Community

Off-duty lifesavers were lost but ready to react

Published

5 years ago

October 16, 2020

A PEMBROKESHIRE man whose life was saved by multiple twists of fate has praised those who stepped in during his hour of need.

Keen amateur triathlete Steven Landrey, 51, of Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire, was out on a post-lockdown bike ride when he suffered a cardiac arrest that was to set off the incredible chain of events.

Steven said: “We were about 40km into an 80km ride when it happened.

“It was strange and lucky as only two weeks earlier I was running alone in Paris, and the night before I swam 2km alone in the sea, and during lockdown had done lots of exercise on my own.

“But that day, I had met my brother-in-law, Chris, and some friends.

“I dread to think what would have happened if I would have been alone.”

Meanwhile, just a mile or so away was off-duty Welsh Ambulance Service Community First Responder Angharad Hodgson, from Martletwy, and her firefighter partner Steve Bradfield, from Narbeth.

Steven Landrey, 51, of Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire

“We were heading to meet friends at Barfundle Beach. We hadn’t been there for a few years so were following the sat-nav in the car,” said Angharad.

“We were running late and had taken a wrong turn as the sat-nav must have frozen or lost signal.

“We decided to turn back on ourselves, and that’s when we saw Steven on the floor being worked on by Chris.”

Always travelling with their defibrillator and kit, Angharad and Steve, who is also a trained medical responder, were able to pull over swiftly and step in with their life-saving defibrillator.

Angharad, 23, said: “We put the pad on his chest and after about 30 manual chest compressions, Steven had stopped breathing and the defibrillator told us we could shock him twice.

“We did it and he came back to us, but his breathing was very sticky so we continued CPR until the air and land ambulances arrived to take over.”

Steven was taken by road to Swansea’s Morriston Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to fit a stent into a lower left artery of his heart, which had flooded with blood and caused the cardiac arrest.

Steven is making a good recovery at home and is taking the first steps back to work in his role as a European Managing Director for Babcock Aviation, an aerial emergency services business.

He said: “I’m working with the National Cardiac Referral Scheme and also a personal trainer and am feeling well and getting strength back every day.

“With my work, I have seen emergency care provision across Europe and Canada and the care I received at every step of the way here in Wales has been world-class.

“I can’t thank Chris, Angharad, Steve, the air ambulance crew and the paramedics enough, along with the doctors and surgeons at Morriston, they were all amazing.

“I realise everything went my way that day, and for those few hours I was the luckiest man alive, but having these trained people in our communities to support emergency medical services is absolutely vital.

“Community First Responders like Angharad, CPR training and Public Access Defibrillators really do save lives and are to be respected.”

Glyn Thomas, the Welsh Ambulance Service’s Community First Responder Officer in Mid and West Wales, said: “The prompt actions of Angharad and Steve were no doubt a major factor in the patient’s survival.

“Even off-duty as they were, they demonstrated control and organisation – they are both a credit to their communities and organisations.

“We wish Steven a smooth recovery and all the best for the future.”

Today is Restart a Heart Day, a national initiative run by the Resuscitation Council UK, British Heart Foundation, St John Ambulance and the ambulance services across the UK to promote education around Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

In the absence of physical events due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Welsh Ambulance Service is encouraging people to watch a video by Resuscitation Council UK and keep an eye on social media from partners like Save a Life Cymru who are promoting key messages such as early recognition of cardiac arrest, early CPR and early defibrillation.

Restart a Heart Day runs parallel to the Trust’s month-long Shoctober campaign which aims to educate primary school children on the benefits of getting confident with CPR – even making this brilliant animated video.

Angharad, who also works for the local authority’s social services team in Pembrokeshire, has been a Community First Responder since April 2019 and was inspired to make that brave step by another incident back in 2018.

She said: “I was driving home from shopping along the A40 in Carmarthen when I came across a terrible car accident on the opposite carriageway.

“I pulled my car over and crossed the road to try and assist without any thought process really.

“Seeing the work of the paramedics on scene really spurred me on to become a Community First Responder.

“I’d like to thank Tony Wall who is my CFR Co-ordinator for being so supportive and giving so much of his time to fundraise for life saving equipment such as defibrillators in local communities.”

Community

Crowds line streets as tractor run hailed a festive success

Published

3 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

CROWDS lined streets and pavements across Pembrokeshire on Saturday evening (Dec 20) as Clarbeston Road AFC’s illuminated Christmas tractor run was hailed a resounding success.

More than 200 tractors took part in the event, travelling through villages and towns including Newmoat, Maenclochog, Llys-y-frân, Walton East, Clarbeston Road, Wiston, Newbridge, Poyston Cross, Crundale and Haverfordwest, where large crowds gathered to watch the festive convoy pass through.

Families, children and residents wrapped up against the cold to enjoy the sight of tractors decorated with Christmas lights and festive displays, with applause and waves greeting drivers as they made their way through built-up areas and rural roads alike.

The convoy set off from the Clarbeston Road AFC Knock Playing Fields at 5:30pm and concluded at the County Showground in Haverfordwest later in the evening. At the end of the run, refreshments were available and the raffle draw took place at the Park House building, which was open to the public.

Organisers said the turnout from both drivers and spectators exceeded expectations, with the event once again bringing communities together while raising funds for local causes, including The Catrin Vaughan Foundation, In It With Isaac, and Wales Air Ambulance.

Clarbeston Road AFC thanked tractor drivers, volunteers, sponsors and members of the public for their support, as well as residents and road users for their patience while the convoy passed through.

The illuminated tractor run has become a firm fixture in the local festive calendar, with Friday night’s event described by many spectators as one of the best yet.

Community

Charity tractor and car run set to raise funds for Macmillan and Paul Sartori

Published

4 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A CHARITY tractor and car run in memory of Charles Rees is set to take place in Pembrokeshire later this month, with funds raised supporting Macmillan Cancer Support and Paul Sartori Hospice at Home.

The Charles Rees Tractor & Car Run will be held on Sunday, December 28, 2025, starting and finishing at Dudwell Farm in Camrose.

Participants are being invited to “start their engines” in aid of the two charities, with gates opening at 9:00am and the convoy leaving promptly at 10:30am. Organisers have confirmed that the run will operate with no halfway stops, returning to Dudwell Farm at the end of the route.

The event will begin and finish at Dudwell Farm, Camrose (SA62 6HJ), and is open to tractors and cars. Registration and cash payment will take place on the day, with the price to be confirmed nearer the event.

Additional donations can also be made locally in the run-up to the event at Camrose Country Hardware and Croesgoch Stores.

The run has been organised to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support, which provides vital care and assistance to people living with cancer, and Paul Sartori Hospice at Home, which supports patients and families across Pembrokeshire during some of the most difficult times of their lives.

Organisers say more information will be released closer to the event and are encouraging the local community to support the run, whether by taking part, donating, or lining the route to show support.

The event is expected to attract strong local interest, continuing Pembrokeshire’s tradition of community-led fundraising in support of much-valued charities.

Community

Cilgerran school could be discontinued as consultation launched

Published

17 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CONSULTATION on proposed changes for a north Pembrokeshire school, which attracted a near-400-strong petition in opposition to the council, has been launched.

At its May meeting, Pembrokeshire County Council considered a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which outlined the findings of a review of education provision in the Preseli area.

“In particular, the review considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population,” the council in its consultation on proposals for discontinuation of Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School has said.

A later July meeting of the council, following May’s agreed consultation with St David’s Diocese, backed a general consultation to discontinue Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, and to establish it as a 3-11 community school.

The consultation was launched on December 16 and runs to January 30.

Hundreds have opposed the proposed changes, with a petition, on the council’s own website opposing the changes recently closed after gaining 391 signatures.

Any petition of between 100 and 499 signatures triggers a debate at one of the council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committees, and any over 500 a debate at full council, meaning this petition will be heard by committee members at a later date.

The proposals for Cilgerran are part of a wide range of potential education changes in the county.

Two petitions, opposing the potential closures of Manorbier and Ysgol Clydau schools, were recently heard at full council and a further petition opposing the potential closure of Stepaside School has recently been launched.

The Cilgerran e-petition, created by Louise Williams, raised concerns including the school could become part of a federation, a loss of permanent head teacher on site, a shared head teacher would have to oversee several schools, loss of funding control and the ability to maintain the school’s current healthy and stable funding, and a loss of commitment to the church, in turn could impact on the school’s and pupils values, beliefs and cultural beliefs.

It said: “Ysgol Cilgerran VC school has strong links with the Church community in Cilgerran and we believe this will have a negative impact on the children who attend the school, the community of Cilgerran and the links between the two.

“We are proud of our school ethos and values which are strengthened by our links with the church. The school has close and strong relationships with our Church in Wales federation governors one of which is also our safeguarding governor.

“Our Church Federation governors work closely with the school and are regular visitors to the school and the children. They provide vital support and guidance to the school and have a positive impact on the Children’s education. We believe these links will be weakened by this proposal to remove our VC status and we believe this is an un-necessary action.”