What a fantastic turnout yesterday for our Christmas craft session – a full house! We got into the festive spirit by making beautiful snow globes. Everyone got creative gluing miniature Santa and Christmas tree figures onto the bases, then adding a magical mixture of water and glycerine. Some went for glittery sparkle, while others chose frosty fake snow, and the results were amazing!

A huge well done to everyone for your fabulous creations, and a big thank you to Cheryl for leading the session. Next week we’ll be painting wooden Christmas figures – can’t wait to see all your festive masterpieces!

Cracking afternoon at Caerphilly People First! We had an absolute blast yesterday making our very own Christmas crackers. With a full house and lots of festive cheer, the group was buzzing with creativity and laughter. To make our crackers extra special, we made beautiful friendship bracelets to pop inside – what a thoughtful touch. We can’t wait to see these crackers decorating everyone’s trees.

A huge thank you to Zoe for facilitating this fantastic session. Same time, same place next week – let’s keep the fun going!

We had a very crafty early induction to Christmas at our Tuesday Crafts group this week. Due to a delay in the delivery of some craft materials, our snow shakers are now planned for next week, but that didn’t dampen our spirits. We “snow plowed” on with Christmas cards and ornaments, and wow, they turned out fantastic. Well done, everyone!

All spaces are now allocated, and we can’t wait to see you next week. Big thanks to Cheryl and Zoe for facilitating such a fun session — it was a wonderful time socializing, making friends, and learning new skills!

Thank you to Cheryl and Lucy for the craft session yesterday afternoon. Our members had a fantastic time designing and making keyrings. They looked amazing — well done, everyone.

We won’t have a craft session next Tuesday afternoon. Instead, we will be having a visit from the lovely Rosie Cribb, who will talk to us about jobs and employment. See you all then!

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.

At yesterday’s crafts session our members made bracelets with Cheryl Smith & Zoe Dummett. Craft sessions are great for learning new skills, making friends, and improving wellbeing. Completing a craft gives a great sense of achievement, boosting self-esteem and confidence!

We had a full house for our craft session on Tuesday when our members and volunteers made beautiful suncatchers. Check out their work below. Thank you to Jess, Zoe, and Cheryl, for running this session and for our lovely brisk walk to end off a great day.

At yesterday’s crafts session our members made braided fabric keychains and bracelets. They plaited their favourite colours and attached them to keychains. Some members also made name bracelets out of beads and elastic. Everyone enjoyed the activities and catching up with friends, sharing their bank holiday memories over a cuppa. Thank you to Cheryl & Zoe for volunteering to facilitate the session.

We don’t have craft next Tuesday afternoon, but we will be going out for a local walk. If you would like to join us, we will be leaving Bargoed YMCA at 12:30pm.