Gavin and Stacey artwork revealed on South Wales beach with message to Prime Minister
Sir Kier Starmer is being urged to invest in green steel as climate activists reveal Gavin and Stacey artwork on Port Talbot beach
Greenpeace and Extinction Rebellion Cymru Wales have revealed a massive sand artwork featuring Nessa from the hit BBC show Gavin and Stacey on Port Talbot beach, with a message directed at Labour leader Keir Starmer.
Against the backdrop of Tata Steel’s Port Talbot steelworks, the 50m by 50m artwork depicts Nessa asking, “Oi Keir, what’s occurring?”, a call for action on green steel according to the climate activists.
The artwork, created by the team at Sand In Your Eye, took several hours to complete overnight, with local Greenpeace activists helping bring the image to life.
Nessa’s tattoo, etched into the sand, translates to ‘hearts of steel,’ which is believed to symbolise 'the strength of the Welsh steelworkers whose jobs and community are at stake' according to Greenpeace.
The protest comes as Port Talbot faces a wave of job cuts, with 2,500 workers expected to lose their jobs following the closure of the blast furnace.
Currently, the plan for Port Talbot involves shifting to a smaller electric arc furnace, which would melt scrap steel but eliminate the ability to produce primary steel.
Paul Morozzo, Greenpeace UK senior campaigner, said:
“We are out here today to urge the Prime Minister to keep steelmaking at home, rather than rely on imported steel, and to put forward a well funded green industrial strategy with green steelmaking at its heart.
"The green transition requires reindustrialisation in this country, not deindustrialisation that has damaged communities in the past."
Janina Hines of Extinction Rebellion Cymru Wales, said:
“I’ve lived in Port Talbot all my life and generations of my family have worked at the steelworks, so what's happening here is really personal for me.
"Everyone in the community has a family member or close friend who will be affected, it could be devastating for communities in South Wales and beyond.
"We have seen from the disastrous closure of coal mines in the 1980s the lasting effect these decisions can have when they don’t have workers and communities at their heart."
A Department for Business and Trade spokesperson said:
“Steel is vital for a vibrant, secure economy. We are working in partnership with trade unions and business to secure a green steel transition that’s both right for the workforce and delivers economic growth.
“We will publish a Steel Strategy next Spring that will set out a long-term vision for a bright and sustainable steel sector and will work in lockstep with our Industrial Strategy – which will ramp up investment and create more well-paid jobs right across the supply chain.”