Groundwork Bridgend &Neath Port Talbot

IMPACTREPORT2011/2012

Groundwork’s vision is of a societyof sustainable communities whichare vibrant, healthy and safe, andwhich respect the local and globalenvironment and where individualsand enterprise prosper.

At Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot we work withenergy and commitment with localcommunities, working together todeliver initiatives and programmesaimed to bring about this vision.

Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port TalbotThe Engine House, Parc Tondu, Maesteg Road, Tondu, Bridgend CF32 9TFTel: (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.

WELCOME/01 Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

The past year has been a time of development and expansion forGroundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot. Our commitment to Welsh Government Regeneration Areas has led to the delivery ofprojects in new geographical areas; including the delivery of youthengagement 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 teamhas continued to deliver local environmental regeneration projects, whilst inBridgend our WCVA funded engagement gateway and Intermediate LabourMarket programmes have enabled us to improve the employability skills of local young people with trainees gaining over 200 qualifications. A widerange of local environmental regeneration projects have benefited from the support of our local trainees, including the exciting transformation of abrownfield site into a community owned market garden complete withsustainable 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 andteam of staff and volunteers for making this past year such a success.

Mark EvansExecutive Director

134,729m2

134,729 m² of land improved

948948 volunteers have engaged with our projects

164Supported 164 community partnerships

AT A GLANCE

02/03 Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

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 communityregeneration projects, improving areas of neglected wasteland to createmuch needed community amenities, such as Cwmafan CommemorativeGarden and Pontrhydyfen Miners Welfare Park, as well as developing aCommunity 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 heritagesites. Many of these projects could not have been delivered without thesupport of the local Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) participants. TheWCVA ILM programme, which employs 16 &17 year olds, has delivered 7 community regeneration projects, allowing participants to broaden theirskills set whilst supporting their local communities.

Our team now extends across South West Wales, from the Positive Energyteam 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 wellbeingcourses. These projects have engaged with 967 young people who havecompleted over 60 OCNs in the last year.

EnergyreductionEnergy reduction advice across 8 rural wards in Swansea

52,300m2

52,300m² of land improved byour landscape team

200Our trainees achieved over 200 qualifications

3,200Over 3,200 individuals engagedwith our programmes

}Working with Groundworkgave me life skills andexperience, I reallyenjoyed it and it gave me a good knowledge of the workplace to takeinto my apprenticeship.Jamie TownsendFirst year apprentice with Oakwood Joinery

04/05 Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

The stories that follow demonstrate theimpact we have had on people and placesover the past year. They highlight how wehave helped local communities make positivechanges and they illustrate not only ourimpact in the short term, but more importantly,our long term goal of trying to create a lastinglegacy for the local community.

HIGHLIGHTINGOUR IMPACT

The stories that follow demonstrate theimpact we have had on people and placesover the past year. They highlight how wehave helped local communities make positivechanges and they illustrate not only ourimpact in the short term, but more importantly,our long term goal of trying to create a lastinglegacy for the local community.

06/07 Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

10Worked with 10 primary schoolsthrough the community orchards

200200 trees planted

1 ton1 ton of carbon dioxide absorbedper lifetime per tree (Approx)

INVOLVING PEOPLE INREGENERATION

Locally grown food is vital when creating sustainable communities andour 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, havegot their hands dirty and have helped create the orchards which includeapple, plum and pear trees. Community engagement is vital in theplanting of these beautiful orchards and we want as many people aspossible to get involved, as it gives them the chance to obtain a new skill whilst learning about the importance of local food production.

The CoRE initiative is funded through the Rural Development Plan forWales 2007-2013 funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, and works in the Neath Port Talbot area.

}The children had a great timeplanting the orchards and were able to learn about theimportance of trees and localproduce, whilst getting theirhands dirty.Mrs Jane ArbourneTeacher at Crynallt Infant school

BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

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 peoplehave gone on to gain qualifications or further their employability. CassieJones is a prime example of the work going on at Marlas. Together withtwo other attendees she has set up a hair and beauty business, whichwill operate as a social enterprise.

The Marlas Centre has given usthe opportunity to add to our CV,the more qualifications we havethe better.Cassie JonesMarlas Centre attendee

}2323 volunteers supporting the programme

14,06614,066 attendees to Youthworksprogrammes

122122 off site trips

08/09 Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

10/11 Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

BRIGHTER FUTURES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

The Play programme has been designed by our Youthworks team toencourage children to engage with the outdoors, use their imagination whilstinteracting with other children from their community. The programme isfinancially 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 childrenattending each session to take part in a variety of activities. During thesummer months we play ball games, set up slip and slides and hike alongthe 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 creatingpromotional videos.

6161 OCNs completed by young people

15 15 young people have gone on toemployment or further educationwith our help

967967 young people regularly engaging

The Play project is wonderful,the staff are very nice to you and if you need them they willalways be there for you.Jess RyallAge 8 Pencoed Play participant

}

12/13 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 safetyissues 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 WesternValleys Regeneration Area. Local pupils from Llansawel Primary Schoolhelped design a fence for the park which was given the theme of play andrecreation, to tie in with what the space would be used for.

This area has now been transformed into a focal point for community eventsand the local Infants’ School can once again stage their sports day in asecure and friendly environment.

}3Helped 3 industrial estates

2,0002,000 volunteer hours completed

13Involved with 13 different projects

We had some really positivevibes from the children who were involved with theworkshops, and the supportfrom Groundwork was fantastic.Leigh BatchelorBriton Ferry Communities First

14/15 Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

IMPROVING SKILLS AND EMPLOYABILITY

Our Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) scheme aims to improve youngpeople’s employability skills and opportunities. With the help of our ILM team leaders, individuals gain the relevant qualifications, confidence andexperience that they need to go into full time employment.

Caerau & Brynglas Market Garden is one of many community regenerationprojects that our ILM participants have been involved with. The project is a 1.4 Ha brownfield site that is being converted into a community ownedMarket Garden with a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS).

The ILM team have had a great opportunity at this site to enhance theirskillset with their work entailing construction, landscaping and planting with the overall goal of creating something worthwhile for the community.

The ILM programme has givenme excellent experience andconfidence in the workplace;working on the Market Gardenhas given me the chance toimprove my site skills.Shane Lee-TrottILM particpant

}16,25016,250 hours completed byemployment initiative participants

2525 Participants this year

6666 different training courses taken

16/17 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 theCountryside Commission who provided financial support for this project.

Workshops were held in a selection of libraries across the county includingPontarddulais, Pennard, and Clydach. With the events taking place duringthe October half-term the Positive Energy team designed the workshoparound 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 powereddynamo and were able to create fresh vanilla ice cream using the energysaving techniques they had learnt throughout the session.

The children had a fantastic dayand were still talking about it acouple of weeks later when theycame back with their parents.Julie EmanuelManager of Gorseinon Library

}223223 children engaged though ourPositive Energy programme project

18 18 energy awareness workshopsdelivered to over 400 peopleacross Swansea

10%An estimated 10% carbonfootprint reduction for beneficiaries

18/ Groundwork Bridgend & Neath Port Talbot – Impact Report 2011/2012

FINANCIALINFORMATION

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 Fundfor 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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People £1,118,043

Places £328,306

Prosperity £662,503

Partnership/Core £341,426

Other £60,495

TOTAL £2,510,773