BUSINESSMAN Roger Gambarini raised £15,000 through the 28th staging of his annual golf day.

The event, first staged in 1991, has raised more than £300,000 for St David’s Hospice Care over the years.

The South Wales businessman has now added the money raised from this year's event to the £302,254 previously gathered for the Newport-based hospice charity, bringing the grand total to £317,254.

The golf day, famed over the years for taking place come rain or shine, was held at the Roman Road course at Celtic Manor Resort on October 4.

Roger Gambarini, who was the Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten Club captain for 2015 and is a consultant with South Wales-based Office Visions Ltd, said: “It’s been a fantastic honour and privilege for me to be able to stage our annual charity golf day this year at the Roman Road course at the Celtic Manor. It’s a beautiful setting and allowed us to have great support and to raise a considerable amount of money for St David’s Hospice Care.

"Particular thanks to the two Julies, Gambo and Hux, our resident version of  Cagney and Lacey, who every year help to make it all happen on the day and also ensure that nobody enters the event until they have entered the raffle, a raffle which raised more than £1,300 this year. They were supported on the day by Will Hewitt and his team at Celtic Manor, who ensured every detail was attended to."

Roger said he remembered his first Hospice Golf Day in 1991 when £3,500 was raised to aid his brother's efforts supporting St David’s Hospice Care.

He said: "When my father was taken ill in 1992, he was cared for by the nurses from St David’s Hospice Care. They were fantastic. It was their untiring efforts in supporting both him and the family during that time of sadness which makes me so keen to try and support the nurses, who today are offering similar support to the many families in South Wales who are in need of help.

“The day has grown in stature to such an extent that we actually turned teams away this year."

Among businesses which have taken part and have remained with Roger every stroke of the way over the years are Davlan, or perhaps they should be called The Cook Boys as the Cook brothers arrive in force every year to make up the Davlan team, Harding Evans Solicitors, RE Phillips and Partners, SRK, Hazell’s Haulage and Whitehead Building Services to name but a few of the regulars.

Emma Saysell, chief executive of St David’s Hospice Care, said: “Roger and the team at Office Visions have provided wonderful support to St David’s Hospice Care over very many years. To keep his golf days going into the 28th year is a truly amazing and commendable achievement and one for which we are all extremely grateful.”

Golf day results and winners: 1. Blake Morgan Solicitors, Cardiff; 2. Freight Movement; 3 Davlan. 4. 13th place and winning the infamous Hospice Gnomes - RE Phillips and Partners.