Cheap computers for home users!

The ‘Get online @ Home’ initiative has a number of partners which includes Computer Recycles, Partners IT and Microsoft, all of whom are working together to provide recycled, cost effective IT equipment to enable people to get online.

Desktop Computer:

£149 - Available to anyone.

£99 - Available to people receiving certain benefits and to charities.

Laptop Computer:

£199 - Available to anyone.

£169 - Available to people receiving certain benefits and to charities,

 

You must receive one of these benefits to qualify for the cheaper price:

• Housing Benefit

• Income Support

• Jobseeker's allowance

• Pension credit

• Disability Living Allowance

• Attendance Allowance/Constant Attendance Allowance

• Incapacity Benefit/Employment and Support Allowance

• Disability element of Working Tax Credit

For more information please visit: http://www.getonlineathome.org/

NEA Cymru Fuel Debt Bulletin

As more and more households (it is estimated that 400,000 households in Wales are in fuel poverty) feel the impact of increasing fuel prices over the last few years and experiencing the effects of the austerity measures, public spending cuts and welfare reform, the provision of good quality in-depth fuel debt advice is more in need than ever.

From NEA’s previous work into fuel debt advice, it has been identified that there is often no support network available for frontline advisors dealing specifically with fuel debt.  This can leave advisors, who are dealing with very complex, emotive issues, feeling isolated and uninformed. 

NEA’s quarterly bulletin will cover the latest news, information and issues that affect the provision of fuel debt advice nationally and Wales.

To view the Fuel Debt Bulletin please click here.

Autism - A guide for parents and carers following diagnosis

ASD Info Wales has been developed to support professionals working with individuals with ASD, their family and carers in Wales.

The link below contains resources that may be downloaded for professionals to share with individuals with ASD, their families and carers.

ASD Info Wales - Resourses

Denbighshire Council offers advice on welfare reforms

Denbighshire Council is having an open day at Rhyl Town Hall on Friday 27^th April from 10am to 4pm, with an emphasis for people to receive information about the Benefit Changes and how they may affect them. There are changes to most benefits from Working/Child Tax Credit to Income Support and Employment Support Allowance.

 

At the open day there will also be:

• Affordable Housing
• Housing Options
• Housing Allocations
• Sheltered Housing
• Housing Benefit
• Welfare Rights
• Law a Llaw Re-ablement Service
• New Work Connections (who help people find jobs and training)
• Cefni Lettings (Social lettings agency who will be promoting house sharing)

There is free tea and coffee available to people who call in.

There will also be another Open day in the Market Hall in Denbigh on Tuesday 22nd May 2012 10am to 4pm. The same organizations will be there too.

Chat Away Coffee Club

Has your child been diagnosed, or is being assessed, for Autism or ADHD?  Would you like a place for you and your family to be able to speak to other carers and an opportunity for your child to also meet other children who will not judge him/her?

Then come along to Chat Away Coffee Club’s group meetings, which take place during term-time each Wednesday from 9.30am until 12.00pm at The Margaret Morris Centre, Denbigh and each Friday from 12.30pm until 2.30pm at The Oak Tree Centre, Rhyl.

Our next Arts & Crafts session is on Saturday 12 May 2012 from 10.00am until 12.00pm at The Oak Tree Centre, Rhyl.

Donna James and Claire Williamson are parents of children living with these disabilities and together we run Chat Away Coffee Club.  We provide carers an opportunity to meet and talk to each other; we regularly invite guest speakers to provide professional advice to our carers as well as arranging for our group to attend various seminars/courses.  We also hold monthly Arts & Craft Sessions at The Oak Tree Centre, Rhyl.  Living with Autism does NOT mean you are alone. 

For more information please contact us either via Facebook ‘Chat Away Coffee Club’, Email us at cacc@live.co.uk or telephone: Donna or Claire on 07799 848270.

Fundraising Fun Day 2012

Chat Away Coffee Club are holding their 1^st Fundraising Fun Day and everyone is welcome. The fun will take place on Saturday 5^th  May 2012 from 12.00pm until 4.00pm at The Oak Tree Centre, Ffordd Las, Rhyl.  

There will be a Bouncy Castle, which has been donated by Mega Blast Bouncy Castles, Face Painting, done by Angela Bayliss, Nail Art, by Lenny Richards, hand-made Jewellery, made by Bridgette Hebner, home-made cakes for sale as well as a Table Top Sale.

In addition, during the day John Lynn’s Karate School will be putting on a display, North Wales Fire Service will be bringing a Fire Engine for the children to look at and North Wales Police will be bringing along a Police Car and a finger printing kit for the children to have their fingerprints taken.

Raffle tickets are on sale; tickets are £1.00 each and are available from Chat Away Coffee Club, The Oak Tree Centre or The Margaret Morris Centre, Denbigh.  Prizes include entry into Rhyl Sun Centre for a family of 4, a meal at Pizza Hut for a family of 4, a block of Aqua Zumba Lessons, donated by Lesley Wilde, a 3 course Sunday Lunch for 2 at Faenol Fawr, 2 tickets to see Dancing Queen, donated by The Pavillion Theatre, a spray tan donated by LIME, Gifts Sets, donated by It Makes Sense and many, many more. The Raffle will be drawn at 3.30pm on the 5^th May 2012.

Think FairShare Cymru

FareShare works in partnership with the food industry to source surplus food. This food is distributed to a network of community organisations across the UK (Community Food Members).

If your community group supports homeless, low income or vulnerable people, or if you are providing a non-profit service to the community, then you could become a Community Food Member.

Community Food Members pay a fee to belong to the FareShare network. This fee covers administration costs; the food itself is free. As well as helping provide vulnerable people with quality food, you will save a significant amount of your organisation’s food bill freeing up funds to use for other services.

A few facts & figures:

• FareShare operates in 17 locations in the UK. In North Wales, FareShare is run by Crest Cooperative based in Llandudno serving Conwy, Denbighshire & East Gwynedd.
• 2800 tonnes of food are sourced from the food industry – which is distributed to over 600 organisations helping to make 6,900,000 meals.
• Everyday an average of 29,000 people benefit from the service FareShare provides.
• The redistribution of food minimises food going to landfill and helps businesses reduce C02 emissions.

There are four annual packages available to you from your local FareShare. The most expensive would provide your organisation with food that is worth more than £4500 for the equivalent of £17 a week (£750 + VAT) The most economical package would provide food worth more than £900 for £150 + VAT.

For further Information including how to source funding for membership, contact Jay Martin at Crest Cooperative on 01492 596783 or email jay@crestcooperative.co.uk

www.crestcooperative.co.uk/fighting-food-poverty

IYC Coop'Art Competition

Please find attached a leaflet about an exciting global arts competition, sponsored by The Co-operative Group, to celebrate the United Nations International Year of Co-operatives.

It’s called the IYC Coop’Art Competition and is for young people (aged 16-35). Entries can be video, song or photography and there are some incredible prizes up for grabs.

The ICA are looking forward to receiving lots of entries from the UK.

Please download attached leaflet for more details - Co-Op Express Yourself Competition

The closing date is 31 May 2012.

Wales Coastal Path Clean Up

The Wales Coastal Path will open on 5^th May 2012 and Keep Wales Tidy will be organising a pre-launch clean up over the weekend 27^th - 29^th April. Wales will be the only country in the world where you can walk the entire length of a country’s coastline. This is a great opportunity for Keep Wales Tidy to work with a number of different national agencies together with the public and receive a huge amount of national press coverage and help to ensure the path’s success.

Denbighshire clean up events are planned for April the 27^th meeting at the Marine Lake Car Park, April the 28^th at Barkby Beach Car Par and April the 29^th meeting at the Main Arena Rhyl (near the Sea Life Centre) all at 10am until 1pm.

South West Rhyl Communities First - Awards Ceremony 2012

South West Rhyl Communities First are planning their annual awards ceremony for Friday 27th July, 7pm at Rhyl Rugby Club. Buffet, raffle and prize bingo available on the night.

We are in the process of asking for donations of £40 from local organisations, to make the event more sustainable for the future. With your donation you will be able to present a Communities First trophy to the worthy winner of a chosen category, and you can display any promotional banners from your organisation on the stage. We hope you will support this hugely successful community event.

Awarding categories for 2012:

• Learner of the year - sponsored by G2G
• Volunteer of the year - sponsored by WOTS/ CAIS
• Community Champion - (their input into the community has been beyond expectation)
• Community Group of the year - sponsored by DVSC
• Community Project of the year
• Work achievement of the year (ILM, Gateway, Future Jobs Fund, Work experience)
• Fundraiser of the year
• Outstanding achievement
• New group of the year (less than 12 months old)
• Environmental project of the year
• Health project of the year - sponsored by Easy Living meals on wheels
• Education / training project of the year - sponsor pending
• Albert Holtby memorial plaque (overall winner) - no sponsor needed

Winners from each category will be chosen by an independent judging panel.

Please fill in the nomination form attached and return to lisa.evans@co-op.co.uk

Many thanks for your continued support.

Marine Lake Jubilee Celebration

On June 2nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5th sees Marine Lake Jubilee Celebrations, a special event to allow the people of Rhyl and District to enjoy the Queens Jubilee together.

10am until 5pm every day will be filled with live entertainment, Steam train rides, Fun of the Fair for children, Circus Skills, Face painting, balloon modelling, lake activities, Food Fair, local crafts. Features already agreed include In Shore Lifeboat, local dance groups, The George Formby Entertainers, Hot Foot Jazz, steam Train Rides, etc.

Each day will have a special theme:

• Saturday 2nd June - RHYL DAY. Celebrating all that is good about Rhyl. Local businesses, societies and organisations telling the public what they do, how they do it and how to get involved. Bring your own publicity, display stands and souvenirs. Free to non commercial organisations. Small fee to commercial concerns.
• Sunday 3rd June. THE BIG LUNCH. A chance for all the communities and societies to come together to enjoy an all day lunch. Part of the National Big Lunch this will be very popular and attract many individuals and groups.
• Monday 4th June. WALK THE LAKE. A day to enjoy a walk around the lake and a chance to make money for your favourite charity. It is hoped that many of the large local charitable organisations will be represented as well as many smaller but very deserving organisations. For example see your local councillor raise money for St Kentigens.
• Tuesday 5th June. FUN DAY. Favourite dog competition, pets on show, Fancy Dress Competitions, a whole variety of events to amuse the children and delight the more mature.

As this is a unique event on this site crowd expectations cannot be guaranteed but this will be the main event in Denbighshire and perhaps even North Wales over this long Bank Holiday Weekend. Fully supported by Rhyl Town Council and Denbighshire County Council.

Big events in Rhyl attract large crowds - for example the Annual Air Show has over 40,000 visitors year on year, so expect a lot of people to see and hear what you have to say.

We are sure you will want to be involved either as an exhibiter of your special skills, or as a group wanting to recruit local people to get involved with you society, or as someone wanting to join in a local community focused celebration.

For more details of how to take part or further information please contact David or Alison on 01745 330668 or 07845927777.

www.coastalentertainments.com

www.marinelakejubilee.com