GWENDA THOMAS AM ENDORSES THE “NEVER SAY DIE” PRINCIPLE.

During the recent Assembly Recess, Gwenda Thomas AM included as part of her holiday reading, the recently published “Never Say Die” written by one of her constituents, Melanie Davies and co-writer Lynne Barrett Lee.

Gwenda said “I recommend this book. I found it a humorous, poignant and humbling read of the true life story of a very remarkable friend. I have known Melanie and her husband Mike for many years and enjoyed reading the book and discovering things that I wasn’t aware of about Melanie’s life”

Gwenda continued “I am also aware of all the work that both Melanie and Mike continue to do regarding the TREAT Trust Wales, the charity that Melanie set up, following her accident. She decided that she wanted to have a facility nearer to her home which was similar to the Wales Sports Centre for the Disabled which was set up in conjunction with Rookwood Hospital. Whilst she was campaigning to make her vision a reality Melanie was diagnosed with Breast Cancer and because of this she expanded her strategy to include not just disabled people but anyone who had a life changing condition. The facility could be a venue where all might benefit from physical and social re-inclusion in society. The vision that Melanie and Mike have for the facility is that it is based on a health and well-being centre model where there is a warm and welcoming atmosphere not just for the sufferer but also their family and friends enabling them to participate together”.

To give you some of the background, Gwenda continued “TREAT Trust Wales was approached in 2008 by the Chairman (Win Griffiths) and the then Chief Executive (Paul Williams) of Abertawe Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust and asked to consider siting the TREAT building on an area of land at the redevelopment of Morriston Hospital. It was suggested that the land would be made available for a long-term lease at a peppercorn rent.

The proposal was taken to a full meeting of the board of ABM jn October 2008 and the collaboration ratified.

Representatives of ABM and TREAT Trust Wales subsequently met to review suitable potential areas of land and agreed on a plot in the south-east corner of the campus.

Productive meetings have followed between the charity and the Planning Department of the Health Authority (now Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board) outlining the footprint and provisional content of the proposed building. A joint visit to the Aspire Centre in Stanmore helped to inform the deliberations.

Clearance of the area of land will be due within a couple of years and this area will be reserved subject to TREAT Trust Wales demonstrating that they will be in a position to begin construction by the year 2014 and thereafter to maintain and run the facility”

“I wish to commend the bravery and commitment of Mel and Mike and to ask for your readers’ support for the TREAT Trust Wales.”