Tidy Town Team's 500 unpaid hours for Llangollen

* Tidy Town Team members in their high viz jackets donated by McDonalds.

Llangollen's Tidy Town Team has had another busy year despite the constraints of lockdown.

The band of volunteers' varied programme of activities has included tasks ranging from clearing litter from the path to one of the town's iconic landmarks to helping with the delivery of flu jabs to hundreds of residents.

The team's 500 hours of unpaid work on behalf of the community is detailed in its annual report, prepared by co-ordinator David Davies, which will be presented to the Town Council at its meeting tonight (Tuesday).

His report says: "Despite the shambolic variation of Covid rules and regulations since March, the team has still managed to undertake a significant amount of work during the year.

"Our litter picking activities this year specifically targeted Ceiriog top road/the Gwernant and the canalside opposite Dinas Bran School plus litter picking at all other work locations.

"We have continued to thin timber and clear scrub in Cemetery Woodlands and with DCC Countryside Services, cleared out the stream and tidied around the Army Cadet HQ off Wern Road. 

"As this is a key area clearly visible adjacent to the footpath to the Castle, we hope that the new lease between DCC and the Army will now clearly identify who is responsible for the on-going grounds maintenance.

"During the dry months of the year we have painted or re-varnished a number of seats around the town along Riverside Walk and in Riverside Gardens behind the Ponsonby.

"Our maintenance of the Centenary Town Square continues with weeding the beds and tidying especially for Remembrance Sunday. This year we also refreshed all the seating with a new coating of wood preservative.

"A couple of the team have cleared local footpaths and repaired broken stiles whilst others have cut the hedging at the Health Centre and tidied around the Hawthorn.

"At the request of the Llangollen Health Centre, we embarked on a special venture this year. Over two and a half days we provided traffic management duties for their drive-thru flu vaccination clinics at the Pavilion.  A successful operation vaccinating some 2,500 people.

"Regretfully this year three long-serving members have left us - Alan Williams has sadly died, and Bill Saunders (95) and Les Potts (89) have decided to retire from active duties.

"A big thank you to them, and all the other members of the team for still contributing over 500 hours of voluntary work this year.

"Our thanks also to all our supporters for their help and encouragement including McDonalds this year for our new hi viz jackets and grass cutting equipment."