Volunteer day sees Flint coastline spot restored

Staff from construction firm Willmott Dixon joined Flintshire County Council’s Access and Natural Environment Team for a volunteer day in Flint earlier this month.

The company, which is building the new Ty Croes Atti care home in the town, supported Coastal Ranger Mike Taylor to enhance a seating area at a Dee Estuary viewpoint in Flint.

The volunteer effort included painting gates and bollards, weeding, sweeping, and spreading limestone dust around the site, a well-used area for walkers along the Flintshire Coast Park.

Flint is the main hub of the Coast Park, which runs from Saltney to Talacre.

The viewpoint offers views across to Parkgate and is shaped by the estuary’s daily tidal changes. A bench at the site was installed through the ‘Off Flint’ project.

As well as supplying volunteers, Willmott Dixon donated materials to support the improvement work.

Councillor Paul Johnson, Cabinet Member for Finance and Social Value, said: “We warmly welcome social value projects such as this. Social value is increasingly important for everyone.

“In simplest terms, social value is the impact organisations have on local communities and wider society, in terms of local spending through contracts, volunteering, job creation, practical activities and donations. Creating opportunities for positive contributions to people’s well-being alongside private sector business operations, we can facilitate activities like this to improve the local area.

“This is an excellent example of how industry and the public sector can work closely to improve the Flintshire Coast through social value. We hope people will enjoy visiting and enjoying the improved space and taking in the lovely views of the Dee Estuary.”

The volunteer event came as Willmott Dixon nears completion of the Ty Croes Atti care home, which will provide 56 places for local residents. The development is due to finish this summer.

To date, the project has resulted in 13 new jobs for local residents, including roles for three people who were previously long-term unemployed and two prison leavers from HMP Berwyn.

In total, Willmott Dixon has delivered 214 hours of educational initiatives and 223 hours of volunteering time during the care home development. The company has also spent £5.6 million of its project budget within Flintshire.

Willmott Dixon Social Value Manager Rosie McLaren said: “We share Flintshire County Council’s passion for creating opportunities in this community and are passionate that the construction of Ty Croes Atti leaves a lasting positive legacy for local people. In this instance, it’s great to get involved at a practical level, on a project which helps enhance the environment in Flint. Our thanks to Flintshire Access & Natural Environment for welcoming us. It was great to get involved.”

The initiative builds on recent improvements made to the Flintshire Coast Park, which was officially launched in March at the ‘Festival of the Sea’ event in Flint. The park has received support from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund throughout 2023 and 2024.

The park celebrates the diverse natural environment of the Dee Estuary and aims to improve public access and wellbeing across the coastline, linking communities including Connah’s Quay, Shotton, Bagillt, Greenfield, and Mostyn.