An acclaimed Welsh actor who has appeared in Gavin and Stacey and Pobl y Cwm is planning a 475 mile trek in aid of an Ammanford charity.

Huw Davies, also known by his stage name Ifan Huw Dafydd, is planning to walk across northern Spain in memory of his nephew and to raise funds for two essential Welsh charities.

One of these is Ammanford’s Jac Lewis Foundation, which promotes good mental health, boosts awareness of suicide and supports bereaved relatives and friends.

Huw is walking in memory of his nephew Rhys Tom, known as Twm, who died unexpectedly at the age of 31in March this year.

“On March 28th 2023 our family lost one of its colourful characters. A son, a brother, an uncle, a husband-to-be and father to little Celyn,” said Huw.

“A rugby player, a Welsh champion boxer, a marathon runner. An hour in his company left you exhilarated - the smile, the mischief, the leg pulling.

"That smile and the naughty twinkle in his eye - they’ll stay with me forever. “At 31, Twm was far too young and far too precious to leave us.”

Huw is aiming to raise £10,000 for the Jac Lewis and Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice.

Twm had signed up to run the London Marathon to raise funds for Ty Hafan in memory of his childhood best friend Erin. However, he died just four weeks before.

Huw, 69, from Cardiff, whose credits include The Light in the Hall, The Crown, Fireman Sam, Gavin and Stacey and Pobl y Cwm, is now preparing to take on the Camino de Frances pilgrimage, a 475 mile / 764km trek across the Pyrenees, plains and open countryside from St Jean-Pied-De-Port in southwest France to Santiago de Compostela in north west Spain in memory of Twm.

“At 69 my running days are long past, but over August and September I’m going to walk the Camino Frances.

“I hope to raise awareness and money for The Jac Lewis Foundation which helps families bereaved by suicide.

“Ceredigion has the highest suicide rate in the UK - 20.1 for every 100,000 people, compared with 10.1.

“Please help me realise Twm’s promise by sponsoring me. Every penny will help children and their parents at a very desperate time. Thank you.”

Anthony Rees, Chairman of the board of Trustees for the Jac Lewis Foundation said: “The Jac Lewis Foundation is very grateful to Huw in choosing the JLF charity on this huge challenge, which will benefit so many people linked to both the JLF and Tŷ Hafan charities.

“I knew Rhys Tom on a personal level when he was undertaking his Carpentry Shared Apprenticeship with CCTAL many years ago. Pob lwc Huw a diolch yn fawr am dy ymdrech a cyfraniad ir elusennau."

So far Huw has raised more than £5,000 of his £10,000 target. To make a donation go to www.peoplesfundraising.com/fundraising/twm.