
Usk Brownie leader Jean Williams honoured in the Senedd
Jean Williams, leader of the 1st Usk Brownie pack, was celebrated in the Senedd during Volunteers' Week by South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones, who described her as a true example of dedication.
Ms Jones said: "Jean has seen generation upon generation of girls go through my local town, me being one of them.
"It's quite hard to comprehend the amount of girls who have been through that Brownie pack while she's been leading it.
"She's given so much of her time, shaping young minds and teaching them good skills, as well as ensuring that they have lots of fun."
Ms Williams has led the Brownie pack for 59 years.
In 2017, she was named an Honorary Burgess of Usk, the town's highest honour.
Ms Jones said: "It's an incredible achievement and I'm sure that the cabinet secretary would recognise that too.
"The time, effort and goodwill put in by our volunteers keep our communities working and the world keep going around, is phenomenal.
"The contribution that they make to society, invaluable."

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

South Wales Argus
20 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Usk Brownie leader Jean Williams honoured in the Senedd
Jean Williams, leader of the 1st Usk Brownie pack, was celebrated in the Senedd during Volunteers' Week by South Wales East MS Laura Anne Jones, who described her as a true example of dedication. Ms Jones said: "Jean has seen generation upon generation of girls go through my local town, me being one of them. "It's quite hard to comprehend the amount of girls who have been through that Brownie pack while she's been leading it. "She's given so much of her time, shaping young minds and teaching them good skills, as well as ensuring that they have lots of fun." Ms Williams has led the Brownie pack for 59 years. In 2017, she was named an Honorary Burgess of Usk, the town's highest honour. Ms Jones said: "It's an incredible achievement and I'm sure that the cabinet secretary would recognise that too. "The time, effort and goodwill put in by our volunteers keep our communities working and the world keep going around, is phenomenal. "The contribution that they make to society, invaluable."


Wales Online
2 days ago
- Wales Online
Wales is recruiting ‘nowhere near enough' secondary teachers
Wales is recruiting 'nowhere near enough' secondary teachers Only a third of the number of secondary school teachers have been recruited Wales is only training around a third of the necessary secondary school teachers, with nowhere near enough recruits and no improvement in sight, an education chief warned. The Welsh Government aims to train about 1,000 teachers each year but the Education Workforce Council issued 369 certificates, according to the latest data from August 2024. A further 34 people trained through an Open University route. In August, 27 maths teachers got their certificates, but 130 is the target. In terms of Welsh teachers, the hope is for 80 to 90 but only 20 completed training in 2024. Education Workforce Council (EWC) chief executive Hayden Llewellyn, gave evidence to the Senedd education committee and said the trend for secondary schools has gotten worse over the past ten to 20 years, with improvements during the pandemic 'dropping back significantly'. He told Senedd members: "I'm sorry to say, having tracked recruitment and retention for many years – I can't really see secondary improving." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Recruitment in some subjects – such as PE, history and geography – is fine but maths, English, sciences, Welsh and modern foreign languages are particularly low, he said. EWC data showed 75% of those teaching maths are trained in the subject and, speaking more generally, he said the number is lower still for sciences. He warned: 'Given the picture with recruitment, we could see that picture deteriorating." In terms of primary school teachers, the Welsh Government aims for about 600 primary teachers to be trained each year, a number which overdelivered in August 2024. Article continues below Eithne Hughes, the EWC's chair, added that some in Wales are teaching not just their specialism 'but possibly a couple of others, adding to the workload pressure'. Ms Hughes said: 'That becomes an issue when you've got reduced funding and headteachers just having to have somebody in front of classes. It doesn't support standards.' Mr Llewellyn raised the example set by Scotland where teachers' registration is linked to a specific subject or phase. 'You cannot teach a subject you're not trained in,' he said. Mr Llewellyn said the number of Welsh-speaking teachers is 33% – higher than the census – but it has remained static despite initiatives, with a lower number among support staff. He told the committee the number of Welsh speakers currently completing training is about 20% for primaries and 18% for secondaries, against a target of 30%. "When you magnify that down into particular subjects, you see those figures dropping," he said, adding that only three of the 27 new maths teachers were Welsh speakers. Ms Hughes, a former headteacher in an English-medium school, told Senedd members she found recruiting Welsh teachers extremely difficult during her experience. Pressed about the key barriers and why Welsh Government targets are 'continually missed', Ms Hughes pointed to work-life balance, policy overload, pay, and behavioural problems. She suggested teachers are expected to be a social worker, police officer and medical expert, stressing: 'We have to allow the business of teaching… to be at the core'. Mr Llewellyn agreed: "What it means to be a teacher… in terms of workload, stress, bureaucracy, accountability, lack of autonomy, and pupil behaviour – it's a tough gig." He urged policymakers to treat the causes rather than the symptoms as he questioned 'flashy' promotional campaigns: "If what you're trying to promote isn't good, it won't work." Pointing out that the starting salary for some bus drivers is near to teachers' in Wales, he warned: "The reality is: to be convinced to be a teacher is increasingly unlikely." Asked about retention, he said around 2,400 teachers leave the EWC register every year, concluding:"We need to watch this really carefully because it's OK when you lose individuals from the profession and you're recruiting the number you need back. But… we are recruiting nowhere near the number of secondary and Welsh-medium teachers that we need. Attrition is OK if you're replacing but therein lies the problem." Article continues below


Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
Teenager praises ‘amazing' Paisley hospital experience after volunteer role
Sophie Henderson has been helping out at the town's Royal Alexandra Hospital. A teenager who provides companionship and support to patients at a Paisley hospital has told how the role has helped prepare her to study medicine at university. Sophie Henderson spends around two hours per week after school as a volunteer at the Royal Alexandra Hospital (RAH) assisting patients in a medical respiratory ward. The 17-year-old said the experience and commitment has given her a valuable insight into working in a clinical environment – and built her confidence as she works towards becoming a doctor. The Johnstone High School pupil, who is currently finishing sixth year, has been accepted to study medicine at the University of Aberdeen after the summer. She has been volunteering at the RAH for over a year and initially supported the staff 'relaxation and recuperation hub' when she joined during the Easter holidays in 2024. She went on to become a ward support volunteer. Sophie told of her 'amazing experience' working with patients, staff and visitors, and the rewarding feeling she gets from providing companionship to those who may otherwise feel isolated. She said: 'I come in every Thursday at around dinnertime and the nature of the respiratory ward means that often you see the same patients multiple times. 'They will quite often remember me from the last time they were in hospital and it's really nice to know I've made an impact on them. 'When I come in, I will usually go around each of the rooms in the ward to see if anybody needs anything, and then will sit and have a chat just to keep them company. 'It has been an amazing experience to build these relationships with patients and staff and to spend time in a hospital setting – it has really built up my confidence. 'It has also given me perspective and some knowledge and experience of the different roles of people working in hospitals. It really helped me prepare for my future career in medicine and confirmed this is something I want to pursue.' Sophie shared her story as NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) celebrates Volunteers' Week. Many sites are actively seeking to recruit volunteers. More information about volunteering and current opportunities can be found on the health board's website. Sophie received training and was paired with a 'buddy' when she first started doing shifts, and later went on to become a mentor to other new volunteers. She also recently won a summit award for her outstanding contribution to volunteering. Harry Balch, volunteer manager for NHSGGC's Clyde sector, said: 'Sophie is a valued member of the volunteer team. She is friendly, professional, organised and compassionate and possesses excellent interpersonal skills. 'Within the department, Sophie is incredibly hard working and very respectful in her approach and the patients benefit hugely from the time she spends with them. 'Volunteers' Week gives us the opportunity to say a huge thank you to our volunteers and celebrate their generous contribution. 'Volunteers come from all walks of life, bringing a whole range of experience and skills to the service and that's what makes volunteering so beneficial. 'Not only do the volunteers provide invaluable support to patients, it can be a hugely rewarding – and sometimes surprising – experience for those who volunteer.'