Category: News
February Parish Report
The solemn season of Lent is now with us, and you will notice that many of the ornaments in the Chancel and Sanctuary have been removed and replaced with more simple items, in line with the church’s teaching of self-denying during this period running up to Easter.
The services during Lent are simpler, with less singing and with more emphasis on hearing the Word of God in the Readings and Gospel narratives. Mothering Sunday is on March 11th when the children from “Pebbles” will be encouraged to bring the daffodils they have grown from the bulbs given to them last Harvest Celebrations, to decorate the church and to present their Mum’s with a gift of flowers,
The meeting to discuss the sale of the Church Hall took place on Thursday 8th February with a good crowd of people in the Community Centre Hall. This meeting called and hosted by Wenvoe Community Council to measure the public reaction of the Community Council purchasing the Church Hall. Jon, our Parish Priest was keen to impart the vision of St Mary’s looking forward to how the Church wishes to develop both the building and the congregation in the 21st century. The present hall was not seen as being part of that vision and was becoming a burden on the church as expenses are exceeding income. In addition, the hall need to be updated with improved kitchen and toilet facilities. By building a hall/meeting room facilities on to the North Side of the church that will enable the church to extend its role of hospitality both to the congregation and community. St Mary’s Church Council has worked very hard over the years to keep the church building in good order, with money raised from the Church Appeal and generous donations and grants, plus the income from our very successful “200” club. We are not state aided or supported by the Representative Body of the Church in Wales in any way, and we have to thank the generations that have gone before for what we enjoy today, and it is our responsibility to hand on to the generations yet to be born, a church building worthy of the 21st century.
An interesting debate was held about what the Community Council would do with the hall should they purchase it. This was the real purpose of the meeting to allow the council to gather a feel of the public opinion The Council will do doubt discuss their findings in due course. The alternative is to place the Hall on the open market, once we have the design of the church extension agreed by the many parties involved. Watch this space!
The Parochial Church Council met recently and was pleased to accept the Quinquenial Report from Mr Richard Dean, of Page and Dean Consulting Ltd. It is a very thorough report on the church fabric with items needing investigation. The council decided to appoint Richard as our Church Architect, which he has pleasure in accepting. The immediate work on
the drainage on the South Side of the church has been delayed as we have decided to include additional drainage on the East Wall which was not included in the Faculty. This will save us money in the long run, with the Archaeological surveys which have to be taken when any work is carried out in the churchyard. The churchyard is looking very pristine due to the work by Mike, the village gardener. He is keeping an eye out for any work that is needed during the months/seasons.
The Treasurer reported that our finances are in a healthy position, and recommended that we create a separate account, within the general account for money’s specifically given for the Building Fund. This would mean that money in the building fund would be “ring fenced” and could only be used for the repair and maintenance of the building fabric. The Christmas Collections from our three churches for the Ty Hafan Children’s hospice came to £1404.26 which is a wonderful result. Thank you to all who donated to this worthy cause. We have also received a donation of £103 from the Wenvoe Craft Workshop Christmas Fair for the Building Fund. Many thanks to Mr and Mrs Tucker. The “200” club had also made a payment of £1800 in December, once again many thanks to all are shareholders, in helping to support the building work necessary to keep on top of repairs and maintenance.
Events coming up in March. Mothering Sunday on March 11th. Special Service on Palm Sunday 25th March. Agape supper in the Church hall March 29th. Good Friday March 30th March and Easter Day on April 1st. All are welcome to these services, keep an eye on the notice boards in the Church Porch.
Blessings to all our readers.
Parry Edwards
The Facebook Alternative
To others of my generation who still do not and cannot comprehend why Facebook ever exists, here’s what I’m doing to gain a better understanding. I am trying to make new friends without using Facebook, but while applying the same principles.
Every day I walk down the street and tell passer-bys what I have eaten, how I feel at the moment, and what I have done the night before, what I will do later, and with whom. I give them pictures of my family, my dog and of me gardening, taking things apart in the garage, watering the lawn, standing in front of landmarks, driving around town, having lunch and doing what anybody and everybody else does every day.
I also listen to their conversations, then give them the ‘thumbs up’ and tell them I like them, I also promised to exchange holiday photos. And it seems to be working.
I already have four people following me: two police officers, a private investigator and a psychiatrist!
February Letters
A big heartfelt "Thank You", to all the Saturday Walking Buddies, whose thoughtfulness and innovative way of announcing to the Vale and surrounding areas, the occasion of my last big birthday, despite me being on the other side of the world. Very touched, you know who you are! Salt of the earth and blessed to know you all.
Glen Stevens
I would like to thank the Community Council for taking the time to hold the meeting in February with regard to the future of the Church Hall. I feel it is now clear that the Church ARE selling the Church Hall and that the Church are offering the community the chance to purchase the hall to ensure that it has a future within our community.
Below is a contact which may help. I have also written to the Community Council.
Glamorgan Voluntary Services (GVS), BARRY, Heritage Lottery Funding 1-2-1 advice. Thursday 15th March 2018 Phone Andy Harris 20234155 or email andrew.harris@hlf.org.uk
Buildings do not have to be historic according to their advert. They help save community buildings.
Sandra Morgan
The family of the late Michael D’ Arcy thank all our friends and neighbours who gave us wonderful support, beautiful flowers, gifts and cards. It was also a great comfort to us to know that so many were able to attend the Requiem Mass for Michael.
Thanks and peace to all,
Peggy, Helen, Elizabeth, Christopher and John.
Mervyn and Family would like to thank everyone for their support and sympathy wishes during this difficult time.
Cambrian Park Village
CAMBRIAN PARK
Cambrian Park retirement village is a novel and attractive housing development on the outskirts of Wenvoe just beyond Brooklands Terrace, near CulverHouse Cross. The retirement village was originally a green field site, which in 1952 became a caravan park. The site evolved and people started living there in static caravans but the infrastructure was of poor quality and site became run down.
Cambrian Park was purchased by the current owners Maguire Park Homes in 2007 and managed by Maguire Park Homes. It was then brought up to a high standard with mains water, gas and electricity.
Agnes, the Park Director, is currently project managing the development, which when complete will have 145 new owner-occupied detached homes.
The bungalow-style efficient double-glazing and energy-efficient homes range from £139,000-£175,000.The standard two-bedroom property comes with carpets, curtains, white goods…
Purchasers have a choice of fixtures and fittings or they can have their home built to their own specification.
All residents of Cambrian Park must be over the age of 50 and the estate aims to offer a safe and secure community, which is overseen by a site warden. Although many residents have second homes overseas, most have downsized and see this as their last house move.
The Park is enjoyed by mature people who want a safe home in their retirement, or singles and couples who want the security and peace of mind of belonging to a community of people of similar age, but who do not want to move to managed accommodation. As the Park is for the over 50s children are welcome but only to visit for holidays and weekends…
It is an exceptionally well kept Park and close to bus stops and convenient for shopping at the stores at CulverHouse Cross, with a bridge to Ely shops and services including a GP practice.
In addition to this residential Park, the Maguire family have several in Wales and England with plans for more. Each Park is initially project managed by the adult children of the Maguire family.
Maintenance agents and sole traders and other services providers, while not officially recommended, are nevertheless on an approved list.
It was pleasing that several residents of Cambrian Park attended the ‘Welcome to Wenvoe’ event at the Community Centre, towards the end of last year. A few residents have plots on the Wenvoe allotment site in Twyn-Yr-Odyn.
As mentioned above, further homes are being built, so happily those in Wenvoe will have more residents who may wish to enjoy the many meetings and activities published in Wenvoe What’s On. Residents receive copies of Wenvoe What’s on, with some taking full advantage of Wenvoe’s social associations.
This article was written with the kind assistance of Angus Maguire.
Community Centre Meeting
Thursday 8th February – 7.00pm
An Open Meeting is to be held at the Community Centre on 8 February at 7 pm. The meeting will be hosted by St Mary’s Church and Wenvoe Community Council.
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the future of the Church Hall. Some residents may already be aware that St Mary’s is considering building an extension to the church in order to rehouse activities currently undertaken in the Church Hall. The Church has determined that the Hall is no longer suitable for their needs and that maintenance costs make the building unsustainable.
As a consequence the Church are considering selling the Hall. This could either be for redevelopment or possible purchase by the Community Council
The purpose of the meeting is, therefore, to further explain the options and to gauge the views of residents.
We hope that as many residents as possible will be able to attend the meeting. For:those who are unable to be there we would welcome your views if you would care to email the Council at. wenvoecc@googlemail.com
Colin Thomas . Chairman
Winter Activities
Following on from all the activity in church over the celebration of Christmas, the month of January has seen the church settle in to a quieter time as we bring ourselves into the New year of 2018, and the plans we are making for the year ahead. 2017 was a continuing year of progress in the life of the church, and we intend to make 2018 another year we can be pleased, to look back on.
At a recent meeting of the Parochial Church Council (PCC), Vicar Jon gave a summary of his welcoming to the parish of Bishop June, who visited as part of her progress around the diocese, getting to know the different parishes of her diocese. This was very informal and the day ended with the Bishop meeting all the churchwardens of our six churches, where the discussion was how she saw the way forward and equally how the wardens saw their roles in supporting the clergy in making the church more proactive in the years ahead.
The other main item under discussion was the receiving of the Quinquennial Inspection (QI) report. This report is a very thorough statement of work needed to be carried out over the next five years. The PCC resolved to appoint the inspector Richard Dean as our church architect to oversee the works he has highlighted as most urgent. We will shortly see work beginning to remove the concrete channelling on the south side of the nave and chancel, to be replaced with a “French drain” to cure the dampness which is spreading up at the base of the walls. Other immediate work will be on the roof of the tower, dealing with slipping slates, drainage problems and vegetation infestation. This work will amount to some £12,000 pounds which will be met from the Building Fund.
Plans for the annual Christian Aid Appeal are well in hand and will be launched in the parish with a “Big Breakfast” in the community centre on the morning of Saturday 12th May 2018, more details to follow later.. The usual house to house collections will take place during the following week.
Announced at the meeting was the plan to change our present Ministry Area status to that of a Rectorial Benefice. Apparently as a Ministry Area we are not a legal entity recognised by the Church in Wales, so we cannot apply for any loans we might need, however as a Rectorial Benefice we have that legal status restored and parish are now working to adopt that model as in Barry and Penarth, In essence we would carry on much as we do at present, keeping our own church council, our own bank account, and will give us the flexibility to adapt and develop things as we may need to in the future. All PCC’s have to approve these plans once they have been formulated, with the new status coming into effect in early 2019.
As already announced, a Public Meeting hosted by the Wenvoe Community Council and St. Mary’s Church will be held in the Community Centre on February 8th 2018 at 7.pm. to discuss the possibility of the Community Council purchasing the Church Hall. Full details of the reasons why we need to sell the Church Hall…can be found in the January edition of “What’s On”.
Looking ahead in these dark days of Winter. February is the month for birthdays in our house. The next Faith in Film night at the Rectory is on 3rd February at 7.30 pm. Remember the public meeting in the Community Centre on the 8th February at 7 pm.. The Chattery meets in the church Hall at 10.30 am on the 8th February. Do you look forward to the postman dropping a card through your door on the 14th St. Valentines Day. Pancake Day on the 13th followed by Ash Wednesday on the 14th. (The beginning of the season of Lent) then the Quiz in the Community Centre on the 17th at 7.30pm.
The season of Lent is often called the “spring cleaning of the soul in readiness for Easter” there are opportunities hear and take part in discussions on the Lenten theme.. see the notice board in church and also the weekly newsletter and “Connections” parish magazine.
Thank you for taking your time to read about what’s happening and the plans for the month ahead…every one is welcome to St Mary’s at the times of services and also when Jon has his “Open Door” in church.
Parry Edwards
A GREAT LITTLE PLANE
As the Royal Air Force celebrates its Centenary a series of tributes have appeared, saluting the planes which made the service great– the Lancaster, the Hurricane and the renowned Spitfire which was named the single greatest weapon of the Second World War, claimed by those who flew her to be the perfect flying machine
The Spitfire captured the imagination of the public and all over Britain villages, towns and businesses would set up a “ Spitfire Fund” to raise the nominal £5,000 to buy a plane in their name. One such village was our local Michaelston-le-Pit. Norman Merrett, a Spitfire pilot from the village, had gone down with his plane in 1940. His father wrote these words to Lord Beaverbrook, Minister for Aircraft Production, “These tragic circumstances have served only to strengthen the resolve of this small community. I want you to accept the enclosed cheque for £5,000 from the village of Michaelston-le-Pit”.
The Internet and Social Media
Growing up in an age of social media makes it all the more sad when people abuse their followings. Recently, a YouTube personality named Logan Paul uploaded a vlog where he was walking through Suicide Forest in Japan. I’m sure many of you would have heard by now about the disappointing video, as he and his friends appear to find a body in the forest. I must say that despite for the most part being raised with technology and social media, I am consistently aware of what I post, who it might offend and why I’m doing so. It baffles me then, that someone with such a following – a following of young people I might add, would be so ignorant to others’ emotions that they would film a dead body, and upload the video in which they move closer and closer to the body with their camera; a body of a man who has suffered some form of hardship so terrible it drove him to suicide. It honestly disgusts me how you could be so ignorant to then turn the camera on to yourself and begin to speak about mental health as though it is a matter you care about. Once you have filmed someone who has possibly suffered a mental health disorder (and film them with no remorse) and further have the hypocrisy to beg others to check their own mental health, you are not an ‘influencer’. You have given yourself over as someone who cares more about the amount of people who watch your videos – not those who do. Even though you have blurred the man’s face out (to comply with YouTube’s new rules by the way; YouTube, you too made a big mistake with not reviewing this one) it does not blur the hurt his family must feel, having you, Logan Paul, edit and yet still upload such a video.
As I said, I am the generation raised with the internet and social media. I was thirteen when I got my first social media profile, but even then and even now I think about everything I post. Every outcome, every reaction. If I were a YouTuber, I’d do exactly the same, because people seem to look up to YouTubers. They have found fame in the digital age and should be respectful that their voice is important. Many take this responsibility and use it wisely to speak about matters close to their own hearts; such come to mind are people like Gabbie Hanna, Liza Koshy, Lilly Singh, or Carrie Hope Fletcher, Giovanna Fletcher and Joey Graceffa who take responsibility for their online following and use it to raise awareness on important topics.
It baffles me how someone like Logan Paul (and for that matter, his brother) can understand their demographic is young people for the most part, and yet still disregard their emotions in order to gain ‘views’. My attempt is not to be ‘preachy’ but to ask why? How has a hobby for so many, and a career for millions, become for the sole purpose of feeding some people’s narcissistic tendencies? Logan Paul has argued in his original apology that he did not upload the video for ‘views’ because he claimed “I already get the views”. His ignorance overshadows that of incredible people truly trying to enlighten and empower young people; take Meghan Rienks, a YouTuber who also hosts her own podcast as a sort of sister/agony aunt to young girls. She is using her own influence and comedy to provide help and guidance for young girls; her videos are fun and uplifting, and most importantly – she thinks about the way her video will be perceived before she uploads it!
Logan Paul’s video is inexcusable in my opinion; it was not a live stream which would be unable to be edited. He had walked through the forest, and made the decision himself to film the man. He later went home and edited said video. He had all of the time whilst editing to easily come across the massive fault in his video; many continue to support his video and claim it to be “raising awareness”, and find it acceptable, seeing as “he did blur the face”. Which, you know, makes it okay? Nope.
At almost eighteen years old, having run my own blog since I was almost sixteen, I know what it is to review and have to think through your content before you post. Why then can’t Logan Paul, who has been on this Earth longer than I have? Ignorance is bliss, I suppose.
By Tirion Davies
Enjoyment of the Night Sky
I have been pleasantly surprised by ‘proper’ dark evenings and nights. So many of the places I have lived had city lights or Street lights close enough to tone down the crispness of a starry, starry sky. Here I enjoy the last evening time that I let our dog out into the garden. If dry and clear, I step onto the patio and admire the night sky. Slowly I will relearn the location and names of the main constellations. For now I can look straight up and spot the W of Cassiopeia. It is November, so I must wait for Orion the Hunter and his two Dog stars to come fully into view. I have to say that I lack the imagination of the old stargazers who found star patterns 6that depicted animals, insects and all sorts of shapes.
In contrast, I called walk our dog early in the morning and watch the sun lift over the A 4050, sometimes shining straight in my eyes as if the surface of the road is an artificial horizon. Sometimes an orange or pink hue suffuses the sky before the sun breaks the spell. Sometimes the light is a broad swathe of grey through an early mist. This morning the sun set of sparklers on the frosted grass.
And later, in early December, on the coldest morning to date, the sky was incredibly clear. Before our walk, the dark allowed the stars to sparkle and the ‘plough’ to point it’s way to the north star. Shortly after, during our walk, Alfie and I were treated to an ice blue sky where four planes criss crossed the firmament with vapour trails the colour of Clogau Gold.
AyJay
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