Tŷ Hafan Newsletter Spring/Summer 2015

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newsletter spring/summer 2015

our news and stories from tyˆ hafan

thank you from t yˆ hafan inside

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

keeping oscar’s memory alive p.10

new kitchen the heart of the hospice p.12

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welcome Accepting the fact that your child needs hospice care is almost impossible. Yet, from our very first visit to Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan in March 2012.

Last year, Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan is also an event for our daughter, Emily.

Emily loves to come and play at Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Harmsworth Tyˆ Hafan parent

contents thank 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

www.tyhafan.org

thank for be there

For 15 years, the people of Wales have offered their support to Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan to provide vital support to the families who depend on us, it simply would not be possible.

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

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

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

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k you eing

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captain’s run 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.

The Captain’s Run is always a special event for the families who use Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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.”

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willow walking 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

www.tyhafan.org

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

Every Monday and Friday morning during December, Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan staff.

Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan having visited previously and it was fantastic to invite them back over the Christmas period.

“I love Tyˆ Hafan – it’s such a magical place”

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

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

Bridget said; “Elain loves Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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/shopvolunteer.

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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www.tyhafan.org

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finding a fab wedding dress for a fab mum Retail 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 Tyˆ Hafan.

Angela needed our help to find a wedding dress.

Angela and Stephen have been great supporters of Tyˆ 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.

Angela and partner, Stephen, were referred to Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan at six days old. Katie, sadly, died in Stephen’s arms just half an hour later, surrounded by her family.

We had our mission, we had chosen to accept it and off we went to our Emporium shop in Cowbridge. For months, Tyˆ 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

"We had a mission, we had chosen to accept it and off we went to our Emporium shop in Cowbridge"

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!

“The moment she slipped it on, there was a little gasp from everyone”

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help mums who rarely have a good night’s sleep

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.

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Nichola’s little boy, Lewis, five, has Tuberous Sclerosis and, like so many of the children supported by Tyˆ 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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wales onesie walk, 26 june 2015 please visit

walesonesiewalk.co.uk

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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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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keeping oscar’s Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan in their own amazing ways.

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

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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.

Tyˆ Hafan will continue to be there for parents like Jen and Andrew Evans for as long as we are needed.

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.”

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.

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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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,

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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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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, Tyˆŷ 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 Tyˆ 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”

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

Ever since Tyˆ 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.

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

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.

Jayne Saunders, Director of Care at Tyˆ 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.

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 stateof-the-art catering facilities, opportunities for cookery therapy and a separate domestic kitchen specifically

“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 Tyˆ Hafan on 31 January –

enjoyed a visit to Tyˆ 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

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 tyˆ hafan at chefs’ night out 2015

www.tyhafan.org

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

The initiative organised

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

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The Parc Thistle Hotel in Cardiff, who recently announced Tyˆ 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.

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.

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.

"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 Tyˆ Hafan. Her words touched the room and I’m sure contributed to bidders digging that little bit deeper.”

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

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 Tyˆ Hafan.”

Katie suffers from a lifethreatening 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.

Teenager Katie Palmer and her mum, Lisa, from Tonyrefail, were two other very special guests. Katie, 17, was referred to Tyˆ 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.”

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 Tyˆ 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

father's praise for tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan.

“It was a fantastic event and we are truly humbled by the generosity of the guests and the marvellous chefs”

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 Tyˆ Hafan’s support has been “life-changing” for his family.

He said: “Tyˆ 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

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thank you christmas appeal 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

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

Tegan spoke of the wonderful love and support Tyˆ Hafan has given to her and her family.

Liorah loves staying at Tyˆ Hafan and is especially fond of the hydrotherapy pool and the playground. Tegan and Liorah have had many precious moments together at Tyˆ 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.

Your donations support children with life-limiting conditions throughout Wales

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pudsey party marks children in need grant for tyˆ hafan 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.

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

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

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!

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 Tyˆ Hafan benefits too.

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

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 Tyˆ Hafan to raise the funds required to keep offering the service so important to the families we support.

#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 Tyˆ Hafan.

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you can leave your mark right here in Wales 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.

Archie and his family first came to Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan will last forever.

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

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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 legacy@tyhafan.org. You can also visit www.tyhafan.org/leaveagift.

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

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our 2014 christmas raffle was a record breaker!

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

The raffle was drawn at Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan by joining in with the Christmas Raffle.

Tyˆ 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.

our lottery 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 Tyˆ Hafan – your generosity helped us raise an additional £4,000 last year.

The rollover prize increases by £500 a week up to a maximum of £12,000

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.

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walking the walk with fundraiser phil dennis Tyˆ 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.

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 Tyˆ 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 Tyˆ Hafan. Phil walked through scorching heat and gained quite a few blisters on his way. We presented him with a new Tyˆ 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.

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 Tyˆ 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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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

“Every child deserves the best we can give”

spring/summer spring 2015

barclays gala 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 Tyˆ 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.”

50th annual porthcawl christmas swim 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 Tyˆ Hafan.

ee merthyr tydfil EE Merthyr Tydfil has nominated Tˆy 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 Tyˆ 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 Tˆy Hafan for a tour.

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.

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cwtch

our news and stories from t yˆ hafan 029 2053 2199

www.tyhafan.org

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

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 Tyˆ Hafan but it also raised the profile of the charity, which was my aim when I started.”

Gary’s journey with Tyˆ Hafan started when his baby daughter, Evie Alys, was born with a gastrointestinal disease called Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Tyˆ 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.

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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 Tyˆ 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!”

“Mainly, the dads’ group is about having fun, but it is also a chance to meet others who understand”

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

1. Your gift I would like to make to families single donation of: in Wales

£15

£25

£50 Other

or I would like to make a regular donation of: £5

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I would like to make my donation on:

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Office use only: CWTS15

2. Your payment

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I have enclosed cash / a cheque / CAF voucher (delete as appropriate) made payable to Tyˆ Hafan.

I would like to pay by credit / debit card Debit my Mastercard / Visa / Debit

23rd of every month

Instruction to your bank or building society to pay by Direct Debit Name and full postal address of your bank or building society Service User Number

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2

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To: The Manager

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Instruction to your bank or building society Please pay Tyˆ Hafan Direct Debits from the account detailed in this Instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. I understand that this Instruction may remain with Tyˆ Hafan and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society.

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3. Your details

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I confirm I have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities or Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. I understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. I understand that Tˆy Hafan will reclaim 25p on every £1 that I give. This declaration also relates to all donations I have made to Tˆy Hafan in the past four years and all donations I make hereafter until I notify you otherwise.

Please return this form to Tyˆ Hafan, Hayes Road, Sully, CF64 5XX You can also donate at www.tyhafan.org or by calling 029 2053 2255 The Direct Debit Guarantee: The Guarantee is offered by all banks and building societies that accept instruction to pay Direct Debits. If there are any changes to the amount, date or frequency of your Direct Debit Tyˆ Hafan will notify you (normally 10 working days) in advance of your account being debited or as otherwise agreed. If you request Tyˆ Hafan to collect a payment, confirmation of the amount and date will be given to you at the time of the request. If an error is made in the payment of your Direct Debit, by Tyˆ Hafan or your bank or building society, you are entitled to a full and immediate refund of the amount paid from your bank or building society. If you receive a refund you are not entitled to, you must pay it back when Tyˆ Hafan asks you to. You can cancel a Direct Debit at any time by simply contacting your bank or building society. Written confirmation may be required. Please also notify us.

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save the date...

come and join the fun!

rainbow run

18 april 2015 | 18 july 2015 26 september get showered in every colour of the rainbow at our 5k colour run.

www.rainbowrunwales.co.uk

welsh3peaks

20 june 2015 snowdon > cadair idris > pen y fan take on wales’ three highest peaks for tyˆ hafan

www.welsh3peaks.co.uk

wales onesie walk

26 june 2015 millennium stadium, cardiff walk 5k or 10k in your onesie to support tyˆ hafan mums.

www.walesonesiewalk.co.uk

family fun day

04 july 2015 tyˆ hafan, hayes road, sully join us at our open day for fun and games.

www.tyhafan.org/events

www.tyhafan.org