Howden Wrexham Office Opening Raises Hospice Funds 2026

Key Points

• Howden used the charity raffle to raise funds for Nightingale House Hospice, which was launched through the first Commercial office of the company in Wrexham.
• The fundraising took place at a networking event that was held at The Fat Boar on 17 September 2026.
• The networking event involved clients, trading partners, local businessmen and the overall business community.
• Guest of honor at the event was former Wrexham and Manchester United footballer Mickey Thomas.
• Nightingale House Hospice provides free specialist palliative care to patients and their relatives with life limiting illness.
• The hospice operates in Wrexham, Flintshire, East Denbighshire in addition to Barmouth and the border towns of Oswestry and Whitchurch.
• Howden has not disclosed the amount of money raised by the raffle yet.
• The fundraising was part of Howden’s expansion plans in North Wales, involving recruitment of additional commercial insurance experts.
• According to fundraising information from Nightingale House Hospice, 80% of its funding comes from community fundraising, while only 20% is statutory funding.

Wrexham (Wales Times) November 10, 2026 — Insurance broker Howden has raised vital funds for uk/local/wrexham/">Wrexham’s Nightingale House Hospice through a charity raffle held during the opening of its first Commercial office in the city.

As reported by Charity Today, the fundraiser supported Nightingale House Hospice, which provides free specialist palliative care for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families across Wrexham and surrounding communities.

The event was held at The Fat Boar in Wrexham on Thursday, 17 September 2026. It brought together Howden clients, trading partners and local business owners for an afternoon of food, drinks and conversation, while also raising money for the Wrexham-based charity.

Howden described the occasion as both a celebration of its new commercial presence in North Wales and an opportunity to support a local organisation providing care to people facing serious illness. The company has not announced how much money the raffle raised.

What did Howden do for Nightingale House Hospice?

Howden organised a charity raffle as part of the official opening event for its first Commercial office in Wrexham. The raffle raised money for Nightingale House Hospice, a charity that delivers specialist palliative care to people with life-limiting illnesses and support to their families.

The event was attended by clients, trading partners and local business owners. According to Insurance Edge, former Wrexham and Manchester United player Mickey Thomas was also present at the gathering.

The fundraiser was connected to the launch of Howden’s Wrexham Commercial office, which the company says reflects growing demand from local businesses for specialist insurance, risk management and advisory support.

Why is Nightingale House Hospice important?

Nightingale House Hospice provides free specialist palliative care for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Its services cover Wrexham, Flintshire and East Denbighshire, and extend as far as Barmouth and the border towns of Oswestry and Whitchurch.

The hospice’s work is intended to support patients and families at a particularly difficult stage of life. Community fundraising plays a significant role in sustaining that work: Nightingale House says that only 20% of its income comes from statutory sources, meaning donations and local fundraising activity are central to its operations.

The charity has previously said that funds raised through community campaigns go directly towards patient care. Its fundraising programme includes sponsored events, workplace fundraising, donations, tribute funds and legacy giving.

Who attended the Howden fundraiser?

The Howden event brought together members of the local business community, including the company’s clients, trading partners and business owners. It was held at The Fat Boar, an independent pub and restaurant on Yorke Street in Wrexham.

Mickey Thomas, the former Wrexham and Manchester United footballer, attended the event. Insurance Edge reported that he was on hand during the opening celebration and fundraiser.

The occasion also marked the formal opening of Howden’s first Commercial office in Wrexham. The company positioned the new office as part of its effort to strengthen its commercial insurance, risk management and advisory services across North Wales.

What did Howden say about the Wrexham office?

Gary Stevens, Wales Regional Managing Director – Commercial at Howden, said he was pleased to lead the opening of the company’s first Commercial office in Wrexham. As reported by Insurance Edge, he said the North Wales location was the natural choice for the company’s expansion.

“I am very pleased to lead the opening of our first Commercial office in Wrexham,” Stevens said. “This office location in North Wales was the natural choice for our expansion, and we are confident that increasing our presence here will enable us to continue providing exceptional service to our clients.”

He added that Howden had already welcomed a number of skilled brokers to its Wrexham team. “We’ve already welcomed a number of highly skilled brokers to our Wrexham team, to continue building Howden’s commercial specialist services in the region to position ourselves as the leading broker in and around Wrexham,” Stevens said.

How does the fundraiser fit into Howden’s expansion?

The fundraiser took place as Howden expanded its commercial presence in North Wales. The company says the expansion reflects increasing demand from local businesses for specialist insurance, risk management and advisory support delivered by professionals with local knowledge and sector expertise.

Howden announced the appointments of Nathan Brookefield and Andrew Kells earlier in 2026. It later added Daryl Jones, newport/victoria/">Victoria Bonynge and Connor Hughes to its Wrexham Commercial team.

According to Insurance Edge, Victoria Bonynge joined from Brown & Brown with a focus on supporting manufacturing and food and beverage businesses across Wales. Daryl Jones joined from C&C Insurance Brokers, while Connor Hughes also joined from Brown & Brown.

The company said the appointments would strengthen its ability to support businesses across North Wales and reinforce its investment in the region.

How does Nightingale House raise money?

Nightingale House Hospice relies on a range of fundraising activities to support its services. These include community events, workplace fundraising, personal challenges, donations, tribute funds and legacies.

The hospice says that people can support it by attending events, organising their own fundraisers, making donations or leaving a gift in their will. It also operates a Lottery, shops and a fundraising department as part of its income-generation work.

Local organisations have previously supported the hospice through fundraising. Wrexham Golf Club, for example, has hosted an annual Golf Day in aid of Nightingale House for more than 30 years, raising £125,000 since 1995.

Bellis Brothers also announced in February 2026 that it had raised more than £200,000 for Nightingale House since beginning its charity partnership in 2007. The business raised £13,120.30 during 2025 alone through events including an Easter Chick Hunt, Festive Weekend, Santa’s Grotto and Breakfast with Santa.

What other support does Nightingale House receive?

Nightingale House launched a Hospice Care Fund in April 2026 to help safeguard services amid rising running costs and a significant increase in patient referrals. The fund was designed to provide sustainable funding while maintaining the standard of specialist care relied upon by local families.

The hospice said the fund would help it meet growing demand across its catchment area. Patients come from Wrexham, Flintshire, Denbighshire and outlying areas.

Community-led fundraising has continued throughout 2026. Wrexham Golf Club held its annual fundraiser in July, while Paul Jones and his cocker spaniel Bobby raised more than £14,500 by walking the 870-mile Wales Coast Path.

The hospice has also been supported through initiatives such as Strictly Nightingales 2026, a fundraising campaign whose organisers said funds raised would go directly towards patient care.

What does the Howden fundraiser mean locally?

The Howden raffle adds to a wider pattern of local businesses and community groups supporting Nightingale House Hospice. While the exact amount raised has not been disclosed, the event provided the hospice with both financial support and visibility among Wrexham’s business community.

The fundraiser also linked the hospice’s work to Howden’s commercial expansion in the city. Howden’s new office opening coincided with an effort to build relationships with local businesses, while directing attention towards a charity serving patients and families across a broad area of North Wales and the borders.

For Nightingale House, support from businesses such as Howden forms part of the broader fundraising base needed to maintain services. The hospice has said that donations have a direct impact on its work and help it further its mission.

Background of the development

Nightingale House Hospice is a Wrexham-based charity providing free specialist palliative care to people with life-limiting illnesses and support for their families. Its catchment area includes Wrexham, Flintshire and East Denbighshire, along with Barmouth and the border towns of Oswestry and Whitchurch.

The hospice says it depends on community generosity because only 20% of its income comes from statutory sources. Its fundraising activities include events, workplace campaigns, personal challenges, donations, tribute funds and legacy gifts.

Howden opened its first Commercial office in Wrexham in September 2026. The company marked the opening with a networking event and charity raffle for Nightingale House Hospice, attended by clients, partners, local business owners and former footballer Mickey Thomas.

The Wrexham expansion included the recruitment of several commercial insurance specialists. Howden said the move reflected demand for specialist insurance, risk management and advisory support among businesses in North Wales.

Prediction: How this development can affect the local community

For patients and families in Wrexham and the surrounding area, fundraising by businesses such as Howden can help maintain the financial base required for specialist palliative care services. Nightingale House has said that community contributions are especially important because most of its income does not come from statutory sources.

For local businesses, the event demonstrates how corporate openings and networking activities can be connected to community causes. Howden’s fundraiser brought together business contacts while supporting a charity that serves people across Wrexham, Flintshire, East Denbighshire and neighbouring areas.

For the hospice, continued business support may help it respond to rising running costs and increased patient referrals. The organisation launched its Hospice Care Fund earlier in 2026 to provide sustainable funding and maintain care standards amid growing demand.

For Wrexham’s wider community, the development highlights the role of local corporate fundraising in sustaining charitable services. If more businesses follow a similar approach, Nightingale House may gain additional financial support and greater awareness of its services among local employers, employees and residents.