Tag Archives: Self advocacy

One Planet Project

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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

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

Gethin & Nat Join TRAC Discussion Online

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Gethin and Nat recently joined other TRAC members via Teams for an important research discussion led by Professor Steven Walden. TRAC (Teaching, Research, Advisory, and Committee) is a group that brings together people with learning disabilities to work alongside professionals, providing valuable insight into health and social care.

The session covered:

Research discussions on key topics
Training and teaching student nurses
The importance of cervical screening for health and well-being

Stacey Rees led an insightful discussion on teaching and training, helping members understand the role they can play in educating future healthcare professionals.

Reconnect Through Cookery – Pizza Party!

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On Friday our amazing members got creative in the kitchen, making delicious homemade pizzas! They prepped mushrooms, peppers, and a fresh, healthy salad with lettuce, cucumbers, spring onions, and tomatoes. Using tortilla wraps as the base, they spread tomato purée, then topped them with cheese, ham, pepperoni, sweetcorn, and even pineapple (yes, we went there!).

A HUGE thank you to Cheryl and Zoe for all your help, especially since some of us had to leave early to attend the Police Crime & Justice Plan launch. And thanks to everyone who helped out in the kitchen!

Hackathon: My Beautiful Life – Part 2

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We had a fantastic day yesterday at Llanhilleth Miners Institute working in collaboration with other People First groups on the My Beautiful Life project!

We explored what truly matters to us in health & social care, community, and housing. We brought our discussions to life through art, music, and drama, and the results were absolutely amazing! Some of our members helped write a song, others took part in acting, while some expressed themselves through musical instruments and canvas drawings. It was incredible to see so many individuals come together and share their voices in such creative ways!

A huge thank you to all Caerphilly People First volunteers and members for attending, and to Jenny from Torfaen People First and Blaenau Gwent People First for an absolutely fantastic creative event!

We Love Reconnecting Through Music!

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We had another brilliant Reconnect through Music session in Fleur-de-Lys today, with our extra-talented members belting out 27 different songs! The singing, dancing, and smiles were a joy to see. Once again, we welcomed a few new faces, and everyone enjoyed a tasty buffet prepared by Cheryl and Zoe.

Thanks to everyone who came (and helped to tidy up afterwards), and a special thank you to Ffion for doing the register and collecting the contributions for teas and coffees. We can’t wait to see you all in a fortnight’s time, same time, same place, when once again our members will blow the roof off the place!