NORTH WALES GOGLEDD CYMRU
2011 / 2012
ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT www.groundworknorthwales.org.uk
Groundwork – helps people and organisations make changes to create better neighbourhoods, to build skills and job prospects and to live and work in a greener way. We work in partnership with local people, public bodies, private companies and other voluntary sector organisations to empower communities, building confidence and sustainability, socially, economically and environmentally. The Groundwork Federation covers Wales, England and Northern Ireland delivering thousands of local projects across the UK.
Every year we make an important impact on local communities across North Wales changing places and lives for the better, in 2011/ 12 we achieved the following:
5,748 days of volunteering by young people 11,566 days of volunteering by adults
114,640 sq.m of land improved 140,803 sq.m of land maintained
2,489 trees planted
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728 Tonnes of waste diverted from landfill
111 schools involved 20 community organisations supported
107 Tonnes of CO2 emissions saved or avoided
45 jobs created 56 jobs safeguarded
498 qualifications gained 487 training weeks provided 64 routes of progression (including volunteering, education and employment)
115 projects delivered
GROUNDWORK NORTH WALES
Groundwork North Wales
has been celebrating its 20th Anniversary year and what a busy, eventful and productive year it has been. From our team’s perspective it has been one of the most enjoyable and rewarding years in the history of the Trust and many of our partners, volunteers and beneficiaries seem to think so too! We are grateful to them, and the communities of North Wales for the roles they have played in the impacts we have made. This year our diverse ranges of programmes and services have yielded significant outcomes across North Wales. Worthy of note are our employability programmes which have supported many young people in their search for employment. An impressive total of 498 formal qualifications were collectively achieved. Some of our ILM participants gained practical work experience alongside our Green Spaces Team at Plas Power to develop our Education Centre. This included the design and construction of fantastic outdoor classroom facilities and a new Celtic Roundhouse. The Roundhouse provides an authentic backdrop for our Celts Education Programme which has been enjoyed by both children and teachers alike!
Both I and the Board of Trustees are justifiably proud of the work that the Trust’s dedicated and professional staff undertake each year. I would like to thank all those who have supported the work of the Trust, our funding partners,
This last year has also seen the expansion of our Green Energy team, as households in Wrexham, Gwynedd and Anglesey have become more energy efficient through our Green Doctor scheme. The team have also supported many organisations across North Wales to implement the Green Dragon Environmental Management standard. As a Trust we are also both proud and pleased to have, ourselves, earned a level 4 accreditation in the standard. In reflecting on 2011/2012, I would like to take the opportunity to thank and recognise the hard work and commitment of not only the Groundwork North Wales team and the Board of Trustees and advisors, but those dedicated volunteers, communities and
volunteers, and our local communities who have helped our team to deliver some truly tangible results. As Chair of the Trust I look forward, with your continued support, to building on our successful track record into the year ahead.
community groups whose support for our work is paramount. We remain thankful for the continued backing of our funding partners and look forward with their support to continue to change places and lives throughout 2012/13.
Karen Balmer CPFA Executive Director, Groundwork North Wales
John Troth, OBE Chair, Groundwork North Wales 2011 / 2012 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
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Groundwork North Wales brings together a network of organisations to deliver a wide range of projects and programmes across North Wales, supporting people, businesses and communities in moving towards sustainable living and working. 04
GROUNDWORK NORTH WALES
We work in partnership to provide the greatest return for our communities, improving the quality of the local environment, the lives of local people and the success of businesses, addressing real issues that face communities every day. Throughout last year we delivered innovative solutions in the following areas; • Unemployment, skills and training • Energy and resource efficiency • Health & wellbeing • Enhancing community and green spaces • Engaging and educating young people
How Groundwork North Wales is funded Each year Groundwork North Wales raises the funds it needs from a wide variety of sources ranging from Government Bodies, Local Authorities, Charitable Trusts and businesses.
£182,987 £1,632 £206,003
Welsh Government Community Councils Schools & the Private Sector
£59,006
Countryside Council for Wales
£6,000 £17,068
Environment Wales Charitable Trusts
£131,347
Big Lottery*
£254,349
Local Authority
£513,725
European Funding
£1,183,531 £14,934
UK Government Other *adjusted for deferred income (received £185,288)
£2,570,582
Total Income for 2011 - 2012
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GREEN SPACES The Green Spaces team supports neighbourhoods across North Wales to develop pride in their communities to make them cleaner, greener and safer. Our role is to help local people get practically involved in decision making and in practical improvements in their neighbourhood whilst developing their skills and improving their quality of life. 06
GROUNDWORK NORTH WALES
Bradley Bowling Green Our Green Spaces Team worked with the Bradley Bowling Club near Wrexham to create the first all-weather official green in North Wales.
Ysgol Cae Top We have worked with enthusiastic young gardeners from Ysgol Cae Top in Bangor, Gwynedd to develop their own allotment project. The school had a large overgrown space that was not being used productively. Working with the pupils, teachers and the community, we developed a plan for the site. The pupils worked hard to remove lots of weeds and bramble and develop a herb and vegetable garden. Allotments were constructed to allow pupils and the local community to learn new horticultural skills and to promote healthy eating. In addition a vegetable growing schedule has been developed and the school is planning what will be grown and harvested throughout the year. 210 trees planted 1,435 sq metres of land improved or maintained 282 days of volunteering by young people
Bradley Park Bowling Club had operated successfully for many years, however, in 1999 the club was forced to disband. Some years later a project team was formed including Groundwork North Wales to focus on securing funding and to re-establish the abandoned bowling green. We successfully helped the club to consult the local community about the facilities they required and to secure funds. Now the club has excellent facilities with a new club house, and an all-weather artificial accessible green suitable for all abilities. The club facilities are unique in the area with no similar facilities within 40 miles. Funding was secured from the Aggregates Levy, Gwersyllt Community Council and Sports Wales.
Rhyl Marine Lake The environmental improvements delivered at Rhyl Marine Lake were funded by Marks & Spencer, part of the Greener Living Spaces projects with the profits from their 5p carrier bag charging scheme. We worked in partnership with the Marine Lake User’s Forum to develop the area around Marine Lake, a popular attraction with the local community and with tourists. The lakeside now has attractive nature and heritage trails increasing the bio diversity of the site. The group have also developed a Community Trim Trail encouraging the local community to adopt gentle exercise.
‘The work carried out by Groundwork North Wales’s volunteers has transformed areas of wasteland into attractive and nature friendly gardens. The work will benefit the community as a whole and our new Trim Trail equipment will attract new visitors and users.’ Bet Smith, Marine Lake Environmental Group
80 days of volunteering 3,316 sq metres of land improved or maintained 2011 / 2012 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
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GREEN SKILLS We help people on a journey towards employment from confidence building to re-training and learning new skills. We support them in obtaining work experience with structured volunteering through to formal placements with local employers. Employment programme Groundwork successfully delivered two joint Intermediate Labour Market/Future Jobs Fund employment programmes across North East Wales in 2011/12 on behalf of the WCVA and European Social Funding. Working in partnership with a variety of voluntary, public and private sector partners we placed 104 individuals into paid work. They gained valuable hands on experience of the working environment ensuring they were job ready at the end of the programme as well as gaining formal qualifications. Individuals also engaged in regular employability sessions to help them gain confidence, develop their CV and application forms, practice interview techniques and learn how to carry out effective job searches. 08
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104 new jobs created 97% were green jobs 166 qualifications gained Training Groundwork North Wales are now delivering a range of Health & Safety executive approved first aid courses for local communities, businesses and organisations. Contact our Training Officer on 01978 757524 for details.
Case study: Sian Jones, 23 from Wrexham found it hard to get a job even though she qualified as a teacher in 2010. She joined Groundwork’s employment programme in 2011 as a Play Assistant for The Venture an award winning local play scheme.
Sian said “After University I found it very difficult not being able to find a job and this really affected my confidence. The Groundwork Employment Programme allowed me the chance to show an employer my skills and experience and I was delighted when they offered me full-time employment.”
Engagement Gateway - Faenol Estate We ran two Gateway to Work projects in North West Wales, based at the Faenol Estate near Bangor. This project supported the development of local unemployed people and gave them work experience through a volunteering programme carrying out practical environmental works across the Faenol Estate and surrounding areas. The volunteers learnt essential skills whilst carrying out practical tasks at the Estate and in addition received weekly employability sessions in CV and application form writing, interview techniques together with job searching techniques.
The scheme supported one participant Dylan Owen who had been out of work, back into full time employment as a Kitchen Assistant in a local hotel. Dylan benefited from relevant and concentrated employment support and opportunities to contribute to local regeneration projects across the region.
774 days of volunteering 15 formal qualifications 44 weeks of training 99 trees planted 2,580 sq metres of land improved 2011 / 2012 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
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GREEN ENERGY The Green Energy Team helps people live and work in a greener way by supporting practical action to tackle climate change and fuel poverty. In addition we support businesses to reduce CO2 emissions, to be more energy efďŹ cient and thereby reduce costs. 10
GROUNDWORK NORTH WALES
Green Doctor Groundwork have been running an innovative scheme in parts of North Wales that tackles fuel poverty and is funded through Ebico, Wrexham County Borough Council and the Welsh Government. The Green Doctor service helps target fuel poverty through improving home insulation and reducing fuel bills. The Green Doctors visit households to provide energy saving advice and fit simple energy efficient measures. Using a combination of technical and non-technical measures, from fitting draught excluders to providing energy use monitors, the programme helps households save around ÂŁ100 per home per year while reducing CO2 emissions by up to 3.6 tonnes per home per year on average.
Green Dragon Green Dragon is a stepped standard recognising effective environmental management and offering an environmental management system that rewards actions taken to achieve environmental and resource efďŹ ciency improvements. Groundwork North Wales can offer training, support and certification to organistions to implement the Green Dragon Standard. With funding from the Wales Cooperative Centre we trained and supported 42 Social enterprises across Wales to gain Level 2 of the Green Dragon Standard and to improve their environmental performance, reduce waste and energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.
Contact our Green Energy Team on 01978 757524 if we can help your organisation save energy and carbon.
Through The Wales Cooperative Centre Programme we achieved
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720 tonnes of CO2 saved 180 tonnes of Waste diverted from landfill
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EDUCATION & YOUNG PEOPLE We have more than 20 years of experience designing and implementing environmental projects for schools and young people. We offer a wide range of programmes and services noted for their quality and value to schools, parents and education providers. Schools Programme Celts We run environmental and heritage programmes for schools across North Wales. Our most popular is our Celts Programme The day explores the rich culture and heritage of the Celts. The children participate in activities in and around our Celtic Roundhouse such as weaving, wattle and daub, shield making and clay pot making. 12
GROUNDWORK NORTH WALES
The programme provides an excellent opportunity for Key Stage 2 pupils to engage with the History National Curriculum.
Over 1060 pupils became Celts for a day last year.
Groundwork Holiday Club We are fortunate to have a green and spacious site in a woodland setting at Plas Power where we run our Environmental Education Centre. Every school holiday we run our all- weather holiday club offering outdoor activities and adventure for 8 – 13 year olds. The holiday club is unique, with many of the activities taking place in the woods and
meadow at our site. The children enjoy a sense of freedom and independence that no indoor holiday club can provide.
‘This is the best holiday club, I love building dens and being outside all day.’ Katie Williams aged 8, Bwlchgwyn, Wrexham
Forest School Our Forest School programme was launched last year and involved learners aged 3 up to 18 years old, working with a qualified Forest School Leader and their own teacher on a frequent and regular basis in a local woodland setting. Forest School is particularly successful in developing self-esteem, confidence, and in motivating young people who may struggle in a classroom environment. They follow their usual curriculum, but in an outdoor context, using learning and teaching strategies which raise self-esteem, develop independence, language and communication skills. Forest School helps children who prefer a practical element to their learning, achieve greater levels of success. Feedback from these programmes has been excellent:
“It’s great to see them outside, they are so different from in the classroom, they love it.” “All the activities were hands on sessions which the class particularly enjoyed. It was fun and enjoyable for all the children and would be difficult to do in a school environment, so thanks very much for the experience.” “The children got a lot out of Forest School. It brought confidence and excitement for learning out in some children that you don’t see in a classroom environment. It was very good for developing learning for the ‘whole child’.” 2011 / 2012 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
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GREEN LIVING The Green Living team delivers community based projects focused on improving people’s health and wellbeing through engagement in physical activity and healthy eating projects.
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Community Garden Network Groundwork’s Community Garden Network project across Wrexham and Flintshire is funded by the Big Lottery and the Countryside Council for Wales. The programme helps communities expand the potential of their existing gardens and supports the setting up and development of new Community Gardens. The project brings local people, communities and volunteers together to grow plants, fruit and vegetables and to share the results. The project also enables the volunteers to gain new skills in horticulture, diet and nutrition and where possible the gardens link to local food cooperative schemes.
Beneficiaries and communities benefit from working outdoors, learning new skills, meeting like-minded people, and importantly sharing and eating fresher, local seasonal fruit and vegetables. Greenfield Community Garden in Flintshire has a kitchen garden, orchard and forest garden area. The Community Garden project runs regular volunteer sessions every week where the local volunteers grow fruit and veg and share in the produce. Volunteers have been trained in different horticultural skills and have just bought an apple press for the garden so the community can enjoy apple juice next autumn and perhaps even brew cider! The Victorian walled kitchen garden at the Mostyn Estate in Flintshire was transformed from a wasteland into a productive garden selling produce to local cafes and restaurants and providing a unique setting for volunteers to learn new horticulture skills.
801 trees planted 1,339 sq metres of land improved or maintained 156 days of volunteering by adults and young people 2011 / 2012 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
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Pedal Power is our all ability cycling service at Alyn Waters Country Park in Wrexham. The project provides healthy and fun cycling opportunities for people who face physical, environmental and attitudinal barriers in participating in physical activity. Pedal Power brings the health benefits, enjoyment and fun of cycling to people who may never have the opportunity to go on a bike ride. The project provides specialist bikes such as tandems, side by side trikes and co-pilot tandems along with all the relevant safety equipment and trained staff and volunteers. The variety of equipment on offer ensures a suitable bike can be found.
In the last 21â „2 years over 6000 cycle rides took place. 16
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VOLUNTEERING Groundwork North Wales is able to create such an impact thanks to our dedicated volunteers. We offer support, training and experience to our volunteers and help them to gain relevant awards and qualifications. There is a great variety of volunteering opportunities at Groundwork from helping out with a community vegetable garden or making a difference by helping an all ability group to enjoy outdoor activities such as Pedal Power Cycling.
Last Year Groundwork North Wales benefitted from 17,314 days of Volunteer time worth £525,618* to our Organisation. *based on ESF guidelines for volunteer time
This year we are working towards gaining the Investors in Volunteers accreditation.
Contact our Volunteer Officer on 01978 757524 or visit www.groundworknorthwales.org.uk to find out about the opportunities available.
“I started volunteering for Groundwork North Wales at one of their community gardens in Flintshire in 2011, helping to bring the kitchen gardens back to life. This gave me great practical experience and led to the opportunity of a new part time job for myself actually managing a number of gardens and running my own team of volunteers.” Libby Hughes Groundwork Volunteer 2011- 12 2011 / 2012 ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT
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Groundwork in Wales Groundwork Wales is the national organisation in Wales which supports the local Trusts, providing a strategic lead for national programmes, exploring new funding opportunities and developing new partnerships across Wales. Groundwork Wales has a successful track record working in urban and rural areas, assisting the Welsh Government, Local Authorities and other national bodies to meet their requirements. There are four Groundwork Trusts • Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot • Groundwork Merthyr & Rhondda Cynon Taff
• Groundwork Caerphilly • Groundwork North Wales
WALES CYMRU
Groundwork North Wales Groundwork North Wales/ Gogledd Wrexham Office Caernarfon Office Cymru is a company limited by Plas Power 4 Palace Street guarantee and registered in England 3-4 Plas Power Road Caernarfon Charity Registration Number 1004132 / Company Registration Tanyfron, Wrexham Gwynedd Wrexham Office / Swyddfa Wrecsam 01978 757524 Number 2614714 LL11 5SZ LL55 1RR Caernarfon Office / Swyddfa Caernarfon 01286 674803 Tel: 01978 757524 Tel: 01286 674803 www.groundworknorthwales.org.uk Fax: 01978 722402 Fax: 01286 671814
www.groundworkgogleddcymru.org.uk www.groundworknorthwales.org.uk info@groundworknorthwales.org.uk
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