Cymraeg / Welsh

Cymraeg / Welsh

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About the Fund

RHONDDA SWIMMING CLUB

JANUARY 31st 2019

MICRO FUND £2110
 
Rhondda Swimming Club were awarded a Micro Fund grant of £2110. The club has 178 members and relies upon young volunteers to ensure that the 11 sessions across 4 pools are delivered with fully qualified coaches/teachers and in accordance with Swim Wales guidelines. The continued training and progression of their coaches is essential to the sustainability of the club.
 
The funded project has allowed the club to significantly increase the number of level 2 coaches/teachers, the benefits of this increase in level 2 coaches/teachers have made a massive difference. the capacity of their new volunteers was essential to the continuation of the training programme.
 
“The increase in visibility of the young volunteers on poolside has created a culture with our older swimmers to aspire to become a volunteer and support the club training programme in the future. As part of the young volunteers studying, they are using their volunteering to support the completion of their Welsh Baccalaureate alongside their A level studies.
In August 2018, 4 of our young volunteers completed a combined level 1 & Level 2 course. This has substantially increased the capacity of level 2 qualified volunteers. The volunteers are providing at least 1.5 hours of coaching/teaching per week each and are using their new skills to progress the swimming techniques of the children in the club. The example they set is inspiring to the other swimmers in the club and has clearly supported the clubs aim to develop and support a volunteering ethos amongst the swimmers.
The commitment of the new volunteers is admirable, and they are very much ambassadors for the club inspiring our older swimmers to support the club through volunteering.” – AC Jones Rhondda Swimming Club
 
We are so pleased to hear the project went even better than expected, due to discounted rates they were able to negotiate with Swim Wales and support 4 x level 1 and 4 x level 2 courses rather than the planned 2. It is very inspiring to see such an active club, using local facilities, improving young people’s health and investing in their skills development. We wish them continued success.
 
 
 
How this project met the fund’s priorities:
Provide appropriate life-long learning opportunities that meet the community’s needs and raise aspirations / Sustainable youth facilities, well used, and affordable / Peer mentoring / A wider range of opportunities locally to be healthy, active, and engaged

The Fund was established by energy company Vattenfall to benefit the communities hosting the Pen y Cymoedd wind farm across the upper Neath, Afan, Rhondda and Cynon Valleys. It exists to support local people, groups and organisations to invest in themselves, their ideas and their communities.

The Community Fund has a substantial annual budget that is index-linked, meaning it increases in line with inflation. As an example, this equated to around £2.5 million in 2025. The Fund will continue to support communities until 2043, creating long-term opportunities for growth, resilience and positive change.

The Fund is managed by an independent, locally based not-for-profit Community Interest Company. It is overseen by a Board of Directors with strong local connections and delivered by a small but dedicated staff team with extensive community engagement experience. We are here to help ensure the Fund delivers on the vision and priorities of local communities.

Over the next 10 years, the Fund is focusing on investment in people, places and businesses — helping the Valleys to thrive, driving bold ideas, supporting transformation and creating lasting impact for current and future generations.

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