WHERE SHALL WE GO TO NEXT? Get in touch if you want to share the food you love to prepare. http://twb-africa.eventbrite.co.uk/
The Culture Kitchen
NEWS
Nature garden emerges
See You For Lunch
Sharing a hot, home-cooked meal, together
People Helping People / Ukraine Independance Day August 24
The following article appeared in August Edition of Abergavenny Focus
Abergavenny Community Centre is a nurturing place where we welcome everyone in the town and surrounding areas to come together and share experiences.
Over the last few years Abergavenny town of sanctuary has welcomed refugees from Syria and Afghanistan and now, most recently from Ukraine.
We’re so thankful to live in this wonderful place and be able to share it with others.
August 24th will be one of those days when we open our doors to everyone to come together and celebrate – this time the community centre is marking Ukraine’s day of Independence.
Over the last few months the people of Abergavenny and surrounding areas have been appalled by Russia’s acts of brutality against the people of Ukraine. Over forty local households have welcomed Ukrainian families into their homes, offering sanctuary to families fleeing shelling and bombing.
We are going to celebrate August 24th at the Community Centre, to mark Ukraine’s heritage and identity. From 2pm to 6pm on Wednesday August 24th there will be music, a BBQ, singing and dancing and of course, fantastic Ukrainian food.
Why not come along, donate some money to the Ukrainian war relief and enjoy an afternoon and evening of Ukrainian culture with the Ukrainians in Abergavenny?
Let’s show how much we care about the people of Ukraine.
Helen Buhaenko
Piano Tutors
About Chris & Siobhan Morgan
Siobhan has been teaching in local primary schools in Abergavenny for over a year and Chris taught in a Primary School in London for 9 months before moving to Wales in 2021.
They offer an introductory lesson free of charge and there’s no commitment needed after that, so it’s left up to you to decide whether or not you would like to continue.
References are available upon request.
On working with others:
The Trust is creating a community setting in which people are learning to feel safe and confident. Sharing this space with others releases more talents and skills in the community so that more of us achieve private ambitions and enjoy a renewed sense of purpose, health & wellbeing.
The Big Lunch
Steps towards sustainability
The Abergavenny Community Centre [Charitable Trust] is taking small steps on its path towards being a sustainable venture and a local resource for people to rely upon.
We are still a young organisation, and the covid years with their unique blend of opportunity and operational challenges have tested our resilience and taught us the value of consolidation and protecting vital resources for future use.
There is real strength in being small and there are challenges too. In recent months the Trust had to tap its financial reserves to replace the old school boiler and radiators which you also rallied behind, helping to fund these essential works. Thank you for making it possible.
New development at the Abergavenny Community Centre:
We are very excited to announce a funding success that will have a significant impact on reducing the Centre’s carbon footprint following grants from the Welsh Government’s Community Facilities Programme and the Community Green Energy Monmouthshire CIC and the Community Green Energy England / Wales CIC, and the generosity of members of the local community.
Our sincere thanks to those who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to pull the bid together and bring a long held aspiration to life.
This investment in solar energy production is a major step for the Community Centre with it’s people-helping-people culture because not only will it make limited resources go further, it also enables us to be innovative in how we share the electricity with fellow residents – helping budgets stretch a bit further and benefiting health and wellbeing through activities and support right on our doorsteps.
Here’s something for your calendar : Please join us on Sunday 5th June @ 12.30 for The Big Lunch in the grounds of the Community Centre [Bring a plate of food for sharing if possible] Details will follow.
OPEN DAY celebration Sun 27th
Food project public launch Feb 2022
As concerns grew around the rising cost of living, an initiative aimed at making healthy meals available in communities in Monmouthshire was launched, with financial support from the European Union funded Rural Development Programme and Welsh Government. A feature of this collaboration between community-led organisations in Abergavenny, Gilwern and Monmouth is sharing a commitment to tackling food waste and food insecurity in local homes.
During the lockdown in 2020, Abergavenny Community Centre was encouraged to apply for funding to work with other groups and organisations with the aim of improving access to nutritious meals and cooking skills.
Since refurbishing the former Park Street Infants School kitchen in 2016, the community centre’s kitchen team has been learning about the need for healthy and affordable meals in the population. Chef Elaine Blanchard explained “ We have discovered how important eating a meal with others is, especially to people who live alone. We know the impact that food insecurity has on households, and how ageing, health, access to produce, and confidence in preparing meals all play a role. We also realise that alone we only reach a fraction of people in need of better access to nutritious food and skills. Our hope is that by working with other people that our combined effort will be more effective in addressing the wide, sometimes hidden need that we know exists in our area.”
Abergavenny Foodbank, Gilwern Roots, Abergavenny Community Enterprise, Cwtch Angels, Abergavenny Community Centre and Monmouth Community Fridge were asked to identify how the project could help them to achieve their aims – whether in the form of a fridge/freezer, produce and ingredients, cooked meals, or help with Environmental Health compliance.
We invited everyone involved to write a few lines about their work and how the project is helping them.
Kate Hooton from the Abergavenny Foodbank, whose core purpose is to provide emergency food through referrals from support agencies, told us “We want to work with other groups that share similar aims, as coordinating our effort helps to minimise gaps. The Foodbank is taking small steps towards meeting its goal of providing more fresh food to our clients. We buy a little fresh fruit to add to our food parcels, and over the summer, receive a donation of ‘just picked’ vegetables and salad. The fridge/freezer which the project is funding will mean that we can keep fresh produce for a bit longer, and we can also hold some wholesome frozen meals made in the community centre’s kitchen, for some clients. The project is drawing interested people and efforts together and as a Foodbank we look forward to continuing the work together.”
Over the next few months the community centre will be holding a series of cookery lessons suitable for adults, and young people over 12 years of age aimed at keeping food skills and knowledge alive. For further information about the work please ring 07751666481 or visit the website www.abergavennycc.org about the cooking classes.
Marion Pearse, Centre Manager
