On Thursday 12 March 2026, Matthew’s House had the privilege of being part of It’s Your Swansea, a city wide event held at Swansea Arena and led by 4theRegion.
4theRegion is known across South West Wales for bringing people, organisations and ideas together to strengthen the local economy and community. This event was a brilliant example of that vision in action, gathering businesses, charities, public sector leaders, education providers and future leaders all in one space.
For us at Matthew’s House, it was a special day.
We were able to host a stall, share the heart behind our work, and connect with people from across the city. We were also grateful to be joined by friends who supported us on the day, helping us represent the work of Matthew’s House and The Hill Church Swansea with warmth and passion. A big thank you as well to the team from Grub Talks for standing alongside us and helping tell the story.
Throughout the day, there was a real sense of momentum in the city.
It was inspiring to hear about future plans from Swansea Council and local businesses, as well as seeing the creativity and leadership coming through young people connected with Swansea College, Gower College and local schools. Spaces like this matter because they bring vision, energy and collaboration together in a tangible way.
We were also able to take part in meaningful conversations around mental health, workplace wellbeing, disability inclusion and empowering people across our communities. These are areas deeply connected to the everyday reality of what we see at Matthew’s House, so being part of those discussions was both important and encouraging.
One of the most powerful parts of the day was connection.
We were able to reconnect with long standing friends and partners, while also building new relationships that we believe will lead to meaningful collaboration in the future. Events like this create the space for those conversations to happen naturally, and that is where real change often begins.
These opportunities are especially significant for us.
As a grassroots project, we do not have large marketing budgets or big platforms to promote what we do. Moments like It’s Your Swansea give us the chance to share the story of Matthew’s House face to face, helping people understand the depth, impact and heart behind the work. Time and time again, when people hear the story, they want to be part of it.
We were also deeply encouraged to hear Matthew’s House mentioned and thanked during the speaking sessions, recognising the role we play in supporting people across the city. That meant a lot to our team and volunteers.
A huge thank you to Dawn, Zoe and the wider team at 4theRegion, along with Amanda and everyone involved in making the day happen. It was excellently hosted, full of energy, and genuinely valuable for the city.
We left feeling grateful, encouraged and expectant.
Grateful for the opportunity. Encouraged by the connections. And expectant that some of the conversations and friendships formed on the day will grow into something really special for Swansea.
This is what it looks like when a city comes together.
And we are honoured to play our part.