Good News Stories
November 2024
Visit Winter Wonderland at the General Offices!
WOW! What an incredible day!
Thank you to all the amazing elves who made it happen and to everyone who came out to support the event!
Learning to Grow at Em’s Miles of Smiles
Our amazing Childminder, Emily, has been working incredibly hard over the last few months to set up her own Allotment to take the children to!
Have a look at some of the amazing photos that have been sent over. What a fantastic opportunity for the children and families.
Remembrance at Blaina Integrated Children’s Centre
This year, we marked the two minutes’ silence with the Act of Remembrance and the playing of the Last Post. Thank you to everyone who came out to mark this moment with us.
Children in Need at Blaina Integrated Children’s Centre
This year, we raised money for children in need at the ICC. Our fantastic staff held a baking competition and a name the bear competition.
October 2024
Enchanting Autumn with the Blaenau Gwent Play Team
Our amazing play team have had another busy half term week – running five play in the park sessions, one play event at the ICC and two spooky Wild Tot sessions!
Thank you to everyone who attended these sessions, it was an incredible week! The play team will be back out in February half term; with more fantastic play sessions
Keep an eye on our social media and website for their events!
New Family Information Service Phone Number!
September 2024
Adult Learning Week
Our Multiply Team have been extremely busy over the last few months. During the summer term they offered a range of courses across the borough. This included their brand new DIY course as well as a new Cooking Agored – meaning our amazing participants achieved the first steps to a qualification!
We would also like to introduce you to Beyzanur! Beyzanur is one of our amazing participants who has completed 2 courses with us so far! She started on our ‘First Steps to English’ course and then went on to complete our ‘Measure for Cooking’ where she also achieved part of an Agored Qualification.
Check out what Beyzanur had to say below:
Summer of Play
On August 7th 2024; our fantastic Play Team welcome over 1000 people to Bedwellty House and Park for National Play Day. The Play Team hosted an amazing event with messy play; a slip and slide; arts and crafts; Wild Tots; and lots more! We were also joined by some amazing services who were able to promote themselves within the community. We also want to thank everyone who attended the event as these events would not be possible without all the people who support them.
Alongside Play Day, our play team have been incredibly busy with lots of other Play sessions! Throughout the summer, our team (including 20 play volunteers), delivered a 6-week summer holiday play programme. This included a staggering 41 open access play sessions and 11 Wild Tot sessions across 13 different locations in Blaenau Gwent! The play team were also able to provide a range of snacks at each session, including: sandwiches, fresh fruit, cereal bars and bottled water. They also offered a range of activities at these sessions including: themed sessions with games, arts & crafts, sand and water play, messy play, imagination playground and sports.
Finally, we want to say an enormous thank you to our amazing play volunteers. We wouldn’t be able to run so many amazing sessions across the summer without these incredible people giving up their own time!
Families First Newsletter - Autumn 2024
June 2024
Breastfeeding Campaign 2024
This year, our amazing teams have launched a breastfeeding campaign to encourage and support more mums to breastfeed!
This year’s campaign kicked off in Cwm with a visit from Television personality and breastfeeding champion Ferne McCann! Ferne met with mums at the local flying start hub to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding.
Ferne had this to say about her visit to Cwm:
‘It was a real pleasure to visit Cwm today to get behind the launch of the Get Blaenau Gwent breast feeding campaign.
There are loads of reasons why some mums choose not to breast feed, but one of the biggest reasons seems to be a lack of support and confidence. I hope that this campaign will encourage young mums in Blaenau Gwent to get the right help to overcome of the one of the biggest hurdles for mums wanting to give it a try - lack of support.
There’s so much to navigate when you begin your breast-feeding journey but on the other side is pure joy, convenience and the great health benefits and I am sure that this campaign will bring these benefits to life.’
Cwm was featured on an episode on Ferne McCann’s ‘My Family & Me’ in April. You can catch up on all episodes on ITVx now!
But why is this campaign so important?
Blaenau Gwent has the one of lowest breast-feeding rates when compared to the rest of Wales and the UK. The joint campaign with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is focussed on increasing breastfeeding rates. A recent infant feeding survey identified some of the common barriers to breastfeeding and this information will be used to better inform mums and expectant mums targeted by the strategy and campaign this year.
There are lots of benefits to breastfeeding as well! For mothers it reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, diabetes and heart disease. There are also health benefits for babies as it reduces the risk of some common infections like ear, respiratory, gastrointestinal as well reducing some of the risks of overweight and obesity. It also helps to reduce other risks like SIDS, type 1 diabetes and asthma.
Another big benefit of breastfeeding is its free! It can cost between £33 and £80 a month to feed your little one on just formula. Breast feeding also helps bonding and attachment between mum and baby which promotes brain development and emotional regulation of the infant.
There are currently four responsive feeding groups in Blaenau Gwent that you can attend to help support you with your feeding journey. These groups can provide you with friendly advice on feeding your baby and a chance to meet new and expectant mums in the area:
Mondays @ The Bevan Health and Wellbeing Centre
10am – 12pm (Term time only)
Tuesdays @ Hilltop Hub, Brynteg
9:30am – 11am (Term time only)
Wednesdays @ Blaina ICC
9:30am – 11am (Term time only)
Thursday @ Swffryd Flying Start Hub
1pm – 3pm (Term time only)
May 2024
Families First Newsletter - 09.05.2024
Teulu Cymru
In April, the Welsh Government launched Teulu Cymru. This brings all of the main childcare and parenting campaigns under one roof! Here you can find campaigns such as Learning to Talk, Parenting Tips, Physical Punishment and the Law and Family Well-being!
The service is aimed at parent, carers and families of children aged 0 – 18 and it signposts services and information to families.
You can follow them online here:
www.facebook.com/teulucymruwales
Baby Shower
On the 24th April, our amazing Flying Start Team hosted a baby shower for all expecting mums in Blaenau Gwent. The event was also attended by ourselves at the Family Information Service, Mudiad Meithrin, Multiply, Health Visitors, Mini Movers, Aneurin Leisure, Families First and many more!
The expectant mums were able to find out about lots of the services across Blaenau Gwent and meet lots of the flying start team! The mums to be were also able to take watch an amazing presentation about Labour and Delivery. The team wanted to pass on their thanks to everyone who attended the event and helped to make it a success.
Did you know that all expectant mothers in Blaenau Gwent are entiltied to support during their pregnacy and following the birth of their baby? Catherine Davies and Tracy Thompson are both Antenatal Family Support workers and can offer support and guidence through pregnancy. They can also provide advice and support on becoming a new parent, infant feeding, breastfeeding, housing issues, heathly eating and budgeting! If you feel you need additional support during your pregnancy journey, do not hesitate to get in touch with the family information service. You can call us on 0800 032 3339 or email us at FIS@Blaenau-Gwent.gov.uk.
Play Team
Our play team have been working really hard this term. They hosted 5 play in the park sessions over the Easter holidays; a huge play event at the Blaina ICC; and they have been running their Wild Tot’s groups every week!
Here’s some of the amazing feedback from the families who attended:
‘This Easter event is just super. A great free event for the children. Thank you play team’
‘My child is so happy thank you for the activities provided I just loved getting involved.’
‘You always go above and beyond in the ICC. The Christmas extravaganza was just so magical
So we decided to come back for Easter too’
‘The play team always makes the children all feel welcome and included’
‘We are so grateful for this free event as we are a large family and things cost a lot of money
especially if you have more than 1 child’
‘The team are always so happy and full of enthusiasm for playing if only I could bottle up some of that energy’
Keep an eye on our socials to be the first to know about their upcoming events!
March 2024
St David's Day - 01.03.24
Thank you to everyone who entered our competitions! We’re so proud of everyone who entered! See you all again next year.
World Book Day - 07.03.24
Author of the Day!
My First Numbers with Multiply @ Swffryd Flying Start Hub - 19.03.24
The Multiply Project have completed their final week with the current group at Swffryd Flying Start Hub. Over the last five weeks, we have done lots of activities; each related to wonderful children's books - including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Whatever Next and Elmer's Colours.
We've looked at Days of the Week, Counting, Positional Language, Size Comparison, Shape, Colours and learned lots of other skills along the way!
Our next block of My First Numbers will start on 9th April at 1pm for 3-4 year olds (for 6 weeks)
Increase your knowledge of how to use stories and play to encourage mathematical vocabulary and skills with your children!
BOOK YOUR SPACE NOW HERE: www.ticketsource.co.uk/blaenau-gwent-council
Spaces are limited!!!
My First Numbers with Multiply @ Hilltop Flying Start Hub - 21.03.24
The Multiply Project have completed their final week with the current group at Hilltop Flying Start Hub.
Over the last five weeks, we have done lots of activities; each related to wonderful children's books - including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Whatever Next and Elmer's Colours.
We've looked at Days of the Week, Counting, Positional Language, Size Comparison, Shape, Colours and learned lots of other skills along the way!
February 2024
World Cancer Day - 04.02.24
The Team at the ICC held a bake sale to raise money for Cancer Research UK and managed to raise over £110!
February Half Term - 12.02.24 - 16.02.24
Over the half term week; our amazing play team worked really hard to run play sessions all across Blaenau Gwent! Thank you to everyone who attended!
