Getting rid of volunteer litterpicked rubbish and almost finished the hedge in Old St. Mellons

We do a phenominal number of litterpicks with volunteer groups across Cardiff. We are often asked what happens after the hard work is done. For the litter pick we did at Hawthorn Junior School a month ago, the litter was taken away today by Peter and his colleague from Street Cleansing.



As it was behind locked gates, it was removed less urgently. However, it was very pleasing to see that there was no extra rubbish dumped on this site since our clean up.

Earlier in the day, I went down to the hedge that volunteers from the St. Mellons over 50's club had been working on with me on and off over the last month. Sue was ill, so it was left to Rose and I to lay the last couple of trees, tuck all the branches in and then coursely weave in the binders or hetherings. The last remaining task will be to level off the binders and cut the stakes to height. The hedge looks pretty good and was made using only materials that was growing on the hedge before we started. Some of the older stools are also in a much better condition now than what they were before we started. All very positive.

To Bin or not to Bin & Adopting Local Areas.

People often say that there are not enough bins around and it is a serious issue of debate. Some will say if you have rubbish take it home with you and the conscientious will. In Ely recently, there was a complaint that some bins were full, they were being used and weren't being emptied on a regular enough basis while the overflowing litter was being blown about. In Fairwater this week I took a photo of a full bin with a field virtually empty of litter by the leisure centre.

Today however, I saw almost the worst example for a vote for the people who say don't bother putting bins up as some people will just ignore them:

The aim of this walk, however, was to look at the suitability for part of the brook around Roath Park to be adopted by the Cardiff & District Soroptimists. The sun was out and hundreds of people were enjoying Roath Park, there was even a group out litterpicking. However, the brook was stinking with litter. Instead of looking at the grey wagtails and wrens on the various stones emerging from the water, I was drawn towards carrier bags, crisp packets and drinks cans. The Parks Department are in agreement that the group can proceed subject to liability insurance (available to groups through Keep Wales Tiday) and correct training. Hopefully they will be able to make significant impacts on the visual quality and habitats of this area. Watch this space for updates.

Is there somewhere in your area that you'd like to help take care of, give me a call on 07717 412 270 or chris.partridge@keepwalestidy.org.

Tidy Up around Fairwater Leisure Centre Saturday 26th March 10-1pm

This Saturday, in partnership with Cardiff Parks Department, Cardiff Rivers Group, Fairwater Communities First and Goodies in Hoodies, we are planning to clean out the stream alongside the Leisure Centre as well as the tramway on the other side. The latter will involve some habitat work on some of the trees which were damaged during the winter.

On a site visit there it was very encouraging to see the following sight:

...so if this was an individual or a collective, nice one.

All tools will be provided for the event and we will hopefully have some soup afterwards. The meeting point is the Leisure Centre Car Park:


View Sat 26th March 2011 Fairwater stream and Lane in a larger map

19-20.03.11 Continuing the Hedge in Old St. Mellons

We continued the Hedgelaying in Old St. Mellons over Saturday and Sunday making great progress. This time we had eight volunteers with an age range from 6 - Nanny.

We'd almost left the hardest part of the hedge until last with two massive hazel stools about three foot apart which were almost pollard hedgelayed the last time the hedge was managed. Much handsawing was done to tackle this and sore forearms were widely reported the day afterwards. We were very pleased with the amount of work completed and we think we will finish the hedge in two short sessions time.

There was lots of local interest in what we were doing with lots of kind compliments offers of help on litterpicks and worries about the levels of dog fouling on the site.

18.03.11 Continuing along the St. Mellons Tesco path

The rain on Friday failed to extinguish the determination of the eight volunteers in St. Mellons continuing along the path to Tesco's in St. Mellons.

We had volunteers from the Cardiff Rivers Group, LS Healthcare and three from Black Horse's Time2Care scheme.

Altogether we collected 20 bags of rubbish, a rugby ball, a bong and one hypodermic needle and syringe.

The section we had cleared last week accumulated an unusually large collection of scrunched up lottery tickets, all recyclable!!



We need to return at least one more time to clear the very last section, but this is hidden amongst the brambles and thorns.

11.03.11 Volunteers Tackle a litterstrewn Cath Cobb Woods in St. Mellons

Four Volunteers braved a shocking volume of litter in one of Cardiff's most beautiful woodlands. In a few hours we collected 34 bags of litter including 18 bags of recycling, a scaffolding pole, a pram, two scooters, and hundreds of Tescos carrier bags. Its probably a good thing that they will cost 7p soon and hopefully people will swap to bags for life. However, there was also masses of food wrappers, VHS tapes(?) and at least 40 dog poo bags (full) which were just thrown into these woods from the adjacent path.

We picked a decent area, but there is still plenty more to do and we plan to tackle the same area again this Friday, hoping to finish this area in support of the Cath Cobb Environmental Group who have done so many good things over the years in these woods.

Moreover, we hope to kickstart a wider plan to perform litterpicks on a more regular basis with the various groups and volunteers around St. Mellons.

09.03.11 Fast food giants get tidying

Ten representatives from McDonald’s restaurants across the city put down their tongs and burgers and helped lay a new footpath in Grangemoor Park, just outside of Grangetown. They were supervised by Chris Partridge from Keep Wales Tidy and Community Park Rangers Alec and Raj who manage this beautiful open space.

The volunteers were greeted by a large pile of spent slag stone, several wheelbarrows, shovels, spades and mattocks. Following a short safety briefing the volunteers went to work on flattening out the line of the footpath. While this was occurring, a conveyor belt of activity shoveled the path material into barrows which was transported to the end of the new path which was dropped off, then raked by the next group of workers.

All involved were very tired when they finished the path 3-hours later. In the near future, the Rangers aim to incorporate this path into an interpretation trail for the benefit of visitors and school children who will learn about this young, but very striking and increasingly important site.

James, one of the store managers said, “It is an excellent feeling for large organizations to help to give back to the community.”

For more information call Chris Partridge on 07717 412 270 or chris.partridge@keepwalestidy.org.

07.03.11 St. Mellons Community Education Centre Regeneration

The last part of the regeneration of the area outside the Community Education Centre in St. Mellons was completed last night with members of the Arts and Crafts After-school Club, St. Mellons Over 50's group and the St. Mellons Community Choir who also meet at the Education Centre. Most of the trees had already been planted on site by the Parks Department, and we removed the pots, filled in the holes with soil and gave the trees a good watering to help them on their way. The cherry trees already had signs of blossom.



Many local residents have complimented how clean the new site looks and that it doesn't look like a litter dump anymore. All we have to do is make sure dog owners clear up after their dogs now!!

04.03.11 Cardiff Friday Morning Project Grangemoor Park Willow Pollarding

Today we went to Grangemoor Park on a most glorious sunny day under the watchful care of Community Park Rangers Alec and Raj. The fantastic, clear sunny weather made a much welcome contrast from the previous week's acer removal in Hailey Park where the camera was washed out in the rain (not worth blogging about as the pictures were rubbish).

The four volunteers, Raj and Alec and myself pollarded some of the willows on this fantastic site and were encouraged by the skylarks beautiful song while flying in the sky (I don't know how they got their name). These birds are one of the reasons why this site is so special and that we hope to get as many volunteers as possible at the end of summer to rake off another potential nest sites in time for next year; a perfect day for volunteering.

03.03.11 St Philip Evans Primary School Coppicing in Church Wood

10 pupils from St. Philip Evans RC Primary School finished off the coppicing for this year in Chapel Wood. This work started with the Cardiff Friday Morning Project, was then added to by BT apprentices and now completed by this eager group of learners.

we started off talking about the habitat, why it is potentially brilliant for dormice and that the work hasn't been performed here for over 20 years. The overall aim was to rejuvinate this fantastic hazel coppice for the benefit of wildlife and local people.



There are currently no Friends of Groups operating in the area, but hopefully, this work may kick start something exciting off.

23.02.11 Riverside Community Allotments Clear Out

Riverside Community Allotments performed a tremendous clean up today of the allotments removing over 3 tonnes of rubbish. This was performed in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy and was removed by Park's Waste Services.

Some of this had built up over the years and the Allotments group decided enough was enough and took action. Eight volunteers took part and the whole place was transformed. Many of the pictures below have been reproduced with permission from Jenny of the Allotments Project.