Dydd Gwyl Dewi Hapus!
As it's St David's Day we thought we'd tell you about an amazing project in Wales that your money has helped - Cwmavon and District Boys and Girls Club!
It’s sad that prospects for many children and young people depend on the postcode in which they live. But the sports-mad children who attend this club, near Port Talbot in south Wales, are doing their best to buck that trend.
Operating in a highly deprived area, the club offers children the chance to get involved in sports like football, rugby and cricket. This helps them get healthier, improve their confidence and self-esteem, and better engage with employment and training.
The club has had it fair share of success stories. Several youngsters have been picked out by talent scouts for the local Premier League teams Cardiff and Swansea and started playing for their academies. Veteran Welsh boxer Darren Edwards started out at the club and so did rugby player Sean Holley who was Head Coach for Ospreys for nine seasons and now a ±«Óătv Wales rugby commentator. His two sons now attend the club.Â
Since several other youth clubs in the area lost their government funding, Cwmavon has been inundated with children travelling from further away to get to their sessions, currently around 175 attend.
The Club has been run by volunteers for years but, thanks to your donations, a ±«Óătv Children in Need grant of ÂŁ8,600 now means they can now pay for Sports Development Officer Nigel Gage.
Nigel says: "Some kids here have a rough start in life but the club gives them routine and something to fight for. The talent within these walls is unbelievable.”