Be vocal and help make a difference... Become a Co-opted Member on one of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council's Scrutiny Committees.

Scrutiny is an umbrella term covering a wide range of roles with key legislative responsibility for:

• Holding the Cabinet to account
• Policy Review and Development
• Reviewing and scrutinising the performance of the Council and help drive improvements in services.
• External scrutiny

Overview and Scrutiny Committees help ensure local public services are delivered effectively and efficiently and have wide ranging powers to investigate areas of local interest.

Scrutiny can question decision takers, call in expert witnesses or hear evidence from other local stakeholders.  Investigations are not restricted to Council run services, any area of interest to the local community may be investigated by scrutiny.

• The Council has five scrutiny committees:
• Corporate Support and Resources
• Neighbourhood Services, Countryside and Planning Scrutiny Committee
• Learning and LGES (Local Government Education Service) Scrutiny Committee
• Social Services Scrutiny Committee
• Regeneration and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee

There is currently a vacancy for Voluntary Sector Co-opted representative on Corporate Support and Resources Committee. 

If you are interested in learning more about the role and responsibilities of Scrutiny Committee members, Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil will be holding an online awareness session on 23^rd May 2024 at 10am at VAMT.

To book your place contact karen.vowles@vamt.net

INFORMATION SESSION: Arthritis & the menopause

Thursday 23^rd May

Online via Teams 12pm – 1pm.

The session will be delivered by: Rhiannon Griffiths, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for Pelvic Health at Aneurin Bevan Health Board.

The presentation will cover why we get joint pain, osteoporosis and other arthritis-related conditions and symptoms during the menopause, as well as self-management techniques and exercises to relieve these symptoms.

There will be an opportunity for questions. Everyone is welcome.

Register at Eventbrite: Menopause and Arthritis Information Session Tickets, Thu 23 May 2024 at 12:00 | Eventbrite

Room opens at 11:50 presentation starts at 12:00. Please be on time. 

Our online information sessions are for adults with arthritis, MSK or related conditions e.g. fibromyalgia, lupus, gout. Also for health care professionals and carers supporting people living with arthritis. They offer a chance to learn about managing arthritis and related conditions, hear from guest speakers and find out more about the support provided by Versus Arthritis in local areas. 

RNIB runs 'Living Well with Sight Loss' telephone courses specifically for people in Wales.

'Living Well with Sight Loss' courses are free to attend telephone-based groups for people affected by sight loss in Wales. The course consists of four sessions, each lasting between 60 and 90 minutes and will provide participants with a good overview of what services and support are available. The course will cover a range of topics including getting out and about, daily living, welfare rights, eye care services, wellbeing and leisure.

The next courses that have been scheduled are:

• Friday mornings 10 am to 11.30 am on 3rd, 10th 17th and 24th May
• Thursday mornings 10 am to 11.30 am on 25th July, 1st, 8th and 15th August.

For more information on any of the courses, or to refer, please contact Keira Brooks by phone 07864 954150 or by email keira.brooks@rnib.org.uk., or visit RNIB's website.

Tesco and easyfundraising have come together again to give a helping hand to voluntary groups, charities, and CICs working tirelessly to keep up with spiraling costs and rising demand. They will donate £1000 funding pots to 5 community organisations this May.

For a chance to receive £1000 for your community organisation, follow these simple steps:  

1. Firstly, register your organisation with fundraising platform easyfundraising before May 31st.easyfundraising enables your community organisation to receive unrestricted funding from 8,000 leading online retailers including Tesco.
2. Then ask everyone connected to your organisation to use the easyfundraising platform to shop with Tesco in May. Each time one of them shops online at Tesco, your organisation will be entered into the draw to receive a £1,000 funding boost. The more people who shop online with Tesco on your behalf, the more chances your organisation has of winning.

And what’s more, when your supporters shop with Tesco in May, they’ll raise £10 for you if it’s their first-time shop, and £1 for each subsequent shop they do.*

easyfundraising will even help you to get your supporters involved, with free downloadable images, flyers and messaging to share across your social media channels and newsletters.

Signing up to easyfundraising is your first step; it only takes 2 minutes so get started here: www.easyfundraising.org.uk/merthyr-tydfil