Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice has today been recognised as one of the UK’s Top 100 Changemakers 2025 by the Big Issue magazine. The national campaigning publication invited people to nominate a group or a person who they feel is making the world a better place.

Tŷ Hafan is one of ten organisations to receive this UK-wide recognition in the Health and Disability category, thanks to being nominated by Gavin and Stacey writer and star, actress Ruth Jones. The criteria for nominations for this category was: “When people are pushed to the margins by a lack of accessibility, who are the Changemakers fighting their corner?”

A spokesperson for the Big Issue said: “This year we invited public nominations for our top 100 list and I am delighted to pass on that Tŷ Hafan was nominated and chosen as one of this year’s winners.

“Every year since 2018, we’ve celebrated the Changemakers; those who have not focused on themselves, but on the rest of us.

“In 2024, for the first time, we did things differently. We invited our readers to create our list of 100 Changemakers, in association with Citroën. And they did such a good job, that we decided to hand them the editorial reins for a second year in a row.

“Selfless, frequently unheralded, though sometimes a little better known, The Big Issue 100 Changemakers have identified something that needs to be done, something which lifts others, frequently through personal experience, and rather than wait and moan they get on and make change.”

“ Tŷ Hafan is not too far from Barry,” Ruth Jones told the Big Issue. “It provides care for children who are not in a good place. And it’s got such a beautiful atmosphere; it’s a really joyous place. I’ve been there a few times. I’ve watched the staff pantomime and things that they do for kids, but they struggle because they rely on donations.”

Jenna Lewis, Director of Income Generation, Marketing and Communications for Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice, said: “When a child’s life will be short, Tŷ Hafan will walk alongside that family every step of the way through life, death and beyond.

“We are thrilled to receive this recognition from readers of the Big Issue and we are very grateful to Ruth Jones for nominating us and everyone who supports us.

“No parent ever imagines that their child’s life will be short. Sadly, this is the reality facing thousands of families in Wales. Every day they live knowing that it could be their child’s last and right now we know hundreds of families are facing that reality alone and isolated.

“We are determined to make sure that no family has to face this alone and we believe that together we can.”

And you can read more about this in the Mirror Online Big Issue publishes its list of top ‘changemakers’ who have made a difference – Mirror Online