Tree Maintenance at Caldicot Country Park

In order to keep Caldicot Country Park an enjoyable and a safe place for you to walk, you may have noticed that we are currently doing work on some of our trees in our beautiful park. Don’t worry, this is all timed to avoid the bird nesting season and the trees have all been assessed for bat roosts (but none have been found). We won’t be long finishing this work, so please bear with us.

Here’s why we are doing, what we are doing…

• An increase in pressure from footfall and more frequent flooding has placed a lot of stress on some of our trees, and their health is now starting to suffer. Some of the trees we are working on have become a safety risk with branches, and in some cases, whole trees starting to fail.

• As the canopies of trees planted close together are co-dependent, changes in one tree can affect the life of another. So when we need to carry out essential tree work of this nature, we tend to do so in groups of trees rather than individually. This is why we have currently cordoned off a large area of the avenue in the park.

• A lot of these trees that you can see along our avenue today, were first planted at the same time almost 150 years ago, which means that inevitably, they will all start to decline at the same time many years later. This time is now, so for us to ensure that the avenue retains its special value as an important habitat and landscape, we are adopting a phased approach to replacing trees rather than waiting for major failures to occur. We do this through a programme of selective tree removal to create gaps for replanting, and some careful pruning of other trees to reduce the risk of any failure. This all helps prolong their life and the special nature of the avenue.

• Any new trees that we plant may be of a different species to the ones they are replacing. This will improve resilience against tree diseases, and help manage any stresses that may emerge in our country park in the future.

Thank you for your understanding and for helping to look after our country park so that future generations can enjoy it too.

Competition Time, help us name the MonLife Mouse

We need your help to name the MonLife Mouse!

Meet our new Old Station Tintern mascot. This lovely little Dormouse can be found between the pages of our brand new family activity pack – Explore and Create at Old Station Tintern.

The only problem is, our Dormouse doesn’t have a name! We’ve come up with all sorts of ideas but we bet can you can do better than us so we’re launching a competition called ‘Name that Mouse!’

All you have to do is click on the link below and submit your ideas and contact detailshttps://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx…

The winner of the competition will receive:

• A free copy of our new family activity pack
• A free ride on the Old Station Tintern train
• Free Family drinks and cake at our newly refurbished café

Deadline for entries is Friday 12th February 2021

Winner to be announced Wednesday 17th February 2021

This project is funded by The Sustainable Development Fund, a Welsh Government initiative supported by the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership.

MonLife One Year Anniversary

One year on, during these difficult times, we are closer than ever!

And what a 1st year this has been…

“On behalf of myself and my MonLife colleagues, I would like to thank you for being part of our first year since our launch in 2020. We have been humbled and amazed at your continued enthusiasm and support and having received such positive feedback across our wide ranging services, we look forward to seeing you all again as and when Welsh Government confirm it is safe to do so. I would also like to extend my sincere thanks to the MonLife team who have worked tirelessly during the last 12 months to support our customers and communities and I know they will continue to do so in the future. ” Ian Saunders, Chief Operating Officer.

In 2021, we will continue to keep our customers at the heart of everything we do and will carry on improving our offer to benefit your health and wellbeing. We continue to explore new opportunities to ensure that you can carry on with your wellbeing journey at home.

We have a fantastic NEW product that will allow MonLife members to carry on training with their favourite instructors and participants they know from their homes with the NEW MonLife LIVE & ON-DEMAND membership. This membership will give you an exciting Virtual Live group and personal fitness experience. Please click HERE for further information.

You can also explore MonLife Countryside by staying local for exercise with members of your household/support bubble.  Please visit https://www.visitmonmouthshire.com/things-to-do/walking-in-monmouthshire.aspx# for further information. 

To keep up to date, follow our social media accounts, like our Facebook Page, follow our Twitter account and subscribe to our Youtube Channel. We also have a MonLife App – click HERE to download.

Stay Home to save lives and protect our NHS.

We hope you all had a safe and healthy Christmas and wish you a very Happy New Year!

We’re Making The Comeback

MonLife Active

We are pleased to announce that all 4 Leisure Centres are now open, this includes the gym, swimming pool and group exercise classes as well as swimming lessons. For further information please click on the Active section at the top of this page to view the individual Leisure Centres.

MonLife Heritage

We are delighted to announce that we are reopening our museum in Abergavenny and Chepstow from 18^th May, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays between 11am and 4pm. We have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to get our museum and shop ready to welcome you all back through our doors! We cannot wait to see you all!

Please note Monmouth Museum remains closed whilst we continue to work on the collections.

• There is no need to book ahead of your visit, you can simply walk in.
• Please be aware that we will be limiting the number of visitors allowed in the museum at any one time.
• Visitors will need to wear a mask or face covering and follow social distancing whilst in the museum.
• Hand sanitiser will be provided at various points throughout the museum.
• Visitors will be required to fill in a contact Track & Trace form – all of which are in accordance to Welsh Government Covid guidelines.
• Where possible please use card to purchase goods.

Abergavenny Castle grounds will be open daily to the public between 11am and 4pm.

We are also please to announce that Old Station Tintern is now open!

Please see the individual venue and service pages on the website for detailed information.

MonLife Outdoors

Countryside Access sites and public rights of way remain open for use.  For a safe and enjoyable visit please follow the guidance and rules which are found here

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Our staff, as well as the community, are our priority and we would like to thank you for the support that you have shown MonLife over these last few months.  We have received the most amazing feedback from our customers.

To keep up to date, follow our social media accounts, like our Facebook Page, follow our Twitter account and subscribe to our Youtube Channel.  We also have a MonLife App – click HERE to download.

If you have an enquiry regarding your MonLife membership then please email monmemberships@monmouthshire.gov.uk or call 01633 644499.

As a valued customer we would like to thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you all again soon.

Stay Safe 

The 2020 Green Flag UK People Choice Award: Caldicot Castle & Country Park

Caldicot Castle is set within 55 acres of idyllic Country Park. Founded by the Normans, developed in royal hands as a stronghold in the Middle Ages and restored as a Victorian family home, the castle has a romantic and colourful history. Travel through time from a medieval castle to a Victorian mansion.

The Green Flag Award® scheme recognises and rewards well-managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world.

The Green Flag Award’s Purpose & Aims

• To ensure that everybody has access to quality green and other open spaces, irrespective of where they live.
• To ensure that these spaces are appropriately managed and meet the needs of the communities that they serve.
• To establish standards of good management.
• To promote and share good practice amongst the green space sector.
• To recognise and reward the hard work of managers, staff and volunteers.

We would like to invite you to vote for Caldicot Castle & Country Park in the 2020 Green Flag UK People Choice Award. To vote, click here: https://www.greenflagaward.org/park-summary/?park=2143

Get Creative: Make Decoration This Halloween

Make a Vampire Hallowe’en Decoration

You will need:

• Vampire template
• 1 A4 sheet of white paper
• 1 A4 sheet of black card
• 1 scrap of tissue paper or other coloured paper
• A glue stick Colouring pencils or pens Scissors

What to do:

1. Print out your vampire templates on to a sheet of A4 paper. Cut out the vampire body and glue it to the back of the black card, using it as a guide to cut out your vampire’s body. Remember to cut along the dotted lines under the arms.
2. Cut out the vampire face and chest piece and draw on your vampire’s face.
3. Stick your vampire face and chest piece on to the body piece (black cardboard side facing up), leaving the V-shape of black showing at the top of the head for the vampire’s hair (see the picture above).
4. Take a small square of tissue paper (around 3cm) or other coloured paper and pinch it together in the middle to make a bow tie shape, then glue to your vampire’s neck. Draw four buttons underneath the bow tie to make the vampire’s shirt.
5. With the vampire laid out flat on the table, take each of the arms and fold them inwards so that they stand out from the body.
6. Glue along one straight edge of the vampire’s body piece as shown on the template, then roll the body into a cone shape, sticking the glued edge under the other straight edge. Hold in place until the glue dries.
7. Use your finished vampire to decorate your home ready for a super spooky hallowe’en!

Make a Witch Hallowe’en Decoration

You will need:

• Witch template
• 1 A4 sheet of white paper
• 1 A4 sheet of black card
• Some scraps of wool for the hair
• A glue stick Felt pens or colouring pencils
• Scissors
• A few shiny star stickers or scraps of coloured paper to make your own

What to do:

1. Print out the witch templates onto A4 paper.
2. Cut out the witch body template and glue it to the back of your black card. Use the template as a guide to cut out the body of your witch. Don’t forget to cut along the dotted lines under the arms.
3. Cut out the witch face template and colour it in then draw on a smiley face.
4. With the black cardboard side of the witch body piece facing up, stick the witch’s face on to the body underneath her black hat (see the picture above).
5. Glue on a few strands of wool to make the witch’s hair.
6. With the witch laid out flat on the table, take each of the arms and fold them inwards so that they stand out from the body.
7. Glue along one straight edge of the witch’s body piece as shown on the template, then roll the body into a cone shape, sticking the glued edge underneath the other straight edge. Hold in place until the glue dries.
8. Stick a few shiny stars on to the witch’s body and hat, or cut out your own decorations from scraps of coloured paper.
9. Use your finished witch to decorate your home ready for a super spooky hallowe’en!

Make a Spiral Ghost Hallowe’en Decoration

You will need:

• 1 A4 sheet of white printer card
• Colouring pencils or felt pens
• Scissors

What to do:

1. Print out your ghost template on to the white card. If you don’t have a card suitable for your printer, you can print onto ordinary paper and glue it on to a piece of scrap cardboard e.g. an old cereal packet.
2. Use a pair of scissors to carefully cut around your ghost head and arms, then continue to cut following the lines all the way around the inside in a continuous spiral.
3. Use a colouring pencil or felt pen to draw a face on to your ghost. You can make it funny or scary or surprised—you could even draw a different face on the front and back of your ghost so that it looks different from each side when it’s hanging up!
4. Hang up your ghost by the bottom of its spiral tail, or by its head, ready for a super spooky hallowe’en!

Make a Bat Hallowe’en Decoration

You will need:

• 1 A4 sheet of white paper

• 1 A4 sheet of black card
• 1 black pipe cleaner for the legs
• A glue stick
• Felt pens or colouring pencils
• Scissors

What to do:

1. Print the bat template onto A4 paper. Carefully cut out the eyes and fangs and place them to one side for the moment, then glue the wings and body templates to the back of your sheet of black card.
2. Cut out the wings and body from the black card, using the printed template as a guide. Lay your bat pieces out flat on the table, black side up.
3. Colour in the eyes then cut them out and glue them into position on your bat’s face, just below the top curved edge.
4. Cut out the fangs and glue them on to the bat’s face underneath his eyes.
5. Using the glue stick, make a line of glue along one straight side of your bat body, then roll the body into a cylinder, and stick the two straight edges together. Hold in place while the glue dries.
6. Glue the wings on to the back of your bat, covering the joined edges from the previous step. Hold in place while the glue dries.
7. Take a black pipe cleaner and fold it in half. Glue the folded end to the inside of your bat (see the picture above)
8. Curl the two cut ends of the pipe cleaner to make the bat’s talons
9. Hang the bat upside down at home ready for a super spooky hallowe’en

We’d love to see your finished crafts — please tweet us a photo @MonLifeLearning @MonLifeOfficial Decoration

Celebrating Monmouthshire Summer Activity Hubs

Over the last few months during this very different period, MonLife were able to demonstrate how they can collaborate effectively to deliver programs that positively impact young people in Monmouthshire.

At the start of the summer holidays MonLife we asked to provide a program for children aged 5-12 to access daily activities. In normal circumstances, The Monmouthshire Games is usually delivered within the four MonLife leisure centres. However, due to the pandemic, it required an adapted program to be devised and collaborative work.

With the help of services from sports development, youth service and leisure the Monmouthshire Summer Activity Hubs were developed. It was essential that the program had a variety of activities, risk assessed and following government guidelines to keep the children and staff safe.

“The Monmouthshire Summer Activity Hubs were a perfect example of MonLife employees coming together to provide a great experience for our young people. The feedback from the parents and children was positive and they enjoyed being able to interact with their friends from school as well as creating new friendships. We hope this gave the children some form of normality before going back to school in September”. – Sports development officer

The expertise of people within these services created a variety of activities for the children to complete from team building games, sports to arts and crafts. The impact of this program positively affected young people in Monmouthshire and in some instances it was the first opportunity that children had to reengage with others since the lockdown. The Hubs provided a safe environment for children to be able to interact and socialise together, which is reflected in the feedback gathered during the summer.

The delivery of the hubs also provided the parents and carers in the community with a scheme that they can trust and they can restart some normality of work. In addition to this, it provided staff with the opportunity to return to the workplace and reengage with the community.

Following on from the success of the Summer Activity Hubs we are very excited to announce that The Monmouthshire Games will be returning this October Half Term. Keep an eye out on our social media for the latest news and to register your interest as there will be limited spaces available!