Hi 

Welcome to the May edition of the Taff Rocks newsletter.

In this issue:

1. How the current situation is affecting Taff Rocks
2. Craft Bags Update
3. Rocks Painting Video by Taff Rocks
4. Exciting News
5. Your Corner ~New Feature~
6. Message Board ~New Feature~
7. Your Questions Answered ~New Feature~

1. How the current situation is affecting Taff Rocks.

Much like everyone else, we have been greatly affected by the ongoing situation. We are not able to run workshops right now, but we are looking into ways of keeping in contact with you. 

Some ideas we have could involve:

• Outdoor workshops - with greater space for social distancing
• Pre-recorded helpful videos
• Live feeds
• Ticketed events to restrict numbers and ensure social distancing measures are observed.

These are all thoughts right now, except the pre-recorded videos, we're working at this.

The workshops are our way of generating income that enables us to pay for venue costs, replenish stock and run smoothly.

We, like so many small, non-profit community organisations, are currently unable to generate an income. Whilst our stock sits, gathering dust, we hope that some of it doesn't become ruined through lack of use! But we soldier on! We're keeping calm and carrying on indeed!!!!!!

This is difficult for everyone and, even if we could run at our usual venue, this would require some work, funds and a lot of thought. Even down to having 'ticketed' workshops to ensure we are not oversubscribed leaving us unable to maintain social distancing.

Watch this space, we're sure to find a way to work this out.

No matter how you look at it, we're in this with you, together! 

2. Craft bags updates

Earlier this month, you received an email from us asking if you'd like to register an interest[1] in these free packs. These packs would only become a reality if we could obtain funding. Read that email here.

We submitted a proposal last week to Invest Local Ynysowen to trial 100 craft bags for members[2] in the community who are in need of something to help them during this time.

It is with the utmost, amazing pleasure that we bring you this news! We were successful in the funding bid for this project!

Those of you who registered an interest, you would already have been made aware of this exciting news. 

On the bank holiday weekend, the committee members rallied around to gather the resources. These have had to be gathered online, by email and by messengers.

We have received some of the products and expect delivery of the other resources in about 10 - 14 days. Then, all we have to do is prepare each pack and deliver to the members that requested them.

Rocks are being prepared with a 'sharing statement' on the reverse so, if you want to and when it's safe to, you can share them in the community. They don't need to be sealed because the paints you will receive in your packs are acrylics which, when fully dried, are water resistant (not waterproof).

To request your pack[3], please complete your details in the form that you will find by clicking the button below.

Due to the limited number of packs available, we can only supply once to an address at this time with individual packs and family packs being made available.

Requests have already been received so, please, only submit one request to prevent confusion by the admin team. If you have already made a request, there is no need to do this again.

We are currently only in a position to do this online but, if you have a friend or neighbour that does not have the internet, you can fill in a form on their behalf. Provided they live in and Aberfan or Merthyr Vale address.

If you are going to do this for someone, please use a different email address or use your friend's or neighbours name and not your own. Duplicate names and addresses for delivery are discarded. 

Why only Aberfan and Merthyr Vale?

This is because we need to ensure that the project works, so this is a trial. Also, the Invest Local Ynysowen funding is dedicated to these villages.

If this project works, we can make an effort to source or divert other funding to other areas / Taff Rocks projects in Merthyr Tydfil.

These packs are being provided for free, thanks to Invest Local Ynysowen but, if you would like to, you can make a contribution toward further craft packs by visiting this link on our secure, online fundraising platform.

[1] Registrations of interest are not the same as a request for a pack.

[2] Members are those from our Facebook Group (not page), those that attend workshops, subscribe to this newsletter or have received resources from us at any time.

[3] Once requests reaching the total amount have been received. These are allocated on a 'first come first served' basis. If we reach the total number and your request comes in before we can close down the request form, you will receive and email letting you know.

3. Rocks Painting Video by Taff Rocks

Due to the current situation we all find ourselves in, Taff Rocks is giving serious consideration to utilising our YouTube Channel.

The members of the volunteer committee are clubbing together to purchase a video editing software licence to bring you some simple rock painting tutorials.

Over the months since we've had this channel, some showcase slideshow videos have been uploaded.

4. Exciting News!

Just as COVID-19, social distancing, self isolation and the 'Stay At Home' news broke, we had some other news.

We learned that we were successful in a small National Lottery Awards For All [Wales] funding bid. This, albeit, absolutely amazing news, came at the worse time!

The funding was applied for so we could expand our workshops out of our current area and into the whole County Borough of Merthyr Tydfil! But, you know what we're going to say ... We can't do anything with it right now. We haven't even done a press release! 

5. Your corner ***New Feature***

Each month, to bring a regular and wonderful smile to our faces, we want to add this new feature to our newsletter.

If you send us a photo of your artwork, your name and a little bit about the piece, if possible, we will include it here for all to see. For the younger members, you can even include their age.

Just reply to this email and send it along! We can't wait to see it!

This month, as it's the first month, we bring you an amazing piece of art by none other than ... wait for it ... OPCreativ. This is the second time they used one of our tutorials and we think they've done a mighty fine job,

Share yours with us to include in the June newsletter

6. Message board ***New Feature***

Do you have any birthday or other messages for others you'd like to include here?

If you know they subscribe, send those to us to include in future issues. The newsletter will, hopefully, go out regularly on the second week of each month.

We shall start it off with the following:

• To all our new subscribers and members: Welcome one and all, we hope you enjoy our newsletter. Thank you for joining us.
• To all our supporters: We thank each and every one of you for sticking with us!

7. Your Questions Answered ***New Feature***

We plan on making this a regular feature too. Any questions that you don't mind waiting for an answer for, send them in by replying to this email or to the email address below.

It can be about:

• Rock painting
• Taff Rocks
• Volunteers
• The list is endless

Now that we have found the way to send email newsletters and updates effectively, we appreciate this has taken some time, we can start adding to the articles in the publication.

• We tried paper, hard copies, that proved too expensive.
• We tried email PDF documents, those files proved to be too big.
• We tried your basic email, that proved to be too boring.
• And now we have this - so far, so good!

For the June issue:

In addition to our news, why not share your news with us to include in the next issue.

• Are you an essential, frontline worker whose little ones have created something amazing for you as a show of appreciation?
• As a parent, possibly homeschooling, do you have a funny story for us?
• Are you home alone and need links to organisations that can help you in a time of need?
• We're all missing our families, our children, grandchildren, Grandma and Grandad, if you know they subscribe, leave a message of love and we will post it here to show our members how awesome they are - and you too! If they don't subscribe, send them this newsletter, they just might!

Please don't add photos of children, it is our policy not to allow images of your childrens faces available to the public. Which is also the main reason why our Facebook group is a private group where only members can see who or what is in it. Which is different to our public page where we share news and posts you might find interesting.