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Employment Support Agency

Cyrenians Employment and Training Ltd has officially launched its new Employment Support Agency with the help of local sporting legend John Hartson. The Agency is located at 20 Mansel Street in Swansea and offers a complete package for job seekers.

For more information see our press release

 

Cyrenians Community Centre and the Chelsea Flower Show

Cyrenians Cymru is over the moon following the silver medal awarded to the “Places of Change Garden” at the RHS Chelsea Flower show.

 

 

Cyrenians Cymru and its service users in Swansea were part of the biggest Show Garden ever at the Chelsea Flower Show for more information see our press release.

Vince Cable MP Visits Cyrenians Community Centre

Cyrenians Cymru host visit from the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Liberal Democrat Deputy Party Leader Vince Cable visited the Charity’s’ Community Centre on High Street in Swansea this afternoon at 1pm (Monday April 12th) as part of the campaign trail where he discussed the issues of Tax and Employment.

Please follow this link to our Press Release Below for more details

Plastic Bottle Appeal

Cyrenians Community Centre need 1500 to build their plastic fantastic recycled greenhouse. They currently have around 100.

They are also looking for donations of some wool and knitting needles to start a Stitch and Smile club at CCC.

See also Stitch and Smile and Fairtrade Fortnight, Pancake Flipping Competition, a Gardening Project and Anger Management Course at the Cyrenians Community Centre

Cyrenians Employment and Training Ltd

Our new sister company are recruiting new posts.

For more details about this and the exciting new developments regarding our new Cyrenians Supported Employment and Training Project click here.

 

Glittering Celfi rises from the ashes

BBC Wales arts presenter Nicola Heywood-Thomas has formally opened Celfi Gallery and Crafts at Llys Glas in Swansea, in readiness for a landmark training project for disadvantaged adults funded by the European Social Fund.

Celfi, which is a branch of the Cyrenians’ services, sells recycled crafts, art works and fair trade products, as well as providing gallery space for artists in the community. Some of the works are made by Cyrenians service-users at the ResaRec workshop and Dragon Arts and Learning.

Click here for the full Press Release

Latest Press Releases

A Breakthrough New Service for Job Seekers in Swansea.

Cyrenians Employment and Training is officially launching its Employment Support Agency to the people of Swansea Bay.

Local sporting legend John Hartson will be cutting the ribbon in front of an audience of invited guests and clients at 12:30 PM on Friday the 18th of June.

The Employment Support Agency branch of Cyrenians Employment and Training Ltd is located at 20 Mansel Street in Swansea, and will benefit anyone in the Swansea Bay area aged 16 and over and looking for work.

CET Ltd Company Manager Neil Roberts says.

“This initiative was set up because we felt there was a real niche in the market for an employment agency to help those who may have no formal qualifications, have been out of work for a long period of time, or in some cases have never worked at all. We have had a number of clients say to us that whilst they want to work and better their situations, they often find it intimidating accessing mainstream employment agencies. Our aim at the ESA is to offer a friendly, helpful service to help potential candidates build up their skills and self esteem to enter the local work force”

The ESA provides a number of services from help with CV writing and filling in job applications to making a number of computers available at the office for active job seekers.

As well as these services Neil Roberts says there is a great deal of ongoing support to successful candidates and employers alike.

“We have a dedicated In Work Support team providing ongoing support to all our successful candidates entering the workforce. This service is offered for up to 6 months to help people maintain their new job.

The In Work Support Service acts as the bridge between the employee and employer. We have great relationships with a range of local employers, and our team is dedicated to working with them to identify their specific recruitment needs and sourcing suitable vacancies for our candidates. This service is provided free of charge, includes promoting our candidates skills, overcoming barriers and offering a full support service to the employer."

ESA is part of Cyrenians Employment and Training Ltd a subsidiary of Cyrenians Cymru Charity.

For more information Please contact Kimberley Nutbrown. 07899673721

public.relations@cyrenians.co.uk

ENDS

 

Silver medal for "Places of Change Garden" at Chelsea Flower Show

Cyrenians Cymru is over the moon following the silver medal awarded to the “Places of Change Garden” at the RHS Chelsea Flower show. Cyrenians Cymru and its service users in Swansea were part of the biggest Show Garden ever at the Chelsea Flower Show. Some of the members of the Cyrenians Community Centre as well as some staff spent many months of hard work getting seeds planted in a large plastic bottle green house built on site by service users and volunteers. As well as the Community Centre’s involvement in the Garden the Charity’s Res a Rec Recycling and Reuse scheme created huge wooden “spines” which played an important role in the Garden.

Cyrenians Cymru was the only charity in Wales to be asked to take part in the “Places of Change Garden” The Charity and its service were involved at the various stages of the garden’s development; from planting, gardening, construction, and carpentry playing a vital role in the garden’s creation – which overall identified roles for around 320 service users from other Charities across the UK. As a result of getting involved, participants developed new skills which will enable them to move onto further training and qualifications, and in the long term, turn their lives around.

The Places of Change Garden project is a major collaboration between several key partners: national housing and regeneration delivery body the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA), national membership charity for homeless agencies Homeless Link, the Eden Project, and Communities and Local Government (CLG). Designed by Eden’s award-winning garden designer Paul Stone, the garden was funded by CLG and the HCA’s Places of Change programme – an £80m capital funding programme that aims to bring about a change in the way homeless services are perceived and challenge stereotypes around homelessness.

It follows on from the success of last year’s Key Garden, which saw over 200 homeless service users create another Silver Medal award-winning show garden, many of whom have now gone on to further the skills they gained via further training or jobs placement. Participants involved consistently reported a huge confidence boost, new skills, and renewed hope for their future.
Cyrenians Cymru Places of Change Garden Coordinator Clare Evans Says:

“This is has been such a wonderful opportunity for us as a charity to work with other charities across the UK in creating something so unique but incredibly beneficial to so many people. The team of volunteers that we have, made up of a number of our service users has been fantastic they have been dedicated to every aspect of this project since the moment we were invited to be involved. It really is great to see them get such enjoyment and a feeling of accomplishment through their participation and to cap it all off with a Silver Medal award is just the icing on the cake.”

 

Two volunteers in the Places of Change Garden from the Cyrenians Community Centre, Ceri Keaton and Roger Hannibal have relished every aspect of their involvement in the project

Ceri Keaton says:

“Heading to Cornwall to see the Eden project was amazing it was like going on holiday.
I loved the rainforest Garden
The project has been an exciting opportunity that I would not normally have. I enjoyed nurturing the plants and found that the project took my mind off my everyday life”.

Roger Hannibal is long term Volunteer at the Community Centre tending to the maintenance of the grounds outside the Centre and he too enjoyed his involvement in the Places of Change Garden.

Roger Says:

“It touched my heart to be asked to take part in the project and I can’t believe it!”

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Charity receives large donation from HISCHURCH

Friday 30-04-2010

Con men and rip off artists have had their confiscated spoils distributed to some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded adults in Swansea.

Earlier this week The Cyrenians Community Centre received a large donation of relabelled counterfeit goods from HISCHURCH a Charity based in England.

His Church works closely with Swansea Trading Standards and when a ring of knockoff clothing and labelled brands are discovered the goods are donated by the TS to HISCHURCH who remove all the faux brand labelling and replace it with legitimate charity branding then donate the clothing to charities identified by TS’s in their local area.

As well as clothing HISCHURCH also has a relationship with food retailers whereby they can collect tinned and packet food nearing its expiry date and distribute that to those who need it most.

Trading Standards Swansea Spokesman Chris Williams says :

“We have huge issues with storing all the things that we seize, so having Richard at HISCHURCH with all the space and requirements to store it, is great. Also it’s good to see the proceeds of crime not going to the criminals but being redistributed to people who really need it for the good of the community.”

The Cyrenians Community Centre in Swansea stores the items donated to it by HISCHURCH and then staggers the release of it out to its members and service users.

The Centre’s Healthy Living Coordinator , Claire Evans says:

“Our members are so grateful for all the donations made to them by HISCHURCH the clothing is really lovely and of excellent quality. Our service users are like anyone else they want to be able to wear nice clothes and have self respect and dignity and the clothing provided by HISCHURCH through the Support of Swansea Trading Standards allows them to have that. Also the food that is provided is of a very high standard and it is a vital asset for many of our members. Once again we really are so very grateful for all the support.”

Richard Humphrey from HISCHURCH says:

“This is just a fantastic for us, we are really grateful to Swansea Trading Standards. Firstly they have made a decision not to landfill or shred but to trust us to take the products and store them and rebrand them and then redistribute them to those who need them most.”

ENDS.

 

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Books On Prescription Launched at the Cyrenians Community Centre This Week.

30-04-2010

Books on Prescription is a range of therapeutic books designed to offer advice, support and understanding to some of the most vulnerable and deprived adults in Swansea who access the Cyrenians Community Centre.

Community Centre members have the opportunity to access a nurse or a GP during the course of the week and as a result more than 180 people who would otherwise not have sought medical help or registered with a surgery are now signed up to a GP.

As part of this ongoing commitment to the health and wellbeing of the Community Centre service users The Books on Prescription initiative has been funded by the NHB. It includes books on how to cope with stress, emotional problems, depression, nutrition and so forth. The books will be prescribed to patients as necessary by the Centres GP.

GP Ceri Todd says:

“We are delighted to be provided with such a worthwhile resource here at the Cyrenians Community Centre.
It will help the most vulnerable and socially excluded adults in our community to understand conditions such as depression and give them emotional control which in turn will help to build self esteem and confidence. “

ENDS.

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Vince Cable MP Visits Cyrenians Community Centre

12-04-2010

Cyrenians Cymru host visit from the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. Liberal Democrat Deputy Party Leader Vince Cable visited the Charity’s’ Community Centre on High Street in Swansea this afternoon at 1pm (Monday April 12th) as part of the campaign trail where he discussed the issues of Tax and Employment.

Cyrenians Cymru is a charity encompassing eight projects which are all dedicated to upskilling and training the most socially excluded and vulnerable adults in Swansea. As well as offering accommodation, tenancy support and health care.

The Cyrenians Employment Support Agency is the latest addition to the services offered by the charity and has been created to help those people who would not otherwise be able to access mainstream employment agencies. The agency provides access to computers to assist people in actively seeking employment, as well as training, support with CV’s and information for people as to what benefits they are entitled to.

Since February 2010 Cyrenians Cymru has been a part of the Governments Future Jobs Scheme in conjunction with the City and County of Swansea and Job Centre Plus. The Charity has taken on 22 new employees on a six month paid work initiative, with all of those recruited having been out of work for six months or longer.

Liberal Democrats Deputy Leader Vince Cable says:

“It was very inspiring to visit the Cyrenians Community Centre and meet with its users and staff. It is an excellent resource doing a great deal of good in Swansea and I hope they continue to go from strength to strength.”

As well as the new Future Jobs employees Cyrenians Cymru is also very proud of another of its success stories. One year ago Christine Jones was unemployed, homeless and on the streets of Swansea. Today, through the support of Cyrenians Cymru, she is on the verge of launching a new social enterprise catering business.

Christine Jones says:

“The organisation is amazing, especially for what they have done for me, this time last year I was homeless and fearing for my safety on the streets now I have my own flat, a job, support and am on the verge of starting my own business.

Initially I started out as a volunteer at the Cyrenians because I wanted to give something back to the charity and working made me feel like I was worthwhile and normal again. Now that I have a job I feel like there is nothing I can’t do and through the support of the Cyrenians I have the courage to do it.”

 

Cyrenians Cymru CEO Conrad Watkins says:

“We work with disadvantaged adults in one of the most deprived areas of Wales. We are looking to Government to recognise the growing role Third Sector Organisations like ours play in not only getting people back on their feet but also in getting them trained and supporting them back into work. We are grateful to Vince Cable for taking the time to visit us and find out about our work, and we hope he will take on board many of the issues raised during his visit to the Community Centre and to Swansea.”

 

Ends.

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October 15th 2009

Glittering Celfi rises from the ashes

15-10-2009

BBC Wales arts presenter Nicola Heywood-Thomas has formally opened Celfi Gallery and Crafts at Llys Glas in Swansea, in readiness for a landmark training project for disadvantaged adults funded by the European Social Fund.

Celfi, which is a branch of the Cyrenians’ services, sells recycled crafts, art works and fair trade products, as well as providing gallery space for artists in the community. Some of the works are made by Cyrenians service-users at the ResaRec workshop and Dragon Arts and Learning.

From January, Celfi will be taking on trainees and volunteers, who have been out of work for long periods, to provide work experience and training in all aspects of retail. The aim is to help them back to employment through skills, experience and links to other retailers in the city.

Celfi will work in conjunction with a new supported employment agency being established by the Cyrenians, and also funded by the European Social Fund, which is targeted at those furthest from the labour market through a history of homelessness, social isolation and unsettled living.

Celfi suffered a devastating fire at its previous home, and the project only survived through the intervention of the Gwalia Housing Group, who provided temporary premises while Llys Glas was being restored.

Nicola Heywood-Thomas praised the efforts and energy of Celfi Retail Coordinator Claire Millar, who has steered the project through difficult times over the past two years, and the work of the Cyrenians in tackling poverty and disadvantage.

A huge variety of glittering gifts, recycled crafts and fair trade products greets visitors, and Claire is always happy to explain the background to a particular item. Community artists are also welcome to discuss use of the gallery space.

• Contact Claire Millar for more details at
  

  Celfi Gallery & Shop
  Llys Glas Retail Unit
  1 Alexandra Road
  Swansea,
  SA1 5AL.
  
  Telephone / Ffôn: 01792 477707
  E-mail: clairemillar@cyrenians.co.uk
  www.cyrenians.co.uk/celfishop
  

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FAKE GOODS MADE GOOD

09-06/09

Cyrenians Cymru a local charity supporting homeless and socially excluded people in Swansea received a large donation of fake designer clothes which had been impounded by Swansea Trading Standards and then re branded by HIS Church.

Richard Humphrey from HIS Church stated :

"It is a joy to support Cyrenians Cymru, not just because of the work they do but because of the way they do it. The Cyrenians team genuinely care about the vulnerable people they look after, demonstrated by the superb quality of service they give.

We are delighted to donate brand new clothing and top quality food which will help Cyrenians to continue providing practical help in a way that brings hope and restores dignity.    

We must also say a big thank you to Swansea Trading Standards who's partnership makes all this possible. They provided the clothing, recommended Cyrenians for a donation and then helped with distribution.

Cyrenians are a credit to Swansea, epitomised by the fact they gave out of their donation to so many other charities within the community, which was wonderful - they are a great testimony to a community that cares."

David Picken from Swansea Trading Standard stated:

"Trading Standards is grateful to HIS Church for their efforts and arrangements to make a legal and practical use of counterfeit goods whilst at the same time providing local care organisations with food and supplies which they can make good use to assist disadvantaged people in our community."

Clare Evans the Healthy Living Coordinator at Cyrenians Community Centre in High Street Swansea stated:

”we are delighted to accept these high quality clothes and food and would like to thank both Swansea Trading Standards and HIS Church. They will be of great benefit to the most needy in the city.”

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Europe Day 9th May

09-05-2009

Cyrenians Cymru is celebrating Europe Day on 9th May – and flying the flag for Europe.

European Funding has made a big difference to the services Cyrenians can deliver to the people of Swansea and further afield. Vocational and creative training, recycling and boat-repair, health support and overcoming barriers to employment, retail training and work experience, restoring our heritage and environment, building up confidence to improve skills and get back into work.

All of these have come about through EU funding, and made a huge impact on the lives of some of our most vulnerable citizens.

We are not only making a difference in our Swansea-based services, but across Europe as well. Our Grundtvig partnership project ‘European Fire Celebrations’ has been hailed as a beacon project (no pun intended), and brings together adult learners from Spain, Turkey, Czech Republic and Denmark. For more information on this see www.dragonarts.co.uk .

For the next three years, Cyrenians will be developing its employment support and training with the help of European and Welsh Assembly funding. Working with partners, we will help some of the most vulnerable adults in the community gain skills and employment.

Cyrenians Cymru is not only a Welsh organisation, but a European one, working in a European context and helping Wales work towards the Lisbon Agenda.

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March 18th 2008

Cyrenians Community Centre win AFAL award

18-3-2008

Cyrenians Cymru have won an AFAL (Awards For Food Action Locally ) award for their work on improving healthy eating in Swansea’s community!
The Food Standard Agency Wales runs the annual AFAL (Awards for Food Action Locally) scheme to recognize an individual or team contribution to local nutrition initiatives that have made a positive impact on the diet or eating habits of residents in the communities where they work.

Click here to download the Food Standards Agency's Press Release.

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Roberto Martinez Visit

18-3-2008

Roberto Martinez visited the Cyrenians Snipers, a street soccer team who are part of the Street Soccer Cymru League, to offer some advice and training tips. This visit was took place at the Phoenix Centre in Townhill, Swansea and was part of Sport Relief

Please follow this Link for the Evening Post Article

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October 26 2007

Welsh Assembly Government Press Release
Datganiad i’r wasg o Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru

Health Minister launches new health service for homeless and disadvantaged people in Swansea.

Edwina Hart, Minister for Health and Social Services, officially launched the new health service at the Cyrenians Community Centre yesterday (25 October) in Swansea.

It is the first of its kind in Wales and offers health and medical support, careers training and advice as well as training in cookery and exercise to the homeless and disadvantaged in the area.

The health service at the centre is a partnership between the Cyrenians and the Swansea Local Health Board. This follows a pilot project, funded by the Cyrenians, which established a high level of need among people attending the centre who are not linked into mainstream health services. It comprises a registered nurse offering a service four mornings a week, and a local surgery providing a Local Enhanced Service for homeless and vulnerable adults.

In launching the partnership, Mrs. Hart applauded the new initiative and voiced the need for more attention to be given to the health needs of vulnerable people in the community. She said; “I am delighted that we have been able to support this fantastic project and would like to pay tribute to the excellent work that is carried out by this facility in providing invaluable support to vulnerable people in our community.’

‘I congratulate the work of Cyrenians Cymru, which has worked passionately for over 30 years to develop a caring and compassionate community.”

Conrad Watkins, Cyrenians Director, said ‘We are pleased to be in partnership with the Swansea Local Health Board to bring essential primary care to people who are on the margins of mainstream services. But this is just the start. We hope this partnership is going to develop over time so that we can offer dentistry, podiatry and mental health support; and within the framework of a centre that promotes all aspects of healthy living, including good quality food, training and health awareness.

Cyrenians Cymru purchased two thirds of St. Matthew’s Church, which is grade 2 listed, to convert into a state-of-the-art community centre. The remaining part of the church was fully restored for the local congregation.

The site is historically associated with health support for the poor. The original chapel was built by the Knights Hospitallers around 1165 AD. To the rear of the building lie fields used for the burial of the cholera dead in the three severe outbreaks that hit Swansea in the 19th century.

Funding from the Welsh Assembly Government’s Objective 1 programme and the Heritage Lottery Fund, enabled the Cyrenians charity to open the centre last year

The centre is also used in the evenings for a wide range of activities by community groups, and is becoming a thriving resource within the area.

- Ends –

Available to download as a PDF document

Click here also for South Wales Evening Post article

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Archived Press Releases

Coming soon - an archive of press releases from the recent and not so recent past. Starting with one from the beginnings of the Cyrenians in 1973.