Children at Tŷ Hafan have been getting creative with butterflies for a big banner to be launched at the Senedd today.

The banner, made partly by children in hospice care, is part of a campaign by Wales' two children’s hospices, Tŷ Hafan and Tŷ Gobaith.

Due to be unfurled on the steps of the Senedd on June 18 by the hospices' representatives as they demand sustainable funding.

The massive butterfly, measuring 8 metres by 6 metres, consists of 3,655 small butterflies.

Each one represents a child in Wales diagnosed with a life-shortening condition.

The work of art was assembled by children currently supported by both hospices, along with staff and volunteers.

Currently, both hospices support only one in ten such children across Wales.

Their long-running campaign aims to encourage the Welsh Government to allocate 21 per cent of their annual care costs, which presently stands at only 12 per cent.

Comparatively, children's hospices in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland receive between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of their annual care costs from their respective governments.

Irfon Rees, Tŷ Hafan's chief executive, said: "In 2021/22 Welsh Government met our ask to fund 21 per cent of our care costs for Wales’ two children’s hospices.

"However, in real terms, this recurrent funding has since fallen to just under 12 per cent of hospice care costs.

"We need Welsh Government funding to keep pace with the need for, and costs of, our services."

Andy Goldsmith, chief executive of Tŷ Gobaith, emphasised the importance of their services to families with terminally ill children, stating: "We know we can do more.

"We know we must do more to reach the 3,655 families who have had to have the conversation you never want to have and are desperately seeking support."

The #ReachEveryChild butterfly emblem took three weeks to assemble.

It includes 404 colourful fabric butterflies, each uniquely decorated by the children currently under the care of Tŷ Hafan and Tŷ Gobaith.

The remaining 3,251 butterflies were meticulously stencilled in grey paint by hospice volunteers.