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THE PEOPLE WITH WHOM HE SHARED A LIFETIME IN ONE OF THE HARSHEST WORKING ENVIRONMENTS IN WALES HONOURED HIM IN A WONDERFUL WAY 02:00, 31 May 2025 For Graham "Wasp" Rowland,

retirement was never meant to look like this. He had planned to celebrate it as a voluntary choice—a moment to honour everything he had achieved at Port Talbot's steelworks. What he got

instead was a double blow: a devastating stroke and the looming closure of the steel plant that had shaped his entire life. "I never thought my retirement would be under this

umbrella," he admits. As a third-generation steelworker, Graham followed in the footsteps of his father, Ron and his grandfather. Though Ron never pressured him directly to join the

trade, Graham smiles, "Dad was quietly proud to work alongside his son." That silent sense of pride and connection is a rare and special bond between father and son. His first day

on the job? A rite of passage, and a bit of a shock. "It was a baptism of fire," he says. "On my first day, I remember I was given safety gear to change into from my normal,

everyday clothes. I asked my dad if I could put my clothes in his locker as I hadn't been given one yet. He told me to f off and find my own," he laughs. From that fiery start,

Graham grew into one of the plant's most respected figures. Over 45 years, he earned the nickname "Wasp" — becoming a familiar and steady presence, known not only for his

strong leadership but also for the kindness he showed to the people he considered more “family” than colleagues. In his latter years, Graham took pride in leading by example. "As a

Production Manager, I was always taught to lead from the front. As the old saying goes – never ask anybody to do anything that you wouldn’t do yourself. I worked alongside these

hardworkers." And he gave back. Mentoring the next generation became more than a responsibility — it became his mission. "Giving back was very important to me. Sharing what I knew

and training people — if it meant that people would make the right decision, then I had done my job, because that decision could've meant life or death in this industry," he says.

But everything shifted in July 2024. Graham suffered a major stroke — one that left only 25% of his heart functioning. The scare, he admits, came out of nowhere. "I don't want to

die... but I think I came very close to it," he shared. "I have always trained and looked after myself. The doctor told me that I wasn't the kind of person they typically see

with these sorts of conditions. At the moment, I am researching how I got to that point, without anything being flagged beforehand." The moment itself was surreal. "I was in the

gym and I lost my voice completely. I didn’t know what was happening, so I walked out and tried to text my daughter, but I couldn’t even distinguish a six from a nine. I somehow managed to

open my phone and get in contact with her. We went straight to Port Talbot Hospital, then to Morriston. We had four hours for the clot-busting drug to go into my system and work.” For the

first time in nearly half a century, Graham found himself on sick leave. "I didn't really know what was going on, what to do. I wanted to go back, you feel allegiance to the plant,

but you have to look at the big picture — for my health at the time, it wouldn't have been a good idea to go back." That decision was quietly heartbreaking. Yet fate had another

twist, as months later, the plant announced it was shutting down for good. The final blast furnace closed in 2024, marking the end of an era for the town. The shift to electric arc furnace

technology was underway, but it came at a heavy cost — hundreds of jobs were lost, dealing a devastating blow to a community whose identity had been forged in steel for generations. "I

have seen good friends... good boys lose their jobs," Graham says, his voice thick with emotion. "If you never shed a tear, you're a very hard man. Because that industry kept

this town alive. It's the heart and soul of the place." Despite the abrupt and emotional exit, Graham's years of service did not go unrecognised. He was gifted a stunning

steel dragon and a deeply personal letter from his colleagues — a tribute to a man who left an indelible mark on every inch of the plant. The letter reads: "With profound respect and

admiration, we commemorate your extraordinary dedication to the steel industry, from your first day at Port Talbot Steel Works on November 13, 1979, to your final day on November 21, 2024.

Your unwavering commitment to the craft and your passion for mentoring have shaped the lives of countless colleagues, both past and present, particularly within the Continuous Casting

Department. "Your deep understanding of the steelworks' history, embodied in the creation of a lasting timeline memorial stands as a testament to your legacy. "Graham, your

influence transcended the workplace; you are a coach, a mentor, and a pillar of wisdom. Your integrity, humility, and a tireless efforts have earned you the deep respect and admiration of

all who had the privilege of working with you. The Dragon is but a small token of our gratitude for your immeasurable contribution to the steelworks and the people you touched. Your legacy

will endure through the generations you inspired. "Thank you Graham, for everything." It was a gesture that truly moved him. "The letter went above and beyond what I

imagined," he says. _STAY INFORMED ON EVERYTHING NEATH PORT TALBOT BY SIGNING UP TO __OUR NEWSLETTER HERE_ "When I finished, I didn't want to finish," he admits. "It

was something that was out of my hands. I wanted to reminisce a bit, about the positives. I was fortunate to have a long working career – not many people can say that!" He was

presented the Dragon and letter at the Sand Rabbit in Port Talbot, by his former colleagues. "I know that behind the scenes there were more people involved, people who appreciated what

I contributed," he says. "I was taken aback, honestly I got upset. My illness wasn't something that I ever expected – it knocked me back, but this kind of gesture cushioned

the blow." The letter now hangs proudly on Graham's wall, nestled among a carefully curated collection of memorabilia from his years in the steelworks — each item a piece of his

story. There's even an old fire alarm, a relic from the plant's earlier days, preserved like a museum artefact. These are more than objects; they are fragments of a life's

work, reminders of the place that shaped him. The plant, he says, will always be "a part of him." "Whenever I walk past it, sometimes I catch a glimpse of the wording and it

hits home." The legacy he leaves isn't just in steel and sweat — it’s in the people who worked beside him. One colleague reflected: “Worked with Graham for 20 years, top bloke!!

Good luck with your recovery Wasp." Another added: "Nobody knows more than this man about the industry that we worked in." Article continues below And one summed it up

perfectly: “High time somebody wrote a true resume of Port Talbot, and there's probably nobody better than Graham to write it. Well done Wasp, you summed it up perfectly…"