Prior to the Remembrance events I attended on the weekend I made the annual trip to the top of the mountain in Trefil, north of Tredegar, to the site where Wellington bomber T2520 crashed in the early hours of December 9, 1940.

The aircraft was returning from a bombing raid over Bordeaux when the crew, lacking the advantages of modern navigational equipment and facing terrible weather conditions, struck a craggy outcrop over Trefil, the ensuing crash killing all six crewmen aboard.

The site is marked by a stone cairn and a wooden cross bearing a metal plaque.

This year’s trek was a very wet and windy affair and the heavens opened as we paid tribute to the six brave young men who lost their lives but, as always, it was worthwhile to be able to pay my respects and lay a House of Commons wreath.

Cllr Alyson Tippings led the way, laying a wreath on behalf of Tredegar Town Council.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* The Prime Minister's first King’s Speech offered nothing above division and more of the same repackaged ideas from a party that has given up governing. A failed Tory government steeped in sleaze and cronyism, presiding over stagnant growth, sky-rocketing mortgages and a crippling cost-of-living crisis.

Particularly notable was the government announcing an energy policy that won’t take a penny off the bills that are hammering families and businesses across the UK. Instead, once again, billions of taxpayer subsidies are going to the oil and gas companies making record profits.

There were a lot of words, but very little said that will make any difference to the lives of working people and ordinary families. Nothing to undo the 13 years of damage done to our depleted public services.

Rather, we heard a lot of policy and posturing aimed at scoring cheap political points.

One announcement I do agree with are plans to phase out smoking, something that would do wonders for public health in the future. I am glad that there is also a Welsh Government strategy in place aimed at creating a smoke-free Wales by 2030.

Not only would I like to see strong legislation aimed at creating a smoke-free generation, but we must also clamp down on the vaping industry’s targeting of children and teenagers through colourful packaging and inviting flavours.

What started as a means to help adults quit smoking has rapidly become a way that young people are getting hooked on nicotine. It has to be taken in hand.