A community garden in Coedpoeth has won a Green Flag Award for the seventh consecutive year, internationally recognising a quality green space.
The award, by Keep Wales Tidy, was given to Plas Pentwyn in recognition of its dedicated volunteer involvement, high environmental standards and commitment to delivering great quality green space.
Wales currently holds a third of the UK’s community Green Flag sites, with 159 community-managed green spaces.
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The site has existed since 2008 and currently consists of a garden and orchard for all. They are maintained by dedicated volunteers and other members of the community, including children from the local school Penygelli.
The award was presented to the group by Carolyn Thomas MS, with two local councillors also in attendance, Cllr Krista Childs and Cllr Anthony Wedlake.
Carolyn Thomas said: “You might think that is it overgrown but that biodiversity is about having that variety of plants and species for a variety of insects and birds and other things so when you see people say oh it looks a bit wild or a bit untidy, that’s all really important.
“The birds will eat the grass seeds and even wildflowers are really important.
“It’s pretty amazing to keep getting (the award) every year.”
WATCH: Green Flag Award is presented to The Plas Pentwyn Community Gardening Group
The award was presented to Jane Robertson, Moira Taylor, Jacqueline Kearsley, Matthew Hughes, Sheila Thomas, Fran Prosser, Jan and Richard Northon, caretaker Moira Matthais and centre manager Cathryn O’Nions.
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The group worked hard to maintain the garden even during the lockdowns. Two members of the group, in particular, were praised by Cllr Krista Childs for their effort during the pandemic, Jacqueline and Moira, who are mother and daughter-in-law.
Moira said: “We enjoyed it because everyone was stuck. For our daily exercise, we used to walk down here and do an hour gardening and then walk back. We weren’t breaking any rules and were family so we were able to keep it ticking over. In actual fact, we did it because we enjoyed it .”
Cllr Childs added: “(It’s a) therapeutic benefit for the children. There’s a link path between this building and the school so for the parents of the children who go to the nursery Happy Days, they go through there. They’re really a part of the community.”
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The volunteers said that the gardening had such an impact on the young ones, they still stop in the street to chat years later.
Cllr Anthony Wedlake has also praised the group for their efforts.
He said: “It’s a lot of hard work, particularly watering it (in this weather). It’s such a mammoth effort so one of their grant qualifications is to have a water distribution system so that will make a big difference.”
The group is now looking ahead for more grants to continue to improve the garden for everyone to continue to enjoy it.
The group has also thanked the following for their work in the garden: Helen and Andrea Graf-Mckee, Mike Taylor, John Marchant, Nia Vernon, Bryn Tones, Ann Davies, Linda Beswick and Eileen Hughes.
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