Youngsters dance their way to a brighter future

A group of unemployed young people danced their way to a brighter future by organising a tea dance at our community centre.

The event was the climax of an "inspiring" three-week programme called Truth about Youth - Who Cares? which is funded by The Cooperative Foundation.

The course was run by the Prince's Trust in partnership with our training company, Smartcare.

A similar scheme last year resulted in 17 of the participants gaining social care qualifications. Eleven of them secured jobs, six of them at here at Pendine Park.

A raft of special guests turned up to the Gwern Alyn Community Centre at the Hillbury House Care Home to congratulate the latest group of young people on the course.

They included Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths, the Mayor of Wrexham Cllr Alan Edwards and the Mayoress Glenys Edwards and the Head of Enterprise and Employment at Prince's Trust Cymru Rhian Mathias .

The guests, who also included Co-operative Membership Officer for Mid and North Wales, Deb Wozencraft, and the Director of Wellbeing and Empowerment for the Older People's Commissioner for Wales, Daisy Cole, were served a feast of sandwiches, cakes, coffee and tea by the enthusiastic team of 14 young people aged between18 and 25.

The dedicated group also performed an energetic, funny, and thoughtful play about remembering the little things when taking care of people.

The event ended with the tea dance which saw Pendine Park residents and staff, as well as the crew from The Prince's Trust strutting their stuff.

It was the culmination of a three-week course where members of the group gained experience and qualifications in the care industry with the aim of helping them onto the first rung of employment ladder.

9 of them have already been offered jobs by Pendine Park.

According to Sabrina Rafferty, 18, from Gwersyllt, who learned the ropes as a Care Practitioner at Hillbury care home, the Princes Trust course has made a huge difference to her life.

She said: "It's been an amazing experience. It's like a big family here, and it's helped me to see my future, which is working in social care."

Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths added: "I'm always happy to come to Pendine Park. The work they do in the care sector is fantastic."

Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft MBE, added: "I'd like to thank the Co-operative foundation for supporting the project. It now a longstanding relationship that's been developed between Pendine Park and The Prince's Trust, and it's been a privilege to work together."