Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot
IMPACT REPORT 2011/2012
Groundwork’s vision is of a society of sustainable communities which are vibrant, healthy and safe, and which respect the local and global environment and where individuals and enterprise prosper. At Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot we work with energy and commitment with local communities, working together to deliver initiatives and programmes aimed to bring about this vision. Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot The Engine House, Parc Tondu, Maesteg Road, Tondu, Bridgend CF32 9TF Tel: (01656) 727800 Fax: (01656) 727832 Email:info@groundworkbnpt.com www.groundworkinwales.org.uk Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot is a company limited by guarantee and registered in Wales. Company registration No. 2388397. Charity registered No. 701896. VAT registration No. 540 8975 19.
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
WELCOME The past year has been a time of development and expansion for Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot. Our commitment to Welsh Government Regeneration Areas has led to the delivery of projects in new geographical areas; including the delivery of youth engagement projects in Barry, the development of an Access Plan for the regeneration of the Hafod Copperworks in Swansea and the provision of fuel poverty support in Swansea. In Neath Port Talbot, with Rural Development Programme support, our team has continued to deliver local environmental regeneration projects, whilst in Bridgend our WCVA funded engagement gateway and Intermediate Labour Market programmes have enabled us to improve the employability skills of local young people with trainees gaining over 200 qualifications. A wide range of local environmental regeneration projects have benefited from the support of our local trainees, including the exciting transformation of a brownfield site into a community owned market garden complete with sustainable drainage in Caerau. Corporate partnerships with Marks & Spencer, Britvic and Cadbury’s Spots V Stripes have allowed us to bring significant extra resources to a range of projects in all areas. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our partner organisations and team of staff and volunteers for making this past year such a success. Mark Evans Executive Director
164
Supported 164 community partnerships
134,729m
948 134,729 m² of land improved
948 volunteers have engaged with our projects
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
AT A GLANCE 52,300m
2
200
52,300m² of land improved by our landscape team
Our trainees achieved over 200 qualifications
Energy reduction
3,200
Energy reduction advice across 8 rural wards in Swansea
Over 3,200 individuals engaged with our programmes
Community led environmental regeneration has always been at the heart of everything that Groundwork delivers and this year has been no exception. In Neath Port Talbot, the CoRE team have completed 15 different community regeneration projects, improving areas of neglected wasteland to create much needed community amenities, such as Cwmafan Commemorative Garden and Pontrhydyfen Miners Welfare Park, as well as developing a Community Orchard programme. In Bridgend, our Landscape Team have improved over 50,000m² of land, and projects have included improved amenities for local businesses, regeneration of neglected green spaces and the preservation of heritage sites. Many of these projects could not have been delivered without the support of the local Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) participants. The WCVA ILM programme, which employs 16 &17 year olds, has delivered 7 community regeneration projects, allowing participants to broaden their skills set whilst supporting their local communities. Our team now extends across South West Wales, from the Positive Energy team delivering energy saving advice in over 8 rural wards of Swansea to the Youthworks team who are celebrating their 10th anniversary in Bridgend. After 10 years the Youthworks team continues to create brighter futures for young people, currently running 8 community based youth programmes, ranging from community play schemes to emotional health and wellbeing courses. These projects have engaged with 967 young people who have completed over 60 OCNs in the last year.
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Working with Groundwork gave me life skills and experience, I really enjoyed it and it gave me a good knowledge of the workplace to take into my apprenticeship.
Jamie Townsend First year apprentice with Oakwood Joinery
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
HIGHLIGHTING OUR IMPACT
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
INVOLVING PEOPLE IN REGENERATION
Locally grown food is vital when creating sustainable communities and our CoRE team are endorsing this message through the development of community orchards in Neath Port Talbot. This year over 10 different local schools, including Crynallt Infants, have got their hands dirty and have helped create the orchards which include apple, plum and pear trees. Community engagement is vital in the planting of these beautiful orchards and we want as many people as possible to get involved, as it gives them the chance to obtain a new skill whilst learning about the importance of local food production.
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The CoRE initiative is funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and works in the Neath Port Talbot area.
200 trees planted
1 ton
Worked with 10 primary schools through the community orchards
1 ton of carbon dioxide absorbed per lifetime per tree (Approx)
The children had a great time planting the orchards and were able to learn about the importance of trees and local produce, whilst getting their hands dirty.
Mrs Jane Arbourne Teacher at Crynallt Infant school
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
23
23 volunteers supporting the programme
14,066
122
14,066 attendees to Youthworks programmes
122 off site trips
As part of our Youthworks programme we have worked to create a community centre in Marlas, North Cornelly, with the primary aim of engaging with the local youth. The team have been working in Marlas since 2005 and began work in the area after a request from the Community Safety Partnership who funded the programme for the first 6 months. The centre has been financially supported by multiple organisations and there have been over 6,000 attendances in the last year. Through the support of the staff in Marlas a number of young people have gone on to gain qualifications or further their employability. Cassie Jones is a prime example of the work going on at Marlas. Together with two other attendees she has set up a hair and beauty business, which will operate as a social enterprise.
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The Marlas Centre has given us the opportunity to add to our CV, the more qualifications we have the better.
Cassie Jones Marlas Centre attendee
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
The Play programme has been designed by our Youthworks team to encourage children to engage with the outdoors, use their imagination whilst interacting with other children from their community. The programme is financially supported for four years through Big Lottery funding and is run in partnership with Chwarae Plant who are based in Rhondda Cynon Taff. This project has been a great success so far with between 15-50 children attending each session to take part in a variety of activities. During the summer months we play ball games, set up slip and slides and hike along the rivers, whilst toasting marshmallows around camp fires is popular on cold winter nights. The project openly welcomes volunteers who want to get involved, and we have been lucky enough to have the help of several individuals this year whose help has ranged from running Play sessions to creating promotional videos.
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The Play project is wonderful, the staff are very nice to you and if you need them they will always be there for you.
Jess Ryall Age 8 Pencoed Play participant
15 61
15 young people have gone on to employment or further education with our help
967 61 OCNs completed by young people
967 young people regularly engaging
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
PROMOTING ACCESS, AMENITIES, TOURISM
Victoria Park was a small green space in the middle of a densely populated area that was not being used because of a number of safety issues concerning the environment. Following a community consultation, Groundwork in partnership with Briton Ferry West Communities First, decided to rejuvenate the area. The aim was to create a safe and welcoming environment for families and local schools. The project was supported with funding from Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN), which was awarded in 2010, and the Welsh Assembly‘s Western Valleys Regeneration Area. Local pupils from Llansawel Primary School helped design a fence for the park which was given the theme of play and recreation, to tie in with what the space would be used for. This area has now been transformed into a focal point for community events and the local Infants’ School can once again stage their sports day in a secure and friendly environment.
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We had some really positive vibes from the children who were involved with the workshops, and the support from Groundwork was fantastic.
Leigh Batchelor Briton Ferry Communities First
3
2,000 Helped 3 industrial estates
13
2,000 volunteer hours completed
Involved with 13 different projects
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
IMPROVING SKILLS AND EMPLOYABILITY
Our Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) scheme aims to improve young people’s employability skills and opportunities. With the help of our ILM team leaders, individuals gain the relevant qualifications, confidence and experience that they need to go into full time employment.
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16,250 25 Participants this year
66
16,250 hours completed by employment initiative participants
66 different training courses taken
Caerau & Brynglas Market Garden is one of many community regeneration projects that our ILM participants have been involved with. The project is a 1.4 Ha brownfield site that is being converted into a community owned Market Garden with a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS). The ILM team have had a great opportunity at this site to enhance their skillset with their work entailing construction, landscaping and planting with the overall goal of creating something worthwhile for the community.
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The ILM programme has given me excellent experience and confidence in the workplace; working on the Market Garden has given me the chance to improve my site skills.
Shane Lee-Trott ILM particpant
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
IMPROVING PROSPERITY THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL BEST PRACTICE As part of the Positive Energy Swansea programme the Groundwork team hosted a number of free workshops across the rural Swansea area. This was made possible by the Rural Development Plan for Wales and the Countryside Commission who provided financial support for this project.
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Workshops were held in a selection of libraries across the county including Pontarddulais, Pennard, and Clydach. With the events taking place during the October half-term the Positive Energy team designed the workshop around a Halloween theme and produced movie style special effects, whilst endorsing an energy saving lifestyle.
The children got a chance to test their stamina on the bicycle powered dynamo and were able to create fresh vanilla ice cream using the energy saving techniques they had learnt throughout the session.
18 energy awareness workshops delivered to over 400 people across Swansea
The children had a fantastic day and were still talking about it a couple of weeks later when they came back with their parents.
Julie Emanuel Manager of Gorseinon Library
10%
223 children engaged though our Positive Energy programme project
An estimated 10% carbon footprint reduction for beneficiaries
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Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012
People
£1,118,043
Places
£328,306
Prosperity
£662,503
Partnership/Core
£341,426
Other
£60,495
TOTAL
£2,510,773
The stories highlighted in this brochure, selected from hundreds of projects, could not have been possible without the support and involvement of the following partners: Bridgend County Borough Council, Cadbury’s Spots V Stripes, City and County of Swansea, Communities First, Countryside Council for Wales, Investors in People, Marks & Spencer, Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council, The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, The National Lottery, Transform Your Patch, Valleys to Coast Housing Association, Waste Recycling Environment Ltd, Welsh Council for Voluntary Action and Welsh Government.
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