This year has started with a very special event marking Latch’s West Wales Branch fantastic 30th anniversary
A celebratory dinner dance was held by the Branch at the Three Rivers’ Hotel in Ferryside, Carmarthenshire on Saturday, 31st January, raising more than £4,600 for the charity.
Attended by 100 guests, the event featured a delicious dinner, live band and silent auction. Latch’s Chair of Trustees, Susan Gwyer-Roberts DL, and CEO, Menai Owen-Jones, joined the evening marking three decades since the formation of the West Wales Branch.
The Branch was founded in 1996 by Helen Gravelle from Carmarthenshire, with the support of her family, friends and local community. Helen’s twelve-year son, Paul, tragically passed away from cancer in December 1995. During Paul’s illness, Latch provided support to their family.
Helen said: “My mind had been so consumed with Paul’s illness and problems that it was only after his death that I realised how much Latch had helped my family and I during Paul’s illness.
In the spring of 1996 my sister, Mary, and her husband raised over £800 for Latch by taking part in the annual sea dip at Cefn Sidan beach in Pembrey. From this fundraising Mary suggested we formed a local branch of Latch to raise further funds.”
Marking thirty years of the Branch, our CEO, Menai said: “We are indebted to the West Wales Branch committee members and their community of supporters for their extraordinary efforts and longstanding support since 1996.
The Branch has not only helped to raise much needed awareness of childhood cancer and the work of Latch in supporting families in West Wales, but they have also directly raised a remarkable amount of money for the charity, over £500,000! These funds have enabled Latch to provide much needed support to thousands of family members impacted by childhood cancer during the past thirty years.
