03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

Neil Hamilton MS welcomes new app to help families during Coronavirus pandemic

NEIL HAMILTON, MS for Mid & West Wales, and Leader of UKIP Wales has welcomed the launch of a new app to help families stay connected during the coronavirus pandemic.

Mr Hamilton, a member of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs committee, said he was pleased to see Flying Start Carmarthenshire being chosen as the first in Wales to offer this initiative.

He said: “I am delighted to see the introduction of this new and extremely useful mobile app which will be particularly welcome during these challenging and difficult times.

“Apart from enabling families on the Flying Start programme to stay connected, it will also share information about local events and various groups in the locality.

“It is especially useful during the coronavirus outbreak to help families keep in touch and provide up to date information about Covid – 19, but will also be useful into the future.”

The Flying Start programme, funded by Welsh Government, supports families in disadvantaged parts of Wales to give children under the age of four a flying start in life. It is active in a number of local communities including Ammanford, Carmarthen, Llanelli, Pembrey and Burry Port and Trimsaran and Carway.

The app was developed by the team as a way to increase engagement, and to signpost families to important information and promote events in the local areas.

The app can also be used to invite families to various baby groups and drop-in clinics with the health visitors, as well as to share photos and information with parents from the Flying Start childcare services.

The Flying Start Language and Play team is also using the app to carry out story time and sing-a long videos.

Executive Board Member for Education and Children’s Services Cllr Glynog Davies said: “Although the app was being developed long before we even knew about the coronavirus, it has been very beneficial in helping the team to stay in contact and letting families know that they are still there for them during these difficult times. “It is also a good way for families to keep updated with what’s is going on in the local area and keep up-to-date with the latest information.

“It is wonderful that they can also provide some of the baby group activities such as story time through the app, again very important at this time when we are all having to stay at home, I am sure it is bringing a lot of joy to many families.”

The app is free to download and available on both IOS and Android, just search for Flying Start in your Apple / Play Store and then choose one of the five centres closest to you.

For further information on Flying Start visit the Carmarthenshire Family Information Service website.

%d bloggers like this: