Staff in record £9k charity boost

A YEAR of fundraising has come to an end at Tai Tarian, with a record £9,000 being raised for the housing association’s chosen charity of the year, Ring20 Research and Support UK.

Staff voted to support the charity at the start of 2018 and then set about raising money throughout the year.

Fundraising events included cake sales, raffles and social events as well as staff taking part in marathons in order to raise money for the cause.

The amount represents the most ever raised by the Neath Port Talbot housing association for one of its chosen charities in the seven years the initiative has been running.

It brings the total raised by Tai Tarian staff to more than £25,000 since 2012.

Ring20 Research and Support UK was established in 2014 to support families, individuals and professionals who are affected by Ring Chromosome 20 Syndrome, an ultra-rare chromosome disorder.

The condition affects the normal development and function of the brain and has no known cure.

There are only 138 known cases of Ring20 in the world.

The charity was chosen by staff in support of colleagues Mark Edwards and Joanne Cumberlin, whose son, James, aged nine, has the condition.

They said: “We’re really grateful to our colleagues at Tai Tarian for helping to raise this fantastic amount for Ring20 Research and Support. The charity has been a great source of help and support to us since James was diagnosed with this condition.

“They’ve also connected us to other families who are affected so we can continue to learn more about the condition and how it might affect James in the future.”