Month: May 2024

Enter Two More Dragons In Your Garden

Enter Two More Dragons In Your Garden

Our next two Dragons in this Chinese Year of the Dragon are the Lizards. The most common in Wenvoe is the Slow Worm, neither a worm nor snake but a legless lizard. They are amazingly long-lived, amongst the longest-living lizards in the world, often reaching 30 years and known to exceed 50. They eat slugs, snails, worms and invertebrates and whilst they lay eggs these are held inside the body and hatch there so that the lizard gives birth to live young. If you have room in your garden for a small sheet of metal or old carpet tile you will often find all sorts of wildlife sheltering there including slow worms. Juveniles can look very different with gold, silver or copper-coloured sides and often have a dark stripe running along their back. They hibernate in old trees or underground. Then there is the Common or Viviparous Lizard which is fairly common throughout the UK although it has not been recorded in our Parish. It tends to be found in grasslands or heathlands and you are quite likely to see it if you venture out into higher land in South Wales and moors but also sand dunes. It can be up to 15 cms in length and, like the Slow Worm, gives birth to live young. One to look out for and, if you can get a photo, even better.

Any Old Plates You Can Donate

 

1st WENVOE SCOUTS

 

Have you got any old plates you can donate to the Scouts for the Smash a Plate Stall at the Barry Fete in Romilly Park on Sat 6th July? So let us know and we can collect them and save the date so you can come and enjoy the fun. The Barry Scout and Guide Fete started 100 years ago and combines arena events put on by members of the local Scout and Guide groups and professional entertainers with stalls and rides. We will be selling programmes nearer the date, which include a lucky prize draw number.

At our AGM in April, the young people told us about the things they do in meetings, which they enjoy. These included wall climbing, camping, cooking, crafts, swimming galas, team games, mosque and RNLI visit and visits to the coast guard helicopters including a trial in the rescue hoist. They also visit Cardiff food bank and are now making regular collections particularly of soap, shampoo and biscuits, which the Bank often have limited supplies. It is amazing the range of activities they do and our thanks go to the leaders for organising the young people to have so much fun, while learning new activities. The section Beavers (6-8), Cubs (8-10½) and Scouts (10½-14) are all full currently but we do have a waiting list. Explorers are for 14-18 years in Penarth. We cannot open a starter Squirrel Drey (4-6), until we have confidence that we have secured on going Beaver leadership. We have got two new volunteers to take over in the summer.

We were sad to say goodbye to Ian Moody, our President, who restarted the village Scouts 48 years ago and ran the Scout group for nearly 4 decades. Scouting has changed in that time, including adjustments to the age groups and spreading up and down. Regulations and training is more controlled. Programming and badge schemes more sophisticated and uniforms more comfortable- all in response to feed back from young people. I started Beavers (6-8) soon after Scouting extended the age range 34 years ago. At that time Scouting was only for boys and there was nothing for the younger boys in the village and lots of choices for girls including an active Guide Group; regretfully the different sections of the Guides gradually closed. Fortunately the Scout Movement started admitting girls just in time for my daughter to join Beavers and move up through Cubs (8-10 ½) and Scouts. At one time she was the only girl. Now the genders are about equal.

The leaders are all volunteers and we have had many excellent Leaders and Assistants and have training, mostly on line, which is accredited Youth Training. We always need additional help either on a regular or ad hoc basis to ensure that we can hold meetings regularly. Sue O’Neil was working alternate weeks as a Assistant Cub Leader and she has now sadly left. The Cubs gave her a tribute and she will be missed.

The Scout Group is a charity and as a result the Wenvoe Group Scout Council at the AGM adopted a new constitution, which aligns more to the Charity Commission’s requirements. We now need a Board of Trustees, who oversee the finances and the governance of the Wenvoe Scouts. Unfortunately no one volunteered to be on the Board or to take up the posts of Chair, Treasurer or Secretary. In order to ensure the Group continues to be compliant we do need people to step forward to take up these positions; parents, members of the local community, relatives, people with experience of such work. Working with young people can be extremely rewarding and you experience their joy and excitement. If you or anyone you know feels they might be able to help let me know. The Board meetings are termly.

Running the Group is costly – rent, equipment, insurance, central costs linked to training and programme development. We used to get extra funds through the Cardiff Area Scout Post. Following Covid restrictions caused cancellations and this will not be revived. We are looking for ways and people to help us raise money. This means that we can broaden the experience and spread the costs.

More information about Scouting and volunteering https://www.scouts.org.uk/ or email me for a chat.

 

Waiting list contact:-

1stwenvoe.join@ penarthanddistrict.org.uk

Jane Fenton-May Group President

 

jfm@fenton-may.org

 

 

The NGS Open Garden Scheme Locally

THE NGS OPEN GARDEN
SCHEME LOCALLY

Once again, thank goodness, the weather is starting to dry up and let us out into the garden. For many of us, the bulbs we planted last autumn (or maybe years ago) are popping up and reminding us that they’ve just been waiting for a bit of sun and warmth, and of course the grass has started to grow, making us wonder if the lawn mower needs a service. For those of us that open our gardens for the NGS, we worry if everything will look good in the garden, will the sun shine, will the cakes rise and will the visitors come.

Last year the NGS raised a record amount of money in the UK meaning that over £3.4million could be donated to charity. The main beneficiaries are MacMillan cancer support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, and The Queen’s Nursing Institute, carers trust and Parkinson’s UK. Smaller donations are given to Horatio’s garden, Maggie’s, the army benevolent fund, Mencap, Sue Ryder, and Thrive. There are also garden charities that benefit including The National Botanic Garden of Wales. And all this happens because ordinary people open their gardens and visitors come, admire, and eat cake!

Visiting the NGS website should guide you to many of the small gems open in Glamorgan and Gwent, as well as those further afield. There are group gardens in Penarth (June 15th and 16th), Dinas Powis (July 6th and 7th), and Creigiau (June 23rd). Horatios garden in Llandough Hospital and Maggies at Singleton open on May 18th, and illustrate the results of the charity’s work. Many others, including Gileston Manor (Aprl 28th), Llandough Castle (open by arrangement), and Maes y Wertha (July 14th) where live music is promised, are bound to provide a glorious summer afternoon, all complimented by home made cakes, teas and coffee. In addition there are lots of individual city, suburban and country gardens to inspire you, and enjoy. Just look for the yellow sign, visit the website, or pick up a brochure from Tesco or the post office.

My own garden in Dyffryn is open April 21st for blossom and tulips, if hopefully they haven’t drowned, and again with my neighbour Rozanne, June 2nd for roses etc. We are looking forward to seeing lots of visitors, new and returning, enjoying themselves, eating cake and raising record amounts for these very worthy charities.

Janet Evans

“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin

OFF THE SHELF

“Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow” by Gabrielle Zevin

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin is a novel that explores the enduring power of love and guilt. Sadie and Sam, bond over video games when the pair meet in a children’s hospital; Sadie as the sibling of a cancer patient and Sam while enduring ongoing treatment for a crushed foot following an accident. We see this childhood relationship renewed and the bond cemented when the couple meet up again during their university years. The novel continues as the couple develop their gaming genius in partnership with Marx a failed actor and student friend of Sam’s as they conceive of, and programme, a game about a young boy named Ichigo, which becomes famous and lucrative. We see the partnership’s well-being impacted as they strive from developing one game to the next. The plot unfolds with various relationships along the way including Sadie’s abusive affair with her tutor Dove. Although the couple were never romantically involved, Sadie’s character in a game ends up married to Sam’s avatar.
Marx was a favourite character with our readers as he grounded the couple and mended relationships. His death devastated both Sadie and Sam. It was he who coined the title of the book based on Macbeth’s speech but with a positive twist. It’s tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow. It’s the possibility of infinite rebirth, infinite redemption. The idea that if you keep playing, you could win. No loss is permanent because nothing is permanent, ever.
The story immerses the reader into the world of gaming culture which some of the group found novel and interesting, but the gaming aspect was too consuming for some. Although we enjoyed the book, we all agreed that it involved too many unnecessary side events and personalities which added to the length of the story line.
Our Book Club rated it 6 out of 10

Anne Gill

The Soil Is Now Warm Enough

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

The Soil Is Now Warm Enough

Whilst weeding the flower beds, a couple of passers-by advised me to let the dandelions flower as they were a good early source of nectar for pollinators. These pretty yellow flowers seem to turn into seed clocks in a matter of minutes, you would need to watch them like a hawk if you don’t want your garden covered in them by the end of the season. These broad-leaved weeds smother everything around them. Just try digging them up, it’s nearly impossible, especially when they get established. Your neighbours will not thank you for spreading these across their borders. A few years ago, the authorities dug up 12,000 sq. metres of verge around Wenvoe, where weeds (wildflowers) were in their element.

Slugs are out in force now so protect the young shoots of hostas, lupins and delphiniums. Some of the new shoots of delphiniums and lupins can be cut off at the base, then potted up and put in a plastic bag, these Basel cuttings root easily and are a great way of getting more plants at little cost. The new leaves of roses will benefit from a fungicide spray now to prevent black spot and rust, before it can get established. If you follow the advice given by tv gardeners to wait until April before cutting hydrangeas back, they will give a better display. Cut them back to a new shoot.

This month the people at Greenmoor nurseries will be planting up their hanging baskets. These will stay undercover until established. Don’t put these outside until late May at the earliest, or they will go back and not give their best. As with potted up plants they will need a regular feed and consistent watering throughout the season, along with deadheading to keep them flowering.

And so it begins, the annual fight at the allotments between man and beast. This spectacle goes on until the end of the season. The young plants have been nurtured by the growers then planted in the hope of providing produce. On the other side we have the foe – slugs, snails, mice, rabbits and birds all vying for their bit. Runner beans are one of the favourites of both man and beasts, we like them in a dish smothered in butter, but the pests love them as they come out of the soil. Onion sets planted in neat rows are scattered about by the birds looking to see what’s underneath. There is still time to plant more peas to make sure you get at least some to cook as the mice will have decimated the first planting. Carrots planted earlier to avoid the carrot root fly need to be thinned out, allowing those remaining to grow on so the rabbits can have their fill.

Remember don’t be greedy when planting potatoes, it’s tempting to cram them in. If you do there will be no air flow between the foliage, and they will be more susceptible to blight.

Next month the Tuckers Spring plant sale will take place at the Church Hall on 11th May so if you have some extra plants you’d like to sell, this would be a good opportunity. There will be a raffle with proceeds going to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group and homemade cakes sold by the slice to take away or enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee. See you there.

Take care and happy gardening

 

THE VILLAGE GARDENER

 

Cherry Blossom & Daffodils

The Stress Buster Strollers

Cherry blossom, daffodils and fluffy white clouds greeted the Stress Buster strollers as they had a leisurely walk around the knap coastline. Spring has arrived….at least it was Spring today and we were out making the most of it!

 

 

May 2024 Report

WENVOE COMMUNITY HUB

Tel: 02920 594176 – during opening hours or wenvoelibrary@outlook.com

Like and follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/WenvoeCommunityLibrary

For general enquiries you can email us at wenvoelibrary@outlook.com

2023 Activity Report

 

Books New arrivals – Our selection

Crime: Unnatural Death by Patricia Cornwell – A Scarpetta Novel

Fiction: Wandering Stars by Tommy Orange =- Story of 3 generations of a native American community.

Non Fiction: Flights of Fancy by Richard Dawkins – Defying gravity by Design and Evolution

Teenage: Alex Rider – Nightshade Revenge by Anthony Horowitz – Action, adrenaline, adventure.

May Special Events

Sunflower Seeds Galore SUNFLOWER COMPETITION 2024

Can you grow the tallest sunflower in Wenvoe? Pick up a pack from the hub from 1st April and get growing! A book token will be presented to the winner of each category of under 8 & 8 and over. Judging will take place during autumn half term – £1 per entry

Themes for May

The theme for the Library foyer in May is Spring

Mr Marvel the Magician

Mr Marvel has been booked for Wednesday 29 May 2024 between 11 am and 12 noon in the small meeting room of Wenvoe Community Centre. Suitable for ages between 3 and 8 years. Tickets available at the Hub at a cost of £5.00 each

Report from the French Group

Every Tuesday around 11 am a small group of people meet in the library to chat to each other in French. Their fluency varies and occasionally, chat is more focussed on the English language as we enjoy the excellent coffee available at the library.

If you fancy revising the French you learned at school, even if you would just like to learn a few essential phrases to equip you for a forthcoming visit to France, or if you are very fluent but would like to practice on us, then why not drop in. You would be sure of a friendly welcome – a la prochaine mardi? Peut être?

Report from the Hub Team

❖ The Easter competition of how many eggs in the jar was won by Maria Tong with an estimate of 180 – the exact number was 178. Well done Maria!

❖ The Spring Raffle is now on in the Hub – come and buy a ticket at £1.00 each. Clare Ellis has surpassed herself with the hampers this year. This will be drawn on Saturday 4 May at 12 noon.

❖ Coffee machine – the Hub now has a new coffee machine. Why not come in and try it.

❖ Volunteers – we are fortunate to welcome new volunteers to the Library; as always, we are in need of more volunteers.

Watch this Space

▪ Cuppa with a Coppa – Wednesday 8 May 2024 at 2.30 pm in the Hub

▪ Wellbeing Group – Friday 17 May 2024 at 2 pm – 3 pm in the Hub

▪ The Hay Literary Festival Trip is being organised for the end of May 2024; cost will be coach only. Come in and leave an expression of interest. Coach due to leave around 08.30 hours

▪ A trip to the Westonbirt Arboretum is being organised for later in the year – again cost will be coach only; adult entry tickets around £12.00 each

▪ A trip to the National Eisteddfod in Rhondda Cynon Taff is being organised for August.

 

An Unusually Dry Morning

VILLAGE ENVIRONMENT GROUP

An Unusually Dry Morning

 

On an unusually dry morning the boys cleaned up at the front of the Community Centre. There were six working when we started but with Gareth extolling the virtues of socialism to a not so captive audience, the work soon petered out. To be fair, they had done their bit, and one has to take in the age of the group along with medical conditions, plus the fact that the carers were on the way to collect them. These lads are so good for the parish. You will never see them walk past a piece of litter without retrieving it, if you help them cross a road, they will be so grateful. Come along and meet the good folk at the plant sale, in the church hall on May 11th.

All being well our next meeting will be at the Village Green on 13th May, to assess a new venture before father time catches up with us.

Thank you for your support

 

News – May 2024

WENVOE PLAYGROUP NEWS AND EVENTS

Registered Charity, right in the heart of the Village.

www.wenvoeplaygroup.co.uk

The Playgroup operates from the Village Hall and has been operating for over 50 Years. We are registered with Care Inspectorate Wales to care for 30 Children at any one time from the age of 2 Years 4 months. We open 9am until 1pm Monday to Friday and on Wednesday and Thursday we offer care until 3:15pm.

Wrap around care: We collect children daily at 11:20am from Gwenfo Nursery and on into lunch club until 1pm and on Wednesday and Thursday until 3:15pm. We also support children across from our morning sessions to afternoon Nursery for 1pm daily.

30 Hour Funded Childcare Offer Children from Cardiff and The Vale are benefitting from this offer. 12.5 hours are used for LEA Nursery and 17.5 hours per week can be allocated to time with us here at Playgroup. This offer is for children the term after their 3rd Birthday. To find out more, please visit our website

Tax Free Childcare: We accept payment via the Governments Tax Free Childcare. Many parents at this time use this method to pay fees for all ages, or use alongside the 30 Hour Funded Childcare to top up their extra hours/transition fees. Families set up a Tax-Free Childcare account and for example; for every £8 the family pay in; Welsh Government pay in £2. For further information go to www.gov.uk/tax -free-childcare. Further information can be found on our website 

Our Statement of purpose and Admissions Policy & Procedure can be found in ‘DOCUMENTS’ on our website, which may be useful for times and prices. However; if you want to know more, please email or phone. All contacts are on our website.

We have many children staying with us in September 2024 and a high waiting list. Should you wish to be added to our list for 2024 or 2025 please email wenvoeplaygroup@btinternet.com.

We are holding an open afternoon on Tuesday 14th May from 2pm until 3:30pm. Please come along and see what we can offer or view our group. We look forward to meeting you.

 

4,000 Holes In Blackburn, One Or Two In Wenvoe

4,000 Holes In Blackburn, Lancashire And One Or Two In Wenvoe

In the Daily Mail on 17 January 1967, the Beatles famously found their inspiration for the Sgt. Pepper track ‘A Day in the Life.’ John Lennon’s lyrics repeated an article’s claim that there were ‘4,000 holes in Blackburn, Lancashire.’ It went on to speculate that if Blackburn was typical there would be over 2 million potholes in Britain’s roads. One suspects today the total would be much higher.

It is estimated that, on average, there are about six potholes per mile in council-controlled roads in England and Wales. The RAC ‘Pothole Index’ suggests that motorists are now twice as likely to break down as a result of wear caused by potholes than they were 17 years ago.

No one actually seems to know where the term pot- holes comes from. One source attributes it to time when potters dug holes in Roman roads to steal the clay they were made with. Today we can firmly blame bad weather and heavy traffic for so many potholes. It is of course, the same the world over. And pot holes are dangerous. ‘India Today’ reported in 2018 that over 9,300 people had been killed and nearly 25,000 were injured in road accidents caused by potholes; a greater a danger they said, than terror attacks.

Meanwhile, back in Preston, Lancashire (and just down the road from Blackburn) an inquest found a pothole to have been the major cause of the death of a cyclist in January 2023. Interestingly, last year, The South Wales Argus reported the results of a Freedom of Information Request which revealed that the Welsh Government had paid out a massive £1,188,565.25 to an anonymous claimant for a ‘pothole-caused personal injury’ which took place four years earlier.

Citizens have become increasingly innovative in drawing attention to the problem. Recently on the streets around Bury and Ramsbottom, near Manchester, one man employed crudely drawn male genitalia in a bid to attract the local council’s attention to pot-holes. Within 48 hours, many had been filled. Back in India, fed up with the authorities failure to repair a pothole in the middle of a main road in north Banga-lore, artist Baadal Nanjundaswamy created an extremely lifelike sculpture of a huge crocodile and painted the area around it green to make it look like a pond. The locals were startled and the pot hole soon fixed!

So what about the Vale of Glamorgan? In March 2021, the Welsh Government announced £12 million extra funding to help improve the condition of our roads. You can report potholes to the Vale by completing a simple online form. To qualify for repair the pothole must extend in any direction by just over the size of a sheet of A4 paper. If they fit the criteria, the Vale target is, if possible, to fix all reported potholes within 28 working days. Potholes that are identified in a high risk area are repaired within 24 hours. Finally though, the Vale have a word of warning for us……’please don’t measure potholes, it is dangerous.’

 

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