Ospreys New Partnership With Ty Hafan Children's Hospice

OSPREYS ANNOUNCE NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH TY HAFAN CHILDREN'S HOSPICE

The Ospreys today (21/04/09) announced details of a unique partnership between the region and Ty Hafan, the family hospice for young lives, which it is anticipated could raise as much as £40,000 for the charity between now and the end of the season.

The initiative was launched at the Hospice in Sully, when the whole squad including star players such as Ryan Jones, Shane Williams, James Hook and Gavin Henson swooped in to visit the patients and their families. To mark their visit, every player also left their hand mark and signature on a special commemorative wall, alongside previous famous visitors such as the Prince of Wales, Katherine Jenkins and Joe Calzaghe.

The partnership will see the Ospreys' Magners League clash against Glasgow on the weekend of 8/9/10 May being billed as a Ty Hafan Benefit Match, with bosses at the region handing £2 from every full price adult ticket sold for the game (£1 per child/OAP ticket) via the Liberty Stadium Ticket Office to the charity.

In addition to this, the Ospreys have presented Ty Hafan with a substantial allocation of tickets for the game, which are a mixture of all values including hospitality, allowing them to sell them and keep all revenues raised. A collection of valuable signed memorabilia has also been handed over by the squad, which will be used as auction and raffle prizes, boosting Ty Hafan's coffers even further.

Paul Thorburn, Strategic Development Manager at the Ospreys, said:

"Ty Hafan, the family hospice for young lives is a fantastic facility that has benefited so many people, and we are honoured to be able to show our support in this way. We appreciate that during difficult economic times it can be hard for organisations such as Ty Hafan to generate the income that is needed, just as members of the public who would like to assist may find it difficult to find the spare cash to donate. By partnering with Ty Hafan in this way, we are both raising the profile of such a worthy cause, and also, by dedicating the Glasgow match as a Ty Hafan Benefit Match, we are allowing our supporters to give to a good cause simply by coming along to cheer on the Ospreys.

"Our supporters have always shown their support for the various charity initiatives that we have backed over the years, and I have no doubt that once again, they will turn out in numbers to support Ty Hafan and help to make a real difference to the hundreds of families in Wales who so desperately rely on their service."

Ty Hafan was established in 1999, entirely from public donations, as the only hospice in Wales to provide respite, palliative and end of life care to children who suffer from life limiting conditions such as Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis and Celebral Palsy. Some children are diagnosed at birth; others receive no diagnosis or at some point treatment is abandoned. Children and their families may receive Ty Hafan's support for many years or just for a few days at the end of life. Either way, Ty Hafan provides love, care and support for children, young people and their families absolutely free of charge.

Ty Hafan now costs over 2.5 million of pounds a year to run the hospice and receives no statutory funding at all from the Government, relying on funds raised through the generosity of donors and supporters.

Ray Hurcombe, Chief Executive, Ty Hafan, said:

"I am absolutely delighted that the Ospreys have chosen Ty Hafan for this benefit match. To date 24 per cent of children, young people and their families who use Ty Hafan's unique services come from Swansea, the surrounding area and further West. This new and exciting relationship with one of Wales' most successful regional teams is fantastic news for us all as it will certainly help to raise the awareness of our services to life-limited children, young people and their families who currently have limited knowledge about Ty Hafan.

"I know that many of our children and staff, many of whom are here today, are avid Ospreys fans and they are very excited to meet the team. Therefore, I would like to thank the squad for taking the time to come and visit us today. We look forward to a long and mutually beneficial association with the Ospreys and wish them every success in the coming season.

"Since we first opened our doors in 1999, Ty Hafan has provided support for more than 300 families across Wales, as the service has grown from one which was purely hospice focused to being a holistic, whole-family support network meaning that Ty Hafan is now able to reach out to families wherever they are in Wales. The number of families needing our help grows all the time, making Ty Hafan more vital today than ever before, which is why this partnership with the Ospreys will prove to be so valuable."

Ospreys captain Ryan Jones said that the visit had moved the entire squad:

"The whole experience was a very humbling one for everybody in the squad. To meet the children and families who rely on the services provided by Ty Hafan and to see first hand their courage, attitude and sense of humour despite their problems certainly makes you put things in perspective. Everybody at the Ospreys is fully behind this new partnership and we really hope that our supporters also back the charity and buy tickets for the Glasgow match in order to help what is an extremely worthwhile Welsh cause."