The High Sheriff of Dyfed has spent her year in office championing volunteers, supporting the judiciary and raising funds for Wales Air Ambulance.
Ann Jones has lived in the idyllic village of Llandewi Brefi in Ceredigion for forty years and says, ‘people in rural communities care deeply about the lifesaving service’.
She said: “There are two reasons why I wanted to support the Wales Air Ambulance during my year as High Sheriff.
“Firstly, we are at the foothills of the Cambrian mountains, as you can imagine it is quite a remote area, beautiful but the road network is dreadful.
“When someone falls critically ill, or there is a serious road accident, the air ambulance is a lifeline for our community.
“The second reason is personal to our family. Many years ago, my son was riding a horse when he was knocked unconscious.
“The air ambulance came to his aid, thankfully there was no serious damage, and he made a complete recovery. As a family, we’ve never forgotten that.”
Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.
It is delivered via a unique third-sector and public-sector partnership. The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations to raise the £13 million required every year to keep the helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.
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.
Ann recently visited the Charity’s headquarters in Dafen near Llanelli. She said: “It was fascinating to meet Rory the pilot and Tony who is an Operational Support Assistant. They made time to chat with us and explain what they do.
“What struck me was how calm and professional they were. The alarm could have gone off at any minute, and it was reassuring to see they were there ready and able to respond to an emergency.
“They have such incredible knowledge, which when coupled with their emergency kit, makes such a difference to patient outcomes.”
With Ann’s ‘memorable year’ coming to an end, she says the base visit, was the ‘icing on the cake.’
She continued: “There have been so many incredible events and I’ve got to meet amazing people along the way. It has been a real honour to have this role, something I never expected but have thoroughly enjoyed.
“It started with the declaration service in my local chapel on the 25th of March 2025.
“Then my good friend Donald Morgan, who is a Chelsea Flower Show gold medal winner curated a wonderful fundraising evening at the Tyglyn Hotel near Aberaeron.
“We had a group of young people, Mishmash, singing throughout the evening which was wonderful.”
Around forty-five tractors took part in a Christmas run in December, which Ann says was ‘spectacular.’
She said: “There were Christmas trees on the roofs of the tractors, lights all over the place, people were very creative and created themes.
“Pickup trucks were also involved, which meant people could bring along their family members, especially our elderly community, so they felt involved.
“We also opened it up to children, so they decorated their mobile toys, tractors, bikes and pushers which was so fun.”
There was also an auction, with twenty-five lots going under the hammer. Refreshments were provided by Café Dewi, which is a local voluntary cafe run by the Women’s Institute.
Ann said: “I’ve got to pay tribute to our small village, we are in one of the most rural areas but that weekend we managed to raise £7,200.
“It’s incredible really that on a Sunday before Christmas, when money is short for many, people gave so generously of their time and money.”
The mother of two admits she is ‘lucky that people rarely say no and are always eager to pitch in’.
She added: “I have relied on friends, family and local businesses for support both financial and physical, by the end of my term of office I will have raised over £12,000 which proves
that the people of Cardiganshire are very generous.”
With just weeks to end of her term in office, there is no slowing down. Ann is organising a fashion show at the Falcondale Hotel in Lampeter as a last hurrah.
Emily Bell, Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Coordinator said: “What an incredible year! The High Sheriff of Dyfed has championed Wales Air Ambulance during her term in office, and we are hugely grateful for her ongoing support.
“It’s been wonderful to welcome Ann to our Dafen base and introduce her to our team.
“We would also like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who supported the High Sheriff’s fundraising activities in aid of us – every pound raised will help save lives.”
