June News

 

 

In last month’s “What’s On” mention was made of the “French Drains” being dug on the south side of the nave to cure the dampness creeping up the walls inside the church. That was delayed but the good news is that it is now happening. Talking to Mike our “digger” and Justin the archaeologist in attendance, during the “dig”, an amount of bones were found in the excavations, which is not surprising in a churchyard, but it revealed that years ago it was common to dig a new grave where burials had been interred before. When this happens the bones are collected together and re buried in the ground adjacent to the fresh burial. There has been talk of “French Drains” for some now and the name originates not from anything to do with the country across the English Channel, but to an American, Henry Flagg French 1813 – 1885 of Concord, Massachusetts who designed the trenches filled with a perforated drain pipe and different grades of aggravate to drain water away from penetrating the walls of buildings.. We know they work, as the similar drains dug around the base of the tower some years ago, has made the interior walls much drier than they were.

At the recent visit of the Archdeacon, Peggy Jackson, she raised the possibility of opening the church during the week for visitors to call in to look around. Our insurer the EIG is in favour of keeping church building open wherever possible and while the PCC expressed an interest in pursuing the matter, a number of concerns were raised regarding security and safeguarding of the building when it was left unsupervised. This will be discussed further as the concensus was that it would be a good idea to keep the church open rather than locked up.

The “Evening Entertainment” in the Wenvoe Community Centre was well attended and thanks must go to Johnny Tudor and Olwen Rees, who during the evening entertained the audience with showbiz details and songs. The evening raised a goodly amount towards the fund to enable Miss Helen Ormrod to be on The Mercy Ship helping to provide health care to impoverished parts of the world. The next event will be the Silent Auction on July 7th , when the marine artist Nick Rees has kindly donated a signed limited edition print “The

early evening light, The Holms, Bristol Channel” .

A forthcoming event will be another evening on June 23rd in the Wenvoe Community Centre with weatherman Derek Brockway and Nicola Smith will again be sharing lots of funny and entertaining things that have happened in their careers with the BBC. Nicola was born in Wenvoe and raised in Walston Road. Her Grandmother, Margaret Barton will be remembered by many in Wenvoe when she and her husband Thomas Barton farmed at Garn Farm

A Family Fun Quiz is planned for Saturday July 14th at 6 pm in The Church Hall, Tickets are £10 per family or £3. Single. Tickets on sale soon.

 

The Food Bank in Barry continues to be well supported

 

, and the Tussel Trust thanks the churches for contributions to the Food bank. In short supply this month are tinned potatoes and tinned meat in gravy. As always every item of food is very gratefully received. The Food Banks have been in the news recently as more calls are made on their resources where Universal Credit has been rolled out, and so many people have difficulties in making ends meet while awaiting their welfare payments.

Christian Aid appeal for 2018

The count of all the monies raised in the house to house collections, gift aid, Lent lunches and the funds raised at the Gwenfo School non uniform day came to £2,670.38 which is a wonderful result. Many thanks to the organisers, the collectors, the Lent Lunchers, and Gwenfo School for their support in helping to raise this amount of money for Christian Aid, Da Iawn Diolch.

John Custance R.I.P

We were saddened to hear that John Custance had died suddenly. He had been in hospital and released home when he had a relapse and was readmitted to hospital. John was a regular communicant in church and he helped in so many ways. His technical background with the sound systems in the BBC enabled him to install the loudspeakers for the playing of a recording of church bells in the tower of the church. He devised the automatic machine for drawing the winning numbers of the 200 club. He was also involved in the Christmas Post with the Wenvoe Scouts and in recent years had helped with the Chattery meetings in the Church Hall. He will be sorely missed by Jackie and his family and with all his friends in church and community. “Well done thou good and faithfull servant”

 

Now that summer is officially with us, we wish all readers a happy holiday and a return, refreshed for the Autumn programme of activities in planning in church and in the community

Parry Edwards