Young people from Tredegar have been praised for taking action to improve their local community after organising a clean-up of a skate park as part of Volunteers’ Week.
The initiative, led by young people who attend Stocktonville Youth Club, brought together families, local police officers and fire service representatives to help tidy and improve the popular community space.
Organised by Blaenau Gwent Youth Service, the clean-up focused on a skate park that had become affected by litter, with the young people deciding they wanted to take positive action rather than simply raising concerns.
Armed with litter pickers, gloves and jet washing equipment provided by local fire officers, volunteers worked together to transform the area, leaving it cleaner, safer and more welcoming for everyone who uses it.
Kristian Gay, Team Manager with Blaenau Gwent Youth Service, said:
“The young people who attend the club came up with the idea themselves. They spoke about wanting to improve the local area, especially the skate park, which is an important space for them but had become plagued by litter. Instead of just talking about it, they stepped up and decided to do something about it, and the results were great. We are very proud of them.”
The project forms part of Volunteers’ Week celebrations, recognising the contribution of people who give their time to support their communities.
Blaenau Gwent Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, Cllr Sue Edmunds, praised everyone involved in the initiative.
“This just goes to show that when young people are given the chance to get involved, they can achieve great things, and help create real, positive change in their communities.
“Volunteers’ Week is all about saying thank you to those people who come together or work alone to give their time, and make a difference, whether that’s a one off clean up or a regular commitment.
“It was also great to see families joining in, with parents using the opportunity to talk to their children about the importance of looking after their local area. A massive well done to everyone involved.”
The clean-up reflects the council’s ongoing work with communities through the Blaenau Gwent Deal, which aims to strengthen local partnerships and support residents in creating positive change within their neighbourhoods.
Those involved hope the project will be the first step towards further improvements at the skate park, including potential future funding to upgrade the facility and enhance it for local users.
With plans already being discussed for additional clean-ups and community activities, organisers hope the momentum generated by the project will continue long after Volunteers’ Week comes to an end.
