It’s been another scorcher of a month – and our fundraisers have kept the momentum going! From marathons to bike rides to braving the shave – it’s been another busy few weeks for #TeamVelindre. Everyone has gone above and beyond this month, and we are unbelievably grateful for your continued efforts and support – diolch yn fawr!
So, without further ado, let’s dive into a jam-packed month!
Lisa’s 100 Mile Mission
This was personal for Lisa – someone close to her recently went through treatment at Velindre. After hearing about everything the staff do for patients, Lisa decided she would like to give something back.
She shared some incredibly kind words with us before her challenge, writing: “It’s a scary statistic that one in two of us will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in our lives, but there have been so many advances in research and treatment that outcomes are getting better and better. Of course, this relies hugely on fundraising and donations so I would really love to reach and hopefully exceed my target.”
Sonja’s Marathon in Memory of her Mam
Last month, Sonja faced an emotional journey. For years, whenever she raised the possibility of doing a marathon, her Mam would always have complete faith, reassuring her “you can do it”.
So last month, to honour her Mam’s memory, Sonja decided to bite the bullet and signed up for the Long Course Weekend Wales Marathon. What an incredible achievement – and we’re sure that the memory of her Mam’s encouragement motivated Sonja throughout the race.
Sonja told us: ” I’m hoping to raise as much as I can in her memory but have no target to reach, but obviously the more I can raise the better… every penny goes towards the vital work of Velindre. Not only for locals but towards research that has been recognised internationally.”
Sonja, we can’t thank you enough for your amazing fundraising efforts. You’ve made a difference in the futures of patients and their families at Velindre – and we know your Mam would be extremely proud! Well done!
uSmile Step Up to a 10km Seaside Challenge
uSmile Dental Practice took part in the Porthcawl 10km – and they chose to raise funds for the Hospital of Hope! The team did a fantastic job and had a great day spending time together.
They told us: “We all know friends and family who have been affected by cancer, and many have experienced the incredible support that Velindre has provided throughout their journey. That’s why we’ve chosen to fundraise for this wonderful charity this year.”
We are so grateful for all the support from uSmile Dental Practice – with every step, they’ve made a huge difference to cancer patients and their families at Velindre. Thank you everyone!
Chris Braves the Shave to Support Rhi
After being diagnosed with cancer in December, Chris’s friend Rhi began receiving treatment at Velindre. Over the course of her treatment at Velindre, Rhi told Chris all about the amazing staff at the Hospital of Hope – and so Chris was inspired to support his friend and Velindre during this difficult time.
When Rhi underwent an operation on 3rd July, Chris decided to shave his hair and beard on the same day, to raise money for patients, families, and staff at Velindre. He told us: “This was a great opportunity… for this great cause.”
Chris – you seem like a fantastic friend and colleagues, and we can’t thank you enough for the generous gesture! Not only have you made your friend Rhi proud, but you’ve made a impact on the lives of many patients at Velindre!
14-Day Cycle for Dynamic Duo Kevin and Andrew
Kevin and Andrew took on an epic challenge last month! They cycled for 14 days across the UK, from John O’Groats to Land’s End in aid of Velindre. As a staff member himself, Kevin knows firsthand the incredible impact that staff and services have on patients every single day, so the duo were determined to do Velindre proud – and they absolutely did!
The duo experienced every single one of the elements – cycling through 35-degree heat in Devon and Cornwall and battling 50mph winds across the Cairngorms in Scotland. The views were gorgeous – from countryside lanes through villages and towns to canal paths and B&Bs – Kevin and Andrew had a fantastic time! Kevin reflected: “A fabulous trip, completed with no injuries and bikes in one piece.”
A massive thanks to Kevin and Andrew for completing such a huge challenge to raise money for the Hospital of Hope. Without your fundraising efforts, our work would not be possible – well done!
R&M Williams Take on the Taff Trial
The team would like to give a special mention to Matthew, who completed the full 30 miles on a BMX – wow! Celebrations were definitely in order at the finish line, and in their own words, everyone had “a brilliant day out”. They told us “We’re proud to have taken part in support of such a worthwhile cause.”
Blathnaid Smashes her Second of Five Challenges
Some of you may remember Blathnaid from our wrap up earlier this year – and she’s back this month with her second of five challenges for Velindre.
This time, Blathnaid took on a 10-mile Coastal Path Challenge – and enjoyed some sunshine rather than the wind and cold of her last challenge!
Blathnaid – you are smashing this! Keep going, you are making a difference at Velindre and making us all proud!
Generous Donations from Usk Open Gardens Fundraiser
Last month, Usk Open Gardens hosted their annual fundraiser and cheque presentation, a day which supports 25 charities in total. A generously sum of money was kindly donated to Velindre, which we are extremely grateful for.
We’d like to say a thank you to everyone involved in this event – especially Lynn and Janet Mundy! The amount raised is amazing and will make a huge impact on the lives of patients, families, and staff at Velindre. Diolch yn fawr everyone!
Tia’s Terrific Toby Carvery Fundraiser
Tia Taylor organised a Toby Carvery fundraiser – and it was a huge success!
Tia raised an incredible amount of money – with more still to come! It was a fantastic star-studded day, with the event being attended by the Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Michael Michael, as well as the previous Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress. The whole thing was capture by a photographer – and the photos are lovely!
Tia said: “Thank you so much for the support and allowing me to do this. It’s truly been such a wonderful experience, and I’ve loved every minute of it – I’m hoping to be able to do another one soon!”
Tia – we’d like to thank you for your fantastic fundraiser and for your enthusiasm and generosity! You have made a difference to lives at Velindre, and we can’t thank you enough.
A Wonderful Garden Party for the Willicombes
The Willicombe family have a very personal connection to Velindre. David’s wife Christine has received immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatments at Velindre, and the family were so appreciative of the “incredible care that the doctors and nursing staff provided and continues to provide”.
David and Christine’s daughters decided to arrange an afternoon garden party to raise funds for Velindre, as a way to give something back. There was an entrance charge, catering and raffle prizes – all of which were collected as donations to Velindre. The event was attended by family friends, relatives, and members of the Caerphilly Rock Choir – of which Chris is a member! Everyone who attended had a fantastic time, and were so generous in their donations to support Chris. The family were delighted by the amazing amount raised, and already have plans to initiate a series of fundraising events in the future!
David told us: “The over-riding ‘driver’ for the event was to pay something back in a small way in recognition of the incredible care, kindness and professionalism that you have all shown to every person and every family touched by this devastation diagnosis… We hope that it will help in a small way in your fight against this iniquitous disease.”
To the Willicombe family – thank you so much for this incredible generous fundraising event. We are so touched that you decided to give back in this way, and we’re blown away by your efforts. We wish you all the best for the future – thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Annemarie’s Special Sponsored Walk
Annmarie completed a sponsored walk with her family – and it was a great success!
We’d like to say a massive thank you to Annmarie and her family – your kindness and generosity means so much to us as a charity, and to the patients and families at Velindre. Well done to each and every one of you!
Paul Takes on the Alpe d’Huez Climb for Velindre
This month, Paul was able to complete a much-awaited challenge! A few years ago, he set his sights on the Alpe d-Huez climb – promising himself he’d take on the challenge by bike to celebrate turning 50 on the day that a Tour de France stage takes place there. Finally, after a few years wait, the time came!
Disaster almost struck when Paul struggled to hire a bike due to the half a million spectators – but an early start on the morning of made sure he was able to secure one! The atmosphere was incredible on the day, and it was an amazing experience for Paul to see the bikers climbing the 21 hairpins to the top with an elevation of 717m to 1860m over 13.8km. Paul made it to the top and even managed a selfie with the Geraint Thomas Tifo flags at the Welsh Corner on the way down, where he watched the pros with his family.
Paul told us: “I decided to fundraise for Velindre as a thank you for the help and care that you’ve given to several of my family members over the last few years… my wife Sarah recently raised money for Velindre by taking part in the Sierra Nevada trek with Rhod Gilbert. So, I thought I would try and add to that by asking people to sponsor my attempt”.
A huge congratulations to Paul for completing this amazing challenge – what an achievement! Thank you to all Paul’s friends, family, and colleagues for donating – including his employer Barratt Redrow PLC who are going to double the fantastic total! Paul – we’re delighted you chose to fundraise for Velindre and your funds will make a massive difference to patients, families, and staff.
Danny Saffer’s Latest Incredible Challenge
Last month, Danny took on the Swansea 70.3 Half Ironman in aid of Velindre. Danny is a much-loved supporter of #TeamVelindre – and the motivations behind his support are truly touching.
In March 2025, Danny sadly lost his amazing partner Naomi to cancer, and Naomi’s sister also passed away in August 2025 to cancer. Danny told us: “When Naomi was diagnosed I saw first-hand the amazing work that Velindre and its staff do, and wanted to do something to say thank you, so signed up for the Morocco Toubkal Trek, sadly Naomi didn’t see me achieve the summit but she was with me every step of the way and her photo was with me at the top.”
Ever since, Danny has supported Velindre by organising multitudes of fundraisers and signing up for multiple Velindre events. Danny added: “I’ve done quite a few charity fundraising events since because I don’t think you can ever do enough to say thank you”. Some of you may recognise Danny from the coverage of our Sierra Nevada Trek, which he took on just last month.
On the trek, Danny spoke to Chair of the Trust, Sara Moseley, about why Velindre means so much to him. Watch below:
We’d like to say a massive thank you to Danny for everything he does for Velindre – and a huge well done for completing his latest challenge! Without people like Danny, the support and care we offer to patients and families would not be possible. We are truly grateful for everything he does to support us – and we know Naomi would be unbelievably proud of everything he has achieved!
Bubbles and Blow-dry for Velindre!
Abbie organised a bubbles and blow-dry event at her hair salon, All Dolled Up, in aid of Velindre. Local businesses were kind enough to donate raffles prizes – including free breakfasts from a local cafe, free Sunday lunches from a local pub, and plenty of vouchers for local services.
Loyal clients came down for a blow-dry with a glass of prosecco – and all proceeds along with money from raffles tickets were donated to Velindre! The event was a huge success, and everyone had a fantastic time! Abbie is now looking forward to her upcoming event in August – a Ladies Captain’s Charity Day at Pontypridd Golf Club.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to Abbie, the staff at All Dolled Up, and the local businesses of Nelson and beyond for all of their support! We’re truly grateful – and we can’t wait to see your next round of fundraising! Da iawn everyone!
Annual Sprint Day Honours Mum Mandy Harvey
James and Russel organised the annual Sprint Day at Curborough in memory of Mandy Harvey this month – with all profits raised being donated to Velindre.
Since James’ mum Mandy passed away in December 2023, the annual events have raised over £6,000 – and Mandy’s name has raised over £14,000 altogether. The 2026 event was a huge success, with the day being suitable for drivers of all skills levels (but with a few time trial trophies for those with a competitive streak!).
We’d like to say a massive thank you to James, Russel, and everyone involved for their incredible fundraising efforts both in this event and over the years. What a truly beautiful way to honour Mandy – we are sure she would be immensely proud of the amazing legacy you have created for her.
A Successful Day on the Hub for Young Ambassador Flo
Our lovely Young Ambassador Flo visited the Charity Hub at the centre last week, to sell some crochet items to passing patients, families, and staff.
Flo is such a valued member of #TeamVelindre who has done so much to support the charity over the years – including giving out Easter Eggs in the build up to Easter, attending charity filming days to help promote events, and even taking part in our latest Show Cancer the V event!
We can’t thank Flo enough for all she continues to do to support Velindre – she makes us proud with each new idea, activity, and event she takes part in! Well done, Flo!
10 Hour Ultra Challenge for Arth
Arth took on their own Ultra this month, welcoming members and friends to walk, run, jog, or cycle a 6.25km loop. The route took them up to the Clifftops and back every hour – and the event lasted an incredible 6 hours!
Everyone who participated had a fantastic time, and lots of people did multiple loops – which is a fantastic achievement! Whether you did 1 loop or 5 loops, all the team cared about was “having a good day, raising awareness of Prostate Cancer and raising money for Velindre”.
We’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at Arth and everyone who took part! It was an incredible day, and everyone was so welcoming and generous! Your fundraising efforts mean the world to us, and your impact will be felt by patients, families, and staff across the services! Diolch yn fawr!
What an incredible month for our fundraisers – the creativity, determination, and inspiration was off the charts!
We’d like to say a final thank you to all of our fundraisers for doing an incredible job of raising funds and making an impact in the lives of cancer patients, families, and staff at the Hospital of Hope. Your kindness and commitment leave us in awe month after month. Thank you for being the heart of #TeamVelindre. On to next month!
Feeling inspired by our outstanding July fundraisers?
Why not give it a try…
