Month: March 2017
Council Minutes 16th February 2017
March Walk Programme
MARCH WALKS
THURSDAY 2ND MARCH – Barry.
A circular walk based around Barry approx. 5 miles. Bert
SATURDAY 4TH MARCH – Margam Deer Park and woodland.
Around 7½ miles.Ian (165/166)
SATURDAY 11TH MARCH – Llandenny near Raglan.
A 7½ mile walk. Mike (152)
SATURDAY 18TH MARCH – Linear walk between Aberdare and Abercynon.
Around 7½ miles. Ian (166)
SATURDAY 25TH MARCH – Ascent of Tylorstown tip.
Walking from Llanwonno. Approx. 7½ miles. V’Iain (166)
SATURDAY 1ST APRIL – Cwmparc, Treorchy.
A 7½ mile walk with one steep climb. Ian. (166)
Uskmouth Nature Reserve
Uskmouth Nature Reserve
We parked at the RSPB nature reserve, which is in the Gwent levels near Nash, on a very cold but sunny morning. There was still ice on the ground as we set off at 10a.m. We went east across fields and then northeast towards Nash passing close to power lines. Walking around Nash and then across the road we passed under another two power lines to return to
the road and head northeast to Henton farm where we spotted some gorgeous calves in a barn and geese gesturing at us from behind a wire fence.
This area is called Swaplands covering 2138 acres it contains Uskmouth reed beds, salt marsh grasslands, Goldcliff lagoons (saltwater lagoons where waders nest in spring and early summer) and the foreshore – mudflats connecting the other areas and providing feeding areas for ducks and waders. There is a network of drainage ditches, ‘reens‘, all dug by hand across Swaplands.
Now we turned southeast towards Goldcliff and its picturesque 14th C church which has a plaque recording the great Bristol Channel flood of 1606/07. We continued west along the estuary. It was lunchtime and we found a bird hide, offering shelter from the biting wind and large enough for each of us to look out at the marsh spotting swans in the estuary. Very 
luxurious compared to our usual lunch settings.
A short stretch north took us to Moorlands where there was a wood carving of a pair of boxing hares, about 6ft high. We headed west and then southwest across fields to the sea wall.
Beautiful views of the Severn estuary greeted us with the low winter sun piercing the clouds. From the sea wall can be seen the remains of Putcher baskets, traditionally made from hazel rods and willow plait, they are set out in wooden ranks. They trapped salmon at high tide to be retrieved by fishermen at low tide.
Following the coastal path we came to the East Usk lighthouse, one of two either side of the river Usk at the Severn estuary. Built in 1893 by Thomas Williams it is still operational and forms part of the sea wall. We took a brief diversion on a floating pontoon into the reed beds – an interesting sensation.
Ahead loomed the power station with its many power lines radiating inland. The land from Goldcliff to Uskmouth was originally covered in ash from the power station. In 2000 the wetlands reserve was created, removing the ash and re-landscaping the site, to mitigate the loss of wildlife habitat in the Cardiff Bay barrage area.
Soon we returned to the RSPB wetlands centre for tea. The flat walk covered 8miles, our steepest climb of the day being the ramp up to the bird hide. Map OS 152
Aberthaw, Fontygary and Rhoose
Aberthaw, Fontygary and Rhoose
We started at the Blue Anchor car park, Aberthaw, on a morning heavy with mist, turning to fog in places. We headed back up the road taking the first left and then turning towards the sea. The Aberthaw power station was on our right and lakes to our left, there was no visible flora in January but it was atmospheric in the mist. On the lakes we could clearly see ducks and
egrets and a large bird in the dim distance. The lime kilns on the opposite bank were perfectly reflected in the still waters.
The route was east along the coast, staying at sea level and then climbing to the top of the cliff. We soon saw a huge rock fall. Thank goodness at this point the footpath wasn’t near the edge of the cliff! Nearby was a sign ‘stay away from the edge of the cliff – rock falls possible’. (The South Wales Echo had an article later stating that the cliff had been inspected and the footpath declared safe.)
Skirting Fontygary Bay we walked towards Rhoose point. The sculptures here are worth a visit despite erosion due to their exposed position. One, a compass took a little thought until we realised the directions were spelt out in Welsh. Rhoose point is the southernmost part of mainland Wales and is marked by a giant stone needle in the midst of a stone circle.
We continued to Dams Bay and then headed inland to Rhoose, walking around the perimeter of the airport. A new fence had been erected, making for rough ground in places and plenty of mud!
The footpath was a little difficult to find on a new housing estate but was in excellent condition and led to muddy fields. Glad to reach the road at Nurston we headed north towards Fonmon castle. Soon arriving at the pond in Fonmon we wondered why we’d eaten our lunch before reaching the benches here.
Now we followed the road back to Aberthaw and the Blue Anchor for refreshment. We had walked 7.5miles and climbed 600’. Map OS151
Lichens are fungi
They are all around you as soon as you step out of the house – on your roof, on the pavement, on the trees, the walls and the fences. Yet most of us do not notice them. They grow where little else can, slowly but steadily. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes – flat and round, scaly and shrubby. They are, of course, lichens. Lichens are fungi that behave like plants because they have little green algal cells inside them. Together they form the lichen body. The algal cells make sugar and give it to the fungus. In return the fungus shelters them from excess sunlight and water loss.
The easiest to find are those on the pavements. All those white or yellow blobs or stains are lichens. Some look so like chewing gum that they are called the Chewing Gum lichen. Or take a close look at the trees behind the library which sport a great variety of them. And what use are they? You might have heard that reindeer eat lichens but did you know that they are also eaten by humans, used in medicine, cosmetics and dyeing and making litmus paper? They can help prospectors looking for precious metals and will be contained in your sprinkling of Garam Masala. So next time you slap on your Brut or Eternity, or anoint yourself with Estee Lauder or Yves St Laurent, thank the humble lichen.
The Wildlife Group are preparing a Lichen Trail round the village which will be downloadable from the website so if you see members lying on the pavement or examining the gravestones with hand lenses that will be the reason – you do need to get up very close to them to appreciate their colours, the tiny fruits that many of them will be growing; even the spores that help to identify the different species. If you are interested in getting to know more about them, do contact the Wildlife Group.
Charity Marathon
BATH HALF MARATHON
My name is Joe Page and you may know me as I was brought up in the village. You may also know my step father Andy, as he also lives in the village and can be regularly seen walking with my mum Cath and "Humphrey" the dog. Or you may recognise us from the photograph.
Approximately 18 Months ago Andy was diagnosed with Non Hodgkin Lymphoma which is a blood cancer. This is the 5th most common type of cancer in the UK and, in his case, can be treated but not cured. Regardless of the circumstances, Andy has been nothing but positive, tackling 6 months of chemo-therapy and is still currently receiving treatment.
This is why myself and my girlfriend Charlotte are running the Bath Half Marathon on Sunday 12th March in aid of Bloodwise. Bloodwise is the charity who fund world-class research and offer expert in-formation and support to anyone affected by Leukae-mia, Lymphoma, Myeloma and other blood cancer related disor-ders.
Our aim is to raise as much money as we can for this excellent charity and therefore if you would wish to donate to our justgiving page (www.justgiving.com/ JoeandLottie) then any amount would be greatly appreciated. If you do not have access to a computer but would still like to donate, then you could drop a donation to Andy at 3 Grange Avenue where he would be able to forward it to the just giving page on your behalf.
Thank you for taking the time to read this,
Joe Page
St Lythan’s Pump
The team met last month to discuss possible future projects and I have been approached to consider looking at the pump near St Lythans Church which is in need of attention. I’ve been up to have a look and indeed the area is sadly neglected and overgrown. I remember being involved in a clean up, but that was years ago. At our next meeting which will be on March 13 we will meet at the Community Centre and I suggest that some of the team visits the site to start clearing the area while others prepare the ground at the Village Green for new shrubs.
Yet More Musings
PLAY HARD, WORK HARD
Cinema – An Appreciation
Films are a form of escape – whether you have nothing to escape or everything, it’s a way for us all to stop thinking about our problems and become engrossed in a story. The cinema is a way for film makers to express themselves or make a statement – I suppose I relate to that as that’s essentially what I try to do myself with writing. You see stories being played out and you fall in love with characters – whether they’re real people or not – because if it’s played out properly, a character is someone relatable.
Last year, the Oscar managed to produce a number of incredible and intriguing films. Most notable for me were films such as ‘Room’ (which earned Brie Larson a well-deserved Academy Award, but failed to
earn Jacob Tremblay any kind of award) and Spotlight (earning Best Picture at those same awards); my two personal favourites of the year. Room was so powerful and it’s hard to believe anyone could have been in such a situation; yet I was hooked from the first moment. It was fascinating and heart breaking, but made such a statement it was hard to ignore. Although the cast was small, each and every person held an important role; that’s an impressive feat that isn’t too often found in such Hollywood films of recent years.
Spotlight was a film that although I hadn’t ended up watching in 2016 (rather, in early 2017) I thought was so brilliant. Perhaps it’s my secret love for a powerful true story, or maybe it’s because the story depicts a bunch of journalist doing something good (as an aspiring journalist myself, I can argue they don’t often earn a friendly depiction). Stories like the one in Spotlight make it hard to believe I’d never heard of it before the film was made. It surprised me I suppose that such a story had the capacity to be created in film form; people aren’t always as happy to open their arms to a controversial topic.
This year, however the Oscars gain more diversity yet the incredible films continue! Recently I saw Hidden Figures and it shocked me and annoyed me that I had never been taught about these women (despite not being American, one of my History GCSE modules was on America between 1929 and 2000). The same could be argued for Hacksaw Ridge – clearly important people in America’s history forgotten for either the colour of their skin or for being a conscientious objector. History is a topic I’m so intrigued by so these films with such interesting contexts mean so much more to me I suppose (I can’t decide whether it’s weird that a big part of my favourite films include the context?).
La La Land came a surprise – a musical is never something I can walk away from and not remember the words for the next month – but it was just how good it was. A big gamble that managed to pay off. Lion is another I’d love to see honoured at this year’s award shows. Despite being so in love with the cinema, I don’t often cry; not too many stories touch me in such a way I guess. But this was different – so far all of the films of 2017 have had me on the brink of tears, yet Lion managed to push me over the edge to the point of only seeing a blurry screen through tear-filled eyes.
I’ll reiterate: the cinema is my escape. If you manage to make it into my room – unfortunately, I have a terrible lack of tidiness – you will see that I have almost a memorabilia wall. The wall is a pin-board filled to the brim with items I have accumulated over the years, including a bag from Bubba Gump and tickets to the Capital Building and Empire State building and even a booklet from the Smithsonian from my trip to America two years ago; numerous Taylor Swift polaroids; a couple of my numbers and certificates for various sports; a souvenir booklet from when I was in Les Misèrables; some Marvel cards and even tickets from trips to London. On a whole – these are (as the song says) ‘a few of my favourite things’. Yet, scattered amongst the memorabilia are cinema tickets, the tickets I’ve managed to save from being thrown away. Because these count as memories.
Films have been a part of my life since forever; the stories and characters manage to stay with me. I doubt that’ll change, but being in higher education it’s important to get the chance to escape every once in a while. In that case, I think I’ll stick with the cinema – a platform to express yourself is always incredible.
Tirion Davies
About the Community Council
The readers of Wenvoe What’s On are happy to be living in a village that is well situated between the metropolis of Cardiff and the tranquillity of the Vale of Glamorgan and it’s lush countryside. Wenvoe is a quiet village with a fine reputation, and its people live in harmony with one another.
This well-ordered way of life is not something we take for granted; rather it is thanks to the Wenvoe Community Council, as well as the Vale of Glamorgan Council that things run so smoothly. This article will focus on the Community Council, how it works and what it does for the community which includes Dyffryn, St Lythans, Twyn-yr-Odyn, Brooklands as well as the village.
Community Councils are the grassroots level of local governance in Wales. They take decision-making out of the town hall and put it back into the community. They give people of any age and background a say about what goes on in their area. Community Councils also provide a forum for consultation with local people, giving residents an opportunity to influence how County Council and other services are delivered. Attending the meetings allows local people and councillors a time to get to know groups and organisations that work in the area, including the police.
In the Vale of Glamorgan there are over 20 Community Councils and there are over 730 community and town councils throughout Wales. Some represent populations of fewer than 200 people, others populations of over 45,000 people; but they all work to improve the quality of life and environment for citizens in their area.
Community Councils are accountable to local people and have a duty to represent the interests of the different parts of the community equally. The Wenvoe Community Council has 11 members and that includes the Chairman Colin Thomas, and Jonathan Bird who is also a Councillor on the Vale of Glamorgan Council.
Each year the Council agree a precept, which is then collected from residents as part of the Council Tax charge. This figure changes but at present it is about £25.000. The Council draws up a budget each year and decides how to spend the money. The Council employs a part time Clerk, Tony Williams, who works from 9 am to 1 pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from the Community Centre. He is often the first point of contact for a resident with a question or problem. He is paid by the Community Council and examples of other expenditure would be grass cutting around the village and at Twyn yr Odyn, the 
maintenance of the Memorial Garden adjacent to the Wenvoe Arms, the cemetery and the Community Centre.
Your Council is also responsible for organising the allotments at Twyn yr Odyn, the council take part in the Remembrance Day parade and service, the hosting of the gathering following the annual Community Carol Service and for keeping an eye on planning applications that will affect the community. Looking ahead the Council hopes to be able to provide a proper new building for the library and it will be working to ensure the successful integration of the two new residential developments at either end of the village.
Any committee or board always needs new people with enthusiasm to join it and Wenvoe Community Council is no exception. The next elections are in May and anyone who is interested will be able to put their names forward for election. A notice about this will be carried in local papers, notice boards and Wenvoe What’s On nearer the time. If you think you have the time to serve your community do consider putting your name forward. The work is not onerous with the council meeting formally one evening a month in the Community Centre. There are also sub-committees and other meetings taking place as well as regular contacts with the public and other bodies.
We are fortunate to have a well organised and efficient Community Council in Wenvoe, and perhaps you may wish to play your part in it for the sake of future generations.
