Month: February 2020

Great Progress Being Made

More Trees and Shrubs Planted

Despite the wet weather we have continued to plant trees and shrubs both Damsons and hedgerow whips which have been donated by residents. We have applied for 7 Green Flag awards for 2020, the Bee Loud Glade being this year’s newest addition. Brushcutting at the Goldsland Farm orchard has carried on between showers and holes for the new ponds are being dug – at least they will benefit from a few heavy downpours once in place. The Community Orchard was the location for a meeting with the Chair of St George’s Community Council who would like to get some wildlife initiatives off the ground and wanted to see what can be achieved.

We were invited to visit and give some advice on the newish orchard at Llandough Hospital and will continue to be involved with this project during the year. Few know of its existence but this large field of several acres immediately adjoins the hospital and will provide a welcome retreat for patients and visitors. It consists partly of meadow but with a traditional orchard at the higher end of the field. Although planted up with 67 apple trees two years ago, more than half of the trees have perished due it is thought to late planting and the hot summer. We remember the summer well as we spent many hours watering the newly-planted fruit trees at the Goldsland Farm orchard but we had the benefit of cattle drinking troughs a short distance from the trees and lost only one of our 36 trees. A new round of planting will take place in the next couple of months at Llandough and this time they will be molly-coddled! Robert Reader who farms at Burdons Farm has generously agreed to cut the field which has become tussocky in places and with Blackthorn sprouting all over.

For any readers who have either been treated at the hospital or know others who have and would like to give something back, here is your opportunity! Just contact us and we can put you in touch with Hester Adams who is running the project for the Health Board. We shall be reporting progress in future issues of What’s On.

 

 

FALLING ANGELS by Tracey Chevalier.

FALLING ANGELS

Tracey Chevalier.

This novel tells the story of two families, covering a period from the end of the Victorian and into the Edwardian eras. The author highlights the many social changes through this decade, including the customs and etiquette of mourning and the beginnings of the suffragette movement.

The Colemans and the Waterhouses first meet at a cemetery whilst mourning the death of Queen Victoria. Their family burial plots are next to each other and, despite their very different personalities, the two young daughters Lavinia Waterhouse and Maude Coleman begin a friendship which we follow over the subsequent years, as they become neighbours and grow to maturity.

Each of the short chapters is individually narrated by the numerous characters in the book, including not only the members of the two families but also the household staff and the graveyard employees. The Page Turners agreed that this method of writing gave the impression that the characters were addressing you personally and, as such, were extremely well portrayed. We got to know them very well and very quickly with varying perspectives from the character’s different social backgrounds.

However some of the Page Turners felt there were too many storylines that were only touched upon and not developed sufficiently and as such, preferred the author’s previous novel ‘The Girl with the Pearl Earring’.

Generally it was agreed that the book was very well written, descriptive and a good read which can be recommended. The scores ranged from 7 to 9 giving an overall score of 7.6.

Our thanks to May for the delicious home made ginger cake and other goodies which we all enjoyed following our lively discussion about this novel.

 

 

February Parish Church News

February Parish Church News

 

Last Christmas, the Parochial Church Council decided that the chosen charities for the collections at the Wenvoe Community Carol Service and the “Waiting for Jesus” service, would be shared between the Neo Natal Unit at the UHW and the Food Bank in Barry. The money given on these two occasions came to £900 and cheques have been sent to both charities. This was a wonderful and generous response and thanks are given for all who attended and gave so generously.

During January there has been work in the churchyard on the Jenner family graves. Mr David Randolph had been concerned for some time that the white marble crosses, placed there in memory of former members of his family, had become so discoloured that it was time for a restoration to their former pristine condition. This is a common problem when white marble is chosen as a memorial. The amount of rain falling and the surrounding trees continually dripping on the stone surface, creates a discolouring that is difficult to remove. Thank you David for making the churchyard that much cleaner and a pleasure to all who visit.

Since the carpeting in the nave, choir and sanctuary has been removed revealing the historic tile flooring, many have commented on the beauty of the designs and colours of tile used. The church will close for two weeks in the month to allow the restorers to remove the unsightly white deposits, replace broken tiles, clean and polish the tile surfaces. This will bring them back to what the earlier generations who had the care of the church building in the mid 19th century, when they decided to beautify the church.

The church is now kept heated, at minimum temperature, during the week in an attempt to cure the condensation on the walls and floors. This is a work in progress, and already the building is much warmer and much easier to raise the heat level on Sundays. To keep the heating on is costly as there is so little insulation in the building. The roof is not insulated, the windows are single pane stained glass, the main entry via the south door lets the heat out and the cold in. The walls are solid stone, so we know that there is a great heat loss to be expected.

Preparations are in hand for compiling the 2020 Parish Electoral Roll. This is a listing of all communicant members of the church over 16 years of age, who can then stand for the Office of Churchwarden, serve on the PCC and also be able to vote at the Easter Vestry Meeting, should a vote be called for. All forms to be returned to church by Mothering Sunday March 22nd.

2020 in the Diocese is the ‘Year of Pilgrimage’ which was launched at the service in the afternoon of January 12th in the cathedral. The current issue of ‘Croeso’ had a very interesting article on the idea of pilgrimage, as we explore our own personal faith together with an invitation to make a pilgrimage to

Llandaff Cathedral as it celebrates its 900th year of foundation. During the service Bishop June talked about ‘flying the flag for faith, supporting our communities and encouraging cooperation and friendship’ Presentations were made to schools and parishes of a faith candle, a pilgrim’s staff, a scallop shell and a pilgrim bear to be used during the year at services in the parishes of the diocese to mark the progress of the pilgrimage.

Events to remember during February:

Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) – February 25th

Ash Wednesday (First day of Lent) – February 26th

Fun Quiz in the Community Centre – February 29th

A warm welcome awaits you in St Mary’s.

Parry Edwards

 

 

December Planning Updates

Planning updates

Valegate Retail Park, Culverhouse Cross. to install two rapid electric vehicle charging stations within the car park. Approved.

The budget has been discussed and approved for the forthcoming year. There will be a 3% rise in the local precept to cover forthcoming expenditure.

VE day celebrations by the community.( See  VE Celebrations ). A letter has been sent to all local organisations inviting a representative to the meeting on Friday 14th February at 7.00pm in the Village Hall. Additional advertising of the meeting within the community was agreed. Ideas are already being suggested.

A quotation for renewal of the lighting and replacement of the present glass lamp shades in the Community Centre main hall has been accepted. A replacement is to be sought for the projection screen following the failure of the attachment brackets during the month.

The state of the footpath from Vennwood Close to the tunnel was discussed. There appears to be no registered owner of the land. The Vale are to be approached about possible remedial work to remove the tripping hazards posed by the uneven paving slabs.

Library It is with disappointment and frustration that we have to report that we still do not have a starting date for building the extension. Although the Welsh Government has now approved the necessary grant, they stipulate that the money has to be claimed by the end of March 2020, which would mean that a large part of the work would have to be complete at that time. It has taken so long to reach this stage that it is no longer possible to make this deadline, so we have asked that the deadline be delayed. This may or may not be possible, but we are now waiting for a response from the government.

A defective swing, noted on the final inspection, at the Twyn-yr-Odyn new playground has been rendered inoperable while awaiting repair/replacement. The old play equipment in the Grange playing field has been removed; the replacement work is expected to be completed by the end of February.

The Council members agreed to co-opt Mrs Ceinwen Frost as the replacement member following the resignation of Mr Trevor Case.

 

 

January Planning Applications

Planning applications

  • Wrinstone House, Station Road East. Single storey rear extension at lower ground level to provide accommodation for a live-in carer to support the applicants’ disabled daughter. Accommodation comprises bedroom space, small lounge space, kitchenette and shower room. No objections were raised.
  • Dyffryn Gardens, Dyffryn. Small extension to the recently completed compost bays – 3 extra bays to be constructed at 90 degrees to the previously built compost bays. Drainage and storage tank from the recent project to be utilised. No objection.
  • The Old Rectory, 10-12, Old Port Road. Consent for the residential conversion of the Old Rectory and coach house, demolition of out buildings and structures, and associated works including the construction of a new residential coach house, and parking. Supported.

• 5, Old Port Road. Pre-fabricated cabin to be sited in the rear garden. A lawful application

 

 

 

V.E. Day Celebrations

 

 

VE Day 75 will be an international celebration of peace – a time to remember, reflect and pay tribute to the millions who played such a vital part in achieving it. This includes the Armed Forces personnel from many countries who gave their lives or were physically and mentally injured; the hard-working women and men who kept the factories, mines, shipyards and farms operating throughout the years of turmoil; the ARP wardens, police officers, doctors, nurses, firemen, local defence volunteers and many others who safeguarded the home front.

SSAFA the Armed Forces Charity – which has been supporting service personnel, veterans and their families since 1885 – is the charity partner for this series of VE Day 75 commemorative events.

Sir Andrew Gregory, chief executive of SSAFA, said “It is our duty to keep the events of the past alive in collective memory, including future generations – this is how we ensure that such a conflict never happens again. It is our hope that the nation takes a moment to reflect on the significance of this date, as a milestone that changed the course of history for the whole world.”

The planned national activities organised for the weekend and other ideas can be found by looking at the official website dedicated to this event: www.veday75.org

 

 

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