Openreach volunteers bring ‘green skills’ to help restore Welsh waterways
Openreach employees have once again demonstrated their commitment to the community and surrounding environment by volunteering their time to help restore one of Wales’ historic canals. (Gweler fersiwn Cymraeg isod / Please see Welsh language version below)
The Montgomery Canal is a partially restored 33 mile canal that runs from the Llangollen Canal down through Newtown and Welshpool before crossing the border to Shropshire.
In total eighteen Openreach engineers have supported the Canal & River Trust restoration project to help bring the ‘Monty’ canal, which has been designated both a Special Area of Conservation and Site of Special Scientific Interest, back to its former glory.
The restoration work includes reconstructing bridges, dredging large sections of the canal to bring back open water space and repairing banks to reconnect the channel.
Chris Lewis, who works as a specialist fibre engineer for Openreach across Mid Wales, has been part of the team working hard on the Crickheath section of the canal laying blocks and repairing the banks with stone and earth covering.
Chris explains: “We all live in the area and have visited or walked along the Llangollen part of the canal with our families in the past so we all have a connection to the ‘Monty’ canal.
“A number of us have supported the restoration works in the past so when we were approached by the Canal & River Trust to see if we would like to lend a hand this year again we were more than delighted to do so.
“Restoring the canal will not only bring benefits to the protected wildlife, flora and endangered species but also to the local community and economy. We’re all very proud that Openreach can play a small part in this important project by using our everyday transferrable engineering skills to help tackle important green issues.”
Recognising the impact building a UK-wide Full Fibre network can have on the environment, Openreach recently announced its Reach Zero strategy.
One of the key objectives of the strategy is to limiting the impact our engineers have on the environment and habitats they work in.
At present only 8 miles of the canal is navigable after the ‘Monty’ canal fell into disuse following a breach in 1936 and was officially abandoned in 1944.
Tom Fulda, Restoration Project Manager for the Shropshire Union Canal Society, has been managing the restoration of the Crickheath section of the canal. Welcoming Openreach’s green skills and energy he said: “We welcomed back Openreach who had provided superb support on the previous section.
“This time they helped us complete the soft bank on the current restoration project. This is designed to maximise the net biodiversity gain from the restored canal. We owe a special thank you to the small army of Openreach volunteers who worked like trojans.”
About Openreach in Wales
Openreach is on track to reach 25 million UK homes and businesses with access to Full Fibre ultrafast broadband and has already reached more than 57% (nearly 900,000) properties across every part of Wales. The network builder recently announced additional locations that are set to benefit from Openreach’s Full Fibre build.
With a workforce of around 2,200 in Wales, Openreach already employs the nation’s largest team of telecoms engineers and professionals.
Recent research by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) highlighted the clear economic benefits of connecting everyone in Wales to Full Fibre. It estimated this would create a £2 billion boost to the Welsh economy.
This short video explains what Full Fibre technology is and you can find out more about our Fibre First programme, latest availability and local plans here.
Gwirfoddolwyr gwyrdd Openreach yn helpu i adfer camlesi Cymru
Unwaith eto mae gweithwyr Openreach wedi dangos eu hymroddiad i gefnogi cymunedau a’r amgylchedd wrth wirfoddoli i helpu i adfer un o gamlesi hanesyddol Cymru.
Mae gwaith diweddar wedi adfer Camlas Trefaldwyn yn rhannol, camlas 33 milltir sy’n rhedeg o Gamlas Llangollen drwy’r Drenewydd a’r Trallwng cyn croesi’r ffin i Swydd Amwythig.
Hyd yma mae 18 peiriannydd Openreach wedi cefnogi project Canal & River Trust i adfer camlas ‘Monty’, a ddynodwyd yn ardal gadwraeth benodol ac yn safle o ddiddordeb gwyddonol arbennig.
Mae’r gwaith adfer yn cynnwys ailadeiladu pontydd, clirio rhannau helaeth o’r gamlas a thrwsio glannau er mwyn ailgysylltu’r sianel.
Chris Lewis, peiriannydd ffeibr arbenigol gydag Openreach ar draws y canolbarth, yw un o’r tîm yn gweithio ar gymal Crughywel y gamlas, yn gosod blociau a thrwsio glannau gyda cherrig a phridd.
Esboniodd Chris: “Mae pob un ohonom yn byw yn yr ardal ac wedi ymweld neu gerdded ar hyd y gamlas ger Llangollen gyda’n teuluoedd yn y gorffennol ac felly’n teimlo cysylltiad agos â chamlas ‘Monty’.
“Roedd nifer ohonom wedi cefnogi’r gwaith adfer yn y gorffennol felly pan ofynnodd yr Ymddiriedolaeth am help roeddem yn falch iawn o wneud hynny.
“Bydd adfer y gamlas nid yn unig yn diogelu bywyd gwyllt, planhigion a rhywogaethau prin ond hefyd yn cefnogi’r gymuned ac economi leol. Rydym yn falch iawn o wneud cyfraniad bach ar ran Openreach i gefnogi’r project wrth ddefnyddio ein sgiliau peirianneg i daclo gwaith amgylcheddol.”
Wrth gydnabod yr effeithiau amgylcheddol o adeiladu rhwydwaith ffeibr cyflawn ar draws y Deyrnas Unedig, yn ddiweddar cyhoeddodd Openreach strategaeth Cyrraedd Sero.
Un o amcanion allweddol y strategaeth yw cyfyngu effeithiau gwaith ein peirianwyr ar yr amgylchedd a chynefinoedd lleol.
Ar hyn o bryd nid oes modd negodi mwy na 8 milltir o’r gamlas, ar ôl i’r ‘Monty’ ddirywio yn dilyn toriad yn 1936 a’i chau’n swyddogol yn 1944.
Tom Fulda, rheolwr project adfer Shropshire Union Canal Society, sydd wedi rheoli’r gwaith i adfer cymal Crickheath y gamlas. Wrth groesawu sgiliau ac ynni gwyrdd y gweithwyr, dywedodd: “Roeddem yn falch o groesawu gweithwyr Openreach yn ôl ar ôl iddynt roi cymorth gwych ar y cymal blaenorol.
“Y tro hwn fe wnaethant ein helpu i gwblhau glannau meddal y project, er mwyn cefnogi gwaith bioamrywiaeth y gamlas. Rydym yn ddiolchgar iawn i’r fyddin fach o weithwyr Openreach am weithio mor galed.”
Am Openreach Cymru
Mae Openreach yn dilyn ei raglen i ledu band eang ffeibr cyflawn i 25 miliwn cartref a busnes yn y Deyrnas Unedig ac eisoes wedi cyrraedd dros 57% (bron 900,00) o gartrefi Cymru. Yn ddiweddar cyhoeddodd Openreach leoliadau ychwanegol fydd yn elwa o raglen ffeibr cyflawn y cwmni.
Gyda gweithlu o oddeutu 2,200 yng Nghymru, mae Openreach eisoes yn cyflogi’r tîm mwyaf o beirianwyr a gweithwyr telathrebu yn y wlad.
Ymchwil diwedddar Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr) wedi tanlinellu’r buddion economaidd o gysylltu pawb yng Nghymru â ffeibr cyflawn. Amcangyfrifir byddai’n rhoi hwb gwerth £2 biliwn i economi Cymru.
Fideo byr yn esbonio technoleg ffeibr cyflawn a mwy am ein rhaglen Fibre First, ein darpariaethau diweddaraf a chynlluniau lleol yma.
