Families Love Newport #FLN2022 - What Happened?

The Newport Parent Network hosted within the Newport GAVO Team, hosted the annual Families Love Newport event in the heart of the City Centre and for the first time, in the summer school holiday (19th August).

Fortunately, the weather was with us and it remained a bright, if somewhat breezy day and was very well attended by Newport Citizens throughout the event. The event was overseen by Edward Watts MBE DL, GAVO Chair/Cadeirydd GAVO and Steve Tiley GAVO CEO. Visiting guests included Jeff Cuthbert Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent, The Right Worshipful Mayor of Newport - Cllr Martyn Kellaway accompanied by his wife Helen.

It's estimated that over 1000 Newport Citizens attended the event with 30+ Partner agencies present on the day. Working in partnership is an essential ingredient to this event and we were so pleased to be joined again this year by Newport City Council's, Newport Family Information Service, Community Connectors Team, Work and Skills Team in particular. Funding for the event was through the Families First GAVO Grant in Newport and we were able to invite other essential Third Sector and Charities to attend. These included Warm Wales, Newport Citizens' Advice Bureau, Dwr Cymru, Disability Advice Project, ReMake Newport, with a view to offering advice and support to families in the current financial crisis. With this in mind, we were keen to ensure that our Families knew where they could turn to for support for their emotional and mental health and we were delighted to be supported with this by Newport Mind, Gwent Parent and Infant Mental Health Team alongside Gwent Community Psychology, Newport Live, County in the Community - with a special guest appearance from Spytty the Dog posing for a photo opportunity with Jayne Bryant, MS for Newport West and Chair the Children, Young People and Education Committee in the Senedd. Ruth Jones, MP for Newport West and Mr John Griffiths, MS for Newport East along with their case working teams came along to show their support.

The theme of health and wellbeing was continued by the presence of Aneurin Bevan University Health Boards' Patient Engagement Team, Greening Maindee, Kidscape, Sparkle (Disabled Children's Charity), Barnardo's Newport and Newport Youth Academy.

Thank you to everyone who took part in this a previous year's Families Love Newport events.