CAVS AGM Question Time

During the CAVS Annual General Meeting (15th November 2007) we briefly interviewed representatives of community groups, and asked them to following;

What are you most proud about within your community group?

What barriers are there within the group that stop you doing more?

Please view/listen to their answers below.

David Groom from Brechfa Community Shop

Audio Interview - Sandra Ozolins from Vegfam (click to play/download)

CAVS AGM Winter Fayre

Pyro.pyxie-trix perform

To finish the day a Winter Fayre was held where displays and stalls could be enjoyed over a glass of mulled wine. Entertainment was provided by Pyro.pyxie-trix youth circus group (find out more at http://www.pyropyxies.co.uk/) and Tumble Primary School Choir. Then goodies were won as Cris Tomos, CAVS' Business Manager, drew the raffle.

Carmarthenshire Celebrates Its Voluntary Sector

Anne Fazackarley, British Red Cross

After coffee and cake, delegates to the CAVS AGM returned for the third session of the day. This celebration of voluntary sector work included contributions from Annie Fazackarley of the British Red Cross, Arts Care’s Chris Ryan, David Groom from the Brechfa Shop, Trysordy’s Jonathan Gaunt and Gayle Harries of Dr Mzs.

Annie Fazackarley introduced the work of the British Red Cross and in particular their Home from Hospital Discharge Scheme which provides patients with emotional and practical support to ease the transition from hospital to home and allow patients to be discharged earlier.

Arts Care / Gofal Celf is an innovative arts organisation based in Carmarthen. Established in 1986, Arts Care provides arts workshops, training packages and information to people of all ages and abilities. Chris Ryan explained how the arts are a particularly good way of engaging with people and showed delegates samples of their recent work.

David Groom spoke about how the community of Brechfa Village got together to save its village shop when it faced closure in 2004. By banding together and putting in a lot of hard work, the shop was refitted and a new sub Post Office opened. Now run by a team of around 40 volunteers, the shop provides a focal point for the village.

Jonathan Gaunt introduced the delegates to Trysordy – the first Community Interest Company in Mid and West Wales. It’s a not-for-profit membership organisation, serving communities in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion and aims to be a low cost “one stop shop” providing play, creativity, education and community events and is a pioneer in the field of creative recycling.

Gayle Harries spoke about Dr M’z – an innovative drop in centre run by Carmarthenshire Youth Project. It provides a comfortable, safe, informative and stimulating place for young people to meet which is also celebrating its tenth anniversary this year.

Bringing the formal part of the day to a close, Louise Spierling of the Big Lottery Fund spoke on funding opportunities for community and voluntary sector organisations.

The Way Forward for the Community Sector in Carmarthenshire

Liz Dutch and Ceri Davies, Shelter Cymru

CAVS’ AGM looked forward to the future for the community sector in Carmarthenshire.

Jayne Jeffs, the Chair of the Local Health Board launched the Compact Consultation which is looking for views from the voluntary sector on the shared values and principles and working practices set out in the compact. Dr Brickchand Ramruttun, Health and Social Care Partnership Manager spoke about the consultation on the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Strategy.

They were followed by CAVS Business Manager, Cris Tomos, who outlined the next steps for CAVS and its support for the community and voluntary sector in Carmarthenshire. The most exciting development in the near future is the development of the new Mount Centre in Carmarthen funded by the Welsh Assembly, National Lottery and County Council. Work has began on building the centre which will include a basement recording studio and provide room and equipment hire for the sector. Cris launched an appeal for appropriate memorabilia to be put in the time capsule which is to be sealed in the building’s foundations.

Rounding off the session were two presentations from community organisations. Liz Dutch and Ceri Davies from Shelter Cymru introduced a three year project they’re working on with smaller rural communities in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion. Funded by the Big Lottery Fund, this project will help the communities recognise and realise their rights with a comprehensive information resource, providing advice and information on housing, debt and welfare benefits.

Fay Sharpley of Popl y Fforest spoke about their ambitious project to create a community facility in Llansawel. It will include a community shop, IT and business facilities and rooms for visiting health professionals. The £850,000 building project will be environmentally friendly and aim to be self-sustaining.

Keynote Speech: Kate Braithwaite, the Charter for Rural Communities

Keynote Speech: Kate Braithwaite, Carnegie Trust

Dr Kate Braithwaite MBE, leader of the Carnegie Trust Rural Programme gave the keynote speech of the AGM. Dr Braithwaite outlined the results of the Carnegie’s Commission of Enquiry into the future for rural communities which identified great opportunities in the future.

The enquiry identified three things which will become fundamental for the community and voluntary sector: an increased emphasis on new skills such as online networking; enhancing community assets through building capital and increasing the scope and quality of community planning.

The enquiry criticises the current deficit model of funding where a community often has to denigrate itself in order to apply for grants and promotes a positive vision of the future for rural communities. It envisages a future where the local community becomes central to administration, governance and service provision, is provided with the finance to pay for it, and where volunteering and social action are encouraged and supported.

Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services Annual General Meeting

Principality House, National Botanic Gardens of Wales

Today Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) holds its AGM in the wonderful surroundings of the National Botanic Gardens of Wales. This year is CAVS’ tenth anniversary and the AGM will celebrate the good work the voluntary sector does in Carmarthenshire and look forward to the next ten years. Speakers include Kate Braithwaite from the Charter for Rural Communities, representatives of a number of community organisations and Louise Spierling of the Big Lottery Fund. The event concludes with a Winter Fayre bringing together local craft stalls and entertainment.

Carmarthenshire Connect is attending the AGM and will be blogging live from the event, bringing you all the news and views from Carmarthenshire’s community and voluntary sector.

Brynaman Gardening Club's November Meeting

Around fifty members of the Brynaman Gardening Club attended November's meeting. Mrs Lilian Waters gave a lively talk on growing Pelargoniums. Lilian can only be described as an expert, having won many prizes - as well as being a judge herself.

Lilian shared helpful tips on successful growing - a heated greenhouse just being the start. (Lilian chooses mains gas!) We also saw a slide show of some of Lilian's Pelargoniums and some of her favourite garden shots which cheered us up on a dark winter's night. Lilian's passion for Pelargoniums is an insipration for all aspiring gardeners.

Ystradowen Fireworks Night

On this year’s chilly Fireworks Night, the Carmarthenshire Connect Team went to see the Ystradowen Residents’ Association’s fireworks display. There was an excellent turnout and the show was spectacular!

Just one of the many amazing fireworks.

Congratulations to Jay Williams on winning the Best Guy Competition.

If you’d like to contribute news of your community events, then e-mail the Carmarthenshire Connect Team at info@carmsconnect.org.uk and we can go through how you can get involved.

A Message From the Carmarthenshire Connect Team

Welcome to the Carmarthenshire Connect blog.

Carmarthenshire Connect is an exciting new opportunity for community groups in the Communities First areas of Carmarthenshire. We support community groups to take photos, videos and make audio recordings of their activities and publish them on this specially created community blog. It’s a really good way for community groups to share what they do with others in the community.

Over the next few months lots of community groups from across the Communities First areas of Carmarthenshire will be contributing news and photos about their events and activities, interests and concerns – making this site a really good way of keeping in touch with all that’s going on in your community.

If you know a community group that would like to get involved, find out more about the project on the About Page, or email us for more information at info@carmsconnect.org.uk.

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