Ironman Tenby – 03.09.23

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3rd September 2023 will see 10 members of GCS staff compete in the world famous Tenby Ironman Wales Challenge alongside elite athletes from all over the world.

The race starts with a 2.4 mile swim followed by a 112 mile bike course and finally a 26.2 mile run. This race is no mean feat and our team will be pushing their minds and bodies to the limit over 12-15 hours. The team would be delighted if you could come along and support them on the day plus you can track individual athletes by downloading the Athlete Tracker App on Apple or Google Stores.

The GCS Ironman Team will also be raising money for the Kenya Project.  If you would like to donate please follow the link Donate here for the Kenya Community Education Project TotalGiving Page

If you are interested in coming to support the GCS Team on the day, please contact Julia.Hayward@gcs.ac.uk for more information.

GOOD LUCK TO ALL OUR AMAZING ATHLETES!

discounts for teachers – ITS HERE!

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The College has a new staff benefit through a partnership with Discounts For Teachers, a platform where members can access deals, cashback, vouchers and discounts at up to 1.5k top brands and retailers to help them save money. It is completely FREE to join and use, there are no hidden costs, no catch.

The scheme is currently used by 820k+ members in the education sector and 91% of members say the discounts help them afford a higher quality of life.

To find out more, Sign up for FREE here! or scan the QR code in the poster or contact lorraine.evans@gcs.ac.uk to start making savings on everyday purchases.

Wellbeing Day – July 6th

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The College was pleased to hold its annual Summer Wellbeing Day on Thursday 6th July. There were a range of activities for staff to participate in across campuses and at various locations, including group walks, cycle rides, cold water dipping, surfing, massages, health checks, golf simulators, lego competitions, pickleball, shamanic healing, yoga and pilates, various fitness classes, amongst many other activities. There were also visits from Tom the therapy dog, Cycle to Work and Indian street food available for staff. Feedback from participants has been really positive with 78% saying the day was excellent or very good with the  remaining feedback also being positive. The majority of staff loved the opportunity to try out a new wellbeing activity and felt supported by the College in relation to health and wellbeing. Staff feedback included:

  • “It was a brilliant day, i really enjoyed the array of activities and spending time with colleagues across the college”
  • “It was lovely to relax with colleagues in a non work setting”
  • “I felt amazing after my massage and having it on our site was so convenient and appreciated”
  • “Loved having the chance to unwind after a hectic year”
  • “I came back to the office after gardening feeling totally relaxed and chilled, i could have spent the whole day with them!”

Ironman – Supporters needed!

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Our GCS Ironman Team will be competing in the Ironman Wales event in Tenby in 9 weeks time, taking place on Sunday, 3 September.  This is a gruelling 12-15 hour race which only the super fit and elite athletes can compete in!

It’s a great event to watch and crowd support plays a big part in getting tired legs to run the final marathon stage through the streets of Tenby. So, if you are interested in joining us on the day to support the Team, please email Julia Hayward to register your interest and find out details of transport arrangements.

Gardening Club – starting 5 June

GCS will be running a 6 week course of gardening club sessions for staff starting 5 June. These sessions will be taking place at Tycoch from 4.30 – 6.30 pm. They will be very relaxed sessions  covering a wide range of topics from planting, propagation, caring for beds and borders, watering, hanging baskets, beginners carpentry and many more.

To book on a session, please visit the  Booking System

Healthy Travel Week – Get bike ready!

GCS now have staff trained to be Cycle Leaders and will be leading some guided cycles next week and over the Summer. In addition the Cycle to Work scheme is now open all year round and staff can buy a bike through the scheme and take advantage of tax savings.

Many of our staff already enjoy cycling and meet up regularly for weekend recreational cycle rides with coffee stops included, its important to keep hydrated! The College has also entered several events such as Gorseinon 10k, Merlin ride, Avon triathlon. If you are interested in finding out more about how to start cycling or how to join a group for recreation or to compete, please contact christian.regis@gowercollegeswansea.ac.uk

 

Gwersi Blasu Cymraeg i Staff – Staff Welsh Taster Sessions

Wythnos dechrau Mai 14-Mehefin 30 – Week starting May 14 – June 30

 

Mi fydd y gwersi i gyd arlein ar y grwpiau ar Teams, ond mae stafell dawel wedi ei threfnu yn Gorseinon N8, Tycoch a Jubilee Court os oes angen.

 

The classes will be online on Teams groups, there is a quiet room organised in Gorseinon N8, and for Tycoch and Jubilee Court if needed.

 

Mynediad 1 – Entry 1

Llun 8.30-10.30am Monday

Llun 1.30-3.30pm Monday

Mercher 2.30-4.30pm Wednesday:  gwers yn y dosbarth Gorseinon N8 – croeso i chi ymuno ar Teams hefyd.  In class tutor lesson – welcome to attend on Teams too.

Iau 1.30-3.30pm Thursday

 

Mynediad 2 – Entry 2

Iau 10.45am-12.45pm Thursday

 

Canolradd 1 – Intermediate 1

Llun 10.45am-12.45pm Monday

 

Cofrestrwch fan hyn | Enrol here: https://staff/sd3/internalTraining.aspx and you will be added to the relevant Teams group.

Cycle To Work is now open!

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Your Cycle to Work Scheme is now available all year round. As one of the UK’s leading Cycle to Work scheme providers, Cycle Solutions helps employees purchase a new bike tax free through salary sacrifice, making savings on the cost of a new bike and cycling equipment and spreading the cost over 12 months.  To find out more please visit https://www.cyclesolutions.info/how-it-works

All you need to do is..

  • Find Your New Bike

Follow your unique Cycle Solutions link to your company store, and order your bike and/or accessories online. They will call you to confirm the details of your order.

  • Order Approval

Once your order has been finalised, Cycle Solutions will send you an agreement to approve. Your employer will also approve this document, confirming that you will be hiring the equipment for the duration of the agreement.

  • Revolutionise Your Commute!

Your bike will be assembled and checked by our technicians and delivered to your chosen address. You are then free to start using your brand new bike to cycle to work!

  • Salary Sacrifice

After approval from yourself and your employer, deductions will be taken from your salary for the duration of the agreement.

 

Your Cycle to Work scheme is an agreement between yourself, your employer and Cycle Solutions. You can continue to use your bike once your agreement ends by choosing one of the end of scheme options.

Wisdom AI – mental health toolkit

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We have a newly launched offering available to all staff. Health Assured, our Employee Assistance Programme suppliers, has designed a new website, Wisdom AI. When you need answers, you need them fast. So they created Wisdom AI, a pool of mental health knowledge combined of professional counselling expertise and the latest Artificial Intelligence with invaluable contributions from their professional counsellors’. All staff have full access to this revolutionary platform that delivers expert advice in a  few simple clicks.

You can access it here HERE

 

 

Creative Wellbeing Sessions – LYB

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In response to staff feedback and the Wellbeing Roadshows, on 23 and 30 March the College held some free creative taster sessions at Llwyn y Bryn for staff. Creativity can help reduce stress and improve mental health, being creative may also reduce feelings of anxiety and depression and helps us manage or express our emotions in a positive and productive way. The sessions included:

  • drawing – close up study of a still life and drawing a perspective unique to them
  • pottery – explore the versatility of clay and use different techniques to hand build a ceramic planter
  • glass making – learn how to cut glass and experiment with different materials to create an individual glass item
  • textiles – have the opportunity to recycle an old jumper into a cushion cover or hot water bottle

The sessions were very well received with pottery and glass making being booked up in record time! We are hoping to build on the success of these taster sessions by offering more classes, information on this and how to book on will be communicated shortly.