News

MPs seek frontline views on child poverty crisis across Wales

Published

58 seconds ago

June 11, 2026

Call follows weeks of debate over Welsh Government pledges, childcare, free school meals and direct support for struggling families

MPs are inviting frontline workers across Wales to share evidence on how child poverty is affecting families and communities.

The Welsh Affairs Committee is asking practitioners who work with children and families to take part in an online roundtable at 3:00pm on Tuesday, July 14.

The session will help inform the committee’s inquiry into working towards ending child poverty in Wales.

It comes after weeks of renewed political debate over child poverty, including Welsh Government pledges on childcare, free school meals and direct support for low-income families.

The latest call from MPs shifts the focus from policy promises to frontline experience, asking those working directly with families to explain where poverty is being felt most sharply, which groups are most at risk, and whether current support is reaching the people who need it.

Welsh Government figures have previously shown around 31% of children in Wales living in relative income poverty, while the Bevan Foundation has said latest data points to around 210,000 children being affected.

MPs say they want to hear directly from people working in communities, including those supporting families at greater risk of poverty, such as households with disabled adults or children, and ethnic minority-headed households.

Committee chair Ruth Jones MP said: “Our inquiry is investigating the barriers to ending child poverty in Wales. Hearing from individuals working to support families in communities up and down the country will provide the committee with invaluable insight, which can then inform our recommendations to the UK Government.

“We are keen to hear from a diverse range of practitioners across Wales, especially those working with disabled or ethnic minority groups. I encourage those with valuable experience to share to take the opportunity to participate.”

Child poverty affects communities in different ways across Wales. In rural areas, families can face higher transport costs, limited access to childcare, poor public transport and fewer local services. In urban communities, housing costs, insecure work, debt and pressure on food banks are among the key issues raised by campaigners.

Practitioners are being asked to email [email protected] by Friday, June 26, with details of their organisation, where in Wales they work, whether they support families at higher risk of poverty, and a brief outline of their experience.

Applicants will be told by Tuesday, June 30, whether they have been selected to take part.

The Welsh Affairs Committee scrutinises the work of the Wales Office and UK Government policy affecting Wales. Its inquiry is looking at how the UK and Welsh governments can work together to tackle child poverty and what barriers remain to ending it.

Finance

£32.5m boost to help disabled people and those with health conditions into work

Published

26 minutes ago

June 11, 2026

Tom Sinclair

MORE than 9,000 people across South East Wales are to receive tailored employment support under a £32.5m expansion of the UK Government’s Connect to Work programme.

The funding will support around 9,100 disabled people, people with health conditions, and those facing complex barriers to employment, helping them move into work or closer to the labour market by 2030.

The Department for Work and Pensions said the programme replaces a “one-size-fits-all” approach with intensive, personalised help built around each individual.

Support will be delivered by specialist employment advisers, who will meet people in accessible community settings, including GP surgeries, cafés, parks and community hubs.

The help available will include matching people with suitable jobs, CV writing, interview preparation, direct work with local employers, and continued support once someone has started a role.

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “For too long, disabled people and those with health conditions in South East Wales and across the country were written off and denied the chance to work. This Government is changing that.

“Connect to Work is built on a simple belief: that with the right support, built around the individual, people can and do get into work.

“Today’s figures prove it. Thousands of people are now closer to working, earning and building better lives, and with South East Wales set to launch its support offer, this is just the beginning.”

The announcement comes as the first official statistics for Connect to Work show that 14,000 people across England and Wales have already received personalised support through the programme.

The DWP said 2.8 million people are currently out of work due to ill-health, and that Connect to Work forms part of a wider £3.5bn employment support package.

Councillor Peter Bradbury, Cardiff Council’s Cabinet Member for Employment and Inclusive Growth, said: “We are delighted that Connect to Work is being introduced across the South East Wales region; this is a significant opportunity to support our residents into sustainable employment while strengthening our local communities and economy.

“Delivery will commence shortly across the region, with further details, including start dates, available on the Cardiff Council website.”

The South East Wales funding follows earlier announcements for Connect to Work in South West Wales, Mid Wales and North Wales.

Entertainment

Summer Feastival to bring food, music and family fun to Pembrey

Published

28 minutes ago

June 11, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A WEEKEND of street food, live music, circus entertainment and family activities is heading to Pembrey Country Park this month.

Summer Feastival, organised by Street Food Circus, will take place from Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21, bringing what organisers describe as the “ultimate coastal foodie weekend” to Carmarthenshire.

The event will be held over the summer solstice weekend, with visitors able to enjoy food, entertainment and activities against the backdrop of Pembrey Country Park and the nearby eight-mile beach.

This year’s event includes a new BBC Horizons live music stage, created through a partnership with BBC Wales, showcasing emerging bands and artists from across Wales.

Families will also be able to enjoy the World’s Biggest Bouncy Castle, Attack! Mexican Wrestling, Chris Bullzini’s high wire show, the Incredibly Clever Canine Circus, a free circus school, craft activities with Let’s Make Art, crazy golf from Kiss My Putt, and Bull Axe Throwing.

There will also be an Indie Collectives market featuring Welsh independent makers and crafts, along with a Big Top Picnic celebrating local food producers.

As evening falls, the event will move into a more relaxed festival atmosphere, with live music, slower beats and a fire finale from the Pembrokeshire Fire Spinners.

Food will be at the heart of the weekend, with traders including The Dough Thrower, serving 72-hour fermented wood-fired pizzas, Pasta a Mano with handmade pasta from West Wales, Mar y Fuego with seafood cooked over fire, and Mabiko with Zimbabwean and South African dishes.

Other traders include The Queen Pepiada, TNT Tacos, Two Lads Kitchen, Burger Bros, Paletas, Poutine Punks, Churros Hermanos, Drizzle and The Coffee Shop.

Drinks will be provided by Tiny Rebel, SFC’s Bobo bar, Lola’s Cocktails and The Lemonade Stand.

Street Food Circus founder Matt ‘the Hat’ said: “Pembrey Country Park is our biggest event of the season, and it’s a truly spectacular location.

“We’re bringing the best of Welsh street food and a circus-full of entertainment and activities for kids and big kids alike.

“With an on-site campsite, people don’t have to rush home. You can have a beach stroll in the morning, explore the Feastival and park adventures like the toboggan, miniature railway or dry ski slope by day, and let the music drift you into a warm summer evening. It’s the ultimate summer escape.

“This year we are going all out with more food, more music, and a brand-new live stage.”

He said the event will also include the new Little Kooks Clwb, aimed at children who enjoy food-based activities.

Kids’ tickets are free, while an optional Little Kooks Clwb package includes an activity backpack with challenges, ideas and foodie inspiration to take home.

Summer Feastival runs at Pembrey Country Park from Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21.

Opening hours are Friday 4:00pm to 10:00pm, Saturday 10:00am to 10:00pm, and Sunday 10:00am to 7:00pm.

Tickets start at £9.50, with children admitted free. More information is available at streetfoodcircus.co.uk.

Community

River festival returns to Haverfordwest this weekend

Published

33 minutes ago

June 11, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CELEBRATION of the Cleddau will take place in Haverfordwest this weekend as the town’s River Festival returns for a second year.

The event will be held on Saturday (June 13), from 10:00am until late, centred on HaverHub and stretching along the quay towards the Bristol Trader.

Organised by The Cleddau Project, the family-friendly festival will include guided walks, demonstrations, art, science activities, live music, market stalls, free canoe trips and a boat race.

The event aims to celebrate the beauty, wildlife and heritage of the Cleddau, while encouraging more people to make use of the river and riverside area.

Organisers said the weather is looking promising and have invited families to “come on down” and enjoy the day.

Groups involved include West Wales Rivers Trust, Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, Paddle West and Pembrokeshire Marine Wildlife.