On Friday, 28th March, the Community Hub in Magor and Undy hosted a celebration event to mark the success of the Paths to Communities project.
This event highlighted the achievements made possible by the Welsh Government Access Improvement Grant over the past three years.
The Paths to Communities project has been instrumental in developing partnerships with various organisations, including Ramblers Cymru, Gwent Wildlife Trust, Living Levels, and others. These collaborations have significantly contributed to the project’s success, expanding from 5 to 17 active volunteer groups, with five more groups showing interest.
Monmouthshire has been a pioneer in the UK, being the first authority to undertake a Service Level Agreement with the Ramblers, a model now replicated elsewhere. Although the Paths to Communities Project will not continue into the next financial year, MonLife’s Community Links Officer will continue to support the volunteer groups.
The Ramblers have conducted 82 engagement events, and volunteers have contributed over 4500 hours in the past two years. Their efforts have led to installing 117 waymark posts, 225 waymarkers (signs to mark public footpaths), 68 gates, 94+ signposts, 109 steps, and the resolution of 281 safety issues. Additionally, volunteers have cleared 420 overgrown furniture items and 14,077 meters of vegetation.
Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Housing & Tourism, Cllr Sara Burch, paid tribute to the volunteers, “Without the dedication of the volunteers across the county, the council will not be able to secure that our rights of ways are clear and safe for everyone to use. On behalf of the council, thank you for all your work and dedication.”
The Paths to Communities project, which took place from July 2024 to March 2025, aimed to create a more sustainable management system for the Paths and Rights of Way network on the western side of Monmouthshire. The project focused on enhancing community resilience and empowering local volunteers to achieve social justice and well-being goals.
Cllr Burch continues, “As a council, we are dedicated to working with partners to improve access for all. Being able to agree a service agreement with The Rambles has been key to this, as they’ve been able to provide their expertise in recruiting and training the volunteers.”
To find out more about the MonLife Countryside Access team, please visit: www.monlife.co.uk/outdoor/countryside-access/
