Neath East Communities First - Melincryddan Community Conference

Projects that the Melincryddan Community Conference is working on

Melin Matters (Community Newsletter)

Working with Neath Boys' and Girls' Club

Support for the Melin Action Area Coordinator/Project

The Advice Centre continues to be well used and is a focus point for the community and the Communities First Programme.

The average use of the Centre has increased to reach an average of over 100 people a week with the highest number for one day being 288. The following organisations have provided advice sessions on a regular basis - Age Concern 'Go For IT', Broker Cymru, Careers Wales West, Workways, Shaw Trust and Welfare Rights. While the Police, Heart Search, Domestic Abuse Partnership, Shelter Cymru, Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Service, Condition Management Programme and NPT Carers' Service have provided services on a ad hoc or short-term basis.

In addition, the Centre is also used for Adult Education Classes, Resident's Meeting, Smoking Cessation Classes, Youth Forum meetings, Neighbourhood Watch and also by the local walking group Melin Walkers.

Melin Matters (Community Newsletter)

We have produced 21 issues of 'Melin Matters'. The Editorial Board are Jacqui & Rod Hiller, Charles Henrywood and David Edwards with Sarah Hill and Lianne Jones providing technical and administrative support. Jacqui & Rod Hiller have taken over from Charles Henrywood as the Editors. We are grateful to Jacqui & Rod for this commitment; it will allow Charles as the Chair of MCC to give more time to other aspects of local regeneration work. More help is always needed, especially with distributing the 3,700 plus copies per issue, if you would like to help in any way please contact the Advice Centre on 01639 683259 Back to top

Melin Technology Centre

The MCC has purchased with funds received from the Community Development Fund a building once know as the Old Polling Station in Payne Street, Neath. Funds granted from the Neath Port Talbot Capital Key have been used to renovate and adapt the building for use as Melin Technology Centre that offers training in the use of IT to old and young with adult classes and youth nights.

Funds granted to the MCC by 'Children in Need' have been used to help run the centre and equip the Centre. Additional support from the Community Development Fund is funding two youth digital inclusion workers who work with young people to forming, a games club and homework club and to produce a syllabus for informal education utilising technology.

Funds from Communities @ One were also accessed to provide state of the art equipment including a disabled workstation in addition to resources to offer: computer, digital photography, web design, internet safety and family history courses.

Youth Work

We have engaged with young people through projects, visits, outings and workshops including: Drumming workshops; DJ workshops; Mixing and Hip Hop workshops; a 5 day music project working together with young people from Fairyland; arts and crafts; Halloween disco; a youth garden in Neath Boys' and Girls' Club; Filmmaking road-safety project; Football league project; Community camera project; Continual development of the Neath East Youth Forum; Continuing support for local organisations including a youth healthy eating project in Neath Boys' and Girls' Club.

Outings for young people have included a visit to the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff and the Falcon Centre; a visit to Blue Planet Aquarium, North Wales; Surfing at Caswell, Gower; a visit to Steer Studios, Ammanford and the Laser Zone Swansea; a residential in Craig-y-nos Castle on a Paranormal Investigation; a weekend residential in Stackpole Centre, Pembrokeshire; a filming event in Pontardawe Festival; Paint-balling; a mural project at Neath Boys and Girls Club; a visit to the Climbing Centre of Wales with climbing, kayaking and raft building; an outing to Techniquest, the Museum and Ice skating in Cardiff; and more.

Planned for the near future are a Graffiti-art project to improve the underpass at Stockham's Corner, Neath and a intergenerational community garden project in old Furnace House, Melin, Neath. Back to top

Christmas Street Lighting

The project to provide Christmas Street Lights in Melincryddan since 2005 has gone from strength to strength. The switch-on event in Dec 2006 was a great success which generated many favourable comments. There was singing by children from Melin Infant and Melin Junior Schools with musical performances from Bethel Elim and our very own 'Mrs Christmas' Carol Snow-Muir. Nineteen lamppost garlands and a splendid Christmas tree were illuminated in the area. The official lighting ceremony was carried out by Neath Town Mayor, Brendan MacCathail. The project was enabled by a Communities First Trust Fund grant and by donations from local people, Mile-end Service Station, D.S. Smith Cartons Plc, the Medicine Centre, Neath Town Council, Melin Junior School and from the MCC's own funds. Donations in kind were also made by B & R Hire Centre, Zoar's Ark Garden Centre and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.

It is planned to continue this project this Christmas with the lights being switched on on December 5th 2007 at 4.00pm in the Melin Advice Centre. Come on down and join in the family fun and meet Santa Claus. Back to top

May Day in Melincryddan

Remember. Monday 5th May is 'May Day in Melincryddan'. Twenty voluntary organisations based in the Melin have come together to put on a fete and day of entertainment for our community and we all hope you will be there to join in the fun.

There will be lots of stalls and games of chance, together with arena displays.

Other May Day events are the Concert with Neath Male Choir on Friday 9th May, a Quiz Evening on Wednesday 7th May and the Community Songs of Praise on 27th April.

Though it was traditional in the old May Day in the Melin, we're not having a May Queen or Attendants this year. That isn't to say we won't in the future but, if we do, we will follow the old practice of choosing the Queen and Attendants by lot and not by looks. Having said that, as most people will agree, every May Queen and Attendant looked absolutely stunning on the day.

So, keep Monday 5th May free and come to the May Day. All the money raised will go to support our Melin voluntary organisations and to contribute to the cost of the Christmas lighting. So join us and help keep your community alive (and lit up!).
Hope to see you there. Back to top

Eaglesbush Valley

A tranquil woodland pathway within the otherwise densely populated area of Melincryddan; the woodland is a particular delight in the late spring/early summer.
(see picture at the top of the page)

Projects planned or under way for 2006 are:

* Wood carving

This will involve commissioning wood artists to carve totem poles to place throughout the valley. Wooden carved leaf picnic benches. Hidden sculptures for people to discover along the walk.

* Provide information points outlining wildlife and fauna facts. All with natural stone bases, as not to distract from the natural beauty of the valley. Back to top

Galv River Bank

The area proposed for improvement is situated between the river and the canal in the North-West sector of the Ward. The proposed area of development starts adjacent to the A464 and extends South-westerly as far as the boundary with Briton Ferry West Ward. The project title 'Galv Site' is used because part of the area was formerly a Galvanised Steel Works. The area has good potential to be a recreational and ecological area. However problems created by, dereliction, fly-tipping, and the incursion of Japanese Knotweed all have to be overcome to realise the areas full potential.

With help from the Youth Offending Team, the Probation Service, Neath Training Agency, Neath East Action Team (NEAT) and the biodiversity section of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council there is an ongoing remove the Knotweed.

However this is a huge task and we need further help - if you are interested in any aspect of environmental work and would like to know how you can help please contact the Advice Centre. Back to top

Business Directory

Three editions of Neath East's Business Directory have been produced. Its purpose is to promote business in the Neath East area.

Spreading awareness about local businesses is an essential tool for plugging leaks in the local economy. People often purchase services and goods from brand name companies because they are well known and easy to contact and visit. A local business directory helps to raise the profile of local business, redress the balance of information that is available and invigorate the local economy.

Additionally for those looking for employment the directory can be used to find possible local employers. The the back page of the directory also includes other useful information about Jobs and Business.

!!! The 2006 edition is available as an attachment on the bottom of this page !!! Back to top

Working with Neath Boys' and Girls' Club

During August 2005 young people from Neath Boys' & Girls' Club worked with community artist Rubin Eynon and Paul Nunn from the Youth Service on an eye-catching mural on the front of their building. The mural, which cost around £3,000 was funded by Neath Port Talbot Detached Youth Service. Other summer events run at the club included DJ'ing and drumming workshops.

During the spring of 2006 the Communities First team were again working with the Club to improve its facilities. With a grant and hard work from Groundwork a community garden was constructed at the fount of the club building. This has provided an additional attraction for Club members and the wider community. Back to top

Environmental Clean-ups

Environmental projects in partnership with Groundwork have resulted in a landscaping project at Old Furnace House and a community garden for Neath Boys' and Girls' Club.

Working in partnership with Neath East Action Team (NEAT) has resulted in a number of environmental projects to cleanup litter and fly-tipping of a number of black spot areas making the neighbourhood a better place to live, thereby rising community pride.

We have also cleared sections of unkempt undergrowth including the eradication of Japanese knotweed and in partnership with Neath Port Talbot's biodiversity team have erected information plaques in local beauty spots at Eaglesbush Valley and the canal bank.

Picture of Eaglesbush Valley at the top of the page. Back to top

Support for the Melin Action Area Coordinator/Project

The Melin Community Action Project was launched on 1st April 2006 and it is fully supported by the Neath East Communities First Partnership, Melincryddan Community Conference and the Communities First staff team.

Appointed as Co-ordinator James Muir is leading the Welsh Assembly Government initiative to address the issues of fear of crime and make the Melin a safer place to live in and visit; James is based in the Melin Advice Centre. The projects and initiatives engaged in include:

Rubbish amnesties and clean ups in the Meadow Road area during May and June and July, together with the removal of derelict garages from Meadow Close; others similar activities are being planned.

A garden regeneration project in Meadow Road is also planned working in partnership with a number of other organisations.

In the Melin Close area a development funded by the project and managed by Groundwork has began to improve the environment by cleaning up an overgrown area and rebuilding a dry stone wall.

Summer activities have been run for youth such as golf to broaden horizons and encourage interests and activities that utilize time more wisely and constructively.

The project is also working with Communities First on project to setup a youth shelter and possibility a Multi use games area in the Melin Area.

Three school projects are arranged for the autumn involving litter picking and drama groups to highlight the effects antisocial behaviour has on people and the environment.

A new pub watch scheme in Melincryddan, Penrhiwtyn and Briton Ferry areas is being set up to reduce antisocial behaviour events associated with public houses.

Local people are being encouraged to initiate, support and promote resident participation in Neighbourhood Watch and/or resident's associations. If you would like help to set up a group please phone James on 01639 636936 Back to top

Welfare Rights Worker

Neath East Business Directory.pdf
(Size:0.12MB)

Click here for details of activity in all themes of the Neath East Communities First Programme