Getting Active And Improving The Environment In Lansbury Park

Since last summer, the local community have been busy doing their bit to improve the environment of Lansbury Park and at the same time, getting active and being rewarded for their efforts! ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Community litter picks have been taking place each week across Lansbury Park. With up to 15 adults and children attending each week, over 200 bags of litter have been collected so far. One family has been awarded a certificate for their regular commitment and attendees have been earning time credits for their contribution. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To get involved with litter picking, just turn up at the Communities First office on The Stretch at 4pm on a Thursday. Equipment is provided. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The parents of pupils at St James Primary school are being encouraged to take part in weekly outdoor activities with their children at the school. The project aims to support parents and children to further their relationships with each other and the school and so far, activities have included woodwork (building a shed and potting bench), construction (a polytunnel), gardening (growing, sowing, planting and watering) and bushcraft (den-building). The next task on the list is to repair some stone walls! Parents and children have also been enjoying outdoor games together playing skittles, giant jenga and badminton. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

These outdoor activity sessions run at St James Primary school on a Tuesday afternoon. Parents interested in getting involved should contact Natalie Falcus at the school by emailing falcusnatalie@gmail.com ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A similar project has recently started at St. Martin’s Comprehensive with two sessions of catapult-making, shelter-building and planting with pupils, who will now invite their parents to join in. There is lots of work to be done to develop the school allotment and participants will be able to put forward ideas for future activities. The contact at St Martin’s school is Rebecca Desmond: desmor@caerphilly.gov.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Half term (31st May – 3rd June) will see many of the roundabouts around the estate be planted by the community. The initiative is being run in partnership working between Groundwork, Keep Wales Tidy, Lansbury Matters, and the Council’s Housing and Parks teams. With the Council’s Parks team providing spraying, cultivating, mulching and hundreds of shrubs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Lansbury Matters group have also acquired an allotment plot at the Van Ward Allotments adjacent to the estate. Members of the group have started turning the ground over in preparation to invite the local community to do some gardening and enjoy the produce in the future, which they plan to distribute among the community. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​