Litter pick helps estate on way to ‘Rainbow’s End’

Published by Sarah Manners for Wales & West Housing Association in Housing and also in Communities, Environment

A WALES & WEST Housing estate on Deeside is now positively sparkling thanks to a well-attended community litter pick.

More than a dozen local children, their parents and volunteers from partner organisations braved the cold to undertake a litter pick on the Cwrt Leighton estate on Saturday.

The litter pick was organized by Cwrt Leighton Residents Association  in preparation for the start of work to upgrade the estate’s play area. The upgrade is funded by a £30,000 grant from Flintshire County Council’s Neighbourhood Renewal programme and children from the estate say they want to call their new play area ‘Rainbow’s End.’

Vy Cochran, Wales & West Housing Association’s Community Development Project Officer said: “Working with our residents and all the partner organisations who have brought so much to this community project over the last year has been a fantastic experience.”

Great-grandmother Doreen Ellis, daughter Paula Ellis, son-in-law Keith, grandson Kevin and great grandchildren Dylan and Tyra said that they “couldn’t wait to get started” on the frosty January morning.

Paula, who is Chair of Cwrt Leighton Residents’ Association, said: “The first thing my grandchildren Dylan and Tyra told me on Saturday morning was to get breakfast quick because we want to go litter-picking.

“It’s nice to see the play area being cleared of the old worn out swing and rotten wooden play house ready for contractors to start work on the new safety surfacing on  Monday.”

Said Vy: “The Ellis family were soon accompanied by many of the children who are regular little litter pickers and who are always excited to get involved in cleaning up their environment.  They love to help Keep Wales Tidy and are always proud of the work they do.”

Keep Wales Tidy Project Officer Judith Wright, said:  “The children are always so keen and enthusiastic to help out and there’s not much litter here at all.  When the new playground is installed I hope to come back and work with the children to plant flowers by the side of the fence and add even more colour and interest.”

Local Barclays volunteers Lynn Hird, and Tess Ward, who also encouraged husband Neil to lend a hand, tackled the removal of play equipment that despite its age, put up a strong fight before it finally left the ground!

Lynn said: “Barclays is committed to helping local projects and is keen to give something back to the community.  We have been talking to Jane Styles, secretary of Cwrt Leighton Residents’ Association, about how Barclays can offer additional future support for this worthwhile project.”

Jane said: “We have been overwhelmed by the amount of support we have received from residents and organisations.  Cliff Rathbone, of Groundwork Wrexham & Flintshire and who is currently seconded to Flintshire County Council, has been supervising the work here and helping to clear the play surface and surrounding area, leaving with a fully loaded trailer for the waste disposal site.”

The project is also benefitting from contributions from moneysupermarket.com towards a new set of swings for the play area. Moneysupermarket.com has also provided materials and in-kind volunteer support last summer to brighten up the play area.

Future projects centred on the play area include input from 24 art students from Deeside College who will be designing colourful murals again this year to add to those displayed around the play area by last year’s students. 

The brilliant designs of exotic birds, jungle scenes, shops and rainbows have sparked the imagination of the children who say they want their play area to be named “Rainbow’s End.”
 
Ashlyn, 7, and Luke, 6, said that they think that the new multi activity tower and the roundabout will be “the best”. 

“I am going to play on the roundabout until I get dizzy and fall over: it’s going to be lots of fun,” said Luke.

Deeside College’s art students plan to help the children make hand prints in paint on plywood and have their names written underneath their print.  This creative artwork will then be displayed on a board on the play area fence and will be something that the children can be proud of for years to come.

“Everyone is looking forward to celebrating its final completion and I’m sure that the great work carried out by the Residents’ Association will continue for a long time.  The Residents’ Association committee wish to express their sincere thanks to everyone involved,” added Vy Cochran.