A Day in the Life of a Volunteer Community Driver

John has been volunteering as a community driver with Hay and District Dial-A-Ride for twelve months.

He says: “I moved to Powys from Yorkshire with my wife five years ago to run a local B&B.

“Volunteering is a great way to get involved with the community and get to know people.

“The role is really flexible and fits in around my other commitments.”

John starts his shift by picking up the schedule for the day at the Hay and District Dial-A-Ride office in Castle Street.

Hay and District Dial-A-Ride provides an accessible community transport service for anyone who does not have access to a car or to public transport - young or old - who lives within a nine-mile radius of Hay-on-Wye.

All volunteer community drivers undertake driver training sessions.

John says: “I also completed a full-day first aid training course and an eye-opening half-day training session to become an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friend.”

Dementia Friends help raise awareness and understanding, so that people living with dementia can continue to live in the way they want.

Volunteer community drivers can also complete special handling training to support wheelchair users to access the service.

John says: “When I collect the minibus I run through a series of safety checks to make sure it is safe for passengers.

“I’m supplied with a mobile phone so the office can stay in touch and let me know if we have any cancellations or last minute pick-ups.”

First stop is Hay Medical Centre to collect a prescription.

If a member is unable to make the journey themselves, on Tuesdays and Fridays drivers can collect prescriptions from Hay or Talgarth Medical Centres, or a nominated local pharmacy, for home delivery.

Next John heads to a local village to pick-up the first customers of the day.

As he helps passengers onto the minibus with their belongings, they chat and joke.

John says: “One of the most rewarding parts of the role is getting to know regular customers.

“A lot of them have lived in and around Hay-on-Wye all their lives and have a wealth of knowledge about local history.

“I learn something new on every shift.”

A lot of service users have recently given up driving for various reasons. Others live in town but experience health issues meaning they are unable to walk far.

John says: “Without community transport they’d have no way to get out and about and remain independent, especially if their children have moved out of the area.”

We drop our passengers off at the local supermarket to do their weekly shop and go on to our next pick-up.

John says: “By the time I get back to the supermarket, they should be ready to go home.”

You can book community transport for any need – shopping, medical appointments, library, visiting friends or hospital visiting. Formal and informal carers travel for free with Hay & District Dial-A-Ride. 

They also offer free travel every Tuesday for shoppers funded by the Lindenleaf Trust. On the first Friday of the month the bank bus goes to Brecon so members can visit the bank, access facilities and meet friends.

All the passengers that morning agree community transport is brilliant.

Without the service they wouldn’t be able to maintain community connections or an independent lifestyle.

Loneliness and social isolation can impact all aspects of a person's life and has been linked to poor physical and mental health.

With all customers safely dropped off back at their homes and all prescriptions delivered, John returns his paperwork for the day back to the office.

He says: “I genuinely enjoy the role and recommend volunteering as a community driver.”

If you are interested in volunteering with Hay & District Dial-A-Ride, please contact the office by telephone on 01497 821616 or by email at haydialaride@gmail.com

If you are interested in volunteering as a community driver in another part of Powys, contact PAVO Powys Volunteer Centre to learn about opportunities in your area: https://www.pavo.org.uk/about-pavo/contact-us.html

Find out more about Powys Volunteer Centre here.

Hay & District Dial-A-Ride see themselves as more than just a transport service as access to health and community services is a vital part of physical and mental health and wellbeing.

The service is for members only.

Individual membership is £10 per annum and then you pay for each journey you book. Fares start at £2 within Hay.

Community Group Membership is free for local non-profit groups and hire charges start at £25 including a volunteer driver.

Members experiencing financial difficulties can apply to the Hay & District Dial-A-Ride hardship fund to cover membership costs and fares.

Funding

Hay & District Dial-A-Ride is supported by government bodies, charities and businesses, and self generated income including membership subscriptions, fares and local fundraising

They are also supported by the local community and parish councils, and a number of private charitable organisations and trusts.

Improving the Cancer Journey in Powys.

 Around 1000 Powys residents are diagnosed with cancer each year in Powys. 

A programme funded by Macmillan Cancer Support called Improving the Cancer Journey in Powys  is working in partnership with the council, health board and delivery partners like the Bracken Trust, Credu and ourselves to ensure that support is available closer to home for both the person and their wider family following a cancer diagnosis. 

We thought it’d be a good idea to find out more about how the programme came about, how it works, who’s involved and introduce Penny Tanner who has recently joined us as the ICJ Community Connector.  Penny has a clear vision for her role and told us “My aim for this role would be to enable people in Powys to access support closer to home, by linking them in with their local community assets and organisations, raising awareness of activities/support groups that they may like to engage in, improving their Cancer journey and addressing what matters most to them.”

Penny Tanner - ICJ Community Connector

Penny will be on hand to ensure that every Powys resident with a cancer diagnosis who are referred to PAVO, is offered a personalised ‘what matters to me’ supportive conversation.  The first step is for people to complete a simple concerns checklist either online or on paper.  This checklist helps the person to consider how they are feeling and what concerns they may have.   Once submitted, Penny will then have a conversation to explore the person’s holistic needs and produce a tailored care plan.  This plan sets out the concerns and how and what support is available to address them whether it’s an information sheet on diet or a referral to the Bracken Trust for complementary therapy or to join their yoga class.

What do we mean by people living with cancer?

When we refer to ‘People Living with Cancer’, we mean people with a cancer diagnosis, their unpaid carers, their families and those important to them. We also include people who have been referred with a possible cancer diagnosis and are awaiting the results of that referral.

We also abbreviate to the acronym PLWC. 

How did the ICJ in Powys programme come about?

Conversations first began with Powys Teaching Health Board back in 2016 following two things 

·        a successful project launched in 2014 in Glasgow led by the local authority called Improving the Cancer Journey, Glasgow.   You can read the final evaluation report published in September 2020.  

 ·        results from Macmillan’s Patient Experience Survey where it was clear that Powys patients were feeling more isolated and less supported than residents in other parts of Wales.  

Macmillan was keen to test out how a model of care could be put in place in a more rural county and Powys was chosen as the first Welsh project. 

Cancer is also classed as one of the Big 4 Diseases within the Powys Health and Care Strategy - a joint strategy produced by Powys Teaching Health Board and Powys County Council - both partners in the programme.  Together the three key strategic partners launched the programme in late 2019 and appointed a Programme Lead and a Project Manager.  A Communications and Engagement Officer was appointed in early March 2020.

What’s the key aim of the programme?

The key aim is to bring quality personalised support closer to people’s homes following a cancer diagnosis.  With no district general hospital in the county, the vast majority of residents have to leave the county for tests and treatment.  When residents are in between treatment or check-ups, or discharged from the hospital setting, they can often feel alone and not know where to turn for advice, information, or support.    

The ICJ in Powys programme aims to fill that gap and give support at a local level to improve the person’s well-being and quality of life in whatever way matters to them.

Support can be 

• emotional,
• practical,
• physical,
• financial,
• social, or
• spiritual.     

Support tends to focus on the non-medical things that affect people like needing help to collect prescriptions or do some shopping, someone to come in and tidy the house or do some gardening or cleaning. People may be worried about their work situation and need help with financial matters from accessing benefits, considering their pension, or applying for a blue badge. Unsurprisingly, transport and getting to hospital appointments is another key factor that impacts both people’s health and wallet. 

Who’s involved in the programme?

Macmillan Cancer Support

Powys Teaching Health Board

Powys County Council

The Bracken Trust

Credu

PAVO 

How are  relationships and crossworking managed?

• One of the key successes already has been the daily screening meetings which take place in the council.  The Assist service take calls every day about care and support needs and these are discussed in detail the next morning so help can be identified.  PAVO and Credu both current attend these screening meetings and all residents presenting with a cancer diagnosis are signposted to PAVO for a holistic needs assessment.   Carers are signposted to Credu

• The peer support group meetings take place every six weeks allowing all outreach workers, community connectors and the lead nurse from the Bracken Trust and the Lead Cancer nurse from the health board to come together and share any good practice, any barriers and to discuss options to improve the offer of a supportive conversation to Powys residents who have a cancer diagnosis. 

What are we doing well?

The Assist screening meetings are working well and have seen an increase in referrals not just for people living with cancer.

The council’s Money Advice team have expert knowledge about benefits and support to help someone who is facing increased costs re- travel, heating etc…

All delivery partners are working hard to offer people living with cancer the support they want about the things that matter to them.  This results in a tailored package of care not an off the shelf solution.

Together we are raising awareness of the programme both locally, regionally, and nationally.  Sue Ling, ICJ Communications and Engagement Lead and Sharon Healey, PAVO Senior Officer Health and Wellbeing, both attended the Macmillan conference in London in early November.  Sharon took part in a panel debate and spoke about the role the third sector are playing in Powys to support people living with cancer.

 left to right:  Sharon with fellow panel colleagues – Sheila Small and Emmily Ochieng
 from the Hillingdon NHS Trust and Sian Webb from NHS Kent and Medway.

How are people living with cancer involved?

The programme set up a stakeholder reference group in September 2020 which became the Journeying Together Forum comprising of ten people with lived experience either as someone living with cancer or as an unpaid carer. The forum meeting bi-monthly and discuss barriers, coproduce publicity materials, complete surveys, contribute ideas and hold the programme to account with representatives attending both the Operational Board and Strategic Programme Board meetings.

How does someone access support?

If you are supporting someone living with cancer and they’d like some additional support then please do refer them to Penny who is contactable on 01597 828649 / penny.tanner@pavo.org.uk

How do I find out more about the broader ICJ programme?

The ICJ webpage hosts a lot of information about the programme including both video’s and a compendium of patient stories that is worth viewing.  It also has various reports and copies of all press release issued by the programme. Here Dr Ruth Corbally talks about the what matters to you / eHNA conversation that is on offer to anyone living with cancer in our county.

What Other Resources are available?

Books About Cancer resource.

In late 2020 a grant was sought to purchase four sets of Macmillan recommended books. These books are available for loan from Powys libraries. You can order online using the library catalogue.  

Support Closer to Home leaflet.    

CNSs in hospitals across Wales and England are often praised for their empathetic approach to patients. They are kind and knowledgeable and many offer Powys patients a holistic needs assessment in the hospital setting. However, we know that sometimes that isn’t necessarily the right time for the person who has just recently received a cancer diagnosis to take this on board.  So, the forum suggested a simple A5 leaflet be produced which CNSs could hand out to Powys patients. This signposts them to the key delivery partners and explains what type of support can be given closer to home from collection of prescriptions to dog walking to benefits advice.  10,000 leaflets were printed. and distributed during the summer. 

Support Closer to Home - Leaflet 

A chance to join in Powys ParkWalk/ParkRun.

Although known as parkrun, lots of people walk the route and in October the ICJ programme joined forces with parkrun to promote and encourage people living with cancer to join in. If someone you are supporting might be interested they just need to register and download their bar code.  It’s a simple as that. There are two parkruns in the county currently – one in Builth Wells and one in Newtown. Both start at 9am on a Saturday morning. 

Powys Park Walk / Park Run.

Listening to Patient Stories - Key Themes.

In 2021 people living with cancer were asked to share their experiences with the programme.

In listening to and then analysing the stories captured, ten key themes emerged which seemed to be common for the majority of Powys residents. 

Listening to Patient Stories.

• Pre-diagnosis, diagnosis and prognosis. 
• Co-ordination of care.
• Emotional support and care.
• Patient voice and choice.
• Carers rights and voice.
• Practical support offered in the county.
• Relationships and communication.
• Transport and travel.
• Education and information.
• Advance Care planning.

Understanding these key themes will help the programme consider gaps and improve awareness, connections and relationships with acute sites, health care professionals and all involved in caring for someone with a diagnosis. 

Mudiad Meithrin - Why Play Matters.

Tell us about Mudiad Meithrin and how it started.

Mudiad Meithrin was born during the 1971 Bangor National Eisteddfod, as the Cymdeithas Ysgolion Meithrin Cymraeg (Society of Welsh medium Nursery Schools).  Our aim is to ensure that every child in Wales has the opportunity to benefit from Welsh-medium early years experiences.  

Over the past 50 years, Mudiad Meithrin has firmly established itself in the national consciousness as the Welsh-medium early years specialist.  Today, it supports a national network of Cymraeg i Blant (Cymraeg for Kids) groups and Clwb Cwtsh informal Welsh language classes, alongside its traditional Cylchoedd Ti a Fi (Welsh-medium Stay and Play groups), Cylchoedd Meithrin (Welsh-medium playgroups/nurseries) and dedicated Welsh-medium training through Academi for the sector from initial qualifications through to innovative CPD short courses and accredited childcare qualifications.

In your opinion, what is the most beneficial aspect of Mudiad Meithrin’s work?

Mudiad Meithrin provides accessible, local Welsh-medium activities for families across Wales from birth to school age.  As well as providing affordable, community-based Welsh-language childcare options for parents across Wales, Mudiad Meithrin also helps to build community networks through participation in and with the local groups.  The friendships made and developed by both the children and their carers builds support networks across our communities, both rural and urban.  

Research has shown that children raised bilingually benefit in many ways, do you have any tips for parents wanting to support their children bilingually? 

The best advice is for parents to make it fun and try not to force your child to use a particular language at any time.  Going to the local Cylch Ti a Fi or Cylch Meithrin is a big help … as you and your children will be able to socialise with other families who also want to raise their children bilingually.  The more opportunities you have to hear and practice speaking both (all) languages the more the children will naturally want to use them.  

There are a huge range of books, TV programmes and Apps available to help support the use of Welsh in the home. Choosing a few favourites to start will encourage you to use them and over time you will find yourself looking for more to add to your collection.  

If you want to learn Welsh or just develop your confidence a bit more, then there a range of courses available, both online and in-person.  Clwb Cwtsh is a great way to start if you have young children, and courses are available across Wales.

If someone was new to the area how would they find their local group and sign up? 

The best way to find your local Ti a Fi group (Cylch Ti a Fi / Stay and Play group) or Cylch Meithrin (Welsh-medium playgroup) is to use the ‘Find a Cylch’ function on our website here: Search for a Cylch - Meithrin .  Once you’ve found your local Cylch, you can contact them directly to sign up or for more information.  Many Cylchoedd also have their own social media pages.  Once you have found your local group, following their social media pages can be a good way of making that first leap and then keeping in touch once you’ve been.

Why is play important for children and how do you think the pandemic has impacted children’s play?

Children learn through play, and young children don’t differentiate between playing and learning.  Different kinds of play help children develop different types of skills.  Collaborative play helps them develop their social and emotional skills as well as understanding how turn-taking works in different situations.  Structured play opportunities help them develop their fine and gross motor skills.  Putting things in and out of containers might be frustrating for us adults, but it helps children to develop skills they need for later formal learning.  Just moving and using their muscles helps them to learn how their body moves and improves their coordination … squidging their peas with their fingers actually helps them to hold a pen or fork when they’re older!

Many of our children have seen their opportunities for unstructured, free play restricted over the past few years.  As families were encouraged not to meet and socialise, children of all ages missed out on opportunities to make and nurture friendships with minimal adult intervention.  

For those children born during the pandemic, especially in early 2020, the pandemic heavily impacted their early experiences of play.  With Stay and Play groups not able to meet in person, many only interacted with other members of their immediate family for a considerable length of time.  With playgrounds also kept closed in those early days, access to outdoor public play spaces was limited.  A factor which impacted families living in homes with no private outdoor space considerably … without a garden you can’t easily play ‘tag’, kick a ball, or just sit crunching the leaves from the trees.

What is the most valuable thing you have learned about the positive impact of play for children? 

That free play is important … it’s both free (in terms of cost) and unstructured (the children get to decide the rules).  Two things that are essential for our children to develop the skills that they need as they grow.  Encouraging our children to be creative and use what’s available instead of feeling pressured into buying new toys and gadgets all the time.  Free play feeds their imaginations … pillowcases can be superhero capes one day, a magic carpet the next.  Cushions can be buses, castles or a pirate island as required.  

Mostly though, the positive impact of play is that it helps to connect our children with those around them.  The time spent playing, laughing, babbling and generally having fun together helps us all to enjoy that time and build the bonds that last a lifetime.

If you could change one thing about play provision for children, what would it be? 

Increase unstructured outdoor play opportunities and spaces for children.  For many families, homes are comparatively smaller than for previous generations, with outside play space at a premium.  The increase in car use and traffic generally means playing football down the middle of the street isn’t an option for most of today’s children, and many homes have ‘lost’ some of the play potential of their outdoor spaces as the need for parking spaces increased.  Our children also spend more time than previous generations in formal childcare outside the home, so opportunities for child-regulated outdoor play experiences can be limited.  We need more playgrounds, more parks, more open spaces where children (and their families) can run around, build a den and play imagination driven community games.  Places where families can enjoy the outdoors and encourage free play and creativity, whatever the weather throws at them.

Where did the idea for ‘Forest Cylch,’ come from?

Some Cylchoedd Meithrin operate fully (or almost fully) as outdoor settings and this has inspired us as a Cylch Meithrin to think about increasing our outdoor practice. The ‘Forest Cylch’ ethos is based on the ‘Forest School’ concept and we have depended heavily on improving our learning with an accredited trainer running sessions with us in Llanerfyl. We think that children learn better through play and that playing outdoors provides physical and cognitive benefits. 

What inspired you to train as a forest school leader?

Mirain, our Cylch leader, is undertaking a Level 5 qualification (in childcare) and has chosen this as her end-of-qualification project. So although Mirain won’t be a fully accredited ‘Forest School’ practitioner, she will embed much of her learning in the way she plans everyday activities incorporating the expectations of the new curriculum.

What are the benefits of forest school? 

They say that there isn’t such thing as bad weather only the wrong type of clothes! That is true most of the time although no-one would want to be outside in torrential, cold rain! Most of the time, however, we recognise that children enjoy learning through play outdoors and enjoying being immersed in nature. We have seen first hand how they develop their play using natural resources (tree stumps, leaves, pinecones) and how they love roasting marshmallows on an open fire under supervision! We have invested in warm, insulated coats for staff and in dry suits for the children so that (inappropriate) clothing is never an excuse or reason for not going out!

How do you plan to embed the forest school principles into your practice?

Embedding these principles will be easier as we move our setting location to Ysgol Cwm Banwy with its access to expensive green fields and a sensory garden. We will of course have our designated outdoor play area where the children will be inspired to learn and create using all that nature has to offer!

If you had one top tip, or piece of advice about children’s wellbeing what would it be?

Appreciating the positive impact of play in that it helps to connect our children with those around them. The time spent playing, laughing, babbling and generally having fun together helps us all to enjoy that time and build the bonds that last a lifetime.

A Balanced Approach to Living Well in Powys.

Phoenix Mindful Living

learning to live with ease.

We were really excited to meet up with Nikki Thomas-Roberts who told us all about the amazing Balance Programme, currently being offered to unpaid carers and volunteers in Powys. The next programme starts on the 5th August, Nikki tells us all about the benefits and what's involved below.

 Where did the idea for the Balance Programme come from? 

Powys Care Academy and Powys Council commissioned Phoenix Mindful Living, a company run by Nikki Thomas-Roberts to undertake a scope to find out what we could do to enhance support to Carers and Volunteers living in Powys. The Balance Programme was designed to meet the needs of Carers and Volunteers based on engagement work and feedback undertaken by PAVO, CREDU and Powys Council. The programme has been trialled over the past six months and many participants have taken part. What has worked really well has been the 8 week Mindfulness Based Living Course,  one day Balance Retreat and one to one sessions to support participants with space, time, skills, resources and connection to other Carers and Volunteers in safe and friendly environments.

Nikki Thomas - Roberts

Who is delivering the sessions and what is their background? 

Nikki runs Phoenix Mindful Living. She is a Registered General Nurse, works as a Wellbeing Development Practitioner, has worked for 39 years in cancer care, Leadership and Organisational Development since starting her career in cancer care at the age of 16. Nikki was also a young carer and has a caring role for her two sons. Like her three children, Nikki is herself Dyslexic and has relentlessly looked for ways to support her emotional wellbeing and fellow NHS staff, nurses and Doctors over the past twenty years. Understanding how Compassion based mindfulness can impact and support individuals including herself, drives Nikki to teach these techniques both in the UK and the USA.

What does a typical 8 week programme involve?

The Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) is generally run on MS Teams, the sessions are 2 hours long and run on a Wednesday afternoon 2.30-4.30pm or Friday mornings, 9.30-11.30 am

We can always negotiate other times, such as evenings or weekends if this works better. The course starts off with very gentle compassion based mindfulness techniques and practices, to help the participant really ‘feel’ how to be mindful. So that when it comes to weaving these skills into everyday life, they have already experienced it. Compassion practices are really important because often Carers and Volunteers give so much of themselves in their caring roles, often they can feel overwhelmed and sometimes lose the essence of themselves. Self-compassion supports individuals to not feel so isolated, to know that as a race we are connected to others and to understand why it’s important to keep ourselves in the loop of compassion as best we can. The Powys Programme creates very small groups who empathise and connect with each other in terms of the difficulties we are all facing sometimes, this in its own right, can be really helpful to participants.

Who is the programme for and who can access the service?

Initially the Balance Programme was designed with Powys Carers and Volunteers in mind. After the success of the first pilot, we have also rolled the programme out to Health Care workers too.

Balance Mindfulness Session. 

What are the benefits of attending? 

Participants will experience how to meditate, develop skills to manage their emotions and to regulate emotions more skilfully. Learning how to weave these new skills into everyday life, so that mindfulness is not something else to do, but being more present and generally being  mindful helps participants live with more ease.  Even on a short course or a one day retreat, Carers and Volunteers have left knowing more about how their mind works; what effect this has on their bodies; actions and emotions and how to soothe themselves even in moments of real difficulty. Participants have fed back to us how they feel they’ve learned to be more present and how to experience moments of contentment, ease, joy and positive emotions too.

Being aware of these positive emotions helps us balance some of the difficulties we experience in life.

In what ways has the programme supported unpaid carers?

Balance has done just that, helped Carers and Volunteers Balance their needs with the needs of others. This is still work in progress and it is our intention to grow the programme organically, which means we’re directed by what works for Carers and Volunteers. For example, we have developed a way of meeting participants where they are. Despite running retreats and sessions online, we know that there is a much greater need and to meet this challenge, so we have designed ‘ Mobile Mindfulness in The Good Karma Camper,’ which means we can come out to small communities and villages, organisations and youth groups and run short mindfulness sessions where Carers and Volunteers live, all over Powys. Our Retreats have provided a lovely space too, time to chat in a safe environment, encouraged walking meditation and a connecting over lunch. Learning skills and tools together in a fun and friendly way to support emotional health issues. The Balance Programme is not Therapy, however the practices and programme can have a therapeutic effect. Mindfulness can be used to manage many emotional health issues including Anxiety and Depression.

Supporting Emotional Health

Is there a respite support service in place to support carers to attend?

Yes there is. This is vital if we are to reach Carers and Volunteers. We can link up with Powys Council for support in supporting the cared for.  

Do you have a case study you can share with us?

Cecilia recently completed one of the 8 week programmes and really felt the benefits, here is what she had to say about her experience.

Where is the programme held? 

Over MS Teams and in person. So far we have held several sessions and  two 8 week MBLC’s on line and two Retreats at Bronllys Hospital at the Basil Webb Centre. One to one sessions can be done on line or over the phone. We are looking to set up Retreats further afield across Powys county as and when needed, to accommodate Carer and Volunteers individual needs.

Bronllys - Basil Webb Centre

When does the next programme begin and how can people book a place?

The latest online course (delivered over Microsoft Teams) begins on Wednesday 26 April, 9.30-11.30am, with further sessions, at the same time, on 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 May, and on 7 and 14 June.

To find out more and to book your place, please contact Nikki Thomas-Roberts, of Phoenix Mindful Living, on: phoenixmindfulliving(at)gmail.com 

If you don’t have the time to attend an eight-week course, staff and volunteers working in the health and social care sector can also attend a one-off, three-hour, free Harmony and Balance Session (for up to eight participants) over Microsoft Teams. The next available dates for these are Wednesday 31 May, 1.30-4.30pm, and Wednesday 26 July, 9.30am-12.30pm.

Where can people find out more about the programme? 

Please contact phoenixmindfulliving@gmail.com or contact Nikki on 07803472316 between 6-8pm on week evenings and anytime on Saturdays.

 

County Lines & Cuckooing - Understanding the risk to our Communities.

County Lines is a growing national concern. A review of violent crimes was carried out in 2018 leading to a greater understanding in 2021 and a recognition that County Lines is a serious current problem.

What are County Lines?

‘County Lines' is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas (within the UK), using dedicated mobile phone lines or other form of ‘deal line’. These lines are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move (and store) the drugs and money and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons. The top 3 exporting areas in the UK are London, Merseyside and the West Midlands. The major cities have become saturated with drugs and have recognised that there is money to be made in selling the drugs in smaller localities. Whilst the export of drugs from larger cities to smaller local areas has always been a problem, the increased concern with County Lines is the use of weapons and exploitation of vulnerable individuals, with the increased threat risk of harm.

Areas with an impact on Powys.

How has Powys been affected by County Lines?

No county lines activity had been recorded in DPP for a number of months until the summer of 2020. County lines have since been recorded operating in towns including Brecon, Newtown, Llandrindod and Llanelli. The biggest threat to the Powys with regards to County Line offenders is from groups originating from Birmingham and the North West of England. Towns impacted by County Line groups originating from multiple areas are at greatest risk of violence.

How does it work? 

We're asked to consider it in the same was as a business model, whereby criminal networks supply drugs. Members or individuals from the group will visit the location they are targeting and get to know local drug users supplying them with crack cocaine and /or heroin. They will build up a client list by offering cheap or good quality drugs using a ‘branded drugs line’ (E.g., Scouse Steve/Oscar/Goldie) and send out bulk texts offering drug deals and incentives to buy from them. The drug line is commonly held in the exporting area and young gang members or locals deal the drugs in the importing area. Those selling the drugs may ‘cuckoo,’ addresses or use B&Bs, Air BNBs changing address frequently, this is commonly known as ‘cuckooing,’

Criminal networks supply drugs

What is ‘Cuckooing’ ? 

Cuckooing is a new type of crime which involves a drug dealer befriending a weak, old or otherwise vulnerable individual who lives on their own. Like a cuckoo, the dealer moves in, takes over the property, and turns it into a drugs' den. Gangs begin by taking over premises in the target town, sometimes by coercion, by using property belonging to local addicts who are paid in drugs, or by beginning a relationship with a vulnerable individual. Once in place they use common marketing tactics to get established, including ‘introductory’ offers. They then expand the workforce, recruiting local runners to deliver drugs and money. The groups often use children, because they work for little pay, are easy to control, and are less likely to be detected. Children can then be groomed with gifts and money to control them via a ‘debt’ Where girls are used they can sometimes also became the victims of sexual violence.

How can we tell if someone has become a victim of Cuckooing? 

There are a number of signs that can alert us to the fact that someone might be a victim of cuckooing.

• Missing appointments / avoiding contact with people in a position of authority / or not allowing access to the premises (E.g., Police, housing association staff).

• Reports of anti-social behaviour at the address. 

• Intelligence reporting / Increased number of visitors to the address / unusually high key fob activity to social housing properties.

• Loss of bank card / indication that someone else is using their account.

• Not staying at their home address (possibly because someone else has taken over it!).

• Nervousness and or injuries.

• Sudden appearance of new friends or friends from out of town with no clearly established links or common background.

• A number of new or  unfamiliar people in the property.

• Resident appears uncomfortable.

• A relapse into drug use. 

Who is involved? 

Cuckooing and County Lines involves the national movement and transportation of exploited, vulnerable children and individuals. Once established in town the drug dealer will return to the larger cities. Young gang members or other vulnerable people in the local area are then used to convey the proceeds back to the organisers in the cities and replenish the drugs. Frequently the drugs will be transported internally. There is likely to be evidence or intelligence of exploitation, violence or the use of weapons.

Children as young as 11 years old can be targeted for a County Lines operation. Males and females aged between 18-25 years are the current most common age group recruited, with around 20% of those involved in County Lines being under the age of 18. More often than not it's young males who are targeted and exploited. In legal terms people under the age of 18 are recognised as children and cannot consent to being exploited.

There are certain common characteristics of people targeted for County Lines operations.

• People with mental health issues or physical/learning difficulties

• Those having prior experience of neglect, physical/sexual abuse

• Those without a stable home and children in care

• Social isolation and those without a support network can make someone more vulnerable.

• Connections with other people involved in gangs

• Individuals who are excluded from mainstream education

• Students and foreign exchange students known as 'Money Mules,' There are examples of people enrolling for courses then not attending, simply to provide a way in to recruit students to County Lines gangs.

• Even children who have had no previous contact with services who are known as ‘clean skins’.

• Class A drug users.

Look past the stereotypes

Why are children and vulnerable adults used?

Whilst children and adults are mostly commonly used – anyone can become a victim.

• They can have different roles within the organised crime gang or network. 

• They are easy to manipulate / groom / exploit.

• Children don’t always see themselves as victims and can therefore be easily exploited.

• The criminal isn’t caught with drugs and therefore there is less likelihood of conviction. 

• Children are less likely to be stopped and searched.

• Children and the vulnerable are seen as expendable.

• Older vulnerable people may have addresses that can be used by drug dealers to run their business from, allowing them to accommodate drug runners and stash the drugs. 

• The train and public transport network is used because of the ease of use, links to other areas and because children don’t drive. 

The Childrens’ Society #LookCloser campaign asks us to look past some of the stereotypes, to look at what might be taking place under the surface. It asks us to consider the situation and what we can do to help to protect vulnerable young people. It's a collective responsibility that we have to ensure the safety of young people.

What attracts young people to the County Lines movement ?

There are a number of factors known as ‘Push / Pull factors,’ that can coerce young and vulnerable people to get involved with county lines. Factors that can make a young person more susceptible to being recruited are 

• Children who have been victims of abuse.

• Children from households where domestic violence has been a feature.

• Children whose parents are vulnerable.

• Households with a history of family breakdown.

• Children with disabilities/ EBD Children who are bullied.

• Children with an absence of primary attachment figure. 

A recent investigation by Yorkshire and Humberside police found that very often victims are sold a dream, or a way of life through social media and made to feel part of something, giving them a sense of belonging and attention not received elsewhere. This can be achieved through

• Being made to feel special, trusted, liked or fancied. 

• Receiving alcohol, drugs, money, food or gifts. 

• Getting a buzz and the excitement of risk taking behaviour.

• Being offered somewhere to stay where there are no rules or boundaries.

• Being given lifts, taken to new places, having adventures with ‘friends’.

Young & vulnerable people are often targeted. 

How can we tell if a young or vulnerable person has been recruited into a County Line? 

The warning signs below on their own are not in themselves always cause for concern but a number of combined factors, that raises professional curiosity is worth asking the question, what might be happening here? We need to look at and be aware of what is going on around us.

• Are they in possession of more than one mobile phone?

• Are they paying with large sums of cash? (E.g., paying train fares or fines in cash).

• Do they have any obvious signs of wealth (E.g., new trainers, new clothing / jewellery / phone – could be an indication of grooming).

• Do they appear nervous / unfamiliar with the area?

• Are they travelling at unusual times or travelling out of their home area? Another clue is the possession of train or bus tickets. It's not just people coming in to the area, it's also people going missing from the local area.

• Are they making / receiving excessive calls or texts?

• Are they avoiding staff or police?

• Has their behaviour changed – becoming secretive or withdrawn or isolating from peers.

• Are they going missing with unexplained absences from school, college, training, work or appointments?

• Have they talked about being in debt?

• Are they missing their bank card, or is there any unusual activity on their account? 

• Have they been found with large quantities of drugs or weapons?

• Are they more confident than usual with expressions around invincibility, or not caring what happens – ‘others have their back’. 

• Possession of hotel keys or cards or keys to an unknown premises.

• Entering or leaving vehicles with unknown adults.

• Unexplained new friendships, often with the use of nicknames.

What can we do to stop the growth of County Lines in Powys? 

Adopting a multi-agency response is the most effective way forward, it's not a problem that we can simply arrest our way out of. We need to be the eyes and ears of our communities, to keep vulnerable individuals within our communities safe. To do this we can ensure that our workforces and colleagues are aware of the issue and how to spot the signs. We need to encourage our workforces and colleagues to be confident that ‘If they feel something is wrong, say something about it’. Information on these concerns may be the missing part of the jigsaw

If you have any information about people involved in organised crime or those who may 

be exploited then please contact Dyfed Powys Police

• Call - 101 or 999

• Email - contactcentre@dyfed-powys.pnn.police.uk

• Speak to your local PCSO’s

The message from our Police force is simple, “Whatever your role we need you to act on your professional curiosity – don’t leave it to others.”

Working together to support our communities. 

Further Useful Resources

Government advice - County lines: criminal exploitation of children and vulnerable adults. Brings together documents and promotional material related to the government’s work to end criminal exploitation https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/county-lines-criminal-exploitation-of-children-and-vulnerable-adults

What is County Lines? https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=50&v=3ILaguFXHr4&feature=emb_title

Gwent police – County Lines; Spot the Signs - https://www.gwent.pcc.police.uk/en/news-room/county-lines-spot-the-signs/

‘Are You Listening?’ – New film to tackle Child Criminal Exploitation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbY7zCJCi3w&feature=youtu.be

SchoolBeat.Cymru have developed a lesson for delivery in schools to educate young people about one of the most significant issues that affect our communities- Criminal Exploitation of Children and County Lines - https://vimeo.com/436784100/96042b5590

Crimestoppers #Fearless - https://www.fearless.org/en/campaigns/county-lines

The ruthlessness of a County Lines perpetrator -  https://tinyurl.com/yya3x43c

Thanks to Richard Weber from Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit for his recent presentation and information provided.