Gerald Jones and Dawn Bowden, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney’s MP and AM, have issued the following joint statement on the current situation with the Coronavirus outbreak.
We recognise this is a worrying time for many constituents, and as your local MP and AM we want to assist as best we are able.
- FOLLOW THE ADVICE
The position with Coronavirus is evolving daily and we are both following the advice available from Public Health Wales, which you can read here:
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/latest-information-on-novel-coronavirus-covid-19/
- OUR CONSTITUENCY OFFICES – PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
We will both keep our constituency offices open until we are advised otherwise.
However, we both feel some change to our normal rules of operation are now required. This is for the benefit of both our constituents and the staff we employ.
Please contact us by telephone or email wherever possible rather than calling in person to the office. Our contact details are at the bottom of the page. We can arrange Skype interviews with constituents if required.
From Tuesday 17th March, we will both operate an appointment-only system for any essential meetings in our offices.
We have suspended our regular drop-in advice surgeries and street advice surgeries for the weeks ahead. However, we want to assure constituents that we will be continuing our other constituency duties, as well as our duties in Parliament and the Senedd, as normally as possible.
(Should we reach a point where we cannot open our offices we will, at that point, notify you of alternative phone numbers that can be used for a temporary period if necessary).
- COMMUNITY SUPPORT
We both wish to help the local community networks that are being set up as part of the response to the virus. This will be especially important for those who are most vulnerable at this time and both of the local councils will have a role to play in helping to co-ordinate support, as will recognised third sector organisations.
It is, however, important that existing local community efforts continue to grow, as it is immediate neighbours and local communities that can best offer support in the weeks ahead, and we are looking at ways in which we can support this.
Our office numbers are available should anyone be concerned about a relative, friend or family, and do not hesitate to contact us if you are concerned about the welfare of anyone in our constituency.
Finally, the next few weeks are likely to be difficult in various ways. Please follow the advice offered, as all the advice aims to provide our essential health and care services with the best chance of providing help to those people in most need.
Our thanks go to everyone who is helping with the response to the virus outbreak, which includes so many frontline staff in health, care and other emergency services.
DAWN BOWDEN AM GERALD JONES MP
dawn.bowden@assembly.wales gerald.jones.mp@parliament.uk
01685 386 672 01685 383 739