A Knight with the Captains 2013
Friday 15 February 7.30pm
The Evening Dinner at the Grand Pavilion was a fund raising event for the Prostate Cymru Charity Trust. In its short life, the Charity has provided Wales with a world-class Centre of Excellence for laser treatment of prostate diseases – the Green Light Laser in the Princess of Wales Hospital at Bridgend. The Charity also provides information to the men of Wales through an awareness campaign launched with the support of the Welsh Rugby Union.The major current campaign is fundraising for a new Robotic Surgical System for Wales to treat early prostate cancer. The Charity is also raising funds to sustain the Green Light Laser equipment installed in Bridgend for which Prostate Cymru has just funded the latest technological equipment and guaranteed the service for a further three years. The target figure of £7,500 set for ‘A Knight with the Captains’ event will be used to booster the funds for the above two projects.
At the National Eisteddfod held at Llandow in August 2012, the Charity Prostate Cymru launched a petition with the help of Rhodri the Robot, to bring Laparoscopic Robotic Surgery to Wales. There are 41 Robotic Systems already in England, but none in Wales. The Prostate Cymru petition in now on the Welsh Government website and gathering online signatures by the day. Please add your name to the many already recorded on there to help this worthy cause.
A Knight with the Captains event was set up in order to raise funds for the Charity Prostate Cymru with a target set for the evening of £7,500. Each table at the Dinner was hosted by either a Welsh International Rugby Captain, a Welsh Rugby International, or a Welsh Celebrity Champion. The Master of Ceremonies was Paul Fielding who introduced the Guests of Honour Professor Sir Mansel and Lady Aylward as well as the other guest speakers and performers. Professor Sir Mansel Aylward CB, is Chairman of Public Health Wales, and Director of the Centre for Psychosocial and Disability Research at Cardiff University. The other guests included singer Miss Jessica McNeill from Neath, comedian and entertainer Mike Osman, Mark Colbourne, MBE, World and Paralympic Cycling Gold Medallist, Dai John, the Prostate Man, and Welsh Rugby International of Pontypool Front Row fame, Graham Price. Also on hand to lightning sketch those present at the dinner, was caricaturist and entertainer ‘Picasso’ Griffiths.
Paul started the evening’s proceedings by calling for a minutes silence in respect of Mervyn Davies, OBE., ‘Merv the Swerve’ as he was affectionately known, a Welsh legend and one of Wales’ greatest ever Rugby International Captains, who passed away on 15th. March 2012. He also apologised for the absence of the Organisers of the Event, Chairman of the Prostate Cymru Charity Trustees, Ray Murray who was ill and Andy Thomas, Consultant Urologist Surgeon at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend, who was in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, lecturing on Green Light Laser Surgery. Paul thanked Angharad Jones, Ray’s PA, for ‘stepping into the breach’ to help run and ensure the success of ‘The Knight with the Captains’ event. Not to be forgotten, he also thanked …….. for sweating it out in the Rhodri the Robot costume and welcoming the guests to the Dinner. Prior to the Dinner being served, Paul called upon the Rev. Paul Floe, Minister of Trinity Church, Porthcawl, to say Grace.
During the course of the evening, Paul also introduced the Welsh International Rugby Captains, the Welsh Rugby Internationals and the Welsh Celebrity Gold Medallist who had supported the event with their presence. These were Gareth Llewellyn, Ieuan Evans, John Devereux, John Lloyd, Bob Norster, Gareth Edwards, MBE., Eddie Butler, Scott Gibbs, Paul Thorburn, Bleddyn Bowen, Ellis Jenkins, Ray Giles, Richard Webster and Mark Colbourne, MBE., Paralympic Cycling Gold Medallist, London 2012.
The evening ended with a raffle of rugby memorabilia with the lucky numbers being drawn by Sir Mansel and Lady Aylward.
Images copyright & courtesy of Keith E. Morgan, Porthcawl.