The Argus' Pride of Gwent awards were held earlier this month, in which a plethora of dedicated volunteers were hailed for their hard work during the pandemic. Here we highlight just one of them.
CATHRYN Davies has spent the last 25 years as a foster carer, opening the home she shares with her husband Andrew and their family to hundreds of young people.
More recently she’s joined forces with Wendy and Ade, Jayne, Clare and Matt to run a foodbank in Newbridge, which has continued helping individuals and families in need throughout the pandemic.
Cathryn and Andrew Davies
Cathryn was drawn to fostering after having a tough time after the birth of her first child at the age of 16. Despite developing health problems she found there was no respite available and realised there must be many others in a similar position.
“By offering my services after my fourth child was born, I opened my home to children who needed a safe haven or even a short respite, and I find myself 24 years later with three adopted children to add to my other seven and I’m still really enjoying my role,” she says.
Cathryn has described how she gets great satisfaction from her work with the foodbank.
“I know first hand what it’s like to struggle when the children are small, even though I worked full time,” she says. “I was fortunate to have great support from my husband Andrew and I decided to give something back to other people less fortunate than ourselves in our local community.”
Coleg Gwent is one of Wales’ top performing colleges with consistently high A level pass rates and a ranking as the joint top performer for vocational learning in the country.
“At Coleg Gwent, we’re made for greatness. As one of Wales’ top performing colleges, we have consistently high A-level pass rates – currently 98 per cent – and we’re ranked as the joint top-performing college for vocational learning in Wales.
"We’re proud to be part of the communities we work in, with five campuses across Gwent; Usk, Ebbw Vale, Crosskeys, Newport and Cwmbran – so studying on your doorstep couldn’t be easier. With full time, part time or university level qualifications across a wide range of academic and vocational subjects, there’s something for everyone at Coleg Gwent.
"Our tutors are experts in their fields and our industry-standard facilities enable learners to develop the skills required for their chosen career path. Our strong links and working partnerships with local employers help us to develop the curriculum and address skill shortages in our local area, so we can proudly train the workforce of the future.
"Everyone is welcome at Coleg Gwent and we’re proud to be a friendly, inclusive and diverse college where our community spans all age-groups, from school-leavers to mature-learners.
"Thousands join us each year to enjoy our high-quality teaching, extensive support, extra-curricular activities and achieve excellent outcomes, with many of our learners successfully taking part in national WorldSkills competitions. We believe everyone is made for greatness at Coleg Gwent, and that’s why we’re proud sponsors of the Pride of Gwent Awards."
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