A PAIR of brave teenagers from Ceredigion, a Fairbourne campaigner and an ecological champion from Machynlleth have scooped national awards for having done extraordinary things.
Dylan Pritchard Evans, 13, from Parcllyn near Aberporth and Hari Thomas, 14, from Ferwig, averted a tragedy on the M4 in January 2022.
While being driven back from a Swansea City Football Academy training session, Hari’s mum became unconscious at the wheel of the car near junction 45 on the M4.
Sitting alongside his mum, Hari bravely grabbed the steering wheel and steered the car for over a mile on the hard shoulder with the help of Dylan who told him to put the hazard lights on and alert other traffic there was a problem.
The teenagers were named the winners of the Bravery Award at the annual St David’s Day Awards, which were held in Cardiff on Thursday, 20 April.
The St David Awards are Wales’ national awards, which recognise people who have done extraordinary things.
This year’s awards celebrated people who have been nominated by the public in categories including bravery, business and community spirit.
The Awards celebrated its 10th anniversary this year with a new trophy design awarded to the winners made by ceramic artist Daniel Boyle from Ceredigion.
The winners were announced during a ceremony at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
Another winner on the night was EcoDyfi’s Andy Rowland who won the Environment Champion award.
Andy, based in Machynlleth, has been working tirelessly for the past 30 years to protect the Welsh environment. He has dedicated his life to improving the communities for the people in Mid Wales and promoting a growing green economy.
Elsewhere, Fairbourne schoolgirl Skye Neville received the young person award for her campaign against the amount of plastic toys included with children’s magazines.
Ceredigion-based poet and author, Gillian Clarke, was chosen by the First Minister for a special award in recognition of her impressive contribution to the arts, literature and culture in Wales.
She was the National Poet of Wales from 2008 until 2016, awarded the Queen’s Gold medal for Poetry in 2010 and the Wilfred Owen Award in 2012.
First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “It was great to be able to welcome our finalists to the awards ceremony to celebrate their achievements. They are all people who should be congratulated on their contribution to Welsh life.
“This year we celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the awards with another incredibly strong field to choose from. All our winners were people who have achieved great things either by being courageous, innovative or determined to contribute to their community.”
“I’d like to congratulate Gillian Clarke for her incredible contribution over the decades to Welsh literature and poetry.
“Language is so important to us in Wales. Being a place where two languages are spoken every day means that words define us, as individuals and as a nation. It is why poets have always had such a celebrated part in our history.
“Today’s award is a way of restating that in contemporary Wales, honouring one of the outstanding poets of my lifetime. Gillian Clarke’s work captures the grace, the power and the connected nature of our lives. It is an honour to have offered her this award.’
Gillian Clarke said: “I was astonished to receive the news of this award, but I’m especially pleased that it came from Mark Drakeford.
“It is good to know we have a First Minister who values poetry.”