County Councillor Win Mullen-James applauded the landscaping and litter collecting work of Peer Mentor volunteers from the North Wales drug and alcohol agency CAIS. Unveiling a plaque at Morley Road Park (18th October), Councillor Win Mullen-James told CAIS Chief Executive Clive Wolfendale that the work of the charity’s volunteers had significantly improved the appearance of the park. The plaque has been created to recognise the Peer Mentoring group’s outstanding voluntary work.
The volunteers from the Peer Mentoring Scheme have been working with Katherine Williams, team leader at Rhyl’s Public Realm council department, since March 2012. Together the volunteers have helped to remove litter, clear plant overgrowth and have also planted trees and shrubs in the park. Daffodils and bluebells were planted at the park during the plaque unveiling ceremony.
Katherine Williams explained “In these austere times that we currently find ourselves in it is more important than ever for my organisation to engage with volunteer groups and CAIS in particular have excelled all my expectations. It truly is wonderful to see local volunteers giving back to their local community by improving a park that perhaps once they remember for all the wrong reasons. There has been a remarkable reduction in reports of litter, hypodermic needles, dog fouling and vandalism since CAIS and their Peer Mentoring Scheme volunteers began working in this park.”
The North Wales Peer Mentoring Scheme holds a ‘drop-in’ session every Friday from 1pm-3pm at the Communities First building in Rhyl where people can go and have an informal chat and discover how trained Peer Mentors can offer help and support to those with substance misuse issues. For more information about the Rhyl Drop-in call Spencer James 07769 217 187.