February 14th is a special day, for a number of reasons. For many it is known as Valentine’s Day, a day to show your love for that special someone but, for 2wish, it’s a bittersweet day where we celebrate the birthday of George Burke, the son of our founder and CEO, Rhian Mannings MBE and the reason our charity exists.
This year was no different, as supporters and bereaved individuals alike gathered together to remember George and their own loved ones, whilst taking on an incredible challenge at Scale the Stadium, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff City Centre.
While birthdays can often be a tough reminder of those we have lost, the day was filled with love, support and encouragement, from our brilliant community. We’re so grateful for everyone who came together, not just to remember George, but to honour the memory of their loved ones, and support those who have needed the support of 2wish during their darkest times.
The day began with our first participants setting off around 11am to ‘Scale’ the stadium and concluded with Rhian, her friends and family at around 7pm. Each group of brave ‘climbers’ took to the heights of the principality stadium roof where they walked 50m above the iconic home of the Welsh rugby team, gazing at the pitch below, before zip-lining the length of the stadium from corner to corner. The last and debatably most challenging part of the adventure was the abseil, which saw participants lower themselves from 40m, back down to earth.
We’d like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who took part in this amazing challenge, as well as everyone who donated. Your generosity has been nothing short of amazing, and you have truly made a difference to the lives of those suddenly bereaved.
Thanks to your astounding efforts, we have raised a jaw-dropping £20,327.20! This is beyond anything we could have imagined and completely surpasses our original target of £14,000. This money raised will go directly towards funding memory boxes, bereavement rooms in hospitals, and ongoing support for families, as well as providing support and counselling for professionals who have also been affected by such devastating loss.
We’d also like to thank our generous sponsors Leigh Day for helping to make this challenging event possible. We’re so grateful that you are a part of the 2wish community, standing with us as we continue to support those who need it most.
We’re always looking for new and creative ways to continue raising funds. If you have any fun or wild ideas for future challenges, then we’d love to hear them. Send your ideas to [email protected] We love to bring hope, joy and support in any way we can.
2wish Head Office
Unit 3, Sovereign Court
Sterling Drive
Llantrisant
Rhondda-Cynon-Taff
CF72 8YX
