AHEAD of a memorial service to commemorate the 2nd Battalion of the Monmouthshire Regiment’s return from the First World War in June 1919, volunteers have been redecorating the area around the Memorial Gates in Pontypool Park.

The gates were renovated for Remembrance Day last year, with Pontypool councillor Gaynor James raising funds for the project.

And now, along with the help of the Pontypool Park Friends, Cllr James has used some of the leftover funds from the restoration project to give the park a boost, weeding the area and spreading fresh bark and soil in the flower beds.

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Cllr James said: “A couple of weeks ago I was walking past the gates and checked on them. There was weeds starting to grow and the bark that we had laid down last year was starting to get a bit thin.

“So we weeded the area around the gates and re-barked it.

South Wales Argus:

(Volunteers working on the area around the Memorial Gates at Pontypool Park. Picture: Pontypool Park Friends)

“When you have an event like the memorial service, you want the park to look as good as possible.

“The Pontypool Park Friends have looked after the park fantastically. I don’t know what we would do without them.”

South Wales Argus:

(Pontypool councillor Gaynor James working on the area around the Memorial Gates at Pontypool Park. Picture: Pontypool Park Friends)

The memorial service will be held at 2pm on Sunday, and will feature the Regimental Band of the Royal Welsh at the Italian Gardens of Pontypool Park.

They will then march to the park’s bandstand, before marching to Torfaen Museum, where the Brigadier will open the new exhibition ‘Out in 1914, Home at Last.’