Category: Latest News

Mid and West Wales Fire Service are offering to carry out ‘safe and well’ inspections, plus fit smoke alarms. All free of charge.
To arrange a date please call 0800 169 1234 or email saw@mawwfire.gov.uk

The following has been shared by the Welsh Government.

The Royal British Legion, the UK’s largest charity dedicated to supporting the Armed Forces community, has launched a new grant scheme for veterans and their families who are struggling to pay their energy bills. The initiative will provide non-repayable emergency grants of up to £2,400 a year (£200 a month), and is available across the UK in connection with the Royal British Legion’s new grant scheme for veterans and their families, for your information.  Further information may be found by following the link below.

Royal British Legion to give veterans and their families grants of up to £2,400 to help pay bills – check if you’re eligible and how to apply (moneysavingexpert.com)

Ilston Community Council has been approached by the Home-Start Cymru charity.  Home-Start Cymru are looking for volunteers to help deliver their services to families.  The words that follow are from Home-Start Cymru.

“Here at Home-Start Cymru, we have seen a significant spike in the number of families reaching out for support and information over the past years. We are looking for people who can spare even just an hour a week to help deliver our services to families.  Our charity provides support, friendship, and practical help to parents with young children when they need it most.

   Our volunteers work alongside families to give compassionate and confidential support tailored to each family. Our volunteers are trained and given support and guidance from our highly skilled and experienced local coordinators in their area. Becoming a Home-Start Cymru volunteer enables us to improve the lives of families by encouraging parents to develop the knowledge, skills, and resilience to enable their children to thrive.

  What we’re looking for: 

• A parent, grandparent, carer, someone with parenting experience or students who would like a career working with families
• Good communication skills, including an ability to listen and understand the need for support
• A sensitive and caring attitude towards others with a non-judgemental attitude
• Time and enthusiasm for Home-Start Cymru and support for our social media campaigns
• Commitment to visit or call a family member each week at a mutually agreed time
• A positive attitude to working with people of any gender, family status or sexual identity, or who are from any ethnic origin, culture or religion, or who may have a disability.

 How can you support us?

 You will find background information about the campaign in our toolkit with a downloadable poster, newsletter copy and social media posts and hints and tips for how you and your organisation can support the campaign.

We’d love for you to support the campaign by:

• Reading the toolkit (attached)

CYM Together We Can – Toolkit
Together We Can – Toolkit

• Sharing one of our assets and messages on your social media channels
• Retweeting or sharing our social media posts
• Promote our volunteer opportunities to your staff members

#TogetherWeCan inspire people throughout Wales to commit their time to help ensure that every family in Wales has the support they need to give their children the best start in life.

Thank you for your support.”

Running on Tuesdays and Thursdays this trial of a Community Bus will continue until 15th November.  Starting at Nicholaston Cross and running into Mumbles via Pennard.  This service has been designed by local people who want to get out and about without a car, meet friends, have a coffee and pick up some shopping in Mumbles.

The full timetable that was attached here is now out of date and removed.

You may be aware that the Welsh Government has announced that a Fuel Support Payment of £200 can be made to people who satisfy the eligibility criteria. Once again these payments are to be administered by local councils on behalf of Welsh Government.

Swansea Council’s web page has gone live and contains details of the eligibility criteria as they stand at the moment (there MAY be some further changes to the qualifying criteria and we await Welsh Gov confirmation of that)

Welsh Government Fuel Support Scheme 2022/23 – Swansea

Source: Pennard Newsletter

Tenovus have approached Community Councils in Wales asking that we help them raise awareness of their Cancer Care Support.  The link to their website with is shown below.

Tenovus Cancer Care

The UK Government has launched the Help for Households campaign which draws together information on the support packages it has put in place to help ease the impact of the cost of living crisis. There are 41 schemes available to support citizens, all of which can be found on the new Help for Households website

The Welsh Government has issued the following information as part of their Living Safely with Covid campaign.

LIVE WELL WITH HEARING LOSS – TIME FOR ME

Are you at home alone more than you would like to be?

Would you like to enjoy a regular chat with someone?

Are you now able to hear better on the phone again but would like the chance to “practice”?

Do you miss getting letters through the post that aren’t bills or circulars?

Four questions asked by the RNID with further information provided in the attached ‘posters’

Live Well Poster (Bilingual)

Time for Me – English

Time for Me Poster (Bilingual)