Latest news from Torfaen's Community Grid for Learning

September 2005
The end is nigh
After a successful three years, our Community Grid for Learning project has regrettably come to an end. The groups have done a fantastic job in creating their own websites and we hope that they all continue to enjoy updating their website and reap the rewards of being online. This website will continue to exist as a sign post to all the sites created by the groups and also to act as a useful resource for those needing help with their website.

August 2005
Web Hosting arrangements for community groups
The Community Grid for Learning has been a three year project funded by the European Social Fund and Big Lottery Fund. In these 3 years our Community Grid for Learning has been providing free web hosting for all the community groups that have got involved in the project. We are now at the end of the 3 years so wondered what we could do to continue to help those community groups. After seeing the hard work that the groups have put in, Torfaen County Borough Council's IT Department has agreed to take on the web hosting at no charge to the groups. Everyone is extrememly grateful for this gesture and may we take this time to thank TCBC for their help in this matter. May we also thank the European Social Fund and Big Lottery Fund for the funding that has made this project happen.

4th July 2005
New Autumn timetable for Mobile IT bus.
Check out the new timetable for our computer bus. It tours around the county and is open is all residents of Torfaen! See the Mobile IT bus section of the website more information.

30th June 2005
Learn more about art, history and culture in Torfaen!
A website has been launched in conjunction with Pontypool Museum and Llantarnam Grange Arts Centre. The website gives information about a wide range of art and craft workshops as well as history and culture workshops available in the area as part for the project. For more information about this partnership for Lifelong Learning see www.artintorfaen.org.uk.

29th June 2005
Newly designed website for Pontypool Museum
Log on to see the newly designed website of this local community museum. The Museum houses a collection of local artefacts with an outstanding display of Japanware. You can visit their art gallery, or attend one of their popular workshops. A Library & Archive section is also available for research into the area and it's people. For more information visit their website at www.pontypoolmuseum.org.uk.

25th June 2005
Calling all beer lovers!
After attending web design classes with the Community Grid for Learning father and daughter team, Tony and Rowena Kitson, have used their newly acquired skills to design sites for Cwmbran brewery, The Wheatsheaf Inn, Llanhennock and The Bush Inn, Upper Cwmbran. As profit making organisations the project was unable to host the sites but the free classes enabled students to acquire the necessary web design skills. See the sites at:
thebushinncwmbran.co.uk
thewheatsheafllanhennock.co.uk
www.cwmbranbrewery.co.uk

24th June 2005
Family Tree website goes live
After joining our project, Geoff Rees acquired the necessary website skills to design a site for Pontpool Cycling Club. But he didn't stop there! With these skills he went on to design a second website detailing the family tree of The Marshalls of Stourton. See the site at http://marshallsofstourton.v21hosting.co.uk/

Read about RACE AFC on the web
Race Association Football Club (RACE AFC) will be celebrating its Centenary Season in August 2005. They thought a website would be one way of celebrating this achievement and Scott Jenkins undertook the task of designing the site. The site includes a fixtures list, latest results and a player profile section. See it by logging on to www.raceafc.co.uk

April 5th
Disability Advice Project (Dap) go live with their first website
Steve Evans, volunteer with the Disability Advice Project has designed a website for the project. They hope the website will serve to promote the services of the group which include help with form filling, information and advice about benefits and disability awareness training. See their website at www.dapwales.co.uk

March 31st
Ebenezer United Reform Chuch on the web!
Ebenezer church is one of the oldest non conformist churches in South Wales, built in 1740. Brian Hillman has worked hard in creating a website for the church, which includes the history of Ebenezer church, the church's activities and information on the Ebenezer Community Heritage Project. See the newly designed website at www.ebenezerchurch.co.uk.

6th January
Pontypool Cycling go live
Pontypool Cycling Club has joined other groups in Torfaen by going live on the World Wide Web. Geoff Rees, attended the free workshops provided by our project, and has now finished the site for the club. The website includes some interesting history about the club, a diary page, and a results page. To see the site log on to www.pontypoolcycling.co.uk

22nd December
Blaenavon Bowls on the Web!
Mike Samuel, club secretary for Blaenavon Bowls, has worked hard in created a website for this local bowls club. The site contains information about the club, fixtures for 2005 and a news page. Visit it at www.blaenavonbowls.co.uk

9th December
New Web Surgery for community groups at Co-star, St Dials.
To add to the existing web surgery in Pontypool we are adding another drop in for those in the Cwmbran area. It will take place between 9.30 and 12.00 at Co-star in St Dials. It's a chance for you to call in for advice about your website or just to have a practice using Dreamweaver with an IT expert on hand to help.

9th December
New January timetable for Mobile IT Bus
Our very popular mobile IT bus has just announced its new timetable for the new year. Hop on the bus to see what it can offer you. You can learn anything from how to switch on a computer to creating posters and sending emails. See if it stops near you! See timetable

7th December
Christmas buffet for students of Torfaen's Community Grid for Learning
To reward community groups for all their hard work this year we are putting on a Christmas buffet for all those who have got involved in our website project. It takes place at Talywain Rugby Club on 15th December at 1.00pm. A great chance for groups to have a drink, mingle with other community groups and generally get into the Christmas spirit!

30th November
Garndiffaith Bowls on the web!
Club secretary, Bob Price, decided to take up the challenge of creating a website for this well established bowls club in Garndiffaith. He attended classes at TRAC in Pontypool and was soon up and running with a website for the club. See it at www.garndiffaithbowls.co.uk.

Bob Price, pictured above

23rd November
Are you tracing your family history? Did some of your ancestors live in Gwent? Then Gwent Genealogy Research Agency can help.
If you have ancestors in the Eastern Valley of Gwent, did you know that Warren William Lewis and Richard G Roynon will help you formulate your family tree? They formed the East Gwent Genealogy Research Agency (E.G.G.R.A.) several years ago, helping people trace their family history. Warren Lewis has worked hard in producing a website for the group, hoping it will help publicise their work and let people know of this free service their offer. Visit www.eggra.co.uk for more information.

27th October
Blaenafon Community Heritage and Cordell Museum launch their first website!
Volunteers Glyn Probert and Robert Gulliford are passionate about Blaenafon's heritage and are keen to promote tourism and interest in the area . As well as working hard at collecting local artefacts, documents and photographs for the museum they have gone one step further by building an excellent website. To see their efforts visit www.blaenafonheritagemuseum.org.uk

18th October
Torfaen Swim Squad go live on the Web!
Torfaen Swim Squad have just launched their very first website. Chairperson Rose Seabourne and husband Phil, who is also a coach at the club, attended web design classes at Co-star. After receiving tuition from our website tutor they learnt enough to go ahead and create a site for the club. Take a look at www.torfaenswimming.org.uk

17th August 2004
Torfaen Voluntary Alliance launch their new website

Members of TVA have successfully built their own website with help from our Community Grid for Learning project. The website contains information about the organisation, members of TVA, volunteering and staff. Visit www.torfaenvoluntaryalliance.org.uk

19th July 2004
Glen Llwyd Scout Group launch their first website
Scout Leader Kath Adams has finished designing a website for Glen Llwyd scout group who meet at the new scout hut in Coed Eva. Find out more about them at www.glenllwyd.org.uk

Local Photo Society go live on the Net
Cwmbran Photographic Society has just gone live with its first ever website. Malcom Bann, a member of the group, has worked hard in creating an attractive website for the group. It contains information about the society, how to join and an online gallery. See the website at www.cwmbranphotosoc.org.uk

Malcom Bann, member
of Cwmbran Photographic
Society

Free website workshops for community groups!
We are appealing for more groups to get
involved in our project. You will get free tuition in Web Design, free use of our resources and your site published on the Web for
free. So, if you are community group or voluntary organisation in Torfaen and would like to make your presence felt on the Web please contact us. To see what other groups have achieved have a look at community websites.