Project Zero - What’s happening in our communities?

View this page in Welsh / Gweld y tudalen hwn yn Gymraeg


Project Zero is the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s response to the climate change emergency. It brings together the wide range of work and opportunities available to tackle the climate and nature emergency, reduce the Council’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 and encourage others to make positive changes.

This page highlights some of the community-led work helping make the Vale a greener place to live, visit, and work.



Penarth Tree Forum

The Penarth Tree Forum was set up in 2016 because of concerns about street trees being removed and not replaced. The primary aim was to take care of the street trees of Penarth. Another aim was also established-working towards achieving Woodland Town Status for Penarth: this would mean increasing the number of trees in Penarth to achieve an overall tree canopy cover of 20%. Penarth Tree Forum members include various professional and lay people, who have developed a strong working relationship with the Vale of Glamorgan Council, sharing knowledge and expertise, helping with the care of many young trees across Penarth, and working together to further the above aims. Many members of the Penarth Tree Forum volunteer with various other subgroups of the Penarth Civic Society- all of which work to make Penarth a greener, more sustainable environment.

The Penarth Tree Forum has campaigned for many years to encourage the Vale of Glamorgan Council to establish a dedicated role for an Arboricultural Manager, and to create a Vale of Glamorgan Council Tree Strategy. In October 2023 the Council recruited an Arboricultural Manager (Tree Manager), and in October 2024 the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee of the Council considered the 2nd draft of the Tree Strategy for Cabinet approval as soon as possible. The Penarth Tree Forum members are thrilled with these outcomes! The Penarth Tree Forum continues to support the Arboricultural Manager in his work and will encourage the Council to reach all the aims set out in the Tree Strategy. Other ongoing projects supported by the Penarth Tree Forum members include planting and caring for trees in all the parks in Penarth and on the Railway Path. We also manage the fruit trees at Cosmeston Community Orchard. We meet regularly as a group at the different sites.



Valeways

Valeways is based in Barry it has been in existence since 1996. We have two main aims. First to aid and encourage people to walk in the beautiful countryside of the Vale to that end we organise regular led walks and for people who like to do their own thing we produce free walk leaflets. Second to ensure people can walk in the countryside we work with the councils Public Rights of Way department and organise weekly work parties to clear vegitation, collect litter and ensure that footpaths are clear and safe for people to walk in the Vale for their health and well being.

Valeways recently organised a Walking Festival of 27 walks across 6 days with many themed walks including butterfly habitat, geology of Barry and history of the Vale. To facilitate these walks hundreds of hours were spent clearing and cleaning the footpaths and byways all across the Vale, to ensure people could access the walks safely and enjoy the beauty that is offered by the countryside of the Vale.

The easiest way to contact us is to send an email to info@valeways.org.uk



Gwyrddio Penarth Greening (GPG)

GPG is Penarth's community environmental group. We are working to create a more sustainable Penarth. Our aim is to encourage positive local action to help address global challenges including the climate and nature emergencies. Since 2010 we've played a leading role in projects as diverse as Shop Penarth, Cosmeston community Orchard, the Plastic Free Community campaign, and raising awareness about climate change in schools and the wider community. Since 2020 we've set up Penarth Benthyg (our local library of things) and a series of community growing projects.

We established Benthyg Penarth, a local library of things, in 2021 to support the community to be able to borrow items they only need to use once in a while. Based at the Kymin, Penarth, we are supporting Penarth's residents to save money, reduce waste and consumption and their carbon footprint. More info at https://penarth.benthyg.cymru/

Contact the group by emailing gwyrddio.penarth.greening@gmail.com



Volunteer Beach Clean Group

Volunteer Beach Clean Group was founded in Feb 2018, We clean a beach every month from Barry Jacksons Bay, Barry Island, Gileston Beach, Aberthaw beach, Llantwit major beach, Monknash beach to Ogmore beach. We do children's competitions and activities to promote a healthy environment and get children more interested in saving coastline animals.

Recently 30 volunteers cleaned Gileston Beach and we collected 20 bags of plastic rubbish off our coastline.



Oak Field Primary School

Oak Field Primary is a Community School and are heavily involved with our community, from providing help with food poverty to cleaning up the environment.

Our learners have helped to clean up the community and raise awareness of the fly-tipping and litter situation by writing and delivering letters to the households in the area.



Restore the Thaw Landscape Project

Thanks to funding from Nature Networks National Lottery Heritage Fund and other funders, the Restore the Thaw Project is coordinating a three-year programme of work to make biodiversity improvements along the River Thaw its tributaries and surrounding landscapes, running until March 2026.

The project aims to benefit local wildlife, landowners and the community, and provides various opportunities for organisations, community groups, and volunteers to partake in the conservation work.



Llantwit Major Climate Conversations

LMCC began in 2021, we have about 50 members. Our purpose is to listen to the concerns of our community with regard to Climate Change and to take local community based actions to reduce our carbon footprint and enhance biodiversity. We seek to increase awareness of Climate Change. We have organised events where we have explored issues including local food, transport, green spaces, housing, energy supply/efficiency, recycling and responsible consumerism. Working in partnership with other bodies is an important element in how we work. We have recently drawn up a constitution and set up a bank account to enable us to bid for funds needed to take our work forward. This is just the beginning.

In response to the energy crisis we worked with a number of other organisations to set up "warm spaces" in Llantwit. Our primary focus at present is food. Our aim is to promote and encourage the production and consumption of local, affordable nutritious, tasty food. We are exploring setting up a local food hub, including a community kitchen. We have partnered with the Health board to commission a feasibility study into a community/ commercial kitchen.



Everyone's Garden

Everyone's garden opened in 2022, after the previously derelict site off Margaret Avenue in Colcot was transformed into a flourishing space for the community to enjoy.

The project was a collaborative effort with residents, schools, the Council's Community Investment team, and partners. Colcot Primary School, Colcot Residents Association, Bouygues UK, Horizon Civil Engineering, National Resource Wales, Eggseeds, Home Education Wales, Vale Youth Service, Flying Start and Vale Homes all helped develop elements of the site that were chosen by the community through public consultations.

The garden boasts a range of features including a greenhouse made from recycled plastic bottles, a play area, allotment, and an education centre.

Since its completion, community groups and Colcot Primary School have been instrumental in the gardens upkeep and maintenance, and frequently hold events, workshops, and wellbeing sessions at the site.

If you wish to get involved with Everyone’s Garden, contact Community Investment Officer Mark Ellis to find out more information: MarkEllis@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Bug hotel


Recycled bottle greenhouse


Allotments



View this page in Welsh / Gweld y tudalen hwn yn Gymraeg


Project Zero is the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s response to the climate change emergency. It brings together the wide range of work and opportunities available to tackle the climate and nature emergency, reduce the Council’s carbon emissions to net zero by 2030 and encourage others to make positive changes.

This page highlights some of the community-led work helping make the Vale a greener place to live, visit, and work.



Penarth Tree Forum

The Penarth Tree Forum was set up in 2016 because of concerns about street trees being removed and not replaced. The primary aim was to take care of the street trees of Penarth. Another aim was also established-working towards achieving Woodland Town Status for Penarth: this would mean increasing the number of trees in Penarth to achieve an overall tree canopy cover of 20%. Penarth Tree Forum members include various professional and lay people, who have developed a strong working relationship with the Vale of Glamorgan Council, sharing knowledge and expertise, helping with the care of many young trees across Penarth, and working together to further the above aims. Many members of the Penarth Tree Forum volunteer with various other subgroups of the Penarth Civic Society- all of which work to make Penarth a greener, more sustainable environment.

The Penarth Tree Forum has campaigned for many years to encourage the Vale of Glamorgan Council to establish a dedicated role for an Arboricultural Manager, and to create a Vale of Glamorgan Council Tree Strategy. In October 2023 the Council recruited an Arboricultural Manager (Tree Manager), and in October 2024 the Environment and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee of the Council considered the 2nd draft of the Tree Strategy for Cabinet approval as soon as possible. The Penarth Tree Forum members are thrilled with these outcomes! The Penarth Tree Forum continues to support the Arboricultural Manager in his work and will encourage the Council to reach all the aims set out in the Tree Strategy. Other ongoing projects supported by the Penarth Tree Forum members include planting and caring for trees in all the parks in Penarth and on the Railway Path. We also manage the fruit trees at Cosmeston Community Orchard. We meet regularly as a group at the different sites.



Valeways

Valeways is based in Barry it has been in existence since 1996. We have two main aims. First to aid and encourage people to walk in the beautiful countryside of the Vale to that end we organise regular led walks and for people who like to do their own thing we produce free walk leaflets. Second to ensure people can walk in the countryside we work with the councils Public Rights of Way department and organise weekly work parties to clear vegitation, collect litter and ensure that footpaths are clear and safe for people to walk in the Vale for their health and well being.

Valeways recently organised a Walking Festival of 27 walks across 6 days with many themed walks including butterfly habitat, geology of Barry and history of the Vale. To facilitate these walks hundreds of hours were spent clearing and cleaning the footpaths and byways all across the Vale, to ensure people could access the walks safely and enjoy the beauty that is offered by the countryside of the Vale.

The easiest way to contact us is to send an email to info@valeways.org.uk



Gwyrddio Penarth Greening (GPG)

GPG is Penarth's community environmental group. We are working to create a more sustainable Penarth. Our aim is to encourage positive local action to help address global challenges including the climate and nature emergencies. Since 2010 we've played a leading role in projects as diverse as Shop Penarth, Cosmeston community Orchard, the Plastic Free Community campaign, and raising awareness about climate change in schools and the wider community. Since 2020 we've set up Penarth Benthyg (our local library of things) and a series of community growing projects.

We established Benthyg Penarth, a local library of things, in 2021 to support the community to be able to borrow items they only need to use once in a while. Based at the Kymin, Penarth, we are supporting Penarth's residents to save money, reduce waste and consumption and their carbon footprint. More info at https://penarth.benthyg.cymru/

Contact the group by emailing gwyrddio.penarth.greening@gmail.com



Volunteer Beach Clean Group

Volunteer Beach Clean Group was founded in Feb 2018, We clean a beach every month from Barry Jacksons Bay, Barry Island, Gileston Beach, Aberthaw beach, Llantwit major beach, Monknash beach to Ogmore beach. We do children's competitions and activities to promote a healthy environment and get children more interested in saving coastline animals.

Recently 30 volunteers cleaned Gileston Beach and we collected 20 bags of plastic rubbish off our coastline.



Oak Field Primary School

Oak Field Primary is a Community School and are heavily involved with our community, from providing help with food poverty to cleaning up the environment.

Our learners have helped to clean up the community and raise awareness of the fly-tipping and litter situation by writing and delivering letters to the households in the area.



Restore the Thaw Landscape Project

Thanks to funding from Nature Networks National Lottery Heritage Fund and other funders, the Restore the Thaw Project is coordinating a three-year programme of work to make biodiversity improvements along the River Thaw its tributaries and surrounding landscapes, running until March 2026.

The project aims to benefit local wildlife, landowners and the community, and provides various opportunities for organisations, community groups, and volunteers to partake in the conservation work.



Llantwit Major Climate Conversations

LMCC began in 2021, we have about 50 members. Our purpose is to listen to the concerns of our community with regard to Climate Change and to take local community based actions to reduce our carbon footprint and enhance biodiversity. We seek to increase awareness of Climate Change. We have organised events where we have explored issues including local food, transport, green spaces, housing, energy supply/efficiency, recycling and responsible consumerism. Working in partnership with other bodies is an important element in how we work. We have recently drawn up a constitution and set up a bank account to enable us to bid for funds needed to take our work forward. This is just the beginning.

In response to the energy crisis we worked with a number of other organisations to set up "warm spaces" in Llantwit. Our primary focus at present is food. Our aim is to promote and encourage the production and consumption of local, affordable nutritious, tasty food. We are exploring setting up a local food hub, including a community kitchen. We have partnered with the Health board to commission a feasibility study into a community/ commercial kitchen.



Everyone's Garden

Everyone's garden opened in 2022, after the previously derelict site off Margaret Avenue in Colcot was transformed into a flourishing space for the community to enjoy.

The project was a collaborative effort with residents, schools, the Council's Community Investment team, and partners. Colcot Primary School, Colcot Residents Association, Bouygues UK, Horizon Civil Engineering, National Resource Wales, Eggseeds, Home Education Wales, Vale Youth Service, Flying Start and Vale Homes all helped develop elements of the site that were chosen by the community through public consultations.

The garden boasts a range of features including a greenhouse made from recycled plastic bottles, a play area, allotment, and an education centre.

Since its completion, community groups and Colcot Primary School have been instrumental in the gardens upkeep and maintenance, and frequently hold events, workshops, and wellbeing sessions at the site.

If you wish to get involved with Everyone’s Garden, contact Community Investment Officer Mark Ellis to find out more information: MarkEllis@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk

Bug hotel


Recycled bottle greenhouse


Allotments



  • What is happening in your community?

    We want to highlight the work of your community group on our new Project Zero web pages.

    If you are involved with a group that does great work to improve the environment and support nature, we want to hear from you.

    Please tell us about your group, a recent project that you have undertaken, and how people should contact you if they wish to be involved.

    The Council may also use this information in social media posts to highlight the amazing work going on in communities.


    Complete Form