Christmas Tree in 2nd Woods

The Christmas tree in the 2nd woods has been decorated this year.

Merry Christmas to One and All.

Merry Christmas

We at Friends of Coed Bach Park would like to wish all our supporters and Park users a Very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year.

In January 2014 we will begin Phase 2 of the Seasonal ponds project.

Please watch this space for further events and feel free to join us.

November Meeting

We are holding our monthly meeting at Pontarddulais Cricket Club tonight at 7.30 All welcome

Seasonal Ponds Day 4

Not much to report today as weather wise it has not turned out to be the nicest. But the workers and volunteers (More needed please!) are now on site.
As you can see below the ponds are now starting to take shape and the team are expecting wildlife to flourish in this are next year.

"It looks like somebody has taken a clump of clay and is now forming the sculpture"

The ponds are forming.

Pond are from 2nd woods.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/sets/72157637441654904/ Our Flickr page.

Seasonal Ponds Day 3

There were plenty of people on site this morning moving and cutting bits of tree and anything else they could lay their hands on.
Also a new drainage pipe was added by the pathway in the 2nd wood and we had the big guns in today with a tractor and chipping machine. And more importantly the weather was spot on :-)

A big thank you to all that helped especially all those that had travelled from Swansea we hope we can repay you one day.

By the time I arrived on site everyone was having a well earned break (just in case your wondering why there is no one in their machinery)

Removing tree stumps in the boating lake.

The Chipping Machine

Now people in the swings can keep an eye on their kids on the BMX track.

Pond drainage.

Brodie hopes this is not a permanent obstacle on his walk (It Isn't)

Volunteering is about friendship and making new friends (and FUN)

Break time.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/sets/ 

Flickr Images.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/sets/72157637419428975/ Todays images.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/10730132943/in/set-72157637419428975 Video view from the swings.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/10730043426/in/set-72157637419428975 Video Tractor at work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/10730424683/in/set-72157637419428975 Video Pathway workers.

Seasonal Ponds Day 2

The team are on site again today 6/11/13 and the word of the day is WET!!!!!!!!!!!

We are continuing where we left off yesterday with more clearing with chainsaws and moving the off cuts.
If you fancy coming along and getting muddy with us feel free to join us about 10am either tomorrow or friday at 10am in the park tennis courts.

Today's Team (all good swimmers)

And the winner of Miss good looking legs in wellies is..............

More water in this area already.

Also Friends of the park would also like to give a huge 'Thank you' to Vince of White Springs for the loan of the waders (photo above) We could not have gone through today without your help.

Website:-http://www.whitespringsfishery.co.uk/

Our Flickr Pages.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/10707673414/in/set-72157637377417283 Another tree coming down.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/sets/ Our Flickr Site.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/sets/7215763
7377417283/ Todays Images.

Seasonal Ponds Day 1

Today 5/11/13 we finally began the clearance of the woodland around the old boating lake and between the swings and the BMX track.
This is stage one of our seasonal pond's project which will encourage more diverse wildlife to the park. 
A big thank you to all that turned up today.
And a huge thank you to CountrySide Connections for helping us from the word GO!!!!!

Our team

One hour later

2nd woods Boating lake

Vyv practising tossing the caber (and he missed me every time :-)

You can also find these images and three short film clips on our Flickr site at :-http://www.flickr.com/photos/friendsofcoedbachpark/sets/72157637353307465/

 

Seasonal Ponds (Please help)

Hi, 

For you to know the work on seasonal ponds is happening in the  2^nd woods beginning on Tuesday 5^th November  at 10.00am meet at the tennis courts. 

If you have any time to spare we really could do with "look outs" and "tea makers" as well as labours to pull out undergrowth and barrow wood chip.

We will be having a lunch break in the Pavillion so if you just want to call and give us some encourgement you would be very welcome.

Below is the plan for the week.

Supervision of volunteers – rota as previously discussed.

o   Tues – Helen / Rowan / Chris

o   Weds – Huw Lloyd / Chris / John Evans (Helen not on site due to training day)

o   Thurs – John Evans / Huw Lloyd a.m. Helen from 2.00p.m.

o   Fri – Helen / Rowan / Chris

o   Supervisors will be designated First Aiders (Other first aiders: Rowan, Peter, Huw)

o   New volunteers will need to be given an intro and safety briefing / tools talk by the supervisor (or another suitably experienced person as selected by the supervisor) before work commences.

• Refreshments – tea, coffee, milk, sugar, biscuits to be provided by Friends of Coed Bach (using grant funding) 

• Tools and PPE – to be provided by FoCBP and Countryside Connections 

o   Tools list:

o   4 wheelbarrows (FoCBP)

o   5 Bowsaws (FoCBP and CC)

o   5 Loppers (FoCBP and CC)

o   4 shovels / spades (FoCBP and CC)

o   2 Pruning saws (FoCBP and CC)

o   PPE list:

o   10 Gloves (FoCBP and CC)

o   5 Hard hats (CC)

o   5 Hi-viz vests (CC)

o   First Aid kit (FoCBP)

• Site safety – barrier tape and ‘men’ at work signs to be put up before the start of work each day. Also, volunteers to be site ‘look outs’ to ensure public do not enter work area. ‘Team talk’ to be given by the Supervisor at start of each session to delegate tasks and ensure safe working practices are understood. Supervisor to ensure that site is left safe at the end of the day. 

  

• Chainsaw users – Peter Hill and Rowan Porteous, must be wearing full safety gear (gloves, trousers, helmet with visor and ear defenders). Regular breaks to be taken. Safety talk to be given to volunteers about not approaching chainsaw users unless instructed by the users themselves.

• Chipper and Digger – will be on site Thursday and Friday. The machinery operators will be asked by the Supervisor to give a safety briefing to all volunteers before work begins. The operators are to also inform volunteers of how relating tasks are to be carried out safely.

End of October News

Just to let you all know that the monthly meeting of the Friends has changed  to the last Wednesday of the month at Pontarddulais Cricket Club starting at 7.30.so our next meeting will be this Wednesday 30th October. It will continue to be on the last Wednesday of the month until the Cricket Season stars up again next year.

Also this Wednesday afternoon at 2pm (30th Oct.) we are joining up with the Pontarddulais Partnership Half Term Play Scheme in the Park to make it a fun afternoon with traditional games such as egg and spoon race, prizes and gifts to give away to the children as we celebrate the Park having the Queen Elizabeth II Fields In Trust status so please come and support us and join in the fun.

Then the following week, the first week in November, work begins on the creation of the seasonal ponds - see poster attached.

Click on poster to enlarge.

Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubliee Fields in Trust status.

Come and join us and the Pontarddulais Play Scheme in the Park on Wednesday 30th October between 2pm and 4pm when we will be celebrating the Park receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubliee Fields in Trust status.

 

Also Coed Bach Park has been submitted for a Getting Active on a Fields in Trust Site Award so fingers crossed that we will be successful.

 

For more information please contact the Secretary Christine Thomas on 07890416892 or email milgi@talktalk.net

Upcoming Events

Please click on the posters to enlarge.

Sat 28th September.

Bug Houses & Muddy Pond Dipping

Sat 28th Sep 2pm—4pm

Visit the Bug Houses we created a few weeks ago and see whose moved in with Dawn Thomas - meet at children’s play ground and children must be accompanied by  a parent—please wear sensible shoes  - thank you

September Meeting

Please note the Monthly meeting of the Friends of Coed Bach Park will be at the Pontarddulais Cricket Club  this Thursday 26th September 2013 starting 7.30pm All welcome.

Also this Sunday Children's tennis sessions are starting at 3pm-4pm £2 per session at Coed Bach Park.

Tennis

Sorry that the Sunday Tennis session was cancelled 15/9/13 but the weather was just too bad. Tennis will be on next Sunday from 3pm to 4pm - cost £2 for more details check out Tennis Pontarddulais Facebook.

Upcoming Events

Click to enlarge

Free Play In The Park

The Pontarddulais Play team are in Coed Bach Park today from 1pm and they are also there again tomorrow Friday 8th August.
And then again all of next week. Fruit and Squash is available under 8's must be accompanied by an adult.

Even the adults have been joining in so it's not to late for us all to act like a kid :-)

(Sarah the artist who was doing the masks and painting paper moths with real flowers with the children will be back on Friday 16th August in the afternoon to do more "nature into art" )


We also currently have an exhibition throughout August at the Pontarddulais Library.

Tennis in the Park.

Tennis Sessions are going well and will be carrying on every Tuesday and Thursday mornings 9.30am to 11pm.

Thanks to Geraint and Rhys for taking time out and teaching the kids a few tricks.

So far about 20 people have been turning up for each session so we are glad to see it so well supported.

Image by Christine Thomas.

We also have some other events coming up shortly.