Despite what recent weather in Wales may have told you, it was reasonably temperate and welcoming when the First Minister and Deputy First Minister went out and about this morning in celebration of Saint David’s Day. The duo, long-time friends and political partners, had decided to spend their Saint David’s Day helping out at a refuge for those displaced by the recent flooding in South Wales.

The First Minister and Deputy First Minister arrived at around 10:30 in the morning to a local community centre in the town of Treforest, Pontypridd where local people affected by the flooding caused by Storm Ciara and Dennis have been sheltering since the devastating events. The First Minister and Deputy First Minister were not there to talk politics or push agendas and were instead greeted by local representatives, councillors and those who were dedicating their time and resources to help those worst impacted by the flooding.

Even on Saint David’s Day, the duo decided not to take a rest, and after pouring cups of tea and passing round the biscuits whilst discussing how the community could best be rebuilt, the Deputy First Minister and First Minister spilt up and went out with local residents to continue the clear up of debris and rubble from the roads and paths of Treforest. RhysDallen got stuck in helping the workmen move sofas, wheely bins and bicycles that had been strewn around by the storm into piles before Willem and his team would sort through what was salvageable and what was for recycling.

The duo was not as excitable and outward going as usual and it was clear by lunchtime that the stories, they had encountered had really begun to bare emotion. RhysDallen stopped for a cup of tea with an elderly couple whose bungalow had been flooded and listened as Margorie and John explained how the rain and water had come through their roof and through their garage flooding their entire downstairs. The elderly couple, with little savings left, had essentially been left with little salvageable furniture by the end of the events of the storm and were currently taking shelter in a small bed and breakfast.

Towards the middle of the afternoon, as their time in Pontypridd was at a close, the duo was invited to an afternoon gathering for local celebrations in honour of Saint David. The pair sat around a table with local workmen who they had been working with earlier to a nice cup of tea and bara brith tea loaf. The group of men and women had a rather friendly discussion with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister who tucked in hungry from all the lifting and moving they had been doing. Compliments were dished out to Margorie who had baked the loaf.

As the two, donned now with a bunch of daffodils by local primary children, got back in their car to head back to the Government building, they stopped to receive a freshly baked Bara Brith Tea Loaf from Margorie ‘for the road’ and wished everyone a ‘Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus’.