Inside this Issue: P2: Meet the newest member of the Vegbox P3: Employability & Circulate P4:

Art & Lunch Club News

Garnsychan Partnership News

Charity No. 1081490

Spring 2013

We are back in Garndiffaith!

2013 is our fourteenth year working in Garndiffaith and the Abersychan ward so it seems apt that we share with you all that we have achieved in the last year as well as the new initiatives and social enterprises that we have planned for the coming months. We simply couldn't function without the help of our volunteers and the support of the community so thank you all! October 2012 saw a lot of change at the Partnership with our return to Stanley Road after a brief time away during which our building was renovated. Garnsychan Partnership has also had a change of management. Emma Cambray-Stacey had been with the Partnership for seven years supporting the communities of the Abersychan Ward and we wish her well in her new role as Community Regeneration Manager for Torfaen County Borough Council. Rebecca Brown was appointed in her place as the new Garnsychan Partnership Manager. It's fantastic to be back in the community again and the team and trustees are looking forward to continuing our work in the community.

Snow and Blue skies at HQ in January 2013

Garnsychan has gone green

We think that protecting and enhancing the environment for future generations is incredibly important so we apply an environmental policy to all of our projects. We are thrilled that our unfaltering commitment was recognised by a number of central bodies in 2012. Circulate was accredited with Level 2 of the Green Dragon Environmental Standard and the Partnership as a whole became part of the 10:10 campaign. It encourages the reduction of carbon emissions in organisations - we achieved our 10% target last year and are looking to Rebecca & Nick with Alan Underwood improve upon this in 2013!
in October 2012

In November our VegBox project was presented with an award by 'Environment Wales' for the great work the team does in promoting sustainable living. The initiative celebrated its 20th year of providing grants and developmental support to the voluntary sector last year and has continued their good work into 2013. We are pleased to announce that the VegBox has received a grant to be spent on a pond in order to encourage biodiversity and wildlife such as toads and frogs.

An Update on our Post Office Local Application

We are doing our very best to bring the Post Office to the community and are fast approaching the interview stage of the application! Ken Clark will be meeting a representative of the organisation in the coming weeks and we are optimistic that they will recognise how it will benefit our community. Until then, we need your views about what we should sell as well as basic Post Office supplies. We have already received a number of suggestions including a bakery section, an after school children's club and a craft hub. It is vital that we are able to cover the cost of the Post Office Enterprise so it is key that we provide items and services that you want. We are also exploring the possibility of recruiting volunteers from Garndiffaith to help in the daily running of the Post Office with roles including stock team, special offers champion and store supervisors. Please contact Emily@garnsychan.com or pop into our building on Stanley Road if you have any suggestions or want to find out more about volunteering.

It was all change at our VegBox during 2012 as the project moves towards finanial sustainability. Our garden and allotment needs some serious TLC in the coming months to ready them for growing season. Last year was busy at the hub and with Sam White at the helm, 2013 is set to be even busier!

VegBox News: At the VegBox we celebrate the benefits that can be

gained from growing and eating fresh fruit and vegetables. Michelin star chef Franco Taruschio O.B.E showed that he is as passionate about the matter as we are during his cooking demonstration in our kitchen at our open day in May. Following the previous success of our cookery classes and inspired by Franco, we are re-starting them in 2013 so please look out for further details on our website! Until them, share the tasty meals that you make from our fresh fruit and vegetables on our twitter page @vegboxscheme!

Community 10,000

As well as our duties delivering fresh fruit and vegetables across Torfaen, we work alongside a number of environmental and community initiatives. In November 2012, a group from the Department of Work and Pensions visited our allotment and lent a hand preparing the soil for planting. They were part of the Community 10,000 scheme that encourages staff to volunteer in their spare time. We are welcoming a new set of volunteers employees back in February who will be transplanting raspberry bushes. We also became a member of 'The Federation of City and Farms Community Gardens' in 2012. They support and represent community gardens across the United Kingdom and we want to make our VegBox the community hub in Garndiffaith! If you are interested in volunteering with us we would love to hear from you as Sam always needs a helping hand in the garden. Contact Sam@garnsychan.com for more details.

Sam White
Growing the VegBox Officer Sam is the newest member of the team and was recruited through the GoWales placement scheme that enables young graduates to gain practical work experience.
He studied Business & Enterprise Management at the University of Sunderland and is currently 2/3rds of the way through an MSc in Advanced Environmental and Energy Studies. He lives on his parent's smallholding and has an interest in learning and employing traditional skills such as hedge laying, coppicing and dry stone walling; he is also passionate about organic gardening and supporting wildlife and biodiversity. "Expect to see our gardens brought back into cultivation" says Sam. "Wildlife habitats will be created such as a pond and insect hotels, and the Veg Box Centre developed into a community hub where people can come to learn new skills and get involved with their local community." If you wish to contact Sam with ideas, thoughts or concerns feel free to do so by emailing sam@garnsychan.com or contacting the main office.

We are now part of the Foodbank Network!

The Eastern Valley FoodBank has just opened on the Pavilion Industrial Estate in Pontnewynydd and we are going to be working alongside them to provide emergency vouchers that will provide food support for three days to people in crisis. The scheme fed 128,697 people between 2011-12 and all of the team are thrilled to be a part of it! At this stage, all food must be collected from Pontnewynydd but we aim to set up a smaller hub in our VegBox premises. Until then, we will provide transport when possible. All the food is donated by schools, churches, businesses and individuals making it a valuable community enterprise. Find the scheme on twitter @EVfoodbank or on the Trussell Trust website.

Our Planned Gardening Projects in 2013

- Friendly planting in order to become pollinator friendly! - Thanks to 'Environment Wales' funding, build a pond in our garden in order to encourage bio-diversity and attract toads and frogs - natures own form of pest control. - Install seating and a cooking area in the garden for community use. - Provide a home to chicken and bees for fresh eggs and honey in 2013!

Circulate News: Kate Burton and the three permanent staff members at Circulate continue to
provide a fantastic service to wider Torfaen and last year became the largest removal company currently operating in the county. We are thrilled that the schemes furniture and white goods recycling initiative exceeded the sales target that we set in 2012 threefold! Thanks to an act passed in January stating local authorities and businesses must consider the social and environmental impact of their waste disposal, 2013 looks set to be equally successful. The team have already secured and carried out clearance contracts with Parkway Hotel Cwmbran and local schools with the hope of becoming the contractor of choice for our local authorities. Circulate received a grant from Environment Wales and are going 'on the road' throughout Spring promoting the benefit of re-use with their reasonably priced recycled furniture. A list of the destinations can be viewed on the 'News' section of garnsychan.com

Employability News:
Our programme went from strength to strength last year and we look forward to continue offering training and placements to unemployed members of the community and university graduates in 2013. We provide support to each placementee and cater to their individual needs and requirements in order to make the transition between placement and workplace an easy one! Circulates programme at our Blaenavon HQ had an average of 70 placementees working every three months last year. They came from a range of learning backgrounds - between July and September 2012, 13% of participants had dyslexia and a further 10% a form of learning disability. The team ensure that all volunteers receive inhouse training in team work, confidence and communication skills in order to ready them for the world of work. We also work alongside Go Wales and Jobs Growth Wales in offering university graduates the opportunity to gain practical and paid work experience at the Partnership in support roles. The team supports each placementee whilst they work towards their City & Guilds Level 4 Award in their chosen field.

Circulate HQ in Blaenavon

A Woodwise Project volunteer

Garnsychan Partnership Dates for your Diary Spring 2013

Circulate Roadshow is on the road during Spring in Torfaen. Check when the team are in your area on garnsychan.com. We are offering CV guidance and job application support to claimants of jobseekers allowance who are required to register online job searches following changes to the benefits system. These sessions are every Tuesday 9.30am 12.30pm and Thursday 1pm-4pm.

February March

Currently out of work? Boost your CV! We are offering free training courses in First Aid, Manual Handling & Health & Safety at our Circulate HQ throughout February contact Bianca@garnsychan for details! No smoking day will be marked on the 13th March at our VegBox hub. Climate week falls between the 4th and 10th of March this year. We are going to be running a number of events and initiatives across the Partnership. Check @garnsychan, @vegboxscheme and garnsychan.com for further details or if you want to get involved!

2012 was an Olympic Year at our Lunch Club!

The Partnerships longest running project continues to provide a tasty three-course meal to each of its attendees every Tuesday in Garndiffaith! The chef Fiona Jones and her team of dedicated volunteers work tirelessly to keep the menu varied and atmosphere welcoming. Testament to their commitment, the club hosted six special events in addition to the usual weekly lunches in 2012 meaning that it was a busy but enjoyable year for all involved! The members joined the rest of Britain in celebrating the Olympics in May with the arrival of the Torch to the Millennium Hall. Holding the torch was a once in a lifetime opportunity for all involved and it was a very special occasion. The patriotic spirit continued into June with a free lunch attended by the Mayor of Torfaen to mark the Queens Jubilee.

Doreen Boucher with the torch

The project also held its usual annual events. As part of the Easter celebrations, they made decorative bonnets before receiving Easter eggs for their efforts. Garnteg Primary School also routinely visits and this year treated the volunteers and attendees to a performance of songs at the Harvest Day Festival celebration in September. The Christmas Lunch was a fantastic note to end 2012 on - volunteers and attendees received gifts and enjoyed an extra special festive menu. Everybody that attends the club enjoys themselves immensely and the project is very close to the hearts of it's volunteers and everyone working at the Partnership!

Garnsychan Art Club!

The Garnsychan Partnership has run an Art Club for the older members of our community for over four years. During that time the attendees have created some really impressive pieces of art under the watchful eye of Georgina their art teacher. There is no set format to the classes and each artist has their own project that they work on at their own pace. If you're interested in becoming involved contact training@garnsychan.com or pop along to their weekly session every Monday at our VegBox HQ 3 - 5 pm.

Volunteer Profile - Phil Huggins

I am Phil Huggins and I volunteer on two or three mornings a week to assist the Finance officer Vicky Ford. But how did I get here? I graduated from Plymouth in 1981 with a degree in Business Studies and joined Farley Health Products as a trainee accountant. I progressed to Factory Accountant whilst also qualifying as a Chartered Management Accountant leaving after 8 years only when the factory closed. Like the pit head baths in Max Boyces song, its a supermarket now. My next job was at the Ambrosia Creamery which saw me relocated to South Wales and made Site Finance at Pot Noodles. Another 5 years or so and I left the food industry. My new role was as plant controller for Lafarge Plasterboard in Bristol and I spent 9 years building and training a team, introducing new systems and at the point I was to start formally supervising the plant controllers from two factories, I was made redundant. After a year of unsuccessful job hunting the Job Centre directed me to Mandatory Work Activity which should have meant doing manual labour at 'Circulate' but thankfully Kate saw the potential for me to work with Vicky. After the mandatory one months work I left for a temporary role but when that finished I soon returned to the partnership. My plan for the future is now to be a self employed Book-keeper and management accountant, to that end I am currently enrolled on courses in computerised book-keeping and Payroll and I have also just completed a crash course in Book-keeping for farmers.

4
55 Stanley Road | Garndiffaith | NP4 7LH 01495 774453 | Training@garnsychan.com | www.garnsychan.com