South Wales East AM Delyth Jewell has spoken about where she is from at Plaid Cymru’s spring conference in Bangor.
Ms Jewell, who replaced the late Steffan Lewis as AM earlier this year, said: “I come from a part of Wales where we have a history of rising and falling, of rebellion, and defeat.
“We have seen dark times. Place names that alone evoke bitter memories. Senghennydd. Aberfan.
“But amongst these, there have been our glittering moments. Beacons of hope seem to appear when the path is at its darkest.”
Ms Jewell was born in Caerphilly and grew up in Ystrad Mynach, attending Ysgol Bro Allta and Ysgol Gyfan Cwm Rhymni.
She added: “Yes in our history, with Dic Penderhyn leading the Methyr Rising, John Frost ordering the Newport chartists to stand up and show themselves to the front. Aneurin Bevan’s early, glorious creation.
“But also now, in this urgent present moment – the people staffing foodbanks, refugee support groups, Newport’s Imam Sis, now on his 97th day of hunger strike and Ken Sullivan and the former miners of Tredegar, whose petition demanding justice for their pensions has won the support of over 100,000 people.
“We are proud in our small corner of our rich, rebellious history. I want us to be every bit as proud of where we’re headed.
“Because, I feel like I can do anything: I am from the land of the heroes of the Merthyr Rising, and I am from the land of Steffan Lewis.”
During the conference, Ms Jewell was appointed as Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Minister for the Future by party leader Adam Price AM.
Speaking about her new role to the conference, Ms Jewell said: “Conference, it is up to us to determine what kind of Wales we want to be. Plaid Cymru is the party of the future. Which is why I’m delighted to be appointed by our Leader Adam Price as our party’s Shadow Minister for the Future.”