A COMMITTED campaign to save Broad Haven’s Slash Pond Boardwalk has landed £58,422 funding from the SITA Trust.

The boardwalk - which connects the residential north end of Broad Haven to the southwest area - was created by volunteers in 2003 with funding from Cydcoed.

In October 2013, the Havens Community Council was struggling to fund and maintain the walkway and was forced to close the area to the public.

But in May this year, village residents, businesses and holiday home owners united to save the popular pond-side route from demolition.

On the back of a successful social media campaign, volunteer group ‘Support The Boardwalk’ was formed. The group raised over £8400 to preserve and enhance the walk, carried out repair work and re-opened the route in June.

Local organisations such as PLANED and PAVS also offered their support.

The group’s vice chairman, Ben Dare, said: “SITA Trust supports community and environmental improvement projects through the Landfill Communities Fund. The Support The Boardwalk project plans to refurbish a large section of the boardwalk with a sustainable galvanized steel base, and replace the timber with specialist non-slip decking boards. Thanks to the generous support of SITA Trust, the project will be undertaken by a local contractor and is set to begin early 2015.”

The group is continuing to fundraise, and hopes to widen the appeal of the boardwalk and the way in which it can be used. Ideas include the installation of pontoons to allow children to safely learn to fish and pond dip.

For more information visit www.SupportTheBoardwalk.co.uk. To make a donation, please send a cheque made payable to Support the Boardwalk to K.Markham c/o Support the Boardwalk, 65 Puffin Way, Broad Haven, SA62 3HP or post your donation in to the Drop Box at Londis Post Office in Broad Haven.