GARETH Bale has donated €575,000 to a Welsh health charity.

The Real Madrid star and his wife Emma have donated the money to the charitable arm of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

According to the charity, it is the couple’s wish that the money is spent on ‘the response to COVID-19.’

The charity also said that the money would be used to buy ‘those extras for staff and patients that normal NHS funding doesn’t provide.’

A statement by the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said: “They wanted to give something back to their local NHS as Gareth himself was born in the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) maternity unit, and they say UHW have provided many services to themselves and their family and friends.

“Thank you Gareth, you really are our star.”

Len Richards, Chief Executive of the charity 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, and 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.”

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