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Council News
 Decoration works are scheduled for the Civic Offices…
Contractors will begin decorating the main staircase at the Civic Offices on Tuesday 30 May, and works are likely to continue for approximately two to three weeks. In the meantime, staff are advised to use an alternative staircase which will be signposted.
During this period, please also consider the following arrangements:
- Emergency fire information is displayed on each level of the building.
- Please use alternative washrooms - gentlemen on level 3, and ladies on level 4, are both on the left side of the building, when facing towards the river. The disabled washroom, located on level 3, is also on left side of the building.
- If a lift is required, it is located near the Mayor’s Parlour (please ask at Reception for directions).
- Evacuation chairs are located on levels 2 and 3.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation!
May Brivilege Rewards have arrived!
The Brivilege Rewards have you covered for the summer months ahead!
Online discounts are available with a selection of brands, including Ray Ban, Oakley and the Sunglasses Hut, as well as Eelo bikes and accessories to encourage you to become active outdoors! Have some family fun by taking advantage of price reductions for family tickets to the best UK theme parks and attractions – plus so much more!
To find out what else is on offer, please visit the website.
If you have never logged in before, then register with your payroll number and the scheme ID number 1656.
 Are you interested in sharing your story in the Health Hub News (HHN)?
We will be covering many topics in June’s edition of the HHN and one of them is Carer’s Week, 5 to 11 June.
If you are a carer and are happy to share your story, we would love to hear from you!
Also, let us know if you would like to participate in ‘This is Me’ – a regular question and answer feature about what inspires and motivates you. You can choose to remain anonymous, if you wish.
The questions we would like you to consider are:
Who am I?
How do my issues impact my life in the workplace?
How do I improve my mental wellbeing and keep it ‘on track’?
Where is my happy place?
What is my ‘go to’ song?
Please get in touch by emailing bridgenders@bridgend.gov.uk
We look forward to hearing from you!
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week – 15 to 21 May
This year, the awareness week focuses on raising the profile of anxiety – an emotion that everyone experiences to some degree.
It can be caused by a range of reasons, from big life events to financial worries.
Anxiety can become a mental health issue when it becomes out of control.
Mental Health Awareness Week aims to encourage an understanding of anxiety, as well as to provide information that can help to manage the emotion.
For further information, please visit the website.
Have you visited our new intranet webpages for Mental Health?
We have also developed our webpages to further support your mental wellbeing.
Please visit the website for further details.
We have several Care First webinars lined up that support Mental Health Awareness week.
The webinars have been scheduled for each day this week, from Monday 15 to Friday 19 May, covering topics that include returning to work anxiety, sleep and anxiety, as well as top tips for managing anxiety.
To access Care First, please visit the website.
There are also training workshops available to support Mental Health Awareness Week – the next available date is:
24 May Mental Health Awareness for all employees
Further dates are available, just click here and then click on ‘Workshops’. You can book your place by e-mailing learninganddevelopment@bridgend.gov.uk.
 New mandatory E-learning modules
In order to raise awareness of the statutory requirements for all public bodies, another two modules, ‘Introduction to Equality’ and ‘Diversity and Welsh Language Awareness’, have been made mandatory for all staff to complete:
If you haven’t already completed these modules, please can you do so as soon as possible. You can login using your 5-digit payroll number and password as password.
If you have any problems logging in, please contact learninganddevelopment@bridgend.gov.uk
 Let’s walk to celebrate Foster Fortnight - 15 to 29 May!
To celebrate Foster Fortnight, our fostering team have planned a local foster walk from the Hi-Tide, Porthcawl, on Thursday 25 May, 4pm to 6pm.
All staff are invited to join the foster team on the walk, helping to raise awareness of fostering and support local foster families.
This invitation is open for you to bring family and friends along - however, please be mindful that foster carers will be bringing foster children so, understandably, a level of discretion will be required.
Bring refreshments and a few layers of clothing to keep warm during the walk – or sunscreen, if it’s sunny! The team will be rounding off the activity with some ice cream at the Hi-Tide.
If you can’t make this event, you can always join the national foster team walking Pen y Fan mountain, on Sunday 21 May at 9am.
This is also an opportunity for you to cheer on the Foster Wales team, undertaking the 3 Welsh Peaks Challenge (summiting the 3 highest mountains in Wales in 24hours), who hope to finish at the bottom of Pen y Fan around 9am.
For more information on both events please contact: Joanna.reeves@rctcbc.gov.uk
Solace Wales Conference – 7 to 8 September…A chance to share and learn from best practice.
Taking place at the Principality Stadium, Cardiff, the Solace event encourages council staff to explore challenges and opportunities facing local government in Wales.
Excellent speakers, experts and leaders in their own fields, will be leading at the conference - the conversations, debates and ideas shared over the two days will help shape new examples of best practice.
The conference is not only an opportunity for senior leaders, but is also a chance to introduce future leaders and rising stars from within the authority.
This promises to be an exciting and engaging programme – please don’t miss the opportunity to reserve your places.
You can do this by contacting Nikki Flower, Learning and Organisational Development Manager, via email: nikkiflower@bridgend.gov.uk by Wednesday 24th May.
 Last chance to support our Neil Bowen with his Macmillan fundraising walk!
Neil Bowen, Senior Social Work Practitioner, based at Caswell Clinic, highlights his charity challenge in a bid to raise support…
On 20 May, Neil Bowen is set to participate in the MacMillan Norfolk Coast Mighty Hike, raising money for MacMillan Cancer Support. Beginning in Cromer, and approximately 26 miles long, the hike is by no means a simple feat!
Neil says: “I am hoping to raise the modest sum of £250. I did the Gower Peninsula Mighty Hike last year for the same charity and raised over £350.
“Macmillan gives people with cancer everything they’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are Macmillan’s worries. Macmillan’s doing whatever it takes. But without your help, Macmillan can’t support everyone who needs them.”
If you would like to support Neil’s cause, please visit the Just Giving website.
Further information about the hikes can be found on the website.
Give blood and save lives this winter!
The need for blood has never been more important. Can you help? The Welsh Blood Service needs more people from the Bridgend area to sign up as donors to help patients across Wales. Appointments are available at:
The Heronston Hotel (CF35 5AW) on:
Asda, Pyle (CF33 6BU) on:
McArthur Glen Outlet (CF32 9SU) on:
Asda, Bridgend (CF31 3AU) on:
Please be advised that if you have recently had a Covid-19 vaccination, then you must wait two days before making a blood donation.
Book your appointment to help save lives today.
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