Tag Archives: caerphilly people first

Reconnect Through Music

Posted on by

We enjoyed another brilliant music session this morning when our talented members belted out 24 songs by a diverse range of artists including Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, the Bee Gees, John Legend, UB40, and Adele. We also welcomed new faces Hywel, who performed How Great Thou Art, Josh, who performed Greased Lightning, and Andrew, who performed Suspicious Minds.

Our members absolutely loved it, with people saying they love how friendly everyone is, and how they love singing and meeting up with old friends and making new friends. Thanks to Cheryl for providing a delicious buffet lunch, and to Helen (happy birthday!) and Sharon for helping out in the kitchen and in the hall – we really appreciate it.

Seeing everyone smile and connect through music is truly heart-warming, and we can’t wait to do it all again on Wednesday 11th June. See you all in two weeks!

Reconnect Through Cookery

Posted on by

Reconnect through Cookery was a huge hit again last week! We rolled up our sleeves and made a delicious homemade lasagna, served with warm, golden garlic bread – yum! Our amazing members also prepared a colourful fresh salad filled with juicy tomatoes, crispy lettuce, zesty spring onions, crunchy red onions, cool cucumber, and tasty mushrooms – the perfect combo to go with our lasagna!

A massive THANK YOU to all our fantastic volunteers – you’re the heart of our sessions – and to Peter our caretaker for helping set up the hall. You’re all superstars! We’ll see you again in two weeks for a flavour-packed session with curry and rice – we can’t wait!

Cooking, sharing, laughing, and reconnecting – that’s what it’s all about!

Meeting about Benefits Reform

Posted on by

Yesterday afternoon, Ffion, Nat, Gethin, and Amy joined an online meeting with other People First groups across Wales. The meeting was run by All Wales People First and was about Benefits Reform.

We talked about:
Changes to benefits money from the government
The Access to Work scheme that helps disabled people in jobs
Getting good jobs and being treated fairly
Health and safety at work

What is Access to Work? Access to Work helps pay for things like:
Travel to work
Job coaches or support workers
Special equipment or changes at work

We also talked about:
Making benefits easier and fairer
Getting faster help from Access to Work
Helping people move from volunteering to paid jobs

And organisations like the Equality and Human Rights Commission which:
Makes sure disabled people are treated fairly
Protects people’s rights
Helps stop discrimination

The government should:
Give money to these organisations
Listen to disabled people’s voices
Follow equality laws

We also spoke about Health and Safety at work:
Some people need changes to help them stay safe
Staff should get health and safety training
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) checks if workplaces are safe

Next steps:
Kelly will fill out the consultation form from All Wales People First. This means our group’s voice will be heard and shared!

University of South Wales Training Session

Posted on by

Amy, Nat, and Gethin visited USW this morning to take part in a training session in the Simulation Suite. Today was all about being a patient!

Amy played a young lady with a learning disability, epilepsy, and a chest infection.
Nat portrayed a lady with a learning disability who lives in supported living and loves to visit A&E — she claimed to have drunk shampoo and bleach!
Gethin played a young man with a learning disability who fell into a bin and cut his head, with a suspected concussion.

The nursing students did amazing and worked brilliantly with our TRAC members. It was great to see them:

Asking for Health Profiles
Making reasonable adjustments
Using easy read language

Nat gave feedback and said the nurses did great! So proud of our team and the future healthcare professionals learning how to support people with learning disabilities with care and compassion. Great job everyone! You were all stars today!

Reconnect Through Music

Posted on by

Wow, what an amazing session! We had over 25 songs, featuring classics from The Fugees, Phil Collins, George Ezra, Robbie Williams, and Ed Sheeran. Our members absolutely loved it! There was plenty of singing, dancing, and a delicious buffet lunch. It was wonderful seeing everyone have so much fun, and we even saw some new singers take the mic!

We also took some great photos to promote World Mental Health Day. Seeing everyone smile and connect through music was truly heartwarming. A massive THANK YOU to all our amazing volunteers – we couldn’t do it without you! See you all in two weeks!

All Wales People First National Council Meeting Report

Posted on by

Yesterday, Amy Jones attended the All Wales People First National Council meeting via Zoom. The meeting started with introductions and a check of the last meeting’s minutes to spot any mistakes and hear updates.

Updates:
Joe shared what he’s been working on.
Reps talked about the Mirror Principles to see if they need changing and how to check if self-advocacy groups are following them.

After Lunch:
We talked about important issues like transport and benefit cuts. Lynne Griffiths, who knows a lot about learning disabilities, was chosen for the board.

Adfest Update:
Day One: Joe’s introductions, four workshops, talent show for members, stalls, Mirror Awards, photo booth, and disco in the evening.
Day Two: AGM, four more workshops to choose from, another talent show (with voting for winners), and more stalls.

Geraint’s Request:
Make a video answering questions like, “How do you want to be seen, heard, and valued?”
These videos will be shared on social media. Other Zoom participants can also make videos and send them to Tracy.

Chair Yoga Fun with Lisa!

Posted on by

Another fantastic yoga session yesterday with the lovely Lisa! We got creative and made mindfulness pockets filled with flowers, leaves, and lavender. The room smelled amazing! We stretched it out with some Chair Yoga poses, then ended the session on a relaxing note by laying on the floor with our legs over the chair while listening to calming music. Breathing exercises helped us unwind and feel at peace. We’re already looking forward to more yoga magic with Lisa in August and September after the summer break! Thank you, Lisa, for guiding us on this wonderful yoga journey!

Reconnect through Cookery – Cottage Pie Delight!

Posted on by

On Friday we whipped up a delicious cottage pie using lean mince, buttery mash, fresh vegetables, and rich gravy! Our amazing members prepared cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, onions, and mushrooms to add to the mince, making it a hearty and wholesome meal.

A big shoutout to Sarah for keeping everything running smoothly on the floor, and Nat for helping with the tables. And a huge THANK YOU to Rees, Connor, Nat, and Delyth for helping out in the kitchen. Cheryl did a fab job dishing up a delicious lunch, and we couldn’t have done it without Peter, our awesome caretaker, who’s always lending a hand.

Our members had a blast cooking, eating together, and catching up. They love these sessions for making friends, sharing meals, and having a good laugh. The quiz was a big hit too! We’ll see you all in two weeks for another delicious session where we’ll be making lasagne and serving it up with a fresh salad!