Swansea City's Lawrence Vigouroux supports Cwtsh Clos appeal
PICTURED: Lawrence Vigouroux's son Carmelo spent time in the neonatal intensive care unit and special care baby unit in London's Homerton Hospital after he was born seven weeks early.
Footballer Lawrence Vigouroux has been amazed by the backing given to him by Swansea City’s fans since joining the club last summer - and he’s confident the Swans and its supporters will show the same passion for a charity appeal that’s close to his heart.
Vigouroux has thrown his support behind Swansea Bay University Health Board’s Cwtsh Clos appeal, which is looking to raise £160,000 to completely upgrade five houses that are a stone’s throw away from Singleton Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where families can stay to be near their babies.
Singleton's NICU provides care for a large part of Wales, from Pembrokeshire to some areas north of Aberystwyth - hence the need to provide parents travelling long distances with accommodation to be near their little ones.
Vigouroux can empathise with parents whose babies have endured a difficult start to life, with his son Carmelo being born seven weeks early in Homerton Hospital in London.
Carmelo, now two, was cared for in Homerton's NICU for three days and then its special care baby unit for 11 days before heading home with his parents.
PICTURED: Lawrence Vigouroux joined Swansea City last summer.
As a result of his own experiences, he was delighted when his new club chose Swansea Bay Health Charity - the health board’s official charity - as their official charity partner for the 2024-25 season.
One of the highlights of the link-up between Swansea Bay and the city's local football heroes takes place this Saturday (February 22) as the Swans host Blackburn Rovers in the Championship - a game the club has kindly dedicated to the appeal, with lots of fundraising activities on the day.
Vigouroux has been only too happy to support the appeal by sharing his own story. He said: “It’s a brilliant appeal. It’s very important to a lot of families across large parts of Wales who have needed the unit.
“I can empathise with the families who have gone through it, or are going through it right now.
“I was one of the lucky ones as I only lived five minutes away from the hospital. My son was there for two weeks, but myself and my wife Shemika lived a few minutes away from the hospital so we could go back and forth.
PICTURED: Carmelo is now two and has made a full recovery.
“I really feel this is a very important appeal because not everyone is in that situation.
“The accommodation allows parents to be so close to their baby when they’re trying to get some rest at such a difficult time. The importance of that can’t be understated.
“To live an hour or two away from the hospital and to have to leave your baby to make that trip home and spend such a crucial moment of time away from them must be so, so hard.
“I’m delighted the club has linked up with the health board to back this campaign because as a father, I know how important it is.
“I’ve only been in Swansea a short while but I’m at a family-orientated club. Having that family feeling everywhere – in the club, the community, the city – really does help and I think this campaign will get excellent backing just like the fans give the team.”
The campaign is backed by musician and Swans matchday lounge host Mal Pope in memory of his grandson Gulliver, who was cared for in the NICU.
Mal’s kind support recently helped pave the way for Swansea City AFC to choose the Cwtsh Clos appeal as their official charity partner for the 2024-25 season.
If you would like to give an online donation to Cwtsh Clos, you can do that by clicking here.
To make a donation using your phone, please text 'Donate Swanseabayhealth homes' to 88802.
If you would like to fundraise for us yourself, or hold a fundraising event, please visit our Enthuse page for Cwtsh Clos here, where you will find more information.
You can also visit our Cwtsh Clos webpage by going here for more information about the NICU centre and the fundraising appeal.
Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.
We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.