Coedbach Park Pontarddulais achieves coveted Green Flag Community Award

Keep Wales Tidy has unveiled this year’s Green Flag Award winners – the international mark of a
quality park or green space.

A record-breaking 127 community managed green spaces in Wales have met the high standards
needed to receive the prestigious Green Flag Community Award. This means that Wales now holds
a third of the UK’s community Green Flag sites.

The flag will be flying at Coedbach Park Pontarddulais in recognition of its excellent facilities and
commitment to delivering great quality green space.

Next Events at Coedbach Park:
- Park Equipment Painting 15/16 July
- Colour Run 1st September
Please see Facebook for further events.


“Even though Coedbach Park is surrounded by houses and has had in the past a lot of local
history from coal mining to the steel tinplate industry, and although it has the M4 motorway not far
away, despite the traffic noise, the park still manages to feel like a haven of solitude for people who
use it. Introverts and Extraverts alike can find something in the park that will appeal to them and
this makes it a great place to visit without having to travel long distances to find their own peaceful
place of solitude or action. It houses the usual park activities such as children’s play area,
skateboard ramp, fitness equipment, tennis courts, bowling green, football pitch, and small BMX
track. But as it is also a semi wild park with a woodland area that hosts a spectacular show of
Bluebells in April/May each year this is such an advantage for the Park users, especially the
walkers, as it offers a change from most manicured parks in the Swansea area. One moment you
are on a tarmac pathway while you are walking from A to B, and the next step you take can be off
onto the woodchip pathways walking through a natural woodland area admiring the wildlife that
lives within the woodland or along the boardwalk to view the pond life. Local schools use it for
nature walks and it is a great way of helping to educate the pupils about how important a
sustainable natural ecological environment is, not only for their future but also for everyone in the
community’s general wellbeing. It is a natural oasis within the urban environment.”

The Green Flag Award programme is delivered in Wales by environmental charity, Keep Wales
Tidy, with support from Welsh Government. It is judged by green space experts, who volunteer
their time to visit applicant sites and assess them against eight strict criteria, including biodiversity,
cleanliness, environmental management and community involvement.

Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator at Keep Wales Tidy said:

“The Green Flag Community Award programme continues to go from strength to strength in
Wales, thanks to the commitment and enthusiasm of volunteers across the country."

“We can’t underestimate how important high-quality parks and green spaces are to our
communities, our health and wellbeing, nature and economy. We want to encourage everyone to
explore their local area and make the most of the award-winning sites on their doorstep.”

A full list of award winners can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website
www.keepwalestidy.cymru/greenflag


"We are so pleased to have been awarded The Green Flag Status for another year. Our volunteers and community work tirelessly to make our community park an inviting, safe green space. We are honoured to be putting Wales on the map for quality green spaced" said Christine Thomas (Secretary)

NOTES TO EDITORS
1. For more information please contact: Christine Thomas 07484842664 or email
friendsofcoedbach@gmail.com
2. For more information please contact Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator on 029 20726964 /
07469 118876 or email lucy.prisk@keepwalestidy.cymru
3. For communications support please contact Amy Lloyd on 029 20726985 / 07875 662803
or email amy.lloyd@keepwalestidy.cymru
4.Keep Wales Tidy is a registered environmental charity working to protect the Welsh
environment now and for the future. Visit our website for more information:
www.keepwalestidy.cymru
5. The Green Flag Award gives recognition to parks that have demonstrated the high
standards of the Green Flag Award. Emphasis is also placed on local community
involvement in the ongoing and long-term care of the awarded park.
6. A UK-wide partnership led by Keep Britain Tidy has been awarded the license to run the
Green Flag Award scheme until September 2022. Keep Britain Tidy will manage the overall
scheme under license from the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG)
and will continue to manage day–to-day operations in England, with delivery in the other
nations being overseen by its sister charities Keep Wales Tidy, Keep Northern Ireland
Beautiful and Keep Scotland Beautiful.
7. For more information about the Green Flag Award in Wales visit
www.keepwalestidy.cymru/greenflag
8. To apply, visit the Keep Wales Tidy website www.keepwalestidy.cymru/greenflag or
contact Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator on 029 20726964 / 07469 118876 or email
lucy.prisk@keepwalestidy.cymru