Wales Air Ambulance Charity has thanked the organisers and sponsors of the Child of Wales Awards 2026 after being selected as one of the event’s chosen charities.
Now in its fifth year, the Child of Wales Awards recognise children and young people who demonstrate exceptional bravery, determination, fundraising, community spirit and sporting or creative excellence.
The 2026 awards ceremony will take place at Swansea Building Society Arena on 2 October and is expected to welcome around 650 guests from across Wales, including sponsors, supporters, celebrities, sporting stars, influencers and media representatives.
Wales Air Ambulance is one of the event’s chosen charities, alongside mental health charity Big Moose, and will benefit from fundraising generated through the awards while raising wider awareness of its lifesaving work across Wales. The Charity provides advanced critical care 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and over 3,600 missions during 2025, including more than 400 involving children.
Representatives from Wales Air Ambulance and Big Moose recently attended a sponsors’ event in Swansea, where they met supporters and partners involved in this year’s awards programme. It was hosted by Redkite Solicitors and Kartay.
The 2026 Child of Wales Awards are supported by headline sponsor Ascona Group and event partner Blue Tiger. Other sponsors include The Trade Centre Wales, Gower College Swansea, Commonwealth Games Wales, Westacres, Swansea Building Society, Castell Howell Foods, JCP Solicitors, Owens Group, Thomas Carroll, Swansea City Football Club, LBS Builders Merchants, Sinclair Group, Route Media, Green Hat Consulting, BDP Wales, CJCH Solicitors, Browne Jacobson, Bluestone National Park Resort, ULTRA, Azets, and Aspris.
Dr Sue Barnes, Chief Executive of Wales Air Ambulance Charity, said: “We are incredibly proud and grateful that Wales Air Ambulance has been chosen as one of the beneficiary charities of the Child of Wales Awards 2026.
“The awards celebrate some of the most inspiring young people in Wales and shine a light on stories of courage, resilience and kindness. Those stories resonate deeply with our Charity, as we are privileged to support children and families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
“The event provides a wonderful opportunity to raise vital funds and showcase the difference charitable support makes to the thousands of patients we attend across Wales each year. We would like to thank the organisers, sponsors and supporters for choosing to support Wales Air Ambulance and Big Moose.”
Through its fundraising, the awards support charities working with children and families across Wales, adding a wider charitable legacy to the celebration of young people’s achievements.
Phae Jones, Director of Income Generation at Wales Air Ambulance Charity, added: “The recent sponsors’ event in Swansea was a valuable opportunity to meet the businesses and individuals who are helping to make the Child of Wales Awards such a success.
“The support behind this event is truly inspiring. We are especially grateful for the opportunity to highlight our vital work, share patient stories and explain why we need to raise £13 million every year to keep our helicopters flying and our rapid response vehicles on the road across Wales.
“Partnerships like this help us reach new audiences and ensure we can continue delivering advanced critical care to people across Wales whenever and wherever it is needed.
“We look forward to joining sponsors, supporters, nominees and their families at Swansea Building Society Arena this October to celebrate the extraordinary achievements of young people from across Wales.”
Wales Air Ambulance is consultant-led, taking hospital-standard treatments to the patient and, if required, transferring them directly to the most appropriate hospital for their illness or injury.
It is delivered via a unique third sector and public sector partnership. The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) supplies highly skilled NHS consultants and critical care practitioners who work on board the Charity’s vehicles.
This advanced critical care includes the ability to administer anaesthesia, deliver blood transfusions and conduct minor operations, all at the scene of an incident.
As a pan-Wales service, its dedicated crews, regardless of where they are based, will travel the length and breadth of the country to deliver emergency lifesaving care.
