinicians on board. It’s changed so much.”

Wales Air Ambulance now operates four helicopters, with onboard NHS consultants and critical care practitioners. The service also runs a night-time operation from Cardiff, covering all of Wales.

“It’s fantastic,” Barney added. “It’s like the emergency department comes to you — they can deliver advanced care on scene.”

The consultant-led service brings hospital-level treatment to patients wherever they are, including blood transfusions, anaesthesia, and even minor operations. The charity needs to raise £11.2 million annually to keep its helicopters in the air and its rapid response vehicles on the road. It is delivered through a partnership between the Wales Air Ambulance Charity and the NHS’s Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS).

After recovering from his stroke, Barney returned to work and began raising funds.

“It took me 18 months to recover,” he said. “Once I was fit again, I wanted to give back. I’ve raised quite a bit over the years — I’ve lost count how much! I just love supporting the Charity because it helps thousands of people across Wales.”

His fundraising efforts include sponsored bike rides, walks, and a 100-mile challenge last October, which he completed despite suffering from sciatica.

“I spread the miles out over three months,” he said. “One day I took a bucket and walked from Pembroke Dock to Milton and back. I stopped at a local pub for a glass of water and they let me collect there. Then I went into Café 9, and ended up at Bethany Chapel where ladies at a coffee morning were putting £5 notes in my bucket. I raised £178 that day alone.”

Barney has since launched a regular tabletop and coffee morning at Pennar Community Centre.

“I used to do car boot sales,” he explained, “but working six days a week, I couldn’t manage the 4:30am starts. So I started a monthly event at Pennar. We raised £300 at our first one. The next is on June 28, from 10:00am to 2:00pm.”

He’s supported by friends Pauline Morgan, Jessica Lewis, Heidi Rowland, and the team from Milford Marina’s Spinnaker Café, who bake cakes and have even donated four picnic benches to help boost footfall.

Barney also sells unwanted items online to raise additional funds.

“I put things on Marketplace and sell them — every penny goes to the air ambulance,” he said. “Since January 1, I’ve raised £999 just from that, not counting everything else I do.”

He added: “People are so generous when they hear it’s for the air ambulance. Everyone knows how vital it is to our communities. I’ll keep volunteering as long as I can — I’ve made new friends, it keeps me active, and I’d recommend it to anyone.”

Mike May, Regional Fundraising Manager for Wales Air Ambulance, said: “Barney is a fabulous ambassador for our Charity. His incredible £41,000 total is the equivalent cost of around thirteen lifesaving missions. Volunteers like him are crucial to what we do.”

Sandra Hembery, Volunteer Development Manager, added: “Barney is an absolute star and a shining example of the difference our volunteers make. We are truly grateful for his service over the years — in all weathers!”

To find out more about volunteering with Wales Air Ambulance, visit:
www.walesairambulance.com/volunteer.