This week is Hospice Care Week, the annual week of activity to raise the profile of hospice care across Wales and the UK. The theme of Hospice Care Week this year is 'Heart my Hospice'. The cross-party group on hospices and palliative care's recent inquiry into inequalities in access heard how limited awareness of the full range of services offered by hospices and the stigma around talking about death and dying can be barriers to people accessing the right care. The group recommended that hospices across Wales should continue to raise awareness of the care they provide and the opportunities for communities to engage with their work.

Each year, hospices in Wales directly care for more than 10,000 people, around 80 per cent of whom are cared for in their own homes and the community. Hospices are reliant on engagement with their communities to support their work. They provide opportunities to volunteer as gardeners, drivers, in retail and administration, and fundraise a total of £2 million every month to sustain the delivery of hospice care in Wales.

Hospices in Wales are asking people to demonstrate their support for their hospice by volunteering, donating, or by showing they care on social media in Hospice Care Week. Throughout the week, hospices in Wales are opening their doors to their wider communities to encourage greater engagement and to improve awareness of the vital work they do.