A local opticians is lending its support to an event aimed at helping families affected by kidney disease throughout Wales.

Specsavers in Pembroke Dock is sponsoring the Kidney Wales Foundation's Walk for Life, which will take place on Sunday, March 25.

The event, which is the charity's biggest of the year, is built on a series of fun walks across Wales, organised by local people and attended by thousands of families and supporters, including celebrities and politicians.

These walks raise vital funds and awareness for those affected by kidney disease and also help fund and train staff at the Children's Kidney Centre. Money raised from the walks will also help the charity invest in life-saving equipment and patient care, as well as fund ground-breaking research into kidney disease and support organ donation.

Leigh Halfpenny, hero of Wales's opening Six Nations games, has pledged his support for this year's event as a Walk for Life ambassador, along with BBC One Show presenter Alex Jones, S4C presenter Sarra Elgan and ITV newsreader Andrea Byrne.

Details of local walks will be announced shortly and information will be available from Specsavers stores and on the Kidney Wales website at http://www.kidneywales.com">www.kidneywales.com.

Last year, around 100 walks and fundraising events were held throughout the country, collectively raising more than £123,000 to support projects aimed at helping kidney patients across Wales.

Gary Owen, director at Specsavers Pembroke Dock, said: "We're delighted to be principal sponsor of the Walk for Life again this year. As an opticians which prides itself on being a focal point of the community, supporting these walks is a great way for us to actively engage with the community while also raising funds and awareness for a great cause.

"It is a cause which is relevant to many of our customers as kidney disease is often caused by hypertension and diabetes, which is also responsible for many complications in the eye.

"We will be encouraging both our staff and customers to take part in a walk and we hope to see the local community out in force with their walking shoes on March 25."

With the help of principal sponsor, Specsavers, Kidney Wales hopes to raise as much money as possible to help bridge the funding gap between the clinical need and the resources the government can provide. Its objective is to promote strategies and services to prevent and treat kidney disease, and to help deliver better quality and quantity of life for patients, families and carers.

Kidney Wales has already helped provide dialysis machines for hospitals across Wales. The charity also finances and promotes positions for consultant nephrologists, transplant co-ordinators, nurse specialists, social workers and psychologists across the whole of Wales. Alongside the health service, it also recognises the growing demand for renal services.

The charity is also leading a campaign to change the organ donation system in Wales to an opt-out system and the Walk for Life will also be used to promote this message.

Roy J. Thomas, chairman of the Kidney Wales Foundation, said: 'Specsavers has been a fantastic supporter of Walk for Life for the past few years, and it's great that it has once again thrown its considerable weight behind the event. I'd like to thank Specsavers for its support again this year, which will go some way to helping raise awareness and funds for those affected by kidney disease."

For more information about the Walk for Life or to organise a walk visit http://www.kidneywales.com">www.kidneywales.com or contact 029 2034 3940.