National Council Meeting

Ffion Poole recently attended the online All Wales People First National Council meeting. The meeting began with a welcome, and everyone introduced themselves. The group talked about the ground rules for the meeting. These rules help everyone feel safe, respected, and able to speak and be listened to. The group then looked at the minutes from the last meeting. People were able to check for mistakes, ask questions, and hear updates on actions agreed at the last meeting.

Joe Powell, the Chief Executive, gave an update to the group. He talked about the work of All Wales People First and shared information about the workplan for 2026. Representatives then shared issues from their local groups. These were issues that may need action across Wales.

Chloe Cannon spoke to the group next. She is an All Wales People First Representative on the Lived Experience Collective Board. Chloe explained the work of the CARE Research Centre for Adult Social Care and the work they do at Cardiff University. She also asked people to share their experiences of older people with learning disabilities.

All Wales People First has decided that a Member Code of Conduct may be needed. A Code of Conduct is a set of rules about how people should behave at events. The group talked about whether a Code of Conduct is needed and what rules should be included.

The group also talked about future National Council meetings. This included where meetings should be held, how people get information, and future meeting dates. Other updates were shared, including progress with Adfest planning, feedback from the Disabled People’s Rights Plan consultation, and feedback from the Direct Payments consultation.

Reconnect Through Music – Session Report

We had a fantastic start to 2026 with our first Reconnect Through Music session of the year, and what a brilliant session it was! 🌟 Despite the freezing weather outside ❄️, a lovely warm and welcoming atmosphere was created by everyone who attended.

A total of 25 songs were performed by our incredibly talented members 🎀🎸. The session was kicked off perfectly by Ellysia, who set the tone for the day with β€œHappy New Year” by ABBA πŸŽ‰. This was followed by many great performances, including:

Natalie – House of Fun by Madness 🏠🎢
Anthony – You Drive Me Crazy by Shakin’ Stevens πŸ’ƒ
Ffion – Stuck on You by Lionel Richie πŸ’–
Sean – Down Under by Men at Work 🌍
Liz – Simply the Best by Tina Turner 🌟
Christine – Let It Go from Frozen β„οΈπŸŽ€

There was lots of singing along, dancing, and smiling throughout the session πŸ˜„πŸ•ΊπŸ’ƒ, showing just how much everyone enjoyed the music and being back together after the Christmas break. At lunchtime, everyone enjoyed a perfect hot dog lunch 🌭, which gave people a chance to relax, chat, and socialise together.

We received some lovely feedback from attendees:

Victoria said she enjoyed socialising with different people 🀝
Olivia said she enjoyed meeting new people 😊
Jason said he enjoyed listening to the performances 🎢

A huge thank you to everyone who came out in the cold weather β„οΈπŸ‘. Your energy, enthusiasm, and support helped create a great session 🎡❀️ See you for another music session in two weeks (Wednesday 21st January)!

πŸŽ„βœ¨ A Magical Christmas Party!

On Friday we had the most wonderful time celebrating together at our Christmas party πŸ’ƒπŸ•Ί We enjoyed a silent disco, with our lovely Daren keeping the party going with a disco in between 🎢🎧

πŸŽ… We were thrilled to have a visit from Santa, and of course the naughty Grinch who tried to steal everyone’s selection boxes πŸ˜†πŸŽ There was lots of dancing, laughter, and fun, yummy buffet food, Christmas crackers pulled, and everyone looked amazing in their fancy dress and Christmas jumpers πŸŽ„πŸ€Ά 🎟️ We also had some fantastic raffle prizes – well done to all our winners! πŸ‘

It truly was a day full of Christmas joy, smiles, and togetherness ❀️ A huge thank you from us all at Caerphilly People First to our amazing volunteers 🌟 We couldn’t do what we do without your continued support. Special thanks to Peter, the caretaker, for all his help and support at Fleur-de-lis Community Centre throughout the year πŸ™

πŸŽ„β€οΈ We wish you all a very Merry Christmas, filled with love, joy, and happiness. We’ll see you all again in January – take care and thank you for being part of our People First family ❀️✨

Reconnect Through Music

Today’s Reconnect Through Music session was full of energy, joy, and festive spirit! With 22 fantastic performances, members showcased a brilliant range of songs β€” from heartfelt ballads to upbeat Christmas classics. The hall looked magical thanks to the Christmas decorations πŸŽ„βœ¨, creating the perfect atmosphere for a fun and welcoming afternoon.

A few highlights from today’s performers:

Matilda sang “Wild Heart” by The Vamps πŸ’™
Mandy gave a powerful performance of “The Power of Love” by Jennifer Rush 🌟
Theresa performed “If I Never See You Again” by Wet Wet Wet 🎢
Anthony sang “Hungry Eyes” by Eric Carmen πŸ‘€πŸ’—
Ffion performed “Nice To Meet You” by Myles Smith 🎡

Christmas Songs πŸŽ…πŸŽ„

Susan sang “Mistletoe and Wine”
Ellysia performed “All I Want for Christmas Is You” πŸŽπŸ’–
Sean shared a lovely version of “Away in a Manger”
Adrian treated us to “Blue Christmas” πŸ’™πŸŽ„

All performers brought enthusiasm, confidence, and festive spirit to the stage. Well done, everyone! πŸ‘βœ¨ In addition everyone enjoyed a delicious buffet of hot dogs prepared by Christy, Cheryl, Zoe, and Helen πŸŒ­πŸ˜‹. A big thank you to the team for their hard work!

We received some wonderful feedback from participants:

Sean said he enjoyed singing, chatting, meeting people, and the food! πŸŽ€πŸ—£οΈπŸ€πŸ½οΈ
Ellie and Becky loved dancing πŸ’ƒπŸŽΆ
Anthony shared that he loves everyone who attends! ❀️πŸ₯°

Today’s Reconnect Through Music session was joyful, festive, and full of talent; the event was a huge success. Thank you to all performers, volunteers, and supporters who make these sessions so special. It’s clear that these sessions help people feel connected, confident, and part of a supportive community.

✨ Reconnect Through Cookery

On Friday our members cooked up a delicious cottage pie πŸ˜‹πŸ₯” and prepared fresh leeks, broccoli, and cauliflower πŸ₯¦πŸ₯¬πŸŒΏ. Everyone worked together brilliantly and the kitchen smelled amazing!

A HUGE thank you to all our lovely volunteers for helping in the kitchen ❀️, and to our fantastic support staff for running the quiz and bingo πŸŽ‰πŸ§©. And a special shout-out to Peter for setting everything up β€” we appreciate you! πŸ™Œ It was definitely a session to remember πŸ’›

See you all tomorrow for Reconnect Through Music 🎢 and Friday for our Silent Disco Christmas Party πŸŽ§πŸŽ„

πŸŽ„βœ¨ Christmas Craft Session βœ¨πŸŽ„

Yesterday our members enjoyed another brilliant Christmas craft session with Louise and the team from Multiply! πŸŽ…πŸ§Ά They made the cutest Christmas gonks out of wool, and everyone did an amazing job. ❀️

We all enjoyed a lovely cuppa β˜• and some tasty pastries πŸ₯ while chatting and socialising together. It was a warm, festive morning filled with fun and creativity! β­πŸ’¬ Don’t forget β€” our last craft session is next Tuesday! 🎁✨

Reconnect Through Music

Today’s Reconnect Through Music session was an absolute hit! The room was packed with energy, smiles, and incredible talent. πŸ˜„πŸ™Œ The atmosphere was buzzing from start to finish, with everyone joining in, singing along, and enjoying the chance to reconnect through the power of music. πŸŽΆπŸ’›

A total of 27 songs were performed today! 🌟 Here are some of the great performances we enjoyed:

Matilda delivered a stunning version of Never Enough from The Greatest Showman πŸŽͺ✨
Ffion & Amy brought the fun with Girls Just Wanna Have Fun πŸ’ƒπŸŽ‰
Anthony gave a heartfelt performance of Perfect by Ed Sheeran ❀️🎸
Natalie lit up the room with Murder on the Dancefloor πŸ’ƒπŸ”Š
Ben, our new member, wowed everyone with Cold Heart by Dua Lipa πŸŽ§πŸ’™
Theresa got everyone singing along to Wonderwall 🎸🎢
Adrian rocked the classic Return to Sender πŸ“¬πŸŽ€
Susan charmed the room with Take Me Home, Country Roads πŸŒ„πŸ›£οΈ
Sean brought festive cheer with Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin’ Stevens πŸŽ„πŸŽ…πŸŽ΅

The group enjoyed delicious pizza prepared by Christy and Cheryl β€” thank you both! πŸ•β€οΈ It added to the warm and friendly atmosphere that everyone felt.

Feedback was glowing! ✨

Helen said it was a happy atmosphere and that everyone interacted so well. 😊🀝
Moira shared that she really enjoyed everything. πŸ’›
Vicky especially loved the dancing and socialising. πŸ’ƒπŸ•ΊπŸŽ‰

It’s clear that today’s session brought people together in the best possible way. A huge thank you to everyone who came along and made today so special. Your energy, positivity, and talent created a wonderful day for all. πŸŒŸπŸ’– Also a big thanks to the Moondance Foundation for funding these sessions – they make a huge difference to our members. Here’s to many more sessions filled with music, laughter, and connection! 🎡😊✨

πŸŽ„βœ¨ Craft Morning with Deb and Louise! βœ¨πŸŽ„

Yesterday our members enjoyed another fantastic craft session with Deb and Louise from Multiply. They had a brilliant time designing their own Christmas trees and making festive decorations. πŸŽ¨πŸŽ…βœ¨ Everyone got creative, learned something new, and made beautiful pieces to take home. We love seeing the confidence and smiles these sessions bring! πŸ’šπŸ˜Š Great work everyone β€” your Christmas crafts looked amazing! 🎁🌟

Reconnect Through Cookery

🌟 A massive thank you to all our wonderful volunteers who covered Friday’s Reconnect Through Cookery session! 🌟 The food looked absolutely amazing πŸ˜‹

Our members prepared peppers, onions, and mushrooms to add to a tasty Mayflower chicken curry πŸ› served with fluffy rice 🍚. We also enjoyed a fun game of bingo πŸŽ‰ and a quiz ❓—the room was full of happiness, laughter, and very full tummies! πŸ˜„πŸ’›

Also, during the session Paula received her certificate and delicious dairy- and gluten-free cake from the learning disability liaison nurses as a thank you for taking part in the annual health check video.

These sessions make such a huge difference to our members, especially on dark winter days β„οΈβœ¨. They bring warmth, connection, and a reason to smile. Thank you everyone for making today so special! πŸ’› We’ll see you all on Wednesday for music πŸŽΆπŸ’ƒπŸ•Ί