The first ever winner of a prestigious new student award is to receive his prize at a dinner next week.

Swansea University trainee medic Nathan West was awarded The Mullany Prize of Excellence in July last year.

As well as the accolade, the 37 year old will also be handed a £1,000 cheque to put towards his studies at a bash at a city hotel.

The evening, billed as Full Length and Fabulous, will be compered by Swansea Sound DJ Kev Johns and will feature comedy from rising stand up star Frank Honeybone.

Proceeds from the dinner, also featuring a three-course meal, will be donated to The Mullany Fund.

The charity, which gives financial assistance to medical and physiotherapy students, was set up in memory of Cath and Ben Mullany.

Ben’s brother Adam described the upcoming dinner as very poignant for his family.

He said: “We are delighted to support the future of individuals stufying in areas which Cath and Ben were passionate.”

“I think my brother would have been delighted something positive has come about because of him and Cath.”

Full Length and Fabulous takes place at The Village Hotel, Fabian Way, Swansea on Saturday, October 24.

TAKEN FROM AN ARTICLE THAT APPEARED IN THE SOUTH WALES EVENING POST

Work colleagues cycled over 50 miles yesterday to raise more than two thousand pounds for the Mullany Fund.

The six-strong team completed the 53 mile route over the course of a day, as part of a annual charity event Telereal Trillium holds, organised by the Gordon Stoke Memorial Trust.

Over 100 people from across the company took part, each team cycling for their nominated charity. The route was split into six different stages, with some team members completing one stage, and others the whole course.

Nikki Shepherd, speaking for The Mullany Fund team said, “To say we are a mixed bunch of abililties is an understatment – we range from someone whose ‘body is a temple’ to a couple of us who can barely walk up stairs without gasping!”

The course toured the valleys of Carmarthenshire taking in some of South Wales’ finest countryside and coastal views starting and ending in Llanelli.

Nikki, who completed two stages, said: “We want to thank everyone who donated money. We had a great day, with only a few wrong turns taken!”

Retired Singleton Hospital paediatrician Dewi Evans delivered the first Dr Catherine Mullany Annual Memorial Lecture yesterday afternoon.

Dr Evans worked alongside Catherine, who spent her time on the children’s ward as part of her GP training, prior to his retirement last July.

Delivering his lecture, he took the opportunity to pay tribute to his former colleague. He said: “Catherine had the expertise as well as the personality, which is what made her such a great doctor.

“She was not only the kind of person I would want on my staff, but the kind of person you would want to be treated by. I felt obliged and privileged to give this lecture in her and her husband’s memory.”

The talk, entitled It’s Their Hormones Doctor, took place at Neath Port Talbot Hospital yesterday afternoon.

Dr Evans spoke for 40 minutes to trainee GPs about conditions such as diabetes and glandular problems.

“The talk was probably the easiest part, but talking about Catherine was quite an emotional experience,” he said.

“But this annual lecture in her memory is a very positive thing. It will ensure the work of The Mullany Fund and Catherine’s memory lives on.”

More than £60,000 has been raised so far, and the charity has won celebrity backing from The Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson and West Indies cricket legend Viv Richards.

Earlier this year, Swansea University medical student Nathan West became the fund’s first recipient.

The first Dr Catherine Mullany Annual Memorial Lecture will see a link-up between Abertawe Bro Morgannwg’s Department of Paediatrics and Neath Port Talbot GP Vocational Training Scheme.

The lecture will be delivered by recently retired consultant paediatrician Dr Dewi Evans.

Mike Cosgrove, also a consultant paediatrician with the trust, said: “Catherine was a very popular and extremely competent doctor, and everyone who knew her found her a joy to work with. She had a wonderful future ahead of her.

“We wanted to do something positive in her memory. Following discussions with the GP training scheme at Neath Port Talbot Hospital, we agreed to launch an annual lecture.”

He added: “It is aimed at GPs in training, but all who knew Catherine are welcome to attend.”

The lecture will be at Neath Port Talbot Hospital Post-Graduate Centre Lecture Hall on Tuesday, September 15, at 4pm.

Nathan West of Swansea University School of Medicine has been selected as the first student to receive the Mullany Prize for Excellence.

Nathan has shown dedication to enriching the lives of fellow students as well as clinical peers, by striving to achieve the best not only for himself but for others as well.

Speaking about his award, Nathan West said, “I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen as the first ever recipient of the Mullany Fund and feel very privileged to be held in such high regard by my tutors.

I have a great deal of respect for the families of Catherine and Ben Mullany for creating something so positive out of such a tragedy and hope I am able live up to the tremendous values that Catherine and Ben represented”.

He will be presented with his prize at a special event planned for early September 2009.

Swansea University School of Medicine and the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at the University of the West of England (UWE) are the first two UK educational establishments to receive Mullany Fund Support by means of an annual award.

The £1000 Mullany Prize for Excellence recognises, promotes and rewards exceptional student comittment.

Professor Rhys Williams, Dean of Medicine at Swansea University’s School of Medicine, is elated the fund has chosen to support students from Swansea University.

“We are truly grateful to be receiving the inaugural scholarships and know how much the students appreciate this support”.

Steve West, UWE Vice Chancellor said, “The Mullany Prize for Excellence is a fitting tribute to an outstanding student.

Ben Mullany was very highly regarded by all the staff and students who worked with him and it is wonderful that his family have chosen to make such a generous and far sighted gesture that will make such a positive difference to future physiotherapy students at the university.

This is a great legacy in memory of Ben and Cath Mullany”.

The first successful candidate at UWE will be awarded in Summer 2010.

The Bristol Half Marathon – Sunday 6 September 2009

The Bristol Half Marathon is one of the UK’s leading road races. The race is now one of the largest and most popular half marathons in the country with 16,000 runners taking part in 2008.

For more information at to register please visit www.bristolhalfmarathon.com. Once you have secured your place, please email info@themullanyfund.org, adding ‘Bristol Half’ in the subject field to receive your official Mullany Fund sponsorship form.

Admiral Swansea Bay 10k – 27 September 2009.

Set along the stunning setting of Swansea Bay, this annual road race is ideal for both novice and serious runners alike.

For more information at to register please visit www.swanseabay10k.com. Once you have secured your place, please email info@themullanyfund.org, adding ‘Swansea 10k’ in the subject field to receive your official Mullany Fund sponsorship form.

The Cardiff Half Marathon – Sunday 18 October 2009.

“One of the best halves around”, the course is fast and flat throughout with amazing scenery. It is the perfect opportunity to achieve your personal best.

For more information and to register please visit www.thecardiffmarathon.org. Once you have secured your place please send an email to info@themullanyfund.org adding ‘Cardiff Half’ in the subject field to receive your official Mullany Fund sponsorship form.

A series of 5km fun runs being staged across the UK, The Big Fun Run invites people of all ages and abilities to get out and about while raising valuable funds for charity. You may choose to run, jog or walk, the choice is yours.

Following the events’ success in 2008, the number of Big Fun Runs is being increased from 5 to 14 this year, throughout August, September and October. 1000 runners are expected to join in at each of the Big Fun Runs, making for a brilliant atmosphere and a great day out.

Each event has been carefully selected to take place within scenic parks that are both safe and pleasant running environments Cardiff is no exception, staged in Bute Park, the run starts and finishes adjacent to Blackweir playing fields.

The course initially heads in the direction of Cardiff Castle before looping around to follow a route that takes the runner past the Taff River and the returns along via the cycle path that leads back towards the Blackweir playing fields. The route is flat throughout.

For more information, find other venues and to register at a discounted rate for the Cardiff run, visit www.thebigfunrun.com and click on The Mullany Fund as your chosen charity.

Thank you and lots of luck!

FINISHING LINE Terry Maloney and Michael Meredith at Morriston Hospital with Ben Wright from the South Wales Evening Post.

Michael Meredith, along with friend Terry Maloney, walked 12 hours for six days from North to South Wales, before cycling more than 200 miles to Morriston Hospital.

The sprawling journey, which left hoteliers along the way stunned, was made all the more fitting as Michael did the ride on Ben’s old bike.

Michael, aged 51, said: “It was tough, but it did not matter what pain I put myself through, because I wanted to do something in memory of Ben.

“He definitely would have appreciated the challenge.”

The two friends were waved off by family members at Chepstow at 5am on March 18 as they began their walk up Offa’s Dyke.

Among them was Michael’s wife, Cheryl. She said: “I do worry a bit because he’s had a heart attack and overcame bowel cancer. But he wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Former Welsh league ref Terry, aged 54, had suffered a heart attack too.

“It was a shock for the both of us, as we’ve always led fit lives,” he said.

“But we were given the all-clear by cardiologists to do this. It’s a very personal thing forMichael because of what happened to Ben.

“It was a no-brainer that we had to do something out of the ordinary.”

And despite Michael encountering problems with his shin splints and swollen legs, the dad-of-two bravely hobbled on. By last Wednesday, he and Terry had arrived at Prestatyn, where Ben’s parents met them. After embracing the pair, they were set off again for the 200-mile cycle to Swansea.

Fitting “I had bought a new bike especially for the ride,” said Michael. “But it had a problem within a few miles of the start, so I had to use the back-up bike, which was fitting, as it was Ben’s.”

On Thursday, they had clocked up more than 100 miles in harsh conditions.

“The last part was probably the most difficult,” said Michael, of Pontllanfraith.

“We went through Ammanford and up the mountains near Felindre. The views were amazing, but God the hills were steep.”

Terry, from Newport, added: “We’ve seen some amazing countryside along the way. But the thing we were most pleased to see was DVLA in the distance, as it meant we were nearly there.”

And at 3.30pm last Friday, they rode into Morriston Hospital, where they got a round of applause from family, friends and even some hospital patients who had heard about the 376-mile round trip.

As well as clocking up the miles, they also managed to raise more than £3,000 for The Mullany Fund.

The charity was set up in memory of Ben and Catherine Mullany, who were shot on the last day of their honeymoon in Antigua.

Qualified doctor Catherine died instantly, while Ben died a week later after being brought back to Morriston Hospital.

Money from The Mullany Fund will give financial help to medical students. Michael added: “They were such a great couple and they both wanted to help people. It’s vital to me their good work carries on.”

RETURN LEG Michael Meredith and Terry Malone set off from Prestatyn towards South Wales after walking Offa’s Dyke, with Ben Wright from the South Wales Evening Post.

Ben Wright did part of the challenge and wrote the following for the South Wales Evening Post:

I HAVE a problem of agreeing to things without thinking things entirely through.

When Michael and Terry asked me if I wanted to join them on a 200-mile bike ride,my mouth was engaged beforemy brain had time to think.

Still, I had to take this on. Not onlywas it for a good cause (I have a rare kidney problem, so any money that helps doctors gets my thumbs-up), but sometimes its good to tackle something that’s a long way outside of your comfort zone.

After months of training, the ride finally began in windy Prestatyn.

With my back to the sea and staring southwards, this was it. The first 20 miles were glorious.

Downhill, nicely surfaced roads and a tail wind. But once we arrived at Ruthin things suddenly took a turn for the worse. I’d made an error reading the map, meaning we took a four-hour detour. With that cloud of embarrassment hanging over me, there were then big hills to climb in head winds and heavy rain.

By the end of the first day we had been in the saddle for 13 hours. I was shattered, not just physically, but mentally too.

Come day two, my knee decided it wasn’t having any more of this and wanted out, within 500 yards of leaving Rhayader.

But thanks to Michael and Terry’s dogged determination, they kept me going.

“Its only pain,”’ became Michael’s mantra to me.

Hour by hour there were more glimmers of hope. The first was seeing the sign for Carmarthenshire, then seeing the X13 bus on route to Llandeilo. And at last, after a back-breaking ride towards Felindre, we could faintly make out Morriston Hospital.

It was fitting the ride finished there. It was the place where Catherine Mullany worked and where doctors tried to save Ben’s life following the awful events in Antigua.

After crossing the finish line, these two facts were not lost on me. They made the reason for doing this all the more poignant, especially being a regular visitor to Morriston Hospital.

It was the toughest thing I have ever done, and 24 hours on, as I write this, the feeling in my knees have not returned fully. But the money raised for The Mullany Fund makes these minor aches worth it.

However, I think it will be a while before I even think about getting on a bike again. Now, where did I put that soft cushion?”

The Mullany Fund is now a member of The Fundraising Standards Board Scheme.

The Fundraising Standards Board Fundraising Promise is a promise made by members of the Fundraising Standards Board scheme to the public, committing to the highest standards of practice, and ensuring that all their activities are open and fair, honest and legal. By signing up to the Fundraising Standards Board scheme we are agreeing to adhere to the Fundraising Promise when raising funds.