Lollipop lady raises tens-of-thousands for charity after losing mother and brother to cancer

  • "I can't do anything for them anymore but I can help somebody else, so that's what I did".

Mair Jones, who has raised over £100,000 for Hope House/Ty Gobaith and the Scope charity is one of the finalists in the Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year award.

Mair lost her mother and brother to cancer.

"My brother was only 39 and my mother was 60. I thought I can't do anything for them anymore but I can help somebody else.'

She said that in their honour they did the Memory Walk in London but she wanted to help more local causes and one that became close to her heart was the Hope House Children's Hospice.

Mair has raised more than £50,000 for Tŷ Gobaith. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

'I have raised £53,000 for Ty Gobaith and over £46,000 for the Scope charity shop in Pwllheli.'

A lollipop lady and teaching assistant, Mair started by having open days in her home on the Llŷn Peninsula, but they had to stop because of Covid.

She asked her husband if she could have a little shed to put outside her home and it became known as Cwt Gobaith, also known as Cwt Anti Mair.

In fine weather Mair fills rails and tables of clothes on the road outside her home with the shed acting as a Aladdin's cave of home wear and toys.

Mair Jones has been nominated for the Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the Year award. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

The Cwt also acts as a meeting place for people to go along and have a chat.

"I have phone calls and texts from people saying they are feeling down and if the shed was open. They come here and have a chat with everyone else who is here. I remember one person stayed for three hours.

"I want everything to go for £1 because a lot of people are struggling. People don't have a lot of money to buy clothes, especially childrens clothes. Everything is quite expensive these days. So I do hope I am helping a lot of people.

Mair fills rails and tables of clothes on the road outside her home. Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

People put their money in a honesty box.

"It makes me happy that so many people are honest.'

"I would like to thank everybody who comes here to buy things and brings me stuff because without them I couldn't do this.

In 2023 Mair was honoured with investiture into the Gorsedd of Bards and also invited for tea at Buckingham Palace just three days before King Charles' coronation.

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