SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, is calling for more to be done to help veterans.
Mr Rowlands was speaking in the Senedd during the Welsh Conservatives Debate: Remembrance and the armed forces community.
He said: “In Wales, we see that every year veterans, cadets and families come together, standing side by side, in quiet tribute. It’s something that binds our community together.
”But remembrance, must also mean action because while it’s right that we wear the poppy with pride, it’s equally right that we ensure those who served have a home, have support and have opportunities when they return to civilian life.
”It pains us all when we see veterans unable to access the support they need. No veteran who served our country should ever be homeless here in Wales. Giving veterans that top priority in housing allocations would be a simple but a powerful step to recognise this.
”And why is it that support for our veterans is so important? It is because we recognise the prize for which their service is rendered, the most precious commodity known to humanity—freedom.
”Remembrance compels us to stop and appreciate the liberties we often take for granted—the freedom to speak, to vote, to gather, to live our lives without fear of tyranny, every right we exercise today paid for by the sacrifices of those we remember.
”Their courage protected our democracy and our way of life from those who sought to extinguish it. When we stand silent we’re not just mourning loss—we are celebrating the successful defence of liberty itself. Understanding that freedom is never free.
”Remembrance isn’t about one weekend in November. It’s about the choices we make every day to support those who have given and continue to give so much for our freedom. As Welsh Conservatives, we have a clear plan to make sure our veterans are supported in a country they fought so bravely to protect.”
