A Torfaen couple has raised vital funds for the Wales Air Ambulance by taking part in the charity’s newest event.

Local Councillor, Catherine Bonera and her husband, Steven, who works for an IT company as an Office 365 Consultant, recently held their own Coffee and Cake event, raising just over £360.

Wales Air Ambulance launched the Coffee and Cake fundraiser earlier this year, encouraging supporters across Wales and afar to join them in celebrating their 23rd anniversary.

Catherine supports the all-Wales Charity by doing to its Lifesaving Lottery each month. When Steven said his employers were encouraging staff to participate in a community driven event, the pair started planning the fundraiser.

She said: “We were talking about what we could do when I spotted a post on social media from the Wales Air Ambulance about the Coffee and Cake initiative, it was as if it was speaking to me.”

Within days, the Boneras had organised a venue, the St Joseph’s Club in St Dials – which was kindly donated for free.

Councillor Bonera, was amazed by the number of people who turned up, adding: “We initially only had a small room because I thought it would be a little gathering. But as we added on stalls and tables to sit at – we thought we would be catering for around 30 people; it ended up around one hundred.”

Mark Stevens, Wales Air Ambulance’s Head of Fundraising, said: “A huge thank you to the community for supporting Catherine and Steve’s Coffee and Cake event!

“It sounds like it was a team effort, and we are delighted that so many people enjoyed the day.

“A special thank you goes to Catherine and Steve for hosting. These sorts of events are key to helping us raise our fundraising target of £11.2 million each year, enabling us to serve the people of Wales, and save lives.”