Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal has been made an official fundraising appeal for Withybush Hospital’s cancer ward by Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Charitable Funds Committee.

Five-and-a-half-year-old Elly Neville first made her collage of the Pembrokeshire flag for a school competition in April 2015 and, together with her family, decided to raffle it to raise funds for the refurbishment and upgrade of Ward 10 - the dedicated cancer ward at Withybush Hospital. Since Elly and her parents, Lyn and Ann, began the campaign earlier this year they have raised over £9,000.

Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal fundraising campaign is led by the Neville family with support from the Hywel Dda Health Charities fundraising team. Now that their appeal has been made official, all past and future donations collected by the Neville family will be ring-fenced for the specific purpose of patient benefit at Ward 10, Withybush Hospital.

Last week, Professor Mark Drakeford, Minister for Health and Social Services, and Bernardine Rees, chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board, met with the family at Withybush Hospital to congratulate Elly on her impressive fundraising efforts.

Mark Drakeford said: “Congratulations to Elly for her efforts to support the development of the cancer ward at Withybush Hospital. I wish Elly the best of luck with her ongoing fundraising and look forward to hearing about the final total raised.”

Bernardine Rees added: “Elly and her family are doing tremendous work to support ward 10 through their fundraising, the Flag Appeal has gathered such momentum through Pembrokeshire and beyond - well done Elly!”

Following a commitment from the University Health Board to provide improved facilities for cancer patients at Withybush Hospital, plans to upgrade facilities for cancer patients are being integrated with wider improvements planned for Withybush Hospital in order to provide the brightest future for the Haverfordwest hospital and the population it serves.

Ann Neville, Elly’s mother, commented: “Elly is delighted that her hard work has been recognised by Mark Drakeford and Bernardine Rees. Lyn and I are very proud of what she has achieved.

“The expansion and refurbishment of the Chemotherapy Day Unit and Ward 10 is a cause very close to our heart and we as a family are pleased to be doing what we can to support the planned developments.

“Having Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal made official under the umbrella of Hywel Dda Health Charities means that we will benefit from extra support from the University Health Board to raise as much money as possible to help cancer patients in Pembrokeshire.”

If you would like to donate to Elly’s Flag for Ward 10 Appeal visit: www.justgiving.com/ward10flag, go in to any Pembrokeshire Branch of Barclays Bank and quote ‘Elly’s Ward 10 Flag’ or text FLAG88 and the amount (£2, £5 or £10) to 70070. Cheques can be made payable to, ‘Elly’s Ward 10 Flag Appeal’.

To follow the appeal on Facebook search for ‘Ward 10 Flag’.