As the summer recess from the Senedd drew to a close last week, it was good to really get out and about here at home. On Tuesday, I dropped in to the Northop Hall Lunch Club to join local residents and regular attendees for a lovely homemade meal. It was lovely to be able to spend time talking over lunch and it was also an opportunity to make people aware of my health survey – Our Home, Our Health. The lunch club runs once a month on a Tuesday at the Presbyterian Church and it’s run entirely by hardworking volunteers – and I even got to wish local resident Mavis a very happy 90th birthday! Thank you to all those behind the club for their hospitality and everything they do.
On Wednesday, I set up a stall at Mold Market and, despite the rainy weather, it was great to see so many people out and about in Mold doing their midweek shopping. Thank you to everyone who took the time to come and say hello – I was there to promote my Our Home, Our Health survey, which allows residents to share their priorities for our NHS here in north east Wales. If you missed me at the market, no worries – you can still complete the survey from home by using the online version at www.hannahblythyn.cymru/our-home-our-health-survey. If you need a paper copy of the survey, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with my office.
I also visited Ty Gobaith in Conwy, a charity which provides support and care to families of children with life-threatening conditions. Following on from a recent visit to their Flint shop, it was a chance to see first-hand the important and valuable work that their fundraising supports and also to learn more about the holistic support they provide. While there, I had the chance to check out the fantastic graffiti sign, which was painted by some of the siblings of some of the children who have been supported by Ty Gobaith with the help of a local artist. It really is very impressive! Then on Friday I caught up with Howard Sutcliffe and Huw Morgan from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB in beautiful Nannerch to talk about plans for a new national park as well as some of the great projects happening in communities across the area.
Last week the Welsh Government announced above-inflation pay rises for hundreds of thousands of public sector workers across Wales, including a 5.5% pay rise for teachers and NHS staff and a 6% pay rise for doctors and dentists. Teachers, doctors and NHS staff are absolutely vital workers for many of us in Wales and the services they provide create the structure that our society needs, informing the next generations, looking after our health and saving lives. It’s important that staff working in these areas are valued in our society and rewarded for their hard work, especially in recent years – many go above and beyond on a daily basis to help people in Wales and fully deserve to be recognised.
Earlier in the summer, I joined GMB Wales & South West reps and members at Asda Queensferry to show my support for their equal pay campaign for shop workers at Asda. The GMB is taking action on behalf of their hardworking members in Asda stores across the country who currently earn less than workers employed in Asda depots. Asda owes its retail workers more than £2billion in back pay and the GMB is rightly calling on the company to correct their pay structure moving forward. With stores across our communities and providing employment for local people – Asda needs to act to ensure equal pay and fair work for all its workforce.
Finally, as the autumn is drawing in and the summer is coming to an end, it’s time for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to start its programme of winter vaccinations. Flu vaccinations will be made available to children and pregnant women throughout September, with vulnerable older people included from the end of the month, and Covid booster vaccinations are also available to eligible patients from September onwards. Your GP will be able to advise on whether you qualify for these vaccinations – both vaccinations can be delivered at the same appointment where possible.
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/HannahBlythynForDelyn. 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.