Month: October 2020

Sustainable Fashion

Sustainable Fashion

Since the Sunday Times investigation in July of this year, which uncovered that workers for the clothing brand Boohoo in Leicester were being paid as little as £3.50 an hour, a discussion about sustainable fashion has begun online.

For many young people, the conversation began a long while ago. Sustainability in fashion has been a longstanding issue, with companies having been called out for their use of sweatshops for years. But for many, the Sunday Times’ exposé of Boohoo was the turning point. Everyone was forced to face the reality of cheap, fast fashion, within our everyday society.

Many of us have turned to online shopping during the COVID-19 pandemic, with clothing brands seeing a significant rise in online orders, especially fast fashion brands such as NastyGal, Pretty Little Thing and the infamous Boohoo.

But more recently, there has been a trend of brands offering sustainable fashion as more and more people begin to fully understand the impact these brands are having on the world. Online websites such as ASOS and H&M now include a drop-down section where it is possible to select clothing that is made ethically, recycled and environmentally responsible.

The rise in climate activism is no doubt a factor as to why many young people have turned to sustainable fashion and shopping ethically. The clothing industry has one of the highest impacts on the planet; water usage, chemical pollution from dyeing, and disposing of unsold clothing in landfill sites and incineration creates an incredibly hazardous impact on the environment.

According to a House of Commons report on the sustainability of the fashion industry, the UK WRAP estimated that around £140 million worth of clothing goes to landfill every year, with items on average only being worn around 7 times.

Yet, some fashion brands still are not doing enough to ensure their products are created ethically. Although September 2015 saw a global agreement at the United Nations to implement seventeen Sustainable Development Goals, fast fashion, and unethically sourced materials continue to be a big issue amongst UK retailers.

A 2016 report found that of the seventy-one leading retailers within the UK, 77% were believed to have a likelihood of modern slavery occurring at some stage within their supply chains. Many of the workers work up to six or seven days a week, serving long hours and often being so physically exhausted that they are unable to continue the work past their 30s.

For the youth of today, those kinds of figures have meant an increase in sales by charity shops, and a boost in the use of the app Depop, where many sell their pre-owned clothing. Apps such as Good on You have become popular, as a way of discovering how environmentally friendly and sustainable our favourite brands are.

Climate activism has been mostly driven by the younger generation, and for many, there has been a call for more options within sustainable fashion.

Two sisters from Cardiff even took to making their own Welsh sustainable clothing brand, Clecs, over the period of lockdown. Worried about the environmental impact fast fashion has on the world, Imogen and Bea Riley tried their hand at making a sustainable fashion brand, selling t-shirts and jumpers which are ethically sourced, and therefore ensure fair trade.

Within days of releasing their jumpers, the items sold out in numerous sizes, proving that their audience – young adults – are eager to see sustainability amongst up-and-coming brands. The pair have since gone on to continue expanding their product range and have launched accessories such as sustainably sourced phone cases.

Imogen and Bea are not the only young people starting their own companies, as hundreds of new businesses are emerging ever day to introduce sustainable alternatives to everyday items.

But why are we only looking at it now?

Coronavirus has been an opportunity to expose cracks in the system; with time to reflect, many have been more cautious about what it is they are buying into when it comes to the fashion industry. Although low prices and sales are selling points for online fashion brands, COVID-19 and the rise in climate activism have given many the opportunity to research the ethics of the brands they once favoured.

Sustainable fashion still presides on the higher end of the market in many cases, which can often lead many to stray away from ethical brands. Brands that offer lower priced items are often those that many shop with but are often the same brands which have a troubling, unethical background.

It’s unfortunate, therefore, that the brands many flock to are the same companies that employ under-paid and overworked garment workers. Yet perhaps that’s why consumers have turned to ethically sourced sustainable fashion – to buck the trend.

The tide is changing when it comes to fashion, and consumers are being more cautious when it comes to the decisions they are making when shopping.

As sustainable fashion becomes more accessible, with high street brands like H&M, Zara, Monki, and Marks & Spencer taking further steps to ensure more ethical trading, sustainable fashion could soon become the norm.

Hopefully, it will soon be an option to shop ethically without having to break the bank.

 

By Tirion Davies

St. Mary’s Parish Church News – October

ST. MARY’S PARISH CHURCH NEWS

It is good to be able to report that St. Mary’s was opened for public worship at the beginning of September, in accordance with the Welsh Government and the Church in Wales COVID regulations. To comply with “social distancing” the church can only allow 15 people to be present at any one time, so parishioners are asked to book their place and they are then allocated a numbered pew for the service. This situation is likely to be in force for some time and is now known as the ‘new normal’ for church worship. Hand sanitising is available and masks can be worn during the service. As an extra precaution Vicar Jon also wears a visor during the communion, when the bread is distributed to those present in the pews. Music is allowed but NO singing, so every service is Said. The church is open on Sunday and Wednesday mornings. The opening regulations require that the church is cleaned before and after each time the building is used and that 72 hours must elapse between services. The churchwardens are overseeing that this is done and a big ‘thank you’ to them and the other volunteers who help to keep the building safe to use during these worrying days.

During the month we welcomed Kevin Barry who has joined the parishes as an Ordinand. This means that Kevin has been selected to train for the Priesthood. His first year with us will be as a student whilst his second year will be as an Ordinand Deacon. Kevin admitted in the Parish Magazine that he is a young 66 year old, and full of life and vigour which at times drives his family mad. He is now living in Llancarfan after a lifetime spent in the Navy, which included a posting with NATO in Portugal. In civvy street he worked with regional newspapers in England and Wales, and in recent years has been involved in a charity called Boathouse. It is a performing arts charity for children and young adults who have learning disabilities. He is a Cardiff boy and we wish him well in this latest change of career. We know that the parish will make Kevin’s two years with us as happy and blessed as we can.

It is with great regret and much disappointment that we have found it necessary to revise our arrangements to celebrate Harvest Festival 2020 outdoors in the church grounds. We have decided that the weekend of the 10/11th October will be an opportunity to bring gifts of dry goods and tinned foods (no fresh vegetables or fruit, thankyou) to the Churchyard Cross. This will be decorated with a harvest theme. Please bring your harvest gifts on Saturday 10th October between 11.00am and 3.00pm and these will be then be taken to the Food Bank in Barry. The Sunday 9.30am service will continue the Harvest celebrations and the online 10.30am service from St. Mary’s will include children and others with readings and prayers. Come ye thankful people come, bring the song of harvest home. The farming community tell us the yield will be much lower this year due to weather conditions earlier in the year. Christian people the world over are

thankful for whatever the harvest yield is. So we look forward to your support in receiving your gifts on the Churchyard Cross on Saturday between 11.00am – 3.00pm.

This will be a Harvest Celebration like no other, please remember to maintain ‘Social Distancing’ at all times when in the church grounds.

2021 Church Maintenance Programme

The Church Architect has been to inspect the church tower for signs of rot and damage as a result of the last church inspection and to formulate a programme of work for 2021. Maintenance of the building takes a high priority and we need to keep on top of any signs of work that needs attention. We are also awaiting his suggestion and idea for the replacement of the glazed doors to the tower vestry that were damaged earlier this year. The 200 Club contributions provide the funds that enable us to carry out the work of keeping the building ‘fit for purpose’ for the years ahead

Wenvoe Building Fund 200 Club

The Wenvoe 200 Club is now in its 17th year, with almost 300 shares issued. We have again given out 84 prizes to a total value of £1800 and given the same amount to the building fund. Once again your contributions have helped pay for essential maintenance, including the restoration of the churchyard lantern arch and pillars, and the refurbishment of the of all the external doors to the church. Inside the church the damage to parts of the plaster has been replaced which involved applying five layers of lime plaster one at a time and then the chancel was redecorated. The biggest project in the year has been the painstaking restoration of the historic Victorian tiled floors in the church to its original glory.

We are always looking for new shareholders and now is the time when existing faithful shareholders are asked to renew their shareholding. Please contact Dickon Oliver on Tel.0292076910.

Plans to convert The Old Rectory into 10 apartments have been given approval. This grade 2 building is now under conversion to multiply accommodation and we are pleased to report that the Sundial has been safeguarded for the future. The sundial which was provided for the house by Rev. Thomas Davies, Rector of Wenvoe in 1793 has suffered over the years from theft and other mishaps. We look forward to seeing the house and sundial restored and await to welcome the new residents to the community.

Thank you for reading this God Bless us in these worrying times

Parry Edwards

 

 

Footsteps – Hensol Forest

Hensol Forest

On another sunny day, Wenvoe walkers met as a group (12 of us), for the first time since the beginning of March, to walk in Hensol forest.

We crossed fields with long grass heavy with dew which soaked our trousers, but we knew they would soon dry in the heat of the sun. A thorny hedge absolutely smothered in spiders’ webs glistened in the morning sunshine as it too was covered in dew. Our route was a figure 8 using tracks within the forest and some open farmland.

 

We passed some beautiful black cattle and spotted a colourful dragonfly resting at the edge of the road. At a path junction we stopped maintaining social distancing while everyone double checked our next path.

Ty Fry House, farm and Lodge appeared. Ty Fry Lodge looks like one might imagine a Hansel and Gretel house. It is a 19thC lodge to the Ty Fry estate. Originally the lodge to the country estate of the Insole family of The Court, Llandaff. It is a Grade II listed building constructed of local random rubble with Bath stone dressings and quoins. Its chimneys are unusual and seem large for the house.

We had lunch at Pysgodlyn Mawr, a lake which is a designated SSSI site. Several large clumps of water lilies were in full bloom and with clear blue skies and sunshine it was glorious. As we ate, House Martins swooped low over the water, no doubt feasting on insects hovering over the water.

Soon we were back at the cars having exercised tongues as much as our legs. How good it was to be together again.

Walk 5 miles. Map 151.

 

 

Footsteps – Draethen and Ruperra Castle

Draethen and Ruperra Castle

It was a hot day in early August when 4 of us parked in a woodland at Llwyn Hir, near Draethen and headed into the woods. We soon came across a tree with a large vertical hole in it where the trunk had split into two and then reformed.

Emerging from the woods we walked through Draethen, a pretty village with good views of the surrounding countryside. We crossed a river and entered a field of maize which proved difficult to navigate as the corn was tall with only a small space at the edge (the footpath was covered by maize). We turned towards the river walking along it. Dogs played in the water and there were plenty of picnic spots on the bank, with one family enjoying the shallows of the river. We spotted a church in the village of Lower Machen, St Michael and All Angels, which was possibly founded during the Celtic period in the 6th century, and Plas Machen in the distance.

We entered Coed Craig Ruperra, an ancient woodland, originally part of the Ruperra castle estate and now managed by the Ruperra Conservation Trust. Here the river Rhymney is spanned by a 16- metre iron foot bridge. The Iron Bridge was constructed in 1829 as part of a carriage drive across the estate owned by the Morgan family. It linked Ruperra castle with Machen church and the 16thC Plas Machen farmhouse (a 16thC mansion house, seat of the Morgan family before their move to Tredegar House in the 1660s).

The bridge is a Grade II listed structure and its restoration was undertaken 2008-2010. Phase 1 involved stripping all the ironworks and repair of the riverbank and stone abutments. The work included searching the riverbank for missing pieces while protecting wildlife such as bats in the locality. During phase 2, winter of 2009/10, the whole bridge was sent in sections to a foundry in Kent where missing and damaged pieces were recast and sections cleaned and painted. Phase 3 saw the bridge returned in 2010, it was secured in its original position, where hopefully it will last another 180 years.

Crossing the bridge, we saw a large modern house on the bank of the river which we circumnavigated before climbing the field behind it. Looking back, we could see it was quite splendid. A pond in its grounds played host to 100 or more Canada geese and other wildfowl.

We had enjoyed excellent shade throughout most of the walk but now we emerged into the sunshine to climb to the Ruperra Iron Age hill fort (200 BC). A motte and bailey castle (1200) was built on the site probably by the Normans, a 17thC 2-storey summerhouse replaced the motte and at the beginning of 20thC it became a thatched summerhouse. We rested here in the shade of a tree, for lunch – relaxed and cool.

Continuing, we passed the ruins of Ruperra Castle, a Grade II listed building built in 1626. King Charles I stayed here after the battle of Naseby. It has twice been ravaged by fire.

Now we had superb views of the Bristol Channel before turning north to return to the cars.

Walk 6 miles. Map 152

 

 

Vandalism and Crime in Wenvoe

NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

Vandalism and Crime in Wenvoe

We have been made aware of acts of vandalism and crime occurring recently in Wenvoe.

  • Patio doors damaged while the owners were out.
  • House door handles tried at night.
  • Cars vandalised.
  • Doorstep milk stolen.
  • Garden solar lights stolen. The thief emptied a garden waste bag onto the drive and stole the bag, presumably to carry away the lights.

 

These events have been localised to The Grange and St Lythams estates. Residents in the rest of Wenvoe are advised to be alert and report anything suspicious to their Watch Co-ordinator. If you do not know the name of your Co-ordinator please contact Jackie Gauci who can help on 07876 207843.

Call for Co-ordinators in St Lythams estate

The St Lythams estate is fully established and we urgently need more co-ordinators for the estate. The role of a Co-ordinator is not onerous and would suit a person who is prepared to help their fellow residents. You are asked to keep an eye open in your local area or street in the estate, and in the event of any unusual or suspicious activity to inform the police or the Watch Secretary. If you wish to help please contact Jackie Gauci, on 07876 207843 or jackie.gauci47@gmail.com

 

 

Suggestions for Spending £75000

S106 FUND SUGGESTIONS

September 2020

In the September issue of What’s On, we asked for suggestions for making use of about £75,000 of Section 106 funding for a project that would be of significant benefit to the Wenvoe community. This would be capital spending, not for any kind of maintenance or refurbishment.

This is a summary of the excellent suggestions we had, most of which could be carried out within the specified budget. We would now like to ask if there are any more suggestions, or if anyone would like to comment further on the ones below.

  • small donation to school (not capital)
  • adult outdoor fitness equipment (like Dinas Powys)
  • local walks/cycling booklet(s), with benches along the routes
  • all-weather surface for older children, covered seating area
  • similar to above
  • ditto, with basketball hoops and outdoor gym
  • mini-gym for older children
  • information notice boards
  • revamp playground at Parc y Gwenfo
  • more benches at Community orchards
  • multi-use games area

 

As before, write to What’s On, but don’t delay, since the funding is available on a limited time basis. We look forward to hearing from you

 

 

Parking Email Scam

Parking Email Scam

Dyfed Powys Police are warning residents not to respond to a parking email scam targeting their residents. If you receive such an email do not click on the ‘pay here’ box or telephone the number. H M Courts and Tribunal Service are not sending out penalty charge notices. Delete the email and tell your friends and family. The more people that know this is a scam, the less victims there will be.

 

 

October Planning updates

October Planning updates

The following applications have received approval.

  • 55, Burdons Close. Single storey extension to the rear of dwelling.
  • 3, Chapel Terrace, Twyn Yr Odyn. Installation of solar PV panels on roof of own house for microgeneration of electricity for domestic use.
  • Ashgrove, Walston Road, Wenvoe. Fell and remove tree due to the onset of Ash die back.
  • Land west of television transmitter/south of Grants Field, Wenvoe. Detached L shaped stable block for the private use of the applicant, on a concrete base and with concrete hard standing.

 

The Council is examining the possibility of reopening the Community Centre to local groups. Firstly, we need to complete a deep clean of the premises. Groups wishing to use the building will have to conduct their own risk assessment, agree to our new hire arrangement and conform to any government imposed restrictions. (i.e. numbers of people, social distancing etc).

Proposed new capital projects were discussed. Agreed to request for any additional ideas in What’s On magazine before drawing up a short list.

The library project continues. We need to obtain planning permission and meet new building regulations due to its increased size.

The Council agreed that the overgrown hedge adjoining the Community Centre car park requires attention, it covers the footpath and is almost 3m from the boundary fence in places. A solution with the owner will be sought.

 

 

October Planning Applications

October Planning applications 

The Council raised no objections to the following three planning applications.

• Station House, 1, Station Terrace. Loft conversion. Existing garage re-built and extended.

• The Croft, Burdonshill Lane. Revision to previously approved plan to create a first floor extension with raised roof, side Dormers and rooflights.

• Church Cottage (formerly known as Blair Athol) St. Lythans Two storey rear extension, installation of bedrooms and bathrooms to attic with formation of new dormers to front and rear and new open porch to front elevation.

 

Always Look On The Bright Side

 

 

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

While we are all hoping to avoid a local lockdown, self-isolation or quarantine, in true British fashion we seem to be making the best of things. We are already getting used to life with coronavirus and of course most of the current restrictions are nothing new

Although in the past it may have been a self-imposed or voluntary separation from society, in more recent times quarantine has come to represent a compulsory action enforced by health authorities. The Welsh Government of course is not the first to wrestle with this problem. During the 14th century, in an effort to protect coastal cities from plague epidemics, ships arriving in Venice from infected ports were required to sit at anchor for 40 days before landing. This practice, called quarantine, was derived from the Italian words quaranta giorni which mean 40 days.

Ancient civilizations relied on isolating the sick, well before the actual microbial causes of disease were known. In times when treatments for illnesses were rare and public health measures few, physicians and lay leaders, beginning as early as the ancient Greeks, turned to quarantine to contain a scourge. The practice is even recorded in the Old Testament where several verses mention isolation for those with leprosy. Closer to home the Quarantine Act was passed in England in 1710, which stipulated a sentence of death for persons not respecting the compulsory 40-day quarantine for humans and goods arriving here suspected or known to have been in contact with the plague.

Perhaps the best known individual example of quarantine, pitting an individual’s civil liberties against public protection, is the story of Mary Mallon, aka “Typhoid Mary”. An asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever in the early 20th century, she never felt sick but nevertheless spread the disease to families for whom she worked as a cook. Officials quarantined Mary on North Brother Island in New York City. Released after three years, she promised never to cook for anyone again. Breaking her promise and continuing to spread the disease, she was returned to North Brother Island, where she remained for the remainder of her life in isolation.

So, beyond the usual online fitness sessions, reading those books we have never got around to, or holding a Zoom quiz, what can do to keep ourselves entertained if we suddenly have to self-isolate? While staying indoors, we can at least turn to the internet.

How about a virtual tour of bucket-list attractions like Machu Picchu and the Taj Mahal? You could take a virtual field trip of the Kennedy Space Centre or maybe follow a livestream of an Australian koala. If music is your thing how about tuning in to the live concerts performed at the Royal Albert Hall, which as a planned programme online. If you prefer rock, Metallica have a similar programme and if you are feeling a little more laid back try Neil Young or Nora Jones. You can keep up to date with what’s happening via websites like billboard.com.

You could even join in the latest way to socialise with friends over video chat, by holding your own Quarantini Happy Hour. Simply stated, a quarantini is a cocktail (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) made from whatever ingredients you have on hand at home. The easiest way is to make variants of classic cocktails based on one-ingredient substitutions. One expert cited a Negroni, with equal proportions of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth. When gin was swapped out for whiskey, the Boulevardier was invented. Jane Danger, the national mixologist for Pernod Ricard suggests starting by selecting your spirit of choice and base your “sweet” and “sour” upon it. “Ransack your cupboard. Dried herbs and spices make great salts and sugars which you can grind together and use to rim the glass.” So with lots of suggestions online, why not have a go?

 

 

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