BANGOR students raised more than £800 for FareShare North Wales.
During the academic year students have organised events to raise money for non-profit food poverty project FareShare North Wales. The funds will benefit hundreds of homeless and vulnerable people across Conwy and Denbighshire.
FareShare works with the food industry to re-distribute surplus food to community groups. Each year FareShare North Wales contributes to 146, 000 meals for homeless and vulnerable people.
SCHOOL pupils celebrated top textile recycling success.
Tonnes of unwanted textiles have been collected by primary school students across Conwy. With the help of recycling social enterprise Crest Co-operative, the clothing has been turned into jobs for local people.
This week Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn in Llandudno and Ysgol Eglwysbach were named top textile recyclers.
In just one year the eco champions have collected more than 3 tonnes of textiles.
Crest Co-operative has donated more than
£4, 000 to Conwy schools in the last 12 months.
Leanne Forbes, school teacher at Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn, said: “Crest donates money to us for every tonne of textiles collected, it’s a great way to raise money and we have even opened an eco bank account.
“We have used the funds to buy shrubs, planters and paint for the school grounds.
We will even be growing our own vegetables soon. Crest’s textile recycling
scheme is now our main fundraiser. We have had great support from the
children’s parents.”
After collecting bags of clothing for a year, Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn joined Crest
Co-operative’s purple bank appeal. A bright purple textile bank was sited in
the school playground to help staff, parents and pupils raise even more money.
Clothes collected are sold in Crest Co-operative’s two community stores in Llandudno
Junction and Colwyn Bay. All funds create work placements for Conwy and
Denbighshire’s unemployed and adults with learning disabilities.
To find your nearest textile bank click here or call 01492 596783.
CREST has been honoured for improving the economic prosperity of Conwy.
The social enterprise was awarded the Community Regeneration Award at the Pride of Conwy ceremony last week.
Crest Co-operative was praised during the event at Venue Cymru for creating jobs, employing local people and bringing new businesses to the county.
Crest Pride of Conwy
SHOPPERS can join the fight to combat food poverty, thanks to a donation scheme.
FareShare North Wales, a community food network run by Llandudno Junction based Crest Co-operative, is holding food drives at three shops across the Conwy area, in a bid to relieve food poverty in the county.
Harold Aldridge, Shop Chairman of Llandudno Lions collects food for FareShare
Tinned food, cereals, coffee and other ambient foods can be donated at Crest’s two community stores in Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction.
Donations can also be made at Llandudno Lion’s charity shop, Madoc Street.
Trolleys and crates have been placed in the stores and shoppers can collect a shopping list, which lists items that are needed to provide healthy meals for vulnerable people in Conwy and Denbighshire.
Food donations will be re-distributed to community groups, working to support homeless and vulnerable people in North Wales.
Harold Aldridge, Shop Chairman for Llandudno Lions, said: “We have supported many good causes over the years. We decided to support FareShare North Wales, because we all felt that homeless and vulnerable people in our area need as much support as possible.”
FareShare North Wales works with the food industry to redistribute good quality, in-date food that would otherwise be sent to landfill, to the people who need healthy, nutritious meals. Since the project was established in 2010, FareShare has seen a 54 per cent increase in demand for food from Conwy and Denbighshire community groups.
Community groups currently benefiting from the scheme include adults’ hospice St Kentigerns, Potens, which operates residential day centres for adults with learning disabilities across Conwy and many more.
FareShare North Wales is currently working with Foodworx West Rhyl First to
provide food for low income families.
Wyn Randle, project leader at Rhyl Youth Action Group, a drop-in centre for young people, said: “Since we joined FareShare we have been able to offer our young people healthy meals every night. They learn how to cook nutritious meals and learn important life skills.”
To donate to FareShare visit Crest Community Store at 21
Station Road, Colwyn Bay or Ferry Farm Road, Llandudno Junction. A food
collection point is also situated at Llandudno Lions Charity Shop, Madoc
Street. For further information call 01492 596783 or visit www.crestcooperative.co.uk.
SHOPPERS descended upon Colwyn Bay for the grand opening of Crest Community Store.
The grand opening of Crest’s new 21 Station Road high street shop took place on Saturday, March 17.
Customers purchased new furniture, nearly new adults’ clothing, children’s clothing and nursery goods.
During the day shoppers enjoyed free cakes, drinks and face painting. The store will be open from Monday-Saturday.
All profits made create work placements for unemployed Conwy and Denbighshire residents and adults with learning disabilities at Crest head office in Llandudno Junction.
A PIONEERING recycling scheme has been recognised in the Wales Green List.
Llandudno Junction based Crest Co-operative is the driving force behind the first recycling partnership of its kind in the UK. The organisation, which operates as a social
enterprise, has created a sustainable model in partnership with Pennaf Housing
Association and hopes to encourage other housing associations to follow suit.
Rod Williams, Crest's Operations Manager with Minister for the Environment John Griffiths
During a Wales Green List ceremony held in Cardiff earlier this month, Welsh Minister for the Environment John Griffiths, praised Crest’s innovative partnership. The scheme involves clearing, painting and decorating unoccupied properties and working with Pennaf Housing Association to avoid landfill. The project has already created job placements for unemployed people across Conwy and Denbighshire. Mr Griffiths recognised the simplicity of the project and hoped Crest’s success would encourage other Welsh housing associations to support the scheme.
Unwanted household items collected from the unoccupied properties are sold at low prices to the public at Crest Community Store in Llandudno Junction and at the newly opened store on Station Road, Colwyn Bay.
Rod Williams, Operations Manager at Crest Co-operative said: “Our aim is to engage with the local community. We are currently looking at a number of initiatives with the view to move towards zero waste and we are looking forward to continue our work with other housing associations in order to encourage re-use before recycling, thereby creating a lower carbon footprint.
“By increasing employment levels and ensuring properties are
occupied, we can build strong communities. The scheme urges housing
associations to avoid landfill and use third sector services and encourages the
community to purchase re-used and recycled goods,” he added.
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.
Crest already operates a store in Llandudno Junction, but the move to a high-street spot
will create two new jobs for a store manager and supervisor. It will also result in up to seven volunteer placements and opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, who will assist in shop duties.
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.