Mal Pope’s homecoming show to help families stay close to their babies in hospital

On Wednesday 8 October, Mal will take to the stage at Swansea Arena for his Homecoming show — and 10% of the profits will go towards finishing a £160,000 appeal to refurbish five small houses next to Singleton Hospital. The homes give families somewhere to stay while their baby is being cared for in the hospital’s specialist baby unit.

For Mal, it’s personal.

“My little grandson, Gulliver, was born at 21 weeks and taken straight into the unit,” he said. “They were wonderful with him… and they looked after the whole family. I said, ‘If there’s ever anything I can do to help, just ask.’ A couple of weeks later they called and told me about the fundraising — and we’ve been on this journey ever since.”

Turning grief into action

Mal admits it’s not easy to talk about.

“Every time I mention Gulliver, it brings back all those memories. I always tell people, ‘Don’t worry about the tears — the more tears I shed, the more money we make.’”

He’s called on friends from the worlds of music and sport to back the appeal. Swansea City AFC, where Mal is a Vice President, made it their charity of the year and even named one of the houses Ty Gulliver — Gulliver’s House — in his grandson’s memory.

“The first thing I did was burst into tears,” Mal said. “The family were delighted.”

A night to remember

The concert will feature special guests and songs from across Mal’s career, including his new single Best of Times. He hopes the night will raise the final £15,000 needed to complete the project.

“It’s a celebration of something that’s been really sad, but something unique has come out of it,” he said. “Out of great sadness, great things can happen. We’re hoping to hand over a cheque for the full amount on stage.”

Lewis Bradley, from Swansea Bay Health Charity, said: “Mal’s story has touched so many people. Every ticket sold brings us closer to giving families a warm, private place to stay while their baby is in hospital. The difference this will make for years to come is huge.”

Tickets for Mal Pope’s Homecoming Concert are on sale now: bit.ly/MalPopeSwanseaArena2025

#babyUnit #Charity #CwtshClos #fundraising #MalPope #maternity #SingletonHospital #specialCareBabyUnit #Swansea #SwanseaArena #SwanseaBayNHS

New-look hospital homes refurbished for families to stay close to poorly newborn babies

Houses in Cwtsh Clos, on the site of Swansea’s Singleton Hospital, have been upgraded to feature new furniture, smart televisions, and calming garden spaces.

One of the five properties has been named Gulliver’s House in memory of musician and broadcaster Mal Pope’s grandson Gulliver, who sadly passed away after being born prematurely. 

Cwtsh Clos is for families whose babies are being looked after in Singleton’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, or NICU.

It means the families, already going through a stressful time and often living a long way away, can be close to their babies in a comforting environment.

This week the health charity welcomed charity ambassadors, local MPs and MSs, health board staff and devoted supporters to celebrate the official opening of Cwtsh Clos, following an appeal to raise £160,000 to pay for the refurbishment of the two-bedroom properties. 

The efforts have been supported by Swansea City FC, who dedicated their home Championship fixture against Blackburn Rovers earlier this year to the appeal, hosting pre-match events and fundraising throughout the day, and raising awareness. 

The unveiling of the refurbished properties marked a milestone in the charity’s appeal to transform the houses into warm, welcoming homes for families. 

Mal Pope’s gratitude for the care his family received at Singleton Hospital NICU fuelled his mission to raise vital funds for Cwtsh Clos. 

“After our family spent time in NICU, I asked if there was anything I can do to help,” said Mal.

“When I was told about the £160,000 target, I thought that figure would be a little bit out of our grasp. 

“But here we are, and even though every time I do things to support the appeal I feel I die a little bit, there is joy as well as grief and how we are helping families.”

Swansea Bay UHB chair Jan Williams added:

“Families come here from all over South Wales and not just Swansea Bay, with many living hours away by car and even longer by public transport. 

“It is extremely important that parents spend as much time as possible with their baby through this very stressful time and that’s where the free-to-use houses come in. 

“It is a quiet close and just a stone’s throw away from the NICU, and the two-bed homes are a welcome retreat for those families who live too far away to travel back and forth.”                                                                                             

Guests at the launch were taken on a guided tour to see the incredible refurbishment work first-hand. Thanks to the generosity of donors, the living rooms now feature brand-new comfy, health board-approved furniture and Smart TVs kindly donated by Newhall. 

These calming spaces are designed to give families a place to unwind and recharge, just moments away from where their babies are staying.

Bethan Wyn Evans, from from Llangynnwr in Carmarthenshire, stayed in one of the homes after giving birth to daughter in December 2021 at 31 weeks, after she had been diagnosed with a life-threatening condition called congenital chylothorax which meant she needed specialist treatment at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol. 

At around seven weeks old Mari was transferred to the NICU in Singleton Hospital and her parents were provided accommodation in Cwtsh Clos.

Bethan said: “It was a tough time. It was touch-and-go for a while, but here we are, miraculously. 

“When we were about to transfer from Bristol, I said I wasn’t going to do it unless we could be closer to Mari. It’s only about an hour’s drive from our home in Carmarthenshire to Singleton, but being that far away from Mari was never an option. 

“We were putting in 18 hour shifts at her bedside, so it was great to have somewhere close we could have a roof over our head and some respite. We were able to switch off for a short while, away from all the beeps and noises of NICU. We were so grateful and they look so good after their refurbishment.” 

Mari’s father Carwyn did his bit for the appeal, by running from St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol all the way home to Llangynnwr – over 110 miles in four days. 

Another house has been titled Dylan’s House, in honour of the Principality Building Society and their mascot, Dylan the Dragon. 

Head of Nursing Children’s Services Vicky Burridge added:

“There is a huge psychological impact on families when their child is in NICU, and these houses in Cwtsh Clos allow them to close the door and rest, recuperate, and reflect, while remaining close. It is really important for their wellbeing. 

“We ask parents for feedback and were being told that the houses needed refurbishing, and they look so good after this work and we are very grateful.”

After a year of dedicated fundraising events and generous donations towards the appeal, Swansea Bay Health Charity wanted to recognise Principality’s incredible support. 

This September, Principality will continue their partnership with Swansea Bay Health Charity by co-hosting Cwtsh by the Coast, a sponsored walk event offering shorter and longer routes to suit all supporters, with the date set to be announced soon. 

While the homes have been transformed significantly, with freshly fitted kitchens, high-spec appliances, and peaceful, colourful gardens, the work is not yet complete. 

The next crucial step is to refurbish the bathrooms, replacing baths with safer, more accessible showers for mothers recovering from birth. Swansea Bay Health Charity is now just £15,000 from completing this life-changing project.

Lewis Bradley, Charity Support Manager of Swansea Bay Health Charity added:

“We need your support to make this dream a reality.

“We’re so close to making every part of these homes fit for purpose and as comfortable as possible for families during some of the most challenging days of their lives.”

If you would like to help create safe, welcoming spaces for families with premature babies, please visit the fundraising page on Enthuse here.

Learn more about the Cwtsh Clos appeal on the Charity website here.

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#CwtshClos #MalPope #SingletonHospital #SwanseaBayUniversityHealthBoard

Swansea City’s goalkeeper Vigouroux backing hospital Cwtsh Clos appeal

Vigouroux has thrown his support behind Swansea Bay University Health Board’s Cwtsh Clos appeal, which is looking to raise £160,000 to completely upgrade five houses that are a stone’s throw away from Singleton Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where families can stay to be near their babies.

Singleton’s NICU provides care for a large part of Wales, from Pembrokeshire to some areas north of Aberystwyth – hence the need to provide parents travelling long distances with accommodation to be near their little ones.

Vigouroux can empathise with parents whose babies have endured a difficult start to life, with his son Carmelo being born seven weeks early in Homerton Hospital in London.

Carmelo, now two, was cared for in Homerton’s NICU for three days and then its special care baby unit for 11 days before heading home with his parents.

As a result of his own experiences, he was delighted when his new club chose Swansea Bay Health Charity – the health board’s official charity – as their official charity partner for the 2024-25 season.

One of the highlights of the link-up between Swansea Bay and the city’s local football heroes takes place this Saturday (February 22) as the Swans host Blackburn Rovers in the Championship – a game the club has kindly dedicated to the appeal, with lots of fundraising activities on the day.

Vigouroux has been only too happy to support the appeal by sharing his own story. He said:

“It’s a brilliant appeal. It’s very important to a lot of families across large parts of Wales who have needed the unit.

“I can empathise with the families who have gone through it, or are going through it right now.

“I was one of the lucky ones as I only lived five minutes away from the hospital. My son was there for two weeks, but myself and my wife Shemika lived a few minutes away from the hospital so we could go back and forth.

“I really feel this is a very important appeal because not everyone is in that situation.

“The accommodation allows parents to be so close to their baby when they’re trying to get some rest at such a difficult time. The importance of that can’t be understated.

“To live an hour or two away from the hospital and to have to leave your baby to make that trip home and spend such a crucial moment of time away from them must be so, so hard.

“I’m delighted the club has linked up with the health board to back this campaign because as a father, I know how important it is.

“I’ve only been in Swansea a short while but I’m at a family-orientated club. Having that family feeling everywhere – in the club, the community, the city – really does help and I think this campaign will get excellent backing just like the fans give the team.”

The campaign is backed by musician and Swans matchday lounge host Mal Pope in memory of his grandson Gulliver, who was cared for in the NICU.

Mal’s kind support recently helped pave the way for Swansea City AFC to choose the Cwtsh Clos appeal as their official charity partner for the 2024-25 season.

If you would like to give an online donation to Cwtsh Clos, you can do that by clicking here.

To make a donation using your phone, please text ‘Donate Swanseabayhealth homes’ to 88802.

You can also visit the Cwtsh Clos webpage by going here for more information about the NICU centre and the fundraising appeal.

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#CwtshClos #SingletonHospital #SwanseaCityFC #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Family who twice endured agony of seeing baby fight for life in NICU explain importance of charity appeal   

But that’s exactly the experience of Pepsi Evans and Scott James, whose baby boys Louie and Jacob were born prematurely.

They needed the very specialist care provided by Swansea Bay University Health Board’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Singleton Hospital.

Sadly, the family lost Louie shortly after he was born at 23 weeks in 2019, weighing less than a bag of sugar. 

Jacob, however, pulled through despite arriving in the world at 26 weeks and the family are now sharing their story to support a fundraising campaign being run by Swansea Bay Health Charity.

Its Cwtsh Clos Appeal aims to raise £160,000 to refurbish five houses on the Singleton site used by parents whose little ones are being cared for in the NICU and who live too far away to travel from home every day.

The NICU provides care and support for babies and families across a large swathe of Wales including Pembrokeshire, Aberystwyth and as far north as the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area.

With the catchment area being so large, and families going through some of the most terrifying days of their lives, it’s essential for both parents and babies to spend as much time together as possible and for mums and dads to have somewhere close by where they can take a break and recharge their batteries to be at their best for their new arrivals.

Pepsi and Scott, who has two other children – Lyla and Noah – know only too well how priceless the NICU family accommodation is to new parents. But from experience, they also know a refurbishment and a few ‘home from home’ touches would make the five two-bedroom houses so much more welcoming for families in their hour of need.

“Although the houses helped us immensely, they lacked any sort of home comforts. It just felt very clinical,” said Pepsi. 

“We will forever be grateful for that opportunity, but they were in need of a big revamp when we used them.

“Things such as cushions, rugs, and more homely bits and bobs would have really helped – a few plants, and overall just a bit of colour. 

“There was no cooker in the house so my partner’s best friend would come down every few days and stock our freezer and fridge and cupboards with meals we could just warm up, which was a life saver.”

Pepsi and Scott’s experiences of Singleton’s NICU and the Cwtsh Clos houses started out of the blue in November 2019.

“It was my first pregnancy, and everything was going amazingly, with no concerns,” she said. 

“On the 18th of November, I was 22+6 weeks gestation but spontaneously went into labour. 

“As I was below what is termed ‘viability’, medical staff were unable to do anything to try to stop my labour until I reached 23 weeks. 

“I held on for a few hours until midnight on the 19th when they were finally able to give me medication to try to stop labour but by that time, it was too late. 

“Louie Scott Paul James was born at 2.58am, weighting 1lb 8oz at exactly 23 weeks. 

“As we’re from Merthyr Tydfil, we were transferred to Singleton’s specialist neonatal unit, which is about an hour away. 

“When we arrived, we were told that as we lived a distance away, and because Louie was so poorly, we were able to have free accommodation on the hospital site so we could be close by.

“We were given the key for house 3A. Louie unfortunately passed away at six days old on the 25th due to being extremely premature. If we weren’t able to stay in the accommodation, we would have missed his final moments and wouldn’t have had the chance to say our goodbyes.” 

Fast forward to October 2020 during the height of Covid pandemic and Pepsi was pregnant again. 

“This time, on the 3rd of October I once again went into spontaneous labour, at 26 weeks exactly.  As I was a little further gone, there was a lot more the hospital could do for me, and I was immediately transferred to Singleton’s NICU while in labour. 

“Jacob Scott Paul James was born via emergency C-Section at 9.13am on the 4th of October 2020 weighing 2lb 2ox at 26+1 weeks’ gestation. 

“Again, the staff explained that we were able to use the accommodation to be close to our baby. We were then given the key to a house. Remarkably, it was 3A again.

“At this point I was full of anxiety, back in the same hospital, in the same house not even 11 months after our journey with Louie, convinced that history was about to repeat itself. 

“Thankfully that was not the case. Jacob stayed in hospital for 117 days but today we have a happy, healthy four-year-old with no health conditions, although our stay was a huge rollercoaster.

“Our experience with Jacob was at the height of pandemic, when lockdown was at its strictest and you were not able to cross local authority borders.

“So the accommodation was an absolute life saver for us, as we have no idea how things would’ve worked out if we had had to travel to and from home every day. 

“It also gave us the opportunity to isolate ourselves, to ensure we wouldn’t be at risk of spreading Covid to the poorly babies and families in the unit.  

“The house allowed us to be close to Jacob when he needed one of many procedures to be carried out, which quite often would be after a 3am phone call asking us to head over to the unit as soon as possible.

“We were able to be there when he needed lumbar punctures, laser eye surgery, when he needed to go back on a ventilator, and also be there for many of his first milestones like his first bath, his first feeding and when he first opened his eyes. 

“I owe my son’s life to the unit, and all of the staff who helped us along the way and we will never be able to truly show how much we appreciate everything they’ve done for us.”

Now Pepsi and Scott are giving something back to the NICU and to other parents who will use the houses in the future by getting right behind the Cwtsh Clos Appeal and helping with a special fundraising occasion which takes place this Saturday.

Swansea City FC have very kindly dedicated their Championship fixture against Blackburn Rovers on February 22nd (kick-off 3pm) to supporting Cwtsh Clos, with a number of events on the day and bucket collections intended to raise the appeal’s profile and push fundraising closer to the £160,000 target. The family will attend the game, which, as big Swans fans, is their Saturday afternoon activity of choice.

“Jacob has a lot of Swans kits and my partner and his best friend are huge supporters and were season tickets holders last year, so it really is a great honour to be able to help and get involved with this special Swans game,” added Pepsi.

“We lost my mum in July, and in lieu of flowers, we asked for donations to the NICU and in total raised £500 which went towards making the stay for babies a little more comfortable. 

“The money paid for muslin cloths, blankets, bouncers, dummies and even snacks for the staff.

“But this appeal is something different and now it’s time to refurbish the houses to give parents some home from home comforts when they are terrified, vulnerable and so full of anxiety over their little miracles.  

“That’s why we’re right behind the Cwtsh Clos Appeal and if as many fans as possible can make it to the game and support both the fundraising and the Swans, that’ll be wonderful.”

You can support the Cwtsh Clos Appeal and get behind the Swans at the same time by getting down to the Swansea.com Stadium for the game.

But if you’re not a footy fan and would like to fundraise for our Cwtsh Clos Appeal, or hold a fundraising event, please visit our Enthuse donation page for Cwtsh Clos here, where you will find more information.

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#CwtshClos #SingletonHospital #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Swansea Orchestra drums up support for health board charity’s fundraising appeal 

The money, collected during the orchestra’s Christmas concert in St Mary’s Church, Swansea, has been handed over to Swansea Bay’s Health Charity’s Cwtsh Clos Appeal.

The aim of the appeal is to raise £160,000 to refurbish five homes away from home for families with sick and tiny babies in Singleton’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).

Orchestra leader, Jenny McAdie, said:

“We do two concerts a year, one in the summer and one at Christmas with a primary school as special guests. 

“We usually pick a charity that we want to have a collection for at the end of the concert – this year it was Swansea Bay’s Cwtsh Clos Appeal.

“It was personal to one of our members, Libby Langlands, and we thought it was good cause to have a collection for.’

“We raised just over £500 through the collection but I work for Lloyd’s Banking Group and we have a matched funding scheme – they can match up to £500 each year for any money raised for a registered charity. So it was just over £1,000 in all.”

Libby, who has seen both her son, Pip, and daughter, Hazel, spend time in different NICUs, said the Cwtsh Clos Appeal was close to her heart.

“My son was born in 2015 and was in Singelton Hospital’s NICU for a couple of days, just to stabilise him, after a difficult birth.

“My family live quite close but I know that Cwtsh Clos is all about having immediate family support on hand for those who live quite far away – it’s so important.

“I have experience of staying in family accommodation in Southampton – so it’s a cause that’s very close to my heart.

“My daughter was born with a heart condition in 2013, while we were living in Salisbury but she was blue-lighted down to Southampton NICU. We spent the first month of her life in parental accommodation down there, and know how important that is.”

As soon as Libby heard about Swansea singer songwriter Mal Pope – whose grandson spent time in Singleton’s NICU – agreeing to be an ambassador for the appeal, she asked the orchestra to support the cause.

“When I first heard about it and saw Mal Pope’s story it chimed with me and took me back to those times. I thought, here’s an opportunity to do something really valuable, and luckily the orchestra agreed to go ahead and do that.

“We had really great support from Sketty Primary School choir and all of the parents and families who came to watch the concert and were able to raise money for the campaign.”

Cathy Stevens, the charity’s fundraising officer, said:

“We truly appreciate the support from the orchestra and I was delighted to attend their concert.  

“It was a wonderful event and a great opportunity to thank everyone present. Fundraising efforts like this are crucial to our cause, and we are grateful to Libby for sharing her story to further our appeal.”

You can support the Cwtsh Clos Appeal by visiting our JustGiving page for Cwtsh Clos here, where you will find more information.

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#CwtshClos #SwanseaPhilharmoniaOrchestra #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Thoughtful new mum’s endurance challenge set to help others relax

Bethany Carnegie entered the ROC England triathlon – a brutal test of endurance held in the Lake District – to raise money for Singelton Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The event consisted of a 1.5km swim in Lake Winder, a 45.5km bike ride to England’s highest mountain, Scafell Pike, before an 8.75km run to the summit, followed by another 8.75km run back down and a 45.5km bike return to the lake before a 1km trail run completes the course.

In the process of completing the challenge, in around nine hours, Bethany, who was supported by her partner James Cutler, a Morriston Hospital Emergency Department doctor, raised £355 towards helping refurbish the parents’ room in NICU.

The cause is close to the couple’s hearts as their daughter, Delilah, spent the best part of a week in NICU last December after experiencing breathing difficulties soon after birth.

Bethany said: “We had Delilah on the labour ward in Singleton in December 2023 but after a few days she had to go to the neonatal intensive care unit. 

“She went a bit blue in the face so they called the NICU doctor and took her up and put her on high-flow oxygen – She just needed some help with her lungs.

“We were there for six or seven days, so made use of the facilities at the hospital.

“The staff were absolutely brilliant. Both on the labour ward and NICU, they were very, very caring. They made us feel very well looked after. They made you feel ok to leave in the evenings because you knew that she was so well looked after. 

“We want to say a massive thank you.”

While there, the couple were grateful of the facilities for parents in the unit, even though they were showing their age.

Bethany said: “We didn’t need to make use of the Cwtsh Clos accommodation for families, as we live locally, but we did use the parents’ room, which does need a bit of tender loving care.

“It’s somewhere to go while you’re still close –somewhere to go instead of the hallway – which is really nice. Just sitting for 10 minutes and maybe chatting to other parents, where it’s not bleeping, and having a bit of a respite.”

Once they had taken Delilah home, Bethany came up with the idea of fundraising.

She said: “We wanted to raise money for the parents’ room in the unit itself. So I did a triathlon in the Lake District and raised £355.

“It wasn’t a standard distance triathlon. It’s known as the ROC triathlon. You swim Lake Windermere, bike to the bottom of Scafell Pike – I didn’t quite make it to the top as I missed the checked point. I came down and biked back to the start where you have a 1km trail run to finish.

“It was quite tough but I had the cause in my mind helping to spur me on.”

Helen James, NICU matron, thanked the couple and said:

“We can’t thank Bethany enough for raising money for the parents’ room. Parents are always so grateful to have an opportunity to have a quiet space from the clinical area.

“Ensuring the room is welcoming helps parents to feel relaxed and reduces the stresses of having a baby on the neonatal unit.

“The ROC triathlon is undoubtedly very challenging but thanks to Bethany’s determination and resilience she was successful in completing this event. 

Well done Bethany.”   

Cathy Stevens, the charity’s fundraising officer, added:

“Thank you so much to Bethany for taking on this incredible challenge to raise money for NICU – it just goes to show how thankful she is to our staff for the care they gave Delilah.”

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#CwtshClos #MorristonHospital #ROCEnglandTriathlon #SingletonHospital #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard