Rugby heroes join Howden in fundraising for local Swansea charity

Howden, the global insurance group and a Principal Partner of the British & Irish Lions, hosted a Lions watch event at the Swansea.com Stadium earlier this week, raising over £2,500 for local charity, Joseph’s Smile.

The event, on July 2, saw 100 guests gather to watch the Lions’ victory over the Queensland Reds, a triumph made all the sweeter for the local crowd by Ospreys star, Jac Morgan, taking centre stage and being named Man of the Match in Australia. Guests at the event were joined by multiple Wales and Lions rugby heroes including Shane Williams, Dafydd James, Glenn Webb, Craig Quinell, Rhodri Jones and Iestyn Hopkins.

The event raised over £2,500 for Joseph’s Smile through a raffle and a hotly contested auction for a British & Irish Lions shirt signed by Gareth Edwards, which one generous bidder took home for £400.

Joseph’s Smile provides grants to children to access lifesaving or life-changing medical treatment or equipment that’s currently not available to them on the NHS, as well as raising awareness, support and research for childhood cancer. Since its founding in 2022 in memory of Joseph Yeandle, the charity has provided £167,154 in funding for children to access lifesaving or lifechanging medical treatment or equipment.

Howden also took the opportunity to present Ospreys CEO, Lance Bradley, with their Lions Origin plaque in recognition of the Ospreys players who have represented the British & Irish Lions. The list included an awe-inspiring 21 rugby players, including Shane Williams, Leigh Halfpenny and Alun Wyn Jones.

Gary Stevens, Regional Managing Director at Howden, said: “We had a fantastic day welcoming our Swansea community to watch the victorious British & Irish Lions, which was topped off by raising an incredible amount for Joseph’s Smile. The charity is one close to all our hearts. Their work is truly life-changing for so many families, and we are incredibly proud to be supporting them in any way we can.

Catherine Robinson, Associate Director at Howden said: “It was an additional honour to present the Ospreys’ CEO Lance Bradley with their Lions Origin plaque, and especially to see the Ospreys’ own Jac Morgan doing such a fantastic job representing Wales out in Australia.”

Emma Rees from Joseph’s Smile said: “We are so grateful to Howden for their ongoing support. This event alone will have an incredible impact on the support we are able to provide, and we are blown away by the generosity.

“Our aim is to provide lifesaving support for families who need to access medical treatment and equipment that is not available via the NHS. By giving them access to additional funding it is our hope that rather than spending precious time fundraising, families will be able to spend more quality time together. With the funds raised today we are one step closer to helping a family in need.”