YOUR AM WRITES: Newport AM John Griffiths (From South Wales Argus)

YOUR AM WRITES: Newport AM John Griffiths

6:10pm Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News By John Griffiths AM

BY the time you read this, I will have run – I hope – the St David’s Hospice Newport half-marathon.

It’s absolutely fantastic to know that all the places were filled and about 1,000 people will have taken part, and I am sure this success will be built on in future years. It raises money for a very good cause, and encourages better fitness and health.

Even if the idea of a half-marathon sounds too daunting, I hope it will encourage people to take up running, or walking or other sports as the days get a bit warmer. For the most active people it may be about setting fast times, but for most of the rest of us a bit of exercise can just help us feel a lot better.

● A week ago last Friday I was at a great event at St Andrew’s Infants School. I went along to watch S4C’s Gregory Brothers give an important message, as part of a fun-filled assembly, to the children. The entertainers have been taking their environmental show to many schools to promote key messages about littering, recycling and healthier living, and it was really good fun.

The pupils really enjoyed the show, and the school will build on the work with a DVD and further lessons on the topics. The Welsh Government and Newport council are trying hard to promote a cleaner environment and healthier communities and I thought this was a great way to do it.

● Finally, one other exciting thing coming up is a charity-fundraising free open practice session by Caldicot Male Voice Choir on April 4. The choir is holding the open evening at 7pm on Thursday, April 4, at the Choir Hall in Mill Lane, Caldicot. Though the session is free, there will be buckets there to collect for The Victims of Chernobyl Children’s Trust, a locally run charity.

The choir’s cycling club, Côr Meibion Caldicot Cycle Club, has decided to raise money for this charity this year, and in the summer will be doing a bike ride from Brecon to Caldicot. If you want to find out more about the choir, the cycle club, or raising money and the open evening, you can either just go along to a choir practice (Mondays and Thursdays, 7.15pm in the hall) or contact them at www.caldicotmalevoicechoir.co.uk