Category: General Interest Articles

Articles of general interest on no particular subject

Y Taith Pererin Llyn

Y Taith Pererin Llyn

 

It’s a long way from Wenvoe to North Wales, and a frustrating journey if you are in a hurry, but if you have plenty of time, and the weather is good, it is a lovely drive. Such was it one very cold autumn morning, with a hard frost that had whitened the hillsides, and the sun lighting up the autumn colours, showing mid-Wales in all its glory.

The North Wales Pilgrims’ Way (Taith Pererin) is a 134 miles long-distance path, starting in Holywell and finishing at the monastery of St Cadfan on the island of Bardsey. It had some significance in medieval times, and two pilgrimages to Bardsey were considered as good as one to Rome. The section on the Llŷn follows the ancient pilgrims’ route, and that was our goal.

We started at Clynnog, where there is a huge church dedicated to St Beuno in a tiny village, and a spring or well nearby. People with epilepsy were brought to the well and immersed in it, and then had to spend the night on the cold floor of the church. If they were in fit condition the following morning, they then continued along the coast to Aberdaron, and thence by boat to Bardsey.

We inspected the well, but decided to omit the immersion, on the grounds that we were still quite healthy. We walked from Clynnog to Trefor, hoping to get a cup of good coffee, but this was a bit optimistic, so we had to make do with a machine coffee from a Spar shop. We continued over the mountain of Yr Eifl, which had been a centre for quarrying in the days when granite was highly valued. We walked up an old incline, which would have been used to bring the stone down from the quarries, and had a marvellous view of the Llŷn coast, and across the sea to Anglesey. We then came down to the settlement of Nant Gwrtheyrn, which is an isolated community consisting of three farms and the quarrymen’s cottages. The farms are now deserted, but the cottages have been converted into modern accommodation for the Welsh Language Centre, where people can stay during language courses, or they are rented out for bed and breakfast.

It was a beautiful evening, and we watched the sun setting over the sea. The Nant is a remarkable place, and one of the most peaceful places I have ever been to. I shall have to return one day.

Next day we continued along the coast, pausing at the Tŷ Coch Inn at Porth Dinllaen, well known for its location right on the beach. In fact, there was a long queue for lunch, so we had a pint and walked out to the Coast Watch lookout and chatted to the lady volunteers there, who were keeping a watchful eye on the sea, but who seemed to welcome some company. Further on, there were seals relaxing on

the rocks, and one in the water who looked at us suspiciously and disappeared, only to reappear much closer to us, in order to have a better look.

We stayed that night in the Lion at Tudweiliog, a very comfortable pub with excellent food. Next day we walked a long day along the cliffs, and chatted to a woman going in for a swim. She claimed it was fine once you were in the sea, but we decided to take her word for it. We passed the Whistling Sands, where the sand really does whistle when you shuffle your feet in it, and continued to Aberdaron, having to cheat a bit towards the end and take a short cut, because the light was going fast. The cliff path is no place to be in the dark.

We stayed in a small hotel in Aberdaron, with a marvellous view over the beach, and asked the ferryman if we could go to Bardsey the next day, but unfortunately the weather broke that evening after three perfect days, and the sea was so rough next day that we had no wish to be in a small boat at all. It was a disappointment not to be able to complete our pilgrimage, but this was a superb walk, about 40 miles in two and a half days, and we have good reason to go back one day.

 

 

 

Christmas Reindeer Cafe

CHRISTMAS REINDEER CAFE

The local community was treated to a really lovely afternoon on Saturday 23 November when Glenys and Mike invited everyone to spend time with friends and neighbours at the Christmas Reindeer Café.

Randolph’s extended family were eagerly awaiting the arrival of people from the village who had offered to give them a home. The reindeers, handcrafted by Mike, will make a lovely addition to our garden displays for the festive season. And, for those wanting something a little smaller, the snowmen complemented Mike’s display of handcrafted gifts.

Wenvoe Crafters supported the event and it was an opportunity to buy good quality Christmas cards, decorations and balloons.

The warm and welcoming atmosphere in the Church Hall was fantastic. Hot and cold drinks as well as a very tempting variety of Glenys’ delicious homemade cakes, meant that everyone stayed to catch up and while away a very pleasant couple of hours. With John and Lowri in the kitchen, it really was a family affair.

Raffle prizes included bottles of champagne, wine and spirits, food and sweet hampers and a

handmade Christmas cake. All thirty-six raffle prizes had been generously donated by people from the village in order to support such a worthy cause.

The £440 raised 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 Café and made the day such a success. Their thanks also goes to their family and the people who donated the raffle prizes.

Glenys and Mike have also extended a special thank you to Joyce Hoy who worked tirelessly with the Tucker family preparing the Church Hall and making the table decorations. Perhaps most importantly, Joyce also ensured that all of Randolph’s family were looked after until they were taken to their new homes.

A very special ‘thank you’ on behalf of the village to Glenys, Mike and their family for hosting the Christmas Reindeer Café. You created such a lovely afternoon and the money you have helped to raise will have a lasting impact on the continued hard work of the Wildlife Group.

 

 

 

 

 

Dyffryn Paintings Conservation Project

DYFFRYN PAINTINGS CONSERVATION PROJECT

 Dyffryn House, at Dyffryn gardens is holding a paintings conservation project from the 22nd October-end of November. Visitors will get the chance to watch specialist painting conservators in action, as they repair the 3 paintings by prolific Welsh artist Margaret Lindsay Williams (1888-1960). Williams portraits are in the Royal collection , and the National Museum, Wales. Come and discover more about her fascinating life and career, and take a look at her allegorical paintings which caused quite a stir when she painted them in the early 20th century; The Imprisoned Soul and The Devil’s Daughter.

Conservators will be in the Oak Room of Dyffryn House Monday to Thursdays from 1-4pm. They will also be running conservator talks with Q&A at 1:30pm and 3pm.

 

 

Gap Year Expedition With Raleigh International

My Name Is Jacob Morgan

Dear Wenvoe Residents; my name is Jacob Morgan. You may know me from the Wenvoe Arms where I have worked for the past few years or seen me around the village walking the dog. I’ve lived in Wenvoe for the past fifteen years, moving here at the age of three with my parents and younger sister ready to enjoy playgroup and later start school at Wenvoe Primary. Now I’m eighteen years old and have finished compulsory education. Whilst most of my peers are starting their further education at university, I have decided to take a gap year to hopefully gain some experience in order to help me decide on what career I would like to pursue.

One thing I’ve decided to take part in during this year is a 10-week expedition in Tanzania. I’m doing this with other young people aged 17-24 from all around the world through a charity called Raleigh International. They strive to create lasting change in areas of the world less fortunate than ours. The expedition will consist of three parts, ‘Community’, ‘Environment’, and ‘Adventure’. We spend about 3 weeks on each project, the first being community in which the main aim will be to improve the safety of water, as well as sanitation and hygiene knowledge for locals in Tanzania. We will work with local schools, educating the pupils on these topics and helping to build sanitation facilities for them; overall improving the health of the community. The second project is environment. During this project the focus will be in forest management. We will work collaboratively with the local farmers and workers to develop forest management plans and raise awareness on the importance of these forests and plants, aiming to create a more sustainable and healthier environment. The final part of the expedition is adventure, which will consist of trekking through the Morogoro region or Southern Highlands of Tanzania. We will pass through small communities and see wildlife such as Lions, Zebras and Elephants along the way. After a day of hiking we will set up camp and sleep under amazing night skies unaffected by light pollution. During this section of the expedition my leadership and teamworking skills will develop and improve, which is brilliant for any workplace I could potentially end up in.

As a part of the experience I will need to fundraise money to pay for my flights, accommodation, and food whilest out there, but also a little extra to donate to the charity, so that more of a difference can be made throughout all the areas in which Raleigh International offer voluntary work. It will allow more projects such as the one I am taking part in to continue, helping to create more positive change all around the world.

I have several ideas for fundraising. Firstly, I am going to climb Pen Y Fan a total of 5 times in one day as a sponsored event. I am looking to do this around the end of November, most probably on a Saturday or Sunday so that my family can come with me (therefore the 23rd/24th/30th Nov). I am looking to organise a raffle, quiz night or race night in the Wenvoe Arms as this would not only be a great fundraiser but also a fun and enjoyable night for the village and the locals who would attend. I aim to arrange one or two in the run up to Christmas. I will have a meeting with Jenny and Digby to see which night of the week they think is best

to hold these events and further details will be posted around the village or on the Wenvoe Arms twitter page. Finally I have set up a ‘Just Giving’ page on the internet – www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jacob-morgan where any donations can be made. Any help in fundraising for Raleigh International or for my expedition in Tanzania would be greatly appreciated.

I will keep you updated on progress and plan to write an article on my return to tell you all about my adventures and experiences. If you’d like to know more or share any ideas for fundraising with me pop into the pub!

 

 

Proposed Care Home

Proposed Care Home

Following a Public Engagement Event held at the Village Hall in September, during which the applicant found it beneficial to discuss the proposal with interested local residents, proposals for the development at Glenburnie, Port Road have now been submitted to the local authority. Proposals comprise of an Outline application for the demolition of existing on-site structures and the development of a 70 bed care home and associated works.

 

 

 

The Scarecrow Festival

The Scarecrow Festival

Saturday afternoon the 21st of September brought crowds of people to view the different “scarecrows” sited in the churchyard, and to judge between one and another was a very difficult job. The cleverness and ingenuity in putting together a “Scarecrow” with a theme really tests the imagination and the results were, without doubt, a triumph. In addition to “Scarecrows” were the other attractions. Seeing Vicar Jon in the stocks being pelted with wet sponges; he was so brave and so wet. The “Teddy Bear” parachute jumps from the top of the tower, ably assisted aloft by Jude Billingham and again Vicar Jon as ground staff was a highlight of the afternoon, and there were many Oohs and Aahs especially when they got stuck on the electricity cables, but there were many successful landings and no teddy bear came to any harm.

Once again the Social committee ladies served the coffee/teas with the most delicious homemade cakes rounding off a truly lovely afternoon when the parish came together to enjoy a moment of fellowship.

The winners in the different categories were

Best Individual (U11) – Delyth and Obi for Be Enthusiastic Refuse Plastic

Best Individual (11+) – Poppy for Shred Shearon

Best Organisation (U11) – Little Stars After School Club at Gwenfo School for Peter Pan and Wendy

Best Organisation (11+) – Goldsland Farm and 1st Sully Cubs for From Grass to Glass

Favourite Scarecrow – Wenvoe Environment Group for Flowerpot Scarecrow

Voting was so close that there were two entries that were awarded Highly Commended

1st Wenvoe Cubs for Homeless Awareness Scarecrow

Dylan and Evan for The Tin Man and Scarecrow

In total £450 was raised on the day for the Church which included the Teas and all the Raffle forms and Passports and Activities. A big thank you to all who helped to make the day such a success, and also a big thank you to all who came and contributed so generously to church funds

 

 

Wenvoe’s Part In The Battle Of Trafalgar

Wenvoe’s Part In The Battle Of Trafalgar

The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October, 1805) is probably Britain’s most famous naval victory. The main facts are well known. The Royal Navy led by Admiral Lord Nelson, aboard HMS Victory, defeated a larger combined French and Spanish fleet under the command of the French Admiral Villeneuve. In what was to prove a key event in the Napoleonic Wars, victory confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the 18th century. Nelson was shot by a French musketeer and died of his wounds. Villeneuve was captured, along with his ship Bucentaure and later attended Nelson’s funeral while a captive on parole in Britain.

What is less known, but of interest to us, is that Frederick Jennings Thomas, originally of Wenvoe, played a significant part in the battle. Frederick was born 19 April 1786, the younger son of Sir John Thomas, fifth baronet of Wenvoe Castle, and his wife, Mary. He entered the navy in March 1799 and by 1803, while serving on the Prince of Wales flagship of Sir Robert Calder, was present during several important naval actions. On 19 September of the same year, he was appointed Acting-Lieutenant of HMS Spartiate, an appointment that led him to the Battle of Trafalgar. During the battle the Spartiate, with Frederick playing a key role, forced the surrender of the 80 gun Spanish ship Neptuno. The Spartiate was damaged in the fierce fighting, but there were only three killed (two seamen & one boy) and twenty wounded.

Until 1814, Frederick served on the Spartiate and other ships in the Mediterranean, finally commanding the San Juan, flagship of Rear-Admiral Linzee at Gibraltar. The San Juan had been captured by the Royal Navy at Trafalgar following a heroic fight led by its commander, Don Cosme Churruca. During the battle, Churruca had ordered the Spanish flag to be nailed to the highest mast, as a way to tell everyone involved not to expect an easy surrender. With a decimated crew, and despite being mortally wounded as a result of having a leg torn off by a cannonball, Churruca refused to submit. Even following their Commander’s death, his officers kept their word. It was the last one alive who finally yielded, to save the ship and lives of the crew. In recognition of Churruca’s courage, the commander’s cabin on the San Juan was given a brass plate in his honour. All who entered it, including Frederick, were required to remove their hats as a mark of respect for a gallant enemy.

Frederick Jennings Thomas retired from active service in 1814 settling down to family life. He stayed in the public eye, writing on naval matters and even inventing a lifeboat with three keels, so designed to prevent capsizing. It also seems that he was the first person to propose a pier at Brighton. Having accepted the retired rank of Rear-Admiral, Frederick died near Southampton, on 19 December 1855.

 

 

 

Men and Mental Health

The Man by Tirion Davies

40% of men won’t talk to anyone about their mental health.

In a 2018 study by Priory, 40% of men polled stated it would take thoughts of suicide or self-harm to compel them to seek professional help. Almost a quarter of respondents stated they would feel uncomfortable speaking to their GP or a psychiatrist as they believed their concerns would be a waste of time. 77% of respondents in the study stated they have suffered with anxiety, depression and stress.

According to a 2017 article by Mind, suicide rates are higher in Wales than in the rest of the United Kingdom. In 2017, 5,821 suicides were recorded in Great Britain, of these 75% were males. Suicide represents the largest cause of death for men under the age of 50. Higher rates of suicide are also found in minority communities including gay men, war veterans, and those with low incomes. A particularly vulnerable group to death by suicide are middle-aged men from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

We live in a world filled with toxic masculinity. A world where stereotypes are still forced upon men and women. Stereotypes which can be incredibly damaging.

Earlier this year, I responded to an advert by the razor brand Gilette. The advertisement included men stopping other men from inappropriate behaviours and keeping men accountable for questionable actions. The advertisement garnered such a response online and highlighted the issue toxic masculinity faces on men within our society.

And yet, countless men took to online social media platforms to argue their disgust in the ad, claiming it tarnished all men and masculinity as bad.

But that’s part of the problem. The advertisement was made in an attempt to discuss the toxicity the ‘masculine’ stereotype can have; the fact that in order to be a ‘man’, you must not cry or be seen as ‘weak’. The advert was in an attempt to hold men accountable for sexual harassment and bullying, and to attempt to redefine ‘masculinity’. Damon Jones, Vice President for Global Communications and Advocacy at Procter & Gamble, stated in a January 2019 Forbes interview,

‘In many ways men are finding themselves at a crossroads – caught between old definitions of what masculinity means and this new era of masculinity. It’s about allowing men space to define masculinity for themselves. We don’t set the standard for what masculinity is, but we do believe we have an opportunity to promote positive, attainable, inclusive, and healthy versions of what it means to be a man’.

Toxic masculinity is an issue which many are still arguing doesn’t exist. But by forcing these outdated stereotypes on men, it causes men to follow

unhealthy habits and makes it harder for them to admit when they need help.

Mind Cymru’s Lee Cambule stated ‘I am still faced with some outdated stereotypes as a man suffering from depression; men as a source of strength, dominating positions of power, the hunter-gatherer, the idea that strong and silent is alluring/attractive, the “show no weakness” bravado of heroes in our media’. He also states that the men who are most revered in our society, like celebrities, are not always ready to admit their struggles to the public because of this ‘toxic masculinity’. Which, as a result, leaves the everyday man even more uncertain about speaking out.

The expression ‘manning up’ is often used to belittle men who show they are struggling with their mental health. Young boys are told to ‘man up’ if they cry about being hurt or when they show signs of struggle at school. Lee Cambule says, ‘that expression is still often used for the wrong reasons, unfortunately. The concept that mental health can be conquered by simple acting more “like a man” is misguided. Depression, anxiety, personality disorders and schizophrenia are no more or less difficult based on whether you have a Y chromosome in your DNA’.

It’s 2019, and yet too many men are struggling with speaking up about their mental health because of this ridiculous idea that they would be deemed less of a man if they admit they are suffering. It’s 2019, and yet too many men are killing themselves because of this refusal to admit that toxic masculinity exists and that it alienates many. It is 2019, and yet the statistics on male suicides seem unlikely to change.

I’m aware that just me telling you that you’re not weak won’t miraculously change the world’s outlook on men’s mental health. But hopefully, if enough people start to say it, more and more men will realise the truth behind those words. Because you are not weak. Admitting you are struggling is incredibly hard to do. If anything, it makes you braver than anyone else to admit that you need some help in feeling yourself again.

It’s time to admit that the masculine stereotype placed on men is outdated. It’s time to admit that seeking help can make you stronger. It’s time to admit your mental health is just as important as everyone else’s.

Being a ‘man’ doesn’t mean you have to suffer in silence. You deserve the right to be happy.

If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to use any of the following links:

https://uk.movember.com/mens-health/we-need-to-talk

Priory: 0800 086 1441

Mind:https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/helplines/

0300 123 3393

Samaritans: 116 123

 

 

A Poem for For Howard Bevan

 

Little Hamston

For Howard Bevan

The surge of green that overruns

the kitchen garden, where it rests

between hawthorn and stone, maroons

the swimming orchard’s sharp harvest.

Green shade, where the last bee drones,

slows the chariot wings, compressed

behind the brazen honeycombs

and Time is stilled, and quiet, blessed.

Welsh slates on the long roof leaden.

Sky curves over dappled gauze.

Nest-filled creepers draw a sudden

blaze of carmine curtains closed.

Though September doors stand open

the parlour flickers, fire on brass.

Flagstones warm, tomatoes ripen

all along the window glass.

The old man sips his evening tipple,

solves another crossword clue,

resting at the oaken table

worn by generations, who

drew their days from crop and stubble,

flock and herd, from morning dew

to twilight’s fall on sty and stable,

Seasons turn and turn anew.

Little Hamston, little jewel

set aside from crowd and noise;

spirit’s strength and soul’s renewal,

all our senseless rush defies.

Good folk, self-sufficient, loyal

follow here their daily lives

In narrow acres, wed to soil,

yet comprehend God’s wider skies.

© Kay Rowe May 2008

 

Kay visited the late Howard Bevan at Little Hamston, a property in Dyffryn, between 1990 and 2008 and wrote this poem about September. Supplied by Pat Read.

 

 

1 … 26 27 28 29 30 … 32