S4C 'Wedi Tri' Broadcast

Following the Principality Tree Appeal at Penygaer Primary school last week with David Bellamy, we are pleased to let you know that S4/C will be broadcasting their footage of the day this afternoon (29th April 2008) on their Programme 'Wedi Tri' at 3PM.

It will also be online to view at S4/C Online from this afternoon. So tune in and find out what the school got up to on that sunny afternoon.

ASBO Workshop Update

Some members of All Skate Boarding Outcasts who are working on creating a video about their group recorded this video update today to explain more about the aims of their video project and what they've learnt so far about using iMovie on their Mac.

Interview and film by Jordan

Free Training for Reclaiming 'Gift Aid'

GIFT AID is tax relief on money donated to UK charities. Donations are treated as if basic rate tax has been deducted. The charity can then reclaim this tax to increase the value of a donation.

Changes in the recent budget regarding Gift Aid mean that charities will continue to receive an additional 28p. Charities can claim Gift Aid tax relief of 25p on every pound in donations. HMRC will also be operating transitional provisions for Gift Aid donations made from 6 April 2008 until 5 April 2011, paying a Government supplement of 3p on every pound donated.

It has also been highlighted that some charities and voluntary groups are not re-claiming the Gift Aid on their donations. Gift Aid can apply to one-off donations or those over a specific period and can even be backdated for up to 6 years. It can apply to sponsorships and certain membership fees.

The low numbers of groups re-claiming may be due to issues such as:
o Low awareness of how Gift Aid works
o Lack of time and manpower
o Requirement for training and support on how to administer
o Fear of getting the rules wrong.

Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS), Communities First and Giving Sir Gâr, the new Giving initiative for Carmarthenshire, would like to offer both registered charities and any other third sector organisations (who can re-claim under an umbrella charity such as CAVS) the opportunity to learn about Gift Aid and how to make it start working for you.

In order for us to know whether groups would like training and support please could you register your interest with Simon Pearce at simon@cavs.org.uk or call 01554 777112.

http://www.cavs.org.uk/

http://www.givingsirgar.org.uk/

Carmarthenshire Volunteer Centre Grand Opening

Volunteers, members of the public and CAVS staff all came together this morning to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Carmarthenshire Volunteer Center in Johns St, Llanelli along with tea, coffee, welsh cakes and champagne being served to mark the special occasion!

(Pamela Edmunds cutting the ribbon to officially open the centre with Gareth and Mike)

The morning was filled with enthusiasm, smiles and chatter by people from all walks of live, CAVS hopes the new centre will further encourage and promote volunteering as well as attracting more people to to become volunteers in their local communities. The volunteer officers were on hand all morning to give advice and information on volunteer in Carmarthenshire and to show how much can be benefited from volunteering.

(Left to right, Gareth Richards - Volunteer, Mair Stephens - CAVS Trustee, Pamela Edmunds - Volunteer, Ieuan Williams - CAVS Director and Mike Williams - Volunteer)

The CAVS Volunteer Bureau supports voluntary work in Carmarthenshire. Through their extensive links with organisations throughout the county they are able to provide a service to individuals, who are interested in volunteering, and to organisations, who involve volunteers in their work.

The Bureau's aim is to encourage the use of volunteers and to raise standards for volunteers, service providers and service users. The service is available to all voluntary organisations in Carmarthenshire that register with the bureau and agree to work towards a Code of Good Practice. They help organisations to develop policies, and provide information from their extensive library of resources about all issues relating to the management of volunteers.

If your have a spare couple of hours a week or want to get out the house then why not volunteer, you can get started by calling into the new center or calling the team on 01554 778 601.

Llanelli Children Team Up with David Bellamy in Principality Tree Appeal

Children at a Llanelli primary school have been putting their green fingers to the test with the help of world-famous environmentalist David Bellamy.

The Afternoon was sponsored by Principality building society who have donated 600 broad-leaved trees to Penygaer primary school to bring wildlife back to the school and encourage environmental education.

(Tree Appeal preparing the grounds)

(Ceri, Bridie and Hannah with their planted tree)

Principality have teamed up with the Tree Appeal environmental initiative to plant more than 3000 trees in school across Wales this year to support individual school projects, including the one at Penygaer primary where students have planted trees to create a woodland environment for exploration, play and learning.

Professor Bellamy, patron of the Tree Appeal, said: "By planting trees, Principality building society is doing their bit to stitch our world back into a more sustainable working order. By planting trees in schools, everyone can learn more about how trees support all the birds, bats, butterflies and all the other little beasties that depend on them."

(The Principality Team including two of the local Llanelli branch staff)

David Tanner, Headteacher at Penygaer Primary, said: "The donation of the trees has made a huge difference in our ongoing project to develop the school grounds, which until recently were very bare. The introduction of trees to the area will give us a huge opportunity to develop the whole curriculum and encourage learning through play."

"For example, the trees will give an opportunity for education in science and biodiversity, and as they mature will also provide materials for arts and crafts. The children had a fantastic time helping to plant the trees, it was a real interactive learning experience."

(Helen and Cris from CAVS with David)

S4C where also on hand to film the children planting the trees with David and look to broadcast in the coming weeks on 'Wedi 3'. Carmarthenshire Connect will post up the dates of broadcast when known so please keep checking the website regularly.

Also, CAVS have recently helped the school obtain funding for flower pots and benches to go around the school (picture left) and eventually a Mosaic mural to go onto the entrance wall of the school.

Social Enterprise Training Opportunity for Community Groups

Foothold are running a series of OCN Open College Network accredited training courses for people in the Priority Three electoral wards of Carmarthenshire. The courses are aimed at those who are in community groups who are interested in generating an income from the group.

There are 4 one-day courses available:

• How to make money from my community group?


• How groups should work?


• Legal Structures


• Full cost recovery
  

There are also 2 three-day courses available (although these could be split into 6 half days if it would be more convenient):

• Creating a social enterprise


• Developing your social enterprise

Foothold are flexible on where these courses can be run - they could take place at community group's venues. The courses are free of charge, as they are European Union funded.

For more information, please contact Catherine Pottinger, Business Advisor at Foothold by calling 01554 779910 or email cpottinger@foothold.org.uk

Orienteering Training at Ynys Dawela - Week 2

The weather wasn't kind to us on the second of three orienteering training sessions run by Swansea Bay Orienteering Group at Ynys Dawela nature reserve. There was rain and heavy hail. Ran joined Justyn and Cerian on their trail - some of the photos that they took are shown below. Despite the weather, we persevered with the compass and completed the trail successfully.

Wellies were useful in the mud.

Ran's walking shoes got soaked.

The heavy rain clouds

Short video filmed by Karmen from Friends of Ynys Dawela

Brynaman Community Centre Thanks Funders

Representatives from four funding organisations came to Brynaman today to view progress on the extension to Brynaman Community Centre that their funding is supporting.

Clive Thomas, Meleri Jones, Julie King and Emma Jenkins present cheques to Alun Howells, Mair Thomas, Adele Dumas and Lynsey Harries of Brynaman Community Centre, taken by Pauline

The Centre has received £180,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government, £300,000 from Carmarthenshire County Council's One Fund, £25,000 from Carmarthenshire County Council Renewal Monies and £49,995 from WREN towards its extension. The extension will herald a new era and a more sustainable future for the Community Centre, bringing expanded restaurant space, conference and workshop facilities and lettable office space.

Alun Howells, Chair of Brynaman Community Centre, explains the significance of today's visit for the future of the Centre, filmed by Lynsey

Diolch Yn Fawr Gan Adele

The Carmarthenshire Communities First Residents Conference has now closed. It was a very successful day providing many opportunities for residents from the different Communities First areas of Carmarthenshire to meet, exchange ideas and provide feedback to the Welsh Assembly on the plans for Communities Next.

The conference was organised by Adele Evans of CAVS, Voluntary Sector Communities First Liaison Officer in association with Carmarthenshire County Council. We asked Adele to sum up her thoughts on the day.

Adele Evans, Voluntary Sector Communities First Liaison Officer, filmed by Laura (Yn Gymraeg)

Adele Evans, Voluntary Sector Communities First Liaison Officer, filmed by Laura (in English)

Rounding Off the Day

To round off the Carmarthenshire Communities First Residents' Conference, we asked some of the delegates what they thought about the day.

John E Jones of Glanymor & Tyisha



David Skivington of Bigyn 4, filmed by Vanessa, also from Bigyn 4



Ann Richards, Development Officer with Pantyffynnon Communities First

Afternoon Sessions

The afternoon saw the opportunity for community groups to show off the good work they've been doing in their communities.

Rhianedd from Pantyffynnon explained their integenerational work in which they try to create bridges between young people and more mature members of the community. She showed the conference their St Davids Day videos in which young people interviewed older people about their memories of St Davids Day.

Charles Watson of Glanymor and Tyisha Community Safety Action Group explained how they bring local people together with service providers such as the police and fire service to help solve problems they experience in their community. Each month the Action Group identifies 3 key issues they want services to work on and report back on at their next meeting. This project has been identified as best practice by the Communities First Support Network.

John E Jones and Gaynor Price reported on another initiative in Glanymor and Tyisha in which the Citizens Advice Bureau in Llanelli have worked with Communities First to train local volunteers to provide debt and benefit advice to local residents.

Feedback from Workshops

We caught up with some residents after the workshops to ask them what they hoped the Welsh Assembly Government will take on board from these workshops. Watch the videos below to hear their answers.

Hubert Hitchman, Chair of Glanymor & Tyisha Communities First Partnership. Filmed by Colette.

Sam, from Pantyffynnon Communities First Partnership.
Filmed by Tracey.

Charles, from Glanymor & Tyisha Communities First Partnership.
Filmed by Meryl.

Cheryl, from Llwynhendy Communities First Partnership.
Filmed by Gillian.

Reactions from Residents

We asked some residents at the conference what opportunities they saw for their community group through the new Communities Next programme. Here's what they said.

Marianne from Felinfoel Senior Citizen' Group filmed by Hilary.

Tracey from Pantyffynnon Action Group, filmed by Daphne

Paul Dear and Chris Johnes Open the Conference

Paul Dear, Head of the Communities First Unit at the Welsh Assembly Government opened the Carmarthenshire Communities First Conference and outlined how the Communities First programme is developing and how local communities can have their say in its future.

Paul Dear, Head of the Communities First Unit opens the conference

He said Communities Next builds on the successes of the Communities First programme: strong local partnerships that involve local people in the regeneration of their communities. Communities Next represents a continuing commitment to the existing Communities First partnerships and will involve a greater focus on outcomes. Paul explained, "I want to be able to walk down any street in a Communities First area, knock on any door and ask what Communities First is doing here - and for the answer to come back clear and unambiguous." Communities Next will also involve a greater focus on local economic development and partnerships forging stronger links with other government projects including defeating child poverty and the promotion of credit unions.

Paul outlined that to achieve this a new Communities First vision framework will be introduced which will pay attention to what communities can actually achieve, but this would not be a top-down approach: "It will be a broad canvas that you can paint your local plans onto."

Paul finished by outlining the process for the next year. The consultation ends next month with its outcomes being announced in June. The new framework and funding criteria will be announced in the summer with everything being on track for the new programmes to begin in April 2009.

Chris Johnes, Communities First Support Network

Chris Johnes, the National Co-Ordinator for the Communities First Support Network followed by describing some key principles he believes underlie the proposed Communities Next programme. It will make stronger links between Communties First and what other agencies and organisations are doing in the community. Local partnerships will still drive the process and there remains a strong emphasis on community involvement. The local Communities First partnerships will remain and the funding and management levels will be largely unchanged.

He also outlined the changes he expects to see: there will be greater incentives for service providers to get involved and local partnerhsips will need to work more closely with other agencies and organisations.

Delegates to the conference now go on to discuss the changes to the Communities First programme in workshops which will feed into the consultation exercise.

Communities First Carmarthenshire Residents' Conference

Residents from across Carmarthenshire’s Community First areas are converging on the Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli to discuss the future of the Communities First programme. The conference includes contributions from Paul Dear (Welsh Assembly Government Communities First Unit) and Chris Johnes from the Communities First Support Network and provides opportunities for residents to discuss the Communities Next proposals. Carmarthenshire Connect is attending the conference and will be blogging live throughout the day.

Ieuan Williams from CAVS explains what today's conference is all about

Sam Hudson, CAVS' Black and Ethnic Minority support worker. Filmed by Liz.

Caroline Nichols and Liz Newbury Davies from the National Public Health Service for Wales. Filmed by Sam.

Dan Snaith from Keep Wales Tidy's Tidy Towns project. Filmed by Rachel.

Llwynhendy Litter Pick

Llwynhendy Dads Group held a litter pick today. The event was organised by NCH Cymru in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy, Llwynhendy Communities First and the Back to Basics Group. As the big pile of black bags shows, a lot of litter was picked up in an hour and a half!

New Footpath

The Llanelli Water Vole Action Group has received funding for a new footpath that goes through the Berwick Levels in Llwynhendy. The path goes past water ditches and will be a good way for walkers to spot the water voles that live in the area. As the photos below show, work is progressing well.

Llanelli Water Vole Action Group Clean Up Berwick Levels

The Llanelli Water Vole Action Group held a clean up with support from the Keep Wales Tidy Pride In Our Communities Project. The group is keen to maintain a good habitat for water voles in an area of Llwynhendy called the Berwick Levels. There are many ditches in the area that water voles live in. The Levels have been identified as one of 14 key sites in the UK to conserve as a water vole habitat. The water vole species has declined by 96% in the last 100 years, making it the fastest declining mammal species in the UK.

Clearing around the ditches.

Clearing out the ditches that the water voles live in.

Waste under trees

An impressive rubbish pile!

Gwaun Cae Gurwen Happy Wanderers

GCG (Gwaun Cae Gurwen) Happy Wanderers walking group go on two walks a week - a longer 2-3 hour walk Tuesdays and a shorter one hour walk on Thursdays. At the end of each walk, the group enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and a chat.

The group started in early 2007 and have successfully recieved funding for GCG Happy Wanderers branded walking gear (in a distinctive bright orange, for which the group have become renowned!) and to pay for buses for walks further afield. Trips so far have included a visit to St Fagans. The group often drives from their meeting point at GCG community centre to another base from which to walk.

GCG Happy Wanderers have a digital camera and have started their own blog at gcgwalkers.blogspot.com. The photos below were taken on a shorter Thursday walk, using Carmarthenshire Connect's mobile phone.