Today (Thursday), the whole of the UK will come together to celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE Day in 1945, the day World War II ended in Europe. VE Day marked a significant moment in British history and the work to rebuild our country after the war could start in earnest – the events will mark the unconditional surrender of German troops across Europe on May 8, 1945, sparking widespread celebrations. There are ceremonies and parades planned all over the UK to celebrate this historic event and towns and villages across Flintshire will be holding their own celebrations to pay tribute to the Armed Forces and the people of Britain who had lived through a terrible war as well as those who had lost their lives, their homes and their livelihoods.
In the Senedd last week, the Welsh Government launched its new 10-year mental health and wellbeing strategy, which is centred on early intervention, prevention and ensuring people are referred to the most appropriate form of support at the right time and without delay. A key part of the transformation of mental healthcare will be open access services, with people receiving same-day support without the need for a referral – following on from the Wales-wide 111 press 2 service for urgent mental healthcare. One of the barriers to seeking help and support with mental health issues is the long waiting times involved with referrals, so this new strategy will go some way to improving access to the vital services people need.
The new strategy has been shaped by the voices of the people it is designed to support and it ensures the building blocks are in place to support good mental health across Wales. Our local health board, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), has plans to develop a North Wales Recovery College – a space where anyone can come to learn about mental health recovery and wellbeing, whether that’s people who are currently or have previously experienced mental health challenges, parents, carers, friends and loved ones or professionals. BCUHB has a selection of engagement sessions and a survey so you can find out more and have your say – go to https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/health-advice/mental-health-hub/north-wales-recovery-college.
Applications for the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the 2025-2026 academic year are now open. If you’re aged 16 to 18 and planning to continue your education, you could receive £40 per week to support your studies. While the EMA was scrapped in England under the previous UK Government, I’m proud that the Welsh Government has not only kept it but also increased it and expanded eligibility – making it the most generous scheme in the UK. The grants can be used to help with education costs such as transport, meals or study supplies and you can find out more information and apply at www.studentfinancewales.co.uk/further-education-funding/education-maintenance-allowance.
Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been approached by many members of the LGBTQ+ community who are tearful, fearful and deeply concerned about what the recent much-publicised Supreme Court ruling could mean for them. In the Senedd last week, I asked the First Minister to give a clear reassurance that the Welsh Government values and supports all of our LGBTQ+ community here in Wales. At the end of the day, this is not about politics – this is about people’s lives – and it’s important that we in Wales continue to conduct ourselves with compassion and consideration on this issue.
Closer to home, charity trustees at Parkfields Community Centre in Mold celebrated purchasing the centre from the Presbyterian Church of Wales last week, which is great news for our community. The trustees hope the deal will help to secure its future for community use – Parkfields is a really great example of a truly community-led initiative which offers the people of Mold a whole host of affordable social events and courses and help and support like the community fridge scheme, as well as providing brilliant facilities for meetings, groups and other organisations. Congratulations to everyone involved in making Parkfields a hub for our community.
Finally, there are a couple of funding opportunities which might interest local community groups or organisations. Firstly, Cadwyn Clwyd has opened applications for the Flintshire Community Key Fund, which is backed by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund – the fund offers pre-project grants of up to £5,000 to help cover feasibility studies and capital funding grants of up to £35,000 for community spaces such as village halls, green spaces or community centres. You can find out more at https://cadwynclwyd.co.uk/funding-areas. Also, Asda’s Local Community Spaces Fund – which provides funding of up to £20,000 for charities and non-profit organisations which benefit local people – is open for applications until May 28. You can find more information and apply at https://asdafoundation.org/our-grants/local-community-spaces-fund.
As always, if you would like advice and/or support, please don’t hesitate to get in touch on any of the following contact details – 52 High Street, Mold, Flintshire, on 01352 753464 or by email hannah.blythyn@senedd.wales. You can also keep up to date via my Facebook page – www.facebook.com/HannahBlythyn. Constituents are, of course, welcome to contact my office to arrange an appointment to see me, you don’t need to wait for an advice surgery.