Lottery grant for Burry Port charity a “lifeline for young families” says Lee Waters MS

LLANELLI’S Member of the Senedd Lee Waters has thrown his support behind Burry Port’s Plant Dewi, a family centre providing a “lifeline for young families’ during the pandemic.

Plant Dewi has been awarded nearly £300,000 from the National Lottery Community Fund, securing their funding for the next three years. Lee caught up with them virtually to see how the funding would support physical and emotional wellbeing for children and parents.

They will encourage strong attachment between parents and children with baby groups, parent and toddler play sessions and parenting courses, and help children to make the transition to school with language sessions, homework club and life skills sessions for Year 6 pupils. Plant Dewi’s programme of activities is open for families with children aged up to 11 in Burry Port, Pembrey, Kidwelly and surrounding areas.

Lee Waters said: “Lockdown continues to be really hard for young families juggling home-schooling with work commitments. Despite the challenges, I’m pleased that Plant Dewi are reaching more people than ever before because of digital improvements. It’s particularly good to hear that families who couldn’t afford to travel to Burry Port in normal times, like in the upper Gwendraeth, are accessing this service.”

On the call, Plant Dewi coordinators stressed the importance of wifi and data connectivity for children learning from home, and the need for better mental health services to cope with what they see as a the ‘storing up’ of issues during lockdown.

Lee said: “Plant Dewi provide a lifeline service for young families, and there is a bond of trust there that other public services should really take notice of.”

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