Month: October 2019

RHS 8 tips for November

RHS 8 tips for November

  1. Clear up leaves, especially from lawns, ponds and drains.
  2. Please make sure all containers kept clear of the ground.
  3. Plant tulip bulbs for a spring display.
  4. Prune roses to prevent wind rock.
  5. Plant out winter bedding.
  6. Cover brassicas with netting if pigeons are a problem.
  7. Insulate outdoor containers from frost. Bubble wrap is good.
  8. Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees, by using grease bands around trunks.

Top tips from the Wenvoe Environment team

  1. Keep an eye on those good gardening neighbours to see what they’re up to.
  2. Build an extension to house all the new recycling bags.

Do not feed plants at this time of year as most of the nutrients will end up in water courses. Apply an autumn mulch to the likes of agapanthus, kniphofia and phygelius. Remove stakes and other supports from late flowering herbaceous perennials as plants die down for the winter and store in a dry place for next year. Helebores rarely flower at Christmas despite the common name of Christmas rose. Remove diseased or damaged leaves and encourage earlier flowering by covering with a cloche. Garden centres often sell off perennials at this time of year. They will not be looking great but if you can see past the the drab looking specimens, you will have great plants next year.

Weeds are tough and will grow when most plants have given up so if you can get onto the soil keep up with the weeding, it will all help for next year’s spring rush. Digging over the earth at this time of year exposes soil born pests and larvae to the birds and frosts. Try not to leave the soil uncovered for too long or the risk of erosion and nutrient loss will occur. Cover with a mulch if possible. Clay soils can be more workable in the autumn as they are not as hard as rock or too soft. Mulching will help to improve the structure. This is especially prevalent if you live on the Grange, where most of the top soil was stripped off before building started.

When you next plant up some containers, add a little sand (along with the small stones you put in the bottom of the pots) to the compost. This will help drainage and give more room for the root system. Petroleum jelly smeared around the top of the container will discourage slugs. Both these tips are from radio 4 so they must work.

The author of this column will be giving (and probably receiving) advice on any subject at the Christmas Reindeer Cafe on Saturday 23rd November between 12noon and 4pm in the Church Hall so why not come along. Entry is free and all are welcome.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

Dyffryn Paintings Conservation Project

DYFFRYN PAINTINGS CONSERVATION PROJECT

 Dyffryn House, at Dyffryn gardens is holding a paintings conservation project from the 22nd October-end of November. Visitors will get the chance to watch specialist painting conservators in action, as they repair the 3 paintings by prolific Welsh artist Margaret Lindsay Williams (1888-1960). Williams portraits are in the Royal collection , and the National Museum, Wales. Come and discover more about her fascinating life and career, and take a look at her allegorical paintings which caused quite a stir when she painted them in the early 20th century; The Imprisoned Soul and The Devil’s Daughter.

Conservators will be in the Oak Room of Dyffryn House Monday to Thursdays from 1-4pm. They will also be running conservator talks with Q&A at 1:30pm and 3pm.

 

 

Abercraf

 

Abercraf

It was a lovely sunny morning at the end of August when we set off from Abercraf in a westerly direction. We walked along the river, the sun sparkling on the water. Passing through a kissing gate we noticed that its ‘gate’ had been dumped in the bushes nearby. Soon we were passing the Rheolau Arms and walking along the road in baking sunshine. We entered woodland, appreciating the shade and walked amongst the gnarled trunks of ancient trees. It was hard going underfoot at times, as it was quite boggy with no signs of a marked path and we climbed over or through a fallen tree. We came into open countryside and then arrived at the village of Cwmgiedd.

In 1943 ‘The Silent Village’, a British propaganda short film in the form of a drama documentary was made in Cwmgiedd as a tribute to the people of Lidice in Czechoslovakia. It was a collaboration of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South Wales Miners Federation and the people of the Swansea and Dulais valleys. Part of the film is in Welsh with no subtitles. The 36 minute film is available on YouTube – just search for ‘1943 film The Silent Village’. In 1941 the villages of Cwmgiedd and Lidice were similar mining communities, though 984 miles apart. The film depicted what might have happened to the Welsh mining village if German Fascists had occupied it. The obliteration of the Welsh community is intended to parallel the events in Lidice the previous year.

On 27th May 1942 Jozef Gabcik & Jan Kis attempted the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich and he died of his injuries on 4th June 1942. Hitler demanded retribution and on 10th June Lidice was razed to the ground. All the 173 men of the village were executed, the women were taken to concentration camps and the children herded into trucks. To this day the fate of the children is unknown, only a handful ever returned home.

In 1947 ‘Lidice shall Live’ funds were handed over to Czechoslovakia and a new Lidice rose from the ashes, a foundation stone being laid 300 metres from the original site. It was noticed that corn in a particular field grew higher than elsewhere and horses refused to work there. This was the site of the mass grave, which is now home to a memorial.

In 1969 sculptor Marie Uchytilova was deeply touched by the tragedy and made it her life’s work to create bronze monuments of every child killed in Lidice. She completed the casts in 1989 and died suddenly later that year. Her husband completed the bronzes in 2000 and 82 statues now stand proudly in Lidice, looking down the valley. In 2015 a pear tree sapling (of a pear tree that was destroyed but regenerated) was handed over to the people of Cwmgiedd. It remains a living, permanent link between Cwmgiedd and Lidice.

Walking through the village we spotted a whole hedge of rosehips. At the northern end of the village we entered Coedwig Giedd forest. We followed forestry tracks along the river Giedd, though we couldn’t see it most of the time as it was hidden by trees and below us. We rested for lunch on some large rocks most of us seeking shade, as it was 27degC.

Emerging from the forest we crossed Nant Ceiliog and some boggy ground aiming for the rocky outcrop at Cribarth. We were surrounded by untouched wilderness with no sign of man’s influence in any direction (apart from the ubiquitous wind turbines in the far distance). It was well worth the climb – unusually we had climbed gradually until early afternoon. We disturbed a frog and then a newt in the long grass and realised that normally this area was a lot wetter underfoot – thank goodness for the dry summer.

Now we turned generally south and dropped quite quickly through the purple haze of heather laden hills with a patchwork of fields in the distance. Soon we were enjoying refreshment in the Abergraf Inn.

Walk 8 miles 1400ft ascent. Map OL12

 

 

Great Expectations

Great Expectations

There is an expectation which has fallen on the youth of today; that we must fix the problems our predecessors have caused. Between the likes of Greta Thunberg, the climate activist who made headlines after her recent speech at the UN, and Emma Gonzalez, the powerhouse who helped organise March For Our Lives on behalf of gun control last year, and Autumn Peltier, the Native American teenager working on behalf of clean water protection, the world has seen its fair share of young activists.

But my issue is that why should they have to fight the battles which should be fought on their behalf? In the words of Greta Thunberg herself in her speech at the UN Climate Summit earlier this month, “I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!”.

Young people are losing their childhoods trying to undo the wrongs of the past, whilst the politicians who could be aiding them are either mocking them or are watching on in astonishment. And yes. It is astonishing that at such young ages, these young women are able to change the world. But it’s not their duty to change the world. Not yet anyway. It is their duty to gain an education and to learn and be free to explore who they are. The politicians watching them with starry-eyed gazes ought to be the ones protecting them. Protecting all of us – young and old.

Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida in 2018 had to co-fund the gun-control advocacy group. Never Again MSD, had to help organise March For Our Lives and held a six-minute silence for the victims of the shooting (six minutes was the length of the shooting) before any changes at all were made. Florida Legislature finally passed a bill titled ‘Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act’ thanks to the work of Emma Gonzalez and her co-founders; but she had to be the face of a generation at just 18 years old because the politicians she should be able to rely upon refused to raise their voices.

Greta Thunberg, at aged just sixteen is a face which is so recognisable. In August 2018, aged 15 years old, Greta Thunberg started spending her school days outside of the Swedish parliament in the hopes of climate change. Soon, many joined her call to arms, with the climate strike Fridays for Future being organised soon after. Following Thunberg’s 2018 United Nations Climate Change Conference, student strikes took place worldwide each week. She took a racing yacht over the Atlantic to attend the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit in New York, to demonstrate the importance of reducing emissions. But at sixteen, although she is undoubtedly an icon, Greta Thunberg should be enjoying her time with friends – not worrying about the fact entire ecosystems are collapsing.

14 year-old Autumn Peltier is an internationally recognised advocate for clean water. An Anishinaabe-kwe and a member of Wikwemikong First Nation, she is a water protector who has addressed the UN General Assembly on the issue of water protection. Having been nominated for an International Children’s Peace Prize in 2017, 2018 and 2019, Peltier is known for her activism. But she’s fourteen. She was thirteen when she first addressed the United Nations. She deserves a childhood where the people who are in power are protecting the issues she is having to advocate for – it’s their job; it was never hers.

Yet these young women have all earned backlash for their work recently. Greta Thunberg was attacked for her looks – it says a lot when the only thing they have left to go after is your lack of a smile when you’re talking about the fact Earth may become unliveable soon.

A Republican congressman, Steve King, attacked Emma Gonzalez for wearing a Cuban flag on her jacket, stating, “this is how you look when you claim Cuban heritage yet don’t speak Spanish and ignore the fact that your ancestors fled the island when the dictatorship turned Cuba into a prison camp, after removing all weapons from its citizens; hence their right to self-defence”. The badge worn on Gonzalez’s jacket was adopted in 1902, fifty years before the communist take-over and has since been used by anti-Castro exiles as a symbol of patriotism.

These are young women. Young women who deserve the right to go about their teenage years in the way I was able to. We shouldn’t still be looking to them to lead the way, when politicians and world leaders should have been doing their jobs a long time ago.

Pressure is having three essays due in a week. Pressure is having to cram for exams each day of the week. Pressure is performing in a school show or being the one to score the winning try on the rugby field against an opposing school. Pressure should not be having the eyes on the world on you at all times and holding the weight of the world on your shoulders. It’s too much pressure for anyone – especially when there are adults in the world who are qualified and being paid to share the responsibility between them.

Although these young women are icons, they are also children. Their jobs aren’t to fix the world.

By Tirion Davies

 

 

When Did You Last Plant A Tree?

When did you last plant a tree? With November 30th being Tree Charter Day and the Woodland Trust planning to plant 35,000 trees on that day alone, here is a chance for you to consider what you can do to help.

Why bother? As the Woodland Trust says ‘as well as absorbing carbon, trees help to deal with the effects of climate change, stemming flooding, reducing pollution, sheltering livestock and nurturing wildlife’. So whether you are a farmer, councillor, run a business or have a large or small garden, this is for you to think about. And whilst big trees are great, even the smallest garden can accommodate an Amelanchier, Clerodendron or Acer. Alternatively you can sponsor the planting of a tree via the Woodland Trust. Jody Scheckter, ex Formula 1 racing champion who now lives in the UK says ‘A house without a tree is just a building site’. To back up his words he has planted 130,000 trees and 8 miles of hedgerow.

On the positive side some Wenvoe residents have applied for and should shortly be receiving packs of trees from the Woodland Trust. The Government has pledged to reach ‘carbon net zero’ by 2050 which could mean planting 30 million trees a year. Cornwall Council has pledged to plant 80 square kilometres of saplings with £1.7 million committed for the first phase. South Gloucestershire Council will be planting up 1,400 parks, verges and other green spaces with 14,000 broad-leaved trees. 2 million saplings will be planted in the Northern Forest north of Leeds thanks to a collaboration between Leeds City Council and the Environment Agency. It would be good to read in What’s On what the Vale of Glamorgan Council are planning on doing.

You will be hearing more in the coming months about the Environment Wales Act which is increasing pressure on government bodies, including Community Councils, to take account of biodiversity. But we have seen (and reported in What’s On) that there can be a huge difference between the pledges and commitments and actual delivery. England and Wales are woefully behind their own existing tree-planting targets and whilst we have praised Scotland for planting more than all the other UK countries combined we have now realised that these are mainly conifers and their own planting of broad-leaved trees is minimal.

This is a major issue for the decades to come and it is worth noting the words of Greta Thunberg who has considerable support from the youth of today:

‘You are failing us. But the young people are starting to understand your betrayal. The eyes of all future generations are upon you’.

So gardeners, teachers, publicans, quarry operators, farmers – here is an opportunity to make a difference. Plant a tree and (as the Welsh Government advises) if you cut one down, replace it with 2 or 3 new ones.

 

 

October Church News

October Church News

The Harvest Festival was held on the Sunday following the “scarecrows” and the church was full to capacity at the “all Age Service “at 9.30am. Once again the church was decorated with flowers and fruit and vegetables, and the “Pebbles” children and others from Gwenfo Primary School brought many gifts of tinned goods and dry goods for the Food Bank in Barry. The fruit and vegetables were taken to the Salvation Army in Cardiff and the loose money on the collection plates which was donated to the Christian Aid Harvest Appeal came to £214.00.

Harvest Celebrations at St. Bleddians’s, St Lythan’s. Sunday 6th October, the Harvest was celebrated at St Lythan’s in the traditional manner at 3.00 pm. There was lusty singing of the old favourite harvest hymns and the collection in aid of the Christian Aid harvest Appeal came to £159.00 with an opportunity for refreshments afterwards, a time of fellowship was a welcome addition to a time spent together with the Lord.

Work has continued in the churchyard in stabilising a number of the stone memorial crosses which had become dangerously loose, and the restored wrought iron arch is now back in place between the old and the new churchyards. This now awaits its new light fitting and will hopefully survive for another 100 years. Way back in 1930 it was removed from the original front entrance when the memorial arch and gates were installed in memory of Mrs Laura Jenner of Wenvoe Castle. Maintaining our church and grounds is a real drain on our resources, and donations are always welcomed, either by digital giving or old fashioned cheques. Alternatively, by supporting our “200 Club” or any of our fund raising events; these are the means by which we are enabled to carry out our regular repairs which are so necessary if we are to pass the building on to future generations.

Inside the church we are awaiting our conservation builder Mike to begin the plastering of the walls near the altar and at the organ console. The exposure of the historic tile flooring throughout the building has been accepted by the congregation, and we await the restorers to work their magic in bringing the tiles back to life. The acoustics within the church have been greatly improved with the removal of the blue carpeting, and in the chancel and sanctuary the tile flooring is much easier to walk on, without the risk of getting the feet caught in the edges of the carpet. We are continually being complimented on how well kept the church and grounds are, and all this comes at a cost for which we are always grateful for the support of the community at our fundraising events.

The late Ronald Sidney Thomas RIP
During the month there was a poignant occasion when the ashes of the late Mr Ronald Sidney Thomas, formerly of Walston Road were brought from Sussex to be interred in the churchyard. This was requested in his will and his niece, Sue Lindsay, came from Australia to carry out his wishes. Ron had been a faithful worshipper at St Mary’s and had made things for use in the choir, which we are still using today, and would be lost without them. He was so friendly and would do anything he could when he thought he was able to be of help. We missed him when he decided to move to Lewes, but he never forgot the happy times he and his wife Sheila had spent in Wenvoe. His funeral at the Woodvale Crematorium in Brighton had a Welsh theme with hymns “Jesu lover of my soul” to the tune Aberystwyth and “Guide me O thou Great Redeemer” to the tune Cwm Rhondda. He was generous in life and equally generous at his passing, when he remembered St. Mary’s with a generous legacy towards the upkeep of the church he called his spiritual home. Thank you Ron.

Dates for your diary during November

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY 10th November 2019
Our commemoration of Remembrance Sunday will begin in St. Mary’s Church at 10.00am with representatives from village organisations taking part, in a service of prayers, readings and hymns on the theme of “Remembrance” in this centenary year of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles. This will be followed by the usual service at the Village War Memorial with the Silence and the Laying of Wreaths. The Vale Brass band will be in attendance and all are welcome with refreshments in the church hall after the service.

Christmas is coming: Foodbank and The Big Wrap  “Bring a Toy to church” Sunday November 24th.
As we begin to prepare for Christmas we ask you to remember other families in the Vale who may find this time particularly difficult. As has become our custom we will be collecting for extra Christmas food items and treats for families alongside the Foodbank. These can be donated at any time with our usual collections.

Toys and gifts for the Big Wrap, ensuring families have children’s gift items in time for Christmas, can also be donated with food items. These should be new toys and donated unwrapped (any wrapping paper would also be helpful).

The Family Service on 24th November will include a specific collection including the children bringing their gifts during the service. That will be the final date for gift donations to ensure they can be collated, wrapped and distributed in time for Christmas.

Commemoration of the Faithful Departed
This service will be at St. Mary’s at 6.00pm on Sunday November 3rd.

If there is someone you would like to be remembered at this service, please print their name on the list in church.

Parry Edwards

 

 

Bonfire Night Treats

Bonfire Night Treats

Chocolate Toffee Popcorn

200g milk chocolate

200g white chocolate

2 x 30g bags toffee popcorn

Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with parchment. Melt the milk chocolate and white chocolate separately, then allow to cool slightly. Pour most of the chocolate onto the tray, roughly swirling together. Sprinkle over the toffee popcorn, then drizzle over the remaining milk and white chocolate, and chill until set. Break into big chunks before serving.

Mini – Tiny Toads

2 – 3 tbsp. sunflower oil

85ml milk

1 large egg

50g plain flour, sifted

12 mini cocktail sausages

Preheat oven to fan 180C. Put a generous half-teaspoon of sunflower oil in the bottom of each cup of a deep 12-hole mini muffin tin set on a baking tray. Pour the milk into a jug, add the egg, flour and a good pinch of salt and whisk everything together with a hand blender or wire whisk until a smooth batter forms. Put the muf-fin pan in the oven for a minute or two until the oil becomes very hot. Remove from the oven and quickly fill the cups just under two- thirds full. Drop a sausage into each cup and bake for 20 – 25 minutes until golden brown, well risen and crisp. Serve with a dipping bowl of tomato ketchup.

Chocolate Fingers

125g plain chocolate

175g butter

4 tbsp. cocoa powder

1 tbsp. golden syrup

1 x 200g packet ginger nut biscuits, crushed

75g glace cherries, chopped

125g muesli

75g chopped walnuts

Break chocolate into pieces and melt in a bowl with the butter over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir in co-coa, syrup, biscuits, cherries, muesli and walnuts. Mix well to combine. Pour into a prepared loose bottomed tin 20 x 28cm tray. Smooth and leave in the fridge for about 6 hours until set. Remove mixture about 15 mins before eating. Mark into 3 x 1in fingers. Remove from tray with a plastic fish knife

 

 

 

Gap Year Expedition With Raleigh International

My Name Is Jacob Morgan

Dear Wenvoe Residents; my name is Jacob Morgan. You may know me from the Wenvoe Arms where I have worked for the past few years or seen me around the village walking the dog. I’ve lived in Wenvoe for the past fifteen years, moving here at the age of three with my parents and younger sister ready to enjoy playgroup and later start school at Wenvoe Primary. Now I’m eighteen years old and have finished compulsory education. Whilst most of my peers are starting their further education at university, I have decided to take a gap year to hopefully gain some experience in order to help me decide on what career I would like to pursue.

One thing I’ve decided to take part in during this year is a 10-week expedition in Tanzania. I’m doing this with other young people aged 17-24 from all around the world through a charity called Raleigh International. They strive to create lasting change in areas of the world less fortunate than ours. The expedition will consist of three parts, ‘Community’, ‘Environment’, and ‘Adventure’. We spend about 3 weeks on each project, the first being community in which the main aim will be to improve the safety of water, as well as sanitation and hygiene knowledge for locals in Tanzania. We will work with local schools, educating the pupils on these topics and helping to build sanitation facilities for them; overall improving the health of the community. The second project is environment. During this project the focus will be in forest management. We will work collaboratively with the local farmers and workers to develop forest management plans and raise awareness on the importance of these forests and plants, aiming to create a more sustainable and healthier environment. The final part of the expedition is adventure, which will consist of trekking through the Morogoro region or Southern Highlands of Tanzania. We will pass through small communities and see wildlife such as Lions, Zebras and Elephants along the way. After a day of hiking we will set up camp and sleep under amazing night skies unaffected by light pollution. During this section of the expedition my leadership and teamworking skills will develop and improve, which is brilliant for any workplace I could potentially end up in.

As a part of the experience I will need to fundraise money to pay for my flights, accommodation, and food whilest out there, but also a little extra to donate to the charity, so that more of a difference can be made throughout all the areas in which Raleigh International offer voluntary work. It will allow more projects such as the one I am taking part in to continue, helping to create more positive change all around the world.

I have several ideas for fundraising. Firstly, I am going to climb Pen Y Fan a total of 5 times in one day as a sponsored event. I am looking to do this around the end of November, most probably on a Saturday or Sunday so that my family can come with me (therefore the 23rd/24th/30th Nov). I am looking to organise a raffle, quiz night or race night in the Wenvoe Arms as this would not only be a great fundraiser but also a fun and enjoyable night for the village and the locals who would attend. I aim to arrange one or two in the run up to Christmas. I will have a meeting with Jenny and Digby to see which night of the week they think is best

to hold these events and further details will be posted around the village or on the Wenvoe Arms twitter page. Finally I have set up a ‘Just Giving’ page on the internet – www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jacob-morgan where any donations can be made. Any help in fundraising for Raleigh International or for my expedition in Tanzania would be greatly appreciated.

I will keep you updated on progress and plan to write an article on my return to tell you all about my adventures and experiences. If you’d like to know more or share any ideas for fundraising with me pop into the pub!

 

 

Upper Orchid Field

Upper Orchid Field

Visitors to the Upper Orchid Field will have noticed that the field has been cut and the cuttings removed which is essential to keep the meadow in the best condition for wildflowers to flourish. It is just over 10 years since some residents expressed concern that the field was becoming overgrown and was half-way to becoming woodland. The Wenvoe Wildlife Group was formed and we have been keeping an eye on it as best we can. The Vale of Glamorgan Council, who own the field, agreed to carry out an annual cut but 5 years ago they decided they could no longer afford to do this. The field is now cut by a local contractor with the costs shared between the Wildlife Group and the Wenvoe Community Council. This is one of less than a handful of wildflower meadows left in or near Cardiff but no funding is received from any public body to help to maintain it. The weather has not been conducive to conservation work but we shall continue to plant hedgerow saplings and clear vegetation if and when the sun shines. Our thanks to residents who have donated a Bay tree and 2 Damsons; the latter seem to do well locally. Our harvest of apples continues to go well with the Medlars just waiting for the first frosts. This year’s revelation has been Bullace* which is relatively uncommon in local hedgerows. We have planted it in the Wild Orchard near St Lythans where it has cropped well this year and has proved great for jams and pies

 

*The Bullace is a variety of plum. It bears edible fruit similar to those of the damson, and like the damson is considered to be a strain of the insititia subspecies of Prunus domestica

 

 

 

 

 

Welsh Cycling Club of the Year

WENVOE WHEELERS

Welsh Cycling Club of the Year

Well what a year we have had so far! On Saturday 12th October Wenvoe Wheelers won the Welsh Cycling ‘Club of the Year’. To say we are delighted would be an understatement.

Welsh Cycling and British Cycling have, over the last few years focussed a great deal of energy into getting children into cycling, a very worthwhile aim but our club, as a road cycling club felt from the outset that we simply didn’t have the expertise, time, location or capability to offer road cycling to children. We are not an off-road club (which is what many other cycling clubs for kids do offer) and although many of our members do cycle off-road, we felt we could not offer this to youngsters.

Whilst we are open to anyone over 16 (accompanied on the road) when you look at our membership, we are probably at the other end of the spectrum, age wise! What we do is get adults into cycling and we have been very successful at it. So successful that we recently passed our 200th member mark.

We are first and foremost a social cycling club and although we have quite a number of speedy riders, the main part of our membership comprises a bunch of people who just want to ride, chat and eat cake, taking in the fresh air and scenery. Keeping fit obviously goes hand in hand with cycling but it is not just physical fitness that we all benefit from. You cannot go far these days without hearing about mental illness and how good getting out into the fresh air and taking some exercise is if you are struggling with those sorts of problems, especially with a group of like minded people. And of course, children take their cue from what they see the adults in their lives do. So if they see their parents, grandparents and their friends getting out on their bikes, it surely passes a positive message to the kids that cycling is a ‘good thing’.

We knew that our rivals offered cycling opportunities for kids and we knew that this was a strong point in the eyes of Welsh Cycling so we were a bit nervous about our chances of winning but we did! For a club that has only been in existence for 3 ½ years we think we have done pretty good.

The awards dinner was quite a smart ‘do’ held at the Cricket Academy in Sophia Gardens and so it was that a group of unusually smart cyclists turned up in their best clobber (no lycra allowed) for the evening. We had decreed that the men should wear DJ’s and real bow ties – cue much anguish on how to tie a real bow tie. Some of them couldn’t even figure it out from a You Tube tutorial but luckily one of us ladies came to the rescue. Our slate plaque was presented by Dot Davies (Wimbledot to some of you) and we hope to display it in the village, possibly in the pub.

One of the things which we think impressed the judges was our Valeothon event which started and finished in Wenvoe on the last Sunday in June. If you happened to be up and about at 8 am that Sunday you would have been amazed to see so many cyclists in the village. We had riders from all over the Vale and further afield taking part and the feedback we had was so good, we are doing it again next year. Personally, I think the participants gave us their vote of approval because of the Welsh cakes we supplied for the feed stations. Everyone loved them! We had the racing snakes doing the 80 mile route back in about 4 hours and at the other end of the scale we had the 40 milers pootling along at their own more leisurely pace. It was a fantastic day, helped by good weather (which seems a distant memory as I write this) but what really made it work was all the planning and hard work which went into it in the months leading up to it.

We have also run a second very successful ladies ride which happened in September – again in glorious weather (clearly we have a hotline to the weather gods). We will shortly start our winter programme of turbo in the village hall and watt bike sessions in a gym and next year look forward to our club trip to Mallorca. So if you fancy getting out on your bike, get in touch on facebook or find us at British Cycling

 

 

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