Jonathan Morgan AM has paid tribute to the Millennium Stadium’s Community Events initiative during a fundraising walk organised by The Stroke Association at the home of Welsh sport.

The Conservative Assembly Member for Cardiff North joined over 150 participants at the iconic venue on Tuesday 11 May for Cardiff’s Step Out for Stroke campaign to raise money for the people in Wales living with the after effects of stroke.

The Millennium Stadium’s Community Events programme, which allows up to 15 events each year to be staged free of charge by community and charitable organisations across Wales, brought the latest fundraiser to Wales’ rugby ground on the national Stroke Awareness Day.

“All tribute to the Welsh Rugby Union and the Millennium Stadium for supporting this cause and allowing survivors of stroke to come here and support this campaign,” said Mr Morgan at the official kick-off to the sponsored walk around the hallowed turf for those in rehabilitation for strokes and their friends and families.

“It is a wonderful idea to encourage people to take those early steps on the long road to rehabilitation and to be here in such an iconic building in the centre of Cardiff,” he said.

“As one of the Cardiff Assembly Members representing Cardiff North, it is fantastic to be here in our national stadium.”

Also this month as part of the Community Events programme, Cardiff’s landmark building was illuminated in lime green to draw attention to Asthma UK Cymru’s Putting Asthma in the Limelight fundraising week, while inside the venue, Show Racism the Red Card held a star-studded awards ceremony for children in a VIP hospitality lounge.

Stadium Manager Gerry Toms said: “We can be flexible here due to the multi-functional nature of the Stadium which has attracted a wide range of events and will continue to do so in the future.

“If it is possible then our team can make it happen here within the Community Events programme. We encourage people from right across Wales to apply and welcome new groups of people with new ideas."

The Millennium Stadium invites applications from community and youth groups, amateur sporting clubs and organisations but excludes profit making events. The application process for 2011 will be launched later this year on the Millennium Stadium website.