How ACE can help?
Whilst the Dusty Forge remains shut for public use, ACE is working towards re-opening to the public in the near future. Further details will be published early August. ACE has continued to refocus its resources (staff and volunteers) to offer as much support as we can for the local community. If you or someone you know needs some support or just some friendly reassurance please get in touch, give us a call (02920 003132), email (info@aceplace.org) or message on Facebook.
Community support and advice line (02920 003132): Staff are on hand to offer advice, guidance, and a friendly chat to anyone who needs it. To date we have taken over 800 calls from community members in need of help and support. We have accessed over £15,000 worth of grants for those struggling financially as a result of the crisis.
Emergency food parcels: A limited staff team are able to provide emergency food parcels to people in need, where we are unable to help we will signpost to one of our partner organisations.
ACE Your Local Pantry: ACE are running the Dusty Forge Pantry as a delivery service for existing Pantry members. We will be delivering food bags to Pantry members on Wednesdays. These need to be ordered in advance by phone – 02920 003132. Payment of £5 will be taken by debit card in advance. Bags will be made up to ensure food is fairly distributed. To date we have delivered over 600 food parcels. Deliveries are subject to availability and limited to one delivery per household each week. We hope to have our Pantry shop open to members again at the end of August.
Working with partner organisations across the community: ACE is currently working with the Police, local GP surgeries, local Cllrs, and the council to support the community, providing a range of support including prescription pickups and general wellbeing checks. If you are interested in volunteering to support this work or would like to know more please email us on info@aceplace.org.
Community Health and mental health support: Our ‘yourspace’ wellbeing team are operating a phone based service, providing a weekly ‘check-in’ call and signposting to support and help with practical needs (e.g. food, medication) and general wellbeing. Anyone can be referred into this service by calling ACE on 02920 003132. Our ‘Tier 0’ mental health team are also operating a phone based service, delivering guided self-help on a range of topics, accessible via referral from a GP.
Online groups and activities: While the Dusty Forge remains closed we are continuing to help people to stay active and meet others, including regular online Bingo and Yoga sessions. For more information call us on 02920 003132 or email healthy@aceplace.org.
Phone Friend Line: ACE are matching isolated community members to volunteers based on their interests to help people stay connected via telephone. Please ring 02920 003132 to sign up for the service or if you would like to volunteer to support this work, please email us on healthy@aceplace.org
Back Home Boxes: ACE is working with the Cardiff South West Primary Care Cluster Integrated Care Hub to offer Back Home Boxes tailored to the individuals’ specific needs taking into account their diagnosis and dietary requirements. This pulls together Kindness Cards, information about Phone Friend and wider ACE services, donations from local knitting groups, plants donated from Grow Cardiff and donations from local supermarkets. If you would like to donate items to bring people comfort and welcome them home candles, hand creams, word search books, knitted goods, please get in touch with Kimberley Ace on Facebook, email us on healthy@aceplace.org or call 02920 003132.
Youth work provision: Expansion of ‘Youth Cooking Project’ (ages 13-19 living in Ely, Caerau, Canton, Pontcanna or Riverside) to 20 young people living in Pentrebane/Fairwater in partnership with Pentrebane Zone. Please contact us via Facebook (ACE Youth Offer) to sign up.
ACE Street-based youth workers are engaging with young people in the community. They will engage with young people offering support, advice and guidance whilst strictly adhering to health and safety restrictions. Online youth support continues with advice and guidance from youth workers, sign-posting to other services and sharing information on topics such as mental health, healthy eating & art competitions via Facebook (ACE Youth Offer); Instagram (@aceyouth2019) and e-mail (youth@aceplace.org).
A range of online based activities: through existing projects, including ACE Arts, CAER Heritage and the Working Well project – see project facebook groups or give us a call for details.
Home learning resources: a range of activities for families- see facebook groups or give us a call for details. A post-box has been set up outside the Dusty Forge so you can post a Kindness Card; an A4 drawing or message to be delivered to those who need it most. If you would like to take part, please post these on your daily walk. We have a number of learning packs from our partners at Save the Children, if you would like one please get in touch.
Call us on 02920 003132, facebook message us, email us (info@aceplace.org)
For a chat, an update or to develop ideas to help the local community.
Check out our ACE Facebook page and our website www.aceplace.org
You can download this information as a PDF here – Please forward to users of the Dusty Forge.
