Swansea Valley Miners Appeal Fund tops the £1 million mark
ITS success has taken organisers by surprise, and the generosity of those who contributed has touched the families struck by tragedy.
And now, the fund set up to help the families of four men who died in a Swansea Valley mine has finally topped the £1 million mark - thanks to a final push by the Evening Post's parent company.
-
Tyrone O’Sullivan (left) and Wayne Thomas (right) pictured at the Evening Post office in Swansea receiving a cheque for £20000 from editor-in-chief Spencer Feeney
Daily Mail & General Trust has made a £20,000 donation to the Swansea Valley Miners Appeal Fund, launched just days after Philip Hill, 44, Charles Breslin, 62, David Powell, 50, and Garry Jenkins, 39, died when water burst into the Gleision drift mine in Cilybebyll on September 15, last year.
The latest contribution — which follows an earlier £5,000 donation from the Evening Post last year — is just one which has come from individuals, companies and other organisations from across the world.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
NUM general secretary for south Wales, Wayne Thomas, and one of the fund's patrons, said: "It is phenomenal that we have reached £1 million.
"When the fund was first set up we thought we would be lucky to get £10,000, but the response has been incredible, from large donations like this, to cheques for a few pounds from senior citizens.
"I think this tragedy really touched a lot of people, especially in this area, where it made people realise that many of their families used to be involved in coal mining.
"There has been a story to be told, but the Evening Post has been very sincere about its coverage.
"The families have been overwhelmed by the response to the fund, and still can't get over it.
"But they would give back every penny to have their loved ones back." Fellow patron Tyrone O'Sullivan added: "We can't do anything to bring back the loved ones that have been lost, but we can do something to help the children.
"There are 12 to look out for, and the money will be used to help them over the next 15 years or so, so they don't miss out if they want to get an education and go through college, or are getting married, or are in need of a bit of help getting their first property."
The fund is due to be wound up on March 1, and patrons are now taking legal advice on how to administer it over the coming years.
Spencer Feeney, editor of the Evening Post, said: "The day the fund was announced, we launched a campaign to encourage our readers to make donations and organise fund-raising events. Their response played a large part in the fund reaching this remarkable milestone.
"At a time when the Press, and British journalism, is under attack as never before, this is a timely reminder of the immense amount of good that can be achieved by a newspaper that is rooted in its community and close to its readers' cares and concerns."
nino.williams@swwmedia.co.uk
Comments
by Ginnyy
Wednesday, February 22 2012, 10:20PM
“@ huwwuh - this is a question that I, and others, have been asking for a while. As you say, no resentment at all to anyone concerned, what happened is absolutely horrific, but others have lost their lives tragically at work yet have never received any such help.”
by Tuts2
Wednesday, February 22 2012, 3:12PM
“By chance i saw this article on this is south wales, I cant start to say how sorry I am for the parents of these miners that were killed in wales. Partners, children, move on in life, parents live with it till the day they DIE.....”
by Tuts2
Monday, February 20 2012, 7:41PM
“The generosity of the people is overwhelming but I have heard that some of the immediate families, e.g. the parents, who are grieving the most are not recieving any of the money. What can be worse than the trauma of losing your own child? Money could never make up for losing a child but being left out at such a time of grief must be making matters worse and ongoing by causing upset within families. When the fund was first set up it was not specieifed who the money was going directly to, people donated to the FAMILIES of the miners. In my opinion, family should include parents, especially when there are non-blood relatives who have been rumoured to be recieving money.”
by saddned
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 8:59PM
“huwwuh
People took it upon themselves to set up the fund, anybody can do it and I bet the evening post would help with bringing it to the publics attention. Some people have given up their own time to help raise money and make collections, the people of the communities where these miners that lost their lives pulled together for the sakes of the loved ones they left behind.”
by huwwuh
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 4:21PM
“I hope my question with be answered in the spirit it is being asked and not deleted when I posted it some time ago. It's just that there are many deaths of workers throughout the area during the course of a year. Drivers, steel workers, serving police officers, those that serve in the armed forces and so forth. There was an explosion is Pembroke refinery last year and I've not heard of a single penny being collected for the families of those that lost their lives.
My question is why is it that miners are singled out for this collection which has reached £1m and is described in the Post as phenominal.
Straight forward inquiry with no malice or resentment intended to anyone concerned.”
by hadoken1977
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 4:03PM
“Nice PR evening post, over the period of 4-5 months you just happened to step in and get the credit for topping it up to a cool mill.”
by swanseajock
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 12:39PM
“Great news, and well done to all that contributed. It will obviously never make up for the loses, but will give some assistance to the families moving on............I for one am extremely upset that Mr Hain was not able to get into this photo. In fact I think it is disgraceful that there is no political comment in this report(that is sarcasm (I hope) for your info)”
by saddned
Wednesday, February 15 2012, 12:05PM
“How come Peter Hain hasn't got his mug in the photo, in the ongoing rescue mission you couldn't get his face of the TV or papers!!! he milked the situation as much as he could. Glad to see that the fund has risen so much money for these famalies, also that people from over the world donated.”