Month: August 2024

Successful Orchard Pruning

Wenvoe Wildlife Group

Successful Orchard Pruning

 

A successful Orchard Pruning course was organised by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s Nature Partnership group and held at the Community Orchard. Enabling this to happen was a great team effort. The Church Hall was hired for discussions and refreshments and Mike Tucker and members of the Environment Team turned out at the weekend to clear the footpath from Vennwood Close to the Playing Fields. The Council arranged for the Orchard to be cut and the Wildlife Group had the noticeboard repainted. Three members of the Wildlife Group attended the course which covered summer pruning techniques, tool usage and safety. We hope further courses will be organised in the future.

We were delighted to receive a donation of £200 from the new Care Home – Glenburnie Lodge. This followed a nomination by Mike and Glenys Tucker as their chosen local charity. We continue to receive occasional donations from local residents, and we would like to extend our thanks to them for their continued support.

The wildlife cameras are recording some fascinating wildlife including Tawny Owls, Weasels and Badgers

New Housing Proposal

 

NEW HOUSING PROPOSAL

A proposal to construct 30 dwellings consisting of 1 bedroom flats and 2, 3 and 4 bedroom houses on land between the Wenvoe garage and Pugh’s garden centre is under consideration. No formal planning application has been submitted at present.

A new access to the garden centre would be constructed directly off the present Port Road/St Andrews Road roundabout and the present access would become part of the development site. Burdonshill access would remain.

Full details of the proposal can be viewed at www.asbriplanning.co.uk and search in the consultations for statutory pre-statutory consultation

 

 

 

Firstly, A Big Thank You

WENVOE FORUM

Considering Tomorrow Today

“The one that didn’t get away”

 

Firstly, a BIG THANK YOU to those that donated unwanted garden equipment, tools and plant pots to our SWAPS table at Tucker’s Spring Plant Sale, earlier in May. Our table quickly became tables, as we were inundated with donations including lawn mowers, hedge trimmers and an industrial tile cutter. Thanks also to the volunteers that helped run the stall and make it such a success. Donations from satisfied “swappers” added significantly to the overall total, with all proceeds going to the Wenvoe Wildlife Group (WWG).

It was a fantastic day, and we chatted about re-using, re-purposing and re-homing ideas with many local visitors. I thought I would share one tale from the day.

The one that didn’t get away…Mrs Sybil Green and her late husband Colin were founder members of the WWG. Sybil met Colin at university. They married after completing their degrees and moved to Wenvoe where Colin advised local farmers. On finding that many of the agricultural queries concerned legal issues, Colin subsequently went on to take a second degree, this time in law, so graduated both as a BSc and an LLB).

Sybil mentioned that Colin had been a keen fisherman in his spare time. She was in the process of tidying her garage and had recently found Colin’s old fishing tackle. A relative had told her that one of the rods potentially had a value. Sybil had been mulling over what to do with Colin’s angling equipment and kindly offered to donate the rod to support the WWG.

Google helped identify it as a Richard Walker designed 10 ft, two-piece Mark IV Avon split cane rod made by B James & Son, Ealing, London. A visit to Garry Evans tackle shop on Whitchurch Rd confirmed this, and that the freshwater rod was in good condition. The helpful folk at the shop put us in touch with a local collector of vintage rods, who lived in Sully. We contacted the collector, Mr Victor Bonutto, who expressed an interest in acquiring the rod and agreed to help identify it further and to value it.

Victor checked the rod and thought it had been made in the late 1950s, early 1960s. Sybil confirmed details of its history and it seems Colin’s grandfather may have bought it new, in Barnstaple, c. 1957, as a gift for Colin’s A Level success prior to going up to university

Victor agreed a purchase price with Sybil and is looking forward to using it, in local ponds, as a member of Glamorgan Anglers. He agreed to help identify Colin’s other equipment and subsequently offered to purchase a 1960s centre pin fishing reel and various floats and accessories. Sybil then kindly donated the total proceeds of the sale to the WWG.

Photo: Courtesy of Mr Victor Bonutto – ttaster@outlook.com: Colin’s rod, reel and floats alongside Victor’s collection of fish exhibitions.

Victor also agreed to find new homes for the other usable rods and reels via his contacts at local game fairs; possibly youngsters just starting out on the hobby. The remainder of the equipment will be re-used / re-homed via the local ‘tidy tip’ at Barry.

The tale(s) continue…Victor shared further interesting personal stories. He had caught his first fish in the Regents Canal, North London, in 1966, the same week as England won the World Cup at Wembley just a few miles away.

He became interested in collecting vintage fishing tackle as a youngster and it had become something of an obsession. He is one of the longest-running ‘fixtures’ of The Game Fair, at Blenheim Palace, having exhibited at the event for over 30 consecutive years.

Victor also collects late Victorian and early 20th century signs, typically produced using enamel on steel creating colourful and hardwearing forms of advertising, with some dating back more than 100 years. He has signs from all around the UK, advertising products including soap, chocolate and whisky. One of the signs in his collection was being used as a manhole cover and another as part of a garden fence. In June 2017, Victor curated an exhibition entitled “Sign of the Times” at the Penarth Pier Pavilion. He also remembers the Fry’s sign that used to be on the side wall of the old shop on Old Port Road. Sybil was able to tell him that this sign is still on exhibition locally in Wenvoe

Victor and his wife are both former Redcoats and met at the Barry Butlin’s resort. They’ve been together ever since.

Sources: Thanks to Sybil and Victor for their input and kind permission to relate their stories. Also, please remember the existing Facebook pages that already support the idea of reusing existing resources in the Village – the Wenvoe Recycling & Reuse Group @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1870475136410648 and the Wenvoe Buy and Sell pages, @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/3019469164839088.Finally, a reminder that Wenvoe Forum members are focusing on ideas around the REUSE (including REPURPOSING and RE-HOMING) of various resources. Please keep an eye out for future activities, and join us or send messages on: Facebook: Gwen Fo @ https://www.facebook.com/gwen.fo.1/ and Wenvoe Forum @ https://www.facebook.com/groups/635369267864402twitter @ForumGwenfo

 

 

Brecon Beacons / Bannau Brycheiniog

Brecon Beacons / Bannau Brycheiniog

Brecon Beacons / Bannau Brycheiniog

Some were a little concerned about the length of this walk as it was billed as 8 miles. A reminder that we had been here before was reassuring.

Seed heads of coltsfoot decorated the side of the path. On the edge of a wood, we spotted a tiny blue-purple flower, Butterwort, it is carnivorous and grows in bogs, moors, damp heath and wet rocks. It was believed that it protected cattle from elves’ arrows and newborn babies from thieving fairies. The leaves were used to curdle/thicken milk.

Ears pricked as we heard a cuckoo – a rare sound these days but, given our ages, one we are all familiar with. ‘Cuckoo’ seemed to follow us as we walked the perimeter of the woodland and out into the open.

A steep descent invited the fittest of us to visit a cave. Others walked around a gully to meet ‘the intrepid cavers’ as they climbed back up to join us. Now we crossed moorland, it was uphill and difficult as we tried to follow tracks made by animals, hopefully avoiding the largest holes, clumps and water. At one point we saw a ‘frog in a bog’.

Lunch was at the highest point of the moor. What a delight, as well as decent views, there was the continuous song of skylarks, two flying close to the ground near us. Dark clouds gathered and there was even a clap of thunder but apart from a few raindrops, they disappeared, and rain descended on the hills around us.

We entered woodland and took a track through Penmoelallt forest where Ley’s whitebeam grows. There are only 10 of these trees growing wild in the world and they are all in this area. Towards the end, we found a clearing with a large natural table, and various sculptures – badgers, a woman and a hare with the moon.

A slightly longer walk than usual but an enjoyable day of wide vistas and a sense of accomplishment. Walk 9.2miles, 1600ft. Map OL12

Clodock – We parked outside the church in Clodock, a village with few houses in Herefordshire. A large plastic shark on a wall reminded us we were here 10 years ago. We headed east, a steep climb to start, and then rolling countryside. Turning north, Skirrid (where we had walked a week earlier) came into view in the distance.

We reached the highest point of the walk where there was a trig point, hidden as it was enclosed by a hedge. We passed Oldcourt farm, a Grade II listed, 14th century stone house and barn with mullioned windows and a huge chimney. Agents’ details show it was on the market for close to £1million. A stand-alone wall was fascinating with triangular holes through it and pennywort growing between stones. We saw several longhouses in the area.

Now we were headed towards Longtown but stopped for lunch next to a dry brook as the views were extensive. A downhill stretch took us to Escley Brook whose refreshing water gave the dogs a chance for a deep drink.

Longtown castle, 12th and 13th century, has a keep which can be seen from a distance even though it is crumbling. The castle was founded by Walter De Lacy, one of the Marcher lords, to defend England’s border with Wales and the adjacent town of Ewias Lacy (now Longtown). By 1403 the castle had become dilapidated, but Henry IV ordered it to be refortified to defend against Owain Glyn Dwr.

Near the castle is the Old School House which has several stone plaques displayed. The school was originally financed through subscriptions of £66 2s raised from 34 people. Broome’s garden, next to the school is owned by English Heritage and maintained by volunteers. Mr Broome was a volunteer who taught boys vegetable gardening whilst girls were learning domestic skills.

We headed to Longtown and saw ‘The New Inn Spiritous Liquors Sold Here’ now a private house. A friendly farmer helped us avoid a difficult stile by inviting us to walk through his farm – chainsaw in hand he said, ‘Come with me’; we gladly followed!

Back at Clodock, we were impressed by the church, dedicated to a British king Clydawc and founded in 6th century, enlarged during 12th century and restored 1919.

A day of historic buildings, rolling hills, meadows, kites and buzzards and probably the worst stiles we have had to negotiate in a very long time. We decided that we had chosen the best time of year for this walk – not much mud or too overgrown. The pub in Clodock has the smallest bar I have ever seen with a delightful garden. Walk 7.3miles, 1000ft. Map OL13.

 

“The Guest List ” by Lucy Foley

“The Guest List ” by Lucy Foley

Old Friends. Past grudges.

Happy families. Hidden jealousies.

Thirteen guests. One body.

The wedding cake has barely been cut when one of the guests is found dead. And as a storm unleashes its fury on the island, everyone is trapped. All have a secret. All have a motive. One guest won’t leave this wedding alive…

A dream wedding off the windswept Irish coast becomes a living nightmare for its trapped and terrified guests in this nerve jangling thriller.

For many of us it was not our usual choice of reading material and therefore presented a welcome challenge. The book was written in short paragraphs devoted to an individual character in the story. The setting was very dramatic, made more so by the description of the imminent storm. It was agreed that the subject matter and characters perhaps gave an interesting reflection on an area of British society.

We all agreed that the characters came from an unfamiliar part of society to us and did not share our values. As a result, none of us felt able to empathise with any of the characters who were described as shallow, boring, cardboard cutouts, wishy washy and dysfunctional.

However, this did not detract from the suspense of the story that left all of us unable to guess the surprise ending. Overall, the book received a score of 4 out of .10.

The Vale Foodbank

 

THE VALE FOODBANK

As people continue to suffer with the cost of living many continue to turn to the Foodbank for help. This help is for those who find themselves in emergencies whether they are working or in receipt of benefits. As time progresses and numbers of these seeking help has increased the donations now are stretched to fulfil what is needed. Below are examples of what can help. Alternatively, money can be donated which is used to buy items that run out. As the school holidays begin the demands are expected to rise as children will not have access to school meals

Here in Wenvoe I feel privileged to deliver our donations each Thursday to the Warehouse in Barry, who in turn services all Foodbank outlets in the Vale. I am pleased to take a car boot full each week and also money people have donated. However, I am aware each week of the depleted stock, and hear the volunteers concerns about the difficulties they are now experiencing.

If you would like to donate there is a box in the church porch which is emptied regularly to ensure the security of the goods. Alternatively if you have any queries please contact me Jude Billingham on 07516112897.

 

Ideas for donations:

Tinned meat for hot meals or sandwiches

Tinned vegetables and potatoes

Fruit juice or squash

Tinned fruit

Breakfast cereals

Long life milk

Pasta sauce

Tinned tomatoes

Treats: eg. crisps or biscuits

Toiletries including women’s essentials

Coffee, tea

 

 

The Cape Horners Of Copperopolis

THE CAPE HORNERS OF COPPEROPOLIS

For many years on the approach to Swansea along Fabian Way, there stood a dilapidated pub with a sign depicting a square rigged sailing ship and the name “The Cape Horner”. The name links to Cape Horn being the tip of south America (Tierra del Fuego) that juts into the south Atlantic and surely some of the most mountainous and stormy seas on the planet.

In nautical history, Cape Horners were sailing ships that plied their trade through those waters to carry copper ore from the Chilean port of Valparasio to the smelting furnaces of Copperopolis (after having first taken a cargo of Welsh coal to South America). Such vessels and their intrepid crews would have taken more than a year to make the journey from Swansea to Chile and back.

What follows is based on an article from the Swansea Museum entitled “The Dangers of Sailing”

At the other end of the world to us, Cape Horn is a desolate and fearsome place, the most dangerous part of a voyage to bring Copper ore to Swansea. Bitter winds blow ceaselessly from west to east, and massive green waves up to thirty metres high roll across the ocean, so strong they can smash a ship to pieces, in storms that rage all winter long. The men who sailed those seas were the toughest and most skilled seamen. Their life was hard, but their pride and fellowship were great. It was the Copper trade with Chile – the terrible journey round Cape Horn, and the perils of the voyage home – which made Swansea’s ships and sailors famous. To be called a Cape Horner was the highest accolade a seaman could earn. Few ports had more Cape Horners than Swansea in those days

It was a dangerous, harsh and harrowing life. Men who survived it were tough, rugged, and brave. It could take many weeks to sail round the Horn as the trepid sailors incrementally tacked their vessels into the face of raging stormy seas to make westward progress. The whole voyage, from Swansea to Chile and back again typically took a year or more. Crammed into the dark, dank forecastle, or crews’ quarters aboard ship, fifteen or more men slept in wooden bunks with mattresses filled with straw. In rough weather everything got wet and it was a place for

A long hard battle with the elements. As the copper trade ships drew near to Cape Horn from the Atlantic Ocean the crew prepared for the battle ahead. The ship had to be in prime condition to survive the vicious wind and waves. They would check the sails for tears and damage, and the rigging for frayed or broken ropes.

Round the Horn with icy sails and rigging. Sailors, working high in the rigging, would have clung for their very lives to ice-covered sails and ropes with frozen hands, battered by wind and waves. Terrible accidents happened. Men fell into the sea, or onto the deck far below, and massive waves could wash them overboard, and snap ships’ masts like matchsticks. Other hazards lurked, such as thick fogs that came drifting off the land and blocked out sight and sound. The rocks around that wild coastline, and worse still, icebergs, could sink a ship and drown its crew. Winter was the worst time to make the voyage. Summer weather was not so bad, with lighter, warmer wind, more gentle waves, and then the sailors could see the wild beauty of the Cape Horn coastline.

The living was rough. Fresh food did not last long. For most of the voyage, all the men could eat was salted meat, ships biscuits, dried beans, potatoes, onions and maybe fish, if they had time – or luck – to catch some. Rats nibbled the stores, and sea water soaked the ship, sometimes putting the galley fire out and then nothing could be cooked. Sailors needed a sense of humour and a strong stomach to be able to eat the food, even the “hard tack” biscuits had maggots or weevils in and were best eaten with eyes closed.

Homeward Bound – eventually. If they survived – and many did not – then as the homeward bound ship, passing the Falkland Islands, would run before westerly winds and waves that carried them unhindered for thousands of miles … and home.

Tony Hodge

 

Grasshoppers And Crickets

Grasshoppers And Crickets

If you have replaced your lawn with artificial turf or keep it close cut through the summer you will probably not see any grasshoppers. However, let the grass grow, even in just a patch or two and you are likely to be rewarded with some. In the first year that the School let the grass in the wildlife patch grow tall the children found (and heard on hot days) several of them. There are a number of species of both grasshopper and cricket that pop up in sympathetically-managed gardens in Wenvoe and we have recorded Field, Meadow and Common Green Grasshoppers along with Speckled Bush Crickets, Dark Bush Crickets (see photo) and Short-winged Coneheads. Bush Crickets are different from ‘true’ Crickets which we are unlikely to see locally. Bush Crickets have long antennae whereas grasshoppers have relatively short ones.

Grasshoppers often appear in literature. One of Aesop’s fables was the Ant and The Grasshopper and Keats wrote a poem entitled On the Grasshopper and Cricket. Charles Dickens wrote The Cricket on the Hearth. And who can forget the dapper Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio. Against a backdrop of a decline in our flying insects by 60% over the last 20 years we cannot afford to ignore the plight of many species. A Government report states – ‘Invertebrates are integral to our natural environment, fundamental to the food chain and excellent indicators of the health of our natural habitats’.

July Report

JULY REPORT

Last month’s news ended with an account of the picnic held in the church grounds at St. Bleddian’s which was highly successful and appreciated by the local families enjoying themselves. At the end of June, on the last Sunday of the month a joint celebration of the Eucharist took place between the congregations of St. John’s in Sully, and Wenvoe plus St. Bleddians with a full church and with Gareth at the piano the air was filled with lusty singing. The St. Bleddian’s communion cup of 1575 was in use and the St. Lythan’s silver Altar Cross was also on display. It was heartening to see the church actively worshipping in a way so different from the normal said communion service. The refreshments following the service were also appreciated and thanks to all who made the service so enjoyable. In passing it was pleasing to see the village pump, adjacent to the church entrance has been cleaned and tidied up once again many thanks to those who wish to see these items from the past kept in good condition.

As part of the repairs needed to keep the church in good condition, repairs to the East window in the Button chapel have been carried out as some of the glass needed re-leading and the holding bars strengthened. The Button chapel is a 17th century extension to the church with access from the chancel by an arcade of large pillars with shallow arches. There are no memorials to any members of the Button Family but there could well be interments under the flagstone floor. It is unique in a number of ways, there is no altar so is best called a mortuary chapel intended for the burial of members of the Button family who lived at Worlton where the present Dyffryn House and gardens are situated. St Bleddian’s with its almost circular boundary is thought to be an early sacred pre Christian site long before the coming of St. Bleddian in the 6th century. A celebration of the Harvest is scheduled for October 13th, more information nearer the time.

Bishop Mary gives us each week her view on what is happening here at home and elsewhere in the world, in the “LLANDAFF MATTERS” newsletter each Tuesday afternoon, and this week was no exception, following the attempt on the life of the Republican Candidate across the pond

Bishop’s Prayer for the Week From Bishop of Llandaff, Mary Stallard

The shocking shooting that happened at the Pennsylvania election rally at the weekend has rightly brought immediate condemnation from many world leaders.

They have condemned the violence in rhetoric as well as in action that has come to be an expected part of politics in too many places. While some are using this tragic event to call for a more peaceful form of political engagement, others no doubt will try to make political capital out of it. For me the most moving response that I have heard, comes from the family of the man amongst the crowds who was shot and killed in this terrible event..

The sister of this man – who was a volunteer fire-chief and a father, called Corey Compertore – commented that, “hatred has taken the life of the man we loved the most”.

She said, “hatred has no limits”, but “love has no bounds” and she asked people to pray for her family in their grief. The contrast she draws between the terrible price of hatred and the enduring bond of love is a compelling one. I find it so moving that a call to prayer after such a sad event comes so swiftly from someone who has been bereaved.

All of this offers a stark reminder to all of us who belong to faith communities of our particular calling to embody and model a loving response in all our engagements. This has to be visible in our relationships with those we like, and with those with whom we may profoundly disagree. We know that we are often challenged to do this well, even within our most local church communities, as well as in our Ministry Areas and as a diocese. But this is our work and it’s at the heart of so much that Jesus teaches us.

Christ our teacher, you call us to lives marked by love. In times of shock and turmoil be our strong hope and our help. We ask for your comfort and care for all whose lives are shaken by tragedy and pain. Guide us in all our choices, that we may be signs of your compassion and hope, and play our part in bringing healing and reconciliation. Amen.”

Our support for the Vale Food Bank. Week by week we are able to support the food Bank with regular donations kindly left in the porch for onward transit to the food warehouse, thanks to Jude and her helpers.

On August 18th we shall be celebrating the feast of St. Mary, the Mother of our Lord at the morning Eucharist. The central figure on our beautiful Reredos at the Altar, depicts Mary as Queen of Heaven, complete with Crown and Sceptre holding the baby Jesus who in turn is holding a dove. It is rare to see such a portrayal of Mary in Anglican churches, but was in line with the Oxford Movement prevalent at the time it was installed in 1900.

A full account of what is happening in church during September will be in the August edition of “What’s On”. In the meantime if you have a holiday planned, may you have good weather and a safe return.

Thank you for reading this news, it is always a pleasure to keep you up to date with what is planned in the life of St.Mary’s and St. bleddian’s.

God Bless Parry

 

Secure The Future Of Welsh Food And The Food Conversation

 

SECURE THE FUTUREOF WELSH FOOD AND

THE FOOD CONVERSATION

Anyone driving along the Port Road and past Pugh’s Garden Centre recently would have seen the poster ‘Secure the Future of Welsh Food’. It is part of the National Farmers Union (NFU) campaign and it’s no surprise to see it in Wenvoe as we have a NFU Cymru Deputy President, Abi Reader MBE. Abi is a third -generation mixed farmer, farming in partnership with her parents and uncle at Goldsland Farm. Some of our readers may have also visited the farm, during Open Farm Sunday, which is home to milking cows, sheep, beef cattle and around 120 acres of arable farmland. There is plenty of background to the NFU campaign which seeks to highlight the growing concern of food quality and food production, and includes a campaign video featuring Abi, at https://www.nfu-cymru.org.uk/campaigning/secure-welsh-food/

Of all the elements of our economy, food is one of the most important things we cannot manage without. A basic human need, at the centre of some of the biggest challenges we face with, global populations continuing to increase, natural resources diminishing and climate change increasingly impacting on growing cycles. Issues that place increasing pressure on global supply chains, and although a steady decline was witnessed over the last decade, global hunger is now on the rise again, affecting as much as 10% of the world’s population. The issues facing the food landscape is not only to ensure that everyone has access to sustainable and nutritious food but also to raise awareness of the dangers of ultra-processed foods. A wider movement started in the summer of 2023 is ‘The Food Conversation’ which sets out to increase participation in the issues of not just food production but transport, distribution and retail aspects along with what Government does, or should do. designed to be easy to understand and engaging. Everyone can participate and it claims to be methodologically robust, enabling in-depth conversation and deliberation (similar to approaches developed for citizen assemblies). https://thefoodconversation.uk/

Have we got the appetite in Wenvoe to discuss this and take part in The Food Conversation? In doing so we can be part of a UK-wide conversation about food and contribute to a push for improving our food system and ensuring change that needs to take place happens. Look up The Food Conversation for further information.

 

 

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