Category: News

A Fitting Way To Remember The Brave

A FITTING WAY TO REMEMBER THE BRAVE

Armistice Day, also known as Remembrance Day, is the day each year when we remember those who have given their lives in conflict. It is held on the 11th day of the 11th month, to mark the day in 1918 when hostilities ceased at the end of the First World War.

We remember not only the British soldiers, sailors, and airmen but also those of our allies who fought alongside us not only in the First World War but also in World War II, the Falklands War, the Gulf War, and conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.

All wars are terrible, and it is appropriate that younger generations see and hear about the horrors so that they grow up to realise the futility of conflict, which may help them follow the path of peace in their lives. So, it is appropriate that both young and old attend and take part in Remembrance Day church services, events and parades.

This year to mark the day I met with some former army colleagues from the Royal Regiment of Wales to carry a wreath to lay at a memorial for five Canadian airmen who lost their lives on the Brecon Beacons on 6th July 1942. They were flying a Wellington bomber R1465 on a training flight from RAF Wellesbourne Mountford, which is a few miles east of Stratford-upon-Avon. The pilot Flight Sergeant John Kemp, of the Royal Canadian Air Force, had descended out of cloud to check his position when he flew at full speed into the cliffs and escarpment of Waun Ryd before he had time to pull up. The other four crew members died instantly.

We met at the car park at Blaen y Glyn Uchaf (Grid Ref 055175), above Talybont at 9.00am for an early start. It is exactly an hour by car from Wenvoe. Soon we were climbing the well-laid stone steps that lead up the steep south end of the Craig y Fan Ddu escarpment. This is a great hike up alongside the waterfall of the Nant Bwrefwr stream which is just to the left of the track. Like most waterfalls in Wales, it is safe to say that if it is not in full spate – it soon will be! This route is not for the faint-hearted, as it is not just steep but long as well. Happily, it does flatten out after about thirty minutes and once you reach the top the views in all directions are splendid. On a good day, you can see the M4 bridge crossing the Severn estuary. On this day the cloud was low, so we carried on along a well-marked path where large bags of rocks and stones had been placed by helicopters. We soon came across the labourers who were employed by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority to use those materials to improve the path.

After about an hour we turned down into the valley of Cerrig Edmwnt and descended toward the crash site. In the distance, I could see the memorial coming to view out of the mists. Strewn around it is the wreckage of the bomber. There are two main piles of metal, while the engines are higher up embedded in the sandstone cliffs. There is a fine cairn which was erected in 1980 by pupils and staff of Tredegar Comprehensive School and it is a recognised Canadian War Memorial. It carries a metal plaque that lists the date of the crash and the names of the crew. They are all buried in a cemetery in Hereford.

We had taken a wreath of poppies as well as some small crosses which we attached to the memorial with wire to stop them from being blown away in the strong winds. One of our group recited a few appropriate lines and a prayer was said for the crew. We reflected on how these young Canadians, far from home, had died on a remote Welsh mountain while playing their part in the Second World War.

To vary the route, we decided to walk back via Fan y Big with its famous ‘diving board’, a slab of horizontal stone that juts out of the peak and makes a great place for a photograph. Then a steep descent took us to the Roman Road which we followed to Torpantau, where we passed the site of the old railway station. Finally, we slogged up the tarmac road back to the car park. It had taken us four and a half hours, but time well spent.

by Alun Davies

 

 

Thank You For Your Support

Dear All,

I would just like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your support and encouragement over the last 7 years while I have been the Priest in Charge here of the Parishes of Wenvoe and St Lythans.

I have been most fortunate to serve in such a beautiful place but especially to serve in such a lovely community. It has been a privilege to serve with you and to be involved in different aspects of village life. We are lucky in Wenvoe to still maintain our shop, pub, library, halls and school, and of course all the clubs and societies and What’s On that plays such a wonderful role in keeping people connected. I would just like to make a special mention for Gwenfo School, for the children, parents and staff associated with it. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed coming and being with you at school assemblies and inviting you into St Mary’s and a couple of years ago leading a pilgrimage to St Lythans.

The last 18months have been difficult for everyone, but the way the community has pulled together and supported each other has been inspiring and thank you to the special people who have done so much for others.

I have many highlights of my time with you all. Christmas is always a special time and having the community gathered together with Vale Village Church was always a favourite moment. As was the Waiting for Jesus gathering we used to have on Christmas Eve with people of all ages coming dressed as angels or shepherds (plus the occasional king!). We have enjoyed the Scarecrow Festivals and of course the Vicar in the Stocks and the Teddy Bear Parachute Jump off the Tower. We have had candidates for Confirmation and recorded two programmes for Radio Wales Sunday Worship Celebration.

None of this would have been possible without the magnificent congregations. I don’t know what people were expecting when I first arrived but we have been on a good journey together. What people outside of the church don’t realise is how much all churches rely on volunteers, and here Wenvoe, St Lythans (and Sully – my other church) are in the Premier League. So a special thank you to our Reader Emeritus and local historian and editor (the list could go on), to all who have served as Church Wardens, the Treasurers, the leaders of the Building Committee, the Secretaries to the PCC’s, all PCC members, the people who put together the weekly Newsletter and edit the Magazine those who lead worship and read in church, my clergy colleagues, the people who provide the music, those who organise the refreshments and the social occasions we all enjoy as a community, the leaders of Pebbles and all who have worked with the children and young people in the past, the fundraisers, the 200 Club and those who donate through the various ways to the Church, the Flower arrangers, the clock winders, the people who sort out Foodbank and charity collections. Those who clean the churches and polish the brasses and those who keep and have kept the church grounds looking so good. I hope I haven’t left anyone out, but if I have, I apologise. It is because of these wonderful volunteers that our churches have stood for 800 years and will continue to go for centuries to come.

It is now time for a new chapter for me, and a new chapter for the churches. As we enter into Autumn, we are reminded that there is indeed

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3.1

With my thanks to you all for the time we have spent together and my continued prayers to the wonderful people of Wenvoe and St Lythans

Blessings

Jon

 

Waking Up in a Greek Monastery

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WORKING IN THE GARDEN OF THE MOTHER OF GOD

I am fast asleep when a strange noise wakes me, checking my watch it is 3 am and very dark. I am in a Greek monastery overlooking the Aegean Sea, which laps at the walls one hundred feet beneath my room. This is the call to prayer, and it is being sounded on a semantron which is a piece of wood about four feet long which is being carried about by a monk who hits it with a mallet to make the rhythmical noise. I am in the monastery of Saint Gregory, one of twenty monasteries on Mount Athos, known to the Greeks as the Garden of the Mother of God. They believe that the Virgin Mary came ashore from a boat to avoid a storm and she blessed the land. Since then, no other woman or female animal has been allowed there.

The Holy Monastery of Saint Gregory

The monks begin to gather in the main church of the monastery for the main service of their day called Orthos. But I am here with a twenty strong group to work on clearing the footpaths, so we do not get up yet, we are allowed to lie in. At 6 am I rise and go for a shave in the visitors’ quarters. The water is sometimes hot and sometimes cold. It seems to me that washing in cold water must be a kind of penance. After dressing I make my way down to the church, which is of the Orthodox religion, as other pilgrims join me. As I am non-orthodox, I am not allowed into the main body of the church but must take a stall at the back. These individual stalls are comfortable with a seat that one can sit on, or it can be raised when one stands. Cleverly it has a half-up position which allows one to half sit while appearing to stand!

As more monks and pilgrims arrive, they move from icon-to-icon venerating (kissing) the frescos and paintings of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, the apostles, and saints. The service is in Greek and although the liturgy is based on the same eucharist that we find in the Anglican church it is, frankly, difficult to follow. The singing and chanting are however very pleasant and soothing. Soon we hear the clinking sound of the censor being swung and the smell of raspberry flavoured incense meets us before the monk who, in splendid robes, appears swinging the metal censor which is emitting clouds of smoke. Everyone receives a swing of the device, though monks receive a double swing.

After the service a great bell chimes for the opening of the refectory and we all file in after the monks for the first meal of the day. This is where it gets confusing. The monks live on Byzantine time and have been up for five hours and so the meal is their main repast of the day and includes three courses, all vegetarian, with wine produced at the monastery. The meal is eaten in strict silence as a monk reads from the book of the Saints. A bell sounds to mark the end of the meal and we all file out after the monks. In this monastery, there were 99 monks and about 30 pilgrims of many nationalities.

The historic paths which link the monasteries were laid over one thousand years ago. They allowed monks on foot and mules or donkeys to move on paved routes from place to place. But now roads have been bulldozed in and most people travel by vehicle, so the paths are less used and are quickly overgrown. We gather our tools, loppers, shears, sickle and saw and are soon climbing up the steep path to start work on clearing the route. The monks have decided which routes need our attention and we are quickly hard at work. Working in teams of four we hack and saw until the leader calls us to stop for lunch which, every day, is feta cheese, olives, hard brown bread, and fruit. We carry on after a short break by which time the sun is high and the mountain is very hot.

We aim to return to the monastery by 4 pm as we must shower, wash our clothes and be in the evening service, Vespers, by 5 pm. It is a bit of a rush to get there, and it is bad manners to arrive after the censor has passed. As the service ends, we file back into the trapeza or dining hall where another meal awaits us. When we leave the six chef monks are lined up and are all bowing from the waist as we pass, and we in turn show our appreciation of their efforts.

At this point, the monks and pilgrims walk straight back into the katholikon (church) for the night service, compline, but as workers we are not obliged to attend that, so we make for our rooms. It is said that as a pilgrim you are either praying, working, eating, or sleeping. Surprisingly even remote corners of Greece have far better mobile networks than here in the UK, so some people call home before retiring. By 9 pm we are all in bed after a good day’s work.

I am fast asleep when a strange noise wakes me, checking my watch it is 3 am and very dark. I am in a Greek monastery overlooking the Aegean Sea, which laps at the walls one hundred feet beneath my room. This is the call to prayer, and it is being sounded on a semantron which is a piece of wood about four feet long which is being carried about by a monk who hits it with a mallet to make the rhythmical noise. I am in the monastery of Saint Gregory, one of twenty monasteries on Mount Athos, known to the Greeks as the Garden of the Mother of God. They believe that the Virgin Mary came ashore from a boat to avoid a storm and she blessed the land. Since then, no other woman or female animal has been allowed there.

The monks begin to gather in the main church of the monastery for the main service of their day called Orthos. But I am here with a twenty strong group to work on clearing the footpaths, so we do not get up yet, we are allowed to lie in. At 6 am I rise and go for a shave in the visitors’ quarters. The water is sometimes hot and sometimes cold. It seems to me that washing in cold water must be a kind of penance. After dressing I make my way down to the church, which is of the Orthodox religion, as other pilgrims join me. As I am non-orthodox, I am not allowed into the main body of the church but must take a stall at the back. These individual stalls are comfortable with a seat that one can sit on, or it can be raised when one stands. Cleverly it has a half-up position which allows one to half sit while appearing to stand!

As more monks and pilgrims arrive, they move from icon-to-icon venerating (kissing) the frescos and paintings of the Virgin Mary, Jesus Christ, the apostles, and saints. The service is in Greek and although the liturgy is based on the same eucharist that we find in the Anglican church it is, frankly, difficult to follow. The singing and chanting are however very pleasant and soothing. Soon we hear the clinking sound of the censor being swung and the smell of raspberry flavoured incense meets us before the monk who, in splendid robes, appears swinging the metal censor which is emitting clouds of smoke. Everyone receives a swing of the device, though monks receive a double swing.

After the service a great bell chimes for the opening of the refectory and we all file in after the monks for the first meal of the day. This is where it gets confusing. The monks live on Byzantine time and have been up for five hours and so the meal is their main repast of the day and includes three courses, all vegetarian, with wine produced at the monastery. The meal is eaten in strict silence as a monk reads from the book of the Saints. A bell sounds to mark the end of the meal and we all file out after the monks. In this monastery, there were 99 monks and about 30 pilgrims of many nationalities.

The historic paths which link the monasteries were laid over one thousand years ago. They allowed

monks on foot and mules or donkeys to move on paved routes from place to place. But now roads have been bulldozed in and most people travel by vehicle, so the paths are less used and are quickly overgrown. We gather our tools, loppers, shears, sickle and saw and are soon climbing up the steep path to start work on clearing the route. The monks have decided which routes need our attention and we are quickly hard at work. Working in teams of four we hack and saw until the leader calls us to stop for lunch which, every day, is feta cheese, olives, hard brown bread, and fruit. We carry on after a short break by which time the sun is high and the mountain is very hot.

We aim to return to the monastery by 4 pm as we must shower, wash our clothes and be in the evening service, Vespers, by 5 pm. It is a bit of a rush to get there, and it is bad manners to arrive after the censor has passed. As the service ends, we file back into the trapeza or dining hall where another meal awaits us. When we leave the six chef monks are lined up and are all bowing from the waist as we pass, and we in turn show our appreciation of their efforts.

At this point, the monks and pilgrims walk straight back into the katholikon (church) for the night service, compline, but as workers we are not obliged to attend that, so we make for our rooms. It is said that as a pilgrim you are either praying, working, eating, or sleeping. Surprisingly even remote corners of Greece have far better mobile networks than here in the UK, so some people call home before retiring. By 9 pm we are all in bed after a good day’s work.

 

 

Wenvoe Advent Windows

ADVENT WINDOWS

A St. Mary’s initiative for the whole community

The plans are going ahead for the Wenvoe Advent Windows. Many local people have volunteered to decorate a window to be revealed during Advent on a given day from 1st until 24th December when all windows will be decorated for everyone to view.

The windows will be lit each day from 5pm until 9pm and can be viewed at a safe distance so that no one need go onto someone’s property. Some will have a collecting box for their specified charity that will be emptied each evening.

A map with the plan of all windows will be included in the next Wenvoe What’s On, with maps available in the Church Porch and, with their permission, in the Village Shop and the Wenvoe Arms. The first window to be revealed on 1st December is at the home of Glenys and Mike Tucker at 29, Venwood Close.

There are a few spaces left if you would like to join in to make sure Advent this year is as enjoyable as in 2020.

Please get in touch if you would like further information or would like help by decorating your window.

Jude Billingham

judebillingham@yahoo.co.uk 07516112897

 

 

Farewell to the Rev. Jonathon Ormrod

Rev. Jonathon Ormrod

By the time you are reading this we will have already said farewell to the Rev. Jonathon Ormrod, our parish priest for the last seven years. Jon, as he wished to be called has accepted the position of Priest in Charge of the church of St. Martin’s in Worle, outside Weston super Mare, and we wish him and his family every blessing in his work there. During his tenure here, together with the parishes of St. Lythan’s and Sully, much has been achieved under his shepherding, the congregation has swelled, our “Pebbles” group has grown, and during the past 18 months with the COVID-19 virus, he has been a rock to so many people, and he leaves the parish of Wenvoe in a better state than when he and Sheonagh arrived. Jon did not wish for any “fuss” when he left, no presentation was his wish, for he realised that in today’s uncertainty of the rising costs of living, he would rather people give to far more worthy causes than his leaving for another parish. So it was with a final tea party at Sully and his final services on the 30th October he bade us farewell.

The parish will be in the care of the Area Dean, the Rev. Andrew James of Dinas Powis, who with our assistant curate the Rev. Kevin Barry will be the Ministry team until we enter the “De Morgannwyg” Ministry Area on the 1st January 2022. During this time which is now called a Vacancy, other priests will be brought in to lead services until a time when a new priest will be appointed to serve in the Ministry Area, with responsibility for the churches of St. John the Baptist in Sully, St. Bleddian’s in St. Lythan’s and St Mary’s in Wenvoe.

The Harvest Festival services took place over three weekends and were well attended following the Welsh Government’s “Zero” zone recommendations. There is now no need to book to attend services, but the sanitizing of hands and the wearing of face masks remains mandatory, singing is now allowed and we have reverted to using the hymn books once again. The appeal for tinned or dry goods brought in a huge response and was taken to the Food Bank in Barry. A collection for the Christian Aid Harvest appeal was also taken in all three churches which amounted to £326.00. The Churchwardens wish to thank all who decorated the churches and brought the gifts of food etc and also supported the collection for Christian Aid. Well done. Da iawn

Remembrance Sunday

This year we will resume the commemoration at the Village War Memorial at 10.55 on Remembrance Sunday14th November. There will be no service in St. Mary’s prior to the service at the War Memorial, and a procession will leave the church to be in place at 10.55 am. The Vale of Glamorgan Brass Band will be in attendance and those organisations in the village who wish to lay poppy wreaths are asked to assemble at the church to join the procession. Order of Service leaflets ae being printed and will be available on the day. Donations for the work of the Royal British Legion, which has celebrated its centenary this year, can be posted in the letter box in the church porch or in the church hall.

The Tower Appeal

The Tower Appeal remains open, and we are near to reaching our target figure of £61.000, then we have to face the cost of repairing the church clock on the tower, so we are very grateful to all who have donated money towards the repair and upkeep of the church fabric to make it fit for purpose for the next 100 years. The church officers have for some time been concerned at the continuing failure of the lighting system in the church. The present installation needs constant attention and it is thanks to a generous lighting engineer, who has always replaced and tweaked the system when necessary, who has kept it going at no cost to the church. Church lighting experts have been called in to inspect and suggest a lighting scheme that will enhance the architectural features of the interior and will be an added aid to worship. The demonstrations have shown how light when directed at specific areas, and the shadows thrown up can really lift the soul, and the realisation that we have a lovely church in Wenvoe, and it can be made more lovely with a suitably designed lighting system using the very latest LED fittings and lighting tapes.

Keep safe God Bless

Parry Edwards

 

 

BBC drama, The Trick

oBBC drama, The Trick

The BBC drama, The Trick, which was filmed back in June in Wenvoe, Insole Court Cardiff, London and East Anglia was screened in mid October and is available to view on BBC iPlayer if you missed it.

It tells the true story of Professor Philip Jones; Director of Climate Research at the University of East Anglia, who found himself the target of computer hackers intent on undermining his work just before the 2009 climate change summit held in Copenhagen.

Having viewed the final result I was amazed at how much footage was not used in the completed production. The crew spent days setting up the lounge and it was only partly used in preference to the garden. A bedroom was stripped and a new bed installed for a few seconds shot. A scene was set in the school grounds but not used. Still that is the film industry for you

 

 

Tucker’s Christmas Reindeer Sale.

TUCKER’S CHRISTMAS REINDEER SALE.

Not long now! Mike and Glenys invite you to come along to their 3rd annual Christmas Reindeer sale on Saturday 20 November from 10am to 5pm at 29 Vennwood Close (opposite the church).

Apart from the stars of the show there will be some lovely things to buy and a festive atmosphere to get you in the Christmas mood. We are being joined by six other local crafters on the day. Trevor Williams will be joining us again and will be selling his lovely, lit wooden houses which include some new designs this year. There will be a table selling hand made cards on behalf of Wenvoe Community Why not join us and pick up a reindeer and some Christmas spirit! We are so looking forward to seeing you there

 

 

The Grange Open Space, Wenvoe

THE GRANGE OPEN SPACE, WENVOE

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has recently undertaken a number of improvements to facilities in the village, using Section 106 monies received from new developments. Improvements include the new play areas at the Grange and Twyn Yr Odyn, and the new library building. There are still monies remaining. These are for the provision or improvement of public open spaces and community facilities in Wenvoe. The Council is exploring opportunities in the area, including further enhancements at the Grange Open Space. What would you like to see here? Are there any other spaces or community facilities you would like to see improved? The Council would like to hear your views. Please see the possibilities outlined below and complete the feedback form to share your views at https://www.valeofglamorgan.gov.uk/en/our_council/consultation/Play-Area-Improvements.aspx. The consultation will close on: 22 November, 2021

 

 

New Library Opens Its Doors

WENVOE COMMUNITY LIBRARY

For general enquiries you can email us at wenvoelibrary@outlook.com

ANOTHER WENVOE LANDMARK EVENT:
NEW COMMUNITY LIBRARY HUB OPENS ITS DOORS
IN NOVEMBER

If you fancy some good reads as we head towards winter, a cup of coffee and a chat in the centre of the village, and a dedicated reading and activity area for children… look no further! Wenvoe Community Library is re-opening its doors – new doors, as the library now has a brand-new building in the same location behind the community centre.

Thanks to tireless efforts by the directors and volunteers to secure grants and raise funds, the library team is delighted to expand its services to the community in the form of a dynamic community hub.

Books will form the principle, but not the sole focus of the hub. The new space includes a coffee area, a new children’s space, an enhanced IT offering, and the capacity for local groups to host meetings and classes.

The community library hub continues a long tradition of reading in Wenvoe. The Church Hall, built in 1894 and stocked with popular papers and magazines supplied by Laura Jenner, was known as the Reading Room and considered the origin of the library. The Church Hall later housed a village library for many years before it moved in the 1970s to the present site behind the Community Centre.

The new library building has been built by Wenvoe Community Council, and funded by Vale of Glamorgan Council, using section 106 contributions together with a Strong Communities grant. The Community Library Hub is run and managed by volunteers and will be open as often as possible depending on the number of volunteers available. It will also be holding regular fund-raising events to cover costs to ensure the library stays open.

We hope to be able to count on your support – and if you would like to contribute to this community-based initiative as a volunteer, please call in or contact the team via email: wenvoelibrary@outlook.com

Click and Collect

We shall continue to supply you with books on a click and collect basis during library closure. We’ll be at hand in the Community Centre on Tuesday and Thursday mornings between 10-12 to help you with on-line ordering and general enquiries. You can phone us during opening hours on 07526 478740 whilst we are in the Community Centre.

We hope to open the new Community Library Hub soon.

We look forward to welcoming you!

Library opening times

 

 

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