Some of the biggest names in cricket and rugby joined Somerset cricketer Tom Kohler-Cadmore for a special charity golf day inspired by his family’s experience of cleft lip and palate.
Former England cricketer and Strictly Come Dancing star Graeme Swann, England rugby stars Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie and England and Somerset cricketer Jack Leach were among the sporting names who took to the course at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club on Wednesday 23 September for the inaugural Swing FORE Smiles Charity Golf Day.
While fundraising totals are being confirmed, it’s believed the event raised over £10,000, which will be split between Cleft Lip and Palate Action (CLAPA) and Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity.
Tom and his partner Melissa Avison discovered at their 20-week scan that their son Dougie would be born with a cleft lip and palate. Dougie was born in August 2025 and has since undergone two operations.
The family have been supported by CLAPA and their NHS cleft team throughout their journey. Tom began raising awareness shortly after Dougie’s birth, proudly displaying the CLAPA logo on his bat while playing for Welsh Fire in The Hundred and for Somerset.
Speaking about his motivation to support CLAPA, Tom said: “I’m in an extremely fortunate position where I have a platform that I can use to raise awareness.
It’s something I’m incredibly proud of. With all the support they’ve given me, it’s nice to be able to give back and help raise awareness.
The idea for the golf day developed after Tom connected with Andrew March, a PGA professional at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club. Andrew’s son Logan was born with a cleft lip and palate in 2013, and Andrew has previously fundraised for CLAPA and his local NHS cleft team.
Their shared experiences brought the two fathers together, and with support from Burnham & Berrow member James Ward, Swing FORE Smiles was born.
They were joined on the course by a host of names from the sporting world, including former England cricketer Graeme Swann, England rugby internationals Jamie George and Luke Cowan-Dickie, and cricketers Jack Leach, Lewis Gregory, James Rew and former England international Matt Maynard MBE.
For Tom and Melissa, the fundraiser comes after a transformative year for their family.
Reflecting on Dougie’s treatment, Melissa said: “It’s all been very much worth it. It was tricky, but we’ve made it through and he’s happy, so that’s the main thing.
I was so worried about how our parenting journey would look. Scared and nervous were real key words, and now I’m just so happy and proud.
Melissa encouraged other parents beginning their own cleft journey to reach out to CLAPA for support and ask questions, as well as to treasure their baby’s earliest days.
She said she has “fallen in love with that smile over and over again”.
Tom previously described the support the family received from CLAPA as making a “huge difference”, from their Welcome Pack of free specialist feeding bottles and online support groups to having trusted information available whenever the family needed it.
The money raised by Swing FORE Smiles will now help other families affected by cleft.
Half of the proceeds will support CLAPA’s work supporting with people born with a cleft and their families across the UK. The other half will go to Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, supporting its Smile for Life Appeal for a new specialist cleft centre at Bristol Dental Hospital.
Tom said: “All the support we’ve had has meant we’ve been able to ask questions and know that you’re not alone in the situation.
“It’s nice to be able to give something back.”
Claire Cunniffe, CLAPA’s CEO, also attended the event and said: “It was an absolute honour to attend this fantastic event, organised by Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Andrew March, who both know first-hand just how important the right care and support can be for families affected by cleft.
We’re incredibly grateful to Tom and Andrew, their families, and everyone at Burnham & Berrow Golf Club who made the day such a success. Not only has it raised vital funds to help us continue supporting people affected by cleft across the UK, it’s also been a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness of cleft lip and palate and bring people together around a cause that means so much to both families.”