Tag Archive: WCVA

1. Christmas & Sustainability Celebrations

   12th December 2019 3:08 pm Comments Off on Christmas & Sustainability Celebrations

   Erthygl Gymraeg yma

   Ebbw Vale families were invited to a Christmas Celebration event at the EVI recently. We were marking the end of a yearlong sustainability project, improving energy efficiency at the historic building and involving and training volunteers from the community.

   In December 2018 the EVI received £32,523 from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme, a Welsh Government Programme managed by the WCVA. Over the year we’ve made improvements to the heating and lighting at the EVI, held a Plastic Pollution workshop with young people, created a bug paradise in the front of our building during a wildlife gardening workshop, trained volunteers in blog writing and creating videos creating a bank of sustainability articles on our website, and lastly a huge Christmas celebration with a sustainable twist.

   

   An invitation to celebrate

   We invited people in the community to join us at the end of November to celebrate a sustainable Christmas with festive food and a pedal powered disco for the children, mulled wine and a mince pie for the parents, and workshops making Christmas goods from recycled materials.

   The 100 spaces we had on offer for the event filled up quickly. Entertainment was provided by the U3A (University of the Third Age) singing group, who sang and held singing activities for the children. The food went down very well, and every scrap was eaten, no wastage here!

   

   Powering a party

   Everyone loved the pedal powered disco, and the snowman, with the children keeping the music playing, the snowman inflated and the Christmas tree lights powered all night. People power!

   The workshops proved popular with everyone taking part, people loved taking home the Christmas trees and baubles they had made using driftwood and old pallets and learning a bit of pyrography.

   Two of the volunteers who had been part of our blog writing training came to help out. Jamie Lee and Victoria helped with the workshops and we loved hearing how Jamie Lee’s Planting Trees to Save the World article inspired them to plant trees in a woodland sanctuary.

   

   Pledging to be greener

   Blaenau Gwent Council’s waste and recycling department also came along to give information and advice about weekly recycling collections.

   Llamau learners (who also took part in some of our previous workshops) came along with an interactive display. They asked people to make pledges for a sustainable Christmas and help the environment.

   “The learners had a really good time working together to make the display boards up, and they all learned something new about sustainability, and we hope these messages will be passed on,” said a Llamau Learning 4 Life tutor.

   There were some great pledges made and stuck onto the pledge tree. Here are just some of them:

   • – Use cotton carrier bags for my shopping
   • – I promise to us as less plastic as I possibly can
   • – Wrap all my Christmas presents in newspaper!
   • – I will recycle as much as I can
   • – Pick up the plastic at the beach

   People could also put in orders with Llamau for plastic free Christmas crackers and were given handy tips on environmentally friendly ways to wrap presents.

   

   This is not the end

   Samantha James, Operations Coordinator at the EVi, was overjoyed with the success of the event and thought it was a perfect end to the yearlong project.

   “We’ve come to the end of this project and we’ve achieved so much here at the EVI,” she said.

   “We’ve helped raise awareness of biodiversity and environmental issues and our volunteers have been integral to this. They’ve helped us with our communication campaign. After receiving training with us some of them have gone on to help other environmental projects. The Christmas event was great to cap it all off by involving the whole community in what we’ve been doing here.“

   And this is not the end for the EVI’s sustainability drive says Sam.

   “This has just been the beginning of the EVI becoming more sustainable and greener. We have learnt lots of new skills and information along the way and strive to keep up this good work”.

2. Creu Paradwys Trychfilod ar Gyfer Bioamrywiaeth

   8th July 2019 1:50 pm Comments Off on Creu Paradwys Trychfilod ar Gyfer Bioamrywiaeth

   English article here

   Ar gychwyn fis Mehefin bu grŵp o bobl ifanc yn cymryd rhan mewn Gweithdy Gardd Wyllt yn Institiwt Glynebwy. Bu’r criw yn creu gwestai trychfilod a bomiau hadau fydd yn help i’r trychfilod peillio a gwella’r ardal o amgylch yr adeilad.

   Yn cymryd rhan yn y gweithdy arbennig yma wedi’i gynnal gan Eggseeds roedd pobl ifanc o Llamau, Hyfforddiant ACT a Gwasanaethau Ieuenctid Blaenau Gwent. Mae Eggseeds yn sefydliad sydd yn dysgu addysg awyr agored am natur a bioamrywiaeth. Trefnwyd y gweithdy fel rhan o gyfres o fesurau cynaliadwy yn yr EVI, wedi’i wireddu o ganlyn Cynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi, prosiect sy’n cael ei gefnogi gan yr WCVA.

   

   Llefydd ar osod yn y gwesty trychfilod

   Cychwynnodd y gweithdy wrth adeiladu gwestai trychfilod, adeiladau pren bach gall fod yn gartref i bob math o bryfaid a rhai adar hyd yn oed. Mae’r adeiladau pren yma wedi cael eu gosod ar slab mawr o AstroTurf a’i osod o fewn yr ardd gymunedol o flaen yr EVI. Bydd hwn yn creu stryd fach uchel i’r trychfilod ffynnu ynddi.

   Ond cyn i’r adeiladau fod yn barod i groesawu’r trychfilod roedd rhaid tacluso tipyn arnynt er mwyn tynnu sylw unrhyw un sydd yn cerdded heibio. Dechreuodd y bobl ifanc wrth beintio’r tai a gwestai trychfilod!

   

   Denu’r trychfilod

   “Bydd y tri adeilad mwyaf yn denu pryfaid sy’n hedfan. Efallai bydd gwenyn, pili-pala ac adain siderog (lacewing) yn hoff o nythu ynddynt,” eglurodd Sam o Eggseeds.

   “Bûm yn stwffio’r tai llai llawn llwch lli gydag ychydig o fylchau bychan i gael i mewn. Mae hwn yn berffaith i chwilen dyrchu iddo. Ychwanegwyd tyllau crwn mwy i rai o’r tai llai hefyd, i greu gofod nythu perffaith i adar.”

   Ar ôl peintio’r rhain, gosodwyd y toeau bwrdd sialc (perffaith i ysgrifennu negeseuon arnynt) gyda hoelion ac offer pŵer. Llenwyd y tai gyda llwch lli a thiwbiau bambŵ wedi’u torri. Mae stwffin llwch lli yn creu awyrgylch hydrin i’r trychfilod dyrchu a nythu ynddo. Meddyliwch am yr holl arwynebedd ychwanegol sydd i fedru llithro eu cyrff bach i mewn iddo ac ymlusgo ar ei hyd. Gobeithir bydd y tiwbia bambŵ yn dod yn le i’r gwenyn ddodwy wyau.

   

   Bomiau’n blodeuo

   Gyda’r adeiladau trychfilod yn edrych yn wych roedd hi’n hen bryd symud ymlaen i’r gweithgaredd nesaf – creu’r bomiau hadau. Mae bomio hadau yn hen dechneg ffermio organig Japaneaidd, ffordd o hadu sydd yn well i’r tir ac yn amddiffyn yr hadau rhag cael eu bwyta gan adar a bywyd gwyllt fel arall. Dyma ffordd wych i gynyddu bioamrywiaeth yn eich ardal leol.

   Defnyddiwyd hadau blodau gwyllt gwydn. Gan fod yr hadau yn cael eu cau mewn pridd wedi’i bacio’n galed, nid yw’n hawdd i adar eu bwyta ac mae hyn yn rhoi cyfle iddynt ddechrau tyfu.

   

   Sut i greu Bomiau Hadau eich hun:

   Cam 1: Defnyddiwch ychydig o glai gwlyb a’i gymysgu gyda phridd. Rholiwch hwn yn belen a rhoi tolc ynddo gyda’ch bys

   Cam 2: Dewiswch dau neu dri hedyn a’u gollwng i mewn i’r tolc. Os ydych chi’n rhoi mwy yna bydd yr hadau yn cystadlu am yr adnoddau yn y ddaear a ddim yn tyfu i’w llawn botensial

   Cam 3: Tylinwch yr hadau i mewn i ganol y belen

   Cam 4: Taflwch y bom hadau ar unrhyw dir ffrwythlon neu ddiffaith a gobeithio bydd y planhigion yn tyfu

   

   Byddwch yn arwr bywyd gwyllt

   Mae’n eithaf hawdd cyfrannu at fioamrywiaeth eich ardal leol. Beth am gymryd rhai o’r syniadau uchod a chreu paradwys i adar a thrychfilod yn eich gardd chi? Roedd y cyfranogwyr yn hapus iawn gyda’r canlyniadau ac i ffwrdd â nhw adref wedi dysgu sgiliau gwerthfawr diolch i’r tîm Eggseeds am eu profiad a’u gwaith caled.

   ---

   Ariannwyd y gweithdy hwn drwy Gynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi trwy’r WCVA. Derbyniodd yr EVI arian i wella effeithiolrwydd ynni’r adeilad, cynyddu bioamrywiaeth yn lleol a chynnwys y gymuned drwy wirfoddoli.

   Dyma’r diweddaraf mewn cyfres o erthyglau ar y sawl ffordd rydym yn hyrwyddo cynaladwyedd yn Institiwt Glynebwy. Darllenwch y gweddill yma:

   • – Cynyddu Effeithlonrwydd Ynni’r EVI
   • – Effeithlonrwydd Ynni’r EVI: Goleuo Godidog
   • – Defnyddio’r Awyr i Gynhesu’r EVI
   • – Taclo Llygredd Plastig yn yr EVI

3. Creating a Bug Paradise For Biodiversity

   1:50 pm Comments Off on Creating a Bug Paradise For Biodiversity

   Erthygl Gymraeg yma

   At the start of June a group of young people took part in a Wildlife Garden Workshop at the Ebbw Vale Institute. They created bug hotels and seed bombs to help pollinating bugs and improve the area around the building.

   Young people from Llamau, Act Training and Blaenau Gwent Youth Services took part in this special workshop run by Eggseeds, an organisation that delivers outdoor education teaching people about nature and biodiversity. The workshop was organised as part of a series of sustainability measures taking place at the EVI as part of a WCVA supported project made possible through the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme.

   

   Vacancies at the Bug Hotel

   The workshop began by building bug hotels, small wooden buildings that can house all kinds of insects and even some birds. These wooden structures will be attached to a big slab of AstroTurf and placed just outside the front of the EVI. This will create a small, elevated street for bugs to thrive in inside the community garden.

   Before the buildings could be made ready for the bugs to move in though, it was time to smarten them up a little to catch the eye of passers-by. The young people got to work by painting the bug houses and bug hotels!

   

   Attracting the bugs

   “The three taller structures will mainly attract flying insects. Bees, butterflies and lacewings might like to nest inside them” explained Sam from Eggseeds.

   “We stuffed some of the smaller houses full of sawdust with just a few small gaps to get in. This makes it ideal for beetles to burrow through. We added larger round holes to some of the smaller houses too, to make an ideal nesting place for birds.”

   Once painted, the chalkboard roofs (good for writing messages on) were nailed to the buildings with power tools. The houses were then stuffed with sawdust and cut bamboo tubes. Sawdust stuffing creates a malleable environment for insects to burrow and nest inside. Think of all the extra surface area for their tiny bodies to slip into and crawl along. It’s hoped that the bamboo tubes will become a place for bees to lay eggs.

   

   Bombing for blooms

   With the bug buildings looking fantastic it was time to move on to the next activity – creating seed bombs. Seed bombing is an ancient Japanese organic farming technique, a way of seeding which is kinder to the land and protects the seeds from birds and other wildlife. This is a great way to increase biodiversity in your local area. 

   They used seeds that sprout hardy wildflowers. As the seeds are encased inside hard-packed earth, birds can’t easily eat them, giving them time to start growing.

   

   How to create your own Seed Bombs:

   Step 1: Scoop up some wet clay and mix it with some soil. Roll into a ball and make a dent with your finger

   Step 2: Pick up two or three seeds and drop them into the dent. Any more and the seeds will be competing for resources and won’t grow to their full potensial

   Step 3: Knead the seeds into the centre of the ball

   Step 4: Throw the seed bomb onto any fertile or waste ground and hope that plants will grow

   

   Be a wildlife hero

   It doesn’t take much to make a difference to the biodiversity of your local area. Why not take some of the ideas above and create a paradise for birds and insects in your own garden? The participants were really happy with the finished results and headed off home having learnt some valuable skills thanks to the Eggseeds team for all their expertise and hard work.

   ---

   This workshop was funded through the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme through the WCVA. The EVI received funding to improve energy efficiency at the building, increase the local biodiversity and involving the community through volunteering.

   This is the latest in a series of articles on the many ways we’re promoting sustainability at the Ebbw Vale Institute. Read the others here:

   • – Increasing Energy Efficiency At The EVI
   • – An Energy Efficient EVI: Lighting The Way Forward
   • – Using Air To Heat The EVI
   • – Tackling Plastic Pollution At The EVI

4. Cynyddu Effeithiolrwydd Ynni’r EVI

   15th February 2019 10:49 am Comments Off on Cynyddu Effeithiolrwydd Ynni’r EVI

   English article here

   Mae Institiwt Glynebwy yn falch iawn o gyhoeddi ein bod wedi derbyn cyllid o £32,523 gan Gynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi. Mae hwn yn rhaglen gyllido Llywodraeth Cymru sydd yn cael ei redeg gan WCVA.

   Bwriedir gwella effeithiolrwydd ynni’r EVi gan gynyddu’r fioamrywiaeth leol a chynnwys y gymuned gyda gwirfoddoli a rhannu’r hyn dysgwyd.

   Yr EVi

   Mae’r EVi yn cael ei redeg gan ProMo-Cymru. Rydym yn lleoliad cymunedol sydd yn garreg filltir, yn darparu rhaglen o weithgareddau creadigol, dysgu a datblygiadau mentrau cymdeithasol. Mae’n gartref i amrywiaeth o sefydliadau trydydd sector gan gynnwys Barnardo’s, Gwasanaethau Ieuenctid Blaenau Gwent, Llamau, Leeders Vale, Gyrfa Cymru a Learn About Us.

   Mae dros 5,000 o bobl yn ymweld â’r EVi bob mis, gydag amrywiaeth eang o ddefnyddiau a defnyddwyr i’r adeilad cymunedol yma. Bydd lleihau’r defnydd o egni mewn adeilad mor fawr yn creu arbedion sylweddol, ac yn helpu gostwng ein hôl troed carbon.

   

   Gwella’r adeilad

   Eleni mae’r EVi yn dathlu 170 mlynedd. Mae dros degawd ers i ProMo-Cymru ddechrau rhedeg yr adeilad. Pan symudwyd i mewn i’r adeilad yn wreiddiol, gwyddom fod angen llawer o waith i wella ffabrig yr adeilad. Cychwynnodd y gwaith gyda’r dyfodol mewn meddwl. Gosodwyd dau bwmp gwres ddaear o’r radd flaenaf i gynhyrchu gwres mwy effeithlon. Diolch i’r gronfa hon, byddem yn gweithredu nifer o nodweddion arbed egni eraill cyn hir. Byddem yn cynnwys y gymuned fel gwirfoddolwyr i helpu cynyddu bioamrywiaeth o amgylch yr adeilad.

   Efallai nad yw effeithiolrwydd ynni ac arbed arian yn swnio’n gyffrous iawn i’r rhai sydd yn defnyddio’r adeilad, ond mae’n bwysig iawn i bopeth sydd yn digwydd yn yr EVi. Mae’r gwaith tu ôl i’r llenni yma yn caniatáu i’r EVi barhau i gefnogi’r gymuned leol. Dros y flwyddyn nesaf byddem yn gofyn i’r gwirfoddolwyr a’r staff yn yr EVi i rannu barn am pam bod yr EVi yn le mor arbennig i weithio a chwarae. Rydym yn gyffrous iawn hefyd i gael y bobl ifanc sydd yn defnyddio’r adeilad i rannu’r hyn maen nhw’n ei wneud. Byddem yn darlledu popeth dros ein sianeli digidol. Mae hyn yn sicrhau bod pawb yn cael gweld y gwaith mae ProMo-Cymru a’r gymuned yn ei wneud i ddatblygu cynaladwyedd yng Nglynebwy.

   ---

   Mae hwn yn brosiect wedi’i gefnogi gan y WCVA trwy’r Cynllun Cymunedau’r Dreth Gwarediadau Tirlenwi.

   Os hoffech wybodaeth bellach am logi’r cyfleusterau’r EVi yna cysylltwch i ddarganfod mwy.

5. Increasing Energy Efficiency At The EVi

   10:48 am Comments Off on Increasing Energy Efficiency At The EVi

   Erthygl Gymraeg yma

   The Ebbw Vale Institute is pleased to announce that we have received £32,523 funding from the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme. This is a Welsh Government fund programme managed by WCVA.

   We will be improving energy efficiency at the EVi increasing the local biodiversity and involving the community through volunteering and sharing what we learn.   

   The EVi 

   The EVi is ran by ProMo-Cymru. We are a landmark community venue that provides a programme of creative activities, learning and social enterprise developments. We are home to a variety of third sector organisations including Barnardo’s, Blaenau Gwent Youth Services, Llamau, Leeders Vale, Careers Wales and Learn About Us.   
    
   Over 5000 people a month visit us here at the EVi, with a wide variety of uses and users for this community building. Reducing energy usage in a large building like this creates major savings and helps reduce our carbon footprint. 

   

   Improving the building

   This year marks the 170^th year of the EVi. It’s been over a decade since ProMo-Cymru took over the running of the building. When we originally moved in, we knew that it needed a lot of work to improve the fabric of the building. From the very beginning we worked with the future in mind. We installed two state of the art ground heat pumps to make heating more efficient. Thanks to this fund, we will soon be implementing a number of other energy saving features. We will also be involving the community as volunteers to help increase biodiversity around the building.

   Energy efficiency and cost-saving may not sound very exciting to those using the building, but it is very important to all that goes on at the EVi. This behind the scenes work allows the EVi to continue to support the local community. Over the next year we will be asking volunteers and staff to share what makes it such a special place to work and play. We are also excited to get the young people who use the building to share what they are doing. We will broadcast everything over our digital channels. This ensures that everyone gets to see the work that ProMo-Cymru and the community does to develop sustainability in Ebbw Vale.

   ---

   This is a WCVA supported project made possible through the Landfill Disposals Tax Communities Scheme.

   If you’re interested in hiring facilities at the EVi then contact us to find out more.

Foundation Funders:

Current Funders:

© 2024 EVI | Ebbw Vale Institute. All rights reserved. Site by Glue Studio