Charity

Hospice appeal raises £430,860 to support families across Wales

Published

3 months ago

November 27, 2025

Target smashed as Tŷ Hafan’s Every Precious Life campaign closes

TŶ HAFAN has smashed its fundraising target after raising more than £430,000 in just sixty hours to support children with life-shortening conditions and their families across Wales.

The Every Precious Life appeal closed at 10:00pm on Tuesday night (Nov 25) having reached its target two hours earlier. By the time the match-funding window ended, donations had surged to a total of £430,860.

The appeal focused on families who have experienced baby loss and who rely on the specialist support provided by the children’s hospice. Among those sharing their stories were Gwenno George and her husband Luke Nicholas, whose son Emrys died shortly after birth.

Gwenno, from Cardiff, said: “We are blown away by everyone’s support, kindness and generosity during the appeal. Every pound donated has meant so much to us, and I know that it will have such a huge positive impact on the wonderful work of Tŷ Hafan.

“It has been a privilege to share Emrys’ story as part of the appeal, and I am so, so proud of our son. I would do anything to hold Emrys again and tell him of the huge impact that he has had, but I know that he’s smiling somewhere.”

Another parent, community mental health worker Kath Keeble from Merthyr Tydfil, shared the story of her son Tommy. She described the campaign as an honour.

“It’s been an honour and a privilege to be able to share Tommy with the world as part of the Every Precious Life appeal,” she said. “Reaching the goal means that so many more people can be helped when they face the trauma and heartbreak of losing their baby. It makes my heart so proud to know that because of this campaign more families can be supported in the unwavering way I have.”

West Wales support

Tŷ Hafan is one of only two children’s hospices in Wales and supports families from across South, Mid and West Wales – including Pembrokeshire families who rely on the charity for respite, palliative care, bereavement support and specialist help at home.

The average age of a child referred to Tŷ Hafan is two years old, and the hospice cares for around 300 children and 3,000 family members each year. Despite this, the charity is currently only able to reach one in ten families who need its support.

‘Staggering’ generosity

Dan Bamsey, Head of Fundraising, thanked supporters across Wales for helping the charity exceed its target.

“Once again, our amazing supporters have blown us away with their kindness and generosity,” he said. “Thanks to them, we have raised a staggering £430,860 which means we’ll be able to help more children with life-shortening conditions and their families, like Gwenno’s and Kath’s.

“We’ve had so many people support us to reach our target from our amazing appeal champions, through to community groups, companies, trusts and individuals from across South, Mid and West Wales. We thank each and every one of them from the bottom of our hearts.”

Although the match-funding portion of the appeal has now closed, donations to Tŷ Hafan can be made at any time to support its work.

Cover image:

Gwenno George, Luke Nicholas and their son Emrys. Kath Keeble with her son Tommy.

Charity

Long service awards for Tenby surf lifesavers

Published

2 days ago

February 17, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Three volunteers recognised for years of dedication to keeping beachgoers safe

THREE long-serving members of Tenby Surf Life Saving Club have been recognised for their commitment and dedication, receiving Long Service Awards at the charity’s recent presentation evening.

Jules Rilston, Angelo Fecci and Ian Badham were each honoured for their sustained contributions to surf lifesaving in Tenby over many years of voluntary service.

Club chairman Tai Jackson thanked the trio for their commitment to the club and the wider lifesaving movement on behalf of the committee and members.

Tenby Surf Life Saving Club is a volunteer-led, not-for-profit registered charity and one of 31 volunteer lifeguard clubs across Wales. During 2025, its lifesavers delivered 188 hours of volunteer patrols and assisted 113 people along the coastline.

The club also runs a youth education programme, known as Nippers and Junior Lifesaving, which provided more than 104 hours of training to 60 local children last year. Young participants are taught vital water safety skills, first aid knowledge and how to enjoy water sports safely and sustainably.

The club is currently recruiting new volunteers to support both frontline lifesaving activities and essential behind-the-scenes roles, including committee positions and fundraising support.

Charity

Concert at St Davids Cathedral to support hospice care in Pembrokeshire

Published

2 days ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MUSIC lovers in Pembrokeshire are being invited to enjoy a special lunchtime concert at St Davids Cathedral later this month, with proceeds supporting the Paul Sartori Foundation’s hospice-at-home services.

The event, hosted by Totally Vocal Pembrokeshire, will take place on Saturday (Feb 21) at 1:00pm and will bring together local singing groups in the cathedral’s historic setting. The concert will also feature internationally renowned a cappella leader Deke Sharon.

Sharon, often described as the “godfather” of contemporary a cappella, is best known for his work on the hit Pitch Perfect films. His return to Pembrokeshire follows a successful workshop visit in late 2025 at the invitation of Pembrokeshire Pop Voices.

The local choir has chosen the Paul Sartori Foundation as one of its charities of the year and has been raising funds through a range of musical initiatives. Before Christmas, the group released a charity single titled Love the Bones of You, with proceeds helping to support hospice care across the county.

Supporters can contribute by streaming or downloading the song, or simply asking a smart speaker to play it — a small action organisers say can make a meaningful difference.

Further fundraising events are planned for the spring, including an evening of music and entertainment on Saturday (Mar 28) at 7:30pm at The Regency Hall in Saundersfoot. Pembrokeshire Pop Voices will be joined by Paul Sartori supporters The Slipway Ukes and local band Footbridge for a night of music, food and fundraising.

A spokesperson for the Paul Sartori Foundation said the events highlight the power of music to bring communities together while supporting vital care services.

“These events are wonderful experiences for audiences and they also raise essential funds for our hospice-at-home services,” she said. “We are incredibly grateful to groups such as Pembrokeshire Pop Voices, Totally Vocal Pembrokeshire and The Slipway Ukes for supporting care in our community.”

Anyone interested in organising a musical fundraiser or choosing the charity as their Charity of the Year can contact community fundraiser Rosie-Faye at [email protected].

Tickets for the St Davids Cathedral concert are available online via TicketSource, while tickets for the Saundersfoot event can be purchased through The Slipway Ukes or via the Paul Sartori Foundation website.

Charity

Tenby golf captain raises more than £8,000 for hospice charity

Published

3 days ago

February 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Fundraising year inspired by personal experience of end-of-life care

TENBY GOLF CLUB has announced that £8,360.68 has been raised for the Paul Sartori Foundation after a year of fundraising led by club captain Heather Morgan.

Heather’s captaincy was particularly notable as she is only the second female captain in the club’s history since it was founded in 1888. Her choice of charity was inspired by personal experience, following the care and support provided to her mother by the hospice-at-home charity.

Her mother, who lived to the age of 97, was able to remain at home during her final days thanks to the support of Paul Sartori’s clinical team.

Heather said she could not have managed without the compassion and professionalism of the staff, who supported both her mother and the wider family during a difficult time. She therefore chose the charity not only to raise funds, but also to increase awareness of the services available to families across Pembrokeshire.

The fundraising year included a packed programme of well-supported events, including a charity golf day, Captain’s Day, and a popular night golf competition. Members and guests also supported quiz nights with themed food, a special performance by Tenby Male Voice Choir, as well as Easter and Christmas raffles.

Joanne Lutwyche, Events and Fundraising Officer for the Paul Sartori Foundation, said: “Becoming a charity of the year is a great privilege for us, and we always aim to support our community fundraisers as much as possible during the time we are chosen.

“Our fundraising and events team have been astonished by the generosity of the golfers throughout the year. We have been invited to support events at Tenby Golf Club, and they have been great fun to be part of.”

The charity has thanked Heather Morgan, Tenby Golf Club, and everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts, saying the money will help provide hospice-at-home care for people living with life-limiting illness across Pembrokeshire.

The funds raised will enable more families to receive care and comfort in their own homes at the most difficult times.

Photo caption: Heather Morgan with Brendan Monnelly, General Manager at Tenby Golf Club (Pic supplied).