Mynydd y Gwair Funding Success!

Mynydd y Gwair Funding Success!

Mynydd y Gwair 2nd round of funding success! We are delighted to announce we have been awarded funding for our Safe Passage/Age Well project.

The funding has been made possible as a result of the Mynydd Y Gwair wind farm, which was completed by innogy earlier this year. Now it is operational, the 16 turbine project can generate enough renewable electricity to power the equivalent needs of approximately 22,600 average Welsh homes.

Our Safe Passage/Aging Well project is to create a proper safe tarmac disabled width pathway in the Park connecting the Coedbach Road entrance with the Gwynfryn Road entrance so that people with prams, or walking difficulties, or wheelchairs can come into the Park and have safe passage to walk from one entrance to the other and also around the football field for health benefits.

We would like to thank the Mynydd y Gwair Community Fund, SCVS and the local community for their support.

https://www.scvs.org.uk/News/myg2ndrnd-nov19🌳

October 2019

October Roundup

New Equipment

A new addition to the Park is the Zip Wire, purchased and installed thanks to the generous donations from our Local Councillors Kevin Griffiths and Phillip Downing and the Pontarddulais Town Council.

Volunteer Work

Early in October thanks to new volunteers, Friends members and the Duke of Ed. volunteers the 3,000 bulbs purchased by the Friends were planted in compost at various locations and a big thank you to Diane for the gift of the bags of well rotted garden compost, this will give the bulbs a good start and we look forward to a stunning display come spring.   

Fungi Fun!

Also in October we had our annual fungi foray in the Park led by Teifion Davies see photos Fungi 1, 2 and 3. The Fungi 3 photo  was featured in the BBC Wales Online article in the Evening Post but sadly had almost dried up when we did our walk. What we see when we find these fungi is the fruiting body and they don't last very long although most fungi are poisonous they are essential for a healthy environment as they are part of the life cycle of plants. 

BMX Track upgrade

Finally we have been topping off some of the bumps on the BMX track that have been worn down thanks to a donation of duff from a community member. The Our Place Team will be working on the track in the near future to improve it. With thanks to Lee Alan Lake, and Ken Haynes for the generous donations of duff for the surfaces.

Our Place Work this month

The our place team are busy preparing new area for a sensory garden and also composting bins in the park for all the weeds cleared in the park.

September 2019

September 2019

Our Place

The Friends and the Our Place Team have been busy in the Park over the past couple of months our thanks as always to the Our Place Team who do the regular maintenance tasks such as keeping the woodchip paths topped up, litter picking, brushing the tennis courts, clearing undergrowth and building habitat piles.  

In the news 

Early in September a few of us volunteers were interviewed by Richard Youle for Wales Online/BBC Wales and there was a write up in the evening post which impressed on those who read it just how important our Parks and open green spaces are to our local community. Our members with help from the Duke of Edinburgh volunteers have looked after the planters, pulled up the invasive species Himalayan Balsam, and thinned out the bull rushes in the conservation  pond area.

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/swansea-parks-news-friends-news-16889487

Funding Opportunities

We have submitted a grant to the Mynydd Y Gwair Wind Turbine Community Fund for a proper disabled width tarmac pathway around the Football fields and we want to thank the members of our community for making positive comments on Facebook and our Local Councillors and organisations such as the Pontarddulais Partnership, Senior Citizens and  Bont Elim who sent us letters of support or made positive comments on the Facebook page.

August 

Raising money for the age-well walkway

Congratulations to Suzan Jones and Melanie Goodwin on completing their hike up Snowden Wales' tallest Mountain. See below for Suzan's report:

It all started when myself (Suzan Jones) & Melanie Goodwin were talking to our local  counsellor Kevin Griffiths and finding out how our local Coedbach park needed funding. We wanted to do something that was a challenge whilst raising awareness and funds to provide a much needed WALKWAY for around the soccer fields for everyone to benefit from, whether able bodied or disabled, babies in buggies, dog walkers even cyclists could benefit from. All our community to be able to enjoy all of the park all of the time regardless seemed a good cause. We were discussing our plans when a mutual friend Emma Medway from penclawdd took an interest in our cause and wanted to help so all three of us booked and paid for an hotel for the weekend of August 2nd ready for the climb on August 3rd. We paid every penny of expenses ourselves so that every penny collected for the park goes to the park. August 2nd arrived and we travelled to North Wales.

August 3rd we set off on our climb it was difficult but as luck was on our side the weather was good. After 5 hours of climbing Snowdon we reached the peak by then we were relieved and tired although the views were breathtaking as well as scary especially if you suffer from vertigo like I do.

We were determined to reach the top take photos  and have a short break before making our way back down again, which is what we did when the skies opened up and the most horrific weather started. Three hours later  soaked and full of mud we made it back down still pouring with rain and windy we made our way back to the hotel.

After a well earned shower change of clothes and some food we were ready for bed, it had been a long day and a good nights sleep we were all ready for, unfortunately this was not going to happen because as we dropped off to sleep we woke dreaming we were falling off snowdon, we couldn't help but laugh. Obviously the experience of Snowdon had quite an effect on us. I think we were all glad to return home the next day although all three of us have now planned on climbing Cadair Idris next.

I think I can honestly say we are all glad we did it for all the right reasons. Suzan."

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kevin-griffiths-5?utm_id=108&utm_term=AgEWakqr7&fbclid=IwAR09JO40H-_XGGK9G6tjbAAwXT29UHJt8biNdc5L9DmDR9SgX1UdSBi8J4Q

Fields in Trust Best park Wales Nomination

August saw the opening of the Fields in Trust "Best Park" competition, we nominated our park and are awaiting the news on whether we've been recognised in this competition. Fields in Trust also awarded us our Green Flag Award and helps us apply for funding for the park. We are grateful for their support.

Summer Work Parties

A number of volunteers have been getting together this summer to help spruce up the park, Christine and Suzan have tackled invasive species such as the Himalayan Balsam where 1 flower can produce over 500 seeds which can stay viable for up to two years, so really a tricky plant to control. Despite being enjoyed by pollinators, the Balsam flowers later in the season and it is our goal to protect earlier flowering native species such as the Bluebells to support the pollinators. Additionally thanks to Margret and Maureen who have replanted the raised planters through the park, they are looking lovely. Thanks to all who have not yet been named!

Swansea Council Play Team

The Play Bus returned to the park again this year and put on free activities and crafts for the local children. A great outreach project and free event that the community can enjoy. With thanks to Swansea Council for funding this venture in our area.

Assembly Minister Visit

The Friends of Coedbach Park welcomed a visit from Rebecca Evans Assembly Minister today as she wanted to show her support for Coedbach Park being nominated for the Fields In Trust 'Best Parks Award'. The results of voting will be released soon.

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

July 2019

July 2019

The month started with some disappointing news that the Ash die-back fungal disease has reached the park. City and County of Swansea are attending to a large number of affected trees in the county to remove trees with signs of infection to improve the park for other trees and users. The Council will be working in the park with machinery to remove this.

Fundraising Continues

Paint was delivered by City and County of Swansea and a special THANK YOU to Pontarddulais Fire Service who really came to the rescue and volunteered to get our play equipment cleaned for painting! 

The Pontarddulais Fire Service have a fire cadets night for 12 to 18 years contact the Pontarddulais Fire Station.

In addition to our other volunteers and those from the Fire Service, we are also grateful for the work that our Duke of Edinburgh students do in the park. They were also able to join us for the clean up. Thank you Dylan and Tom.

Green Flag Award Winners !!!

We are very proud to winners of the Keep Wales Tidy Green Flag Award for another year running. Please see the separate post on the award for our report details and information. 

Fundraising Continues

uzan Jones, Cllr. Kevin Griffith's and Windsor Clarke chairman of friends of coedbach park being presented with the cash that Suzan and Melanie have raised so far for doing their sponsored walk up Snowden to raise funds for the pathway in the Park. Huge thank you to them and everyone who has given their support. The just giving page is still open!  https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kevin-griffiths-5?utm_term=mprYDVYBE&fbclid=IwAR06xiznopewpdAKJQ2UZcFtcDM7KkGo47UqUiSeV8Nsc2meRySDejp9VCs

Zip Wire news

The Local County Councillors and the Town Council have bought a zip wire, this to be installed in the next few months in an area where the friends have planted apple, pear and cherry trees and two lavender hedges (for the ecology of this area).

Green Flag Status Achieved Again! 4 years in a row

June 2019

June 2019

Another busy month in the park!

The Football fields were reseeded and fertilised, users were asked to stay off the grass for a short while to allow this to bed in.

Annual 5K was hosted at the park, the event was well attended and raised money for the Annual Fayre.

Tennis has been running on Friday evenings, supported by Swansea Tennis Club.



Some safety/appearance issues were raised with the playground equipment so Swansea Council have attended to fix the equipment, installed two new gates (£900 each) and have arranged for paint to be delivered to spruce up the play equipment.



Annual Summer Fayre was hosted in the park, this went well and was a full family day.

May 2019

Lots of progress can be seen this May in the Park.

The conservation in the second woods allowed for yet another spectacular display of native bluebells amongst the ancient forest of Oak trees. With thanks to the friends and Our Place members for their help.

The Our Place Team are working very hard in the park, clearing and planting in and around the park.


With thanks to Swansea Tennis Centre for the FREE Tennis sessions have resumed Fridays 5pm onward at the park.



The Pontarddulais, Hendy and District Annual Photography Competition has returned. Wouldn't it be lovely to have a photo of the park amongst the entries? Information below.



We're welcoming photos on our Facebook page too, and one park user spotted these visitors a few weeks back! They do say, the grass is always greener...

With thanks to those of you who've commented in person or online on the volunteer work we do, it really does drive us on and gives us another place to get feedback.

The planters are in full bloom. From the donations we have been given the Friends were able to purchase plants and revive the planters by the tennis courts. Thank you to the members who look after the planters.

As part of the Grow Wild 'Can weeds be beautiful?' campaign we've included some beautiful weeds into our Facebook feeds. https://www.growwilduk.com/can-weeds-be-beautiful

2019 AGM

A successful AGM was held on Friday 26th April 2019, and the Committee were re-elected as follows:

Chairman - Windsor Clarke
Vice Chairman - Clive Davies
Treasurer - Jane Harris
Secretary - Christine Thomas.

With thanks to all for your contribution over the last year, we look forward to working with you in 2019-2020!

Chairman’s Report 2018 - 2019

Another busy year in the Park for the Friends Group with the invaluable help from the
Our Place Team. We were awarded the Green Flag Community Parks award 2018-
2019 and on Monday 29th April we are being judged again so fingers crossed we get the
award for the coming year.
The woodchip paths are being continually topped up and the tennis courts brushed and
kept free of leaves. Two picnic benches and tables and two Interpretation Map panels
were purchased and installed thanks to the Tesco Grant (blue tokens) and help from
the Parks department. Thanks to the Dwr Cymru grant, we planted 118 Lavender Plants
to form a small hedge of Lavender, this is good for bees as well as looking nice. We
have added to the hedging plants that were planted by the Scouts at Coedbach Road
entrance, it will take a couple of years before this hedge is established. Flowers, shrubs
and bushes have been planted on the bank opposite the lower football field, this is on-
going and we have purchased flowers for the flower planters at the entrances to the
park. We have kept down the spread of bulrushes in seasonal pond in 2 nd woods and we
continue to cut back the undergrowth so that the bluebells have a chance to grow and
blossom. We planted donations of gunnera and perennial plants from Clyne Gardens
and roses from the Bowls Group and the C. C. Swansea Tree Unit and the Parks
planted a specimen tree called Paulownia Tomentosa, we are looking forward to seeing
it flower.
We organised and assisted the baccaularete pupils from the Dylan Thomas School to
maintain the BMX track by topping it up with stone duff and chippings that we
purchased and they also painted the football container, the one where the graffiti design
had worn off. We also organised our annual Fungi Foray with our guest expert Teifion
Davies. We attended the Friends of Swansea Parks Forum and have participated in the
formation of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Swansea Council and the
Friends of Parks groups
We supported the Sustrans's initiative to get a cycle path to connect Pontarddulais to
Grovesend cycle path, unfortunately their bid for European Funding was not successful.
We put an exhibition in Library about the “Christmas Friendship Tree” and gave a talk to
the local Mothers Union and the Senior Citizen’s group about the Friends of the Park.
All our activities are published on our Blog and Facebook page. Our thanks to everyone
for their support.
Windsor Clarke (Chairman)

Local Community Groups Contacts

Please follow these groups media channels for community and park news.

Friends of Coed Bach

https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/550777668395584/

Pontarddulais Partnership

https://www.facebook.com/CanolfanYBont28/

Kevin Griffiths, Community Updates

https://www.facebook.com/Pontarddulais-community-updates-1288944484559787/

Pontarddulais Juniors

https://www.facebook.com/ptfcjuniors/

Carnival Committee

https://www.facebook.com/Pontarddulais-and-Hendy-festival-committee-623186657709569/

February

Friends of Coed Bach Park members continue to work alongside the Our Place team members with planting projects throughout the park.

Also our volunteers have been out and about doing the annual clearance work for this years crop of bluebells.

Swansea city council have kindly donated a tree to replace one that was damaged in a storm 2 years ago. We would like to thank Martin Bignall for this generous offer.
The tree has been located at the Glasfryn entrance.

We have obtained some Helibores and will be adding them to the existing ones near the boardwalk in 2nd woods.

And a Brimstone Butterfly has been spotted in the park during this mild February weather.

Your opinion is needed with regards to this major new project in the park. (Please contact the Canolfan y Bont on Dulais road via the FB page or pop in to speak to Cath.)

https://www.facebook.com/CanolfanYBont28/photos/a.2296691727049064/2296839333700970/?type=3&theater

Follow us on:-

Friends of Coed Bach Park Facebook Page

Twitter

FOCBP 

2019 Carnival News

Following a second public consultation meeting at Hendy RFC on Wednesday 30th January the Festival committee have agreed to discontinue with the traditional Carnival Parade and hold a community Summer Fete instead at Coed Bach Park.

The main reasons behind the decision are as follows:

Organising the parade requires Road Closure Orders and a minimum of 18 Persons to man the road as well as stewards to walk with the Lorries.
It also requires at least 10 Personnel to man the entrance to Coed back park due to the volume of people entering and pushing their way in behind the lorries.

Every year we struggle to get assistance for these tasks. The committee as it stands does not have the resources. Marshals are then brought in at a cost to perform these roles.

Road closure orders and Policing / Marshal cost in the region of £600.
Currently we utilise the Soccer playing fields at Coed Bach hired from Swansea City Council at a cost of £450. Insurance almost £900
Due to the litter left we then organise a complete litter pick £75
These are just some of the costs.

In fairness to the Haulage companies who provide the Lorries free of charge they find it more difficult each year to assist with drivers and Lorries.

The number of floats being entered has dwindled making the parade shorter each year. The float organisers themselves find it hard to get people to help prepare the floats. An example; we used to have 5-6 floats from the 3 schools Last year we had one.
This is not a criticism but a clear sign of the times.

The work involved in organising the Parade and the application forms that have to be completed are getting more complicated each year.
Although the festival Committee have adequate public liability insurance for the event it is impossible to get insurance cover for the Floats. Should an unfortunate incident occur whereby for an example a child falls from a lorry then who is held liable ?? (The Festival Committee !!!)

Although this decision has not been taken lightly, for several years we have noticed more and more separate events being organised locally on Carnival day obviously benefitting from the number of people coming into the area. As a result this has reduced the number of people attending the field and taking an active part in the Carnival field events. Whilst this is not a criticism of those organising the events it is inevitable that if people don’t support the Carnival with their attendance then changes need to be made. In essence the success of outside events has contributed to the demise of the Carnival in its current format.
Currently Pubs and Clubs make a lot of profit from Carnival day with the parade but unfortunately the Festival Committee does not get any contribution from them apart from one pub despite the huge costs laid out to put on the parade.
It has been decided that a summer community fete be held as an alternative to the traditional Carnival.
For ease of costs the Pontarddulais Rugby Club have offered their ground free of charge and their events team have indicated that they would like to take over the long term running of this event.
It has been stipulated and agreed that the income from the event is retained in the Community fund to sustain future events.
The festival committee are happy to continue to help with this and to continue with the Christmas Parade as usual as long as the funding is secured which currently comes from both Llanedi Community Council and Pontarddulais Town Council. (Last year the cost was nearly £900)

The Christmas Grotto will be retained as well as the inter schools sports competition. These events are totally none profit making as they are free.

The committee are all volunteers who have worked tirelessly for many years in bringing these events to the community. For that I thank each and every one of them. I also want to take this opportunity to thank all our Patrons who have given generously over the years to support us, the advertisers, local traders and the hauliers for the lorries, not forgetting the Stalls from various organisations.

Although this may be disappointing for many we have had to face the reality checks on the whole event and realised it was no longer sustainable and safe to continue as it was. I hope we all as a community embrace the new format and support the new event. More details will be published later.

A further meeting to set a New committee has been arranged for Wednesday 20th February at the Pontarddulais Rugby Club

Thank you for your continued support

Lyn Anthony
Chairman. Pontarddulais, Hendy & District Festival Committee.

Friends of Coed Bach Park Facebook Page

Twitter

Lyn Anthony Pontarddulais and Hendy Carnival Committee