Wales & West Housing Group staff raise £64,000 for four charities
Four charities in Wales received a share of £64,000 after employees at Wales & West Housing Group reached their highest ever fundraising total.
The MND Association, Cymru Arthritis UK, Cerebral Palsy Cymru and Parkinson’s UK Cymru benefited from £16,000 each to support the vital work they do in Welsh communities.
Every two years Wales & West Housing Group staff nominate new charities to benefit from staff fundraising and the amount raised during the latest cycle, covering 2024-25, is the highest ever.
The total was reached thanks to a mix of activities including a staff lottery and a series of 60 for 60 challenges to mark the company’s 60th birthday in 2025.
Some of the challenges included:
• Wales & West Housing’s development team members walking 26 miles along the Pembrokeshire coastline
• 20 finance staff setting out to climb South Wales’s highest peak Pen Y Fan 60 times in a day … and doubling their target.
• a group of development staff conquering Wales’s Three Peaks in 24 hours
• a team of runners from across the Wales & West Housing Group completing the Cardiff Half Marathon Business Challenge
• support and extra care staff walking and running 600,000 steps in 60 days
Anne Hinchey, Group Chief Executive of Wales & West Housing, said: “We’re always so proud of the amount our staff raise through their hard work and generosity and the last two years have been extra special.
“There was a real boost from the landmark 60th birthday and the series of challenges which teams and individuals set themselves.
“A huge thank you to everyone. Every penny which they raised will go towards supporting four brilliant charities and the work which they do for people in our communities.”
Anne Hinchey, Group Chief Executive of Wales & West Housing
Carwyn Williams, Head of Fundraising, Corporate Sponsorship and Marketing and Communications at Cerebral Palsy Cymru, said it was a challenging time for fundraising and that 80 per cent of the charity’s income comes from income they source themselves.
He said: “I am genuinely speechless. I had absolutely no idea we were going to receive this much. A massive thank you on behalf of everyone at Cerebral Palsy Cymru and the families who we support.
“The team here at Wales & West Housing Group have been amazing over the last two years and the amount raised is a credit to every member of staff.
“We provide specialist therapies to babies and children with cerebral palsy in the first two years of life, as this is a critical period to establish neurological connections.
“We also offer a family support service which gives emotional and practical support to parents, helping them feel empowered to support their child in the best way possible. This funding will help us to continue to provide these vital services, free of charge, to those who need us.”
Karlie Evans, Community Fundraising Manager for Arthritis UK, said: “We are grateful for the incredible fundraising everyone has done over the last two years. It’s a huge amount to receive which we are super, super thankful for.
“The money will go towards research and all the wonderful things we are able to do for people with arthritis in Wales.”
Keri McKie, Community Fundraiser at Parkinson’s UK Cymru, said: “We are so grateful to Wales & West Housing Group for raising money for Parkinson’s UK Cymru over the last two years. We are completely blown away by the £16,000 share of their total £64,000.
“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.
“From searching for a cure and campaigning for better health and care, to funding research into groundbreaking new treatments and running life-changing support services, none of it would be possible without supporters like Wales & West Housing Group.”
Rebecca Villard, Volunteer Fundraiser at MND Association, said: “This is a huge sum for us and everything we raise goes towards helping someone in the community, helping people live at home as long as they possibly can.”