Month: September 2020

The Last Time We Were Together

WOMEN’S INSTITUTE

Who could ever have imagined that our “Musical Moments with Maria” evening on 5th March would be the last time we would be together for a long time. As we are all aware there are no immediate plans for our monthly meetings to commence, but as soon as we are given the go-ahead from our Federation all members will be notified immediately. However we remain connected in these challenging times through our WI Life magazine (No Newsletter this month), combined with our own thoughts and prayers.

Our very best Get Well wishes go to Judy Marsh as she convalesces at home following recent knee surgery.

Similarly good wishes are extended to all members celebrating their birthdays during September.

In the meantime Stay well, Stay safe, Stay in touch, Stay positive

 

 

A Level Grades, No One Cares

PLAY HARD, WORK HARD

Let Down

Walking into school two years ago to retrieve my A Level results was terrifying.

Worrying whether I’d done enough in exams and coursework to gain the results that would get me into my university of choice is unlike anything I’d experienced at that point. My results were the be-all and end-all of my life at that point.

The truth is that A Levels mean nothing once they get you to your next step.

I know that probably isn’t what students want to hear if they’re now getting their results, but honestly? Bar maybe someone asking you out of curiosity in conversation about your A Level grades, no one cares. Truly. It’s incredibly rare that it comes up.

I spent the last two years of my school career putting all of my faith into my results. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t regret it – it got me to my uni of choice and now I’ve achieved far more than I anticipated two years on. But as we have nothing comparable, we’re told that these exams will be something that is linked to us for the rest of our lives.

Again, I’m not saying your A Levels don’t matter and that you shouldn’t put in the effort. For one, most university degrees have essays similar to those you write at A Level; your grades still go on your CV (although from my experience, the A Level results on your CV are only helpful if your subjects are relevant to the job you’re applying for).

I am saying, however, that perhaps we put too much emphasis on A Levels. Of course, we must encourage students to do well, but apart from getting you into university or getting you to your next stage of life, A Levels don’t mean much.

I remember thinking that once I went to uni, it would be as though my A Level grades would be tattooed to my forehead and that everyone would judge my worth based of the grades. I had this recurring dream that lecturers would split you based on your A Levels.

It seems ridiculous – I’m aware. Yet, that was how it was for years. It’s how it continues to be. A Levels are advertised as the be-all and end-all of a teenagers’ life. It isn’t that A Levels aren’t important, but the amount of pressure we put on the results can put enormous amounts of pressure on students.

I can only imagine therefore how students feel this year. With an algorithm created due to an unprecedented global pandemic, thousands have been left disappointed. Students in lower socioeconomic backgrounds have been impacted, and the unfair algorithm has left many without a place at university.

I realise we can’t give each student an A*, yet this algorithm seems flawed. Regardless of this – we’re in a global pandemic, give the kids a break! Although I wasn’t thrilled with my results, I’m certain I would have lost my place at university had I been impacted by this algorithm.

Yet, I had a part to play in my own success. I had exams and essays to base my grades off. For students this year, they’ve put their faith into a system which seems to have failed them. If you’re basing your entire future on your A Level results, having the outcome be entirely out of your hands must be incredibly difficult.

You can’t give all students A*s. You shouldn’t be able to penalise students based on factors they can’t change. It’s a global pandemic where the governments across the UK have stopped students from sitting exams. If the grades are uncommon this year, so be it. This year itself has been uncommon.

Equally, you can’t downgrade students from a lower socioeconomic background if you’re not downgrading students from Eton and Harrow. It’s hardly fair to claim the algorithm is the fairest way of calculating results if you’re penalising students from being from poorer areas.

Although the Welsh Government attempted to remedy the situation before results day by exam board WJEC suggesting that students would not receive grades lower than that they received at AS, there’s no doubt the damage has been done.

Governments across the United Kingdom have since changed their decisions and have decided that A Level students will now have their grades based on teacher predictions.

But what does that mean for students who lost out on their place at university the first time around?

I’m glad they’ve changed their minds, but it’s partially a matter of too little too late. It all feels a bit chaotic. What happens to universities trying to accommodate the students who’ve had their grades changed?

It seems unfair for all involved. Although the algorithm was well-intentioned, it’s left a wave of confusion in its wake, which will undoubtedly have a profound effect on many.

In a year filled with inconsistencies and flash decisions, it’s no wonder many would be left disappointed by the government’s decision.

 

By Tirion Davies

Christmas Reindeer Sale

Tucker’s Christmas Reindeer Sale

We know this is early to be thinking about Christmas but the production line must start soon in order to make enough stock. Last year’s sale was a wonderful, community event but it will, like most events this year, have to be a little different. Due to restrictions on numbers at gatherings, this year’s sale will be held in our garden in Vennwood Close over a whole weekend in November ( date to be confirmed nearer the time). Money from each reindeer sold will be donated to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group. You can read about the work that the group do on their Face-book page, named after the group. There will be a raffle, the proceeds of which will also be donated to the WWG and there will also be a table of home-made Christmas crafts, made by Tucker’s Wenvoe Rustics on sale on the day.

If you would like to have a reindeer made for you and you want to let us know before hand or if you want more information please Contact us by email to pukkatucker@gmail.com or ring Glenys on 07922109721.

More information will be made available nearer the time.

 

 

Orchard Field Work Group

ENVIRONMENT GROUP

Orchard Field Work Group

The group will meet on Monday 14th September by the gate to the Orchid Field at 9.30am with the aim to clear some of the rapidly growing brambles around the field. Please bring suitable tools and gloves. (Sharp garden shears are very good for cut-ting back).

The meeting is open to all who wish to attend. There is plenty of space to ‘social distance’ while working.

 

 

Passing Time In Lock Down

PASSING TIME IN LOCK DOWN

Although we are all trying to return to some form of normal life there are those of us whom still seem to have plenty of time to fill at home with time to read books, watch films, or listen to audio tapes etc.

Over the last six months, with so many free hours, we must have come across some titles, authors etc we may never have thought of watching, reading or listening to. Did your family even discover new games to play?

Why not share your finds with others with a brief description, (no need to leave your name.) Using Netflix, Amazon, Catch Up, Kindle, eBooks, Audible, etc others should be able to locate the recommended items to enjoy themselves.

Audiobooks

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – This is a book I wouldn’t have attempted to read, but Audiobooks made it much more appealing. as I could listen while doing jobs around the house.

The story is set in Cephalonia at the beginning of World War 2. Dr. Yaniss lives with his daughter in a small village, life goes on as normal. Until one day, Corelli leader of the Italian invasion force is billeted with the Dr and his daughter. Corelli falls in love with his daughter, who is engaged to the resistance leader Mandras. Their love grows and dreams are lost, when the Italians surrender to the Allies.

Elephant Moon is another Audiobook I enjoyed..

Based on a true story set in Burma in the World War II. The story is of a class of orphans trying to escape from Burma before the Japanese invade. Lots of twists and turns in this story, which is is a tale of great courage

The Pants of Perspective. A travel tale. Anna McNuff ran the New Zealand 3000 kilometre Te Araroa trail which stretches from the furthest point south to the northern tip of north island. A witty, colourful and at times painfully raw account.

Films

Waking Ned – Based in a small Irish village two friends discover their friend has died of the shock of finding out he has won the lottery. How do you convince the claims inspector that the village could claim the prize. Enjoyable comedy.

The Green Book – The true story of an Italian- American bouncer who becomes the chauffeur for a world-class black piano player. In 1962 they tour the deep south during the racial charged period. A moving story.

 

 

Library Now Open For Click And Collect

 

WENVOE COMMUNITY LIBRARY IS OPEN FOR CLICK AND COLLECT

We are all keen to re-open the library and can now offer a click and collect system similar to that in use in many other Vale libraries.

The library will initially be open one day a week by appointment on Thursdays 10am till 12noon. For your and our volunteers’ safety, a Perspex screen will be positioned on the front desk which will be placed in the foyer. Volunteers will make use of hand sanitizer and gloves. For the time being we hope you will understand that members of the public may not enter the library building.

Users will be able to order books from home using the Vale catalogue and their library card and pin number and we will phone you to make arrangements for collection. You can find the catalogue by clicking on the ‘libraries’ box on the Vale of Glamorgan webpage (valeofglamorgan.gov.uk) from which you can reserve up to five items. Please note that you must book in advance to collect any items from the library at this time.

Alternatively, you can telephone the library (02920 594176) on Tuesdays between 10am and 12 noon. The library will be closed to the public on that day, but volunteers are on hand to order a book for you and answer any queries.

Items can also be returned to us during Thursday opening hours and to Barry, Cowbridge, Llantwit Major and Penarth libraries during their opening hours. Please note that you are required to book an appointment to return items to Wenvoe.

Remember that we now offer a bigger and better collection of Ebooks and Eaudio books from the catalogue which means you may not even have to leave your home to borrow a book.

 

 

Book of the Month – September

Off the Shelf –

Book of the Month

This month’s book was Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. This book was winner of the Pulitzer Prize in 2009. Elizabeth Strout offers profound insights into the complexities of human relationships – its various chapters share the conflicts, tragedies and joys of life from the smallest incidental moments to people’s exploration of their life’s journey. In both the darkest and joyous passages of the book we can find our own parallels of emotions.

Olive Kitteridge, is a retired schoolteacher, living in the town of Crosby, Maine. She doesn’t always recognise the changes in those around her and the bluntness in her responses can almost knock the reader off balance. At times this results in the most poignant and sensitive scenes which continue to play out in the reader’s mind long after the book has been put down. Olive’s relationships with her grown up son Christopher and husband Henry are extremely complex as both parties feel unbalanced by her irrational sensitivities.

As the townspeople grapple with their problems, mild and dire, Olive is brought to a deeper understanding of herself and her life – sometimes painfully, but always with ruthless honesty. Elizabeth Strout is magnificent in allowing us to slip into a character’s viewpoint. She can leave us sensing something dark or life sustaining but always there is hope. There is a simple honesty that weaves itself throughout the book: that we need to try to understand people even if we don’t particularly like them. The Book Club members loved it and gave it an overall score of 9/10

Your contributions – We would love to receive a review or synopsis of a book you are reading during lockdown. Please email your contributions to wenvoelibrary@outlook.com

 

 

Library News for September

Library News for September

Village Show –

After much consideration, we regret that we will not be going ahead with the Village Show this year due to the ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19. We understand that this is disappointing news for everyone involved with the show, but our priority remains with the health and safety of our exhibitors, volunteers and the village.

However, you can still show off your hard work for all to see on our Facebook page. We would love to see photos or videos of the items you would have entered.

Wenvoe Community Library Facebook Storytime –

To keep in touch with the community during lockdown, we are asking local people to film themselves telling a story, reading a poem or singing a song that we can upload to the library Facebook page. These can be aimed at adults or children and we welcome contributions in both Welsh and English. Please look at the upcoming events on our Facebook page to view the amazing contributions that are currently uploaded.

Please keep your contributions rolling in. If you would like to be involved, please email us. If you prefer, we can come and film you. To maintain social distancing, we will do this outdoors.

New Titles –

If you are wondering what to order from our new Click and Collect Service (see Link), here are just a few new titles in the library to tempt you.

The Chiffon Trenches: A Memoir by André Leon Talley. From the pages of Vogue to the runways of Paris, this deeply revealing memoir by a legendary style icon captures the fashion world from the inside out, in its most glamorous and most cutthroat moments.

The Wedding Dress by Danielle Steel. From the glamorous San Francisco social scene of the 1920s, through war and the social changes of the ’60s, to the rise of Silicon Valley today, this extraordinary novel takes us on a family odyssey that is both heart-breaking and inspiring, as each generation faces the challenges of their day.

Jeremiah’s Bell: A DCI Daley Thriller by Denzil Meyrick. Teenager Alison Doig disappeared from Kinloch over thirty years ago under mysterious circumstances. Her reclusive family still live in a remote part of the Kintyre peninsula, amidst rumours of wrecking, smuggling and barbaric cruelty. Now rich American hotelier Alice Wenger has arrived in town, determined to punish those who made her suffer in the past. But someone has vowed to keep hidden sins concealed for ever. Daley’s team must race against time to expose long-held secrets and shameful lies before there are any more victims.

Underworld: The definitive history of Britain’s organised crime by Duncan Campbell. Live on the wrong side of the law with Britain’s gangsters,

Peaky Blinders, godfathers, robbers, informers, kingpins, vice lords and career criminals. The Underworld is a deep-dive into the history of professional and organised crime in Britain.

My Best Friend’s Royal Wedding by Romy Sommer. Cocktail waitress Khara Thomas never expected to trade the dazzling lights of Vegas for European aristocracy but as maid of honour in the royal wedding of the decade she’s forced into an unexpected spotlight when her best friend marries a prince. The funniest romantic comedy of 2020.

Taken by Tony Parsons. Detective Max Wolfe’s hunt for a missing woman takes him from New Scotland Yard’s legendary Black Museum to the glittering mansions of career criminals, from sleazy strip joints to secret sex dungeons – and to unspeakably dark deeds committed decades ago.

The Grit in the Pearl: The Scandalous Life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll by Lyndsy Spence. Margaret, Duchess of Argyll was an international celebrity in her youth, adored and observed by millions. But in 1963 the 11th Duke of Argyll shocked the country when he alleged that his adulterous wife had slept with over eighty men behind his back. As his evidence, he produced a set of sexually explicit Polaroid photographs and explosive love letters, helping to win his divorce and affecting Margaret’s life forever. On the verge of financial destitution, she fell from grace and was abandoned by most of her friends prior to her death in a nursing home in Pimlico in 1993.

The Garden Jungle: or Gardening to Save the Planet by Dave Goulson. The Garden Jungle is about the wildlife that lives right under our noses, in our gardens and parks, between the gaps in the pavement, and in the soil beneath our feet. Dave Goulson gives us an insight into the fascinating and sometimes weird lives of these creatures, taking us burrowing into the compost heap, digging under the lawn and diving into the garden pond. He explains how our lives and ultimately the fate of humankind are inextricably intertwined with that of earwigs, bees, lacewings and hoverflies, unappreciated heroes of the natural world. For anyone who has a garden, and cares about our planet, this book is essential reading.

Galaxies: Inside the Universe’s Star Cities by David J. Eicher. Journey to the edges of our galaxy and beyond with one of the most widely recognized astronomy experts as your guide. Delve into the history of stargazing and space observation, learn how black holes power galaxies, and understand the classification of the different galaxy types. This illuminating book—with artful illustrations and never-before-seen space photography—will open your mind to the wonders of the universe that await.

Krackow by DK Eyewitness. Enjoy the old-world beauty of Krakow with another DK Eyewitness

Travel Guide, your companion for discovering what the oldest city in Poland has to offer visitors. Enjoy scenic walks exploring Krakow’s unique architecture and famous parks. Visit museums and galleries stroll through the Historic Centre or take a trip to Main Market Square. This guide has everything you’ll need to experience Krakow on any budget

Sylvia’s book of the month

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. A debut novel by an American scientist.

For years rumours of the Marsh Girl have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on North Carolina’s coast. So, in late 1969 when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so- called “Marsh Girl”. But Kya is not what they say, sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life – until the unthinkable happens.

For me, this is a must-read, I loved it.

 

Clwb Clonc – We are still meeting online every Monday at 11 a.m. If you would like to join us and keep up with your Welsh language skills, then sign into Zoom. The log-in details are the same each week -Meeting ID: 760-4305-6456. Password: 5dgcwT. We’d love to see you.

 

 

 

 

Play Area on Grange Field

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

Play Area on Grange Field

As we can all now see we have a lovely park for the children.

However, a Watch Co-ordinator has noticed that older children, some of whom come from outside the village, are using and abusing the equipment. We recommend that should anyone see the park being misused they please call our Community Police Officer, Sion Summers, on :- 07970 008935 (he works shifts) OR call 101 .

The Police are aware of the issues and are driving past when they can.

 

 

 

Commentaries On Nature

Nature Notes

Commentaries on Nature will always be something of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly.

So let’s start at the grimmer end of the spectrum. Neonicotinoids are a form of insecticide widely used in the 1990s but when evidence became clear that they were killing bees they were banned in the European Union in 2018. What does history tell us? It took 30 years to ban DDT before it was proved that what was believed to be safe just wasn’t. It took 24 years to ban neonicotinoids and 50 to ban chlorothalonil. But the salmon-farming industry in Scotland are now seeking to have approved a new pesticide, Ectosan, which includes imidacloprid, one of the banned neonicotinoids. One teaspoon of imidacloprid could kill one and a quarter billion bees. You can read more about this topic in British Wildlife, August issue.

On a happier note, our Gabalva apple tree in the Goldsland Orchard is bearing fruit – see photo. This local apple, introduced by no less than the Treseder family in 1901 was until a few years ago thought to be extinct. In 2006 the National History Museum at St Fagans considered it ‘lost’. But it must have been rediscovered as a number of fruit suppliers now have it on offer. Described as having yellowish flesh and being somewhat dry and spicy, the apples are quite large as are many of the older varieties. Gabalva is believed to derive from the Welsh Ceubalfa or ‘place of the boat’ as it was once the site of a ferry crossing across the Taff. We shall return to the topic of apples and their history in future issues

 

 

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