“When my fiancé Martin and I were planning our wedding day, like a lot of couples we already had everything we needed and so a traditional gift registry didn’t resonate with us. We decided we would rather our guests donate to charity instead and Tŷ Hafan was the obvious choice. It made us so happy to think that our celebration was about something greater—a chance to make a meaningful impact.
Having spent four decades working with children with additional needs in England, I understood first hand the incredible work that children’s hospices do. When I relocated to Wales to live with Martin, I found myself living close to another amazing children’s hospice, Tŷ Hafan.
I reached out to them, and honestly their warmth and responsiveness made the entire process so easy. They provided us with lots of information about the hospice, which we were able to share with our guests. They also gave us balloons, banners, collection boxes, and collection envelopes. These were all displayed on a table at the wedding venue alongside a post box for our wedding cards, making it simple for everyone to contribute. Even on the day, I kept encouraging people to donate!
My top tip is to give people a variety of ways to give. We made sure our guests knew our preference ahead of time, and donating was so simple. Almost everyone opted for donations rather than traditional gifts. We were both so proud when we raised much more than our original target.
It was so satisfying to fundraise for Tŷ Hafan. We could have ended up accumulating household items we didn’t need, like 3 spice racks! Instead through the generosity of our loved ones we were able to do something profoundly impactful. We had guests from all over the country and the world, and their donations not only supported directly but also spread awareness and expanded the profile of Tŷ Hafan.
To anyone planning a celebration—whether it’s a wedding, birthday, retirement, or any milestone—I wholeheartedly recommend considering donations to Tŷ Hafan. Every donation directly supports children and families facing unimaginable challenges and there is no gift greater than that.”
If you are planning a celebration and want our support and ideas to fundraise, contact our supporter care team on 02920 532255 or supportercare@tyhafan.org and we will help your celebration go with a bang!