Cardiff to host free community event to celebrate launch of the Wales Coast Path

Cardiff will mark the opening of the Wales Coast Path with a launch event on Saturday May 5th, with Environment minister John Griffiths officially opening the 870 mile (1400km) coast path.

Members of the public are invited to attend and celebrate this exciting, Welsh landmark project. The community celebration will see local business, food and drink producers, community groups and entertainers, come together at Cardiff Bay to mark the opening of the 870 mile (1400km) coast path and promote what is on offer along Wales’ stunning coastline.

The Wales Coast Path will run from the Welsh border, in the North, to Chepstow, in the South. Once opened, it will become the World’s first continuous coastal path around a country.

The event will start at approximately 11.00am and will see performers such as the Aber Valley Male Voice choir, the St Clares school choir and Duo-Flex Sound of Steel take to the main stage. Children’s entertainment will include magic workshops and a story-teller telling tales of the coast.

Groups and organisations that provide services or facilities along the Wales Coast Path will promote and give an insight into their work in a special ‘Coast Showcase.’ Local food and drink producers will also provide visitors with a real ‘Taste of the Coast’ as they sample their goods and products.

As part of the celebrations Ramblers Cymru are organising the Big Welsh Coastal Walk. Walks across Wales will take place to coincide with the launch and members of the public are encouraged to take part to experience the delights of the Welsh coast. Details of the organised walks can be found on the Ramblers Cymru website (www.ramblers.org.uk).

The Wales Coast Path has been developed by the Welsh Government in partnership with the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW), sixteen local authorities and two National Parks.

In addition to funding from the Welsh Government and the coastal local authorities of approximately £2 million per year, the European Regional Development Fund has allocated nearly £4 million over four years to support the project.

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For more information please contact Rhiannon Jenkins, Quadrant, on 02920 694888 or email: rhiannon.jenkins@quadrant.co

NOTES TO EDITORS

• The 870 mile (1400km) Wales Coast Path, opening on 5 May 2012, will run from the outskirts of Chester in the north to Chepstow in the south.
• Creation of the Path is a key Welsh Government commitment - which aims to bring economic benefit to coastal areas and encourage active lifestyles. The Path has something to offer everyone - from those looking for a short stroll to those undertaking the whole route in one trip, and it provides access to numerous leisure activities.
• The route will be subject to further improvements, in terms of alignment, infrastructure and information, beyond the opening date.
• Delivery of the project is co-ordinated by the Countryside Council for Wales and delivered on the ground by the local authorities through which it passes. Funding is coming from the European Union (approx £4 million in total), Welsh Government (approx £2 million per year) and the local authorities.