Community

Senedd demands action to protect firefighters from cancer risks

Published

1 year ago

May 18, 2025

SENEDD Members called for annual health checks for firefighters in Wales, with a study showing instances of cancer are up to 323% higher than the general population.

Luke Fletcher, who has been campaigning on the issue over the past two years, led a debate in the Senedd on a cross-party motion calling for urgent action.

“The dangers our firefighters face do not end once the flames are out,” said Mr Fletcher.

“Fire creates a cocktail of toxic chemicals that are known to increase the risk of cancers and other life-threatening illnesses.”

The Plaid Cymru politician pointed to research commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union, showing firefighters aged 35 to 39 faced an age-specific cancer rate up to 323% higher.

Mr Fletcher added: “Firefighters serving 15 years or more were almost twice as likely to develop cancer than those who served less time.”

Calling for urgent reform to safeguard firefighters’ health, he said: “Across the world, countries like the US, Canada and Australia have recognised the link between exposure to toxic effluents and the increased incidence of cancer among firefighters.

“Legislation in these countries ensures firefighters not only receive workplace compensation when illness strikes but also have access to routine medical monitoring, designed to catch illnesses early. Yet here in Wales, as across the UK, little such support exists.”

Mr Fletcher criticised Welsh ministers for not committing to a specific health monitoring programme: “Every delay now carries consequences and we just need to get on with it.

“Further delays simply translate into more deaths due to cancer. The evidence is there, the stories are there – and the risk is very real.”

He concluded: “Quite simply, it is the right thing to do, to do right by our fire service people and the families who have lost loved ones because of this occupational risk.”

Altaf Hussain, a surgeon-turned-Senedd Member, said: “Firefighters regularly put their health on the line to deal with threats to ours and we regularly let them down.”

The Conservative added: “We, at the very least, owe this service a commitment to do everything to minimise and mitigate the risk of the job.

“That includes ensuring they are protected from toxins as well as monitored for exposure. This is not an issue that should be left to individual fire and rescue authorities.”

Rhys ab Owen, who sits as an independent, said: “The issues raised in this report cannot be kicked down the road for the next government to resolve. The risk, the danger and the responsibility sit firmly at the government’s door – and action must be taken.”

Responding to the May 14 debate for the Welsh Government, Jayne Bryant said ministers support the Fire Brigades Union campaign to reduce the risk of cancers firefighters face.

The housing and local government secretary told the Senedd all three fire and rescue services in Wales provide regular fitness and medical checks.

But Ms Bryant, whose responsibilities include fire services, stated the UK National Screening Committee does not recommend targeted screening programmes based on occupation.

She said Isabel Oliver, who was appointed the chief medical officer for Wales In January, will work with experts and relevant UK bodies to consider the evidence

Housing and local government secretary Jayne Bryant

“I’d like to reassure the Senedd that we remain fully committed to addressing these risks as effectively as possible,” she said. “We will continue to work in social partnership with employers and unions to do so.”

Senedd Members voted 30-0 in favour of the motion, with 14 Labour members and the Conservatives’ Tom Giffard abstaining.

Community

Bongo Clive brings rhythm and smiles to VC Gallery celebration

Published

17 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

LEARNING DISABILITY WEEK MARKED WITH MUSIC, LAUGHTER AND INCLUSION IN PEMBROKE DOCK

THE VC GALLERY in Pembroke Dock was filled with music, laughter and energy as visitors came together to celebrate Learning Disability Week.

The event saw popular entertainer Bongo Clive lead a lively session of singing, drumming and participation, with those attending joining in throughout the day.

The gallery said the session had created a joyful atmosphere, with music helping to bring people together and celebrate inclusion, creativity and wellbeing.

A spokesperson for The VC Gallery said: “The smiles said it all. A huge thank you to Bongo Clive for bringing your incredible energy, enthusiasm and positivity to The VC today. You certainly had everyone moving to the beat.”

Learning Disability Week celebrates inclusion and the abilities, creativity and individuality of people with learning disabilities.

The Pembroke Dock event highlighted the role of community spaces such as The VC Gallery in supporting wellbeing, friendship and confidence through shared creative activities.

Community

Sir Karl Jenkins named Eisteddfod President for 2026

Published

18 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

SIR KARL JENKINS has been named President of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod for 2026.

The internationally acclaimed Welsh composer, one of the world’s most performed living composers, will take on the role as the festival prepares to welcome performers, competitors and visitors from across the globe.

Sir Karl is best known for works including The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, Adiemus and Requiem.

His appointment comes in a landmark year after The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace was voted the most popular work in the Classic FM Hall of Fame 2026.

Opening night return

Sir Karl’s presidential year will begin with the opening night concert, Uniting Nations: One World, on Tuesday, July 7.

The concert had been due to take place in 2025 but was postponed, causing disappointment for volunteers, performers and audience members who had travelled from across the UK and overseas.

The Eisteddfod has now brought the event back with support from the Arts Council of Wales.

Sir Karl said: “I’m delighted to be returning to the Llangollen Festival this year and especially honoured to do so in the role of President.

“Llangollen is always a very special place to be, with its unique sense of community and international spirit.

“I’m greatly looking forward to conducting my most recent choral work, One World, particularly following the postponement of last year’s performance.

“It’s a piece that I feel reflects the very essence of the festival, bringing together outstanding musicians from across the globe to form one powerful collective voice.”

Global chorus

The evening will feature a full performance of One World, conducted by Sir Karl and performed by an international massed chorus made up of WorldChoir and NEW Voices, accompanied by the Llangollen International Orchestra.

The work blends Jenkins’ distinctive musical style with themes of humanity, compassion and environmental stewardship.

The concert will also include a complete staging of Peace Child: The Musical, which places young people at the heart of its message of peace and global citizenship.

Opening the evening will be the world premiere of Greeting the Dawn, a newly commissioned bilingual work by emerging Welsh composer Sam Buttler.

The piece was written for the 2026 Eisteddfod through the Harmony Without Borders initiative, continuing Llangollen’s tradition of supporting new talent and giving Welsh composers an international platform.

‘Great cultural ambassador’

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are absolutely delighted that Sir Karl Jenkins has agreed to serve as President of the Eisteddfod for 2026.

“Few musicians have done more to promote the values of peace, friendship and international understanding that lie at the heart of our festival.

“Sir Karl is one of Wales’s greatest cultural ambassadors and his music has inspired audiences across every continent.

“The fact that The Armed Man has just been voted the nation’s favourite classical work is a testament not only to his extraordinary talent, but also to the universal appeal of the messages of peace, hope and humanity that run through so much of his music.”

Mr Gambles added: “The postponement of One World last year was heartbreaking for everyone involved.

“We knew how much the concert meant to audiences, performers and volunteers alike, and we were determined to find a way to bring it back.

“Thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Wales, we can now finally give this extraordinary concert the audience it deserves.

“With Sir Karl as our President, the return of One World, the world premiere of a major new Welsh composition and the powerful message of Peace Child, this promises to be one of the most memorable and significant opening nights in the Eisteddfod’s history.”

Festival programme

The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod returns for its 79th year on Tuesday, July 7.

This year’s programme includes performances from Michael Ball, Emeli Sandé with the Absolute Orchestra, Uniting Nations: One World featuring Sir Karl Jenkins, and the Choir of the World competition.

Thousands of competitors from around the world will also take part in the daytime programme, with the Parade of Nations returning on Friday, July 10.

Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting from £33.

Further information is available at llangollen.net.

Community

Lord Rhys emerges from the mist in St Davids

Published

20 hours ago

June 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Giant puppet begins historic journey marking 850 years since the first Eisteddfod

MIST swirled around St Davids Cathedral on Friday evening as a giant Lord Rhys puppet emerged from the fog to begin a journey celebrating 850 years since the first recorded Eisteddfod.

Accompanied by traditional musicians and followed by crowds of spectators, the towering figure cut an imposing sight against the backdrop of the ancient cathedral.

The procession marked the start of Taith yr Arglwydd Rhys (The Journey of Lord Rhys), a cultural pilgrimage retracing the legacy of the Welsh prince whose gathering of poets and musicians at Cardigan Castle in 1176 is widely regarded as the first recorded Eisteddfod.

As fog drifted across the city and church towers faded into the background, the scene felt more like a chapter from Welsh folklore than a modern-day celebration.

The giant puppet, accompanied by fellow performers and musicians, travelled from St Davids Cathedral to Oriel y Parc before beginning a wider journey through west Wales.

The travelling celebration will visit communities across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion before culminating in Cardigan, where Lord Rhys originally staged his famous cultural gathering eight and a half centuries ago.

Video and photographs shared by DrifterStDavids captured the remarkable atmosphere, with many describing the spectacle as one of the most memorable cultural events seen in St Davids for years.

Photo caption: Lord Rhys emerges from the mist outside St Davids Cathedral as celebrations begin to mark the 850th anniversary of the first recorded Eisteddfod

(Pic: SmallWorld – Video: Drifter St Davids)