Two very different annual events took place last weekend, both of which are important to me.

On Saturday we had the celebration that is Maindee Festival.

The weather forecasts were predicting a downpour, but in the end we had a lot of sun and blue skies, almost perfect weather.

I go to Maindee Festival every year, and I have never failed to be impressed by the effort the organisers and volunteers put in to the parade, the stalls, and the event overall.

So many volunteers work hard to make this festival the fun and enjoyable event it is.

It’s a real highlight every year, a celebration for the whole community, and I’d like to thank everyone who made it happen.

On Sunday, a very different event took place, when the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings was marked with a parade and service in Newport.

There were hundreds of people lining the streets. The Royal Welsh Comrades Association led a march through the city centre before wreaths were laid at the D-day memorial.

This service is a powerful reminder of the sacrifice made by so many people in our armed services in the Second World War.

The D-Day landings were a significant point in the Second World War, an event that saw the Allied troops helping to free Europe from Nazi rule. Many lost their lives or were injured doing so.

The sacrifice, bravery and suffering of those who took part on D-Day 70 years ago is hard to imagine for many of us. The march and service are a mark of respect to all those who served.

It is a powerful and sombre event.

Last week the news was full of the UK Government’s decision to introduce a 5p charge for plastic bags.

As the Welsh Minister for the environment when this was introduced in Wales nearly four years ago, it was strange to see the same reports and headlines we’d seen back then.

For me, the only question was why it’s taken quite so long.

We introduced the charge in 2011, and within months the evidence was clear.

The number of bags being used was falling, helping stop litter and protect the environment, and the 5p charges that were being made had raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charities in Wales.