Tenby man raises £2,500 for Wales Air Ambulance with 186-mile coastal walk

An electrical engineer from Tenby has raised over £2,500 for the Wales Air Ambulance by walking an epic 186 miles along the coastal path.

Gary Lester set off from Amroth and finished the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path Charity Walk at St Dogmaels in 10 days.

Despite struggling a bit with an injury Gary was determined to finish his challenge and raise funds for the all-Wales Charity.

Gary tackled the rugged coastline without a support vehicle, carrying all his own equipment, food, and hiking and camping gear.

He said: “I have always wanted to complete walking the entire Pembrokeshire Coast Path from Amroth to St Dogmaels.

“It’s 186 miles of rugged coastline, relentless climbs, unpredictable Welsh weather, and breathtaking views and I aimed to complete it in just 11 days, but I finished in ten days. There were no shortcuts, just me, the path, and the determination to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”

Gary chose to support the Wales Air Ambulance because he knows the ‘importance of the lifesaving service’.

He continued: “I raised money for the air ambulance because it’s an incredible service that saves lives. Whether it’s serious accidents in remote areas, medical emergencies, or critical incidents where road access is difficult, they are there.

“Walking such a remote and challenging route really highlighted just how vital this service is. If something goes wrong in areas like this, the air ambulance can be the difference between life and death. The Wales Air Ambulance rely heavily on public donations to keep flying. That’s why I want to do my bit.”

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.

For the patient, this can mean hours saved when compared to standard care and is proven to greatly improve survival and early recovery.

As a pan-Wales service, the dedicated air ambulance crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.

This was the first time Gary has directly fundraised for the Wales Air Ambulance, and he was pleased to raise £2,510.

Having previously visited the Wales Air Ambulance base, Gary was delighted to present the funds raised to the staff at the Charity’s Tenby shop.

Wales Air Ambulance Regional Fundraising Manager for the area, Mike May, said: “Congratulations to Gary who completed the Pembrokeshire Coastal path challenge, whilst carrying his camping equipment and all his supplies.

“This fundraiser was something that Gary wanted to do for a long time, and we are extremely grateful, that despite his injury, he continued his challenge to raise funds for our lifesaving service.

“Thank you for raising an amazing £2,510 for our all-Wales Charity. Every contribution helps to keep our helicopters in the air and our rapid response vehicles on the road, so that we can continue to provide a lifesaving service for the people of Wales. Thank you so much.”