Yn y Senedd wythnos yma, siaradais i am ddysgu Cymraeg – yn Gymraeg! In the Senedd last week, I spoke about learning Welsh – and I did it in Welsh. I asked the Welsh Government what it is doing to support more flexible learning for adults studying Welsh, from regular lessons to revision courses and online resources to conversations in the community. My taid was a first language Welsh speaker but my nana wasn’t and they didn’t speak Welsh at home, so my dad never learned Welsh himself. I learnt Welsh at school in Flintshire but I wasn’t able to take an exam at the time – but last summer I passed my first ever Welsh exam! The Welsh Government has a target of creating a million Welsh speakers by 2050 as part of the Cymraeg 2050 policy – I’ve been learning Welsh because I want to use the language through my work and in my community. Welsh is our language and it’s important that we take ownership of it.
While the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was scrapped in England under the previous UK Government, I’m proud that the Welsh Government has not only kept it but also increased it to £40 a week and expanded eligibility – making it the most generous scheme in the UK. Over the last three academic years, 1,870 students in Flintshire have made a successful EMA application. This vital support means that hundreds of students across Flintshire will have help with transport, meals, textbooks and equipment, ensuring that financial barriers don’t stand in the way of their education. Everyone deserves the opportunity to learn and it’s great to see Wales leading the way in investing in young people’s futures. You can read more about how EMA is benefiting students in our corner of North Wales at www.hannahblythyn.cymru/hundreds-more-students-in-flintshire-to-be-entitled-to-the-40-education-maintenance-allowance.
At First Minister’s Questions this week I asked the Welsh Government what action they are taking to improve the lives of young people in Delyn. The Welsh Government is investing in our young people – whether it’s increasing the Education Maintenance Allowance, delivering the Young Person’s Guarantee or supporting discounted travel through MyTravelPass. These initiatives are improving opportunities for young people in Flintshire and beyond. Recently I had the chance to meet with with Ben Harris, the Welsh Youth Parliament Member for Delyn, and we discussed our shared priorities for young people in our community, with a particular focus on public transport and accessibility in our town centres – an issue I recently raised in the Senedd. It was great to hear Ben’s perspective and ideas on how we can improve opportunities for young people in our communities – and congratulations to Ben on his successful election!
In the Senedd last week I attended the Welsh Steel: Proud History, Bright Future event, hosted by the British Constructional Steelwork Association. Here in Delyn, we have a rich industrial heritage and, like many in our community, I have family members who have worked – or still work – at Tata Shotton, formerly Shotton Steelworks. The event was a valuable opportunity to engage with key figures in the Welsh steel industry and discuss strategies to future-proof the sector. Steel is vital to our economy and our communities and we must continue working towards a sustainable and innovative future for the industry.
Back home in Flintshire, I dropped in to the Marleyfield House care home in Buckley recently to chat to residents and staff and see the facilities on offer there. I also had the chance to meet with Roger Griffiths and Malcolm Davies, representatives from the Gateway Services on the A55 at Northop, to discuss the issue I brought up last week in the Senedd about a crawler lane on the Expressway as it reaches its highest point near Halkyn, which is a real ‘pinch-point’ for people travelling on the road. The A55 remains the main gateway into North Wales and it’s a crucial connection for residents and visitors alike, one that is also a key component for the economic infrastructure for our part of the country.
Finally, there’s a job and apprenticeship fair in Flint next week – the event is being held on Thursday, February 13th, at Flint Town Hall, running from 3pm to 6.30pm, and it’s free for all attendees and you can just turn up. Organised by Flint Town Council in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus, the fair is designed to connect residents with local employers and apprenticeship providers – businesses interested in participating can book a space by contacting Flint Town Council on 01352 734414 or emailing townclerk@flinttowncouncil.gov.wales.
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.