Thursday Walkers – A Farewell –

 



THURSDAY WALKERS


– A FAREWELL –


 

In September 1995 I had the pleasure of leading the first ever Wenvoe Walkers group.

At first my walks were demanding and wide ranging. As the years have gone by they have become a Thursday Walk centred around enjoyment of the company of like-minded people AND a coffee at some point. The walk has always been advertised as about 5 miles though often it has been more. That was psychological as some of the group always felt “I can walk 5 miles “but might not have wanted to tackle 7 or 8 miles which they did!

There has also been a comment that Bert’s Thursday Walk always has good weather. Not true. It has rained on 3 occasions! Anyway, I have always said that I only choose the day, it is the Good Lord that decides on the weather.

I had intended to complete 30 years of leading before retiring so my last walk would have been this September. However, I have some commitments over the next months which makes it difficult to fix dates. Therefore, my May Walk, which covered some of the first walk I led, was my last walk as leader. I have thoroughly enjoyed my years of leading and the company of the many people that have accompanied me over the many years.

Best wishes,

Bert



 

An Incredibly Successful Plant Sale



Wenvoe Wildlife Group



An Incredibly Successful Plant Sale


After an incredibly successful Plant Sale run by Glenys and Mike Tucker, the Group benefited from a donation of £2,132. Our thanks to all who supported the event, bought raffle tickets or plants and other produce, donated takings from their tables or just had a cup of tea. This helps to ensure we have sufficient funds to purchase benches, plant trees, refurbish noticeboards and sponsor youth workshops and school projects. We are most grateful.

Most people will have heard that vandals burned down the noticeboard/bee hotel on the Community Orchard. We shall be replacing it, but this will take a few months of planning and design. Meanwhile we shall be installing a smaller noticeboard near the planters, thanks to Martin Thomas.

Green Flag judging took place in May, and the judge was shown round by Sue Hoddell and Nicola Harmer. Fingers crossed for a good result.

The second Junior Wildlife Workshop takes place on 8th June. These tend to be heavily oversubscribed but a third will be planned for August.

If you are walking around the Orchid field meadow you might notice that a small area has been cleared of bracken. Please help us by stamping on and pulling any bracken you see at the side of the path. Even better come and help our small team next month. Thank you.



Summer’s Here and It’s All Happening In The Vale



SUMMER’S HERE AND IT’S ALL HAPPENING IN THE VALE



The ongoing (until 3rd June) Vale Food Trail has recently brought us a mix of farm tours, cook-ery workshops, tasting events, special exhibitions, live demos and more. If you are disappointed that we are at the tail end of the food frenzy, fear not. This month, the Vale continues to provide events to suit all tastes.

Sunday1June:Welsh National Aquathlon Championships. Produced by All or Nothing Events, the two events planned are a 750m open water swim and a 5km run, across a hopefully sunny not too hot Barry Island. You can find more details on the AllorNothing Facebook page. If you wish to enter you can follow this link:https://www.allornothingevents.com/race-swyd-aquathlon-2025/

Sunday June 8:St Donat’s Castle Summer Fayre. The fayreis set across St Donat’s Castle, Arts Centre, striking outdoor gardens and sea front. The entertainment includes live music and a host of family activities and local traders providing over 60 stalls. There will be the opportunity to indulge in freshly prepared food with a variety of international tastes catered for as well as the less exotic but no less tasty range of British staples like brownies and preservatives. The craft stalls will include a variety of jewellery, wood, glass, ceramics and textiles. There is more. There will be a bouncy castle and family magician ‘Simon Sparkles’ will be putting on a magic show in Tythe Barn. You can also book the following additional activities:

  • 60-minute indoor and outdoor lido pool session (£5pp(– please note the indoor pool is heated but the outdoor pool is not.
  • Archery taster experience – 3arrows plus practice shot (£5pp, ages 6+)
  • Climbing taster experience – 2 climbs plus leap of faith (£5pp, ages 6+)

 

Tickets are £13 per car (for as many people who you can fit in) or £3pp on foot. Last entry is 3.30pm. Dogs are permitted onto the campus grounds, but must be on a lead at all times. You are also welcome to bring your own picnics.

Saturday 14th June: Barry Pride. The event returns to King’s Square and Central Park between midday and 7pm, with a variety of stalls, live entertainment, food and drinks.

Sunday 15th June: Barry Island 10K Race. Barry Island will provide the backdrop for a 10K race, plus a Family Fun Run, Toddler Dash, and competitive Future Challengers mile races. The popular race organised by Run 4 Wales, will take a scenic route with highlights including Whitmore Bay, Romilly Park, Watchtower Bay, Friars Point and the Knap. There will also be plenty of fun and games for spectators to enjoy in the event village on the promenade and gardens. This year’s new lead charity is Cancer Research Wales, and the event will form part of the Run 4 Wales 10K Series. Tickets are available at £32 or £30 for affiliated athletes. For more information or to enter the Barry Island 10k visit: barryisland10k.co.uk

Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th July: GlastonBarry. Looking ahead to next month, GlastonBarry will return to Romilly Park with 22 tribute band providing live music for what is now a well-loved and established part of the calendar.



Tucker’s Ve80 Wartime Plant Sale



TUCKER’S VE80 WARTIME PLANT SALE


On Saturday 10th May we held the Tucker’s VE80 plant sale in and around the Church Hall. Whenever we hold a sale there is always a worry that attendance will be low or the weather won’t be good. We are always well supported by our community, but this time you blew us away! The sun came out and so did all of you. We were so pleased to see you all and were especially pleased to see so many in wartime costume. The total raised for Wenvoe Wildlife Group now stands at £2,122. This was raised from the sale of the plants (many of which were so kindly donated), the raffle, Gareth’s pre-owned garden and sports equipment table, the wildlife table, wartime food, profit from the cakes, takings for drinks, the silent auction for the Spitfire in Flight painting and from Joyce Hoy’s succulents and cacti sales.

Heartfelt thanks go to everyone who donated a raffle prize, to Phyllis, Pam and Sian who donated some wartime food items for sale to add to mine, to everyone who donated equipment and plants, to all our fabulous volunteers who make it all possible, to Brenda for her fabulous accordion playing, to our wonderful ‘spiv’ Tony and last, but certainly not least, to all of you. Mike and I are so very grateful to you all.

 

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