Search results for : Articles
Holocaust Memorial Day 2016
Caerphilly Council will mark Holocaust Memorial Day with an exhibition of poignant artwork and poetry from local school pupils and artist David Garner, in the heart of Blackwood Town Centre opening on Monday 25 January. The owner of a vacant shop in The Market Place Blackwood, opposite Peacocks, has kindly loaned the premises to the council to be transformed into an art exhibition from 25 and 30 January. The exhibition will comprise of work from pupils from Cwmcarn High School, Blackwood Comprehensive School and Risca Community Comprehensive School, together with Garner’s artwork B for Defiance, an exact replica of the sign at Auschwitz. A special event will take place at 11am on Wednesday 27 January to officially mark Holocaust Memorial Day, the international day of remembrance for victims of the Holocaust and other genocides. The day will honour the survivors and remember those who have lost their lives. It will also provide an opportunity to reflect on the way we live our lives today. Artist David Garner said, “Sadly, one thing that we’ve learnt is that we seldom learn from history. But we won’t learn from history if we forget the Holocaust. It is not only important to remember, but to educate, create dialogue and be aware that fascist views and behaviour are ever present.” Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, Cllr. Keith Reynolds, said: “This is the second year we have hosted a community event to commemorate this important national day of remembrance. The pupils have been hard at work creating some moving pieces for the interactive exhibition under…
Spring Season at Blackwood Miners’ Institute
Throughout the Spring Blackwood Miners’ Institute are playing host to an amazing selection of comedies, dramas, music and dance shows that the whole family are sure to enjoy! For Spring & Autumn Watch fans, presenter Iolo Williams will be arriving at BMI on Wednesday 3 February to take you on a tour of his Welsh homeland from mountain tops to seashore. Comedy enthusiasts should prepare to be spoilt for choice throughout the month of February when ‘Stute Comedy Nights return on the first Friday of every month between February and May which will feature three top comedians touring the UK circuit. On February 6th the brilliant Mike Doyle comes to town to perform his best show yet – that’s earned him the title ‘UK’s best all round entertainer’ by the Western Mail. BMI will also be welcoming Lewis Schaffer straight from New York for his pay-what-you-want free show on February 19th. It’s not just about comedy in February; there are also family friendly performances such as The Tap Dancing Mermaid on February 18th – a story about a tippetty-top tap dancer who the moon has been watching at night. Come the 24th of February the stage will be transformed into a multi-sensory spectacle for the exhilarating experience of Shine, a show that sends young imaginations wild with a performance suitable for young children and their grown-ups! If music is more your thing don’t miss Andy Fairweather Low, the lead singer of 60s pop band Amen Corner, & The Low Riders who will be performing at the ‘stute on Saturday the…
Minister officially unveils new look resource centre in Rhymney
On Thursday 14 January Lesley Griffiths AM, Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, officially opened the newly refurbished Hafod Deg Resource Centre on Rhymney High Street. The facility has been transformed into a fully functioning multi agency facility, providing a range of support services to meet the needs of the community in Rhymney, facilitated by Communities First. Advice and help available from Hafod Deg Resource Centre includes services from Citizen’s Advice Bureau, training and employment support provided by Communities First, LIFT, Communities for Work and the Job Centre, as well as community food growing projects, nutrition and dietary advice. Refurbishment of the building was made possible utilising part of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s £1 million grant from Welsh Government’s Vibrant and Viable Places Tackling Poverty Fund. Caerphilly County Borough Council is using this additional money to help facilitate a focussed, concentrated and integrated regeneration programme in the north of Rhymney. As well as being used to provide this community facility, the additional funding from Welsh Government is also being used to enhance a £4.2 million investment programme the council is currently delivering on the nearby Rowan Place estate. This investment is being used to carry out extensive internal and external improvements to homes, along with community engagement in wider environmental improvements to the area. The Safer Caerphilly Partnership and the Gwent Substance Misuse Area Planning Board have also developed a multi-agency substance misuse base within Hafod Deg to serve needs within the north of the county borough, allowing residents to access services in a convenient location. The base has been…
Postcode Community Trust are offering grants of between £500 – £20,000
Postcode Community Trust are offering grants of between £500 – £20,000 to “grassroots organisations, local charities and non-profit community businesses seeking to effect positive change within their local area”. Apply by 29th of January 2016. The following is taken directly from http://www.postcodecommunitytrust.org.uk/ – highlighted for relevance to Wales: Postcode Community Trust was established in 2014 to support marginalised groups in obtaining the skills & resources to effect change in their own communities – awarding £2 million of funding in 2015. Postcode Community Trust operates its own society lottery and receives all of its funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery. In 2016, the Trust will invite applications that help communities to overcome barriers to participation in creative and sustainable ways, and increase social cohesion through developing access to community facilities and activities. Registered charities* in England, Scotland & Wales can apply from £500 – £20,000 (£10,000 in Wales) for projects meeting the above remit, whilst other organisations may apply for up to £2,000 *Please note that in order to apply for over £2,000 you must hold a current registration number with either the Charity Commission for England & Wales and/or the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) The form will be open at the following times in 2016: Tue 5th Jan – Fri 29th Jan 2016 Sun 1st May – Tuesday 31st May 2016 For more information, please visit the Grants page and thoroughly read the Guidance Notes before applying: 2016 PCT Guidance Notes Online Application Form If you wish to apply for a project which does not meet…
Review of SmartZone – Business Park in Tredomen, Caerphilly by John James Dew
“Our Caerphilly-based business established in 2011 has been located here at the Council owned Innovation and Technology Centre since 2013. In that time, we have needed a range of different accommodation needs (reflecting the agile nature of a niche change management practice like ours). That has including: the ability to host a fairly major three day public sector transformation event with nearly 100 participants; having a holding base from which to run the business; requiring different accommodation at different times in the lifecycle of the business; through to making use of the excellent meeting and conference rooms as and when we, and our clients, required them. The economic development team responsible for the Centre really do understand the needs of business and have been absolutely outstanding. They are constantly trying to innovate and provide a wider range of services to support local businesses and their shared business zone is just one of a series of initiatives that are providing sustainable options for local entrepreneurs. We are delighted that we chose to locate the business here and we’re keen to stay – that is in no small part, due to the fantastic team that support us and the other highly innovative companies that are located here. It’s a great place to locate your business!” John James Dew OBE, Managing Director, The Dew Cadre Check the SmartZone page for more info.
Give your Mobile Phone a Facelift for 2016
A new business has opened in Caerphilly town centre. Excelsior Phones is located on Cardiff Road and sells mobile phone accessories. Owner Oamar Munir said: “We are delighted to be able to provide our customers with a wide range of choice and on the local high street”
Bargoed welcomes Spiritual Essence to the High Street
A new business has opened in Bargoed town centre. Spiritual Essence is located in High Street by the Principality and sells clothing. Owner Nathan Luke who opened the store in November said that their speciality is Festival clothing and is proving very popular with local residents who like to attend festivals such as Glastonbury, Reading and the Green Man Festival. They also sell a selection of other clothing including prom dresses and accessories. Nathan Luke said: “The store is going really well and we have welcomed shoppers from all over the Borough and beyond.”
FSW LTD Makes a Smart Move
The new Smart Zone in Caerphilly has welcomed its first tenant FSW Ltd. Founded in Ireland over 50 years ago Fridge Spare Wholesale, (FSW) has grown over the last 5 decades to become one of the largest family owned independent wholesalers in the UK refrigeration and air conditioning industry. FSW have 24 Trade Counters in the UK and 3 in Ireland, offering a collection and delivery service anywhere in the UK. Including FSW there are 4 other businesses that form the FSW UK Group of companies, Beacon Design & Engineering Limited manufacture bespoke refrigeration and our conditioning equipment, ESP who supply spare parts for commercial refrigeration equipment, and then 2 other specialist divisions that support the supermarket refrigeration sector called NRWfm and Just one call. FSW has seen a massive growth over the last 20 years particularly in the Air Conditioning Sector, we are main agents for Mitsubishi Electric and Fujutsu Air Conditioning. Robin Green the Marketing & Product Manager said: “Our UK marketing department is delighted with it’s new home at the Tredomen Innovation & Technology Centre, and we look forward to the next 50 years.” Check the SmartZone page for more info.
New Year – why not take on the Caerphilly 10k challenge?
Residents looking for a New Year challenge should look no further than the Caerphilly 10k – with over 200 people already having signed up to take on the ever popular annual event. The Caerphilly 10k returns on Sunday 19th June – and entry prices are frozen until 31st January! The event, which is the third most popular 10k event in Wales, just behind Cardiff and Swansea, attracted close to 2,000 participants last year, and leads participants in and around Caerphilly town centre – passing local landmarks including the Tommy Cooper statue along the way and offering great views of the wonderful castle. Also returning is the Caerphilly 2k run, offering younger runners a chance to get involved in this timed event. Participants must be at least 8 on the day of the event in order to participate. Entry fees are £16.50 for unaffiliated entrants, £14.50 for affiliated/Welsh Athletics entrants, £14.50 for concessions (over 60’s and wheelchair users) and £6.50 for 2k runners. All fees include booking fee and transaction charges. Cllr Nigel George said, “The Caerphilly 10k continues to be one of our most popular events, and has grown substantially in popularity since the inaugural event in 2013. It is an event which attracts people from right across the country to participate and really helps to showcase all that Caerphilly has to offer to people from far and wide. It was wonderful to see so many people taking on the challenge last year, and whether participants have the aim of putting in a good time, raising money for good causes…