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.