Joyce says Thank You to Cardigan family heroes

A local Senedd Member is thanking those who helped to keep people going throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. This is ahead of National Thank You Day on Sunday 4th July.
Joyce Watson MS (Mid and West Wales) said:
“The 15-month period since the pandemic began has been hard for so many people.
“Yet we also saw individuals, neighbours, volunteer groups, businesses and organisations come together to support our communities.
“Today I want to thank staff, trustees and volunteers at Jig-So Children’s Centre in Cardigan for their work throughout this crisis.
“They continued helping local children and families as they have for the last 29 years, offering services and support across Ceredigion, North Pembrokeshire and West Carmarthenshire.
“When the pandemic began, they had to work out how to support families remotely. They developed on-line coffee and chat sessions and 12 online peer support groups. They ran training courses and made videos including storytelling. They sent out activity packs and developed activities that children and parents could do together at home. They encouraged families to cook together, sending out food hampers, start-up cooking sets and more. They arranged walk and talk sessions and other outdoor Covid-safe family events. They helped young people enjoy gardening with a youth horticultural competition, a butterfly garden, videos from The Welsh Gardener, 16-year-old Owen Harries, and more.
“This is just a flavour of their work – at a time of unprecedented challenges for families, they stepped up and deserve our thanks.
“Of course, many other organisations and individuals also deserve our thanks.
“Throughout Wales people came together and supported each other – a spirit which I know will continue to endure long after the worst of the pandemic has passed.”
Mrs Watson’s message comes ahead of National Thank You Day on Sunday 4th July, a grassroots campaign to hold the country’s biggest ever thank you party in our local communities as a way of thanking each other and of building on the community spirit that so many have felt during lock down.
From the idea being launched just a month ago, the campaign has won huge support from hundreds of organisations ranging from the NHS to the Scouts and from high profile individuals including Gary Lineker, Michael Sheen, Dame Judi Dench, Raheem Sterling and many more.
Thank You Day has been designed as an opportunity for everyone in the country to come together safely with friends, family and neighbours to mark what has happened over the past 15 months, to celebrate the community spirit that got us through and to say thank you to everyone who helped us along the way.
Members of the public are being encouraged to mark the days in numerous different ways from picnics to BBQs, outdoor parties to drinks – while of course sticking to Covid guidelines.
Joyce Watson MS added:
“There are so many people to say thank you to this year – neighbours who checked we were okay, the delivery drivers who kept food on the shelves, and the volunteers who helped Wales get the vaccine out at a world-beating rate. Watch out for activities throughout Wales on Sunday 4th of July. These will be a great opportunity to join their neighbours and communities to say thank you together.”