Today we visited the TARAGGAN Educational Gardens and continued digging and weeding on our plot 🌱🧑🌾 Everyone worked really hard and the plot is really starting to take shape – we’re so proud of the progress! Huge well done to our amazing volunteers 💚👏 The beautiful flowers have started to bloom 🌼🌸 and it really feels like spring is almost here!
Just a reminder that we won’t be at the gardens next week as we’ll be welcoming the lovely Gerraint from All Wales People First to talk about their manifesto and Adfest. The meeting starts at 11am – you’re very welcome to join us 🗣️✨ TARAGGAN is always looking for volunteers who have knowledge and some time to spare. If you think you could help, please get in touch 🙌🌿
What a lovely Reconnect through Cookery session we had on Friday💛 We enjoyed a delicious chicken curry with rice, prawn crackers and vegetable spring rolls 😋🍛🥟 and our members did a fantastic job preparing the peppers, onions and mushrooms — great teamwork and confidence in the kitchen! 👩🍳👨🍳
We also had lots of fun with a quiz and bingo 🎉 Huge well done to all our winners 🏆👏 A big heartfelt thank you to our amazing volunteers and everyone who helped out today — we truly couldn’t do it without you ❤️ And special thanks to Peter the caretaker for kindly setting up the tables for us 🙌
These sessions are about more than just food… they’re about friendship, laughter and feeling connected 💞 We are so proud of everyone who comes along and gives it a go. We will see you all Wednesday for music and pizza 🎶🍕 🎤
Amy and Christy from Caerphilly People First attended the **All Wales People First National Council meeting on 10th and 11th March at Galeri Caernarfon.🚆 We travelled by train from Cardiff with other staff and members from All Wales People First, and the journey was smooth.
🗓️ Day 1
We started by going through the minutes from the last meeting. We checked the actions that had been completed and asked questions if anything was unclear. 👨💼 Joe Powell, Chief Executive of All Wales People First, gave us an update about the important work they are doing across Wales. 🗣️ Speaking up for Caerphilly Amy spoke on behalf of our members. She shared concerns about: 💻 GP appointments moving online 📱 The new e-consultation system for booking appointments. Amy explained that some people with learning disabilities may find online systems difficult to use. 👏 We are very proud of Amy for speaking up and sharing our members’ views. 💬 National Council Review All the representatives had a chance to talk about: ✅ What is working well ⚠️ What could be improved There were really good discussions and lots of positive ideas shared.
🗓️ Day 2
We were joined on Zoom by the Senedd Engagement Team who gave a presentation about voting. 🗳️ Voting is important because:
Your voice matters
You can help choose who makes decisions
It helps create change in your community 📅 Remember: Elections are in May. 🏡 Homes Not Hospitals Joe also shared an update about the Homes Not Hospitals campaign. This campaign is about making sure people with learning disabilities can live in their homes and communities with the right support, instead of staying in hospital for long periods. Everyone agreed this is really important work. 📱 Sharing Social Media Ideas We also had some group discussions and shared ideas for good social media posts.
It was great to see everyone: 😊 Taking part 💡 Sharing ideas 🗣️ Talking about their lived experiences 🚶♀️ A Lovely Walk Around Caernarfon
We also enjoyed a lovely morning walk around Caernarfon. It is a beautiful place with lots of history. We saw the famous Caernarfon Castle, a huge medieval castle built over 700 years ago by King Edward I. The castle is a very important part of Welsh history and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 🏰 It was great to see such an amazing place while we were there.
It was also really nice to Catch up with other People First members, and spend time with the All Wales People First team. Thank you to everyone for a friendly, positive and productive National Council meeting!
What a fantastic session we had on Friday! Our members cooked up a delicious lasagne made with 5% lean minced beef, served with fresh salad and sides. 🥗 Our wonderful members worked hard preparing the salad, chopping lettuce, tomatoes, onions, spring onions, cucumber and peppers. We also enjoyed peas and garlic bread with our meal. Everything tasted amazing! 😋
A big thank you to Natalie for being our brilliant quiz master 🧠 and Sian for calling the bingo numbers 🎱 – lots of laughs and fun as always! Huge thanks to all our volunteers for their hard work in the kitchen 👏Thank you to Anthony for sweeping the hall 🧹 and Peter the caretaker for setting up the tables for us.
The atmosphere was lovely, the food was delicious, and most importantly our members absolutely love this group and the positive impact it has on them. Sessions like this bring people together, build friendships, and help everyone learn new skills while having fun. ❤️ We’ll see you all Wednesday for our Reconnect Through Music session 🎶
Yesterday we joined together outside the senedd alongside Torfaen People First ,Cwm Taff people first, All Wales People First, and other People First groups and Mencap for a peaceful protest about something that really matters ❤️
No cash = no rights.
For many adults with learning disabilities, cash isn’t just money — it’s independence, choice, and control. Not everyone has a bank card. Not everyone can use a cash machine. Some people in supported living are given a cash allowance to manage their daily lives. Taking cash away takes away freedom. We need a society where people can choose cash and card — not one or the other. Because real inclusion means making sure everyone can take part.
We made our voices heard loud and proud 🎶 We sang a brilliant song written by Cwm Taff members and chanted: “Keep cash, keep choice, listen to every voice!”
This is so important. A cashless society risks leaving people behind — and that’s not okay. Everyone deserves to feel confident, included, and in control of their own money. After the protest, we had a lovely walk around the bay and enjoyed some ice cream 🍦 …but unfortunately, they didn’t take cash — which just shows exactly why this campaign matters. Thank you Cwm Taff People First for inviting us to join you at this important protest 🪧🗣💸
Let’s keep raising awareness. Let’s keep pushing for change. Let’s keep cash, keep choice, and listen to every voice 💬✨
Today’s Reconnect Through Music session was a fantastic success, with a brilliant turnout on a beautiful sunny day 🌞. The room was full, creating a lively and welcoming atmosphere as everyone came together to enjoy over 20 amazing performances from our talented members 🎤✨.
We kicked off the session in style with Ellysia performing Dancing Queen by ABBA 💃, instantly getting everyone in the mood. Anthony kept the energy high with Higher and Higher by Jackie Wilson 🎶, followed by Sean’s great rendition of Oh Julie by Shakin’ Stevens 🎤. Amy delivered a powerful performance of Undo by Sanna Nielsen 🌟, and Kelvin brought plenty of charm with Living Doll by Cliff Richard 🎸. Alongside these, there were many other wonderful performances that kept the room buzzing throughout.
It was brilliant to see so many smiling faces 😊, with members singing along, dancing 💃🕺, and really enjoying the session together. The atmosphere was, as always, warm, inclusive, and full of positivity. We were also delighted to welcome two new members, Benjamin and Callum 👋—it was great to have you join us!
A big thank you goes to Pete for setting everything up 🎛️, and to Christy, Cheryl, and Helen for preparing a lovely lunch 🍽️. Most importantly, thank you to all our members who continue to make each session so memorable 💙.
💬 Feedback from today: 🗣️ “I love this session so much, with all my friends around me.” – Anthony 🗣️ “It’s a helpful and happy atmosphere, and fun.” – Ceri
We’re already looking forward to the next session! 🎶✨
Last week our members attended a fantastic workshop at the University of South Wales (in Glyntaff), joining other People First groups and TRAC members 👏 The session was led by Edward Oloidi, who is carrying out important research into 👀 eye care for people with a learning disability. Some people also joined online 💻, making sure everyone had the chance to be involved 🙌 We had really meaningful discussions about:
🗣️ What works well ⚠️ What doesn’t work 💡 How services can be improved
Our members shared powerful lived experiences, helping to shape better and more inclusive eye care services. Eye tests are so important for everyone, but they must be accessible, understanding, and inclusive so people with a learning disability feel comfortable and supported when attending appointments. A big THANK YOU to all our members who attended, shared their voices, and made the day so valuable 🙏✨
The atmosphere was lovely at Friday’s Reconnect Through Cookery session, and it was great to see everyone smiling, chatting, and enjoying themselves 💛 We made delicious chicken fajitas, served with a crispy, fresh salad. Our amazing members got hands-on preparing lettuce, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms 🥗👏 We topped it all off with salsa and sour cream—and some even braved a jalapeño! 🌶️😄
A big thank you to:
✨ Amy for a brilliant quiz – everyone loved it! ✨ Sam and Rees for helping with the dishes 🧼 ✨ Helen and Zoe for volunteering their time and dishing up delicious wraps 🌯💛 ✨ Ffion for keeping everything organised with the register
These sessions mean so much to our members—bringing people together, building skills, and having lots of fun along the way 😊 Already looking forward to the next one! 🙌
Today we visited TARAGGAN Educational Gardens and what a beautiful day it was! The sunshine really lifted everyone’s spirits 🌞😊 Our members worked incredibly hard, getting stuck into weeding one of the garden plots 🌱💪 It’s amazing to see the teamwork and dedication – everyone played their part and made a real difference 👏
Gardening has so many benefits 🌼💚
🌿 Helps reduce stress and anxiety 🌿 Boosts mood and wellbeing 🌿 Encourages physical activity 🌿 Brings people together and builds friendships
It was also lovely to see John, who once ran the community garden – a really special moment for everyone 🌻👋 Days like this show just how powerful being outdoors and connecting with nature can be 🌳✨ Already looking forward to the next visit!
We had an absolutely brilliant session yesterday, with an incredible 27 songs performed! 🎤💫 The energy was amazing from start to finish
It was so lovely to see Matilda again, who wowed us with songs from The Little Mermaid 🧜♀️ and K-Pop Demon Hunters 🎶🔥. Sean brought the vibes with Tears for Fears 🎹, while Susan had everyone singing along to Living Next Door to Alice 🚪🎵.
We loved the duet from Ffion & Amy singing Olly Murs 💕🎤, and Chris gave us a fantastic It’s Not Unusual 🕺. Anthony performed Hopelessly Devoted to You ❤️, and Christine got the whole room moving with Shut Up and Dance 💃🕺 (and yes… many people DID dance!).
A huge thank you to everyone who shared their amazing talents 🌟👏 — you made the session so special. The hall was packed (big thanks to Pete for setting everything up 🙌), and the delicious pizza 🍕 prepared by Christy & Zoe was a big hit!
💬 Feedback from the group: Cheryl enjoyed meeting friends 🤝😊 Paula loved singing and chatting 🎶💬 Anthony said he loves everyone and that he’s a karaoke legend! 🎤👑
Thank you all for making it such a joyful and memorable day! 🎉🎶💖
