Consider a career in local care

A recruitment campaign has been launched to encourage more people to consider a career in social care in Denbighshire.

Over recent times, the Council has seen an increase in the number of social care vacancies, especially during Covid when demand for social care increased.

Now a campaign called Gwnewch i bobl wenu/ Make people smile has been launched to raise the profile of careers in social care and to advertise the current vacancies that exist in the county.

This campaign will include a mix of advertising on public transport, banners in community locations, adverts in the local media, social media activity and branding on some of the Council’s vehicles. The Council will also be out and about in locations hosting recruitment roadshows and workshops.

The Council has also revamped its information on the Council’s website and has included case studies as videos, in an attempt to encourage more people into the profession. A frequently asked questions section has also been provided to provide answers to some of the most regular questions received.

Nicola Stubbins, Corporate Director – Communities, said: “This campaign is very much about selling the benefits of working for the Council and for starting a career in social care.

“Working in social care and making a real difference every day is a true privilege and our teams do make people smile every single day. It’s in their DNA to want to help people live as independently as possible, but having the care and support they need in a variety of settings.

“Qualifications are not always needed and there are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills and complete qualifications through the workplace.  The Council has put in place a programme of support for all employees and there are significant benefits to working for the Council. They include family friendly policies and a flexible approach to shift patterns.

“What’s needed more than anything is the ability to make people smile, to have empathy and to have a caring nature. The rest will fall into place”.

Anyone interested in a career in social care should visit the website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/care-jobs

We also have some videos from people who work in our care sector.

Here is Catherine's story >>>

There are other videos to watch on our website - they're well worth looking at if you're thinking of applying for a role with us.

Countdown to election

Final preparations are being made ahead of the county council and town, city and community council elections taking place on Thursday, 5 May.

Eligible residents should have received their polling cards with details of the location of their polling stations. People can vote between the hours of 7am and 10pm.

Once polling stations are closed, the election boxes will be transferred to the counting centre where the voting papers will be verified overnight.

The counting for the elections will begin on Friday, 6^th May at 9am with the county council elections; this will be followed by the votes for the town, city and community councils elections.

All election results will be published on: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/elections

If you have any enquiries, please contact the Electoral team, on 01824 706000.

Conflict in Ukraine: How you can help

The current conflict in Ukraine is heart-breaking with thousands of people forced to leave their homes fearing for the safety of their families and the humanitarian crisis is growing with large numbers of people needing urgent help.

The Council has started to work with partner organisations to support those impacted by the conflict and families have now started to arrive to live with Host households. The Denbighshire UK Resettlement Team are working with all involved to support resettlement over the coming months.

If you are interested in becoming a Host household, you can find more information here >>> https://www.gov.uk/register-interest-homes-ukraine

Any local volunteer groups or individuals that wish to offer other kinds of support can contact us by emailing ukresettlement@denbighshire.gov.uk

Welsh Government are also asking businesses for help.

Please find below a link for any business or organisation that can offer help with the following:

• Large scale accommodation for refugees and their families, such as hotels and holiday parks
• transport, such as coaches and minibuses (you may not need to provide drivers) to take people to their new homes
• supplies, such as clothes, toiletries and sanitary products
• language lessons
• employment and training
• translators and interpreters 

https://gov.wales/register-business-or-organisation-help-ukrainian-refugees-coming-wales

As a Council, we will continue do everything in our power to help those who need it during this ongoing crisis.

Preparing to welcome Wales to Denbighshire

The Council is gearing up to welcome Eisteddfod yr Urdd to Denbighshire.

Work has already started on creating the Maes on the outskirts of Denbigh and the Council has been working closely with event organisers to ensure the Eisteddfod is a huge success.

The Eisteddfod was due to be held in Denbighshire in 2020, but was delayed twice due to Covid restrictions.

Now plans are in full swing to prepare the Maes, ready for the event - 30 May to 4 June.

The Council will have a marquee on the Maes and will have activities for the whole family. Children can come in and get involved in creating works of art using local materials with artist Mari Gwent. Art works created by local school children as part of a project leading up to the Eisteddfod will also be on display.

There will be a taste of the coast coming to the country as we have planned to have a sand pit for our younger visitors. There will also be a wild flower meadow created to promote the work we are doing around climate change and being more environmentally friendly.

Our studio space will be used by local schools as a practice stage, so it’s a great opportunity to hear our talented children and young people in action. There will also be other activities hosted in the studio during the week, including musical items, storytelling sessions and silent discos. Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter accounts for more information.

The Council will also be promoting the county as a great place to visit, with the focus on promoting things to do in the county, highlighting the attractions available and we’ll have a BMX track for children as part of our efforts to promote leisure activities in the county.

The Council is delighted to be one of the main sponsors of the event, including the primary and secondary schools shows on the Wednesday and Thursday. These will provide a great opportunity for our children and young people to perform on a national stage.

Come and see us during the week. You can find us next to the main entrance.

Urdd:Ni yw y Byd

To get your free tickets go to urdd.cymru/tocynnau.

Urdd: Fi di Fi

To get your free tickets go to urdd.cymru/tocynnau.

Dates for free caravan/campervan weight check and security advice

Denbighshire and Conwy Trading Standards are offering free caravan weighing and advice sessions.

Residents who are going on holiday in a touring or motor caravan can make sure they are not overloading their vehicle or caravan and putting themselves at risk.

The free caravan weighing and advice sessions are available for Denbighshire and Conwy residents, and for those in other local authority areas if they are able to travel to the location. 

This is an advice session and no action will be taken if overloading or other issues are found, but we will work with you to reduce the load.

The free weight checks will take place at the Weighbridge on the A525 between Rhuddlan and St Asaph on the following dates and times:

• Friday, 6 May (9.30am – 2pm)
• Saturday, 21 May (8am to 1pm)
• Friday, 17 June (9.30am - 2pm)
• Friday, 15 July (9.30am - 2pm)
• Saturday, 30 July (8am - 1pm)
• Friday, 12 August (9.30am - 2pm)
• Friday, 26 August (9.30am – 2pm)
• Saturday, 10 September (8am – 1pm)
• Friday, 23 September (9.30am – 2pm)

Emlyn Jones, the Council’s Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, said: “We are encouraging touring and motor caravan owners to take advantage of these free weighing and advice sessions being held by Denbighshire’s Trading Standards team in conjunction with colleagues from Conwy. 

“It is important to make sure you are not overloading your vehicle or caravan, and therefore protecting yourself and others.”

You don’t need an appointment, you can attend during the listed times on the dates mentioned and find out if you are within the legal weights for your vehicle. The weighbridge can be found on the Rhuddlan to St Asaph A525 road, approximately ¾ of a mile from Rhuddlan, located in the layby, there will be signs indicating the weighbridge is in operation.

If you have any questions regarding the above please contact either Denbighshire Trading Standards on mailto:tradingstandards@denbighshire.gov.uk or visit their Facebook page, likewise contact Conwy Trading Standards on trading.standards@conwy.gov.uk.

Public open spaces commuted sums update

A Commuted Sum is a payment by developers to a local authority when it is not appropriate to provide the required outdoor open space during a development. The funds are held specifically for the enhancement of open spaces and play areas and are often used for the same town or community council from where they came. However, in some circumstances, the funds can be used for nearby towns or community councils in Denbighshire.

During the last round of Commuted Sums, advertised from November 2021 until the end of January 2022 there was £223,421 available across 14 towns and villages in Denbighshire. The fund received 15 applications from the eligible locations totalling £238,167 and from these allocations were made to 13 of the projects submitted, to the value of £204,929.

Details of projects allocated funding from the latest round of Public Open Spaces Commuted Sums Funding can be seen below.

The next round of Open Spaces Commuted Sums will be announced in Autumn 2022. Should you wish to know more about the type of projects that the fund can support or would like to be informed directly of Open Spaces Commuted Sums funding in Denbighshire, please contact communitydevelopment@denbighshire.gov.uk.

Don't miss out! Sign up to our newsletter and mailing list to receive all of the latest community development news and newsletters straight to your inbox. You can sign up by e-mailing the team or by visiting our website.

Jobs Fair

Are you looking for a job or a change in career?

Then Working Denbighshire would like to welcome you along to our Jobs Fair!

At the Jobs Fair, you will get the chance to talk to employers from a wide range of different sectors and get an understanding of what it would be like to work for them.

 Working Denbighshire staff will also be on hand to offer advice, guidance and employability support.

Date: Wednesday May 25^th, 2022

Time: 9.30am – 3pm

Place: Town Hall, Wellington Road, Rhyl LL18 1BA. 

Work Start Scheme

The Council's Work Start Scheme has offered over 60 placements to Denbighshire Residents providing a valuable insight into the world of employment. Work Start Scheme is a Working Denbighshire approach to developing and building resilient communities in Denbighshire with a sharpened focus on tackling unemployment via paid and unpaid work placements within our own Council.

In light of Covid 19, we have since extended our reach within the Work Start Scheme to micro and small businesses across Denbighshire. During the latest waves of placements, the scheme has been able to offer both paid and unpaid placement opportunities with over 15 businesses in Denbighshire. Many local employers have welcomed this development, allowing them to screen potential new recruits and ensure that new workers have a basic grasp of workplace dynamics before they clock on for the first time.

The scheme is continuing to help local people develop the skills, experience and interests that employers are looking for in an increasingly competitive job market by providing funding to create paid and unpaid work placements in a variety of junior roles within departments of Denbighshire County Council and local businesses. During their participation with the Work Start Scheme each individual is supported by a Placement Officer to access a network of services that supports them in their journey into or towards employments, and to maintain their position or progress once in employment.

Would you benefits from participating in the Work Start Scheme?

Here is how we can help you as part of the Work Start Scheme. We will:

• Discuss the placements that we have to offer
• Explore interest in potential roles within the Council and local businesses
• Confirm eligibility and help candidates meet eligibility criteria
• Access funding to assist the placements
• Offer placement support for participants
• Support with a guaranteed interview schemes
• Help with reference commitments for future job applications
• Enable training opportunities and help access e-learning
• Provide networking opportunities - provide a buddy support system for participants
• Develop employability skills
• Source work ready candidates for employment
• Signpost to services supporting access to further employment.

If you would like more information on how to get involved in the Work Start Scheme please email us at WorkStart@denbighshire.gov.uk.

What participants have had to say about the Work Start Scheme:

Ready?

Overcoming bullying and anxiety to secure a job

‘H’ was referred into our support through Careers Wales, he had severe anxiety and had struggled in education settings due to bullying. Referred into Communities for Work via Careers Wales, H has moved forward in leaps and bounds and has secured work at Papa Johns which he is extremely excited to start.

H had previously completed his Level 1 in Software development however due to issues with the college he was not allowed to continue onto the Level 2 course. H suffered with bullying at school and so has got low self-esteem and confidence in his abilities. When H was referred into our service, meetings were arranged at the local careers wales centre where he felt comfortable. H had not been applying for work as he did not know where to start.

The engagement ……

To engage H into the project we began to meet at the local Careers Wales centre via one of their workers for support. This allowed H to meet with me in a space he felt comfortable and relaxed whilst he got to know me. H enjoyed anything to do with computers, but also enjoyed spending time outdoors in his garden. H did not know what he wanted to do, he lacked any confidence so the idea of work was slightly overwhelming for him but he knew he needed to start earning money to help his mum out. We initially started to sign him onto UC, this would allow him some money and also some extra support with job searching. I helped with the application and attended his first meetings with him as he would not go on his own.

Once his UC was organised we began talking about what H would like to do, he mentioned his brother was on a course and wanted to know if he would be able to do it too. However, when we looked into it H was too old for that particular course and there was not anything similar without going to college which was too much for H due to previous bullying. This lead us to try and find alternative courses but unfortunately there were none available that were suitable for H. From this we started to focus on work, we completed his C.V together ensuring all his skills were up to date and it showed him off when applying for positions. We then started applying for roles, H did not mind what type of work as long as it was local to him and it was something that interested him.

Alongside applying for jobs we started to look at other options including the Work Start Scheme. An opportunity with the IT department became available through the Work Start Scheme. With H previous college qualification, he was really interested in the position so we started the application process. We worked together to get H ready for the pre-screening and the interview. H went for the interview however was not successful in gaining the paid placement but was successful in gaining an unpaid opportunity within IT. This was all set up however due to staffing issues for IT the opportunity was put on hold. This was a blow for H but he understood that the opportunity is still available. This lead us to look at other options and see what other opportunities were coming up. As it was now January lots of the local caravan parks were beginning their recruitment drives for the holiday season. H was really interested in some of these opportunities and we talked about the different roles that could be available. I also explained how the holiday parks carry out their recruitment and that they tend to have a recruitment day that you attend and you can talk to a number of sections with jobs available.

H was unsure about this process but also it did not put him off, he decided he wanted to go to the recruitment day. So we discussed the roles and H was interested in the cleaning, reception and catering roles that were going to be available. H went along with his C.V and in his interview clothes on his own, this was a huge step for H to attend something new by himself. After the recruitment day I spoke to H and he explained it had gone well and he was pleased with himself for attending. He spoke to someone for the reception roles, Papa John roles and bar roles.

After waiting a couple of weeks H heard back from Papa John’s asking him in for another meeting, he went along and they offered him a position. H was over the moon and really excited about starting work. H was thrilled that he had managed to build up his confidence to attend the recruitment day himself and through support from myself for interview prep and interview clothes that H felt comfortable in he secured the position.

Outcomes

When I began working with H I believed that our journey together would have taken longer due to all the barriers he faced. However, through persistence and motivation from H he has surpassed even his own expectations and secured work. H has overcome his anxiety of new people and new places and has worked extremely hard with every task given to him. He would practice and practice his interview techniques to ensure he felt as confident as he could be going into interviews. This has shown with this case study that perseverance and motivation plays a key factor in overcoming barriers. By not letting the bumps overcome him, H kept picking himself up and moving forward until he reached his end goal of securing work.

Woodland classroom adds in home for mammals

An addition to a new woodland site is providing a nocturnal education theme.

Work has been carried out at an old primary school field on Llanrhydd Street, Ruthin to establish a new woodland.

Denbighshire’s Woodland Creation Project has seen 800 trees planted at the site already this year as part of a continuing effort to reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity.

This is part of a programme of 5,000 trees planted this year to also create new woodlands at Maes Gwilym, Cae Ddol and at Maes Esgob.

These new trees are in addition to the planting of over 18,000 across the county as part of the Council’s Corporate Plan 2017-22 focus on the preservation of the natural environment and also the maintaining and enhancing biodiversity within the county.

A number of school children were able to help plant the trees on their old school field in Ruthin.

And now an outdoor classroom area has been crafted on the site not only to help the children learn about biodiversity but also give a helping hand to local nocturnal residents.

The classroom has been constructed of wood by local craftsperson Huw Noble who has incorporated a unique feature.

The structure contains a ‘Bat Roof’ which has been specially designed to provide the features bats need to roost during the day. Over time, as the habitats on site develop, it is hoped that this structure will support local populations of these rare creatures

Emlyn Jones, the Council’s Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, said: “We are grateful to all the volunteers, school pupils and local members who have worked not just on the Llanrhydd site, but all the sites to help continue to reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity across Denbighshire.

“We are working hard to put biodiversity into the heart of our plans at the outset and this has allowed the design to be tweaked to benefit people as well as wildlife.

“This great addition to the Llanrhydd site will really help children get closer to understanding the biodiversity of their local community and what they can continue to do to help the environment.

“We are also really grateful to the joiner for installing this incredible Bat Roof which we hope will really benefit the local population and make the class room a unique place to champion biodiversity for local youngsters.”

Information:

• In July 2019, the Council passed a motion to declare a Climate Change and Ecological Emergency. A Climate and Ecological Change Strategy was approved by Council in February 2021, committing the Council to become Net Carbon Zero and more Ecologically Positive Council by 2030.
• This includes reducing the Council’s carbon emissions from several sources.
• It is not possible to reach net carbon zero by reducing emissions alone. Any carbon emissions that we cannot eliminate will therefore have to be offset. The Woodland Creation Project will help the council achieve that carbon zero goal by contributing to the amount of carbon sequestered (or absorbed).

Volunteer opportunities at Tree Nursery

A new Denbighshire initiative is opening the doors to volunteers interested in biodiversity.

The Council’s local provenance tree nursery at Green Gates Farm, St Asaph, aims to produce 5,000 native wildflower plants a year alongside 5,000 native trees.

This project has been funded by Welsh Government, through the Local Nature Partnerships Cymru ENRaW project and Local Places for Nature grant.

Already the team at the site is seeing the fruits of their labour with the first native wildflower seeds germinating at the nursery.

Following the Council’s declaration of a Climate and Ecological Emergency in 2019, this project is part of an ongoing commitment to enhancing biodiversity across the county.

And now the team are welcoming any volunteers to the site who may have an interest in the local environment, keen plant growers or those who generally want to learn more about the wildflower and tree planting projects the Council runs.

Emlyn Jones, the Council’s Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, said: “We are proud of the biodiversity work at this site and keen to open up volunteer opportunities to those who are interested in what we are doing here for the local environment. It is a great chance to learn more about Denbighshire’s biodiversity from our experienced team at the nursery.

“We are particular keen to welcome volunteers to support us with seed collecting, potting on and other general nursery tasks related to our goal to provide 5,000 wildflower plants and 5,000 trees each year.

“The nursery will also help provide trees and wildflowers to local community groups to help boost biodiversity.”

If you would like to volunteer, please get in touch at biodiversity@denbighshire.gov.uk. 

New woodland creations take shape

Nearly 5,000 new trees have been planted across Denbighshire to help reduce carbon emissions and improve biodiversity.

The Council’s Woodland Creation Project is laying down roots across the county thanks to the support work of staff, volunteers and elected members.

In July 2019, the Council passed a motion to declare a Climate Change and Ecological Emergency. A Climate and Ecological Change Strategy was approved by Council in February 2021, committing the Council to become Net Carbon Zero and more Ecologically Positive Council by 2030.

This includes reducing the Council’s carbon emissions from several sources.

It is not possible to reach net carbon zero by reducing emissions alone.  Any carbon emissions that we cannot eliminate will therefore have to be offset.  The Woodland Creation Project will help the council achieve that carbon zero goal by contributing to the amount of carbon sequestered (or absorbed).

Volunteers and Council staff have planted 800 trees at Llanrhydd, 2,500 at Maes Gwilym, 1,500 at Cae Ddol and 150 trees at Maes Esgob. This included a number of school children who were able to plant the trees on their old school field in Ruthin, as well as enhance the Maes Gwilym woodland in Rhyl.

The project is also designed to support the Council in increasing the species richness of its land.

The Council is to plant nearly 5000 trees across the county and are grateful to the support of staff and volunteers who have worked on the sites and also elected members who have helped.

All the trees have been selected to enhance biodiversity with a really diverse hedgerow mix, as well as standard sized tree species chosen to suit each area.

Each site also has a ‘celebration’ tree, chosen by residents during our online consultation last November, planted in an area with plenty of space to enable it to grow into a magnificent specimen for the community to enjoy and be proud of.

For more information on the Council’s Climate and Ecological Change work please visit our website.

Biodiversity project grows for new season

A biodiversity project will be blooming on a larger scale this year across Denbighshire.

The Council’s Wildflower Meadow project is set to take in a larger season for 2022 following the announcement of additional sites for the environment initiative.

Following the Council’s declaration of a climate and ecological emergency in 2019, this project is part of an ongoing commitment to enhancing biodiversity across the county,

At the end of last year there were nearly 60 Wildflower Meadows project sites, including highway verges, footpath edges, cycleways and amenity grasslands with more sites planned for inclusion this spring.

Following feedback gathered with the support of local members, the project this year has grown to now include over 100 sites managed for wildflower meadow (including the 11 roadside nature reserves). These sites are equivalent to nearly 35 football pitches worth of grassland managed as native wildflower meadows.

Emlyn Jones, the Council’s Head of Planning, Public Protection and Countryside Services, said: “The aim of this is to increase biodiversity in line with our declared Climate Change and Ecological Emergency and Corporate Plan priority for the Environment.

“Wildflower meadow management requires there to be no grass cutting between March and August each year, giving wildflowers enough time to grow, flower, and set seed. For these sites, the biodiversity team will monitor the growth and biodiversity improvement monthly and Streetscene will cut a border only around the sites during this time. The sites will then be given a full cut in early September.”

The Council’s biodiversity team will be engaging with residents near the new sites to inform how the project works to benefit and improve the county’s biodiversity.

As well as protecting wildflowers, the meadows are also boosting the welfare of native insects to Denbighshire.

 For further information on the wildflower sites please go to our website.

Celebrating our dark skies

As part of the very first Welsh Dark Sky Week 2022, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB, alongside Wales’ national parks and AONBs, have taken part in an exciting week of celestial events to celebrate our protected dark skies.

The week kicked off with two fascinating online talks; the first from North Wales Dark Sky officer Dani Robertson. Dani led a friendly and informative evening with over 50 attendees, explaining the importance of considerate lighting and impacts on wildlife around Wales. Dani also highlighted the recent work that has taken place at Loggerheads Country Park to provide dark sky friendly lighting in the AONB. Our second talk welcomed PhD researcher Rochelle Meah, as she shared her knowledge about the effects of light pollution on the nocturnal behaviour, navigation and activity of spiders and moths. The informative talk was followed by a wealth of questions from interested viewers, who wanted to learn more about how they could help with conservation.

During the week, a large group of stargazers (unfazed by the cold and wind) took a night time walk to the heather hills of Moel Famau. Carrying roll mats and red light torches, the night sky was far from clear on the walk up due to the passing clouds from recent storms. As the evening continued, the clouds parted and the stargazers were thrilled to see an array of stars and constellations brighten up the sky. Local astronomy enthusiast Rob Jones, dazzled with his knowledge of the constellations and facts of the solar system, even a few shooting stars made an appearance to top off a wonderful evening.

The inflatable Planetarium made an appearance for an inspiring and informative afternoon at Cilcain Village Hall, just one of our exciting activities for Welsh Dark Sky Week. Inside the dome, over 70 visitors were swept up by the sights and stories of the night sky. Welsh constellation tales were told to the children, who couldn’t keep their eyes off the stars above!

Our final event welcomed nearly 20 local residents to Plas Newydd in Llangollen, to learn about marvellous moths, with the chance to see them up close and personal thanks to the insect traps set up over night! Attendees were also given the opportunity to build their very own bat box to take home to help with the conservation of nocturnal wildlife in the AONB.

During the week we had an incredible 300 individuals sign up to be AONB stargazers, receiving a dark skies information pack and constellation guide to their door. If you would like to pick up a free pack you can continue to collect from the Information Centre at Loggerheads Country Park.

We hope to have helped our community learn, discover and be inspired by the night sky and educate our community on how we can protect our skies in the future. Public events are one of the many ways the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB highlight the importance of the Dark Night Sky and the efforts that are being taken to protect them. In the coming months, the AONB team will be submitting an application to the International Dark Skies Association for formal recognition of the qualities of the night sky. To learn more about the Dark Skies of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley visit our Dark Sky pages.

Green Communities Project

The Green Community Project is now underway, a project run by Cadwyn Clwyd in partnership with Denbighshire, Flintshire, Wrexham and Conwy councils. Green Communities aims to bring people and nature together, for the benefit of the environment and communities. It enables communities to transform their local area into a more desirable place to live, work and play, it also aims to increase volunteering opportunities as well as allowing wildlife to flourish.

We have already received many great expression of interest forms and are still looking for a number of communities with projects to increase the biodiversity of their local environment and for local residents to be able to benefit from green spaces both physically and mentally. Up to £30,000 is available to rural communities, the projects are selected through an open call process, there is no closing date for applications and the programme will be open and running until the fund of £1.3 million has been allocated.

The Green Communities project is supported by the Welsh Government’s Enabling Natural Resources and Wellbeing fund. This means that projects and initiatives are required to integrate the principles of Sustainable Management of Natural Resources (SMNR) into activities and community infrastructure.

Examples of eligible project are:

• Community gardens, allotments and orchards, woodlands, churchyards, rivers and ponds
• Nature reserves and wildlife areas
• Community miles to connect communities and green transport including cycling networks and charging points
• Walking paths and circular walks around villages

Any community with an idea for a project within Denbighshire and the AONB can declare an interest by contacting Gwenno Jones – Project Officer for more information or a chat. gwenno.jones@denbighshire.gov.uk or you can ring her on 07768751430 / 01824712792.

Improved access to Graig Fawr

A collaboration between the Council’s Countryside Services, the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and the National Trust has created improved access to Graig Fawr.

Rangers Rich, Brad, Vitor, Jonny and Claudia from Denbighshire Countryside Service teamed up with the National Trust to build and improve steps up to the summit of Graig Fawr, a hillside above Meliden with views of the north Wales coast. The work at Graig Fawr brings together the Nature for Health, Enabling Natural Resources and Wellbeing and Community Miles projects, providing opportunities to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of Denbighshire’s countryside.

Denbighshire Countryside’s Nature for Health volunteers, as well as volunteers from The National Trust, were a fantastic help in completing the steps. They also cleared vegetation surrounding the path up to the summit, allowing for better access, and re-installed one of the waymarker posts. It is hoped that improvements to the path will encourage more people to visit Graig Fawr and enjoy the wide-reaching views.

Staff and volunteers installing steps

The path, and Graig Fawr itself, lies on the Prestatyn ‘Community Miles’ route. Many settlements throughout Denbighshire and the AONB now have Community Miles routes. Their purpose is to provide communities their own short, circular walking routes, which are clearly waymarked. This initiative aims to encourage residents to get out walking in their local countryside, boosting health and wellbeing, while highlighting points of interest and businesses.

New boards installed at the Graig Fawr car park and the Prestatyn-Dyserth Way will provide more information, including walking distances and times to key locations, funded by the Enabling Natural Resources and Wellbeing project. The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB secured funding from Welsh Government to resurface the car park at Graig Fawr, allowing for better parking for visitors and local people to explore this part of the county.

The newly resurfaced Graig Fawr car park

More information on Community Miles can be found on leaflets, available to pick up at many locations including Y Shed, and on the Clwydian Range Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty website: https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/projects/community-miles/

For more information about volunteering with Denbighshire Countryside Service contact Claudia Smith on claudia.smith@denbighshire.gov.uk or 07785517398.

The steps will provide improved access to Graig Fawr

Jeffrey’s Wood at Pontcysyllte woodland management update

As part of the Our Picturesque Landscape National Lottery Heritage Funded project in the Dee Valley, a programme of woodland management works within the woodlands around the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct has been undertaken over the last winter. This has helped to open up the woodland floor allowing sunlight in, flowers to thrive and the existing trees to grow more healthily. It has also allowed an uneven age structure and wider variety of trees which is good for the overall health of the woodland and biodiversity as well as revealing some of the key views of the aqueduct.

The autumn and winter months, when deciduous trees have lost their leaves and few birds are nesting, is an ideal time to undertake active woodland management work. This often involves traditional techniques such as coppicing and thinning. This involves the removal of poor condition, diseased, or overcrowded trees to make the remaining trees stronger and healthier. Thinning is used to manage neglected woodland where dense shading has reduced the presence of woodland wildflowers.

When a tree is felled we consider the impact upon the woodland and will plant replacement trees where necessary. However, natural regeneration of local tree species is the preferred choice as nature gradually fills the gaps left behind.

The first phase of works started in October with a full week of thinning work by contractors in Jeffrey’s wood between the aqueduct and the Bont bridge.

A second week focused on the old overgrown hedgerow alongside the steps down to the river from the basin and parallel to this on the other side of the aqueduct arches. The hedge had not been managed and had become overgrown. In a few years the coppiced trees will have regrown and can be re-laid as a hedge as it would originally have been when the canal was built. Rangers from the AONB team ran a training session on hedge laying for staff and in total approximately 36 metres of the thinner hedge trees were laid as a hedge alongside the steps. The effect is transformative and shows what the longer term intention of the work is to restore the historic hedge line that was planted over 200 years ago. It has started to reveal the line of the hedge from top to bottom. This a real legacy of this piece of work to not only bring the woodland into a better state for biodiversity but to restore a heritage structure. The gaps in the hedgerow have been planted up with about 375 young hazel, hawthorn and field maple trees so that in 3 to 4 years the new growth can be laid to create hedgerow along the length of the pillars on both sides.

Staff from the AONB, Nature for Health team and Our Picturesque Landscape team ran some volunteer days in November, December and February at Pontcysyllte doing a variety of tasks including coppicing, hedge laying and tree planting as part of the wider woodland management. Volunteers cut back trees and vegetation under the arches but also used ‘tree poppers’ to relocate some of the naturally regenerated trees that were growing in the wrong place and replanting them in the line of the hedgerow. The idea is that they will grow alongside the coppiced stumps and new trees so that the hedgerow is thicker.

A local artist, Emma-Jayne Holmes, came and sketched the volunteers event as it happened creating a picturesque visual record of the activity.

This has been the first phase of ongoing management of the woodland at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and is a key part of the Our Picturesque Landscape conservation objectives.

Before and after photos

 Hedgerow and Improved view from top to bottom

Emma-Jayne Holmes wonderful sketches of the volunteer activity.

Please consider giving blood

Did you know only 3% of the eligible population in Wales give blood?

The Welsh Blood Service is calling on residents of the Denbighshire area to start saving lives!

The next donation sessions in Denbighshire are:

• 13 May - Rhewl

• 16 May - Prestatyn

• 18 May - Denbigh

You can also click on the link to find the next blood donation clinic where you live ??

https://wbs.wales/DenbighshireCCouncil

Thank you ❤️

Please clean up after your dogs