Local health services received a boost this week thanks to the fund-raising efforts of the Caradoc James Memorial Fund.
Over the last few years the fund, set up in memory of Caradoc James, of Tenby, who tragically died from a congenital heart condition at the young age of 29, has raised £9,000 which has been used to purchase three Dynamap mobile blood pressure monitors.
Two of the monitors were presented to the local ambulance service on Friday, while the third was presented to Tenby Surgery to accompany an ECG machine also donated by the fund several years ago.
The mobile blood pressure monitors are specially adapted for ambulances and the Tenby ambulances are the first in Pembrokeshire to carry this important piece of equipment.
Previously, if ambulance paramedics wanted to check the blood pressure of a casualty, the ambulance had to stop, but these new onboard machines can be used on the move, allowing an uninterrupted journey to hospital.
And the monitors have already proved their worth for one young casualty with a suspected brain haemorrhage, cutting the ambulance journey time to hospital by 15 minutes.
"As Caradoc was a local boy, we have always felt that any money raised by the fund should be spent locally," explained Caradoc's mum, Mrs. Maureen Ward, who set up the fund with other members of the family.
"We are planning another big fund-raiser this September with our annual charity golf day, grand bingo and a raffle, which we hope will enable us to purchase more things the local health services need."
In addition to representatives of Tenby Surgery and the Ambulance Service, also attending the presentation at the Mayor's Parlour, Tenby - given by kind permission of the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown - were Mr. Phil Thompson, of Texaco, and Mr. Charles Davies, of Heatherton Country Sports Park.
"Caradoc was working at Texaco at the time of his death and they have always supported us with sponsorship at our events," explained Mrs. Ward. "Likewise, Mr. Davies has given us tremendous support at our annual charity golf tournaments at Heatherton and we are extremely grateful to them for their continued support."