Pontdolgoch raises £2,500 for Bronglais hospital charity
Pontdolgoch villagers hand over £2,500 to Cyfeillion Bronglais League of Friends after a garden party in memory of ‘Pete the Chapel’.
Residents of Pontdolgoch, a small village near Caersws, handed over a cheque for £2,500 to Cyfeillion Bronglais League of Friends on Thursday, marking the culmination of a community‑led garden party held in memory of a local resident.
The event, organised by Jane Gnosill and a group of friends, was staged in May to celebrate the life of her late husband, affectionately known as ‘Pete the Chapel’, who received care at Bronglais Hospital.
Attendees were asked to contribute a minimum donation of £5, with a raffle adding a further incentive for generosity.
When the cheque was presented, a spokesperson for the League of Friends praised the effort, saying, “Raising such a fantastic amount is a wonderful achievement and reflects the generosity, hard work and community spirit of everyone involved.”
“We are extremely grateful to Jane and her friends for organising such a successful event and for choosing to support Cyfeillion Bronglais League of Friends,” the spokesperson added.
Cyfeillion Bronglais League of Friends, the charitable arm of Bronglais Hospital, raises funds to improve patient facilities, purchase equipment and support families during treatment.
The £2,500 contribution will be earmarked for upgrades to the hospital’s paediatric play area and for the purchase of comfort items for patients undergoing long‑term care.
Local residents described the garden party as a “warm gathering” that brought together neighbours from across the surrounding countryside.
“It was a chance to remember Pete and to give back to the place that meant so much to him,” said one long‑time villager, who preferred to remain unnamed.
Jane Gnosill, who lost her husband in 2022 after a prolonged battle with illness, said the event was a way to turn personal grief into something positive for the community.
“Pete always spoke highly of the staff at Bronglais, and I wanted to honour his memory by helping the people who cared for him,” she explained.
The garden party, held on the Gnosill family’s property, featured homemade cakes, local produce and a raffle that attracted entries from neighbouring towns such as Llandrindod Wells and Newtown.
Organisers reported that the raffle alone raised over £800, with the remaining funds coming from direct donations collected throughout the afternoon.
Community volunteers set up tables, managed the raffle draw and coordinated the collection of donations, demonstrating the close‑knit nature of rural Welsh life.
Cyfeillion Bronglais League of Friends has previously benefited from similar grassroots initiatives, including a 2021 bake‑sale that raised £1,200 for the hospital’s oncology ward.
Hospital officials have welcomed the continued support, noting that charitable contributions often fill gaps left by statutory funding.
“Every pound helps us provide a more comfortable environment for patients and their families,” a senior nurse at Bronglais Hospital said, without naming the charity directly.
The success of the Pontdolgoch fundraiser underscores a broader trend of small communities rallying around local health services, especially in the wake of recent pressures on the NHS.
Local councillor Rhys Morgan, representing the area on Powys County Council, highlighted the importance of such initiatives, stating that “community spirit is the backbone of our rural health provision.”
As the cheque was signed and handed over, attendees shared stories of Pete’s kindness, reinforcing the personal connection between the village and the hospital.
With the funds now secured, Cyfeillion Bronglais League of Friends plans to commence the play‑area refurbishment in the coming weeks, aiming to complete the work before the winter season.
The garden party not only honoured a beloved husband but also demonstrated how a modest village can make a tangible difference to a regional health service.