Faith in Families receives £20K from Alun’s 25-year anniversary fund

We are delighted to announce that Faith in Families has received £20,000 from our special £25,000 charitable fund established to mark our Chief Executive Alun Williams' 25 years at the helm of the Society.

The donation forms the largest allocation from the anniversary fund, which was created to celebrate Alun's quarter-century of leadership while supporting organisations making a meaningful difference to communities across Wales. The remaining £5,000 from the fund will be awarded later this year.

Faith in Families has been selected in recognition of its long-standing commitment to supporting children and families facing poverty, trauma and hardship across South Wales. Established in 1999, the charity delivers a wide range of services through its Community Cwtches and family support programmes, helping thousands of people each year. It also operates Cwtch Mawr, Wales's first Multibank, providing essential items and practical support to families in need.

The organisation also maintains a valued relationship with us, here at Swansea Building Society, as a business savings customer. The latest donation builds on an established partnership between our organisations, with the Society previously providing significant support towards the redevelopment of Faith in Families' Teilo's Community Cwtch in Portmead.

The announcement reflects our longstanding commitment to supporting the communities we serve. Over the years, we have provided funding and support to a wide range of charitable and community initiatives across South Wales, while maintaining a strong focus on mutual values and local impact.

Alun Williams, our Chief Executive, said:

"Marking 25 years with Swansea Building Society has given me an opportunity to reflect on the importance of community and the role organisations can play in supporting the areas they serve.

“Faith in Families carries out extraordinary work supporting children and families across our communities and we are proud to continue our relationship with the charity through this donation. They are not only a valued business customer of Swansea Building Society, but an organisation whose values closely reflect our own commitment to supporting people and communities across South Wales.

"Mutuality is about people helping people and this donation is a fitting way to mark this milestone while supporting an organisation that makes a genuine difference every day."

Cherrie Bija, CEO of Faith in Families, said:

"We are incredibly grateful to Swansea Building Society for this generous donation. Support of this scale will help us continue delivering vital services to children and families who need them most. We have enjoyed a strong relationship with the Society for many years and are proud to be associated with an organisation that shares our commitment to strengthening communities and improving lives."

The £25,000 anniversary fund was announced as part of celebrations marking Alun Williams' 25 years as our Chief Executive. Appointed in 2001 at the age of 36, Alun became one of the youngest building society Chief Executives in the UK and has overseen a period of significant growth, with the Society's assets increasing from £34 million to more than £715 million.

Alongside the charitable fund, Alun recently took part in a landmark filmed interview with Swansea-born musician and broadcaster Mal Pope, reflecting on his career, the Society's transformation and the values that have underpinned its success over the past quarter-century.

The anniversary fund is in addition to our ongoing charitable giving programme, including our support for Prostate Cymru, the Society's official charity partner for 2026.