Ospreys Call On Fans To Support Ty Hafan Benefit Match

OSPREYS PLAYERS CALL ON FANS TO SUPPORT TY HAFAN BENEFIT MATCH

Glasgow visit Swansea on Sunday (11^th May, KO 2.35pm) for the Ospreys final home match of the season, and the region have designated the game as a special benefit fixture for the charity following the announcement recently of a unique partnership between the two parties that is set to raise thousands of pounds for the hospice.

To launch the initiative, the whole Ospreys squad travelled to Ty Hafan in Sully last month, where they spent time with the patients and families, and prop Jones says that the visit had a profound impact on the whole squad. He commented:

"It was very humbling for the boys to come out and see the work people put in and if the Ospreys can help in any way that can only be a good thing. To see for yourself the challenges that the children go through from day to day does give you perspective. I'm sure the boys went away with their eyes wide open.

"The idea of a Ty Hafan Benefit Match is a fantastic idea and I hope that we get a great response from our supporters. It's the last game of the season, it's a Sunday afternoon, there is plenty going on around the ground as well as the match itself and we are raising money for a great cause so it looks likely to a great day out for the family, with a game of rugby thrown in. The whole squad is fully behind this partnership, hopefully the fans will turn out in numbers for the game."

The Ospreys have agreed to hand £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, 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.

To help the afternoon go with a swing, bosses at the region have confirmed a series of activities throughout the stadium to attract as many families to the game as possible. The new Ospreys Village will be open to the public from 12.30pm, with live music from Swansea band Silver, while the Family Funzone will also be in full swing, allowing families to try their luck on various rugby themed inflatables, with the assistance of non-playing members of the Ospreys squad.

Mike Phillips added:

"This is such a great cause, it would be great if we get a big crowd at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday as it would mean that we are raising a lot of money for Ty Hafan. Every player was moved by what we saw when we visited Ty Hafan recently, the people there do incredible work and really help to make a difference for so many Welsh families that we want to do what we can to assist. There's a lot going on throughout the day, and being a Sunday afternoon kick-off there's no reason why you can't bring the whole family along and really make the most of it."

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.