Dai Havard

Labour Party | Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney

Pen-y-Dre Hands out A Welcome

Dai Havard MP was back in school again recently; Pen-y-Dre High School to be precise, to help them welcome some visitors from South Africa. 

In 2004 technology teacher Sue Davies won the Wales Teaching award for School and Community involvement and as a result was given the opportunity to visit a school in South Africa to share best practice and build educational links.  This was the start of the Hands Across the World scheme which saw Pen-y-Dre High School and Eqinisweni Secondary School forging a friendship.

Last year pupils and staff from Pen-y-Dre visited Eqinisweni Secondary School for a week and received a fabulous welcome and wanted to invite some staff and pupils to visit them.  To do this it was necessary for Pen-y-Dre to raise money to pay for the visitors from South Africa as they come from a very deprived area.  Fantastically they managed to raise £6000 to pay for 2 staff members and 5 pupils to fly over and stay for a week.

Dai Havard MP was invited to go to the welcoming assembly for the visitors. Unfortunately due to prolonged strike action in South Africa and the 2 pupils didn’t receive their passports in time and only 3 pupils and 2 staff had been able to visit.

Speaking about the Assembly Dai Havard MP said;

 “We were treated to Choral music and musical items from the school orchestra and some great solo renditions by the students. A very warm welcome was extended to these important international guests by me and the Mayor and thanks extended to the families hosting these visitors. It was one of the most enjoyable Monday mornings I have had in a long time but the really important point is the experience it brings to all those involved. This visit is a great initiative by the school, and all the pupils who raises the money to make it possible. It reminds us of our Internationalist traditions and I hope it goes from strength to strength.”