Category: News

Tucker’s Wartime Spring Plant Sale

TUCKER’S WARTIME SPRING PLANT SALE

Saturday 10th May

 

This year’s Spring Plant sale falls very close to the VE80 anniversary which is on 8 May. This commemorates the 80th anniversary of the cessation of fighting in Europe. Fighting would rage on in Japan until surrender came on 15 August 1945 which finally ended WW2. The usual array of plants will be on sale outside the church hall and there will be hustle and bustle inside the church hall too. The hall will be decorated inside and out with celebratory bunting, there will be music from the era playing inside and there will be refreshments with a chance for visitors to buy a sheet of ‘ration tickets’ which they can use to sample some food made from typical wartime recipes. There may be some under the table brownies and cakes available too but don’t tell anyone about that. Penalties are hard for Black Marketeers. If you wish to dress in clothes sympathetic to wartime we would be delighted.

There will be the usual raffle but running parallel to that will be another raffle which will have prizes which would have been treasured during wartime restrictions. You still only pay once but every winning ticket gets a prize from each table. There will be posters and information sheets around the walls. Glenys recorded older residents talking about their memories of WW2 in 2020 for planned celebrations for VE75 but Covid stopped that so there will be some transcripts for people to read on the day too. You may even like to have a go at ‘pin the cigar on Churchill’.

As usual the proceeds from the raffle and some proceeds from the plants and refreshments will go to our charity of choice which is the Wenvoe Wildlife Group to help enable them to carry out the much needed work they do in and around our village. We would love to see as many of you as possible on the day and hope you will join in with the spirit of the occasion. Mark your calendar!

Christmas Appeal

CHRISTMAS APPEAL

“Considering others during Advent”  

Many thanks to all who donated to this appeal for the Sudan via Christian Aid and for the Vale Foodbank.

Many kindly gave for the Sudan including some donations from Sully. We are very pleased to let you know that we collected £473.24 including gift aid.  This has been banked and gratefully received. Many thanks for all your kind donations.

We were also pleased with the appeal for the Vale Foodbank. Your donations of food and Christmas goodies were very generous. Each week in December there was a car boot full of gifts which delighted those sorting and delivering parcels from the warehouse. In addition, we collected £310 (including gift aid) which will be used to purchase specific foods when items are in short supply.

The warehouse was closed for one week during the Christmas period, and we were pleased we had ongoing donations to deliver during January. Staple items requested throughout the year include:

Tinned meat, and vegetables including potatoes, dried instant snacks, tinned fish, tinned spaghetti and soups, milk and sponge puddings and custard, long  life fruit juice and milk, cereals, peanut butter and  sandwich spreads, toiletries, and treats.

We will continue to deliver goods weekly to the warehouse and would be grateful for any donations placed in the boxes in the church porch (they are  emptied on a regular basis)

.

Jude Billingham

 

Criminals Beware!

CRIMINALS BEWARE!

Wenvoe Online regularly includes reports from our local Neighbourhood Watch. Many of us display Neighbourhood Watch stickers on our doors and windows and read the regular Wenvoe Online reports, which not only cover recent crime incidents, but also contain a lot of valuable help and advice on avoiding being a victim of crime. So how much do you know about Neighbourhood Watch?

Like Crimestoppers it did not originate in the UK but the United States. In 1964, 28-year-old Kitty Genovese was stabbed in New York outside her apartment. Two weeks after the murder it was rumoured that 38 witnesses saw or heard the attack, but none of them called the police or came to her aid. This motivated a community response and the very first Neighbourhood Watch scheme was set up in New York. It was not until 1982 that the first UK scheme, known as Homewatch, was set up in Mollington, Cheshire by the local Crime Prevention Officer, Sgt Grahame John Andrews.

The idea grew in strength and in 2007, with the support of the police and the Home Office, the umbrella organisation for the movement, now known as Neighbourhood Watch Network, was established. The focus was on community groups liaising with the police to help reduce burglary and other home and personal crimes. It is now the largest voluntary crime prevention movement covering England and Wales with upwards of 2.3 million household members. The local schemes vary in size and are co-ordinated and supervised by a volunteer resident who liaises with the police and other partners on information, messages and initiatives. The Home Office does not fund individual Neighbourhood Watch schemes, although it does provide funding for the national organisation. The Government also funds public liability insurance for those involved in local schemes with responsibility for this devolved to the national Neighbourhood and Home Watch Network.

It is difficult to measure how effective Neighbourhood Watch schemes are in reducing crime, but it is believed that they help in several ways. The general raising of awareness of crime in the community is important. Increasing the flow of information and intelligence between the police and local community is a positive. The scheme also fosters good community spirit. Burglars and other criminals are deterred if they think residents are looking out for suspicious activity. Neighbours often help by moving bins or newspapers, cutting lawns and generally supporting the impression that homes are occupied.

Wenvoe Neighbourhood Watch Annual General Meeting

As a voluntary organisation, the success or otherwise of the scheme depends on what the local community make of it. The AGM of the Wenvoe Neighbourhood Watch is on Wednesday 5th February 8pm in the Community Centre. It is open to any Wenvoe resident, with an agenda of: reports from Officers and Co-ordinators, election of Chair and Secretary/Treasurer. Reports will be received and officers elected for the coming year

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

 

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

Men United In Song Supporting Prostate Cymru

MEN UNITED IN SONG SUPPORTING PROSTATE CYMRU

Men United in Song has proved such a big hit nationwide that the popular pop-up singing project is being rolled out in the Vale of Glamorgan.

Launching in January 2025 and supporting Prostate Cymru, Men United in Song aims to give 40-plus local men the opportunity to get involved, try something new and give something back to the community… In a nutshell what does it offer?

  • A ten week project starting on 28th January.
  • A chance to learn to sing.
  • No previous experience needed.
  • Professional direction and support.
  • Great social opportunities.
  • A chance to sing in Llandaff Cathedral on 11th April.

Working over ten weeks towards a fantastic live charity event at Llandaff Cathedral on 11th April 2025, participants meet new people, challenge themselves, perform live on stage AND raise money for a much-loved and very important charity Prostate Cymru – what’s not to like?

No previous experience is necessary, just a willingness to step outside their comfort zone, get stuck in and give it a go… everyone’s in the same boat, and it’s all about the journey! Previous projects around the UK provided an overwhelmingly positive experience for the men who took part:

“A really great experience, at the start it was daunting, but we all came good!”

“A great bunch of men, and you got the best out of us… brilliant!”

For more information, call 07395414501 or email

menunitedinsong.vog@outlook.com

The MUIS project is grateful for the financial assistance from Ty Cerdd, Vale

of Glamorgan Council and GVS third sector small grants scheme.

Update On 6th Annual Tuckers Reindeer Sale

UPDATE ON 6TH ANNUAL
TUCKERS REINDEER SALE

On a wet and windy day in November we set everything up for the Tucker’s Reindeer sale hoping that people would brave the weather and turn up.

As usual, our lovely community didn’t disappoint and came in droves. We had wonderful crafters and stall holders with us, and all made satisfying sales. Brenda and her friend played Christmas music on their accordions and the church hall was festooned with nostalgic Christmas decorations. Coffee, tea and cakes were consumed with lots of chat and laughter and reindeers sold like hot cakes. The total from the sale, and from kind donations since from people who could not be at the sale, now stands at over £1,500 for Wenvoe Wildlife Group.

We want to thank you all for your help and support. Whether you were manning the coffee and tea station, the cake stall, the raffle books or standing in the pouring rain selling reindeers. Whether you were one of our excellent crafters or stall holders, bought raffle tickets, donated raffle prizes or bought drinks and cake you all played a part.

We are always amazed at your kindness and once again there are just no words to adequately express the level of our gratitude. Happy New Year to you all.

 

Autumn Walk

Autumn Walk

If you recently planned to go for a walk in the park, you would have expected to enjoy the wonderful colours of the autumn leaves, the shiny conkers, the displays of fungus, the play area full of excited children…

what you may not have expected to see was an amazing display on aerial silks.

The silks were tied to a sturdy branch and Bethan had the opportunity to practise her skills in the sunshine in a fantastic outdoor setting.

 

Lynne Frugtniet

 

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