Flintshire County Council’s Coastal Rangers, the Presthaven Sands Coastal Ranger and the charity, UNA Exchange, have teamed up to bring volunteers from around the world to work on Flintshire’s and Denbighshire’s sections of the All Wales Coastal Path.
Over three weeks, ten volunteers from Germany, France, Italy, South Korea, the Czech Republic and Scotland have been replacing a 50m boardwalk and clearing scrub from Gronant Dunes and Talacre Warren SSSI.
The volunteers have been building a 6m oak bridge in difficult terrain in woodlands above Garth Mill in Ffynnongroyw on the Mostyn estate.
Karen Rippin, Coastal Ranger with Presthaven Sands, and co-ordinator of the UNA Exchange project said:
“It’s been hard work getting the group here but the volunteers have been having a great time working with the Coastal Rangers, and the quality of the work is excellent. To think that some of these guys came half way round the world to work in Flintshire and Denbighshire is unbelievable but wonderful.”
UNA Exchange is a charity, based in Cardiff, which provides volunteering opportunities from between two weeks and twelve months long in more than 70 countries worldwide.
The volunteers have visited Prestatyn and Chester and also attended the Moel Famau celebrations in their spare time.
Presthaven Sands Holiday Park made this particular project possible by providing free accommodation for three weeks while Coastal Rangers from Flintshire have provided vehicles, tools, materials and supervision as part of the Welsh Assembly’s Coastal Path project. The project has also been supported by Talacre Beach Caravan and Leisure Park.
The Coastal Rangers have been busy working on the ‘inland’ route of Flintshire’s Coastal Path for the last two months with new kissing gates, boardwalks and scrub clearance.
UNA Exchange team leader Grit Dressler from Germany praised Flintshire and its Coastal Team:
“We have been made most welcome by everyone and would like to thank Flintshire and Wales for its hospitality.”
Mike Taylor, Senior Coastal Ranger and Team Leader for Flintshire’s Coastal Team said:
“We are grateful to the UNA exchange volunteers; their contribution is invaluable. They are working hard in difficult terrain on this ‘once in a lifetime’ project.
“The Coastal Footpath is steadily coming together along Flintshire’s coastline” said Mike, “although discussions and investigations to the final route are ongoing and live, even at this stage, with sections at Point of Ayr, Llanerch y Mor, Flint, and Oakenholt to Connah’s Quay still being worked on by the team of officers from Flintshire County Council’s Rights of Way, Legal Services and Countryside Services.”
