On Friday I joined Caerphilly CLP for dinner to celebrate their sucess in the Welsh Assembly elections and to present Caerphilly Councillor Ray Davies with his Wales Labour Party Merit Award.  

COUNCILLOR RAY DAVIES

• Born in 1930
• Left Llanbradach Junior school before his 14th birthday and started work underground; learnt politics from talking to the miners

      Father presented him with Labour party card when he left the pit; reminded him that the Labour party had grown out of the working class and trade union movement.

• TGWU helped him receive an education from Ruskin College Oxford
• Met Michael Foot at LP meeting, joined him on Aldermaston march, became a committed peace activist & Vice chair of CND Wales
• Elected to Bedwas Trethomas UDC in 1964, Secretary & Leader of the group
• Elected to Monmouthshire CC, where he was reprimanded for organizing demo on Council premises against Thatcher
• Active Trade unionist in ISTC, received highest TU award for his work
• Helped set up Rhymney Valley Miners Support group during the 1984/5 strike
• Chairman of CND Cymru, campaigned against 2nd Iraq war and smuggled badly needed medical aid into Iraq, arrested on his return
• Visited Palestine 7 times in his quest for a just peace; shot in the head while escorting ambulances with injured Palestinians
• Stood against Neil Kinnock for selection in 1982
• Stood for Parliament at Cardiff Central, increased Labour vote which led to Labour victory for Cardiff in the next election
• Elected to Caerphilly CBC in 1995, served on all committees
• Chairman of CCBC Education scrutiny committee
• 1991 fell in love, 1993 married Wendy, with whom he had 2 boys born.

Both he and Wendy love singing, campaigning every Saturday for  peace and freedom with Côr Cochion/Reds Choir: their motto, "wherever people struggle, there is my native land"

• Vice Chair of United Nations Association Cardiff

Ray's three loves: wife and family, music, and the Labour party.