Paul Pugh Continues His Pledge Campaign 10 Years On

An Ammanford man who was viciously attacked on a night out is holding a presentation evening to mark the 10-year anniversary of the night that changed his and his family’s lives forever. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paul Pugh, now aged 37, was left in a coma for two months and hospitalised for 13 months following an unprovoked assault in Ammanford, on January 6, 2007, for which four men were jailed. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paul is bringing together family and friends at Cwmamman Football Club on the evening of the 10th anniversary of the attack, to share his story, talk about the #PaulsPledge campaign and the work he is doing to prevent this from happening to others and to celebrate how far he has come in the 10 years since the incident. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The attack left him with severe brain injuries and was told he would never walk or talk again. Ten years on and Paul walks with help and continues with rehabilitation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paul is using his experience to campaign against alcohol-fuelled violence through the #PaulsPledge campaign. He visits schools, colleges and youth clubs throughout Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys raising awareness of the dangers and consequences of alcohol, violence and the impact it can have on individuals and their families. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

His campaign work is strongly supported by the Fair and Safe Communities Group and Dyfed-Powys Police. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Paul Pugh said: “It’s been an extremely tough 10 years for me, as well as my family and friends. I’ve had to learn to walk and talk again and come to terms with the fact that I will never fully recover from what happened to me on this night a decade ago. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“But I’ve turned this experience into something positive by telling my story to others through the #PaulsPledge campaign. I’m over the moon that the campaign has been rolled-out to cover the whole Dyfed-Powys Police force area meaning I get to speak to many more young people about the impact violence and alcohol has had on me and my loved ones. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I’m delighted to be able to share my story with my family and friends tonight at a place that is still so dear to me, Cwmamman Football Club. They have all shown me such support and love throughout the last 10 years. This is my way of thanking them for their support and opportunity to pledge my on-going commitment to delivering the #PaulsPledge message.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As part of the campaign, a 15-minute documentary is shown, which starts with the 999 call made to emergency services after the attack, outlining Paul’s story. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVPGtmkbm8g ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​