SOCIAL ENTERPRISE Crest Co-operative has given the community a jobs boost.

Despite challenging economic times, over the past year Crest in Llandudno Junction has employed eight full-time staff and helped 33 unemployed people to secure jobs in the Conwy and Denbighshire communities.

Staff at Crest Co-operative

Crest’s service users have gained permanent job roles in administration, retail, local
government, warehouse positions and other areas.

The non-profit recycling company is now set to open a community store in the centre of Colwyn Bay this year, which will create further opportunities for the unemployed.

Sharon Jones, chief executive at Crest Co-operative, said: “Employment trainers at Crest have battled hard economic times to assist the unemployed and we are proud to say that we have a great success rate of getting people back into work.

“Crest’s enterprises have continued to expand, which has allowed us to offer jobs to the community at our head office. We hope the opening of our new community store in Colwyn Bay will help more people to access our services and allow us to generate funds to create more work placements. We are looking forward to continuing to provide
employment opportunities throughout 2012.”

Crest is currently running a WCVA and European Union funded over 50s Intermediate Labour Market scheme. The project has already seen 11 unemployed adults over the age of 50 find permanent work in Conwy and Denbighshire.

If you are unemployed and over the age of 50, call Jean Edwards at Crest Co-operative on 01492 596783 or visit www.crestcooperative.co.uk/jobs to download an
application form.

Pam Roberts with staff at Crest and Cartrefi Conwy

A GRANDMOTHER is urging the unemployed to take part in a life-changing back to work project.

Pam Roberts, 50, from Rhos on Sea, suffered from low confidence for more than three years. Her life changed when she was asked to take part in the Gateway Project, run by
social enterprise Crest Co-operative and housing association Cartrefi Conwy.

The 12 week course allowed Pam to slowly re-enter the workplace. By working at Llandudno Junction based Crest, she gained experience in retail and worked to support adults with learning disabilities.

Pam, who finished the project this week, will be returning to Crest as a volunteer and hopes to become a support worker in the future. She said: “Gateway has drastically
changed my life. I didn’t even have the confidence to take my grandchildren to
school and now I drop them off. Working at Crest has boosted my self-esteem.

“It has opened up doors for me. Having a support network and working with people in similar situations has been fantastic.”

Although the project was originally open to Cartrefi Conwy tenants, opportunities are now available for unemployed Conwy and Denbighshire residents aged 18-65.

Non-profit recycling company Crest will open its doors to 13 Gateway participants on January 30.

Jane Roberts, volunteer co-ordinator at Crest, said: “The Gateway project has had  life-changing results. Some participants will return to Crest as volunteers. It has opened doors for service users to enter further education.
“Crest is a friendly environment and we take an informal approach. We offer
great support and we can really help people.”

If you are unemployed, aged 18-65 and can commit one day each week for 12 weeks, call Jane Roberts at Crest on 01492 563458.

CREST community store will be coming to Colwyn Bay high street.

Recycling social enterprise Crest Co-operative in Llandudno Junction, will bring life back to an empty shop unit on Station Road. Crest Community Store is set to open on February 4 and will feature low cost nearly new children’s clothing, second-hand nursery goods, adults’ clothing, brand new furniture, children’s toys/games and much more.

All proceeds from the shop will be ploughed back into Crest to create work opportunities for adults with learning disabilities and the unemployed.

Sharon Jones, chief executive of non-profit company Crest Co-operative, said: “We are delighted to announce the opening of Crest Community Store in Colwyn Bay. We have always wanted to bring Crest to the high-street.

“Opening a new shop will benefit the whole community. Nearly new goods will be offered at low prices and the income generated will create work placements for the unemployed and adults with learning disabilities.”

Mochdre based construction company G Purchase marked the season of goodwill by generously carrying out repair work and fitting units at the new store. Workers from the firm completed the work free of charge.

Earlier this year Crest Co-operative was awarded the Conwy County Borough Council contract to collect textiles from the homes of more than 50, 000 residents. Quality clothing will be sold to the public at low prices in the new Colwyn Bay store.

Sharon Jones added: “We think that Colwyn Bay is a fantastic place to open a new business and hope to work with other stores in the town to continue to attract shoppers to the high-street.

Crest Community Store will open at 21 Station Road. If you would like to apply for the position of store manager or supervisor visit http://crestcooperative.co.uk/jobs.

FUND-RAISING students held a Christmas hamper raffle to support FareShare North Wales.

The pupils from Bangor University have raised £3, 000 for four non-profit projects/charities since their term started in September. From leg waxing to nights of student fundraising, the generous team at Bangor Rag will be generating funds throughout the academic year.

FareShare North Wales was established last year, in a bid to combat food poverty. The project was launched by Crest Co-operative and has since helped to feed hundreds of homeless and vulnerable people across Conwy and Denbighshire.

Surplus, quality food is donated by food suppliers and distributed to community groups, supporting disadvantaged people. The project has created work placements for the unemployed, adults with learning disabilities and volunteers.

BRIGHT purple textile banks will help residents to turn their unwanted clothing into jobs for Conwy’s unemployed.

Crest Co-operative’s Purple Bank Appeal has been launched in a bid to increase the amount of job opportunities available to the unemployed and adults with learning disabilities.

Staff at Crest

This week non-profit recycling social enterprise Crest in Llandudno Junction, sited 16 new eye-catching textile banks at locations across the Conwy county.
Earlier this year Crest won the Conwy County Borough Council agreement to collect textiles from local residents. The successful purple bag kerbside collection scheme, has already created work placements for Conwy and Denbighshire residents. It is hoped that Crest’s Purple Bank Appeal will generate additional funds to combat unemployment.

Textiles collected will be sold at Crest Community Store, Ferry Farm Road Llandudno Junction. All funds are ploughed back into Crest to create jobs. Unwanted textiles including shoes, clothes and handbags can be deposited in Crest’s purple banks.

Sharon Jones, director at Crest Co-operative, said: “This is great news for local unemployed people. The Purple Bank Appeal will allow us to generate funds to offer further work placements and training at Crest.

“We have already helped hundreds of local people back into work. This would not be possible without the continued support of local residents,” she added.

Schools across Conwy have already benefited from Crest’s services. Blue textile banks have been placed on school grounds and in rural communities, with Crest donating £200 to each school for every tonne of clothing collected. 

The Bay View Centre in Colwyn Bay welcomed Crest’s purple bank this week. Other textile banks have been sited at Berthes Road car park in Old Colwyn, Station Road car park in Llanfairfechan and many other locations.

To find your nearest textile recycling bank click here.

ADULTS with learning disabilities enjoyed a day of fundraising for Children in Need.

The Work Opportunities team at Crest Co-operative made special Pudsey Bear ears. They spent the day selling home-made cakes and held a ‘Name the Teddy’ contest for Crest Community Store customers.  The group raised more than £80 for the cause.

CREST’S work in the community has been honoured during a prestigious awards ceremony.

At the Morgan Foundation Awards last week Crest scooped a cash prize of £5, 000. The recycling social enterprise was named runner up in the Best Entrepreneurial Social Enterprise category.

Crest was praised for supporting some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in the North Wales. The funds will be ploughed back into the social enterprise to create more work placements for the long-term unemployed and adults with learning disabilities.

A SPATE of textile recycling bag thefts has sparked concerns for Conwy’s unemployed.

Recycling social enterprise Crest Co-operative in Llandudno Junction collects textiles from the kerbsides of 50, 000 homes as part of the Conwy County Borough Council
recycling scheme. Concerned residents have contacted Crest on several occasions over the last few months, after unmarked vans have picked up Crest’s purple
recycling bags.

“Future incidents could result in a lack of work placements for the unemployed, which could impact hundreds of people in the community. Our agreement with the council creates 11 work placements each week and has also created three permanent jobs in the last few months,” he added.

Incidents of stolen Crest purple recycling bags and clear media bags containing books, DVDs, computer games and CDs have been reported across the county. Members of the public are urged to look out for the two Crest recycling vans, which feature
Crest’s logo.

To report incidents of unmarked vehicles picking up Crest recycling bags call North Wales Police on 101, with as much information as possible including registration numbers.

Crest Co-operative operates a fortnightly textile collection service. Textiles are collected on the same day as garden waste collections. To request a purple bag call 01492
563463.

FareShare North Wales will be collecting food donations from members of the public at Sainsbury’s supermarket, Rhyl on Saturday, November 26.

FareShare is looking for enthusiastic volunteers, who are able to give up four hours of their time. Food donations will be distributed to community groups across Conwy and Denbighshire, which support the homeless and vulnerable.

To join FareShare’s Meal Appeal and become a volunteer visit http://www.fareshare.org.uk/?page_id=1244

To donate food visit Sainsbury’s supermarket in Rhyl on Saturday, November 26.

FareShare team up with Sainsburys during the Meal Appeal

Mark Izzard, manager of Glenhaven with residents David and Laura.

A FOOD poverty project has helped a centre for vulnerable people achieve award winning success.

FareShare North Wales, Llandudno Junction, started providing food to Glenhaven in Craig y Don in May of this year. This month the residential home for adults with learning disabilities, was honoured by national specialist accommodation group Potens during an awards ceremony.

Glenhaven scooped the Come Dine with me award, for providing healthy, high quality meals on a budget.

FareShare North Wales, run by Llandudno Junction based recycling social

Crest Co-operative, was established last year. Community groups for the homeless and vulnerable across Conwy and Denbighshire pay £15 per week and receive a staggering £90 worth of food for their contribution. FareShare works with local and national food suppliers to collect food that would otherwise be sent to landfill due to over orders or damages in packaging and re-distribute it to the local community.

Mark Izzard, manager of Glenhaven, said: “It’s quite shocking to realise the amount of food that would go to landfill, when there’s nothing wrong with it and it’s perfectly good.

“The quality is fantastic. The food is making a better life for the residents at Glenhaven and our award proves this. We have so much choice and can create healthy meals. We can now buy food that we couldn’t afford before.”

Since FareShare North Wales was launched in September last year more than 70 tonnes of good quality, in date food has been saved from landfill. Community groups across Conwy and Denbighshire have benefited from more than £90, 000 worth of food.

Sharon Jones, director at Crest Co-operative, said 23 community groups are currently benefiting from the scheme. She said: “We work with centres for the homeless, the elderly and many more community groups across Conwy and Denbighshire.

“It is fantastic news that one of our new community groups has won an award. FareShare is improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in North Wales. At the same time we are helping the environment.”

If you are a local business and would like to donate surplus food to FareShare North Wales, contact project co-ordinator Andrew Sturgess on 01492 596783.