Organisers of this year’s Megaday have said they are on track to hit the £17,000 fundraising mark for Velindre Hospital – meaning £250,000 would have been raised over the last 19 years.
A huge crowd attended the music event on Sunday at Caerphilly RFC. The festival is held in memory of two local musicians, Andrew Nichols and Paul Grahame, who sadly both lost their lives to cancer.
Until his death in 2001, Paul had played at every Megaday with his band PG and the Tips and had also played a major role in organising the festival.
Steve Sullivan, the driving force behind Megaday, has announced he is standing down as its main organiser.
He said: “The last 19 years have been a wonderful experience. I’ve worked with some truly amazing people and witnessed some heart-warming moments of kindness, dedication and generosity from the good people in our community. I’d like to sincerely thank every single person who has played their part in making Megaday the success that it is. You’ve all done Andrew and Paul proud.
“When Mike Prew, PG and myself first worked on the idea of Megaday in 1995, in memory of Andrew, we could never have guessed that 19 years on, it would still be going, bigger, better and more successful than ever. I send a huge sincere thank you to every single person who has played their part, no matter how big or small, in making Megaday the success it is today.
“I’ve been moved to tears on many occasions over the years by your unconditional generosity and support. I leave Megaday safe in the knowledge that it is now in the hands of some really special individuals who’ll work with the true values and spirit of Megaday in their hearts.
“Hopefully, we will hit our target this year and will have raised a total over £250k for Velindre Cancer Center in the names of Mega and PG. This is an amazing achievement that everyone should all be extremely proud of and it’s a glowing reflection of these two amazing characters’ popularity.
“They would both be so touched and proud to see the whole community celebrate their lives through their love of music.”
The final amount will not be known until later this year, although early indications suggest the overall £250,000 mark will be hit.
Don’t miss our full Megaday report and picture special in our next print edition out on Thursday September 5.