We are proud to say that the Purple Sunflower Project is growing and reaching for the sun like all flowers do.
A series of free support events to promote physical and mental health and wellbeing are being launched in Bridgend county later this month. Organised through a partnership between the Ajuda Foundation and Assisting Recovery in the Community (ARC) – which is a joint project run by Bridgend County Borough Council and Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board – a focus group meeting will be held at the Richard Price Centre in Llangeinor on July 25 between 9.30am and 12.30pm to offer support to those living in the Sarn, Ogmore Vale and Garw Valley. Known as the Purple Sunflower project, the partnership will provide 10 sessions of workshops, training sessions and activities, the make up of which will be decided by those who attend the focus group meeting. Dawn Evans of the Ajuda Foundation explained the thinking behind the project. “The aim of the Ajuda Foundation is to promote positive mental health and well-being support, resources, information and training to community groups, schools, education establishments and individuals who are disadvantaged, either by their social and economic situation such as, homelessness, poor mental health and disabilities, or financial crisis,” she said. “The Purple Sunflower Project was launched in Maesteg earlier this year to deliver mental health workshops and training for people in that area that would benefit. It’s been funded by the Trudy Williams Memorial fund, which was named after a member of Ajuda staff, from Maesteg, who died in a car accident last year. “This latest expansion of the Purple Sunflower Project will offer a range of support services – such as mental health awareness courses, music therapy, dog therapy, and activities including yoga and meditation – to the people in the three communities. “The activities, workshops and training are delivered by fully qualified trainers and facilitators, and the idea is to have one session a month, varying the content of sessions so that there is a good mixture of options throughout.” Martyn Llewellyn, who is Team Manager for ARC in Bridgend, added that the Purple Sunflower Project’s aims fit in with what his team are trying to achieve. “I saw details of the Ajuda Foundation projects online and contacted Dawn, particularly as ARC provides practical advice, guidance, and structured support for individuals in the area with mental health issues. “As the Purple Sunflower Project is offering further support to address these challenges, we are pleased to offer our support the project to benefit the residents of the Ogmore and Garw Valleys and Sarn”
So far, we have already been out in the community of Maesteg delivering what we promised
