Category: Community Groups

December Activities Report

 

December Report

Our final speaker for this session was Helen Joy who has entertained us in the past and her talk on the Vale of Glamorgan Show proved equally entertaining.

The Vale show was set up so that farmers could meet and compete against each other in a variety of categories. The first show was held in 1772 and it is always held on a Wednesday in August as this was deemed to be the month that was the least busy for farmers. Since then the show has grown and it is now the biggest show in Glamorgan of any kind. As well as the show itself there are other events associated with the show such as a thanksgiving service the evening before the show, a lunch sponsored by the NFU and the dinner at which all the winners receive their various prizes.

Helen and a group of like minded people formed the Glamorgan Smallholders Association and this proved a popular move as over 50 people attended the first meeting. In 2017 they were given a small corner of the main marquee to promote the organisation and as this was a success the following year they occupied the whole marquee. As well as the animals, they had spinners, weavers, basket makers and Bro radio. They received a cup for the best trade stand in the show.

The Glamorgan Smallholders Association has grown into an organisation which now works in collaboration with the Welsh Government engaging with the public at all opportunities Plans are now well in progress for the next Vale Show when there will be an opportunity for us all to go along and see the variety of projects that the smallholders undertake.

Our next meeting was designed to put us all in the Christmas spirit. We welcomed back Natalie and Amanda from Hearts and Flowers who demonstrated making a centre piece for the Christmas table, various Christmas wreaths and a miniature Christmas tree complete with lights.

The last event of the session was the Christmas meal at The Beech Tree.

After a very successful session we can all look forward to the Spring/Summer 1920 Programme.

 

 

Miss Garnet’s Angel

 

Miss Garnet’s Angel

by Salley Vickers

The book contains two stories running in parallel, linked by the Angel Raphael. In one, Julia Garnet comes to Venice and gradually transforms from a lonely spinster, to become a sociable retired lady. The transformation is brought about by her growing love of Venice and its art, and her friendship with a variety of people, a young boy, twins, an older man and an American couple. The character of Julia was clearly written, with flashes of humour.

The second story is about the journey of Tobias and the Archangel Raphael, from the Book of Tobit, part of the Apocrypha. Some found this story intriguing, others found it intrusive.

Most felt the book evoked a deep love of Venice, and the ending showed a concern about its flood risk. The audio version was not recommended.

An enjoyable read score 7/10.

 

 

Novembers Walk

 

Across Wales, there are over 350,000 carers who provide unpaid support to a loved one who is older, seriously ill or disabled. Whether you care around the clock or for a few hours a week, in your own home or for someone elsewhere, caring can have a huge effect on our lives and plans. Looking after someone can be tough, and lonely. If you find yourself in this position and would like to join a small group for a walk, where people will listen to you and you have the opportunity to enjoy some time to yourself, then meet us at Barry Island railway station. December’s walk will be on 23rd December at 10.30am, to avoid any clashes with Boxing Day activities!

 

 

Educated by Tara Westover

 

Educated by Tara Westover

Tara was raised in a Mormon survivalist home in rural Idaho. The book is a memoir of her life within this family and how she escaped to become ‘educated’.

Tara and her family grew up preparing for the End of Days but according to the government she didn’t exist. She hadn’t been registered for a birth certificate. She had no school records because she had never set foot in a classroom, and no medical records because her father didn’t believe in hospitals.

As she grew older her father became more radical and her brother more violent. At sixteen Tara knew she had to leave home. In doing so she discovered the transformative power of education and the price she had to pay for it.

Well, this book gave rise to a long, lively and wide-ranging discussion. We talked about how this family operated, our thoughts about present and past days in the USA, and questioned if the story of the Westover family is totally credible. Our conclusion was that it is a book well worth reading and we gave it a score of 8.

 

 

Elizabeth and Her German Garden

 

Book review: ‘Elizabeth and Her German Garden’ by Elizabeth Von Arnim

This book is a delightful read which gave a glimpse into the life of a wealthy German lady in the 1800s, who gently mocks the conventions of marriage and motherhood. The chapters show her life through the seasons and depict a rural world that seems long past. Elizabeth truly lives for her garden, but her precious time outdoors is often interrupted by her three children and playing a rather reluctant host to visitors and wife to her ‘Man of Wrath’.

The fictional Elizabeth finds consolation in the beauty of nature and keeps her sanity and humour by remaining outside the conventions of society and the demands of ‘feminine duty’. Off the Shelf Book Club gave this book a score of 9 out of 10

 

 

Ogmore to Monknash

Ogmore to Monknash

We parked at Monknash and caught the No. 303 bus to Ogmore. We were to begin our walk just above the estuary of the river Ogmore and travel back along the Heritage coast to Monknash.

Walking down to the car park we looked towards Porthcawl, heavy clouds sat on the horizon but visibility was good. Turning east glimpses of the sun danced on the sea through the thick cloud cover. The forecast was rain so we were dressed in full waterproofs. After half an hour or so we were stripping off the layers as it was quite warm and there was no sign of the promised rain.

On the way down to Southern Down beach we had the first of several sightings of a large brown and black striped caterpillar – probably the fox moth. A flock of sheep looked as though they had ‘purple rinses’.

We headed on towards Dunraven Bay and as we climbed to the walled garden of Dunraven castle a group of people came in our direction – the crew of a King Arthur film (at least that is what they said they were) decked out in medieval dress complete with at least one sword and some arrows.

At Dunraven the first walled paddock was built in this sheltered spot in 1543. Under the stability of the Tudors, country houses had walled gardens to protect against wandering marauders and wild animals and allowing plants to be grown in remote areas. In a corner of the walled garden is a building which looks a bit like a castle but is in fact an ice house; every winter ice would be packed here to freeze food and store it safely. In Victorian times a heated glass house was placed in a south facing position and exotic plants from other parts of the world were grown. The walled garden is also home to the ghost of a young woman called ‘the Blue Lady’. There have been many sightings and it is said that an appearance is followed by the lingering scent of the yellow mimosa flower.

Walking to the viewing point towards the next bay, we were lucky to see the ‘magic waterfall’ – it only appears after rain!

We explored the ruins of Dunraven house which are above the garden and closer to the sea. People were living in Dunraven in Celtic times. The Romans built a fort here and in the 12thC a Knight called Arnold Le Botelier (or Butler) arrived and built a castle. A marriage led to the Vaughan family taking over the estate and they built a manor house in the 16thC. The Wyndhams bought Dunraven in 1642 and built a huge, ostentatious neo-gothic house in 1803. The house was used as a convalescent home during the two World Wars. Finally in 1962 the mansion was demolished, a casualty of the cost of maintenance.

Continuing along the cliff top, we stopped to admire a juvenile Peregrine falcon which hovered near us for ages. As we walked we kept well away from the edge; there are visible signs of erosion even on the surface but looking at the cliffs we could also see the telltale cracks in the rock face which may well succumb to this winter’s storms.

The rocks forming the cliffs of the Glamorgan Heritage Coast were created in the early Jurassic times. The land that is now the Vale of Glamorgan was formed at the bottom of a warm shallow sea near the equator. Most of the rocks were created from the build up of millions of shells of tiny sea creatures, together with mud brought to the sea by ancient rivers. Eventually this was compacted to form limestone.

We stopped for lunch at an Iron Age fort. Shaggy parasol fungus grew in profusion in the area.

Arriving at Monknash beach we were astounded to see the volume of water pouring down the normally tranquil little stream which emerges here. At this point we divided into 2 groups; half of us walked up the stream and back to Monknash to retrieve the cars finding it necessary to wade across several inches of water in one place with the water getting into boots!

As it was low tide, the other group walked along the beach to Nash Point. It feels almost primeval with its craggy rocks eaten away by the sea and no noise apart from the screech of seabirds and the rolling waves. At one point we heard a deep rumble and glanced at the cliffs just in time to see a small but dramatic rock fall. Just as at Monknash the stream at Nash point was very full and we crossed it where it disappears under large rocks. Walking up the road to Marcross we were reunited with the others in the pub for refreshments. (Walk 8.5 miles Map 151)

 

 

November Walk

Dealing with everyday life can be difficult when you’ve been affected by cancer. Whether you are a patient, carer, or loved one, people often struggle with a diagnosis or the treatment of cancer. Anxieties, sadness and fears for the future sometimes overcome you. To support a more positive outlook, the living with cancer strollers offer a chance to walk, talk and enjoy good coffee!! If you would like to join us, we meet the first Thursday of every month at the Cosmeston Information Centre.

 

 

John Sheen Talk

It was a pleasure to welcome John Sheen for his third and final talk.

This talk was entitled ‘Christmas Crackers’ and was divided into twelve separate items representing the twelve days of Christmas.

We enjoyed a selection of poems, prose, a joke, a mini quiz and a very funny recipe for a Christmas cake. His version of Cinderella called Pinderella was one of the funniest we’d heard and it was lovely to hear everyone laughing so much. There was even audience participation – ‘Oh yes there was’!

Another funny item was the parody on the twelve days of Christmas closely followed by ‘what to do with sprouts if you don’t want to eat them’.

While all the items were interesting and entertaining some were of particular note. John read an excerpt from Dylan Thomas’ ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales’ as only a Welshman can, as well as a John Betjeman poem simply called ‘Christmas’. He also read a little known piece by Richard Burton called ‘Radicalism on Christmas Eve’.

It was indeed a memorable evening and we were left with that lovely feeling that only shared prose and poetry can bring. It was a shame it had to end.

Our next speaker was also someone who had addressed the group previously and on this occasion Rosemary Scadden was talking about ‘Hidden London’.

Rosemary began her talk by quoting Dr Johnson – ‘He who tires of London tires of life’.

Her memories of London began on visits to London in 1947 when many bomb sites were still in evidence and she remembers being told not to stare at Indian ladies. Other early trips to London were for the Festival of Britain and to see the decorations for the Coronation in 1953.

Rosemary was a student in London and so became very familiar with Central London. She suggested that a good place to start any tour of London would be The Monument which is the tallest isolated stone column in the world. Other places which might be of interest include The Bank of England which has a museum which is free and open to the public, the Mansion House which opens every Tuesday and the Roman amphitheatre in the basement of the Guildhall.

Rosemary then went on to tell us about some of the more unusual memorials there are such as the Firemen’s memorial near St Paul’s. Also near St Paul’s is St Benet’s Church which was designed by Christopher Wren and escaped the bombs in the war. This church was given to Wales by Queen Victoria. Also in the same area is Postman’s Park which houses The Watts Memorial to Heroic Self- Sacrifice. Decorating the walls are Doulton tablets commemorating acts of bravery. This park is popular as it has plenty of shady areas as well as seating so this could be a good place to take a break on a tour of London.

Taking one of the many walking tours that are now available is a very good way to find some of these places and discover more of hidden London. I am sure that those of us who plan to go to London on the coach trip organised by the library might have been inspired by some of the unusual places Rosemary spoke about and can go in search of other hidden London gems.

 

 

November Activities

November Activities

Madeleine welcomed everyone to the meeting. Members were very sorry to learn that Margaret was having a spell in hospital. We all wished her well and hoped that she would be back with us soon. Judy recently had a knee operation and she is progressing well. Hopefully Gloria will be able to join us in the near future too and we look forward to seeing our unwell members on the road to recovery.

Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the fish and chips, very kindly collected and delivered by Pam and Terry Ewington, and we are very grateful to them.

WI business involved collecting names for our trip to the Garden Centre at St Mellons on Monday 25 November (leaving Wenvoe shop at 10.30am) and for our Christmas lunch at the Wenvoe Arms on Monday 2 December at 12.30 for 1.00pm.

Our next meeting will be our Christmas Celebration on Thursday 5 December at 7pm at Wenvoe Church Hall. Members are requested to bring a plate of food each for the buffet table. Any raffle prizes (please wrap) will be gratefully received.

Subs are £43 for 2020 (cheques only please and made payable to Wenvoe WI) and we are starting to collect these now ready for January.

Could members please note that since our meeting the Link Carol Service is now Tuesday 10 December and NOT Thursday 19 December as previously given (location and time remain unchanged).

The President and Committee would like to extend a Peaceful Christmas and Healthy 2020 to all members and their families

 

 

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