Tag Archives: Volunteers

Reconnect Through Cookery

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What a lovely Reconnect through Cookery session we had on Friday💛 We enjoyed a delicious chicken curry with rice, prawn crackers and vegetable spring rolls 😋🍛🥟 and our members did a fantastic job preparing the peppers, onions and mushrooms — great teamwork and confidence in the kitchen! 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳

We also had lots of fun with a quiz and bingo 🎉 Huge well done to all our winners 🏆👏 A big heartfelt thank you to our amazing volunteers and everyone who helped out today — we truly couldn’t do it without you ❤️ And special thanks to Peter the caretaker for kindly setting up the tables for us 🙌

These sessions are about more than just food… they’re about friendship, laughter and feeling connected 💞 We are so proud of everyone who comes along and gives it a go. We will see you all Wednesday for music and pizza 🎶🍕 🎤

Reconnect Through Cookery 👩‍🍳🥔🧀💕

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On Friday we made a delicious cheese and potato pie 😋 Our members worked hard preparing fresh salad with tomatoes 🍅, cucumber 🥒 and lettuce 🥗 to go alongside it. We also served ham with the pie – it was absolutely delicious!

We were pleased to welcome a trainee social worker who visited to see the fantastic work we deliver in the community 💬💙 We also had a fun Valentine’s quiz ❤️🧠 which everyone really enjoyed! As always, we had lots of fun with bingo 🎉 and even a little dance from Sian and Paula 💃🕺 which made everyone smile!

A huge thank you to our amazing volunteers 🙌 Your support makes these sessions so special. The feedback from members was great as always 🌟See you all on Wednesday for music! 🎶🎤

Reconnect Through Cookery

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It was really nice to see our members and volunteers on Friday, at our first Reconnect through Cookery session since the Christmas break. The session had a warm and welcoming atmosphere, with everyone happy to be back together. Alongside the cooking, members also took part in group activities that encouraged social interaction and fun. A quiz and a game of bingo helped create lots of laughter and conversation, adding to the positive atmosphere of the session. Members loved reconnecting after the Christmas break, working together as a group, learning and practicing cookery skills, and taking part in fun, inclusive social activities.

A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped in the kitchen and supported members throughout the day, and a massive thank you to Cheryl, Zoe, and Helen for running the session and making sure everything went smoothly. We would also like to say a huge thank you to Natalie for running the quiz, and to Tasha for calling out bingo – your continued support and enthusiasm are greatly appreciated.

Our next Reconnect Through Cookery session will take place on Friday 30th January, when we will be cooking cottage pie. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another enjoyable session, and we’ll see you then!

✨ Reconnect Through Cookery

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On Friday our members cooked up a delicious cottage pie 😋🥔 and prepared fresh leeks, broccoli, and cauliflower 🥦🥬🌿. Everyone worked together brilliantly and the kitchen smelled amazing!

A HUGE thank you to all our lovely volunteers for helping in the kitchen ❤️, and to our fantastic support staff for running the quiz and bingo 🎉🧩. And a special shout-out to Peter for setting everything up — we appreciate you! 🙌 It was definitely a session to remember 💛

See you all tomorrow for Reconnect Through Music 🎶 and Friday for our Silent Disco Christmas Party 🎧🎄

Reconnect Through Cookery Update! 🍝🎃

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On Friday we enjoyed a yummy homemade lasagna with lots of fresh vegetables prepared by our wonderful members! 🥕🥦🍅 A big thank you to Nat for doing the quiz 🧠🎤 and Sarah for running bingo! 🎉👏 And of course, a huge thank you to all our amazing volunteers who worked so hard today — you’re the best! 💪💚

It was lovely to see some new faces joining us — we welcomed three new members who really enjoyed today’s session! 🥰🙌 We can’t wait to see everyone again on Wednesday for our Halloween-themed Reconnect through Music session! 👻🎶 Don’t forget to dress up and choose a spooktacular song to sing! 🎤🧛‍♀️🕸️ We’ll be serving hotdogs and cakes too! 🌭🧁

GAVO Volunteering Awards 2025

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Last week, we were honoured to attend the GAVO Caerphilly Volunteering Awards 2025, held at Blackwood Rugby Club. We’re thrilled to share that Caerphilly People First was nominated in the Community Advocate category — and we were absolutely delighted to be awarded the Runners-Up Prize! This recognition celebrates our contribution to volunteering and the positive difference our members continue to make across the community. The award was presented to us by Jane Mudd, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Gwent — thank you, Jane!

The evening celebrated so many inspiring individuals and groups across Caerphilly, with categories including:

Sport and Leisure
Health and Wellbeing
Environmental
Food Sustainability

It was amazing and uplifting to hear about the many great projects happening throughout our county — run by people of all ages and backgrounds, all making a real difference. A huge well done to everyone who was nominated — your hard work and passion shine bright! And a big thank you to GAVO for hosting such a wonderful and inspiring evening. We’re so proud to be part of this amazing community.

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 💛

Reconnect Through Cookery

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On Friday, our members came together to make a delicious pasta bake.

🧅 They carefully prepared the onions
🥗 Added a fresh salad on the side
👨‍🍳 And everyone worked together to create a meal full of flavour and teamwork!

After the cooking, members enjoyed a fun quiz 🏆 which brought lots of laughter and learning.

💖 Thanks to Our volunteers – we couldn’t do it without you! Your support makes these sessions smooth and enjoyable. 🙌

📢 Our next cookery session will be held on 📅 Friday, 26th September, so bring your energy, smiles, and enthusiasm! ✨ We look forward to seeing you all then!

Reconnect Through Music 🎶

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What an amazing session yesterday – we had over 25 songs sung by our talented members! 🎤💫

🌟 Ellysia wowed us with “The Final Countdown” by Europe
🌟 Ffion and Amy gave us a blast from the past with “Flying the Flag” by Scooch
🌟 Natalie sang beautifully with “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia
🌟 Adrian sang “Love Me Tender” by Elvis
🌟 Sean took us back to the 1950s with “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley
🌟 And Rebecca touched our hearts with “It’s All Coming Back to me Now” by Celine Dion

We heard so many incredible performances, and also tucked into a lovely buffet – thank you to all our amazing volunteers! We can’t wait to see you all again in two weeks’ time (17th September)! 😊

Reconnect Through Music 🎶

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What an amazing session yesterday – we had over 30 songs sung by our talented members! 🎤💫
🌟 Matilda wowed us with “Kiss Me” by Olly Murs
🌟 Ffion and Amy gave us a blast from the past with “Don’t You Want Me” by Human League
🌟 Rebecca sang beautifully with “Flower” by Miley Cyrus 💖
🌟 Anthony gave us a few tunes – our favourite was “Love Me Tender” by Elvis 💕
🌟 Hywel touched our hearts with “How Great Thou Art” 🙌
…And so many more incredible performances! 🥳
We also tucked into a lovely buffet – thank you to all our amazing volunteers and a big shoutout to Peter for setting up! 🙏💐
It was also lovely to welcome a new member into the group – we can’t wait to see you again!