ON behalf of many sporting colleagues and friends, I write a collective congratulations to Alison Turner on winning the recent Sporting Unsung Hero Award. Very often this award is presented to the good folk who are regularly seen performing in the sporting arena, whatever the discipline, but on this occasion I must congratulate the judging committee on their wisdom, for Alison’s ‘skatepark’ secretarial (and other duties) attending three committee meetings every week, plus several hundred hours of her own time, spread over 8+ years, and all done behind closed doors with no previous skatepark experience and with very little real help from the local authorities, and all done whilst holding down a full time job, raising two teenage sons, on top of which, Alison has been a leading Pembrokeshire Netball Coach.

I can speak from experience, for the years that I worked alongside this remarkable woman, on the project has left me in total awe of her commitment, despite many seemingly, insurmountable hurdles placed in front of her! My respect and admiration for Alison is measured against the five decades that I have spent in public service, watching a number of ‘high fliers’ achieve many things, but, I now wish to go on record as saying ‘I personally rate Alison’s devotion to her goal, as second to none, whilst in tandem, to having to navigate a, all too often torturous route through the (so called) corridors of power!

Alongside our tribute and thanks to Alison, it would be remiss of me not to reflect upon Alison’s husband, Nick, a life’s partner in a million, who’s unstinting, loyal and understanding support has always been ‘Churchillian’ who, himself spent many ‘man hours’ manning charity stalls to raise skatepark build funds.

It is now hoped that the youngsters who so freely use the skatepark also appreciate Alison and the work committee’s achievements, and that their families, friends and other interested parties will respond to future fund raising events to help pay for the ‘winter lighting electricity’ which is only one of a number of maintenance bills to be met annually, such support would reward the eight years of labour on their behalf.

MIKE DAVIES

Cartlet

Haverfordwest