'Pride In Your Patch' working well in Pontyates

Residents and tenants at a Pontyates housing estate have been clearing out their junk as part of the council’s Pride In Your Patch campaign.
A skip amnesty was held at Maesglas last week, organised by the housing department, and supported by Keep Wales Tidy and Tidy Towns.
Locals were encouraged to have a good clear out, and that they did – within an hour the skip was full!
Housing community engagement officer Pat Evans said: “Pride In Your Patch is all about encouraging tenants to take ownership and pride in their gardens and community areas. There are a number of elements to the project, including construction training opportunities, but this is one of the simplest – just having a good clear out and tidy up to make the community look and feel a lot nicer.
“We had great feedback from tenants, and many of them are planning more events together in the future, such as litter picks with families.”
Pride In Your Patch is one of several schemes that run as part of the council’s Carmarthenshire Homes Standard Plus investment programme.
By 2015, £220million will have been spent improving homes and communities.
Community engagement is a key element of the scheme, and encourages tenants to get involved and play their part in creating friendly and welcoming communities.
Cllr Tegwen Devichand, Executive Board Member for Housing, said: “The way communities have responded is fantastic. Small events like this skip amnesty are all part of the bigger picture, and make a huge difference to our tenants’ lives.”
If you would like to receive more information on volunteering in your community, contact Pat Evans on 01554 899288.