Charity
Last chance to vote for vital Pembrokeshire mental health project
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/lift.jpg)
TIME is running out for you to cast your vote to help a Haverfordwest project, which aims to improve the mental health of the people of West Wales by providing free support, win the coveted ‘UK Project of the Year’ trophy at the 2023 National Lottery Awards.
The annual National Lottery Awards celebrate the people and projects across the UK who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.
Since voting for The National Lottery Project of the Year category opened on 11th September, thousands of votes have been cast from across the UK for the 17 finalists to help decide this year’s winner.
But with the 9th October deadline for voting fast approaching, a Pembrokeshire project is appealing for your support to help them get over the line.
Get The Boys A Lift (GTBAL) is a not-for-profit organisation launched by a group of friends which provides free mental health support to the people of Pembrokeshire while promoting open discussions about mental wellbeing. The project has gone from strength to strength since 2016, now offering a mix of in-person and online counselling services to anyone over 17.
The team run a clothing and coffee shop in Haverfordwest called ‘Our Place’, offering a unique café experience where visitors can chat to counsellors and make new friends. The project’s drop-in service has provided around 500 people with free and easy support, without the challenge of extensive waiting lists. The project’s online counselling service, which launched during the pandemic, also gives clients the option to have sessions remotely.
With support from The National Lottery, the project was able to buy a coffee van in 2022, allowing representatives to travel further afield, not only raising funds to maintain the organisation’s services, but promoting its core message about the importance of openness around mental health.
GTBAL runs regular events across the region, including outreach in schools and workplaces as well as community events. Its ‘Break the Stigma’ coffee van has been stationed at Freshwater West in Pembrokeshire across the summer, giving the team a chance to spread the GTBAL message to a wider audience, not only to local people, but the region’s many visitors. Profits from the project’s bespoke clothing range, which includes everything from hoodies to beach towels, go back into the team’s crucial work.
Greg Walters, Director at GTBAL, said: “It is a real honour to be nominated and to be part of this process. It feels really special to be recognised for the work we do at Get the Boys a Lift. Thanks the to support of our community we’ve been able to save a lot of lives. We hope that people will vote for us and we can continue to spread the word about the help we provide!”
At the end of the voting window, the finalist with the most votes will be crowned the National Lottery’s 2023 Project of the Year.
The winning project will receive a £5,000 cash prize, along with an iconic National Lottery trophy to commemorate the achievement.
Jonathan Tuchner, from the National Lottery, said: “We’re so excited to have such an incredible list of contenders for the Project of the Year category at this year’s National Lottery Awards.
“It’s always an incredibly competitive category and this year is no different.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, more than £30 million goes to good causes across the country every week, making vital projects like these possible.
“So don’t forget to make your voice heard by voting for your Project of the Year in the National Lottery Awards – with your help, any of these projects could be a winner.”
To vote for Get The Boys A Lift, please go to lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards. Or simply use their specific hashtag on X (formerly known as Twitter) #NLAGTBAL . Voting runs until 12pm on 9th October.
For further information please contact The National Lottery Awards: Oswyn Hughes on 07976 324 179 or email [email protected]
Charity
A family’s courageous fight against MND raises thousands for Paul Sartori
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Ann-Evans-family.jpg)
A BRAVE family dealing with their mother’s diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease has raised £12,050 for Pembrokeshire-based charity The Paul Sartori Foundation. Ann Evans from Dinas Cross was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition MND in 2021 and her husband Steve and their 5 sons have rallied around Ann through the stages of her illness, showing incredible strength and resilience.
With MND, messages from the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord gradually stop telling muscles how to move, leading to a series of life-altering and life-limiting complications. The Paul Sartori Foundation was glad to be able to assist the family with equipment that could help Ann with mobility and comfort. Paul Sartori Senior Registered Nurse Gaynor Davies has also been supporting the family for the last few years.
“The Evans family have all shown extreme bravery in the face of Ann’s diagnosis and are an incredible example of a strong family unit. Ann’s husband Steve has ensured that Ann has the best care possible, and her sons and their families have gone above and beyond to help other families who find themselves in the same circumstances”.
Ann’s sons, Aled, Billy, Ceri, Hefin, and Gwyn, set up a fundraiser earlier this year. The brothers wanted to do something to honour their mother’s courage, so set themselves individual challenges to raise money for the Paul Sartori Foundation.
Ceri undertook the Welsh 15 Peaks Challenge with friends Xav, Andy, and Simon, hiking all 15 peaks higher than 3,000 feet in Eryri in less than 24 hours. Billy ran 5k every day for a month, which is akin to running from Fishguard to Cardiff! Gwyn, who lives in New Zealand, undertook a mini-triathlon in Whangarai on North Island, managing a 2k sea swim, 25k cycle, and 8k hike. Aled and his friends Ed and Phil hiked 21k along the challenging ridge of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.
Aiming to raise £5,000, the boys, whose children also joined them for their challenges, were overwhelmed by the show of financial and moral support for their cause. Having more than doubled their fundraising amount, the donation now goes to help buy equipment to help other families dealing with mobility issues due to life-limiting palliative illnesses such as MND. With the money raised, the hospice at home charity will purchase two beds with specialist mattresses and rails. Ann had also received a high-tech chair from the Motor Neurone Society and with the money raised, The Paul Sartori Foundation will be able to buy the same chair to help other patients in the future.
Clinical Coordinator and Equipment Facilitator Pat Coombs was invited to meet the family and thanked them for the incredible amount donated to the Equipment Hire department at Paul Sartori.
Pat said, “With the help of this brave family we’re able to help and support other families with specialist equipment that will give people the best quality of life and as much dignity as possible in their hour of need”.
Charity
How my life was saved by Wales Air Ambulance after garage roof fall
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/man1-e1725272296944.jpg)
A WEST WALES man has spoken out about the lifesaving care he received from the Welsh Air Ambulance after a terrifying accident at his home. Chris Heyns, who works for Utility Warehouse, shared his story in hopes of highlighting the vital service provided by the air ambulance team.
On 21st July, Mr Heyns, from Bridgend, suffered a serious accident when he fell from the roof of his garage, landing on the concrete floor below. The fall left him unconscious and, upon regaining consciousness, he was in excruciating pain. It was later revealed that he had shattered two vertebrae and sustained a bleed on the brain.
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/man2-e1725272278684-1024x1021.jpg)
“My wife called 999, but unfortunately, the nearest ambulance wouldn’t arrive for around 80 minutes,” Mr Heyns recalled. “However, just five minutes later, she received a call saying the air ambulance would be with me in 15 minutes.”
The Welsh Air Ambulance team arrived swiftly and provided Mr Heyns with much-needed pain relief, helping to ease his suffering. His wife described the crew as “amazing and so professional” in their handling of the situation.
Mr Heyns was airlifted to Cardiff University Hospital, where he underwent spinal surgery the following day. After spending three weeks in hospital, he is now recovering at home, though he acknowledges that the road to full recovery will take time.
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/man3-e1725272261303-1024x823.jpg)
Reflecting on the ordeal, Mr Heyns expressed his deep gratitude for the air ambulance service. “I could not imagine what my wife and I would have had to endure if the Welsh Air Ambulance team hadn’t arrived so swiftly,” he said.
Although Mr Heyns admits that he had never previously donated to the air ambulance, his experience has prompted him to take action. “After my ordeal, I’m pledging to raise money next year to truly say a huge thank you for being there for all of us in times of need.”
Mr Heyns’ story serves as a powerful reminder of the critical role played by the Welsh Air Ambulance in saving lives across the region, often in the most challenging of circumstances.
The Welsh Air Ambulance Charity operates four helicopters, which are on standby 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, covering every corner of Wales. Each year, the service responds to approximately 3,500 missions, delivering advanced critical care to those in dire need, whether in remote rural areas, busy urban centres, or on major roads. The helicopters are equipped with state-of-the-art medical equipment, and the highly skilled crews include critical care practitioners, paramedics, and consultants.
Since its inception in 2001, the Welsh Air Ambulance has saved countless lives, providing a lifeline for patients who might otherwise face long waits for emergency treatment. The charity relies entirely on public donations to keep flying, with each mission costing an average of £1,500.
For many, like Mr Heyns, the Welsh Air Ambulance is not just a service but a literal lifesaver, making it an essential part of the emergency medical landscape in Wales. As Mr Heyns prepares to raise funds to support the charity, his story highlights the importance of sustaining this vital service for the benefit of all.
Charity
Lifeboats launch following reports of missing child on Tenby beach
![](https://pembrokeshire-herald.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/RNLI-tenby.jpg)
BOTH of Tenby’s lifeboats were launched at 5.40pm on Friday (Aug 30) after a report that a child was missing on Tenby’s South beach, having last been seen in the sea.
The volunteer crew were quickly on scene and were tasked to perform shoreline searches from Castle beach, up towards Giltar, with RNLI lifeguards searching from the shore. The Y-boat was also launched from the Haydn Miller with two crew aboard to provide an extra asset for the search.
Within minutes of being launched, the crew of the Y-boat located the missing child swimming close in to the shore on South beach. He was taken into the care of the lifeguards, before being returned to his relieved family.
The lifeboats were then stood down to return to station, arriving at 6.05pm
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