Councillor Jasmin Chowdhury, who represents the ward of Canton, attended a wellbeing event hosted by social housing and support provider Taff Housing at its Canton headquarters this week.
The visit by Cllr Chowdhury offered an opportunity to learn more about how Cardiff residents are managing the financial pressures of juggling rise in price of essentials such as food and fuel.
Canton Labour Councillor, Jasmin Chowdry said: “The winter months are always a challenging time for us all. However, those on lower income are always hit worse. Although the council is providing targeted financial assistance to help put extra money in the pockets of the people who need it most, we all know balancing funds can be difficult.”
“We need to keep listening to people’s personal experiences and use these to further improve the services we offer. Wellbeing events like the ones being held by Taff Housing provide the ideal opportunity to speak to people, while allowing them to seek the help they need in an informal, welcoming environment.”
Taff Housing owns and manages over 1,500 homes across Cardiff, it holds fortnightly Winter Wellbeing Club every year from October until February. The bi-weekly gatherings, hosted at their Canton head office, offer tenants more than a warm space and hot meals. They serve as platforms for social interaction, advice-seeking, and community bonding.
The club features a diverse range of expertise, with representatives from various organizations offering guidance on essential topics such as budgeting, accessing food banks, managing debt, and holistic health and wellbeing. This week’s event involved a hot meal and a Carbon Monoxide Awareness Workshop provided by Women’s Connect First. Additionally, fruit bags were provided for all attendees and there was a free prize draw. The club is being sponsored by several contractors, including Encon Construction who have funded the first 3 sessions. Staff have also enjoyed helping at the club, taking food orders and this week offering a hamper of treats as the raffle prize.
Clare Dickinson, Community Inclusion Manager at Taff Housing said: “Our Winter Wellbeing Club was born from the need for a warm, welcoming space where individuals can connect, share concerns, and realize that they’re not alone in facing challenges like debt, stress, and anxiety. They are also able to access same day support such as with emergency food and fuel vouchers.”
Taff Housing tenant, Nicolas Tatou, who recently attended the Wellbeing Club for the first time said: “Taff has been a great tower of support to me recently and events like these provide me with the opportunity to get out of the house and have a cuppa and a chat. It also brings a bit of closeness and has helped me to make friends with people who have been through the same experiences as me.”
Taff Housing’s support spans from money advice and unemployment assistance to addressing domestic violence and mental health concerns. Taff also has several commissioned floating tenancy support services that provides early intervention to maintain tenancies. Taff Housing remains resolute in uplifting and supporting Cardiff’s diverse community. As the festive season approaches, Taff Housing continues to provide support to its tenants by holding a Festive Week Celebration on the 19 December.
For more information visit www.taffhousing.co.uk
