Month: March 2021

Staying Safe When Walking on Country Roads

STAYING SAFE WHEN WALKING ON COUNTRY ROADS

During the current pandemic there has been a significant increase in people walking the country roads (lovely to see). However it is amazing how many people do not know the country code for walkers.

“Individuals or small groups should keep to the right hand side of the road so you can see oncoming traffic. Keep close to the side and be prepared to walk in single file. If you come across a sharp right hand bend with no view around it you should cross to the left hand side and cross back to the right hand side after the bend.”

Walkers should wear hi viz or light coloured clothing, especially at night. It is surprising how many wear black or dark cloths,; this is especially true of cyclists.

With social distancing it doesn’t help to have two people walking one each side of the road. This simply makes the road narrower and still endangers the person on the left hand side. The person walking in the opposite direction is forced to walk out into the road to pass.

Also, walking on the left hand side, with a dog and on your mobile is an accident waiting to happen.

A little reminder to drivers-please slow down when passing walkers, particularly when the road is wet.

Enjoy your walking

 

 

Playing Cards Facts

PLAYING CARDS FACTS

It is believed the first playing cards were invented in China about 1,200 years ago.

Each of the four suits stands for a different group of people in society. Hearts are clergymen, spades are soldiers, diamonds are merchants and clubs are peasants.

In 1685, French soldiers on duty in Canada were paid their wages in playing cards because coins were in such short supply!

The four kings, queens and jacks may look the same but there are small differences. For example, the jack of hearts and spades have moustaches.

 

 

Heroes and Heroines

“THE PAGE TURNERS”

HEROES AND HEROINES

Due to continued Covid restrictions, there was no opportunity for book club members to meet up in February. Instead the Page Turners were set the task to decide who is the greatest hero or heroine they have read about on their literary journeys. Will it be Hercule Poirot, from Agatha Christie’s crime novels; or Winston Smith, from 1984 by George Orwell; or a young heroine like Hermione Grainger, from the Harry Potter series?

Nicola’s greatest hero is Tate from Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Nicola appreciated the way Tate saw Kya as an individual in her own right. Unlike many others, who only saw her as ‘the marsh girl’ and made many assumptions about her, Tate understood Kya and recognised the value of her for who she was.

Lynne’s heroine is Eleanor Oliphant from Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman. Eleanor is a social misfit with a traumatic past. She tries to deal with the loneliness and isolation she has lived with for many years; a theme many people will empathise with, having had to endure similar emotions during the pandemic lockdown restrictions. She manages to transform herself and live a fuller life, which makes her a heroine in Lynne’s eyes.

Helen’s selection is Maya Angelou who wrote seven volumes of autobiography, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Helen believes Maya speaks eloquently and frankly about her experiences of growing up in the 1930s Deep South. No detail is spared but also nothing is sensationalised past the point of the wonder with which her childlike eyes saw the world. Everything she experienced is tackled with honesty and confidence; what shines through is Angelou’s love and appreciation for the world as something wondrous, something to be grateful for even when it seems impossible. This makes Maya a genuine heroine in Helen’s opinion.

May’s choice of hero is Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. Atticus agrees to defend Tom, a black man, accused of raping a white woman, knowing that he will face local prejudice. He defends Tom against a lynch mob and in spite of the evidence, Tom is found guilty. May believes that Atticus is a hero for standing up for what is right, in spite of the risks involved.

Jill’s favourite book while growing up was Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and her choice for the title of greatest heroine is Jo March, who she identified with strongly. Jill admired Jo’s vivid imagination, sense of adventure, fearlessness and deep love for her family. She was a true feminist and fought against the social restraints of her time, but in time she conquered her personal faults & became a happily fulfilled wife and mother.

Sylvia’s hero is an aloof and romantic hero, “a noble character at heart, albeit somewhat prideful”: Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Does this choice have anything to do with Mr Darcy, played by Colin Firth, emerging from a lake in the TV version…. ?!

Rafi Bukhara from the novel Three Hours by Rosamund Lupton was Babs choice. Following the deaths of close family members, Rafi heroically and lovingly guarded his young brother Basi during their 6 month journey from Syria. Subsequently, when his school in Somerset is under siege by two men armed with automatic weapons, despite already suffering with PTSD as a result of his earlier traumas, Rafi was the first to recognise the danger. He ensured the successful evacuation of the Junior School. Truly a hero of our times, claims Babs.

Sandra’s choice is Jane Eyre from the novel by Charlotte Bronte. Sandra considers Jane to be completely self-sufficient and capable of enduring solitude, loneliness and heartbreak. Jane always relied on herself for guidance and comfort and survives the disapproval and cruelty of others. She has true values and principles and will not sacrifice these no matter what the outcome: which is what all true heroines do.

Do you agree with the choices made by the Page Turners?

 

 

Same Love

Same Love

February is LGBT+ History Month in the UK; a time where we can celebrate and amplify the voices of those within the LGBT+ community around us.

For those within the community, the struggle has spanned centuries, and their fight still continues to this day. Although the world is beginning to be more open about gender identity and sexuality, those within the LGBT+ community in many countries still face persecution, and many still face discrimination in the UK.

Section 28, a law passed in 1988 to stop councils and schools from “promoting the teaching of the acceptability of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship” was only abolished in 2003. For many, this law still feels as though it exists in many communities even in 2021.

In a time where sexual and gender identity is mostly celebrated in the media, it can be easy to forget that although celebration online is one thing, danger still lurks for those in the LGBT+ community.

Hate crime still occurs in our everyday society and many people feel afraid to be themselves because of the violence many of the LGBT+ community have faced, and continue to face.

Media, thankfully, has embraced the LGBT+ community, and we are beginning to see more representation on our screens. From Drag Race to Pose to It’s A Sin, the stories of those within the LGBT+ are beginning to be amplified.

Yet, shows like It’s A Sin, the Russell T. Davies drama which has been dominating headlines and television screens for the past few months, are still gaining backlash. It’s A Sin revolves around a group of friends who identify as queer battling through the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and has been praised by many as not only an accurate depiction of the LGBT+ community, but also of the stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS present during the period in question.

But headlines in the media have shown that although we’re more tolerant as a nation than we have been, stigma surrounding homosexuality and the presentation of LGBT+ relationships still persists even if it’s unintentional.

Juxtaposing articles from tabloid newspapers have hit social media recently, with many drawing comparisons between the discussion of sex scenes in Netflix’s hit show Bridgerton, compared with the discussion of Channel 4’s It’s A Sin sex-scenes. Bridgerton shows mainly heterosexual sex-scenes, whilst It’s A Sin has predominantly same-sex sex-scenes.

Yet, hundreds of people noted that while Bridgerton’s sex scenes were branded ‘the hottest sex scenes ever’ by The Sun, the same tabloid newspaper called It’s A Sin sex-scenes ‘explicit’ and ‘raunchy’, claiming that there was ‘So much sex’.

Although it may not seem too significant a headline, it can be misleading. Even unintentionally, headlines

like these can form a narrative that homosexual relationships are taboo, and that heterosexuality is the norm. It shouldn’t matter who loves who, should it?

The Sun has since apologised for the misleading headline and has since updated it to include words such as ‘Liberating’. Yet, it’s unlikely the juxtaposing headlines will be forgotten anytime soon.

It’s A Sin has become Channel 4’s most watched drama series in its history, indicating that the stories of the LGBT+ community are stories millions want to see. Creating and producing stories with LGBT+ characters creates a community of tolerance, rather than bigotry and hatred.

Some shows have decided against the traditional ways of encouraging love and acceptance. It’s A Sin covers homophobia at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis, but there are shows which choose not to address homophobia.

Schitt’s Creek, which features prominent LGBT+ characters and a healthy gay relationship at its core, swept awards at the 2020 Emmys for its final series. The show has garnered worldwide adoration for the fact that the show celebrates the LGBT+ community without showing homophobia.

Showrunner and actor Dan Levy, who plays main character David, noted at Vulture Festival 2018 why there was no indication of homophobia in the show, “I have no patience for homophobia… [in Schitt’s Creek] we show love and tolerance”.

There are still stories which have yet to earn a platform, but as shows with LGBT+ representation gain in popularity, there is a hope that there will be more opportunity for these voices to be heard. As shows like It’s A Sin, Pose and many others continue to do well, it indicates to studios that these are the stories we want to see. It indicates further that amplifying these voices should not be a ‘risk’.

We must also amplify the voices of the BAME members of the LGBT+ community, a section of the community often under-represented.

NBC News announced recently that, according to US LGBTQ advocacy group GLAAD’s annual “Where We Are on TV” report, it is the first time we’re seeing more LGBTQ people of colour than white LGBTQ characters on our screens.

The report did note, however, that there are still improvements to be made. LGBTQ activist and editor for the queer media outlet Xtra, Tre’vell Anderson noted, “until there’s every type of LGBTQ person represented on screen, there’s still work to be done”.

Changes still need to be made to the way the LGBT+ community is treated. Understanding is becoming more a part of everyday life, but more still needs to be done.

During this year’s LGBT+ History Month, I implore you to use the time to learn about the LGBT+ community and to amplify their voices.

By Tirion Davies

 

 

First Abseiling Experience

FIRST ABSEILING EXPERIENCE

I really miss climbing but sadly I am no longer flexible enough or have sufficient strength in my hands and forearms. There are residents in Wenvoe who are far better placed to talk about climbing than me as there are some amazingly skilled young climbers from Wenvoe!

Indoor climbing is all very well, but what I loved was climbing outdoors and was fortunate to go to some incredible places in Wales, the wider UK and even overseas. One of my favourite places was climbing in Pembrokeshire on the sea cliffs – to be stood on a ledge above the waves crashing onto the rocks below, watching sunlight sparkling on the water, gulls, cormorants and even seals below me was absolutely magical. Outdoor climbing is largely weather dependent as it isn’t safe to climb in the wet, so the weather was always as Wales can be – glorious warm sunshine!

Pembrokeshire Sea cliffs

Abseiling is the technique used to perform a controlled descent usually on a rock face. When climbing indoors, your climbing partner ‘belays’ you and is therefore in control of your descent from the top of the wall, when you lean backwards and literally ‘walk’ down the wall. A belay device is used to control the descent. These can either be a ‘manual device’ or an ‘assisted braking device’. I always used a manual device.

When climbing sea cliffs, someone far more experienced than me would set up a belay point at the top using various pieces of protection, or gear, to fix a rope in place. You would then abseil down the cliff to the ledge below from which the lead climber would lead a route up the cliff placing various pieces of protection as they went which would break their fall should that be necessary. The second climber would pay out the rope as they went using their belay device to control the rope (and break their fall in the event that should be necessary). Once the lead climber was at the top, they would make themselves safe and the second climber would then climb the route and remove the protection as they went. All very exhilarating!

But to my first experience of abseiling outdoors.

I was by no means an experienced climber and felt very much out of my depth as all my companions were very experienced and as is often the way in such situations, there was an unspoken assumption that I too knew what I was doing. And I was too shy to expose my complete ignorance! I knew the principles of abseiling having climbed indoors and therefore abseiling down a cliff in theory is similar to an indoor climbing wall where you ‘walk’ down the wall, the only difference is that you are in control of your own descent.

So, picture a perfect Pembrokeshire day, good company and the prospect of a pint of beer at the end of it. We were climbing at Saddlehead along from St Govans. The belay was set up and it was my turn to descend to the ledge below from which we would be climbing. I gingerly lowered myself over the edge of the cliff, my heart pretty much in my mouth as it takes some courage to step backwards over a cliff edge while tightly holding onto the right part of the rope to lower yourself, at the same time desperately hanging onto any piece of rock or clump of grass, while trying to look cool as though you know what you’re doing. Then very slowly as your feet get lower, you bravely let go of solid earth and inch by inch start to walk down the cliff face, heart pounding, all the while paying out the rope hand over hand which only you are in control of. It begins to feel as though you are getting somewhere as the top of the cliff moves further away on the odd occasion that you are brave enough to look anywhere.

Then to my shock and horror, there was suddenly nothing under my feet! Absolutely nothing! What had gone wrong? No-one had thought to tell me that there was an overhang where we were abseiling, in other words, the cliff went in at that point. And so I found myself suspended in space, attached to a rope which fed through my belay device, connected to my climbing harness and I was supposed to continue to control my descent with nothing under my feet to walk down when I had no idea at that point if there was indeed anything solid beneath me at all! Not easy to continue to look cool but then, there was no-one to see me in any case or to hear my frantic talking to myself that all was sure to be well. To this day, I don’t know how I managed not to just let go of the rope in my panic and descend to the rocks below at breakneck speed with inevitable disastrous results!

I did manage to somehow keep my cool though, and did make it to the bottom with very, very shaky legs and proceeded to really enjoy myself, watching the sunshine sparkling on the sea and the gulls and cormorants below me and there was even a seal checking out this new climber who began to look as though she knew what she was doing!

But the dressing down I gave to my climbing partner at the end of that day for having made the assumption that I knew what I was doing made me feel marginally better. A lesson learnt that whatever the situation, never assume that other people are familiar with what is and will be involved and required.

Nicola

 

 

Wildlife Group Haiku

 

 

Haiku Poetry Competition

The Wildlife Group is running a Haiku poetry competition which anyone can enter. Originally from Japan, haiku are now written all over the world. Here is an example

 

JANUARY

Delightful display
Snowdrops bow their pure white heads
To the sun’s glory.

 

Typically a haiku has three lines with 5 syllables in the first and third and 7 syllables in the second. They were often written about nature and wildlife so what better than for you to compose a haiku (or two) inspired by any of village wildlife sites such as the Upper Orchid Field or the Orchards.

Send your entries to bruce7@btinternet.com or use the contact section on the website, http:// wenvoewildlifegroup.weebly.com/ or Facebook using the Wenvoe Wildlife Group page. You have until the end of March and there will be a small prize for the winner as judged by group members. Send in your haiku and say which site inspired you – give your contact details and age if you are under 16. Some of the entries will be shown on Facebook and the noticeboards on the sites. Good luck!!

 

 

Dog Thefts

DOG THEFTS

A warning from the Vale web site. With Dog theft on the rise please see the safety advice below

  • Do not leave your dog outside or in kennels if unsupervised.
  • Always keep fences and gates secure.
  • Keep information of markings on your dog and take an up to date photograph.
  • If your dog has had puppies be mindful of advertising them on social media as criminals may see this.
  • Do not leave your dog unattended outside a shop.
  • Keep your dog as close to you as possible-when on a walk make sure they stay near and respond to your recall.
  • Do your research before buying a dog/puppy. Do not make any quick decisions and report anything suspicious to the Police.
  • Alternate the time you go and route you take when walking your dog. Criminals will notice patterns of behaviour.
  • Try to walk your dogs in an area visible to others and when it is light.
  • Use your surname and contact number on the dog’s collar rather than their name. Criminals could use the dogs name as a way of enticing them away from you.
  • Walk your dog with members of your household so you are not alone.
  • If your dog/puppy is kept outside, then invest in some preventative security measures such as CCTV or extra lightening.
  • Please report any suspicious behaviour to 101 or 999 in an emergency.

 

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

OFF THE SHELF

“The Long Winter” by Laura Ingalls Wilder

This is an autobiographical children’s novel written by Laura Ingalls Wilder. She shares with us the harsh conditions of being brought up as a child in the late 19th century in one of the hardest winters of South Dakota. It is the story of a close-knit family’s struggle to survive the freezing temperatures and food shortages, as the severest of blizzards rages on for seven months. Each chapter unravels the unimaginable struggle that this isolation brings. The chapters can seem repetitive, but this cleverly reflects the claustrophobic life the family has to endure. Even when homes are only ‘just across the town’s street’ the high-density snowfalls obliterate any pathway to a neighbour’s door. If they are to be reached many townsfolk are also bereft of fuel, food and energy. The rail and road links have been completely wiped out, but hope exists because the family is creative, resilient and resourceful. It is a wonderful social history book suitable for adults too as it is full of lessons about relationship building and survival. Possibly a similar reflection on our current situation and there are many excellent tips on good parenting, which are still relevant to today.

Isobel Davies

Our Book Club members gave this a score of 9 out of 10

 

 

Teacher Adventures: School Trips

Teacher Adventures: School Trips

When adults reminisce about their school days, memories of school trips are often at the forefront of their minds. School trips for children are often their first chance to be away from family and to have extended sleepovers, to have pillow fights, to have midnight feasts, to eat lunch on the bus before it has left the car park, to sing the same songs over and over just to wind staff up!

Teachers who are tasked with organising a trip often focus on the angst and anxiety brought about from paperwork and policy procedures, managing the students at airports or train stations, hotel rooming mix ups and the lack of chips or pizzas to fill up hungry pupils! However most teachers realise that school trips are a unique and special opportunity for encouraging pupils to engage with people and places in a new way and continue to plan them! Some of my school trip experiences did make me question the reasons I kept planning them!

Teaching Geography in Mexico, 5 night field trips were organised to cover the GCSE course requirements. On one trip, 35 excited year 10 pupils and 2 teachers, including me, were waved off as we set out for Zitacuaro, a 4 hour coach ride away. Zitácuaro, officially known as Heroica Zitácuaro, is a city in the Mexican state of Michoacán, which lies at the extreme eastern side of Michoacán and borders on the adjacent state of México.

The pupils worked hard at collecting river data (with no mishaps!), completed an urban survey by collating information on use of buildings (with no mishaps!), carried out a traffic survey on a new by-pass (with no mishaps!) and were amazed at the spectacle of millions of Monarch butterflies (with no mishaps!). Monarch Butterflies migrate annually from points east of the Rocky Mountains, travelling thousands of miles to hibernate in Mexico, in Zitacuaro, in the oyamel fir trees that are found there. On the final morning, we were extremely fortunate to view the astounding spectacle of thousands of butterflies huddled on tree branches. Then it was time to return to Mexico City, with a tired and contented group after a very successful, calamity free trip.

Teachers always make the mistake of believing that after a school trip, exhaustion, from sleepless nights and full days, will take over and pupils will sleep on the return journey. This never happens! As the bus meandered through small villages, it became apparent there was a hold up in front of us, which meant we were proceeding at a snail’s pace. At a small village when we were at a standstill, the pupils asked if they could get off the coach to buy some refreshments from a roadside shop. We were going nowhere fast and it seemed a good opportunity to stretch legs. With everybody suitably energised and enlivened by an intake of chocolate and coca cola, the coach rumbled forward. 90 minutes later, Jose (yes I remember these specific details..) came to the front of the coach and said, “Miss, where’s Marianna?” I told him to go and sit down and stop fooling around. He persisted. I got up and looked down the coach. There was no Marianna. This is the nightmare scenario of any school trip.

There were no mobile phones at this time, AA telephone boxes, local police stations or service stations. I had no option other than to ask the coach driver to turn around and drive us back to the tiny Mexican roadside village we had stopped at. Now there was complete silence in the coach! The pupils were as anxious as I was. It seemed to be a very long 90 minute return journey. As we approached the village, (cliché alert!), my heart was in my mouth……..and there, sat on the roadside was Marianna! There were wild cheers from the pupils in the coach. The coolest, calmest person was Marianna. As a fluent Spanish speaker, she had assured the concerned Mexican villagers, there was nothing to worry about! Marianna said she knew we would come back for her! “I knew you wouldn’t leave me here, Miss,” she said to me with a wry, but winning smile as she climbed aboard the coach! As she took her seat on the coach, I felt a huge sense of relief and counted everyone on the coach three times to make sure everyone was there!!

And for every school trip I organised after this I counted pupils once, twice….and never lost (or left behind) another pupil again!! That didn’t help during the cyclone on our school trip to Madagascar…but that is another story.

Lynn Frugtniet

 

 

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