Blaenymaes: Council estate project spreading Christmas cheer

A Christmas crafts sessions was held for dozens of local children in Blaenymaes, Swansea

A community project worker in a council estate has said she wants to show people they can "achieve their dreams, despite the barriers".

For the last decade Elisha Hughes, 24, has volunteered in Blaenymaes, Swansea, where she's lived her whole life.

She said the area has a "stigma", so she wants to make sure local children have every opportunity to succeed.

On one frosty mid-December morning she ran a Christmas craft session for dozens of the local children.

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The session was part of a project in Blaenymaes run with University of Wales Trinity Saint David, which aims to provide opportunities for people to engage in family and adult learning activities.

After volunteering at the local drop in centre since she was 14, Elisha now works for the university, helping to widen access to their courses.

Elisha Hughes said the Blaenymaes community is "very resilient... despite knock backs"

"People say to you 'you can't do something', I wanted to show you can," she said.

Blaenymaes is one of the most deprived areas of Swansea but Elisha said it's resilient.

The Blaenymaes drop in centre is a place where local people meet up and chat. It has a foodbank, community clothing shop, vegetable garden, litter-picking hub and a food share scheme.

Wendy Howells is 60 and attended a Christmas craft course at the centre recently.

She said she needed something to help her get out of the house following a rough period a few years ago.

Wendy has started taking courses at University of Wales Trinity Saint David, after attending events at the drop in centre

Wendy said she has found the activities at the centre "invaluable" on her road to recovery.

"It's like a jigsaw puzzle of people, we are all different shapes and sizes here at the centre, but together we make a beautiful picture and we make a community," she said.

As a result of the partnership between the centre and the university she has now started taking courses in her community.

"Last time I was in university was nearly 20 years ago, and I was old then," she joked.

'Real community spirit'

Donna Williams is another widening access officer with the university, and helps run some of the courses at the centre.

She said the aim is to try to bring communities together in their own space.

"We want to help with confidence and well being and show in small steps what they can achieve."

Elisha said she is proud of what is being achieved in her own community: "There is a real community spirit here".

"I feel we are not just working in a community, we are working with a community."

"It is important to build the community up and make it stronger and break barriers so that people and children here have every opportunity possible for the future."