Risca Branch Sponsor Community Events
Risca Branch saw the benefits of supporting the natural environment and community spaces and chose to sponsor the Pontywaun County School Memorial Garden, helping to create a special place for the community through the landscaping and planting of new flowers.
Customer Consultant at the Branch, Louise, told us, ‘This project was really important to us as a branch as it created a warm and welcoming outdoor space for the whole community to come together and enjoy, creating a restful and tranquil space. Stephen and Iain, the volunteers who maintain the garden, are so enthusiastic about the space and we feel they do an brilliant job looking after it.’
The team have also been proactive about supporting groups that have a social impact including local parenting networks and youth groups.
Happy Tots in Risca have recently received £200 in sponsorship from the branch fund to purchase much needed equipment that will help the parents and children attending the group have a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Linda Harris, who runs the Happy Tots group said, "We have found it really difficult to get up and running again after the easing of restrictions. Some of our basic equipment was tired and broken and its been a lifeline to us all to be able to have new changing mats for parents to use. We also invested in a new kettle and toaster and its been absolute bliss to be able to make a decent cuppa and round of toast! This is the only toddler group in Risca and it provides vital support for the parents, grandparents and carers who use our service, not to mention the social interaction for the toddlers who have missed out on so much in their formative years because of the pandemic."
Branch Manager Catherine Probert told us, "It's important to us in the branch that we are supporting activity that is making a difference to as many members of our community as possible. We've chosen to get behind groups that are proactive about the health and wellbeing of others, whether that's through creating tranquil nooks of remembrance like the Pontywaun Garden or providing spaces where people can come together and share experiences like the Happy Tots group. Through the branch sponsorship we've also supported a local grassroots American Football Team, Gwent Gators and we can't wait to hear how they progress through the season."
The Branch Sponsorship Fund is one of the Society's new Branching into Communities initiatives and empowers our branch network to support grassroots activity in their communities.
