Charity
Memories of inspirational Paul Sartori captured for generations to come
THE PAUL SARTORI HOSPICE at Home charity held a celebration at Pembrokeshire Archive following its 19-month long oral history project which captured precious memories of the man who inspired it.
The charity’s history project officer, Simon Hancock said he was thrilled to welcome staff, trustees, volunteers, interviewees and supporters on such a special occasion.
The official title of the project was ‘Voices from the Community – Father Paul Sartori’s journey from priest to hospice care’ and was the brainchild of the charity’s grant development officer Judith Williams.
Father Sartori was a Haverfordwest-based parish priest who identified a need for hospice care in Pembrokeshire but died of cancer at the age of 39 before his dream could be realised. Inspired by his vision, parishioners and friends formed the Paul Sartori Foundation 40 years ago.
Speaking to a packed room, Simon explained: “This has been an extraordinary journey of discovery over the past 19 months. It’s a matter of no small regret that we contemplate the end of the road. We were keen to identify people who had personal memories of Father Paul Sartori – this young, dynamic, charismatic Catholic priest who inspired the charity which bears his name today.
“We wanted to record those precious memories, and record them as a permanent record for future generations. These memories were so varied. Some people might have known Father Sartori from a one chance conversation, others might have been associates of him – we spoke to them for a full 45 minutes.
“This was enabled thanks to the generous funding of the Heritage Lottery Fund. I want to publicly thank them for seeing the value and virtue of this project, and for being so supportive along the way.”
Simon said the project had exceeded all expectations. “To date we’ve identified and interviewed 64 people who knew Father Sartori either as a family member, as a school friend, a parishioner, or somebody involved with one of the organisations in Haverfordwest – or in the field of social care in which Father Sartori was a compassionate and energetic activist.
“The work of the project was carried out largely by 16 gallant volunteers, including a small cohort of students at Pembrokeshire College.
“It was technically demanding, and I’d like to publicly thank Kiara Quimby, the project assistant, for carrying out a lot of this work herself and liaising with the volunteers involved in the tasks.”
Volunteers carried out interviews, transcriptions, proofreading and Welsh translation. The project aimed to be fully bilingual. The recorded interviews, along with associated material like photographs and ephemera, have been uploaded to the People’s Collection of Wales. Its website provides access to the rich history and heritage of Wales.
Simon thanked Berian Elias of the People’s Collection of Wales for providing invaluable training for the volunteers, and for attending the celebration. There were laptops and earphones available on the day so people could go onto the website and sample some of the interviews.
Simon pointed out that one day there would be nobody left who would have known Father Sartori and that thanks to ‘Voices from the Community’ “the danger of these memories disappearing into an endless void that no historian could penetrate” had been averted.
A number of Father Sartori’s personal possessions have been gifted to the charity including his Bible, photographs, study books, rosaries, trophies, membership badges, even a bottle of holy water acquired on a pilgrimage to Lourdes, and they will be on display at Haverfordwest Museum when it reopens in 2025-26.
All the research and items gathered provide an initial deposit into the new ‘Paul Sartori Archive’ in Pembrokeshire Archive.
Simon said he had been involved in other oral history projects in the past and that the current one had been a model of its kind – “Great scope, great volunteers, insightful interviews which captured a range of emotions and feelings…and outcomes that will stand the test of time”.
Berian Elias told the audience: “I’d like to say a big ‘thank you’ for the invitation to come here today and it’s lovely to see so many faces celebrating the fantastic achievement of this project. It’s bitter sweet, I’m sure, seeing this project coming to an end. The achievement of the project is to safeguard and capture those memories for future generations.”
David Evans, Chair of Trustees, Paul Sartori, thanked the research team for their work, and pointed out that in an average year in which 1,600 people might pass away in Pembrokeshire, up to 400 people are likely to have received help and support from the charity.
Father Sartori died on April 16, 1980, and is buried beside his parents in his home town of Llanelli
Charity
Therapy dogs delight Bryan Adams and crew at Utilita Arena
HAVERFORDWEST-based charity, Cariad Pet Therapy, received VIP treatment during a special visit to Bryan Adams and his crew at the Utilita Arena on the May 19. The visit, which took place in the late afternoon, featured four therapy dogs along with dedicated volunteers from the organisation.
Bryan Adams, currently on a major tour, took a personal interest in the visit, sharing videos of his own dogs with the volunteers. He spent quality time with the therapy dogs – Rylie, a Border Collie; Ruby, a Fox Red Labrador; Max, a Golden Retriever; and Kali, a Black Labrador. Adams, known for his love of dogs, clearly enjoyed the interaction.
The volunteers from Cariad Pet Therapy were not only given the star treatment but were also provided with tickets to the evening’s concert. Meanwhile, the therapy dogs returned home after their heartwarming visit.
This event follows similar visits by the charity to concerts by Pete Tong and Jason Derulo in recent months, with more events planned for the future. Additionally, the volunteers attended the National Lottery Big Bash as special guests last Christmas, enjoying front-row seats for a performance headlined by Take That.
For more information on Cariad Pet Therapy and their work, visit www.cariadpettherapy.co.uk.
Charity
Charitable donations fund ambulatory heart monitors for Withybush Hospital
THANKS to generous donations, Hywel Dda Health Charities – the official charity of Hywel Dda Health Board – has funded 10 ambulatory heart monitors worth over £13,000 for Withybush Hospital’s Cardio-Respiratory Department.
The monitors are compact devices which are used to assess a patient’s heart rate and rhythm for a sustained amount of time.
The state-of-the-art monitors will help the Cardio-Respiratory Department provide the best possible service, with accurate, efficient and timely arrhythmia recognition provided on site or at home.
Rhys Bowen, Advanced Cardiac Physiologist, said: “We are so grateful that charitable donations from the local community have enabled us to buy the new monitors.
“The monitors are more adaptable to each patient’s presenting symptoms which will enhance the quality of the data gathered.
“They are more patient-friendly and easier to wear for the duration of the test, so there will be less need for repeat monitoring. They will also support quicker in-patient discharge due to an increase in the number of available monitors and the fact they can be worn by the patient at home and provide remote monitoring.”
Nicola Llewelyn, Head of Hywel Dda Health Charities, the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”
For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, visit here.
Charity
St Davids RNLI teams up with Solva Rowing for joint exercise
THE RNLI St Davids lifeboat crew joined forces with Solva Rowing and Watersports Club for a unique joint training exercise on Saturday, May 11, 2024. The session focused on practising medical evacuation and tow techniques using a Celtic longboat, providing an opportunity for both lifeboat and rowing crews to enhance their rescue skills.
The training aimed to prepare volunteers for a variety of maritime emergency scenarios, ensuring that they are well-equipped to handle situations that may arise at sea. The use of the traditional Celtic longboat added an extra layer of challenge and realism to the exercise, simulating conditions that could occur during actual rescue operations.
The collaboration between the two groups was not only a chance for skill enhancement but also a way to strengthen community ties and mutual understanding among the local sea-going organisations. The exercise was documented in photographs by Lyn Jenkins and Cathy Morton, capturing the intense yet constructive nature of the training.
This proactive approach by both the RNLI and Solva Rowing and Watersports Club underscores the commitment of local maritime groups to safety and preparedness, ultimately aiming to ensure that their volunteers are ready and able to save lives at sea effectively.
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