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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Friday, 29th November 2024. Tre-Ysgawen Hall. Any Enquiries, please call 01407 762 004. BY INVITATION ONLY --- CYFARFOD CYFFREDINOL BLYNYDDOL Dydd Gwener, 29 Tachwedd 2024. Tre-Ysgawen Hall. Unrhyw ymholiadau, galwch 01407 762 004. TRWY GWAHODDIAD YN UNIG

After a delay to the start of work on the two buildings, we are excited to share our latest updates on the project. Design visuals courtesy of Môn Interiors We recently participated in an event which allowed members of the public to learn about the projects. We also opened the doors of the two buildings, giving members of the public a rare glimpse inside the sites. Work is due to start soon, and will begin with demolishing some of the interior structures. If you didn't attend the public engagement event, don't worry! In this post, we'll summarise each project and include images and renders of what's planned. What is the Vacant Property Programme? The Vacant Property Programme was undertaken to help redevelop some empty properties in Holyhead. The project involves refurbishing two sites, to provide local businesses with affordable premises. The ambition is to create spaces people want to visit and make the town centre a destination again. Increasing footfall to the area and benefitting everyone in the long term. The buildings include the former HSBC and Central Buildings (Former Careers Wales). Môn CF Buildings Update: Former HSBC Building: The former HSBC bank is the largest project in our current portfolio. Requiring refurbishment works, the plans for the site were hit by inflation and soaring material costs. Môn CF conducted a budget review period to reduce costs while maintaining the project vision. The final use of the building won't change. The ground floor will become a restaurant and a local craft beer tap room. With the top two floors becoming overnight accommodation. HSBC Building Gallery Renders & Drawings Courtesy of DEWIS Architecture Central Buildings (Former Careers Wales): A large building located in the centre of Holyhead (Formerly Careers Wales). This site is to be refurbished into a space for retail and function. Inflation meant initial plans for this building needed to change slightly. Some works have been scaled back to ensure the project gets back on budget.  The use of the building will remain the same with a cafe on the ground floor and a drama and dance studio on the top 2 floors. Central Building Gallery Renders & Drawings Courtesy of DEWIS Architecture For more information on the project, please contact Môn CF on 01407 762 004

Thank you to everyone who attended the recent engagement event in the Holyhead Town Hall regarding the Holyhead Town Centre Regeneration Project. For those who weren’t there, we’ve put this short Q&A together with some commonly asked questions.  Q1. How were the building contractors chosen? A. For all Levelling Up Fund (LUF) projects, any contract exceeding £30,000 must be procured through the Sell2Wales platform.  You can learn more about it here: https://www.sell2wales.gov.wales/helpandresources/helpful-resources/howtousesell2wales#What%20is%20Sell2Wales This procurement method has been applied to all LUF projects. Q2. Môn CF are not allowed to make money. A. Môn CF is allowed to generate revenue, but any profits made are reinvested into local project delivery.  Q3. Is there going to be a hotel in the old HSBC? A. There will be seven un-serviced guest rooms located on the 1st and 2nd floors. Q4. Why aren’t you doing the old Woolworths building? A. We looked into purchasing the building but were unable to reach an agreement on the price with the owner. Q5. Why did Little Treasures close? A. Little Treasures chose to relocate to a larger unit in the Holyhead Industrial Estate. Q6. Will the projects deliver value for money? A. All LUF projects must align with the Green Book guidance by HM Treasury on how to appraise policies, programmes and projects.   https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-green-book-appraisal-and-evaluation-in-central-government/the-green-book-2020

It’s been a while since we last provided an update on the work taking place through the Vacant Property Project that is taking place in Holyhead Town Centre. The project has been impacted by factors outside of our control, like the cost of living and inflation, which have caused unforeseen delays to the works. However, we wanted to make this post to keep everyone up to date on what we’re doing in Holyhead, and to let you know that the plans are still going ahead – despite them being slightly delayed compared to our original plan. In this post, we’ll provide a re-cap to the objectives of the project, and give you an update on each property, so you can be up to date on their progress. What is the Vacant Property Programme? The Vacant Property Programme is a project undertaken to help transform and redevelop some of the empty properties in Holyhead Town Centre. The project involves the purchase of prominent empty properties, and investing in their refurbishment, to provide local businesses with affordable premises from which to operate. Our ambition is to create spaces that people want to visit and make the town centre a destination for experiences, increasing overall footfall to the area and benefitting everyone here in the long-term. The buildings include the former HSBC, Central Buildings (Former Careers Wales), 9 Stanley Street, 14a and 14b Stanley Street (Former County Stationers). Môn CF Buildings Update: Former HSBC Building: This is the largest of our projects and is taking longer than we had hoped to get started. The dramatic hike in building costs due to inflation has meant our original budget could not deliver what we had originally planned, thus we have had to amend our plans to bring the building costs down. The use of the building long term will not change fundamentally with the ground floor being a restaurant and a separate local craft beer tap room. The top 2 floors will be overnight accommodation rooms. The revised tender is still live for another week on the Sell2Wales platform so we shall know before the end of July who the successful contractor will be. In August we shall see work starting on the building with all works due to be completed by the end of August 2025. Central Buildings (Former Careers Wales): This is also a large building in the town centre. For similar reasons to the HSBC, inflation has had an adverse effect on our original design. We have scaled back some of the works on the building to ensure we get the project back on budget.  The use of the building will remain the same which is a cafe on the ground floor and a drama and dance studio on the top 2 floors. The tender for this work is also on the Sell2Wales platform and is scheduled to close next week, and we expect to appoint a building contractor end of July 2024. Work on the building will start in August 2024 with a completion date of June 2025.  9 Stanley Street: This building is due to be completed by August 2024 and is currently being refurbished by Anglesey Builders. The ground floor will be a shop selling locally made soap and other handcrafted items. The top two floors will be a new 2-bedroom flat. This will be offered for rent to a local family shortly. 14a and 14b Stanley Street (Former County Stationers): This building is proving quite problematic. A survey has found defective Steel Beams on the first-floor level. These Steel Beams will have to be replaced before any work can be started on the building. This work will be done by the end of 2024, and it is expected that the full refurbishment works will commence in early 2025 with completion in the Summer of 2025.   For more information on the project, please contact Môn CF on 01407 762 004

From all of us here at Môn CF we would like to thank everyone who has helped make the first Anglesey Business Awards a night to remember. Seeing so many people from our community come together to celebrate the achievements of businesses on the island was truly inspiring. To our attendees, thank you for taking the time to join us. Your presence and support were key to the event's success, and we hope you had as great a time as we did! A huge thank you to our event sponsors who made the evening possible. Your generosity and commitment to our mission let us shine a spotlight on the incredible businesses shaping Anglesey's future. We are deeply grateful for all of your support. Thank you for making the first Anglesey Business Awards evening a success! In the lead-up to the event, we received hundreds of nominations from members of the public who wanted to celebrate their favourite businesses. Our nomination form asked people to include a detailed description of why each business deserved to win, and the responses we received were truly heartwarming. From the impact felt in their local communities to the support and service they provide every day, the finalists of this year's awards were inspiring. In no particular order, see the list of awards, the winners, and runners-up, with a snippet of some of their nominations below: Entrepreneur of the Year (Under 30 Years) Winner: Wild Fern Floral Ryan is a breath of fresh air. Always ready to advise on the suitability of flowers for different occasions. Very friendly and approachable and a Welsh speaker. He also supports local charities with raffle prizes and is generous to all.   He goes above and beyond.   Runner-Up: Clwb Fitness I have personally seen the hard work Bethan has put into the business and seeing it thrive. She is always thinking of ways to help the community. She is an amazing PT and works so hard for our community. Beth is amazing   Entrepreneur of the Year (Over 30 Years) Winner: Clearview Window Cleaning Steve has taken over from his father and in a very short time has moved from being a one van man window cleaning operation to multiple vans employing many local people. The staff are great and are out in all weathers. They’re growing their staff yearly which means more jobs for local people. They always donate free window cleaning as prizes for local charities. I can even overlook the fact that Steve is a Liverpool fan so I can nominate him!”   Runner-Up: Dragon Security I have worked alongside a number of security businesses over the years and none stand out as much as Shabeer and his team. They are always happy to help with a smile but when things get serious they are very quick to calm any situation and keep everything under control.    Friendly and prepared to go the extra mile and always helping local businesses.  They sponsor local majorette groups and football teams as well as the Holyhead festival.   Start-Up of the Year Winner: Caffi Banc Vicky has created something really special in Caffi Banc. As a young, local girl who has been home baking for years, she took a leap and decided to showcase her baking along with offering a fantastic menu in Caffi Banc. Vicky thought she would hire 2 to 3 local people when she started her café. She now hires over 9 staff – giving job opportunities to local people.    Runner-Up: TR Handyman *Unfortunately, TR Handyman was not able to attend the event. The Business was built from scratch by a 17 year old. He always takes great care when working and is very respectful towards people.    Micro Business of the Year Winner: Hedyn Cyf The business offers Welsh reading programs for children – many of the resources are offered free of charge. The business has helped raise over £25,000 for local schools by way of its Pot-inc project.   Runner-Up: Bragdy Cybi There’s always a fantastic welcome at Bragdy Cybi. The beer is excellent. Bethan and Dan are truly inspirational. They give donations to local charity fund raising events and are promoters of the Welsh Language.  Tourism Excellence Award Winner: Foel Farm Park A brilliant place for young who want to gain experience of working with animals. They offer volunteer placements and work day in day out to offer exceptional days out for people.  Runner-Up: Anglesey Fishing & Boat Trips Amanda and Dave have worked really hard to build their business and offer something for every price range. Both are very accommodating and go the extra mile for their customers. They offer free fishing trips to local children – many of home are disadvantaged or neurodivergent. For many of the children it is their first experience of fishing.  Innovation Award Winner: The Minimalist Amber is incredible. She helps to change people’s lives. She organizes homes, declutters and helps charities by donating everything others no longer need or want. She is very sensitive and just an incredible person. She enters as a stranger and leaves as family.  Runner-Up: Winrows Law They opened in February 2024 and they are the only law firm on Anglesey providing clients with an on-line portal where they can view the status of their matter, access documents and digitally sign documents. They regularly provide home visits to clients' homes.  Family Business Award Winner: Menai Heating They are a family business and are really caring about the futures of their staff. Lee and Sarah offer amazing opportunities for young people in the area. They champion our local community and provide much-needed sponsorship to our football club.  Runner-Up: Signs & Designs Started after the threat of redundancy, the business has gone from strength to strength. It is now the largest sign company on Anglesey and has created new jobs. They sponsor lots of community groups and charities – as the many messages of thanks on their social media sites will testify.  Small Business of the Year Winner: Catch 22 Brasserie It’s a stunning restaurant. Amazing food and service: family business still supporting local communities. They serviced the local community through Covid and they also hold events to raise money for charities such as Macmillan. The staff are just lovely and cannot do enough to make your dining experience second to none. Runner-Up: Physio Môn Esther is so selfless with her time, encouraging everyone to take care of themselves whether through social media posts or leading the free community walking group – Môn Walkers. She is a busy working mum who gives up her time to help others. Esther cares about her clients. She utilizes her expertise to enable people to regain their fitness and find joy in life. She is totally focused on improving the health of our community.  Expansion & Growth Award Winner: Clearview Window Cleaning Father and son business that has been serving the people of Holyhead and further afield for the past 32 years. The presentation of Holyhead and surrounding villages is greatly improved by their service. Steve the main man deserves this more than anyone.  Runner-Up: Medic1 Direct Medic1 transports people from hospital to home, takes patients to appointments and this includes individuals with mental health problems. Medic 1 is very much into helping in the community.  Contribution to the Community Winner: Nifty 60's A few years ago Môn CF  was approached by someone who was keen to set up a fitness group in Holyhead for people over 60 years of age. He had a couple of like-minded individuals with him who wanted to not only get fitter but to create a new kind of social group. They needed some help with sourcing funding and we were able to secure some start-up funding for the group via the national lottery.

The cost of living impacts many people across the UK, who, despite working full-time, can still struggle to make ends meet. The national minimum wage is still a relatively new concept in the UK, being introduced as recently as 1999. Despite having a minimum wage, however, the current rate does not always match the current cost of living. Individuals living on a minimum wage salary can find it extremely difficult to afford the costs of everyday life without extra support. This extra support can come in the form of Government assistance, or from an employer, who opts to pay a real living wage.  In this post, we will look at what it means to be a living wage employer and see how more employers can sign up to make a difference to their employees.  What is the Real Living Wage? The real living wage is the only UK wage rate based on the cost of living. It is a voluntary payment scheme used by over 14,000 UK businesses. The aim is to pay people a wage they deserve, one that meets their everyday needs – like paying for the weekly shop – and giving people the ability to save for a rainy day. The living wage can be applied by any business from any sector wanting to make a change. If the business can demonstrate that they can pay a living wage, they can apply. By increasing the real living wage, you create more value for your employees. In April 2024 the UK National Minimum Wage rose to meet the National Living Wage. This increase is great for workers but is still lower than the Real Living Wage. So, how does this compare to the Real Living Wage? National Minimum Wage (NMW) Real Living Wage £11.44 £12 (Across UK) £13.15 (In London) The monetary difference doesn't seem much at first glance; however, the Real Living Wage is the only UK rate of pay calculated according to the cost of living, based on a basket of household goods and services.    The Living Wage Foundation was founded with the belief that employees are deserving of a fair pay for their hard work.   The rate is completely voluntary, and there is no legal requirement for businesses to pay their employees a real living wage, however, each year more businesses are signing up for the scheme to support their employees. Why is the Real Living Wage important? The cost of living in the UK can fluctuate greatly. Political and economic factors can influence the cost of everyday goods. Even today, the impact of events like the COVID-19 pandemic and BREXIT can still be felt in the price of the things we buy every day. While prices can go up, they can also come down. Fuel prices are constantly changing up and down depending on external factors that impact the supply. But more often than not, when prices go up, they rarely come down again. Minimum wage was not introduced specifically for improvements with cost of living. And though the government makes efforts to increase the National Minimum Wage regularly, it’s typically just below what would be considered as a fair living wage. Businesses that pay the real living wage see several benefits. There’s usually an improvement in workplace efficiency and morale. According to the Living Wage Foundation, businesses that show this level of commitment to their employees help them feel valued, and as a result, they’re more committed to their work. How to calculate the Real Living Wage The minimum wage is not calculated based on the cost-of-living standards, so using it as a basis for how much income a household needs is difficult. The Real Living Wage, however, works off the cost of a typical expense of household goods and services. Based on those calculations the current real living wage in Wales and the rest of the UK is £12.  The rates are calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Living Wage Commission, based on the best available evidence about living standards in London and the UK.  The basket of goods draws on the Minimum Income Standard to identify everyday living costs through public consensus.   Before 2016 the London Living Wage was calculated by the Greater London Authority and the UK rate was calculated by the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University.  As a community-driven charity that supports people into employment, Môn CF has committed to becoming a Real Living Wage employer. Môn CF is built around pushing communities forward, this accreditation has further illustrated our main belief in supporting the local communities to allow them to prosper. We hope to be a catalyst for change on Anglesey, and hope other local employers join us as organisations paying the Real Living Wage.  How to become a Living Wage employer? Any organisation, no matter how many employees they have can become a Real Living Wage employer. If you’re a business owner and you’d like to make a difference to the lives of your employees in a way that shows you’re committed to them, contact the Living Wage Foundation today!  For the real cost of living | Living Wage Foundation