Professor Jim McManus will be joining Public Health Wales as its new National Director of Health and Wellbeing in the autumn. Jim joins Public Health Wales from Hertfordshire County Council where he has been Director of Public Health for more than 11 years. He brings substantial experience in strategic working in public health and a significant track record of working at a national, United Kingdom and international level in recent years in his role as President of the UK Association of Directors of Public Health.

The GVS 2023 GVS Annual General Meeting will be held “in person” at St. Paul’s Community Centre, Arcot Street, Penarth, CF64 1EU on Wednesday, 25th October at 10.00am finishing by 12noon followed by a light buffet lunch. Further details on how to register will be sent a little later but this is to give you notice so that you can save the date.

Cymru Versus Arthritis info session:

Online via Teams Thursday 17th August 2023, 10:30am - 11:30am

Hello! My name’s Eleri, I’m a trainee educational psychologist at Cardiff University. For my thesis research, I would like to hear from parents/carers of young adults with Down Syndrome across Wales. I would like to explore what it was like for their young person to become an adult during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Sense Cymru are running their next FREE sensory walks training workshop on Tuesday 15th August. It is suitable for anyone with an interest in developing and leading a sensory walk.

Hello, my name is Jess Tempest and I work for YMCA, Healthy Relationship Service. I am the C-Card coordinator for the Vale of the Glamorgan. I can also facilitate group sessions and training for young people and professionals. The YMCA Healthy Relationship Service is a specialist and confidential Sexual Health and Relationship Service.

Thursday – 17 August 2023. Online via Teams 10.30 am – 11.30 pm

As a public health organisation, we want inclusivity to run through all aspects of the work we deliver for the people of Wales.

Our current Strategic Equality Plan – which sets out how we will address inequalities – is coming to the end of its four year cycle. During recent months we have been involving staff and stakeholders in developing some draft objectives to take us from April 2024 - March 2028.

We are now launching a consultation with the public for three months. The deadline for responses is 1 November 2023.

In the latest survey from Public Health Wales’ Time to Talk Public Health panel, 6 in 10 people said they would be likely (38 percent) or very likely (23 percent) to take up the offer of face-to-face bystander to violence training if offered.

On World Hepatitis Day, the latest annual report from Public Health Wales into blood borne viruses (BBVs), including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and HIV infections, shows there has been progress towards eliminating these infections as a public health problem by 2030 in Wales.

Cycle to Work Day, the UK’s biggest celebration of cycle commuting, is back on Thursday, August 3.

Patients and their relatives affected by two inherited blood disorders were treated to a special family fun day in Grangetown.

Children and young people across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan are being taught how to safely swallow tablets and capsules so they can switch from liquid medication for pills in a Wales-first initiative.

This week (1 – 7 August) we’re joining organisations around the world to support World Breastfeeding Week! At Cardiff and the Vale University Health Board, we run a number of community breastfeeding support groups across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan. All groups are run by experienced health visitors or midwives, apart from peer support groups which are run by parents who have been trained to provide breastfeeding support.

The revenue-only fund is provided via the Welsh Government Connected Communities scheme and administered by Glamorgan Voluntary Services (GVS) in liaison with the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

The Fund is open for applications from Tuesday 1st August 2023, with a deadline for submission of 12 noon on Friday, 15th September 2023.

This revenue-only Fund aims to support proposals which tackle loneliness and social isolation. The overall aim is to increase opportunities for people to connect, create cohesive and supportive communities and supporting connected communities.

Our FoodShare Pantry at CF61 in Llantwit Major continues to grow and go from strength to strength.  July saw the completion of the room makeover with new external doors directly into the pantry, a clean lick of white paint throughout and a beautiful new wood floor. 

When: Friday 4th August 2023

Where: Colcot Sports Centre, Colcot Road

Time: 10am - 2pm

Vale of Glamorgan Council with Cardiff School of Technologies, Cardiff Met University & Technocamps, Swansea University will run from September 2023 to March 2024

Join us on Friday September 15th 2023 at City Hall in Cardiff as we start channelling the expertise and knowledge of practitioners from of each of these fields to create a supportive and sustainable way of supporting people who hoard, surrounding them with new and compassionate approaches to create safer homes and communities for now and for the future.

The founder of a Vale of Glamorgan organisation that helps combat social isolation and loneliness among older people through singing and gentle exercise is in line for recognition after being nominated in the ‘outstanding individuals’ section of the 2023 National Lottery Awards.