Category: General Interest Articles

Articles of general interest on no particular subject

Vale Foodbank Update

VALE FOODBANK UPDATE

Thank you to all those in Wenvoe who have donated to the Vale Foodbank, especially those who donate frequently. The boxes in St. Mary’s Church porch are emptied regularly and the contents taken to the Foodbank warehouse each week. There is usually a car boot full and in addition money to donate from those who find it difficult to carry food stuff. If you wish to donate money in cash or by cheque written out to the Vale Foodbank it can be posted in a sealed envelope in the Church porch letter box.

All of the local Foodbanks in the Vale continue to be accessed regularly. In June 292 referral vouchers for help included 399 adults and 201 children. Of these 73 households were referred for the first time. Regular donations ensure the Foodbank can continue to support individuals and families. Unfortunately, the number of donations has reduced; for example in June 18,265 kgs of food was distributed with only 17,216 kgs coming in. As the school holi-days now begin, we are reminded that the require-ments for the Foodbank continues at a pace.

Current items in short supply include; Tinned meat for hot meals and sandwiches, tinned vegetables, long life milk and fruit juice, tinned rice pudding, snacks and instant foods for people who do not have access to cookers.

Jude Billingham

What’s On Volunteers Wanted

What’s On VOLUNTEERS WANTED

To join the What’s On magazine team. 

 

Wenvoe What’s On has been published since 1988, with the aim of providing information, news, and entertainment for the people of Wenvoe. Contributions come from a number of people in the village, but we would like to have more. About 600 copies are printed and distributed each month by a network of volunteers. Costs are covered by advertising.

We need help from people with various skills:

  • Desktop publishing
  • Layout design
  • Proof reading
  • Distribution
  • Advertising
  • Finance
  • General information technology
  • and last, but not least, enthusiasm and team working.

This kind of volunteering is well suited to those doing Duke of Edinburgh, or Welsh Baccalaureate, as well as those of us who have a bit more time on our hands.

If you are interested in joining us, or just finding out what we do, please contact Dickon Oliver (07979 474 809) or Annie Bennett (07754 072826). Alternatively write to wenvoewhatson@gmail.com.

Where To Rock This August

WHERE TO ROCK THIS AUGUST

…..and some interesting stuff about the artists hitting the capital this month.

We are fortunate to live near a city that frequently hosts the biggest names in rock and pop music. 2024 saw the likes of Taylor Swift and the mighty Bruce Springsteen. This year the city has among others, already welcomed Stevie Wonder, the Stereophonics, Sting and Oasis. However, the fun is far from over. Tom Jones can be seen twice at Cooper’s Field on 20th August and then at Cardiff Castle on 21st August. But who else is rocking the city?

Will Smith, the celebrated Hollywood star known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men in Black, is performing in his other guise of noted rapper Live at Bute Park on Monday 25th August. The show is supported by disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC.

Will is known for being able to solve Rubik’s Cube in less than one minute, a feat he performed in one of his movies. In 2005 he achieved a Guinness World Record for attending three red carpet events in Manchester, Birmingham and London in just 12 hours. The first hip-hop star to be nominated for an Oscar, he was then famously banned from them for 10 years, after slapping comic Chris Rock at the ceremony in 2022.

 Catfish and the Bottlemen, the Welsh indie rock band from Llandudno, announced their first big stadium show for 1st August at the Principality Stadium. Hugely successful since 2016, that year they won ‘British Break Through Act’ at the Brits and their 2nd album ‘Ride’ reached Number 1 in the UK album charts.

The band’s name originates from lead vocalist Van McCann’s earliest musical memory: an Australian street busker he encountered in Sydney, known as Catfish the Bottleman. The busker earned the nickname “Catfish” due to his distinctive, spiky beard and ‘Bottleman’ because he played beer bottles strung to a wire.

 Midge Ure’s ‘Live Under the Stars’ show is at the Tiger Yard, Cardiff Bay on 16th August. Ure is known for his success in 70s and 80s bands such as Thin Lizzy, Visage, and Ultravox. Most famously, in 1984 he co-wrote and produced the Band Aid charity single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Selling 3.7 million copies, it became the second biggest selling single in UK chart history. Ure who co-organised the Band Aid and Live Aid events with Bob Geldof also serves as an ambassador for Save the Children.

Ure’s stage name, Midge, (real name James) is a phonetic reversal of Jim. When he was presented with the OBE by Queen Elizabeth in 2005, Ure wore a black kilt with matching black shirt, jacket, socks and a silver tie, to pick up his honour. ‘The Queen said something about it. I can’t remember what, but I think it was a gracious comment rather than ‘What on earth are you wearing.’

 Basement Jaxx are Live at Cardiff Castle on Sunday, 24 August. The English electronic music duo, consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, emerged in the underground house scene of the mid-1990s. They have had international chart success and won Best Dance Act at both the 2002 and 2004 BRIT Awards.

In the past, Buxton’s father did not let him watch Top of the Pops and played his children Austrian and Japanese music instead. ‘He was always very proud that we didn’t watch Top of the Pops. He thought that made me hungry and want it more’ he said.

 

Wenvoe Community Litter Pick

WENVOE COMMUNITY LITTER PICK

The next litter pick will be from Saturday 19th July. Filled bags will be collected, along with your black bags on the 25th July from your home or usual col-lection point.

You can litter pick at anytime and anywhere within the community within these dates I will again dis-tribute and collect pickers, gloves, bags, etc

If interested in participating, please either text/what’s app me as soon as possible on 07724827496 or email at info@russellgodfrey.co.uk.

Wenvoe Croquet Club

WENVOE CROQUET CLUB

There is always a warm welcome at the Wenvoe Croquet Club, where the leisurely sport of croquet is played out in the beautiful and tranquil environment of Wenvoe Castle Golf Club. Join our friendly and good-spirited members for an enjoyable game of Croquet, where players of all levels are welcomed and encouraged. Get in touch for a FREE taster game and find more information at https://wenvoecroquet.co.uk/

 

Wenvoe Croquet Club

The End/Beginning Of An Era

THE END/BEGINNING OF AN ERA

Back in 1988 the Village Youth Club started the What’s On magazine under their leader Vic Reed, working from the Wheelwright’s shop near the Church Hall, using a number of old Roneo hand-cranked printers. Vic moved to Victoria Park in 1993, and with the prospect of losing the magazine, he approached five people to continue producing the useful publication.

The team of five included: Marilyn Case, Colin Jenkins, Ann Miller, Eileen Callely and myself, with each taking on roles writing, editing, assembling, stapling and treasurer. This in addition to the 30+ villagers delivering copies to each subscribing household.

We immediately found a print firm in Penarth and with the aid of cut and paste, DOS and slow typing, we produced a new format magazine. The document was delivered to us as single sheets which were then assembled and stapled before distribution. As the printer grew and invested in better equipment and our computer skills developed, we were able to improve the content to include diagrams and photos.

Regrettably, the Penarth printer closed due to ill health and we transferred to the current printer, Allens, to produce the magazine in its finished form ready for delivery.

The magazine has been produced monthly by a small and dedicated team of volunteers ever since 1988 – Over 38 years without a break. I am proud to have been involved for 33 of those years, and am now the only remaining member of the team.

Unfortunately, due to ill health, I will be stepping down from the team and leave the magazine in very capable hands to continue to develop, providing a way for the villagers themselves to share aspects of village life.

Thank you to all those who have contributed over the years with regular or one-off articles, recipes, jokes and letters, which make up the rich mix of content covering all local life.

It has been a real pleasure working on this project with such a dedicated group for such a long time.

In Search of George and The Dragon

IN SEARCH OF GEORGE AND THE DRAGON

With the Summer still here, walking in and around the Vale is as popular as ever. Whilst Valeways walks celebrate a 25th anniversary this year, the Visit the Vale website also provides details of a host of other opportunities to get out an enjoy the area. With the Vale steeped in history it is perhaps no surprise to learn that you can indulge your interest in the past by joining one of the Glamorgan History Walks, which also has a dedicated website.

Glamorgan History Walks are an award-winning immersive history and storytelling experience taking in sites and places of significance across the Vale and beyond. All walks are circular (so you finish at the same point you start) and nearly always end at a fantastic old pub. At each location, the history and stories of the places visited are brought to life through storytelling, history discussion and even on occasion, through song and character performance. All walks are organised and hosted by historian, author and broadcaster; Graham Loveluck-Edwards. With tickets priced at £10, this month Vale walks are planned around St Athan (3rd July at 6pm. 3.9 miles /2 hours), Monknash and St Donats (19th July at 10am. 6.8 miles/4 hours), Llantwit Major (24th July at 6pm. 3 miles/2 hours) and Dinas Powys (26th July at 9am. 5.5 miles/3 hours).

Fast forward to August 14th and there is a fascinating walk taking in the area in and around Llancarfan. This 4-mile, 3-hour walk beginning at 6pm, takes in the amazing 15th century wall paintings discovered at St Cadoc’s Parish Church in 2007. During repairs to roof timbers at St Cadoc’s in 2007, the architect suspected something exciting was hidden below the whitewashed walls. Expert uncovering and conservation by Jane Rutherford and Anne Ballantyne, beginning in 2010, revealed remarkable wall paintings hidden for 450 years. Now if you visit the church, you will be rewarded by the sight of stunning paintings centred around a depiction of George and the Dragon. The image of St. George appears to be the largest wall painting of this subject in Britain. A representation of the ‘Seven Deadly Sins’ is equally spectacular. Both were amongst the most popular subjects in Britain’s medieval churches but there are few to compare with those at Llancarfan. With most parishioners illiterate and few printed books unless they were written in Latin or French, wall paintings assisted the parish priest in the telling of Bible stories, the lives of the saints and the moral teachings of Christianity. They became known as the Biblia Pauperum, or the Poor Man’s Bible.

Research indicates that the paintings date from between 1455 and 1485, the period of the Wars of the Roses. However, during the Reformation, they were subjected to the same fate as other wall paintings in ecclesiastical buildings throughout England and Wales: in 1547, the first year of the boy king Edward VI’s reign, an order was given for the ‘obliteration and destruction of popish and superstitious books and images and St. Cadoc’s paintings would have been duly obliterated with limewash. Over subsequent centuries, the church was re-limewashed at least twenty times, a fact which only serves to indicate the skill and patience of the experts who recovered them.

Travelling a little further afield then other July walks planned include historic Cardiff, historic Llantrisant and Kenfig and Sker. You can find out more online: grahamloveluckedwards.com/ You can also find self-guided walks of the capital city on the website https://touristwalks.co.uk/cardiff-city/ These include walks in the city centre, the Bay and one based on Cardiff pubs. An App with walking summaries is free, though there are charges for additional audio/audio visual presentations.

 

The Awen Project

THE AWEN PROJECT

Hello, we are The Awen Project! An outdoor, democratic learning community for 11- to 15-year-olds within the lovely village of Wenvoe. It’s a perfect location for us here, as it’s right in the middle of the Vale of Glamorgan. In our community, we choose how we learn and are encouraged to follow our passions. We’re very welcoming to new members and people trying out!

We learn through projects, and this term we’re making a film. Earlier in the year, we explored shot sizes, camera angles, and different film genres. Now we’re in the process of writing the script for our biggest film yet. We even got funding from Taith to travel to Venice by train, with stops in Paris and Milan, to film some of our scenes. We’re aiming to complete it by July so we can present it at a festival this summer!

How to support us:

As well as being a learning community, we are also a charity. We run fundraising events such as our Full Moon Silent Discos and our Wild Banquets. These are fun events for all the family, and we hope you’ll join us for some!

 

Talkin’ About 1960s Vinyl Records

Talkin’ About 1960s Vinyl Records

The overwhelming What’s On readers response to my article on 1960’s poetry – well three people said it was OK (none of which included my wife Jude) – I am delivering on my promise to take a meander through my 1960’s vinyl purchases most of which we still own. Before I go any further, I can hear the readers comments such as ‘I’ve never heard of ‘em’ or ‘They were rubbish.’ This is the idea of my article dear readers – open your mind and let it float downstream. I only kept a diary once in my life for a whole year -1965- which luckily included every record I purchased throughout the year.

In 1964/5 I had a Saturday job in a Stevenage shoe shop. A whole day’s pay was 19 shillings and 10 pence (just under £1). LPs on a decent label cost about 32/6d (about £1. 65p) so that’s why I bought mainly singles! Can you imagine now having to work a day and a half to buy an album. My early favourites were the Downliners Sect a raw rhythm and blues band – their most well-known single being Little Egypt but even that didn’t make the top 50 or the top 500 come to that. It opens with ‘she walks, she talks and crawls about on her belly like a reptile.’ Risque eh? Another two groups I was very excited about were The Primitives and Mal Ryder and the Spirits. The former were another heavy R&B group (now known as freakbeat) who issued three singles as did Mal. My excitement went into overdrive when Mal dropped the Spirits and joined the Primitives for one single. My Primitives singles which I regrettably sold to finance a long family trip are now selling for over £300 each. So, you see I had good taste after all! I later found out Mal was Welsh and became very big in Italy. Not many people know that- or want to I suppose. I liked the Pretty Things too being very envious of Phil May the lead singer’s hair. I did finally get hair like his but 20 years later. I’ve always been at least 20 years behind the times. I am thinking of getting an earring soon or a kaftan! Perhaps change that to 50 years!

But what about the Stones, Beatles, Manfred Mann, Hollies, Tamla Motown, Dusty, Cilla and Aretha et al I hear you shout. Well, my attitude then was I can hear them anytime so I will buy stuff I like that you just don’t hear anywhere. In January 1965 I was watching Juke Box Jury- everyone of a certain age did didn’t they? (If you are younger than about 55 ask your parents about JBJ). They played the Crusher by the Novas. It was voted a big miss, so I bought it. One of my friends said I heard that on JBJ I hoped I’d never hear it again! I did like the Stones too, but I only bought one EP. One of my best friends loved The Animals. NO Stu, do we really have to listen to their 20-minute version of Bo Diddley yet again!!

In September 1965 I started working full time, so I had a little more money. About then, and I have no idea how this epiphany came about, I started reading books about Malcolm X and Michael X and that led me to amongst others Phil Ochs. He was a mate of Bob Dylan and issued LPs called I ain’t marching anymore and All the news that’s fit to sing although I think his best album was Pleasures of the Harbor. I can only play these now if Jude is out! I did buy one LP on the Tamla Motown label – The Great March to Freedom: Dr Martin Luther King Speaks. When he was assassinated in April 1968 a few days later Nina Simone recorded Why? (The King of Love is Dead). I went straight out and bought it! When Nina first performed the song, it was over 20 minutes long but was edited to two sides of a 7 inch single. Considered one of the saddest songs ever written it can’t be listened to without shedding a tear. I can’t anyway.

I do need to return to Bob Dylan with a warning. Jude saw him at the Isle of Wight in 1969 so if you want to shorten your summer just mention it to her when you next see her! I am now a big fan of Bob since Jude and I met but that’s the 70s so beyond the scope of this article. While Jude was watching Dylan, I continued to listen to the sorely missed John Peel with his Perfumed Garden radio show. You didn’t like every track, but you knew sooner or later something would come up you liked. One night he played a tune he described as reminding him of two young girls skipping down a country lane with flowers in their hair. Years later Jude tracked it down for me – The ace and deuce of piping by John Doonan a Northumbrian piper! If you have not read Good Night and Good Riddance How 35 years of John Peel helped to shape modern life by David Cavanagh then do! On the subject of flowers, when I left the civil service after four years, I let it be known I would like an LP or two for my leaving pressie. I received Donovan’s (another fav) box set From a Flower to a Garden and Simon and Garfunkel’s Bookends.

I cannot finish without mentioning David Ackles. His first was absolutely amazing. Try the track Road to Cairo. He had big fans in the shape of Elvis Costello, Phil Collins and Elton John who dedicated his Tumbleweed Connection LP to Ackles.

For those readers who have Alexa in the house here’s your chance to hear some of ‘my’ 1965 purchases. Go on you know you want to! The Crusher (The Novas), Anytime (Riot Squad), You Said (Primitives), 500 miles (Bobby Bare), two Downliners Sect LP’s and their EP The Sect Sing Sick Songs, Here Comes the Night (Them), Why do they treat me like you do (The Freewheelers), Marianne Faithfull LP, Mr Pitiful (Otis Redding), Wolly Bully(Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs), the first Spencer Davis LP, Cara Mia EP (Jay and the Americans), Ian Whitcomb singles You Turn Me On and N N Nervous, Every Minute of Every Day, (Mal and the Primitives) Maria Elena (Los Indos Tabajares), Come on Rolling Stones (paid one shilling so obviously cut price!).

Nigel Billingham

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