Llwyn yr Ynys Christmas Dinner 2008

Once again this year, Carmarthenshire Connect were delighted to be invited to the Llwyn yr Ynys Christmas Dinner in Llwynhendy.

The evening was organised by the Llwynhendy Youth group and supported by Communities First Llwynhendy, and gave a chance for the older residents of Llwynhendy to come together in the festive spirit with a meal served and presented by the young people of Llwynhendy.

(The Llwynhendy Youth Group)

(The venue for the evening)

(The young people setting the tables ready for their guests)

40 residents from the local community attended to enjoy the festive evening which included awards being presented, a DVD screening of the Llwynhendy Subway project (courtesy of the Llanelli Photography Society) which gave residents a chance to see the hard work the young people have put into painting the new Parc Y Stradey Subway and a game of bingo after the meal.

(Congratulation Tina -2008 Volunteer of Year award!)

(Above - Residents recieveing their awards)

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the tasty Christmas meal with a vegetable soup starter, potato, turkey and salad main meal and triffle or mince pies for dessert! Yummy!

(The Llwynhendy Communities First Team)

Lindy, from the Llwynhendy Communities First team would like to thank everyone who attended and give a special thank you to all the young people involved. Now in its second year she hopes to see a Christmas dinner being served every year by the young people for many years to come.

Community Strategy

Imagine yourself in the year 2020. What kind of Carmarthenshire do you want to be living in? What kind of future do you want for yourself and your family? What would be the local newspaper headlines?

Imagine a Carmarthenshire that –

Is the 1st County to get 100% of its energy from renewable sources?
Is a County where 100% of its young people return to live and work?
Is the 1st County to have 0% obesity?
Is the wealthiest County in the UK?
Has reduced crime to 0%?

Can you help us achieve our goal and develop the best community strategy for Carmarthenshire?

If so, we need you to be bold, imaginative and creative. Forget about the boring and the ordinary – we want big ideas, big ambition!

What is a Community Strategy?
Building on the many successes of the original Community Strategy of 2004, the document brings together an agreed vision for the future of Carmarthenshire – one that the council, public and private sectors, voluntary and community sectors and the Welsh Assembly Government can help deliver by working together, planning together and doing together. It is the over-arching long term plan for the area which will influence everything we do.
Who is responsible for it?

The Duty to prepare a community strategy is placed on the Council, but it can only be done in partnership with a wide variety of other agencies and involvement of communities. The Carmarthenshire Partnership and the Local Service Board help oversee the delivery and progress of the strategy.

Why do we need a community strategy?
The Community Strategy will determine the kind of Carmarthenshire we want for the future for everyone – young, old, residents or visitors alike. For that reason we need to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to set the vision for 2020 and are conducting a series of consultation and engagement exercises to ensure we get wide ranging viewpoints.

We want your ideas for the future. Imagine the newspaper headlines in 2020, what should they say? Now is the time for you to let us know.

Complete the suggestion form attached and return to the Community Planning Team.

Full details are available on: www.thecarmarthenshirepartnership.org.uk

Celebrating Strangers

Last night, Mess Up The Mess Youth Theatre celebrated their production of "Strangers" in style at Brynaman Community Centre. The Children's Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler, presented the youth members of the theatre company with their awards for taking part in the production which premiered at the Ammanford Miners' Theatre earlier this year.

Mess Up The Mess members with Keith Towler, Children's Commissioner for Wales and Peri Thomas (Mess Up The Mess Youth Arts Manager). Claire Mansel Lewis, High Sheriff of Dyfed is also pictured.

The Strangers project involved groups of young people from the Amman Valley, Slough and New Zealand collaborating to devise and put on a play in each of their countries. On the strength of the production, Mess Up The Mess Youth Theatre were nominated for the prestigious Impetus Awards for their work in bringing to life human rights issues and ethical values which resulted in them representing Wales at the London Impetus Awards Ceremony.

After being presented with their awards, some of the youth theatre members took the opportunity to interview the Children's Commissioner for Wales using Carmarthenshire Connect's Busbi camera.

Alex films...

Keith Towler, Children's Commissioner for Wales, being interviewed by Jacob, Ben, Sophie and Haddy of Mess Up The Mess Youth Theatre.

Ben and Alex ask Keith whether he enjoyed the evening

Ben asks about the role of the Children's Commissioner

Jacob asks about the perception of young people

More information about the work of Mess Up the Mess and the Strangers project can be found at the Mess Up The Mess website.

Lost Communities - I Remember When...

Video Number 5 in the series where members of Lost Communities share their memories of how the Morfa, Bwlch and Machynys areas of Llanelli have changed

I remember when Morfa Gospel Hall was on Ropewalk Road
by Sandra Jenkins

Learn a Skill with Organised Kaos (6/6)

A bit later that expected, here is the last 'learn a skills' post from Organised Kaos in Brynaman!

Over the last two months and through using the Carmarthenshire Connect blog you have been given the chance the learn and experience some new circus skills without leaving you seat, although i hope you have all had a go at something.

To finish the series of posts from Organised Kaos we have a video from one of the young people in the project so you can find out more about what it means to them!

Please watch the video below:

If you want to know more about this fantastic group then please visit their website - Organised Kaos

Women Only Group

The Glanymor & Tyisha based Women Only group was formed to bring women from various cultures together to learn about each other's interests and explore areas of common concern. Its aim is to provide support to women on health, training and employment issues as well as developing and sharing new and existing skills.

The group has had many achievements to date but the most memorable was participating in International Women's Day and International Families Day.

Women Only is a multicultural group with members who are Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepalese, Polish and Welsh.

The group gets involved in a whole range of activities. Some recent examples include sari tying workshops, samosa making demonstrations, multicultural dance workshops and aromatherapy training. Group members are also currently working towards a Foundation in Personal Development.

The Wales Equality and Diversity in Health and Social Care Research and Support Service (WEDHS) has provided the group with funding.

Women Only meet every Tuesday at the Glanymor & Tyisha Communities First Centre at 26-28 Inkerman Street at 11am.

Currently, the group is also hosting exercise classes on a Tuesday morning at Emanuel Chapel on New Dock Road, Llanelli. Carmarthenhsire Connect caught up wit the group at the end of this week's session.

Some typical moves in the exercise class

Exercise instructor Tara on working with Women Only

Group Chair Mrs Simmer Kour Sura shares a few words about Women Only

For more information on Women Only, and to join the group, please call Farah Aziz at Glanymor & Tyisha Communities First on 01554 777850.

Higher Uchela Music Video Launch

The launch of the Higher Uchela music video last Thursday was a huge success - over 100 people from local groups and organisations attended the glitzy event at Brynaman Rugby Club.

All the young people involved in the project received an award and a certificate, presented by the High Sheriff of Dyfed, Claire Mansel Lewis.

Haddy recieves her award and certificate from Claire Mansel Lewis

Peter recieves his award and certificate

After the award presentations, everyone got to see the premier of the music video created for local artist Tom Hamer's song Higher. The music video was planned, filmed and edited with support from television production company Tinopolis.

And the Higher Uchela music video is launched! Claire cuts the ribbon wrapping the DVD held by India, who played the lead role in the video

The premier was followed with Tom Hamer playing a live acoustic version of Higher. Then it was celebration time with a music from local DJ Tom Smith, a buffet and more live music from other local bands.

The music video idea, produced in both Welsh and English versions, was created over a seven month period by young people of BASE and Mess Up The Mess Youth Theatre and also included members of ASBO (All Skate Boarding Outcasts) and other young individuals. Set in a house party, the film addressed issues of underage binge drinking and the effects and consequences of such behaviour.

This innovative youth led bilingual project was run in partnership by Upper Amman Valley Communities First, Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company, Menter Bro Dinefwr, Tinopolis Production Studios and Carmarthenshire Connect. The project was kindly supported by Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership, Amman and Gwendraeth Young People’s Partnership and Amman Youth Forum.

Young people from throughout the Amman Valley participated in the project from Llandybie to Brynaman and due to the support of UNA Exchange’s environmental project in Glanaman the film even includes young people from as far as Italy and even Vietnam taking part in the film making!

Peri Thomas, Youth Arts Manager of Mess Up The Mess Theatre remarked “The process of making the video was a huge success and involved numerous enthusiastic and dedicated young people between the ages of 13 and 19. However, we are now working together to increase the profile of the music video in order to use it as a discussion tool in schools and youth clubs to raise awareness and understanding of safer partying approaches.”

Just before the launch, members of Project Higher Uchela recorded some 'red carpet' style interviews using Carmarthenshire Connect's Busbi camcorders. Here a couple of them:

India on playing the lead role

Louisa interviews Sophie and Tashy

Following the launch, group members then catured some audience feedback with these videos:

High Sheriff of Dyfed Claire Mansel Lewis, Andrew Williams (PCSO for Quarter Bach) and Charles Gabe (father of Project Higher member Laura)

Tom Williams, Upper Amman Valley Communities First Co-ordinator (yn Gymraeg/In Welsh)

Adele Dumas, Project Manager for Brynaman Community Centre

Lynsey Harries, Funding Officer for Brynaman Community Centre

Adrian Herdman, representing the Cwmgors Village Forum

Sarah Powell, Youth Participation Officer for Carmarthenshire County Council

In addition to assisting in the delivery of filming and editing workshops, Carmarthenshire Connect has been working with the young people participating in Higher Uchela to document the progress of the project through photos and videos. These have been uploaded to the Carmarthenshire Connect blog and a specially created Higher Uchela blog, which all members of the group have been able to contribute to.

The blog can be found at higheruchela.blogspot.com where there are more photos and videos from whole project, including the launch event.

Upper Amman Valley Christmas Fayre

Today was a very festive day in the Upper Amman Valley, with the Communities Firsts annual Christmas Fayre!

The day long event was held in the GCG Community Hall to kick start the Christmas season which included an extended wintry warm welcome to the whole community.

The event was well attended and gave an opportunity for local residents to get together for a cup of tea (or coffee), some cakes and even some hots dogs to help fund raise for their local community.

(The Hot Dog Lads!)

A number of local stalls were present selling all sorts from home made cakes and mince pies, local produce, second hand goods (always good to find that Christmas bargain) to jewelery and of course Christmas cards.

(Original gifts & Accessories by Anna & Nigel Smith)

(Home made Jewelery)

(GCG Happy Wanderers with their fund raising stall)

(A range of precious crystals, a perfect gift)

(Christmas cards from Adele at CAVS)

Community organisations also had stands promoting their good causes and providing advise to the people of the Upper Amman Valley. This included the Warm Wales initiative funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and Neath Port Talbot to help people keep warm this winter by providing sound advise on energy tariffs and free loft and cavity insulation, Safer Neath Port Talbot (community safety partnership), Keep Wales Tidy, the local Credit Union, Care & Repair Neath Port Talbot and the Welsh Language Board.

(The ladies from Warm Wales)

(Safer Neath Port Talbot)

Entertainment was provide by the brilliant children's choir of Tair Gwaith Primary School who sang a number of traditional Christmas songs as well as some unusual ones!

CTR Enterprise were also on hand with a second hand stall and to promote their various ventures in the area including the CTR Fruit & Veg shop.

Subway Project

Young people in Llwynhendy have been working hard on painting a subway to the new Parc Y Scarlets stadium in Llwynhendy. The subway is the VIP entrance to the new stadium. The walls had been sprayed with graffiti, making the entrance an unsightly welcome to the stadium. It also conveyed an unfavourable image of the local community.

Llwynhendy Communities First, supported by Parc Y Scarlets, Carmarthenshire County Council, Llwynhendy Neighbourhood Policing Team and the Integrated Children's Centre in Llwynhendy, has been leading on a project facilitating local young people to transform the subway into an inspiring entrance to Parc Y Scarlets and a welcoming first impression of Llwynhendy.

Using paint supplied by Carmarthenshire County Council, the young people have been painting super-size emblems of Welsh rugby on the subway walls. Through encouraging young people to take ownership of the subway, the project aims to foster a sense of pride in the subway that will reduce the chances of it being sprayed with graffiti.

As a reward for their efforts, members of the project have been given a tour of the Parc Y Scarlets stadium and were given free tickets to watch the Scarlets' first match in the new stadium against Munster last Friday. They have also been kept well-fed with meals from McDonald's, courtesy of Communities First, and picnic bags from Parc Y Scarlets.

The group also carried out a litter pick with Keep Wales Tidy on the day before Friday's match, so the area was looking spick-and-span for the stadium's second match, this time at a limited capacity of 9000 (of a total potential capacity of 15000).

Here are some of the photos the young people took using Carmarthenshire Connect's Sony Ericsson K810i:

And some videos recorded by the project members using Carmarthenshire Connect's Busbi camcorders:

Lost Communities - I Remember When...

Video Number 4 in the series where members of Lost Communities share their memories of how the Morfa, Bwlch and Machynys areas of Llanelli have changed

I remember when the land near Embankment Road was a scrap yard
by Sandra Jenkins