NEWS & FEATURES - Arbed Am Byth
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EDITION 4 SPRING 2021
COMMUNITY BENEFIT NEWSLETTER
NEWS &
FEATURES
Spring 2021 -
Introduction
PAGE 1
Latest Community
Benefit Projects
Spring 2021 -Introduction
PAGES 2-6
Community continues to be at the heart of what we
do. We are driven by a philosophy of community
Volunteer Groups benefit. We are locally rooted and committed to
PAGE 7 enabling change within the communities. Local
communities continue to play a vital role in both
supporting and benefitting from the scheme, and the
Community Skill team will ensure that we develop links that deliver
Building demonstrable added value to Welsh householders.
PAGE 8
“There is no power for change greater than a
community discovering what it cares about”
Customer Feedback
PAGE 9 Our Community Benefits approach will not just be
about delivering numbers and outcomes, but
meaningful engagement at a local level and
dependent on local need.
LATEST COMMUNITY BENEFIT PROJECTS ABERGORKI COMMUNITY HALL, TREORCHY The Abergorki Community hall is a three-story landmark building at Treorchy and the largest charitable organisation in the Rhondda valleys, it was built with the famous miners’ penny and then given to the Community after completion in 1915, for 103 years the hall has served the Community of Treorchy and beyond. We have now secured finance for the supply and fit of 10KW array comprising of 30 Solar Panels and these will be installed in the next few weeks. Warmplan have agreed to fit the system for free and Wolesley have donated £3800 to purchase the system. The Solar Panels will reduce the energy bills considerably and will allow money saved to be ploughed into the redecoration of the Hall to aid sustainability for the future. THE ANNA PHILLIPS FOUNDATION ANGLESEY RECEIVE A DONATION OF £2500 FROM ARBED AM BYTH Established in loving memory of Anna Elisabeth Phillips, the Foundation is a mental health Charitable Incorporated Organisation, which supports people facing trauma related mental health challenges. They provide practical support and facilities and use a range of therapies, including green care and mindfulness along with other empowering social activities. In partnership with researchers in environmental advocacy or green care they seek to understand how the natural environment, including woodlands, can help trauma survivors on their journey of repair and recovery. They also campaign on raising awareness of the social causes of self-harm and suicide, and how being immersed in the natural world can benefit mental wellbeing. They work in partnership with the higher education sector, Health Boards, third sector organisations and others to provide people with mental health challenges, beneficial experiences in nature which aim to empower them, build their confidence and improve their mental health, wellbeing and resilience. SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 2
LATEST COMMUNITY
BENEFIT PROJECTS
CYNFRAN PLAYGROUP LLYSFAEN RECEIVES A DONATION OF £2400 TO REPLACE
OUTDATED PLAY EQUIPMENT.
This Play Group is a non-profit charity-based out of a
rented porta-cabin in the grounds of Ysgol Cynfran,
Llysfaen, Colwyn Bay. They currently assist up to 35
families within the community with their needs. Any
income made during their operational hours is put
directly back into the playgroup.
As such they are often on the lookout for companies and
agencies who may be able to help raise funds for much
needed resources allowing them to deliver the seven
areas of the Foundation Phase to further the development The main priority area of importance is the
and education of 2–4-year-olds in their care. outdoor education/development of the
children hence the request for funding. This
Play is an important part of every child’s life and is vital coming academic year we will be moving to a
for the enjoyment of childhood as well as social, larger setting within the same grounds in the
emotional, intellectual, and physical development. Recent hope that we can double our capacity to help
research suggests that good play provision can increase more families within the community.
self-esteem, improve mental and physical health, build
friendships, and develop new skills. Having access to We currently have very dated/limited outside
resources that promote positive play is vital to a child’s equipment and this new item will allow the
wellbeing and development. children to spend more quality time outside.
ARBED AM BYTH DONATE £1500 TO CANOLFAN DEWI SANT CENTRE PENSARN
Canolfan Dewi Sant Centre, Pensarn is an innovative multi-purpose community venue,
completed and opened in March 2011 and is normally used by many local groups & third sector
agencies and is also available for private hire. It stands on the same site as the old St.
David' s "tin church" building, right in the very centre of the Pensarn community and comprises
of St. David' s Church and three other rooms of varying sizes for community use. The building
is owned by the Church in Wales and they are completely self-funding. The main source of
our income comes from the hiring out of the various rooms in the Centre.
The Centre was being used up to seven days a week. Over the years and up to March 2020 it
has been the home for so many community groups and activities - various agencies which
support the most vulnerable in the Pensarn community were based there, there was a Job
Club, several friendship and educational clubs for the elderly of the area, martial arts groups,
fitness groups, dance classes for children, dance classes for people over 50, a Hearing Aid
clinic, a community cafe, the local Stroke Club, a Boccia Club, a Choir had their weekly
rehearsals , special Dementia Friendly events took place, and is the base for local Blood
Donations and also is the home of a Food Share and also the new base for the local Citizen' s
Advice.
All of these activities were the lifeline for so many of the people who attended them, and then
of course in March 2020 everything had to stop in order to reduce the risk of spreading the
virus. They are now in the process of reopening and need much needed donations to be able
to function.
SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 3
LATEST COMMUNITY BENEFIT PROJECTS ARBED AM BYTH AIMING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR COMMUNITY – AN ARTICLE FROM THE CWM TAF MORGANNWG MIND WEBSITE Nantgarw based company, Arbed Am Byth, have made a very generous donation of £2000 to support our work with people experiencing mental ill health across Cwm Taf Morgannwg. The energy efficiency specialists, who have been appointed by Welsh Government to arrange the installation of energy efficiency measures in homes across Wales, aim to make a difference in the vulnerable communities they work within through thier Community Benefits programme. The donation they have made through this programme will be split 50/50 between our #ItTakesBallsToTalk suicide awareness campaign, and our new LGBTQA+ Peer Support Project. This week Arbed Am Byth’s Managing Director Crispin Jones, and the company mascot Dafad met up with our Director Julian John to formally present the doantion and to talk about their work in supporting vulnerable communities. Crispin Jones commented: “Our current and planned Community Benefit programmes fit into our Community Benefits Strategy and are particularly focused on delivering outcomes that contribute to the Wellbeing and Future Generation Act 2015 Goals of a Prosperous Wales, A Healthier Wales, and A More Equal Wales. Community Benefits are a crucial part of the success and leaving a legacy of the Arbed scheme in Wales and Arbed am Byth is very proud of the difference we can make in vulnerable communities. The funding Arbed am Byth receives from the Welsh Government and the European Regional Development Fund allows for significant improvements to be made on a community basis in areas of Wales that have experienced high levels of deprivation. Our Head Office located in Nantgarw, which is testament to the need for investment in such areas, and the growth of economic opportunities for SMEs in Wales is further evidence of the value of Arbed and the Welsh Government Warm Homes Programme”. CTM Mind Director Julian John added: "W e a r e d e l i g h t e d t o r e c e i v e t h i s v e r y g e n e r o u s d o n a t i o n f r o m A r b e d A m B y t h . T h e m o n e y w i l l b e used to support two of the most vulnerable groups in our community – men under the age of 50, which statistics evidence are most at risk of taking their own lives, and the LGBTQA+ community, which has seen an increase in mental health problems caused by the current pandemic. We hope to make a significant positive impact to both these groups within our communities, and this donation will support us to do that." 1. LGBTQA+ Project - this project is in its infancy but will work with the LGBTQA+ community to provide provision for peer support, an online support group, mental health training and several events each year. The aim of this project is to break the isolation and exclusion the community has been experiencing during Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns. 2. #ItTakesBallsToTalk - this project initially started as an online suicide awareness campaign, targeting men under the age of 50, who are statistically most at risk of taking their own lives. We are hoping to develop this campaign/project further by getting out into our local communities and working with rugby clubs, football clubs, men’s barbers, and gyms to raise awareness of the campaign, which will signpost the target group to specific helplines and talking treatments. These two essential projects will be supported with the £2000 donation from Arbed am Byth. SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 4
LATEST COMMUNITY
BENEFIT PROJECTS
PENSARN FOODSHARE BENEFIT FROM A £500 DONATION FROM ARBED.
There has been a FoodShare at Canolfan Dewi Sant Centre for over two years
now in total run by FoodShare North Wales, who also have a FoodShare in Sure
Hope Church in Old Colwyn.
Basically, by paying a small subscription a person can then claim food of a
much larger value - these amounts increase in size. The smallest subscription
is £1.50 for which a person could claim food up to a value of £5.99 and
increases in stages to a subscription of £14.50 for which the food value would
be £50.
ANYONE can use the FoodShare. There is NO referral needed, the people can be
on benefits/on their pension/a single person/a family/unemployed/employed.
It is there for EVERYONE who needs that extra bit of help in life.
Comments made by people using the scheme weekly include "If it wasn't for
FoodShare I would not have food for the next week" or "this is the only way I can
afford for my children to eat fruit and veg" or "my food cupboards are empty,
without FoodShare I simply would not eat tonight".
ABERGELE DISTRICT FOODBANK RECIEVES A DONATION OF £500 FROM ARBED AM
BYTH
Abergele Community Action is a community charity which has operated out of an
internet cafe and community hub known as Itaca.. since 2005. Since the
pandemic we have focused on three core projects: Abergele District Foodbank,
Abergele Community Money Advice and Abergele Youth Shed.
O u r a i m i s t o e n d f o o d p o v e r t y a n d t o w o r k s t r a t e g i c a l l y t o , n o t o n ly s u p p l y
emergency food parcels, but to provide help and support so that dignity is
restored and people are able to manage their finances and they are able to live
on a more stable footing with hope for the future.
The Llysfaen Horticultural Show
The Llysfaen Horticultural Show is held at Llysfaen Village Hall in
the middle of August each year (it did not go-ahead last year
due to covid, however this year if we are able to go ahead, the
show will have been in existence for 47 years).
They have several trophies and awards in categories ranging
from fruit and veg to local crafts, along with a raffle and teas,
coffees and cakes served.
They were successful in receiving a donation from Arbed am
Byth to create a banner for the show and a laminating machine
to enable them to advertise the show through posters.
At their last show, they had 300 visitors and anyone within a 5-
mile radius of Llysfaen can enter.
SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 5
LATEST COMMUNITY
BENEFIT PROJECTS
CAERPHILLY MINERS' CENTRE FOR THE
COMMUNITY BENEFIT FROM A £500 DONATION.
The Beeches was originally a mansion owned by
a wealthy mining contractor, but in a
remarkable endeavor it was bought by mine
workers from 29 local pits using money
collected via weekly contributions from their
wages. It was bought in 1919 and they
converted the mansion into a hospital and ‘The
Miners’ as it became affectionately known went
on to serve the healthcare needs of local
people for nearly 90 years.
Caerphilly Miners Centre for the Community is owned and run by the community as a charity. The aim is
to restore and breathe life into the former Caerphilly Miners Hospital for the benefit of the community. By
offering accessible, affordable, and relevant activities, they support wellbeing, tackle social isolation,
secure community resilience and address inequality, poverty and economic exclusion. They provide
spaces for community activity, run their own activities to support older people's mobility and social
interaction, early years play, children's crafts and gardening, arts and crafts, language classes, a
community cafe, and digital support.
They support over 50 volunteers who help with stewarding, administration, running projects, catering,
gardening, and fundraising activities. We are currently refurbishing our upper floors to provide further
space for community activities and to support the development of up to 10 new businesses.
£500 DONATED TO CLWB RYGBI LLANGEFNI DUE TO A BURGLARY
HAPPENING AND SOME ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT WAS STOLEN.
The club was formed in February 1972 during the second
"Golden Era" of Welsh rugby. Two men from Ammanford,
Trefor Jones and Vernon Gwyr came to work in Wellmans
and before you could say "Barry John" a rugby club was
formed.
Home games were played at the local comprehensive
school. Training sessions were held in the school
gymnasium - several "soccer converts" making up a squad
of considerable potential, the farming
community being well represented. Eight games were
played in the first season, one of these was lost to
Llandudno.
Over the next few seasons, the club continued to thrive and enjoyed their first trip to Scotland to play
Rosyth Civil Service in February 1973.
By the season 1973-74, the club were fielding two sides. Season 1974-75 gives some indication of the
progress being made, the playing record being Played 23, Won 17, Drawn 1, Lost 5, Points For 451, Points
Against 168. The Gwynedd League and Gwynedd Cup were both won.
Several "clubhouses" and fields were used over the years until 1999 when under the astute chairmanship
of Lorus Evans, a brand-new clubhouse was opened by Wales hooker Robin McBryde.
The formation of a youth team in 1988 became a turning point for the club. Almost all today's players
being former youth players. The club's junior section was started with an under 9 team but has quickly
developed as a source of genuine local potential.
WRU senior status was achieved in 2003. The club continues to plan ahead with Lottery money being used
for field improvements and sought for the erection of "playing" floodlights to raise the profile of the club
with the attraction of representative games.
SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 6
VOLUNTEER
GROUPS
SOME EXAMPLES OF THE VOLUNTEER GROUPS WE HAVE ASSISTED IN COMMUNITIES
ACROSS WALES.
By its very nature, volunteering is an important vehicle for sustainable development in communities.
Volunteering lets people and communities participate in their own growth. Volunteering strengthens civic
engagement, safeguards social inclusion, deepens solidarity, and solidifies ownership. Here are some of
our results from volunteer led community benefit projects. If you calculate this small example below of the
volunteers in each project we support, you will be counting hundreds of people and the hours they
volunteer would go into the thousands.
TREHERBERT COMMUNITY HALL RCT Volunteer led group and Heatforce provided 6
volunteer hours to install upgrades.
CWMCLYDACH COMMUNITY CENTRE Volunteer led group and The Laver Group donated
RCT 24 hours labour free to fit a New Central heating
system to the preschool building.
HUBBERSTON & HAKIN COMMUNITY Volunteer led Group and Warm Plan donated 12
CENTRE PEMBROKESHIRE hours volunteer time to install upgrades.
MINDSTEP FOUNDATION AND THE These 2 organisations are volunteer led. All
TED SENIOR FOUNDATION services are provided free for young people with
MONMOUTHSHIRE mental health needs.
NANTGARW CHINA WORKS CARDIFF Volunteer led organization which opens to the
public daily.
CASTELL ALUN FRIENDS ASSOCIATION Volunteer led community group. The donation
FLINTSHIRE from Arbed am Byth will keep volunteers
participating in the group.
BLAENAU FFESTINIOG FOODBANK Volunteer led community group. The donation will
provide the volunteers with much needed
equipment.
THE OAKDALE AND PENMAEN Volunteer led community group. Donation
PARTNERSHIP CAERPHILLY provided volunteers with equipment to be able to
provide Christmas activities.
RHYDYFELIN COMMUNITY GROUP, The Interlink Flood Relief Fund provided much
TREHAFOD COMMUNITY HALL, AND needed assistance to volunteer groups in RCT that
TAFFS WELL VILLAGE HALL RCT had unfortunately lost equipment in the floods.
VALE OF GLAMORGAN ISLAND MARINE Volunteer led community group providing sport
FOOTBALL CLUB services to young people
YELLOW AND BLUE GROUP WREXHAM Volunteer led community group providing
services to the community
ABERGORKI COMMUNITY HALL GROUP Volunteer led community group and Warmplan
RCT will be providing the installation of the 10KW solar
panel system to the roof free.
SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 7
COMMUNITY SKILL
BUILDING
COMMUNITY SKILL BUILDING ACTIVITY - BUILDING EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES AND PATHWAYS INTO EMPLOYMENT.
In each scheme area we are building up a local network to increase employment opportunities
in the area, liaising with local Communities for Work partners, developing relationships
between ourselves, local colleges, and our contractors. This will allow us to find work
placements, provide work experience and training opportunities as well as working with the
local voluntary sector to help jobseekers with key employability skills such as CV design,
interview techniques etc.
We have also become an approved employer for the Jobs Growth Wales programme and are
able to advertise on the careers Wales Website for up-and-coming job opportunities within
Arbed.
We have been working with Colleges, Universities, Schools, and contractors to identify work
experience opportunities as well as liaise for future jobs fairs, whether online or at the
institutions as well as potential talks from employers to students to give them an
understanding of matters pertaining to their future in the industry.
We are also looking at identifying potential barriers to work experience or employment in the
areas we have schemes and working with our contractors, local voluntary sector coordinators
and Communities for Work to find solutions.
BELOW YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE GAINED EMPLOYMENT &
TRAINING SINCE THE START OF THE ARBED AM BYTH PROGRAMME.
Staff employed living in Wales who
have been retained.
Apprenticeship Training
Weeks completed to
66
date
308 Total number of Employment
288
and Training opportunities
created on this contract to
Apprenticeships taken date
on by contractors to 19
date
527
Total number of training weeks
achieved on this contract to date
SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 8
CUSTOMER
FEEDBACK
Scheme Area: Anglesey
Good morning Customer: Mrs P
I am writing to advise you of the excellent customer
service Stephanie Jones has given me and my parents
regarding the above address.
From the beginning of our introduction nothing was too
much trouble, she answered most questions but if she
was not sure she would always check and contact me or
my parents with the answers.
I would like to thank your company for the help you are
going to give my parents but also please commend
Stephanie as I feel her customer care is superb and she is
an asset to your organisation.
Many Thanks
Customer rang in to let us know that she cannot fault the
contractors who carried out the works for her (Warm
plan). She said they were very, very respectable to her
elderly father and kept him and her updated on what they
Scheme Area: Blackwood were doing.
They were constantly checking her Dad was comfortable.
Customer: Mrs B They kept their mask on for the whole time they were
there, they did not stomp around the house, they carried
the work out quietly.Her dad told her that he felt so
comfortable and safe when they were in his home when
he was alone with them.They cleaned up after themselves
- it was like they were never there.
She also said they even washed their cups after they had
tea/coffee.She is absolutely delighted with the works that
has been done by us from start to finish.
Thank you for the Combi Boiler & Radiators. My father is so
grateful to you all. My father has chronic health difficulties,
he is partially sighted due to macular degeneration, has
Parkinson’s disease and bronchiectasis, this effects his
ability to walk any distance due to severe shortness of
Scheme Area: Denbighshire
breath. Customer: Anonymous
We are so grateful for the work as my father is reluctant
to put on his heating but with a new boiler, it can be set to
provide him warmth throughout the winter. Kind regards
Daughter and Carer of the customer
SPRING 2021 - EDITION 4 PAGE 9You can also read
