Reconnect through Cookery

Posted on by

A big thank you to Team Multiply Caerphilly for running Friday’s cookery session! Our members had a fantastic time preparing peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, spring onions, and tomatoes to go with cheeseburgers on brioche buns. The food was delicious! Everyone also had a go at making fruit sponge to cook in the air fryers.

We are grateful to all our wonderful volunteers for working so hard. Special thanks to Ffion and Amy for hosting the bingo, and to Rebecca for hosting the quiz. We will be off next week, but we’ll be back on Friday, July 26th, for our summer party. Fancy dress is optional for the party.

Music with RecRock

Posted on by

We had an amazing time at the final RecRock session at Libanus Lifestyle Chapel yesterday! Nat and Gethin’s efforts to dress up as Cheryl Cole and Bruce Springsteen added a lot of fun to the event. Nat’s performances were a highlight, and it was great that everyone got involved in singing their favourite songs.

Special shoutouts to Ffion and Dan for their rendition of “Don’t You Want Me,” Morgan for singing “When You Say Nothing at All,” and Richard and Demi for their dancing and singing skills. Well done also to everyone else who performed! The buffet with crusty baguettes and homemade sausage rolls was a perfect ending to the session.

The feedback from these sessions has been amazing. Individuals have grown in confidence, made friends, become less anxious, and now love socialising. We have loved listening to you perform every week and will miss you through the summer. Hopefully, we’ll be back just in time for autumn to brighten up the dark days.

Thank you, Dan, for your contributions and for making the event’s memorable for everyone! Also, thanks to the Libanus Lifestyle team for the delicious lunches. See you all soon!

Gardening

Posted on by

We visited TARAGGAN yesterday morning and had a great time transferring the parsley from the bottle greenhouse to the raised beds in wheelbarrows and replanting it.

Parsley is often used as a garnish, adding a bright green color and fresh flavor to dishes. It enhances the taste of soups, stews, salads, and sauces.

We will be back at TARAGGAN on the 30th of July, so please feel free to join us. Thanks, Kyle, Samantha and Dillon.

Crafts

Posted on by

Craft activities can be highly beneficial for adults with learning disabilities for several reasons:

  1. Enhances Fine Motor Skills: Engaging in crafts like making ladybirds helps improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills through activities like cutting, gluing, and painting.
  2. Promotes Creativity and Self-Expression: Crafting allows individuals to express themselves creatively, which can be particularly rewarding and therapeutic.
  3. Boosts Self-Esteem: Completing a craft project provides a sense of accomplishment and can significantly boost self-esteem and confidence.
  4. Encourages Social Interaction: Craft sessions often take place in group settings, promoting social interaction and teamwork, which are essential for building social skills.
  5. Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Crafting can be a relaxing and enjoyable activity that helps reduce stress and anxiety, providing a positive focus and distraction from everyday challenges.
  6. Enhances Cognitive Function: Following instructions and planning a project can improve cognitive abilities, such as problem-solving, concentration, and memory.

Today’s activity of crafting ladybirds would have offered all these benefits, combining creativity, skill-building, and social interaction in a fun and engaging way. Thank you Cheryl Smith & Zoe Dummett for a great afternoon. Check out our designs below.

Gardening at TARAGGAN

Posted on by

Caerphilly People First Volunteers have been working on weeding one of the plots and tidying up at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens. The gardens are looking beautiful, with lots of flowers and fruits making an appearance. We volunteer at TARAGGAN every Tuesday morning at 10:30am. If you want to join us, please feel free to pop along.

This a report by head gardener Morgan Jones on our most recent visit to the allotments:

Earlier this morning me, Christy Taylor, Gethin Chamberlain & Rees Powell went up to TARAGGAN allotments to do a shift on the garden. When we got there, I asked Kyle Richards “What is there for us all to do on the garden today?” He said “there’s weeding that needs to be done, so we’ll do that.” As I’ve done since I was appointed Head Gardener I told both boys what they had to do in order for us all to start gardening. I told Rees to get the trowels and kneeling pads out of shed 1, and between myself and Gethin we got 2 wheelbarrows out of shed 2 to put all the weeds in.

Annual Health Checks

Posted on by

We recently received a visit from Clare and Tracy from the primary care learning disability nursing liaison team. They stopped by to talk about annual health checks and gave us some information about who’s eligible to receive one, and how we can book.

We look forward to seeing you both again on July 30th and can wait to have a look at and try out some of the equipment they use at the Doctors.

An annual health check for adults with learning disabilities is a comprehensive assessment designed to identify and address health issues that may be overlooked or unmanaged in this population. The aim is to improve health outcomes and quality of life. Here are the key components:

  1. Physical Health Assessment
  2. Medical History Review
  3. Mental Health Evaluation
  4. Lifestyle and Preventive Health
  5. Social and Environmental Factors
  6. Communication Needs
  7. Care Planning

These checks are typically conducted by a general practitioner (GP) or a nurse, often in collaboration with other healthcare professionals familiar with the needs of people with learning disabilities. The goal is to provide holistic care that addresses both physical and mental health needs, ensuring that individuals with learning disabilities receive appropriate and timely healthcare.

Reconnect Through Music

Posted on by

Caerphilly People First members had a fantastic time at their most recent music session with Dan from RecRock. The room was filled with energy and enthusiasm as everyone gathered to participate. Dan’s engaging style and musical expertise brought out the best in each member, encouraging them to sing their hearts out. The session included a mix of popular songs from artists like Celine Dion, James Ingram, Tina Turner, Kylie Minogue, Queen, and many more, creating an inclusive and enjoyable atmosphere. Thank you to the Libanus Lifestyle Chapel team for providing hot dogs for lunch; they were enjoyed by all. Next week, unfortunately, is our last session for the summer, but we will have a blast for our final get-together. Please come in fancy dress if you like, as we will have some party songs and party food.

Recrock at the Cwtsh Community Event

Posted on by

Yesterday we held our RecRock session at Oxford House in Risca, at the Cwtsh Community Wellbeing event. The garden was the perfect setting for our members to sing their favourite songs and have a dance. We also got to make fruit kebabs with Multiply Caerphilly, and have festival make-up and hair done. Next week, we will be back at Libanus Lifestyle Chapel on Wednesday from 10:30am until 12:30pm.