A CELEBRITY-BACKED charity challenge around Wales did not raise enough money to pay back funding from Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board, sparking a Wales Audit Office review.

The Lap of Wales challenge, run by Cerddwn Ymlaen in 2015, saw celebrities visit major hospitals around Wales to raise awareness of organ donation.

It was also planned to raise money for Cronfa Elen, a charity designed to support patients and their families by Tremadog-born opera singer Rhys Meirion following the death of his sister in 2012.

A Wales Audit Office report into the event, which brought in £155,000 but spent over £154,000 leaving a little over £1,000 to charity, was requested by Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board after it thought it would get its £20,000 in funding back.

The WAO report questioned why the event, organised by Eryl Vaughan, raised so little but also called on the health board to tighten up it’s procedures for donating money.

The Welsh Government (£45,000) and Cardiff and Vale Health Board (£20,000), also helped fund the costs of the event.

The report says of Betsi Cadwaladr’s contribution: “In November 2014, an internal transfer of £10,000 from the Organ Donation Fund to Cronfa Elen and on 31 January 2015 a £10,000 contribution were transferred across to Cronfa Elen from the Health Board’s main charitable fund.

“There were no terms and conditions nor a memorandum of understanding agreed with Cerddwn Ymlaen before the money was transferred.

The report said that the health board “provided limited challenge to the Lap of Wales approval” and overlooked the “main risks” associated with the event.

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