Our 2018 roundup, with special thanks to our volunteers, the support from City and County of Swansea Parks Department and Keep Wales Tidy organisation.

This year we have achieved:-

Installation of 2 picnic benches/tables and an interpretation Map panels installed this year through the Tesco Grant.

We planted 118 Lavender Plants to form a small hedge of Lavender as the years go on thanks to the Dwr Cymru grant.

We have added to the hedgeing plants that were planted by the Scouts at Coedbach Road entrance and have started to plant shrubs and bushes on the bank opposite the lower football field, this is ongoing.

We've also planted up 6 flower boxes with winter Violas with help from the Shine Cymru organisation volunteers and intend to plant up the other 3 boxes.

We have supported the Sustrans's initiative to get a cycle path to connect Pontarddulais to Grovesend cycle path.

We currently have exhibition in Library, thanks to Gaynor, for people who want to put messages on the tags that go on the "Friendship Tree" in the Park. Date tbc but usually week before Christmas for decoration of tree.

We have tried to clear some of the bulrushes from the Pond, thanks to Clive, Windsor and Vyv.

The Our Place Team have continued to top up the wood chip paths and regularly do litter picks in the park and we are grateful for this ongoing support.

We had the baccaularete pupils from the Dylan Thomas school maintaining the bmx track by topping it up with stone duff and chippings that we bought and they also painted the football container.

We were again awarded the Green Flag Community Parks award.

We couldn't do this without the support of the community. So please do visit the park, enjoy the facilities and if you see us working do say hello! We're always looking for new volunteers/projects/funding. Thank you.

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 Twitter:- https://twitter.com/FOCBP

FOCBP Facebook Page.

December 2016

It is nearly the end of another year and as usual around about this time the FOCBP have placed tags with personal messages on the Friendship Tree in the heart of the second woods.
As usual we thank our resident artist Gaynor Fuge for her efforts in creating these tags as group members know it is time consuming, and Gaynor has a lot of her own projects to work on so I am sure you would also like to join with us and say a huge 'THANK YOU GAYNOR' for all your efforts to bring so much comfort and happiness to people at this time of year.

2016 has been a huge year for the park and with so much we could say, I fear that I could be writing this blog for several more days!!!

So instead I have taken the easy way out and posted images from our other Social Media sites showing how wonderful Coed Bach has become in 2016.

A photo review of what made Coed Bach Park so special in 2016

(A big Thank You to everybody that have shared their images with us over the last year.)

Our dogs are the real friends of the park.

Education.

Volunteers.

Recognition.

New BMX track.

Events.

The biggest award we have won.

The park regulars.

The wildlife.

Fund raising.

Plenty of fun to be had in the play area.

The walks.

The fun of exploring.

The Our Place team are continually in the park.

The Pcso's Community support.

Thank you all for your continuing support.

You all know who you are and without your help and support none of this would be possible.

Members of the FOCBP would like to wish all park users a Merry Christmas and a Happy Prosperous New Year.

See you all in 2017!

In the meantime you can click the tabs at the top of this blog to take you to our Facebook and Twitter feeds to keep up with the news.

February Roundup

Hooray!!!!!!!! It stopped raining (for now) but now the park is drying itself out, however we are left with muddy patches in several parts of the pathways through the woodland areas.
Luckily we have volunteers on the case and work has begun to return the pathways to their former glory.
And we also thank Andrew and his team from Our Place with their help in putting things right.
But it all takes time so please be patient as we go about our work, and we advise if you are walking through the woodlands to use sensible walking shoes or wellies.
The worst affected areas are around the second woods near the Rugby pitch towards the Friendship tree area.

But on the good side Spring is showing the first signs of new life in the park with the Bluebells starting to poke through the ground.
Unfortunately the weather has been mild and the plant life seems to be coming through a little early and also the added wet weather meant we could not cut back as much undergrowth as we usually do so we will have to wait to see what kind of display we have this year.

Bluebells Grass

The springlike weather has been great for the animals and birds that use the park and the woodlands are full of birdsong and the sounds of cuckoos can be heard on a regular basis. And one of our regular park users has photographed a Stoat at home in the undergrowth.

Goldfinch. Photo Brian Lloyd

This February's issue of the SA4 Magazine has a large article written by myself about what the park has meant to me over the years. (It really is a riveting read even if I do say so myself.)
We are looking for peoples stories about the park and if you know anyone who would like to submit an article or help you write it, you can contact us at the email at the top of this blog.


Working closely with the local PCSO's over the last few years has led us to having a great relationship with our local police force, and whenever we get the chance FOCBP members bring them up to speed on events and what we are up to in the park ourselves.

Myself and PCSO Collins 

As usual we hold our meetings on the last Wednesday of every month in Pontarddulais Cricket Club at 7.30pm and everyone is welcome to join us.

We have heard of two wheelchair users being able to access the Boardwalk in the last few weeks and this is fantastic to hear. And several people from other areas around Swansea heard about the Seasonal pond and have visited us to have a look at the work we have done.


Our FB page is in full flight as is our Twitter feed (Links at the top of this Blog.)

We hope to hear from you soon.

February 2015 news.

The 4th AGM of the Friends will be taking place at end of April so members please have a think about wanting to stand for the committee or if you are not a member and wish to join us please feel free as your input will be more than welcome. Membership subs will also be due and we may have to increase it to £2 a year per person as the subs cover our group insurance that we have with Keep Wales Tidy and our insurance has gone up this year. 

  

Also you may have noticed that a new Skateboard ramp has been built by the BMX track next to the rugby club hard standing area. This is being well used by the youngsters and soon a grind box and bar will also be added.

A big 'Thank you' to Swansea CC for installing it for us.

And also Swansea CC also provided us with a machine to cut back a lot of the undergrowth in the park this has given us a great blank canvas to allow the Bluebells to grow. 

And you may have noticed that large areas of growth have been cut back around the second woods area a big 'Thank you.' to Dillwyn for all his efforts and we hope that we will be rewarded with a sea of bluebells this year.

And we also thank the other members for the work they have been carrying out over the last few months on various jobs around the park.

Our next meeting is on Wednesday 25th Feb at 7.30pm at Pontarddulais cricket club.

As usual we extend our open hands to anyone that would like to join in with us.

Bluebells

We have a fantastic crop of Bluebells in the park this year.
If you have a bit of time to spare please take a walk through the second woods (past the rugby club entrance) and have a wander through the woodland.

(Click on photos to enlarge)

Taken by Martin Hanson.

Taken by Martin Hanson.

Taken by Christine Thomas.

Taken by Christine Thomas.

News Update

Last weekend saw our second Bird walk which was led by bird expert Martin Humphreys.
Again this was a great success with everybody coming away having learnt something about how our feathered friends use the woodlands in the park.
We also gave our new banner it's first public unveiling.

Our resident Blogger/Photographer Martin Hanson (Left trying to keep his eyes open at 6.30am) next to the banner  which was designed by V Fuge.

And at last the Bluebells are popping up in the Second woods (Hooray!!!!) just a little more warmth and we should have a lovely blanket of them.
A big thanks Win and Viv (and anybody else I left out) for all their efforts in clearing the woods.
And as usual we thank the Swansea City Council lad's and management for keeping us topped up with chip bark to keep the pathways in good condition. And also to Bob and Jason for their superb efforts as well in helping to maintain the pathways. 

Bluebells popping up everywhere.