Steve James has raised an incredible £27,374.97 for Prostate Cymru during his year as 41 Club National President.
With a clear mission, Steve dedicated his year to raising both funds and awareness for Prostate Cymru and Prostate Cancer UK.
His presidential year kicked off in Jersey during the 41 Club’s Annual General Meeting, where Steve led an inspiring charity walk around the island. This event raised over £1,000, marking the beginning of a successful year of fundraising.
Committed to making a difference, Steve organised several key events throughout his term.
On 1st July 2023, he hosted a spectacular charity ball at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, bringing together members, supporters, and friends for an evening of celebration and fundraising.
Then, on 20th January 2024, Steve held a highly anticipated Rugby Dinner at the Penarth Masonic Hall, featuring Welsh rugby legend Shane Williams as the guest speaker.
This memorable event brought together rugby fans and supporters alike for an evening filled with entertainment and charity, becoming a true highlight of the year.
Beyond these events, Steve’s awareness campaign extended across the country. Driving his branded 41 Club vehicle, Steve helped spread the message about the dangers of prostate cancer far and wide. He also regularly contributed to the 41 Club’s monthly magazine, sharing stories and updates on his fundraising journey.
In addition, Steve organised a series of awareness presentations at various 41 Clubs, beginning with his father in law’s home club in Carmarthenshire. Through these efforts, he ensured that members across the country were engaged and informed about the importance of prostate cancer awareness.
Reflecting on Steve’s incredible efforts, Tina Tew, Chief Executive of Prostate Cymru, said, “Steve’s dedication to raising awareness of prostate cancer has been truly inspiring. His work has not only raised significant funds but has also helped highlight the importance of early diagnosis and support for men across Wales. We are incredibly grateful for his support.”
Steve’s remarkable year of fundraising and advocacy concluded at the 41 Club’s AGM in April 2024 in Liverpool.
At this event, he presented a final cheque to John Daniels, Trustee of Prostate Cymru, and Chiara de Biase, Director of Influence at Prostate Cancer UK, rounding off an exceptional year of leadership and service.
Speaking about his year, Steve said, “It was an honour and a privilege to be elected as 41 Club National President and a pleasure to be able to support such a worthy cause. The support shown from every club that I visited and also from individual members in raising money for prostate cancer was tremendous, I exceeded all expectations raising just over £72,000. No matter wherever I visited around the country at least one (sometimes many more members) were either receiving treatment or had received treatment for prostate cancer and the message I took back from speaking to sufferers was very clear, encourage member’s to get checked because the sooner prostate cancer is detected the better chance you have of surviving. The chances of getting prostate cancer also “hit home” because at the start of my year one of my good friends and fellow club member who was responsible for organising both my charity ball and rugby dinner was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
We would like to thank Steve for all of his hard work during his term for raising awareness and vital funds to help in the fight against prostate cancer.
Prostate Cymru has no government funding, and fundraisers like Steve are crucial for us to fulfil our key aims of raising awareness, funding innovation, and improving equipment and treatment for men in Wales.