Saundersfoot volunteers work 'saves Pembrokeshire Council £10,000'

The Pembrokeshire village has an army of volunteers ready to spring into action to help keep the village buzzing – whether it’s marshalling at a music event or picking up litter.

So there was no shortage of willing helpers for a recent Saundersfoot spruce-up ahead of the main summer season and the scrutiny of the Wales in Bloom and Britain in Bloom competition judges.

The team donned hi-vis jackets and wielded paintbrushes on shabby street furniture and  lack-lustre lampposts.

Saundersfoot's street bollards are now a colourful sight. (Image: Saundersfoot Connect)

And their efforts have saved Pembrokeshire County Council around £10,000 in work hours, reckons Saundersfoot South’s county councillor, Chris Williams.

Nearly 100 bollards and over 25 lampposts have been  given two fresh coats of paint, not to mention village railings.

And formerly-bland BT boxes are now sporting magnificent mini-murals reflecting the village’s history and coastal position.

Saundersfoot's aviation pioneer, Bill Frost, is commemorated on one of the BT boxes. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography)

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“It’s an incredible amount of work by a small community,” said Saundersfoot South county councillor, Chris Williams, who co-ordinated the volunteers.

“The ‘In Bloom’ competitions are no longer just about flowers but about what is being done in the community to improve the environment.

600 hours of work

“So our volunteers have put 600 hours of work into helping to boost the vibrancy of Saundersfoot – and, with the paint, that would represent a cost of £10,000 if it was carried out by Pembrokeshire County Council employees.

“That total of hours doesn’t include people’s time litter-picking – if you look around the streets and lanes of Saundersfoot, they are spotless.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the council’s chief executive, Will Bramble, and leader, Cllr Jon Harvey next month to thank the volunteers for their work."

Saundersfoot's pride in its branch of the RNLI is reflected in this lifeboat painting. (Image: Gareth Davies Photography)

He added: “The bollards in the village were in need of painting, but the council said there was no budget for it.

“Thanks to the council’s deputy leader, Cllr Paul Miller and officer Neil McCarthy, we were given six tins of blue paint, worth £120, while the remainder was kindly paid for by donations of £100 each from the Hean Castle Inn and Lloyd Ravenscroft of Pembrokeshire Property Management.”

Cllr Williams thanked all those who wielded paintbrushes, with a special mention to the registered tradesman whose insurance allowed him to ascend ladders to paint the top of lampposts!