Swansea-based kidney charity, Popham Kidney Support, recently hosted a heartfelt fundraising event, Wally’s Way on October 20th. The event took place at Morgans Hotel in Swansea, all dedicated to the memory of Paul ‘Wally’ Popham, the charity’s inspiration.
This one-off event not only commemorated the tenth anniversary of Paul Popham’s passing but also celebrated a decade of the charity’s dedicated service. Wally’s Way brought together supporters of the community and football lovers alike, with several sponsors playing a crucial role in making this night a success: Bevan and Buckland, McAlister & Co, Swansea.com, Swansea City FC, and Morgans Hotel.
In memory of Wally, the evening was hosted by the renowned Swansea figure, Kev Johns, and featured inspiring guest speakers, Swansea football legends Alan Curtis, Vic Gomersall and Shaun MacDonald. In addition to a Q&A opportunity with the speakers, the evening also involved an auction and raffle which aided in raising the vital funds, and the night was capped by live music provided by the talented Swansea-based band, The Soulskunks.
Popham Kidney Support was initially founded as The Paul Popham Fund, Renal Support Wales, in March 2013, just five months after the courageous battle and subsequent passing of Paul Popham, who was also the father of CEO, Joanne Popham. Over the past ten years, the charity has grown exponentially, offering unwavering support to over 3,000 individuals in 2022 alone, providing invaluable financial, informational, and emotional support to kidney patients and their families across Wales. Popham Kidney Support has raised over £850k in funds since 2013 and will surpass the million pound mark at the end of this financial year.
Joanne Popham, Popham Kidney Support CEO, summed up the event by expressing her gratitude:
“The night was a resounding success, and we are thrilled to announce that money raised on the night will be doubled during The Big Give Christmas Campaign, 28th November to 5th December 2023 which will greatly further our mission of supporting kidney patients and their families across Wales. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors and all attendees for making Wally’s Way an unforgettable evening, celebrating the life of my father and the things he loved, a “proper dinner”, football and community spirit.”