Latest News from Bridgend – 16 July

Quickstart Bridgend employability project launching soon

If you’re looking to expand your business, QuickStart Bridgend will be launching soon, to help give residents access to short term, paid work placements.

The council project, fully funded by the UK Government, aims to support short term, paid work placements across the county borough with a view to participants gaining a permanent job within their host business at the end of that period. Participant training will also be supported during this time.

The final details of this new project are now being finalised and the delivery period is expected to run until January 2025.

It is planned that employers can interview a range of applicants and choose the one that best suits their company using their usual processes. All applicants will be referred via Employability Bridgend.

More information and an expression of interest form is available on the council website.

Coveted Green Flag status awarded to nine local green spaces

Nine sites across Bridgend County Borough have been awarded a prestigious Keep Wales Tidy Green Flag Award in recognition of their excellent visitor facilities, high environmental standards, and commitment to delivering high quality green spaces.

Coychurch Crematorium will fly high its Green Flag for an impressive 15th consecutive year, whilst Marlas Greenspace Community Garden in Cornelly has been awarded the coveted Green Flag Community Award for the first time.

As well as Coychurch Crematorium, ‘Full Award’ status was also achieved by Parc Slip Nature Reserve, Bryngarw Country Park and Maesteg Welfare Park, which is run in partnership with Friends of Maesteg Welfare Park.

Meanwhile, Caerau Market Garden, Spirit of the Llynfi Woodlands, Ogmore Vale Fire Station and Tremains Wood in Brackla have all once again been recognised with a ‘Community Award’ alongside Marlas Greenspace Community Garden.

The Green Flag is a nationally recognised award which is presented to green spaces that meet objectives including strong community involvement, environmental management, biodiversity, landscape and heritage and for being a welcoming place.

Cllr Paul Davies, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, said: “The standards required to achieve a Green Flag are very high and I would like to congratulate all the winners on their fantastic work.

“I recognise the importance of green spaces to local communities as they can be enjoyed by absolutely anyone. I would also like to strongly encourage residents to make the most of these special spaces as it’s clear that they can play a key role in benefiting both mental and physical health.”

Owen Derbyshire, Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive said: “We’re thrilled to see a record number of 291 green spaces in Wales receive prestigious Green Flag and Green Flag Community Awards, recognising the hard work of all involved in maintaining these sites.

“In particular, we’re so proud to see Wales is home to even more community awarded sites, ensuring accessibility to high quality green space for everyone, with our sites playing such an important role in the physical and mental wellbeing of communities across Wales.”

A full list of award winners can be found on the Keep Wales Tidy website www.keepwalestidy.cymru

New community facilities for Griffin Park

Work on the all-new tennis courts at Griffin Park has now been completed and bookings are now open for the public to make use of this new facility.

Designed to ensure local residents have access to modern tennis facilities and encourage more people to take up the sport and improve their health and wellbeing, the courts feature all-new surfacing, nets and fencing, improved gate and access systems, and freshly painted court boundary lines.

They can be reserved by using an online booking facility which you can find on the official Bridgend Parks Tennis booking website.

Installed by partnership of Bridgend County Borough Council, Porthcawl Town Council and the Lawn Tennis Association, they have been carefully constructed on part of the former green close to Griffin Park Community Centre to ensure they are not affected by other regeneration plans for the area.

These include doubling the size of Griffin Park by creating a ‘green corridor’ fitted out with further facilities which links to the seafront area – more news on this as it develops.