SEVEN student nurses are on a mission to help a community hospital ward's patients stay connected to family and friends.

The girls are aiming to raise £1,000 to buy three iPads for the Sunderland Ward of the South Pembrokeshire Hospital.

An online raffle with nearly 30 prizes will be drawn early next month, and has already enabled the nurses to get two-thirds of the way towards their target.

"The ward has between 25 and 30 patients in four units, and they only have a couple of iPads which are being shared," said one of the raffle organisers, Shannon John of Narberth.

"Since Covid, iPads are a vital tool for patients on a long stay in hospital to talk to and see their family and loved ones, and the staff on the ward say they will be really grateful to have more."

The fundraisers are all on the Swansea University adult nursing course at St David's Park, Carmarthen, and along with Shannon, they are Ruth Morgan, Shanise Riley and Anna Griffiths from Pembroke Dock; Lisa Prest and Aneesa Tamlin from Haverfordwest and Chloe Thomas from Milford Haven.

Added Shannon:

"We have loads of fantastic prizes and want to raise as much money as we can to make this happen.

"Everybody is being so generous, it's amazing."

Prizes include vouchers for a £100 car valet and MOT; beauty treatments, meals out, a personal training session and a hotel stay.

The raffle closes on December 3, with the draw taking place live on Facebook on December 5.

To buy a raffle number at £1 each, or make a donation, see the JustGiving page www.justgiving.com/team/pembrokeshirestudentnurses?invite=true