Paul Pugh Receives A Chief Constable Commendation Award
An Ammanford man who was viciously attacked on a night out received a commendation from Dyfed-Powys Police Chief Constable Mark Collins.
He was presented with the surprise commendation at a presentation evening on Friday, January 6, at his beloved Cwmamman Football Club, of which Paul was team Captain at the time of the attack.
The event was arranged 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.
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.
Since the attack, Paul has used his story to campaign against alcohol-fuelled violence through the #PaulsPledge campaign. He visits schools, colleges, universities, youth clubs and sports associations 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 Dyfed-Powys Police and the Public Service Board’s Fair and Safe Communities Group.
Chief Constable Mark Collins said: “This is the first Certificate of Commendation I’ve awarded since returning to Dyfed-Powys as the Chief Constable. It’s a real privilege to present it to Paul for the hard work he has carried out throughout the Force area giving his very clear message about the effects of alcohol and drug abuse. It’s a very moving story and I feel humbled to have been there to present Paul with his commendation.”
Dafydd Llywelyn, Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “We’re here celebrating the work that Paul has been undertaking for a number of years to look at issues of violent crime linked to alcohol. It’s 10 years since the assault and he has been working hard to rehabilitate and he has undertaken an extensive amount of work to get the #PaulsPledge campaign message out to Dyfed Powys and I am in awe of the work that he has undertaken. It was great to be there to celebrate with Paul and be in the presence of the Chief Constable as he presented Paul with his commendation.
Kate Thomas, Community Safety Manager, Carmarthenshire County Council, said: “We wanted to support Paul and getting his campaign against alcohol-fuelled violence out across the county and beyond. We provide funding for Paul to go out to the community to tell people about what the impact is of alcohol-fuelled violence and how to enjoy a safe night out. Paul is so deserving of this award. He is a brave and inspirational man who has decided to use what happened to him to work to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else. There’s no more powerful way of getting that message across other than to see Paul and hear him talk about his experiences.”
Paul Pugh said after receiving the award: “This is my life now. It’s my purpose and I will do all I can to prevent this from happening to anyone else because I don’t want to see anyone go through what me and my family have gone through again.”
Paul brought 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.
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