 Swansea AMs Rebecca Evans, Mike Hedges and Julie James are backing Heart Unions week - a time to celebrate the work that trade unions and trade unionists do to give working people a voice. They said “The eight-hour day, the weekend, paid holiday and parental leave, the minimum wage, protection from discrimination, equal pay and healthy, safe workplaces were all won by trade unions. It is easy to take for granted all of the things that unions have fought for, and won. But the challenges of Brexit, inequality, and insecure work mean there has never been a more vital time to join a union.”  Rebecca Evans AM, Assembly Member for Gower, has welcomed the award-winning Marie Curie Mumbles and Gower fundraising group to the Senedd. At an event in the Senedd, the fundraising group learned that they had won the title of South West Wales Fundraisers of the Year. Rebecca Evans AM said: “I am delighted that our local fundraisers have had their hard work recognised by Marie Curie. Together, the group has not only established Marie Curie’s profile in Gower, but has also raised more than £50,000 since 2012. That is a fantastic achievement - congratulations!” Marie Curie provides support to people with a terminal illness and their loved ones. Help ranges from the provision of clear information about living with a terminal illness, to expert nursing care at home.  Gower Assembly Member, Rebecca Evans AM, has sent her good wishes to pupils of Pontarddulais Comprehensive who will be taking part in a prestigious RSPCA debating competition, 'The Great Debate,' later this month. Rebecca Evans AM said: “I am thrilled that pupils from Pontarddulais Comprehensive will be taking part in this competition, and I would love to see them debating in the Wales-wide final.“ The pupils between the ages of 11 and 14 will be debating against other young people as part of the RSPCA’s education and prevention scheme, Generation Kind. The scheme aims to nurture and encourage the values of kindness, empathy and compassion in young people; while simultaneously inspiring students about citizenship and the country's decision-making process. Rebecca Evans said: “The programme is a central part of the RSPCA’s work in supporting the education of young people about animal welfare, helping to create compassionate and confident young people. I wish the team from Bont all the very best!”  Gower Assembly Member, Rebecca Evans AM, has welcomed the third anniversary of the New Treatment Fund, which has cut the time it takes for new medicines to become available to patients from 90 days to an average of just 13 days.
Rebecca Evans AM said: “Creating the fund was one of Welsh Labour’s top six pledges in our 2016 Manifesto for the National Assembly Elections. It is being delivered, as promised, and is having life changing impacts on patients across Wales.” The new treatment fund is an £80m five-year fund to help speed up access to treatments and drugs for life-threatening and life-limiting new medicines. £16m is available to health boards and NHS trusts every year through the fund. Rebecca Evans AM added: “The New Treatment Fund means the latest life-saving and life-changing medicines for people with a huge range of diseases are now available faster than ever before in the Welsh NHS, wherever people live in Wales.”  Rebecca Evans, Assembly Member for Gower, has written to the UK CEO of the Lloyds Banking Group, following the announcement that the Mumbles branch will be closing in May 2020. Rebecca Evans AM said: "We all know the pressure that the high street banking industry is under because of advances in technology and changes in customers' banking behaviour. However, it is often the most vulnerable who suffer the most, and the closure of one bank after the other across our communities is just not good enough. I call on the UK Government's Economic Secretary to the Treasury to develop a much more strategic and innovative approach to community banking to stem the tide of banks leaving our high streets in Wales. "Mumbles has numerous independent retailers, and small businesses tell me that they need access to a local bank in order to manage their money. "I am also very concerned about our older residents, for some of whom online banking just isn't a realistic option. Lots of older people prefer to use cash and manage their household budget on a week to week basis. Travelling considerable distances to use the bank is not as easy as it sounds for many people." |
