Got a big idea? New to business? Looking to grow?

Effect Blaenau GwentCommunity is here for you. Contact Enterprise Facilitator Moe Forouzan, heUpdate can give you: • Free, confidential support • Business coaching

• Help with building your team Scan this code with your smart phone to go to our mobile site Call Moe on 07554 423267

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 1 email [email protected] 16/11/2012 11:39 In partnership with: Find out more at www.bgeffect.com Foundry Gateway

Key themes: Prosperous Communities & Learning Communities

A landmark part of the £13million To inspire their designs, pupils were regeneration programme for taken on trips to Big Pit National Abertillery will be the Foundry Mining Museum and took part in an Bridge Gateway. Inspired by local art workshop facilitated by artist Becky collieries and interpreted by local Adams. Some pupils also visited the schoolchildren, the Foundry Gateway Guardian memorial and the former Project consists of a series of six sites of their local collieries - spires with burning embers, which Colliery, Penybont and Grey Collieries, will represent the industrial past and Rose Heyworth Colliery, provide a gateway to the commercial Colliery and Vivian Colliery. centre of the town. The project has allowed children to make connections with their parents and grandparents memories of the past, which will promoted a sense of local ownership of the Foundry Gateway Project between younger and older generations.

Pupils from Abertillery Comprehensive School, Abertillery Primary School, Bryngwyn Primary School, Rose Heyworth Millennium School and ’s Primary School all took part in a competition for the Foundry Blaenau County Borough Gateway Project in collaboration with Council is working towards installation Communities First. of an impressive new gateway feature at the junction of Alma Street & The pupils were invited to design Foundry Bridge in Abertillery Town pictures and poems which capture Centre by March 2013 as part of their views of local industrial heritage. Abertillery’s Regeneration Programme. The 16 winning pieces will be engraved onto A3 stainless steel For more information about the plaques and displayed on the wall project, please contact adjacent to the spires. County Borough Council Regeneration Department on 01495 355542.

Abertillery Communities First - 13a Commercial Street - Arcade Abertillery - NP13 1DH Tel: 01495 213150

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 2 16/11/2012 11:40 UPDATE - PAGE: 3

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 3 16/11/2012 11:40 Abertillery Work Club

Key themes: Prosperous Communities & Learning Communities

Abertillery Work Club is a help with writing or updating a collaborative approach between a CV, setting-up an e-mail address number of organisations, including and help with internet job search, Communities First, Careers , BG basic IT training information about Adult Education and Want 2 Work. volunteering and how to access local training and education opportunities. It exists to provide a one-to-one For clients who are interested in service, offering a wider scale setting-up their own business, we have of support to improve people’s helped to support them through the employability, confidence and to move BG Effect project, giving them the help them closer to the job market. and support to develop their ideas.

The service is a voluntary one for Established with a small set-up grant jobseekers, offered informally at from Job Centre Plus, Abertillery Work Abertillery Library on a Wednesday Club has helped over 130 people morning from 9.30-12.30am. People over the last 12 months. If you are can drop-in for a cup of tea and coffee unemployed or looking for a change and get the help they need. This can of direction please drop in! involve careers guidance interviews,

Abertillery Communities First - 13a Commercial Street - Arcade Abertillery - NP13 1DH Tel: 01495 213150

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 4 16/11/2012 11:40 ASDAN Youth Achievement Awards

Key themes: Prosperous Communities, Healthier Communities & Learning Communities

Eleven pupils from Abertillery The Bronze Youth Achievement Award Comprehensive School used the is a 60 hour programme. The young community gardens to help with people had to focus on a number of their ASDAN Youth Achievement modules, including building an eco- Award. The awards take an activity- friendly greenhouse from pop bottles, based approach to peer education, preparing soil and planting seasonal and encourage young people to fruit and vegetables which they had take more responsibility in selecting researched and submitting a portfolio planning and leading activities. They of work for external assessment. also help young people to enhance self-esteem, develop communication Abertillery Comprehensive School skills and resolve differences by pupils, Connor Long, Connor Price, negotiation, work well with others, Darian Dobbs, Ieuan Williams, Liam develop values and plan ahead. Andrews, Josh Williams and Robert Meek are the first seven young people in Blaenau Gwent to achieve Youth Achievement Award. Congratulations to them!

COMMUNITY UPDATE - PAGE: 5

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 5 16/11/2012 11:40 Effect Blaenau Gwent gives free and confidential business support to local That in turn helps the local economy and brings job opportunities. people, start-up ventures, The whole project is managed existing businesses and by volunteers. social enterprises. Got a big idea? Effect Blaenau Gwent is New to business? Do you have a big idea? Energy? successfully putting into practice Passion? Maybe it’s about taking the principles of Enterprise Facilitation Looking to grow? that first step – talking to someone. pioneered by Dr Ernesto Sirolli. Effect Blaenau Gwent can help. Moe Forouzan is your Enterprise We provide: Facilitator - your point of contact. • business support to the grass-roots • a helpful Enterprise Facilitator Call him on 07554 423267 • free and confidential business Email: [email protected] coaching Visit our website at: Effect Blaenau • support – but with no restrictions www.bgeffect.com Gwent is here for you. • practical help from a volunteer panel Contact Enterprise Facilitator Moe Forouzan, he can give you: Effect Blaenau Gwent is a EFFECT • Free, confidential support grass-roots project – the first in Wales. We are different. We are Enterprise F • Business coaching here for local people – to help F acilitation or Effective them be successful in business • Help with building your team Scan this code with Community your smart phone to go to our mobile site and enterprise. Transformation Call Moe on 07554 423267

email [email protected] In partnership with: Find out more at www.bgeffect.com

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 6 16/11/2012 11:40 Effect Blaenau Gwent gives free and confidential business support to local That in turn helps the local economy and brings job opportunities. people, start-up ventures, The whole project is managed existing businesses and by volunteers. social enterprises. Got a big idea? Effect Blaenau Gwent is New to business? Do you have a big idea? Energy? successfully putting into practice Passion? Maybe it’s about taking the principles of Enterprise Facilitation Looking to grow? that first step – talking to someone. pioneered by Dr Ernesto Sirolli. Effect Blaenau Gwent can help. Moe Forouzan is your Enterprise We provide: Facilitator - your point of contact. • business support to the grass-roots • a helpful Enterprise Facilitator Call him on 07554 423267 • free and confidential business Email: [email protected] coaching Visit our website at: Effect Blaenau • support – but with no restrictions www.bgeffect.com Gwent is here for you. • practical help from a volunteer panel Contact Enterprise Facilitator Moe Forouzan, he can give you: Effect Blaenau Gwent is a EFFECT • Free, confidential support grass-roots project – the first in Wales. We are different. We are Enterprise F • Business coaching here for local people – to help F acilitation or Effective them be successful in business • Help with building your team Scan this code with Community your smart phone to go to our mobile site and enterprise. Transformation Call Moe on 07554 423267 email [email protected] In partnership with: Find out more at www.bgeffect.com

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 7 16/11/2012 11:40 Information & Support Services

Key themes: Prosperous Communities, Healthier Communities & Learning Communities

The Communities First Information Centre in Commercial Street Arcade, Abertillery, hosts a number of services, helping to make them more accessible to community members. These include…

Shelter Cymru provide advice and CRI is a health and social care charity support for homelessness, evictions which provide help to people and and housing related issues. Drop-in communities affected by drugs, service is available from 10am-12noon alcohol, crime, homelessness, domestic every Monday. Help is also available abuse and antisocial behaviour. Our over the national telephone helpline Alcohol Counselling Service is provided on 08450 755005. on a Wednesday on an appointments only basis. If you require help, please Citizen’s Advice Bureau service telephone 08452 412538. helps people with their legal, money and other problems by providing free Smart Money Credit Union confidential advice. Drop-in service provides a financial service to people is available from 9.15 – 11.30am in Blaenau Gwent. People can save every Tuesday. An appointments only money or arrange loans at affordable service is also available on a Thursday prices. This can help people avoid loan morning. The local Citizens Advice sharks, pay-day and doorstep lenders. Bureau can be contacted in on Drop-in service is available from 10- 01495 292659. Help is also available 11am every Thursday. For telephone on the national telephone helpline on enquiries please contact 02920 08444 772020. 883751.

Abertillery Communities First - 13a Commercial Street - Arcade Abertillery - NP13 1DH Tel: 01495 213150

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 8 16/11/2012 11:40 Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 9 16/11/2012 11:40 Engineering Our Future

Key themes: Prosperous Communities & Learning Communities

Pupils from Abertillery Tracey Williams, from Abertillery Comprehensive School, Abertillery Comprehensive School commented Primary School and Queen Street “the project has helped to explain to Primary School were involved in an young people the different careers engineering project, which saw them available in engineering, and to give build a scale model of the second them a taster of this. It has also been Severn crossing. a wonderful transitional project for Abertillery Primary and Queen Street Primary, who worked with year 9 pupils, who used the experience to contribute towards their Welsh Baccalaureate”.

The project was filmed and is can be viewed on www.facebook/ abertillerycwmtillerycommunitiesfirst Construction Ambassadors helped the or on www.redslatefilms.com pupils with the tasks of assembling the bridge. They volunteered with the project and work in a variety of For further information please engineering roles. contact Andrew Pugh, Community Development Officer, Abertillery The project, arranged by Abertillery Communities First, on 01495 213150, Communities First involved The 07545 210494, or e-mail: Institute of Civil Engineering and the [email protected] companies Capita Symonds, Carillion and Construction Skills.

It helped to: • encourage young people to explore civil engineering as a potential career; • motivate young people, aiming to increase their results at Key Stage 2/3/4; • help cut school absences in primary and comprehensive school.

Abertillery Communities First - 13a Commercial Street - Arcade Abertillery - NP13 1DH Tel: 01495 213150

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 10 16/11/2012 11:40 Internet Advertising for Businesses

Key themes: Prosperous Communities

Abertillery Communities First has been working with 3VTV or Three Valleys Television, helping to promote a range of local businesses on the internet. During these tough economic times, advertising and having a digital presence is 3VTV is a University of Wales, increasing important. Newport project part-funded by the Welsh Government and aims to help 3VTV is Blaenau Gwent’s own online Blaenau Gwent’s small and medium TV channel, available to watch on sized businesses get a taste of online demand at 3vtv.co.uk. As well as advertising. adverts for local businesses it has heritage documentaries, a sports series and other films all about the county Are you interested in raising the profile borough. of your local business? Please contact Alice Ridding on 01495 722973, Some of the local businesses we have 07970 507270 or e-mail: been working with include 1st for [email protected] Locks, Alison’s Laundrette and Ironing Centre, Amphlett’s Butchers, Chilli’s Indian Restaurant, Church Street Fish Bar, Comfort Zone, Kutz ‘n’ Kurlz, MWW Maintenance, Needles ‘n’ Threads, Petro’s Barbers, Something Special, Super Suites, The Coffee Bean, The Tatt Shack, Tribal Zone, Valleys Estates and Williams and Parry Opticians. For many of these smaller businesses, this is their first presence of the internet, and the 3VTV channel is helping to publicise them across neighbouring valleys.

COMMUNITY UPDATE - PAGE: 11

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 11 16/11/2012 11:40 TuesdayTuesday 4th4th DecemberDecember 5pm5pm toto 8pm8pm ChurchChurch StreetStreet

DiamondDiamond JubileeJubilee SquareSquare Ice Rink & Bouncy Castle Museum Car Park from 4pm Torchlight procession, 5:15pm Queens St School WinterfestWinterfest 20122012 Ffrindiau Tyleri address for correspondence Aber-Llan Community Council Council Offices Mitre St Celebrations Abertillery NP13 1AE 26th Nov to 8th December Ffrindiau Tyleri Tel. No.: 01495 213284 This project has been partly funded by Blaenau Gwent Borough Council and the Aber-Llan Community Council

Comm1st_Book_12PP.indd 12 16/11/2012 11:40