Christmas time again!

Well it's that time of year again! Here's hoping everyone has enjoyed the past term and is looking forward to the New Year and breaking all the resolutions...

Happy Christmas to everyone and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2010!

Good News

We have just been informed that the Welsh Assembly Government have approved a grant application to extend our cafe. The new and improved cafe will bring opportunities for more employment and a better place for our community members and users of the centre to enjoy themselves. We'll keep you up to date with the progress.

Summertime?

Well what can I say about the weather, it's wet. Last week we held our first annual roots and froots fair which considering the wet weather proved to be a good day. The four local primary schools took part in a garden competion where they had to design a scarecrow and/or a flowerpot person for the community garden and a wheelbarrow garden. The winning scarecrow design was produced by Crynant Primary and the successful wheelbarrow garden was designed by Maesmarchog Primary, well done to both schools and a big thank you to all the other schools for taking part, all the designs were great. Big thanks to our judges Rhodri Thomas from Cynnal Cymru, Jean-Francios from Groundwork Wales and the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, CBC Cllr Pam Thomas who presented the prizes.

Have a good summer.

Facebook, whatever next?

Our good friend and colleague Jess has put DOVE on the map, well facebook anyway. Jess is using Facebook to advertise up and coming community events organised by DOVE. We have some interesting days planned for the summer, starting with a Social Policy workshop on 19th June delivered by Professor W Schumann and Jessica Blackburn who are visiting us from West Virginia, USA. That same evening we have Dr Hywel Francis discussing his book about the 1984-85 Miners' Strike "History on our Side"with Rob Humphreys, Director of the Open University in Wales and on the 26th June we are holding a free Welsh History workshop provided by the Open Univeristy in Wales.

On a lighter note, we have a Car Boot Sale planned for the 4th July, a Storytelling Day on the 6th July and a Garden Open Day "Roots and Froots" on the 16th July.

All the above are free events, some even come with food! Please ring or email to find out more.

Location, Location, Location

We seem to be hosting film crews regularly at the moment, you remember that Boyd Clack and Rhodri Thomas did a short very funny film about environmental sustainability here a couple of months ago, that can be viewed by following this link http://www.sustainwales.com/home/en/campaigns_eco_worriers.aspx

Yesterday we were visited by the BBC's The One Show. Lucy Siegle, a regular presenter on the programme, interviewed Mair Francis, the founder of DOVE Workshop about DOVE's beginnings and they also filmed a number of classes, our PC Clinic and the nursery. The programme will be aired in February and is part of series of programmes made during the 25th Anniversary of the 1984-85 Miners' Strike.

Volunteer Day in the Garden

As many staff as possible are going to volunteer to work in the learning garden on Wednesday, it's time it had a Spring clean. When we did it last year, I was attacked by a frog because I had disturbed his/her living space, the nursery children were highly amused by my reaction.

The Complementary Therapy course has begun so the centre smells lovely on a Tuesday, there is still time to join if you are interested, and the Conversational Spanish course, which I have enrolled on, is due to begin soon so future blog entries may include some useful Spanish phrases if I get the hang of it.

We are planning next year's programme of courses and if anyone has an interest in in a subject that we don't offer please tell us and we can see if it is viable to offer it.

New term, new courses

I hope you have all had a good break and for those of you who were lucky enough to have an egg, I hope you enjoyed the treat. A group of mums organised an Easter Egg hunt around the centre for the children, it was well attended and everyone had great fun. The new term begins next week, we are offering a number of new courses and we are in the process of planing some events for the sumer. Keep checking the website to find out what and when. We are being visited by students from Appalachia State University, USA in June, two of the students will be placed in DOVE for the duration of their visit to Wales and their Professor will be delivering two lectures for us, one on Social Policy and other on the culture of storytelling. Everyone is welcome to attend!

The lads from Llangatwg

Two young men from Llangatwg School have been working one day a week in our community garden to gain practical work skills, it's their last day today and I want to wish them well for the future and thank them for their efforts in the garden. They have been a pleasure to work with.

25th Annivesary of the Miners' Strike 1984-85

I went along to an event in Onllwyn miners' Welfare Hall on Saturday to mark the 25th Annivesary of Strike. I felt privileged to meet so many people who fought for our communities. Radio Wales' Good Morning Wales interviewed Mair Francis, Christine Powell and Susan Owen at DOVE last week about their experiences of the Strike, the interview was aired this morning and makes very interesting listening, well done women!

Fantastic Fun Filming with Rhodri and Boyd

Lots of excitment at DOVE yesterday, Rhodri Thomas and his good friend Boyd Clack were filming in the Sarn Helen Garden. Rhodri works for Cynnal Cymru and the idea is to produce a programme that deals with environmental sustainability through the use of humour and the media. If yesterday was anything to go by the idea has potential. Please look out for the short film on our website and send in your comments. Thanks to Maesmarchog Year 5 pupils and the horticulture class for taking part, I hope you all had fun. I was very impressed by the skills of the film crew and of course the actors, and we wish them luck for the pilot.

The Flowerpots

During half term our Enterprise Learning By Doing Group, who are learning how to run a business, held their first event. The girls showed the film Peter Pan to an audience of young children in our community, they also supplied popcorn, homemade cakes and other treats. It was good to see a group of young people organising a community event while learning skills that will be of benefit to them in the future. Well done girls, you did a great job!

News

Hi everyone, I hope you are all coping with the cold weather, my budding Snowdrops are telling me Spring is just around the corner!

Two local young lads from Llangatwg School have recently joined our garden workers to gain practical skills. The lads will have the opportunity to learn about the Sarn Helen Garden development and how it has a positive impact within the community. We have been fortunate to be able to work alongside the communities first team who have provided a worker to support the young lads' participation. If anyone reading this is interested in spending time in the garden please call in or give us a ring, we would be pleased to meet you.

As you may have noticed on the website's home page, there is a number of new courses starting soon, starting with work based skills, a course that would be helpful for those of you who are looking for work. I'm sure we all need a push to update our CVs and learn about new ways of searching for the latest job vacancies. In April, there are courses being offered that include something for everyone, give us a ring or email us for more information.

New year, new classes

I hope everyone had a good break and is keeping warm in this very cold snap. We are about to start a small number of new courses during this term so check out the course information page of the website and ring us or call in for more information. Our Hookers and Clickers Crochet Club returned yesterday and it was great to see (and hear) them. The club was set up by the previous crochet class and they raise money through raffles and sales of crafts to support themselves and pay for an expert to support their hobby. It's good to see a group working together to provide a community activity and we love having them in the centre.

Happy New Year to all and here's hoping that 2009 will bring health and prosperity to everyone. Christmas has already faded into the background and we've all returned to work full of energy and vitality (!)..... Look forward to seeing everyone soon.