We’ve been busy in the office with the Primary Care Learning Disability Nurses. Together, we are promoting the Annual Health Check. If you have signed your consent form and agreed to take part, here are the new dates for practice and filming:
March 14th (Friday) – Filming 10:30 AM (Max 2 hours) At Bargoed YMCA
March 19th (Wednesday) – Practice 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM At Bargoed YMCA
March 26th (Wednesday) – Filming 10:30 AM At Bargoed YMCA
Let’s spread the word about the importance of Annual Health Checks!
On Friday we talked about OUR LIVES – what we enjoy, what we need, and how to make things better!
WORK & ACTIVITIES “I like working with adults with learning disabilities.” “I enjoy People First and seeing my friends.” “I love plane spotting with my outreach worker.” “I need more activities.” “I like going shopping.”
SUPPORT Some members prefer female staff. “I don’t need support all the time, but I need more help with my mental health.”
COMMUNITY “I want to feel safe.” “We need more opportunities.” “More exercise classes that are easy for me to do.” “I want more people to talk to me and accept me.”
HOME “Sometimes, staff are not nice.” “I sometimes feel lonely.” “I like my own room and space.” “I love my dogs, my family, and nice food.” “I enjoy going to respite.”
HEALTH “I don’t like having a bad belly, and I can’t eat the foods I enjoy because of allergies.” “Staff help me understand my health.” “I like walking with my support worker.” “Doctors take too long to answer the phone.” “I like walking to keep fit and listening to music.” “I need longer doctors’ appointments.”
This is ‘My Beautiful Life’, a way for us to share what makes us happy and what support we need. Thank you to everyone for sharing – your voices matter!
Today our amazing members belted out 23 different songs, filling the room with laughter, dancing, and pure joy! We welcomed lots of new faces and enjoyed a delicious buffet – the atmosphere was absolutely buzzing!
A HUGE THANK YOU to:
Peter the caretaker for all your help Stu & Nat for hosting an epic karaoke session Helen & Sharon for doing the register and helping clear up Cheryl & Zoe for preparing the delicious buffet
See you all in a fortnight – let’s do it all again!
Yesterday, our focus group had a fantastic visit from Clare, who works for Transport for Wales. She introduced us to the Orange Wallet Scheme, a brilliant tool designed to help people who may need extra support while using public transport. The Orange Wallet contains cards where users can write down their specific needs, making it easier to communicate with railway staff and ensure a smoother journey.
We also had a great discussion about the new trains, who we can ask for passenger assistance at the station, and how to navigate train travel with confidence. To put our learning into action, we’re planning a group trip to Barry when the weather improves! This will be a great opportunity to practice purchasing tickets, boarding, and traveling together while enjoying a fun day out. A huge thank you to Clare for such an informative session!
We’ve had another fantastic morning with our friends at Torfaen People First for Week 3 of Relationship Training! Today, Ffion covered an important topic: Human Rights in Relationships & LGBTQI+ Rights.
Human Rights in Relationships:
You have the right to choose who you want to be friends with or in a relationship with. You deserve respect – no one should hurt, control, or pressure you. You have the right to say yes or no – no one can force you to do things you don’t want to. Everyone has the right to love who they want – safely & happily!
What Does LGBTQI+ Mean?
L – Lesbian (women who love women) G – Gay (men who love men) B – Bisexual (people who love both men & women) T – Transgender (people whose gender is different from birth) Q – Queer or Questioning (people exploring their identity) I – Intersex (born with a mix of male & female traits) + – Includes non-binary, pansexual & more
LGBTQI+ Rights Matter!
Everyone has the right to be themselves & love who they want. No one should be treated badly because of who they love or how they identify. Love is love, and the law protects LGBTQI+ people from discrimination. Let’s celebrate love, respect, and being our true selves! If you ever feel unsafe or treated unfairly, talk to someone you trust – you are never alone!
We had a fantastic turnout at Friday’s Reconnect Through Cookery session! Everyone enjoyed tasty chicken burgers with fries, and our members prepared a fresh and healthy side salad.
A huge thank you to everyone who helped out in the kitchen, and to Sarah & Hayley for sorting the register and raffle. Big shoutout to Gethin & Taylor for hosting a fun St. David’s Day Quiz – great job, both of you! Thanks, everyone, for another amazing session!
Important Update:
This week is music session only on Wednesday (5th March) Cookery resumes the following Friday (14th March) From March 5th onwards, sessions will alternate weekly.
Yesterday’s morning session was a full house once again – new faces, incredible singing, and plenty of dancing! And, of course, we all enjoyed some delicious chip butties to keep us going!
A huge thank you to Belle – it’s been wonderful working with you over the past few weeks! Next week, our members will be running the karaoke session, so get ready for another morning of music, laughter, and friendship. We can’t wait to see you all there – same time, same place, more fun!
Yesterday, our members got creative, making wooden plaques for their bedroom doors and beautiful spring wreaths to brighten up their homes. We also had a blast playing bingo with the Multiply group at Bargoed YMCA — lots of laughs, friendly competition, and maybe even a few lucky winners!
That wraps up our craft sessions for now, but don’t worry, we’re back next week at 10:30am to chat about travel training on the train! If you fancy joining in, feel free to pop along. See you there!
Yesterday, we visited Torfaen People First for the second week of our relationship course. Ffion led a fantastic session on “My Body, Understanding My Body, and Consent.” The group had great conversations and lots of interaction, making it a fun and informative session. Next week, Ffion will be covering contraception and the different types available.
Wow, what a fantastic cookery session we had on Friday! We had 62 of our amazing members join us for a delicious feast of curry and chips with a side of garlic bread – all prepped by our wonderful members, who chopped up onions, peppers, and mushrooms like pros.
A massive THANK YOU to all our volunteers and support staff for running the bingo and quiz, for keeping the energy high, and making sure everything ran smoothly. And a special shoutout to Anthony and Delyth for clearing up – we appreciate you!
We also welcomed a new member, Dan, who had a brilliant time and can’t wait to come back next week. Next week, it’s chicken burgers, fries, and a fresh, healthy salad – all prepped by our amazing members.
Community groups like Reconnect Through Cookery are more than just about food – they help reduce isolation, build friendships, boost confidence, and create opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to learn new skills in a fun and supportive space. See you all next week!
