Month: November 2020

A Remembrance Day Like No Other

A Remembrance Day Like No Other

A headline in my newspaper said it so well ‘It was a Remembrance Day like no other’ and the same could be said for the year we have been living through in 2020. Nothing has been the same as we have had in what we call a normal year, and now we have to talk of a new normal way of living in the shadow of the COVID virus. There is much talk of a vaccine which will offer some protection against this terrifying disease, but when will it be ready for the general public, or will it be reserved for those at most risk? Let us hope that it will come soon and prove to be effective.

Remembrance Sunday was marked with a memorable service on line, with Jon bringing in members of our congregations and the school children from Wenvoe School, as we joined in with the national service from Whitehall marking the 100 years since the Unknown Soldier was buried in Westminster Abbey. I had not seen the old Pathe news reel in black and white. It was most moving, as was the pilgrimage Her Majesty the Queen made to the grave in the Abbey in the week prior. On Armistice Day following on the 11th, Jon had welcomed the children from Wenvoe School to mark the two minutes silence and laying of wreaths. So despite all the restrictions imposed on us during the second lockdown, honour was given to those brave young men who gave their lives for King and Country in WWI and the wars since then. Also remembered were the doctors and nurses in the NHS who have also put their lives on the line in fighting the virus in our hospitals and nursing homes.

Wales came out of the second lockdown on the 9th of November and St. Mary’s. with all other churches in Wales during this period had remained closed, which meant that commemorations of All Saints and all Souls Days were held as virtual worship online. The 10.30am services on Facebook on Sunday mornings attract not only members of our congregations, but also have an international following, with worshippers logged in from Ireland and Spain. The use of Zoom for holding meetings has been a boon in these strange times. The Annual Vestry Meeting, which had been delayed from earlier in the spring of this year, was finally held on the 9th November, when all officers were confirmed in their present positions until Easter of next year.

The Diocese of Llandaff has decided to put in place the recommendations of the Harris Report of a few years ago which stated that the way forward was to form all the parishes into Ministry Areas, each consisting of three clergy and a greater involvement of the laity in the organisation and running of each church. We will be joined with the parishes of Porthkerry, Rhoose and Penmark by Bishop’s Decree by January 2022. There has been discussion between the churches as to how we can make this work for the benefit of all, so that each church knows that their voice is being heard in any decision making. We have to accept that while the management of the parishes will change, the ‘man/woman and child’ in the pew will not see any difference in the services we have been used to. Jon will still be our parish priest as well as being the Leader of the combined Ministry Area, and will have a lay person to head up the combined Council under his leadership. Our prayers are with Jon as he takes on this role and I am sure we will give him as much support as we can to make his task that much easier. The six churches in our present grouping were joined by the churches of Porthkerry, Rhoose and Penmark in a Zoom ‘Road Show’ chaired by Bishop June on the 11th November, which gave everyone an opportunity to question the senior officers of the diocese about what the new Ministry Area will be like. Both the legal status and the financial status of the new enlarged grouping were laid out; this has given all a great deal of thought and raised many questions. To that end a transitional group will be set up under the leadership of Jon to make sure that everyone will be singing from the same hymn sheet. The year of 2021 will be an interesting year for many reasons, and the church council here, has pledged to give Jon as much support as we can to help him achieve the results the Bishop and the diocese expect of all church members.

By the time you read this we will have entered the Season of Advent, and the first of the Wenvoe Advent Windows will have been lit up for us to see. So it only remains to wish all readers a Happy and Blessed Christmas and please take care, the virus has not gone way.

 

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Parry Edwards

 

 

Busy Despite the Lockdown

Busy Despite the Lockdown

Despite lockdown we have managed to keep very busy.

A very pleasant sunny day in November saw a good number of volunteers out at the top of the Orchid Field with strimmers, shears, secateurs, loppers, saws etc to tackle the ever encroaching brambles, blackthorn, ash and other growth.

Our latest conservation session went well as we cleared brambles and other vegetation under the trees. We are also clearing brambles around some of the trees planted in the last few years including Hornbeam, Elm, Wild Pear, Yew and the Checkers Tree.

Within a couple of hours of work piles of cut material appeared around the field’s perimeter and areas of long hidden ground started to see sunlight once again. Even the robin arrived to inspect the work.

A Tree leaflet has been prepared and will be available from leaflet dispensers once we have finished refurbishing the main notice board. There are 22 tree species on the list and a further 7 will be planted in the coming weeks. Some are easy to identify (e.g. Oak and Ash), others more tricky such as Alder Buckthorn and Wild Pear.

 

The working group meeting is planned for Wednesday 16th December from 9.30am. All are welcome to join us in the task of clearing, please bring your own tools and gloves.

We have received another donated bench which has been refurbished and will be sited at the Goldsland Orchard. Yet another has been offered which will make 4 donated in the last few months. So for us Christmas came early but we know they are much appreciated by visitors to our sites. Work continues at the Bee Loud Glade where we have planted a hedgerow with over 100 saplings donated by the Woodland Trust. Plantings of flora good for pollinators include Bulbs (Daffodils, Camassia, Scilla, Chionodoxa), Evening Primrose, Caryopteris, Salvia, Wall Germander, Purple Loosestrife. A new leaflet is available from the Bee Loud Glade dispenser listing plants which you can consider for your garden which are good for pollinators.

We are on the hunt for any mouse litter, that is, what you remove when you clear out their cages. Bumblebees often nest in old mice-holes and are believed to be able to pick up the scent so popping some into nest-boxes can often result in the bees moving in. So if you have any spare, do get in touch with a Wildlife Group member.

 

 

 

Pleasure of Reading Rediscovered

PLEASURE OF READING REDISCOVERED

Page Turners favourite books of 2020

The publisher Bloomsbury have claimed that people have ‘rediscovered the pleasure of reading’ in lockdown.

The firm, best known for publishing the Harry Potter books, said profits jumped 60%. Popular books included ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People about Race’, ‘Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood’, ‘White Rage’ and ‘Such A Fun Age’. Page Turners already know the pleasures of reading and were asked to reflect on their year of reading and to decide which was their favourite book of 2020.

Babs’s favourite book this year was ‘The Lost Man’ by Jane Harper. The book tells the story of Cameron, the middle brother of three, who is found dead in the remote outback in Western Australia, having apparently walked miles from his car which was fully stocked with water and supplies. Babs says it is so atmospheric, descriptive and well written that it transports the reader to the unrelenting heat and isolation of the Australian outback.

May chose the ‘Collins Wild Flower Guide’ by Streeter, Hart-Davies, Hardcastle, Cole and Harper. May claims that during the first lockdown, when repeating the same walks, it gave her an interest. She started taking photos and noting small differences between the flowers she spotted. It is a large book that would probably not fit in most stockings, but would fit under the tree, next to the box of Celebrations!

Helen’s most memorable book was the, excellent and thought provoking ‘A Mad World, My Masters: Tales form a Traveller’s Life’ by John Simpson. John Simpson was the BBC World Affairs Editor and his riveting and beautifully written accounts of his experiences brought a new perspective to Helen’s understanding of many world events in the late 20th century.

Lynne’s choice was the Booker Prize Winner, ‘Girl, Woman, Other’ by Bernardine Evaristo. The book follows 12 very different characters, from different periods of time, on an entwined journey of self discovery in Britain. The vibrant book opens your eyes to the struggles and pains of many black British families.

Sandra’s selection was ‘Sweet Sorrow’ by David Nichols. Sandra really enjoyed this book which is a compassionate story about the pain and loneliness of a teenage boy and his life changing summer; a classic coming of age novel. Sandra claims this is a good read for sitting in front of a fire on a winter’s day and for anyone who has fallen in love….what better stocking filler for a romantic at Christmas time?

Nicola’s favourite book was ‘The Lost Words’ by Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris. There are magical words and spells to conjure words lost to the lexicon of children. Beautifully illustrated by Jackie Morris. Nicola says this is a delight to share with youngsters and to lose yourself in – particularly in these strange times when the natural world has gained in importance for so many.

Sylvia loved every minute of her favourite book of 2020: ‘The Small House at Allington’ by Anthony Trollope. It is the 5th novel in the series ‘Chronicles of Barsetshire’. It concerns the Dale family who live in the Small House on the estate of the Squire of Allington. It is a gentle slow story; it takes some of the characters two chapters to walk out into the garden!

Jill chose ‘The Secret River’ by Kate Grenville. It is set in the early 1800s and vividly follows the lives of a Londoner and his wife following their transportation to Australia. How they cope with many hardships, and bring up their family in desperate conditions amid the Aboriginals whose community they have infiltrated, is a thought-provoking reading experience.

Jenny selected ‘Half of a Yellow Sun’ by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie which she missed reading with Page Turners a few years ago. The story follows the course of the Nigerian-Biafran civil war in the 1960s. It is told through the experiences of ethnically Igbo characters, exquisitely written as lives intertwine. Jenny couldn’t put it down, and she doesn’t know why she has waited so long before reading this masterpiece.

 

What was your favourite book of 2020?

Maybe one of these suggestions from the Page Turners will find its way into someone’s Christmas stocking this year….if Santa is not in a lockdown in Lapland……..and is allowed to deliver presents!

 

 

Jon’s Notes

 

Dear All,

This year the Season of Advent commences on 29th November. A traditional theme for Advent is From Darkness into Light. I cannot remember a year when this theme has ever been so appropriate. For many months we have lived in times of lockdowns and isolation. The drawing in of the winter nights seems to echo the general feeling most of us have at the moment. But the message of advent is about hope, the very real hope of darkness being turned or transformed into Light. Advent is also a time of preparation, as we look forward to celebrating the Nativity of Jesus, Jesus often referred to as being the light of the world.

In the coming weeks I hope you feel a sense of the light overcoming the darkness. We may witness this with the lights on our Christmas Trees or you may have an Advent Candle that you light every night, or you may enjoy an aromatic candle with the scent of Christmas Spices. You may also be encouraged by the Advent Windows displays around the village. Thank you so much to everyone who has organised and contributed to this village activity which will be to my mind a real symbol of light and hope for the future.

As I write this letter, I do not know what the restrictions will be in our churches for worshipping at Christmas. The Church in Wales is suggesting that everyone on Christmas Eve goes outside their front door and sings Silent Night. I am still working out the full plan for the churches in Wenvoe and St Lythans but at the time of writing my intention is to do as printed here

Sunday 20th December
9.30am Said Eucharist, St Mary’s Church, Wenvoe
10.30am All Age Agape, Christingle ad Nativity Play on Facebook and YouTube
3.00pm Said Eucharist at St Bleddian’s Church, St Lythans
6.00pm Christmas Carol Service on Facebook and YouTube
Thursday 24th December
5.00pm Lighting of Advent Window in Wenvoe Church followed by short outdoor Crib Service
10.15pm Said Eucharist for Christmas Eve at Wenvoe Church
11.30pm Said Eucharist for Christmas Eve at Wenvoe Church
Friday 25th December
8.00am Said Eucharist for Christmas Day at Wenvoe Church
9.00am Said Eucharist for Christmas Day at St Lythans Church
10.30am Agape Service for Christmas Day with Carols on Facebook and YouTube

 

If we are able to do more than offer Said Eucharist services over Christmas then this will be detailed on posters outside the churches and on our Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/sullywenvoeandstlythans

With my thoughts and prayers to you through Advent and for the Christmas Season
Jon Ormrod
Priest in Charge of Wenvoe and St Lythans

 

Wenvoe Advent Windows

Wenvoe Advent Windows

We are delighted to invite you for the first time to get out and about throughout December to view the Wenvoe Advent Windows.

We are excited to tell you that 25 Wenvoe residents have volunteered to decorate a window in their home starting on 1st December at 29, Venwood Close and the Telephone Box. The windows will be lit from 5pm until 9pm each evening with an additional window added every night until all 24 windows are displayed. The final window will be at St Mary’s Church, with help from Gwenfo School. Windows may also be viewed between 27th and 30th December.
All of the windows will be numbered and can be viewed from outside the property of individual homes. They are all within the Parish boundary, mostly within walking distance. The map below indicates each participating home with a list of the addresses for you to follow. You may need a torch on 14th (4, Station Terrace) and 23rd December (5 Church Rise) where there is limited street lighting.
We hope you enjoy exploring the windows. We are very grateful to those who have generously taken part in decorating a window and inviting us to view their ‘creations’. There is no charge, however some houses may have a charity collection box. In recognition of the pandemic we ask you to keep to the social distancing rules.
Maps are displayed at 29, Venwood Close and at St. Mary’s Church. Additional maps are available at the Wenvoe Arms and the village Post Office. For further information contact Jude and Nige Billingham at judebillingham@yahoo.co.uk.

 

 

Walking and Talking Book Review

The Page Turners ‘Novel’ Approach to Book Reviewing

Due to the current Welsh government lockdown restrictions on people meeting inside, the Page Turners have had to think of novel (great pun, Babs) ways of keeping in touch. As inclement weather ruled out meeting in a garden, as on two previous occasions,” Walking Books” was proposed.

Page Turners pulled on their walking boots and arranged to meet at the playing fields, to walk and talk about the latest book. Luckily the sun shone and the group walked, in pairs, maintaining the recommended 2 metres social distance, around the perimeter of the field. The book under discussion was the first in a series of books about adopted sisters,

“The Seven Sisters” by Lucinda Riley.

Lucinda claims she wrote the books to celebrate the achievements of women, especially in the past, where often their achievements are overshadowed by those of men. In the book we read, the main character, Maia D’Apilese travels across the world from Switzerland to Rio Dr Janeiro to search for her heritage…and finds love..and family. Reviewers of the book describe the novel in glowing terms, “delicious”, “compelling” , “spellbinding”. The Page Turners were divided in their opinions. Babs and Jenny enjoyed the first book and have already embarked on the book about the next sister. May thought it was a good easy read to escape into during these covid times. Helen could not think of one good word to describe the book, and would definitely not be finishing the series! A mark of 7 was given to what all agreed was an easy read. The highlight of the meeting was when Jenny produced truly delicious homemade cake and tea in a flask from her rucksack, which she had carried around the field throughout the discussions! Very resourceful from Jenny and very well appreciated by all.

Our next Walking Books venue is the Knap….a healthy body maintains a healthy mind..

 

 

Must Do List for November

Betty James “must do” list for November

  1. Wash flower pots before storing them.
  2. Put fleece on everything that needs covering.
  3. Raise all containers and pots to avoid water logging.
  4. Dry begonia corms thoroughly before storing.
  5. Any weeding done now will cut down on established weeds in Spring.

Wenvoe over 90s ramblers club tips

  1. Put plants nearer the house so you can actually see them.
  2. Your relatives only take you out to garden centres, so learn to enjoy gardening.
  3. No water features as we only end up in them.
  4. Keep everything as flat as possible in the garden, we can’t afford a fall.
  5. Tell people what you want for Christmas, otherwise it’s socks and tea towels.

Leaf mould is one of gardening’s great composts, it’s so easy to make and improves soil structure. You can also use it for bringing on seedlings. The best use as far as I know is for growing bulbs. It doesn’t necessarily need a compost bin, just fill bin bags with leaves then damp down. put a few holes in the bags and place out of the way. A good way of looking after bare patches in the borders or allotments is to plant what’s known as green manure. This not only protects soil from erosion, it inhibits weed growth and can then be dug in come spring to add nutrients to the soil.

Even with shorter days and inclement weather there are still plenty of jobs to be done. On the rare dry days a bit of weeding is always needed. Bare root shrubs and trees are available to order. They are cheaper bought this way and have a very high success rate. Planted now, they will establish a good root system over the winter. Keep raking up the leaves, especially those on grass, otherwise the grass will take ages to recover. There is still time to plant some garlic cloves; they need a cold spell to form clusters.

Ash dieback is taking hold in the village with a number of trees already taken out. If any of your trees have lost their leaves prematurely then get them checked out. At present there is no way back for infected trees with this disease. The latest survey suggests that only 5% of ash trees have a resistance.

New rules on leaving the EU mean that imported plants from Europe will have stringent tests to deal with pests and disease. I would have thought that should have been in place already. The upshot of this is that garden centres say it will mean an increase at the checkout on already highly priced plants. As a country we have allowed some diseases to take a stronghold around the south of the country. It beggars belief that we cannot grow enough plants in this country. Surely, for the prices garden centres charge, we ought to be able to compete and most of all be safer from pest and disease. While we were in lockdown during the early spring, people found old packets of seed and, looking around our area, gardens flourished. Irene and Dave in Vennwood really showed what you can do with a packet of seeds.

Take care and happy gardening

 

 

On Chapel Sands by Laura Cumming

OFF THE SHELF

This month’s book was On Chapel Sands by Laura Cumming.

In 1929, Betty, the author’s mother then aged three, was kidnapped from a beach in Chapel St Leonard. Within a week or so Betty reappeared unharmed and throughout her childhood the secret surrounding her birth and subsequent adoption was kept by the village.

Laura Cummings, who has a background in art history, discusses the work of famous painters as a means to unravel her mother’s experiences. Most of us found this acutely irritating. Betty had a fascinating story to tell and for us, being taken up endless artistic cul-de-sacs detracted from, rather than enhanced Betty’s bitter narrative. On a more positive side, Cummings gave a brilliant description of Chapel St Leonard and Lincolnshire in general which delighted those in the group who were familiar with the area. We were all pleased that we had read the book but could only award it 7/10.

 

 

 

 

A Deadly Game Of Catch

A Deadly Game Of Catch

It was about three o’clock on a chilly morning and I was sitting in some bushes at the corner of a paddy field looking across into China from the Hong Kong side. The border was defined by a tall metal fence with razor wire at the top and apart from identifying the frontier, this impressive barrier was designed to prevent people from China making their way illegally into Hong Kong.

The year was 1980 and I was there with soldiers of The Royal Regiment of Wales to stop a large number of illegal immigrants crossing into the British colony of Hong Kong which had been under British control since 1842. The Chinese who wanted to come across were all poor with no work or very low wages under the communist regime and they saw a better life in capitalist and free Hong Kong. They knew that if they reached “home base” they would be eligible for free housing, medical care, schooling and financial support until they found a job. It was very enticing and huge numbers made an attempt, and although many were caught a good number succeeded. The television channels of Hong Kong could be seen across the border in China and to a poor Chinese farmer the apparently fabulous and flashy lifestyle of the Chinese in Hong Kong who all had cars, air conditioning and freedom was all very seductive.

The border runs for twenty miles across mainly flat land which is a mixture of farms and open countryside. Originally built in 1952 to stop gun smuggling during the time of the Korean War it was reinforced by the erection of a much stronger fence or wall in 1962 as thousands of Chinese were trying to cross into Hong Kong each day. By the time we were sent there the fence was tall and effective and with a single lane tarmac road running beside it which allowed us to drive quickly along from one end of our sector to the other. While President Trump is criticised for building a fence to keep out illegal immigrants crossing from Mexico, the British had built their fence decades before to keep the Chinese out.

We were based in an old, very old, army camp near the town of Lo Wu which was a short drive from the border fence. Each evening at around dusk lorries and Land Rovers would take out soldiers wearing their camouflage clothing and with running shoes rather than heavy boots. They would be dropped off in groups of four at intervals along the fence. With a large flask of coffee, they would wait throughout the hours of darkness to catch any illegal immigrants that they found climbing over the fence. The one thing that gave us a big advantage over the illegals was that the soldiers were issued with night viewing devices, called at that time “starlight scopes”. These basically allowed us to see in the dark and so we could pick out any individuals approaching the fence before they started to climb over. This enabled us to move stealthily into a position where we could catch them once they landed on our side. If it had been a game, it would have been unfair, but this was no cat and mouse game this was deadly serious.

The illegals would usually arrive in ones and twos but sometimes a whole family group with children would arrive and attempt to climb over. They had very few possessions. Some had a magic ointment Tiger Balm, to soothe their aches and pains, others had family photographs and a number were carrying drugs such as hashish to ease their discomfort. When caught they would be handcuffed and taken by vehicle to the nearest police station and handed over to the Hong Kong police. The following day they would be put on a train and sent back to China. While we imagined that they would be interrogated and punished by the communist regime for their escape efforts this was not the case as we sometimes caught the same people coming over the fence a few days later. On an average night, we caught between five and twenty illegals in my sector alone and that was just a 4 four mile stretch of the border. The majority gave up quietly. They were mostly very tired and malnourished, but a few ran for it though we soon caught them. These were Welsh soldiers and rugby tackles were learnt in their youth.

One distressing incident, which has remained with me, was of a family of five who attempted to cross the fence. The father went first with the eldest child, a teenage daughter, while the mother waited on the Chinese side until they were safely over. But the father and daughter were quickly caught and taken away leaving the remainder of the family on the far side. We never knew what happened to them, but it was very sad to see a family split like that.

In 1997 Hong Kong was transferred to China after 156 years of British rule. The border remained a controlled area but as Hong Kong became part of China there was no longer any incentive for people to cross illegally and the border became the responsibility of the civil police.

 

 

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