🎶✨ Reconnect Through Music – Today’s Session ✨🎶

Posted on by

A huge thank you to everyone who attended another inspiring and joyful Reconnect Through Music session today! 💛 It was wonderful to see so much talent on show, along with plenty of smiles and laughter throughout the afternoon 😊🎤 Here are just a few of the highlights we enjoyed:

🎵 Ellysia kicked us off beautifully with Never Gonna Dance Again by Pink.
🎸 Sean had everyone rocking along as he told us to Walk This Way with the classic from Aerosmith.
💃 Christine got the whole room moving with 5,6,7,8 by Steps.
🌼 Adrian gave a heartfelt performance of Edelweiss from The Sound of Music.
🎶 Dennis closed out the performances with the powerful Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad by Meat Loaf.

It was fantastic to see so many people up dancing and enjoying themselves 🕺💃 — including Paula, who treated us to some of the yoga moves she learned yesterday! 🧘‍♀️✨ We also loved hearing everyone’s feedback about what makes these sessions so special ❤️

💬 Ellie shared that she loves dancing and meeting friends, and said the sessions are so good for bringing everyone together.
💬 Morgan said he enjoys socialising with friends and singing his favourite songs.
💬 Ellysia said she loves seeing everyone enjoying themselves.

A special thank you to Christy and Cheryl for keeping everyone well fed with delicious pizza 🍕😋, and of course to all our amazing volunteers and everyone who attends and helps make our music sessions so special each week ❤️🎶

Yoga with Lisa

Posted on by

We had another lovely afternoon with Lisa doing yoga yesterday 🧘‍♀️✨ We used yoga blocks for stretching, balance and posture, and everyone chose a block out of the bag that had a yoga pose drawn on it 🟦🧘‍♂️ It was lots of fun and gave everyone a chance to try something different 😊

We also enjoyed some relaxing time listening to soothing music 🎶💜 Some members like to use chairs for the session while some choose to use the mats, making the sessions very accessible so everyone can take part comfortably 🌟

Everyone did an amazing job joining in and there was lots of laughter as usual 😂💛 These sessions are great for relaxation, movement, confidence and wellbeing, and it’s wonderful to see everyone supporting each other 🤝✨ See you all next week! 🥰👋

Gardening at TARAGGAN

Posted on by

🌱☀️ Another fantastic session at TARAGGAN Educational gardens this week! We planted courgettes, lettuce, and carrots 🥕🥬 Everyone also worked really hard doing more weeding and helping to keep the garden looking beautiful 🌼👏

It was lovely to be outdoors enjoying the fresh air and sunshine while working together 🌞💚 Our members absolutely love these sessions and always enjoy getting involved, learning new skills, and spending time with friends 😊🌿 A big well done to everyone for all their hard work! 💪🌱

Reconnect Through Music

Posted on by

A huge thank you to all our wonderful members for coming along today, especially on such a scorching hot day! 🌞💛 It was fantastic to see everyone enjoying another brilliant music-filled session together. We were treated to an amazing variety of performances, with songs ranging from the 1950s right through to the current day! 🎤

🎸 Ffion and Gethin kicked us off with “I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker”
🌴 Hywel sang the classic “Summer Holiday”
☀️ Morgan followed with another very fitting tune, “Seasons in the Sun”
✨ Tilly performed “How It’s Done” from K Pop Demon Hunters
🕺 Christine thrilled us with “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
🌤️ Sean brightened the room with “Mr Blue Sky” by ELO
🎶 Reinhardt rocked out with “Devil Gate Drive” by Suzi Quattro
🗽 Anthony rounded things off beautifully with “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra

A massive thank you to Christy and Cheryl for preparing our delicious lunch 🍽️❤️ and to all of our amazing volunteers for helping the day run so smoothly 👏💙

🗣️ Feedback from today:
💬 Anthony said: “I love these sessions, thank you.”
💬 Hywel said he enjoys chatting to friends and the food we provide.
💬 Morgan said he loves everything, especially socialising with friends.

Thank you again to everyone who joined us today — we look forward to seeing you all again in two weeks for our normal music session, followed by an hour of African drumming!

Stretch, Connect and Belong Yoga Session

Posted on by

Yesterday, at our Stretch, Connect and Belong yoga session we took things nice and easy due to the heat ☀️🧘‍♀️ We enjoyed some gentle stretches, relaxation and mindfulness together. Everyone had a turn smelling different relaxing scents and talking about how they made us feel 🌸🍋💜 It was lovely hearing everyone’s thoughts and favourites!

We also had some new faces join us today which was so lovely to see 👋❤️ We finished the session with relaxing music and a calming story during our relaxation time 🎶📖 Thank you everyone for another lovely afternoon. See you all next week❤️

Reconnect through Cookery

Posted on by

At Friday’s Reconnect through Cookery session we served homemade corned beef pie 🥧😋 Our members prepared the potatoes 🥔 and broccoli 🥦 and we served it with peas, green beans, creamy mash and lots of tasty gravy 🍽️✨ Everything was absolutely delicious and everyone did an amazing job 👏💚 A massive thank you to all our wonderful volunteers for all your help and support — we couldn’t do it without you 🌟🤝

Reconnect Through Music

Posted on by

Today’s Reconnect Through Music session was another brilliant get-together! 🌟 The room was filled with singing and friendship as our talented members performed an amazing 25 songs. Everyone showed confidence, enthusiasm, and joy — it was a day to remember. 🎶💫 Every performer gave it their all, and the support from the audience made it even more special. 👏🎤✨

Our members gave some incredible performances that had everyone smiling and clapping along:

🎙️ Natalie sang Why by Annie Lennox — such emotion and power!
🌈 Matilda brought energy and confidence with Naughty from Matilda the Musical.
❤️ Mandy gave a beautiful version of If You Don’t Know Me by Now by Simply Red.
💰 Adrian had us all moving with Money, Money, Money by ABBA.
🔥 Theresa performed Eternal Flame by The Bangles.
💞 Anthony sang What About Us by Champaign and wowed everyone.
☀️ Ellysia lifted the room with Mr. Blue Sky by ELO.

A big thank you to Christy, Cheryl, and Helen for preparing the delicious sandwiches and sausage rolls. 🥪🌭 We received some lovely feedback from those who attended:

🎧 Jason said he loved the music and singing.
💬 Vicky shared that she enjoyed mixing with people.
🤝 Rebecca said she loved meeting up with everyone again.
🗣️ Rachel enjoyed talking with new friends.
🌟 Anthony said it was an excellent day.
💪 Judith said the session helped build her confidence.

It was wonderful to see how much these sessions mean to everyone — not just for the music, but for the chance to connect, make friends, and feel part of something special. 💞🎶Today reminded us why these sessions matter so much — music brings people together, builds confidence, and fills the room with joy. 💖 A huge well done to everyone who took part, helped out, and made the day unforgettable. 🥰

✨ Craft with Deb & Louise from Multiply ✨

Posted on by

What a brilliant day at our Meet and Make sessions yesterday! Our members made gorgeous snow globes ❄️⛄ — and they looked absolutely amazing! Our members did a great job learning something new and getting creative. 💙✨

🕙 Session Times:

  • Morning: 10am – 12pm
  • Afternoon: 1pm – 3pm
  • Location: Bargoed YMCA

⭐ How we made our snow globes:

1️⃣ Fill a clean jar with water
2️⃣ Add glitter or fake snow ✨
3️⃣ Glue a small decoration or figure to the inside of the lid
4️⃣ Screw the lid on tightly
5️⃣ Give it a shake and watch the magic happen! ❄️💙

A huge thank you to Deb and Louise for another fantastic Multiply session 😊 Everyone had fun, learned new skills, and made something special to take home. Can’t wait for next week!

🎉 Reconnect Through Cookery 🍽️

Posted on by

On Friday we cooked up an amazing feast! 😋 Our members made sausage bake, tuna bake, and ham & cheese – all served with warm garlic bread 🥖🧄 and a lovely fresh salad 🥗 prepared by our fantastic team. We had tomatoes 🍅, lettuce 🥬, cucumber 🥒, red onion 🧅 and spring onions – absolutely delicious!

A huge thank you to Mark, Rees, Nat, and everyone who worked hard in the kitchen 👏 Big shoutout to Sarah for doing the quiz and helping to serve lunch 🧠🍽️ and Ffion for sorting the register ✅ We all had a brilliant day eating, chatting, and socialising together 💛
See you all Wednesday for Reconnect Through Music 🎶💃🕺

✨ Another Fantastic Day at USW with TRAC! ✨

Posted on by

Yesterday Ffion, Natalie, and Gethin attended the University of South Wales as part of the TRAC (Teaching & Resource Advisory Committee) project. TRAC gives nursing students the chance to learn through real-life scenarios, helping them build confidence, empathy, and the practical skills they’ll need in hospital settings. 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️🏥

Our members acted out different hospital scenarios brilliantly:

🗣️ Ffion played a non-verbal patient
🍺 Gethin had “fallen after a night on the pop” and sported a black eye
🤕 Natalie presented with a grazed, bleeding head

They were amazing as always, and the student nurses did a fantastic job too. ✅ The feedback was brilliant, and everyone worked together with professionalism, care, and a lot of enthusiasm. Nurses—especially Learning Disability Nurses—play a vital role in ensuring that people with learning disabilities receive safe, dignified, and person-centred care. Their understanding, communication skills, and compassion make a huge difference in every hospital environment. 💙

We are proud to support projects like TRAC, where lived experience helps shape better healthcare for the future. 🌟 Well done everyone — we loved the experience! 🙌😊