Here is your Friday update, covering:
- Babies Remembrance Service
- Council launches new consultation document to tackle inequality in Cardiff
- Recent Estyn inspection recognises Birchgrove Primary School's shining stars
- Cardiff Dogs Home residents have a new garden to enjoy
Babies Remembrance Service
A Babies Remembrance Service will be held at 11.30am on Sunday June 30th at the ‘Dear Mum' garden at Western Cemetery.
Based around the story of a young mouse called Dora who wishes she could tell her mother how much she misses her, the ‘Dear Mum' sculpture garden is designed to help young children cope with the loss of a loved one and provide a place of remembrance for parents who have lost a baby.
The memorial service is supported by the Stillbirth and Neonatal Deaths Society (Sands) and will be led by members of the University Hospital of Wales Chaplaincy team. Everyone is welcome to attend, and members of the Cardiff branch of Sands will be available at the service.
Cabinet Member with responsibility for Bereavement Services, Cllr Norma Mackie, said: "The ‘Dear Mum' garden is a fitting location for this service, which offers families who have experienced the sad loss of a baby an opportunity to reflect and remember, in a caring and supportive environment."
Council launches new consultation document to tackle inequality in Cardiff
Cardiff Council has published a comprehensive new consultation document outlining how it plans to tackle inequality in the city over the next four years.
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (2024-2028) is designed to explain the measures that the authority is embracing to ensure its aim of a 'Stronger, Fairer, Greener' Cardiff is achieved.
A report on the consultation approved by the Council's Cabinet yesterday (May 23) stresses that creating a 'Fairer' city means "ensuring that the many great opportunities of living in Cardiff can be enjoyed by everyone, whatever their background, where those suffering from disadvantage are supported and where every citizen is valued and feels valued."
It also outlines that the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED), which came into force in 2011, ensures the following characteristics are protected:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race - including ethnic or national origin, colour or nationality
- Religion or belief, including lack of religion or belief
- Sex, and
- Sexual orientation
The PSED also requires councils to publish objectives at least every four years and to publish a statement detailing the steps it has taken or intends to take to meet them, including tackling any gender pay gap.
Cllr Julie Sangani, the lead Cabinet Member for Public Health and Equalities, said Cardiff already had a proud history of promoting equality and diversity. "We are the most ethnically diverse local authority in Wales and one of the oldest ethnically diverse communities in Britain, with more than 100 languages spoken here.
"We also rank as the top city in Europe for immigrants and families with young children and we are a top 10 city for members of the LGBTQ+ community to live.
"Like all UK cities, however, we face instances of long-standing and deep-rooted inequality. Some residents face barriers to living full and active lives and more needs to be done to ensure that no-one experiences discrimination of any kind because of who they are.
"The patterns of poverty and inequality that emerged a generation ago remain, having been compounded by the pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. Closing the inequality gap will require the ongoing delivery of excellent education, creating jobs that provide opportunities for progression and delivering sustainable housing solutions which meet the needs of all, as well as reducing health inequalities."
Recent Estyn inspection recognises Birchgrove Primary School's shining stars
Birchgrove Primary School has recently undergone a successful inspection by Estyn, His Majesty's Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales which highlights the school's positive culture and strong leadership.
Inspectors found the school to be an inclusive and happy learning community, with pupils demonstrating excellent behaviour and a positive attitude towards learning. The school's commitment to fostering a strong culture of care and understanding is evident.
The report gives praise for the engaging curriculum, which includes a wide range of authentic and stimulating learning experiences. Teachers provide diverse opportunities for pupils to develop their literacy, numeracy, and digital skills, which they enthusiastically apply across various educational activities. Additionally, the school offers a rich selection of extracurricular activities and educational visits, further enhancing the student experience.
Cardiff Council's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Sarah Merry said: "Estyn have acknowledged the good work taking place at Birchgrove Primary School and the report shines a light on the nurturing environment that has been established.
"I would like to congratulate the head, staff, pupils and families for achieving this positive report."
The headteacher, Mrs Morgan, who has been with the school since 2012, was commended for her strong leadership and for fostering a vision centred around preparing pupils for their future lives and community-focused learning. The school's governing body was also recognised for its effective collaboration with staff, pupils, and parents in supporting ongoing improvement.
Headteacher Mrs Sarah Morgan said, "The school community is delighted that inspectors recognised the excellent work of both pupils and staff as well as the school's strong identity where pupils are clearly proud of being Birchgrove Stars. We are very fortunate to have a dedicated and talented team of staff who work closely with families and Governors to ensure that the school motto ‘Where every child is a star' reflects the ethos of the school and enables all children to achieve highly."
Mrs Christine Salter, Chair of Governors, added, "Governors are very pleased that the inspectors recognised that Birchgrove Primary School is a happy and inclusive community and that pupils have a positive attitude towards their learning."
Cardiff Dogs Home residents have a new garden to enjoy
Residents staying at Cardiff Dogs Home have a new garden to enjoy as they wait to find their forever home.
The garden, which provides the dogs with additional space to exercise and play with the Dogs Home team, has been made possible with support from the Home's affiliated charity the Rescue Hotel, Dogs Home volunteers, Keep Wales Tidy and partnership housing developer, Lovell.
Cabinet Member with responsibility for Cardiff Dogs Home, Cllr Dan De'Ath, said: "Many of the dogs who find themselves at Cardiff Dogs Home have come from difficult situations and they deserve a little luxury during their stay.
"Having this new garden on site will help ensure the dogs can spend more time outside of their kennels, and give them a space where the team can work with them to ensure they're ready to be rehomed - a big thank you to all our fantastic volunteers, the Rescue Hotel, Keep Wales Tidy, and the team at Lovell who generously supported the project."