Tŷ Hafan Newsletter Spring/Summer 2015

cwtchour news and stories from ty hafan

newsletter spring/summer

2015

thank you from ty hafan

inside open your eyes to women who hardly close theirs p.08

keeping oscar’s memory alive p.10

new kitchen theheart of the hospice p.12

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welcome

contentsthank you for being there ...............................................................................02

captain’s run ......................................................................................................04

famous faces ....................................................................................................05

elain and bridget open 28th shop in aberystwyth .................................06

finding a fab wedding dress for mum ......................................................07

wales onesie walk ...........................................................................................08

keeping oscar's memory alive ......................................................................10

new state-of-the-art kitchen ...........................................................................12

top chefs raise £125,000.................................................................................14

thank you christmas appeal ..........................................................................16

you can leave your mark ................................................................................18

our 2014 christmas raffle ................................................................................19

our lottery .............................................................................................................19

walking the walk with fundraiser phil dennis ...........................................20

fantastic fundraising effort .............................................................................22

help us be there for another 15 years.........................................................23

Accepting the fact that your child needs hospice care is almost impossible. Yet, from our very first visit to Ty Hafan, we knew it was the right decision for our family.

Caring for our son, Peter, is a 24 hour a day job and, no matter how much we tried to deny it, we simply couldn’t manage without support. Four year old Peter has an undiagnosed neurological condition and was referred to Ty Hafan in March 2012.

Last year, Ty Hafan celebrated its 15th year of providing vital support to families in a similar situation to ours from all over Wales. It is the family aspect that really makes Ty Hafan what it is. The care they provide Peter with is exemplary, meaning that Elizabeth and I can relax during our stay, but a visit to Ty Hafan is also an event for our daughter, Emily.

Emily loves to come and play at Ty Hafan. She met Pudsey Bear at the Children in Need pyjama party, performed in the Christmas Panto and blew out the candles on the 15th birthday cake. It means she can be the centre of attention and really enjoy her time with her brother.

Of course, Peter also loves to get his hands dirty at Ty Hafan. The play sessions allow him to use all of his senses and help him to develop in ways that we would struggle to help him with at home.

This only highlights to me the importance of Ty Hafan to the families of children with life-limiting conditions in Wales. It is the whole family that benefits from their care, whether on a visit to the hospice itself or out in the community.

Thank you to all of Ty Hafan’s supporters for the incredible effort you put in so that the charity can keep providing this care to families like ours and allow us to create these precious moments.

Richard HarmsworthTy Hafan parent

For 15 years, the people of Wales have offered their support to Ty Hafan and their generosity has meant so much to the families that benefit from our services.

Everything worthwhile starts with an idea or a dream and only with the drive and will of the supporters can that idea become a reality. For 11 years, the ambition of Suzanne Goodall and the support of many, including Princess Diana, Luciano Pavarotti and the South Wales Echo, led to the opening of the first children’s hospice in Wales when Ty Hafan finally opened in January 1999.

Last year, we celebrated the achievements and the progress that the hospice and outreach programme has made in its first 15 years. This year, we want to say a big thank you to you for what we have achieved thanks to your generosity as we move into the next 15 years and beyond.

Without our fundraisers, volunteers and ambassadors who give up so much to help Ty Hafan to provide vital support to the families who depend on us, it simply would not be possible.

Thank you, because without you, there would be no Ty Hafan

thank you for being there

cwtch our news and stories from ty hafan 029 2053 2199 www.tyhafan.org

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thank you for being there

spring/summer 2015

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The Captain’s Run is always a special event for the families who use Ty Hafan’s services. It is a chance to get up close and personal with many of their heroes. To the players' credit, they never showed an ounce of the nerves they must have been feeling before taking on the powerhouse of world rugby that is New Zealand.

A special thanks to Mark Douglas (Natwest Regional Director of Wales) and Natwest for their support and organisation of the event.

Mark said: “I always like to support our local charities. We’ve managed to do something with Ty Hafan and the WRU every year for the last few years. It is one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve been involved in and I am looking forward to doing more.”

Iwan, Milo and a number of families were lucky enough to meet Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips, Alex Cuthbert and other members of the Wales squad at the Captain’s Run as they prepared to take on the mighty All Blacks in the Millennium Stadium.

captain’s run

Regular readers of Cwtch will recognise Willow Matthews. This beautiful little girl is connected to a ventilator throughout the day and night due to a respiratory condition called Central Hypoventilation. Despite doctors' fears that she wouldn’t survive beyond her first few days, Willow has consistently surpassed all expectations and what she continues to achieve is incredible and inspirational.

Mum, Kelly, managed to capture Willow taking her first steps on video, a precious moment that she and her family can now enjoy over and over again.

Watch the video by visiting www.tyhafan.org/video-gallery

willow walking


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“I love Ty Hafan – it’s such a

magical place”

runEvery Monday and Friday morning during December, Ty Hafan staff are joined by our wonderful corporate partners, such as Admiral and EE, to take part in the Christmas panto. Anyone who has seen one of these festive epics will know that everyone involved gives an Oscar worthy performance. There are no extras, only stars.

Hannah Bending from Admiral wouldn’t have missed the opportunity to take part this year having loved the experience last year. She said: “I love Ty Hafan as it’s such a magical place. As well as how vibrantly the hospice is decorated, the staff are just amazing and so full of

joy. You can’t help but laugh and enjoy yourself with them!”

We were very pleased to see Wales rugby star Leigh Halfpenny in the audience for the last, and very best, performance of the year. Leigh, who has visited the hospice on a number of occasions and is one of our Ambassadors, provided festive precious moments to children and their families as he posed for photos with everyone in attendance, including more than a couple of Ty Hafan staff.

Ty Hafan Ambassadors, Rhodri and Lucy Owen, also stopped by to take in a panto and were brilliant sports, bringing along

their close personal friends, Mr Claus and his most trusted elf, who delivered gifts to all the children in the hospice.

David Marshall, Sean Morrison, Matthew Connolly, Federico Macheda, Tom Adeyemi and Peter Whittingham of Cardiff City FC made a visit to the hospice to sign some goodies and meet the families. They even had a good go at making mince pies.

The players also brought an amazing haul of presents kindly donated by Hasbro, so a massive thank you to you all.

Tyson Marsh brought some of his Cardiff Devils teammates to deliver yet more fantastic gifts for the hospice families, before spending time talking to their fans and posing for photos.

Both groups of players have become firm friends with Ty Hafan having visited previously and it was fantastic to invite them back over the Christmas period.

December was packed full of visits from famous faces bringing early Christmas presents to the children who visited the hospice.

famous faces bring christmas joy to the hospice

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elain and bridget open 28th shop in aberystwythAnother famous face in the pages of Cwtch is inspirational Ty Hafan mum, Bridget James, who you might remember ran 13 half marathons in 13 days to raise funds for Ty Hafan.

Bridget and her beautiful daughter Elain, from Aberystwyth, were the official ribbon cutters at the opening of the latest Ty Hafan shop in Aberystwyth.

Bridget said; “Elain loves Ty Hafan. They are a lifeline for us and help our family create special memories which we’ll cherish forever.”

Our shop count is now 28, with two Emporium and three Outlet stores, across the whole of south Wales. All Ty Hafan’s shops have a reputation for being pleasurable places to browse and find high-quality bargains and the latest addition is no exception.

Donations of good quality clothing, books, toys, CDs and DVDs are all very welcome and we are always looking for volunteers to help out at our shops. Find out more by visiting www.tyhafan.org/shop-volunteer.

As Cwtch goes to press, the 29th shop is due to open in March.

The black and white branding is in keeping with other shops in Aberystwyth


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spring 2015

“The moment she slipped it

on, there was a little gasp from

everyone”

"We had a mission, we had chosen to accept it and off we went to our

Emporium shop in Cowbridge"

finding a fab wedding dress for a fab mumRetail Operations Manager, Penny Collins, and her fantastic crew of shop staff have played their part in one mother's happy day.

Just before Christmas, I spent a lovely morning with Angela Newman, a bereaved mum, and Shirley Valentino, a Family Support Practitioner at Ty Hafan. Angela needed our help to find a wedding dress.

Angela and partner, Stephen, were referred to Ty Hafan shortly after the birth of their daughter, Katie, in 2011. Katie was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and was transferred from the neonatal intensive care unit in Bristol to Ty Hafan at six days old. Katie, sadly, died in Stephen’s arms just half an hour later, surrounded by her family.

Angela and Stephen have been great supporters of Ty Hafan and along with little Alice Hicks’ parents Ian and Hannah, helped to raise more than £4,000 by holding a tea party to mark our 15th anniversary.

We had our mission, we had chosen to accept it and off we went to our Emporium shop in Cowbridge. For months, Ty Hafan shops across Wales had been on the lookout for a special dress and, thanks to their help, we had eight stunning gowns for Angela to choose from.

Angela was treated to some five star service by shop staff Nina and Sophie. She disappeared into a blur

of silk, satin, crystals and tiaras. The rest of us Oo’d and Ahh’d while Angela twirled and posed. It was like watching a little girl try on princess dresses…such fun!

We debated, decided, changed our minds, Angela tried on the first one again (I think you’ll find that’s a ladies prerogative) and we changed our minds again.

Then Angela tried on the very last dress… the moment she slipped it on, there was a little gasp from everyone and we could see from Angela’s face that this was the one. It fit like a glove and she looked like a princess…mission accomplished!

spring/summer 2015

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The majority of us will think nothing of having a good night’s sleep. It is a necessary part of our routine and something we take for granted. But for women like Nichola Smith, a good night’s sleep is a rare thing.

Nichola’s little boy, Lewis, five, has Tuberous Sclerosis and, like so many of the children supported by Ty Hafan, requires 24 hour care.

“When I think of my daily routine, it really starts at midnight rather than the more normal 6am or 7am,” Nichola said. “Matthew and I take turns to sleep on a sofa bed in Lewis’ room. An average night would involve pain management, including medication and abdomen massages,

changing soiled bedding, washing him and feeding him. Of course, seizures, pain and the fuss can cause Lewis distress, so comforting him is very important too.”

When the morning finally arrives, then comes the day to day tasks of keeping a home, meal times and the school run with daughter Holly, along with caring for Lewis and organising appointments and ordering medication.


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help mums who rarely have a good night’s sleep

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Sleep is at a premium.

Which is why Nichola is such a supporter of the Wales Onesie Walk, previously known as Midnight Sleep Walk, and raising awareness of the challenges families like hers face.

“I’d like to thank all the ladies who take part in the Midnight Sleep Walks. They are genuinely great fun, spirited nights, but also highlight some of the difficulties that families face,” Nichola said. “Raising money

for Ty Hafan means that it can continue to offer their support to so many families in Wales, not just giving them the night off, but offering different therapies and the chance to enjoy the time we get to spend with our loved ones.”

Nichola will be taking part again in the Ty Hafan night time walk, which has had a makeover. This year you are required to wear your ONESIE and have your choice of the

10km route or a 5km route new for 2015, with the walk due to end at midnight. It will be a fantastic night of fun and, as well as the walk, there will be pamper sessions, a UV disco, karaoke, games and prizes before the event and the usual glow packs and giveaways.

For more information on Wales Onesie Walk, please visit www.walesonesiewalk.co.uk.

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wales onesie walk, 26 june 2015

please visit walesonesiewalk.co.uk


“This year’s fundraising has been

far more emotional as we are now raising funds in memory of our gorgeous

son Oscar”

keeping oscar’s memory alive

The ongoing support offered to families can be as important as the care the child receives. The strain on the family when their child or sibling dies is enormous, no matter how prepared they have been. Ty Hafan will continue to be there for parents like Jen and Andrew Evans for as long as we are needed.

Little Oscar Evans sadly lost his battle with a rare genetic condition called Menkes Disease on 1 June 2014, aged just two-and-a-half.

Dad, Andrew said: “Oscar was fine when he was born and doing really well, but one Wednesday afternoon when he was six months old, Jen picked him up and he was all floppy and white so she rang an ambulance. When we found out about his condition, we were hoping they had made a mistake.”

A day before Oscar’s second birthday in December 2013, his condition deteriorated rapidly and the couple were told to prepare for the worst,

so they brought him to Ty Hafan. Two weeks into their stay and with his condition gradually improving, they were able to take him home.

“He was fine for the next six months, and then, all of a sudden, he was gone,” said Andrew.

Their Ty Hafan Family Support Practitioner, Hannah Williams, helped the family organise Oscar’s funeral and his celebration of life which was held at Cardiff City Stadium.

“Hannah has been absolutely amazing. I really don’t know how we would have coped without her support,” Andrew said. “One of the proudest moments for me was walking him though the chapel at his funeral. Jen carried him into the world and I carried him out.”

And Ty Hafan’s support will be available to Jen and Andrew for however long they need it.

“They are always on the end of the phone. If we ever want to visit or even rant at someone,

Ty Hafan’s support will be there for a bereaved family for as long as it is needed and so many of these inspirational families continue to help Ty Hafan in their own amazing ways.


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keeping oscar’s memory alive

they are always there,” said Andrew.

To keep Oscar’s memory alive, Jen and Andrew, together with their family and friends, have been on a fundraising mission for Ty Hafan and have managed to raise more than £10,000 in just five months.

Andrew and his team, Oscar’s Army, cycled from Cardiff to Brecon before getting back on their bikes the very next day to tackle Ty Hafan’s Taff Trail Cycle Challenge in September.

Andrew said: “We took part in the challenge in 2013, raising just short of £5,000. In 2014, we decided to double the challenge and cycle from Cardiff to Brecon the night before, completing a total of 104 miles in two days.

“This year’s fundraising has been far more emotional as we are now raising funds in memory of our gorgeous son Oscar.

“We are part of the Ty Hafan family now. We will never forget what they have done for us and will continue to raise funds in

Oscar’s memory so they can help more families like ours.”

For 15 years, Tyŷ Hafan has been there for families of children with life-limiting conditions in Wales and will continue to offer the very best care and support wherever and whenever it is needed.

Find out more about Ty Hafan events by going to www.tyhafan.org/ ty-hafan-events/

“One of the proudest

moments for me was

walking Oscar though

the chapel at his

funeral. Jen carried him

into the world and

I carried him out”

spring/summer 2015

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Ever since Ty Hafan opened in 1999, the kitchen and dining area has been a hive of activity and is described by families and staff as the “hub” of the building.

Whether families are enjoying a home-made cooked meal or a member of staff is having a comforting cup of tea, it has always been a well-loved area. But, after 15 years of use, the kitchen started looking tired and in need of an upgrade.

Today, the kitchen has been completely transformed thanks to tireless fundraising by the public and significant donations from local businesses. The £140,000 refurbishment offers state-of-the-art catering facilities, opportunities for cookery therapy and a separate domestic kitchen specifically

designed to provide families with greater independence while resident at the hospice.

Jayne Saunders, Director of Care at Ty Hafan, said: “We aim to create a homely atmosphere for our families which is why the new kitchen is a wonderful addition to the hospice. The refurbishment provides a positive and uplifting environment and the feedback we’ve had from families has been fantastic.

“The kitchen and living room area is a space for families to relax, providing opportunities for parents to chat together and perhaps share experiences. Families can use the new domestic kitchen to cook their own food, eat a takeaway or even just sit back to watch TV with a cup of tea or coffee.

“We are delighted with the new kitchen and we can’t thank our supporters enough for making it happen.”

The impressive kitchen boasts brand new equipment, including top-of-the-range ovens and fridges, a new store room and a separate, smaller kitchen for parents and families to enjoy. B&M Stores, Dow Corning, Next PLC, Phillips Griffiths, RACS Limited, Ray of Light Trust, RWE Npower, Seren Contractors, Sigma 3 Kitchens, St James’s Place Foundation, Wallace & Gromit Foundation and Zurich Community Trust have all made significant donations to the kitchen refurbishment.

Four top chefs who took part in Chefs’ Night Out – a gala dinner which raised funds for Ty Hafan on 31 January –

enjoyed a visit to Ty Hafan and were incredibly impressed with the new kitchen before they enjoyed decorating cakes with children and families.

It costs £3.7m a year to provide our state-of-the art facilities at Sully and our support services to families out in the community. To make a donation please visit www.tyhafan.org

new state-of-the-art kitchen is the heart of the hospiceThey say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and this is true at Ty Hafan – the hospice for children in Wales.

Did you know that the new

cooker can cook a sausage from

frozen in six minutes?

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Top-of-the-range ovens and fridges, a new store room and a separate, smaller

kitchen for parents and families to enjoy

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top chefs raise £125,000 for ty hafan at chefs’ night out 2015

Another highly successful Chefs’ Night Out event saw a small army of star chefs from in and around Wales raise over £125,000 for Ty Hafan.

The initiative organised by David Loosemore and Huw Edwards has now raised over £425,000 for Ty Hafan since its first staging in 2010.


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father's praise for ty hafan Peter Russ and his wife, Sharon, from Templeton, Pembrokeshire, attended a Chefs’ Night Out pop-up event at The Grove in Narberth which saw three Michelin-starred chefs cook an exquisite six-course menu for guests at the award-winning west Wales restaurant and raised more than £5,000 for Ty Hafan.

Their 17-year-old son, Connor, suffers from a genetic disorder, epilepsy and cerebral palsy and needs needs around-the-clock care. Speaking at the event, Peter described the realities of caring for Connor and how Ty Hafan’s support has been “life-changing” for his family.

He said: “Ty Hafan has done so much for our family and it was a real honour to speak about the care and support they have given our family over the years.” www.chefsnightout.co.uk

“It was a fantastic event and we are truly humbled by the generosity of

the guests and the marvellous chefs”

The Parc Thistle Hotel in Cardiff, who recently announced Ty Hafan as their charity of the year and have pledged to raise £10,000 through our exciting Pay for a Day initiative, hosted the event for the second time.

The event included an auction of chefs services, which raised £95,000, with 2014 Masterchef Champion Ping Coombes receiving the highest bid of £15,000, to create a dinner party at the winner’s home.

The 14-strong culinary cast of chefs volunteering their time and skills included top chefs Hwyel Jones, James Sommerin, Stephen Terry and Will Holland.

David Loosemore, whose eight-year-old daughter, Bella, benefits from the charity’s services, said: “The night went incredibly smoothly, thanks to our dedicated team and the skill and camaraderie of our chefs.

"We have raised a vast amount of money for this wonderful cause and Huw and I can’t thank our team enough. Special mention must also go to our guest of honour, Katie Palmer, who regularly attends Ty Hafan. Her words touched the room and I’m sure contributed to bidders digging that little bit deeper.”

Huw Edwards, organiser of the event said: “The overwhelming generosity, given in both time and money, is what makes our event so special. We would like to offer a huge thank you to all the amazing chefs, the suppliers, the hotel and, of course, all of the guests who have all helped to raise an incredible amount for Ty Hafan.”

Teenager Katie Palmer and her mum, Lisa, from Tonyrefail, were two other very special guests. Katie, 17, was referred to Ty Hafan when she was 13 and describes the children’s hospice as “a wonderful, loving place and every member of staff is so truly welcoming and comforting.”

Katie suffers from a life-threatening heart condition called Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and has been in and out of hospital hundreds of times since she was a baby. She enjoyed a makeover before the event thanks to John Lewis and the Vanilla Rooms in Cardiff and Stardust Boutique in Swansea.

Ben Underwood, General Manager of The Parc Thistle Hotel said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have supported Chefs' Night Out and are so chuffed with the amount raised. It is particularly fitting for us as Ty Hafan is our official charity this year, we couldn’t be happier with this success.”

For information on future Chefs’ Night Out events, please visit www.chefsnightout.co.uk

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We want to say a massive thank you to everyone who donated to our Precious Moments Christmas Appeal. Thanks to your generosity we raised a fantastic £37,450!

Your donations will support life-limited children throughout Wales, like Liorah McCarthy, and help make more precious moments for their families.

You may remember reading the heart-felt messages about Liorah from her mum, Tegan and Grandad, John. Liorah was born with serious brain damage and suffered two major strokes in the first few days of her life. Liorah needs constant care and Tegan survives on just four to five hours

sleep a night, because Liorah has to have medication at regular intervals to keep her alive.

Tegan spoke of the wonderful love and support Ty Hafan has given to her and her family. Liorah loves staying at Ty Hafan and is especially fond of the hydrotherapy pool and the playground. Tegan and Liorah have had many precious moments together at Ty Hafan and have experienced things

together that the family never dreamed would be possible.

Thanks to your support we are able to continue to support families in Wales, like the McCarthys, to create precious moments and memories with their children that they will always remember.

Our Precious Moments Christmas Advent Calendar was a huge success across a number of different social

media platforms and we reached over 150,000 people on Facebook. The campaign was our first time making use of Pinterest too, so make sure that you follow or ‘like’ us on all the major social networks.

thank you - christmas appeal

Your donations support children with life-limiting

conditions throughout

Wales

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The hospice threw a Pudsey Party to celebrate being awarded a £107,238 grant from BBC Children in Need.

Pudsey himself surprised the pyjama wearing families and staff who were enjoying face-painting and cake decorating in the hospice.

The grant will go towards funding a full-time Palliative Care Play Therapist for the next three years.

pudsey party marks children in need grant for ty hafan

The hotly contested race for Christmas Number One was once again won by the newly crowned X-Factor winner. Ben Haenow’s single, ‘Something I Need’, beat Mark Ronson to the coveted top spot.

Together for Short Lives, the UK charity that supports children with life-limiting conditions was the beneficiary of the proceeds of the single, meaning that Ty Hafan benefits too.

Well done Ben and a massive thank you to the X-Factor.

x-factor winner's single in aid of together for short lives

TV presenter Phillip Schofield took part in an exciting TV marathon on Monday 1 December, as the official kick start of ITV’s annual fundraising charity extravaganza - Text Santa!

One of the six charities supported by the appeal was Together for Short Lives and, like with proceeds from the X-Factor’s winner's single, will help Ty Hafan to raise the funds required to keep offering the service so important to the families we support.

phillip’s 24-hour live tv marathon for text santa!

#givingtuesday thunderclap For #givingtuesday on 2nd December, we tried out

our first Thunderclap. With 104 supporters all sharing our post on Facebook and Twitter at the exact same

time, we encouraged over 53,000 people to dig it out, bag it up and drop it off for Ty Hafan.

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Archie and his family first came to Ty Hafan when he was just six months old, having been diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Tay-Sachs disease.

Despite struggling with the idea of bringing their son to Ty Hafan, when Archie’s parents saw how bright and colourful the space is and how content Archie felt, they began to relax. Whether he was having music therapy or sitting peacefully in our sensory room, Archie lit up the whole place with his smile.

Brad and his wife, Lauren, chose to spend Archie’s final days at Ty Hafan, making precious memories with their son in the most comfortable environment for them. Archie’s life was limited to just two and a half short years, but the mark he made at Ty Hafan will last forever.

Brad, Lauren and baby Sam tell their story in our new video at www.tyhafan.org/leaveyourmark.

Once you have remembered your loved ones, leaving a gift in your Will is a great way to help children all across Wales.

If you would like more information, contact us on 029 2053 2265 or email [email protected]. You can also visit www.tyhafan.org/leaveagift.

We all leave our mark on the world in different ways, no matter how long we live. A child with a short life deserves to leave their priceless mark on the world too.

you can leave your mark right here in Wales

“We never expected to be part of the Ty Hafan family, but we are really glad they are part of our lives after what we went

through”

One in five of the children we support is cared for thanks to gifts

in Wills


spring 2015

The raffle was drawn at Ty Hafan on 18 December with help from Cardiff City Captain David Marshall, along with Rhys Boggis and dad Anthony (pictured). When we asked Anthony about the Christmas Raffle he told us: “It’s amazing how many people have supported Ty Hafan by joining in with the Christmas Raffle. Ty Hafan helps our family in so many ways, I really don’t know what we would do without them. They rely on the support of the public to be able to help families like mine across Wales and raising such a huge amount through the raffle is just fantastic”.

Congratulations to all of our lucky winners, especially Mrs Kriescher from Bridgend who won our top prize of £3,000!

Keep your eyes peeled for our Summer raffle which will be hitting doormats across Wales in May and will this year include an extra prize for the person who sells the most tickets to friends and family.

We would like to extend our thanks to everyone who took part in the Christmas raffle and made it the most profitable Ty Hafan raffle to date bringing in a whopping £90,000!

our 2014 christmas raffle was a record breaker!

Our community of winners just keeps getting bigger and bigger!

With 80 guaranteed prizes every week Crackerjackpot has over 4,000 winners every single year. The prizes range from £5 up to £2,000 every week not forgetting the rollover prize that increases by £500 a week up to a maximum of £12,000.

We have given out prizes all over Wales, from Port Talbot to Pembroke, Barry to Bargoed.

If you’re a Crackerjackpot member, you will automatically get your cheque in the post. If you are a winner, there is no need to claim your prize.

We would like to thank all of our winners who have kindly donated their prize back to Ty Hafan – your generosity helped us raise an additional £4,000 last year.

If you are not yet a Crackerjackpot member and would like to become one of our many winners then you can join on our website www.lottery.tyhafan.org or by calling us on 029 2053 2300.

The rollover prize increases by

£500 a week up to a maximum of

£12,000

our lottery

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Phil Dennis is Head of Mathematics at Penglais Secondary School in Aberystwyth. After 20 years of teaching, 17 of them at Penglais, Phil plans to retire this summer and has been on a mission to raise £30,000 for Ty Hafan in his final year before retirement. He has already raised £23,209.65 through his Just Giving page.

Phil said: ”I wanted to use my final year as a teacher to support a children's charity. Every child deserves the best we can give."

Last year, Phil completed a sponsored 408 mile walk along the Wales Coast Path, starting at his school in Aberystwyth and finishing at Ty Hafan. Phil walked through scorching heat and gained quite a few blisters on his way. We presented him with a new Ty Hafan t-shirt to replace his very sun bleached old one at a tea party held in his honour when he arrived at the hospice.

Phil’s school has been hugely supportive too, with one of Phil’s colleagues creating a calendar to support his fundraising efforts and another selling handmade items before Christmas.

Phil is also inspiring the next generation of fundraisers by doing regular talks in school assemblies.

You can help support Phil by visiting his Just Giving page at https://www.justgiving.com/Philip-Dennis1

Ty Hafan could not continue without the support of individual fundraisers who dedicate so much of their time and energy to raising much valued funds for us.

walking the walk with fundraiser phil dennis

“Every child deserves the

best we can give”the hairy biker

And the award for Most Dramatic Transformation goes to Paul ‘Mitch’ Minchinton, the hairy biker from Barry. Mitch raised over £1,200 for Ty Hafan by shaving off his most distinguishing features – his hair and beard – that had been virtually untouched for the last 30 years.

Thanks Mitch!


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spring 2015

EE Merthyr Tydfil has nominated Ty Hafan as its Charity of the Year and has pledged to raise £30,000.

With almost 900 employees in the area, they have an affinity with Ty Hafan, recognising us as a local charity.

Staff members got into the festive spirit by taking part in our first panto of the year and members of EE charity group and team leaders recently visited visited Ty Hafan for a tour.

The lovely people at Barclays, Pockets Wharf Swansea did an amazing job hosting a gala dinner to help us celebrate our 15th anniversary.

The evening, held in the Swansea Marriott on 17 November, was a triumph, with over 200 guests raising more than £16,000 for Ty Hafan.

Kev Johns of Swansea Sound, who shared compère duties with singer/comedian Mike Doyle, described our Head of Care, Cath Thompson’s speech: ”Over my time, I have introduced some of the best known speakers from the world of sport and entertainment, but I have never been touched or affected more by someone who spoke from the heart. I know it touched everyone there.”

A not insignificant number of heroic souls braved the frozen seas off the shore of Porthcawl on Christmas morning to raise money for local charities, including Ty Hafan.

1,500 swimmers took part with more than 2,000 out in force (if not in the water) to cheer them on, while many of us were still wrapped up warm opening our stockings. Congratulations and a massive thank you to all who participated.

ee merthyr tydfil

barclays gala

50th annual porthcawl christmas swim

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spring/summer 2015

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Gary has been an incredibly active fundraiser for the charity and, with the help of HSBC, has managed to secure a grant worth £31,433.59 to help fund the upcoming refurbishment of our sensory room in the hospice, the largest grant to be given to an employee in Wales.

On winning his award for Extraordinary Act of Selflessness, Gary said: “I felt incredibly proud and honoured to have won. I was so happy that not only had I helped raise funds for Ty Hafan but it also raised the profile of the charity, which was my aim when I started.”

Gary’s journey with Ty Hafan started when his baby daughter, Evie Alys, was born with a gastrointestinal disease called Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Ty Hafan was there throughout Evie’s life and Gary is a committed member of the dads’ group, who have helped him now she is no longer with us.

“Mainly, the dads’ group is about having fun, but it is also a chance to meet others who understand the experience that I have been through and can also be a source of inspiration when you hear their stories,” Gary said.

Gary is also incredibly grateful to HSBC who have been so supportive throughout his fundraising campaigns. The grant has been a major achievement, but Gary has also made use of HSBC’s £ for £ scheme to help maximise the funds he raises for Ty Hafan. Whether they are holding a tea party, sending teams up Pen-y-Fan or putting on buses to take staff to the Rainbow Run, their help has been invaluable.

“Amanda Holden was a guest host, which did add a touch of glamour and made the evening seem more special,” Gary added. “After the ceremony, the winners were whisked away to meet her and have some photos taken. Yes, gentlemen, she did look amazing and yes, I did get a kiss!”

Ty Hafan dad, Gary Footman, has been recognised for his fantastic fundraising achievements by his employer, HSBC, at their Extraordinary People Awards.

fantastic fundraising effort

“Mainly, the dads’ group is about having

fun, but it is also a chance to

meet others who understand”

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cwtch our news and stories from ty hafan 029 2053 2199 www.tyhafan.orgcwtch our news and stories from ty hafan 029 2053 2199 www.tyhafan.org

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save the date... come and join the fun!

www.tyhafan.org

rainbow run18 april 2015 | 18 july 2015 26 septemberget showered in every colour of the rainbow at our 5k colour run.www.rainbowrunwales.co.uk

welsh3peaks20 june 2015

snowdon > cadair idris > pen y fan

take on wales’ three highest

peaks for ty hafan

www.welsh3peaks.co.uk

wales onesie walk26 june 2015millennium stadium, cardiffwalk 5k or 10k in your onesie to support ty hafan mums.www.walesonesiewalk.co.uk

family fun day04 july 2015

ty hafan, hayes road, sully

join us at our open day

for fun and games.

www.tyhafan.org/events

Documents

Tŷ Hafan Newsletter Spring/Summer 2015