Gavin ‘The Bull’ Bilton, one of the UK’s most popular strongmen has nominated Wales Air Ambulance as his chosen Charity for 2026/27.
The 37-year-old from Caerphilly brings a lot of excitement to the sport, famous for his infectious personality and moustache.
The two-time winner of the UK’s Strongest Man has a huge fan following and at 6ft 6 he weighs in at 174 kg.
Behind the grit and resilience, there is a gentleness to this giant and a desire to give back.
Gavin said: “I am a deeply patriotic Welshman, proud of where I come from and grateful for the opportunities that enable me to do something I love.
“But I am equally aware how quickly life can change, through unexpected events and accidents.”
In July 2023, Gavin was in London ready to compete in the Giants Live Strongman Classic at the Royal Albert Hall that weekend, when he received a phone call from my mum.
He said: “It was the day before I was due to compete and I had left my phone in the hotel room and had a lot of missed calls from my mum.
“Initially I thought she was ringing to see how I was feeling, as she normally would, I planned to call her back after eating. But when she continued to ring Gemma, we knew something was wrong.”
Gavin continued: “She told us how my father has been out on his motorbike, when he was involved in a road traffic collision involving another motorbike and a car.
“The emergency services had to shut the road down. Within minutes my dad was getting life-saving treatment at the roadside.”
Berwyn was attended by personnel from the Wales Air Ambulance and Welsh Ambulance Service. Both Helimed 57 and 67 attended, as first crew requested a critical care team.
He required a general anaesthetic at the scene due to a reduced conscious level and to also provide neuroprotection. Once stabilised he was transferred to a Major trauma centre.
Berwyn suffered a bleed on the brain, and sustained injuries to his feet and hands. He was admitted to intensive care.
Shaking his head in disbelief, Gavin said: “I do not know how he survived. I think someone must have been looking out for him that day, because all the odds should have been against him because of his age.
“But his stubbornness and resilience got him through. My dad was a steelworker all his life and has experienced so many near health misses over the years. They do not build them like they used to.”
Berwyn spent several days in a coma and was initially treated at the University Hospital of Wales before being transferred to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Caerphilly.
Gavin said: “My dad spent a long time in hospital; he was in an awful lot of pain and has been left with a brain injury.
“The accident has definitely taken its toll on him, but we owe Wales Air Ambulance everything, if it wasn’t for the service, he would not be here today.”
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 critical care.
The Bilton family have visited Wales Air Ambulance at the Cardiff Heliport and met the pilot who flew the clinical team the day of the road traffic collision.
Gavin said: “It feels quite emotional thinking about it. My dad often talks about the helicopter and asks, ‘When are we going to visit again?’
“When you see it in the sky you think it is going to be big, but when you get up close it’s tiny. It’s incredible to think that it is an emergency room and has such a vital impact on patient outcomes.”
He added: “The Wales Air Ambulance is such an important service and helps those facing the direst situations.
“I am proud to support the Charity and will be doing all I can to raise awareness and funds.
“We have many events coming up and I have extended an invitation to Wales Air Ambulance to have representatives there on the day.”
Caerphilly’s Strongest Man will take place on Sunday, 19th of July, at the Area 51 Gym in Bedwas. The Official Wales Strongest Man competition will take place on Sunday, 11th of October at the Vale Arena
Christian Sullivan, Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager said: “We are so grateful that Gavin is using his incredible platform to help elevate the work of our lifesaving service during our 25th anniversary year.
“Wales Air Ambulance has attended just over 57,000 patients since its first flight back in 2001, including Gavin’s father Berwyn.
“We could not do what we do, without the help of our incredible fundraisers. Every pound raised by strongman supporters in Wales will make a lifesaving difference. Diolch yn fawr!”
