A former tour guide who has worked at the Senedd for nearly 25 years led the procession to mark the official opening of the parliament’s seventh term.
Delyth Lewis, now the manager of the Welsh Youth Parliament, served as mace bearer on Thursday October 15 as the King and Queen attended the ceremony in Cardiff Bay.
The ceremonial mace was gifted to the Senedd by the Parliament of New South Wales in 2006. Carried ahead of MSs into the Siambr, it is placed in its sconce in front of the Llywydd’s chair to signify the start of a new parliamentary term.
The role is typically given to a member of Senedd Commission staff. Ms Lewis first joined the legislature as a tour guide in 2002 after studying history and politics at Aberystwyth University.
She described the appointment as a “huge privilege”.
Since leading the launch of the Welsh Youth Parliament in 2018, Ms Lewis has worked alongside 180 youth members and more than 40 youth organisations across Wales.
Two members of the Welsh Youth Parliament, Ffiôn-Hâf Scott and Aryan Gupta, accompanied her during the opening procession.
Ms Lewis said: “It was great and really important that they were front and centre of proceedings today because decisions here will ultimately affect their future. It was great they had a role to play.”
Deputy committee clerk Lukas Santos Evans served as deputy mace-bearer. Originally from São Paulo, Brazil, Mr Santos Evans moved to Wales ten years ago.
He said: “It was such an honour. Going round the corner, the sun flashed into my eyes and I just stopped and thought about where I have come from. Having the opportunity to lead the procession into the Senedd felt like a real privilege.”
Mr Santos Evans pointed to an address delivered during the ceremony by the Llywydd, Huw Irranca-Davis, who paid tribute to people who have moved to Wales and made it their home.
“It really spoke to me because that is the story of my life,” Mr Santos Evans said. “To be in this place that represents the whole of Wales, and to do that alongside colleagues, was a plus.”
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