Category: Environment Group

Average Age Brought Down To 75

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Average Age Brought Down To 75

A small but robust team of four, turned out to clean up at the junction of Old Port Road and Walston Road. With the average age brought down to 75 with the young Martin in attendance, this was the lowest turnout since May 8th, 1945. The team in those days mainly consisted of Italian POWs. On the day Churchill announced the end of hostilities in Europe, the Italians, residing at Wenvoe Castle, feared they would be repatriated and absconded to open ice cream parlours and cafes, from Barry Island to North Treorchy. All but one disappeared that day. The other poor fellow left in a fright just as new year approached. A local lady dragged him into some bushes where to his surprise a branch swung back and knocked her wig off. He was last seen running up the Tumble towards Dover. (True)

Shady, Had Gone Up The Pipe

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Shady, Had Gone Up The Pipe

After clearing the waste from the front of the Community Centre and the planting of flowers by big John (it will of course be his fault if they don’t bloom!) we were woken by the sound that resembled a jammed hoover. The sight that greeted us was a road sweeper operative trying to remove an object from the suction hose on his vehicle. After dashing to help, we recognised the blue hat in the gutter. Yes, poor Shady, whilst litter picking had gone up the pipe. Upon his release, he was inconsolable. The ignominy of a litter picker being picked up by a road sweeper, left him on his knees. Even when reunited with his hat, he refused to move. The Community Council are going to give him a hi-vis jacket. Our next work party will be on 12th May.

Keeping The Village Tidy

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Keeping The Village Tidy

On an overcast morning, a depleted team of six helped tidy up the rose bed on the village green. These folk have stayed loyal to their task of keeping the village tidy since 1988 when the group was formed, with the Rev Bernard Johns as chair. In those days the team was made up from pillars of the Community, clergy, doctors, councillors etc. Nowadays it’s kept alive by what can only be described in some cases as ne’er do wells. Best not to delve too deeply, especially Shady and of course, Big John who has missed two outings because of tennis apparently but we in the team know that the only court he’s familiar with has a judge and not an umpire. Racketeering is his forte. He has only gone missing since Trump announced tariffs.

For those not on remand, we will meet again on 14th April by the Community Centre

 

Shady Suffered From Cabin Fever

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Shady Suffered From Cabin Fever

Inclement weather along with colds and mothers not letting the boys out, stopped the teams work this month. Shady suffering from cabin fever, ventured out with his litter picker. While out, he saw 50p in a drain and wouldn’t let it be. Having got in to retrieve it, a motorist who Shady had reported previously for doing 21mph through the village, spotted him and put the cover back on.

Distraught, Shady phoned us. We got the cover off but had difficulty getting him out because he wouldn’t let go of the coin.

Grateful? Not a bit of it. He lambasted us for not turning up for work because of a little rain. If Big John hadn’t shown compassion, we would have put him back in.

The village green is our next task on Monday 10th March – whatever the weather brings

 

The Wenvoe Orchid Field

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

THE WENVOE ORCHID FIELD

If you don’t know how to find the Wenvoe Orchid Field, take the footpath at the top end of Walston Road (Walston Road is the road up past the village church), at the far end the road swings sharp right down to the Walston Castle. The footpath passes the old Walston Quarry, now filled and being restored, up past the gate used by the lorries providing the ‘clean’ infill material and on into the Orchid Field.

To the left of the entrance is a display board showing the shape of the field and where the different paths lead. Climbing to the top far side of the field there is a footpath exiting the field which leads to the Quarryman’s Stone, a tribute to past quarrymen of the different quarries of the area, the recently installed toposcope and Twyn yr Odyn with it’s recently refurbished public house.

The Orchid Field. known by some old residents as the sledging field when winters were colder, and snowier, belongs to the Vale Council and is being managed by the Wenvoe Wildlife Group. Orchids and many other wild flowers thrive best in poor soil rather than enriched areas, which is why, each year, the field is cut and the material removed rather than being left to rot down and fertilize the soil. Brambles also thrive in poor soil; new shoots grow over the top of last year’s old brambles leading to some dense bushes, these provide refuge for wildlife, but hence there is a constant battle to control them rather than let them run rampant by. pushing growth back towards the perimeter of the field. Black thorn is also a problem in some sections of the field if not kept in check.

The Orchid Field working party meet monthly on the third Monday morning of the month from 9.30am onwards and is always keen to welcome anybody looking to participate in some worthwhile outdoor voluntary work for a few hours (no set working times). You do need to provide your own tools, ie shears, lopper, secateurs etc along with a sturdy pair of gloves.

The field has recently been cut, leaving areas that the machine cannot reach and require cutting by hand. Members often select a certain area to concentrate on clearing over a few months and will return on other days in the month, when they have some free time and the weather is pleasant. What can be better on a nice summer’s day in pleasant peaceful surroundings than enjoying some easy exercise in the great outdoors.

 

 

Shady Didn’t Return On Time

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Shady Didn’t Return On Time

Our first assignment of 2025 was to tackle an untidy area adjacent to the Walston Castle, identified by one of the team. A couple of traffic cones kept us a little safer from the traffic, which to be fair behaved well. You get the odd one who’s in a rush, which is like a red rag to a bull to Shady, who gets so irate and this ends up in confrontation. To keep Shady out of trouble, we asked him to put up a nesting box donated by the wildlife group, well away from any traffic. When Shady didn’t return on time we set off to find him. He was seen standing on a box, nailing the nest box to a tree, apparently for flightless blue tits. Because of the notoriety surrounding Shady, he insisted his profile be removed from the photograph

 

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

 

It Soon Went Bottoms Up

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

It Soon Went Bottoms Up

What started as a full complement of eager veterans ready to clear the vast amount of detritus from the bottom of Pound Lane, soon went bottoms up. Things were going so well, until the police turned up with a warrant for the arrest of team member Gareth (Shady) Williams. Despite some not so convincing protests from the rest of the team, they put Shady in a police van. Big John took it upon himself to lay in the road to prevent the constables taking Shady away, the problem with that was, he didn’t have his glasses on and was lying down at the back of the van and they just drove off. Shady was later bailed for £5. His friend has started a gofundme page to get a legal team on the case. It stands at 90p. Charges relate to his time in France before he was extradited.

Our meeting for December has yet to be confirmed as there could be more arrests from our group if Shady starts squealing under interrogation. If you think you might fit in with this bunch of outlaws, please let the Godfather know.

 

Merry Christmas you filthy animals.

 

A New Recruit

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

A New Recruit

 

We as a team are happy to announce a new recruit. Martin, son of long-term member Ieuan (pictured), joined in the tidying of the village green in preparation for remembrance Sunday. As with all our team they come with an Achilles heel. Martin being a bicyclist has more than one. This restricts his ability to communicate unless he’s riding two abreast down the middle of a road. He wouldn’t have his picture taken unless he was stood by someone

Now that we have two members below seventy, our insurance allows us to work 500 metres from a defibrillator instead of 50.

Our main source of inspiration, Gareth, turned up late with an excuse that was so unbelievable, we can’t repeat. But his arrest is imminent.

The good men which may not include Gareth, will meet at the triangle of Pound Lane on Remembrance Day. We will remember them

Plans To Recruit Pillars Of Society

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Plans To Recruit Pillars Of Society

While on a routine cleaning up of Clos Llanfair. The team were approached by an official from the home office, who informed the men of government plans to recruit pillars of society into a sort of local volunteer force to help quell some of the unrest in the country. As soon as the gentleman started speaking, Gareth Mainwaring (front of photo) piped up and told the official of his past war record and said that he would lead the men. No uniform or weapons will be issued. The task force would have to verbally calm any situation with the troublemakers. Gareth has a known ability to be able to wind up a sloth, so will have to stay at a safe distance or rioting will prevail.

If we remain in one piece, we will meet at the junction of Pound Lane and Walston Road on 14th October

 

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