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CARERS WALK
The carers had a jolly jaunt between Friars and Nells points along the beach at Barry Island. Snow could be seen on the Exmoor hills, across the Channel, but the strollers were fortunate to walk under glorious blue skies in bright sunshine. Hopefully one missing carer can rejoin the group when his wife recovers from surgery.
OFF THE SHELF
Book Review for Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami
Norwegian Wood by Japanese author Haruki Murakami, is a modern literary depiction of depression, suicide and the sense of grief born from loss. Although the novel deals with heavy themes, it leaves us with a positive message: ‘even though we may be lost, we can continue to live as long as we try’. The above review is beautifully said. The book became tedious in parts, but it holds your imagination and takes you to Japan. The characters are beautifully described, and I had great empathy for them. I would recommend his more recent novel, where I think he has progressed into a great writer, as he’s grown older.
Anne Gill
WENVOE FORUM
What Can We Do?
Read that short question several times, with the emphasis on different words, and you will hear that the answer is not straightforward. One of the ideas behind setting up the Forum was that action is needed at local level to tackle what are worldwide problems, so do nothing is not the answer.
Gareth, who wrote last month’s contribution to WO, mentioned the expected increase in our gas and electricity bills. In the 4 short weeks since then many of us have had written notice from suppliers about just how frighteningly big that increase was forecast to be. In those 4 short weeks Russia invaded Ukraine with huge impacts on economies, the environment and security and the bills are likely to be higher still.
I noted that one of the WO much loved little writings came directly below Gareth’s optimistic and practical article:
No sense in being pessimistic
It would never work anyway.
Whether that was pure serendipity or editorial wit I don’t know but just as do nothing is not an option, we will maintain our optimistic approach, knowing that, just as we should do what we can, others are doing what they can.
Challenging situations provoke, and people rise to the challenge in their own ways. Some clever engineers are researching a product that could modernise building techniques, make the construction industry more sustainable, make use of recycled glass and provide building materials with better insulation. (https://tinyurl.com/yck4un8p) The seemingly simple idea of replacing the sand used to make concrete with ground up recycled glass has wide ranging benefits. When you add in the fact that this new material can be used in a 3D printer, the building materials can be much more attractively shaped than the concrete block or beam, it sounds like a winner to me.
On a completely different path, professional storyteller Carl Gough is putting his energy into developing Nexus 100: creating change through story, a network of creative people who will find ways to encourage individuals to think about the environment with a positive approach and highlighting what we will gain by paying attention to it.
So what can we do as a community to help with the rising costs of everything as a result of more expensive energy, while tackling environmental problems at the same time.
In earlier WO articles we have suggested many ways to reduce energy use particularly associated with the reduction of carbon emissions. In May we plan to hold a session where experts will present some very practical energy reduction tactics and strategies, focused mainly on the home. There will be an opportunity for questions. Final details are to be confirmed but we hope it will be on Thursday 12th May; Look out for details in next month’s WO, on the Wenvoe Community Facebook page, on our Facebook page and on our blog.
When we carried out our initial survey of community views last summer/autumn, one of the most popular suggestions was a Community Energy Scheme. Forum members have been working on exploring feasibility and making some progress. However, we could use some help to take this forward. Anyone who is enthusiastic about the idea is very welcome but in particular we would benefit from adding to the team:-
If you are interested in helping or want to know more please e-mail gwenfo.forum@gmail.com
Any Wenvoe community member is welcome to join the Forum meetings, via Zoom, held at 19.00 on the second Thursday of each month. E-mail gwenfo.forum@gmail.com if you wish to come along
We put information on our Facebook page Gwen Fo @ https://www.facebook.com/gwen.fo.1/ and Wenvoe Forum @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/635369267864402 and Blog site https://wenvoeforum.wordpress.com/
Bargoed
This walk took us to Bargoed Woodland Park, which was created on land formerly occupied by Bargoed, Britannia and Gilfach collieries. The country park has been created from barren waste ground left after the closure of the last mine in 1985. 90,000 new trees, 6500 bulbs and 8000 wildflowers have been planted. This was once part of the largest colliery tip in Europe and LS Lowry immortalised it in his 1965 painting ‘Bargoed’.
We started from the Pengam car park, south of Bargoed, where a wooden sign was carved with leaves of holly, hawthorn, oak, and sycamore each with its flower or fruit. As we got out of the cars, we all shivered and put on extra clothes, if we had them; although it was a sunny morning it was several degrees cooler here than it had been in Wenvoe.
We kept to the west of the river Rhymney following it and then the Nant Bargod Rymni upstream, towards Parc Cwm Darren. It was easy walking on a tarmac path and most of the morning we climbed steadily on a disused railway track.
As we passed Bargoed town we saw a couple of the sculptures installed as part of a Bargoed public art project. Funded by the European Union there are 4 sculptures totalling £200,000. At the northern entrance to Bargoed’s High St is ‘The Angel of Bargoed’ with open arms inspired by the statue’s proximity to Angel Way, the War Memorial and the church overlooking the site. As we by passed the town, we saw ‘The Daffodil’. There are three large painted steel daffodils, near Bargoed station, welcoming people to this valley. It is so tall that you can see it from distant hillsides.
It was lovely to walk in sunshine with the sound of running water; we were in a steep sided valley and water rushed down it. Many bricks had been used in impressive arched tunnels and steps funnelling the water and there was a huge brick wall reinforcing the hillside.
As we entered Parc Cwm Darren, we spotted a display of bright scarlet elf cap on rotting wood covered in bright green moss. We looked down at a wooden bridge and continued walking across a tarmacadamed bridge. A stone sign told us we were at ‘Caradoc’s Bridge’. Caradoc was a Silurian leader who fought against the Roman occupation in Wales but was eventually captured and taken to Rome. It is believed that this bridge near Deri has been called Caradoc’s Bridge in his memory.
Another memorial stone recorded more recent events ‘In memory of those whose lives were touched by the tragic events at the Darren Colliery, October 29 1909’. The 27 names of those who died are listed.
At the northern part of the walk, we turned back on ourselves climbing the steep hill side to reach the ridge. Just before the top we spotted a concrete bunker below the path and clambered on top of it, to rest and eat our lunch. Within moments we were treated to not one but two red kites soaring above us, so close we could clearly see their colouring. In no time they were out of sight as they flew off up the valley and we were left with the memory and magnificent views.
The day had warmed up and we enjoyed blue skies and open landscapes, our route often following tarmac paths. One field was covered in green mossy humps, none of us knew how they had occurred. In the hedge alongside a road, we spotted bird feeders. Someone had made them from toilet rolls, with the outside coated in fat and then rolled in bird seed (or was the seed melted in the fat before rolling the toilet rolls in it?), so simple but very effective.
Returning to Pengam towering over us was a statue placed over an old ash tip. This statue is 40ft and called the Lady of the Stream, it depicts a woman watching over children in the area, supposedly in reference to Pengam folklore of youngsters drowning in a stream.
Arriving back to the cars we saw poetry (having missed it when we drove in) cut into metal at the entrance to the carpark
‘When the children come here to plant primroses and violets
let us tell them about the old tree and the fact of its joy
let us teach them about change
let us show them a future…’
Our route had enticed us with a dipper in the river, tadpoles, coltsfoot, showing its yellow flowers before the leaves and of course those wonderful red kites and most of it had been on solid paths but no spring lambs yet. Afterwards we went to Caerphilly Garden Centre, where we sat outside in sunshine for drinks.
Walk 7.75 miles, 1300ft. Map OS 166
LIVING WITH CANCER
STROLLERS
Amazingly blue skies greeted the living with cancer strollers at Cosmeston. Two walkers had reasons to enjoy a celebratory walk, a birthday for one and the end of cancer treatment next week for another. Milestones for both. Another reason to celebrate was the almost complete absence of mud as we strolled around, but Helen did manage to point out one large muddy patch which the group navigated skilfully around
WOMEN’S INSTITUTE
Wenvoe WI met as usual on 3rd March at 7pm in the Church Hall.
On that occasion we were entertained by Debra John from Swansea who, having donned the apron and cap, regaled us with an amusing account of ‘life as an Edwardian Maid’. Her talk spanned from her duties throughout a normal day which began at five in the morning, to her evident disgust at the indolence of Footmen and the disruption caused by having the new-fangled ‘electricity’ installed in the Manor House.
Next month the WI will meet on 7th April, when the subject for the evening is King Richard III.
A warm welcome is ensured to all visitors.
Jan Young (President).
About Grace by Anthony Doerr
This is the author’s first novel.
David Winkler is 59 and is going home for the first time after 25 years. He has been a lover, a husband, a father and a hydrologist. Since he was a child he has been plagued by premonitions. In one he dreamt of a flood; dreamt that he failed to save his baby, Grace, and so left before he had to see it happen. The consequences of this decision marks the rest of David’s life, first as an exile on a Caribbean island, then as an old man, come back to Alaska to find his daughter. Throughout he is determined to photograph the ephemeral beauty of snowflakes.
We had all read All the Light We Cannot See, one of the author’s later books. We loved this and found About Grace what we can only describe as a ‘let down’ and a disappointment. We didn’t warm to David as a character, he seemed fickle and strange in his decision making.
There was some wonderful prose describing the warmth of the Caribbean and the incredible cold of Alaska. The Aurora Borealis with its ‘shivering emeralds and blues trimmed with red, jade, violets and an eerie green’ But this prose was so protracted and went on and on. Just how many ways can you describe a snowflake, we asked ourselves!
The score for this book was one of our lower ones, a 5, and we were unanimous in not recommending it as a good read.
The Stress Buster Strollers
The Stress Buster stroll this morning turned into the Four Seasons Stroll as the walkers experienced winter winds, spring showers, summer sunshine and autumnal chills. But this intrepid group held onto their bobble hats, kept walking and talking and welcomed the drinks that were served in bright sunshine at the cafe
CARERS WALK
The hailstones thundered down as the time drew near to start the carers walk and it seemed to be in jeopardy…would any strollers turn up in this weather? Of course, they did! Everyone gathered in their waterproofs, but fortunately the clouds parted, the sun shone, the wind dropped and the strollers had a dry and enjoyable walk around Friar’s Point and along the beach to Nell’s Point.
One carer who was having a difficult time had to miss the walk, but hopefully will be able to return for the next walk. Carers are kind, compassionate, thoughtful people who put others first….and sometimes their responsibilities can seem overwhelming. This walking group is full of good natured, considerate folk who can provide support and a listening ear. Join us!