A LOCAL housebuilder has donated a considerable amount of money to a Llanelli man who is running this year’s London Marathon in memory of his childhood friend.
Persimmon Homes has donated £1,000 to Stuart Davies for undertaking the gruelling 26.2 mile challenge on Sunday (Apr 24) to raise money for a disorder that affected his friend Rhodri Gravell. The pair both went to Ysgol Gyfun y Strade.
Rhodri suffered from Prader-Willi Syndrome (PWS) which affects the part of the brain that controls appetite, growth and sexual development. He died in 2014 aged just 26.
29-year-old Stuart applied for the event funding through Community Champions initiative. The scheme began last year, and allows charities and groups to apply for funding up to the value of £1,000 to match the money they have already raised themselves.
Nationally, Persimmon Homes have donated a total of £750,000 across the UK within the first 12 months of the programme initialising.
Stuart said: “Rhodri and I attended the same secondary school in Llanelli and my mother was his one-to-one teacher throughout his time in the school. Rhodri was an incredible individual who touched the hearts of everyone who had the pleasure of meeting and knowing him.
“People with PWS are of small stature, have some form of learning disability, are unable to have children and rarely live an independent life. There is currently no cure.
“To date, in excess of £5,500 has been raised and the funds will be used to support the PWS helpline, pay for ongoing training, publications, conferences, research and a family net project.
“Persimmon Homes’ donation helps us reach this target and we’re grateful for their contribution.”
Sharon Robinson, Sales Director for Persimmon Homes West Wales, said: “Stuart’s cause and determination to run the London Marathon was clear to see and we really wanted to support in any way we could.
“It is clear Rhodri was a popular man in Llanelli and we hope our contribution can help more people with PWS.
“As always, it was a difficult decision to select our Community Champions, but I would encourage any charity or organisation that missed out this time (even if they have won previously) to apply again.”
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