Category: General Interest Articles
Articles of general interest on no particular subject
Mudiad Meithrin Clwb Cwtsh
.
Mudiad Meithrin Clwb Cwtsh
Mudiad Meithrin Clwb Cwtsh sessions for Welsh learners are doing online sessions from week commencing 10th January 2022 and they are open to anyone who wishes to learn Welsh with a strong emphasis on learning Welsh with or for their children. Online sessions will be on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for the January term. If anyone would like more information, Please email Emyr at: emyr.williams@meithrin.
New Vegan Deli in Barry
.
KARRY’S DELI
Wales’ First Plant-Based and Vegan Deli Has Opened in Barry
A Vegan Deli which recently opened in Barry has already proven popular.
Karry’s Deli, on Park Crescent, is one of Wales’ first all-plant-based-products delicatessen; there is also a vegan deli in Aberystwyth as well as a few cafes in Rhondda, and Cardiff and the Vale.
The business was opened by Karry Meyrick, who is from Barry but has spent many years travelling the world, carrying out philanthropic work such as teaching children English.
The 41-year-old business owner said: “I really wanted to own something of my own. During lockdown I read lots of articles and saw lots on vegan and plant-based food, but there didn’t seem to be this in the area. People are becoming more conscious of the environment, their health and what they’re eating. In lockdown people have become more aware of their diet. When Rudy’s Vegan Butcher opened in London it did really well; I thought it would be amazing to have that in Barry.”
When Karry’s Deli officially opened its doors in August, some products sold out within just three days, including many of their cheeses made with cashews. The garlic and herb cheese is proving to be ‘an absolute winner’.
“It’s been lovely and it’s such a friendly street,” added Ms Meyrick. “So many people have come in and thanked me for opening or said they’ve been waiting for something like this; it’s a nice feeling to serve the community. The steaks sold out fast and our cheddar and black pudding did really well too.”
Ms Meyrick describes herself as an ‘accidental vegan’ due to cutting out most of her meat and milk consumption on her travels.
“You don’t have to be 100 percent vegan, or even classify yourself as “vegan”, to eat plant-based food,” said Ms Meyrick. “I think if everyone reduced their meat consumption the world would be a better place – just try one thing; you never know you might like it.”
The December Roving Photographer
FROM OUR ROVING PHOTOGRAPHER
Helen Morgan, who lives in Gwenfo Drive, was seen clearing weeds from the pavement on Old Port Road. She has to work on her own though, as she is just too young to join the environment team!!
These two sprightly Wenvoe men have 140 years between them. Dave [left] and Barry still like to show off their skills and have no intention of putting their feet up.
The Missing £5 Note
.
THE STORY OF THE MISSING £5 NOTE
Chippenham George worked for the Post Office and his job was to process all the mail that had illegible addresses. One day just before Christmas, a letter landed on his desk simply addressed in shaky handwriting: ‘To God’. With no other clue on the envelope, George opened the letter and read.
Dear God,
I am a 93-year-old widow living on the State pension. Yesterday someone stole my purse. It had £100 in it, which was all the money I had in the world and no pension due until after Christmas. Next week is Christmas and I had invited two of my friends over for Christmas lunch. Without that money, I have nothing to buy food with. I have no family to turn to, and you are my only hope. God, can you please help me?
Chippenham George was really touched, and being kind-hearted, he put a copy of the letter up on the staff notice board at the main Fareham sorting office where he worked. The letter touched the other postmen and they all dug into their pockets and had a whip round. Between them they raised £95. Using an officially franked Post Office envelope, they sent the cash on to the old lady, and for the rest of the day, all the workers felt a warm glow thinking of the nice thing they had done.
Christmas came and went. A few days later, another letter simply addressed to ‘God’ landed in the Sorting Office. Many of the postmen gathered around while George opened the letter. It read:
Dear God,
How can I ever thank you enough for what you did for me? Because of your generosity, I was able to provide a lovely luncheon for my friends. We had a very nice day, and I told my friends of your wonderful gift – in fact we haven’t got over it and even Father John, our parish priest, is beside himself with joy. By the way, there was £5 missing. I think it must have been those thieving fellows at the Post Office.
George could not help musing on Oscar Wilde’s quote: ‘A good deed never goes unpunished’
Merry Christmas from ‘What’s On’
Tucker’s Christmas Reindeer Event
.
TUCKER’S CHRISTMAS REINDEER EVENT
The local community was treated to a really lovely day on Saturday 20 November when Glenys and Mike invited everyone to spend time with friends and neighbours at their Christmas Reindeer event.
Preparations had been underway for many months and a group of volunteers worked with Mike and Glenys throughout the day to make sure that this was again a success.
Joyce Hoy was one of the first at the venue for a very important role. Assisted by Mike, she marshalled Randolph’s extended family into their positions ready to catch the eye of people who were eager to select their favourite reindeer and give them a new home. Some people were returning for a third year and wanted a special reindeer to add to their collection. Knowing all the reindeers’ individual characteristics, and understanding that need for a perfect match, Joyce was at hand to advise
Wenvoe crafters supported the event and there was an opportunity to buy good quality Christmas cards, decorations and gifts. Raffle prizes had been generously donated. Charities and local groups will all have benefitted from peoples’ kindness.
The warm and welcoming atmosphere at Venwood Drive and the appearance of Santa, unexpected at such a busy time for him, meant that people were in no hurry to leave. And, there was a very tempting variety of delicious homemade cakes to take away to have with a cuppa later.
The £1,221 raised from the sale of the reindeers, the raffle, cakes and jams will be donated to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group in order to support the many on-going projects that we read about regularly in the monthly ‘What’s On’ update.
Glenys and Mike would like to thank all of the people who supported the Christmas Reindeer Sale and made the day such a success.
A very special ‘thank you’ on behalf of the village to Glenys and Mike for hosting the Christmas Reindeer event. You created such a lovely day and the money you have helped to raise will have a lasting impact on the continued hard work of the Wildlife Group.
Our Roving Photographer
Advent Windows Programme
ADVENT WINDOWS
A St. Mary’s initiative for the whole community
We are delighted to invite you to view the Wenvoe Advent windows again this year. The windows will be decorated from 1st – 24th December, lighting up from 5pm until 9pm. Each evening an additional window is added until all 24 windows are displayed. They begin at 29 Venwood Close (5:00pm), and the Telephone Box (5:30pm). The final window is at St. Mary’s Church on 24th December with help from Gwenfo School. If the weather is fair it is planned to have some carol singing outside the church when the church porch is lit. Please bring lanterns or torches.
All the windows will be numbered and can be viewed from outside the property. Most are within walking distance; however, 3 may need transport (see map below for details). You may need a torch if walking to number 12. Torches are also needed to read the display in the phone box.
We hope you enjoy the windows. We are very grateful to all who are taking part in decorating their windows and inviting us to enjoy them. Maps are available in Springfield Stores, The Wenvoe Arms and the Church Porch.
LIST OF WINDOWS TO VIEW
1st December (a) 29 Venwood Close
1st December (b) Telephone Box, Walston Road
2nd December Springfield Stores
3rd December Wenvoe Arms, Old Port Road
4th December Cresta, Burdon’s Hill
5th December 71 Walston Road
6th December 73 Walston Road
7th December 52 Walston Road
8th December 4 Greenwood Close, Twyn-yr-Odyn
9th December 4 Venwood Close
10th December 9 Walston Road
11th December 15 Old Port Road
12th December 4 Station Terrace
13th December 40 Walston Road
14th December 3 Tarrws Close
15th December 12 Walston Road
16th December 38 Burdons Close
17th December 13 Gwenfo Drive
18th December 24 Old Port Road
19th December 15 Grange Close
20th December 2 Grange Close
21st December Pinetrees, Walston Road
22nd December Gwenfo School
23rd December 6 Walston Road
24th December St Mary’s Church
The Advent Wreath And Candles
.
THE ADVENT WREATH AND CANDLES
The Advent wreath first appeared in Germany in 1839. A Lutheran minister working at a mission for children created a wreath out of the wheel of a cart. He placed twenty small red candles and four large white candles inside the ring. The red candles were lit on weekdays and the four white candles were lit on Sundays. Eventually, the Advent wreath was created out of evergreens, symbolising everlasting life in the midst of winter and death. The most common Advent candle tradition involves four candles. A new candle is lit on each of the four Sundays before Christmas. Traditions vary but the four candles traditionally represent hope, faith, joy and peace.
