Ysgol Bancyfelin pupils raise £330 for Wales Air Ambulance

PUPILS at a Carmarthenshire village school have shown they can make a big difference by raising £330 for an all-Wales lifesaving charity.

Young fundraisers at Ysgol Bancyfelin have thrown their support behind the Wales Air Ambulance by inviting families and members of the local community to a coffee and cake afternoon in aid of the Charity.

As well as making and donating cakes, the children made Wales Air Ambulance bunting and posters for the event and welcomed visitors in Welsh and English. Some people who were unable to attend kindly donated to the school fundraiser.

The school at Bancyfelin, three miles east of St Clears, is no stranger to fundraising - every year, members of the school council chooses a charity or good cause to raise funds for during their annual fundraising coffee and cake afternoon.

Some of the good causes that the pupils have previously raised funds for include Glangwili Hospital Chemotherapy Unit, Macmillian Cancer Support and Breast Cancer Now Cymru.

After the successful afternoon, Wales Air Ambulance volunteer John Seeley was delighted to visit the school, which has 63 pupils, to thank the pupils and give a talk about the important work of the service.

The children, who are aged from four to 11, asked insightful questions about the Wales Air Ambulance before proudly presenting John with the cheque for £330.

Ysgol Bancyfelin Headteacher Gareth Rhys Thomas said: “We are delighted that the School Council organised such a successful coffee afternoon in support of a very worthwhile cause. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the parents, friends of the school and the wider community for their continued generosity and support. A huge thank you also goes to John for visiting the school to collect the money raised and for delivering such an engaging and informative assembly.”

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.

This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.

Mike May, West Wales Regional Fundraising Manager for Wales Air Ambulance, added: “It is lovely to hear that the school council wanted to raise funds for our all-Wales Charity.

“The pupils at Ysgol Bancyfelin have raised an impressive amount for the Wales Air Ambulance and should be extremely proud of themselves.

“Bancyfelin is a lovely close-knit community where the villagers come together to support each other. It is lovely to hear that people of all ages enjoyed the coffee and cake afternoon and those that couldn’t attend were kind enough to make donations.

“Wales Air Ambulance needs to raise £18 million every year to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road. Ysgol Bancyfelin’s generous fundraising will make a lifesaving difference across our country. Diolch yn fawr pawb.”