Delyn MS provides updates from across North East Wales
MS for Delyn
It was recess last week in the Senedd, which gave me the chance to get out and about in North East Wales – and it was interesting to see the response from the ban on disposable vapes coming into effect.
My first job in government was back in 2017 when, as Minister for the Environment, I kicked off the process to ban single-use plastics in Wales, as part of a wider effort to tackle plastic pollution, reduce litter and landfill and move Wales towards a circular economy – the law finally came into effect in 2023.
The recent disposable vapes ban takes that legislation a stage further – littering spoils our communities, introduces harmful substances into soil, rivers and streams and causes harm to biodiversity and many people will have seen discarded vapes lying around, so I wholeheartedly support this ban.
Regular readers will know that I've been learning Welsh for some time, so it was good to hear about the boost to the language this week – after a two-year study by the Commission for Welsh Speaking Communities, the Welsh Government has accepted several proposals to protect Welsh as a community language.
As the commission says, Welsh is a national language that belongs to us all – whoever we are, wherever we live or however much of the language we speak – so efforts to protect the language for future generations, as well as the target of increasing the number of Welsh speakers to one million by 2050 as laid out in the Cymraeg 2050 action plan, gets my full support.
This week is Volunteers Week, an annual campaign to celebrate and recognise the contributions of volunteers in our communities and to highlight the diversity and unity of volunteer work across the UK.
Our communities have a real debt to the people who give up their time to volunteer and, along with all the grassroots organisations which rely on volunteers, Volunteers Week is a good time to simply say 'thank you'.
I am grateful to all those across our communities who give up their time to help others and our corner of North Wales wouldn't be the same without them.
It was recently announced that free period products are now available in even more public spaces across Wales, thanks to the Welsh Government's £3.2m Period Dignity Fund.
From schools and colleges to libraries, leisure centres, food banks, sports clubs and youth hubs, essential period products are now freely accessible to thousands.
With the aim to eradicate period poverty by 2027, no one should have to miss out on education, work or social life due to a lack of access to period products.
Our local authority, Flintshire County Council, has introduced 'reusable period product parties', which have made a practical difference, providing free reusable kits and encouraging open, everyday conversations about menstrual health.
These efforts are part of a wider plan to tackle period poverty and improve access to menstrual health support across Wales.
More locally, Flintshire Local Voluntary Council (FLVC) has recently opened applications for its Youth Led Grants – if you are aged between 14 and 25 and full of ideas to make a difference in your community, then these grants of £250 to £1,000 are now available to help you kickstart youth-led volunteering projects here in North East Wales.
Whether you're passionate about tackling poverty, boosting mental health, protecting the environment or celebrating Welsh culture – FLVC want to hear from you.
Funded projects should support one or more of the Well-being of Future Generations Act goals and money can be used for equipment, materials or anything needed to get your idea off the ground – to find out more, call Heather Hicks on 01352 754004 or email heather.hicks@flvc.org.uk or info@flvc.org.uk.
And on the funding theme, congratulations are in order for two local organisations which have secured National Lottery Community Fund grants.
Daffodils in Mold, a charity which supports disabled and additional needs children and their families, has secured £20,000 which will help to create a weekly two-hour youth club in Sychdyn, monthly tenpin bowling and swimming sessions at the Jade Jones Pavilion and a festive Christmas party.
Also, Cilcain village hall has been awarded a grant to install solar photovoltaic panels on the roof of the village hall – Cilcain is an active and lively village with real community spirit and the village hall is very much the hub of the community. Llongyfarchiadau to both organisations!
As always, if you would like advice and/or support, please don't hesitate to get in touch on any of the following contact details – 52 High Street, Mold, Flintshire, on 01352 753464 or by email hannah.blythyn@senedd.wales.
You can also keep up to date via my Facebook page – www.facebook.com/HannahBlythyn.
Constituents are, of course, welcome to contact my office to arrange an appointment to see me, you don't need to wait for an advice surgery.
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