New Sculpture unveiled at the Riverside Centre

A new sculpture has been unveiled at Glantawe Riverside Park by the Mayor of Pontardawe. Funded by Groundwork Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, the sculpture was created by Paul Kincaid, a member of Sculpture Cymru. It was inspired by the Tawe river valley and man's impression on it. Local schools and the public were involved in a consultation exercise on the design and workshops were held at Llangiwg Primary School and with the Domino group. The mayor gave it the name Min y afon. Thanks to all who were involved in the project.

Photos above courtesy of Bob Grainger Photography

Craft Market

All kinds of quality locally produced craft items were offered for sale at the Riverside's first Craft Market on Sunday, 27th of November. From beautiful hand crafted  jewellry, fabulous hand knitted items and hand  painted decorations, and festive Christmas wreaths it was a chance to pick up something different.

Next years' Craft Market will be held in Aug - when (hopefully) the weather will be a few degrees warmer!

Birds fed up!

Familys came down at the weekend to make bird feeders with Maggie Cornelius from RSPB. They created bird feeding stations with lard, Cheerios (other cereals are available!) apples and a variety of seeds.
As it happens, birds are probably not as hungry as they might normally be due to the unseasonally mild weather. However the food provided will be much appreciated particularly if we have a winter like last year!

Pontardawe and Ynysmeudwy Historical Walk

Riverside's Lynne Lewis took a gang of people and a couple of dogs on a historical walk from the Riverside Centre along the canal up to the former site of the Ynysmeudwy Pottery, then down into the heart of Pontardawe. How the area has changed from an agricultural area with lots of flour mills to a heavily industrialised area with chimneys shadowing St Peter's Church, then into its current post industrial village feel. Highlights on the walk were the multitude of ducks on the canal and the lovely smell of the former gasworks which still reeks after all these years. Also the site of the old brewery half way round the walk brought a good thirst on

Riverside Centre awarded the NPT Green Project of the Year 2011

Arena Pontardawe's Riverside Project has won the Neath Port Talbot Green Project of the Year 2011, narrowly beating Baytrans and Awel Aman Tawe at the annual Neath Port Talbot Environment Awards, held at the Towers Hotel, Swansea. The Riverside Centre project had the edge due "to its community involvement and holistic approach to the environment."

BBC weatherman Derek Brockway was there to say, "Swmai" and give us an up to date weather report. He handed out awards and certificates sponsored by the Countryside Council for Wales.

The Riverside Centre was also a finalist for the Action for Wildlife category won by Margam Discovery Centre. Photos and videos of the evening will be available on the Environment Forum's website .http://www.npt.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=7216

A big thanks goes out to all of the schools, community groups, organisations and volunteers who have made the project so successful. We hope to do even better in 2012.

Don't panic it's only First Aid training!

Passers by at the Riverside Centre on Friday must have wondered what was going on. Bodies with "wounds" were strewn around with a screaming (but later unconscious man) calling for help. A team of men adorned with latex gloves arrived at the scene and gave emergency first aid. Of course it was all a scenario for an Outdoor First Aid course being run by RC Training Wales at the Riverside Centre. RC Training specialise in First Aid courses for groups and professionals working in more remote and challenging environments such as Arctic expeditions etc. One poor victim was deliberately dunked in the river fully clothed to simulate what to do to prevent hypothermia! There will be more courses run by Rob Clapham so expect to see more strange sights!

Witch Crafts!

The Riverside Centre, with the help of some D of E volunteers from Cwmtawe ran a fabulous Halloween themed afternoon on Sunday, 30th of October. Spooky crafts such as making a traditional witches broom (not guaranteed to fly!), a pumpkin shaped piniata which put up quite a bit of resistance, and spooky face painting as well as a pass the pumpkin game.

NPT Green Fayre postponed

The Neath Port Talbot Green Fayre due on the 10th and 11th of December has been postponed until February. Watch this space for updates. The Riverside Craft market is still on on the 27th of November 10-4.

ARENA PONTARDAWE

Vacancy

P/T Project Assistant - Riverside Park Community Facility

Job Location: Glantawe Riverside Park Pontardawe, Swansea

Salary: £10.616 pa following completion of probationary period.

Hours: 24 hrs per wk

Work time: flexible, some unsocial hours

Age: 18 and over

Please contact Pontardawe Arena Partnership for full details.

Address: The Cottage. Blaenegel. Rhyd y fro. Pontardawe SA8 4TA

01269 822515

Email: j.a.howes@talk21.com

Applications close 18th November 2011

Bird Identification Day

The Welsh weather put a bit of a dampener on our birdwatch but those who took part enjoyed themselves and had a good view of a number of bird species. In particular there were great views of the dippers in the river, swimming around looking for fish and standing on rocks bobbing up and down.

Goosanders mixed with Mallards swam around downstream while winter flocks of long tailed tits and goldfinches flew by in the trees with their mixture of metallic tweeting and cheerful twittering.  

The birdwatch survey was funded by Environment Wales. Anybody interested in taking part in future bird, butterfly or flora surveys should contact Roger on 01792 864194

Safety Day

Some of us who volunteer with the Swansea Canal Society participated in a basic Fire, Water and Save a life course here at the Riverside on Monday, 3rd of October. The day covered basic first aid training, working safely around water, and fire hazards. The course was put on by British Waterways.

Photo courtesy of Paul Grainger

Willow Weaving

                                                                                                                                                                                             A glorious Saturday, 1st of October saw a capacity turnout for our willow weaing workshop. Participants make simple items to take home and helped to construct our fabulous owl sculpture which sits in its little bower next to the new picnic area. Many thanks to the Out to Learn Willow services for a great day.
NEWSFLASH! Saw my first Mink at the Riverside on Saturday. If anyone else spots them around here, or any other interesting bits of wildlife can you please let us know for our environment surveys.

FEI Skill Day Success

The Riverside Centre was the venue for a Forest Education Initiative Skill Sharing Day on Friday 16th of September. Dodging the particularly heavy showers, participants were able to take part in a number of workshops including making natural cordage from sisal or nettles, carving spoons and friction fire lighting with Dryad Bushcraft. Bird feeders and gypsy flowers were made using draw knives and shaving horses with Dragonfly Creations while a variety of willow items were made with "Out to Learn Willow" Cooking on fires and fire safety workshops were provided by the Forestry Commission while Groundwork led forages for wild food.

The day was funded by the Neath Port Talbot FEI group, Groundwork and the Riverside Centre using Big Lottery money.

 

More Benches at Riverside

Local walkers can rest their aching legs now at the Riverside Centre. Three recycled plastic benches (made by Birch Second Life Products Wales Ltd) have been installed at Glantawe Riverside Park courtesy of Neath Port Talbot CBC's Tourism Development Coordinator with funding from the Rural Development Plan. They compliment the new path linking the Swansea Canal with the Centre. Local dog walkers have been pleased as they now have a choice of shorter circuits they can take.

Spinners and Weavers Workshop 17th Sept

We've just had a great session at the Riverside Centre with the Tawe Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers. 

The main hall has been filled with people learning crafts ancient and modern, with access to looms including inkle looms and table looms and spinning wheels giving hands on experience. 

 Lots of wools and yarns were available for people to experiment with and find out about natural and man-made dyes and fibres.

The Guild have been in existence for 30 years and are based in The Cross in Pontardawe. They have a wealth of experience and run regular workshops and classes. 

Seeing the hall filled with people being creative and being inspired has been wonderful. We hope to see the Guild back again in the future.

Butterflies - by Paul Steer. Exhibition at Riverside Centre

Tuesday 6th September saw the opening of the first exhibition at the Riverside Centre. 'Butterflies' by Paul Steer is a collection of life-sized paintings on plaster of native butterflies and their caterpillars. These small and exquisite paintings showcase the diversity of our butterflies and their colours and patterns.

Alongside the paintings is a short series of photographs by Eleanor Flaherty, showing the beauty of the plants that are considered weeds, but are essential to the caterpillars' and therefore to the survival of the butterflies.

Information on the butterflies and their habitat and what we can do to preserve it, has been provided by
Butterfly Conservation.

The exhibition runs from 6th to 17th September

Butterfly Surveying at Riverside

Local volunteers from Swansea Canal Society and Godre'Graig Community Association took part in a butterfly survey funded by Environment Wales, at Glantawe Riverside Park on Sunday. Local expert Martin Humphries guided them around a planned transect or route which will be used for all future surveys. At times the survey was hampered by wind which grounded the butterflies, but at other times the sun came out, the wind died down and the butterflies showed themselves!

Species which appeared on the day included Small tortoiseshells, Large whites, Common blues, Speckled woods, a Comma, a Brimstone and a Small Copper.

The volunteers were also rewarded with a dramatic chase by a sparrowhawk on a goldfinch. Fortunately for the goldfinch the sparrowhawk was spooked by our presence and it lived to tell the tale!

The volunteers will be taking their newly acquired knowledge back to their own projects.

The meadows at Glantawe Riverside Park have many grasses and wild flowers that both serve as breeding plants (eggs are laid in plants that the caterpillars can eat) and as a nectar source for butterflies. In the next few years it is planned to get the meadows managed to preserve / enhance their wildlife value. Left to their own devices they will turn into scrub with trees taking over.

If anyone is interested in taking part in future surveys for birds, butterflies or wild flowers please contact the Riverside Centre.

T & Jam in the Park - Mon 29th August

Over 200 people came to chill at the Riverside Park's T & Jam event, to get away from the Bank Holiday madness to listen to some good music and poetry. Music was provide by young local talent, Where Corals Lie and Rhod and Tom, Huw Pudner and Bob Thomas sang fine tales and we were all treated to the talent and voice of
Gruff Sion Rees.



Thanks to all who helped out, manned the car park and sold all those teas and cake! More music events are being organised so watch this space!

For more photos from the day, see our Gallery Page >>

New Hotels Built for Minibeasts!

On a blustery but sunny Sunday, minibeasts have been treated to some new customised hotels built by local families. Maggie Cornelius from RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) was on hand to help create mini hotels. Sections of carpet tubes were stuffed with twigs, grasses and leaves and decorated to create a colourful des res! These were then taken home and put in the garden. Within no time at all they will be inhabited by woodlice, spiders, beetles etc. As they are made of cardboard over time they will all rot down nicely into minibeast food.

Meanwhile a much bigger development was being created by Jean Francois Dulong from Groundwork Brigend and Neath Port Talbot. This was made of sections of pallets and larger sticks, cardboard tubes etc. A version created last year was teeming with creepy crawlies.

Fun was also had with new butterfly nets sweep nets and pots funded by Environment Wales. The variety of insects, spiders and other bugs was quite impressive. Despite the windy conditions that butterflies don't like, one young person caught a Brimstone, Peacock, Green Veined White, Small White, Common Blue, Meadow Brown and Tortoiseshell butterflies!

T & Jam in the Park - Mon 29th August

Come and chill out at the Riverside Park on Monday 29th August. Bring a picnic, your family and your friends your dog (on a lead please) for an afternoon of chill out sounds, music and poetry. Just the way to have a relaxing Bank Holiday Monday.

Musicians for the day include:
Where Corals Lie
Huw Pudner& Bob Thomas
Rhod and Tom
Gruff Sion Rees

and poet Phil Knight.

Hope to see you there!

Mural unveiled at the Riverside Centre

A colourful mural representing the diverse wildlife at Glantawe Riverside Park was officially unveiled by Gwenda Thomas AM on Friday 22nd of July at the Riverside Centre. Over 50 people attended including friends and families of the students from Cwmtawe Community School who took part in the project, the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, funders partners in the project and local park users.

Professional artist Dave Marchant praised the efforts of the students and the 4 United Nations Association (UNA) volunteers; Paulo Severo (Italy), Raphaelle Bossiroy (Belgium), Kristyna Hnevsova, (Czech Republic) and Guillaume Dubeouf (France).

Helen Wales from UNA gave a short speech explaining the principles of UNA and the importance of exchanges in breaking down cultural barriers.

A timely shower prompted a move into the centre where the student's art work was on display and a spread of food prepared by the UNA volunteers composed of traditional dishes from their countries.

Funding for this project came from the West Glamorgan Crimebeat Community Award - thank you to Rowland Jones, former High Sheriff. Funding also came from the NPT Community Safety Partnership. Thank you Sian Morris, Community Safety Officer. Part of the project was also funded by the Big Lottery. The volunteers also thanked Celtic leisure for loan of their showers!

A big thank you to all involved including Riverside staff, Lynne Lewis and Eleanor Flaherty.

Orienteering Training at Riverside

On Friday 17th of June, 12 people from local community groups and schools took part in training course on how to teach orienteering with Mair Tomos from British Orienteering. Dodging the showers the participants learnt how to teach others on basic map reading skills, setting the map and understanding the symbols on an orienteering map. They can now plan and deliver orienteering sessions that meet the safety standards required by British Orienteering.

Glantawe Riverside Park has its own fixed orienteering course and equipment that schools and community groups can hire to teach orienteering. For further details contact Roger at the Riverside Centre.

Organised Kaos at Riverside!

The sun shone on 37 people who turned up on Saturday to take part in circus skills workshops with local youth circus group, Organised Kaos. Participants had the chance to walk around on power stilts, juggle, use a diablo and hula hoop amongst pieces of kit. Afterwards there was a show where Organised Kaos showed off their skills which featured in the recently televised "Passion of Port Talbot"

Anyone interested in joining Organised Kaos can contact Nicola Hemsley on 07799 266505 emailinfo@organisedkaos.org.uk or visit their web page at www.organisedkaos.org.uk

International Mural Project - Underway

We've just had the first session with artist Dave Marchant and pupils from Ysgol Cwmtawe who are working together to design a mural for the end wall of the Centre. This will encourage young people to utilise the Centre and also give them some ownership of the building.



The mural will showcase some of the wildlife in the Park and will be undertaken over the next four weeks. We will also shortly be welcoming our International Volunteers to the Centre who will be working alongside Dave and the school to create and paint the design. Updates will be posted as the project develops.

This project is supported by West Glamorgan Crimebeat Community Award and NPT Community Safety Partnership.

Picnic Area

Those of you who have been in the park recently will have noticed the work done to the area just adjacent to the Centre. We've been clearing the overgrown area and cutting back the very tangled trees to make a space for our new picnic area. 

It's great to see the area being opened up and able to be used now and we've discovered some very lovely small native trees that now have the space to grow.

The picnic area will contain rocks from the local quarry which over time will soften with weathering providing a natural looking space for people to sit down and enjoy the Park.

This work is sponsored by Biffa Award - Building Communities, Transforming Lives

Riverside Food Festival

Many thanks for all who came, demonstrated, sold their wares and made our first Food Festival a great success. Steve Bartram from the Butcher's Arms fantastic demonstrations and the fab music kept people on site even when it rained in the last hour. We've had loads of positive feedback so watch this space as next year we're planning to make it bigger and better...

For those of you waiting for the videos of some of Steve's demonstrations, they will be posted on our Food Festival website in about a week.

Puppet Theatre Wales

Many of you have enjoyed the puppeting sessions run by Helyn Latimer of Puppet Theatre Wales at the Riverside. If you've missed them then see this short film by our film-maker Eleanor Flaherty filmed at the Centre and see what it's all about. We're hoping to see Helyn again soon.

Riverside Dog Show 8th May 2011

Thanks to all who turned up our Dog Show on the 8th May. We had a fantastic day, managed to dodge the showers and had one of the biggest classes for our Judge Jo Hutchings to have to chose winners from.

We had stalls from the Dogs Trust, Ystradgynlais Volunteer Centre, Tawe Guild of Weavers Spinners and Dyers and Lynda Reynolds. Food was provided by the Dragons Den and thanks to the Pontardawe Chamber of Trade and Commerce for their brilliant bandstand and PA. Thanks to Merlin's Magicians flyball team and the Siberian Huskies for some great displays and all the people who volunteered to help out on the day, you are stars!

See our gallery for more pictures from the day
RIVERSIDE DOG SHOW GALLERY

Little Critters Enjoy Bugmania

Local families spent a sunny afternoon on safari at the weekend. Armed with nets, trays, magnifiers and identification keys our intrepid explorers dipped the canal and met an army of caddisfly larvae all camouflaged in their disguise as a blade of grass. There was also a large population of snails - good news for the fish, which is good news for the heron and kingfishers (not such good news for the fish!)

On the meadow they saw a range of butterflies and caught a variety of flies, spiders and froghoppers in their sweep nets.

The river and canals both had Mayfly larvae in them, which is very good news as they only survive in unpolluted water.

Finally in the woods our minibeast hunters discovered wood lice (granny greys), pill millipedes, worms, slugs and other delightful creatures all doing their bit do maintain nature's balance in the woods.

Back in the cool of the Riverside Centre they made bug masks to take home with them.

A big thanks to the Environmental Education Service at Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare for loan of their equipment.