In the quiet darkness before dawn, on Sunday, June 1st, a small group of women — Michaela, Ashley, Anna, and Beth — will start their climb up Pen Y Fan, South Wales’ highest peak, guided only by torchlight and their unwavering determination to make a difference. This is more than a physical challenge. It’s a mission of love, resilience, and gratitude — a sunrise climb to shine a light on a place that has transformed their families’ lives: Y Bont, the only specialist nursery of its kind in Wales for children with complex needs, disabilities, and life-limiting conditions.
For Michaela Collins, mum to 7-year-old Roman, Y Bont is a lifeline for families like hers, but it is at risk of closure without urgent support. Michaela is climbing to help raise the vital funds needed to keep this extraordinary place open.
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
A Mother’s Plea to Save the Place That Saved Her Son
Michaela, who works at The Business Centre for Paul Ingram Employment & Recruitment—one of the Centre’s very first business residents—says Y Bont has been nothing short of a beacon of hope for her family.
“My youngest son, Roman, is Autistic and has ADHD. He also has a condition called Global Delayed Development, which means his mental age is quite far behind his physical age of 7,” she shares.
“Y Bont has been amazing for him. They treat every child as an individual and fully cater to how they can best support them. In Roman’s case, that means helping with daily care needs, fulfilling his very high sensory needs, and most importantly — keeping him safe.”
But now, this crucial service is under threat. Featured recently on ITV News, Y Bont is facing a funding crisis. With limited support from local authorities and rising costs, their future is uncertain.
“Without them, I don’t know where we as a family would be.”
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
Climbing for Roman & Y Bont
So what can one mum do in the face of such uncertainty? She climbs.
At 3:30am, Michaela and her group will leave the comfort of their homes, heading toward Pen Y Fan. They’ll begin their ascent around 4:30am, hiking by torchlight with the aim of reaching the summit in time for sunrise.
“I’ve been training — hitting the gym, doing HIIT classes, and building a love-hate relationship with the stairmaster!” Michaela laughs. “It’s all worth it.”
Pen Y Fan was chosen not just for its beauty, but because it allowed the group to take on a challenge and still be home in time for lunch with their children. Michaela has done similar challenges before — from previous Pen Y Fan climbs to half-marathons — but this one is deeply personal.
“This time, I’m climbing for Roman. And for every other child who needs a place like Y Bont.”
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
Meet Roman: “The Happiest Little Boy You Could Meet”
If you ask Michaela to describe her son, her face lights up.
“Roman is quite possibly the happiest little boy you could meet — maybe the loudest too! He wakes up singing his own songs with a big smile on his face. He’s cheeky, full of fun, and has the most infectious giggle. People always comment on it.
“Roman is also a huge sensory seeker. His days are filled with throwing things around just to watch them crash down, playing with lots of splashing water, and jumping off furniture onto a crash pad. He really enjoys watching marble runs and any kind of vehicle.
“A perfect day for him would be a trip to the train station to watch the trains, the airport to see planes take off, or a day at the beach throwing sand and pebbles into the sea.”
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
When No One Else Could Help, Y Bont Stepped In
But Roman’s journey hasn’t been easy.
“When he started school, he was undiagnosed. He was placed in an observation unit with 1:1 support, but it quickly became clear they couldn’t meet his needs or keep him safe. I’d pick him up from the after-school club with incident forms every day, and a very dysregulated child.”
It was Roman’s teacher who first mentioned Y Bont — a place that could truly help. From the very first meeting, Michaela felt the difference.
“They asked questions no one else ever had — about what Roman likes, his triggers, how to calm him during a meltdown, what his safe foods are. I remember thinking, ‘Wow, they actually want to understand him.
“This was the first time anyone looking after Roman in my absence had asked me these kinds of questions, and it made me realise how much they understood a child with additional needs.”
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
A Nursery Like No Other
Y Bont’s staff aren’t just carers — they’re champions of every child’s right to feel safe, understood, and loved.
“They have such patience and genuine love for each child. I’ve never felt the need to explain Roman’s behaviour — they already know, because they’ve taken the time to learn about him.”
For Michaela, Y Bont doesn’t just support Roman — it supports her entire family.
“Without their after-school and holiday clubs, I wouldn’t be able to work. Roman needs round-the-clock care—I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything else without their support.”
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
Why Places Like Y Bont Matter
Places like Y Bont are rare. Too rare.
“Every child deserves the same opportunities. But a child with a disability or complex needs faces so many barriers, even just the simplest of things, like access to a nursery. Without Y Bont, our lives would look very different. So many families rely on them because mainstream facilities often can’t meet our children’s needs.”
But they can’t continue their vital work without help.
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
This Is Your Moment to Make a Difference
This is where you come in.
Michaela isn’t just climbing a mountain — she’s raising her voice. And she’s asking for yours.
“If you’d like to sponsor our climb, any donation — no matter the size — would be so appreciated. Every pound brings Y Bont closer to being able to stay open and support more children like Roman.”
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
A Message for Other Parents
Michaela knows she’s not alone in her journey. And she has a message for other families just starting out.
“Let your child show you the way. I spent so much time at the beginning mourning the life I thought Roman should have, and all it did was make me miss the life he was living and loving. We stripped everything back and got to see the world through his eyes. And it’s wonderful.
“Not every day is going to be easy, but you have to learn to let go of what you think is the social norm and allow your child to be exactly who they’re meant to be. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
“It took me a long time to realise I wasn’t meant to have this perfect show home—we have crash pads in the lounge, sensory swings hanging from the ceiling, spinning games screwed into the walls… and that’s OK. My child is happy. He’s safe. That’s what matters.
“For everyone not going through this journey: when you’ve met one autistic person, you’ve only met one autistic person. Take the time to learn about the individual and how their brain works. It’s OK to ask questions.”
👉Support Michaela’s mission here and help her reach her target of £800: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
(Please consider sharing this link too. Awareness is just as important as donations.)
A Climb Toward Hope — and a Chance to Keep the Light Burning
To Michaela, this climb is a symbol of strength — hers, Roman’s, Y Bont’s, and every family walking a similar path.
It’s a journey toward the sunrise. Toward hope. And with your help, it’s a step toward keeping a vital light burning bright in the world — Y Bont.
Please, if you can, donate and share: https://gofund.me/e47d6efc
Together, we can help Y Bont continue to do what they do best: see the child, not just the diagnosis.