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The son of late Bedwas councillor Ray Davies, honoured with an OBE for services to education, has spoken about how his father inspired him.

Former teacher Stephen Davies is the Welsh Government’s Director of Education and was awarded the Order of the British Empire in The Queen’s Birthday Honours announced last week.

Mr Davies told Caerphilly Observer how he was always “inspired by my father’s passion towards education”.

Born and raised in Caerphilly, Mr Davies attended Ty’n y Wern Primary School, Bedwas High School, and Bassaleg before qualifying to teach in Cardiff College of Education in 1978.

After teaching in England for 30 years after leaving university, he become Chief Inspector of Schools and Director of Education in London.

Returning to work in Wales in 2012, Mr Davies became the Managing Director of the South East Wales Education Achievement Service before becoming Director of Education in Welsh Government in 2015.

Mr Davies said: “I believe Dad would have been very proud of my achievements.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some incredible teachers, headteachers and governors of schools in Caerphilly and across Wales.”

In November of last year, Mr Davies was appointed as a Professor of Practice at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David in honour and recognition for having attained academic and professional distinction in education in Wales.

He added: “I’m very proud and honoured of course. We’ve done some great work in introducing the new curriculum over the past five years.

“Dad was always my inspiration and supported me my whole life.”

Bedwas councillor and campaigner Ray Davies

Well-known Labour councillor and activist Ray Davies, was first elected as a councillor for Bedwas in 1964 and represented Bedwas, Trethomas and Machen on Caerphilly County Borough council from 1995 until his death in 2015.

Born in Llanbradach in 1930, he worked as a boy miner from the age of 13 and his 2013 book, ‘A Miner’s Life’, serves both as a recollection of the 1984 dispute and his remarkable life.

He was active in many campaigns until his death, including opposing the ‘Bedroom Tax’, solidarity with Palestine and protesting against 2014’s NATO conference in Newport.

In 2013 he was one of 100 activists who chained themselves together outside Faslane naval base in Scotland in protest to Trident and was a seasoned anti-war activist, campaigning against the 2003 invasion and subsequent occupation of Iraq.

During the Miners’ Strike of 1984-85 Mr Davies left his day-to-day council duties and put his efforts into the Rhymney Valley Miners’ Support Group, collecting money and joining picket lines.