Royal visit for Neath Port Talbot Youth Service

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Youth Service enjoyed a royal visit (Wednesday 9 March) when HRH the Countess of Wessex visited young parents, their children and staff involved in the Young Parents Provision project.

The Provision is funded by the Welsh Government Youth Support Grant run in partnership with the Youth Service, Flying Start and Thrive.

The Young Parents can access Youth Workers, along with support from Neath Port Talbot Council’s Flying Start programme (an early years support programme for families of children under four) and support from Thrive Group Wales.

The Young Parents group provides valuable support and advice for young parents who are at risk of isolation and it has provided a lifeline for new parents as they navigated caring for babies and toddlers in the Covid-19 pandemic. Support for the group has included a Slow Cooker Project, walk and talk sessions, a parent nurture course and one to one sessions.

The Countess of Wessex has a strong personal interest in improving opportunities and help for young people and she champions national charities such as the NSPCC.

During her visit to The Young Parents Group at Playhem Play Centre, the Countess met parents, children, the Youth Council and staff and she was also welcomed by the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, Cllr John Warman, Neath Port Talbot Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Leanne Jones, Education, Skills and Culture Cabinet Member Cllr Peter Rees, the Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan, Mrs Louise Fleet and Neath Port Talbot’s Deputy Youth Mayor, Maddie Pritchard.

Cllr Warman said: “We were delighted to welcome HRH the Countess of Wessex to Neath Port Talbot who was keen to meet the young parents being helped by our youth service in conjunction with Flying Start and the Thrive Group at Playhem. It is a first class project for helping and supporting young parents who would otherwise be in danger of becoming isolated.”

Neath Port Talbot Youth Mayor Bethan Nicholas-Thomas added: “It was very nice for HRH the Countess of Wessex to visit us in Neath Port Talbot and talk to the Young Parents Group and Youth Council. It is important for us as young people to have these opportunities where we can voice our opinions on matters that affect our lives. The Young Parents project is an excellent example of the Youth Service working in partnership with others to help young people who need support.”

Earlier in the day, the Countess, a patron of the Scar Free Foundation, visited the London based charity’s research centre in Swansea University – the centre, working with Health and Care Research Wales, aims to enhance facial reconstruction techniques using 3D bioprinting.

Her Royal Highness also planted a Jubilee tree at the city’s new coastal park, which is next door to the newly opened Swansea Arena.