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The community garden is looking rosy

Published: 14/06/2017

Flintshire County Council has welcomed a project to help develop community gardens at one of their housing schemes. Task Team is a new initiative supported by the European Social Fund through the Welsh Government Innovation Fund for over 25 year olds living in a Community for Work cluster. Groundwork North Wales is running the project along with their partner Communities at Work. A new community garden has been selected at Pen-y-Llan Courts in Connah’s Quay where the Council is upgrading the properties as part of the Vibrant and Viable Places (VVP) scheme as well as working to ensure that all the properties are brought up to the Welsh Quality Housing Standard (WHQS). Ten volunteers are working on the ten week community project, spending two days a week learning new skills on an accredited course on volunteering. The volunteers help with planting and looking at maintenance of the new community garden at Fern/Ivy Court and also spend a day giving the Holly Court community garden a makeover. This community garden was developed in 2009. The volunteers are gaining confidence in various skills in areas such as building, health and safety at work and environmental. Flintshire County Council Cabinet Member for Housing, Councillor Bernie Attridge, said: “We hope the new community garden will provide a pleasant environment for all residents of Pen-y-Llan Courts to enjoy. It is pleasing to see that the hard work of the volunteers has led to them gaining valuable experience and a qualification. The garden really complements all the improvement work that has been done in this area in recent years. I’d also like to acknowledge the generous support from BAAS the on-site contractor who provided a water butt to collect rain water, another step to a greener and more environmentally friendly space for residents.” Jan Owen, Project Manager at Groundwork North Wales, said: “At Groundwork, we work to support communities to make positive changes. Our new Task Team programme is funded through the Welsh Government Innovation Fund and is aimed at supporting people gain new skills, qualifications and confidence through engagement on a practical community project. We are enjoying working with the volunteers to transform the community garden at Pen-y-Llan Court and also to make a difference to those involved by increasing the opportunities available to them in the future.” Groundwork North Wales works alongside local communities, public bodies, private companies and other voluntary sector organisations to support communities in need. They help people and organisations make changes in order to create better neighbourhoods, build skills and job prospects and to live and work in a greener way. Photo caption: Standing: Cllr Bernie Attridge, Simon Haines (Groundwork), John Jones (FCC), Cllr Paul Shotton, Cllr Andy Dunbobbin, Tony Jones (FCC) Front: volunteer Mark Winter, Debbie Davies (FCC), Jan Owen (Groundwork)