In his regular blog for Caerphilly Observer South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle gives his take on recent news.
Trevor Elias
I attended a very moving candlelit vigil at Abertridwr Square over the weekend for missing 77-year-old resident Trevor Elias.
This gathering proved the enormous power of Facebook and Twitter to galvanise people, with more than 300 people from attending.
I want to thank the vigil’s organisers Victoria Ford and Leah Nightingale, originally from Abertridwr, who organised it through Facebook.
I was really impressed with the number of young people present – probably about 60 per cent of them were under 20. It was a very moving evening and it shows, despite the bad press that young people often get, that they do care deeply about others.
At the end of the vigil about a dozen or so young people, probably aged 15 or 16, carried on lighting the candles and cleaned up after they all burnt out. There were some as young as four or five present.
This was a fantastic example of a community pulling together because they are so concerned about Trevor, who is well loved.
I know many people volunteering to search the mountainside, as well as the immediate area, looking for Trevor. The police has also played their part in the search for him.
I was delighted to be asked as a local resident to say a few words. It was a real honour to be present. There were also messages of support from the local councillors Lyndon Binding, John Roberts and John Taylor, who said a prayer, with cub scout leader Elizabeth Barclay reading out a tribute.
The community is praying that Trevor will be found alive and well.
Leanne Wood
I was delighted that Plaid’s new young leader Leanne Wood spent a day in the county borough supporting our council election candidates.
Leanne met up with Nathan Flanagan, the impressive 18-year-old Plaid candidate in Abertysswg and Rhymney, before heading off to Crumlin, This included a visit to the Real Crisp factory and meeting local councillors, and ended in Caerphilly town centre.
Leanne certainly got an excellent reception from members of the public.
Lindsay Whittle
Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East