Looking back on 2025 - how we helped Dyfed love later life

Looking back on 2025: helping Dyfed love later life

As we look back on 2025, Age Cymru Dyfed reflects on a year defined by care, connection and community action. Across West Wales, many people over fifty face challenges that can make later life harder than it should be, including loneliness, bereavement, financial pressures, limited transport, and declining health. Throughout 2025, our work focused on meeting those challenges, with practical support and genuine human connection, helping people not just to cope, but to feel valued, supported and part of their community.

Our services, powered by our amazing team of staff, volunteers, partners and trustees reached people at moments of uncertainty and change, offering reassurance, advice and companionship when it mattered most. This work was made possible by the dedication of staff, the generosity of supporters and the extraordinary commitment of volunteers who gave their time, skills and compassion to help others live later life well.

Creating more help and support across the year

Responding to growing need, 2025 saw Age Cymru Dyfed expand its support through several important new services. Barriers to independence were further reduced through the launch of a community transport scheme "Ar Y Ffordd - On The Go", in partnership with Dolen Teifi, supporting people who struggle to get out and about due to limited or inaccessible transport. Alongside this, our financial wellbeing support service helped older people and unpaid carers navigate financial challenges, access entitlements and reduce money worries at a time when many were feeling the strain of rising living costs.

The introduction of our Heart of the Community volunteer programme helped build stronger neighbourhood connections, with trained volunteers offering friendly contact and reassurance to people experiencing isolation. Also, a housing support grant service in Ceredigion and other unpaid carer support grants. We also launched an older people’s service in Pembrokeshire, strengthening local support and ensuring older residents could access advice, activities and practical help closer to home. 

Our bereavement service was also introduced in 2025, to provide compassionate, specialist support for people experiencing loss, offering a safe space to talk, be heard and begin to rebuild after grief.

Supporting older veterans remained a key focus in 2025, with the launch of our Building Stronger Futures for Older Veterans eLearning programme. Alongside this, Age Cymru Dyfed delivered events, partnership work and national engagement, including sharing veteran voices at the Senedd and in Westminster, helping to raise awareness and ensure the needs of older veterans in West Wales were better recognised and supported.

Building on trusted, established services

Alongside new developments, our long-standing services continued to provide essential, day-to-day support. Connecting Carmarthenshire remains a vital point of contact, offering community drop-ins, outreach support and personalised help. Over the year, our Connecting Carmarthenshire information and advice team managed 1,378 referrals, with 238 people receiving dedicated one to one support from wellbeing officers. This tailored approach helped people achieve meaningful outcomes and, in many cases, prevented the need for further statutory intervention.

Our Dementia Wellbeing Connector Service also went from strength to strength in 2025. Our team of connectors talk openly about the service in the July blog - Meet our Regional Dementia Wellbeing Connectors.

Our Befriending Life Links social groups continued to play a powerful role in tackling loneliness and rebuilding confidence. Groups such as Green Escapes, Brew Buddies, Crafty Days, Shake Rattle and Stroll, Move and Groove, and Pride in Age, brought people together through shared interests, laughter and friendship. For many, these groups became a lifeline, offering routine, belonging and joy. More information on current listings can be found on our Activities and Events page.

Digital inclusion remained a key focus, with older people supported to build confidence using technology to stay connected and access essential services, helped by our new digital project funded by Moondance which launched in early 2025. Practical support through 'home help' and 'toenail cutting' services enabled many people to remain safe, comfortable and independent in their own homes for longer. The continued work of award-winning Byw Adref and Toenail Cutting Services was also very successful.

Powered by people

Behind every service is a community of people who choose to get involved. In 2025, our volunteers were at the heart of our work, offering friendship, practical help and reassurance to older people across Dyfed. From supporting social groups and digital sessions to welcoming people at drop ins or simply being there to listen, volunteers helped turn services into relationships.

Stories like Volunteer Rose’s capture the spirit of volunteering at Age Cymru Dyfed. By giving her time, Rose helped others feel less alone, while finding connection and purpose herself. Her experience reflects that of many volunteers who describe volunteering as a two-way journey, one that builds confidence, friendships and stronger communities.

Fundraisers and donors also played a crucial role, supporting appeals, events and challenges that helped keep our services free, local and accessible. In 2026 we will continue to build on this area of work with staff, volunteers, organisations and community members. We also set up a donations page so that people can donate monthly via subscription payments as well as one off payments and a Big Step 2026 Just Giving campaign which launches soon.

Thanks to this collective generosity, last financial year Age Cymru Dyfed supported 365 people living with dementia and their carers, provided mental health support to 560 people, connected 292 older people through befriending and social groups, helped 463 people develop digital skills, delivered advice to 2,684 people, and unlocked £2.3 million in previously unclaimed welfare benefits. Behind each of these figures is a real person, living in West Wales, facing the challenges to loving life in Dyfed as an older person.

Looking ahead

Looking back on 2025 is a reminder that ageing well should never be something people face alone. With the continued support of volunteers, fundraisers and donors, Age Cymru Dyfed will keep responding to need, strengthening communities and ensuring that later life across West Wales is lived with dignity, connection and hope.

As we move forward, we remain committed to helping Dyfed love later life together. We are always on the look out for new volunteers, donors, fundraisers and trustees, if you are interested, please get in touch!

Get in touch

For any enquiries please email reception@agecymrudyfed.org.uk.