A trailer firm is kicking off a fund-raising effort for a children’s hospice charity.
Ifor Williams Trailers will be organising a World Cup penalty shoot out competition at the Urdd National Eisteddfod in Bala between May 26-31 in aid of Hope House.
The charity needs to raise £4 million a year to maintain their vital services for children with life-limiting conditions.
They have two hospices, Hope House near Oswestry and Ty Gobaith in the Conwy Valley which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.
The charity is currently helping more than 500 families from across North and Mid Wales, Cheshire and Shropshire
Ifor Williams Trailers have designed a special football trailer for the purpose.
They have added a platform with holes to a tipper trailer – the holes are worth 20 or 30 points depending where they are on the platform.
The idea is that competitors will have to try and kick footballs into the holes and be awarded points accordingly.
The competition is open to schoolchildren and teachers who will pay 50p for five balls.
The pupil who attains the highest score will receive an iPad as a prize while the winning teacher will be given £500 for their school.
All the proceeds will go to the hospice charity and Ifor Williams Trailers have pledged to match the amount raised which will effectively double the donation to Ty Gobaith.
The shoot-out trailer was given the thumbs up after being given a thorough test by the pupils of Ysgol Bro Ddyfrdwy just up the road from the company’s headquarters in Cynwyd, near Corwen.
Hospice fund-raiser Eluned Yaxley is thrilled that Ifor Williams Trailers is supporting them in such a novel way.
She said: “It’s a momentous year for us and we are absolutely thrilled that Ifor Williams Trailers are supporting us once again. It’s absolutely wonderful for us.
“We have a mountain and a half to climb in terms of raising money – we need £1 million for Ty Gobaith alone every year so we depend on fantastic supporters and friends such as Ifor Williams Trailers and others throughout the area.
“All the children we care for, from birth to 19, have life-limiting or terminal illnesses and we also work with, and support, bereaved families who may be struggling to come to terms with the death of a child.
“The service we provide is vital for the families we care for – it’s not just respite and terminal care that we provide. We also provide outreach services in the community as well as offering trauma support for the wider community.
“We are a lifeline for these families – we’re there when people need us most, 24/7 throughout the year.”
Eirian Owain, the headteacher at Ysgol Bro Ddyfrdwy, said: “It’s good to see Ifor Williams Trailers giving something back to the community and helping Ty Gobaith, It’s very important.
“The shoot out trailer is a great idea. We’re also very pleased that they are involving the school in this way. It’s been a fantastic experience for the pupils.”
Pupil Jac Hughes, 10, will be heading for the Eisteddfod to take part in two competitions, dramatic conversation and creative dance.
He said: “I am really looking forward to it and I will also be having a go at the football game. I think it’s a lot of fun.”
Sales Account Manager Llion Roberts is a father of four and played as a centre half for Bala Town for six years.
He was on hand at Ysgol Bro Ddyfrdwy to give the young footballers tips as they took aim in the penalty shoot out.
Llion said: “A children’s hospice certainly puts everything else into perspective – we really don’t know how lucky we are.
“The work of Hope Houses Children’s Hospices at both Oswestry and Conwy is as vital as it is amazing.
“Many people might be surprised to learn that the hospice is a very happy place and a wonderful caring environment with brilliant staff.
“It is a much-needed facility. It is really important for parents that the right support and facilities are available if their children become ill.”
