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South Wales Argus
11-06-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Abergavenny toy share "so proud" of BBC award recognition
Toy Share Abergavenny, founded by Hannah Greys, is one of the 32 finalists in the BBC Cymru Wales Make a Difference Awards 2025. The awards celebrate individuals and groups who make a significant positive impact on their communities. Ms Greys' project is up for the Green Award. Hannah Greys is a finalist for the 'Green' award with BBC Cymru 'Make a Difference' (Image: Hannah Greys) The initiative, which began as a small social media group in March 2022, provides a free toy sharing service for children aged 0-12. It aims to encourage families to buy less and normalise second hand items, thus reducing the environmental impact of toys. In just over three years, more than 22,000 toys have been offered for free through the group. This not only helps families but also prevents these toys from ending up in landfill sites. Toy Share Abergavenny is up for an award with BBC Cymru 'Make a Difference' (Image: Toy Share Abergavenny) Ms Greys said: "I'm so proud that Toy Share Abergavenny has been shortlisted for the Green Award at the BBC Cymru Make a Difference Awards 2025. "It really does mean the world to see the impact of a simple idea – a free toy-sharing group – recognised for the difference it's making to both the environment and our local community." The initiative was born out of Ms Greys' personal experiences and observations. Before launching Toy Share, her own family faced unexpected financial hardship, during which she met many other parents struggling in silence. This inspired her to create a transparent, non-judgemental, and welcoming group where families could find support. Ms Greys added: "Being green shouldn't have to be a luxury. "It's something we can all do. "Toy Share Abergavenny is warm, non-judgemental and welcoming. "It's a space where no child has to miss out. "Where giving and receiving toys for free is just part of everyday life. "Where we celebrate second-hand, instead of seeing it as second-best." Toy Share Abergavenny is one of the four finalists in the Green Award category. The BBC Cymru Wales Make a Difference Awards 2025 received over 700 nominations. The finalists were selected based on their exceptional contributions to their communities. The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on September 20 in Cardiff. The judging panel includes prominent BBC presenters such as Katie Owen, Lauren Price, Gethin Jones, Owain Wyn Evans, Bronwen Lewis, Iolo Williams, Olivia Breen, and Aleighcia Scott. The other categories include Carer, Community Group, Fundraiser, Great Neighbour, Key Worker, Unsung Hero, and Volunteer. Ms Greys encourages those interested in getting involved in Toy Share Abergavenny to find them on Facebook. She said: "Together, we're proving that sharing really is a greener, kinder and fairer way to play."
Pembrokeshire Herald
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Drakeford rebukes council over Welsh education comments as row deepens
Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language and Culture says parents should not be questioned on choosing Welsh-medium schools A ROW over comments made by Pembrokeshire County Council's Deputy Leader about Welsh-medium education has escalated, following public intervention by Mark Drakeford. The Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language and Culture said he 'could not see any reason' why councils should ask parents why they choose Welsh or English-medium education for their children, directly contradicting comments made by Cllr Paul Miller during a Cabinet meeting on April 28. Speaking to BBC Cymru, Mr Drakeford said: 'I can't see why we would ask parents why they choose Welsh or why they choose English. Of course we must explain to parents the benefits of a Welsh-medium education — that's why we've seen growth in the language — but the job of local authorities is to make the case for choosing Welsh-medium education, not to question those who do.' Cllr Huw Murphy Mr Drakeford confirmed that a conversation had already taken place locally between the First Minister and figures involved in the row. BBC Cymru reported that the discussion followed remarks by Cllr Miller, who had suggested that some parents might be choosing schools such as Ysgol Caer Elen in Haverfordwest not because of the language of instruction, but because the schools were new and had good facilities. Cllr Miller's comments prompted criticism from opposition members, including Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy, who successfully requested a formal call-in of the Cabinet decision. That decision had asked education officers to 'better understand the drivers of demand' for Welsh-medium education — wording that campaigners and the Welsh Language Commissioner feared could be interpreted as questioning the legitimacy of parental choices. The Welsh Language Commissioner, Efa Gruffydd Jones, also criticised the move, saying: 'It is not clear to me why there is a need to question the choices of parents regarding Welsh-medium education in particular.' She added that the approach risked contradicting the Council's obligations under the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP). Speaking on social media following the BBC interview with Mr Drakeford, Cllr Murphy said: 'Mark Drakeford gives clarity to everyone that I was perfectly correct in calling in the decision of PCC Cabinet in April. I now look forward to Cabinet next week accepting that position and removing any suggestion of gathering additional information as proposed by the Deputy Leader.' The Education Overview and Scrutiny Committee voted last week to send the Cabinet's original decision back for review, following concerns over tone and policy alignment. The issue will be reconsidered at the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday (May 22). In a further development, it has been highlighted that Pembrokeshire recorded the largest percentage growth in Welsh-medium education of any Welsh county between 2023 and 2024, according to figures released by the Welsh Government. Cllr Julie Jones, who lives in Tenby and sits on the Cabinet, said: 'You should see the growth in Welsh speakers and Welsh-medium education in south Pembrokeshire — it's fantastic. In 2016 we had around 80 pupils in the first primary in Tenby, and now there are over 200. Everyone seems to be choosing Welsh-medium in the south of the county.' The row has sparked wider debate about the role of language in education policy and how councils communicate their strategies to the public. The Welsh Government has set a target of reaching one million Welsh speakers by 2050 and has passed legislation to strengthen the provision and planning of Welsh-medium education across Wales. Pembrokeshire County Council, like all local authorities, has a statutory duty to proactively promote Welsh-medium provision under the latest WESP regulations. The Council's revised position on how it gathers information from parents — and how it communicates its goals — will be under close scrutiny when the matter returns to Cabinet this week.
