Bethan Jenkins AC/AM Blog

Today was a historic day in the development of eating disorders services and support in Wales, with the first ever meeting of the steering committee of Beat Cymru- the charity that provides support for sufferers and carers, and training opportunities, notwithstanding strong lobbying of politicians on this most important matter. I am privileged to be on the committee, and we had an exciting few hours discussing plans for the future, and how to promote the presence of Beat Cymru.

There are plans to move forward with a campaign to address the stigma surrounding eating disorders and mental health issues in general, training volunteers to hold support groups all over Wales, and to man phone lines. The new Director in Wales is set to be in post in May, but in the meantime, should you wish to contact them then please email either l.hislop@b-eat.co.uk who works in the South Wales area, or Carwen Griffith on c.griffith@b-eat.co.uk. Exciting times are ahead, and their presence will strengthen the campaign for more services for those with eating disorders in Wales without a doubt. Here is the link for Beat until the Beat Cymru website is up and running also.

If you didn’t think the budget was bad enough already-  forcing more people into debt and financial hardship, then imagine how I felt  when I read that Prince Charles and his family will be set to GAIN from the budget announcement yesterday. The Daily Telegraph reports that through supplementary documents of the budget  as part of the Amendment to the 1993 Memorandum of Understanding on Royal Taxation, Charles will be given the opportunity to refer the cost of an office that he recently set up to support his sons pr mega machine – to the taxpayer!

As Graham Smith from the organisation Republic said, “As the country struggles to deal with massive increases in debt, and while the rich are being asked to fund government spending through a hike in the top rate of tax, we now find Charles dipping his hand further into our pockets.’

While we are campaigning in Wales tirelessly to call on the Government to ensure that child poverty is eradicated by 2020, calling for support for businesses and constituents, Darling thought it right and proper to try and deceive us by slipping this in to the budget.  And this is all so that the Royals can promote their ‘charity’ work, while at the same time being paid to do it by the public. What irony.

And again, this just gives me another reason to say why Wales needs more powers, and a future free of an archaic, out dated Monarchy.