AS a local businessman invites members of the public to a meeting about his holiday camp ambitions, we met face-to-face people who have had children taken care of by Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice on the Sully coastline.
Owner of Barry Pleasure Park Henry Danter has invited the public to meet him at his Beach Hut Bar on the island, tomorrow, December 1, to discuss his desire to build a caravan park between Tŷ Hafan and Beechwood College.
Last night, November 29, members of Protect Tŷ Hafan’s Peace Facebook group, along with their supporters, were out in protest at any attempt to build on the land between the college and the hospice – land Mr Danter owns.
When we were at the protest, we met one of the leaders of Protect Tŷ Hafan’s Peace Tracey Withers who lost her teenage daughter to a brain tumour.
Izzy was in the care of Tŷ Hafan for 16 weeks before she passed away.
We also met Karen and Geoff Davies whose granddaughter Blisse was taken care of by the hospice before she passed away from untreatable epilepsy at just 14-years-old.
A visibly emotional Mr Davies described the importance of maintaining the tranquillity around Tŷ Hafan, while Ms Withers said construction next to the hospice would not just affect families on the south Wales coastline.
“Parents are out on their feet and sometimes they are just desperate for support,” said Mr Davies.
“This is not just a Barry issue,” said Ms Withers. “The support goes as far as people affected in Milford Haven (Pembrokeshire).”
Protect Tŷ Hafan’s Peace has said they will not be attending Mr Danter’s meeting tomorrow due to among other reasons, the timing of the event and they would prefer the meet in a neutral venue.
Mr Danter has said his development would be built with respect for Tŷ Hafan at the forefront of the designs and vehemently argues it would bring economic prosperity to the area.
Ms Withers said her group is not against a caravan park being developed in the area, just not between Tŷ Hafan and Beechwood College.
“He (Mr Danter) says he’d leave 1,000ft between his development and Tŷ Hafan, but if you look at the strip of land he would be left with there’s no way he could get 600 caravans on that site.”
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Back to a solemn Mr and Mrs Davies who said Tŷ Hafan were fantastic in the support they gave their grandchild, and in fact, Mr Davies was heading back there in the next couple of days to “feel close” to Blisse.
“We had support of Tŷ Hafan for 14 years and we still go there now,” said Mr Davies.
“The children get to know the staff and they don’t become afraid.
“The reason I still go is to feel close to Blisse overlooking the beach in all that quiet.”
Mr Danter’s meeting over the caravan park plans is to be hosted at his Beach Hut Bar, on Friars Road, Friday, December 1, with the meeting starting at 11am and set to run until 1pm.
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