A COMMUNITY woodland project has once again secured the coveted Green Flag award for its work in rural Ceredigion.

Coed y Bont Community Woodland has maintained the Green Flag Community Award in recognition of its high environmental standards, cleanliness, safety, and community involvement.

Set up 12 years ago, Coed y Bont has gone from strength to strength over the intervening years. It provides good all-ability public access in a beautiful and tranquil woodland setting. Its 25 hectares provides a variety of walks, picnic sites and places to observe the wildlife. It has become a great asset to the local village and community and it has become a venue for forest school activities where children can learn and play in a safe woodland environment. The success is in large measure due to the hard work and dedication of volunteers, as well as the help given by Natural Resources Wales and the generous support from the local community.

One of the volunteers, Ruth MacDonald said: “I first became involved a few years ago because I am interested in working in the outdoors and Coed y Bont is such a lovely place that it is a joy to be involved in it. One of our major projects over recent months has been building a new all-ability access path. This has been quite hard work at times, but the exercise is good and it’s great to work with a group of people doing something useful for the community. Coed y Bont is not just a benefit for Pontrhydfendigaid, but it attracts people from a wider area. I come from Tregaron and thoroughly enjoy our volunteer sessions.”

In Wales, the awards scheme is run by Keep Wales Tidy. Lucy Prisk, Green Flag Coordinator for Keep Wales Tidy said:

“Free access to safe, high quality green space has never been more important. Our award-winning sites play a vital role in people’s mental and physical well-being, providing a haven for communities to come together, relax and enjoy nature.

“News that a record number of community managed green spaces in Wales have achieved Green Flag status is testament to the dedication and hard work of hundreds of volunteers. We’re delighted to be able to celebrate their success on the world stage.”

Coed Y Bont (Community Woodland) is situated near Pontrhydfendigaid, with the aim of establishing a community woodland, for the locals and visitors.