Item 4 on the agenda this afternoon is the 90-second statements. The first one this afternoon is Leanne Wood.

I'd like to pay tribute to one of the Rhondda's most famous sons, the actor Glyn Houston, who was born and raised just behind my grandmother's house in Tonypandy. When he was a child, his parents moved to London to find work and escape the crushing poverty and unemployment of the Rhondda. His parents couldn't afford to take all three children, and Glyn was left behind to be raised by his grandmother, Gwenllian. The children were reunited in Gwenllian's care just three years later in tragic circumstances due to the untimely death of their mother.

From this adversity, the family produced not one but two famous actors, for Glyn's older brother Donald also found worldwide stardom. Glyn served in the second world war in the military police, and, after making his film debut in The Blue Lamp in 1950, he went on to star in films such as The Cruel Sea, Turn the Key Softly, Private's Progress and Tiger Bay. He also had an illustrious career on the small screen. In 2009, he was the recipient of a British Academy of Film and Television Arts lifetime achievement award from BAFTA Cymru, which was a richly deserved accolade for an actor whose work touched the lives of many generations of film fans across the world.

Now, I realise that many of today's young people in the Rhondda may not have seen any of Glyn's films or tv shows, but I'd like to think that they would like to know about him. His career teaches us that you can deal with adversity at a young age, you can come from a tough-going background, and you can go on to achieve anything you put your mind to if you put in the work and you are determined.

Thank you, Glyn, for those lessons. Rest in peace.

Vikki Howells.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. This Saturday, I'll be attending celebrations to mark the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Aberdare park. The park—the 'people's park', as it was initially called—was the very first public park in Wales. Developed by the local board of health, it occupies nearly 50 acres that had been part of the ancient Hirwaun common. Undrained, unkempt land, ankle deep in mud and water, became quality parkland and recreational grounds. That work took three years. The official opening on 29 July 1869 came after a tremendous procession of dignitaries and local people marched from Aberdare town centre to the park gates. There at the park gates, in a symbolic gesture, the dignitaries stepped aside to let local residents complete the first lap of the park. It was, and still is, their park, after all.

Over the years, the park developed in response to nature and human agency: boating, baths, a public water fountain, and more. The August bank holiday of 1906 saw 30,000 people visiting the park. Since 1950, the park has also hosted annual internationally renowned motorcycle races. These bring visitors from across the UK into Aberdare for what is said to be one of the best and hardest-to-master routes. In 1956, the National Eisteddfod was held in the park. Gorsedd stones still remind people of that event.

As I close, I want to pay tribute to the Friends of Aberdare Park, a voluntary group whose members work tirelessly to improve the park for all, and to invite all AMs to join me in celebrating the hundred and fiftieth birthday of the people's park.

Thank you. Rhun ap Iorwerth.

On 20 July 1969, man landed on the moon and, 50 years later, I want to commemorate the event, yes, as a major step for mankind, but also as an incredible step in the career of a man from Anglesey who was one of the major architects of the moon landing.

Tecwyn Roberts was born in Llanddaniel in 1925. Having started his career as an apprentice in the Saunders-Roe aircraft factory on the outskirts of Beaumaris, and then gaining an engineering degree, he went to north America to live. He made a career for himself in aeronautics in Canada, first of all, before joining NASA in 1959, where his ability was used to its greatest extent in trying to deliver Kennedy’s vision. He delivered the work of creating mission control and its new communications systems that were so necessary for the moon landing programme.

On the day of the landing itself, his role was entirely crucial. Armstrong and Aldrin would not have landed without him. Amongst the great relief, there was one man from Anglesey who knew that his work was done, apart from getting the astronauts back home, of course. It’s an incredible story, and I look forward to learning more in special programmes with Tudur Owen on S4C and Radio Cymru over the next few days. It’s very appropriate that a clock is counting down at the end of my 90 seconds—three, two, one. [Laughter.] I may personally have failed to see the landings by some three years, but we were there—Wales was there, Anglesey was there—through Tecwyn Roberts, the engineer from Anglesey who took the world to the moon.

Thank you.