Tenby Civic Society is to launch a major public appeal with the objective of restoring Allen’s View and putting it onto a better footing for the future, on this the 50th anniversary of its first being given to the town, in the care of the then Friends of Tenby.

Allens View is a hilltop woodland garden alongside the Pembrokeshire coast path with spectacular views. The land was gifted to the Friends of Tenby in 1965 from the land owned by Jessie Allen, of Clovers, Northcliff. The garden is open to the public and is maintained by Tenby Civic Society, successors to the Friends of Tenby.

Harry Gardiner, the former chairman of the Civic Society who is leading the project, said: “To make the garden fit and easy to maintain for another generation, we need to make limited specific additions and changes, requiring expenditure that would endanger our reserves. We have outlined a two-year programme for which we are seeking funding. Donations will be matched by the considerable volunteer effort that has sustained the site, and by further volunteer effort which can be drawn in to carry out the project.

“Alongside the society’s commitment to keeping the garden safe, decent and accessible, we need to improve awareness through better signage and site information; open up views by some plant and tree clearance in and on site boundaries; fell over-mature trees and re-plant in a balanced sequence; continue pruning of low, weak, or interlocked, branches; re-enforcement planting of native woodland flowers in the flower glades; re-enforcement planting of hedge boundaries; renewal and gate upgrades to site entrances.

“Substantial parts of this can be achieved economically by extending current volunteer maintenance, but a durable site information panel, picnic table, entrance gates, as well as tree surgeon work - felling, pruning and tree safety assessments - will be considerably more expensive. The society is not in a position to fund these itself, hence our need for additional funds to secure the continued future of the garden. Work undertaken will be kept in step with the donations received.”

Donations may be made to the society’s treasurer, Albie Smosarski, at his shop, Cofion in Bridge Street, Tenby. Offers of voluntary help to work on the garden would also be most welcome. Email [email protected] or [email protected]