Cash boost for young players (From Penarth Times)

Cash boost for young players

FORMER Wales rugby Captain Hemi Taylor, a playing member of Penarth RFC senior team, presented the club's highly successful youth section with a cheque for 1,500 on behalf of the Bears Golf Society.

Originally the Bears, who started 18 years ago, raised money for the senior Penarth team.

But after three years, the committee of Peter Corrigan, George Moore and Clive Palfrey decided to throw their weight behind the youth section, arguably one of the most successful youth teams in the Vale, and probably in the entire Cardiff area.

Bears chairman George Moore, a prominent local businessman, explained: "Originally, we started organising dinners to raise funds for the club.

"But 15 years ago we started organising golf days which proved very popular with the local sports and business community.

"Former Observer sports editor and author Peter Corrigan is the top man, and the soul of the charitable effort, and Clive Palfrey - a regional manager with the large multinational conglomerate Cembritblunn - is the treasurer.

"What we do is very simple. We gather up to 16 teams at Glamorganshire Golf Club once a year for a round of golf, followed by a dinner and speeches.

"All teams pay an entry fee and we also raise money during the dinner.

"The amounts grow every year and the 1,500 we have raised this year is a new record," added Mr Moore.

"We have probably raised some 12,000-13,000 for the youth section during the last 15 years and intend to carry on."

Hemi Taylor said: "This is very important activity for our club as Penarth Youth has been one of the leading sides in Wales for a number of years.

"The Youth have produced a lot of very good players over the years and now more than half of the first team come from the youth ranks."