October Activities 2011

October initially rolled out like a spill over of Tidy Wales Week. Initially, LNRA hosted a follow up tidy up of Hawthorn Junior School. Much of this was buddleia from the walls and building. To prevent a repeat next year the cut stumps were painted with glyphosate. Over 40 bags were collected altogether here by the 9 vols including one of the local PCSOs. These were kindly taken away by a team from Street Cleansing.
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Hot on the tails of this was a trip down memory lane, to see an old favourite in St. Mellons, Wern Gethin Lane. Organised by Marcus of Communities First and with 13 children from Meadowlane Primary School we cleared 13 bags big bags of rubbish in less than 1 hour.

Over at the other end of Cardiff in deep Fairwater at Clos Ty Bronna, we completed one of the last parts of the Wild Weekend Grant. This was in partnership with the landowners Cadwyn Housing Association with Kath Williams. Previously we had installed, dormouse, bat and bird boxes in these woods and today was about planting bluebells. We talked about where they normally grow and chose suitable sites for them in the woods. Afterwards the 6-local children asked if we could do a litterpick as there was quite a lot of rubbish especially around the sheltered house Ty bronna itself. Luckily I had some equipment with me and we tidied the area mainly in the woods around the house. Most of this consisted various 2-litre bottles of soft and alcoholic drinks partially filled with yellow liquids. Many more similar bottles were on the inside fence of the house almost as if they had been thrown from the top floor windows of the house. We were wise enough not to empty these bottles, but the woods looked miles better after we collected our 2-bags worth.

The CFMEP went out on the 7th of October and the last time with volunteer stalwart Dave King before his sabbatical to Africa. Back in St. Mellons behind the Community and Education Centre. With just 3 people we collected 8 bags of rubbish, 3 recycling bags, a bike, golf club, 2 inhalers, a seat belt and the 6 ubiquitous trolleys from Tesco. We kindly removed the trolleys from the stream and deposited them back in front of the staff cafe windows.

Then it was time for my Summer Holiday, which I spent almost 2 weeks in the Peak District and Shropshire. I can’t bore you with that, but I’ll indulge in a photograph:

Upon return, there was the usual mass of Emails, the good, the bad and the spamy. First event back was over in Mill Rd. Park in Ely where we planted some bulbs with new Community Ranger Rich Roberts followed by scrub clearance with the nursery, communities first and a great load of enthusiastic kids. The kids really got stuck in and worked really hard. The best part is they used all the tools very responsibly and listened very carefully when we explained how and where to use them. Moreover, it was also half term so nobody was telling them they had to do this. Community Action at its best!!!

We then had a great event in Bute Park with 17 Regional Managers from Barclays. The main tasks were as follows:1. To clear the path of litter to which we collected 3 bags of rubbish.
2. To clear the pathway of encroaching vegetation, which we cleared using shears, loppers and slashers. 3. To remove some of the invasive and non-native sycamore and Norway maples. This continued from a little bit of this last year. Coppicing seems to make things worse with bushier growth and this leaves digging them up. We came up with a plan to bowsaw or lopper the trees about a foot above the soil. The roots were then dug up with spades, hoes and an iron bar. 4. Removing rubbish and fallen logs from the dock feeder. Two volunteers entered the water with waders, buoyancy aids and some trial full arm length gauntlets. Logs were bowsawn into manageable lengths, removed from the water and dragged up the banks by other volunteers. 5. Construct habitat piles from brash. All the wood was processed for habitat piles including an otter holt.

Many thanks to Katie Tuite-Dalton, Bute Park's Outreach and Education Officer for allowing this valuable work to take place.

Towards the end of the month CFMEP returned to Wern Gethin Lane in St. Mellons to attempt a big clear up with Pearl from Hafod Housing. The four volunteers spent 2.5 hours here and pulled out 1.5 tonnes of rubbish plus 15 bags of rubbish and 7 bags of recycling. On top of this, there were about 7-8 trolleys from the local supermarket (rhymes with Mess-co). Loads of clothes had been dumped as well as loads of household materials such as kitchen cupboards, 2-mattresses a couple of broken bed frames, garden waste, a broken glass table and a frame for another table. All of this was taken away by Cardiff Council's Street Cleansing Department, so thanks to Stuart for organising the rapid removal.

A big thank you and goodbye to Brittany who returns to Canada after spending a few months in Wales. Brittany was so shocked about the litter here that she came out with us to try and make Cardiff a cleaner, tidier and nicer place. Thanks for all your help and generosity and best of luck back home.

On the Sunday of the last day of October, I took part in the annual Autumn Clean up with Atlantic Wharf Residents’ Association. Nine people turned out to help clear litter around the Atlantic Wharf area where we collected 15 rubbish bags, 1 recycle bag, a metal fence, bread crate, wonderbra and a pair of Reef Brazil sandals and an unmentionable item of dubious use. Great fun was had by all and Holiday Inn kindly gave all the vols a cuppa and some biscuits.

All the waste was kindly taken away by Cardiff Parks Services Waste Team unless otherwise mentioned.