Appeal's Half-Way

Launched in May 2000 to raise the funds for the first phase of the new Children's Hospital for Wales, the Noah's Ark Appeal is now more than halfway towards its £5 million target. Chairman of the Appeal Stan Thomas said "Passing the half-way point of the appeal is a marvellous achievement made possible by the generosity and support we are getting from throughout Wales and beyond."

Support for the appeal has been tremendous . Welsh celebrities have added their considerable weight to the campaign. Football superstar Ryan Giggs recently had his feet cast in plaster at the Cardiff Podiatry Department. The cast of his feet will be auctioned for the Appeal along with the actual boots that he wore during his appearance for Wales against the Ukraine.

Ian Woosnam donated the driver he used in winning the 1991 US Masters at Augusta. The club was auctioned and raised £700. The cheque was presented to Appeal Director Suzanne Mainwaring during the recent Volvo GGA Tournament in Wentworth. Ian commented, "The fundraising team in Cardiff are doing a fantastic job in raising the money that will give Wales its first hospital designed specially for children, and I am delighted that they are already more than half way to their initial target".

Charlotte Church has been heavily involved from the outset. She sang at a Gala Dinner which raised more than £50,000 and donated the music for the recently produced Appeal Video which featured rugby legend Jonathan Davies. The video had its first showing at the Western Mail Business Awards Dinner where nearly £3000 was donated to the Appeal.

A branch of the Tom Jones Fan Club from the United States of America raised $800 when they heard that he was involved! The proceeds from a celebrity party for the premiere of Ioan Gruffudd's recent movie - Very Annie Mary - were donated to the appeal at the kind instigation of Ruth Madoc, one of the stars of the film.

But it is not just celebrities who have been able to help. A team of Welsh National Assembly Members led by Glyn Davies took part in a sponsored run from the National Assembly in Cardiff Bay to the site of the proposed new children's hospital. Rotary Clubs from Newport to Aberystwyth have been very supportive. Newport Rotary has adopted the Appeal as its charity for the year as has the Chief Constable of Dyfed Powys Police.

Cub Scouts from South Wales held a five-a-side football tournament and raised £2300 for the new hospital. Along with tournament organiser Chris Woods, they were invited by the Football Association of Wales to the World Cup match against Poland at the Millenium Stadium. They were thrilled to be able to present a cheque to Des Shanklin, President of FAW, on the pitch at half time.

Russell Goodway, the Lord Mayor of Cardiff has also adopted the Appeal as his official charity. His sponsored 'Walk the Bay' to celebrate the official opening of the Cardiff Bay Barrage included a group of 47 boys from the Penarth Boys Brigade whose ages ranged from 5 to 16. A Gala Dinner also to celebrate the opening of the Barrage also raised a substantial sum for the new hospital.

Support has also come in unusual ways. Carmarthenshire based bakery 'Jenkins The Bakers' is designing and selling cakes in the shape of animals from the Noah's Ark logo. Five pence from the sale of each cake will be donated to the appeal. Cakes will be on sale from branches of Jenkins the Bakers from Carmarthen to Port Talbot.

Two brave mums, Karen Evans and Angie Brown of Llanrumney went as far as having their heads shaved for the appeal! Julie Ann Horton raised £30 from 'penny for the guy'. Participants in the London Marathon, Helen Yule and Andrew Thompson raised £600 and £1003 respectively. The former completed the 26 miles in around the three-hour mark - a very respectable time indeed.

The Appeal is now confident that the initial target of £5million will be reached in 2002. This means that the first phase of the new hospital will be guaranteed and will provide the new hospital's core facilities.

Dr Mark Drayton, Associate Medical Director at the University Hospital for Wales said, "This will be an enormous boost for the care of sick children in Wales. We currently have world class medical teams working in extremely difficult conditions and finding it very difficult to provide the services of which they are capable. Wales is the only country in Europe not to have a hospital dedicated solely for the care of sick children. The new hospital will bring together, for the first time in Wales, a broad range of specialist services for children under one roof".

But the continuing success of the Appeal will depend on support from all aspects of Welsh life, from the individual fundraisers to businesses large and small. Support from the commercial sector to date has been enormously encouraging and a number of very high profile and high income initiatives are in the pipeline at the moment.

HSBC Bank has provided a free banking service for donations for the Noah's Ark Appeal. If you would like to donate to the Appeal, please phone the donations hotline on 01792 494450 and ask to speak to Alyson Williams or Andrew Tamplin. If you would like any information about the Appeal or would like to get involved with the fundraising then please call the Noah's Ark Appeal office on 029 2033 5016.