From over 80 entries and a shortlist of 25, the winners of the coveted bronze Tidy Wales Award Trophy were Friends of the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path.
"The Friends of the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path are delighted to have won the Keep Wales Tidy Award for Coastal Enhancement. One of our main objectives is to enhance the coastal path for everyone’s enjoyment and all those who have been involved in our various activities had already felt hugely rewarded at seeing what can be achieved when like-minded people come together. As individuals they often felt reticent to attempt things alone but together, as Friends, feel they can achieve almost anything." John Payne from Friends of the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path.
The Schools Award sponsored by John Lewis went to St. Christopher’s School Taskforce from Wrexham.
Pupils from the school decided to tackle an overgrown piece of woodland at the back of their school that had a problem with anti social behaviour. The group decided to restore the area into a forest school that could be used by children from across the county. The woodland was cleared of half a tonne of waste, new paths were laid and animal habitats were created. The area is now transformed into a safe area that is used by the whole community.
Friends of the Isle of Anglesey Coastal Path were the winners of the Coastal Enhancement Award sponsored by The Helping Hand Company.
This group are no strangers to hard work and carry out regular litter picks around the entire 125 miles of coastal path on Anglesey, concentrating on the beaches and extending to stretches of the foreshore and footpaths. Over the last twelve months the group have collected over 400 bags of waste, they ensure way markers are in place and cut back overgrown vegetation. The overall aim of this group is to enhance the coastal path for the use and enjoyment of all.
The River Improvement Award was won by Cymdeithas Llandudoch St Dogmaels Community Association from Pembrokeshire.
The group tackled 21,500 square meters of flowering Himalayan Balsam in the Crippyn Valley. They decided to raise awareness of the problem locally, and put a working party in place to start pulling the Balsam. Their hard work is now beginning to pay off, and this autumn saw the return of a variety of native plants such as grasses, iris and bramble, which stabilise the banks and prevent silt washing into the river and suffocating fish eggs and invertebrates.
The Forestry Commission Wales sponsored Woodland Improvement Award was awarded to Girlguiding Caernarfonshire from Gwynedd.
The group have cleared seven acres of laurel and brambles from their local woodland allowing them to create and renovate 500 meters of pathways, making the woodland accessible to wheelchair users. They have replanted over 400 meters of native hedge and tree species and cleared the stream of litter and debris, making the area a pleasant place for locals and visitors.