A volunteer who has dedicated 60 years to volunteering with St John Ambulance Cymru was among those recognised at the charity’s Mid and West Wales Regional Awards for 2025.
The ceremony, which was recently held in Swansea, saw a range of volunteers and staff receive awards and commendations for their work in a range of fields from responding to emergencies to securing funds from trusts and foundations to support the charity’s work.
St John Ambulance Cymru’s Assistant Chief Commissioner (Mid and West Wales), Beth Francis OStJ said: “This ceremony gave us a valuable opportunity to come together to celebrate the great work of St John People from across our Mid and West Wales counties of Dyfed, West Glamorgan and Powys and all they have contributed to their communities.
“The number and quality of the nominations we received was a reminder of the positive impact the charity has on a daily basis, and I know the panel had a difficult task in choosing the winners from the strong list of contenders.”
Eunice O’Hara received an Ultra Long Service Medal and 2 Gilt Bars for her 60 years of dedicated service as part of St John Ambulance Cymru’s Fishguard and Haverfordwest Divisions.
Eunice O’Hara OStJ, pictured here with Andy King OStJ, County Commissioner for Dyfed, received an Ultra Long Service Medal and 2 Gilt Bars for her 60 years of dedicated service on behalf of St John Ambulance Cymru.
Her long and distinguished career as a volunteer and fundraiser saw her become an Officer of the Order of St John, as well as a member of the Gorsedd of the Bards with the title Eunice Urdd Sant Ioan (Eunice of St John) to signify her synonymity with the charity she has dedicated so much effort to supporting.
Another significant award presented during the ceremony was the Gerallt Davies MBE CStJ Memorial Award, presented in memory of the former paramedic and National Paramedic Officer for St John Ambulance Cymru, who sadly died in 2020.
The cup is awarded to a St John Person who is active, dedicated, professional and aims to maintain and develop the highest standards whilst engaging and leading their colleagues. It is judged by an independent panel made up of external partners and members of Gerallt’s family.
The runner up, who received commendation for their impact was Gwion Morgan of Dyfed County, while the winner was Sam Davies, Operations Manager for Dyfed County, who also scooped the Volunteer of the Year Award.
There was also a Lifetime Achievement Award for Will Wall of the Abertawe Division in West Glamorgan, who has been a devoted member since 1988. In this time he supported events at Swansea’s Vetch Field for other three decades and has subsequently been on duty to support 200 games at the Swansea.com Stadium, as well as other events across the county.
Julie Carrod was the other recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, having dedicated almost 30 years of service to St John Ambulance Cymru in a range of roles including first responder, County Training Manager and Deputy Commissioner in Powys.
To find out more about St John Ambulance Cymru and to sign-up to volunteer with the charity, visit www.sjacymru.org.uk.
Full list of award winners
Commendation Certificates
Samantha Benson, Brecon Division, Powys
Huw Howells, Brecon Division, Powys
Compassion Award
Michelle Dennis, Response Operations
Quality Award
Shelagh Astley, Trusts and Foundations Manager
Jamie Line, Logistics Co-ordinator, Dyfed
Inclusion Award
Eleri Sargeant, Divisional Manager of Llanidloes Division, Powys
Integrity Award
Gwion Morgan, Deputy Operations Manager, Dyfed
Community of Lifesavers Award
Nicola Thomas-Botwood, Divisional Manager, Rhayader Division, Powys
Assistant Chief Commissioner (Mid and West Wales) Commendations
Sean Gundy, Divisional Manager, Knighton Division, Powys
Harry Marsh, Aberystwyth LINKS, Dyfed
Raymond McGovern, Deputy Commissioner, West Glamorgan
The Gerallt Davies MBE CStJ Memorial Cup
Commendation as runner-up
Gwion Morgan, Dyfed
Winner
Sam Davies, Operations Manager, Dyfed
Rising Star Award
Charlie Thomas, Llanelli Division, Dyfed
Volunteer of the Year Award
Sam Davies, Operations Manager, Dyfed
Lifetime Achievement Award
Will Wall, Abertawe Division, West Glamorgan
Julie Carrod, Deputy Commissioner, Powys
Long Service Awards
10-year service medal:
Melanie Thomas, Abertawe Division, West Glamorgan
Rhiannon Jones, West Glamorgan Clinical Division
15 years – first silver bar:
Janice John, Haverfordwest Division, Dyfed
20 years – second silver bar:
David Thomas, Ammanford Division, Dyfed
Samantha Benson, Brecon Division, Powys
Ultra Long Service Award 60 years – 2 gilt bars:
Eunice O’Hara, Haverfordwest Division, Dyfed.
Gwirfoddolwyr Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru yn cael eu cydnabod am gefnogi gweledigaeth St John Ambulance Cymru i achub bywydau
Roedd gwirfoddolwr sydd wedi ymroi 60 mlynedd i wirfoddoli gydag St John Ambulance Cymru ymhlith y rhai a gafodd gydnabyddiaeth yng Ngwobrau Rhanbarthol Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru'r elusen ar gyfer 2025.
Yn y seremoni, a gynhaliwyd yn ddiweddar yn Abertawe, derbyniodd amrywiaeth o wirfoddolwyr a staff wobrau a chanmoliaeth am eu gwaith mewn amrywiaeth o feysydd, o ymateb ac argyfyngau i sicrhau arian gan ymddiriedolaethau a sefydliadau i gefnogi gwaith yr elusen.
Dywedodd Prif Gomisiynydd Cynorthwyol St John Ambulance Cymru (Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru), Beth Francis MStJ: “Rhoddodd y seremoni hon gyfle gwerthfawr inni ddod ynghyd i ddathlu gwaith gwych Pobl St John o bob cwr o siroedd Dyfed, Gorllewin Morgannwg a Phowys yng Nghanolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru a’r cyfan maen nhw wedi’i gyfrannu at eu cymunedau.
“Roedd nifer ac ansawdd yr enwebiadau a dderbyniwyd yn ein hatgoffa o’r effaith gadarnhaol sydd gan yr elusen o ddydd i ddydd, ac rwy'n gwybod fod gan y panel dasg anodd wrth ddewis yr enillwyr terfynol o’r rhestr o gystadleuwyr cryf."
Derbyniodd Eunice O’Hara Fedal Gwasanaeth Hir Iawn a 2 Far Aur am ei 60 mlynedd o wasanaeth ymroddedig fel rhan o Adrannau Abergwaun a Hwlffordd St John Ambulance Cymru.
Derbyniodd Eunice O’Hara OStJ, yn y llun yma gydag Andy King OStJ, Comisiynydd Sir Dyfed, Fedal Gwasanaeth Hir Iawn am ei 60 mlynedd o wasanaeth ymroddedig ar ran St John Ambulance Cymru.
Yn ystod ei gyrfa hir a nodedig fel gwirfoddolwr a chodi arian, daeth yn Swyddog yn Urdd Sant Ioan, yn ogystal ag yn aelod o Orsedd y Beirdd gyda'r teitl Eunice Urdd Sant Ioan i arwyddo ei chyfatebiaeth â'r elusen y mae wedi ymroi cymaint o ymdrech i'w chefnogi.
Gwobr arwyddocaol arall a gyflwynwyd yn ystod y seremoni oedd Gwobr Goffa Gerallt Davies MBE CStJ, a gyflwynwyd er cof am y cyn parafeddyg a Swyddog Parafeddyg Cenedlaethol St John Ambulance Cymru, a fu farw’n anffodus yn 2020.
Dyfernir y cwpan i Berson St John sy'n weithgar, ymroddedig, proffesiynol ac sy'n anelu at gynnal a datblygu'r safonau uchaf wrth ymgysylltu â'u cydweithwyr a'u harwain. Caiff ei feirniadu gan banel annibynnol sy'n cynnwys partneriaid allanol ac aelodau o deulu Gerallt.
Yr ail yn y gystadleuaeth, a dderbyniodd ganmoliaeth am eu heffaith, oedd Gwion Morgan Dirprwy Reolwr Gweithrediadau Sir Dyfed, tra’r enillydd oedd Sam Davies, Rheolwr Gweithrediadau Sir Dyfed, a enillodd Wobr Gwirfoddolwr y Flwyddyn hefyd.
Roedd Gwobr Cyflawniad Oes hefyd i Will Wall o Adran Abertawe yng Ngorllewin Sir Forgannwg, sydd wedi bod yn aelod ymroddedig ers 1988. Yn ystod y cyfnod hwn mae e wedi bod ar ddyletswydd ar gyfer ddigwyddiadau yng Nghae’r Vetch yn Abertawe am dair degawd ac ers hynny 200 o gemau yn Stadiwm Swansea.com, yn ogystal â digwyddiadau eraill ledled y sir.
Julie Carrod oedd derbynnydd arall Gwobr Cyflawniad Oes, ar ôl ymroi bron i 30 mlynedd o wasanaeth i St John Ambulance Cymru mewn amrywiaeth o rolau gan gynnwys ymatebydd cyntaf, Rheolwr Hyfforddiant y Sir a Dirprwy Gomisiynydd ym Mhowys.
I ddarganfod mwy am St John Ambulance Cymru ac i gofrestru i wirfoddoli gyda'r elusen, ewch i www.sjacymru.org.uk.
Rhestr lawn o enillwyr y gwobrau
Tystysgrifau Canmoliaeth
Samantha Benson, Adran Aberhonddu, Powys
Huw Howells, Adran Aberhonddu, Powys
Gwobr Tosturi
Michelle Dennis, Gweithrediadau Ymateb
Gwobr Ansawdd
Shelagh Astley, Rheolwr Ymddiriedolaethau a Sefydliadau
Jamie Line, Cydlynydd Logisteg, Dyfed
Gwobr Cynhwysiant
Eleri Sargeant, Rheolwr Adran Llanidloes, Powys
Gwobr Cywirdeb
Gwion Morgan, Dirprwy Reolwr Gweithrediadau, Dyfed
Gwobr Cymuned Achubwyr Bywydau
Nicola Thomas-Botwood, Rheolwr Adran Rhaeadr Gwy, Powys
Cymeradwyaeth Prif Gomisiynydd Cynorthwyol (Canolbarth a Gorllewin Cymru)
Sean Gundy, Rheolwr Adran Trefyclo, Powys
Harry Marsh, LINKS Aberystwyth, Dyfed
Raymond McGovern, Dirprwy Gomisiynydd, Gorllewin Morgannwg
Gwobr Goffa Gerallt Davies MBE CStJ
Canmoliaeth fel yr ail safle
Gwion Morgan, Dirprwy Reolwr Gweithrediadau, Dyfed
Enillydd
Sam Davies, Rheolwr Gweithrediadau, Dyfed
Gwobr Seren sy’n Codi
Charlie Thomas, Adran Llanelli, Dyfed
Gwobr Gwirfoddolwr y Flwyddyn
Sam Davies, Rheolwr Gweithrediadau, Dyfed
Gwobr Cyflawniad Oes
Will Wall, Rhanbarth Abertawe, Gorllewin Sir Forgannwg
Julie Carrod, Dirprwy Gomisiynydd, Powys
Gwobrau Gwasanaeth Hir
Medal Gwasanaeth 10 mlynedd:
Melanie Thomas, Adran Abertawe, Gorllewin Morgannwg
Rhiannon Jones, Adran Glinigol Gorllewin Morgannwg
15 mlynedd – bar arian cyntaf
Janice John, Adran Hwlffordd, Dyfed
20 mlynedd – ail far arian
David Thomas, Adran Rhydaman, Dyfed
Samantha Benson, Adran Aberhonddu, Powys
Gwobr Gwasanaeth Hir Iawn 60 mlynedd – 2 far aur
Eunice O’Hara, Adran Hwlffordd, Dyfed.