From Nantyglo to Newport, Merthyr to Monmouth, the ‘South Wales East’ region covers a vast range of different communities, and eight distinct constituencies. And yet issues such as jobs, traffic and health care transcend traditional constituency borders.

This is where the benefit of having regional members of Senedd comes in – people who work across the whole area for the benefit of all within.

I am your new Member of Senedd for South Wales East, and I want to tell you a little about my background.

My 13 years in finance – first with Santander and then with Principality Building Society – saw me work in branches across the region, including Newport, Monmouth, Caerphilly, Blackwood and Cwmbran.

Working in a bank in a centre of a town, you really get a feel for the local community.

But more than that – you realise the importance of the town centre in shaping that community. Towns that suffer from a major bank leaving, or local industry making job cuts, or shops closing – it has a real and negative impact on the community that surrounds it.

It’s more than just jobs, it’s that focal point for the town, the place to go to on the weekend, the sense of pride.

After 13 years in the financial sector, it was time for a change and in 2015 I joined Christian Aid as regional coordinator for South Wales, before joining Cytûn: Churches together in Wales in 2018.

Looking back, I realise that this was born out of a need to give something back, but what I gained from these roles I’ll always be thankful for.

I’ve been humbled by people I’ve met in some of the poorest parts of the world – who have gently explained that while the world sees them as poor in financial terms, they are rich in spirit. All over the world, the creation of jobs solves many issues. When people have a place in their community, a role to play, a job to do, it benefits everyone around them.

It makes me very sad to see the decimation of industries across much of South Wales. If we can get that right, if we can create jobs right in the heart of our towns, if we can bring back those thriving town centres, those hubs of the community, then so many other things will fall into place.

As your new Member of Senedd for South Wales East, I will support any initiatives that bring back the heart of our communities.