Category: New Items for January 2025
Latest post for the current month
Very Blustery Weather
VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP
Iery Blustery Weather
A good turnout considering the very blustery weather. The work party set about clearing the debris from the footpath on Tarrws Lane. Shady, as always, took his litter picker and was removing rubbish on the road, when a gust of wind got hold of him and he went flying past us at a rate of knots. Fortunately, Shady grabbed a tree branch.
The problem was trying to get him to let go. Big John suggested we leave him there as a windsock. Martin said we ought to wait until the wind subsided. It all ended abruptly when Ieuan found Shady’s bankcard and invited us to the pub, at which point Shady fell on him.
The team wish you all a successful 2025 and next month will be putting up bird boxes donated by Wenvoe Wildlife Group, weather permitting
“White Teeth” by Zadie Smith
“White Teeth” by Zadie Smith
White Teeth is the author’s debut novel which was published in 2000 to rave reviews. Smith was only 21 years old when she started writing the book and 24 when it was published. The whole group felt that this book did show that she was a talented author but that it did contain some immature writing throughout.
The book is about the lives of two main characters, Archie and Samad, who met in the second World War. It follows them living in multi-cultural London and chronicles their lives crossing and weaving together over many years as they try to reconcile where they fit into modern Britain. It brings in their wives, children and other people that they meet along their journey and focuses on them getting through their lives as best they can. The group felt that the plot meandered along without focus and although it intertwined, it didn’t connect easily. Many of the characters were not developed and were boring. The group didn’t engage with the story and said that their attention wandered while trying to read the chapters. There were a few glimpses of humour, a lot of swearing and some unbelievable situations. For all the group, the book lacked warmth and emotion, and nobody felt that it’s a book that they would recommend to others. The average score was 4 out of 10.
Many thanks to Lynne for hosting and providing festive refreshments
Happy New Year Everyone
THE VILLAGE GARDENER
Happy New Year everyone
This time of year, I love to look through seed catalogues, wondering if the plants will ever be as good as they look in the pamphlet. They never are.
Don’t start trampling all over the soil unless it’s dry as compacting it now will make for heavy work come the planting season. There is always something to be done, whether it’s weeding or taking some of the leaves off hellebores to expose the flowers. Dead heading the winter flowering pansies is a must or they’ll go to seed. These pansies are never as good until early spring when they flourish, and we’re loathe to take them out to make room for spring bedding. If you have managed to get another year out of the wallflowers, you will find they flower so much earlier than the new ones planted out last autumn.
The storms this winter will make us all think twice about planting trees. Trees are one of our biggest assets against flooding, by slowing down the flow of water, absorbing rainwater and reducing soil erosion. Choose a species that fits in the space you have and prune regularly or the local authority will be on your case if it encroaches on to a road or pavement. The lowest branches have to be 2.5 metres above the footpath and 5.3 metres above the road. Yet if it grows too close to your dwelling, you will need their permission to cut it back. Just a thought, after seeing all the fences that have come down lately, why not if you have the room plant a hedge. There are so many different plants that can be used, and they don’t blow over, last a lot longer, look good, great for wildlife and good for the environment. Not leylandii!
Cloches should be making an appearance on the allotments and veg gardens to warm the soil for planting peas. Take any yellowing leaves off brassicas, to stop any disease. Mr Gareth Lewis will have started potatoes off in grow bags inside his hot house, just to be the first with new season spuds.
If you’re like Big John of the Environment team whose tool is always sharp, then you won’t need the service of a free hand tool sharpening session starting on the 6th January in the Wheelwright’s shop by the Church Hall. What’s On recipients can bring them along that week. Shears, loppers, secateurs and mower blades.
Take care and happy gardening
THE VILLAGE GARDENER
Christmas 2024 200 Club Winners
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. A Happy New Year
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. A Happy New Year
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. A Happy New Year to all our readers.
It is a tradition at this time of the year to look back into the previous year, recalling events that were good and perhaps those which were not so good. We do this in our work life and in our family and social life. For the past year at St. Mary’s it has been a bit of a mixed bag. We have been able to maintain a regular Sunday morning service at 9.30am albeit with a slightly reduced congregation, which is also live streamed for those who cannot make it to church. We have welcomed some new faces to our congregation, which is very good indeed, and there is always a warm welcome and a place for anyone who wishes to worship in our traditional way.
We have maintained a connection with the community at large with the many, many donations we have received during the year for the Food Bank at Barry. The past year has seen a greater demand from those who are unable to place food on the table due to the high cost of living, maybe for those who are unwell and cannot work, so the Food Bank for them is a lifeline for their families. To all who have donated food items or a cash donation we say thank you, and we will need your help during 2025 as the demands on the Food Bank will be greater than ever. Your donations can be left in the church porch where there are large boxes provided, and which are cleared daily and taken into Barry during the week
Our plans to create a St. Mary’s Church Centre, on the north side of the church, which would replace the present Church Hall are subject to stagnation at present. This is a great disappointment, considering the cost we have laid out to have plans drawn up for submission to the various authorities. The Diocese Advisory Committee gave an outline blessing, but the Vale of Glamorgan Local Authority said the scheme was too large, and their refusal really means it is not going to happen. The present church hall needs a major update in the kitchen and toilet facilities; the ingress of damp in places will again need some additional fund raising and grant applications. Watch this space.
On a more positive note our Harvest Celebration was a very happy event apart from the appalling weather which meant our Picnic in the Grounds had to be brought into the church. The Remembrance Sunday service attracted a good congregation, with the Scouts and Beavers and Cubs bringing their banners into church, Gwenfo School also took part with the Head Girl and Boy taking part in the prayers. The service continued at the Village War Memorial for the Silence and Laying of Wreaths, where a much larger number of people had been awaiting, while the Vale of Glamorgan Brass Band played suitable solemn music. The number of wreaths laid was greater than previous years from the many organisations in the village. Thank you to all who devised and printed the special order of service, the choir who attended and to all who still wish to be at the remembrance due to those who have fallen in the two World Wars and wars since.
It was good to see the response to the Light Up Your Windows in the village, bringing light to the world and our streets at this very dark time of year. The final event in the churchyard on Christmas Eve was followed by Carols and Readings of the Christmas Story in the church. A collection taken for Ty Hafan this Christmas, once again helped to support this facility for the mums and dads whose child is a patient there.
On New Year’s Day there will be the usual short mid-week Eucharist at St. Mary’s followed by refreshments and you are all welcome to bring in the New year with thanksgiving for all the previous years and looking forward to what 2025 may have in store for you.
So to all our readers, thank you for taking the trouble and time to read about what’s happened in St. Mary’s during the past year, and look forward for more exciting news items in the year to come.
Parry
The RSPG Big Garden Bird Watch
Wenvoe Wildlife Group
THE RSPB BIG GARDEN BIRD WATCH
The Big Garden Birdwatch is the UK’s largest garden wildlife survey and it is run by the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds). It has been running since 1979, and every year, over half a million people take part. It takes place over the last weekend in January each year. In 2025 the Birdwatch will take place from Friday 24th to Sunday 28th January. It is hoped it will be the biggest Birdwatch yet.
It’s easy to take part – you simply watch the birds in your garden or local park for one hour, and record what you see. It is a great activity that you can do either on your own or with family members including children. Don’t worry if you know very little about birds. The RSPB has a guide on their website to show you the different species.
Why is it important?
Big Garden Birdwatch provides a vital snapshot of how the UK’s garden birds are faring, taken over one weekend. This gives a good general impression of birds that are doing well, and the ones that are struggling. As the first Birdwatch took place more than 40 years ago, RSPB now have a wealth of data to look back on. Shockingly, the UK has lost 38 million birds from the UK’s skies in the last 50 years, so it’s crucial we do all we can to look after our bird life. Big Garden Birdwatch helps to monitor how garden birds are faring. We are asking you to share your results with the RSPB and the Wenvoe Wildlife Group so we can get a more accurate picture of the birds that live in our parish.
How do you take part in the Big Garden Birdwatch?
- Just count the birds you see in your garden, from your balcony, front room or in the local park for one hour over the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend. It doesn’t matter what time of day you do your Birdwatch, but you will see more birds if you do it first thing in the morning.
- Only include birds that land, not those flying over. Count the highest number of each species you see at any one time. For example, if you saw four Starlings together, then two Starlings later, your final count will be four (not six). If you see one robin 6 times you only count one robin. If you see very few birds or none at all, that’s also really useful information for RSPB and the Wenvoe Wildlife Group
- You may attract more birds to your garden if you regularly feed them. If you have never fed birds in your garden the RSPB website will help you get started.
What to do with your survey results
You can send in your results to the RSPB online. There is a simple form to fill in. Also please send the list of the number and type of birds you have seen to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group; Nigel Billingham (nigelrbillingham@yahoo.co.uk or post to Woodside
Cottage 5 Church Rise CF5 6DE or Bruce McDonald bruce7@btinternet.com or post to 5 Walston Close, CF5 6AS). Please include your postcode as that will enable us to log where the different species of birds are within the parish. The Wildlife Group will publish the results in Wenvoe What’s On as soon as possible.
Remember it only takes one hour to undertake the survey during the weekend 24-26 January. Please put the date in your diary. Thanks for your time
Since the last issue we have had the results of the Tuckers’ Reindeer Sale and were so pleased to receive a substantial sum from Mike and Glenys. Our thanks to all who attended the event, donated raffle prizes, manned stalls, dispensed beverages, baked cakes – you name it! Chiefly, of course, thanks to Mike and Glenys who do so much for the village and without whom these events would not happen.
Following on from our recording project we have been running over the past year, we are currently looking into a funding application to improve nesting habitat for birds within the village. From the data we collect through the project and the garden birdwatch we have been able to identify species that are struggling within the village, and we would like to help them through putting up nest boxes in gardens and the orchards managed by us. In addition, we will be looking to improve our information displays to improve the experience for visitors from the community. An important part of success in this is you – the community. We encourage you to get involved with the Big Garden Birdwatch to help us further understand bird populations within the village which will help increase our chances of success with this project. We would love to get as many people involved as possible, so if you are interested in getting involved with the wildlife group, then please get in touch with us.
Using skills learned earlier in the year on a fruit tree pruning course members have been working on the trees in the Community Orchard. We have heard that two more pruning courses are to be run in the village on Wednesday 29th January and Wednesday 5th February at the Goldsland Orchard and Welsh Orchard (Maes y Felin). To be confirmed which orchard on which day. Check Facebook for booking details. These are free but you must register.
And finally, do you have any Mistletoe berries left from your Christmas decorations? Don’t throw them away but try pressing them against a suitable tree (underside of branch) to see if you can get your own Mistletoe to grow. Suitable trees include Apple, Hawthorn, Acer (Japanese Maple), Poplar. You can try any other tree, but they may not stand much of a chance. The little seed is inside the sticky, pulpy bit. Patience is required as they can take years to get established. Plenty more information online.
Wyndcliff to Tintern
Wyndcliff to Tintern
Wyndcliff to Tintern
The Lower Wye valley, Blackcliff and Wyndcliff, form a Site of Special Scientific interest containing rare plants and an ancient semi-natural woodland (dating back to at least 1600). Unusually small leaved lime trees grow over yews and rare plants include Twayblade orchid, toothwort, Tintern spurge and herb paris. Rare species include greater and lesser horseshoe bats, common dormice and high brown and silver-washed fritillary butterflies. Deer are a pest, as they have no predators.
A notice stated ‘Rich in natural beauty and natural resources the Wye valley has attracted both artists and industrialists. Abundant charcoal, limestone, timber, iron and water meant the lower Wye valley once teemed with forges, quarries, kilns and mills. As the birthplace of British tourism, a tour of the Wye valley also drew painters and poets from Turner to Wordsworth.’
We made our way to Upper Wyndcliff, part of the Wye Valley Woodlands. This was designated an area of outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1971 and straddles the border between Wales and England for a stretch of fifty-eight miles. A notice declares ‘Every season offers something special: bluebells in spring, lush summer leaves, fantastic autumn colour, and the beauty of winter tree silhouettes. Discover stately oak and beech trees as well as ash and cherry. We maintain the historic viewpoints by cutting back the trees. These offer spectacular views across the Wye gorge and river, across to the Bristol Channel and the old Severn bridge. You can enjoy these views all year round but especially in winter, when the leaves have fallen.’
And did we strike gold on our autumn walk. The ground and the trees were carpeted in golden beech and sweet chestnut leaves; it was a dull day, but the woodland glowed.
We passed a sign advertising ‘The Eagles Nest Trail’ a difficult walk of 1 hour and 1.25miles long. Now the walk started in earnest taking us up 365 steps to the top of the gorge. There is something about climbing steps which appears easier than walking up a slope, especially in this case as the steps vary in size from shallow steps to those which are a struggle for people with shorter legs. One section of the climb has a slanting metal bridge with a deep drop below it, scary if you suffer with vertigo and difficult for the person who had to carry their dog! As we climbed, we saw fungi, moss covering surfaces and amazing intricate tree roots clinging to steep faces.
Trees stood majestic a around us, dominating beeches gradually giving way to sweet chestnuts and then suddenly there were yews – more than any of us had ever seen growing in one place. We began to descend and moved into open fields where we could look back across the gorge to the autumnal colour of the woodland on the other side. On a side path we found the Tintern Limekiln, with two arched openings, it was used from 1700s onwards, for making lime by heating limestone to 1,000 degrees C. The lime was used in building for mortar, plaster and limewash and industry.
Descending a short stretch of road past houses, we found ourselves looking at the skeleton of Tintern Abbey so beautiful in its architecture. It was close to lunchtime, but we knew we had another climb so ploughed onwards and upwards, along a paved pilgrimage route, to St Mary’s church. The crumbling church is surrounded by fencing and warnings to keep away. It has been associated with Tintern Abbey since the 12thC, and the monks probably came here on retreat. Wine cooler, obelisk and pyramid graves are in the graveyard. Many commemorate the ironmasters who ran the wireworks along the Angidy, reflecting their wealth and power. A bright yellow glow came from a small gingko tree in the graveyard.
Church Grove Cottages had a lovely surprise, etched astrological clocks of various kinds were hanging on the walls, beautiful and fascinating. At the top of the walk, we stopped in the woods for an extremely late lunch. Someone joked that we had taken a wrong turn, and I was so hungry I said ’I have no sense of humour at this point’.
We passed a lake with glamping pods, named after woodland animals (fox, hare etc.), as we descended. Colourful trees reflected in the mirror of the water. We walked across farmland with sheep and cattle and the view opened again so we could see the Severn estuary.
We continued through Upper Wyndcliff once more to return to the cars at Lower Wyndcliff.
A superb day in beautiful woodland, rounded off with refreshment in the local inn in St Arvan.
Walk 7m 1700ft. Map OL14
WENVOE COMMUNITY HUB
Tel: 02920 594176 – during opening hours or wenvoelibrary@outlook.com
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Report from the Hub
Happy New Year from the Volunteers of the Library
Report from the Hub
- Coffee at the Hub – why not come in and have a coffee, tea or chocolate. We also sell Fruit Shoots (sugar free) and a small selection of ice creams / popsicles.
- With winter here and shorter, colder days, please feel free to pop into the hub for a browse and/or a chat. You will always be greeted with a warm welcome and a friendly face. Also, please remember, that with increasing reliance on technology, we are happy to assist with accessing information on-line. Help is also available from Citizens Advice, Age UK and One Stop Shop.
- Christmas Raffle – Clare Ellis has provided the Hub with wonderful hampers this year. We will report who won the hamper in our next edition.
- Reminder:
The Library no longer takes second hand books or magazines. At the time of print, the British Heart Foundation are also not taking second hand books.
Watch this Space
- Cuppa with a Coppa – will meet on Wednesday 15 January 2025 at 2 pm in the Hub
- Wellbeing Group – will meet on Friday 17 January 2025 between 2 pm and 3 pm in the Hub
- Our next talk is on Friday 24 January 2025 at 7.30 pm in the Hub by Professor John Miles on ‘Cayman Islands – 50 years on’
- Our talk in February is being given by our own Joyce Hoy – Travellers Tales. Tickets for both talks available in the New Year
Wenvoe Village Hall Raffle 2024
WENVOE VILLAGE HALL RAFFLE 2024
The Village Hall Management Committee would like to thank everyone who kindly donated prizes to this raffle and to the people who support us by buying and selling tickets. All money raised through the raffle contributes to the ongoing insurance, maintenance and daily running costs of the Hall which is primarily for the use of the villagers. We thank you all and wish you good health and a Happy and Prosperous New Year