Category: News
February Meeting Report
Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators met on February 19 2020 and items from the discussions included:
Poor health had forced Trevor Case to resign from the Watch after many years as a Co-ordinator and Vice Chairman.
Building in the St Lythams Park estate is now almost complete but there are only 2 Co-ordinators. More are needed.
If you live in St Lytham’s Park and are interested in helping to deter crime in your locality and establish a community spirit, would you consider becoming a Co-ordinator?
If so, please contact our Secretary/Treasurer Jackie Gauci on 07876 207843 or jackie.gauci47 @gmail.com
A reply from the Clerk to the Community Council about the nuisance of dogs fouling Wenvoe Playing Field confirmed that the field was a “dogs on lead” area. It was noted that some dogs are brought as a group, probably by people conducting dog walking businesses and it was agreed to explore the legal position about this practice.
One Co-ordinator had introduced a register of contact numbers for residents which was shared among the residents themselves. It could be used at times such as accidents at home when local help was needed.
Co-ordinators were invited to take part in the village activities over the weekend of May 8-10 when the 75th anniversary of the ending of World War II in Europe was to be marked.
Parking on the pavement near Old Market had caused obstruction and the PCSO had been informed.
Officers elected for 2020/21 were:
Chairman Alan French
Vice Chairman Colin Thomas
Secretary/Treasurer Jackie Gauci
Alan French
What Colour Analysis is All About
I often get asked what Colour Analysis is all about, what does it involve and what really are the benefits to me getting my colours done. So get yourself a cup of tea and enjoy:
♠ What is colour analysis? – In a nutshell it’s an in-depth three stage process that identifies the perfect pallet of colours that complement your hair, skin and eye colouring the most.
♠ Can I analyse myself online? – There are compa-nies that claim to do this. However it’s very difficult to achieve this accurately without the perfect lighting, having drapes in 135 colours and someone who has a trained eye for colour analysis.
♠ Y Why have your colours done? – Once you know the colours that suit you you will receive a swatch wallet containing examples of 42 colours to use when shopping. Once you have this you will know instant-ly whether or not an item of clothing or make-up is going to work well with your colouring saving you time when shopping and also money as you won’t make mistakes. When you wear colours that suit you you will look brighter, more radiant, healthier and younger. Wearing the wrong colours can be draining, change your skin tone, clash with your hair colour and age you. Ultimately wearing colours that you look great wearing will make you feel happy!
♠ What happens during a colour consultation? – You will learn about the concept and theory of colour analysis and how the tone, depth and clarity of your features look great with some colours and not so good with others. I will take you through the 3-stage process to identify all your perfect colours. There are 24 different combinations so your pallet will be very unique to you. You’ll discover your really “wow” colours which always give me goose bumps and learn how to introduce your new colours into your ward-robe and your life. I will also show you a personalised pallet of make-up colours so you can see how your whole look pulls together.
♠ Where do I go to have my colours done? – I have a style studio based in Wenvoe with the perfect lighting for analysing colours.
♠ How long does it take? Usually between 2 and 2½hours.
♠ How much does it cost? – £125 which includes your personalised swatch wallet and a make-up tutorial.
♠ How long will I benefit from it? -A lifetime unless you change your hair colour dramatically or your hair and skin colour has aged naturally since you last had it done.
Get in touch to book your colour analysis now, you’ll wish you did it years ago! Nicole Griffiths, Colour and Makeup Consultant
Major Progress In February
By the time you read this, so much has taken place in church towards the latter end of February. We are now in the solemn season of Lent, that period of 40 days before Easter, that the church keeps a low key as a preparation for the glorious feast of Easter, when we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord in Glory on the first day of the week. Shrove Tuesday (pancake day), the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent was kept, when we joined in proceedings with our friends in Sully. St. David was not forgotten and he was remembered in our church school, with lots of leeks and daffodils in evidence. Our annual fun quiz took place on Leap Years day, and was well supported with all tickets sold out, and our quiz master Mr Ian Moody as usual had much head scratching among the quizzers with his thought provoking questions.
The restoration of the floor tiles meant the church had to be closed during the week so an alternative venue for Ash Wednesday was arranged, and having had a sneak preview of the work being carried on the tiles, the final effect will be a surprise to many people.
The wall plastering within the chancel and at the rear of the organ console is now complete and is drying out in readiness for the final coat of paint after the floor tiles have been cleaned and restored. The dossal curtains, on either side of the altar, have been to the dry cleaners, and will be back in their accustomed place for Easter. Just for the record these curtains were given to St. Mary’s by the Young Farmers many years ago when the Rev John Christopher was Rector, and they have served us well.
Work has continued in the churchyard, with more gravestones being stabilised, and the laurel hedge along Walston Rd/Clos Llanfair has been cut back and lowered. It was thought that this hedge was getting out of hand and was encroaching on graves, and of course being laurel it will all grow back. Many of the older historic memorial stones have been sprayed to remove the layers of dirt and Verdigris which was obliterating the carved inscription, and now are so easy to read.
There has always been a mystery surrounding a pile of dismantled gravestones in the far corner of the “new” churchyard to a family called “HEWINS” recording the death of a son of the family being killed in Cairo in 1942. Investigation on the Commonwealth Graves website has revealed that he was in the Royal Air force Reserve and that he was killed on active service and buried in the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo, Egypt. His grieving family recorded his death here in Wenvoe as a mark of respect and an acknowledgement that he was not forgotten, even though he was buried in a foreign field so far away. His name is not on the Village War Memorial as his family home was in Sketty, Swansea at the time of his death and possibly the parents had moved away from Wenvoe when the war ended in 1945. The other mystery that remains
is why was the grave dismantled, so that the original site of it has now been lost.
Jon and his two churchwardens attended the inaugural 2020 Pilgrimage service at Llandaff Cathedral and brought back to Wenvoe the Pilgrimage Candle which will burn at every service during the year of pilgrimage. The “pilgrim bear” is making its progress around the diocese and will be in Wenvoe sometime at the end of the year. More of that later.
This year, it has been decided that the Lent Lunches will not be held on the Wednesdays in Lent as in previous years, due to falling numbers who attended over the past few years. The Agape Supper on the evening of Maundy Thursday will still take place. More details later.
Mothering Sunday on the 22nd March will be an All Age Celebration of the Eucharist at 9.30 am with a contribution from our “Pebbles” children. The church will be decorated with the daffodils grown from the bulbs given to the children at last year’s Harvest Festival celebration. As in previous years, if the bulbs fail there is always M&S or the garden centre to fall back on.
Christian Aid Update 2020 – This year Christian Aid will be addressing Climate Change and how this affects the most vulnerable communities. They are featuring some of the work they have undertaken in Kenya where families and whole communities have needed to change the way in which they produce their crops. Here families who are suffering the most with climate change have needed to work together to ensure they find ways to harness what rainfall they have so that they can water their crops, and secure their futures.
Count Your Blessings Lent Calendar: This helps us gain day by day information and challenges alongside prayer requests addressing life stories and examples of what can be achieved. The Calendars will be available in church from 20th February or contact Jude Billingham on 02920594708.
VE 75 – Preparations to celebrate and mark the 75th anniversary of the ending of WWII in Europe are in hand and will be announced shortly as we join in with the Community for the peace we have enjoyed since 1945.
Blessings to all readers, and a warm welcome awaits you at St. Mary’s.
Parry Edwards
January 200 Club Draw
Hoping For a Career in the Media
It’s not news that I’m hoping to follow a career in the media. Although I currently work for Cardiff University’s newspaper, Gair Rhydd, I don’t think I will pursue a career in newspapers.
But despite my aspirations to become a journalist, it doesn’t mean I can’t hold the media accountable. Recently, more so than ever, I’ve been more aware of the media’s perception of certain celebrities. The way some are attacked and vilified. How some media outlets will do everything in their power to gain a story.
With Taylor Swift’s tell-all documentary hitting Netflix at the end of January and with the recent and sudden death of television presenter Caroline Flack, it’s time we realise that targeting certain celebrities creates a mob mentality – and can often cause serious harm.
Most people by now will likely know I’m a big fan of Taylor Swift. Since her Fearless album, I’ve followed her career and enjoyed her music. I feel I’ve grown up with her and her music and getting more of an inside look into her private life in her documentary has been fascinating. I feel I relate inherently with the way she reacts to how others perceive her. She mentioned how she’d built her entire belief system on being liked. But when the world turned against her, she had to rebuild.
Taylor Swift has been criticised her entire career. Either because of who she’s dating or how she reacts to situations. She’s been scrutinised and clearly it meant she had to think about everything she did in her life. Which seems normal – to a point. It seems she put so much pressure on herself to be ‘perfect’ that she even considers her album Reputation a failure because of its lack of Grammy nominations – despite many, myself included, counting the album as one of her best.
The media has spent many of Swift’s years creating her as a ‘love to hate’ personality. During 2016, following Kanye West’s Famous song debacle, and Kim Kardashian West’s recording, the world quite literally turned on Swift. The media seemed to join in on this mass hatred of Swift, to a point where, when she was dealing with a sexual assault case, numerous media outlets were continuing to criticise her. Even as Taylor Swift was going through one of the hardest things anyone might have to go through, many media outlets were capitalising on her hardship.
I understand that the world has an obsession with celebrity culture, and that celebrities are seen as the ‘elite’. However, to an extent, the media can be perceived to be out for blood. I recently saw a viral video of Selena Gomez leaving a restaurant where she said, ever so timidly, ‘do you mind leaving me alone, please?’ to paparazzi. Their response was simply ‘we got here first, there’ll be more in a second’, but Gomez even mentioned how they were scaring her.
Of course, celebrities put themselves in a position where the world scrutinises them. It’s, unfortunately, part of the deal. However, there is certainly a point where things can go too far. And it often does.
Caroline Flack was charged last December with assaulting her boyfriend. Overnight, her life was upended. I sincerely believe that an abuser should be punished for their actions. However, the vindication Flack received during her assault trial was not the first time Flack was targeted by some media outlets.
As with many female celebrities, everything Caroline Flack did was scrutinised. It feels as though the media were thrilled when her assault charges hit the headlines in December.
Flack’s boyfriend dropped the charges against her, and yet the trial continued on (Flack was meant to stand trial next month). Although I believe assault trials should be carried through even despite charges being dropped – it’s notable that Flack’s trial was not dropped, when sadly, in most cases, the charges being dropped would mean the trial would be over. It seems like Flack’s trial not being dropped is in part due to the fact she was famous.
It seemed unlikely, due to her persona on ITV’s Love Island and BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, that she could be an abuser. And in part, I think the media loved that. It was a story which seemed so unlikely – which meant it would sell.
Again, I’m not saying Caroline Flack’s abuse of her boyfriend ought to be excused. I am however saying that the way her trial and the allegations were handled seemed targeted in a way which was different from how abusers are often perceived by the media.
Of course, it is not entirely the media’s fault. In order to sell papers and gain more clicks to websites, you must make sure your content is what the public will want. If the world is hating a certain celebrity, the media will capitalise on this. It is both the media buying into this mob mentality which is harmful, but also the public’s creation of the mob mentality which can cause severe damage.
Everyone should be accountable for their actions. However, if these celebrities are being held accountable, then so should everyone else, and that includes the media, too.
No one else should feel like ending their life is the only way out of the hounding from social media trolls and the media.
By Tirion Davies
New Bus Pass?
Do you have your new bus pass?
We have heard of a few applications that failed to register. From the 1st March the old passes will not be accepted.
You need to contact Transport for Wales to obtain a new pass who are encouraging people to apply on line at www.tfw.wales/travelcard or you can contact the help line at 0300 303 4240. Help is also available from the library
Bridgend POW Camp – 75 Years
BRIDGEND POW CAMP MARKS 75 YEARS
SINCE GREAT WELSH ESCAPE
It’s 75 years since the ‘Welsh Great Escape’ from the Island Farm prisoner of war camp near Bridgend. On the night of 10 to 11 March 1945, the largest German P.O.W. escape attempt in the UK took place and The Hut 9 Preservation Group are marking the occasion by staging a special open week-end event on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th of March.
Originally built as a hostel for female workers employed at a local munitions factory, the buildings were later used to house American troops in the lead up to D Day in June 1944. The camp then proved an ideal location for the many German POWs captured by the allies during 1944-5.
The prefabricated concrete huts surrounded by open fields were considered ideal, although the barracks had to be converted and barbed wire fences erected. The camp eventually held more than 2,000 prison-ers. The first POWs were a mixture of Italian and German troops, but the War Office soon decided that the camp was too comfortable for enlisted men and 160 German officers, including generals, admirals and field marshals were held there. Some were among Hitler’s closest advisers. Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt for example, had been commander in chief of the German armies in Western Europe in 1940. Reflecting his status, von Rundstedt received certain privileges at the camp, including his own private suite, consisting of a sitting room and bedroom. Rundstedt returned to Bridgend after appearing as a defence witness at the Nuremberg trials. Deemed unfit for prosecution due to poor health, he was released in 1948 and died in 1953 in Hanover.
Gerd von Rundstedt is pictured (left) being given a ‘VIP’-style greeting at Bridgend Station.
Above – one of many paintings completed by German POWs while at the camp.
Soon after their arrival at Island Farm the POWs began escape efforts and on 10 March 1945, 70 prisoners escaped through a tunnel dug from Hut Nine. The tunnel was about 30 feet (9.1 m) long and breached the perimeter fence. Some of the techniques used by the inmates were ingenious and not too dissimilar to those in the war film ‘The Great Escape’ about Allied POWs. Excavating the tunnels was not easy because of the heavy clay soil. Cans, meat tins, and even knives from the can-teen were used as digging implements. Prisoners carried the soil outside in their pockets while oth-ers kneaded clay into balls and dropped them through a hole in a false wall they had constructed. To support the tunnel roof, oak benches were stolen from the canteen and bed legs were cut down when supplies of wood were depleted. A ventilation pipeline was made from condensed milk tins; air was forced through by a hand-operated fan. The tunnel even had its own electric lights, tapped off the mains supply. Noise was concealed by chorus singing.
The escapees were divided into groups, each of which was equipped with fake identity papers, a map, homemade compass, and food. At around 10pm on March 10, the prisoners made their move; a few stole the local doctor’s car and got as far as Birmingham and another group got as far as Southampton. However it seems that all the escapees were eventually recaptured,
If you would like to visit the camp, see the Hut 9 website: http://www.hut9.org.uk/
Did Anyone Ever Escape From Alcatraz
Did Anyone Ever Escape From Alcatraz
In the movie entitled “Escape from Alcatraz” starring actor Clint Eastwood, Frank Morris 
was portrayed as the keen and brilliant mastermind of one of the most famous prison escapes in history. The FBI and American authorities’ official version is that the plan failed, the prisoners drowned and no-one ever escaped from ‘The Rock’.
Frank Lee Morris had spent a lifetime in the prison system before his arrival on Alcatraz, mostly for armed robbery. Morris was credited by prison officials as possessing superior intelligence, and he had a reputation for brilliant escapes. This was why he was put on The Rock in January 1960. John and Clarence Anglin were also clever escapers.
The plan was extremely complex and involved the design and fabrication of ingenious lifelike dummies, water rafts, and life preservers, fashioned from over fifty rain coats that had been acquired from other inmates – some donated and some stolen. They would also require a variety of crudely made tools to dig with, and to construct the accessories necessary for the escape. By May of 1962, Morris and the Anglins had already dug through the cell’s six-by-nine-inch vent holes, and had started work on the vent on top of the cellblock.
The inmates alternated shifts, with one working and one on lookout. They would start work at 5:30pm and continue till about 9:00pm, just prior to the lights-out count. Meanwhile, John and Clarence started fabricating the dummy heads, and even gave them the pet names of “Oink” and “Oscar.” The heads were crude but lifelike, and were constructed from a homemade cement-powder mixture that included such innocuous materials as soap and toilet paper. They were decorated with flesh-tone paint from prison art kits, and human hair from the barbershop.
Using glue stolen from the glove shop, the inmates also started working to cut and bond the raincoats into a makeshift raft and life preservers. Each evening, following the completion of their self-imposed work detail, they would hide the materials on top of the cellblock to minimize any chance of being caught with the contraband materials.
After months of long preparation, the inmates were ready. Immediately after lights-out at 9:30pm, the inmates made their final thirty-foot climb up the plumbing to the cell house roof, crossed 100 feet across the rooftop, and then carefully manoeuvred down fifty feet of piping to the ground near the entrance to the shower area. This would be the last
anyone ever saw of Morris and the Anglin Brothers.
In a later interview, prisoner Allen West said that their plan had been to use their raft to make their way to nearby Angel Island. After resting, they would swim to the mainland. They would steal a car, take clothes from a store, and then venture out in their own separate directions.
For decades speculation abounded as to whether this famous escape attempt had been successful. The FBI spent several years investigating, and later resolved that the inmates’ plan had failed.
The FBI said:
- The men had neither friends nor relatives with the financial resources to come to San Francisco and assist in the escape e.g. buying a boat.
- There would have been no way to communicate with outside contacts in order to confirm the date of the break.
- The Bay waters were too cold and dangerous for anyone to survive.
- Relatives were watched and the men didn’t contact them.
People who believe they escaped say:
- The men planned it all on their own and didn’t need help.
- They had made proper life rafts and equipment.
- The FBI wanted everyone to think they were dead.
Tanzania Expedition – Jacob Morgan
Tanzania Expedition – Jacob Morgan
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone in the village who supported me in fundraising for Tanzania. I will be leaving very soon, on February 10th, for my 10 week expedition and I am very excited.
The picture below is of me at the top of Pen Y Fan, after completing it 5 times in one day back in November.
This fundraiser along with the quiz and raffle night held at the pub received huge support from so many of you, and I am very grateful. I am extremely proud to be able to say that the fundraising target of £3,450 for Raleigh International was reached, which is truly amazing. A total of £1,265 of that was raised by you, the generous people of Wenvoe.
So once again I would like to thank all of you for the lovely messages and support I received. It really means a lot to me. I look forward to telling you all about my trip when I am back in the summer.