Our President’s Chosen Charity
Swansea Bay Business Club is delighted to announce 2026’s chosen charity of the year, the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Our Club President Jonathan Richards quoted “We are proud to have selected the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award as President’s Chosen Charity for 2026. This esteemed charity supports thousands of young people in developing essential skills for life, and we’re proud to spotlight its invaluable work, especially on the charity’s 70th anniversary, across Swansea Bay.”
What is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award?
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is open to any young person aged 14-24, with programmes self-designed, picking their own activities and causes to volunteer for, in order to achieve a Bronze, Silver or Gold DofE Award. The DofE is run in schools, youth clubs, fostering agencies, prisons, sports clubs and more, across the UK and internationally, supporting them in developing skills for life.
This year the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award hits the significant milestone of its 70th anniversary – an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of millions of young people who’ve developed key skills for life and work through DofE.
Ian Gwilym, Wales Senior Relationships Manager, at the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, said: “The DofE in Wales support over 15,000 young people a year to do the programme, with many of these young people coming from marginalised backgrounds, it helps build their resilience, confidence and gives them new and exciting activities to experience that is part of a globally recognised Award.
“It’s fantastic that the DofE in Wales has been chosen as the Swansea Business Club’s Presidents charity of the year. A brilliant opportunity to raise the profile of the charity and to increase funds to help support even young people from disadvantaged areas in South Wales to develop essential skills for work and life.”
“We are extremely grateful that Jonathan and the club are able to help support young people today who in turn could be club members employees of the future.”
Find out more about the charity’s involvement in Wales here.
(L-R: President – Jonathan Richards, Ian Gwilym, Wales Senior Relationships Manager, at the Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards, Deputy President – Mandi Gwynne)
Past chosen Charities of our Presidents include:-
| 2011-2013 | Kath Whitrow -Treat Trust Wales and Swansea Alzheimer’s Society |
| 2013-2015 | Bruce Roberts – Macmillan- £3000 |
| 2015-2017 | Hayley Davies – Ty Hafan – £60,000 |
| 2017-2019 | Paul Gardner – RNLI- £11,000 |
| 2019-2021 | Alan Brayley – ABF The Soldiers’ Charity – £8,060 |
| 2022-2023 | Michael Morgan – 2022 ABF The Soldiers’ Charity – £16,440 |
| 2022-2023 | Michael Morgan – 2023 Wales Air Ambulance – £10,057.63 |
| 2024-2025 | Amy Seppman – Faith in Families – £54,640 |