LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER
An important part of our Invest Local programme is Shared Learning, where communities get together and learn from each other’s experiences. Shared Learning events can take the form of workshops on specific timely topics (for example, we held two sessions on community consultation earlier in the year), training courses in specific skills related to the programme, or visits to inspirational community projects.
A really important part of Shared Learning is that communities talk to each other, sharing experiences of Invest Local as well as other community projects and activities.
This month, around 30 adults and children from Penywaun visited another Invest Local community – Caerau, near Maesteg in Bridgend – to find out more about its market garden.
Caerau has a number of active community initiatives and organisations, including the Caerau Market Garden – which features polytunnels and raised beds for community members to grow their own food, a natural woodland play area, chicken coop, ponds, a tepee and a cob oven.
Rachel Harding is the Invest Local Officer for Penywaun. She said: “The adults and children who visited the market garden has a great day out. The children got to handle the chickens, carve pumpkins and play in the woodland play area, while the adults found out more about what’s involved in setting up and running a community garden. They left full of enthusiasm, ideas and inspiration!”
A key theme coming though in Penywaun is the lack of provision for young people, so the community may visit Caerau again in the near future to find out about the Noddfa Community Project and its work with young people in the area.
