South West Rhyl Communities First Network Lunch - 7th December 2011

Date: 7th December 2011
Time: 12pm - 2pm.
Venue: Communities First Main Hall, 82 Marsh Road, Rhyl.

Guest Speakers
Sandra Jones & Vicky Hoban - Health Social Care & Wellbeing - 1.15pm.

Andrea Fisher - Houseproud scheme - 1.30pm.
Unfortunately Garry Davies from Countryside Services has had to cancel his presentation. We are sure he will attend a Network lunch in the New Year.

Buffet will be first come first served. Please let us know if you will be attending for catering purposes.

For more information please call Lisa on 01745 332528.

Rhyl Town Centre Manager - Job Vacancy

Are you:

• Up for a challenge?
• Capable of taking a lead role in transforming Rhyl Town Centre?
• Experienced, dynamic and resourceful enough to be Rhyl's first Town Centre Manager?

We are looking for someone who:

• Has an understanding and experience of town centre management.
• Can work independently with partners to develop plans and initiatives for the town centre.
• Possesses excellent communication and organisational skills.

If you think you can meet these expectations then we want to hear from you.

Salary: Circa £30,000 per annum.

Contract: Initial 3 Year period, commencing 1st April 2012.

Employer: Rhyl City Strategy.

For details on the application process and information pack contact:

Susan Jeffrey on 01745 343605 or susan.jeffrey@rhylcitystrategy.co.uk

Closing date for all applications: Noon on 19th December 2011.

Urgent - Mystery Shoppers required

Do you wear a hearing aid or know someone who wears a hearing aid?

We are looking for people to help us check loop systems throughout November and December. Travel expenses will be paid.

If you or someone know would like to get involved please contact:

Gemma Finch
gemma.finch@hearingloss.org.uk
Telephone: 029 2090 7503
Textphone: 029 2033 3036

Please let us know immediately if you are available.

Thank you.

VIP Official Opening of Ty Ebbw Fach

The Official VIP Opening of Ty ebbw Fach
(the former Coach & Horses in Six Bells)

By HRH The Prince of Wales

On Monday 21st November

All welcome at the marquee and surronding areas. All who wish to attend are asked to be in the area by 10am.

Limited parking available on the lower plateau of the colliery. A road closure will be in place from 9am between Chapel Road and Alexandra Terrace.

Public toilets and refreshments available at Bethany, St. Johns and the Community Centre.

Any enquiries please call 01495 320497.

Denbighshire Advice Network Meeting (CLSP)

The main part of the meeting will consider a range of actions for the winter stemming from Denbighshire's Affordable Warmth Plan.

Date: Friday 2nd December 2011.
Time: 10am - 12pm.
Venue: Eiranfa Community Centre, Factory Place, Denbigh, LL16 3TS.

Chairperson: Richard Jones Abbas - DCC Welfare Rights Manager.
Minutes & Apologies: Rebecca Connor - 01824 712371.

Keep Well this Winter

Keep Well

Flu jabs are free for people aged 65 and over and can prevent or lessen the effects of flu – ask your doctor for an appointment. It is especially important in the winter to eat healthily and stay as active as possible.

Keep Warm

Set your heating to the right temperature (between 18°C and 21°C,) and you can keep your home warm and lower your bills.

Nest is the Welsh Government’s fuel poverty scheme. Nest provides free, impartial advice on saving energy, money management, benefit entitlement and whether you're eligible for home improvements at no cost under the scheme. If you’re worried about the cost of heating your home, you can call 0800 512 012 free from a landline or 0300 456 2655 from a mobile phone. www.nestwales.org.uk.

Keep Safe

Avoid slips and trips in the home by using stair rails and keeping passages well lit. Fire Safety is especially important during the Winter. Your local Fire and Rescue service will carry out a free home fire safety check for you and fit smoke alarms if you do not already have them. Call them on 0800 169 1234 for more information.

Keep an eye out for any older people who may need your help during the cold weather.

The Keep Well this Winter campaign aims to provide help and advice to those aged over 60 to

ensure they maintain good health during the winter. These top tips are some of the best ways

to keep your home warm, keep on top of your bills and keep healthy.

For further information about the Keep Well this Winter campaign contact Age Cymru on 029 2043 1555.

Minister sets out his vision for Communities First

Local Government and Communities Minister, Carl Sargeant outlined how the Welsh Government will continue to support Wales’ most deprived areas when the new Communities First programme begins in April 2012.

Speaking at the programme’s annual conference the Minister praised those involved in delivering Communities First and said that despite working in uncertain and testing times, the current programme was delivering positive change in Wales’ most disadvantaged communities.

The Minister said:

"As we shape the way forward for the Communities First Programme, the Welsh Government is committed to building on what has already been achieved.  I also recognise that it is important that we take time to listen to people’s views before moving forward.  We have done this through an initial analysis of the 300 plus responses to out recent consultation on the programme.

"As well as building on the achievements of the current programme, I want the next phase of Communities First to be clearly seen as a community-focussed Anti - Poverty programme.  All projects will need to demonstrate how the Welsh Government’s investment supports the programme’s aim of tackling poverty.  Any work that does not support this aim will not be funded by Communities First.    
 
"In addition to delivering on our Anti-Poverty agenda, the new programme will focus on good governance and community involvement.  Our funding will be channelled through Lead Delivery Bodies (LDBs) for a Cluster Area, with Regional Boards overseeing the work.  Many existing Grant Recipient Bodies can become LDBs but all will need to pass stringent checks and demonstrate their commitment to community involvement.

"It is important that that the community’s voice is heard.  To this end, each Cluster will need to develop a Plan to increase community involvement, especially among people most affected by poverty.  Only by putting citizens at the heart of our services can we make a real difference to people’s lives and build resilience into communities."

The Minister also highlighted that those working with the programme will need to collaborate with others. He added:

"I am already working closely with other Welsh Ministers to join up our policies and programmes and to explore how we can build on what is already happening.

"A good example is the Integrated Children’s Centre Pilot, where working with Job Centre Plus we have helped over 100 workless families back into work.  Looking forward, one of the Welsh Government’s five key commitments is to provide 500 additional Police Community Support Officers.  I will be looking for these officers to interact with Communities First since their deployment is firmly grounded in a community engagement approach to policing.

"In conclusion, I am committed to Communities First and to ensuring that strong governance and community involvement are at the heart of the new programme.  By working together I am sure that we can tackle our anti poverty agenda and deliver for our poorest communities and individuals."

Listening to views on leisure

Denbighshire County Council’s Leisure Services are holding the second of the twice-yearly round of Leisure Locality Forums across the county.

There will be one held in each of the seven areas where there is a council-run leisure centre; Rhyl, Prestatyn, St Asaph, Denbigh, Ruthin, Llangollen and Corwen.

Dates are as follows and all will take place from 6.30pm to 8.00pm.

Prestatyn - Tuesday 8 November at Jubilee Community Centre
Llangollen - Wednesday 9 November at Llangollen Library
St Asaph - Wednesday 16 November at St Asaph Youth Centre
Rhyl - Monday 21 November at Rhyl Library
Denbigh - Wednesday 23 November at Margaret Morris Centre
Corwen - Tuesday 29 November Corwen Sports Pavilion
Ruthin - Wednesday 1 December at Ysgol Brynhyfryd

The forums bring together representatives from the local area with an interest in leisure. On the agenda will be a presentation from the Coach and Volunteer Development Officer, opportunities to share information and open discussions on local leisure issues.

Denbighshire's Leisure Services are always looking for interested parties to join the Leisure Locality Forums. No previous experience is necessary and the meetings are informal.

For further information, please contact Leisure Services, on 01824 708233.

North Wales will be hit hard by benefit reform

The number of people on sickness benefits in North Wales will be cut by 13,000 within three years, a report claims today. The study says Wales will be hit harder than any other part of Britain by the UK government’s controversial reforms of incapacity benefit (IB).


Research by academics at Sheffield Hallam University suggests the 181,370 people on IB in Wales will be reduced by 75,000 by 2014. They say 45,000 are set to be pushed out of the benefits system altogether and some 23,000 will be moved onto Jobseeker’s Allowance.


In Britain as a whole, 6.6% of the working age population claim IB, but the average for Wales is 9.5%. In North Wales, Denbighshire’s figure is 9.5%, while it is 9% in Conwy, with Anglesey at 8.3%, Wrexham 8.1%, Gwynedd 7% and Flintshire 6.8%. It is estimated 2,900 Wrexham people will be affected, with 2,600 in Flintshire, 2,300 in Conwy, 2,000 in both Gwynedd and Denbighshire and 1,500 in Anglesey.


The report, from the Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research Centre says across Britain as a whole by far the largest impact will be on the older industrial areas in Wales, Scotland and the north of England. In these areas the prospects of former claimants finding work are weakest.


Report co-author Professor Steve Fothergill said: “The large numbers that will be pushed off incapacity benefits over the next two to three years are entirely the result of changes in benefit rules – the introduction of a tougher medical test and, in particular, the more widespread application of means-testing from next April.


“The reduction does not mean that there is currently widespread fraud, or that the health problems and disabilities are anything less than real. In terms of the numbers affected and the scale and severity of the impact, the reforms to incapacity benefits that are under way are probably the most far-reaching changes to the benefits system for at least a generation. They will impoverish vast numbers of households and cause untold distress in countless more.”


IB is paid at different amounts depending on which group people are in, but many of those who will be affected receive around £97 a week, while current average JSA payments are £61.73.


Employment Minister Chris Grayling said: “It’s clear that millions of people have been written off for years left on incapacity benefit with no real support to get into work. That’s why we are re-testing people to see if they have the capacity to work.


“Our changes will make sure those in genuine need get more support and those who could and should be working are given the opportunity to do so.”

Job Vacancy - Dispenser - Rowlands Pharmacy

Wage: Meets National Minimum Wage.
Hours: 35 per week.
Location: Prestatyn.
Duration: Permanent.
Date posted: 19-10-11.
Closing date: 11-11-11.

Rowlands Pharmacy require a qualified Dispenser with a minimum of Level 2 NVQ, to work in their busy pharmacy. Duties include assisting the pharmacist in the dispensary, handling scripts, labelling, stock control, general housekeeping.

For further details on how to apply please call into the Branch at:

Rowlands Pharmacy,

53 High. Street,

Prestatyn,

Denbighshire,

LL19 9AH.

Design a recycled statue competition

Open to all Rhyl schools or groups that work with children aged 5-16 yrs.

Design a 6-8 foot statue, which will be made out of recycled plastics (i.e. Pop bottles, bubble wrap, drinking cups, plates, packaging etc.)

Individuals must submit entries and full contact details (including phone number) must be on the back of the entry. Entries to be submitted on A4 plain paper, in either pen, pencil or crayon. We are not looking just for pictures but designs stating what materials to be used.

The winning design will be built in February 2012 as part of a big environmental day over at Glan Morfa, Rhyl. The statue will live at Rhyl Adventure Playground. An independent panel will meet the week of 12th December to select best entries. Winner will be announced on 19th December at SWRCF Xmas fayre and notified by telephone that day.

All entries must be received by Friday 9th December to:
South West Rhyl Communities First,
John Davies Community Facility,
82 Marsh Road,
Rhyl, Denbighshire,
LL18 2AE.

If submitting entries by hand, please come in through the rear of the building, via the staff offices.