WWHG staff double their support for Welsh charities
Staff at Wales & West Housing Group have set themselves the challenge to double their fundraising efforts to support twice the number of Welsh charities.
Over the next two years (2024-2026) members of staff across the WWH Group, which includes Cambria Maintenance Services, have chosen to support four charities – Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association), Cerebral Palsy Cymru, Parkinson’s UK Cymru and Cymru Versus Arthritis.
Staff are already planning challenges such as a sponsored ‘Walk a Marathon’ walking along the Wales Coastal Path from Fishguard to Cardigan. Other regular fundraisers include a monthly staff lottery, regular raffles and direct donations from their pay.
Earlier this year WWHG staff presented their outgoing charities Blood Bikes Wales & Wales Air Ambulance with £22,111 each, the most they have raised in two years.
“I’m confident that our staff will rise to the challenge once again and come up with lots of ways to raise money to make a difference to these important charities.”
Wales & West Housing’s Group Chief Executive, Anne Hinchey
“The charities we have chosen support are vital to hundreds of thousands of people and their families who are living with the diseases and conditions they support. They touch the lives of so many people, including some of the residents who live in our homes. Each one was nominated by members of staff, who have had their own personal experience of the valuable work they do.
“I hope that in two years we will be able to present them with a substantial amount to help them continue their invaluable support and research work.”
Meet the charities
The MND Association is the leading charity in Wales, England and Northern Ireland focused on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND.
Motor neurone disease (MND) is a fatal, rapidly progressing neurological condition affecting more than 5,000 adults in the UK at any one time. The disease causes messages from nerves (motor neurones) in the brain and spinal cord that control movement to gradually stop reaching the muscles, leading them to weaken, stiffen and waste.
MND kills a third of people within a year and more than half within two years of diagnosis.
“We are thoroughly delighted to be a chosen charity of Wales & West Housing Group. The MND Association supports people affected by MND in Wales, England and Northern Ireland, and our work is only made possible thanks to the generosity and dedication of those who choose to support us. We know MND is a cause close to the hearts of staff at Wales & West Housing, so thank you to those who helped make this partnership a reality and we can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”
Richard Shackelford, Regional Fundraiser from the MND Association
www.mndassociation.org
Parkinson’s UK Cymru supports people who are living with Parkinson’s, a degenerative neurological condition, which affects around 153,000 people in the UK and 7,500 in Wales. The main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include involuntary shaking (otherwise known as tremors), movement that’s slower than usual and stiffness in the muscles.
“We are so grateful to Wales & West Housing for supporting Parkinson’s UK Cymru during 2024/25. Having the support of businesses across Wales is vital in allowing Parkinson’s UK Cymru to continue the work we do.
“With more than 40 potential symptoms, Parkinson’s can devastate lives. We’ve made huge breakthroughs in the last 50 years, but there is still no cure and current treatments are not good enough.
“Good luck to everyone and we hope that the planned fundraising challenges and events are a huge success! Should this fundraising inspire you to get involved with Parkinson’s UK Cymru, there are lots of ways for you to get involved and support us – from volunteering at an event, to campaigning for better services. Without the generosity of people like you, our work would not be possible.”
Keri McKie, Community Fundraiser, Wales.
parkinsons.org.uk
Cerebral Palsy Cymru is a national charity and centre of excellence that provides specialist therapy and support to children and families across Wales living with cerebral palsy. Last year, the charity provided 1,054 therapy sessions to 293 children and families across Wales. The charity also offers a Family Support Service that provides practical advice and emotional support to those families who need it. Cerebral Palsy Cymru needs to secure approximately £2M of income every year to provide its current level of service, and on average 80% of this total is generated via donations and fundraising activity.
“We are delighted to have been chosen as one of Wales & West Housing’s charity of the year. As a charity, we provide specialist therapy and support to hundreds of families across Wales living with cerebral palsy, and we are thrilled that the staff at Wales and West Housing are helping us to make a life changing difference by fundraising for us over the next two years.
“Cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in children worldwide, and it is estimated that every five days a baby is born in Wales who will have the condition. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of all children in Wales living with cerebral palsy, and the support from the team at Wales and West Housing will help enable us to be there for the children and families who need us.”
Marie Wood, Director of Fundraising & Communications: at Cerebral Palsy Cymru
www.cerebralpalsycymru.org
Cymru Versus Arthritis says there are currently 970,000 people living with arthritis or musculoskeletal conditions in Wales – that’s a third of the population living with the pain, fatigue and disability it can cause. Versus Arthritis is the UK’s largest arthritis charity, working to influence government and policy, campaign on what matters most to people living with arthritis, invest in groundbreaking research, all to help prevent arthritis from dominating or destroying people’s lives. In Wales, Versus Arthritis provides health information, runs a programme of self-management activities, local support groups and a Helpline to enable people with arthritis to stay active and independent.
“In Wales, we have so many people living with the pain and isolation of arthritis. Versus Arthritis is here, every step of the way, to provide the support people with arthritis need to live well with their condition.
“We’re honoured to be working with Wales & West Housing to assist our vital work at Cymru Versus Arthritis. Your valuable support helps our services to make a real difference to the lives of people with arthritis, and enables our groundbreaking research to strive towards a future free from arthritis.”
Mary Cowern, Head of Wales, Versus Arthritis
www.versusarthritis.org