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| Crowds greet celebrity trio after marathon walk
| 27
April - Ananova |
Catherine Zeta Jones and Charlotte Church have helped Ian Botham complete a marathon charity walk to the cheers and applause of hundreds of fans and well-wishers.
The celebrity trio walked through the entrance gates of Cardiff Castle to be greeted by the booming of a large crowd and a blues band.
Botham launched the marathon nine-day charity walk around Wales to help raise money to build a children's hospital in the principality.
Botham crossed the finish line and sprayed the crowd with champagne shouting: "It's because of you lot that I am here."
He was first to cross the finish line on the 229-mile trek, which kicked off in Machynllech nine days ago.
Zeta Jones and Charlotte Church joined him for the final two-mile stretch of the walk, from Cardiff Bay to the Castle in the City Centre. Up to 1,500 walkers attracted to the charity event by the celebrities joined them in their wake.
Zeta Jones smiled and waved to the crowd along the way. Church signed autographs with the movie star as all three were swamped by photographers.
The Noah's Ark Appeal has set itself the target of £5 million to carry out the hospital project. The charity walk was designed to raise a substantial slice of that.
| Zeta Jones steps out for charity
| 27
April - BBCNews |
Movie star Catherine Zeta Jones has stepped up to the challenge of a charity walk to raise money to build the first children's hospital in Wales.
The Swansea-born actress and teenage singer Charlotte Church joined former cricketer Ian Botham in Cardiff on Saturday for the final two miles of his 229-mile hike across Wales.
Around 1,500 well-wishers followed their journey to the finishing line in Cardiff Castle, where Botham ended his nine day walk, thought to have raised around £1m.
The cricket legend was originally aiming to raise £250,000 for the Noah's Ark Appeal, towards their target of £5m for the first phase of a proposed £21m children's hospital.
But Botham paid tribute to the "mind-blowing" generosity of the Welsh people, who had given him up to £100,000 on each day of his walk for the cause.
"My second grandchild was born here in Wales," he said.
"I actually did not know that there was not already a children's hospital in Wales.
"Wales is one of the most modern countries in Europe and it is without this basic facility," he added.
Zeta Jones - mother of 19-month-old Dylan Douglas - said she was delighted to fly in from her home in Los Angeles to help the cause.
Active support
"I'm very proud to be Welsh, but very concerned that we don't have a children's hospital," she said.
"Not that the children aren't getting the treatment, but it would be a wonderful place where they can go - comforting, comfy, with great treatment and great facilities for parents at a very stressful time."
But she admitted she had not done much exercise since her taxing role in the film version of the stage musical Chicago.
"Since I finished that, I probably haven't touched my toes because I was so bored of doing all that working-out stuff.
Charlotte Church revealed she had actively supported the children's hospital appeal since it began.
"I like to support a lot of children's charities because I feel that I can relate more to children, rather than helping adults' charities, who may feel a bit patronised by a 16-year-old helping them.
"I've been with this appeal for quite a long time - it's amazing to see how it's progressed and how generous people have been."
Both stars are already patrons of the appeal, but they had their work cut out keeping up with Botham, for whom this was the latest in a series of long-distance walks for charity.
Huge strides
The cricket legend has been greeted by crowds of well-wishers - many brandishing large cheques - ever since he set off from Machynlleth, mid Wales, on Friday 19 April.
Botham assured his new walking partners: "I promised I wouldn't go over five miles an hour!
"It's the icing on the cake - a lot of work's gone in there, a lot of work that people don't see behind the scenes.
"It's for those people to enjoy as well as us, and hopefully - most importantly - we'll make lots and lots of money."
Botham started the day at Barry, south Wales, before being joined by his celebrity friends in Cardiff Bay for the final stretch.
The trio were due to attend a gala dinner on Saturday evening.
Botham and his team said the strength of public support had been the driving force behind their mission, which in turn has delighted the hospital campaigners.
"It's made the Noah's Ark appeal hugely high profile," said Suzanne Mainwaring, director of the appeal.
"Thanks to Ian Botham it's going to raise a huge amount of money, and take us a giant step forward towards getting the hospital built."
With a £250,000 cheque coming from Cardiff County Council, the appeal is now thought to be £1m short of its target.
| Botham steps out for hospital appeal
| 19
April - BBCNews |
Former England cricket star Ian Botham has begun his latest fund-raising walk in mid Wales.
His 229-mile trek to Cardiff from the site of Owain Glyndwr's parliament at Machynlleth aims to raise £250,000 toward Wales's first children's hospital.
He was accompanied by fellow former England captain Mike Gatting, who has raised £10,000 towards the appeal, and cheered off by Welsh rugby legend Gareth Edwards and comedian Max Boyce.
When the veteran walker reaches Cardiff in nine days, he will also be joined by Swansea-born actress Catherine Zeta Jones and Cardiff singing star Charlotte Church.
Wales is the only European country not to have a hospital dedicated to treating sick children.
The Noah's Ark Appeal launched in May 2000 with the aim of raising £5m to build the first phase of a £21m paediatric care unit in the capital.
Speaking during the first few miles of the walk, he said: "I just find it staggering that there isn't a children's hospital in Wales.
He added: "It's one of the most modern European countries and yet it doesn't have this facility, so we'll put that right."
Gareth Edwards said: "I think everybody in Wales should support this wonderful project.
"The fact that Ian Botham who has raised so much money in this kind of capacity over the years is putting himself forward to raise this for the children of Wales - I think we can only support it."
Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust has already provided the site and infrastructure and the Welsh Assembly has pledged an extra £4.5m on completion of phase one.
Last month, a supermarket chain donated £500,000 to the appeal.
The planned 50-bed unit will provide facilities specifically for children and their families.
Doctors and parents have campaigned for many years to establish a specialist unit.
The ultimate aim is to build a complete hospital which will replace existing facilities at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, which staff and relatives of patients say are unsatisfactory.
In August 2001, the cricketing legend and seasoned charity walker agreed to head the walk on behalf of the appeal.
Zeta Jones and Charlotte Church have since become patrons of the campaign.
In September, Church donated the proceeds from a concert in Cardiff to the appeal.
The two will join him for the last two miles of the trek in Cardiff on Saturday, 27 April.
| Charlotte Church joins Botham's walk
| 13
April - BBCNews |
Teenager
singer Charlotte Church is planning to join Ian Botham on the
final stages of his charity walk for the Noah's Ark Appeal
this month.
The
16-year-old will walk alongside Welsh actress Catherine Zeta
Jones for the last two miles of the former cricketer's trek
from Machynlleth to Cardiff on Saturday 27 April.
The nine-day walk, which begins on Friday 19 April, aims to
raise vital funds for a new Children's Hospital for Wales.
Charity patron Church is also due to attend, and perform at, a
gala fundraising dinner at Sophia Gardens on the Saturday
night after the walk finishes.
Zeta Jones is also expected at the dinner, which is being
hosted by Cardiff Lord Mayor Russell Goodway.
The Noah's Ark Appeal launched in 2000 with the aim of raising
£5m to build the first phase of a £21m paediatric care unit
in the capital.
Ian Botham's 229-mile walk hopes to raise £250,000 towards
the hospital project.
"We are expecting thousands of walkers to join us on the
Lord Mayor's Walk from the Oval Basin in Cardiff Bay, where
family entertainment will follow the official end of the
walk," said Botham.
Swansea-born Zeta Jones, 32, is flying home especially to back
his fundraising efforts.
"I am thrilled to be able to play a small part in
celebrating the completion of his trek across Wales which has
been so well supported by so many people across the
country," said Zeta Jones.
Insufficient
facilities
Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust has already provided the site and
infrastructure and the Welsh Assembly has pledged an extra £4.5m
on completion of phase one.
Relatives of some young patients have claimed paediatric
facilities at the University of Wales Hospital in Cardiff are
insufficient.
They kick-started the campaign to create a dedicated, 50-bed
centre with two wards and a child-friendly warmth.
Wales is the only European country not to have such a hospital
dedicated to treating sick children.
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