Gwenda sends her best wishes for St David’s Celebrations
Gwenda Thomas AM was delighted to hear of the St. David’s Day celebrations being organised by the National Trust at Aberdulais Falls this weekend.
‘This is a one of my favourite times of year, seeing the school children in their national costume and welsh rugby jerseys, with daffodils and leeks adorning shop displays and homes !.’
‘I wish everyone involved in this event, at a wonderful and historical venue, every success and thank them for all their hard work and effort. I hope that the local community and visitors from further afield will support them’, said Mrs. Thomas, ‘Pob dymuniad da gyda’r dathliad o Ddydd Gŵyl Dewi. Mae Rhaeadr Aberdulais yn lle addas iawn i’r dathlu. Diolch am bob ymdrech.’
Notes
Aberdulais Falls, near Neath: 28 February and 1 March
Cawl – or broth is a delicious traditional Welsh delicacy, and this will be the theme of a musical drama performed by pupils of Ysgol Tonna, together with dance groups from Ysgol Catwg (Cadoxton) and singers from Ysgol Cilfrew at Aberdulais Falls on 28 February and 1 March.
"The Waterwheel Singers", the National Trust’s own choir of volunteers at Aberdulais will also be performing a selection of songs as part of the St Davids day celebrations.
The special concert takes place under canvas at Aberdulais Falls between 1pm-3pm, but there will be plenty of family fun throughout the weekend, including quiz trails offering children of all ages the chance to learn more about the area’s early industrial heritage.


For further information please contact Heledd Jones, The National Trust Wales Press Office on 01492 860123 or 07786 278895.

Flood Risk Insurance Premiums
Gwenda Thomas received helpful news this week for the residents of Ardwyn Terrace in Resolven.
She was approached in January by Councillor Des Davies regarding concerns over a drastic increase in the house insurance quotes for residents renewing their policies due to the risk of flooding.
As a consequence of representations she made to the Welsh Assembly Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing, Jane Davidson AM, Mrs. Thomas has now been given information and advice for the residents.
Ardwyn Terrace has now been protected by the Environment Agency’s recent Resolven capital flood alleviation scheme. The majority of the scheme was completed in the summer of 2007, which included the Ardwyn Terrace defence. The Agency has one small element of the defences to complete this summer which will finally protect the properties in this area against floods up to the 1 % chance flood.
Jane Davidson stated that the Environment Agency has suggested that if a representative of the residents in the Terrace writes to them about the matter it will confirm the reduced risk and that this can be submitted to the insurers as evidence which should result in premiums being lowered in line with the risk’.
‘This is good news for the residents of Ardwyn Terrace and I urge them to pursue this course of action,’ said Gwenda Thomas AM , ‘It may also apply to different areas and I hope that this information may assist other residents in my Neath Constituency whose homes are now protected by improved flood defences.’

Gwenda supports Fair Trade Fortnight

Last June, Wales become the world’s first fair trade nation following a two-year campaign by the Wales Fair Trade Forum, funded by the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government, to increase the availability of fair trade products in towns, cities and counties across Wales, and encouraging schools, businesses and other organisations to switch to Fair Trade.
Gwenda Thomas AM for Neath has urged her constituents to support the causes of fair trade when they are able and to look for the fair trade mark alternatives for products in the supermarkets. ‘It is not only consumables that are available,’ advised Mrs. Thomas, ‘Clothing and jewellrey can be purchased supporting community co operatives across the world and well known large retail outlets also carry stock with the Fair Trade mark.’
As Fair Trade Fortnight begins, two farmers from the developing world will be touring Wales to raise awareness of how they are trading their way out of poverty.
The Fair Trade guarantees farmers in developing countries a fair price for their products. Because this price is stable it allows them to plan for their future. Bernard Ranaweera, a tea producer from Sri Lanka and Bella Joachim, a banana farmer from Dominica in the Windward Isles will be visiting locations and events all over Wales to raise awareness of how Fair Trade helps them.
Their visit is being supported by the Welsh Assembly Government. Environment Minister Jane Davidson.

Column for Neath Guardian March 09

In the current financial climate, the tackling of the problem of social inequality due to poverty is more important than ever. Many older people still live in poverty in Wales, and in order to combat this inequality, I as Deputy Minister for Social Services was pleased to launch the second phase of the Strategy for Older People in 2008. The Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government hopes to reduce poverty by targeting an increase in benefit take up, and the Strategy will address this. This re-enforces the One Wales ambition to improve access for all to comprehensive benefits advice, and our financial inclusion strategy underpins this.
In 2006-07 the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government allocated £1.5m to local authorities to improve the take-up of Council Tax Benefit, particularly amongst pensioners, and the numbers of claimants above the age of 60 increased significantly over the year.
However, the Department for Work and Pensions research tells us that approximately £100 million of council tax benefit goes unclaimed every year in Wales, so there is a lot more work to do. If you feel that you are eligible for Council Tax Benefit please contact the Council Tax Benefits Department on 01639 764755, or by calling at the One Stop Shop at the Civic Centre in Neath or Pontardawe, or by e-mail to housing.benefits@npt.gov.ukFor people who are having problems meeting their mortgage payments, the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government has launched a Mortgage Rescue Scheme. A budget of £9.5 million has been provided to enable housing associations to buy a share of a house in order to help homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage. There are other options for homeowners to receive help with their mortgage payments and I have produced a leaflet which explains all the help that is available. I have also produced a similar leaflet to explain all the help available for businesses to survive the recession and to be ready when the upturn comes. These are available from my Pontardawe office.