please
come and join us .... Canal Volunteer Group ..
.. We need your help
please
come and join us ..
Tel: Hugh Woodford on 01633 648309
Our Future ... 
... In Our Hands.
Sunday 24th September, 2006 - 10a.m, Hugh, myself and ten `fellow` volunteers met at the 5 Locks Moorings - Pontnewydd. The weather conditions were `unsettled ` Click here for more info.In August 2006,Torfaen County Borough Council appointed a Community Countryside Warden, Mr. Hugh Woodford is responsible for developing and co-ordinating community environmental projects in partnership with community groups as a way of promoting the canal for informal recreation, and educating local people about its history and biodiversity.
A Canal Volunteer Group was formed and on
..To follow our endeavours click on each of the dates below ..
* 27th April 2008 *
* 30th March 2008 * 24th February 2008 * 20th January 2008 *
* November 27th 2007 * October 21st 2007 *
* September 16th 2007 * July 15th 2007 * June 24th 2007 *
* 20th May 2007 * 22nd April 2007 * 18th March 2007 * 11th February, 2007 *
* 14th January, 2007 * 3rd December, 2006 * 5th November, 2006 *
Sunday 20th January 2008: Ty Coch section, the weather conditions were showery and overcast. Click here for more info.
Hugh Woodford, introduced everyone to each other, whereby we all shook hands, smiled and instantly forgot each others names ... isn't it strange, I have no problem recalling the names of the Trumpton Fire Brigade .... Pugh, Pugh, Barney Mc.Grew, Cuthbert Dibble and Grubb ! ... but what the heck, we were volunteers and were about to embark on a mission to enhance a section of canal and feel proud of our achievement on completion.
Our tasks for the day :-
Weeding around the Moorings.
Painting of the mooring bollards.
Painting two steel benches.
Painting railings at the Moorings and at the `Cwmbran Tunnel`
Painting the two `Mile posts`
Painting a Litterbin.
Painting a `water point`.
Collecting floating litter - made possible by a volunteer who brought along his canoe.
.. Armed with shovels, brooms, paint, brushes, litter pickers, bags, and a `lifted spirit ` we set to work ..
.. Click on each photograph to enlarge ..
After 5 hours, with a couple of `pit stops` to refuel our bodies, along the way, our intrepid group called it a day. During that time we had `gelled`, remembered each others names, Hugh, Nigel, Judy, Arthur, Ryan, Jan, Ricky, Cheryl, Jody, Rob and Hmmmmm, I apologise, memory lapse again; told each other our `life histories` and even suggested bringing along a `bar-b-que` for the next session ......
isn't it nice to be amongst friends ... And the result ...
... Achievement, Enhancement, Pride and Friendship ...
.. Click on each photograph above to enlarge ..
Simon Jenkins, enjoys an early morning cuppa, dressed in his pyjamas , whilst admiring the freshly painted bollards and surrounding area.
I met Simon, on Monday morning 25th September, he told me he was `holidaying afloat` on `
Red Wing` a hired boat from Red Line Boats at Goytre Wharf, Llanover; and resided in Wakefield, Yorkshire. Accompanying him was his wife and two friends from Sheffield.Ty Coch to Pentre Lane. The weather conditions were `cold, with bright sunshine `.
The Canal Volunteer Group met at Ty Coch - 10a.m., where our mission, this time was vegetation control, painting railings and weight limit signs near Pentre Lane.
.. Click on each photograph to enlarge ..
Slowly but surely, our `volunteering efforts` are making a positive enhancement to an important asset, both in an industrial and historical sense, coupled with a greater environmental awareness.
Adjacent Pontnewydd Park, Mount Pleasant, Pontnewydd. The weather conditions were atrocious.
The Canal Volunteer Group, this time consisting of Hugh Woodford (Canal Warden T.B.C.Council), myself, Judy, Steve, Chris, John and welcome newcomers, Darrel and Audrey, met near `The Cascades` Pontnewydd at 10a.m; our mission, this time was to selectively remove several Ash and Sycamore branches, brambles etc; adjacent to Pontnewydd Park, that were protruding from the canal bank and acting as litter traps.
Even though the weather was atrocious, heavy downpours and gusting winds, our intrepid group, plus support from the Council via `extra hands` and a lorry, battled on; working in unison from both banks of the canal cutting, removing and transporting the timber, brambles, etc; with the aid of the Council's newly acquired boat.
The boat, (Come in No. 3 ), I am pleased to announce, was an initiative that I suggested whilst conducting my monthly Canal Watch 2006 `observations` with Mr. S. Davies (Land and Drainage Officer T.C.B.Council). the next positive addition would be an electric outboard motor.
.. Click on each photograph to enlarge ..
After three hours of quite strenuous, but enjoyable activity,
our little band of wet, muddy, bedraggled, hungry, but above all Proud `Canal Volunteers `, called it a day; once again demonstrating that each and everyone of us has the ability to make a `positive difference` within Society; and as Tesco would put it `Every Little Helps `.Pontnewydd section, near Glenside Community Hall
The Canal Volunteer Group assembled at 10a.m. in the car park of Pontnewydd park, after wishing each other " a Happy New Year" and remarking on our `good fortune` weatherwise, of dry conditions and a blue sky .. Yipee! ; we picked up our tools. namely, loppers. bow saws, rakes, grappling hook and of course a couple of litter pickers, for this morning's `assault` and set off for an area of the canal bank near Glenside Community Hall.
This area had long been neglected and was in dire need of some TLC (Tender Loving Care), Steve, Rob, Jan and John volunteered for the task ... and after a couple of hours of `honest toil`, had made a big difference to that area.
Hugh and myself headed for a group of trees, mainly Hazel that surrounded the pond and Lock bank a little further on; Selective branch thinning was the `order of the day` here, allowing more light to the channel and encouraging further growth. The branches were then added to a habitat pile that Hugh had previously created when he cut down similar overhanging branches before Christmas.
Our last task of the morning (Lunch beckoned ) was to trek up to the Cwmbran Tunnel and `make safe` a storm damaged tree, by removing a considerably stout branch that had split from the main bough. This was to be a joint effort by the team, so with rope and grappling hook to hand, together with muscle, enthusiasm and `Team Spirit` we `huffed`, `puffed` and `strained` in unison, finally `man handling` the damaged branch to the ground, whereby we all enthusiastically set about it, with a common goal in mind, trimming the main branch and the final result was ..... Please click here
.. Click on each photograph to enlarge ..
Throughout the morning several people stopped to enquire and offer appreciation of our efforts; we also met Rhys and Emily Hircum, from Pontnewydd, together with their Uncle, Andy Evans who explained their interest in nature and the environment via drawing and art, Rhys and Emily then selected pieces of wood for their latest `masterpiece` .... look out `Constable `
Pontnewydd section
 |
|
Hugh Woodford makes an important telephone call to the Canal Volunteer Group |
The Canal Volunteer Group assembled at 10a.m. in the car park of Pontnewydd park, this time to concentrate on an area of the canal bank adjacent to the park. Along this particular stretch, were areas of overhanging shrubbery that acted as a `litter trap` i.e. plastic bottles, cans etc. Our goal this morning was to cut these areas back to aid removal of the litter, and to prevent a `build up` in the future.
The Gwent Probation Service had arranged to join us and brought along, approximately 20 young offenders to carry out part of their `Community Service` requirements. The lads under supervision, `litter- picked` along the canal towpath and transported branches to a `chipping` machine they had brought along. After a few hours `toil` coupled with the Canal Volunteer Group's previous efforts; we all agreed that the stretch of canal between 5 Locks and Pontnewydd `cascades` looked `a lot better` for our collective efforts.
.. Click on each photograph to enlarge ..
Broadweir Road /Star Street section - Old Cwmbran , the weather conditions were mixed, cold, snow, drizzle and sunshine.
The Canal Volunteer Group, met at Broadweir Road, Old Cwmbran at 10a.m; Our goal this time was to work our way along the canal sections adjacent to Broadweir Road and Star Street, the latter section in particular was quite an eyesore, due to the abundance of litter ...
why a `negative element` of society chooses to spoil the beautiful waterway and asset we have here in Cwmbran is such a shame.On the `positive` side, three new `volunteers` had previously contacted Hugh Woodford, to offer their help, which was appreciated and readily accepted.
Armed with `weed forks`, litter pickers, and my `long handled` litter scoop, which this morning was making it's debut we set about removing some of the weed along the edge of the canal banks and attempted to remove the floating litter. After a couple of hours we had successfully retrieved, three footballs, a lawn mower, a motorcyclist's crash helmet, a Supermarket trolley, several flower pots, a road bollard,
polystyrene trays and countless beer cans, bottles, both plastic and glass.... oh yeah, nearly forgot to mention - the disturbed duckweed was very smelly !!! ...
.. Click on each photograph to enlarge ..
Pontnewydd from the Old Bridge End Inn to the intersection with Maendy Way. It was a fine morning.
The Canal Volunteer Group met in the car park of Pontnewydd Park at 10a.m and what a `turn out` several, `new` volunteers came along to join our `happy band` .. many thanks.
For some reason Hugh (our Leader) turned up in shorts, not a pretty sight, but he would easily win `top marks` in any `knobbly knees` contest ...
After some friendly banter ... (Hugh's knees again), We made our way down to the canal section, which starts a couple of hundred metres from the `Old Brigend Inn ` and ends at the intersection at Maendy Way.
Hugh outlined the mornings task, which included :-
Remove some tree saplings and ivy that were protruding from the walls of the Lock.
`Dig out` three steel bench frames that had `failed` the `test of time`.
Retrieve a cast iron bollard that had been removed from the towpath and `dumped` in the canal.
Remove `floating litter` which included a fire extinguisher, bottles, cans and bread wrappers, and a general litterpick of the immediate area.
Remove a plastic dingy from the Lock.
I am pleased to announce, that, with the aid of a `long reach extension pole`, loppers, rakes, shovels, litter pickers, a grappling hook, some sweat, (the ladies perspired ) and a good helping of `positive spirit`, we achieved our `goals`.
.. Click on each of the above photographs to enlarge ..
* Noticed on the day was an Orange-tip butterfly (Anthocharis cardamines), patches of `Cuckoo flower` or Lady’s smock (Cardamine pratensis), which co-incidentally, is the food-plant of the orange-tip butterfly’s caterpillars; a nesting Moorhen and a `shoal` numbering approximately seventeen Goldfish (Cyprinus carpio).
 |
| .. Cuckoo Flower .. |
.. Canal Volunteer Group `Taking Care of Our Environment` ..
Pontnewydd section - Cascades to the recreation ground. The weather was quite sunny and warm.
The Canal Volunteer Group met in the car park of Pontnewydd Park at 10a.m and `posed ` for the `customary photograph`.
.. If you think our nets are big wait `till you see the size of our `Jam Jars` ..
.. Click on each of the above photographs to enlarge ..
Our `Mission` this month was to recover and remove various items that could be seen in the canal from the `cascades` to the recreational ground, this was achievable since the presence of the small leafed pondweed had receded; a general litterpick was also the `order of the day`.
Our `collective` haul consisted of three skate boards, four bikes, a traffic cone, a black bag of domestic rubbish, a childs jacket, toy pushchair, several bags of cans, bottles and miscellaneous litter and even a Cd/radio player....
probably the last tune it played was `Handel's `Water Music` !!!
Samantha and her mother Carol joined our `merry band` last
month and when I discovered Sam was an Ecologist, my genuine interest in our environment,
coupled with my frequent `quizzing`
has prompted Sam to kindly contribute her notes on `sightings and
things to look out for on the canal`. . . . thanks Sam
22nd April 2007 - Pontnewydd
| Goldfish | Cyprinus carpio | 10+ |
| Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | 1 (nesting) |
| Blackbird | Turdus merula | Numerous |
| Wood pigeon | Columba livia | Numerous |
| Bumblebee spp | Bombus spp | 1 |
| Common frog | Rana temporaria | Numerous (tadpoles) |
The presence of both the fish and the tadpoles in the `holding` area indicate that despite initial appearances that the water quality is relatively good and not contaminated by pollutants such as oils, petrol and diesel which can be common in urban waterways.
The amount of bramble scrub and nettles and the presence of some Buddleia (butterfly bush, Buddleia davidii) makes the area suitable for numerous butterfly species including:-
| Painted Lady | Vanessa cardui |
| Small tortoiseshell | Aglais urticae |
| Red admiral | Vanessa atalanta |
| Peacock | Inachis io |
| Speckled wood | Pararge aegeria |
The grasses in the area may also support some further species:-
| Small white | Pieris rapae |
