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Author Archives: News

First Minister celebrates the inspiring winners of the 2017 St David Awards

The national awards celebrate the great deeds and extraordinary achievements of Welsh people from all walks of life – from saving lives to inspiring a nation.

Congratulating the winners, First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones said:

“What a truly inspirational group of winners – I feel incredibly proud that we in Wales can call such an exceptional group of people our own. You make Wales what it is.

“Congratulations to everyone who has won an award and to all the finalists who made the award’s shortlist. You are a credit to your families, friends and the nation. I hope you are rightly proud of your achievements.

“I would also like to remind everyone that if you have been inspired by the winners and finalists, nominations are now open for St David Awards 2018.

“The terrible events that unfolded in Westminster this week remain close to my mind. Tonight, we have heard so many uplifting stories showing us everything that is good about human nature. Stories about bravery, about sacrifice, and about hope.

“These awards are a poignant reminder of the kindness of humanity, and an important opportunity to say thank you to those people who go above and beyond – often endangering their own lives – to keep us safe.”

The winners of the 2017 St David Awards are:

Bravery – Firefighters Gary Slack and Billy Connor

In August 2016, oncall firefighters Gary Slack and Billy Connor braved strong currents at Castle Beach, Tenby, to save 2 children from drowning.

Young person – Savannah Lloyd, mental health volunteer

Having battled mental health problems since she was 11 years old, Savannah uses her experiences to reach out and help others in similar situations.

Sport – Wales Football Team

The Wales Football Team, led by Chris Coleman, reached the semi-final of the Euros 2016. The squad were first class ambassadors for Wales, both on and off the pitch, and their strapline of “Together Stronger” has inspired the nation and captured worldwide interest.

Culture – Professor Jen Wilson, jazz musician and archivist

For more than 50 years, Jen has played a central role in promoting jazz music in Wales and in documenting its history and social impact – and in particular the role of women in jazz.

Enterprise – David Banner, Video Games Company Director

As well as being a multi-award winning games director and Managing Director of Wales Interactive, Dai has been instrumental in the growth of Wales’ games industry. He founded the annual Wales Games Show in 2012 and created the GamesLab project, a digital development initiative for the University of South Wales, which has nurtured hundreds of students and provides a global platform for Welsh digital companies. 

Innovation, Science and Technology – Professor Meena Upadhyaya OBE

Britain’s first female British-Indian professor in medical genetics within the UK, Meena’s career focused on identifying genetic disorders. Meena has made a difference to people’s lives either through her medical research or community and charity work and received an OBE in 2016 for services to medical genetics and the Welsh Asian community.

Citizenship – Special Constable Cairn Newton-Evans, Dyfed-Powys Police

Having been a victim of a violent homophobic hate crime, Cairn joined the police to try to stop such attacks happening to others. Cairn is a regular volunteer and a passionate advocate for LGBT rights.

International – Dr David Nott OBE

Each year for the past 23 years, David has taken unpaid leave from his job as Consultant Surgeon at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital to work for aid agencies and provide surgical treatment to the victims of conflict and catastrophe. David and his wife, Elly, have also established the “davidnottfoundation”, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity and providing surgical training to frontline medics.

First Minister’s Special Award – Sir Karl Jenkins and Dr Mererid Hopwood

The 21 October 2016 marked the 50th Anniversary of the Aberfan disaster, which tragically claimed the lives of 116 children and 28 adults.

Sir Karl Jenkins and Dr Mererid Hopwood were commissioned by S4C to compose a new choral piece in memorial of this disaster for this concert called Cantata Memoria and its world premiere was held at the Wales Millennium Centre.

The concert commemorated a very difficult time in Welsh history but it was handled in such a way that it took the families with it. It reflected the pain of loss while at the same time looked to the future.  It was a very difficult balance to achieve but the piece succeeded and allowed our nation the opportunity to remember the day in a sensitive and dignified way.

Speaking about the First Minister’s Special Award winners, Carwyn Jones said:

“What Sir Karl and Dr Mererid accomplished was incredible. Through their music, they brought together not only the community, but so many people from Wales and the world to share in this commemoration.”

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HM Government

Welsh Government confirms commitment to £1bn of innovative investment in infrastructure

At an event today, Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford, Health Secretary Vaughan Gething and Education Secretary Kirsty Williams launched the MIM to potential partners and provide an update about  the three schemes being taken forward.

The new MIM has been carefully designed by the Welsh Government over the last 18 months to finance major capital projects while promoting the public interest and protecting the public purse.

Three major capital projects will be delivered through the model – completing the dualling of the A465 from Dowlais Top to Hirwaun; the new Velindre Cancer Centre and a significant tranche of the next phase of the 21st century schools and education programme.

At today’s event at Penarth Learning Community, partners from the finance and construction sectors will hear about the model and the three capital schemes, including the assurance provisions and development timelines.

Professor Drakeford said:

“Over the last 18 months, we’ve worked closely with the Office for National Statistics and experts at the European Investment Bank to carefully design and secure our new Mutual Investment Model. It has been designed to promote and protect public interests, while also providing the right mix of incentives to private partners.

“I am pleased we’ve had such an interest in today’s event from potential private partners. It is a clear sign that the market is interested in working alongside the public sector on these three important schemes.

“We are continuing to face unprecedented challenges to public finances so it is vitally important that we unlock all opportunities to boost infrastructure investment. This new public-private partnership model will deliver a £1bn capital infrastructure investment boost for crucial transport, health and education schemes.”

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Welsh Government • •

£57m link road to give Cardiff “major boost” ahead of UEFA Champions league final

In a visit to see the progress on the £57m Eastern Bay link road project, the Economy Secretary stressed the impact such projects can have on the local and wider economy, particularly in a city like Cardiff that regularly hosts major events.

Ken Skates said:

“It’s great to see the Eastern Bay link road project nearing completion. The new road will provide both Cardiff and Cardiff Bay with a major boost by greatly improving  access, connections and journey times. 

“And, of course, in the short term it will contribute to the success of the largest global sporting event of 2017 – the UEFA Champions League final, hosted here in Cardiff.

“The Welsh Government’s record in attracting major events to Wales is something I am extremely proud of. We already have a strong reputation as a world class host and we will continue to work to build on that, through June’s Champions League final and next year’s Volvo Ocean Race, amongst others. 

“These are events which will see hundreds of thousands of extra visitors coming  to Wales and to Cardiff in particular and it’s imperative that our infrastructure matches our ambition. The link road will be open to buses and coaches for the duration of the Champions League final weekend – providing quick and easy access to and from Cardiff Bay, and will be open to all vehicles shortly after the event.

“This summer we look forward to attracting visitors from all over the world and I’m delighted that we will be able to do so with this major link road in place.”

City of Cardiff Council Leader Cllr Phil Bale said: 

“I am delighted that the Eastern Bay Link Road will be open to coaches and buses in time for the Champions League Final in June.

“With many thousands of football fans heading to Cardiff by coach for the game, the new link road will play a major part in helping to ease the flow of traffic around the city during what is sure to be one of the greatest sporting events the capital has ever hosted.”

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Welsh Government • •

Carl Sargeant outlines progress of Childcare Offer for Wales

The Cabinet Secretary made the announcement while visiting the Markham Community Playgroup. 

During the visit, Carl Sargeant also gave further detail on the precise areas within those local authorities where the offer will be available. In addition to Caerphilly, the local authorities that will test the offer are Anglesey and Gwynedd (working jointly), Blaenau Gwent, Flintshire, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Swansea.

The Welsh Government will spend £10 million in 2017-18 to take forward the development of the offer. The vast majority of the funding will be allocated to the local authorities to pay for government-funded childcare during early implementation.  

Carl Sargeant said:

“I have been pleased with the enthusiasm and flexibility shown by these early implementer local authorities to date and impressed with their local knowledge and understanding of the childcare sector. Having considered the numbers of children to be included in the offer within the initial six local authorities, I have been able to invite Caerphilly as an additional early implementer from September.  

“These local authorities have engaged with parents and providers, as have we through our #TalkChildcare campaign. The messages the early implementers are hearing are very similar to the ones I am hearing around cost, access, flexibility, choice, and the logistical challenge of trying to balance childcare and work.  

“I have been clear from the start that our childcare offer must work for parents: they must have choice and flexibility. It must work for providers so they can maintain quality and help foster our children’s development in safe and successful environments. I have now agreed that the seven local authorities involved will test different things in different places.”

Projects offering 30 hours of free early education and childcare per week to 3 and 4 year olds will be taken forward from September 2017, in the following local authorities:

  • Anglesey and Gwynedd will work together to test the offer. Anglesey will test the Offer in the areas of: Menai Bridge, Llandegfan, Llanfairpwll, Beaumaris and Llangoed; the villages of Niwbwrch, Dwyran, Brynsiencyn, Llangaffo, Llanddaniel and Llanedwen; and the town of Llangefni and Talwrn.  Gwynedd will test the offer in: the well-being area of Bangor which includes Bethesda; the well-being area of Porthmadog which also includes Criccieth, Penrhyndeudraeth, Harlech and Garndolbenmaen; the well-being area of Ffestiniog which includes areas down to Trawsfynydd; and the well-being area of Dolgellau which includes the area around Barmouth, Corris, Dinas Mawddwy, Dyffryn Ardudwy and Llanbedr. From January 2018, the well-being  area of Caernarfon which includes Bethel, Cwm y Glo, Bontnewydd, Deiniolen, Llanberis, Groeslon, Llanllyfni, Clynnog, Llanrug, Llanwnda, Penisarwaen, Penygroes, Talysarn and Waunfawr will also be testing the offer.
  • Blaenau Gwent will implement the offer across the whole local authority from September 2017.
  • Caerphilly will test the offer in the Mid-Valleys East region which incorporates urban areas such as Blackwood, Newbridge and Crumlin as well as a number of smaller communities.
  • Flintshire will test the offer in specified areas of Buckley, Bagillt and Broughton.
  • Rhondda Cynon Taf will test four school catchment areas spread across the three valleys and one Welsh-medium catchment area to ensure an even spread across the authority.  These are Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, Bryncelynnog, Ferndale and Mountain Ash school catchments.
  • Swansea will test the offer in wards spread across the city including Dunvant, Penclawdd, Llangyfelach, West Cross, Morriston, Pontarddulais and Gorseinon.
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Welsh Government • •

Education Secretary praises Newport school’s role in developing Wales’ digital curriculum

Changes to the curriculum mean digital skills will now be developed and taught through all parts of a pupil’s schooling and not just isolated to specific ICT or computer science classes.

The Welsh Government’s Digital Competence Framework is now available to all schools and follows two independent reviews that recommended changes.  

The new approach means more than just using computers and aims to equip pupils with the digital skills they need and can apply in the real world in the years to come.

St Julian’s is a Digital Pioneer School which worked to develop the Digital Competence Framework.

Visiting the school, Kirsty Williams said:

“Pioneer Schools such as St Julian’s are essential to the success of the Digital Competence Framework and the wider new curriculum and I want to thank everyone for their hard work.”

“This radical new approach is about embedding digital skills and knowledge in everything our pupils do as they progress through school. No longer will such issues be isolated in weekly computer classes; instead these vital skills will be applied across our curriculum. They’re now as crucial to our pupils’ development as learning to read and write. This is a key part of our move to create a curriculum fit for now and the future and not the late 20th century.”

Luke Mansfield, Deputy Head-teacher, St Julians Primary, said:

“The entire purpose of the Digital Competence Framework is to equip our learners in Wales with the necessary skills and understanding they will need not only to thrive but to survive in the increasingly digital world in which they are growing up. Being able to effectively use technology to communicate, collaborate, produce and handle data are important life skills and will significantly increase employment opportunities for our young people but more importantly, it is crucial for pupils to have a good understanding of the potential risks involved with using technology and the effects that it can have on their health. The entire first strand of the DCF aims to help children understand the importance of limiting screen time, knowing how to protect themselves from cyberbullying or identity theft, being able to evaluate the reliability of online information.”

“With our pupils being immersed in this digital world at such a young age and technology developing at such a rapid rate, all of these skills are vital and schools, parents and the media must work together to educate pupils and raise awareness of these issues.”

The Education Secretary also visited Lliswerry High School to see how the school is helping an ethnically diverse range of pupils. Lliswerry has welcomed learners from Eastern Europe and with Welsh Government funding has employed a Roma Heritage Link person, to help develop a strong relationship with the Roma community.

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HM Government • Welsh Government