Community Council Funds Cwmbran Wildflower Planting

Local residents and children from Maendy School have been sowing swathes of wildflowers in the Northville and Southville areas of Cwmbran, thanks to funding from Cwmbran Community Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The community council stepped in when Cwmbran’s Urban Buzzz, a multi-agency project to transform community areas with wildflowers, came second in a national competition run by Grow Wild and missed out on a £120,000 prize.
After the project received a bonus prize of £4000 the community council decided to step in to bring part of it to life and create two time-hubs in Northville and Southville, telling the tale of the town’s transformation from farmland into the urban environment it is today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Mike Johnson, chairman of Cwmbran Community Council, said: We were really disappointed that Cwmbran lost out in the competition to become a Grow Wild flagship site. The scheme would have seen regeneration of parts of Northville & Southville using wildflower planting and other landscaping projects to tell the history of Cwmbran, as well as supporting a diverse range of wildlife. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“The Community Council was determined to see some of the project realised and we are delighted to be working with Torfaen County Borough Council and Bron Afon Community Housing to make sure that Northville and Southville will benefit from colourful wildflowers this summer.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Northville resident Klaus Gobs, who is originally from Germany, also volunteered to help sow the wildflower seeds. He said: “This is a great project. In Germany people have a lot more pride in their local area than they do here, and I hope that this scheme will give people something to be proud of in their local community.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​