We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded funding, a total of £19,875 from the National Lottery Community Fund. The funding will be used to help the development and expansion of our ‘Kidney Café’ initiative throughout Wales, providing vital support to individuals facing kidney disease and their families. 

Our Kidney Cafés are support groups designed for people living with kidney disease to connect face-to-face, offering patients mutual emotional and practical support. Run by people who are living with kidney disease themselves, these cafés provide a welcoming space for patients, families, and caregivers to gather informally in various locations across Wales, exchanging practical advice drawn from personal experience. 

Currently, we have Kidney Café’s in four locations, including; Aberafan, Llynfi Valley, Swansea and Wrexham, with plans to open Kidney Cafés in each council ward in Wales. 

Since its launch in 1994, The National Lottery has raised £49 billion, funding over 690,000 individual grants across the UK - equivalent to approximately 240 grants for every postcode district. Each week, £30 million is raised for charitable causes just like ours, across the UK, by National Lottery players. This helps support thousands of projects that transform lives within local communities everyday! 

The funding will not only help our immediate project goals but also contribute to our long-term vision of creating lasting, positive change within the kidney community. 

Jo Popham, our CEO, said:  

“We are incredibly grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for this invaluable support. This funding empowers us to extend our reach, allowing us to provide even greater support to those affected by kidney disease across Wales. With this grant, we can bring our Kidney Cafés to more communities, helping to ensure that no one facing the challenges of kidney disease feels alone.  

“Our vision is to have Kidney Cafés accessible throughout Wales, where individuals, families, and caregivers can find a compassionate, understanding network and share in the strength that comes from connecting with others who truly understand their journey. This funding brings us one step closer to making that vision a reality.”