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OVERCOMING OBSTACLESMy life’s journey led me from poverty to power, from the coal mines of Tredegar, South Wales, to the halls of Parliament. My father was a coal miner and my mother a seamstress. Daily life was often a struggle for our family. My parents had ten children, but tragically four died when they were still babies. Work in the coal mines was dangerous, as the safety standards were poor, and we all lived in fear that we might lose our father as well.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fb3b13b7f131f44b8b9040dab74852379%2Fae3147a1149c4b4085aca6ecc8caff52" alt="" style="width: 404px; height: 269.266px;"> As a child I had a stammer, which caused me to repeat sounds and stop between words. I found this embarrassing, so I kept myself to myself. At school, I fell behind the other students, and sometimes they made fun of me because of my stammer. From the age of 11, I worked part-time in a butcher’s shop. Having a job was hard, but it meant I could earn wages and help my family.&nbsp; At 13, I left school and joined my father in the coal mines as we needed the money.In 1914, bad news came from beyond our village and Wales. War had started in Europe and thousands of men from the valleys volunteered to fight for King and country. I was 16 and expected to fight, but a doctor found that I had an eye condition, which meant I was not able to serve. Instead, I continued to work underground in the local mine.A UNION MANThe coal miners were all members of a trade union, and at the local union meetings, I volunteered to help. As I gained confidence, my stammer disappeared, especially whenever I sang or gave a speech. By the age of 19, I was asked to be a union official.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fb3b13b7f131f44b8b9040dab74852379%2F9d2017ad4b994687991592a8c7cbda58" alt="" style="width: 402px; height: 292.695px;"> When I was 22, I tried to get elected to the local council and although I did not win, I made a name for myself. As a result, I was given a trade union scholarship, and I set off for the Central Labour College in London. I did not have much of an education, so being at college was not easy for me.My experience as a trade union official helped me understand the topics we studied. But I made friends and we started to help poor people back in Tredegar.Unfortunately, I became one of those people in need of help when I returned to Tredegar, as I didn’t have a job for the next three years.In 1925, my father died of the miners’ disease pneumoconiosis.Thankfully, in 1926, I became a full-time union official. That year the miners went on strike, which led to the General Strike. Workers from all over the country protested against poor wages, and I helped lead the South Wales miners.POWER IN PARLIAMENTI worked with the Labour Party to bring about change, and in the 1929 British election, we won the most seats in Parliament. I became the Ebbw Vale Member of Parliament (MP). My aim was to use political power to help the working class.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jennie Lee, who was also an MP, became my wife in 1934. We campaigned for more support for the trade unions, which could fight for better working conditions. The 1930s were a difficult time for many people.After World War II, the Labour Party won, and I became Minister for Health.I cared deeply about my country and the health of its citizens, and I wanted to do something that would have a lasting impact. I wanted to introduce a National Health Service (known as the NHS), which would be paid for by the taxpayers. It sounded like a fair plan for the country but introducing a massive change like this was going to be hard, as not everyone wanted it.Many doctors wanted to keep charging fees. Convincing the community of doctors across Britain to accept a nationally supported service that resulted in free healthcare for every man, woman and child in Britain, was not an easy task at all. But I never gave up.MISSION ACCOMPLISHEDIn 1948, the National Health Service was launched. We had done it.<img src="https://cdn.builder.io/api/v1/image/assets%2Fb3b13b7f131f44b8b9040dab74852379%2Fa039395dbd6f47b5961592234cba4a79" alt="" style="width: 401px; height: 280.351px;"> Even when we lost the next election, the NHS survived and access to medical treatment for everyone was guaranteed.In 1952, I published a book titled ‘In Place of Fear’, about my life. But while my mind was still sharp, my body was not.Even though I did not really have a formal education, I went on to challenge the system and those who had created it, to improve the living conditions for all.When times are down, have faith in yourself. You can rise up, support others and make a difference in people’s lives.GLOSSARYTrade Union&nbsp;– an organisation of workers who come together to get better pay, benefits, and working conditions.Pneumoconiosis – a lung disease caused by breathing in certain kinds of dust particles that damage your lungs.General Strike&nbsp;– a specific event in the UK in 1926, which started with coal miners who were then joined by other industries. More than three million workers finally participated.Member of Parliament (MP)&nbsp;– a person who is elected to represent voters from a certain district.LEGACY AND RECOGNITION<ul><li>The National Health Service, started by Nye Bevan, was voted more popular than the Royal Family, the BBC, and the London Olympics, in a 2013 UK survey.</li><li>Despite suffering from a stammer, Nye Bevan has been described as one of the greatest ever parliamentary speakers.</li><li>The Bevan Memorial Stones were erected at Sirhowy Valley Walk in his honour, in 1972. The largest stone represents Nye himself, while the three smaller stones represent his constituency towns of Ebbw Vale, Tredegar, and Rhymney.</li><li>Many institutions bear his name, including The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, and Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan Hospital.</li><li>Bevan Day is celebrated annually on 1 July, in his hometown of Tredegar.</li><li>The Nye Bevan Programme was launched by the NHS in 2013. It aims to develop senior leaders, helping them face today’s challenges with the goal of improving patient care.</li></ul>IMAGE CAPTIONS AND CREDITSNational Coal Museum, Nessy-Pic, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsTyldesley miners during 1926 General Strike, Public Domain, via Wikimedia CommonsAneurin Bevan and NHS staff on the first day of the NHS, 1948, University of Liverpool Faculty of Health &amp; Life Sciences from Liverpool, United Kingdom, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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