More than 20 people attended the inaugural meeting of the newly formed Ceredigion Friends of Prostate Cymru. The meeting, offering support to people with prostate issues, was held at Aberystwyth Rugby Club on Thursday 26th September. The friendship group is made up of supporters of the charity in the county including well known community figures such as Glan Davies, former medical professionals Mike and Nicola James and prostate cancer survivors Russell Hughes-Pickering and John Williams along with their wives Barbara and Carol.
Russell Hughes-Pickering, one of the founders of the group and a former Fundraiser of the Year nominee for Prostate Cymru, said: “The evening went pretty well for an inaugural support group with about 20 to 25 or so attending. There were plenty of suggested topics for future evenings so we’ll meet up again in October and set out a programme of bi-monthly meetings for the next half-year or so.”
In addition to supporting local people with prostate issues, the new group will help raise awareness and support fundraising in the region. To start, the team are getting involved with The Big Breakfast for Prostate Cymru. The Big Breakfast is a fun, social event that can be held on any day in November at home, at work or in the community. Building upon the support the community has shown for the group so far, members Glan Davies and Russell Hughes-Pickering are planning a Big Breakfast to be held at Aberystwyth RFC on 23rd November.
At a Prostate Cymru Friendship Group you have lots of fun, make new friends and meet other interesting, community spirited people. Groups share experiences, raise awareness and support fundraising events, representing the charity in their area. You don’t need any fundraising experience, just enthusiasm and the willingness to meet up regularly to organise and support the activities within your area. You can commit as much or as little time as you’d like and you decide how you fundraise and what events you’d like to put on.
In addition to the newly formed Ceredigion Friends of Prostate Cymru, the charity has friendship groups in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Cardiff & Vale. It is hoped that in the future similar groups will be set up in North Wales, Powys, Swansea, Bridgend, the Valleys and Newport in the near future.