SAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has praised the work of a Wrexham organisation helping young people who have fallen through the gaps.
Mr Rowlands recently met with members of WeMindTheGap, based in Wrexham, which was set up for those who are not in employment, education or training to develop life skills that many take for granted, preparing them for the world of work and creating a sense of belonging.
He said: “I was delighted last week to have the opportunity to visit the Wrexham WeConnect Hub in the city centre and meet up with some of the inspirational people behind this fantastic initiative.
“They carry out an amazing job and it was great to see that earlier this year the charity was awarded £4.9m worth of funding for use over five years from the National Lottery Community Fund to help sustain and grow WeMindTheGap programmes.
“It was great to catch up with some of the team who I met when I attended a meeting of the Wrexham Leadership Alliance Group where concern was expressed about the transport links to and from the Wrexham Industrial Estate and its effect on recruitment.
“As Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport I have raised the issue several times in Welsh Parliament and will continue to do so.
“I do have to congratulate everyone involved with this charity, which recently celebrated its tenth anniversary, for making this wonderful idea such a success.
“It is quite clear that many young people have already benefitted from WeMindtheGap and certainly the signs are extremely positive for the future.”
WeMindTheGap, recently celebrated its 10-year anniversary bringing together current and former participants, trustees, funders, community leaders and supporters, honouring a decade of positive impact on young people who are not in employment, education, or training.
Since its founding in 2014, WeMindTheGap has grown from supporting eight young women in its first year to now working with over 160 young people each week across North Wales and the North West of England.
The charity, founded by Rachel Clacher and supported by Diane Aplin, offers a range of tailored programmes focused on life skills, coaching, emotional support and work readiness, all designed to help young people build confidence, independence, and brighter futures.
