With just two weeks of preparation, community champions across Pembrokeshire delivered just over £1,000 of funds raised for BBC’s Children in Need charity with another ‘Gungefest’.

Following last years successful ‘Gungefest’, many people were asking key organisers from 2022, if they would repeat the messy fund raiser for 2023.

However, work commitments and delivery on community projects were all taking priority, and it looked increasingly difficult to find space that would accommodate all needed, and do so by the date of the annual famous BBC Telethon, held this year on November 17.

Yet, at the recent Visit Pembrokeshire Croeso Awards held in Pembrokeshire College on FridayNovember 3, a plan was put together, and partners were mobilised, that would bring back the great Pembrokeshire Charity Gungefest for 2023.

With little time to spare, a host of willing volunteers to be subjected to various colourful buckets of gunge to be deployed over their heads, were brought together!

Martin Jones from Ogi, Jon Howcroft from Celtic Timber, and Iwan Thomas from PLANED, collectively led the charge on putting events in motion, and with the brilliant offer of hosting the gungefest from Tony Pennock at Haverfordwest County Football Club, everything was in place.

“This has truly been such a rewarding community endeavour,” said Martin from Ogi.

“Building on last years success in such a short space of time, has yet again delivered a great outcome in raising funds for a charity which supports young people. Although, I hoped this year we would have done a cake sale, rather than being gunged again!”

Iwan Thomas from PLANED who as the others involved funnily notes, is more used to suits and meetings, than buckets of gunge, described the event.

“Turning up at the Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium on the Friday, it was amazing. Celtic Timber has provided the big gazebo and planters for the gunge to be mixed, and the ground staff at the Football club were amazing in helping everyone deliver what was a great event.”

The first to be gunged on the day was Haverfordwest Coach, Tony Pennock, who started off proceedings with an avalanche of buckets containing a rainbow of coloured gunge being poured over him, to huge cheers from the crowd attending to witness the “willing clowns” as some off the audience described those being gunged.

Soon to follow being willingly subjected to the gunge were the main organisers in Martin, Jon and Iwan, as well as the Captain of Haverfordwest County, Luke Tabone.

They were also followed by colleagues from Ogi Broadband, and being a good sport, prospective Labour parliamentary candidate, Henry Tufnell.

With just over £1,000 now raised, all involved are glad that through a fun and messy endeavour, a serious message was able to be conveyed around the need for supporting those charities and projects which support our young people in need here in Pembrokeshire.

Plans are now already being put in place for next year, as more volunteers for getting gunged for charity and raising much needed funds for BBC Children in Need, are coming forward.

As Jon Howcroft from Celtic Timber noted: “For us to all step out of our comfort zones and subject ourselves to being uncomfortable, laughed at, and looking ridiculous for a short space of time, is nothing compared to what many young people sadly have to deal with daily.

“This is just us working together to give something back to our communities, and highlight through a fun one-off event, what we, and others strive to do, on a daily basis.”