Pembrokeshire children to enjoy special day out at Folly Farm as part of nationwide Rotary initiative supporting vulnerable young people

MORE than 25,000 children across the UK are set to enjoy a special day out this June as part of the 2026 Rotary Children’s Fun Day.

In Pembrokeshire, the Rotary Club of Milford Haven will take 133 children to Folly Farm Adventure Park on or around Wednesday, June 10.

The children will be able to enjoy the farm park, fairground rides, animal encounters and zoo attractions, with meal vouchers also provided as part of the day.

The event, organised by Rotary clubs across Great Britain and Ireland, has been running for more than a decade and is designed to give disabled, disadvantaged and vulnerable children a carefree and memorable experience.

Rotary says the day is aimed at young people facing difficult circumstances, including poverty, disability, domestic abuse and other life challenges.

For more than 30 years, Rotary Great Britain and Ireland has helped children and young people enjoy special days out and activities through the programme. Since it began, more than one million children have taken part.

The initiative is also supported by the children’s charity Kids in Mind, which provides mental health and wellbeing support for children and families affected by domestic abuse.

Amanda Watkin, Chief Executive of Rotary GB&I, said: “One of Rotary’s core commitments is supporting young people from all backgrounds and helping them reach their full potential.

“The Rotary Children’s Fun Day focuses on children who may not ordinarily have access to these opportunities but who arguably need them most.

“It is about much more than a day of fun and entertainment. It is about creating positive experiences, building confidence and showing children that their future can be full of hope, opportunity and possibility.”

Alongside the summer programme, Rotary GB&I also runs the Rotary Christmas Toy Boxes Appeal, which provides individual toy boxes to children living in domestic abuse refuges across Great Britain and Ireland.

In 2025, the appeal raised more than £97,000 and delivered more than 3,200 toy boxes, with support from Kids in Mind and Rotary members nationwide.

Anyone wishing to find out more about their local Rotary club or support the Rotary Children’s Fun Day 2027 can visit www.rotarygbi.org/funday.

TWO YOUNG St John Ambulance Cymru Badgers have been praised for using their first aid skills after their grandad suffered a head injury at home.

Menna and Bronwen Laurence-Elias, who are members of the Carmarthen Division, were being looked after by their grandad when he had a small fall and cut his head.

The girls had recently completed a First Aid Badger module with their local Badger Sett and quickly put what they had learned into practice.

They stayed calm, called their dad to explain what had happened, remained with their grandad, and made sure the door was unlocked so help could get into the house.

Calm response

Their parents, Daniel Elias and Jemma Laurence, both work in healthcare and are also St John Ambulance Cymru volunteers. They had taught the children to call them if there was a problem, and to only ring 999 in an emergency.

Daniel said: “They both stayed really calm, rang me and were completely calm telling me what had happened.

“Bronwen said Menna was putting pressure on the cut and had even unlocked the door for me before I got there.

“I gave the cut a quick clean and applied some steri-strips with Menna’s help, whilst Bronwen instructed me on what to do.

“I cannot be prouder of them for what they have learnt in Badgers and how calm they both were in what must have been quite a stressful situation for such young people.

“We’re grateful for the fantastic work of the Badger Leaders, teaching our future generations first aid and how to deal with emergencies.”

‘Quick thinking’

St John Ambulance Cymru’s Badger groups are for children aged five to eleven. As well as first aid, members learn about a range of other subjects, including communication and outer space.

Donna Jones, who leads the St John Ambulance Cymru Badgers in Carmarthen, said: “We are so delighted to hear of their quick thinking and sensible, calm response in a real-life situation.

“We presented them both with their own little Badger during our next session. Whilst they were both shocked and humble, we felt it was really important to acknowledge how smart they were on that day and how proud we are of them.”

St John Ambulance Cymru says its young people’s programmes help children and teenagers learn confidence, teamwork and lifesaving skills.

More information about Badgers, for children aged five to eleven, and Cadets, for young people aged eleven to fifteen, is available at www.sjacymru.org.uk/young-people.

Caption:

Quick thinking: Menna and Bronwen Laurence-Elias used the first aid skills they learned as St John Ambulance Cymru Badgers to help their grandad after he cut his head at home (Pic: St John Ambulance Cymru).

A PEMBROKESHIRE musical director has completed his first full marathon to raise vital funds for Paul Sartori Hospice at Home.

Mark Heron, Musical Director of the Paul Sartori Community Choir, crossed the finish line at the Newport Marathon on Sunday (Apr 19), raising £1,119 for the Pembrokeshire charity.

The challenge marked a special personal milestone for Mark, who joked beforehand that his birthday “begins with a 5 and ends in a 0.”

Having already completed six half marathons and a number of other races, Mark decided to take on the full 26.2-mile distance for the first time.

Mark is well known through his work with the Paul Sartori Community Choir, where he helps keep spirits high while supporting the charity’s work across the county.

But his fundraising efforts have also seen him go the extra mile away from the conductor’s stand, with regular challenges in support of the Foundation.

The Paul Sartori Foundation provides hospice at home care across Pembrokeshire for people living with life-limiting conditions, as well as support for their families.

The charity is keen to stress that it is not solely a cancer charity, with around 32% of those it supports having a non-cancer diagnosis.

A spokesperson for the Paul Sartori Foundation said everyone at the charity extended their congratulations to Mark on completing his first marathon and thanked him for his continued dedication.

They said the money raised would help the charity continue delivering its services to people across Pembrokeshire.

Paul Sartori Hospice at Home was established in memory of Father Paul Sartori, a much-loved local priest who recognised the need for hospice care in the county before his death from cancer at the age of 39.

The charity was registered in 1982 and will celebrate its 45th anniversary during 2027/28.

Caption:

Marathon effort: Mark Heron with members of the Equipment Van team