A night with The Village Idiots and the efforts of some half marathon runners has raised over £7,000 for Bronglais Hospital’s Leri Day Unit.

Geraint Evans, former head of Ceredigion Music Service, wanted to raise money for the unit with a little help from his friends and fellow Village Idiots following his multiple myeloma diagnosis in July 2022.

Geraint’s Village Idiots bandmates reformed for one night for a fundraising concert and he and some of his family, friends and former Ceredigion Music Service colleagues took part in the Cardiff Half Marathon.

Geraint said: “The Village Idiots’ night at Brynrodyn last month was a huge success, raising nearly £3,000.

“The atmosphere was great with everyone up for a good time.

“Thank you to all who came.

“Cardiff was tough but great fun.

“Thanks to all the runners: Emily Evans, Holly Hughes, Gaz Kirby, Gareth Lanagan, Dan Edwards-Phillips, Elinor Powell and Kevin Ashford. Between the idiots night and Cardiff Half we’ve raised in excess of £7,000. Amazing!”

Geraint said the care he receives on Leri Day Unit “is second to none”.

“My treatment necessitated a stem cell transplant in February 2023, preceded by six months preparatory chemotherapy,” he explained.

“Although myeloma is not curable, I am currently living life to the full. I can only attribute this to the dedicated staff at Leri and expertise of the haematology team.

“The funds will assist the unit with the acquisition of much-needed items required in the delivery of such an essential service to all those living with cancer.”

Geraint announced his Ceredigion Music Service retirement in December 2022 but continues to play the trombone and percussion. His former band, The Village Idiots, reunited on 28 September for the charity night at Brynrodyn, Borth.

“I think last time we played before that was about 15 years ago,” said Geraint. “There’s myself, Gareth Hughes, Den York, Dave Byers and Aidan Hassan.

“We were a charity band, and over the 25 years we were together we raised around £35,000 for different causes.”

Lost the Plot also played on the night.

Following that, Geraint and his family, friends and former colleagues took part in the Cardiff Half Marathon on 6 October.

All of the money raised from both events will go to Leri Day Unit.

Google ‘Geraint’s runners for Leri’ to donate to the his page which is still open for any outstanding donations to be made.