£400,000 raised for North Wales toddler’s treatment 2026

Key Points

• Almost £400,000 has been raised towards £1.5m needed for life-changing treatment for 16-month-old baby Rupert Smith of Penymynydd, Flintshire, in America.
• An additional amount of £4,000 was collected at a charity football match played by Wrexham Police FC and Andy’s Man Club at Airbus Broughton. The collection included money, raffle, and a £1,500 cheque from Wings Club Broughton.
• The child suffers from Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, a very rare genetic condition which affects only about one child out of every million.
• Dave and Siobhan Smith, the child’s parents, consider their target now “achievable”, hoping that Rupert’s Rainbow campaign will go beyond North East Wales in terms of raising more money.
• Wrexham Mayor Cllr Jeremy Kent, Dan Rowe of Andy’s Man Club, and Ray Littler of Wings Club Broughton joined and supported the cause.

Wales (Wales Times) September 15, 2026 — The family of 16‑month‑old Rupert Smith says their fundraising drive for life‑changing treatment in the United States has reached around £400,000, after a charity football match in Broughton added a further £4,000 to the total. The event, staged at Airbus, saw uk/police/wrexham-police/">Wrexham Police FC take on Andy’s Man Club, a men’s suicide prevention charity, with proceeds boosted by a raffle and a £1,500 donation from Wings Club Broughton, part of Airbus. Organisers described the £1.5m target as increasingly “achievable” as community backing accelerates, while stressing that financial pressures mean every contribution, large or small, is valued.

How much has been raised and what is the fundraising target?

Dave and Siobhan Smith, Rupert’s parents, told Wales247 they are now approximately £400,000 into their campaign to fund specialist treatment in America. The overall goal remains £1.5m, a figure the couple initially described as “astronomical” when they first enquired about costs. Siobhan Smith said progress since January has changed their outlook: “At the time, all we saw was £1.5million but you can see how far we’ve come since January and it actually feels that it could be achievable, especially with the community we’ve got behind us.” She added: “We’ve raised such a huge amount in such a short time but we’ve just got to keep going and we appreciate what people do because currently, financial times are tough for people.”

What took place at the charity football match in Broughton?

The latest funds were raised at the “Rupert’s Rainbow Cup”, a match between Wrexham Police FC and Andy’s Man Club at Airbus in Broughton. Alongside gate receipts, donations and a raffle, Wings Club Broughton presented a £1,500 cheque as part of its commitment to support selected charities. Ray Littler, director at Wings Club Broughton, said: “We decided that Rupert’s Rainbow would be one of our charities this year… We’ve donated £1,500 today – we’re proud and humbled to do so but it’s a very noble thing that people are trying to do.” The match ended 9‑2 to Wrexham Police FC, but organisers emphasised that the result mattered less than the cause.

Who is Rupert and what condition does he have?

Rupert, from Penymynydd in Flintshire, has been diagnosed with Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC), an extremely rare and life‑threatening genetic disorder estimated to affect around one in a million children. The condition can cause episodes of paralysis on one or both sides of the body, alongside other neurological symptoms, and often requires highly specialised care. Dave Smith, a sergeant with North Wales Police, said the family’s aim is not only to fund treatment but also to raise awareness: “We also want to raise awareness of this condition – we didn’t know what it was, his consultants didn’t have much experience of it and there’s only about 60 families in the UK who are diagnosed with it.”

What have Rupert’s parents said about community support?

Siobhan Smith said the family does not expect donations from those who cannot afford them, and highlighted the importance of sharing the campaign online. “We don’t expect people to donate if they can’t and it is great if they can share – but they are donating and we’re really thankful for that,” she said. Dave Smith described the response as “overwhelming”, noting that support has come from strangers as well as friends and family. “People buy into the journey so now we want Rupert’s Rainbow to go further afield as there’s only so much the community can be asked to give,” he added, signalling a push to broaden the appeal beyond North East Wales.

Which local figures and organisations backed the event?

Dan Rowe, regional manager for Andy’s Man Club, said helping Rupert’s Rainbow “makes us very proud”. “As a charity, we receive so much community support and Dave has been one of the leading people in this area championing what we do,” Rowe said. Wrexham Mayor, Cllr Jeremy Kent, attended and praised the town’s spirit: “This is what Wrexham does really well it’s that community bringing people together for a very worthy cause and wanting to support as much as they can.” Other supporters included Mark George from Foundations Gym in Bagillt, who handed over a £220 donation, while Cllr Kent noted that Andy’s Man Club is one of his mayoral charities of the year.

How can people donate or find more information?

The family directs donors to the official Rupert’s Rainbow website for details on the appeal and how to contribute. Further information about the campaign, including updates on fundraising milestones and events, is available at the campaign’s website.

Background to the development

The Rupert’s Rainbow campaign was launched after Rupert’s diagnosis with AHC, as his parents sought to access specialised treatment in the United States not readily available on the same basis in the UK. Initial cost estimates of around £1.5m led the family to begin local fundraising, which quickly gained traction through community events, school activities and social media outreach across North East Wales. The involvement of local organisations such as Wings Club Broughton, which allocates a percentage of turnover to chosen charities, and Andy’s Man Club, which has received strong backing from Dave Smith in his role promoting the charity, has helped sustain momentum. As the total approached £400,000, the Smiths said they now intend to widen the campaign’s reach to reduce reliance on a single geographic area and to increase awareness of AHC among medical professionals and the public.

Prediction: how could this affect families and local communities?

If the fundraising continues at its current pace, the development could encourage other families facing rare paediatric conditions to pursue similar community‑led campaigns, while prompting local businesses and sports clubs to formalise charity partnerships. For North East Wales, repeated high‑profile efforts may strengthen networks between police teams, gyms, aviation‑site social clubs and councils, creating a template for future causes. For families in comparable situations, the visibility of Rupert’s case may improve understanding of AHC and the practical barriers to accessing overseas treatment, potentially influencing how support is organised and signposted locally.