The £1,500 donation, made on behalf of the people of Wales to mark the Royal wedding, will fund a Welsh midwife to travel to Africa to train up to 30 local midwives and teach them ways of making pregnancy and child birth safer.

The First Minister said:

“I have written to the royal couple to convey our best wishes and congratulations on their marriage. Our wedding gift to them will fund a Welsh midwife to travel to some of the poorest African countries, such as Sierra Leone and Liberia, to help local midwives make being pregnant and giving birth safer.

“This funding will help save the lives of mothers and babies in Sub Saharan Africa. I am sure the royal couple will agree, this is a blooming marvellous gift from the people of Wales.”

Life for African Mothers has been supporting hospitals in Sub-Saharan Africa for 12 years and, during this time, there has been a significant fall in the number of women who die while pregnant or giving birth. The charity provides medication to treat post-partum haemorrhage and runs midwifery training to help local midwives improve care for both mother and baby.

Today, the First Minister will meet with Angela Gorman, CEO of Life for African Mothers. She said:

“This is great news. I am delighted with the First Minister’s decision to support ‘Life for African Mothers’. The charity supports mothers during childbirth and this funding will mean we can send a midwife to hold skills workshops in some of the poorest African countries, such as Sierra Leone and Liberia.

“The initiative is also about a 2 way sharing of experiences. The midwives who volunteer return to their workplace in Wales with new skills they have also learnt from their time in Africa.”

Speaking at the Welsh Senate of Older People in Cardiff, the Minister will say he wants Wales to be a nation that recognises and values the many and varied contributions older people make to creating vibrant and supportive communities. 

He will say he’s committed to working with older people to “combat ageist stereotypes and to ensure people of all ages can work together to create the vibrant and supportive communities that we all want.”

Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies will say:

“We all know that people in Wales are living longer and healthier lives, and this is to be celebrated. However, it does concern me many older people feel negative images of ageing in the media are creating conflict between the generations. 

“In order to publically demonstrate the Welsh Government’s commitment to older people, last week the First Minister announced that my job title has been changed to include older people. I am delighted that this allows me to more visibly act as a champion for older people’s rights, something which is really important to me.

“Changing my job title is not merely a tokenistic gesture. It will be underpinned by a programme of work that will build on Phase 3 of the Strategy for Older People. We will focus on the key issues older people tell us matter to them and I will ensure you are involved at every stage of this process.  

“As Minister for Older People, I will work with you to combat ageist stereotypes and to ensure people of all ages can work together to create the vibrant and supportive communities that we all want.”

The Minister visited the Li’l Angels Day Nursery, based in Shotton, Deeside today to meet some of the people taking part in the Welsh Government-funded National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru “Childcare Works” project.

The project, which has been operating in Flintshire and Wrexham in North Wales and has targeted those over the age of 50, aims to provide those who are currently unemployed and not in education and training (NEET) with the introductory skills they need to re-enter the workforce and develop a career in the childcare sector.

The project helps deliver the Welsh Government’s 10 year Childcare, Play and Early Years workforce plan, which sets out plans to build capacity and capability across the childcare sector  in Wales, as well as supporting Ministers’ plans to create high quality jobs closer to people’s homes.

During the visit, the Minister met Gary Sibbald, who was previously out of work but has been taking part in a work placement at the nursery. 

Minister for Children, Older People and Social Care, Huw Irranca-Davies said:

“It was an absolute pleasure to visit the Li’l Angels Day Nursery today. I was delighted to see how our investment in developing the childcare sector in Wales is not only creating high quality childcare places, but also creating high quality jobs for local people.

“I was also delighted to meet Gary, who is training to work in the childcare sector under the Childcare Works project. It was great to hear how he’s had such a great impact on the children – especially on one little girl who would not talk, who is now speaking, since he started working there.”

NDNA has supported 16 participants across a range of nursery settings, working in partnership with nursery owners to provide the participants with a range of childcare specific training, transferable skills and paid work placements. 

The placements have supported the participants to secure future employment opportunities and some participants have already started their new employment opportunities within the sector.  
Gary, who is currently on placement with L’il Angels Nursery in Shotton  said:

“I was made to feel at ease from day one. All staff and children are making my new journey very exciting and I am learning something new every day.”

Sue, his manager at L’il Angels, said 

“We are very proud and pleased to have been a setting for this project and that the Minister has chosen to visit us, following the placement.”

Lorraine, who is on placement with Kingfisher House Day Nursery, Hawarden, said:  

“An amazing opportunity to learn new vocational skills in a supportive environment, which has ultimately led to a new career in the childcare sector.  Thank you to NDNA and the Welsh Government for all your help!”

Huw Irranca-Davies added: 

“I was delighted to attend the Childcare Works Celebration event and present the participants with their certificates to celebrate their success.  This project has helped to attract new skills and experience into the sector, supporting the creation of childcare employment opportunities whilst enabling the participants to use their new skills to start the formal training required for the sector.”   

Later in the day, the Minister will present certificates at the National Day Nurseries Association Cymru Celebration event to the successful participants of the Childcare Works project. 

Speaking to representatives of Heathrow Airport as part of their visit to Tata Steel Shotton, one of the shortlisted sites, the Economy Secretary said Welsh sites had a huge amount to offer. He stressed a decision by Heathrow to select a Welsh site as a Logistics Hub would bring huge and transformative benefits to Welsh businesses and communities. 

As part of its expansion programme, Heathrow has committed to create four logistic hubs in order to widen the supply chain and ensure the extensive build programme is resilient, sustainable and cost effective. This will ensure the economic  benefits of the Airport’s expansion are spread more evenly across the UK. 

Economy Secretary, Ken Skates said: Today’s event is about promoting all Wales has to offer in helping Heathrow to deliver their ambitious expansion plans.

“Wales really would be an ideal location for one of the Heathrow Logistics hubs. Our proven track record in construction and manufacturing, our readily available and highly experienced supply chain and our  skilled workforce all  make us a perfect choice.

“And of course the benefits for our businesses and communities would be huge, providing thousands of jobs and injecting millions of pounds into our economy.

This project offers huge opportunities and I am committed to ensuring that the Welsh Government does all it can to bring one of the hubs to Wales.”

Lord Deighton, Chairman at Heathrow Airport said:

“Heathrow Expansion is a once in a generation opportunity to transform the UK construction industry, build for the future and deliver a lasting skills legacy for future generations. All of this comes at a pivotal time for our country, as it prepares itself to leave the EU and where we need to build for our future in both travel and trade. 

“A new Heathrow runway will unlock up to 8,400 new skilled jobs and underpin up to £8bn in growth from construction through to increased tourism and exports for Wales. Exploring the possibility of locating a Logistics Hub in Wales is a key part of our commitment to the country as part of our Statement of Intent with the Welsh Government and we’re looking forward to seeing first-hand what the country has to offer.” 

Six Welsh Government promoted sites located in Shotton, Cardiff, Deeside, Newport, Ebbw Vale and Bridgend remain in the running to be one of four  Heathrow logistic hubs located across the UK.
Once selected, the four logistic hubs will be the location for the offsite construction of the infrastructure for Heathrow’s third runway with each of the hubs expected to deliver huge numbers of jobs and a major economic boost within its area. 

Bill Duckworth, Tata Steel site manager at Shotton in North Wales, said:

“Our site already produces the best building system products available and would make an ideal choice for one of the proposed Heathrow extension Logistics Hubs. This would present an ideal opportunity to work hand-in-hand with Heathrow not just as a hub, but possibly as a major supplier too.

“We have the land, the road, rail and sea links to the rest of the UK required by this landmark project and – most importantly – the belief to see what this can mean for the economies of Wales.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: 

“After one of the busiest winters on record, latest figures show we are making important progress on reducing waiting times.

“The number of people waiting over eight weeks for diagnostics is at its lowest level in 9 years, 69% lower than this time last year. For therapy services, the number of people waiting over 14 weeks is at its lowest level in 7 years and 90% lower than this time last year.

“March also saw a 6.8% improvement in all cancers treated compared to February. The number of treatments for cancer in the last 12 months was 8.3% more than five years ago and the number treated in target time has increased by 7.3%. 

“The number of patients seen in emergency departments within four hours in April showed a 4.4 percent improvement on the March figure, up to 80%. Along with improvements in ambulance response times this shows pressures are beginning to ease after a very difficult winter for the NHS.

“We welcome the 30% reduction in the number of patients waiting over 12 hours for admission from emergency departments since March. 

“We expect more further significant progress on performance and are working with health boards to ensure they deliver improvements and will hold them to account if they do not.”