Latest news with #Delyn
Leader Live
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
MS shares updates from across Wrexham and Flintshire
MS for Delyn Roedd hi'n wych bod yn yr Eisteddfod yn Wrecsam yr wythnos diwethaf – it was great to be at the Eisteddfod in Wrexham last week. The Eisteddfod is the largest cultural festival in Europe and this year it was held close to home in Wrexham – it's a celebration of everything that's great about being Welsh and it gave me the chance to use my Welsh language as much as possible! It was also good to see so many individuals and organisations visiting, taking part and hosting sessions in the tents and on the Maes, and I also spent some time on the Senedd stand as part of my work as Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee. Mwynheais i fy amser yn yr #steddfod! The Senedd summer recess means I have more time to get out and about here at home during the week and meet constituents for a chat. Last week it was good to join Clwyd East MP Becky Gittins and talk to constituents about bus travel and a range of topics at Mold market, then later on in the afternoon I headed to Gwernaffield to deliver a summer update and let residents know about one of my upcoming street surgeries – a great way for me to reach out regularly to communities across the constituency to talk about the issues that they care about. Regular readers will know that I'm a big fan of reading and we have some great bookshops in our corner of North East Wales, especially my local one Mold Bookshop which I visit regularly. Our area also has plenty of libraries which provide not only books but help to support our communities in a range of different ways – during the summer holidays, Flintshire libraries are taking part in a programme designed to engage children in reading across the school holidays called the Summer Reading Challenge. This year, the theme is 'Story Garden', where magical creatures, wild tales and the wonders of nature come to life. To complete the Summer Reading Challenge, children are asked to read at least six books, choosing from stories, graphic novels, non-fiction books or audio books. You can find more information on your local library at Were you inspired by Wales qualifying for the Women's Euros? The FAW has launched a new campaign all about helping more women and girls in Wales to find their place in football, on the pitch, in the dugout or in the stands. From free coaching tasters to fun football sessions for young girls, there's something for everyone to get involved with this summer and beyond. You can find out more about the Gêm for Her, Gêm for You campaign at There's a place for every woman and girl in football and the campaign celebrates the stories of women and girls who have already made their mark in the game, but also aims to inspire others to take their first steps into football. The Welsh Government's Claim What's Yours campaign, delivered through AdviceLink Cymru, helps you to access the financial support you're entitled to, from help with heating bills to benefit checks and more. One in four households in Wales were in fuel poverty last year, so if you are struggling with household bills then help is available and I'd recommend checking out for more information. If you need any further help or advice, contact my office or email me at – we have various resources available which you might find useful. Finally, I'd like to congratulate all the riders who cycled from Paris to Geneva to raise funds to help Palestine recently – the whopping 350 miles were covered in just over four days to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and so far the team has raised £175,000 and are now aiming for £200,000. Every penny supports MAP's vital, lifesaving work on the ground in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon and the organisation was among the first to respond to the emergency in October 2023 and remains one of the last INGOs on the ground. You can find out more at 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 You can also keep up to date via my Facebook page – 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.
Leader Live
15-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
MS shares touching personal story following VE Day
MS for Delyn As I mentioned in my previous column, there were nationwide celebrations to mark the anniversary of VE Day last week and I was privileged to attend the Holywell VE Day event on Thursday. VE Day marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe – on May 8, 1945, communities across our area and throughout the UK celebrated the end of a long and devastating conflict in Europe. My own lovely and much-missed nana, then aged just 17, was part of a VE Day celebration in Primrose Street in Connah's Quay – you can see her in the photo I've published on my Facebook page at Many of us took part in events during the week and at the weekend to reflect on the sacrifices made and the peace secured eight decades ago, but at the same time we must collectively commit to learn from the past and strive together towards peace – and let us remember the courage of those who served and the resilience of those who rebuilt. From Skills Competition Wales to WorldSkills Shanghai 2026, learners across Wales are proving their talent, drive and ambition, including three from Grŵp Llandrillo Menai, with one representing Renewable Energy from Coleg Llandrillo's Rhyl campus. Also our very own Coleg Cambria has a finalist in the EuroSkills Herning 2025 competition for Team UK, which will be held in Denmark in September. These competitions don't just showcase skills they build on them, inspiring the next generation to reach higher and meet the demands of future industries like net zero tech. In the Senedd last week, I asked the Welsh Government what discussions have taken place about encouraging colleges across Wales to participate in the WorldSkills competition to help meet the needs of industry. It's important for young apprentices in Wales to have the opportunity to test themselves against their peers – and it's great for our tech industries too. On a similar note, I'd like to wish pob lwc to all those taking their exams this summer. May is the start of the GCSE and A-level exam period and I want to wish everyone taking part in these assessments the best of luck. I know students across the country will be revising for their exams and this can be a time of great stress and anxiety for young minds – exams can be a challenging time and the pressure to do well can feel overwhelming. It's perfectly normal to feel worried about exams, but it's important that you find ways to manage your worries. If you're a student about to start exams or a parent or guardian concerned about the exams, you might find these tips useful from Place2Be – the children's mental health charity – go to for help and advice. I recently had the chance to meet with Holywell Town Council alongside my parliamentary colleague Becky Gittins MP to discuss the March announcement by Santander Bank that it's planning to close their Holywell branch in August, leaving the town with no high street banking facilities at all. Bank closures are challenging for people who don't use computers or smartphones to do their banking and especially for the older generations who rely more on high street facilities. It's vital that we don't simply cut these people off and so I support the introduction of 'banking hubs' like the one recently opened by the Post Office in Flint, in which you can pay in cheques and cash and pay bills. Holywell needs something similar, as do many other areas affected by bank closures. Finally, I had the chance at the weekend to pop in to Mold's newest high street addition – Cracked Coffee – on its opening day. Cracked Coffee has been operating online for a while and the company's ethical approach to trading and work to support our local communities has been a success story here in North Wales and it was great to see the company open its first town centre coffee shop – and taste their delicious coffee! It's important that we support our local high street shops and the Welsh Government's £100m Transforming Towns initiative goes some way to help our towns to develop the kind of local businesses that provide for visitors and residents alike. 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 You can also keep up to date via my Facebook page – 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.
