Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:21 pm on 23 March 2022.
Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. Where else would you hear from the sons of two ministers, in Sam Rowlands and Mabon ap Gwynfor, the mention, specifically, of 48 chapels and churches and other religious buildings, and two brilliant sayings, one from Alun Davies—I loved that—that he heard about people preaching in English and praying in Welsh, and also, from Delyth Jewell, that churches and chapels are not museums for saints, but hospitals for sinners?
We've had a fantastic debate this afternoon. Diolch yn fawr iawn i chi i gyd—thank you very much to you all. We heard from Sam Rowlands how important faith is to us in our communities, and that religious buildings are at the heart of our communities. They're not just historic landmarks, but we need to use them, because they are here to stay.
We heard from Rhys as well around the range of uses for our chapels. They are places of historical and political debate, they are places where we have cymanfa ganus, where our brilliant hymn-writers started—we heard many of those names come forward—choirs, where education is—and Samuel Kurz also highlighted the importance of Sunday schools—we've got welfare services running out of them, debating halls, places where politicians started.
Then we heard from Alun Davies how they are part of our social and cultural tapestry, and how important that is, really. But they're not just part of our social and cultural tapestry. They are part of our future as well.
We heard from Joel James how important chapels and churches are, and that possibly the disappearance of them might erode our identity. They must bring security and hope to us all. They must be saved and repurposed, and they actually need help also to decarbonise and to become greener.
Delyth Jewell, thank you very much—diolch yn fawr iawn. It's important to hear how those chapels are important to you, and that we need certainty for these buildings. They need to be protected. They are living testimony and places where we can find our peace.
From Mabon we heard how important it is for chapels to be held as chapels, and the example that he gave in his own community of one being converted into a holiday home. We heard as well about his previous role as a preacher, and we really—. I would have loved to have heard you preach, Mabon. But the chapel is the centre of our community. They are community assets. That's what you said, Mabon, and how important that is.
And we heard from Buffy Williams as well about the chapels in her community in the Rhondda, which were actually bringing hope, bringing things alive in her community, and how that was giving, actually, the people in her community something different and positive.
Thank you, Minister, for your response, and to hear about the plans that are ongoing, the strategic action plan we know about, looking at the places of worship forum—and we do look forward to hearing more about that after its pause after COVID—and the National Churches Trust as well and what they're doing. But we must move on, as you've said, and you're under no illusion, but working together we surely have to see a way of finding our feet in terms of supporting chapels and churches and other religious buildings, because, as we've heard, they are actually now at the heart of our community and they're providing hope. They're providing different experiences to those communities, places where older people go, the lonely go, people who need help and support, but also places where we can sing and enjoy ourselves.