As one of his last duties as High Sheriff of Clwyd for 2014-15, David Meredith Jones welcomed guests to the annual High Sheriff’s Community Service Awards held at Coleg Cambria, Deeside, where he recognised the work of volunteers in communities across Wrexham , Flintshire, Denbighshire and Conwy.
The evening was held jointly with Crimebeat, Business Supporting Communities, the Community Foundation in Wales, and the Voluntary Services councils in each county.
The High Sheriff said:
“The office of High Sheriff is a link between the Crown, the Judiciary and the people of the county. One of the great pleasures of my year of office has been the opportunity to see at first hand the work of so many people who give of their time to support the voluntary sector in the county of Clwyd.
I am conscious that in recent years successive High Sheriffs have acknowledged the work done by many people in the county to help those less fortunate than themselves. During my year of office I too have seen much of this work at first hand and been enormously impressed (and humbled) by the efforts made by so many people to improve the lot of others.
I have heard it said that without the help of the voluntary sector, many of the functions carried out by the state would be much diminished and it is likely that in the years to come even more reliance will be placed on the voluntary sector.
This work done is by very many people, none of whom seeks any reward.
The High Sheriff’s Award Ceremony is an opportunity to acknowledge and highlight some of the outstanding work done by the thousands of people who give their time selflessly to so many good causes.
I would like to thank Investec Wealth & Investment for kindly sponsoring this year’s Awards evening, and to Principal David Jones OBE and his team at Coleg Cambria for all their hard work and support to make tonight such a special occasion.”
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the annual Crimebeat Project of the Year which this was awarded jointly to Saltney Youth Council and I.S.P.Y. Prestatyn.
Saltney Youth Council
Saltney Youth Council has been established for many years. They have encouraged their peers to become active volunteers and have been a driving force in their community to give young people a voice.
The Youth Council encourages young people to volunteer on their Summer Activity Programme, where they will help to plan deliver and evaluate activities that will keep themselves and their peers occupied during the summer holiday and discourage anti-social behaviour. The Youth Council gives young people the opportunity to influence the kind of service they need and want during school holidays by having a say in the decision making.
This project is important because in a time of high unemployment employers will be looking for additional skills when recruiting young people. The valuable skills that young people gain from the summer activity programme are also transferable to the workplace or a training course. By committing their time and effort to a voluntary project the young people are able to show prospective employers that they are able to contribute to their community and develop new skills that will enhance their development in the workplace.
The Summer Programme is now in its 19th year.
iSPY – Integrated Services Protecting the Young.
iSPY is a charity run by volunteers who care passionately about the young people of Prestatyn. The project works with and supports young people to address bullying issues including cyber-bullying, race, religion and culture, homophobic bullying, and bullying around special educational needs.
Formed in 2011 by a committee which includes all Prestatyn and Meliden schools, Prestatyn Pop In Centre, Denbighshire Youth Service, North Wales Police, and with representation from Barnardos, Childline, NSPCC and other voluntary youth groups in the town. All local schools have formed a Professional Learning Community (PLC) to adopt similar procedures when dealing with bullying and inappropriate behaviour, which complements and runs alongside this community led initiative.
An innovative part of the scheme has been the introduction of ‘Safe Havens’ and over ten local businesses now offer shelter to children who have been bullied on their way to and from school, with staff who have been fully trained to identify and support any child who calls in asking for help.
Based at Prestatyn Pop-In Centre, with a dedicated phone-line, website and Facebook Page the project aims to provide continuous community caring for young people, and following a visit by First Minister Carwyn Jones AM interest has been expressed in extending the scheme throughout Wales
Other award winners were:
Business Supporting Communities (B2C)
- Whittingham Riddell
- Autotutors’ Young Driving School
Community Foundation in Wales
- Aldham and Avril Robarts
AVOW (Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham)
- Special Chief Inspector Carl Williamson
- Christine Dixon
- KIM Inspire
CVSC (Conwy Voluntary Service Council)
- Alison Pring
- Sheila Moors
- Machno F.C.
DVSC (Denbighshire Voluntary Service Council)
- Peter Smith
- Gemma Fox
- North Wales Women’s Centre
FLVC (Flintshire Local Voluntary Council)
- Richard John Hayes
- Dot and Alan Jones, and PAT dog Molly
- Capricorn Animal Rescue and Sanctuary
The High Sheriff’s Personal Awards
- Mrs Dwynwen Hawkins
- Mrs Roberta Owen
- The Lifeboat Crew, RNLI Rhyl
Fel un o’i ddyletswyddau diwethaf fel Uchel Siryf Clwyd ar gyfer 2014-15, croesawodd David Meredith Jones westeion i Wobrau Gwasanaeth Cymunedol yr Uchel Siryf a gynhaliwyd yng Ngholeg Cambria, Glannau Dyfrdwy lle bu gydnabod waith gwirfoddolwyr mewn cymunedau ledled Wrecsam, Sir y Fflint, Sir Ddinbych a Chonwy.
Cynhaliwyd y noson ar y cyd â Trechu Trosedd, Cymunedau Cefnogi Busnes, Sefydliad Cymunedau Cymru a’r cynghorau Gwasanaeth Gwirfoddol ym mhob Sir.
Meddai’r Uchel Siryf:
“Mae swyddfa yr Uchel Siryf yn gyswllt rhwng y Goron, y Farnwriaeth a phobl y Sir. Un o bleserau
mawr fy mlwyddyn oedd y cyfle a gefais i weld gyda’m llygaid fy hun y gwaith sy’n cael ei wneud
gan gymaint o bobl sy’n rhoi eu hamser er mwyn cefnogi’r sector gwirfoddol yng Nghlwyd.
Dros y blynyddoedd diwethaf rydw i’n ymwybodol fod sawl Uchel Siryf wedi cydnabod y gwaith
mae llawer o bobl y sir yn ei wneud i helpu rhai llai ffodus na nhw. Yn ystod cyfnod fy mlwyddyn
yn y swydd rydw i hefyd wedi gweld y gwaith hwn drosta i fy hun ac rydw i’n llawn edmygedd (a
gwyleidd-dra) wrth weld yr ymdrech mae rhai yn ei wneud i helpu pobl eraill.
Mi glywais ddweud na fyddai’r wladwriaeth, heb gymorth y sector gwirfoddol, yn medru cyflawni’n
agos i gymaint o’i swyddogaethau, ac yn y dyfodol mae’n debyg iawn y bydd y wladwriaeth yn
pwyso mwy a mwy ar y sector gwirfoddol am gymorth.
Mae hi’n anodd credu cymaint o bobl sy’n rhoi o’u hamser heb ddisgwyl unrhyw beth yn ôl.
Mae Seremoni Wobrwyo’r Uchel Siryf yn gyfle i gydnabod a thynnu sylw at y gwaith gwych mae
miloedd o bobl yn ei wneud o’u gwirfodd eu hunain i gymaint o achosion da.
Hoffwn ddiolch i Investec Wealth & Investment am noddi’r seremoni Wobrwyo eleni ac i’r Pennaeth
David Jones OBE a’i dîm yng Ngholeg Cambria am eu holl waith caled a’u cymorth er mwyn sicrhau
bod heno yn achlysur mor arbennig.”
Uchafbwynt y noson oedd cyflwyniad blynyddol Prosiect Trechu Trosedd y flwyddyn a ddyfarnwyd i Gyngor Ieuenctid Saltney a I.S.P.Y Prestatyn ar y cyd.
Cyngor Ieuenctid Saltney
Mae Cyngor Ieuenctid Saltney wedi’i sefydlu ers nifer o flynyddoedd. Maent wedi annog eu cyfoedion
i fod yn wirfoddolwyr gweithredol ac maent wedi bod yn weithredol yn eu cymuned er mwyn rhoi
llais i bobl ifanc.
Mae’r Cyngor Ieuenctid yn annog pobl ifanc i wirfoddoli ar eu Rhaglen Gweithgareddau Haf, lle
byddant yn helpu i gynllunio, darparu a gwerthuso gweithgareddau a fydd yn eu cadw nhw a’u
cyfoedion yn brysur yn ystod misoedd yr haf ac yn ceisio atal ymddygiad gwrthgymdeithasol. Mae’r
Cyngor Ieuenctid yn rhoi’r cyfle i bobl ifanc ddylanwadu ar y math o wasanaeth sydd eu hangen
arnynt ac maent yn dymuno ei gael yn ystod gwyliau’r ysgol drwy roi llais iddynt yn y broses o
wneud penderfyniadau.
Mae’r prosiect hwn yn bwysig oherwydd mewn cyfnod o ddiweithdra bydd cyflogwyr yn chwilio am
sgiliau ychwanegol wrth recriwtio pobl ifanc. Bydd y sgiliau mae pobl ifanc yn eu cael o ganlyniad
i’r rhaglen gweithgareddau’r haf hefyd yn drosglwyddadwy i’r gweithle neu gyrsiau hyfforddi. Drwy
ymrwymo eu hamser a’u hymdrechion i brosiect gwirfoddol mae modd i’r bobl ifanc ddangos i
ddarpar gyflogwyr bod modd iddynt gyfrannu i’w cymuned a datblygu sgiliau newydd a fydd yn
ehangu eu datblygiad yn y gweithle.
Mae’r rhaglen haf bellach yn ei 19eg flwyddyn.
iSPY – Gwasanaethau Integredig yn Amddiffyn yr Ifanc.
Mae iSPY yn elusen sy’n cael ei rhedeg gan wirfoddolwyr sy’n pryderu am bobl ifanc Prestatyn.
Mae’r prosiect yn gweithio gyda phobl ifanc ac yn eu cefnogi er mwyn delio â materion bwlio gan
gynnwys seiberfwlio, bwlio’n ymwneud â hil, crefydd a diwylliant, bwlio homoffobig a bwlio’n
ymwneud ag anghenion addysgol arbennig.
Ffurfiwyd yn 2011 gan bwyllgor sy’n cynnwys ysgolion Prestatyn a Meliden, Canolfan Galw Heibio
Prestatyn, Gwasanaeth Ieuenctid Dinbych, Heddlu Gogledd Cymru ac mae cynrychiolaeth hefyd gan
Barnardos, Childline, NSPCC a grwpiau ieuenctid gwirfoddol eraill tebyg yn y dref. Mae’r holl ysgolion
lleol wedi ffurfio Cymuned Ddysgu Broffesiynol (PLC) er mwyn gallu mabwysiadu gweithdrefnau
tebyg wrth ddelio â bwlio ac ymddygiad amhriodol sy’n ategu ac yn rhedeg ochr yn ochr â’r fenter
hon a arweinir gan y gymuned.
Rhan arloesol o’r cynllun oedd cyflwyniad y ‘Lle Diogel’ ac mae dros ddeg o fusnesau lleol bellach
yn cynnig lloches i blant sydd wedi cael eu bwlio neu sydd wedi cael eu bwlio ar eu ffordd i’r ysgol
ac ar y ffordd adref, gyda staff sydd wedi derbyn hyfforddiant i allu adnabod a chynorthwyo plant
sy’n gofyn am help.
Wedi’i leoli yng Nghanolfan Alw Heibio Prestatyn, gyda llinell ffôn benodol, gwefan a thudalen
Facebook, nod y prosiect yw darparu gofal cymunedol parhaus ar gyfer pobl ifanc ac yn dilyn
ymweliad gan y Prif Weinidog
Yr enillwyr eraill oedd:
Cymunedau Cefnogi Busnes (B2C)
- Whittingham Riddell
- Ysgol Yrru Pobl Ifanc Autotutors’
Ymddiriedolaeth Gymunedol yng Nghymru
- Aldham ac Avril Robarts
AVOW (Cymdeithas Sefydliadau Gwirfoddol yn Wrecsam)
- Prif Arolygydd Gwirfoddol Carl Williamson
- Christine Dixon
- KIM Inspire
CVSC (Cyngor Gwasanaeth Gwirfoddol Conwy)
- Alison Pring
- Sheila Moors
- CPD Machno
DVSC (Cyngor Gwasanaeth Gwirfoddol Sir Ddinbych)
- Peter Smith
- Gemma Fox
- Canolfan Merched Gogledd Cymru
FLVC (Cyngor Gwirfoddol Lleol Sir y Fflint)
- Richard John Hayes
- Dot ac Alan Jones a chi PAT o’r enw Molly
- Gwarchodfa Achub Anifeiliaid Capricorn
Gwobrau Personol yr Uchel Siryf
- Mrs Dwynwen Hawkins
- Mrs Roberta Owen
- Criw’r Bad Achub, RNLI Y Rhyl