Author Archives: Peoplefirst

Digital Wellbeing with Wise Kids

Posted on by

The group was recently joined by Sangeet from Wise Kids, an organisation whose aim is to promote digital literacy and wellbeing. Sangeet talked to the group about their use of social media, including what websites and apps they visit, and the good and bad things about using social media. The group also discussed the ways they relax if they feel stressed. This focus group was in preparation for a course of six sessions which will offer members mindfulness and digital wellbeing advice, such as recognising how the internet and technology can make us feel, and the impact being online can have.

Cookery Halloween Party

Posted on by

On Friday 27th October we held our Reconnect Through Cookery Halloween Party. It was great to see so many people dressed up – everyone looked scary and fantastic. We played a game of spooky bingo and then handed out certificates for Best Carved Pumpkin, awarded to Sian, Best Spooky Dancer, which went to Briani, and Best Costume, awarded to Gethin. This was followed by some lovely buffet food. Thank you to everyone who volunteered – we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to Jamie Pritchard, Deputy Leader for Caerphilly County Borough Council, and Councillor Carol Andrews for paying us a visit and judging our competitions.

Gardening

Posted on by

This report was written by our head gardener, Morgan Jones:

When I arrived at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens and Nursery, I told everyone what their job was. Usually it’s me Gethin, Rees, Chris, Anthony and Connor who work on the plots, but because there was a meeting in the office, it was just me, Chris, Anthony and Connor at the allotments this week. We planted garlic cloves and covered them with soil, and the garlic will be ready for us to pick next August.

Reconnect Through Cookery

Posted on by

Our members did a fantastic job making tuna pasta bake at the most recent cookery session. Not everyone is a lover of tuna, so some added sausage or ham and cheese to theirs. After making the pasta bakes everyone prepared a healthy salad of broccoli and peppers that we pan fried in olive oil, and carrots which we glazed with honey and air-fried. I think everyone hit their target of 5 portions of fruit and veg!

Thank you to Cheryl and Rickell for all your hard work in the kitchen, and to and Ffion for being an amazing quizmaster and calling the bingo.

Next week is our Halloween party when we will have prizes for the best carved pumpkin, best fancy dress, and best spooky dancer. There will also be raffles, quizzes, bingo, and lots of spooky tunes to dance to. On the menu will be jack-o-lantern pizza, spooky Halloween sausage, and graveyard cake. See you all next week.

Healthy Eating

Posted on by

This week we were visited by Patrick and Kane from the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board who talked to the group about the Mediterranean Diet and the importance of healthy eating. It has long been known that people living in Mediterranean countries (Italy, Greece, France and Spain) enjoy long life and good health, and the boys talked about which foods make up a Mediterranean Diet, and also what foods are bad for you.

Members received a booklet to take home containing this information in more detail, plus recipes to try, and a chart to write which foods you have eaten throughout the week. Thanks to Patrick and Kane for the visit, and for the very important information which we hope our members will use in their daily lives.

Gardening

Posted on by

Yesterday at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens & Nursery our volunteers continued working hard on the plots, weeding and preparing them to plant garlic next week. The group also harvested our raspberries and shared them out in the office when we returned.


Thank you Kyle Richards for helping to prepare the plot for planting the garlic, and for showing our new volunteer Connor how to use the tools correctly. If you would like to volunteer with us we are at TARAGGAN every Tuesday morning from 10.30am.

Cookery

Posted on by


At Friday’s cookery session we enjoyed indulging in some good old-fashioned comfort food when Connor’s choice of Lasagne was the perfect dish for a cold, rainy Friday. Our members did a great job preparing the side salad while Connor showed everyone how to layer the lasagne. He began by spreading a layer of bolognaise on the bottom of the dish, then added a single layer of pasta sheets, followed by a layer of white sauce. This was repeated to make two layers, and was topped off with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese. The end result was delicious.


Thank you to our amazing volunteers for assisting and working so hard on the pots and pans – well done everyone. We have a few spaces available for pasta bake next week, so if you would like to join us drop us an email at enquiries@caerphillypeoplefirst.org or call Christy on 07940 474640.

Crafts Session

Posted on by

Thank you to Cheryl Smith from the Parent Network Community Forum for our spooktacular get Crafty session today. Our members had fun making masks and decorations to use at our Halloween party on 27th October. Our next craft session will be on Tuesday 24th October from 12.30pm. Please contact enquiries@caerphillypeoplefirst.org if you would like to join us.

Gardening

Posted on by

Yesterday was a beautiful morning at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens & Nursery where our volunteers worked hard weeding the plots and digging up leeks. Thank you to Sam and Kyle for showing us how to do this properly, and for giving us the leeks to take home to cook. Our volunteers plan to make soup, leeks in cheese sauce, quiche and stews with today’s harvest.

If you would like to volunteer with us or would like more information please contact our Head gardener Morgan Jones via enquiries@caerphillypeoplefirst.org

Cookery

Posted on by

At Friday’s cookery session members prepared salad and made burgers. We served them with fries, pickles, coleslaw and onion rings. Everyone did a fantastic job and the group enjoyed taking part in the bingo and quiz.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered at the session – you worked very hard as always, and these sessions would be impossible without you all.

It was great to see some new faces and to see everyone socialising together and making new friends. Our new member Connor has chosen lasagne for next week.