Colliers from the Unity mine in Cwmgwrach, Neath, are putting a rugby side together from all the rescue teams in last week’s desperate attempt to save the miners. They will face a Neath XV in the charity match at the club’s Gnoll Ground.
All monies raised will be used to help the families of Phillip Hill, 45, of Resolven, Neath; Garry Jenkins, 39, of Rhiwfawr near Cwmtwrch; David Powell, 50, of Godre’r Graig, and Charles Breslin, 62, of Cwmllynfell, who died after they were trapped in the flooded Gleision Colliery at Cilybebyll, near Pontardawe.
Scrum V’s Phil Steele will also conduct a post-match auction where unique items donated from the community are hoped to raise further funds for the appeal.
It is hoped the match will raise more than £10,000 for the miners’ fund.
The Welsh Rugby Union have donated a number of items to the auction and Group Chief Executive Roger Lewis hopes that people are generous and raise as much money as possible for the Miners Fund on Monday evening, “This has been a tragedy that has touched each and every one of us in Wales.” said Lewis.
“The way in which Neath and Aberavon have rallied together to put on this charity match is testament to the spirit that is in the local community. Hopefully the match and the auction will raise a significant amount of money for the Miners Fund.”
Nadine Davies of Neath RFC said, “The rescue team from Unity mine were the first on the scene and were there until the last body was recovered, so this is an especially emotional event for them and they want it to be as big as possible.”
Tickets will be priced at £5 each and will go on sale from Saturday 24th Sept from:
No13 Sports & Leisure, 13 Old Market Street, Neath, SA11 3NA (Opposite Iceland)
Cash Generator Neath, 4-5 Angel Place, Neath, SA11 1RS (Opposite Morrisons)
Cash Generator Swansea, 30 Oxford Street, Swansea, SA1 3AN
There will be pre-match hospitality priced at £250 for a table of ten and a post- match Auction/Raffle, hosted by Scrum V’s Phil Steele.
There will be many unique items available on the night including:-
Signed Shane Williams boots
A hospitality box for the Bristol v Neath – British and Irish Cup match in November.
A signed print of the full Wales World Cup squad 2011
Specially commissioned Nike rugby shirts for the match.
Framed Neath RFC Schweppes Cup final jersey and programme(1990)
Anyone interested in hospitality for the match please call the commercial team on 01792 479605.
