Author Archives: Peoplefirst

Tuesday Focus Group

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Report from Volunteer and Head Gardener, Morgan Jones:

In Caerphilly People First last week, me Ffion Poole, Amy Jones, Rees Powell, Gethin Chamberlain & others had a session in Multiply. Whilst we were all there, we were given a broken milk carton and we painted all around it, inside & outside. We then chose a stencil, and with it we drew the outline on a piece of paper. Then using the stencil, we chose a felt tip pen and with the stencil coloured the shape of it onto the carton. After we’d done the that, we were all given a tub of soil & Broccoli Calabrese Seeds and we sprinkled them into the carton so we could then water it. Once we finished what we were doing in Multiply, we all went back down to the CPF office to have our lunch before the health nurse came in to have a chat to us.

Caerphilly Parent Network Awards

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Congratulations to Gethin, our members & all Parent Network volunteers! Yesterday, our incredible volunteer Gethin was awarded the Sunshine Award at the Parent Network Awards, for always bringing joy and lighting up the room wherever he goes! He also had the honour of presenting the Sian Northey Award, a beautiful tribute to his mam, recognizing someone for going above and beyond. Gethin did an amazing job!

We’re also so proud of our other members who were recognized for:

Sorting clothes for the Community Clothes Project
Shredding paper in the office

A huge congratulations to all the Parent Network volunteers – you do a fantastic job in the community, and your hard work makes such a difference! Thank you all – you’re truly amazing!

Reconnect Through Cookery

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Friday’s session was all about comfort food — delicious cottage pie with veg and gravy — perfect for a cold, windy day. Our members did a fantastic job prepping the veg, onions, and celery to add to the cottage pie. The teamwork and smiles were incredible!

Huge thanks to our amazing volunteers: Cheryl, Gemma, Mark, and Connor, who went above and beyond as always. Your support means the world to us! A special shout-out to our wonderful support staff who kept things running smoothly by helping with bingo, the raffle, the register, and feedback forms—all essential to the success of these sessions.

The warmth and hugs from everyone reminded us how much these sessions mean to our community. Seeing you all enjoy yourselves is what it’s all about. Thank you for making it another unforgettable day!

Reconnect Through Music Update

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Wow, what an incredible session we had at our music group yesterday! A full house with 40 individuals singing, dancing, and socializing. The atmosphere was electric, and the talent was off the charts!

A huge shoutout to our members for their fantastic voices, and for making new friendships along the way, and special thanks to Lexy and Belinda for their amazing contributions. We can’t wait to see you all next week for more music, fun, and connections!

Reconnect Through Music

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We had a full house at our first Reconnect Through Music session of the year, and it was an extra special day! A huge thank you to Lexy and Belinda for making the session so wonderful.

The room was alive with singing, dancing, and laughter. It was amazing to see everyone again—your energy and smiles lit up the room! Here’s to a year full of music, connection, and fun.

Christmas Reconnect Through Cookery

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What a way to wrap up Reconnect Through Cookery for 2024! Our Caerphilly People First Christmas Party was a day filled with festive cheer, fun, and laughter! From the delicious buffet to the crackers, The Grinch, and our cheeky Naughty Elf, everyone had an amazing time dancing, socialising, and celebrating together.

A massive THANK YOU to:

Cheryl & Sharon for donating the selection boxes
Zoe for the advent calendars
Ffion for the brilliant quiz
Hayley for sorting the raffle
Darren for an epic disco

And a special shoutout to Pete the caretaker for opening up every week and always lending a hand.

To all our members — old and new — you’ve made this year unforgettable. So many new friendships were made, and we’ve created memories to last a lifetime. Merry Christmas, and we’ll see you all in the New Year!

RecRock Christmas Party Fun!

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Today at Libanus Lifestyle Chapel, we celebrated in true festive style! The air was filled with Christmas cheer as we sang our favorite Christmas songs and enjoyed an incredible homemade Christmas buffet—it was absolutely delicious!

Dan opened the session with two amazing singers on guitars, performing some classic tunes. Their voices were fantastic and set the perfect tone for the day.

Everyone looked fabulous in their Christmas jumpers and outfits, bringing plenty of holiday spirit to the celebration.

A huge thank you to Dan and Lexy for organizing such a brilliant festive session, and to the team at Libanus for hosting us. We’ll be back in the New Year for RecRock at Fleur-de-lis on 15th January. Happy Holidays from all of us!

The Snow Queen’s Magnificent Christmas Message

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Thanks to the incredible support from the Arts Council of Wales, we hosted a spectacular evening last night with Circo Rum Ba Ba’s ‘The Snow Queen’s Magnificent Christmas Message’ at Bargoed Community Centre. And wow, what a night it was!

What is Noson Allan? Noson Allan is all about bringing our community together for unique, joyful events that spread laughter, creativity, and connection. It’s a celebration of art, culture, and togetherness – and last night was no exception!

Circo Rum Ba Ba delivered an unforgettable performance with their dazzling cast. With 69 attendees and 7 amazing volunteers, the show was a massive hit! The cast interacted with the audience, sparking laughter, smiles, and festive cheer throughout the hall.

A huge shoutout to:

Amy and Cheryl, who served up delicious hot chocolate and snacks to keep everyone warm and cosy.
Kyle Richards, who spent the entire day at the venue, setting up props and ensuring everything ran smoothly – and even entertained us during the show!
Local care home staff, who went above and beyond to transport clients safely on a cold, dark evening. Your care and dedication are truly appreciated.
The children who took part and added extra magic to the evening!

Thank you to everyone who made the night special. The laughter, smiles, and festive spirit filled the air – and we couldn’t have done it without all of you. Let’s hope we can do it all again next year!

Merry Christmas from Caerphilly People First and The Parent Network!

Craft Workshop With Multiply

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A big thank you to Multiply for the fantastic Christmas craft workshop our members took part in yesterday when we had a great time making our own Christmas cards. Next Wednesday, Multiply will be back at the YMCA for another festive session, this time creating ribbon wreaths. Session 1 starts at 10:00 am, and Session 2 begins at 12:15 pm. To confirm your place, contact Multiply@educ8training.co.uk (this is not a Caerphilly People First activity).