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.