Category: News
Musings of A Political Teenager
PLAY HARD, WORK HARD
Being 16 means that the ability to vote over the decisions made in our country is currently unavailable to me. It’s unfortunate that I was unable to voice my opinions in a more political way over the summer than simply conversing with those who’d voted in the Referendum. Yet I suppose there must be a reason why I am unable to vote at 16.
Although I was unable to vote over the summer – and subsequently (though for continental reasons) the recent Presidential Election in America – it cannot stop me from having my own political stance. I have strong beliefs and given that I was unqualified to voice them, I could talk for hours to my peers about my beliefs and the outcome.
I wish I had been able to vote. I wish the UK had lowered the age as they had done in Scotland; yet I cannot ask for too much. I must instead accept the vote and understand that perhaps my vote wouldn’t have changed the outcome. I suppose I feel frustrated simply because I am unable to make any sort of difference. However, perhaps my having a personal political stance has made some difference – it means that by the time I will be able to vote, I might make the choices best suited to what I wish for my own future.
So, don’t despair youth of Wenvoe! Although we can’t vote, that doesn’t mean we can’t have our own opinions.
Therefore, for the meantime I’ll have to brush up on my political knowledge ready for my turn at the voting station.
By Tirion Davies
Watch Co-ordinators
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH
Watch Co-ordinators met on Wednesday 26 October 2016
Walston Close, Greave Close and Port Road. New Co-ordinators have volunteered for these roads. We greatly appreciate their help.
Clos Llanfair. – A Co-ordinator is needed for this road.
Neighbourhood Watch is a national organisation where individuals in a community offer to keep alert for any suspicious activity in their areas. In Wenvoe we aim to have a Co-ordinator for each road in the village and we encourage Co-ordinators to introduce themselves to the residents in their areas. There is an Annual General Meeting held about February to which any Resident is invited. There are also 2 meetings in a year for Co-ordinators.
If you are interested in being a Co-ordinator please contact Jackie Gauci on 2132 8539 or Alan French on 2059 8092.
We would like to include residents in The Grange and St Lythan’s estates in the scheme and are considering the best way this can be achieved.
It was reported that small, empty cylinders about the size of a hand torch, had been found on Grange Field. They might have been used to sniff a gas and this was reported to the police.
Alan French
November’s Events
November has been a time for remembrance in the parish, beginning with the evening service for All Souls Day on Sunday October 30th when candles were lit on the altar in church to remember loved ones in our families who have passed to their eternal rest, in recent times and past years
Then on Sunday 13th November we joined with the national remembrance services over the country, as we gathered in St. Mary’s for our traditional ecumenical service with prayers readings and hymns. This year the emphasis was on the Battle of Jutland and the Battle of the Somme. The service included the most powerful recollections from those men who were at the battles, and hearing them read out, brought home the horror and suffering our brave young men went through. These readings extended the service for longer than we would have wished and as a result the congregation, headed by the cross bearer and choir, were a little late in arriving at the village War Memorial. Thanks are extended to Dave Short of the Vale Brass Band for the music and also to the Wenvoe Community Council for providing the public address system for our use on the day. This enabled the calling of the Wenvoe Roll of Honour to be heard by the crowd of people who had gathered to pay their respects to those men of Wenvoe who answered the call to fight for what they thought was right for their families and country. The collection taken in church will be donated to the work of the Royal British Legion as part of their Poppy Appeal when they aim to raise 42 million pounds to look after survivors and their families of all the conflicts since WW1 and WW2.
On a lighter note the Chattery on Thursday 10th was well supported with stalls selling used CD’s and DVD’s, a cake stall and the usual Fairtrade selection of gifts and seasonal food items for the coming Christmas Season. This is a coffee morning with a difference where friends and parishioners can meet up in friendly and congenial surroundings. The moneys raised will be added to the church general fund to support church expenses.
The financial result from the Barn Dance has enabled us to donate £460 to the Romeo Hadley Trust fund and a further £400 has been given the Gwenfo Church in Wales school for additional equipment for the new extensions to the school.
At a recent meeting of the Parochial Church Council, the condition of the Albert and Hilda Morgan grave by the entrance to the churchyard by the Yew tree was considered. There is a trust fund to maintain this grave and we receive a small income each year. In previous years volunteers have attempted to clean the white marble stone, but with the rain and the droppings off the tree, the stone has badly deteriorated in recent years.
Mossfords, the monumental stone masons have inspected the grave and their estimate to repair and reinstate, and clean the stones to the best of their ability and has been accepted in the sum of almost £2,400.
This year Christmas cards designed by the children in our Pebbles Group, with a choice of 3 different colourful drawings of the Nativity giving the details of all the Christmas Services planned are to be distributed to every house in the parish and in St Lythan’s. The community Carol Service will be on December 14th at 7 pm. In St Mary’s followed by mulled wine and mince pies in the Community Centre, provided by the Wenvoe community council. All are welcome, the collection at the service will be donated to Ty Hafan Hospice for sick children at Sully.
The Welcome Packs have been updated and continue to be given to the new homeowners on the Grange development and the St. Lythan’s Park at the old HTV site. A warm welcome is extended to these new families as they settle in to their fresh surroundings you are among friends.
Once again the Toy Service combined with the all Age Worship at St Mary’s on the 27th of November was well supported and many toys were brought to be given to the Food Bank in Barry for children whose Christmas would be much the poorer without this special gift. The Big Wrap brought many decorated shoe boxes full of goodies from both our parish and Sully for distribution within the Vale
Dates for your diary in December:- Messy Church will be at the Community Centre on Saturday 3rd between 3.30 – 5.30pm it is FREE for all the family, come and enjoy arts and crafts, celebration and eating together and is high on fun and energy
Details of all the Christmas Services will be in the Christmas Cards and on posters in the village “For unto us a child is born and his name will be Jesus”
A very happy and blessed Christmas to all readers
Parry Edwards
October Letters
On the 10th October I hosted a social and musical evening at my home for members of the Wenvoe ladies Choir. I wish to thank the ‘ladies’ for the deliciouis refreshments they all brought. Then the highlight of the evening was the lovely music that Dereck played on his harmonica. He is a talented musician. If anyone needs any entertainment for a Christmas function he may be contacted on 029 208 2171.
Pam Fairfax, Clos llanfair
Dear Readers I am hoping to start a book folding class in our Wenvoe library, I know a couple of people have shown interest in having a class. Having spoken to Alex yesterday he has agreed it is a good idea if that is what I would like to do. I am sure some of the library users has seen the couple of books that are on display and I promise it is much easier than it looks. So if anyone is interested could you please ring me on 029 2059 9765 or 07513 703213 or e mail cbjenks10@talktalk.net or see me in the library. I look forward to hearing from you.
Carol Jenkins. Grange Ave.
I was fascinated to read the Wenvoe wildlife group news and the plans to clear the undergrowth covering the old watercress beds. On the same day I read the article, I found myself reading the obituary of Captain Jenner of Wenvoe Castle in the South Wales Daily News (12th May 1883). In a long article the following was written. Captain Jenner,
“had a piece of water in his grounds known as the Goldsland Pools and this was well stocked with water cresses. Numbers of girls and women walked regularly from Cardiff to these pools where they gathered their water cresses for sale in the town. He has often seen them sitting on the bank resting after the fatigue of a six mile walk. He would then take them some bread and cheese and distribute it among them. As they were trespassers the police wanted to stop them, but he would never allow it, and gave strict instructions that they were not to be interfered with”.
I feel we are so fortunate to have such an active wildlife group in the parish and I for one appreciate all the work they undertake.
Nige
Congratulations to Hazel Crockford and her team of helpers who hosted a McMillan coffee morning at the Community Centre recently. We were treated to a wonderful selection of assorted cakes and we were really spoilt for choice. Well done everyone for your hard work and effort.
From the residents of Wenvoe who went along to support.
Save Your Stamps
With Christmas approaching, now is the time to remind our readers that I still collect your used stamps regularly from our What’s On boxes. During the year donations slow down but as you would expect the Christmas post always provides the bulk of the stamps that people have taken the trouble to save to be sold for charity.
This year the “Bloodwise” charity has been the recipient of all the stamps you have collected but next year we are reverting to Dogs Trust which we have supported for several years.
I have read in their recent news magazine that their London volunteer of some 30 plus years is still sorting stamps, stamp albums, postcards, foreign currency etc. and £18,200 has been raised this year alone – quite a remarkable achievement.
So I would continue to urge you to save your stamps etc.and accept my thanks on behalf of Dogs Trust and Bloodline too.
Marilyn
Port Road – Roadworks
Church Festivals
Looking back to the Scarecrow Festival and Harvest Festival Weekend at the end of September, the weather was dry but with always the threat of rain, the afternoon was a great success and enjoyed by all. The entries were numerous and the judging by the people was not made any easier due to the high standard of entries. For the children there was dressing up as a living scarecrow, competitions and delightful mouth-watering refreshments provided by volunteers from our Social Committee and friends.
The write up in our NEW joint Parish Magazine with Sully is well worth quoting here “Great attention to detail had been given to all the entrants in the competition and difficult choices had to be made to find the winners. Tin Beake welcomed us to the party from his orbit around the Yew tree. The Vicar of Dibley was offering bribes in the form of Quality Street whilst the Buxom wench fluttered her eyelashes and the Traidcraft entry outrageously touted for business. Peppa Pig was there along with Mr. Potato Head and a Minion, not to mention a whole cast from James and the Giant peach, very topical. Blodwen, the Welsh Scarecrow watched quietly from her corner while Fireman Sam encouraged us to be fire alert, and Down Town Abbie looked down her nose at the other entrants. The Cubs appeared to be growing little people in a night garden and the Scarecrow who slept through it all last year was wide awake on scaring duties this year”.
The winners were….
Best Individual (Child) Poppy for the Minion
Best Indiviaual (Adult) Mike and John Tucker for Tin Beake
Best Organisation was a tie between Down Town Abbie by Tuesday Group and James and the Giant Peach by Gwenfo School
People’s Favourite – Tin Beake
Da Iawn. well done and see you all next year.
The Harvest All Age Eucharist the following morning was well attended with Wenvoe School choir singing the Harvest Samba, and our Pebbles Group gave us a Harvest Presentation, which with the use of our new radio mike, enabled everybody to hear what they had rehearsed. A contribution from the morning collection and the evening Community Harvest Praise collection has been sent to Christian Aid.
The NEW joint Parish Magazine has been well received and being now a monthly magazine the items can be topical in content. The magazine is available in church on the first Sunday of the month at 50p a copy.
“Messy Church” with the theme of “Jesus the Light of the World”, was once again well attended on Saturday Oct 1st. with parents and children enjoying the activities and the meal at the end. A big thank you to all the volunteers and to the Vale Church for the help that is needed to stage this weekend event.
The Barn Dance on Saturday Oct. 15th in the Village Hall was enjoyed by all with a comment that it “was a great family night out". The main luxury hamper was won by Sandra Davies and the financial
result will be available in the Weekly Newsletter.
Traidcraft and Fairtrade. Tradecaft goods are now on sale in Sully and Wenvoe at the after church coffee and the Chattery meetings, The Christmas Range has now been launched with an increased range of goods suitable for the coming festive season. Look out for the “Real Advent Calendar, with chocolates and the real Story of Christmas Booklet plus many other gift ideas and a good range of Christmas Cards. Fair trade means that the person who produces the food and other items get a fair price for their work, and all these can be seen at Jude Billingham’s home when she and Nigel stage an OPEN DAY on November 18th at Church Rise in Wenvoe. The invitation is open to all and a warm welcome awaits, with refreshments
available.
Looking ahead the “Christmas Chattery” will be held in the Church hall on Thursday 10th November between 10.30 – 12.00 with a selection of Traidcraft and other goodies for sale.
Remembrance Sunday is on the 13th of November with a Community Remembrance Service at St. Mary’s at 10.10am followed by the service at the War Memorial at 11.00am. A contribution from the collection at church will be given towards the work of the Royal British Legion.
The year is moving on at a pace, the short season of the Kingdom is now with us, to be followed by the solemn Season of Advent. The colours used at the altar and vestments will change to Red and then Violet, as we prepare for the Christmas Celebrations. This year we shall be sending a Christmas card to every home in Wenvoe and St Lythan’s, designed by the children of “Pebbles” giving a suitable greeting and the times of all the Christmas Services.
With every Blessing and see you in church
Parry Edwards
September’s Events
The return of our “Pebbles” group after their Summer break, brought the usual joyous hustle and bustle when they joined the congregation during the communion. It is lovely to see new children attending for the first time and also the mums and dads joining in the worship. It is due to the expertise and encouragement of their leaders during the short time they are in the Church Hall. In what they are taught through the medium of play and crafting, that they are able to tell us what they have been doing and learning about the theme of the Gospel readings for the day. Well done and may it long continue.
It is has been a busy time, during the month for the smaller congregation at St Lythan’s. Apart from a meeting of their PCC on the 14th of the month, the Cadw Open Day on Saturday 17th which brought a response from people who had not visited the church before. The idea of opening our churches is a good one, but needs to be staffed with church members to explain details of the building that they may not be aware of. September seems to be the month in which many buildings not normally open to the public are invited in to see for themselves the treasures contained inside. In any village or hamlet with a church many centuries old, these buildings are a constant reminder they have weathered many a storm during their lifetime and would not exist today but for the care and attention by the worshippers who Sunday by Sunday come together to praise and worship Almighty God and Jesus his son. On Sunday 18th there is a Pet Service at St Lythan’s hoping to build on the success of last years’ service, when many people brought their pets to be blessed.
At long last our builder Mike has made a start on the work in and around St Mary’s church, which was highlighted in the last Quinquennial Inspection of the church’s fabric. Mike comes 
highly recommended and is a skilled craftsman in the restoration of old buildings and structures. The work is outside repairing some of the boundary walls of the churchyard, the flooring in the porch has to be regrouted and the barrel ceiling to be replastered and painted. The steps of the Churchyard Cross are to be repointed to prevent rainwater entering and so avoid frost damage during the winter months. Stonework on the outside of the Vestry has perished and new stone set in place, and recently it was discovered that a piece of the corbel on the roof of the Transcept had fallen away and this also will need to be replaced. Looking after the fabric of church buildings is a major item in our budget, and this is helped by the 200 Club which has been able to fund a lot of the work
We are looking forward to a repeat of the success of the Scarecrow Festival in St Mary’s on the 24th September, which is combined with the Cadw Open Door programme between 2pm and 5pm. This is followed by our Harvest Festival on the following Sunday with the normal morning services and Harvest Praise at 6.00pm. A report of these events will be in next months “What’s On”.
Looking ahead Messy Church in the Community Centre on Saturday 1st October at 3.30 – 5.30 pm when the theme will be “Light of the World”. Barn Dance in the Village hall on October 15th, Tickets from Sandra Davies.
With every Blessing and see you in church
Parry Edwards
Letters
Letters to the Editor
Village Show
Congratulations and thanks to all involved in the Village Show – another very successful day where villagers could mingle and admire each other's skills.
Anne Bennett
Church Hall Sale.
I was surprised to read in What's On that St Mary's is planning to sell the Church Hall and build an alternative facility within the church.
The Church is in the centre of the village and any changes to the facade facing the street would almost certainly spoil an essential part of the conservation area.
The hall is a village amenity as well as a church hall, it is hired by several groups regularly and of course it can be used after funerals and the like. Will the proposals also fulfil this need of the community?
I can appreciate that a room within the church may be easier to administer but is it really going to make that much difference?
I have heard a number of people disagreeing with the plan so thought I should write to What's On.
Name and address supplied
