Bridge to your Heart

Committee Member and Founder, Jill Evans, tells the story of a fundraising Transporter Bridge…

Ron Smith was a patient of the St Woolos Cardiac Rehab Clinic in our early days and had a passion for the Newport Transporter Bridge, constructing a 16ft long matchstick scale model in his living room using the original scale plans.

Ron wanted it to raise funds for the Clinic, so in 1990 we found a spot for it in the Kingsway Shopping Centre, complete with a display case made by ‘Daffodil Windows’ and a collection box. We were amazed at how generous the people of Newport were – copper, silver and the occasional note could be found in the box. The line in our accounts read: ‘Total from the Bridge’ –  however, as well as money, we would also find some ‘interesting’ things in the box! Gaynor and her husband Ron, used to bag it up and it always warmed my heart see people admiring it and for us, it created a real fondness and love for the Transporter Bridge. When we sang carols at the old Cattle Market in Pill, people used to come up to us and say, ‘You’re the Bridge People’!

The model and case partially blocked a shop window and when new tenants moved in, it had to find a new home. Stored in an old Ward in St Woolos, it had to be moved again until the Friends Of Newport Transporter Bridge negotiated some storage. We then lost track of it until it appeared again in the new Market in Newport.

We are delighted it is back in the city centre at Newport Market and that Mr. Smith’s work, patience, persistence, and passion are still admired today. It is lovely to have the connection between the Trust and the Bridge as Newport is a massive part of the history of Cardiac Rehab – and the Transporter Bridge is an icon. It is a real tribute to Ron’s amazing work!

On the opening day it was great for Ron and his wife – it felt right and everyone was so pleased.

It is a real tribute to Ron’s amazing work.