Just the Ticket for Welsh Communities

Over £250,000 has recently been distributed to Welsh communities because of a unique relationship the Millennium Stadium has with the Charitable Trust, where a levy from each ticket sold for public events is given to the Trust for distribution via its grant scheme.

Money derived from events held earlier this year has been granted to Bobath Children’s Therapy Centre Wales, where a group of children with cerebral palsy will embark on a ‘Life Skills’ project. The Trust’s funding will pay for sessions with physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists, who will teach the children to gain greater control over their own lives.

Other projects supported through the Trust’s recent round of grants include a multi-cultural festival in Cardiff, a series of summer events and workshops for young disadvantaged children in Powys, a theatre based project in Torfaen which advances the education of people with learning difficulties, and a specialist St. John’s Ambulance in rural mid Wales.

Tom Jones OBE, the Trust’s Chairman, paid tribute to the people who have benefited from funds provided by the Trust – and of course the Welsh public who have made this grant giving possible:

“I am delighted to announce that the Trust has now been able to distribute £1.75 million to over 400 projects across every local authority area in Wales.  We are able to benefit such a diverse range of projects and make a real difference to people’s lives by helping to deliver opportunities for community activity, the arts, sport and the environment.  Thanks to the public who have purchased tickets to events at the stadium, we have been able to make a real impact on the ‘well-being’ of the nation.”

Paul Sergeant, Millennium Stadium Chief Executive added:

“This announcement is testament to what this multi-functional events venue can do beyond expectations. We announced on the 1st February 2005 that £1 million had been donated by the Trust to communities throughout Wales since the stadium opened in 1999, and in only a year and a half, this now iconic venue has generated three quarters of that amount in 25% of the time.

This can only be an indication of the Stadium’s success and we will continue to generate more and more business, therefore furthering our support of the Charitable Trust.”