Category: Miscellaneous

Various items that do not fit any particular category

DEVELOPMENT OF CARDIFF AIRPORT

 

The history of the airport extends back to the1942 when the Air Ministry requisitioned land for training Spitfire pilots. After WW2 the airfield was abandoned. The man who decided Rhoose could be the site of a new airport was David Rees-Williams (later Lord Ogmore). In1945 Rees-Williams became an MP; then when Minister of Aviation he identified a great need for a commercial Airport of international standards in south Wales. He told the House of Lords that a decision had to be taken whether to do nothing at all or whether Pengam Moors, the existing airport for Cardiff, should be improved or, thirdly, whether a new airport should be constructed.

Subsequently the Welsh Civil Aviation Consultative Committee proposed the Royal Air Force airfield at Rhoose. The Government accepted this proposal and the Ministry of Aviation promptly began converting the abandoned airfield into a civilian Airport.

 

Opening of new airport. In October 1952 the new airport was opened. Then civilian flights from the old Cardiff Municipal Airport at Pengam Moors were transferred to Rhoose in April 1954. In 1965 the Ministry of Aviation handed over the airport to Glamorgan County Council and was renamed Glamorgan (Rhoose) Airport. The council started a five-year plan to develop the airport including a new control tower, terminal building and runway extension.

1986 saw a further extension to the runway, attracting more business in the form of new-generation jet aircraft. The runway extension enabled the airport to handle 747 jumbo jets. This was instrumental in attracting the British Airways Maintenance facility to the airport. The airport is not only the main maintenance base for British Airways but also home to a variety of aerospace-oriented firms and colleges, and now is a major contributor to the economic development of the region.

The airport was privatised in1995 due to local authority re-organization. Later in 2013 the Welsh Government bought it for £52 million. There followed an investment of a £6 million route-development programme. In 2015 a major deal was signed with Flybe which saw the opening of a two aircraft base for their airline with a considerable number of new routes. In April 2017, Qatar Airways announced their plans to launch a service from Cardiff airport to Qatar and significant global markets via Qatar’s capital city in May 2018. This development is considered a game changer for the airport’s future.

BD

 

 

 

PROBUS (2) CLUB, BARRY

NEW TO WENVOE

PROBUS (2) CLUB, BARRY

We have recently moved our venue to Wenvoe Golf Club for our fortnightly meetings. The Club is for former professionals and businessmen to associate in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.

Normally at our meetings, we have a speaker followed by lunch.

During the summer months we vary our social programme by including our partners and friends at a dinner and our lunches. We also arrange skittle matches and a coach trip.

If you are interested in joining us, please contact our President, John Evans, on 02920 513976.

 

 

Mad World – Gun Control

Mad World

I have witnessed many horrible events happen in my lifetime, and as an aware young person living in today’s society, being kept from the horrors of the world is impossible. I follow the news. I am on most social media platforms. I have watched as tragedies occur, and seen them happen time and time again.

Recently, there was yet another mass shooting in America. And yet, the gun control laws held in the US has not wavered. American gun control laws have caused the death of millions upon millions of people in the US – perhaps a quarter of these statistics have been relevant to my lifetime. Think of that. In almost eighteen years, the news headlines have continuously had to revaluate situations as ‘The worst mass shooting in modern American history’. As the number of shootings increase, the many who have died grow with it.

Gun controls need to be tighter – I cannot stress this enough. By owning a gun, you have the potential to take a life. If you have a gun you need to stop simply saying ‘they wouldn’t give a gun to someone dangerous’ because everyone who owns a gun in America has the potential to be dangerous. You just don’t act on the potential. But someone does. Someone always does.

My point is that nothing changes. Americans still have guns. People’s reactions don’t change. A woman whose family member had been murdered in the Las Vegas shooting had said she did not want to change gun laws. How? How could you witness first hand a mass shooting and have a family member die and still see no problem with the war on gun control? More and more people buy guns in America every day. You can buy guns in supermarkets there.

Yes, I understand that these might be America’s problems, but you can’t deny that universal tragedies cause pain and suffering to more and more people every single day. Everyone is a part of that. Universally, we are more and more connected with America through our media and our global alliance. Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, cousins, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, grandparents and even sons and daughters are lost because someone decides they have the right to take a life. Telling us to not think too much about it is the same as telling us we’re heartless if we follow your instructions. Because these people could be us. Although they are across the Atlantic, they should still be important to Britain.

Why must children – the future of our world – die and yet nothing changes. The Sandy Hook shooting happened and dozens of children were killed. But even that didn’t stop the Americans from continuing to sell guns. If anything, the number of people with guns increased. It’s remarkable to me how a ‘travel ban’ on 6 Muslim-majority nations can pass through the US Congress but even after so many have died at the hands of Americans, the Congress cannot remove the laws that are in place in regards to guns.

This isn’t Britain’s battle to face. But equally, it feels like some Americans don’t see it as their own battle. But it is. Because if there isn’t a change soon, there won’t be any Americans left to fight gun law. There won’t be any Americans left. It should be a Universal problem because maybe someone from Britain can describe to an American just how dangerous and ignorant they are if they do not fight gun control.

We shouldn’t be afraid to live our lives – American or British. Speaking as a British citizen, if you are American and you don’t understand why there needs to be tighter gun controls, or even none, please educate yourselves on the stories of those who have died at the hands of guns. Read about those involved in the Pulse Orlando shootings, or the Virginia Tech shootings, or the Binghamton shootings or both of the Fort Hood shootings or even the Texas and Columbine shootings. Look at their photos and read their stories. Read about Claire Wilson James, or Noah Pozner or Isaiah Shoels or Stanley Almodovar III and Lisa Romero-Muiz.

Then try and tell me why civilians ought to have guns.

By Tirion Davies

 

 

Conkers vs Spiders

 

I must admit that since I was a child, I’ve not been able to tolerate spiders, so I dread the reported invasion of giant spiders in the house this autumn . There are many gadgets and products on the market to remove spiders from the home and according to old wives tales, there are also natural methods Leaving conkers on window ledges is said to stop spiders entering the house, but scientists haven’t proved whether the saponin compound found in conkers is effective. Some swear by peppermint oil which has a high concentration of pulegone and methone which are natural pesticides. Drop 15-20 drops of the pure oil into water and add to a spray. Similarly eucalyptus oil or white wine vinegar mixed with water and then sprayed around the home are said to be good repellents. So I am going to have a go with the conker method- no problem with collecting conkers in this village is there?

 

 

Autumn Tasks

 

On a lovely autumn morning we did some work on the village green, shortening back the roses and trimming along the shrub border. Before the end of October the boxes and tubs will have been cleared of the remnants of summer bedding, ready to plant the bulbs. One meeting is planned for November, on the 13th at the usual time, 9.30am..

 

 

Dyffryn House

 

Dyffryn House is the Victorian mansion house within the Edwardian listed gardens in St Nicholas. It is currently managed by the National Trust on a 50 year lease. The House Steward and research teams are always looking for information on the history of the site. The original collection owned by the Cory family was sold at auction in 1937. If any local people are aware of any pieces that were sold locally we would love to hear from you.

We would also be very interested to talk to anyone who has memories of working at the site from the 1980’s and before- with the option to carry out an oral history.

Please contact Christina at Christina.Hanley@ nationaltrust.org.uk or 07483926208.

 

 

 

There always needs to be a balance

 

Last year, I wrote my first article for the What’s On reviewing the balance of work and play. School’s back in and suddenly this had become all the more relevant yet again. The dread and panic about this final year has yet again cropped up and I won’t lie – I’m terrified. This will determine the way the next four years of my life pan out. I don’t think I’m ready for that responsibility – I’ve only just learnt to be able to order my own food in a restaurant (ok, that’s a hyperbole, but you get the gist)!

In the (barely) two weeks I’ve been back in school, my stress level has begun to gradually increase. It feels odd to go back and have to do so much when I’ve so wanted to remove the stress I felt during my exam period. Also, last year’s results are making things more difficult. In order to earn the grade I want at the end of this year, I’m planning on resitting a paper (one which unfortunately does not correspond with this year’s course) making the ever looming stress of revision feel closer and closer day by day. It’s somewhat illogical – I don’t think I have any exams until Spring of next year, but the thought that it all counts more than ever this year is making my heart skip erratically and I’ve barely made it to the end of September yet.

I know there needs to be a balance. There always needs to be a balance. But it’s how that balance ends up working – you need no more no less of both. I suppose my problem at the moment is it’s either too much work or too much play. My balance is off, and it’s putting me off for the rest of the year. It’s easy to misjudge the amount of work you have in Year 13 but remember – if you don’t think you have any work, it’s probably best to check; you might have an essay due in tomorrow…

People will tell you that working too hard will burn you out. It’s true I suppose, but my issue is that if I don’t work above my natural motivation, I don’t make the grade. But equally, it is easy to burn yourself out if all you do is work, and this is why you need something to take your mind off too much stress so that you don’t panic about having too much work before realising it’s doable. Drawing has always been a hobby of mine, and to take a moment to doodle is just a quick way of releasing enough worry to clear my head enough.

I don’t work well under pressure, so taking the time to colour (I’ve acquired multiple colouring books over the past year for this purpose) relaxes me, so that I can work out a plan of action for the work in front of me.

I want to tell you that it gets easier, but to be honest you’ve just got to get on with it. It’s horrible I know. But find the balance and work at it – it will make everything that more bearable.

By Tirion Davies

 

 

Secondary Breast Cancer Strollers

Three glorious sunny Thursdays have seen a special band of walkers at Cosmeston in the past 3 months.

The Secondary Breast Cancer Strollers are a new group of walkers which form part of the walking programme offered by local charity, Valeways.

Lynne Frugtniet leads the group and invites cancer patients, their friends and families to come for a short stroll at Cosmeston, have a chat en route and finish with a coffee.

Walks are the first Thursday of every month at 10:30am. Walks start from reception at Cosmeston.

For any further information, email Lynne at lynnegrugtniet@btinternet.com

 

 

Dogs Trust

 

First of all I want to thank all those who continue to save used stamps and hand them to me to pass on to Dogs Trust in London to be sorted. You may be interested to hear that Jenny Thomas of north London, who I’ve mentioned before, has been awarded the Phyllis Mayer Argus Medal in recognition of her outstanding commitment to fundraising on behalf of stray and abandoned dogs. Jenny has been a volunteer fundraiser for Dogs Trust since 1978, during which time she has raised in excess of £ 133-00 and last year alone donated £ 24-00 through the sale of stamps, postcards and foreign currency. This year our only Dogs Trust re-homing centre at Bridgend has benefitted from Jenny’s efforts. Supporters of this charity will be delighted that this lady has been so honoured and it’s good to know that we, in a small way are contributing to the welfare of dogs here in the UK.

The Argus Medal was created in 1933 by the Canine Defence League, former name of Dogs Trust as an award in recognition of long and distinguished service by those who had devoted a great part of their lives to the cause of dogs.

 

 

 

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