Spring 2015

helloWe did and we are refreshed and ready to make a difference in East Cardiff, Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn. We are very excited about what’s happening in the area over the next few months; alongside our existing projects and activities we will be undertaking two new projects that will help us reach out to even more people in our community. We will continue our regular support for important community services in the area including our work clubs and computer classes; we will also be creating training opportunities for our community members.This spring will see the launch of an additional two projects. Our “Know Your Community” project is launching an ambitious programme of focus groups that gives our community a real and meaningful opportunity to influence the way we deliver our projects - helping many more people in need to access our services. We are beginning the roll out of East Cardiff Time Credits! Time Credits are an innovative and proven tool to increase the quality of life of volunteers who participate. They offer an

opportunity for local community members to earn access to services and experiences through volunteering to help their local communities. Opportunities include tickets to Chapter Arts Centre, St David’s Hall, Cardiff Devils, all Cardiff Leisure Centres and many more!We have recently welcomed several new staff to the team, all of whom bring with them a wealth of expertise, experience and passion. We are delighted to have them work with us; Turn to page 2 if you want to find out a little more about them.It’s going be a busy few months, but that’s the way we like it and that’s how we will ensure that the communities in East Cardiff, Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn get the opportunities they deserve. I hope you will look out for the opportunities to attend one of our focus group and for other volunteering opportunities we are creating this spring!

Wendy Marinos, Cluster Manager

We hope that everyone had a great festive period and a Happy New Year!

• • •

Spring Newsletter

2 Spring 2015

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

We are particularly looking for feedback from people who are either:Considered to be an Ethnic Minority • Unemployed 16-24 year olds • Unemployed

people aged over 25 • Carers • A part of the Gypsy/Traveller Community • Older people • Disabled • Lone Parents • Those with a Long Term Illness • Those on benefits or a low income.

We want to hear what you think!

contact Ú

The Know Your Community Project will be starting in March. We are as keen as ever to hear what you think about us and our

programme. We are looking for those of you who have not taken part with Communities First before to take part in some focus groups.

The groups will be based in each of our six communities, Rumney, Llanrumney, Trowbridge, St Mellons, Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn and will be led by an independent researcher, who ensure that any comments you make remain anonymous and will be there to make the groups as relaxed and friendly as possible - it will be just like having a cup of tea and chat!

These groups will provide feedback on what we can do to help people like you get more involved with us. Those who take part will have a meaningful impact on the way we deliver our activities, helping us reach more of the people we can help. They will also have an opportunity to win up to £150 of shopping vouchers, and other prizes, through a prize draw that will be conducted at the end of the project.

We have several new members of staff who have joined us to fill some spaces we had in the team. New members include Definate Ndebele, who joins us as an Administrator for the support team, Lesley Lloyd who joins as a Health Services Officer - helping you get healthy! Rhiannon Roberts has joined up from the Llanrumney Community Forum to be our new Economy Officer, helping to spur local enterprise and save people money through money saving projects. Lee Meredith joined us just before the Christmas break from the

Bryncynon Revival Strategy to join the Health team as a Healthy Lifestyles Officer, helping to arrange sessions that raise awareness of the healthiest ways to eat and supporting people to get more active! Judith Briggs has also joined as our Finance and Monitoring Officer. I’m sure you will join us in welcoming them all to East Cardiff, Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn!

Welcome to our new staff!

Citizens Advice Bureau Drop In

Joe on 07969 185047 or Joseph.C@c3sc.org.uk. If you or anyone you know falls into one of these categories and would like to take part.

Spring Newsletter

Spring 2015 3

Ginger Wiegand has recently become the locality lead for the area, she said…

RUMNEY & LLANRUMNEY

Rumney Forum is a volunteer led community organisation that exists to make Rumney an even better place to be. We have recently started meeting with other volunteers, community organisations and partners on a monthly basis to encourage and promote working together in our neighbourhood.

In March they will be launching a number of new initiatives within Rumney that we think are really exciting and these are just a few of them!

Each Friday they will be hosting The Lunch Club with help from local schools and the Rumney Chapel. Everyone is invited to come along to enjoy a lovely home-cooked meal with entertainment and talks. This event is free, and transport can be arranged if needed. Chomp! is their new cooking club for children age 8 to 11. Each week children will be learning how to cook a different meal, which parents and families are invited to come along and enjoy afterwards. This will take place Tuesdays at 3.15pm at Rumney Chapel. Connect is their new community coffee morning, taking place Tuesday mornings. Come along for a cuppa and a chat. Open from 9am until 11.30am in Rumney Chapel.If you’d like to know more about the Rumney Forum or any of the events written about here then please get in touch, they’d love to hear from you.

I am proud to be leading on work in Llanrumney and Rumney, which both have examples of dedicated and successful community-led organisation of events and activities. We look forward to working with new and established community groups in the area to help them to continue to grow and flourish in the future. Watch this space!

The Rumney Forum is Back in Action!

contact Ú Ginger on 07969 184952 or Ginger.W@c3sc.org.uk If you want to get involved in anything taking place in the Rumney and Llanrumney area.

us on (029) 20 250 998 or email hello@rumneyforum.org

Citizens Advice Bureau Drop In 10am-1pm Every Wednesday and 11am-1pm the first Saturday of every month @ the Llanrumney Hub.

Ú

A Spring Fair is being held at St Illtyd’s Catholic High School, Llanrumney Avenue on Tuesday 21st April, 4.00-6.00pm. There will be:• Family activities to help develop your literacy and numeracy skills in a fun way• Information to help prepare students for the literacy and numeracy tests in May• A variety of stalls selling cards, gifts, cakes and more• FREE prize draw to win a tablet - visit our literacy and numeracy stalls to enter • Easter chicks and bunnies to cuddle. FREE ENTRY, ALL WELCOME!

PCSO Access Points: Rumney - 12pm - 1pm every Monday @ Sainsbury’s & 10am - 11am Every Wednesday @ Rumney Library.Llanrumney - 10am - 12pm every Monday @ Siloam Baptist Church & 10am - 12pm every Wednesday @ Llanrumney Hub & 6pm - 7pm every Thursday @ Countisbury Avenue Spar.

contact Ú

New Foodbank Centre Open!

Time Credits are coming to East Cardiff, Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn!

Spring Newsletter

COUNTDOWN TO TIME CREDITS!

4 Spring 2015

Road Mapping Your Future!

Time Credits are an innovative and proven way to enhance community development and we are very happy to say that we will be launching a Time Credit Scheme in our Cluster this spring!

A Time Credit is a token that is given to volunteers who have signed up to the scheme and go on to volunteer one hour, or more, of their time for community projects with registered organisations. This credit can then be used within Cardiff and throughout the UK to access events such as football, rugby and ice hockey matches, go to the cinema or leisure centre, access children’s play services and more! It can also be used within your local community to give as gifts to your friends and family, or to reward anyone who has spent an hour helping out you or your community group!

Places you can spend Time Credits include Chapter Arts Centre, Go Ape Play Centre, the Cardiff Devils, all Cardiff Leisure Centres, St David’s Hall, The Gate Arts Centre and many many more! But you can also trade your Time Credits with other members of the community in return for their time or you can give them away as gifts to friends and family members so they can enjoy the opportunities on offer.

Want to know more?

contact Ú Joe on 07969 185047 or Joseph.C@c3sc.org.uk. to register your interest, or keep an eye out for opportunities to start earning Time Credits in your community that will start becoming available very soon!

Street Dance - for young people of all skill levels

St Mellons Community Garden

New Foodbank Centre Open!

Time Credits are coming to East Cardiff, Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn!

Spring Newsletter

5

Steve, the locality lead for the area, said…

TROWBRIDGE & ST MELLONS

The Trowbridge and St Mellons locality team are very excited to be focusing on developing our links with community groups and active community members in the area. We want to help them to create the

opportunities and activities that they want to see in the community, while also being the point of contact for residents of these communities to access the services of Communities First and our partners.

contact Ú Steve on 07969 184755 or Steven.H@c3sc.org.uk If you see anything you want to get involved with in Trowbridge and St Mellons.

A new Foodbank has opened up in St Mellons, operating from the Community Education Centre, every Monday, from 11am - 1pm. Foodbanks are there to provide food parcels to those who are most in need, up to a maximum of three times a year. Vouchers to claim food parcels can be claimed from many different organisations around East Cardiff, including ECLP Communities First, the local Police teams, housing associations and Hubs.

contact Ú

PCSO Access Points: Trowbridge - 12pm - 1pm every Monday @ Trowbridge Community Centre.St Mellons - 11am - 12pm every Tuesday @ the Coach House & 1pm - 2pm every Wednesday @ the Beacon Centre & 5pm - 6pm every Thursday @ the St Mellons Hub

Street Dance - for young people of all skill levels

St Mellons Community Garden

Janet Marks on 07580 771973 or Janet.M@c3sc.org.uk to find out more about ECLP Foodbank Vouchers.

Want to learn a bit more about growing food or flowers? Or just want to get out in the fresh air and meet some new people? Then pop along to the St Mellons Community Garden, 4a Newent Road. The group meets every Friday from 1pm - 4pm, come rain or shine! The group are supported by Linc Cymru, Wales and West Housing Association and Hafod Housing.

Feeling green fingered this spring?

Do you like to dance? Ever wanted to learn Street Dance? Young people of all ages and abilities are welcome to attend these free sessions at Trowbridge Community Centre Fridays from 6:30pm until 7:30pm starting 6th of March. This is a great opportunity to have fun moving to music and meeting new people, whilst getting all the health benefits of a good workout. See your coordination improve with Streetgames qualified and friendly instructors.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get fit and learn seriously cool moves for the dancefloor!! Give it

a go, feel part of the dance tribe with free

dance kit and bring your friends along.

SOVA Families First are here to help…

Spring Newsletter

6 Spring 2015

GOOD TO KNOW!

Road Mapping Your Future!

Gareth on

Some Good Advice…

ECLP has been supporting the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to run drop in sessions across our Cluster to ensure that our community members have access to the right advice when they need it most. Anyone can pop in to the drop in sessions, which are advertised throughout this newsletter, to get advice on a wide range of legal issues, as well as debt and employment issues. Many people have been helped over the last year in many different ways.

For example the CAB recently assisted a community member to challenge a decision that meant they did not get their child disability allowance after being transferred to the replacement benefit – Personal Independence Payment (PIP). The transfer to PIP had been triggered because the child had recently turned 16 years old. The decision not to award the benefit had a serious impact on the community member as it also meant the loss of other benefit entitlements that were dependent upon PIP being awarded. As a result they and their family unfairly suffered severe financial hardship. The CAB helped to challenge the decision and was successful! Now the community member’s benefits have been reinstated and backdated relieving significant stress on the household and allowing them to get back to normality.

contact Ú

If you are a parent and need extra support to get a job, the charity Sova can help. Sova will set you up with a personal mentor who will help you though every step of your journey into employment by working with you to break down the barriers that are stopping you getting a job.

This could be learning new skills through training, matching you up with volunteering opportunities to boost your confidence and CV, help filling in application forms, or simply having someone to talk to who is on your side.

To be eligible you must be a parent or carer of a child under 18, or 25 if they have a disability, and be unemployed or on a low income.

Sova can work with you to help you earn more money for your family, develop your skills and confidence, and get you into work. Whatever issues you are facing, such as debt, a lack of qualifications, low confidence, confusion over the childcare available, or long periods out of the workplace, your mentor can tell you what help is available and support you in every step of your journey into sustainable employment.

Sova on (029) 20 495 281 or email cardifffamiliesfirst@sova.org.uk to find out more.

Spring Newsletter

Spring 2015 7

Anna Ros-Woudstra, the locality lead for Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn says…

LLANEDEYRN AND PENTWYN

We will be working with our ECLP Communities First colleagues to ensure that we support more activities and events in Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn to ensure that the communities here feel the benefit of our services. We will work with the already established

community groups and active citizens, as well as developing new groups and contacts in the area. There’s always lots to be done and we know there’s lots of community energy in the area, so get in touch and let’s start planning!

contact Ú

Llanedeyrn Goes Red!

Anna on 07969 184653 or Anna.R@c3sc.org.uk if you see anything you want to get involved with in Llanedeyrn and Pentwyn

We were proud to support the Llanedeyrn Goes Red heart health awareness and fund raising event, organised by Wendy Loveridge-Rees and her neighbours and friends and supported by key local organisation in Llanedeyrn, including the local Pharmacy, the Powerhouse, Maelfa Shopping Centre and others. The event took place on February 6th and the day hosted a street dance performance by ‘Street Blaze Danny’, information stalls on how to keep your hear heart healthy, nail and face painting and a bake sale! Over £230 was raised for the British Heart Foundation and the C.R.Y (Cardiac Risk in the Youth) charities. An inspirational story of community action! Well done to all involved.

Pentwyn Community Fun-day!

For a fun afternoon pack with activities, stalls and tasty food come along the Pentwyn Leisure Centre on Saturday 30th May, from 1pm - 4pm for the Pentwyn Community Funday!

Contact Emma on 07584003960 for more information.

PCSO Access Points: Rumney - 12pm - 1pm every Monday @ Sainsbury’s & 10am - 11am Every Wednesday @ Rumney Library.Llanrumney - 10am - 12pm every Monday @ Siloam Baptist Church & 10am - 12pm every Wednesday @ Llanrumney Hub & 6pm - 7pm every Thursday @ Countisbury Avenue Spar.

Powerhouse Neighbourhood Learning Centre!

If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to get advice on everything from free learning courses, youth activities, debt and employment, council tax and housing issues and much more call into the Powerhouse, on Roundwood (next to Maelfa Shopping Centre):Monday 9am to 5pmTuesday 10am to 5pmWednesday 9am to 5pmThursday 9am to 5pmFriday 9am to 5pmOr call: 02920 549650

Contact Details

Mae’r cyhoeddiad ar gael yn y Gymraeg drwy gysylltu âJoseph.c@c3sc.org.uk / 07969185047.

ECLP Contact Details:

Trowbridge Community Centre,Caernarvon Way, Cardiff, CF3 1RXPhone: (029) 20 792 004

Llanedeyrn Boxing Club,Roundwood, Cardiff, CF23 9USPhone: (029) 20 734 607

Email: eclp@c3sc.org.ukFacebook: www.facebook.com/ECLPCFTwitter: www.twitter.com/ECLPCFWebsite: www.eclp.org.uk