A scheme to encourage community groups to ‘deliver positive conservation and environmental actions’ has started in Llanteg.

After a successful application by the Llanteg Gardening Group for the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s ‘Force for Nature Grant’ for £500, a small group of volunteers formed the Llanteg Pollinator Project - to pool ideas and a wealth of knowledge to help decide how they would spend the grant.

“During our three meetings we identified four community areas and what assets these areas already had - for example, the Old School Garden has already been developed with a bug hotel, fruit trees and bushes, a wildflower area and a woodland walk,” explained Pauline Critchlow from the group.

“We also have the recent addition of a hedgehog house, kindly built and donated by a member of our Gardening Group.

“We then decided that our grant would be better spent to develop the other three community areas for pollinators.

“The Mountain Chapel garden has low growing grass and during the course of the project we found that, by leaving the area unmown, there is already a wealth of wildflowers including wild orchids, cats ear, sheep’s bit etc.

“We will buy extra seed with the help of a member of our community who works with wildflower meadows.

“Within the chapel footprint we decided to build two raised beds for a variety of herbs and plants that would cope better in dry periods.

“The wood has been donated by another member of our community and topsoil, compost and grit has been sourced from local suppliers.

“For the area known as The Claypits, we decided that, as the grass is long, it would be better to plant fruit trees/bushes and shrubs that will cope with longer grass once they get established.

“We will mulch with shredded bark to help retain moisture and keep back the undergrowth.

“Stanwell Corner is at a junction on a road used frequently by holiday makers and the local community.

“We have an opportunity to put a message out to people passing by. We are mindful of leaving visual access for motorists and will plant fruit trees etc so they do not obstruct visibility.

“We have now used this site to erect pollinator posts, drilled to allow insects to nest and hibernate,” she continued.

Amroth Community Council have also donated a Crab Apple tree, which has now been planted on this site.

With the grateful help of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, a bug hotel will also be located at one of the Community areas which will provide a much needed resource for pollinating insects to thrive.

The group used local suppliers where possible and received a variety of donated items: members of the community - wood for raised beds and a hedgehog house; Tavernspite Garden Centre - £85 worth of pollinator plants for our raised beds; PC National Park - Bug House and Amroth CC - Crab Apple tree.

Any ongoing costs, ie - shredded bark and wildflower seeds, will be donated by Llanteg Village Hall funds.

“We hope that holiday makers, children and local people will be inspired by this initiative and follow on our work by creating something in their own gardens, therefore providing more places for pollinators to nest, feed and hibernate,” continued Pauline.

“A big thank you goes out to all members of Llanteg Pollinator Group, and to everyone who donated/contributed, for all their dedication in making this project a huge success.”