AT last Thursday's dining night Dinas Powis Rotary Club president Tony Stephens was delighted to welcome Lynda Francis as guest speaker.

Lynda is community fundraiser for Ty Hafan. She gave a most informative and moving insight into the work of this unique charity.

Approximately 60 children are born every year in Wales with life-limiting illnesses. Ty Hafan offers comfort, care and respite for these children and their families. The hospice is in Sully and is a very happy, uplifting and inspirational place. It also offers support groups for siblings, dads and mums. Ty Hafan is committed to being more than a hospice and reaches right into the heart of the family home. This care is given completely free of charge to the families in Wales who need it.

The charity was founded by Suzanne Goodall who spearheaded a fundraising campaign that lasted 11 years and, in 1999, Ty Hafan finally opened its doors. Suzanne, from Beddau near Pontypridd, continued to play an active role in Ty Hafan until her retirement, aged 90, in 2011.

She is a remarkable lady who has helped hundreds of life-limited children, young people and their families across Wales through the charity she started - Ty Hafan. Since 1999, the charity has helped more than 400 families, providing palliative care, relief and support within the hospice, at home and in the community to ensure that each child has a comprehensive care programme.

It costs £3 million a year to run Ty Hafan. There is much celebrity support for the hospice; for example, the Cardiff Devils, the Welsh rugby squad and Welsh media personalities. In addition, a number of charity events take place throughout the year, including family fun day, midnight sleepwalk, Taff Trail Cycle Ride and chef's night out, as well as numerous local events and of-course the monies raised by Dinas Powis Rotary Club as the nominated charity for president Tony .

Lynda concluded her talk with a moving film showing the great work and care Ty Hafan did for one particular family.

President elect Rotarian Colin Jones then thanked Lynda for her enlightening talk and described how he personally raised nearly £3,000 for Ty Hafan by cycling the length of Wales Holyhead to Cardiff to celebrate his 50th birthday.