Missing vessel recovered near shore after coastguard confirms it had been reported lost days earlier

ST DAVIDS RNLI launched on Easter Monday after an upturned kayak was spotted drifting east of Solva Harbour.

The all-weather lifeboat, Norah Wortley, was requested to launch at 11:04am on Monday (Apr 6) after the vessel was seen floating in the water.

Heading into a strong south-easterly wind, the Tamar-class lifeboat made directly for Aber-west. Members of HM Coastguard St Davids Cliff Rescue Team assisted from the clifftop, helping to guide the volunteer crew to the kayak.

As the vessel was lying close to the shore, the lifeboat’s daughter boat was launched to recover it and bring it aboard the Norah Wortley.

Photographs of the kayak were then sent to HM Coastguard in Milford Haven, which confirmed it had been reported missing from Porthclais several days earlier.

That meant there was no need for a shoreline search for the owner.

The kayak was taken to Solva Harbour, where it was handed over to HM Coastguard and secured on the quay wall. The lifeboat returned to station at about 12:30pm.

St Davids RNLI Coxswain Will Chant said: “The timely reporting of a missing kayak by the owner potentially saved an unnecessary search operation. Thank you to members of St Davids Coastguard team for their assistance during this shout.”

Picture caption:

Easter Monday shout: St Davids RNLI recovers a drifting kayak off Solva after it was reported missing days earlier (Pics: RNLI)

Founder of the Grumpy Dumpty Foundation says clearer labelling and an opt-out from alcohol advertising could help people protect their recovery

A WELSH mental health and addiction campaigner has launched two parliamentary petitions aimed at helping people in recovery avoid unexpected alcohol exposure and relentless online triggers.

Gareth Clement, founder of the Grumpy Dumpty Foundation, said the proposals come directly from his own lived experience of addiction, recovery and mental health struggle. He described himself as a father of three who is now nearly four years sober after battling alcoholism and surviving a suicide attempt.

The first petition calls for all food containing alcohol to be clearly labelled. Clement says cooking does not always remove all alcohol and argues that even trace exposure can be distressing for some people in recovery.

The second petition calls for retailers, advertisers and digital platforms to provide an opt-out from online alcohol advertising and alcohol product visibility, including on shopping and delivery apps.

Clement said the campaign is not about restricting other people’s choices, but about giving those in recovery more control over what they are exposed to.

He said hidden alcohol in food and the constant visibility of alcohol products online can be deeply unhelpful for people trying to rebuild their lives.

For many people, recovery is not simply about avoiding a drink. It can also mean managing triggers, cravings and distress in everyday situations that others may barely notice.

The petitions are still in their early stages, but Clement hopes they will start a wider conversation about how addiction is understood and how people in recovery are supported.

His wider work through the Grumpy Dumpty Foundation focuses on breaking stigma, encouraging openness and offering support rooted in lived experience.

Whether either proposal gains political backing remains to be seen, but the campaign raises questions that are likely to resonate with many families in Wales affected by alcohol harm, addiction and poor mental health.

At the very least, Clement believes people in recovery deserve clearer information, fewer unnecessary triggers and a fairer chance of staying well.

Charity says families caring for loved ones at the end of life are being left without the support they urgently need

UNPAID carers across Wales are being pushed to breaking point, Marie Curie has warned, as fresh scrutiny from the Senedd piles pressure on the next Welsh Government to deliver urgent change.

The end of life charity has backed a new report from the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee, which highlights the immense pressures facing unpaid carers and calls for major improvements in the support available to them.

Marie Curie said the findings reflect what it hears repeatedly from families caring for dying relatives behind closed doors, often with little training, limited respite and nowhere near enough practical help.

Natasha Davies, Marie Curie Cymru’s Senior Policy Manager, said: “Marie Curie welcomes today’s report highlighting the immense challenges that unpaid carers throughout Wales continue to face. We add our voice to calls for the incoming Welsh Government to make the recommended changes, to significantly improve the support that unpaid carers can access.

“While the report does not specifically reference the needs and experiences of end of life unpaid carers, in our evidence to the inquiry we highlighted how this group have distinct needs and experiences.

“The support available to them has to be responsive to this, which is why, as a leading end of life charity, Marie Curie continues to call for the development of training in the essential skills needed to care for someone at the end of life.

“A system that is overly reliant on unpaid care is far from ideal and must change. But for as long as this is our reality, we must ensure that unpaid end of life carers are supported far better than they currently are.”

The committee’s report paints a stark picture of life for carers in Wales, with concerns over poor access to respite care, inconsistent assessments and the growing toll caring responsibilities can take on mental health, finances and family life.

Marie Curie said that for those supporting someone at the end of their life, the pressure can be even more intense. The charity argues that end of life carers have distinct needs, but these are too often overlooked in wider policy discussions.

It says carers in these situations need better access to training, clearer support from professionals, and a system that recognises just how demanding and distressing this role can be.

Jane Dodds, Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, said: “We have long been the voice championing unpaid carers, and this report confirms what carers across Wales have been telling us for years, they are at breaking point and being badly let down.

“It is unacceptable that hundreds of thousands are propping up our care system while so few receive even the most basic support. No one should have to fight or beg for help after dedicating their lives to caring for others.

“The Welsh Liberal Democrats would treat this as an urgent priority, delivering proper respite care, faster assessments and real financial support so carers are no longer taken for granted.”

The intervention adds to growing calls for unpaid carers to receive greater recognition and more meaningful help, rather than being left to prop up a system under severe strain.

With Senedd elections on the horizon and a new Welsh Government strategy on unpaid carers under discussion, the issue is likely to become an increasingly sharp political test in the months ahead.