Cymru Leagues referees support NHS during pandemic

Whilst the JD Cymru Leagues awaits the return of football, referees Kevin Parry and Laura Griffiths are focusing their efforts on helping the NHS to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

Griffiths, who is a Cymru Premier and FIFA Assistant Referee, and Parry, who is a current Cymru Premier referee, are currently employed by the Welsh Ambulance Services and are responding to the current COVID-19 pandemic within their roles.

Griffiths has been working as an Ambulance Care Assistant for the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service out of Holyhead Ambulance Station for the last 18 months. Her role involves transporting patients home from hospital and in assisting patients to their outpatient appointments.

However, in the midst of the current pandemic, Laura and her team have been assisting Emergency Medical Services with patients who are confirmed to have COVID-19, by transporting the patienst to hospital. 

Meanwhile, Kevin, who is currently based in the Bangor Ambulance Station, has been a part of the Welsh Ambulance Services for 32 years. During 30 of those 32 years, he has been operating in his role as a paramedic.

Whilst working during the current challenging climate, Griffiths stated, "the role that I am in gives me great satisfaction. Being able to meet new people, listen to their stories and to support them physically and mentally is important to me.

"There has been a huge increase in demand on the Ambulance Service. I think the biggest worry for everyone working for the service is going into the unknown and being extra vigilant with regards to ensuring that we are wearing the correct PPE".

And whilst Parry and Griffiths have been working for the NHS during the current pandemic, their refereeing colleague Bryn Markham-Jones has undertaken his own fundraising attempt.

The Cymru Premier referee has created a lego figure which he is selling off in a raffle in order to raise vital funds for the NHS.

Tickets for the raffle can be bought for £2, with donations being made over on his JustGiving page.

“I am raffling this handmade Lego figure for Swansea Bay University LHB Charitable Fund and Other Related Charities because they are going above and beyond to keep us safe," Markham states on his fundraisign page.