Wellbeing Co-ordinator
All information contained in this bulletin is correct at time of publishing.
July 2020
Rhondda Fawr Valley
Find us on Facebook as “Rhondda Wellbeing Coordinators” for all the latest help, support and advice
Rhondda Foodbank: This is now a home delivery service, whereby an e-voucher is needed. If in crisis please contact Wellbeing@interlinkrct.org.uk whereby staff members are able to issue evouchers and can arrange for food parcels to be delivered after a short assessment.
Cwm Farm Shop: Collection or local delivery of hot and cold meals including soft and alcoholic drinks. Contact Tel: 01443 778106 Click here
The Play Yard Ynyswen: The play yard is providing a ‘Free School Lunch’ for children and young people. They are also providing a limited amount of £5 food hampers for vulnerable families. Both are collection only. More information can be found by contacting Nathan on 01443 303300 or on Facebook Click here
Treorchy The Lion: The Lion is providing collection or takeaway dinners, hot and cold food including Sunday Dinner and Chinese “Fake away”. They have also set up an outside space for food and drinks. Booking is essential. More information can be found on Facebook Click here or contact: 01443 772123
Ton Pentre Fruit Bowl: Collection or local delivery of all fruit and veg including pre made boxes. Contact Tel: 07752187090 Click here
Evans News Ton Pentre: Newspaper deliveries, occasion cards, balloons, banners and parcel returns. Open 6:30am-5pm. Click here
Canolfan Pentre: Canolfan Pentre is a community social and learning hub, run by community members. Providing services for Pentre & RCT. Canolfan are helping residents of Pentre help with flood relief. They are also providing a variety of care and activity packages for children and adults. Email: canolfanpentreteam@outlook.com. Contact Tel: 01443 307455. Click here
Pressed for Time Ironing Service: Washing, Drying and Ironing Service. Free pick-up, collection and delivery. Opened on Monday to Thursday 9am-3pm and on Friday 9am –12pm. Contact Tel: Steve on 07738 397223 Click here
Cwmparc Community Centre: Offering a buddy system for shopping/medical supplies in the Cwmparc area. Offering a collection Café food service of hot and cold food. Food Hampers also available. Contact Tel: 01443 772044 Click here
The Crispy Cod Gelli: Offering a selection of Fish & Chips and a selection of pre-cooked meals including desserts. Open for collection Monday-Sunday 11:30pm-9pm. Contact 01443 434888 or message on Click here
Delicious Ystrad: Offering a collection service of hot and cold food including salads, cooked and uncooked meats. Open Monday to Friday, 10:30am- 4pm. Including salads and roast meat. Contact them on 01443 430336 Click here
The Chip Stop: Offering a full Fish & Chip service. Open as usual for collection, no need to pre-order. Contact Tel: 01443 435575.
Tonypandy: RHA (formally known as Rhondda Housing Association) are running a project called Be Active, it involves - wellbeing, yoga, mindfulness and chair-based activities. They are also running a weekly quiz, gardening and pilates. For more information contact: Steph on 01443 424272. Click here
The Lighthouse at Tonyrefail Community Centre: The Lighthouse is helping people in the local area with a variety of needs including food hampers, shopping, and prescription collection. If you need help with any other needs then please contact Dawn on 07503189746
Gilfach Goch: Gilfach Goch Community Association can help people in the local area. They are helping by meeting people's needs in regard to wellbeing, food parcels, fruit and veg packs, activity packs, hot cooked meals, online out of school club, online youth club, childcare for key workers, prescription collection, recycling bags, and volunteering opportunities. Contact Monday to Friday 9am – 11am. Contact Tel: 01443 675004. Click here
Rhondda Fach Valley
The four shops listed below are working together to coordinate deliveries of each other’s services running from Maerdy to Pontygwaith:
Ken’s Butchers Ferndale: Delivering meat selection. Contact 01443 730581
Dylan’s Pet Shop Ferndale: Delivering all pet shop and plant needs. Contact 01443 757575.
Nash’s Shop Ferndale: Delivering Fruit and Veg. Contact 01443 756646
The Bakehouse Ynyshir: Delivering fresh breads, cakes, pasties, pies etc. Contact Anetta 07875966036
Pontygwaith Laundrette: Offering a Washing, Drying and Dry Cleaning service. Free pick up’s and deliveries. Open Monday- Friday 9am-5pm. Contact Elaine on: 01443 730517 Click here
Arts Factory: Providing support including Rhondda Foodbank vouchers for the community in the Rhondda via telephone Monday to Friday. Please contact Louise on 07498 980117 or Angharad on 01443 757954.
The Arts Factory are providing a limited number of Fareshare food parcels to people within the Rhondda community who are struggling financially. Requests for the parcels can be made on a Monday by contacting 01443 757954.
Each week Arts Factory staff are contacting all volunteers and group members via, telephone calls, text messages, video calls and Facebook messages to offer support. Arts Factory members are encouraged to get in touch if they need further support. They are able to support people in RCT with debt, housing issues, mental health issues and social isolation as well as providing regular contact through this difficult time.
Cynon Valley
Find us on Facebook as ‘Cynon Wellbeing Coordinators’ where we post up to date information, support and advice from around the Cynon Valley: Click here
Bryn Sion Church: Providing support through Shopping, Prescription Pickups, Friendly phone calls please contact 07486643961 to get more information. Keep an eye out on Bryn Sion Facebook page for family packs that are due reach your community Click here
AP Discounts- Store is now reopening from Monday 22 June social distancing guidelines being adhered too. Aberdare Market and Arcade Church Village Caterers: Grazing boxes available Friday and Saturday- Contact 07525658728 to place your order.
Shops that have now opened in the Aberdare area
Peacocks
Aberdare Market
Hays Travel
Get Connected
Aberdare Café Park
B and M Aberdare
The Works
Hirwaun Community Garden Shop- Situated opposite the entrance to the Glan Cynon Pub 11am1pm and 4pm to 5pm Monday- Saturday 4-5 Sunday Too Good Too Waste: Opening in their showroom in Aberaman on Monday 13 July 2020 Cynon Valley Museum: Have a look online to see the incredible work being done through different platforms 1) Exhibitions at home 2)Stories from the collection 3) Museum Jigsaws. They will also be running a weekly event for 8 weeks about art and history related to the museum and the Cynon Valley. Access through here
Bring the Cynon Valley Museum into your home: Find out more here
Penywaun/Trenant/ Trewaun Only: St. Winifred's Church : Baking and delivering Afternoon Teas to vulnerable and isolated members of the community. They started doing them last week in batches of 30 and hope to cover as many members of the community as possible.
Hot Jam: Isolation songwriting project. Do you play an instrument, sing, write songs, poems or short stories. We are running online songwriting workshops. Please contact: hotjammusic@gmail.com
Taff Ely
Find us on Facebook as “Taff Ely Wellbeing Coordinators” for all the latest help, support and advice: Click here
Covid-19 Community Volunteer groups – still running across all areas of Taff Ely, for more information or if you know of someone self-isolating and needing support with food shopping, prescriptions or any other tasks, please contact a member of the wellbeing team.
Llanharan Drop-in Centre - currently providing fortnightly activity packs to children, young people, elderly and those isolating, working in collaboration with Llanharan Community Council. Holding an online youth club session every Wednesday for young people aged 10 to 25 years each week via zoom. The Happy Days wellbeing group who used to meet weekly at drop-in centre on Thursday mornings now have a zoom chat every Friday at 1pm to support people with their mental health issues. Now also taking booking for their Holiday Club from 20 July – 28 August, places are limited. Please phone the office on 01443 229723 or visit our Facebook page or email info@llanharandropin.org.uk
Grow Pontypridd - Grow Pontypridd needs you! A group for people interested in promoting and enabling the community of Pontypridd to grow their own food. Do you have veg plants, veg seeds, plant pots or growing expertise you'd be willing to share? We'd love to hear from you, please get in touch. We are busy gathering plants and seeds to distribute to isolated people in our community and to people accessing the foodbank that want to have a go at veg growing. We'd like to give a mixture of small veg plants to grow and seeds. Donations welcome, we can collect from you. Please contact us on growpontypridd@gmail.com
Artis Community – running various online dance, arts and creative activities via zoom. For more information and daily schedules please see their Facebook page: Click here or contact: Hannah@artiscommunity.org.uk
Ransack Your Stories – Performing arts summer school for ages 8-18 years. Online ‘zoom’ sessions with professional dancers, musicians and film artists from Ransack Dance Company, working to create a film. Running 27 - 31 July, 10-11.30am (+1 hour afternoon session), £10 for full week. To book contact: sarah@artiscommunity.org.uk
Dance Aerobics – Wednesdays at 10am via Facebook Live.
3 x weekly Zoom 'Our Place' Parent and toddler meet ups (Pontypridd based participants)
Home Stories - have you got a special object in your home that tells a story or has a special memory attached to it? Artis Community are gathering short stories, memories and poems for a special lockdown edition of 'Home Stories', send in a photo of your special object along with a story or poem for inclusion: Hannah@artiscommunity.org.uk
Art of Generation - due to start mid-July, an exploratory project between the relationship of grandparents and grandchildren through the arts.
Breathing Space (Creativity for Wellbeing) - group usually based at St Catherine’s Church, is continuing online every Thursday, 1pm-3pm through Zoom meetings. Practice mindfulness, learn wellbeing skills and have a go at creative writing, arts, crafts, photography etc. A member of the Taff Ely Wellbeing team will also be present for signposting/support. For more information and joining details, please contact Katja at katja@taniocymru.com
Age Connects Morgannwg - service at the Post Office in Pontypridd is back in operation. Opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday, 9.30am – 3.30pm by appointment only. Appointments can be made by phoning 01443 490650 and choosing Option 1. Entrance to the office is at the side door, to the right of the Post Office's main entrance (this is signposted). In order to comply with social distancing measures, there are limitations on the number of people allowed in the office at one time. You may need to queue outside, so remember to bring a brolly! Anyone making/attending an appointment will be asked to confirm that they are not displaying symptoms of COVID-19 or living with anyone displaying symptoms, as per NHS guidelines. A hand-sanitising station is provided but anyone wishing to wear a mask will need to provide their own. There is limited waiting space and we ask that you do not arrive too early for appointments, as we may have to ask you to wait outside.
Ynysybwl Action Group Bike Project - Have you got a bike that is too good to waste? Is it in reasonable condition that you no longer use? We would welcome your donation for our young people's community project (particularly looking for children’s bikes). Drop off every THURSDAY 9am -1pm at the caretaker's house, Pontypridd High School, just on the right by school main gates. ** NO CONTACT NEEDED, JUST DROP OFF AND LEAVE**
Pontypridd & Taff Ely Foodbanks: These are both now a home delivery service, where-by a-voucher is still needed. If in crisis please contact Wellbeing@interlinkrct.org.uk whereby staff members are able to issue e-vouchers and can arrange for food parcels to be delivered after a short phone call/assessment.
Pontypridd Library Order and Collect Service: Book lovers will be able to select and reserve up to five books via the Online Library Catalogue or by calling Pontypridd Library on 01443 562211.
Select the books of your choice, or ask for the librarian to choose a selection based upon your interests and preferred genres. Library staff will then arrange an allocated time slot when the books can be collected. All books are prepared by staff and quarantined for up to 72 hours before being issued to the public. Books will be loaned for the usual three-week period and will need to be returned to the same location as they were collected from.
Across Rhondda Cynon Taff
Macmillan Telephone Buddy scheme - We know cancer can be an isolating experience at any time, but even more so during these potentially challenging times of shielding and social distancing, and can lead those living with cancer to feel lonely, overwhelmed or anxious due to the current uncertainty. A Macmillan Telephone Buddy volunteer can provide a listening ear at the end of the telephone to help ensure nobody faces cancer alone by being there to discuss how they’re feeling. Macmillan Telephone Buddy volunteers will also be able to signpost service users to relevant, helpful, local and national sources of support, including those provided by Macmillan Cancer Support, as well as providing information about other groups, organisations and charities who could help to meet some or all of their needs. People living with cancer can be referred for the support service by a medical or social care professional or can self-refer at macmillan.org.uk/telephonebuddies. We are ready to take referrals right now and aim to contact any potential service user within 3-5 working days of the referral enquiry being received.
Cruse Bereavement Support - Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Cruse has moved all support to telephone support only (and we can provide telephone support to young people if they are aged 14+). Either any adults can access support via our national helpline - 0808 808 1677 (free to call) or they can phone/email us locally to request telephone support. They should call/email us locally to request telephone support for any young people aged 14+ (01685 876020). The Cruse website – www.cruse.org.uk and www.hopeagain.org.uk for young people - are full of invaluable resources to help at this time as well.
Hardship Fund, British Red Cross - to help those most financially impacted by the coronavirus outbreak. Official Referral Partners register people with us for support. The fund provides short term financial help for people who can’t afford essentials such as food, toiletries, somewhere safe to sleep, access to a telephone and the internet and fuel to keep the lights on, cook or stay warm. This includes people who have no income or welfare support or have delays to accessing income or welfare support. We cannot help anyone in employment or already receiving financial support from statutory or voluntary services. They can request a one-off payment of £120 or a three-month grant. Families with children or other dependants can receive up to three grants, for a total of £1,080 over the three months. For more information, please see website: www.hardshipfund.redcross.org.uk/
Test Trace Protect Scams - There have been reports of criminals impersonating Test Trace Protect Service staff to try and steal money or personal information, so it’s important to remain vigilant. Someone calling from the Test Trace Protect service will never ask you for any financial information, bank details or passwords. Find out more about Test Trace Protect and the ways you can keep yourself safe from criminals here: www.gov.wales/contact-tracing-your-questions
New Horizons - running free online stress management courses in July. If you know of anyone who would like to access the course, please forward their name, telephone number and email address to New Horizons on 01685 881113 or info@newhorizons-mentalhealth.co.uk
Barnardo’s Reflect Service - Reflect offers support to parents who have had a child removed for adoption or under a special guardianship order. They provide 1-to-1 support for women (and partners) that may include: contraceptive advice and support, housing issues, self-esteem and confidence building, finding services that can help you, listening and advising and education and employment. The Reflect Service will support with developing new skills and taking the positive steps forward. If you would like more information about accessing the service, please feel free to contact us by telephone or email. Tel: 029 2057 7074. Email: reflect@barnardos.org.uk
Sporting Memories: Join their online zoom meetings and stay connected and have fun using memories of sport. Contact Julie on 07809467512.
Valleys Steps - running online sessions to bring Mindfulness & Stress Management into your homes. These online sessions are currently limited to 100 participants per session. Please see the registration options at their website: www.valleyssteps.org/online-sessions/ Online sessions are delivered in a Webinar format meaning your microphone and camera will be disabled throughout, ensuring the protection of your privacy. Sessions are suitable for those aged 16 and above and include topics on panic and anxiety, mindfulness, sleep workshops, stress management and breaking free from fear.
Building Blocks Family Centre: Coping with ASD and Anxiety Workshop – Monday 20 July, 4-6pm. The workshop will cover: understanding anxiety in children and young people with autism, understanding and managing triggers, coping strategies and CBT and mindfulness-based techniques. To book a place please contact cherellemead@buildingblocksfamilycentre.co.uk or call 07742250132.
RCT Carers Support Project: Counselling Service - please note our counselling service is still operating but via telephone contact only. If you are a carer registered with the Project and would like to make a referral you can send your request through to: CarersSupportProject@rctcbc.gov.uk Alternatively, you can contact: Lyndsey (07887 450 717) or Rebecca (07887 450 716) who can make the referral on your behalf.
YEPS - Youth workers are taking part in Instant Messaging sessions with young people, between midday-2pm and 6pm-8pm every weekday. Press the pink ‘chat now’ link on the following webpage to take part: http://orlo.uk/X9xwR
Barod – have officially launched their Live Webchat Service. This brand new service is the first of its kind for substance misuse in Wales. The service is operated by trained support workers, who can provide support for people affected by their own or someone else’s substance use, or give instant information or advice regarding what support is available and how to access it. Live Webchat service is available Wales-wide from 9am to 9pm, Monday to Friday; and between 11am to 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. To use the service, simply visit Barod’s homepage at www.barod.cymru and click on the chat tab in the bottom-right corner. For more information on the new webchat facility, please visit www.barod.cymru/webchat/
Cymru Versus Arthritis - Do you need support, advice or just someone to talk to? We’re here for you whenever you need us. Call our free helpline on 0800 5200 520 from 9.00am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday. You can also email the helpline at Helpline@versusarthritis.org
Our arthritis virtual assistant, AVA, is available to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit us online to start chatting: www.versusarthritis.org/in-your-area/wales/ Do you have questions about how COVID-19 could affect people with arthritis? You can also chat to our COVID-19 virtual assistant, COVA. Also supporting people with arthritis with virtual delivery of activities. So far, we’ve held digital sessions on gardening, tai chi and seated exercise. We’ve also held virtual support groups. For those who need software to join in with our activities, we’re working to provide tech support.
South Wales Police Cyber Crime Support - Do you know what constitutes a cyber crime? Can you tell the difference between fake and real emails? Do you know where, when and how to report cyber crime? South Wales Police are offering FREE sessions to community groups/organisations on this topic, which includes information on phishing emails that look genuine, social media compromises, telephone scams and online shopping scams. Sessions can be delivered over platforms such as Zoom and MS Teams and usually take around 1 hour. They deliver a fun, informative and engaging input that is intended for ALL levels of capability. Feedback from sessions is that people come away better informed of some of cyber crimes we are all vulnerable to and better able to spot them. People also say that they feel more confident and better able to respond quickly. Contact CPO Claire Perrin to book your free session and help us in keeping South Wales Safe online: Claire.Perrin@south-wales.pnn.police.uk
Be Active - has now gone digital and are offering an online timetable of activities for the month of July which is being delivered via Zoom. Participants can drop into any of these sessions by registering online here They can join in with a one-off session, or attend multiple sessions. They are also offering individual support on a 1-1 basis e.g. providing health and wellbeing advice over the telephone, facetime, emailing information and advice, sending videos via whatsapp, signposting etc. These focused interventions can remain on a 1-1 basis, or they progress to join existing groups. Finally, they are able to work with groups of participants e.g. Health and Wellbeing / Yoga / Fitness courses (6 or 12 week) and can either set up a new and closed group, or encourage new participants to attend an ongoing group that they can simply can drop in and out of. There is also a new Health and Wellbeing Coffee morning on Wednesdays at 10am. Contact Steph on 07545 385543 for more information.
Staying Well at Work - are pleased to announce a brand new helpline, aimed at supporting men’s health and wellbeing. Eligible if you live or work in RCT and are employed by a business with less than 250 employees. Lines open Monday-Friday, 8.30am to 6pm. Please call Craig on 07384910525 or David on 07384910527. Please pass onto your staff so that they can provide a listening ear and assist them with improving their health and wellbeing.
Hapi Project – running various free online courses, open to everyone. Courses include: food hygiene, manual handling, PPE for healthcare workers, first aid, health and safety, Covid-19 essentials, paediatric first aid and asbestos awareness. If you are interested please email hapi@newydd.co.uk with your name, course you want to do and your email address, or alternatively message them on their Facebook page: Click here Please also see their Facebook page to find out about the other FREE activities and opportunities they are running.
If anyone would like to receive the bulletin please contact info@interlinkrct.org.uk to be added to the database.