A group of volunteers from Cwmbran have been given a £9,500 grant to improve a park.

The Friends of Pontnewydd Park work to make the park a nicer place for children and families to enjoy and play outdoors safely. They successfully applied for money from the National Lottery Community Fund to help them.

The Member of Parliament for Torfaen, Nick Thomas Symonds visited the park to see first-hand how funding has been used by the project, and the impact the group’s work has on their community.

Richard Hughes, of Friends of Pontnewydd Park, said: “We are very grateful to the National Lottery for this grant which helps make a huge difference to the children’s play area and will support us to provide our community events.

“We were also delighted that Torfaen MP Nick Thomas Symonds along with National Lottery Funding Manager Andrew Owen and our local councillors all came to see our local park and show their support for our work in improving this much-loved park for the community.”

Nick Thomas Symonds MP said: ‘I was delighted to visit Friends of Pontnewydd Park to see their project and the difference this is making to the community.

“I’m really pleased that the group were able to secure the funding, and I’d like to thank the National Lottery Community Fund for their financial support for this project. The rejuvenation of Pontnewydd Park will make a real positive impact for local families, and I pay tribute to all the volunteers who have helped make it happen.’

John Rose, Wales director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are proud to be the largest funder of community activity in Wales, supporting great project ideas such as the Friends of Pontnewydd Park. This group identified a fixable problem within their community that could be of immense benefit to those in their local area and stepped up with the help of a National Lottery Community Fund grant to turn their park into a lively and useable space for all.”