Llwynhendy Dads Visit Picton Castle

The Llwynhendy Dad's Group enjoyed a superb (although damp!) visit to Picton Castle in Pembrokeshire with The Gateway Gardens Trust last Wednesday. After making the coach journey from Ty Enfys Family Centre in Llwynhendy, the day started with a tour of the woodland gardens and the walled gardens.

Enjoying the plants. Taken by Gary.

Taken by Paul.

Taken by David.

Taken by Jeanette.

The walled garden. Taken by Cerub.

This trip was part of The Gateway Gardens Trust's Bittersweet programme of visits. The Bittersweet project looks at the links between the salve trade and historic gardens - it was interesting to learn about the links that Picton Castle had with the slave trade.

Taken by Cerub.

Jeanette from The Gateway Gardens Trust explains about the different types of mint that grow in the walled garden. We then had a mint tea tasting session.

After a bowl of hearty Leek & Potato soup and sandwiches, it was time to take a look around the castle shop and enjoy some of the artwork on display that school pupils had painted on their trips to the castle. Then an excellent tour of the castle was enjoyed.

In front of the art wall.

Picton Castle. Taken by Gary.

The group just before we leave. Taken by Paul.

The Gateway Gardens Trust creates and pays for special tailor-made visits to historic parks and gardens in Wales and the West Midlands for a diverse range of community groups, schoolchildren and Lifelong Learners. Find out more about the Trust on their website at www.gatewaygardenstrust.org.

Llwynhendy Dads Group was started up in July 2007 by NCH Cymru and is supported by a variety of partner organisations including Communities First Llwynhendy and Ty Enfys Family Centre.

Llwynhendy Litter Pick

Llwynhendy Dads Group held a litter pick today. The event was organised by NCH Cymru in partnership with Keep Wales Tidy, Llwynhendy Communities First and the Back to Basics Group. As the big pile of black bags shows, a lot of litter was picked up in an hour and a half!