My name is Rob Hughes, I am the Secretary of Yes Merthyr. I have been a member of Yes Cymru since 2017.
As well as being an active member of one of the most active branches in Wales over recent years, I am also one of the founders of the South-East Region, the first regional group that was established in Wales, as well as being Chair of the region since it was established around eighteen months ago. I have also been responsible for writing a number of flyers that have been distributed nationally by Yes Cymru.
I have been very fortunate to meet a large number of Yes Cymru members through my voluntary work for the organisation in the Urdd and National Eisteddfods, which has helped me to develop a wider perspective of the aims of our membership. Through this work and the conversations I have had, I believe that there are a number of attributes that I will bring to the Governing Body.
Firstly, an integral part of any successful organisation is unity. Without a shadow of doubt, Yes Cymru has been a huge success on the whole during its short life. Yes Cymru has turned the dream of seeing our country free into a realistic aim, free to develop policies that will benefit our people and generations to come. But only in unity comes strength and I feel that the movement is at its weakest if we lose focus of what is truly important to us.
Also, as is shown in how I have played a central role in the continued development of Yes Merthyr over recent years, I understand how to campaign effectively and to organise campaigns to be effective. Although opinion polls have shown support for independence to be regularly in the 30-40% range, there is much more to come. Our main aim, in my opinion, should be to spread the message of how an independent Wales can benefit the people of Wales, in order to persuade those yet to demonstrate their support that a free Wales will be a prosperous and fair nation that will offer opportunities to all.
I have worked in Tredegar Comprehensive School for twenty years as a teacher of Welsh, Head of Business Studies and Head of Bilingualism. I teach Welsh to adults too. Welsh has been a very important part of my life since I learnt the language to raise my children bilingually. I have won national and local awards for my work in the field including NIACE Tutor of the Year and Community Ambassador for Merthyr Tudful. Obviously, I see the development of the language as a core element of an independent Wales and as an integral part of independence itself.
Before I became a teacher, I worked in the construction field, first as a roofer and then as a manager for a recruitment company for some of the largest projects in Wales’ history including the National Stadium in its newest form. These projects help highlight what we can achieve and also the importance of target setting. I will bring this experience from the fields of Business and Education to the Governing Body in order to help and strengthen the movement to be one that is ready to face those challenges which prevent Wales from being free.
As someone who lives in Merthyr Tudful and works in Blaenau Gwent, social justice has been a priority for me in everything I do. I would like to assist Yes Cymru to work in our communities through developing our message to be simple and clear; only through independence will our hopes and aspirations become reality.
Thank you for reading through the reasons I have put in support of my application to be elected and I hope to get your vote.
Rob Hughes