March Fundraising Wrap Up
Our amazing fundraisers have sprung into action this March! They’ve ran 5Ks, completed half marathons, organised bake sales and even performed for staff at the charity! Take a look at some their exciting activities below…
The Village Strummers serenade the charity team!
The Village Strummers have been very busy indeed! Over the past 11 months, the amazing ukulele group have played 11 gigs, raising an incredible £3,100 for Velindre!
Earlier this month, the band treated our charity staff to a live performance when they made their generous donation at the fundraising office—a fantastic way to start the day! The band have also kindly agreed to perform for patients, families and staff at the centre as part of our exciting Arts in Health programme and we can’t wait to welcome them back soon!
As some band members have been patients here at the centre themselves, Velindre is a place that’s extremely important to the band and we’re so grateful for their ongoing support. We just want to say a massive thank you to the Village Strummers and we can’t wait to see you play again soon!
Coach Katie’s runners finish their Couch to 5K at Velindre Cancer Centre
Dedicated Velindre ambassador, Katie Brickle, led an 8-week Couch to 5K programme this year, which culminated on the 1st March. This inspiring fitness journey invited participants of all abilities to take steps toward a healthier lifestyle; building their strength and confidence as they worked up to achieving their full 5K runs.
Velindre is a cause close to Katie’s heart and the group’s final run poignantly finished at Velindre Cancer Centre where they celebrated their incredible victory. Corgi Socks showed their support by generously providing the team with Velindre-branded socks, which they proudly wore for their final run—a fantastic finishing touch for a brilliant achievement! So far, Coach Katie and her team have raised an incredible £3,040 in aid of Velindre with the final total being revealed next month—a true testament to the hard work, commitment and community spirit of the group.
Praising the achievement of all her runners, Coach Katie said:
“To every runner—you’ve been amazing. Your hard work, dedication and team spirit have made this journey so special. You should all be so proud. This was more than just a run—it was about support, community and making a difference. And we did it!”
A massive well done to Coach Katie and the whole team!
You can visit Katie’s JustGiving page here.
Rhian Lovell and Harry Porter run their first ever half marathons!
We were thrilled to see two of our incredible fundraisers take on the Newport Half Marathon this month in aid of Velindre! Sporting their Velindre t-shirts, Rhian Lovell and Harry Porter both completed their first ever half marathons and we’re so grateful for their support!
Rhian raised an amazing £300 and completed her race in an impressive 2 hours 27 minutes! Well done Rhian! Harry finished with a time of 1 hour 45 minutes and raised an incredible £2,880!
Velindre is a place close to Harry’s heart as his dad was a patient at the centre this year. Harry said on his JustGiving page:
“[Velindre] has been a lifeline for my dad and our family throughout his cancer treatment this year. This effort is my way of giving back to Velindre for the outstanding care and support they’ve provided us during such a difficult time. Your support, whether through donations or words of encouragement, will mean the world to me and help fund the vital work that Velindre does for so many families.”
We’re also excited to announce that Harry’s company Shared Services Connected have chosen Velindre as their 2025 Charity of the Year!
A massive congratulations to Rhian and Harry on their incredible achievements! You can visit Rhian’s JustGiving page here and Harry’s JustGiving page here.
Central Roofing South Wales donate £1,500 worth of pyjamas!
Central Roofing South Wales generously donated £1,500 worth of pyjamas to Velindre in March! The team, who have also chosen us as their 2025 Charity of the Year, visited the fundraising office this month to deliver their generous donation. They met with our Patient Information Support Manager, Leigh Porter, who told them how the pyjamas will impact patients.
Leigh explained when patients are admitted to the hospital without personal belongings, providing them with new pyjamas helps them to feel more at ease during their stay, therefore improving their comfort and wellbeing.
We want to say thank you to the team for this meaningful donation that will make a huge difference to our patients!
Howells Legal chose us as their 2024 Charity of the Year!
We’re thrilled to announce that Howells Legal have raised a staggering £8,230 in aid of Velindre after choosing Velindre Cancer Charity as their 2024 Charity of the Year! The South Wales-based solicitors took part in a range of exciting fundraising activities from bake offs, cake sales and coffee mornings to half marathons, raffles and Christmas jumper days.
They also took part in our flagship event ‘Wear Red for Wales and Velindre’ Day!
Staff member and Chair of the Charity Committee, Elizabeth Garrido Williams said:
“When Velindre was chosen as the charity of the year by the staff I was really pleased as they were amazing in the past with a family member. It was also close to my heart because my friend and colleague was undergoing cancer treatment there.
Having been diagnosed myself with breast cancer earlier on in the year and receiving treatment at Velindre made it even more special for me. I’m so pleased as Chair for the Charity Committee that we raised what we did so we can make a difference to people like me and others.”
We can’t believe how busy the team have been and we’re incredibly grateful for their commitment and support! Congratulations to everyone at Howells Legal!
Celanese, Newport hold a bake sale for Wear Red!
Celanese, Newport held a fantastic bake sale on ‘Wear Red for Wales and Velindre’ Day! The whole team donned their red t-shirts and raised £260 in aid of Velindre—an amount that will be match-funded by the Celanese Foundation and Charities Trust!
A huge thank you to Celanese, Newport for their support!
How your fundraising makes a difference
Thanks to the unwavering support of our incredible fundraisers, we can fund vital services that support the mental and physical wellbeing of our patients, families and staff.
Your contributions fund services like Velindre’s exciting Arts in Health programme and dedicated Coordinator role. The programme brings a range of creative activities and spaces to the centre for everyone to enjoy. Through activities like creative writing, art workshops and musical activities, our patients, families and staff can find moments of connection, comfort and joy during some of the most challenging times.
We couldn’t support this innovative and exciting programme without your generous fundraising. By supporting us, you help to create welcoming and supportive environments for everyone at Velindre.
Thank you!
We are incredibly grateful to our amazing fundraisers this month! Thank you for your energy, dedication and enthusiasm and for being part of #TeamVelindre!
