Category: News
February 2025 200 Club Winners
April 2025 Diary of Events
A Revolution Taking Place On Vale Streets
A REVOLUTION TAKING PLACE ON VALE STREETS
Have you ever had the feeling street lighting is not what it used to be? Not surprising when we can trace the history back to 500BC! Today the Vale of Glamorgan Council are well advanced in the latest street lighting revolution. LED streetlights are being installed in all residential streets as part of a £1.4 million investment project that will benefit the environment by reducing Co2 emissions and energy costs. But what are the advantages?
Street lighting seems to have started in China in what is now Beijing c500BC, when natural gas (from volcano gas leaks) was led through bamboo pipes to serve as a fuel for streetlamps. Ancient Romans used oil lamps filled with vegetable oil in front of their houses. They used special slaves, whose only duty was to take care of those lamps, to light them, extinguish them and watch that they always had oil. The first organised method of public lighting was in 1417 when the Mayor of London, Sir Henry Barton, introduced a law that all houses must hang lanterns outside when night fell during the winter months. It wasn’t until 1807 that London got its first gas lit street. Every evening lamplighters, men whose job was to take care of the gas street lights, were lighting the lanterns and every morning they were putting them out.
The Vale’s LED project promises a rather more sophisticated and efficient way of lighting our streets. The high startup costs must be balanced by the longer-term benefits. Over
10,000 conventional street lighting lanterns have been replaced by more efficient LED alternatives. The Vale claims the project will reduce ongoing maintenance and repair costs. LED lanterns can last for 20 to 25 years, or 100,000 hours compared to conventional lighting, which only has a life span of three to six years. LED lights are more efficient. A common problem with older streetlights, which contain mechanical clocks, is that their timing and lighting up times can be put out of sync, either by general power cuts or by insects jamming the mechanism. In both instances the clocks must be manually reset.
The environmental benefits extend to reduced energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. LEDs are free from hazardous materials like mercury, making them much kinder to our planet. Plus, they’re fully recyclable, further tipping the scales in favour of sustainability. When Los Angeles swapped their old streetlights for LEDs, they cut down CO2 emissions by 47,000 metric tons each year. That’s equivalent to taking thousands of cars off the road! Imagine cutting your electricity use by 70%!
The Vale report that a key feature of the new system is that the new lights can be dimmed by 50% between midnight and 6am, when the higher lighting levels are not required due to the lack of pedestrian and road traffic. Many of us have peered out onto the street in the dead of night and felt that the lighting is less vibrant than it used to be, and some have commented on the potential security implications that may result. However, the Vale report that LED lights enhance facial recognition for CCTV cameras.
LED may be the tip of the iceberg. SMART streetlight networks are already being adapted for more uses. The potential is huge. Cities deploy air quality monitors and noise sensors alongside the lighting controls, gathering data to tackle pollution hotspots and excessive urban noise. In Christchurch, New Zealand, planners are exploring using this network to collect and transmit water meter data.
*You can report a street light fault to the Vale of Glamorgan Council using an online form or by telephone 01446 700111.
Tucker’s Plant Sale
On Saturday 10 May from 10.00am – 4.00pm the Tuckers VE80 Wartime Plant Sale will be taking place in and around the Church Hall. As the sale is taking place so close to the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe we thought we’d combine the two. There will be lots of plants for sale and Gareth will be running a preloved garden and sports equipment sale table. There will be wartime music inside the church hall along with the usual very popular raffle (if you would like to donate a prize we would be delighted). There will also be hot and cold drinks and wartime food made from recipes of the time which you can sample simply by buying some ration stamps. There will also be black market cakes and brownies available but that is a secret between you and I. You can have a go at ‘Pin the cigar on Churchill’ and ‘Pin the moustache on Hitler’ and see how close you can get it. Why not dress in clothes from the era? You certainly won’t be alone!
My good friend Gill Pinder, who has recently had a mural unveiled at Amelia Trust Farm, has donated one of her paintings of a Spitfire in flight. There will be a silent auction for this beautiful work of art on the day and, as with the raffle, wartime cakes, preloved table and plants, the proceeds from this auction will go to the Tucker charity of choice – Wenvoe Wildlife who do such fantastic work around the village.
Please be warned that there is a very shady character on the prowl at the moment and rumour has it that he may well be attending the sale with his suitcase, trying to sell black market items. If you see this man, please alert the authorities or the Home Guard.
There will be some wartime memorabilia to be perused, and I have transcribed the interviews I obtained from elderly Wenvoe residents in readiness for VE75 which was a non-event thanks to lockdown. If you have any family photos from WW2 which you would like to share, we can display them on the day.
Make a note of the date for this and come along and join in the fun! We’re looking forward to seeing you.
Valeways Walks March 2025
Valeways Walks March 2025
Valeways volunteers will have a busy period over the next few months in preparing footpaths, gates, stiles and steps in preparation for a celebration of the “Valeways Millennium Heritage Trail”. This event will roll out over several months from April 2025 consisting of bi-weekly led walks covering sections of this 100 km described trail. A walker taking the longer choices available will have walked the full trail.
For more information about walking or volunteering with Valeways, visit www.valeways.org.uk
Read Any Poetry Lately
Read Any Poetry Lately?
Have you read any poetry lately? Maybe not, as most people’s memories of poetry feature sitting in a boring English lesson, analysing verses and rhythms and learning lines to quote in an upcoming exam. So, when the Page Turners elected to read some poetry for the first time in the group’s existence, would this prove to be a challenge too far?!
Absolutely not! The group were given 10 poems by Mary Oliver to read. Mary Oliver is an American poet, born in Ohio, who published her first book of poetry in 1963, at the age of 23. Over the course of her long career, she received numerous awards and won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1984.
Although some of the group said they didn’t like poetry (…those boring school English lessons!) and admitted that poetry wasn’t their “cup of tea”, everyone agreed that Mary’s poetry was accessible, full of beautiful imagery and very descriptive. Most of the selected poems were focused on the joys of nature: “an armful of white blossoms”, in The Swan; “they are full of gorgeous life”, in Starlings in Winter.
The favourite poem of most of the group was, Starlings in Winter, which describes a murmuration of the birds. Who would disagree with some lines from this poem:
I want to be light and frolicsome
I want to be improbable,
beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.
Go on. Spread your wings. Read some poetry! The Page Turners were glad they did!
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
April Church News
April Church News
Every year we raise money for our main charity which is CHRISTIAN AID, and here is the result for our fund raising in 2024.
Money raising and giving for others in 2024. This includes donations from people in Wenvoe, with support from people in Sully.
Vale Foodbank: Each week staple foods and toiletries are taken to the Foodbank warehouse in Barry. In addition, special collections for Easter and Christmas help to swell our car loads. Some find it difficult to carry food and so they have given monetory donations. In 2024 this totalled £1,310.
Collections continue for staple foods and toiletries, and we are now collecting Easter Eggs.
Christian Aid: Collections were taken in response to specific appeals during the year. In 2024 we raised £353.40 for the Gaza appeal, and £388.44 for the Sudan Christmas appeal. Additional money is raised when individuals include gift aid.
In May each year we join with others throughout the UK to raise money for Christian Aid. In 2024 this highlighted the need for people living in Berundi. This raised £3,118.12, from the school non-uniform day, a collection at the Agape supper, selling used clothes, house to house delivery envelopes, church collections and the ‘Cake, Cake, and more Cake’ event.
We are now looking forward to Christian Aid 2025. The appeal explains the need for those who live in Guatemala. We will be repeating our fund raising activities including our popular ‘Cake, Cake’ and more Cake’ morning on Saturday 17th May.
A big thank you to Jude Billingham and her team for organising our fund raising. Diolch am fawr,
Our EASTER programme of services…
Lenten Meditation An opportunity to deepen our inner life – 30 minutes of silence bracketed with prayers. Please note rotating locations. Come to some or all.
Mon 4:30-5pm St Lythans 7 April
Tue 4:30-5pm Wenvoe – 1 & 8 April
Thur 4:30-5pm Sully – 3 April (Not 10th)
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Holy Week 2025
Palm Sunday, 13th April
9:30am – Eucharist & Palm Procession – Wenvoe
11am – Eucharist and Palm Procession – Sully
The Holy Journey through the Cross to the Resurrection begins with the Palm Procession recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Holy Week Daily Eucharist
6pm – Mon. 14 April – St John the Baptist, Sully
6pm – Tues. 15 April – St Bleiddian’s, St Lythans 10am – Wed. 16th April – St Mary Wenvoe
Holy Week continues with the Triduum,
which are the greatest three days of the Christian year.
Maundy Thursday, 17th April
7pm at Wenvoe Church Hall
Agape Supper incorporating the Holy Eucharist concluding with a Watch Service in the church.
This is the day we remember the institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, and we recall our vocation to serve through the recollection of Jesus
washing the disciples feet. This is a profound opportunity to reflect on our call to love one another as Christ mandated
Good Friday, 18th April
11am – St John the Baptist, Sully – Solemn Liturgy of Penitence and Commemoration
2pm – Walking the Way of the Cross – All are invited to gather at St Bleiddian’s, St Lythans to walk down the hill to Wenvoe Church OR to gather at St Mary the Virgin, Wenvoe for a reading of the Way of the Cross concurrently while awaiting the arrival of the pilgrims from St Lythans.
3pm – St Mary the Virgin, Wenvoe – Conclusion of the Way of the Cross and Solemn Liturgy of Penitence
This is the day that we remember the crucifixion of Christ; we acknowledge brokenness in the world; and we confess our part in that brokenness. While this day is a solemn recognition of darkness, our profound hope in the Resurrection underlies our observance of Good Friday.
Easter Sunday – Day of Resurrection, 20th April
7am – Sunrise Lighting of the Easter Fire & Holy Eucharist with Renewal of Baptismal Vows – St Bleiddian’s, St Lythans
9:30am – Lighting of the Easter Candle & Eucharist with Renewal of Baptismal Vows – St Mary the Virgin, Wenvoe
11am – Lighting of the Easter Candle & Eucharist with Renewal of Baptismal Vows – St John the Baptist, Sully
This is the biggest Sunday of the year! In the earliest days, Easter was the only Christian festival: an annual celebration, in one act, of Christ’s life, death, resurrection, ascension, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. The celebration lasted fifty days in one continuous festival of adoration, joy, and thanksgiving, ending on the Feast of Pentecost. Our celebration of the Holy Eucharist on Easter Day, then, is marked by joy with the lighting of the Paschal Candle and the Renewal of Baptismal Vows. There is an absence of all things penitential so that the Great Fifty Days of Easter outweigh the Forty Days of Lent. We celebrate that we are a Resurrection People!
Do feel free to join us in as many services as you wish.
Flowers for the Easter Decorations
This year we are repeating the opportunity for you to remember a loved one with the purchase of a Easter Lily which will be used in the church decorations. Donations of £3.00 per name to be submitted by Palm Sunday (please write the name clearly). Church decorating is planned for Saturday morning 19th April at 10.00am.
It is good to hear that residents of the Glenburnie Care Home gather to watch and take part in the live stream, on Facebook, of our Sunday Eucharist with copies of the printed service and hymns. We welcome them as a part of our outreach to the community.
All services at St. Mary’s are live streamed at ..
http/www.ipcamlive.com/stmaryschurch
Thank you for reading the church news, there is always a warm welcome for you at St. Mary’s.
Every Blessing Parry
A Few ‘Experiences’ From Four Walks
A Few ‘Experiences’ from Four Walks
The winter weather for our walks has been mixed with less than the usual amount of rain but…twice we have abandoned due to the weather; once for a storm and once for heavy rain. All the walks are on map OS151. Unusually, rather than describe full walks I am describing a few ‘experiences’.
Ely Valley Walk 8m 550ft.
A visit to the Pendoylan/Peterston-super Ely area.
As we crossed a field a pigeon landed on someone’s back and even when shoo-ed away continued to follow us, landing on various people’s heads and backs. It didn’t give up until at a junction of paths, Misty, the dog, decided to chase it and after much fluttering and briefly landing, it flew off. Someone else who walked in the same area a couple of weeks later had a similar experience.
We needed to cross the railway and had the excitement of telephoning for permission. We were told to wait for two trains. We found it hard to believe that the second train hadn’t already gone until it roared past us. This is a very fast line! A second phone call confirmed that we had crossed safely, and we continued, past a house called Pratt’s Bottom.
The latter part of the walk was across very muddy, wet and smelly fields where we hopped and jumped from grassy clump to grassy clump. At a stream crossing, with a steep muddy bank, one person heroically stood at the foot of the bank to help us across. Yours truly jumped across and up the bank to end up sprawled face down in the mud. Luckily most people missed the entertainment and someone helped me up!
Drinks to recover were enjoyed in the Red Lion, Bonvilston.
Cowbridge Walk 7 m 500ft.
Well, we thought the Ely valley was muddy but at least there we had water to wash it off. At the end of this walk which looped from Llanblethian to Siginstone, all of us had more mud on our boots and clothes than at any time this year.
The final leg of the walk took in the Coffin stiles which lie on farmland to the west of the new estate in Cowbridge. These stiles connect Penllyn with Llanfrynach church and were used when a coffin needed to be carried to the church for a funeral. Each has a double stile with a pillar in the centre to rest the coffin as the bearers cross.
Walking through the Clare Garden estate, West Cowbridge we spotted three brick chimney shaped structures which we presume were sculptures, but we were confused by them. We saw a few spring flowers, snowdrops, daffodils and primroses but no frog spawn or lambs this year yet. Everything seems late, presumably because of the low light levels.
Drinks in Baffle Haus.
Cardiff Bay
This was Bert’s monthly midweek walk. We parked near the Oyster Catcher in Penarth Marina and walked across the river Ely, through the white-water centre where ambulance staff were training, towards the Hamadryad and the nature reserve before stopping at Coffee Mania in the Bay for coffee/tea. Then back across the barrage to Penarth marina. It was freezing cold, and we certainly felt the cutting wind as we walked across the barrage but all of us were glad we had turned up and enjoyed the chat.
The Hamadryad was a seaman’s hospital and later a psychiatric hospital in Cardiff docklands. Originally it was HMS Royal Hamadryad a hospital ship provided for seamen and situated on a piece of waste ground, known as Rat Island, and donated by the Marquis of Bute. A free hospital, it was funded by a levy on shipping at Cardiff Docks.
Walk 5 miles easy (i.e. flat and on firm surfaces throughout)
Taff Ely Ridgeway Walk 7m
Lastly, but by no means least, at the end of January, on a sunny morning with temperatures below freezing but rising we walked near the wind turbines. At the side of the paths, we saw several examples of ‘hair ice’. This is a rare type of ice formation where the presence of a particular fungus in rotting wood produces thin strands of ice which resemble hair. Conditions for the formation of this ice are specific; to form moist rotting wood from a broadleaf tree in the presence of moist air and a temperature below 0oC . How lucky were we to see it – It was beautiful