Wales, 11th November 2016
As you should all be aware by now, the 4 children from Belgrade orphanages have been busy filling their days in Cardiff visiting a host of cultural venues and having fun in recreational centres.
So far, they have visited Caerphilly Castle, Rhondda Heritage Park and St Fagans; gone bowling, climbing and football practicing thanks to Game On Wales. The girls loved the football and one of the boys asked if he could swap homes!
But most importantly, today, they were able to see the Wales team train and meet up with our heroes. They were all buzzing, even the carers, to meet Bale who Elvis insisted, ‘is the key man for Serbia to look out for.’
They are currently meeting their own heroes in their training session before tomorrow’s trip to Barry Island before the big game in the evening.
Vienna, 7th October 2016
Following last night’s encouraging draw in Vienna, Gôl visited the Rainman’s Home for people with autism today, with a donation of €500 to improve their arts and crafts facilities.
Gôl first visited the centre when Wales played in Vienna in 2005, where we donated to help build the Sensory Room. Anton, his colleagues and the clients welcomed us warmly again, with a special exhibition on Wales and football put on by the clients.
Lyon, 7th July 2016
Gôl have sponsored Paraffin, a 13 year old orphan from Lesotho, to come to Lyon for the Streetfootball World Festival – a tournament involving 500 underprivileged children from all over the world.
Paraffin flew for the first time last weekend and attended his first football match last night. Yes, the big one!
Many thanks to the generosity of Wales supporters who have enabled Gôl to provide this opportunity.
Calais, 30th June 2016
Gôl visited the warehouses of Care4Calais today, and donated football kits and children’s clothes on the way to the big game in Lille. Volunteer Karen Dexter showed us around the facility and talked us through the work they do with refugees in the camp. They hope to use the kits this weekend for the first time.
Feel free to get in touch with the organisation to help them out whichever way you can.
Lens, 17th June 2016
Despite yesterday’s disappointment, Gôl representatives were brought back to earth today with a visit to the Paediatric Ward at Lens Central Hospital. We were shown around the facilities by Pauline Caron, and were able to give gifts from Wales to the children suffering from various illnesses or injuries. Pictured are Lilly, aged 4, who is recovering from appendicitis; Nasim, 11; and Olivia, 12. Nasim quipped that Bale was ‘the best player at the Euros!’
A donation of €500 was made by Gôl to help develop the ‘Treatment through Playing’ (Soigner en Jouant) programme at the hospital.
Gôl would especially like to thank Fiona Anderson at the British Embassy, who facilitated this visit.
11th June 2016
Tom Morris aged 13 from Pontllainfraith with be the guest of Gôl at the Wales v Slovakia game in Bordeaux along with his mother Clare. Tom was diagnosed in October 2014 with Malignant Embroyonal Rhabdomyosarcoma, which is a form of Cancer that is formed from Soft Tissue. He had surgery to remove the tumor and started an 8-month course of Chemotherapy straight away. Due to the strength of Chemotherapy he received Tom suffers with a condition called Drop Foot which has affected the nerves and muscles in the Hands & Feet.
Tom finished his treatment in May 2015 and was told the news in June 2015 that Tom was in Remission, He currently still has Hospital Check-Up’s and Scans.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us to give Tom this opportunity.
Kiev, 27th March 2016
Many thanks to the Wales players who brought the Special Needs Buggies to Kiev for Gôl for our visit to the Cancer Unit on Monday. Our representatives also bought the nappies for the charity helping children who have suffered in the East.
