Pontardawe Chamber of Trade & Commerce at the Pontardawe Festival

The Town of Pontardawe came alive on Friday evening and in the daytime on Saturday with craft and community stalls, the Neath Port Talbot ‘Rolling Zone’ for the youngsters, the ‘Wave’ stage for local and not so local musicians, dance teams from around Wales and Europe.
The Chamber of Trade & Commerce and Pontardawe Arts Centre worked closely with the Music Festival to produce a spectacular Torchlight Procession on the Friday evening and a breathtaking Carnival procession on the Saturday afternoon which meandered through the streets and ended up in the Pontardawe Music Festival site.
The ‘Road Train’ was a huge success, ’toot tooting’ its way from outside the Arts Centre to the Leisure Centre, ferrying the street Summer Festival goers to the Music festival and back again.
Gwenda Thomas AM said it was a wonderful event and was delighted to have supported the Chamber of Trade’s successful bid to the Awards for All Wales to hire the train to connect the two parts of the festivities in Pontardawe.

Constituency AM Praises Students Achievements

‘Once again I am delighted to congratulate the students in my Neath Constituency on another year of excellent AS and A level results,’ announced Gwenda Thomas AM today.

‘We have a wealth of wide ranging talent in this area which has been reflected in the results and I wish all of the young people well in their continuing choice of education, training and career choices.’

Mrs Thomas emphasised ‘I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of those who have studied vocational courses at Neath Port Talbot College and the many adult return learners who attend the extensive range of courses provided by the college and outreach centres each year. I must also thank all of the teaching and non teaching staff in the college whose dedication to their roles must be acknowledged.’

AM flags up BIG Lottery Response to Recession

Gwenda Thomas AM for Neath, today urged grant holders and new applicants to the Big Lottery Fund (BIG) to investigate new funding allocated last week to help alleviate difficulties being faced by communities and third sector organisations during the recession.

‘BIG’s UK Board has allocated £ 2.5 million to applicants in Wales and are targeting the voluntary and charity organisations who provide community advice services’ explained Mrs. Thomas. ‘During this particularly difficult time, BIG will be providing them with grants so that they can expand their services to meet the growing demand for access to advice and support from people who are struggling within their local communities. I therefore hope that any organisations within my Neath Constituency who are working hard to support the public at this time will investigate the possibility of applying for this support which in some cases will amount to £ 50,000 over two years.’

For further information about BIG’s recession package please visit www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/wales or contact their information line on 01686 611 700. Information will be available on online from Friday 14th August.

Allowances - 2009-2010

When the Allowances incurred by Assembly Members, were published earlier this year, I stated that I would be publishing details of my Allowances on a regular basis on my website.

Below is a link to the allowances that I have incurred for the first quarter of this year. Further updates will be posted here on a quarterly basis.

Expenses 2009-2010 - First Quarter

CASH BOOST FOR LOCAL PROJECTS WELCOMED

Local AM Gwenda Thomas today welcomed the news that the Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government is to provide over £ 350,000 to support the work of 2 local projects.

The funding is part of a £7 million package of support over the next three years for 48 projects across Wales through the Assembly Government’s Community Facilities and Activities Programme (CFAP). The new funding will help community and voluntary organisations to provide new facilities and activities which will promote the regeneration of communities in the local area.

Welcoming the news, Gwenda Thomas said:

“I am delighted that these local projects are to benefit from this latest round of funding from the Assembly Government. It is a big boost for local groups and I am sure that this money will make a real difference to people’s lives.

Here in the Neath Constituency initiatives like this are providing important services and activities in our communities and it is good to see the Assembly Government recognising the tremendous work that they do. It also shows yet again that the Labour-led Assembly Government is delivering on its commitment to regeneration across Wales.”

The two projects who will benefit from this particular package are DOVE Workshop Ltd, who will receive £ 299,857 for their Café Sarn Helen expansion, and Cwmgors Halls Committee who have been awarded £ 57,803 for the Cwmgors Ball Court and Play Area.

To celebrate 10 years of the Assembly

(© Eleri Griffths. The Assembly Project/Prosiect y Cynulliad)

I was delighted to be asked to take part in the Assembly Project which is to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the National Assembly for Wales. Each AM was asked to be photographed in a place in their constituency that meant something to them.

I wanted to be photographed with people that reflected the constituency. With the permission of the Chief Fire Office of Mid and West Fire and Rescue Services, the photograph was taken at Pontardawe Fire Station with members of Green Watch.

I understand that photographs taken as part of this project will be included in an exhibition at the National Assembly for Wales and National Library of Wales archive.

£ 9 MILLION SCHOOL INVESTMENT WELCOMED FOR NEATH

Gwenda Thomas AM today welcomed a massive £ 9 million Labour-led Welsh Assembly Government funding boost to improve school buildings in Neath.

This grant money, spread over three years, will facilitate the building of a new lower school for Dwr Y Felin Comprehensive School on the upper school site.

The investment is part of a £165m fund to build new schools and repair existing sites across Wales. This additional funding will enable the delivery of a total capital investment programme in education that exceeds £530 million, and is a key part of the Labour led Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to deliver schools fit for purpose for the 21st century.

Gwenda Thomas said: “I am delighted to welcome this investment in education in Neath. This substantial funding is great news for both the students and teaching staff of Dwr Y Felin Comprehensive School.

“Having modern first class facilities is essential for improving the already excellent results achieved at this school, and this investment will help ensure that.”