Bravery Awards nominee recounts ‘lovely’ experience with Welsh First Minister

24 January 2025

Dyfed Powys’ nominee at the 2024 National Police Bravery Awards capped off his year of recognition in November when he met the First Minister of Wales.

PC Rhodri Jones was nominated for last year’s Bravery Awards, hosted by the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), and attended its London ceremony back in July alongside his wife, Ira.

This was all inspired by Rhodri’s remarkable rescue of a woman and her dog who were stuck 20 feet down the Caban Coch reservoir dam in the Elan Valley, back in August 2023.

Police were alerted to the scene after the woman was stranded on a sluiceway, having been successful in saving the dog – after it had fallen over the edge of the reservoir – but unable to make her way back out.

PC Rhodri Jones and Eluned Morgan, the First Minister of Wales.

Rhodri’s heroic response involved lowering himself onto an overflow gantry, and then belly-crawling along the slippery sluice, to secure the pair with a throwline and pull them to safety.

Together with winners and nominees from Wales’ three other police forces, the 45-year-old visited the First Minister, Eluned Morgan, at the Senedd building in Cardiff in November.

The group shared a morning discussing their respective nominations as they enjoyed coffee and Welsh cake with the politician.

“It was a really lovely few hours and an absolute honour to be recognised by the First Minister,” said Rhodri.

Appreciative

“She was very engaging and genuinely appreciative of the actions taken by me and the other nominees. It was a great privilege to be part of it.

“As a Welshman, I think it means that little bit more to be congratulated by someone who represents you in such an important way.”

In addition to the sense of national pride taken from his visit, Rhodri reiterated the pleasure he had in London last summer as he reflected on his Bravery Awards experience as a whole.

He continued: “I still feel so proud to have been at the national ceremony in July. It was a very special day, from start to finish.

“To be in a room with so many amazing police officers from both England and Wales was a true honour, and Ira and I really enjoyed ourselves.

Fantastic experience

“Even before that, to find out I had won regionally for Dyfed Powys was fantastic.

“And then this meeting with the First Minister was a great way to round off the experience. It’s not the reason you’re in policing, but to get that attention and recognition on a couple of different occasions now has been a really nice feeling, to be honest.”

Rhodri ended by paying tribute to the Bravery Awards, praising the initiative for ensuring more officers to come can receive the same acknowledgement he has for the 'many incredible achievements that happen in the Force on a daily basis'.

READ MORE: Beat the January blues.