GWENT reservists have been praised by the Lord-Lieutenant for ‘stepping up’ when needed during the pandemic. The Lord-Lieutenant of Gwent, Brigadier Robert Aitken CBE has paid tribute to the work of all of the Armed Forces who are currently supporting civil powers during the coronavirus crisis. Speaking at his first ever virtual award ceremony, Brigadier Aitken also praised the work of the cadet forces saying they provided an opportunity for teenagers to take risks in a safe and secure environment. “We have got here in Gwent and throughout the whole of Wales, regular members of the Royal Navy, of the Army and the Royal Air Force serving in testing centres and vaccination centres and doing a huge amount to raise the reputation of the armed forces for quiet efficiency behind the scenes,” he said.
A TALENTED 12-year-old Monmouthshire schoolboy is making an innovative device which, the school says, could well be used by the NHS to save lives in the UK’s fight against Covid-19. Ed Smith, a pupil at Monmouth School for Boys, is a budding inventor and believes his device - a wooden container to easily mix vaccine vials - could speed up the process of administering the life-saving Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine. Inspired by his GP parents, Peter and Sue Smith, who both work on the NHS frontline, Ed’s prototype - which he made out of Lego and then wood in his garage at home - can mix one hundred vials at one time.
The research scholarship, bearing Tom s name, is aimed at improving understanding of AML and finding new ways to treat this type of aggressive blood cancer. “My PhD is funded thanks to the Walker family, who bravely raised money in memory of Tom,” said Mr Morin, who hails from France, where he studied a masters’ degree in health science at the University of Poitiers. “I am really looking forward to working on this project and to improve our knowledge in the field of AML therapy.”
Cancer research student Theo Morin Tom was himself a keen fundraiser for cancer research, and was the youngest participant in the inaugural Cancer Research Wales Brecon Beacons Night Hike in March 2018.
Friends Adam Taylor, Ollie Sparks, George Anthony and Harry Bettley will be braving a tandem skydive in support of the mental health charity, Mind FOUR fearless friends will be taking a giant leap later this year to raise awareness and funds towards tackling mental health issues in young people. The quartet are former students are Monmouth School for Boys and will be doing a tandem skydive in April in support of mental health charity Mind. Adam Taylor, Ollie Sparks, George Anthony, and Harry Bettley have been friends for more than seven years after meeting at school. The group are aiming to raise £2,000 in to support Mind and make sure there is no reason for anyone to suffer in silence.