Family fund raisers share charity aim

A Shropshire firm is certainly keeping it in the family when it comes to raising much-needed funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Tudor Griffiths Group, in Ellesmere, has once again signed up to support the World Coracle Championships which take place today on the River Severn in Shrewsbury.

And the four-strong team will be made up of Tudor himself, alongside his two sons Harry and Oliver, and TG Builders’ Merchants general manager Mark Evans.

Tudor said: “We are keen supporters of this event, and in the past two years we’ve already raised £5620 for the charity. This year we’re aiming for another £5000, and we’ve already had so many donations that we’re well on our way towards that target. We’re really hoping that our luck holds out today on Friday 13th, and that we don’t spend too much time out of the coracle and in the river itself!”

The TG Group team signed up for the 2019 event immediately after last year’s championships, and Tudor said he was particularly looking forward to taking part with his sons in the team.

“It’s always a really fun day, and at the same time, it gives everyone the chance to raise plenty of money for such a deserving cause. We’ve raised over £5,000 in the past two years, winning The Richard Bayliss Trophy in 2017 for being top fund raisers, and it’s already looking as though our supporters will be just as generous for the upcoming 2019 races.” To make a donation visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tg-group2

Kate Thomas from Macmillan said: “We’re extremely grateful to local companies like the Tudor Griffiths Group who always commit themselves whole-heartedly to the championships, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them to this year’s event.”

The World Coracle Championships has been running for over ten years and takes place at the Pengwern Boat Club on the River Severn in the Quarry area in Shrewsbury. It was the brain-child of Richard Bayliss who first persuaded a collection of Shrewsbury companies to paddle the unstable coracles across the river for charity in 2007.

Kate said: “Sadly, Richard himself died of cancer in 2015. The organisers vowed to carry on the championships in support of Macmillan and in memory of Richard, they present the Richard Bayliss Cup to the team who raise the most sponsorship for the event.”

Last year’s championships raised over £45,000 for Macmillan through race entrance fees, team fund raising efforts and other donations.

Pictured: Back row, from left, Mark Evans, Tudor and Harry Griffiths. Front, Oliver Griffiths