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Spring / Summer 2005 Newsletter

21st Jun 2005

The New Bro Ddyfi Directory

Communities First have recently produced a 'Community Directory' of groups, organisations and associations, to provide a comprehensive picture of what's happening in and around the Bro Ddyfi area.

The directory is now available on the Communities First website. There are also hard copies available from the office.

If your group, organisation or association is not included, then please complete and return the form available on the website or from the office, so as to ensure inclusion in the next edition.

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Digital cameras and certificates

The Communities First coordinator Cyril Evans, recently presented digital cameras and certificates to both Llanbrynmair and Machynlleth Primary Schools on behalf of Hayley Fisk, of 'Insight Social Research Ltd' of Newport, who had kindly donated them to the schools to thank both the pupils and teachers for taking part in the 'Participatory Appraisal' that they had carried out in the area on behalf of Communities First.

The children had taken part in focus groups and taken photographs of what they liked and disliked in their area.


Above: Children from both Machynlleth (left) and Llanbrynmair Primary schools being presented with their cameras and certificates.

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New Chair & Partnership Members

The Inequalities in Health officer for Bro Ddyfi, Cerys Humphreys, has taken over as chair of the partnership from County Councillor Gwilym Fychan, who remains an active member of the partnership.

The partnership itself has been increased in number to fifteen, and we would like to extend a warm welcome to the new members, Brenda Hughes (CAMAD), Meic Llewellyn (Glantwymyn), John Isherwood (Business), and Siwan Hywel (Welsh Language Board).

We are also very pleased that Myra Francis, having recently left CAMAD following many years of working in and supporting the local community, remains on the partnership as a Machynlleth Community representative.

We wish her well in her new post with Ceredigion Social Services.

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Funding scheme of the quarter - UKVillages Community Kitty

UKVillages.co.uk is a website that provides a news and information portal for villages throughout the UK.

Over 30,000 communities have already joined up.

UKVillages operates a Community Kitty, providing small grants (£50 to £500) for community projects across the UK and Ireland.

Applications must be made online at UKVillages.

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Welsh Language Interface Packs

The Welsh Language Board and Microsoft are proud to announce that Welsh Language Interface Packs for Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Windows XP are now available free from www.bwrdd-yr-iaith.org.uk

This means that you can now use Microsoft Office 2003 and Microsoft Windows XP in Welsh.

Menus and options you see will be in Welsh.

There's a free Welsh spellchecker for Microsoft Office 2003 and even easy keystrokes to get the circumflex - even on 'w' and 'y'.

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Affordable Housing Website

The Bro Ddyfi section of the Powys Community First website now includes a Bro Ddyfi Affordable Housing online Information Resource section.

The lack of affordable housing is a serious social concern and people are looking at innovative community solutions.

For example, the Heulfryn Regeneration Partnership is investigating the possibilities of creating a Community Land Trust in Ceinws as a legal structure for ownership and development of affordable houses for local people as well as a play area.

It is the intension that the information resource will act as a starting point for further investigation and will give local people the information they need to in order to become more involved with possible affordable housing projects in their own villages/areas, as well as how to become involved with the 'Communities First Housing Group'.

Should you have a website of your own, you are welcome to include a link into this site.

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Joint visit

Bro Ddyfi and Tregaron and Upland Villages Communities First recently went on a joint visit to the Pen Llyn Communities First area.

These are three of the most rural and Welsh speaking areas in the Communities First programme, and it can only be to our mutual benefit to work together, help each other, and learn from each other's successes and failures.

The three Co-ordinators and Partnership members during the visit to Pen Llyn. We were made very welcome by Rhys Evans the Pen Llyn Co-ordinator, and members of the Partnership, who provided us with a comprehensive picture of what's happening in and around the area, as well as showing us how they have benefited to date through being part of the Communities First programme.

Right: The three Co-ordinators and Partnership members during the visit to Pen Llyn.

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Putting Rural Welsh Speaking Communities First

A one-day Seminar was held on the 20th April at Celtica, Machynlleth, in order to explore the issues of Rural Life and Language within the Communities First Programme.

Many of the Communities First areas are urban and current good practice in community regeneration has an urban bias that may not take account of the issues raised and faced by small, bilingual communities in sparsely populated areas of Wales.

This event, that explored the rural context of Communities First was organised by Sally Fawcett of PAVO, and funded by Communities First Powys.

Delegates at the recent seminar Those present were able to explore various issues through presentations, and workshop discussion groups.

The event had contributions from the Bro Dyfi, Tregaron and Pen Llyn Co-ordinators, as well as Chris Johnes (Communities First Support Network), Morys Gruffydd (Community Language Planning Development Officer of Cwmni Iaith), and also Llyr Huws Gruffydd (Menter a Busnes).

A report on the issues highlighted during the day will now be presented to Alyn Owen of the Welsh Assembly Government office at Caernarfon.

Photo: Delegates at the recent seminar.

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Theme Groups

Theme Groups are currently working on tidying up the different sections of the Action Plan, and also to identify who we need to work with, and what other agencies or organisations we need to include in order to move the programme forward, so if you have an interest in a particular theme, but possibly not in the programme as a whole, then this is your opportunity to help with this important piece of work.

No previous experience of working in the community is required, indeed we would very much like to see much needed new faces getting involved with this particular process, so if you have an interest in

Housing
Economy & Employment
Education & Training
Countryside & Environment
Health & Community Well being (inc Language & Culture, Youth, Elderly, & Community Safety)
Community Activities
or Transport & Communication

and wish to get involved with this work, then please contact the Bro Ddyfi Communities First office at:
Ty Bro Ddyfi, 52 Heol Maengwyn Street, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 8DT.
Tel:01654 700 315.

For more information regarding this important process, as well as the Partnership, please browse this website.

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Communities First Trust Fund Update

Applications are now being invited for funding from the Communities First Trust Fund.

Small grants are available for groups in Communities First areas for any type of activity that involves local people through small community led organisations.

The fund is aimed at supporting activities that provide economic, environmental, social or cultural benefit for people.

To find out if your group is eligible to apply for funding from the Trust Fund and to obtain

an application pack, please contact 0800 587 8898 or email enquiries@communitiesfirst.info.

For some examples of Trust Fund awards made, visit www.communitiesfirst.info.

Those groups in the Bro Ddyfi area to have benefited to date from funding of around £90,000 in total, include the following groups:

The Mach Live Club	Elemental Earth	Machynlleth Community Children's Project
Cwmllinau Village Hall	Cylch Meithrin Ti A Fi Glantwymyn	CAMAD - Joan and Darby Club
Equlibre Horse Theatre	Y Ganolfan Aberhosan	Cemmaes Jubilee Hall
Machynlleth Community Nursery	Gwyl Geltaidd Glyndwr	Côr Gore Glas
Dyfi Forest Education Initiative	Eisteddfod Powys Bro'r Blewyn Glas	Machynlleth Rugby Club
Canolfan Owain Glyndwr Cyf	Mach Teenzone	Fideo i Bawb
Community Action Machynlleth & District (CAMAD)	Bron I'r Babi (BIBS)	Bro Ddyfi Advice Centre
Cymdeithas Hanes Lleol Llanbrynmair	Cymdeithas Rhieni Athrawon a Chyfeillion Ysgol Bro Ddyfi	Dyfi Valley Seed-Savers
Mind out for music

Some of the projects funded and items purchased by these groups through this fund include:

Minor improvements and surveys to Village Halls
producing a historical book on Llanbrynmair
improving the kitchen at Machynlleth Rugby Club
musical and stage equipment, festivals and events
choir uniforms, computers and other office equipment
training
digital and video cameras

and much more, including the purchase of a marquee by Clwb Crewi of Penegoes in what is an expanding village that previously had nowhere to hold any community events.

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