Posted on: Monday 8 June 2026
This Great Big Green Week, we're celebrating volunteers and community organisations working with us to nurture nature and tackle climate change, in line with the Torfaen Deal.
Thank you to everyone who took part in Make a Difference Week events last week.
Thirty volunteers collected 19 bags of litter and removed 8,500 Himalayan balsam plants, giving a combined 53 hours to support the local environment.
The week - which coincided with Volunteers Week - highlighted the power of community action, with volunteers of all ages contributing their time and energy to improve green spaces across the borough
If you didn't get chance to take part - this week is Great Big Green Week and there are lots of events taking place to support nature and tackle climate change.
Find out where your closest environmental volunteering opportunity isa to you by visiting https://connecttorfaen.org.uk/
Councillor Mandy Owen, Executive Member for the Environment, said: “Thank you to everyone who took part in Make a Difference Week and helped make it such a success.
“June is Community Action Month, and last week, which also coincided with Volunteers’ Week, was a fantastic example of how people can come together to make a real difference.
“These events were a great example of the Torfaen Deal in action. The council provided the knowledge, tools and support, and our residents stepped up to help care for their local environment.”
Dave King, founder member of Cardiff Rivers Group, who volunteered at events, said: “I have volunteered regularly now for well over 30 years with a number of environmental charities.
“My driver initially was to simply try and improve the area in which I live.
“Local authorities don’t have the resources to do everything that we want and therefore if we want something to get better we need to step up and try and do it ourselves.
“Now that I organise lots of volunteer activities, I get a real buzz from not only seeing the difference we make to our natural environment, but also seeing people make friends and visit areas that they didn’t even know existed.
“Overall, I would recommend volunteering in some form to everyone. If your first experience doesn’t work try something else. Once you find your ideal activity you won’t look back.”
Last week's events included the launch of the Big Balsam Bash at Cwmbran Boating Lake, alongside litter picks and balsam removal sessions in Northfields and Tirpentwys Local Nature Reserve.
All events were open to the public and supported by council staff, making it easy for people to get involved, learn new skills and take positive action for nature.
The Big Balsam Bash will continue until August, giving more opportunities for residents to get involved in protecting local biodiversity.
For more information about balsam bashing events, visit https://getinvolved.torfaen.gov.uk/
The litter picking events were funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, and Big Balsam Bash events were funded by the Welsh Government through the Local Places for Nature programme.