Staff at one of the UK’s leading local pub companies have scored a bullseye after taking on a challenge in aid of Wales Air Ambulance.
The Welsh arm of Marston’s is helping raise thousands of pounds for the lifesaving service as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.
When the Llanwern Bull pub in Newport heard about the fundraiser – they decided to hit two targets with one shot.
Deputy Manager Josh Harman said: “I was delighted when we were told we were working in partnership with the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.
“The whole team were keen to do something which everyone could get involved. We also saw it as a good opportunity boost our chances of winning an internal competition going on among the wider Marston’s’ family.
“We’ve all been challenged to get a cardboard cut-out of darts ace Luke Humphries pictured in the most random locations we can find.”
He continued: “There is nothing quite so iconic as Pen y Fan, so we decided to hike to the top in aid of the Charity and take Luke with us.
“It turned out to be a bit more of a challenge than we originally anticipated. We had a mixture of fitness levels in the group and managed to navigate the terrain quite well.
“The biggest battle was trying to stop myself and Luke being blown off the side of the mountain. The wind kept on picking him up, and I almost lost him a few times. But we kept going, because we knew every pound raised was going to make a big difference.”
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.
Thankfully, Josh and ‘cardboard cut-out Luke’ made it to the top of the mountain, helping to raise almost one thousand pounds for Wales Air Ambulance. The other good news is that team Llanwern Bull are also through to the grand final of the competition!
Josh, who is a father of three said: “Most people are aware of the Wales Air Ambulance, but they don’t ever want to need it.
“It’s reassuring to know that there are helicopters on standby ready to come to someone’s aid. My mother always sings its praises and has been a supporter for a longtime, she donates regularly.
“So, it means a lot to be able to do something on a larger scale for a cause which means a lot to her, and to show our appreciation as a community for a service which saves lives every day.”
Marston’s Llanwern Bull pub and restaurant, is celebrating its tenth anniversary and will be putting on lots of events to mark the occasion throughout the year, including hosting a big party. It is what is known in the trade as a 2-door pub, it has a family dining area, and the other side is dedicated to sports.
Josh said: “We are so fortunate to be situated where we are! Our pub was built at the same time as a residential estate, and as the community has grown so has the demand.
“We are pretty much in the heart of the community, it’s where people meet up for a coffee, pint and to join in with the darts, snooker or for a catch-up with family and friends.
“It’s fantastic to have that kind of support and we are grateful that everyone has got behind our mission to raise as much as we can for Wales Air Ambulance.”
With 121 pubs in South Wales, the Welsh arm of Marston’s hope to raise enough funds to cover the cost of fifteen lifesaving missions. It has also rallied its pub partners to fundraise for the Charity.
Nina Rice, Head of Fundraising – High Value Partnerships said: “Congratulations team Llanwern Bull on taking on Pen Y Fan and getting ‘cardboard cut-out Luke Humphries’ to the top! That was quite a mission.
“We are hugely grateful at Wales Air Ambulance that they battled the elements to help raise almost £1,000 for our lifesaving service and very thankful that Marston’s have chosen us as their Charity partner.
“Partnerships like this are so important to our Charity, we depend on them to ensure we continue to be there for the people of Wales, when they need us most.
“Every pound raised helps save lives. Diolch yn fawr!”
