AN ANONYMOUS donation of £1,000 provided a big boost to the funds raised at the Pembrokeshire branch of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust’s recent golden anniversary celebrations.

Branch chairman Sybil Edwards spoke of how, when the Trust was formed 50 years ago, the ago a child born with CF was unlikely to survive infancy. But today, around half of those living with CF will survive past 40.

“We have adults with CF leading fulfilled, useful lives, holding down jobs - like Sophie Pierce who raised over £2,000 for the Trust when she climbed Kilimanjaro and Allison John who is a qualified doctor and is now studying to be a GP,” she said.

Sybil also spoke warmly of the part played by Grace Lloyd in setting up the local branch in 1978.

“Grace was a fighter,” she said. “She was determined that Mark, her teenage son, who had CF, would have the best possible care, but at the same time she very much wanted to support other parents of CF children.

“And so the CF branch was born, initially as a support group - but we were very soon actively fund raising.”

Grace was not well enough to attend the lunch but she was represented by her son Peter and his wife Mair.

An auction of donated tumblers and whiskey glasses by Paul Lucas also raised £320, bringing the total to £2,471.Thanks were also given to event sponsors Murco.

Guests including Cllr Arwyn Williams, chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, Mayor Cllr Jackie Westrup and her consort Karen Brown, Sheriff of Haverfordwest Barbara Morgan, and representatives of 14th Signals Regiment, Brawdy, were welcomed by branch president and event organiser Penny Drew.