A selfless Pembrokeshire couple marked their diamond wedding anniversary by asking guests to donate to the Wales Air Ambulance instead of buying gifts.
Ann and Bernard Williams, from Llandeloy, celebrated their 60 years of marriage with a party at the Old Brewery, St David’s. The kind-hearted couple were joined by 115 guests to mark their special occasion.
The generosity of their family and friends resulted in £1,220 being raised for the lifesaving Charity.
The diamond couple, who have three children and four grandchildren, tied the knot in Haverfordwest. Ann, who is described as very caring, worked for 38 years as a healthcare assistant at Withybush Hospital, where she was affectionately called ‘Polly’ because she always had the kettle on.
The couple enjoy working in their garden and looking after their son’s rescue dog, Kipper, who is ‘spoilt rotten’ every day.
The Williams are no strangers to raising funds for the all-Wales service, last year thoughtful Bernard requested donations to the Charity in lieu of gifts when he celebrated his 80th birthday. The farmer’s milestone birthday raised £550.
Ann, who will turn 80 on 19 March, also plans on supporting the Wales Air Ambulance by requesting donations in lieu of gifts to mark her milestone birthday.
Their daughter, Jane, said: “The party was fab, everybody was so generous. It was a good party, which went really well. There were some nice speeches and mum and dad were quite emotional.
“My cousin had a horrific accident and needed the help of the Wales Air Ambulance and so did my neighbour. The Wales Air Ambulance is a charity close to our hearts.”
The Wales Air Ambulance service is a consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatment to patients and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury. It is delivered through a unique partnership between the third sector and public sector.
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.
As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.
Mike May, Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager for the area, visited Ann and Bernard’s home where the couple presented him with the cheque of £1,220.
Mike May said: “Congratulations to Ann and Bernard on their Diamond Wedding Anniversary. They clearly enjoyed celebrating this milestone anniversary with family and friends. Asking for donations in lieu of gifts to mark their 60th wedding anniversary was a wonderfully selfless gesture, and we are extremely grateful they chose Wales Air Ambulance as the beneficiary.
“We really appreciate the fact that Ann and Bernard wanted to help others as they marked their special wedding anniversary.
“Last year, when Bernard celebrated his 80th birthday, he also kindly requested donations from friends and family to our Charity. In total both fundraisers raised an incredible £1,770. We are also touched to hear Ann plans on doing the same to mark her 80th birthday.
“Thank you to everyone for giving donations instead of gifts to mark this special 60th wedding anniversary. The Charity needs to raise £13 million every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. Thoughtful donations, like this, will help us continue to be there for the people of Wales when they need us most. Thank you so much.”
