During the season at a local golf club, the members, visitors and friends have contributed a wonderful £4,254.71 to their captains' chosen charity.

Club Captain at Monmouth Golf Club, Jonathan Davies said he was “overwhelmed by such a fantastic show of generosity”.

It was the third year in a row that stalwart golfers had taken on the gruelling 72 Hole Solstice Challenge. Four rounds of golf in one day, from dawn till dusk, walking only! (no buggies allowed).

Macmillan Care, St David's Hospice and Wales Air Ambulance have benefited by nearly £15,000 in this three-year total.

Special mention must go to all those who took part - Rachel & Nick Hollingsbee alone raised some £1,500.

2025/26 Club Captain, Russ Giblin, said of the fundraising: “As incoming captain of Monmouth Golf Club my chosen Charity will be “Mind Monmouthshire.

“They are a local charity and run independently of the national Mind organisation so 100 percent of what we raise this year will go to help local people that need assistance with their Mental Health.

“Alongside this, I hope to start my ‘Tee and Talk’ campaign which encourages people to come to the club and have a round of golf, exercise, fresh air and a smiley face who wants to be there for them.”

Russ went on to say that they’ve recently completed a course in mental health awareness through physical activity and look to gain more knowledge to help anyone who feels like they need it.

“As a 42 year old man I don’t say this lightly if it wasn’t for having people who I could talk to and organisations who helped me at the time I feel very lucky to be here today. All I want to do is help others.”

They have a big fundraising event of the year coming up, the ‘Monmouth Solstice Challenge’ which will take place in June. This is their fourth season of doing this.

“We start at 4am and play four rounds of golf, in no way an easy effort.

“This event has grown from four players in its initial year to eight in year two and 15 in 2024. “It’s a hard day! But every step is easier than what the people we are raising money for are going through.

The golf course has been rated third on Tripadvisor in the five best golf courses in Monmouthshire behind St Pierre and the Rolls.

Their chosen charities so far have been St David’s Hospice, Wales Air Ambulance and MacMillan Cancer support raising close to 15 thousand pounds combined.

One of the organisers, Dave Wilding, said: “When our Club Captain suggested that we support Wales Air Ambulance, he received our full support. It’s just incredible what they do, they fly to the scene provide medical care there and then, and ensure the patient is taken to the right hospital for their health emergency.

“You never know when you are going to need the air ambulance, especially us golfers on the course.”

A link to Wales Air Ambulance gives that gives a report of the day can be found at :