A community is being given the chance to put a spring in its step – in fact six chances.
Six interactive trails, the Bryn Gwalia Trails, have been developed with the help of rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd, and the Mold estate is inviting everyone in the area to share their new found fortune.
Despite being targeted by the Welsh Assembly initiative Communities First, which helps some of the most deprived areas in Wales, the estate is on the doorstep of the beautiful market town and some stunning local countryside.
Now the walks, ranging from two to six miles, have been professionally mapped out, marked out – even put onto the community’s very own website so that walkers can check out the routes, which all start and finish at the Bryn Gwalia community centre, which is close to the town’s community hospital.
Communities First has been working with local community groups, business and statutory agencies at Bryn Gwalia for eight years, asking local people what they want and how they want to improve their quality of life.
And that was how the idea for the trails evolved, said Communities First co-ordinator Mark Neath: “Ours is a Welsh Assembly initiative which targets deprived areas of Wales. The community walks were devised by local residents wanting cheap affordable activities, walks where they could take their families.
“There are plenty of beautiful places locally but people were not sure where they were allowed to go. Using local green spaces also helps at the same time meeting the health agenda and getting people to exercise.
“Just out of town you have the old railway track which leads to some really beautiful walks.
“All the work we do is driven by the local community, we consult with them, find out what they want and see if it can be progressed. We run all sorts from here such as a bike hire scheme, trying to help people get back into work.
“We have a number of education schemes helping with numeracy and literacy, we run a local job club and organise job fairs and we run one of the most successful food co-operatives in Wales taking over 200 orders a week from an estate of about 540 houses.”
Cadwyn Clwyd have provided £6,230 for the project from the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007 – 2013, which is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.
This money has helped meet the cost of producing trail leaflets, an interpretation board outside the community centre and the very professional project work carried out by Jo Danson (corr) and Bill Smutts (corr).
Sarah Jane Jones, Cadwyn’s Flintshire Footpaths Officer explained: “The walks range from about one hour to two to three hours. With at least two of them you will be able to park in other areas rather than have to start and finish them at the community centre.
“They will be suitable for all levels of ability, including some parts for disabled access. They will be available to other members of the Mold community. We want groups and members of the public to get out, with their children, and enjoy the lovely local countryside. One of the walks goes into the Gwysaney Estate which is really beautiful.
“Jo Danson, who used to work as an interpretation officer for Cheshire County Council and has done a lot of interpretation work for Flintshire, has gone out along these routes to make sure there are no issues, no blockages, survey the routes, take photos, prepare and design the interpretative material and leaflets and the material for the local website.
“Bill Smutts who is also very experienced in mapping, has made sure we get the geography correct and worked with Jo.”
Also helping out have been Lisa Formby and Janiene (corr) Davies of Communities First.
Each of the Bryn Gwalia trails is colour-coded and all of them clearly marked out with way markers on gates, stiles and posts to guide the walkers. Some of them link in with the Flintshire Rural Walks.
Apart from keeping fit and enjoying the local countryside, Mark Neath says they also have another aim.
“We want to get as many people as possible involved, perhaps set up walking groups to get people into the idea of regularly taking their children out into the country.
“But we also hope we can get people to see the many services we offer here at the community centre, like our child crèches and educational programmes and the food co-operative, and by gathering here for the walks the centre can become the hub of the community.”
Check out the walks and what is available at the Bryn Gwalia centre on www.bgcmold.org.uk
Anyone interested in Cadwyn Clwyd’s Flintshire Footpaths Projects can contact Sarah Jane Jones on 01824 705802 or e-mail [email protected]
