FUNDING INFORMATION DAY: If you belong to a voluntary or community group, or apply through funding through your line of work, but find funding applications a minefield, then, all is not lost.

A free Funding Information Day is being held on April 5 at Ebbw Vale Senior Comprehensive School, between 9.45am-1.30pm - includes lunch. To book your place, please telephone GAVO, on (01495) 315626.

BEETLE DRIVE: St Michael's Church hold a Beetle Drive at the Corner Club on Wednesday, April 25, at 7pm. Tickets cost £3, including refreshments, and are available either at the Thursday coffee mornings or from a church member.

MORE BLAENAU GWENT COMMUNITY FOOD NEWS: Ebbw Vale Farmers' Market April 19 - We hope to be rustling up more tasty and healthy dishes at the Farmer's Market in April. Why not pay us a visit and see how you too can bring al fresco cooking to Blaenau Gwent!

Fruit of the Month - We are used to seeing strawberries all year round as they are imported from all over the world, but nothing compares to the flavour of our home-grown fruits.

They will soon start to appear in shops from April, and get cheaper and better as the season progresses.

ABERTILLERY ORPHEUS MALE CHOIR NEWS: I have been given the following report by M Milliams the Press Officer: Abertillery Orpheus Choir was in concert on March 23 at St Mary's Church-in-Wales.There was a full church choir and the children's choir. Two ladies sang a duet and there was a clarinet soloist.

The Orpheus sang a varied programme of songs from the shows, Welsh standards, spirituals and hymns. Many thanks to M Taylor, stage manager.

On March 31, we are going to sing at a civil wedding. I think this will be a first for the choir. The groom is a member, so it will be a pleasure to attend on his wedding day.

On April 24, we are at Salem Chapel, in Blaina. This chapel is becoming a centre for concerts and exhibitions in the town. It is organised by the Chartist Group, who put on a lot of things at the Salem.

GRAND UNVEILING: The Green Gym Community Canvas, which reflects what the environment means to the local community and had contributions from attenders at the Yetti Communities first event in Abertillery, the youth clubs at Coedcae and St Paul's Cwmtillery, the art club at the Roseheyworth Millennium School, visitors to the Owl Sanctuary Festival Park and the Green Gym, is on display at Bryn Bach Park in Tredegar, April 2-11.

The Green Gym will be at the park for lunch from 12.30pm on Wednesday to view the artwork and there's some nature walks in the afternoon.

The Community Canvas was a partnership activity with BGCBC Arts Development.

THANK YOU: By the time you read this, I will have closed my shop in the Arcade.

Unfortunately, it is time to explore other avenues, but I'll still be around Abertillery, so feel free to let me know what's happening, so that I can add it to my column.

I'd like you all to know how much I've enjoyed meeting you and the time we spent putting the world to rights - yes, you know who you are - and that I've been very touched by all your good wishes and gifts.