Category: News

Vaccines To The Rescue …..Once Again!

VACCINES TO THE RESCUE …..ONCE AGAIN!

On 13 January 1962 Shuka Mia arrived in Cardiff on a train from Birmingham. He’d flown into Britain the day before on a plane from Pakistan, where a smallpox epidemic had claimed hundreds of lives that winter. On arrival in the city centre, the traveller – and the virus – made their way through the centre of Cardiff to the place where he’d arranged to stay. Though he carried a vaccination certificate, he brought the deadly virus to Wales. The disease he was carrying was one of the most horrific known to man. Although it has now been eradicated, in 1962 it was still rife in many parts of the world. A day after he arrived at the Calcutta Restaurant in Bridge Street, a GP was called to see Shuka Mia who was in bed upstairs. The doctor suspected smallpox. The patient was taken to the Lansdowne isolation hospital, where specialist Dr John Pathy saw him the next morning and confirmed the diagnosis. As the news broke that smallpox was in the city, a desperate search began for anyone who may have been in contact with the carrier.

Shuka Mia was sent to the top of a mountain above the Rhondda where he was shut away from the outside world. All that remains of the Penrhys smallpox hospital on its windswept hilltop are the high walls which surrounded it. But during the crisis of 1962, 12 patients were isolated there as doctors fought to control the outbreak.

The reaction of the authorities was strikingly familiar to that today. In Cardiff a huge operation was mounted to trace contacts and to vaccinate anyone who might have been in contact with Shuka Mia – either in the city or on the train that brought him to Wales. But thousands of people demanded vaccination and sometimes tempers flared. Over the next few weeks, 900,000 people in Wales were vaccinated against smallpox. Extra supplies of vaccine were brought in from as far away as Argentina.

The quick and decisive action of the authorities seemed to work. No one in Cardiff or the Vale became ill and for more than a month it seemed the smallpox scare was over. Then, out of the blue, a consultant at East Glamorgan Hospital Dr Robert Hodkinson became seriously ill. He was the only doctor in the hospital who decided not to get vaccinated and he died. It turned out he contracted small pox through a woman in the Rhondda he had treated, who died in childbirth. Other members of her family were also fatally affected. It was and still is a mystery how a heavily pregnant woman in Maerdy in Ferndale, way up in the Rhondda, got it from Cardiff. Six people died in the Rhondda and smallpox was about to be declared as over when days later 12 more people were inexplicably found to have contracted small pox and died in Glanrhyd hospital in Bridgend.

There is of course a strong link to this story and the development of Covid 19 vaccines today. The technique of variolation or deliberately infecting a patient with a mild dose of smallpox in the expectation that it would provide protection from a more severe infection had been used in China, India and Turkey long before Edward Jenner started his clinical trials in 1796. Jenner’s though was the first successful scientific attempt to control an infectious disease (small pox) by the deliberate use of vaccination. Jenner is rightly praised for his pioneering science. He also deserves recognition for his advancement of the idea that vaccination should be free at the point of delivery and available to everyone. Jenner considered himself the ‘Vaccine Clerk to the World’ arguing that ‘the Sciences are never at war.’ He realised that the eradication of small pox would, as in the case of Covid 19, require a global response. Finally, what of Shuka Mia? Well possibly as a result of already having been vaccinated, he survived small pox and returned home to his family.

 

 

Warning – Fake Mail Notifications

BEWARE FAKE ROYAL MAIL NOTIFICATIONS

PC Gareth Jordan from Dyfed Powys Police states that they have become aware of fake Royal Mail notifications being sent out via email.

The scam involves an email which claims Royal Mail has tried to deliver a parcel – and then asks you to pay £1.99 to arrange redelivery. The style of the email and the low fee makes the scam appear legitimate. The email directs you to an official-looking page where you will be asked to give away your bank details.

Do not click on the link. Forward the email to report@phishing.gov.uk (this reporting service is run by the National Cyber Security Centre and aims to take down fake websites).

Remember

  • Anybody who receives an email claiming to be from the Royal Mail must remember that they will never be asked to pay a redelivery fee.
  • Never input your bank or card information after following a link on any emails that claims it is from the Royal Mail, because it will result in your card details being stolen by criminals.
  • If you have reason to believe that you may have been tricked, it is essential that you contact your bank and cancel your card at once; additionally check your statements for any signs of unauthorised transactions.
  • If you have been the victim of a payment scam, report it to your local police.

 

 

Vandalism and Crime in Wenvoe

 

Vandalism and Crime in Wenvoe

Since our last report in October we have been made aware of acts of vandalism and crime occurring recently in Wenvoe.

  • New park being misused by teenagers.
  • Fly tipping in various lanes throughout the area with one incident being a van dropping the rubbish out of the back door as it was driving along Walston Road.
  • St Lythans Park and The Grange have been victims to house burglary, cars broken into and theft of garden lights.
  • A car parked on Walston Road had its petrol tank drilled and drained of fuel.
  • Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas). These silver canisters have been found in many areas around the village, Twyn yr Odyn and the golf course. This seems to be quite a problem all over Wales.

 

As a general point there seems to be more use of the footpaths around Wenvoe during the pandemic. Families with children are using the paths and dog walkers are reminded to ensure their dogs are kept under control on paths.

Call for Co-ordinators in St Lythans estate

The St Lythans estate is fully established and we urgently need more Co-ordinators for the estate. The role of a Co-ordinator is not onerous and would suit a person who is prepared to help their fellow residents. You are asked to keep an eye open in your local area or street in the estate, and in the event of any unusual or suspicious activity to inform the police or the Watch Secretary.

If you wish to help please contact Jackie Gauci, tel 07876 207843 or jackie.gauci47@gmail.com

 

 

Overland to Jordan

THE ROAD TO PETRA

As a teenager, I remembered my father telling me about Petra “the rose-red city half as old as time”. What a colourful description that was of the ruined city, carved out of rock in deepest Jordan that lay undiscovered until the 19th century. Years later in a long summer holiday, I found some friends from university who I persuaded to join me in a drive across Europe to visit Jordan and Petra.

Ad-Deir (“The Monastery”)

This was in the late 1960 and international travel was not as it is today. So we bought an old Ford Zephyr, a reliable car and large enough to carry four friends and our gear. We were given masses of food by some sponsors we had approached and to an extent, this was more trouble than it was worth. I remember packing the boot with large green tins of Golden Syrup which we never felt like eating.

The drive across Belgium, Germany, Austria and Yugoslavia all went reasonably well. The car flew along and we all took turns driving the long stretches of motorway. To save money we camped each night and one evening after a particularly long day we set up our tents and the duty cook has just about prepared a large stew for us all to share when it fell off the primus stove and was lost. I could have been the moment for anger and recrimination but he just said “oh well – these things happen” and stated all over again. It was a great example of British sangfroid or composure.

We had been warned that driving through Istanbul was a nightmare with mad Turkish truck drivers causing mayhem on the roads to cries of “Inshallah” or if God wills it. However, we crossed the Bosphorous without incident and set off for the long haul of about a thousand miles across Turkey to the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun. The days were now very hot and our ancient car was seriously overheating so we began to drive by night when the air was cool and sleep during the heat of the day. One day we were parked off the side of the road and stretched out in the shade of some trees to sleep. I was woken by some sound or movement and sat up at once to see a figure skulking into the undergrowth. I feared we had been robbed and woke the others to see what had been taken but there – lying between us – was a wooden platter of figs and pomegranates which had been left as a gift. It was a most generous gesture by a local farmer and that act of kindness has stuck in my mind ever since.

Crossing the border from Turkey to Syria was a slow business but there was no queue it was just a problem of language and bureaucracy. We were soon motoring on our way along dusty unmade roads when our engine spluttered and died. We had no idea what to do but it seemed that the radiator had burst as clouds of steam were coming from it. There was no AA or RAC or anyone to help us so two of us walked to a village where we found a man who was willing to help. He walked back with us leading a large unwilling donkey. In no time at all he had hitched the car behind the donkey and the car was pulled to the village and the house of the blacksmith. Here the radiator was removed and a charcoal fire blown into life so the radiator could be patched up by brazing up the hole. This was a great success and having put it all back together we drove to Jordan.

We stopped in Amman the capital as one of the team had a relative working in the British embassy there. We were entertained to a lavish supper and spent a couple of days at the Embassy swimming pool which was marvellous, but my real memory of that was getting very sunburnt.

From Amman, it was a long desert drive to Petra where we exchanged our car for camels and rode through the siq, a cleft in the cliffs, to reach the massive buildings which had been carved out or rock a hundred years after the birth of Christ. We spent a hot day climbing around the temples and other ruins before heading back to our car. We had spent weeks reaching Petra and we were pleased to have reached our objective. Now our sights were on getting home as fast as possible. We retraced our route stopping only to visit the magnificent castle in Syria known as Crac des Chevaliers, which is a Crusader castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world.

Crac des Chevaliers

We stopped in Istanbul for the night in a cheap hotel and celebrated our success with a meal in a café. I drank some cool Ayran, a drink of curdled milk with mint, from a street vendor and became very ill. I spent the next days feeling wretched in the back of the car and was thankful to get home where a doctor kindly gave me some antibiotics and I was soon much better.

 

 

A Winter Tale

 

WHO PUT IT THERE?

John loved this time of year. The summer was long gone and now Christmas was just two days away. The cold crisp mornings looked beautiful. The sun low in the sky shone through winter snow clouds, lighting up the frost along each branch of bare trees and twinkled like Christmas lights. The cold air made breath linger, looking like fog.

It wasn’t easy getting up so early on these cold mornings to do a paper round, leaving behind a warm cosy bed. But John had to help his parents to make ends meet; these were difficult times. His father had suffered a severe head injury at work six months ago, and this had stopped his working life abruptly. Mum had increased her working hours at the local hospital. John aged thirteen was still at school, but he wanted to contribute to the household budget. Each week he would give all his wages apart from £5 to Mum. There was a reason for this – he was trying to save enough money to buy the beautiful model car that stood in the window of the Model Shop he passed twice each day whilst on his rounds. The Lamborghini was silver with such detail it was breath-taking. The shop owner could set his watch by John’s daily visits.

The time was 5.30pm, his paper round was finished and it was payday. As usual, John would open the small brown envelope to take out his £5 and then put the rest safely in his pocket for his Mum.

It started to snow and the little town lights were throwing a misty glow along the busy town centre. People were filled with the Christmas atmosphere. All the shops were staying open until late. John stood a while longer to take in the scene. There was a stall selling roasted chestnuts and the Salvation Army were playing Christmas carols. As John walked through the narrow streets to the bus station, he worked out his savings and knew with today’s money he had enough to buy his beloved Lamborghini. The rest of the money was at home and he would return the following day, Christmas Eve, to buy the car.

The snow had fallen silently all night and by morning there was quite a covering. Buses crunched the fallen snow into clearways for other vehicles to follow; cars inched their way carefully.

John helped his Mum with the rest of the decorations and despite money being short, the house was filled with Christmas cheer. The mince pies and sausage rolls were in the oven and the cake was ready for icing. This was always Dad’s job. He enjoyed putting a Christmas scene made from icing in the middle of the cake. It was a work of art – little snowmen and children making their way down a snow-covered hill in their toboggans. And finally – a beautiful gold band around the side.

The tree was always dressed on Christmas Eve. Tinsel ornaments and twinkling lights carefully draped the tree from top to bottom. Yet another masterpiece! With everything finished, John left for the short journey back into town. He had already

bought Mum and Dad’s presents. So now was the time he had longed for, over weeks of careful saving.

The bus was full of families with young children longing for this day to be over. At the station it was Christmas chaos. Hundreds of people thronged the pavements. John turned the corner into Liberty Square. The model shop was just down the end on the left. He could see the sign just above the door; he would soon be carrying his dream home. As he passed an alleyway John heard someone crying. A small figure of a girl was sobbing; her hands covered her face. John approached slowly, not wanting to frighten her. ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked, kneeling down in front of her. The little girl looked up at him, eyes wet with tears. ‘I can’t get home’ she said ‘I’ve lost my bus fare’.

John was always a kind lad and the scene of a lonely and frightened little girl stole his heart. ‘Come on’ he said ‘ Let’s get you to the station and find the bus you need to get home.’ He stood up and the little girl put her hand in his. Warmly dressed and well spoken, Jasmine said she had lost her purse and become separated from her friends. John found the next bus to the girl’s village, paid for the fare and saw that she was safely inside.

Making his way back to the Model Shop, John realised that he did not have enough money to buy the car now and when he arrived, the shop had closed. His heart sank. He pressed his face against the window. The Lamborghini had gone! What a Christmas this was turning out to be. He decided not to tell his Mum and Dad about it. He did not want to spoil their Christmas too. So, he put on a smile and when he arrived at the door he sang carols and laughed when Mum arrived at the door carrying a tray of goodies.

Christmas was wonderful as usual. John could not remember having a bad one. Good company, good food and presents. What more could he ask for ……

Before long it was Twelfth Night and time for the decorations to be packed away. John always felt sad on this day. The tinsel and ornaments were packed in their boxes and stored in the attic. As John manoeuvred the container holding the tree towards the front door, something fell from behind the tree. He looked across to Mum and Dad but they looked puzzled too. John unwrapped the brown paper parcel tied with string. He opened the box and looked – mouth open, eyes wide. Words failed him.

‘What is it?’ asked Dad. John lifted the item out of the box. ‘How did it get there?’ ‘When did it arrive?’ His parents did not seem to have the answers, but that did not matter. The moment was very special. There in all its glory was his beautiful Lamborghini. He would cherish it always.

To this day, John would wonder about that Christmas years ago, still puzzled over that one question – WHO PUT IT THERE?

By Maureen Richards

 

 

A Remembrance Day Like No Other

A Remembrance Day Like No Other

A headline in my newspaper said it so well ‘It was a Remembrance Day like no other’ and the same could be said for the year we have been living through in 2020. Nothing has been the same as we have had in what we call a normal year, and now we have to talk of a new normal way of living in the shadow of the COVID virus. There is much talk of a vaccine which will offer some protection against this terrifying disease, but when will it be ready for the general public, or will it be reserved for those at most risk? Let us hope that it will come soon and prove to be effective.

Remembrance Sunday was marked with a memorable service on line, with Jon bringing in members of our congregations and the school children from Wenvoe School, as we joined in with the national service from Whitehall marking the 100 years since the Unknown Soldier was buried in Westminster Abbey. I had not seen the old Pathe news reel in black and white. It was most moving, as was the pilgrimage Her Majesty the Queen made to the grave in the Abbey in the week prior. On Armistice Day following on the 11th, Jon had welcomed the children from Wenvoe School to mark the two minutes silence and laying of wreaths. So despite all the restrictions imposed on us during the second lockdown, honour was given to those brave young men who gave their lives for King and Country in WWI and the wars since then. Also remembered were the doctors and nurses in the NHS who have also put their lives on the line in fighting the virus in our hospitals and nursing homes.

Wales came out of the second lockdown on the 9th of November and St. Mary’s. with all other churches in Wales during this period had remained closed, which meant that commemorations of All Saints and all Souls Days were held as virtual worship online. The 10.30am services on Facebook on Sunday mornings attract not only members of our congregations, but also have an international following, with worshippers logged in from Ireland and Spain. The use of Zoom for holding meetings has been a boon in these strange times. The Annual Vestry Meeting, which had been delayed from earlier in the spring of this year, was finally held on the 9th November, when all officers were confirmed in their present positions until Easter of next year.

The Diocese of Llandaff has decided to put in place the recommendations of the Harris Report of a few years ago which stated that the way forward was to form all the parishes into Ministry Areas, each consisting of three clergy and a greater involvement of the laity in the organisation and running of each church. We will be joined with the parishes of Porthkerry, Rhoose and Penmark by Bishop’s Decree by January 2022. There has been discussion between the churches as to how we can make this work for the benefit of all, so that each church knows that their voice is being heard in any decision making. We have to accept that while the management of the parishes will change, the ‘man/woman and child’ in the pew will not see any difference in the services we have been used to. Jon will still be our parish priest as well as being the Leader of the combined Ministry Area, and will have a lay person to head up the combined Council under his leadership. Our prayers are with Jon as he takes on this role and I am sure we will give him as much support as we can to make his task that much easier. The six churches in our present grouping were joined by the churches of Porthkerry, Rhoose and Penmark in a Zoom ‘Road Show’ chaired by Bishop June on the 11th November, which gave everyone an opportunity to question the senior officers of the diocese about what the new Ministry Area will be like. Both the legal status and the financial status of the new enlarged grouping were laid out; this has given all a great deal of thought and raised many questions. To that end a transitional group will be set up under the leadership of Jon to make sure that everyone will be singing from the same hymn sheet. The year of 2021 will be an interesting year for many reasons, and the church council here, has pledged to give Jon as much support as we can to help him achieve the results the Bishop and the diocese expect of all church members.

By the time you read this we will have entered the Season of Advent, and the first of the Wenvoe Advent Windows will have been lit up for us to see. So it only remains to wish all readers a Happy and Blessed Christmas and please take care, the virus has not gone way.

 

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Parry Edwards

 

 

Jon’s Notes

 

Dear All,

This year the Season of Advent commences on 29th November. A traditional theme for Advent is From Darkness into Light. I cannot remember a year when this theme has ever been so appropriate. For many months we have lived in times of lockdowns and isolation. The drawing in of the winter nights seems to echo the general feeling most of us have at the moment. But the message of advent is about hope, the very real hope of darkness being turned or transformed into Light. Advent is also a time of preparation, as we look forward to celebrating the Nativity of Jesus, Jesus often referred to as being the light of the world.

In the coming weeks I hope you feel a sense of the light overcoming the darkness. We may witness this with the lights on our Christmas Trees or you may have an Advent Candle that you light every night, or you may enjoy an aromatic candle with the scent of Christmas Spices. You may also be encouraged by the Advent Windows displays around the village. Thank you so much to everyone who has organised and contributed to this village activity which will be to my mind a real symbol of light and hope for the future.

As I write this letter, I do not know what the restrictions will be in our churches for worshipping at Christmas. The Church in Wales is suggesting that everyone on Christmas Eve goes outside their front door and sings Silent Night. I am still working out the full plan for the churches in Wenvoe and St Lythans but at the time of writing my intention is to do as printed here

Sunday 20th December
9.30am Said Eucharist, St Mary’s Church, Wenvoe
10.30am All Age Agape, Christingle ad Nativity Play on Facebook and YouTube
3.00pm Said Eucharist at St Bleddian’s Church, St Lythans
6.00pm Christmas Carol Service on Facebook and YouTube
Thursday 24th December
5.00pm Lighting of Advent Window in Wenvoe Church followed by short outdoor Crib Service
10.15pm Said Eucharist for Christmas Eve at Wenvoe Church
11.30pm Said Eucharist for Christmas Eve at Wenvoe Church
Friday 25th December
8.00am Said Eucharist for Christmas Day at Wenvoe Church
9.00am Said Eucharist for Christmas Day at St Lythans Church
10.30am Agape Service for Christmas Day with Carols on Facebook and YouTube

 

If we are able to do more than offer Said Eucharist services over Christmas then this will be detailed on posters outside the churches and on our Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/sullywenvoeandstlythans

With my thoughts and prayers to you through Advent and for the Christmas Season
Jon Ormrod
Priest in Charge of Wenvoe and St Lythans

 

Wenvoe Advent Windows

Wenvoe Advent Windows

We are delighted to invite you for the first time to get out and about throughout December to view the Wenvoe Advent Windows.

We are excited to tell you that 25 Wenvoe residents have volunteered to decorate a window in their home starting on 1st December at 29, Venwood Close and the Telephone Box. The windows will be lit from 5pm until 9pm each evening with an additional window added every night until all 24 windows are displayed. The final window will be at St Mary’s Church, with help from Gwenfo School. Windows may also be viewed between 27th and 30th December.
All of the windows will be numbered and can be viewed from outside the property of individual homes. They are all within the Parish boundary, mostly within walking distance. The map below indicates each participating home with a list of the addresses for you to follow. You may need a torch on 14th (4, Station Terrace) and 23rd December (5 Church Rise) where there is limited street lighting.
We hope you enjoy exploring the windows. We are very grateful to those who have generously taken part in decorating a window and inviting us to view their ‘creations’. There is no charge, however some houses may have a charity collection box. In recognition of the pandemic we ask you to keep to the social distancing rules.
Maps are displayed at 29, Venwood Close and at St. Mary’s Church. Additional maps are available at the Wenvoe Arms and the village Post Office. For further information contact Jude and Nige Billingham at judebillingham@yahoo.co.uk.

 

 

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