The Official Wenvoe Homepage
We have been out and about when the weather permitted. Some more willows have been planted in the Community Orchard along with the King James 1st Mulberry donated by a resident. 4 Bullace have been planted in the Wild Orchard, St Lythans, two each of the varieties Shepherds Bullace and Langley Bullace. These are like small plums or large sloes. Our remote camera traps are showing some nice shots of foxes and pheasants but no rarities as yet.
DEFIBRILLATOR
AED – Automatic external defibrillator
The defibrillator located outside the Community Centre was collected recently to deal with a medical emergency. In the machine was not required and was later returned to its cabinet.
Would you know how to use the machine? Do you know how it works?
Even with very basic first aid knowledge you could successfully save somebody’s life. The machine talks you through each step. Why not have a look at one of the many online videos by searching ‘how do I use a defibrillator UK’ or similar wording, you will then at least be aware of what to expect from the defibrillator.
If you do have to use the machine please make certain the Community Council is informed. The machine can then be checked, new pads provided etc so that everything is available for any future emergency.
The Village Hall Management Committee would like to thank everyone who kindly donated prizes to this raffle and also to the people who support us by buying and selling of the tickets. All money raised through the raffle contributes to the on-going insurance, maintenance and daily running costs of the Hall which is primarily for the use of the villagers.
We thank you all and wish you Good Health and a Happy and Prosperous New Year
According to our current lectionary the Sunday before Advent is now known as “Christ the King”, but Jon took us back into the old Green Book Service Book and kept the 9.30am Eucharist as “Stir Up Sunday”. The day when according to tradition the Christmas puddings were made. The wording comes from the Collect for that day “ Stir up the wills of thy faithful people; that they bringing forth the fruit of good works may be plenteously rewarded”. The congregation was given a cookery demonstration when all the ingredients were brought to Jon by our “Pebbles “ children and later every member of the congregation had an opportunity to stir the mix as they left the church. Later that week the Rectory must have been full of steam as the mini puddings were steamed and then brought back into church the following Sunday to be distributed to all the families present. This was a reminder that Christians everywhere need to be alert and active in the Season of Advent as we prepare for the coming of the Saviour as a babe in a manger. St Mary’s is stirred and alive in so many ways, from supporting the Food Bank, the Shoe Box appeal, Toy Sunday and the various fund raising event for many charities not forgetting the wonderful response to the Christian Aid House to House appeal in May of this year. Thanks to Jon we have responded so well in supporting local and national requests for funds to help others not as fortunate as we are.
A Public Meeting, hosted by The Wenvoe Community Council and St Mary’s Church will be held in the Community Centre on February 8th 2018 at 7pm. To discuss the possibility of the Community Council purchasing the Church Hall.
Reason for selling the Church Hall
The hall began life as “The Reading Rooms” provided for the villagers by Mrs Laura Jenner in 1894. The site occupies cottages which were burnt down and a hall erected as a free reading room, with desks and tables including a fine bagatelle table and other games. Popular newspapers and magazines are supplied and is well patronised. (Report from the Barry and District News of 28th September 1894).
In recent years the Hall was gifted to St Mary’s Church by the Wenvoe Estate and was in 1982/3 extended for a new kitchen and toilet facility . Again in 2003 the hall was altered with a new entrance and a disabled toilet installed with the help of a £20,000 grant from the Welsh Assembly. It is now is dire need of more money to be spent on redecoration, a new kitchen and to upgrade the toilet facilities. The rentals we receive from the various lettings do not cover the outgoing costs of Insurance, Heat and Light, Cleaning and Maintenance. When the Church Council was presented with these facts the decision was taken to place the Hall on the market, and the money raised from the sale to be applied to an extension on the North side of the church, to replicate the facilities we have enjoyed in the Church Hall.
Reason for extending the Church.
St Mary’s is a fine church listed Grade II* in 1968 being of significant historic and architectural interest. The church over many years has been altered and improved i.e.. the Tower was removed and rebuilt in its present position in 1699. A new roof in the 1880’s, the heating system renewed a number of times, electricity installed in 1935. A gallery built and then removed during the Victorian restoration, the transept and larger vestry built in 1991. A sound system was installed and recently added to. All these alterations were needful for a growing church and the church is still growing today and in many ways is simply not fit for the 21st century.
Our vision for the future is to make St Mary’s continue as the worshipping centre of the community, with facilities such as toilet and kitchen together with a suitable extension to replicate the space we have in the Church Hall. There is no space in order to do special events or to entertain after services, both the usual Sunday Services – but to also to be able to offer facility such as Baptism Tea – all under one roof.. The church is very cluttered at the present time as we do not have space to store decorations, equipment, service books, liturgical items and registers. Our Sunday School “Pebbles” do not meet under the same roof as the rest of the worshipping community on a Sunday. This means a walk to cross the road in all weathers. The concept of a Sunday school is that they are part of a congregation, part of the church, not people who go to a different building. A living church is responsible for all its members from the youngest to the eldest. Hence the need to make our successful and growing Sunday School to be a full part of the congregation where we all gather together to be the Church.
The church has always had to look forward and embrace the new. Very few of us would want to attend the cold, dark, draughty church of the 12th century, if a church does not look forward to the future it will stand still and not have anything to offer future generations. Re-developments of St. Mary’s will help us to embrace the future whilst respecting the past and traditions of the church. It will also help us to use the church building more during the week for other activities and it will provide a new facility and meeting room to the village.
We commend our plans and aspirations to the community at large and we wish all readers a Very happy New Year.
. Parry Edwards
Chicken, Celery and Mushroom Cobbler
500g chicken breasts, [or use any leftover turkey and ham] cubed
250ml chicken stock
25g butter and 1 tbsp. oil
5 sticks of celery, thinly sliced
3 medium leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced
250g mushrooms sliced
2 lemons, juiced and zested
1 tbsp. flour
a few sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
200ml tub crème fraiche
Scone topping
250g SR flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
75g butter, room temp, cubed
2 courgettes, trimmed and grated
good pinch cayenne pepper
about 100ml milk to bind mixture
1 egg beaten to glaze
In a large pan heat butter and oil, cook leeks and celery until softened. If using chicken add to pan and cook until white all over. If using alternative meats add to pan. Add the mushrooms, cook for a few minutes. Stir in the flour and mix together. Add the stock, thyme, lemon juice and zest, mix well together. Add crème fraiche, season well with sea salt and black pepper, stir well together. Transfer to an oven proof dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 180C.
To make the topping. In a large bowl mix flour and baking powder with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Rub in the butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the courgettes and cayenne pepper. Add enough milk to form a soft dough. DON'T overwork the mixture. Roll on a lightly floured surface to about 1.5cm thick. Cut out rounds with a 50mm cutter, re-roll as required. Arrange over the surface of the chicken mixture, overlapping as necessary, so its covered. Brush with the egg and cook in the oven for about 30 – 35 mins until scones are risen and golden brown.
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Christmas will be different this year. It seems everything this year has challenged us with means we deserve a new future, a new year to cap off the disastrous 2017. But with it comes a desire for a better 2018, one with less tragedy and less worry, one I’m highly doubtful we’ll be graced with. As you attempt to track through the awful past year, too many tragedies appear; but thankfully, some good has come out of this year, too. Perhaps the definition of 2017 is Time magazine’s Person of the Year being the men and women who stood up against their abusers this year, an ongoing battle I wish to see more of; but with Donald Trump taking second place. A year of wins, sprinkled with losses, too.
As we review this year, we need to take note of the good things. All too often do we dwell on the bad – remember the solidarity of women standing together at the Women’s Marches, and the world banding together in light of the numerous terror attacks, to prove we will not our futures be defined by the ugliness of these attacks. When you think of this year – although it’s so hard – try not to think about the ludicrous fact that Donald Trump (practically a five year old) is running America; daydream about his impeachment and Bernie Sanders storming in with a new Congress to pass the bills for free healthcare and re-instating Planned Parenthood. When you think of the Harvey Weinstein cases, don’t waste time on him and his supporters, educate yourself on the victims who finally allowed themselves a voice.
Following 2016 murderous rampage practically of celebrity after celebrity dying, we were graced with 2017’s own tragedies of sexual abusers. As one user on Tumblr aptly put it – last year you worried if your favourite celebrity was trending in case they were dead, this year you’re worried they are an abuser. Which then is worse?
Take the time this year to think about your successes this year. This year I passed my first year of A Levels without too much hassle; have applied to Universities and gained offers; have passed my final LAMDA examination; have (finally) passed my theory test; have gained multiple opportunities to expand my future, and have further gained stronger friendships. I’m grateful that I’m sure there’s more I could say about this year, and am more than grateful that I don’t know what I want for Christmas. Maybe the one thing I want for Christmas is impossible to have – an even better 2018.
When I sit watching the Christmas specials flood my screen at Christmas, and enjoy the feeling of having my family around me, I’ll realise I’m grateful for this year.
Because despite how awful it appears to have been on the outside, it’s allowed me to expand my horizons, and realise that my future is quickly shaping to be better than I’d hoped. For Christmas this year, I just hope that everyone else feels that they can call themselves stronger for having overcome a Millennial’s Year from Hell.
By Tirion Davies
Tracing your Heritage
We were delighted to welcome Heulwen Davies to talk to us about tracing your heritage. Heulwen obviously has a real passion for not only tracing her own family but helping others to get started with looking at their ancestry. Every Tuesday morning Heulwen is available in the library where one can take advantage of her expertise.
It was stressed that one had to start with oneself by writing your own biography. One should work backwards and include anything you can remember that might be of importance especially ones nearest relatives.
These days one can use the internet to search the widely available free of charges sources to help with tracking down your family. These include census records from England, Wales and Scotland 1841-1911, Births, Marriages and Deaths records, Parish records and newspaper records.
After getting as much information from ones immediate family remembering to look for letters, bibles, diaries and photos that might all hold valuable clues about family members one can look at the extended family. It is important to bear in mind ethical considerations when interviewing people and if you want to use information consent should always be sought to use the information.
Heulwen was able to give us some interesting examples of facts she had found out about her own family many of whom were farmers and tended to spend all their lives living in the same locality. By visiting locations where ones family was located and capturing images of graves etc Heulwen has written about her family and these scripts will be able to be read by her family.
Tracing ones ancestry is obviously something that once you have started becomes addictive and you need to learn more. With the advent of relatively inexpensive DNA testing one can with accuracy trace one’s own roots and hopefully glean important information.
Anyone interested in this subject should come along to the library where Heulwen will do her best to get you started tracing your roots.
Our final event of the year was our Christmas Meal which was at the Beech Tree. Once again this venue didn’t disappoint and I am sure that everyone who went had an enjoyable evening.
New members are always welcome so if there is anything of interest in next years programme please come along – you will be assured of a warm welcome.
