Tag Archives: Community

Reconnect Through Cookery

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What a lovely Reconnect through Cookery session we enjoyed on Friday 💚👩‍🍳👨‍🍳 A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers and everyone who helped with the quiz and bingo 🎉🧠🎱 — you always help make the sessions so much fun. Special thanks to Peter our caretaker for getting everything set up for us 🙌👏
Our members did a fantastic job preparing fresh cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower 🥦🥬 to go alongside a delicious cottage pie and gravy, made with 5% fat lean beef mince 🍽️😋As always, we had great feedback and we’re proud to say there was no waste at all ♻️
Everyone absolutely loves our cookery sessions and the difference they make to our community — bringing people together, building skills, and sharing good food and laughter 💬❤️ See you all Wednesday for Reconnect through Music 🎶🎤

Lewis School Visit

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This morning Ffion and Amy visited The Lewis School. Year 7 students are currently taking part in the First Give programme as part of their English lessons, and they’ve chosen to support Caerphilly People First. Through the First Give programme, the students will be carrying out social actions to support us and our work in the community 💪💬

We delivered a presentation about what we do at Caerphilly People First, what a First Give grant is, and how we would use £1,000 to make a real difference 🌱🍳🎶 A First Give grant is funding that students can win by planning and delivering social action projects that support a local charity or community group, helping them create positive change. The students asked lots of fantastic questions and showed a genuine interest in our work – it was brilliant to see such enthusiasm and compassion 💙

We’re really looking forward to attending the finals on Friday 🤞⭐ Good luck to all the students – you’re doing amazing things for your community!

Reconnect Through Music – Session Report 🎤✨

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We had another fantastic Reconnect Through Music session this morning! The room was full of energy, laughter, and brilliant performances as we sang an amazing 28 songs together. 🎵💃 Our members brought us a wonderful mix of classics and hidden gems, covering music from the 1950s right through to the 2020s – what a journey through the decades, and what a joy to see everyone dancing, smiling, and socialising 🕺📻🎶 It was also lovely to welcome two new members, Cheryl and Claire, to their very first session with us. We hope you both enjoyed it and felt the warm Reconnect Through Music spirit! We were treated to so many brilliant performances, including:

Hywel and Kelvin – bringing us some fantastic Cliff Richard favourites 🎸
Rebecca – with a toe-tapping rendition of 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton 🤠
Adrian and Andrew – rocking the room with a couple of Elvis classics 🕺✨
Sean – getting us Eurovision-ready with Making Your Mind Up by Bucks Fizz 🎉
Christine – bringing the party vibes with We Like to Party by Vengaboys 🚌🎶
Ffion and Amy – delivering two powerful Tina Turner classics 🔥🎤
Anthony – leading us in a triumphant We Are the Champions by Queen 👑🙌

And of course, there were many more brilliant performances that kept the atmosphere buzzing all morning! 🌈🎼A big thank you to Christy and Cheryl for preparing our delicious lunch of ham and cheese rolls and crisps – it was very much appreciated after all that singing! 😋👏Thank you to everyone who took part and made today’s session so special. We can’t wait to do it all again in two weeks! 🎶💙

Reconnect Through Music

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What a brilliant session today! 🌟 With over 20 magical performances, the room was full of smiles, laughter, and people enjoying each other’s company 🤗💬. It was fantastic to see everyone socialising and connecting through music 🎤❤️.

We were treated to many wonderful performances throughout the day. Sean gave us the full 8-minute version of American Pie 🎸, while Ellysia and Chris delighted everyone with two beautiful duet performances 🎶👫. Matilda brought great energy with “Summer Nights” from Grease 🌞🎭, Claire delivered a powerful rendition of “Purple Rain” 💜☔, and Anthony performed “Wonderful Tonight” 🎼✨.

A huge thank you goes to Christy, Cheryl, Helen, and Zoe for preparing our delicious hot dog lunch 🌭 and doing all the paperwork – your hard work helped the day run so smoothly, and is much appreciated 🙌💛.

Days like today show the power of music in bringing people together, and the feedback we received really captured the spirit of the session. Mark shared that he enjoys making new friends 😊, Anthony described it as an amazing day 🌟, and Matilda said it’s a happy atmosphere where everyone is made to feel welcome 💖.

🌱✨ A lovely day at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens! ✨🌱

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Yesterday our members enjoyed another fantastic session at the gardens 🌼 The sunshine was out and so were the smiles! ☀️😊 Gethin and Morgan got stuck in—working hard, getting their hands in the soil, digging and turning over the plot 🪴🧤 It was a great way to boost wellbeing and connect with nature 🌸💚

Gardening is not just about growing plants—it’s about growing confidence, friendships, and happiness 🌻🤝 It was also lovely catching up, having a laugh, and seeing everyone enjoy their time outdoors 🌞 A big thank you to everyone involved for making it such a positive and uplifting session 🙌💚 We’re already looking forward to the next visit! 🌿✨

☀️🌱 Another Fantastic Morning at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens

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Everyone enjoyed the beautiful sunshine yesterday, got stuck in, and worked hard as usual 💪🌼 There’s something special about being outdoors — fresh air, teamwork, and getting hands in the soil does wonders for wellbeing 🌿😊 A big thank you to all involved for your energy and effort. Another great morning in the garden! 🌻🍃☀️

🎶 Reconnect Through Music 🎤🍕

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What a fantastic day we had at today’s Reconnect Through Music session! Over 40 people joined us to enjoy great singing, friendship, and a delicious pizza lunch. 💃🕺🍕 The room was filled with music and smiles from start to finish.

✨ Ellysia set the festive mood by singing the first Christmas songs of the year – it might be early, but we all loved it! 🎄
💋 Natalie rocked the room with her version of Leader of the Pack by The Shangri-Las.
👑 Elizabeth got everyone singing along and swaying to Dancing Queen by ABBA.
🎭 Matilda brought Broadway energy with a song from Hairspray the Musical.
💞 Anthony melted hearts with a beautiful rendition of Perfect by Ed Sheeran.
🚗 Sean made us all smile with Driving in My Car by Madness.
🎤 Finally, Ffion and Amy closed the performances perfectly with Stuck on You by Lionel Richie – a lovely duet to end on!

While we enjoyed the performances, we tucked into a tasty pizza lunch, prepared by Christy and Helen – thank you both for the delicious food! 👩‍🍳👏 A huge shoutout also goes to Pete the caretaker for setting everything up so smoothly 🛠️, and to Sharon for keeping track of the paperwork 📋.

The feedback from today’s session was full of warmth and positivity:

💖 “It was fun!”
😊 “I love seeing my friends.”
🤝 “I like meeting new people.”
🌈 “Everyone is friendly.”
⭐ “All staff are amazing.”
“I liked dancing in my chair.”
💪 “It builds my confidence.”
🏠 “I always love it here.”

Today’s session was filled with laughter, great music, and friendship. 🎶 Thank you to everyone who joined in and helped make it such a happy, confidence-building day. We can’t wait to see you all again next time! 💕🎤🍕

Reconnect Through Cookery

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On Friday our members made a classic sausage & mash with fresh vegetables and onion gravy. Everyone worked together to prepare cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots — it smelled amazing!

A big thank you to Theresa and Judith for running the quiz and to Sian for hosting bingo – you all made the session full of fun, laughter, and teamwork. The dinner was delicious, and all the feedback from our members was positive — everyone LOVES our Friday Cookery sessions!

Reconnect Through Music

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Today’s Reconnect Through Music group was full of energy, laughter, and incredible talent. In total, our members performed an amazing 28 songs 🎤✨, and each performance brought its own magic to the room. 🌟

Matilda shone with her powerful rendition of Believe by Cher 🌈, while Ffion and Amy teamed up for a lively performance of Rehab by Amy Winehouse 🍷. Sean had everyone smiling and moving along to My Boy Lollipop by Bad Manners 🍭, and Ellysia wowed us with her version of Crazy by Gnarls Barkley 🤯. Natalie brought a touch of pop sunshine with Flowers by Miley Cyrus 🌸, and Jackie gave a heartfelt performance of Back for Good by Take That 🎶.

As the performances flowed, everyone gathered together to enjoy a delicious hot dog lunch 🌭 lovingly prepared by Christy, Cheryl, and Helen 👩‍🍳👩‍🍳👩‍🍳. This provided a lovely opportunity to relax and chat with friends. We’re grateful to Sharon and Libby 📝 for helping with the paperwork, and to Pete the caretaker 🛠️ who made sure everything was set up and ready before we even arrived.

The feedback we received today really shows how much the group means to people. One member shared, “I made more friends” 🤝, while another said, “I love singing and seeing friends” 🎵. We also heard, “I wish it was every week” 📅, and perhaps the best compliment of all: “You can’t improve this session – I love it” 💖.

Overall, today was a truly joyful session filled with music, friendship, and community. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making it such a success! 🎉

Reconnect through Cookery ✨👨‍🍳

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On Friday our members prepared lots of fresh vegetables 🥦🥕🌽🥬 – we had cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, peas, and carrots to go with our delicious cottage pie 🥧.
We made it using 5% lean mince 🥩 and topped some with cheese 🧀 (and left some plain for those who prefer it that way!). Best of all – zero waste 🙌👏.
Everyone enjoyed the meal ❤️ and feedback is always fantastic! Huge thanks to everyone who helped out in the kitchen 👏, to Nat for sorting bingo & the quiz 🎶🎲, and to Peter the caretaker for setting up the hall 🙏.

💚 Why Healthy Eating Matters 💚
Eating fresh vegetables and balanced meals helps boost energy ⚡, improves mood 😊, supports overall health 🩺, and gives our members the confidence to try new foods 🍴.
These sessions make a huge difference by:
✨ Reducing isolation & loneliness 🤝
✨ Building independence and life skills 🥄
✨ Encouraging teamwork & confidence 💪
✨ Bringing joy and friendship to our members 💛
📌 Our next Cookery session: sausage dinner with vegetables and onion gravy 🌭🥔🧅.
🎵 On Wednesday we’ll be back together for Reconnect through Music 🎤🎶.
Thank you all for another lovely day 💛