on Welsh Charity Awards shortlist
Monday 12 October 2026: For Immediate Release
Swansea Bay has claimed more than a fifth of all finalist places at the Welsh Charity Awards 2026, with six charities, organisations and a young volunteer from the region shortlisted. Organised by WCVA, the Welsh Charity Awards is the only ceremony dedicated to celebrating Wales’ entire voluntary sector. This year’s ceremony will be held on Thursday 15 October at the Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, hosted by BBC Wales Today presenter Jennifer Jones.
Swansea charities Faith in Families and The CAE make up two of the three finalists for Fundraiser of the Year. The CAE raised £947,000 in funding commitments over the year, the largest in its history, while Faith in Families has been nominated for a second year running. They are joined by Cybervists CIC, whose multilingual digital safety education is seeing scams spotted and stopped in communities most at risk of online harm.
| Swansea Bay finalists at a glance:Bowen Cole, Swansea (Young Volunteer of the Year): youth advocacy, equality and peacebuilding in Wales and internationallyCybervists CIC, Swansea (Champion of Diversity): inclusive, multilingual digital safety educationFaith in Families, Swansea (Fundraiser of the Year): raised £131,135.80 in year two to support families across Swansea BayThe CAE, Swansea (Fundraiser of the Year): £947,000 in funding commitments, the largest in its historyVIBE Youth CIC, Swansea (Most Influential Small Organisation): Wellbeing and Innovation Project supporting 52 children and young peopleAwel Aman Tawe, Upper Amman Valley (Organisation of the Year): community energy charity behind the wind farm on the Gwrhyd, near Pontardawe |
Bowen Cole: Nominated for Young Volunteer of the Year
Bowen Cole has dedicated hundreds of hours to youth advocacy, equality and peacebuilding in Wales and internationally. He has continued to volunteer even after bravely facing racist abuse and credible death threats. Bowen studies International Relations full-time and has championed underrepresented communities at the Senedd, supported cancer awareness campaigns following his mother’s diagnosis, and encouraged dialogue on the conflict in DR Congo.
Responding to his nomination, Bowen Cole said: ‘The nomination in itself makes me grateful, it conveys that the work I’ve planned and conducted is indeed making somewhat of a difference. To be recognised at such a level genuinely brings me so much joy, and I hope the nomination inspires other Welsh young people who look like me to carry out similar work for the betterment of the youth, and the community!’
Cybervists CIC: Nominated for Champion of Diversity
Cybervists is an organisation that treats cyber safety and anti-racism as inseparable and delivers inclusive, multilingual digital safety education to the communities most at risk of online harm and most overlooked by mainstream provision. The impact is real, with scams spotted and stopped, confidence restored in people who arrive convinced that technology is ‘not for them’, and participants going on to share what they’ve learned with family and neighbours.
Founder of Cybervists, Rita Akonobi, said: ‘The internet belongs to everyone, and so should the confidence to use it safely. We’re honoured to be shortlisted for Champion of Diversity at the Welsh Charity Awards 2026. At Cybervists, we believe staying safe online should never depend on your age, background, language or social class. This recognition belongs to every volunteer, partner and community member helping us build a digital Wales where everyone feels confident, protected and included.’
Faith in Families: Nominated for Fundraiser of the Year
Faith in Families has transformed its fundraising from a series of activities into a powerful movement of businesses, individuals and communities, raising £116,118.88 in year one and £131,135.80 in year two. It has been bold, creative and clear about its mission, which has led to exceptional growth and, ultimately, more support to families across Swansea Bay who face poverty and trauma.
Siany Martin, Fundraising Manager at Faith in Families, said: ‘We are so proud that Faith in Families has been nominated for Fundraiser of the Year at the Welsh Charity Awards for a second year running. This recognition means a great deal because it reflects the incredible community that has grown around our fundraising, from staff, volunteers and trustees to businesses, partners, supporters and families.
‘For us, fundraising is about more than income. It is about connection, storytelling and giving people meaningful ways to stand alongside children and families facing poverty, crisis and trauma across Swansea Bay. This nomination belongs to everyone who has believed in us and helped us make a difference.’
The CAE: Nominated for Fundraiser of the Year
The CAE (The Centre for African Entrepreneurship) is nominated for its work in securing its sustainable future, while celebrating its 10th anniversary, raising £947,000 in funding commitments over the course of the year – the largest in the organisation’s history. Altogether, this funding has helped serve the needs of 2,648 people, proving that social impact and financial sustainability can go hand in hand.
Kim Mamhende, The CAE Chief of Staff, said: ‘Being recognised as a finalist for Fundraiser of the Year is a very proud moment for The CAE, particularly as we enter our second decade. For us, fundraising has never simply been about raising money; it’s about what that investment enables us and our communities to build. The Academy is a great example of that, creating new opportunities for people while helping us build a more sustainable future for the organisation. This recognition reflects the hard work of our staff and volunteers, our partners and the community that continues to shape everything we do. We’re incredibly proud of how far we’ve come and excited about what comes next.’
VIBE Youth CIC: Nominated for Most Influential Small Organisation
VIBE Youth CIC is nominated for its Wellbeing and Innovation Project, which is delivered across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend and supports 52 children and young people from five schools and colleges. Independent evaluation of the project has demonstrated that every participant showed measurable improvement in emotional awareness and self-understanding, from younger children learning emotional regulation to older participants challenging harmful, internalised labels.
Co-founder Jacob Henry of VIBE Youth CIC, said: ‘Aristotle wrote that knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. A young person on this project put it more succinctly: “I love myself now”. After years of being labelled bad, or unwanted, that’s not a small thing to say.’
Awel Aman Tawe: Nominated for Organisation of the Year
Awel Aman Tawe is a community energy charity that demonstrates how financial robustness and social purpose go hand in hand. It uses its income to fund community resilience projects like Hwb y Gors, a low-carbon Community Hub, and innovation, such as a £3.5m solar and battery project next to its wind farm on the Gwrhyd, near Pontardawe.
Emily Hinshelwood and Dan McCallum, Co-founders of Awel Aman Tawe, said: ‘This nomination is with thanks to all the people who backed us while we were struggling to get planning permission for our wind farm for nearly 20 years. AAT has achieved a lot since 2017 when the wind farm finally went up. We now employ 25 staff. Between us, we want Wales to build on the many community energy projects across the country to tackle climate change, retain wealth and support resilience within our communities.’
Speaking ahead of this year’s ceremony, WCVA (Wales Council for Voluntary Action) Chief Executive Lindsay Cordery-Bruce said: ‘The Welsh Charity Awards isn’t just a celebration, it’s an enormous thank you to the people and organisations who do great things in our communities. These are the people holding our nation together, with kindness, volunteering, inclusion and unwavering helpfulness.
‘Times are tough at the moment, especially for charities and community groups. Our finalists are just a few of the thousands of people bringing hope amid the chaos. They rise to challenges, make things work even when it feels impossible and they do it with no thought of reward. Let’s shine a light on what this means and say a big diolch to everyone who took the time to nominate them.’
The Welsh Charity Awards offers an opportunity to celebrate the extraordinary impact of charities, community groups, not-for-profits and volunteers across Wales, recognising the life-changing difference they make in communities every day.
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