Wales football superstar Gareth Bale has made a remarkable £500,000 donation to help NHS staff in Wales.
The Real Madrid forward's gesture was revealed on Wednesday evening as he posted a video online thanking health workers in the country for what they are doing amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis.
Bale and his wife Emma have given the huge sum of money to the official NHS charity of Cardiff and Vale Health Board. The charity focuses on providing extra services for patients and staff that normal NHS funds don't provide.
"I just wanted to thank everybody in the NHS for all their hard work and sacrifice during the Covid-19 crisis," Bale said.
"The University of Wales Hospital holds a special place in my heart. It is where I was born and it has provided great support to my family, friends and the wider community.
"Me and my family would like to show our support. Keep up the good work, you are doing an amazing job. Thank you very much."
Bale grew up in Cardiff, attending Whitchurch High School in the city. His gesture comes after team-mate Aaron Ramsey made several charity donations to the NHS in Wales and wider community charities.
Len Richards, Chief Executive at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to Gareth, Emma and their family for this fantastic donation.
"It’s so heartening to hear they have chosen to give something back to their local hospital to say thank you for the services both them, their family and friends have received and to recognise all the hard work the staff and all at our hospitals are doing at this very difficult time.
"I would also like to say that gestures like this are testament to the fantastic work that our clinical and support colleagues carry out every day. Thank you so much.”
