Pembrokeshire vets swap surgery for the sea in pink yacht charity challenge

The all‑female crew, known as The Pink Puffins, have taken part in dozens of races over the past six months aboard a 24ft Achilles yacht, transformed into a vivid pink head‑turner to spark conversations about breast cancer.

The yacht was gifted to skipper Charlotte Hamilton by her husband to help her build confidence ahead of a planned round‑the‑world voyage delivering veterinary care to animals in remote communities. What began as a personal project quickly grew into a fundraising mission in memory of loved ones affected by breast cancer.

From novices to racers

Charlotte, an experienced sailor who previously crewed in the 2017 Fastnet Race, led a team of colleagues, friends and supporters — many of whom had never set foot on a yacht before.

“Most of our crew have never sailed before. Each week we welcomed several complete novices onboard, and I taught them to sail from scratch, which made the experience even more special,” she said.

The Pink Puffins competed in weekly races on the River Cleddau, organised by Pembroke Haven Yacht Club and Neyland Yacht Club, as well as endurance events including a gruelling 15‑hour round trip to Tenby.

Community support

Staff from across Fenton Vets — including vets, nurses, receptionists and managers — joined the crew at various points during the season. A special day’s sailing was even dedicated to practice staff, including Joy Williams, who recently celebrated 50 years at the practice.

The team capped their season with a quiz and raffle night, raising £800 and bringing their fundraising total to nearly £2,500.

Sailing in memory

Charlotte said the challenge was deeply personal:

“We have been sailing in memory of my friend, Connie Johncock, who lived with metastatic breast cancer for 10 years before sadly passing away. Connie was a trustee of METUPUK and a passionate advocate for improving outcomes for women with metastatic breast cancer. We also raced in honour of my mum, who has successfully undergone treatment.”

Funds raised will be split between Breast Cancer Now, the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, and METUPUK, the country’s only patient advocacy group dedicated to metastatic breast cancer.

Looking ahead

Although the yacht is now coming out of the water for winter, The Pink Puffins hope to return to racing next year. Charlotte also plans to embark on a charity round‑the‑world veterinary mission with her husband within the next two years.

“Any donation, and all the cheers from the shore, made a huge difference. Our pink yacht is impossible to miss, and we hope it’s helped spark conversations about breast cancer,” she added.

Supporters can donate via the team’s fundraising page: gofundme.com/f/sailing-for-breast-cancer

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#breastCancerFundraising #BreastCancerNow #Cancer #Charity #FentonVets #METUPUK #NeylandYachtClub #PembrokeHavenYachtClub #Pembrokeshire #PinkPuffins #RiverCleddau #sailing #Tenby #Vet #yachtRacing

New recycling scheme targets farm plastic pollution in Welsh river catchments

A trial scheme to tackle plastic pollution from farms is being launched across south Wales, with the aim of improving river health and protecting endangered wildlife.

Led by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) through its Four Rivers for LIFE programme, the initiative will see new drop-off centres set up across four ecologically sensitive river catchments — the Teifi, Tywi, Cleddau and Usk — where waste such as silage wrap and feed bags has become a growing concern.

The scheme, delivered in partnership with Agricultural Plastics Environment (APE), Birch Farm Plastics, and Afonydd Cymru, aims to recycle an additional 200 tonnes of farm plastics over the next year. Farmers will be able to dispose of eligible materials at reduced cost, with centres opening at livestock markets in Talsarn, Crymych, Llandovery, Sennybridge, Raglan, and potentially Carmarthen.

“Healthy rivers support more than just wildlife — they help farming communities thrive,” said Chris Thomas, senior land management officer for Four Rivers for LIFE.

What farmers can recycle — and what they can’t

The scheme accepts a range of commonly used agricultural plastics, including silage bale wrap (in all colours), pit cover sheeting, fertiliser and feed bags, and feed buckets. These items can be dropped off without additional sorting.

However, some materials — such as bale twine, bale net wrap and string — require careful separation to be eligible for recycling. If not properly sorted, these items may be rejected at the drop-off centres, so farmers are being urged to prepare their waste accordingly.

River health and wildlife at risk

Plastic waste from farms can persist for years in river systems, entangling fish, birds and mammals, and blocking migration routes. All four rivers are designated Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) due to their rare ecosystems, including salmon, lamprey, and otters.

A 2023 WRAP report found the UK’s agri-plastic recycling rate sits between 20–30%, far behind countries like France (80%), Germany (65%), and Ireland (90%).

The new trial is backed by funding from the EU LIFE Programme, Welsh Government, and Welsh Water, and builds on previous success in west Wales.

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#Carmarthen #Crymych #Farming #Llandovery #NaturalResourcesWales #PlasticRecycling #Recycling #RiverCleddau #riverPollution #RiverTeifi #RiverTywi

Paddleboard company owner admits manslaughter of four in River Cleddau incident

Nerys Lloyd, 39, a former police officer from Port Talbot was the owner and sole director of paddleboard tour company, Salty Dog Co Ltd.

She has today pleaded guilty to the gross negligence manslaughter of Paul O’Dwyer, 42, Andrea Powell, 41, Morgan Rogers, 24, and Nicola Wheatley, 40, following their deaths in Haverfordwest Town Weir on 30 October 2021.

Lloyd also pleaded guilty to a Health and Safety at Work Act offence at Swansea Crown Court today.

The four victims were part of a Stand Up Paddle (SUP) paddleboarding tour – organised by Salty Dog Co Ltd – and Lloyd was present as an instructor on the day of the tragedy alongside fellow instructor Mr O’Dwyer, who was killed.

On 30 October 2021, there had been heavy flooding and severe weather warnings were in place. The river was running fast, and the weir was in an extremely hazardous condition.

As the group approached the weir, the three participants were pulled over the top into its base and became trapped.

Instructor Mr O’Dwyer, who initially exited the river safely, re-entered the water in an attempt to rescue the others but was immediately dragged over the top. The four victims died as a result of drowning/immersion.

An expert concluded that the tour should not have taken place while encompassing the weir and that Lloyd did not have a suitable qualification, and her planning and supervision was inadequate.

The prosecution followed a joint investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Lisa Rose, Specialist Prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service Special Crime Division, said: “This was an avoidable tragedy. Despite going to check the state of the river before departing on the tour, Nerys Lloyd failed to inspect the weir.

“The majority of participants had limited experience, and Lloyd was not qualified to take paddleboarders out in such hazardous conditions.

“There was no safety briefing or formal risk assessments, and the participants were not advised that they would be traversing a weir or instructed on options to get out of the water.

“Final decisions to continue with the event were Lloyd’s decision, and as a result she held complete and entire responsibility.

“I hope these convictions provide some sense of justice for those affected and our thoughts remain with the families and friends of the victims at this time.”

(Lead image: RNLI)

#CPS #CrownProsecutionService #DyfedPowysPolice #Haverfordwest #manslaughter #PaddleBoarding #RiverCleddau #StandUpPaddleboarding