Pobl’s work supporting people across Wales and south west England was recognised at Cymorth Cymru’s Promoting Independence awards earlier this month.
In a glittering ceremony held at Cardiff’s Radisson Blue Hotel on December 2nd, Pobl scooped the ‘Preventing Homelessness’ award for its PrisonLinkCymru project as well as the ‘Inspirational Colleague’ award for Lisa Lanfear, Equine Welfare Officer at the Community Horse And Pony Scheme (CHAPS).
PrisonLinkCymru works with people entering and leaving custody to prevent them becoming homeless upon release. In the first year since the removal of priority need for those leaving prison, the project supported 944 people to get or retain homes following release.
The service operates across all 4 Welsh prisons as well as 7 in England, working with prisoners who have a local connection to Wales.
The CHAPS project rehabilitates people alongside rescue horses and is funded by the Big Lottery. The project tackles generational unemployment and underachievement as well as South Wales’ urban horse crisis. It was a second winning year in a row for the CHAPS project, having picked up the Service Innovation Award in 2015.
Lisa joined the CHAPS team in May 2014 and has established an outreach project that continues to go from strength to strength, based on her dreams and aspirations to better the lives and both humans and horses and put an end to animal cruelty.
Lisa was delighted to win the award and said:
‘It is brilliant to receive such amazing recognition for the great work we deliver in the most deprived communities across Swansea, however none of this would have been possible with out the support and backing of the team.’
Katie Double, CHAPS Manager said:
‘Lisa has worked incredibly hard from the day she began her employment at CHAPS. Her motivation and drive is unquestionable. One of Lisa’s best qualities is that she inspires people to achieve more; she doesn’t see challenges as obstacles, only stepping stones to success. Lisa truly is an inspirational colleague.’
