Community

Six-year-old honoured at British Citizen Youth Awards

Published

10 years ago

October 28, 2016

THE INAUGURAL British Citizen Youth Awards – honouring young people who have positively impacted society, communities, charities or other good causes – took place at the Palace of Westminster.

20 youngsters from across the country were honoured, with each having their own unique and inspiring story, including six-year-old Elly Neville from Pembroke.

The medal presentation ceremony, which is in association with Specsavers, cast a light on some of the nation’s brightest stars of the future.

The awards were presented by Kimberly Wyatt of the Pussycat Dolls, whose band has sold over 55 million records worldwide.

Elly Neville, a six-year-old girl from Pembroke, has helped raise more than £50,000 for Ward 10, a dedicated cancer ward, at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest.

Ward 10 is special to Elly and her family because her 54-year-old father, Lyn, needed a bone marrow transplant in 2005 after he was diagnosed with blood cancer. Over the following four years he was a regular visitor to the ward for treatment, and he now visits a London hospital once a year for check-ups.

Despite being told that he wouldn’t be able to have any more children, Lyn’s wife, Ann, gave birth to Elly not long after his treatment ended. This was seen as a miracle considering what they had been through in the very same hospital just years prior.

In April 2015, Elly won £20 in a school competition for her collage of the Pembrokeshire county flag. She decided that she wanted to raffle the flag to raise money to go towards the refurbishment of the Ward 10, which was the start of her fundraising campaign called ‘Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal’.

She has continued to fundraise in the community, with her family organising fun days and local people helping with activities such as bungee jumping off Cleddau Bridge, which have all added to the ever increasing tally on her JustGiving page.

The money Elly has raised has gone towards improving the ‘patient environment and experience’ at Ward 10, adding in equipment that the Hywel Dda University Health Board couldn’t finance, such as a high-spec ‘Sara Stedy’ enhanced standing aid to allow patients to go to the toilet. The health board has since stated that it will submit a bid to the Welsh Government later this year for funds to refurbish the ward.

Elly’s father, Lyn, said: “Seeing Elly receive her award was inspiring. It was a wonderful way to celebrate all of her fundraising achievements for Ward 10 and it was an honour to meet with other families of young people who have done amazing things to improve the lives of others.”

Dame Mary Perkins, co-founder of Specsavers, said: “The society we live in tomorrow will be shaped by the children of today, which is why championing amazing young role models is so very important.

“The young people that become the recipients of the first British Citizen Youth Awards will, I am sure, inspire other youngsters to emulate their good work and embody the spirit of transparency, integrity, determination and achievement that define these awards.

“Whatever it is that they have done to make a significant impact on society, their community, a charity or other good cause, it will have been with a selflessness and commitment that deserves to be publically acknowledged. These unsung heroes are the rising stars of the future – let us shine a light on them and celebrate!”

Community

Hospital staff to climb Pen y Fan for Ward 4 fundraiser

Published

3 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Tom Sinclair

STAFF from Ward 4 at Withybush Hospital are preparing to climb Pen y Fan to raise money for their surgical ward.

The team will take on the challenge on Saturday, September 5, 2026, climbing the highest peak in South Wales in Bannau Brycheiniog.

The fundraiser aims to raise £500, with money going directly towards improving the ward environment for patients.

Staff said: “We have organised this event to raise funds that will go directly towards enhancing the ward environment for patients, including purchasing items such as TVs to improve comfort and wellbeing during their stay.

“We’re hoping to raise £500.”

Katie Hancock, Fundraising Officer, said: “A huge thank you to the team on Ward 4 for embracing the challenge and choosing to raise funds for their ward. We hope you have a fantastic day and truly enjoy the experience.

“The generous charitable donations we receive do not replace NHS funding. Instead, they support additional items and activities outside core NHS expenditure. These small extras make a big difference, and we are so grateful for every donation we receive.”

Donations can be made to the Ward 4 Pen y Fan fundraiser at: https://hyweldda.enthuse.com/cf/ward-4-staff-at-withybush-hospital-s-pen-y-fan-cha

For more information about Hywel Dda Health Charities and how to support local NHS patients and staff, visit: hywelddahealthcharities.nhs.wales

Pictured:

Staff from Ward 4

Community

Charles Street to come alive for Milford Haven Founders Day

Published

3 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Tom Sinclair

CHARLES STREET will once again be transformed into a bustling pedestrian zone as Milford Haven celebrates its annual Founders Day on Saturday (June 6).

Milford Haven Business Circle, in collaboration with Milford Haven Town Council, is bringing the much-loved community event back to the town centre to celebrate the town’s heritage, history and community spirit.

The event will run from 11:00am until 4:00pm, with a programme of free family entertainment including bouncy castles, face painting, local stalls, community groups, activities for all ages and live entertainment organised by the Boulevard Theatre.

The day’s celebrations will also be professionally photographed by Captured Soul Photography.

Founders Day gives residents and visitors the chance to come together to celebrate Milford Haven’s past while supporting the businesses, organisations and community groups that continue to make the town a vibrant place today.

To allow the event to take place safely, a road closure will be in force from the junction of Francis Street to Dartmouth Street between 10:00am and 5:00pm. Once the closure is in place, Charles Street will become a pedestrian-only zone.

Medical and event safety cover throughout the day will be provided by Pegasus Ambulance Service.

Milford Haven Business Circle has thanked Milford Haven Town Council, Taste of Haven, PATCH, Tesco Milford Haven, Ambulance Friends, The Ascona Group and Green Light Traffic Management for their support in helping make this year’s event possible.

Business Circle members supporting the event include Cast N Craft Fishing for Health, Pegasus Ambulance Service, Elizabeth Christie Bridal Wear, Taste of Haven, Phoenix Yarns, Phoenix Bowl, Alf Seren Collectables, Granby’s, Captured Soul Photography, Moon Goddess Emporium and Milford Haven Town Council.

Everyone is welcome to attend and entry is free.

Community

Explore Pembrokeshire after hours with lighthouse tours and bat walks

Published

3 hours ago

May 31, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A SERIES of special evening events will offer visitors a different way to experience the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park this summer.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority is running exclusive after-hours events at Strumble Head Lighthouse and in St Davids, giving people the chance to explore the area’s heritage and wildlife as dusk falls.

Explore the Lighthouse tours will provide rare access to one of the coast’s best-known landmarks at Strumble Head. Led by National Park Authority staff, the small-group tours will begin with a first-hand account of lighthouse life from the current keeper.

A Ranger-led session will then look at the station’s maritime heritage, including the history of nearby shipwrecks, before exploring the lighthouse’s links with the Coast Path, surrounding farmland and the native wildlife that becomes active after dark.

The tours will take place on four Friday evenings this summer: June 19, July 3, July 17 and August 7. Two timed slots will be available each evening, from 5:00pm to 6:30pm and 7:00pm to 8:30pm.

In St Davids, Brilliant Bats will give visitors the chance to discover more about the wildlife that emerges from the nooks and crannies around the city’s iconic cathedral after dark.

Bat detectors will be provided, with guidance from a Park Authority Ranger on how to use them, as well as information about the elusive nocturnal creatures.

The bat walks will take place on Friday, August 14, from 8:15pm to 10:15pm, and Thursday, August 27, from 7:45pm to 9:45pm.

Rachel Perkins, Manager of Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre in St Davids, said: “These events offer a chance to experience familiar places in a completely different way.

“From stepping inside Strumble Lighthouse and hearing stories from the current keeper, to listening for bats around St Davids Cathedral after dark, each event brings people closer to the landscape, heritage and wildlife of the National Park.”

Booking is essential. Tickets for both Explore the Lighthouse and Brilliant Bats cost £10 per person and can be reserved at www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/events.

Caption: Enjoy a different way of experiencing the Park this summer with special evening events run by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.