Pictures from Creswell Road Mini Makeover

Creswell Road Mini Makeover

A sunny Sunday in May saw volunteers from NEAT and residents from Creswell Road undertake a mammoth cleanup of their street. Events kicked off at 9.30am with local contractors Clearway Cleaning Solutions arriving to clean the fascias, guttering, Upvc and doors of the participating properties. The volunteers had a lie in and met at 10am for a ‘Getting to Know You’ session followed by cleaning, sweeping, weeding, litter picking and graffiti removal. Local horticulturalist Russell Hope arrived at 11.30 to demonstrate the art of hanging basket planting and advised on the best plants to use. Residents got their hands dirty again by planting their own baskets to display in the communal areas of Creswell Road. Lunch was served at 1pm and everyone tucked into a delicious buffet. Afternoon sessions kicked off with a recycling seminar from Tidy Towns officer Kathryn Britton and the distribution of dog fouling bags, stubbies and recycling bags to the residents.
At the end of the day residents were proudly displaying their new hanging baskets brimming with flowers and plants and everyone knew who Shaun was! Shaun and his young family had moved to Creswell Road two years previously and had sent every resident a Christmas Card without fail. During the ‘Getting to Know You’ session the common theme was “Ah, so you are Shaun!”
By the time the weather broke and rain fell Creswell Road was looking cleaner, greener and tidier than it did at 9am and residents had got to know new neighbours they may otherwise never have spoken to.
This project was supported by Neath Port Talbot Renewal Areas, Neath North & East Communities First teams, NEAT – Neath Environmental Action Team and Keep Wales Tidy

Bettws Bridal Path Clearance

Following many conversations and a couple of false dawns, the clearance of an old bridle path began with a flurry of activity on the 24th of May. Twenty volunteers turned up to help clear out, what will become a real asset to the local community and visitors to Bettws in the near future.
The bridle path has been totally overgrown and inaccessible for a number of years. The area had become a victim to the usual fly-tipping and littering and had become a real eyesore. But following an earlier consultation with the local residents it was decided to clear away the years of neglect and re open the path for people to use once again.
Volunteers from the Youth of Bettws group along with members of the Creation Green team spent the whole day cutting back bramble, uncovering the original path and steps (which were in exceptional condition, considering the time they had been covered) and removing years of rubbish from the site.
We are hoping that with the success of this first event it will spur local resident’s into action and come along to the next event, which will include more path clearance and training and education opportunities.