A new project being launched in the Bonymaen area is seeking to engage young people with technology and music. Following an enourmously successful pilot of the project, music@bonymaen is being launched thanks to a generous £5,500 donation from The Junction, the company that owns and operates the neighbouring Morfa Shopping Park. The funds will allow the government initiative to run for six months, employing a music tutor to teach more than 50 people the art of writing songs, producing digital recordings and making movies.

Members of the older community are also being invited to get involved in the scheme and it is hoped that the polar age groups will engage creatively with one another, build bonds, banish negative sentiment and gain confidence skills.

The Junction’s Morfa Retail Park POD will be hosting an introductory launch of the music@bonymaen project between 11am and 5pm on Wednesday, 16th July. Tele-visual installations and demonstrations of the music-creation software will allow the public to get a taster of the scheme. The team will be on hand to answer questions and those who benefited from the pilot of the scheme will also attend to provide an insight into the project and to showcase their musical creations.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction, comments: “The quality of the works produced in the first project and the enthusiasm and engagement levels of the young people was impressive. This music project is a valuable and powerful tool that provides Bonymaen’s residents with creative and technical skills as well as a better understanding of one another. We are delighted that we are able to offer our support so the project can continue.”

Shaz Abedean, Co-ordinator of Bonymaen Communities First Partnership, comments: “We are really looking forward to the project beginning on 21st July. The Junction’s support is greatly appreciated and we look forward to introducing our project at their Morfa Retail Park this Wednesday, 16th July; we welcome members of the public to visit us there to see the value and relevance of this initiative for the area.”

The project is a partnership between The Junction Morfa Shopping Park, Bonymaen Community Events Group, Bonymaen Achievers (a local youth forum), City and County of Swansea Community Regeneration Unit and Youth Service and Bonymaen Communities First Partnership. If you would like to find out more about the project please call the Bonymaen Communities First office on 01792 464 751.

On Saturday 12th July, as Telford’s clocks strike midnight, 200 women will line up at The Junction’s Forge Retail Park in Telford to start a sponsored walk in aid of the local hospice. The ladies will take a 10 mile tour of Telford coming full circle back to the Retail Park’s finish line.

The Midnight Walk is taking place for the first time this year and provides a major fundraising opportunity for local charity, Severn Hospice that cares for people with progressive and life-limiting illnesses in Telford, Shropshire and Mid Wales. The hospice was set up in 1989 to offer high standards of nursing and medical care for its patients, trying always to sustain quality of life and relief from pain. Since its doors opened it has provided respite and medical assistance to 12,000 individuals, not to mention the emotional care and counselling it has provided to their families, friends and carers.

The walk around Telford aims to raise approximately £10,000 towards the £5 million required to run the hospice each year, two thirds of which is dependent on donations and public support at events like this.

Lois Williams, Responsible Business Manager at The Junction, said: “We are pleased to be able to host an event for such a respected local cause. We hope it will raise public awareness of the amazing work that is carried out at the Severn Hospice and we wish all the participants lots of luck”.

Lucy Proctor, Fundraising Manager for the Severn Hospice commented: “We are really looking forward to the event and hope it will raise considerable funds to allow us to help many more people at their time of need. The interest in taking part in the Midnight Walk was substantial and, in response to this, we hope to repeat the event next year. We are delighted that The Junction is able to provide a central point fo rus to set up for the night, and thank them for their co-operation.”

For more information about the charity or to pledge support for the walkers, please visit the Severn Hospice’s website at www.severnhospice.org.uk