B&Q Caerphilly

Students are required to work in clinical placements over the course of studying, in which art materials often must be sourced and self-funded by the students.

Reaching out to the local communities of Nelson, Llanfabon, Treharris, Bedlinog, Edwardsville, Quakers Yard, Trelewis and Bedlinog providing emergency food parcels and access to fresh, affordable, quality fruit and vegetables. Taff Bargoed Foodbank is part of the Trussell Trust network operated by the Parish of Treharris Trelewis Bedlinog & Llanfabon; working together with Family Food & Hygiene, The Community Food Co-op and Food Larders.

Michael Climer Legacy Fund started delivering food to families in need at the end of 2019. In 2020 the pandemic changed everything; we noticed that the need was much greater, and we delivered food every week - never missing a week all through the several lockdown periods. We started with twelve families and today we look after over seventy Talking to our families each week it became apparent many needed help in other ways e.g. debt advice, housing problems and mental health issues. We put together information on many different agencies that could supply good practical advice, mainly local council agencies. Apart from helping our families with their weekly budget, it is important to us to reduce food waste as a part of our Eco Initiative. Collecting surplus food from local supermarkets serves this duel purpose in our community. The Charity has been fortunate enough to receive funding from our local council and other sources during the last eighteen months and this has allowed us to expand our outreach programme. We have set up a food co-operative one day a week at our church hall to allow families to access locally sourced fresh food. We supply recipe cards to encourage healthy eating and educate on the best ways to avoid food waste. It is our intention to set up a credit union collection point to encourage saving small amounts and provide information on safe lenders. There will be a tea and coffee corner free of charge for socialising and chat on any subject information is needed. Our weekly deliveries to families runs in tandem to this new project. As of the beginning of November 2021 our food co-operative has been running every Tuesday from the church hall. Recipients receive two bags of food for a payment of £2 50p. Ambient food such as tins and packets some toiletries and laundry products when available and fresh fruit and vegetables donated by local supermarkets. In November 18 to 20 families attended, this has steadily grown and now that food prices and energy costs have risen sharply we have 55 to 65 families each week receiving food from the co-op. In addition we deliver food supplies still to vulnerable people on Mondays. Our tea and coffee area is free of charge and very popular. Many tell us this weekly contact with others is their only escape from isolation. The chat is pleasant and it is a cheery area of the hall each week. We have agents on hand to advise on any concerns people would wish to enquire and many have received information to take their worries to a positive outcome. numbers continue to grow each week and we are grateful to all supermarkets and others that are willing to donate to our cause, We regularly have qualified hairdressers and beauticians attending offering haircuts blow drys and nail painting free of charge Since February 2025 we have changed our venue. We no longer operate from the church hall but have increased our food co op operation to two days each week, one at Llanbradach and one at Cefn Hengoed.