“We will be eternally grateful” says Emily who is supporting the Charity that saved her dad’s life
A mature student from New Quay has been inspired to create a car festival in aid of the Wales Air Ambulance Charity, after “it saved” her dad’s life.
Emily Bell and her partner Owain James, who is a self-employed electrician, created the Wheels for Wales event because of her father’s love of cars.
Emily said: “My dad was on his way to work and unfortunately there was something in the road that someone else was trying to avoid and they crashed into him.
“The air ambulance was called, and we went to the scene to be with him. Just being able to see them do their work was incredible – it was reassuring really to know he was in safe hands.
She added: “We live in rural Wales so it would have been a long drive by road for him to get the help he needed.
“The crew knew what he needed, and which hospital would provide the appropriate care, which was incredible.
“So, he got airlifted to The University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Meanwhile, we had the two-hour drive not knowing what was going on.”
She continued: “Dad had dislocated his hip and twisted it, his pelvis was shattered, he had broken various bones including a few ribs and toes.
“It was a long recovery and three years on he is still waiting for operations. But we are grateful that he is with us. It could have been so much worse.”
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 Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the charity’s vehicles.
Whilst Emily’s dad was in hospital, the family started to think about what they could do to support the Charity.
She said: “Dad loves his cars and so do we. Me and my partner sat down, and we were like, what can we do to give back?”
Two years after the accident the pair put on their very first charity car run.
Emily & Owain with their MK1 VW Caddy with the view from the show field. Credit: Benjamin Bryan from G3CXO Photography
Emily said: “We got sponsorships to help put on the event and it was amazing. Around 73 cars took part, and we raised £2,141.
“In 2024 we wanted to raise even more and knew we could make this bigger and better to give back. The appetite was there too, because people enjoyed the first event so much, they wanted us to do something again.”
She continued: “Before dad’s crash, I knew very little about the Charity. I didn’t know it relied on charitable funds.
“I started to do more research, and it made me want to give back even more.”
Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £11.2 million every year to keep its helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the road.
Emily and Owain want to keep raising awareness about the work of the service and will be holding their next Wheels for Wales show on Sunday the 18th of May 2025.
110 cars took part last year and the pair raised £4,707, and they want to double that figure this spring.
She said: “We were right on a field, looking out across Cardigan Bay over the sea and looking over New Quay and the sun did come out finally. It was such a special day.
“Everyone was so generous, we raised almost five thousand pounds, more than we had expected. It makes me so emotional just thinking about it.”
Emily admits she’s not very often at a loss for words but said: “I’m speechless when I think about the air ambulance crew because I just cannot comprehend the amount they do and it’s just a normal working day for them.
“The number of lives that they’re saving and families that they’re keeping together, I wonder if they can comprehend the magnitude of that or what they are doing.
“They’re giving people that time, who knows what could have happened with Dad.
But we’ve been able to have him for longer and for that we will be eternally grateful.”
Harvey Perkins and his father showing off Harvey’s Mini Cooper S R56, winner of the post 1997 award. Credit: Benjamin Bryan from G3CXO Photography
Abigail Severn, Regional Fundraising Manager for Ceredigion said: “Wheels for Wales is growing into an incredible event for lovers of vintage cars in Wales and beyond!
“We are so grateful that Emily and Owain created this in aid of the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.
“I know everyone in our team will join me in sending our well wishes to her dad who inspired this fundraiser.
“It’s fundraisers like this, that can really make a difference, the amount raised at last year’s event will have helped save lives.”
