More businesses receive a LIFt

Three businesses in the Caerphilly county borough have been given a cash boost thanks to the support on offer through a new grant fund.

The Local Investment Fund (LIF) is a new scheme that has been made available to 15 local authorities across the West Wales and the Valleys or Convergence region, including 6 local authorities in South East Wales. They have been awarded EU Funding through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), delivered through the Welsh Assembly Government, to provide grant funding to assist businesses within their areas.

The three latest firms to benefit from the grant are Fabcraft Ltd in Llanbradach, Hobbs Valve Ltd in Caerphilly and Caer Health Services who are also based in Caerphilly.

Fabcraft Ltd is a fabrication and engineering business operating on Graddfa Industrial Estate in Lanbradach. Established in 1973, the firm currently employs 20 people and was awarded the grant to purchase a special tube bending machine which greatly improves the efficiency and accuracy of the process.

Hobbs Valve Limited is based in a unit on Trecenydd Business Park in Caerphilly. The company, which manufactures specialist valves, was established in 2005 and now employs 21 people. The grant helped purchase an exhibition stand and marketing materials to help raise the profile of the business.

Caer Health Services provides occupational health services to other businesses, government agencies and public authorities and employs 15 people. They were awarded a LIF grant towards the cost of re-branding the business, producing marketing brochures and up-grading their website.

Businesses or business start-ups that are investing in any of the following to expand or start their business may be eligible to apply for a Local Investment Fund Grant:

• Capital Equipment
• Marketing
• E Commerce
• ICT
• External & Internal Building works and alterations

The business must be a SME's (under 250 employees) in the manufacturing, service to manufacturing, business-to-business service sector (minimum75% business to business) or tourism.

For more information contact the council's Business Development Team on 01443 866222

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Gwent Police awards ceremony

After more than 50 years service and not a day off sick a former Gwent Police officer and current member of staff still has no plans for retirement.

70 year old Nigel Pocknell, the force Welfare Officer, is just one of a number of staff and officers who are up for awards at a ceremony on Thursday 19th November.

Nigel has been nominated for the Employee of the Year award. Following his retirement after a 32 year career as a Gwent police officer Nigel Pocknell took up the newly created role of welfare officer for the force in 1992.

Nigel supports police officers, staff and retired colleagues, often in the most difficult of circumstances at all hours of the day. He provides assistance to those who have dealt with distressing incidents, are terminally ill or have lost loved ones. It can be a particularly demanding role which he performs with ease and without complaint. In 2001 Nigel was awarded an MBE for his welfare services work in support of retired police officers.

Below is just one comment from those who have worked with him;

“Nigel can be the avuncular listener, the skilled counsellor, the paternal advice giver and the shoulder to cry on. He shrinks neither from listening to the distressed person nor from giving firm advice to those who have lost their way.”

The forces Neighbourhood Officer for Alway PC 1202 Elaine Newbury is also in the running for the award.

Elaine has worked in the Alway area for her entire 10 year career and has a vast knowledge of local criminals and their tactics. Officers regularly turn to her for advice and guidance. Younger officers have also been allocated monthly postings to work alongside her, after which they return to their teams with enhanced skills in respect of interviews and prisoner handling.

PC Newbury detected 132 offences in 2008/9 and 199 offences in 2007/08, the highest individual rate in the force for both years. Her work has led to a number of prolific offenders being imprisoned.

Other awards that will feature on the night are;

TEAM OF THE YEAR (Two nominations)
Offender Management Unit Blaeanu Gwent & Caerphilly;
The Offender Management Unit was set up to co-ordinate and deal with all Prolific and Priority Offenders (POPOS) and the management and execution of all Forensic Identification packages within Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly.

The impact upon the community has been extremely positive with prolific offenders being arrested for offences at an early stage, minimising their ability to commit further crime. The OMU has also developed innovative approaches to dealing with offenders through an accommodation project which provides them with some stability and responsibility through running their own home. The Probation Service has applauded this scheme and further work is ongoing to extend the project. The team has significantly reduced turn around times for forensic identifications and this has had a positive impact on performance in terms of crime detections. As a result of the success of the team in the Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly the model has now been rolled out across the whole of the force.

General Purpose Vehicle;
A group of officers have been nominated for their work and commitment to proactive policing with the Newport area. As a team, working on the General Purpose Vehicle (GPV), they take an extremely positive approach to any task asked of them and their seniors regularly receive praise for their performance.

In just over 8 months the General Purpose Vehicle made 438 arrests, submitted 417 stop and search forms and seized 91 vehicles that were either being driven dangerously or involved in crime.
In addition to their statistical results they provide a regular uniformed high visibility presence in local communities.

CHIEF CONSTABLES COMMENDATIONS:
These are awarded to members of staff in recognition of praiseworthy and notable acts over and above what is normally expected of them;

During the second half of 2007, there was an increase in dwelling house burglaries in Newport. With no particular modus operandi or significant lines of enquiry officers worked tirelessly, seeking out investigative opportunities and collating all possible evidence.

Four prolific offenders were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit dwelling house burglaries. In August 2008 they all pleaded guilty which reflected the hard work undertaken. In total 186 dwelling house burglaries were detected and the arrests dramatically reduced the number of such burglaries that were blighting our community. At the conclusion of the trial the judge congratulated the officers for the professional manner in which the evidence was presented and for their attention to detail. This team are being recognised for their work with a Chief Constables Commendation.

Commendations are being awarded to two officers for their actions in dealing with a man who was firing an air rile in Graig y Rhacca, Caerphilly in February this year. Acting to ensure the safety of the community they surrounded the man and when he ran off chased him, disregarding their own safety. The offender was caught before anyone was seriously hurt, he later pleaded guilty and received a custodial sentence of 18 months.

Two officers are being recognised for their roles in a kidnap and rape investigation in the Newport area in October 2007. They worked tirelessly, both on and off duty, in ensuring a thorough investigation was conducted and support was given to the victim which gave them the courage to give evidence. Working over an extended period of time, the officers continued to demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm. At the conclusion of the case the offender was convicted or rape, kidnap and theft and received a total sentence of nine years in custody.

Paul O'Borne is Planning Manager for Mental Health Services for Caerphilly County Borough Council. He has chaired several groups in Gwent set up to address the needs of people with mental health problems who come into contact with the criminal justice system, as witnesses, victims or offenders. He is receiving a commendation for his efforts in ensuring that Places of Safety are provided for those people detained by the police under the Mental Health Act. Mr OBorne has been a determined activist in progressing the issue for Gwent. His knowledge, energy, tact and determination were key in these provisions becoming a reality.

PC Mike Gunter is receiving a commendation for his sustained commitment and proactive approach to policing within the Newport area whilst working on the General Purpose Vehicle (GPV). With exceptional local knowledge he has achieved an extremely high arrest and process rate and colleagues regularly request his assistance to identify offenders and witnesses. PC Gunter has arrested nearly three hundred people in just over 2 ½ years. These include offences from robbery to possession of controlled drugs. In addition to this he has seized 175 vehicles under the road traffic act, demonstrating his sustained achievement and commitment to policing.

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Parade celebrates a decade of dazzling displays

Next month (Thursday 17th December) Caerphilly town centre will come to life as a 'river of light' flows through the streets to mark the 10th anniversary of the popular festive lantern parade.

The River of Light event attracts thousands of people of all ages who flock to the town centre to enjoy the colourful lantern parade and a spectacular firework display in the skies above Caerphilly Castle.

The whole community is being encouraged to take part in the parade this year and special lantern making workshops will take place in the run up to the event. People can go along to the free workshops on 28th & 29th November and the 5th & 6th, 12th & 13th December at Caerphilly Leisure Centre between 10am and 5pm.

The lanterns made at the workshops will then form part of the big event when the River of Light parade takes place on Thursday 17th December. This year's special anniversary event promises to be a fantastic end to Caerphilly county borough council's events programme for 2009.

As well as all the participants holding aloft their colourful hand made lanterns, the parade will also feature thunderous samba drummers, street dancers and giant sculptures. There will also be an opportunity to purchase and release a spectacular floating lantern before the firework display begins.

For more information about the event or the workshops please contact the Visit Caerphilly Centre on (029) 2088 0011 or go to http://www.caerphilly.gov.uk/christmas/

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Youngsters tune up for talent show

Talented young musicians will be rocking the judges at an alternative music competition taking place this weekend.

Youngsters from schools across the Caerphilly county borough are busy practicing in a bid to clinch the coveted title of 'Caerphilly Young Contemporary Musician of the Year'.

Vocalists, guitarists, bassists and drummers will take part in the competition on Saturday 21st November at the Caerphilly Music Service offices in Pontllanfraith.

This year the event, which has been arranged in association with AX Music, has attracted a record 142 young hopefuls who are eager to show off their talent before the judges.

Adjudicators will assess the youngsters' performances during the day before awarding the top prizes of 'Young Contemporary Singer of the Year', 'Young Contemporary Composer of the Year', and finally the 'Young Contemporary Musician of the Year 2009' at 4.30pm.

The prizes will be presented by the Mayor of Caerphilly CBC, Councillor John Evans.

Admission to the event is free. For more information please contact Caerphilly Music Service on 01495 228948.

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Caerphilly Council inspired by the arts to make its mark

World Record Holding Triple Jumper, Jonathan Edwards recently visited Caerphilly Castle to help generate enthusiasm for London 2012 and congratulate Caerphilly Arts Development Team's success in being the first Cultural Olympiad Project in Wales to receive the London 2012 Inspire Mark. Honored guest Jonathan, also saw performances from 2008 Caerphilly's Got Talent winners, Triawd and Phoenix Dance, who inspired others to begin engaging in the Cultural Olympiad Project.

The Inspire Marked Project, namely Futura, has been created and developed by the Arts Development Team and Sean Tuan John, the projects Artistic Director/Choreographer. The project aims to provide the residents of Caerphilly County Borough with opportunities to engage with a range of creative and cultural activities leading up to the Summer of 2012, when Caerphilly Castle will play host to a spectacular finale event.

The finale event will be the culmination of the activities that will take place in the lead up to the Olympic year. The Arts Development Team will work with and engage as many local communities as possible, with the intention of engaging those who do not already take part in arts activities like dance, music, circus skills and carnival arts by providing existing artistic groups with a chance to expand on their repertoire by working with a variety of professional artists.

Arts Development Manager, Joanna Smith said, 'This is a great opportunity for the residents of the county borough to engage with some very exciting and innovative artists, to create what we hope will be a spectacular event, which will leave a lasting legacy for years to come and put Caerphilly County Borough on the Olympic Legacy map.'

If you belong to an artistic group that would like to become involved in this creative legacy then please email Arts Development or if you're a creative individual wanted to try something new then look out for further information on how you can get involved.

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Blackwood pupils organise a night out for the community

A group of primary school children from Blackwood are busy organising a show for their local community, with the assistance of local police officers and the Arts Council of Wales.

The Blackwood ‘Night Out’ Young Promoters are a group of 16 children, aged nine and ten who are in year five at Blackwood Primary School. They are currently putting in place plans to stage Beauty and the Beast for residents.

The show will be held on Tuesday 8th December at 7pm.

The group are attending weekly after-school workshops to put in place the preparations in the run-up to the show and are learning new skills along the way. This includes approaching local companies for sponsorship, inviting VIPs, marketing and selling the tickets, as well as arranging the refreshments.

On the night they will take charge in running events, helping the performers to set up, organising the front of house and welcoming the audience by making speeches.

They are set to visit the Maes Manor hotel in Blackwood next week to learn how they run events and to pick up some tips.

Special Constable Christine Smith and the Blackwood Neighbourhood Policing Team are assisting the pupils with the project, helping them to engage with young people in the area.

Christine said:

“The children are doing a fantastic job in arranging all of the preparations for the show and I have been very impressed with what they have done so far. They still have quite a lot of work to do over the next few weeks leading up to the show. It’s the first time that this project has been run in the Blackwood area, and I am sure that the local community will come out to support the pupils on the night.”

Fairgame Theatre will be presenting the Beauty and the Beast story, packed with music and action.

Tickets cost £4 for adults, £3 for concessions and a family ticket (two adults and two children) is available at £12 and can be purchased in advance from Blackwood Primary School.

For more information, please contact Senior Area Officer, Special Constable Christine Smith on 07855 539250.

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The Dave Furness Memorial Cup

An indoor football tournament in memory of David Furness, a former member of staff at Caerphilly Leisure Centre, will be held next month.

The Dave Furness Memorial Cup has been organised by Sport Caerphilly CB in partnership with Gwent Police and Caerphilly and St Cenydd Leisure Centres. The competition will pay a tribute to Mr Furness, who died in a tragic motorcycle accident in October, aged just 34.

The 6-a-side tournament will run during the second and third week of December, with the play offs taking place at St Cenydd Leisure Centre on the weekend of the 12th-13th from 10am-1pm, and the final at Caerphilly Leisure Centre on Saturday the 19th from 9.30am to 1pm.

The tournament is open to young people aged15-18 and the price to enter is £1 per person. Each team must consist of a minimum of seven and maximum of 10 players.

The deadline for entering the competition is Friday 4th December. Once the deadline has passed, each team will be contacted with details on which play-off day they are required to attend, along with a full list of the fixtures and rules for the tournament.

For further information and to enter a team, please contact Tony Wallis on 01443 866716 or by emailing wallit@caerphilly.gov.uk

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Station car park closure

The car park at Pengam railway station will be closed to the public on Sunday 22nd November to enable drainage works to be carried out at the site.

The works form part of site investigations in advance of a major scheme to create a new Park and Ride facility at the station next year. The development will see the car park expand to include around 170 parking spaces.

The scheme is a partnership between Caerphilly county borough council and Sewta, with funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Alternative Park and Ride facilities are available at Bargoed, Ystrad Mynach and Caerphilly during the closure on 22nd November.

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Cutting sign clutter

Caerphilly county borough council has been removing unnecessary road signs across the area to help reduce the amount of 'sign clutter' that can be a distraction to motorists.

The authority is leading the way in Wales in its efforts to rid the area of these unnecessary signs and highway staff have been busy uprooting the offending posts to help create a clearer street scene.

"We have now removed over 2,100 signs throughout the county borough and the scheme has helped improve highway safety as well as enhancing the visual impact of the area," said Cllr Rob Gough, CCBC cabinet member for transportation and planning.

National campaigners are calling for 70% of road signs on rural roads to be removed and are now urging Highway Authorities across the country to carry out 'clutter audits' to identify signs that are not needed.

The authority has paid particular attention to sensitive areas such as routes around historic locations and roads running through some of the county borough's breathtaking countryside.

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Pupils rewarded for prize-winning blogs

Two pupils from St Cenydd Comprehensive School in Caerphilly are looking forward to some retail therapy in the run up to Christmas after winning a blog competition on Caerphilly County Borough Council's 'You Go 4 It' website.

Lauren Williams and Charlotte Pursey won £150 each in High Street vouchers of their choice by writing the winning blogs on the website run by the authority's Catering Services.

Healthy Food trainer Cheryl Barge and Catering Area Supervisor Julie Mewett recently visited the school to present the girls with their vouchers in a school assembly.

To read the winning blogs and to find out about the latest competition, visit the You go 4 it website.

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Youth cabinet members meet their mentors

Members of the Caerphilly Youth Forum Cabinet are pictured with the council's cabinet members at Penallta House council offices.

The forum has it's own youth cabinet and the structure mirrors the council's main cabinet, with each member taking on different portfolios such as education, health and the environment.

The youngsters attended a meeting of the council's cabinet on Tuesday 10th November and gave a presentation to councillors about the youth forum and the work it's involved with across the county borough. They also explained their priorities and proposed actions under four themes of Education, Environment, Regeneration and Health.

Cllr Phil Bevan, CCBC cabinet member for education, said, "It was great to have these enthusiastic young people attend our cabinet meeting and tell us about all their exciting projects and plans. I'm sure that these young people will excel in the future and go on to become the next generation of councillors, business people and community leaders."

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Council urges public to vote for Morfa ‘Spray and Play’

Carmarthenshire County Council is urging people to throw their weight behind a Llanelli community as it competes to win funding for a new splash play area.

Morfa Residents and Tenants Association have been whittled down to the final eight of the ITV Peoples Millions, a Big Lottery competition which takes place annually.

They need people to vote for their project to support their bid to win £50,000 for the scheme.
If successful, the lottery funding would mean the ‘Morfa Spray and Play’ project could go ahead.

The project aims to regenerate Havelock Park with a bright, colourful water play area that would be open to all people, of all ages.

Impressive designs have been drawn up to illustrate the scheme, and now all the community needs is support to win the lottery funding.

Carmarthenshire County Council has supported the scheme through its leisure department, and has also supported the community through its Communities First initiative in the Glanymor and Tyisha ward.

Cllr Clive Scourfield, executive board member for regeneration and leisure, said: “The community has been inspirational in fighting for this scheme.

“They have involved everyone – young and old – and have worked tirelessly to consult with children about what they want, and fought through various funding rounds to come up with the cash.

“We would love the public to come out and support the project by voting for them on the day. It would only take the cost of a call, and could make all the difference to the whole of Llanelli, not just this small community.”

The project will appear on the ITV Wales News at 6pm on Tuesday, November 24. A telephone number will be publicised on the day which viewers can use to vote.

Voting lines will be open 9am until midnight on the 24th.

Calls will cost 10p from BT landlines – maximum of 10 votes from one phone.

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Mischa's smart move rewarded

A recent visit to Heolddu Leisure Centre in Bargoed resulted in six-year-old Mischa Smith becoming the 50,000th person to sign up for a Caerphilly county borough council 'Smart Card'.

Mischa, from Tredegar, was the lucky recipient of the landmark 50,000th card and as a reward she was presented with a 12 month leisure centre membership for herself and her family.

The popular Smart Cards allow local people to access library and leisure centre services faster and more smoothly. Some of the benefits of having a Smart Card include access to hundreds of books, CDs and audio tapes, free computer use, Welsh language resources, author visits and music events at local libraries. The card also provides free swimming for children (during the school holidays) and the over 60s, and access to concessionary rates.

Cllr Phil Bevan, Cabinet Member for Education and Leisure, handed the prize over to Mischa at the recent 'Get Active Festival' at Heolddu Leisure Centre. "Congratulations to Mischa for being our 50,000th Smart Card member. It's fantastic to hear that so many people have signed up to the scheme in the last two years, and I hope that many more will follow in Misha's footsteps and access our leisure and library services in the swipe of a card," said Phil.

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Don't get scammed over digital switchover

Residents are being warned not to be taken in by aerial sales scams ahead of the digital TV switchover, which happens in March 2010 in Caerphilly county borough.

Trading Standards are warning of the risk of less reputable traders misleading consumers particularly the elderly and vulnerable. They say these traders may claim an existing aerial will not receive a digital signal and urge them to pay for a replacement.

Caerphilly County Borough Council Trading Standards, said "We have been made aware of a number of scams happening around the country, where consumers are being told they need a digital aerial for their TVs and are being charged large amounts for fitting them."

This is not the case. If your current TV picture, either from an indoor or outdoor aerial is good quality, it's likely that your aerial will be good enough for the digital switchover, just connect it to a digi-box. You can even check out how good your aerial is on Teletext page 284. Virtually all non-digital TVs can be converted, even black and white sets. All you need is a set top box or a subscription to a digital service.

All genuine fitters will typically make an appointment, they will not cold call residents.

There's a help scheme for older and disabled people, for further information call 0800 4085903.

Further information is available from the Digital TV helpline on 08456 505050 or on the Digital UK website.

If you think you've been ripped off or suspect there's a rogue trader working door-to-door in you area, call the council's Trading Standards Team on 01495 235291.

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Ysgol Bro Sannan - closed

Ysgol Bro Sannan we be closed tomorrow (Friday 13 November 2009) as they have no heating or hot water.

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Fatal road traffic collision - Risca, deceased named

The 72 year old male who died following a road traffic collision on the A467 at Cross Keys at its junction with the B4591, Risca Road yesterday (Wednesday 11th November) can now be named as Graham Dark from the Pontllanfraith area.

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Last chance to support Operation Santa

The deadline is fast approaching for local people to help children in the Caerphilly county borough recieve a special treat this year.

A Christmas appeal organised by Caerphilly county borough council called Operation Santa is aiming to support over 650 children in the area this year.

These children are not helped by any other appeal and have been nominated by social workers who work with families across the county borough.

Local people can pledge to buy a toy and choose the age, gender and geographical area of the recipient.

The deadline for pledges has been extended until 13th November. To take part either ring the Pledge hotline 01443 866577 or or e-mail Operation Santa and pledge to buy a present for a child.

The gifts can then be delivered to one of the collection centres situated across the county borough by Friday 4th December.

Collection Centres

• Harper and Wallis, Estate Agent, Hanbury Road, Bargoed.
• Blackwood Library, Blackwood.
• Barclays Bank, Ystrad Mynach.
• Caerphilly County Borough Council, Penallta House, Ystrad Mynach.
• Lloyds TSB Bank, Rhymney.
• Visit Caerphilly Centre, The Twyn, Caerphilly.
• Caerphilly Garden Centre, Penrhos, Nantgarw.
• Risca Family Centre, Brookland Road, Risca.

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Blow the whistle on domestic abuse

With the rugby autumn international season now upon us, the Safer Caerphilly Community Safety Partnership is encouraging people suffering domestic abuse to seek help from the support services available in Caerphilly county borough.

39% of domestic abuse involves alcohol, and research also suggests that during major sporting events incidents of domestic abuse increase because people are drinking more.

The playing and broadcasting of rugby matches do not in themselves cause people to be more violent, however what is known is that rugby matches, coupled with an increase in alcohol consumption can provide triggers for violent behaviour in the home.

The Safer Caerphilly Multi Agency Centre (MAC) is a one-stop-shop for victims of domestic abuse and their families, and is there to offer help and support. The centre provides professional support from a range of agencies, all under one roof.

The aim of the centre is to minimise the number of different agencies that victims of domestic abuse and their families need to get in contact with to seek the help they need.

The key partners involved in the operation of the MAC include the Safer Caerphilly Community Safety Partnership's statutory bodies including Caerphilly County Borough Council, Gwent Police, Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Caerphilly Women's Aid, BAWSO, Victim Support and Gwent Alcohol Project (GAP).

Cabinet member for the environment, Cllr Lyn Ackerman said, "I really cannot stress enough how much of a positive difference the Safer Caerphilly MAC has made to so many victims of domestic abuse and their families. I would urge anyone who is reading this and who is suffering domestic abuse to seek help – there are people that can help you and your family, so please do not suffer in silence."

If you or someone you know is affected by domestic abuse please call the All Wales Domestic Abuse 24 hour free phone helpline on 0808 8010 800 or the Safer Caerphilly MAC on 01443 819 317 (during office hours).

In an emergency, dial 999.

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Community Safety Wardens report reduction in anti-social behaviour over typically busy period

The week that includes Halloween and Bonfire Night is traditionally a very busy time of the year for Caerphilly County Borough Council's team of Community Safety Wardens.

This year however, the team reported a significant reduction in the number of anti-social behaviour incidents over the period in Caerphilly county borough.

Over the Halloween and Bonfire Night period (31st October-7th November), the Community Safety Wardens confiscated a total of 109 items of alcohol and referred 6 people to the Anti-Social Behaviour process.

They also issued verbal warnings to 10 people regarding their behaviour, and sent out 4 warning letters relating to alcohol compliance.

A further three people were spoken to and given advice regarding littering, and 10 people were moved on for alcohol related incidents.

One referral was also submitted to Environmental Health regarding fly tipping.

Cllr Lyn Ackerman, cabinet member for the environment said, "Our team of Community Safety Wardens are pleased to report that incidences of anti-social and nuisance behaviour over this typically busy period were down compared to last year, which is excellent news for our residents.

Our Youth Services worked extremely hard, together with residents associations and also Gwent Police to ensure that young people had plenty to do over this period to keep them occupied.

As positive as this is, there is still work to be done, and these results clearly illustrate the positive impact that our dedicated team of Community Safety Wardens have in continuing to make our county borough an even safer and more pleasant place to live."

The team of 12 Community Safety Wardens can deal with a wide range of issues including anti-social behaviour, alcohol confiscation and littering.

They work independently and also alongside officers at Gwent Police to tackle community safety and environmental concerns.

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Young people learn important safety lessons at Emergency Services event

Young people from Caerphilly county borough learned some important safety lessons recently at an informative emergency services event.

The event at Abercarn Fire Station was organised by Caerphilly County Borough Council Youth Services' The Hub team together with the Risca Neighbourhood Policing Team.

The day aimed to encourage young people to engage with the emergency services, learn more about what they do and what happens when someone dials 999. Key safety messages were also delivered during the day, including the fact that making hoax 999 calls waste the time of the emergency services and can be extremely dangerous.

Officers from the dog unit and roads policing unit, as well as neighbourhood officers from Gwent Police took part in the event, as did South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Officers from Abercarn Fire Station, Caerphilly County Borough Council's Community Safety Wardens as well as local paramedics.

During the day, the young people had the opportunity to take part in fun, educational activities including a demonstration from Gwent Police dog handlers, a controlled fire demonstration from the fire service and an opportunity to have a look around the council's mobile CCTV van.

They also had the opportunity to have their blood sugar levels and blood pressure tested by the paramedics.

Neighbourhood Inspector for Bargoed and Rhymney, Inspector Fran Richley also donated fine art prints of his paintings of a police car, police helicopter and a Formula One race car to some of the attendees. Three of the young people received the prints, which also had messages on them from the emergency services.

Cabinet member for education and leisure, Cllr Phil Bevan said, "I fully support events such as this, which help engage young people with fun and informative activities, while at the same time helping them to learn some very important safety lessons."

PC Gaynor Lugg from the Risca Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "We wanted to hold an interactive event that explained in more detail the work of the emergency services. I hope that they enjoyed themselves and took away some valuable lessons."

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