18/11/2019

A sheep shearing group from Anglesey have raised over £9,000 for Wales Air Ambulance following an annual shearing day.

Held locally at ‘The Ring’ in Rhosgoch, the event has supported local charities for over two decades.  

Committee member Nia Williams tells the story of what has become one of the largest fundraising events on the island in recent times: “The Cneifio Ring originally started in 1992 as a send-off party for shearers who had travelled from New Zealand to spend the summer shearing on Anglesey.

“By the early 2000’s the event had turned into an annual fundraiser with people turning up in their droves. At the start, the donations were modest but steadily increased year on year. 2012 was a particularly special year, with an incredible £8,000 raised. Since then, the amount raised every year has ballooned.”

The event which has become a staple in the yearly calendar on the island is now held in a marquee in the pub car park and has raised a whopping £47,692.52 for the helicopter Charity to date.

Nia added: “The event starts with a shearing competition followed by an auction where over 120 lots go under the gavel. After that it’s on to an evening of entertainment which includes a tasty hog roast, side stalls and a raffle. All items in the auction and the meat for the roast are very kindly donated by local businesses and individuals who live in the area.

“We are extremely fortunate to have such overwhelming support from the local community and everyone is always very generous when making donations. We feel strongly that Wales Air Ambulance is an extremely valuable service for us as islanders. Several times we have witnessed the swift response of the emergency helicopter landing nearby to people who are in their hour of need. It really is so vitally important for rural communities such as ours in Rhosgoch.”

The event which saw over 500 people attend this year raised an impressive £9,688.34 for the helicopter Charity alone.

Wales Air Ambulance, North Wales Fundraising Manager, Lynne Garlick said: “We cannot begin to thank everyone involved in this annual fundraising event for their unwavering support. To see this small rural area raise such an incredible amount, truly is heart-warming. They have an enormous sense of community and their generosity knows no bounds.

“In 2018, we attended 99 missions on the island alone, accounting for on average 8 missions per month. We are only able to continue to be there for the people of Wales with the support of groups such as the Rhosgoch Sheep Shearers.”

Further information about the event can be found on their Facebook page, ‘Charity Sheep Shearing Rhosgoch’.