Our History

The Noah’s Ark Appeal was launched in 2000 following a 10 year period of lobbying and campaigning by the charity’s founder trustees. They were incensed that Wales was the only country in Europe without a purpose-built hospital for sick children. Indeed for many years, doctors and others had talked of their dreams that one day this would change so that sick children in Wales would enjoy the same benefits as their counterparts over the border and beyond. It was time to take action!

After many set-backs and disappointments during the campaigning years, it was decided to follow the route taken by other children’s hospitals in the UK and to build the hospitals in phases – the initial phase to be built by public funds and to seek match funding from the government to complete the hospital.

Thus in May 2000, the Noah’s Ark Appeal to raise initially £5 million for the building costs of phase one was launched by the then 14 year old Charlotte Church. This figure continued to grow as needs changed during the course of the fundraising campaign.

The Children’s Hospital for Wales (Phase One) was opened to patients with medical conditions and/or cancer in time for St David’s Day in 2005 and officially opened a year later. The Noah’s Ark Appeal continued to support the Children’s Hospital for Wales while at the same time pressing for the hospital to be completed by the Welsh Assembly Government. By 2008 over £12 million had been raised making our hospital one of the best in the world.

Learn more about how we have helped over the years in our Hospital Questions and Answers page.

For some of the highlights in our history check out our Landmark Stories page. Or why not take a look at our Appeal Gallery for our story in pictures.

THANK YOU for all of your support – Be very proud of what you have achieved.