The Chief Executive of the charity regulator has today [3 September 2025] visited two Cardiff-based charities.
His first visit was to LATCH, a children’s cancer charity, supporting children, young people and their families, who are under the care of the Paediatric Oncology Principal Treatment Centre at the Children’s Hospital for Wales.
The CEO’s visit coincides with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month which takes place every September and aims to generate awareness and support for children affected by cancer.
His second visit was to the charity Daring to Dream, which supports and promotes the emotional health and well-being of adult hospital patients in Wales.
Daring to Dream is one of many recipients to obtain funds through the regulator’s Revitalising Trusts Wales programme. The programme, which identifies dormant funds and helps to redirect these to similar causes, either directly or in partnership with Community Foundation Wales, has supported the charity to develop a greater online presence. The charity has used funds to create professional digital content for its website and social media, boosting its reach to more beneficiaries and supporters.
Today’s visits come as the programme reaches £12,300,545 revitalised in Wales alone, contributing to good causes, community foundations and charities across Wales.
David Holdsworth, Charity Commission Chief Executive, said:
I’m grateful to everyone at LATCH and Daring to Dream for introducing me to their vital work today. I was able to see and hear about all that they are doing to support children and their families through the unthinkable. Charities like these make a remarkable difference to thousands of people everyday, across South Wales and beyond.
I’m also heartened to know that our Revitalising Trusts programme has played a part in helping Daring to Dream gain new supporters and expand their reach to more families. With more funding they’ve been able showcase their services which includes offering spaces for families to come together for therapeutic activities, comfort and connection.
Menai Owen-Jones, Chief Executive of LATCH, said:
We were delighted to welcome David to LATCH to learn firsthand about our charity’s bespoke support services, including our free family hospital accommodation which allows families to be close to their child when they are having treatment. Thank you to David for taking the time to meet with some of our trustees, team members, families and Cardiff and Vale University Health Board health care colleagues to hear of their experiences and the work of LATCH in helping families when they need us the most.
Barbara Chidgey, founder and Chair of Daring to Dream, said:
In 2022, Daring to Dream successfully applied for a £2,000 grant from the Community Foundation’s ‘Fund for Wales’. We urgently needed some funds to help us significantly improve the digital content of our website and social media, which had been developed during the pandemic from afar and by volunteers.
With that professional freelance support, we steadily overhauled our website improving functionality, content, design and layout. We invested in much better photographs and graphics. The impact has been incredible. Our website (our ‘shop window’) attracts far more interest, inviting people to the online donation platforms, while our social media has become much more engaging and far more effective. We have been very grateful indeed for this financial support.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society. Find out more: About us – The Charity Commission (www.gov.uk)
- The Revitalising Trusts programme ensures charitable funds that are lying dormant are spent and make a difference as originally intended. The programme helps charities by supporting and advising trustees who find it hard to spend their income, recruit new trustees, identify beneficiaries, or find time to run the charity.
- If you are working with a charity possibly in need of our help, email the Charity Commission at [email protected] for information and advice.
- Daring to Dream received a grant of £2000 via Community Foundation Wales, part funded by the Revitalising Trusts Programme.
- Childhood Cancer Awareness Month takes place every September and is run by Children with Cancer UK (charity number: 298405).
- The Charity Commission for England and Wales is working in partnership with Welsh Government and Community Foundation Wales for charities operating in Wales.
