14th Sept 2008

Our haul this time amounted to:

7 sacks of litter - 2 footballs - Pushchair - Cool box - Various clothes - Section of bicycle frame - 2 gas lighters/blowtorches - 2 used gas canisters.

Of the 7 sacks of litter, 3 were from the picnic site where over 100 cans were collected. There were also 2 gas lighters or blow torches along with 2 used canisters which had been used to light a fire at the base of a tree which has been set on fire repeatedly over the past couple of years.

.. Sunday 23rd November 2008..

The Canal Volunteer Group, met in the car park along Broadweir Road, Old Cwmbran; this time we were joined by Gareth Jones (Team Leader, Cwmbran & Strategic Projects T.C.B.Council) and five members of Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canal Trust, who came along to lend their support and help remove rubbish from the canal and surrounding area, cut back overgrown vegetation and plant over 1000 daffodil bulbs.

Too busy to pose !! ... Too much to do !!!

The morning's haul from the canal included thirteen sacks of litter, three shopping trolleys and a scooter! The volunteer work paves the way for further environmental improvements planned along the canal at Broadweir Road early in the New Year, to be undertaken by the Cwmbran Regeneration Partnership.

The Canal Volunteer Group is keen to expand its work and attract new members. Anyone who is interested in joining in should contact Hugh Woodford, Community Ranger at Torfaen County Borough Council on 01633 648309.

.. Tidy Wales Awards 2008 ..

Following on from our award in 2007, once again we have come `runners up` in the Public Sector category of the annual Tidy Wales Awards, which took place on the 17th November at the National Museum of Wales in Cardiff, the team were really pleased that their efforts have been recognised and plan to go one better next year!

.. click on award to enlarge ..

.. Sunday 18th January, 2009 ..

The Canal Volunteer Group ... off to a Y.M.C.A. Concert perhaps?

At 10.a.m on a cold but dry, Winter's morn, we met in the car park of Pontnewydd Park and exchanged friendly banter e,g.

"Happy New Year", "Who ate too many mince pies over the Festive Season?" and "Carol , so you didn't get your roots done then?" ... Comments mostly from me though, and only joking of course

We welcomed Martin, a new `volunteer` to our friendly group and then made our way to the `cascades` to start our litter- pick/retrieval and vegetation removal, making our way steadily up the 5 Locks section and finishing at 5 Locks road. Halfway through we stopped for refreshments, i.e. coffee/hot chocolate and chocolate Muffins (thanks Heather).

Our haul this time amounted to:

14 sacks of litter - 5 footballs - Shopping trolley - Mattress - Large piece of sponge - Roadworks sign - Umbrella - Cat cage - Camera bag - Traffic cone - 2 saucepans - Section of wire mesh.

.. Sunday 15th February,2009 ..

Ty Coch section: Here we are again folks, it's 10.a.m and the Canal Volunteer Group, joined by two new `volunteers` and four members of the Monmouthshire, Brecon & Abergavenny Canal Trust, assemble for our obligatory `photoshoot`, `task of the day` and of course `friendly banter` ... at this rate Hugh will have to photograph us in `wide screen` (Girls no `pun` intended, you know I'm only joking).

Webmaster:- No folks this is not the Spaceship we arrived in !!! .... it is a fresh water Mussel shell I found on the canal bank, Sam, our very own Ecologist, told us as the shell was 13.5 cms or just over 5 and a quarter inches wide; it was a mature specimen and a `positive` indication of a healthy fresh water environment.

.. Posers, workers and chatterboxes ... Just the right combination, for a morning of `achievement` ..

.. and `Our achievement` amounted to ..

22 sacks of litter, 7 bicycles, 2 bicycle tyres, 1 bicycle inner tube, 1 bicycle wheel, 1 car tyre, 2 trolleys, 2 traffic cones, 2 roadwork signs, 4 chairs, part of garden swing seat, 2 umbrellas, pieces of carpet, 2 fleeces, 1 bucket, 1 plastic milk crate, 2 black recycle boxes, 1 stacker box, 1 wooden pallet, 1 fishing net, 1 fishing rod, 1 shopping bag trolley, 1 car stereo, 1 metal shoe scraper, 1 claw hammer, 3 metal rods.

Due to our `collective and worthwhile efforts` a letter of appreciation was sent to Councillor Colette Thomas T.C.B.Council from a local resident expressing his gratitude for our work and emphasising how clean the area is now.
Lots more appreciative letters, emails, letters in the Argus /Free Press etc; would be very welcome and would, I'm sure encourage other `like minded` folk to join our Group and be part of my
.. `Pride in Our Community` initiative ..

.. I invite your comments/views .. please click here to email me ..

We meet again on Sunday 15th of March 2009 at Pontnewydd .. Why not pop along and join us?

*Unfortunately outside-funding has now ended for the position of a full time Canal Warden and we are now left with a canal that I feel is in danger of deteriorating rapidly, due to the accumulation of litter and occurrences of vandalism and anti social behaviour.

I passionately believe that Torfaen County Borough Council should once again employ a full time Canal Warden/Ranger to undertake duties of promoting, monitoring, litter picking, selective tree/shrub pruning, vegetation control, liaising with local schools/ community groups etc; etc.

.. I ask for your support ..

Should Torfaen County Borough Council employ a Canal Warden/Ranger?

.. I invite your comments on this matter .. please click here to email me ..

.. Be sure to look out for the next instalment of the `Canal Volunteer Group` ..

.. If you have a view, comment, or would like to join us, please click here to contact me ..