Hywel Dda NHS Charity Trust (Withybush Hospital) has benefited to the tune of over £6,000 thanks to a charity car run and a local insurance agency.

The successful car run, organised by vintage car enthusiast Malcolm Powell, was held back in April and attracted over 40 vehicles for the tour around Pembrokeshire, starting from South Pembs. Hospital, Pembroke Dock, and finishing at Withybush Hospital, Haverfordwest.

The total raised by the event was boosted by a generous gift of £3,225.81 after staff at the Pembroke agency of NFU Mutual nominated the health charity to receive a donation from a national £2million ‘Agency Giving Fund’ launched by the insurance company.

In light of the national emergency the country is continuing to face, NFU Mutual, the UK’s leading rural insurer, announced this £2million fund in February to help local frontline charities during 2021. This follows £1million of support delivered by their Agency Giving Fund in 2020, which helped charities across many sectors to keep their life-changing services going throughout the pandemic.

To ensure these donations reach all corners of the UK and are directed where they are needed most, NFU Mutual’s Agents, with over 300 offices nationwide, have been given the opportunity to nominate local charities to receive a share of the fund.

This local donation has enabled Hywel Dda NHS Charity Trust (Withybush Hospital) to help support services at Withybush Hospital above and beyond core NHS expenditure. For example, providing extra patient comforts, staff wellbeing initiatives and the most up-to-date medical equipment.

Tara Nickerson, fundraising manager for Hywel Dda Health Charities, said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has seen an increased demand in our local hospitals and services. As the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board we exist to make a positive difference to the health, wellbeing and experience of NHS patients, service users, staff and local communities; thanks to donations like this one from NFU Mutual we are able to continue to do this.

“We are very grateful to the Pembroke agency of NFU Mutual for nominating our charity to receive a donation from the NFU Mutual Agency Giving Fund. The money will go a long way to help support services at Withybush Hospital above and beyond what the NHS can provide.”

Gethin Rees, NFU Mutual senior agent and NFU Cymru group secretary Pembroke Office, said: “Covid-19 continues to have a huge impact on everybody, including our customers and their local communities. Hywel Dda NHS Charity Trust has been making a wonderful difference to our community during these challenging times, and we feel extremely proud to hear how our support has made an impact.”

• To find out more about Hywel Dda Health Charities, including ways to give support #YourNHSCharity go to hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk