Win Griffiths

Winston James Griffiths, OBE, known as Win Griffiths, was born 11 February 1943 in South Africa. He was brought up in Brecon and educated at Brecon Boys' Grammar School and University College, Cardiff.(BA Hons in History). Prior to embarking on a full-time political career, he was a teacher, and held posts in Tanzania, Birmingham and Barry before becoming Head of History at Cowbridge Comprehensive School in 1976.He entered politics at a local level, serving as a Councillor for Dinas Powis on the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council, whose Leisure Services Department he chaired from 1973 to 1976. He left teaching in 1979 when he was elected as a Member of The European Parliament (MEP) for South Wales. During his 10 tenure as an MEP, he served as Vice President of the European Parliament (1984-1987). He was elected as the Member of Parliament for Bridgend in 1987, an office he held until his retirement in May 2005. His many responsibilities during his time as MP include serving as a Front Bench Spokesperson for the Environment (1990-92), Education (1992-94) and Wales (1994-97). In 1997, he became Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales. His responsibilities included Health and Social Services, Local Government, the Countryside, and People with Disabilities. He also became the first Minister for Children (Wales) in the UK in 1997. For 6 years he was a member of the Speaker's a panel of Chairs in the House of Commons. He became the Chair of the former Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust in 2005 and Chair of the former Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust in 2008. while Chair of the Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust, he set up a health link with the Ola During Children's Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone. staff from the Health Board volunteer to do training work, and the project is funded by fundraising and contributions from the Staff.(This follows his work in Sierra Leone after the Civil War to help re-establish democracy). In 2009 he became Chair of the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board from which he retired in 2012. Between 2005-2012 he undertook a number of other health related duties. He conducted a Review of the Non Urgent Patient Transport Services for NHS Wales (Report published in 2010). He then chaired an Implementation Board to carry out his Report's recommendations (Griffiths' Report published in 2012). He was a Member of the Rural Health Implementation Group 2010-2012. Also in 2010 he became a member of the Learning Disabilities Working Group, implementing in Wales the recommendations of the "No-one Knows" Report (Prison Reform Trust) on the Criminal Justice System and People with Learning Disabilities and Difficulties. He chaired a Task and Finish group which issued a guide book, "Access to Justice" in 2013. From 2010-12 he chaired the Welsh NHS Confederation. In December 2010 he was appointed a Trustee for Wales of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (now Action on Hearing Loss). From 2006-2014 he was the Chair of the Wales Council for Voluntary Action and a member of the 3rd Sector Partnership Council, (a joint committee of the Welsh Government and the 3rd Sector). He is married to Ceri, with a daughter Kathryn, a son Gareth and 4 grandchildren, Thomas, Rhianna, Amelia and Cerys. He lives in Cefn Cribwr, Bridgend. He has been a Methodist Lay Preacher since 1966 and is a Church Steward of Cefn Cribwr Methodist Church. After serving as President of the Boys' Brigade in Wales for 10 years, he was made an Honorary President. He is President of the Kenfig Hill Male Voice Choir and the Porthcawl Choral Society.

References

Offices Held