THE daughter of Cardiff’s late former mayor said she wants to fulfil her mum’s dream in making Splott the best place for children to grow up in.
Cllr Jane Henshaw, who was also the Cardiff Council ward member for Splott, passed away peacefully in September.
Her daughter, Anny Anderson, will be running as the Labour candidate in the Splott by-election, which is expected to take place in December.
Anny said going around the streets of Splott, Tremorfa and Pengam Green whilst canvassing has produced mixed feelings.
However, she added hearing peoples’ memories of her mother – a woman who was a “huge” inspiration for her decision to get into politics – was “lovely”.
Anny said: “The way she raised all of us is just obviously a huge factor in running.
“Because of my mum, I have always been really involved in volunteering and community projects.
“My brother and sister are the same as well. That is instilled in us from a young age, that you volunteer and you participate in your community.
“Her ambitions for Splott, for this to be the best place that children could grow up in and for them to feel really proud of Splott – that is in all of us.
“I can’t underestimate how much of her passions and beliefs have driven me and my siblings.”
Anny joined the Labour party in 1997 and has lived in Splott for more than 11 years.
In that time, the mother-of-two said she has been involved in a number of groups as a volunteer, including Keep Splott Tidy and Tremorfa Parkrun.
She has also volunteered on the parent teacher association of her children’s school and at a breastfeeding group called Milk Splott Breastfeeding.
When Jane Henshaw became lord mayor in May, she chose Cardiff Foodbank as her nominated charity.
Anny, who supported Jane as lady mayoress at the time, said she would like to continue her mother’s legacy in a number of areas, including work to address period poverty and improving recreational spaces for children, in particular more informal spaces for older children.
“My mum’s big focus was always on children and making sure that they got the best that they could have,” said Anny.
“We have got lots of lovely quite new playgrounds for younger children, but I want to continue the work she was doing on facilities for older children.
“I remember when I was a teenager, we just needed somewhere safe that we could hang out together so that we were not roaming streets.”
In terms of the regeneration of parks more generally, a petition was launched in 2022 calling for improvements to Splott Park playground. It gained 597 signatures.
Local resident, Laura David, who launched the petition was in touch with Jane Henshaw about the proposal and the scheme is currently at a stage where a contract to carry out the work has gone out to tender.
Anny said: “Number one on the books is getting cracking with keeping that project moving forward in Splott Park and also the other parks as well because it can’t all be about Splott Park.”
On some of the ideas for the playground which have been discussed, Anny added: “It’s not just about going in and putting in a new slide or swing.
“That park, there is some traditional playground equipment, but what my mum was really keen for… [was] more natural play areas.
“There are logs, rocks and boulders and [there is] den building. Getting children to use their imagination and play in a more creative [way].”
When asked what issues were raised by residents on the doorstep recently, Anny said crime was not one of them.
However, she said buses, housing and places for older children to gather informally are topics which have been brought up.
On her thoughts regarding poverty in Splott, Tremorfa and Pengam Green, Anny said the issue “undoubtedly” exists, but added there are many groups in the area which support people.
She said: “In an ideal world they wouldn’t need to exist, but they do and Splott is fantastic for that.”
The Labour candidate also went on to say many people in the area would not regard themselves as being in poverty.
Anny said: “It is a difficult one to talk about because if you spoke to the people in Splott they would just look at you and go ‘no we are not’ [in poverty] because they don’t see that.
“There is [poverty]. There is food poverty, there is fuel poverty, but I would say that people in Splott, Tremorfa and Pengam Green, they just love this place.
“You see those index’s saying where the poorest place in Wales is… they just look at it and say ‘we are not poor. We are fine, we are happy’.
“It is a really positive place and they can see so much going on.”
