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BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Merthyr Tydfil: Where town where community spirit makes leaving hard
It's my auntie's 80th birthday and like many families, we're getting ready to together for family occasions isn't unusual, but what makes my story different is that nearly all of us live within five miles of each up isn't just for special events; it's part of our everyday life - and honestly, I love up in Merthyr Tydfil, my childhood was full of love, laughter, and every school show and sports day a crowd of proud faces filled the back of the hall - my family, cheering me on with beaming smiles. That kind of support was, and still is, a constant in my life. But Merthyr isn't many towns, it faces real challenges - poverty, limited job opportunities, and at times a heavy mood that lingers in the realities pushed me toward city life, and in September 2024, I moved to Cardiff in search of something I couldn't stay a few months later I was back living in my parents' house, reunited with everything familiar.I know I'm not alone in this pull towards to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), 1,550 students from Merthyr were enrolled in higher education last those, more than 70% studied at universities within 35 miles (56km) of home while around 20% went outside Wales, compared to 33% across the country as a what is it about Merthyr Tydfil that keeps so many of us rooted here - or, like me, draws us back even after we leave? Both Finley Dummett and Bronnie Mai Jones love their life in Merthyr Tydfil and are content with their decision to stay in the town. Finley, 21, dropped out of Cardiff University after three months for an apprenticeship with GE Aerospace in Nantgarw, Rhondda Cynon Taf, as it "combined hands-on experience with earning"."I've stayed in Merthyr because of the strong sense of community and being close to my family and friends."Out of all his friends, Finley said only one of them left home to go to university. Finley added he liked the fact that on a night out "everyone knows everyone", and said when he has visited friends who have moved away he has felt "out of my comfort zone". "Coming back to Merthyr to come back home I do feel more comfortable and I feel like I can be more myself," he said. "Whereas in other places I feel I'm not really understood and I feel out of place." He added he hoped to stay near his family and friends so that he's "only a foot away from them". Bronnie, 21, also agreed it was the strong sense of community and comfort that makes Merthyr so special to her. After leaving school, she chose to do an apprenticeship with Welsh Water so she could stay close to her family and remain in the town where she was raised. While some of her friends have moved away for university, she said many, like her, chose to stay local to be near loved ones. Looking to the future, Bronnie said she doesn't see herself leaving as she hopes to buy a home and raise a family in the same close-knit community she grew up in. For her Merthyr is where she feels most at ease and in other places she said she doesn't feel comfortable."I feel like Merthyr is where I belong," she added. As part of my journey to understand why so many people never leave Merthyr Tydfil, I sat down for a chat with my mam, Sian me, she grew up here. Although she moved away to study teaching at Swansea University for four years, she returned home after 2002 she and my dad spent a year in Australia on a teacher exchange programme and while she loved the experience, she still chose to come back to Merthyr."What brought me back was the fact that I needed my family and friends around me after a year of being away. I missed everybody. "I needed the support of my family when I was bringing up a young family myself, to be able to carry on with my work."Out of all her school friends she said the majority have stayed in Merthyr too, mostly for the same reasons: the family network, the support, the sense of community, and the familiarity of a place where everyone knows one another. My mother has admitted that at times she's wondered if there might have been more "aesthetically pleasing" places to raise me and my when I asked her if she had any regrets about staying, her answer was simple: "Never". "I've always loved living here," she said. "If I need anything I know there'll be someone I can call on."Everybody knows each other - if you go to Tesco, it takes 30 minutes just to get around because you stop to chat with everyone," she added. This year Merthyr is marking a particularly important Cyfarthfa Castle celebrates its 200th birthday, BBC Cymru Wales is marking the bicentenary with a special series of programmes over the next two weeks. This includes a a special programme with Ruth Jones and Steve Spier all about celebrating the history, culture, and people of Merthyr Tydfil - the world's first industrial town. The next stop on my journey was my former school Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, where I sat down to have a chat with Year 12 students from Merthyr Tydfil as they begin to decide what their futures perspectives were 16, said he wanted to study geography at university away from home to try and find better added: "I want to experience new things and have my own independence and further myself as a person."This isn't something I think I could do in Merthyr."Charlie said he was the only one in his friendship group planning to move away, as many of his friends are either unsure about university or want to stay local and commute to Cardiff or Swansea. Eve, 17, wants to study ancient history or journalism at universities in Exeter, Bristol or Bath because she feels "there are more opportunities outside Wales". She said: "I want to just broaden my friend group, maybe meet new people and gain some independence away from home. "If I went to Cardiff I don't think I'd get as much independence as it would if I went away." As the first in her family to attend university and move away, Eve feels supported but is determined to pursue a different path from her farming family, although she would consider returning to Merthyr if her career led her back. Meanwhile, Ava, 17, plans to take a gap year to travel before attending university, likely in England. She feels Merthyr is "confined " as "everyone knows everyone" and wants to experience new cultures and meet different people, even though her "close-knit" family is nervous about her leaving."I want to see more and do more in my life," she many of her friends also want to leave, Ava hopes the gap year will help her build the courage to make the move."It's an important experience to get away from where you live to see more," she added. The school's head of sixth form, Gareth Jones, said that while university destinations vary each year, the school has seen a decline in the number of students choosing to attend university, largely due to financial added many students from Merthyr and the valleys prefer to stay close to home for university, choosing places like Cardiff or Swansea which offer both "new experiences" and "proximity to family". "I speak to a lot of different admissions officers and there seems to be a family pull in the valleys that you don't necessarily get in English areas. "The connections to parents, particularly the connections to grandparents and extended families is really important to these young people and the idea of perhaps moving away and being detached from that is huge," Mr Jones also explained how economic factors and fear of student debt - especially among first-generation university applicants - heavily influence many of the students' his role, Mr Jones said his goal is to support each student in making choices based on what best suits their financial situation, family ties, and future career path - without dictating their choices. For now, it's the little things that keep me here - the community, the humour, the warmth, and a feeling I can't find anywhere are the reasons I choose to one day I'll change my mind and leave, but wherever I go, Merthyr Tydfil will always be the place I call home.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee: Michelin Bib Hokkien mee that promises more than it delivers
Woah, they named our country after a Hokkien mee stall? I'm kidding, of course — but that was the first goofy thought that floated into my brain when I chanced upon Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee on social media. My curiosity was piqued. With a name this audaciously on-the-nose, it would be primed to pop up first for anyone Googling 'Singaporean fried Hokkien mee' at all. I wondered: could this be the Hokkien mee stall to represent all Singaporean Hokkien mee stalls? With a coveted Michelin Bib Gourmand to boot, it could very well be. And so off I went, on a quest to Whampoa Makan Place to find out once and for all. Stoked as I was, there was a catch. 'Disappointed', 'bland', 'standard drop'… the stall's recent slate of Google reviews didn't quite see eye to eye with its shiny accolades. Gulp. Still, I wasn't about to turn my back on the mission. After all, the steady queue that greeted me — even during my odd-hour arrival for an early dinner — seemed to send a reassuring nod. I found myself rather amused by the ordering system. Not because it was peculiar or anything, but because the auntie taking orders hollered at the queue from atop a two-step perch. The line moved quickly as she royally addressed each patron, and it was my turn in no time. The one-dish wonder offers its Fried Hokkien at 6 price points: S$5, S$6, S$8, S$10, S$12 and S$15. I went with the sensible S$8 portion, and was presented with a decently sized plate of gravy-clad yellow noodles and thick bee hoon studded with taugeh, prawns, squid and a smattering of eggs. Textbook. Something felt missing, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it at first. And then it hit me: where was the fried pork lard? As it turns out, these golden-brown nuggets are only dished out upon request. Oops, my bad. While the pessimistic reviews had braced me for the worst, I still clung to the hope that this plate of Hokkien mee would blow my expectations out of the water. Unfortunately, my first bite left much to be desired. The noodles, though decent, didn't exactly scream Michelin Bib. The balance between sweet and savoury was off, and the prawn stock's characteristic brininess was frustratingly faint. Most disappointingly, the absence of wok hei (a non-negotiable, if you ask me) stuck out like a sore thumb. On the bright side, I do appreciate a good moist Hokkien mee — and I'll give credit where it's due. The stall had the pleasing creaminess of its broth nailed. 618 Hokkien Mee: Is this highly-raved Hokkien mee worth the hype? The plate was curiously embellished with not just 1 but 3 types of chilli: red, green and the stall's house blend, and the ardent spice lover in me was excited to see how this trio might liven up the dish. If I could sum it up: not as potent as you'd think — perfect for those who can't handle heat. Although I was, once again, hardly wowed, my favourite of the lot was the house blend. Laced with hints of hae bee, this chilli mix added a bright — albeit subtle — umami lift to the dish. That said, they could definitely afford to be more generous with this one. Contrary to the dismal portions some reviews lamented, I was actually pretty satisfied with the serving of 3 plump, crunchy prawns and, trust me, a lot of fresh, chewy squid pieces. Seafood is seldom ever the main draw for me when it comes to Hokkien mee, but I did enjoy the pops of textural contrast these lent the soft, gravy-slicked noodles. Ravenous, I slurped up the plate with ease and landed on this verdict: not terrible, just… largely unimpressive. Let's set the record straight. I'm no Hokkien mee expert, but I'm sure I know enough to tell the excellent from the merely okay. In all fairness, Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee's rendition was far from inedible; I'd even say it edges out your run-of-the-mill kopitiam plate. But decent as it was, it struck me as sorely lacklustre for something that's earned Michelin recognition. So no, I wouldn't go as far as to crown it Singapore's rep. I've had better — and chances are, you have too. Expected damage: S$5 – S$15 per pax Xiao Di Fried Prawn Noodle ($6) vs Reverie ($32): Kopitiam stall or restaurant does it better? The post Singapore Fried Hokkien Mee: Michelin Bib Hokkien mee that promises more than it delivers appeared first on
