Posted on: Tuesday 10 October 2023
Eight community projects across Torfaen, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent have been successful in acquiring funding to help reduce inequality and bring communities together.
The Community Cohesion Grants, funded by Welsh Government, are designed to support initiatives that promote understanding and respect between different groups of people and create opportunities for people from all backgrounds to unite.
One of the projects to receive £2000 is Amgueddfa Torfaen Museum, which plans to work with Gypsy Traveller pupils at West Monmouth School to create an Inside Outside exhibition.
The money will be spent on helping the young people to create a photo and audio exhibition celebrating the history and traditions of the Gypsy, Roma Traveller communities.
Work on the exhibition starts this week, with plans to display it at the Pontypool Museum in June next year as part of Gypsy, Roma, Traveller Awareness Month.
Torfaen Council’s Gypsy Traveller Practice Manager Lynne Robinson, who is leading on the project alongside Rob Lewis, Outreach and Education Officer at the museum, said:
"We are incredibly excited to involved with such an innovative project. It will give the pupils an opportunity to celebrate their culture and also gain an accreditation and qualifications in photography.
"It also provides the non-traveller community to opportunity to have an insight in the real lives of traveller living in the Torfaen community."
Other projects that have received funded across the region include:
- ACT Schools - to foster meaningful connections and interactions between pupils and elderly members of the community.
- Cole Court - to create a luncheon club for those who may feel isolated and facing financial vulnerability.
- Dementia Café - inclusive sessions for residents, carers and families who are touched by Dementia.
- Friends of Morgan Jones Park - to facilitate volunteering opportunities for those who have low mobility.
- St Martin’s School - a whole school approach to engage the community at the local church through various events.
- Willowtown Community Primary School - to create an allotment to offer further education and training opportunities and host cooking workshops for parents/cares.
- Valley Daffodils - an inclusive weekly session for all who have disability and/or additional learning needs.
Chris Hunt, who heads up the Regional Community Cohesion Team covering the West Gwent region, said: “We are delighted to share details of all the wonderful projects that have been successful.
"It has been another exceptional year of entrants, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank all those community groups who submitted a project bid.”