Tag Archives: Self advocacy

Reconnect Through Music Was A Hit!

Posted on by

What a session we enjoyed yesterday – 50 people came along and blasted out 22 cracking tunes! Morgan brought the house down with Tom Jones, and When You Say Nothing at All by Ronan Keating, Ffion gave us all the feels with Fifteen by Taylor Swift, Sean had us dancing with a classic Madonna hit, and so many more amazing performances – the energy was through the roof!

We had pizza, dancing, singing, and laughter – what more could you want?! These sessions help build confidence, friendships, and bring pure joy to everyone involved. Our members say they “feel included, happier, and more confident” – and we LOVE hearing that! See you all again on Wednesday, May 14th – we can’t wait!

Chair Yoga

Posted on by

Another fantastic Chair Yoga session with the lovely Lisa yesterday! As well as our usual attendees, we welcomed Ben, a new member to the group. The main activity today involved members rolling dice to decide which yoga poses the group would do. The poses we did included:

Tree pose
Butterfly pose
Warrior Pose
Half-moon pose
Plank

As usual we finished the session with relaxing music (and even Gethin was quiet!). It was lovely to stretch our muscles and spend an hour feeling relaxed and calm. Next week’s Chair Yoga session will be held on Wednesday rather than Tuesday, so we hope to see you all then!

‘My Rights and Me’ Radio Show

Posted on by

What a fab morning we had yesterday with our friends from Torfaen People First, recording a radio show at Able in Cwmbran. The topic? Human Rights – including our right to relationships, marriage, and friendship.

We had open and honest chats about love, what it means to us, and shared our own experiences in relationships. There were some real talk moments, plenty of learning, and of course… loads of giggles too! We even chose some top tunes to play when the show goes live on air! Can’t wait to hear it back! Big thanks to Jenny and the team – you made it a day to remember!

Reconnect Through Music – What a Session!

Posted on by

Today our amazing members sang 29 songs, and the room was full of love, fun, and laughter! We danced our hearts out, enjoyed a cracking Easter raffle, and munched on yummy hot dogs!

So many new faces joined us – it was truly a special day filled with joy, singing, and togetherness. Great feedback as always – thank you!

Because you all LOVE the dancing so much, the next session on April 30th will have 20 minutes at the end just for more boogying – don’t forget your dancing shoes! Have a fantastic Easter everyone; we can’t wait to see you soon!

One Planet Project

Posted on by

We’ve had another great morning with Kurtis and Mared from Innovate Trust as part of the One Planet Project! Today’s session was all about composting and saving rainwater for the garden.

We learned:

What composting is
What we can (and can’t!) put in the compost bin
Why saving rainwater is important
How compost helps our plants grow big and strong
What is composting?

Composting is nature’s way of recycling. We turn food scraps and garden waste into rich, healthy soil that helps our plants thrive.

Why save rainwater? It’s free, eco-friendly, and perfect for keeping our gardens green and blooming without wasting tap water.

Thanks again to Kurtis and Mared – we had a brilliant time learning and getting hands-on with nature!

Reconnect through Cookery

Posted on by

This week’s session was full of flavour and fun! We made a tasty Chinese chicken curry with rice and poppadoms. Some members chose plain chicken, while others loved the curry packed with onions, mushrooms, and peppers – all lovingly prepared by everyone with care and smiles!

We got our brains working with a food & cookery quiz, and then had a blast with a game of bingo. Zero food waste this week – go team! Big shout-out to Peter the caretaker for always helping out, and to our amazing volunteers who bring the energy and kindness every single time! See you a week next Friday for some yummy Spaghetti Bolognese.

Chair Yoga – Fun & Relaxing!

Posted on by

Another brilliant Chair Yoga session yesterday! Kirsty said she loved everything about it – and we all agree!

Here’s what we got up to:

We made calming breathing aids using pipe cleaners and beads – perfect for when we’re feeling anxious.
We used ribbons on wands for some gentle arm and shoulder stretches.
Enjoyed some lovely chair yoga movements and stretches.
A few of us even got down on the floor for some extra poses!

We ended the session with relaxing music to help us wind down. Lisa will be back with us in three weeks – and we can’t wait!

FULL HOUSE at Reconnect Through Music!

Posted on by

Wow! Another amazing karaoke & dance session today week with 55 people joining in the fun! 29 different songs were performed, with some absolute bangers, including:

Morgan – Green Green Grass of Home (Tom Jones)
Elizabeth – Money, Money, Money (ABBA)
Ffion – Pink Pony Club (Chappel Roan)
Brian – Sweet Caroline (because it wouldn’t be Music Wednesday without it!)
Wayne – I Should Be So Lucky (Kylie Minogue)

The feedback is always incredible!

“I love singing and dancing!”
“I’ve made new friends!”
“The staff are so friendly!”
“These sessions make me happy!”

We’re back on April 16th for another sing-song & dance-off! See you all then!

Relaxation & Movement with Chair Yoga!

Posted on by

This afternoon, we had a wonderful Chair Yoga session with the amazing Lisa Harwood from EchoYoga! We explored the power of sound and vibration using singing bowls – special bowls that create deep, soothing sounds when played. Some members even balanced them on their bodies to feel the vibrations travel through them!

We also enjoyed some gentle chair stretches and yoga poses, helping us improve flexibility, strength, and relaxation. To end the session, we closed our eyes, took deep breaths, and embraced a moment of calm and mindfulness with peaceful music. A big thank you to Lisa for another fantastic session – we can’t wait for the next one!

One Planet Project – Week 1!

Posted on by

This morning, we kicked off our 4-week One Planet Project with Kurtis, Assistant Project Officer from Innovate Trust, alongside Mared Hughes, Project Officer, who led the session. We had a great discussion about energy – where it comes from, how we use it in our homes, and most importantly, how we can use less energy and save money!

Our members have signed up for the Energy Saving Challenge and will be making small changes that have a big impact, including:

Boiling only the water they need for hot drinks
Switching off lights when not in use
Turning off the tap while brushing teeth & shaving
Making small adjustments to help save the planet

These simple steps help us save water, reduce waste, and cut down on energy bills. We’re excited to welcome Kurtis back next week to learn all about recycling!