Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

The Ammanford Debt Benefit & Back to Work Project is looking for community groups to engage with. The project can offer a range of free services to groups and is also able to tailor its workshops to meet their needs. The Debt Benefit & Back to Work Project can offer financial better off calculations, back to work calculations, volunteer placements and training to aid employment, benefit checks, guidance with debt issues, specialist signposting and lots more. It can also run budgeting/benefit changes and similar workshops. The Topics include: Benefits: back to work calculations to see how financially better off you are going back into part-time or full-time employment, a benefit check to see if you are claiming everything you are entitled to, and help to access the benefit forms and fill them in. Debt: an initial meeting to address the debtors and put everything on a 30 day hold while the project arranges financial statements, deals with debtors to arrange an affordable paym...

Pantyffynnon Communities First Partnership Group has received an award of £46,639 by WREN (Waste Recycling Environmental) to refurbish the local park. The award is the result of the co-ordinated effort of local residents, volunteers and the support of Communities First team. The re-development will have an array of equipment for all ages and will include an exercise area with an outdoor gym, suitable for adults and disabled people. The younger children will benefit from a climbing frame, swings, and a natural play mound whilst there will be a larger climbing frame, zipwire and assault course for older children. The project will also provide picnic tables and some planting in the area. Emma Martin-Jewell from Pantyffynnon Communities First said: “The Park will cater for all ages, not just children. The benefits that a green gym can bring to the community are not just through physical exercise, and improved mental health, but also greater community cohesion with an opportunity to mix wit...

Youngsters in Pantyffynnon have been doing everything from cookery to kickboxing this summer – thanks to Communities First. Now residents are being invited to a meeting to help decide how the Communities First programme will go forward in Pantyffynnon. Following a variety of summer programmes run by Communities First over the years, and partnership working with the likes of Carmarthenshire Youth and Children’s Association and Carmarthenshire’s Play Team, children in Pantyffynnon have been having a blast this year. Communities First development worker Emma Martin-Jewell said: “We have been fortunate to link into the very popular Fit 4 Fun Big Lottery project which is managed by the Carmarthenshire Youth and Children’s Association. “As a result of working in partnership we have been able to provide cookery workshops, circus skills, dance, sports and kickboxing. The Carmarthenshire Play team have also spent the day developing children’s skills through building dens, and playing games....

Youngsters in Pantyffynnon have been doing everything from cookery to kickboxing this summer – thanks to Communities First. Now residents are being invited to a meeting to help decide how the Communities First programme will go forward in Pantyffynnon. Following a variety of summer programmes run by Communities First over the years, and partnership working with the likes of Carmarthenshire Youth and Children’s Association and Carmarthenshire’s Play Team, children in Pantyffynnon have been having a blast this year. Communities First development worker Emma Martin-Jewell said: “We have been fortunate to link into the very popular Fit 4 Fun Big Lottery project which is managed by the Carmarthenshire Youth and Children’s Association. “As a result of working in partnership we have been able to provide cookery workshops, circus skills, dance, sports and kickboxing. The Carmarthenshire Play team have also spent the day developing children’s skills through building dens, and playing games....

A property marking scheme is underway in the Pantyffynnon area to help tighten up security for people at risk. Funded by the Community Safety Partnership, it is being run in conjunction with Communities First Pantyffynnon and reassures residents by marking their valuables using the most up-to-date technology aimed at preventing burglaries and reducing theft. The SelectaDNA marking kits work by applying a clear fluid to items of value, such as laptops, computer equipment, TVs, DVD players, iPods and mobile phones. Not only is it almost impossible to remove, but each kit has a unique code (similar to human DNA) that cannot be duplicated in any way shape or form. This means if the property is stolen and recovered by police it can easily be traced back to its owner – and irrefutably link the criminal to the burglary or break-in. Communities First were able to register people interested in the initiative through their partnership board, the local pensioners group and those who live alone...

A Healthy Living and Visioning Day was held in Pantyffynnon to discuss future projects for the community. Thanks to all the hard work of volunteers and staff at Communities First Pantyffynnon, the event organised for the community in the local park was hailed a great success. More than 130 residents of all ages took part in activities ranging from cookery workshops, interactive talks from Swansea Community Farm, Zumba taster sessions, and with dance and fitness workouts, the park was a hive of activity all day. Children and adults were able to participate in different activities throughout the day and get their opinions heard about the future projects in the community. Community development worker Emma Martin-Jewell said: “It was lovely to see so many people supporting the event and becoming interested to see what projects are ongoing. There are some exciting proposals for the area, should the groups be successful in gaining grant funding. “Consultation is so very important with...

Communities First Pantyffynnon still has places on its Welsh taster course for local residents. The course is aimed at people who would like to learn or improve their skills in Welsh. As a county which prides itself as one of the highest population of Welsh speakers, the Welsh language is an important part of the Amman Valley. Volunteer Development Worker Kathryn Newman said: “A lot of employers are keen to take on Welsh speakers particularly in this area. As part of the Debt and Benefit Back to Work project run by Communities First, it is a priority for us to run training courses like this so that businesses and organisations are able to employ local people with the right skills.” If you would like to come along and learn something new in an informal manner then join in. The course began on Tuesday (July 19) in the Communities First Building on the Parc Amanwy Industrial Estate between 6pm and 8pm. To book your place, please contact the team on 01269 596821.

Communities First Pantyffynnon has been busy organising a Healthy Living and Visioning Day. The event will take place in Pantyffynnon Park on Tuesday (July 26) from 10am-3pm. A team of workers and volunteers have been hard at work arranging workshops, stalls and activities throughout the day for residents. There is a fantastic line up of Outdoor Fitness, Dance, Zumba, Arts and Crafts, and a Ready Steady cook style challenge by S4C chef Anthony Evans. In addition, Swansea Community Farm will be delivering interactive talks for the children, and all community members will have a chance to see the exciting up and coming projects which are ongoing in the area. For further information about the event, contact Communities First Pantyffynnon on 01269 596821.

Over the Easter holidays Ammanford library teamed up with Communities First Pantyffynnon to run a Family Fun Wii Challenge. The event was organised by Emma Martin-Jewell (Communities First development worker) as part of the drive to develop digital inclusion to all. Emma said: “This event proved to be very successful, bringing people of all ages and abilities together to create a sense of cohesion and appreciation of people from different generations. We look forward to running a similar event in the library this summer.” At present, digital inclusion and child poverty is high on the Welsh Assembly Government’s agenda, and opportunities or events like this are being run across the county not only with Communities First, but also with the Communities 2.0 project. In celebration of Adult Learners Week, Communities First Pantyffynnon will be hosting a digital inclusion day in the ICT centre near Parc Amanwy on May 20 from 1pm. This event will be aimed at silver surfers and those who wou...

A group of young volunteers is hard at work improving the environment of the Pantyffynnon area of Ammanford. Communities First Pantyffynnon are working in collaboration with the Prince’s Trust and Keep Wales Tidy to run a volunteer scheme which is aimed at assisting young people to develop essential skills. The project is being run this week and next week. Emma Martin-Jewell of Communities First Pantyffynnon said: “It is an environmental enhancement scheme to reduce the over grown weeds and bushes to help people walk safely to and from the local school, and to preserve the fencing at the playing fields in Parcyrhun Estate.”

Picnic table and bench sets have been donated to Parcyrhun Community School Garden and Pantyffynnon Social Club, thanks to a group of people who have taken part in a unique construction taster project. Pantyffynnon Communities First was one of only a few groups in Carmarthenshire to run the Building Your Own Future in Sir Gar project, which aims to provide people with basic skills in carpentry, plumbing, tiling and plastering. They constructed the bench sets as part of their carpentry session, and are now proud to see them being used by the local community. Carlie Whittle, a volunteer at Pantyffynnon Communities First and a participant on the course, said: “I really enjoyed the hands on experience that the course gave me. I was able to take away with some fantastic practical skills, and items I actually produced. I look forward to seeing the community using the benches, knowing that I worked with others to make them.” Building Your Own Future in Sir Gar is a partnership project led...

The latest project being hosted by Communities First Pantyffynnon, and run by local volunteers is a Family Fun Cookery course in Ammanford. Following the successes of the course which ran over the summer holidays, Communities First are delighted to be organising the sessions over this February half term. Aimed at families - mums, dads or grandparents are welcome to bring their little ones to learn all about cooking healthy foods. Carol Cadman, a local volunteer said: “The course last summer was such a big hit with residents, so I am thrilled to be a part of delivering it this time around. “It acts as a great opportunity for learning about foods that can be enjoyed by all the family. Feeding a family can be a big expense, but by learning about different foods and substituting some things can save you pounds!” The course is free and all equipment is provided, through the support gained by the Local Health Board. It is aimed at families who would like to develop practical cookery skills ...

Pupils at Parcyrhun School have had their bicycles security marked thanks to an initiative of the school, Dyfed Powys Police and Communities First Pantyffynnon. Grandparents, parents, children and teachers took part in the initiative to have their equipment security marked by local officers in the area. PC Kevin Jones said: “This type of event is an excellent opportunity for the police to work with local residents and children to make them aware of how they can play a part in crime prevention. “Getting the message across of how you can reduce the chances of theft is important, and getting your equipment marked is the first step.” Emma Martin-Jewell, development worker for Communities First Pantyffynnon, said: “Raising awareness of community safety is an essential part of the work of Communities First and through partnership working we are able to deliver excellent schemes like this.” Communities First Pantyffynnon also runs a community bike loan scheme for residents, so that those who ...