Category: Community Groups

“Perfect” by Rachel Joyce

 

“Perfect” by Rachel Joyce

Rachel Joyce wrote the bestselling novel of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, so the Page Turners had high expectations for another of her novels, “Perfect”. Perfect tells the story of two 11-year-old boys who plot to save their mother after she has a car accident; an accident she is not aware of. Class divisions, mental health, emotional abuse are some issues running through the book, culminating in a terrific twist at the end. Some Page Turners thought the book was a slow, unhappy, dreadful story with characters they couldn’t warm to or like. Others thought Perfect was a tragic, moving , well written novel with many characters who found themselves to be victims of their circumstances. It was scored a 6…so far from Perfect. What are your thoughts?

A Waiter in Paris by Edward Chrisholm

OFF THE SHELF

“A Waiter in Paris ” by Edward Chrisholm

As a young unemployed and disillusioned graduate, Chrisholm is invited to move with his then girlfriend to Paris. He is determined to learn French and to do this he seeks employment in a well-known and elite restaurant at the edge of the Seine.

His unflinching and brutally honest descriptions of life as a lowly employee, first as a runner and then the slow, often gruelling pathway to becoming an accepted member of the team as a waiter. He describes the dark underbelly of the restaurant business and the cutthroat hierarchy that keeps everybody in their place. Chrisholm captivates the disparity between the glamorous dining experience of the guests and the often-harrowing experience of the workers, from immigrant migrants desperate to eke out a living to the scheming coworkers who aim to get the best tips by any means possible.

Chrisholm’s observations move through the year it takes to get ‘some-way’ to acceptance (never fully), charts the breakup of his relationship and what it feels like to live hand to mouth in the beautiful city of Paris. This is an insightful book that will make you appreciate the waiters who work in these busy restaurants.

As a group we gave this an 8 out of 10.

Tina Alwyn

“The Phone Box at the End of the World” by Laura Imai Messina

 

“The Phone Box at the End of the World” by Laura Imai Messina

This novel is loosely based on a true story, following the Japanese tsunami that devastated Tohoku in 2011. Yui, a radio show host, and Takeshi who is a surgeon have suffered great losses in their lives, and the story follows their slowly developing relationship after an initial encounter at Bel Gardia where the phone box is situated. The concept of a wind phone is beautiful – a safe space where people can reveal their unspoken thoughts and memories to their loved ones, helping to heal their grief after loss.

Opinions were equally divided over who did or did not enjoy this book. The scoring was 6.5/10. Thank you Sandra for providing delicious eats and ripe plums from the garden.

A Thriving, Sustainable Community

WENVOE FORUM

Considering Tomorrow Today

Wenvoe – A Thriving, Sustainable Community

Nestled in the heart of the Vale of Glamorgan, Wenvoe is a shining example of what it means to be a sustainable and connected village. Here, community spirit and environmental care go hand in hand, creating a vibrant and welcoming place for all ages.

Wenvoe boasts three vibrant village halls, each a hub of activity throughout the year. From fitness classes and arts and crafts to community meetings and seasonal celebrations, there is always something happening. Children and toddlers are well catered for too, with opportunities such as dance sessions, Scouts, and other youth activities. These welcoming spaces bring people of all ages together, helping to keep the village lively, inclusive, and full of community spirit.

The Library Hub, not only provides books and resources but also houses a friendly community café. Regular events include a Toddler group; a Wellbeing Group, visits from our PCSOs and much more. Local talks, and day trips are organised from the Hub, helping residents to stay connected and engaged.

Sustainability thrives through the work of the Environmental Group, who care for public spaces, and the Wildlife Group, which manages a nature reserve, four community orchards, and an orchid field, a community woodland plus a wildlife garden in the school grounds. From conservation work to wildlife walks and foraging events, they encourage everyone to connect with and protect local biodiversity.

The Wenvoe Forum acts as a hub for community dialogue and practical action on climate and environmental issues. It brings together residents, organisations, and volunteers to explore sustainable living, share ideas, and shape a greener future for the village. The Forum worked closely with the Community Council during the preparation and launch of the Wenvoe Council Community Plan. It played an active role in promoting the plan to residents, ensuring that as many people as possible were aware of its aims and proposals.

The Wenvoe Hops Group is an initiative where residents grow hops in their gardens and allotments. Each autumn, these are harvested and collected to be brewed into a special village beer in partnership with a local brewery – a symbol of both community collaboration and sustainable, local enterprise.

Education and inclusivity are key pillars of Wenvoe life. Gwenfô Church in Wales Primary School nurtures every child’s talent within a caring, Christian environment where happiness, safety, and respect come first. St Mary’s Church also plays a central role, welcoming all to its Anglican services and village events.

For everyday essentials, the village shop and post office offer a warm welcome and a range of services, while several pubs, restaurants, and the golf club – complete with a thriving croquet membership – provide places to relax and socialise.

The community calendar is always full, with annual village fetes, Christmas fairs, plant sales, a monthly farmers’ market, and a repair café, all of which support sustainability and local enterprise.

To keep everyone informed and included, the monthly What’s On magazine is delivered throughout the village, packed with news, upcoming events, and stories from local groups – a testament to Wenvoe’s commitment to strong communication and a shared sense of place.

What makes Wenvoe truly special is that most of these initiatives are run by volunteers, demonstrating a collective dedication to caring for both people and place. With its mix of nature, culture, and community spirit, Wenvoe is not just a village – it’s a model of sustainable living.

Forum Group

A challenge – When the above article was offered as our regular contribution we felt pleased to live in such a nice place, full of activities and more conscious, on the whole, of the need to adapt to Climate change in small and large ways. However there are no doubt, gaps that could be filled. Let us know what!

Are there any activities that you would like to join in that are not available in Wenvoe, that might be easy to put on. Or is there some service that would make life easier for you or perhaps a practical course that you would like to do. Send us your suggestions. Gwenfo.forum@gmail.com

Attention Hop Growers

It is likely that along with many other crops the hops will be ready early. Simon, the brewer at Pipes has moved the hop picking and collecting dates forward a week to the 5th and 6th of September. Sian and Steve will be at home ready to receive your hops and then just make one environment friendly trip to take them into Cardiff. Many thanks to them for their work in coordinating this every year.

To join our Facebook group, please ‘friend up’ with the GwenFo account @ https://www.facebook.com/gwen.fo.1 and then jon the Wenvoe Forum @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/635369267864402

Some further information and updates, blog site https://wenvoeforum.wordpress.com/. Any Wenvoe community member is welcome to join the Forum meetings, via Zoom, which are normally held 19.00 on the second Thursday of each month. E-mail gwen-fo.forum@gmail.com if you wish to join

Abbey Dore

Abbey Dore

Abbey Dore

This walk took us to Herefordshire, where we parked outside Dore Abbey. Crossing the road a footpath went south across quite a steep field and signposts indicated that we were on the Herefordshire trail. Ewyas (pronounced you us) Harold Common presented us with a plethora of footpaths through dense, high bracken. Woodland areas have a tree canopy which is mainly English oak, silver birch, ash, sycamore, field maple and wych elm.

The common covers 50ha on a plateau above Herefordshire’s Golden Valley. Parts of the common are bounded by ancient sunken lanes, and other parts by medieval parish boundaries. All the common British reptiles have been found here including slow-worms and common lizards. A spring that rises on the common, through limestone outcrops, is known as St Martin’s well and it supplied water to many generations of people living close to the well. Several old boundary stones mark the border between Ewyas Harold and other parishes.

Emerging onto a hard track we could hear a horse and were surprised to see a lone horse with no rider trotting down the track. It seemed to follow us, but in a while the rest of the herd were spotted grazing on the common and the puzzle was solved.

We had views of the surrounding hills and the rolling English countryside. We passed through Ewyas Harold village where the primary school displayed a colourful wall of tiles created by the school pupils in 2017. The village boasted two pubs, a butcher, post office and other businesses. Outside one house ‘the old malthouse witch no. 29’ made from twigs, stood guard and fruit, vegetables and flowers were for sale with an honesty box.

Just outside the village a noticeboard declared that we were at the remains of Ewyas Harold Castle, which is believed to have been built by the Saxons before the Norman conquest. Today only earthworks remain. Nearby ‘Old King Street farm’ has holiday cottages where it is possible to walk with llamas.

Now we walked west and came across clusters of unusual fungi on large old trees. Herefordshire boasts a high concentration of ancient oak trees due to a combination of historical land management practices and the favourable conditions for oak growth in the region. Specifically, the Norman Conquest in 1066 led to the establishment of deer parks and royal forests, which, while intended for hunting, inadvertently preserved ancient oaks. These areas with their woodland and grazing practices, provided ideal habitats for oaks to thrive and reach great age.

The day had heated up and as we approached a trough, Misty – a spaniel decided it was time for a dip and instead of just taking a drink jumped into a trough. She gave us all a laugh.

We passed Dulas Court, originally a 16th century house; it was rebuilt in the mid-19th century and incorporates some of the original house – oak panels, Norman doorway. The original church was demolished and the site cleared to make a lawn! It is now a care home.

There is a dilapidated church down the road (closed and barriers surround it) where we stopped for lunch. The churchyard had a row of identical gravestones each of which was dedicated to a musician. They all died in the 1980s in their 80s and 90s; we wondered about their story. A military 1940s grave of someone from the Hereford regiment is pristine.

Now we entered a nature reserve and found ourselves climbing over some very high, slightly rickety, ladder stiles. After walking across open grassland, we realised why as a herd of deer ran in front of us!

A brief walk along the road past Abbey Dore Court brought us back to the beginning of our walk and the highlight of the day, Dore Abbey. There is free access, and we spent some time exploring the magnificent church. Established in 1147, it was founded by Cistercian monks from Morimond, France. The Abbey was dissolved in 1536, but Dore is the only Cistercian Abbey in the country still used for worship as a Parish church. The original medieval altar was found on a local farm being used for salting meat and making cheese. The Abbey expanded its land holdings, particularly through the acquisition of good quality farmland granted to them by King John in 1216. This enabled the Abbey to become wealthy especially through the sale of wool. It is well worth a visit.

A return to Ewyas Harold by car enabled us to enjoy refreshments in one of the village hostelries after a satisfying day.

Walk 6.7m 915ft Map OL13

 

Ian Moody And Gwenfô Gynt

HISTORY GROUP AT THE VILLAGE SHOW

Many thanks to everyone who expressed interest in the Gwenfô Gynt – The Wenvoe History Group table at the Village Show and who purchased a publication there, the Wenvoe Millennium Map, Wenvoe Past and Present and Wenvoe at War, publications that the late Ian Moody had played a major part in. If anyone couldn’t get to the village show and would like one of the publications and/or join our discussion group, please contact me on skjo@btinternet.com There was a great deal of interest at the Village Show, and as always a great event thanks to Glenys and Mike Tucker, I was pleased that we also made a small financial contribution to the expenses of running the show through the sale of the millennium map.

Some expressed interested in not just continuing with the recording of our local history but also in raising awareness in our environment through recognition of the heritage we have in the village, the buildings and connections with local people, and to guard against any erosion of what we have. I fully support this and agree it is an important activity that is also a continuous process of bringing village heritage to the attention of newcomers and new generations. As we were outside the Church Hall and close to the wheelwright’s shop, I was reminded of a book I had read many years ago called, The Wheelwright’s Shop by George Sturt. Originally published in 1923 it gives a vivid insight into traditional craftsmanship at the turn of the 20th century and the life and labours of a wheelwright in a small English village. A picture similar to that of Wenvoe where wheel-making was practised and in which village life and the rhythm of the rural countryside was impacted by change through industrialisation (a preview of this book can be seen on google books). Mike Tucker has also provided a view into this past through his displays of village farm machinery and tools.

At the Village Show, I talked about investigating the possibility of an historical panel in the village and will pursue this and in order to keep the momentum and discussion going intend to keep in touch through a What’s App group, with those who have given their contact details, and of course through Wenvoe What’s On.

Stephen K. Jones

The Kymin and Kenfig

The Kymin and Kenfig

The Kymin

We parked in a layby, on a hill east of Monmouth and the river Wye and walked along the road a short distance to take a footpath into woodland. It was hot, humid and sunny, but walking on a wide track in the woodland shade was very pleasant.

Soon we were passing one of the impressive houses which abound in Monmouthshire. We came into the open and had a trek up a stony track. A farmer and young child passed on an off-road vehicle and we probably all thought how good it would be to get a lift. A flock of sheep still wearing their woollen fleeces gained our sympathy as they grazed a dry field in full sunshine. A little later we came across shorn sheep, lying in the shadow of a hedge, and looking more comfortable.

Soon we were back in woodland and following part of the Offa’s Dyke path before climbing up to the Kymin at 800ft. The Kymin and its nine acres is a National Trust property, overlooking the Wye valley and Monmouth. As it was clear, we could see the Brecon Beacons and Malvern hills. Everyone had a look at the Naval temple and then decided to eat lunch, some choosing benches in full sun with panoramic views and others finding shade, near sweet chestnut trees and an uneven ‘bowling green’.

Over 200 years ago, a group of local gentlemen formed a picnic group and visited the Kymin every Tuesday. This led to the building of the round house, for shelter when the weather was inclement. It is a quirky building, small, circular and with a castellated roof and has now been converted into a holiday cottage. There is also the Naval temple, which was built by public subscription in 1800 and commemorates 16 of Britain’s famous admirals and their victories in the Seven Years War and the war against France. It is Grade II listed and has undergone three restorations; the last two by the National Trust in 1987 and 2012 because of storm damage. Nelson commented ‘It was one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen’.

Resuming our walk, we descended a path through gnarled tree roots and rocks, where it was noticeably cooler (and had been the planned location for lunch). We avoided the nearby road by walking parallel to it through the woods, negotiating a large ditch and a fallen tree. At last, we had to emerge from the wood to cross the road in full sun, following a track littered with signs from the local Staunton council, warning most vehicles off, but not walkers. We entered a final stretch of woodland, then a tunnel with creeping plants hanging down over its entrance and a ceiling covered in bricks and were soon back at the cars.

The day was hot and humid, with a cooling breeze. Our leader did us proud, managing to devise a route that stayed in woodland most of the time, with short spells in the open. At the end of the walk, we drove to Redbook to visit the Boat Inn for thirst quenching drinks. Walk 6.2m 1000ft Map OL14

Kenfig

It was hard to believe that our last walk had been rained off as we set out on the hottest day of the year so far. We left Wenvoe earlier than usual to head for Kenfig. The first part of the walk meandered across the dunes, occasionally finding shade under a small copse of trees and taking drink breaks. The areas that are normally waterlogged in winter and spring had dried out and were springy underfoot.

 

There were fabulous flowers, some being viper’s bugloss, evening primrose, sea holly, and a low growing shrub with small dark, berries (a rose?).

As the morning progressed it got hotter, and Lawrence of Arabia came to mind. Then we broke through the dunes to the beach to be met by a sea breeze which immediately made us feel comfortable. Several of us took off our boots to paddle in the sea, along the beach. Wonderful! After crossing the main part of the beach, half of us ate our lunch whilst the other half went for a swim – the sea was not cold!

A shorter route back to the car park took us to Sker house, reputably one of the most haunted houses in Wales. R. D. Blackmore, (author of Lorna Doone) wrote a novel called ‘the maid of Sker’ which was inspired by Sker house and a Welsh ballad of the same name.

We crossed the golf course several times, where a surprising number of people were playing. Arriving back at the car park we enjoyed delicious ice-creams and cake, in the shade. Looking at photos I said, ‘It looks like the Med’ my friend replied, ‘It felt like the Med’. Walk 6.6m Map OS151

“Orbital” by Samantha Harvey

 

“Orbital” by Samantha Harvey

Orbital by English author Samantha Harvey was winner of the Booker Prize 2024. The novel is beautifully written with distinctive and poetic prose. It covers a 24 hour period in the International Space Station as six astronauts and cosmonauts from America, UK, Japan, Italy and Russia hurtle through 16 sunrises and sunsets at over 17,000 miles per hour, 250 miles above Earth.

Their day is filled with individual tasks carried out with dedication and precision as they pass over and see the ever changing vistas of oceans, mountains, deserts and glaciers, a world without borders. They watch as a gigantic typhoon builds over the Pacific.

They have a daily exercise programme to offset the negative effects of the lack of gravity and at night they sleep floating about in their small claustrophobic cabins. We are given brief insights into the lives, histories and thoughts and learn how the cycle of daily orbits result in the loss of their natural sense of time.

This novel initiated a lively discussion and some very different reviews from the Page Turners. All agreed it was well written and thought provoking. Some were fascinated by the narrative and were of the opinion that any elaboration of the characters would have changed the whole tenor of the book. More negative responses described how they found it tedious and boring with no plot or character development, not enough human drama and too many lists and repetitive descriptions of scenes of Earth from space. Scores ranged from 4 to 10 and the overall score was 8.5.

Two Months’ Worth of Reports!

Two Months’ Worth of Reports!

“Less ” by Andrew Sean Greer

This Pulitzer Prize winner was boring, uninteresting and not at all funny. So said all ten of us Page Turners. Our score was the lowest yet of one out of ten. Less was clearly not more.

However, it was lovely as always to meet up together for a welcome cuppa and exceptional bara brith and brownies. Thank you, Nicola. You spoilt us

“Frank and Red” by Matt Coyne

Frank is a widowed older man who likes to keep himself to himself. Red is a six-year-old boy who is chatty and excitable.
Frank is a gruff, ill-humoured loner since the death of his wife, Marcie, whose “ghost” does her best to cheer him along or put him straight on a few things. His house and garden are now neglected, and he’s turned his back on the world. Then Red and his mum Sarah move in next door after Sarah’s divorce
Red hates the new house, it’s tiny compared to his old house, he hates his new school, none of the kids speak to him, excluding him at playtime, and one boy in particular is a real bully. It’s no better at home, no one to play with, and then there’s Frank, the grumpy old man next door who’s really mean.
The most unlikely of friendships, but somehow, two people who are decades apart in age, are thrown together by circumstance. What follows warms the heart to see just how the relationship develops. Frank and Red are new neighbours and complete opposites.
The group felt that it was an easy read with some laugh out loud moments and was sad and emotional. There were some issues that some members found difficult to accept. Firstly, why didn’t the teacher do more about the bullying of Red which was quite obvious as the story developed. The whole group questioned whether a six-year-old would have taken this difficult journey on the underground as he was trying to reach Frank’s son or would Frank have got away with driving on the pavement (which he did) trying to reach his son.
The story was heartwarming and uplifting but had varying scores between 5-9. The final score was 7.1

Many thanks to Jill our hostess for the afternoon who provided us with delicious chocolate cake.

Redbrook and Pontsticill

Redbrook and Pontsticill

Redbrook

We parked at Redbrook and walked up the Wye valley, away from Monmouth, towards Bigsweir bridge.

We entered Highbury wood, an example of ancient semi-natural woodland typical of the Wye valley. For centuries, until the 1950s, it was managed by coppicing, to provide wood for charcoal and fuel for the limekilns in the wood. We were amazed by the number of large-leaved lime trees we passed and spotted whitebeam and yews which are apparently over 300 years old.

We heard lots of bird song but although the woodland has treecreepers, nuthatches and woodpeckers, we did not spot any of these. However, we did find tall kissing gates standing alone which we walked around. Then we found a lone Butterfly orchid, with a small, white flower mimicking a butterfly with outstretched wings and were delighted later, when they lined the path.

Next was Cadora woods which is a collection of woods which cloak the steep-sided slopes of the Lower Wye valley. The large leaved limes throughout indicate that the woodland could be more than a thousand years old. In the 1960s many trees were felled and conifers planted. These are gradually being replaced to reclaim its native broad-leaved beauty.

We emerged onto a road to walk towards Bigsweir bridge; three-way lights at the bridge kept traffic to one way most of the time. We put on a spurt and walked in single file. Crossing Bigsweir bridge, we arrived at the Toll house which was built with the bridge 1825-39 on behalf of the St Arvan’s – Redbrook Turnpike Trust.

The Toll house was renovated in 1981 by 16–18- year-olds under the Youth Opportunities Programme. As it was lunchtime we found some comfortable grass and sat on the banks of the River Wye to take our break. We voted to continue along the Wye valley rather than use our planned route saving ourselves a climb of a few hundred feet. Consequently, we had a little trouble finding the right footpath but were entertained by the wildlife of the river.

Two Canada geese with 4 goslings swam by. A lone heron stood stock still on a rock, in fast running water, fishing. A flotilla of Canada geese (10 of them) swam majestically along the river beside us. These were followed by a stag party; several canoes, full of males wearing sailor hats, paddled by and when asked where the groom was, they pointed at the first canoe where a lone ‘sailor’ wore a large hat leading the rest. We are not sure but suspect we saw the hen party further along.

This was a delightful walk on a dry day, but it was humid in enclosed places, a very welcome light breeze cooled us in the open space by the river.

Drinks were enjoyed at the Boat pub just across the river Wye; apparently the tea was a bit odd, but the beer was delicious.

Walk 8m 800ft Map OL14

Pontsticill

Parking between Pontsticill and Pentwyn reservoirs, our route took us up to Bryniau Gleision, above the Taff trail and Beacons Way. We have been incredibly lucky with the weather this spring, every Saturday has been dry and clear and often sunny. Today our luck changed. The forecast was for dry weather late morning, so we headed for the hills but as we climbed, we reached the clouds.

It was dry until lunchtime a fierce wind was blowing. Lunch was in an abandoned quarry where there were a few comments about the sheep poo scattered around – it was difficult to avoid but I can’t say I blame the sheep for taking shelter where they can from the cutting wind. Setting off again the moisture from the clouds dropped as fine rain. The force of the wind was such that those of us that failed to don waterproof trousers were soaked to the skin.

At this point, we were supposed to have glorious views of Pen y Fan and the reservoirs – Pontsticill and Tal y Bont. But we saw nothing except a faint glimmer of sunshine when we hoped the sky was clearing but it closed in again. Still, most of us have memories of previous visits and we can come again!

As we descended into the valley, where it was dry, we soon dried off. On the whole walk there was only one stile, near the Pontsticill reservoir and throughout the walk we could hear skylarks and spot them soaring despite the weather.

The Barn tearoom supplied us with cups of tea ice-cream, chocolate cake and several scones; they were scrummy, and we deserved it after the wetting we’d had.

Walk 7.7m 1100ft Map OL12

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