Since we returned to our allotment at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens in February our volunteers have worked there every Tuesday morning, preparing the plots for planting vegetables and fruit, and learning how to sow the seeds. Our volunteers are learning new skills every week and enjoy working in the fresh air, even on drizzly mornings.
Last week we continued working on the fruit plot and weeding the vegetable plots, and you can see how much progress we have made in the picture below. If you would like to join us we are at TARAGGAN Educational Gardens every Tuesday morning from 10.30am.
Gethin Chamberlain and Rees Powell have been busy volunteering at Llancaiach Fawr gardens. Well done lads, you did a great job. Caerphilly People First will be there every Wednesday from 10.30 until 12.30 if you would like to join us.
Caerphilly People First members recently popped along to Beatrice’s Garden open day in Blackwood, which is looking amazing. Well done to all the individuals who work very hard on this project – keep up the good work.
This week at our Reconnect Focus Group we completed some mental health worksheets. The members wrote about what they are grateful for, things they are good at, what they like about themselves, and what their strengths and qualities are.
If you would like any of the worksheets please contact Ffion on ffion@caerphillypeoplefirst.org
This week at TARAGGAN Educational Garden & Nursery Caerphilly People First volunteers worked on clearing more of the fruit plot by removing the bindweed. After the rain we recently had, the raspberries and strawberries are beginning to grow, and the broad beans, onions, courgettes, leeks, carrots and runner beans are looking very healthy.
Thanks John for all your advice – it’s much appreciated as always, and thanks also to Sam for showing us the wax and honey the bees have produced. It tastes delicious and we can’t wait to buy some.
On June 19th and 20th Ffion, Christy, Gethin, Sam, Sophie, Natalie and Claire attended the All Wales People First Adfest 2023 (titled ‘Our Right to Human Rights’) in Cardiff. We travelled to Cardiff on Monday morning and had a little catch up with everyone before the conference started. Chair Tracy Austin and Vice-Chair Samantha Hall opened the conference, followed by Joe Powell, Chief Executive of All Wales People First, with housekeeping.
The first speaker was Sanchita Hosai, Chief Executive of the British Institute of Human Rights, who spoke about the Human Rights Act and the easy-read version they have produced of this document. Next was the ‘Rights Round Robin’, as part of which Ffion and Lisa from Innovate Trust asked attendees about what rights they think people with learning disabilities should have when it comes to relationships. Some of the answers they received included: having the right to live together, go on holidays together, get married, have same-sex relationships, to be single, and to have a child and receive the right support to look after and keep the child.
After lunch we had a drum session with David Powell from UpBeat Music and Arts to wake us up after our food. We played instruments and made up some tunes, which was really fun! Ffion and Lisa then did workshops on relationship rights, what the barriers to relationships are, and how you can overcome them. As part of the workshop, the group took part in a ‘Who Wants to Be a Relationship Millionaire’ quiz. Other workshops that were conducted included ‘Right to Assembly’, ‘Right to Fair Treatment’ and ‘Mindfulness’. We then reported the results of the workshops to everyone, and the people attending Ffion and Lisa’s workshops gave excellent feedback.
After the first day’s activities, the evening meal was followed by the Mirror awards, awarded to recognise achievements over the past year. Well done to everyone who won an award. After the awards we had a chance to have some photos taken in the photo booth, following which some members chose to go the Moonclub with Gig Buddies, and other members went to Mary’s nightclub, with the evening ending in chippy lane (of course).
The second day began with the opening of the exhibition stalls from organisations including Gig Buddies, Learning Disability Wales, BILD, Welsh Ambulance Service, Conwy Connect, Drive, Mirus Wales, and TRAC. The organisations were also available to discuss their activities in the speaker’s tent. This Adfest was amazing and all our members really enjoyed it. We can’t wait for the next one!
Natalie and Ffion, in their roles as members of TRAC, recently visited the University of South Wales where they trained student nurses by playing the role of a patient.
Natalie King played the role of a member of the community who had an epileptic seizure on the street and was taken to hospital, and Ffion Poole played the part of a patient with a suspected broken ankle who was waiting in A&E. The students did a great job, as did Ffion and Natalie in their acting roles.
Well done to everyone who volunteered at the garden this week, especially in this heat. The strawberries and raspberries have made an appearance, along with the courgettes and runner beans. Our volunteers did a great job weeding and tidying up the fruit and veg plots – they are looking really good and everything is growing nicely. We could do with some rain now, as the land is extremely dry and the plants really need water.
We will back at TARAGGAN on Tuesday 27th. If you would like to volunteer with us please email: enquiries@caerphillypeoplefirst.org
Craft session are back every other Tuesday from 12.30 with Cheryl Smith from The Parent Network Community Forum. Yesterday our members and volunteers had a go at creating their own door hangers and they looked pretty good too.
If you would like join us for our next session you can book a space via email, phone, or text.
