Celebration of Nature & Sustainable Food event highlights collaboration and sustainable practices

On Friday, 27 September, Monmouthshire County Council hosted a celebration at County Hall, Usk, highlighting its work in nature and sustainable food.

The event brought together practitioners of nature recovery and local food production to showcase their work and foster future collaborations.

As part of the celebration, students from classes 3 and 4 at Usk Church in Wales Primary School participated in pollinator-based activities and performed their Pollinator song.

In opening the event, Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, Leader of Monmouthshire County Council, emphasised the council’s commitment to eco-friendly initiatives: “As a council, we are diligently working with partners from sustainable land management and the local food economy to mitigate the impact of climate change here in Monmouthshire.”

“Between us, we can use our shared expertise to do more, and the council is proud to sit at the table and be part of the conversation about this vital subject.”

Throughout the day, guests were treated to a series of engaging talks by Sam Bosanquet, Dan Smith, Derrick Jones, and Damon Rees. In addition, guests were given the unique opportunity to be involved in creating the Monmouthshire panel of the Bio-tapestry being created by the Gwent Green Grid, further highlighting the collaborative spirit of the event.

Cllr Brocklesby invited guests to get involved in the public consultation currently taking place on the council’s Local Nature Recovery Action Plan (NRAP) and Green Infrastructure Strategy: “The Nature Recovery Action Plan and Green Infrastructure Strategy sets out how we as a council will work to lower the impact on climate change. We want to engage with as many partners and residents as possible to work together to make positive changes in our county.”

To find out more about the strategy and take part in the consultation, please visit: https://www.monlife.co.uk/outdoor/green-infrastructure/local-nrap-and-gi-strategy-consultation/

Mill Common Restoration Project

A cherished woodland in the heart of Magor and Undy is set to undergo a restoration project to enhance its ecological health, accessibility, and community value.

Mill Common serves as a crucial green corridor for the local community. However, it faces significant challenges, including extensive ash dieback, overcrowded veteran trees, and degraded paths and steps.

This initiative, supported by The Woodland Investment Grant (TWIG) administered by the National Heritage Lottery Fund on behalf of the Welsh Government, will serve as a flagship site for the National Forest for Wales and promises to rejuvenate this vital green space for future generations.

Monmouthshire County Council will undertake woodland management to remove diseased Ash trees and thin, dense tree stands, which are overcrowding the canopy and preventing sunlight from reaching the understory.

The project will aim to restore the historic viewpoint looking out over the Gwent Levels and improve pathways. Several veteran trees, which have stood on the site for more than 100 years, will be protected by sensitive management. We will help protect the areas around veteran trees and regenerate vegetation by dead hedging around them to protect them from the negative effects of high footfall and compaction. 

On the 3rd of October, residents will be able to speak to Monmouthshire County Council’s Green Infrastructure team about the project at Undy Memorial Hall. This will be a chance to learn more about the plans and ask the team questions about the work that will be taking place. 

Two sessions are running on the day, and residents can drop in without registering. 

• Session 1: 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM (Optional site walk at 2:30 PM)
• Session 2: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (Optional site walk at 6:00 PM)

Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and the Environment, Cllr Catrin Maby, said: “As a council, we have a duty of care to protect our environment. This is a vital project to restore and protect Mill Common. If you are interested in the work and want to find out more, please speak to our staff at the drop in sessions on the 3rd of October.”

For further information or to complete the consultation online, visit: https://www.monlife.co.uk/outdoor/green-infrastructure/mill-common-restoration-project/

MCC appoint Purcell in the development plans for Shire Hall

Monmouthshire County Council has appointed Purcell and their team of consultants to support the successful Heritage Fund grant application for the development phase of the Shire Hall and to integrate the museum and its collections, including the internationally significant Admiral Lord Nelson collection. 

These exciting developments will create an enhanced cultural destination and foster a sense of community. The new galleries, shared learning, and community space will engage and inspire residents and visitors, creating a sustainable museum offering. This will increase footfall, drive economic activity, and provide a welcoming space for all in the historic core of the town centre.

Following the completion of work over the summer, plans will be formally submitted for building consent later in September. 

We’re now inviting the public to view the designs and share their feedback during the week commencing Monday 23rd of September at the Shire Hall.

The proposals will complement other improvements in Monmouth. Creating a venue with a shared community/learning space will enable the local authority to ensure future services’ sustainability. 

The current brief being developed is to reconfigure the existing external and internal spaces to reinterpret and display the museum collections to tell the town’s stories, including the role Shire Hall played in this history through notable events such as the Chartist uprising and the history of local and national democracy. 

The museum move also provides an opportunity to explore the life and passions of Lady Llangattock, whose own gift forms the basis of an internationally significant yet relatively unknown and unpublished collection relating to Admiral Lord Nelson. 

The museum’s object collection relates to the social history of the town and surrounding area, and using loaned items, it has developed more contemporary modern themes such as the Rockfield recording studio and local artists.

Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Equalities and Engagement, Cllr Angela Sandles, said: “It’s very exciting to see the plans for the Shire Hall Museum coming into fruition. Creating a new modern space to showcase our history will attract more visitors and allow residents to learn more about the amazing local history here in Monmouth.”

To find out more about the Shire Hall Museum, visit: https://www.monlife.co.uk/heritage/the-shire-hall/

All ability outdoor gym opens in Chepstow Leisure Centre

MonLife Leisure Centre members will have access to a brand-new bespoke outdoor space for exercise and physical activity.

The opening coincides with Monmouthshire County Council’s celebration of National Fitness Day (18th September 2024). An annual campaign by ukactive highlighting the role physical activity plays across the UK, helping to raise awareness of its importance in assisting us to lead healthier lifestyles.

The new outdoor gym will include state-of-the-art equipment from Indigo Fitness, such as a functional fitness frame, a 12-meter-long turf sled track, functional wall-fixed rigs, and free weights.

To celebrate the launch of the new gym, a tournament series will be taking place to promote outdoor physical activity and strength training. The tournament can be entered by individuals or as part of a group. Our fully qualified staff will be on hand to support you and sign you up for the latest challenge as part of our tournament throughout the year.

The bespoke outdoor gym will be perfect for members to exercise independently or as a group. Exercising in a group setting has been shown to have numerous benefits, including enhanced training experiences, peer support, accountability, and a sense of community.

The UK Chief Medical Officer Guidelines recommend adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity, 75 minutes of vigorous activity or a mixture of both each week. In addition, undertaking strengthening activities on two of those days.

This initiative is funded by the UK government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Equalities and Engagement, Cllr Angela Sandles, said: “The new exercise area at Chepstow is a fantastic addition to the leisure centre offering. We continue to look at what we can offer our members and the local community, and these new innovative facilities provide an additional way to take part in physical activity. I know these facilities will be a popular area with the members and look forward to see them being used extensively!”

In addition to the new outdoor gym, Chepstow Leisure Centre features a 20m swimming pool, sauna/steam room (Closed Wednesday and Thursday 1pm-3pm), fitness gym, additional sauna on the lower ground floor (open 10am – 6pm only) a multi-purpose sports hall, an outdoor multi-use games area, 3G pitch and a full-size Astroturf with various outdoor pitches and cricket nets.

To enquire about becoming a member, visit the MonLife website: https://www.monlife.co.uk/monactive/chepstow-leisure-centre/

Celebrate Adult Learners Week with Monmouthshire’s Community Learning Team

This week, Monmouthshire County Council’s Community Learning team proudly participated in Adult Learners Week. This annual campaign, organised in partnership with the Welsh Government, encourages lifelong learning and highlights the diverse opportunities available through Community Learning.

The team has offered taster sessions throughout the last two weeks to allow learners to upskill, improve confidence and wellbeing, discover new hobbies or simply continue their current learning journey.

Tutors have offered a wide range of tutorials from Art, ESOL (English for speakers of other languages), German, Ukulele, Sewing, Crochet, Lino printing, Skills club, Gardening and Creative Writing. 

Adult Learners Week has also provided an opportunity to showcase the success that Monmouthshire’s Adult Community Learning has achieved this year. Over the last academic year, the team enrolled more than 750 learners in more than 90 courses, workshops and free taster sessions.

In May, Monmouthshire County Council’s Community Learning programme, which is part of the Greater Gwent Adult Learning Partnership, led by Coleg Gwent, received a glowing commendation after a recent Estyn inspection.

In July, we celebrated the learner awards as part of the annual Coleg Gwent Adult and Community Learning Evening, which celebrated the outstanding achievements of learners and staff across the Gwent Region. We were thrilled to see several of our learners and tutors recognised for their dedication and contributions.

This year, the team partnered with MonLife Active to offer individuals with a Passport to Leisure membership up to 50% off some community learning leisure courses.

There’s still time to sign up to a course for this term, find out more about the courses on offer and the Community Learning team by visiting: https://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/communitylearning/

National Playday enjoyed by children and families at MonLife event

Families from across Monmouthshire enjoyed a day of fun and games with MonLife at Caldicot Leisure Centre last week as part of the National Playday.

The event, which took place on Wednesday, August 7, attracted around 400 adults and children.

National Playday celebrates children’s right to play while emphasising the vital role of play in their lives.

The event was open to all and boasted an action-packed schedule, including a climbing wall, arts and crafts, den building, crazy golf and much more.

Leader of Monmouthshire County Council, Cllr Mary Ann Brocklesby, said: “It was wonderful to see so many families enjoying the National Playday at Caldicot Leisure Centre this week.

“Play forms such an important part of children’s development. Events like this are a perfect way of letting children freely explore a range of activities and have fun.”

The National Playday event in Monmouthshire was hosted by MonLife Play, with activities being put on by various areas of MonLife as well as being joined by colleagues from Monmouthshire Housing Association, Clybiau Plant Cymru kids’ club and Monmouthshire County councils Community Partnerships and wellbeing team.

To find out more about our Play offer within MonLife, visit https://www.monlife.co.uk/connect/play/

Have your say on the Shire Hall Museum exhibition

Residents and visitors can now have their say on what exhibitions they want to see at the Shire Hall Museum. 

MonLife Heritage is in the process of moving Monmouth Museum into the Shire Hall and is looking for which collections residents and visitors would like to see exhibited. 

From the 1st of August 2024, an online survey will be available to gather feedback on themes and activities that would attract visitors to the museum. Whether you’ve been before or have never visited, we want to create a museum full of history and activities for everyone. 

Shire Hall will be a modern and engaging museum based on community conversations to ensure that it is relevant and representative for all of our visitors. It will bring local stories alive, as well as events and activities that all want to see and participate in. 

To take part in the survey, please visit https://www.monlife.co.uk/heritage/the-shire-hall/shire-hall-consultation/

The redevelopment project has been funded by Monmouthshire County Council and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Following the feedback, our project team will work with architects and museum design teams to develop plans to create a new museum in Shire Hall.

Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Equalities and Engagement, Cllr Angela Sandles, said: “We are working to create a modern space for visitors to learn more about the vast local history of Monmouth and surrounding areas. This museum is for everyone, and the survey lets you tell us what you want to see. If you’ve not been to the Shire Hall before, I’d urge you all to do so. The building is steeped in local, Welsh and British history.”

Built in 1724, Shire Hall is Grade 1 listed and was formerly the location of the Assize Courts and Quarter Sessions for Monmouthshire. It is most famous for the 1839/40 trial of Chartist leader John Frost and others for high treason during the Newport Rising. Why not visit today and see the courtrooms and cells that have been vital to Monmouth’s history?

The Shire Hall Museum in Monmouth is open from 11.00 am to 4:00 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays (holiday opening hours may vary). Admission is FREE.

MonLife’s Youth Service welcomes young people to County Hall

MonLife Youth Service held its annual youth conference at County Hall, Usk, on Wednesday, 10th July. 

The conference brought together 40 students from secondary schools across Monmouthshire, including King Henry VIII 3-19 School, Monmouth Comprehensive School, and Chepstow Comprehensive School. The activities and discussions were arranged around the results of this year’s Make Your Mark ballot. 

The Make Your Mark ballot allowed young people across Monmouthshire to give feedback on issues they felt impacted their lives. Young people were provided with ten topics decided by feedback from young people across Monmouthshire.

This year, 2,112 young people aged 11-18 participated in the ballot, providing valuable insights into their top priorities. The results showed that the top three priorities are the cost of living (29%), mental health (15%), and transport (13%). 

During the conference, participants had the opportunity to discuss these priorities with professionals from Mind Our Futures Gwent, mental health services, MCC’s Active Travel team, and MCC’s lead for tackling poverty. Throughout the day, they discussed with experts in each field and shared feedback on how the Youth Service and the council could support improvements in these areas for young people in Monmouthshire.

Attending the conference, Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Educations, Cllr Martyn Groucutt, said: “Seeing the young people engage with officers from across the council and partners provided our officers with great understanding on the top three topics from the Make Your Mark ballot. Taking park allowed me to get a better understanding of these issues. Thank you to the participants for their engagement. It was a fantastic day.

I look forward to seeing the continued work our Youth Service officers will do with the young people attending the conference and across the county.”

To learn more about the MonLife Youth and Community Team’s work, visit: https://www.monlife.co.uk/connect/youth-service/

Celebrating MonLife volunteers this #VolunteersWeek

MonLife volunteers were the guests of honour at a recent celebration event held on Wednesday 5th June at Old Station Tintern as part of the UK-wide Volunteers Week. The event was held to thank volunteers, during the UK-wide celebration that shines a light on the incredible impact that volunteers make in our communities, and provide an opportunity for volunteers from different service areas to meet and share their valued experiences.

People of all ages volunteer throughout MonLife for various reasons, including gaining experience, building confidence, enjoying themselves, or helping others and their community. Many volunteers have gone on to full-time employment within Monmouthshire County Council services.

The Volunteer Celebration event was supported by local suppliers and supermarkets including: Cinder Hill Farms, Isabel’s Bakehouse, Wigmore’s Bakery, Waitrose, M&S and Tesco.

There are currently around 344 volunteers actively engaged with MonLife over the year, volunteering across 36 opportunities across all service areas. This equates to a total of more than 13,104.35 volunteer hours with a monetary value of more than £177,000.

When you volunteer, you can access a full training program, a complete induction, an assigned ‘buddy,’ and our online Volunteer Kenetic site. You will also have regular access to 1-2-1 or group support and an opportunity to meet new people from your area and across the county.

If you are interested in volunteering, you can find out more here: https://www.monlife.co.uk/connect/volunteering/

Monmouthshire’s pupils ignite passion at the PlayMaker Conference

Last week, MonLife Sports Development Team hosted Primary school pupils from across Monmouthshire at their annual PlayMaker Conference.

The aim was to bring Monmouthshire’s young leaders together for training and to celebrate their leadership journeys. Around 750 children from 26 out of 30 Monmouthshire primary schools took part in a carousel of activities delivered by MonLife Services, Monlife Leadership Academy, and external partners, including Rogiet and Dixton Parkrun groups, Monmouthshire Community Hubs (and libraries), Bowls Wales and Newport County in the Community.

The events included developing play opportunities, promoting Active Travel, pupil voice, National Governing Body workshops, Team Building, Wellbeing awareness and many more.

The week-long programme of events received fantastic support from Caldicot, Chepstow and Monmouth Comprehensive Schools, who provided facilities for the events as well as Abergavenny Rugby Club and Abergavenny Bowls Club at Bailey Park. 

The MonLife Sports Development Team has been delivering the Sports Leaders PlayMaker award throughout this academic year, engaging with all 30 Monmouthshire primary schools. After the pupils have achieved the award, they assist with providing a positive impact on wellbeing within their schools. This is the first stage of Sport Development’s leadership pathway, before transitioning into the Year 6 Bronze Ambassador scheme and the Secondary School Leadership academies.

Across the week, 34 Leadership Academy volunteers supported the events, recording 156 hours between them. For more information about the PlayMaker programme, or wider Sport Development initiatives, please visit – www.monlife.co.uk/connect/sports-development or email sport@monmouthshire.gov.uk