Key Points
- Swansea Building Society has donated £20,000 to Swansea-based charity Faith in Families.
- The donation is part of a charitable fund of £25,000 established to celebrate the 25 years of service of the Society’s Chief Executive, Alun Williams.
- This is the biggest donation given to any charity from the anniversarial fund.
- Faith in Families said that the donation would be used in running Community Cwtches, family support services, therapy, outreach, training, and the Cwtch Mawr Multibank.
- The balance of £5,000 was then distributed to Llys Nini (£2,000) and YMCA Cardiff (£3,000).
- Swansea Building Society has supported Faith in Families before when it made a donation of £30,000 to refurbish the St Teilo’s Community Cwtch in Portmead.
Swansea (Wales Times) September 26, 2026 – Faith in Families, a uk/local/swansea/">Swansea Bay charity supporting children and families experiencing poverty, crisis and trauma, has received a £20,000 donation from Swansea Building Society through a special £25,000 anniversary charitable fund.
As reported by Herald Wales, the Society announced that Faith in Families would receive the grant from the fund established to mark Chief Executive Alun Williams’ 25 years at the head of the mutual lender. The charity confirmed that the £20,000 award is the largest allocation from the £25,000 fund.
What will the donation fund?
Faith in Families said the donation will help it continue delivering services across Swansea Bay for families facing pressure from poverty, housing insecurity, debt, isolation, trauma and mental-health challenges.
According to the charity, the funding will support:
- Its Community Cwtches, which provide local spaces for support, connection and practical help.
- Family support work, therapy and outreach services.
- Training programmes for parents and adults.
- Cwtch Mawr Multibank, which supplies essential goods to families and individuals through referral partners.
Faith in Families stated on its website that the money would help it “continue delivering vital services” across those areas of work. The charity described the donation as support that reaches beyond the sum itself, helping to sustain trusted relationships and practical assistance for people in crisis.
Why was the fund created?
The £25,000 fund was created by Swansea Building Society to celebrate Alun Williams’ 25 years as Chief Executive. Faith in Families received £20,000, while Llys Nini received £2,000 and YMCA Cardiff received the final £3,000, completing the fund.
As reported by The Intermediary, the Society confirmed that the final donation to YMCA Cardiff completed the anniversary fund, with the three organisations sharing the full £25,000. The anniversary fund was separate from the Society’s ongoing charitable giving programme, which includes its 2026 support for Prostate Cymru.
How has Swansea Building Society supported Faith in Families before?
This is not the first time the Society has supported Faith in Families. In 2023, Swansea Building Society donated £30,000 to help repair and renovate the charity’s St Teilo’s Community Cwtch in Portmead.
Faith in Families said the previous support helped create a welcoming community space where children, families and local residents could access help and connection. The charity said the latest contribution continues that long-standing relationship.
What does Faith in Families do?
Faith in Families has supported children and families since 1999. Its work includes Community Cwtches, Brighter Futures, Inspiring Futures and Cwtch Mawr Multibank.
The charity says Brighter Futures offers one-to-one support for children and young people dealing with emotions, trauma, anxiety or self-esteem difficulties, while Inspiring Futures helps adults build confidence and progress towards learning, volunteering, training or employment. Cwtch Mawr Multibank provides essential items to families and individuals referred by partner organisations.
Background of the development
Swansea Building Society established the £25,000 anniversary fund as part of its recognition of Alun Williams’ quarter-century leading the Society. The fund was designed to support organisations working across Wales, with Faith in Families receiving the largest share.
Faith in Families operates across Swansea Bay and says many of the people it supports are affected by rising food costs, housing pressures, debt, isolation, trauma, mental-health challenges and the continuing effects of poverty. The charity’s stated approach is summarised in its phrase “hugs, not handouts”, which it uses to describe its focus on dignity, belonging and community.
Prediction: How may this affect families in Swansea Bay?
For families and community organisations in Swansea Bay, the donation may help maintain access to local support services at a time when the charity says households face mounting financial and emotional pressures.
If the funding is used as Faith in Families has outlined, it could support continued delivery of therapeutic and family-support services, local community spaces and practical assistance through Cwtch Mawr Multibank. For donors, volunteers and local partners, the development may also reinforce the role of regional businesses in sustaining community-based services, while the completion of the anniversary fund shows how a single charitable pot was distributed among three South Wales organisations.
