Park Gets New Sandstone Carvings

Flintshire Countryside Service, local businesses, sports clubs and volunteers have come together to fund new sandstone carvings in Wepre Park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The 8 sandstone carvings are of leaves from trees found in the park and cost £300 each to make and install. They now form a ‘wildleaf’ trail within the parks play area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor Bernie Attridge, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It’s great that Flintshire Countryside Service has been able to obtain the sponsorship for these 8 carvings from local businesses and clubs. As a representative of the Council and also one of the sponsors, FC Nomads, I’d like to encourage everyone to come along to the park to see these latest impressive additions.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tim Johnson, Countryside Ranger with Flintshire County Council, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We were able to secure funding from seven different local sources and I would like to thank each and everyone one of them for their support. These sandstone carvings of leaves will allow children to see close up the detail of the leaves and, hopefully, this will encourage them to explore the play area and the park in general.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Each carving has a dedicated sponsor: Arwyn Parry Groundwork and Fencing Contractor, FC Nomads, the Old Hall Café, the Friends of Wepre Park, Garnett-Hughes, Oakenholt Farm B&B and Groundwork Contractors and Sharland Brother Funfairs. Harry Sharland also sponsored a second stone in memory of Brian Allsopp who was a founding member of the Deeside Festival in Wepre Park and brought so much to the area for the community. Brian died in 1990 while performing in the festival parade. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A recent study looking at art in the park, commissioned by the Friends of Wepre Park and the Countryside Service, has revealed great scope for all spectrums of art to be encouraged. This could be from sculpture to dance and song and could represent local and national themes. This project is a building block towards this. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Left to right: Cllr Ian Dunbar – Friends of Wepre Park, Les and Jennifer Hulme – Oakenholt Farm B&B, Marion Lockwood -Old Hall Café, Tim Johnson – FCC, Mary Caveill – Old Hall Café, Harry Sharland – Sharland Funfairs, Jenny Eccles – Friends of Wepre Park and Arwyn Parry ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​