| Bethan Jenkins AM | |
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| Member of the Welsh Assembly for South Wales West Region |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 3 May 2007 |
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| Preceded by | Janet Davies |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 December 1981 Aberdare, Wales |
| Political party | Plaid Cymru |
| Alma mater | Aberystwyth University |
Bethan Jenkins AM (born 9 December 1981), is a Welsh politician, born in Aberdare, Wales, who has represented the South Wales West Region for Plaid Cymru as a Member of the National Assembly for Wales since 2007.
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Bethan Jenkins grew up in the Welsh town of Merthyr Tydfil where her parents were involved in the Anti-Apartheid Movement of the 1980s and early 1990s.
Her brother is the journalist and broadcaster Ciaran Jenkins.
She is a former pupil of Ysgol Gyfun Rhydfelen, near Pontypridd. Her father is the poet Mike Jenkins, a previous winner of the John Tripp award. As well as being politically active, she enjoys music. Bethan was in the National Youth Orchestra of Wales for three years, and the Welsh language folk/pop band Gilespi. She has also been an outspoken Republican and along side her Plaid Cymru colleague, Leanne Wood are members of the group Republic. Bethan also enjoys sport, and was a lifeguard for many years. She now lives in Rhos, Pontardawe.
Bethan studied International Politics and International History at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. Through student politics, she was elected to the Aberystwyth Guild of Students executive, first as Women’s Officer, then as Campaigns, Communications and Equal Opportunities Officer. In 2004, she was elected as Guild President.
Whilst working as President of the Aberystwyth Guild of Students, Bethan saw Plaid Cymru suffer defeat in Ceredigion. After leaving Aberystwyth University, Bethan worked in the office of Leanne Wood AM and used her contacts there to set up the organisation Cymru X. Cymru X launched the first ever interactive text referendum on a Parliament for Wales, as well as campaigns against nuclear arms. Glyn Wise from Big Brother fame also took part in a campaign alongside Cymru X to encourage young people to vote prior to the National Assembly election in 2007.
In March 2006, Bethan Jenkins was selected as Plaid Cymru's lead candidate for the South West Wales Regional list and was duly elected in the subsequent elections of May 2007. At the age of 25, she was the youngest Assembly Member elected in the third term of the National Assembly.
Bethan is Plaid Cymru's Child Poverty and Culture Spokesperson for the Plaid Cymru group at the National Assembly and sits on the Communities and Culture committee, Audit committee. legislation committee 4, and the newly formed Petitions Committee. She is chairperson for the Assembly's Cross Party Eating Disorder Group and has recently formed a new cross party group on human rights.
| National Assembly for Wales | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Janet Davies |
Assembly Member for South Wales West 2007–present |
Incumbent |
| Preceded by Laura Anne Jones |
Baby of the House 2007–present |
Incumbent |
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