Tidy Towns Project Seminar

Keep Wales Tidy held a Tidy Towns Project seminar this week to raise the profile of this new community based project.

The evening was presented and organised by Daniel Snaith, Keep Wales Tidy Project Officer for Carmarthenshire and featured a number of presentations from the Keep Wales Tidy team, Carmarthenshire County Council and Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services.

The seminar was held at the Cothi Bridge Hotel in Pontargothi near Llandeilo. Around 45 people turn out for the event to find out more about this great project.

So what is the Tidy Towns Project?

Tidy Towns is a two part initiative between Keep Wales Tidy and Welsh Local authorities, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. Keep Wales Tidy are delivering the community engagement element of the Initiative. It is a strategic project, which aims to work across Wales in all 22 Local Authorities. The project seeks to work strategically by empowering the people of Wales to take responsibility for their local environment. This will be delivered by establishing and developing community groups throughout Wales who will work towards meeting the needs of their local community by adopting areas of their local environment and undertaking practical improvement projects.

(Daniel Snaith giving his presentation on the project)

(Elinos Walters from Carmarthenshire County Council giving her presentation on the project)

What is the aim of the project?
To support the people of Wales to take responsibility for the quality of their local environment.

How does Tidy Towns work?

Volunteers ‘adopt’ their local area and focus on its ongoing care. Communities will be encouraged to adopt waste black-spots and restore them to their former glory.

Projects undertaken by groups include; litter picks, path maintenance, dune management, installing benches and picnic sites, invasive species clearance, improving disabled access, developing community gardens, running waste amnesties and habitat management.

Why join the project?
As part of a group you can develop your ideas for improving the quality of your local environment.

• Keep Wales Tidy Project Officers are assigned to each group to provide advice and practical assistance.


• A small grant is available to cover costs of insurance, tools and equipment, materials, refreshments etc.


• Training is available to volunteers on a wide range of issues.


• You get a chance to meet other groups to exchange ideas.

If want any further information about the Tidy Towns Project then please contact Daniel Snaith on 029 2038 1726.

The evening included presentations from Rachel Lovell (CAVS) promoting their new Green Day Environmental Volunteering. (photo below)

As well as presentations from Diane Thomas, Carmarthenshire's Sustainability Officer who looked at recycling and sustainability within the county and Isabel Macho who gave an interesting presentation on the Llanelli Watervole Project and the problems Knot weed causes in this country.

(Isabel Macho, Carmarthenshire Biodiversity Officer)