Category: General Interest Articles

Articles of general interest on no particular subject

Could The Airport Be Flying High At Last?

COULD THE AIRPORT BE FLYING HIGH AT LAST?

Many of us love to use Cardiff Airport, especially with the time and cost implications of flying from other airports like Bristol or Heathrow. With a ten-year plan of major developments, we will hopefully see a positive transformation in the airport’s fortunes.

Major investment

A major factor in the plans is a significant government investment of over £200 million in the next decade. The aim is to improve infrastructure, expand airline services and upgrade passenger facilities. The strategy aims to increase passenger numbers and grow the airport’s role in the regional economy. The hope is to boost passenger numbers from 0.84 million in 2023 to 2.3 million over the next decade and create 2,000 jobs. We can also look forward to the development of new routes, including to key global hubs.

There have been several improvements already. A new security checkpoint with advanced technology has been installed, which has speeded up screening. The new technology allows passengers to leave liquids under 100ml in their hand luggage, meaning the screening process should be quicker. It also means passengers can leave laptops, tablets and mobile phones in their hand luggage as they pass through security screening. On the business side, a new base for European Cargo, launched in October 2024, has utilised the airport’s 24/7 operating status and grown its freight business. Huge cargo planes have been flying in from as far away as China.

New routes

Airlines have already responded to the airport’s revitalisation by significantly expanding their services. TUI is making a major investment by basing a fourth aircraft at the airport for the Summer of 2026, creating 48,000 additional holiday slots. The idea is to increase flight frequency on popular routes to destinations like Tenerife, Turkey and Majorca. Gran Canaria will also get more flights and the new flights will align with Marella Cruises’ winter programme in Gran Canaria onboard Marella Voyager, with its cruise packages available for the first time from Cardiff. They plan to add new services to Hurghada, Egypt, and Faro, Portugal next Summer. An exclusive route to Fuerteventura will launch from December. Other airlines are following suit. From this Summer, Ryanair is operating its largest-ever programme from Cardiff, with an 18% increase in departures and extra flights to Dublin and Malaga. Vueling have taken up the challenge and expanded its service to Malaga.

Ambitious long-term plans

The plans have not been without controversy. There may be environmental objections to some of the planned developments. Bristol Airport has launched an ongoing legal challenge in the Competition Appeal Tribunal to Welsh Government subsidies. In a statement they said, ‘Bristol Airport welcomes competition, but this must be on a level playing field to avoid market distortions.’ The Welsh Government have stated their intention to defend the new subsidies. Success is likely to prove vital in the longer term. The aim is that by 2040 a new airport terminal will be built along with a multi-storey car park and new cargo terminal. A key focus is improving access for passengers and businesses. The airport is planned to be integrated with the Metro network, including bus links from the train station and a new road link from the M4 at Junction 34.

When The Battle of Britain Came To Wenvoe

WHEN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN CAME TO WENVOE

September brings the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. While the events are mostly associated with the southeast of England, the Vale of Glamorgan played an important part in the victory over the Luftwaffe. The Vale villages, including Wenvoe, also found themselves directly affected.

On 31st March 1943, a Supermarine Spitfire on a vital training mission from RAF Llandow crashed near Old Wallace Farm on the outskirts of Wenvoe. Approaching Wenvoe, the pilot, Sgt John Wilson Craighead, suddenly noticed that the plane’s fuel was very low. He decided to attempt an emergency landing but unfortunately hit a dense bank of fog. Seeing a gap he opted for a forced landing. Unfortunately, the area was particularly littered with electricity pylons and telegraph poles and after choosing what appeared to be a suitable field, the plane struck a pole partially hidden with ivy within a thick hedgerow. This sheared off one of the wings, spinning the aircraft into the adjacent field. Only slightly injured, Sgt Craighead was able to extract himself from the plane and get help from nearby Wallace Farm.

Like many others who trained in the Vale for fighting the Luftwaffe, Sgt Craighead was a ‘kiwi’ from the Royal New Zealand Airforce. There were pilots from many nationalities trained at St Athan, Llandow and Stormy Down. They came from all over the Commonwealth and many other countries such as Poland. There were even a handful of American pilots, one who survived after colliding with another Spitfire from the same unit, ditching into the sea off St Athan in February 1943.

Pilots were in many ways more important than the Spitfire planes. It was vital for pilots to practise for all manner of scenarios, particularly dog-fights. This made the training difficult and dangerous. With the average life expectancy of a pilot at only four weeks and an urgent demand for new recruits, the RAF cut the training time from six months to just two weeks. Some recruits saw action with as little as nine hours experience. Not all Llandow and St Athan pilots survived training crashes. An RAF Spitfire flown by 22-year-old Sgt DG White, dived out of formation from high altitude and crashed near the Greendown Inn, St George’s Super-Ely. Sgt White was killed and buried in his hometown of Paignton. On 6th February 1943, a Spitfire broke up in the air over Bonvilston, with some wreckage reaching fields in Pendoylan. Flying Officer Neville Alexander Thomas Fleming unfortunately lost his life and was buried in Llantwit Major Cemetery alongside many others. Another was Sergeant Marion Arthur Plomteaux killed when his Spitfire spun into the ground near Marcross during a practice dogfight.

While Landow and St Athan are well known, there were also two other similar training bases in South East Wales. RAF Stormy Down, which was located near Pyle, Bridgend, opened in 1940. ‘Stormy’ began as an armament training school for the RAF and when they left firstly the French and later American forces were stationed there. Flying ceased in August 1944 due to the dangerous grass landing strip. On the site of Swansea Airport was RAF Fairwood Common. Constructed on what was basically a bog and used for pilot training, it fulfilled a variety of military roles from June 1941 until the end of the war.

If you are interested in aircraft, you might like to visit the South Wales Aviation Museum in St Athan. The museum prides its commitment to a hands-on approach for visitors. You can, for example, clamber into the cockpit of a Tornado and get inside an old Royal Navy Sea King helicopter. You can also get up close to the cockpit of a Russian MiG 29 as well as the flight deck of a Boeing 707. SWAM volunteers can explain the story behind the museum, the planes and other exhibits such as World War II memorabilia. The museum, which has a café and gift shop, is currently open at weekends 10am to 4:30pm, although it is hoped to extend this for special events. Now well established, the museum relies on donations from visitors for funding (suggested £5 per person

The Horse and Jockey 2025

THE HORSE AND JOCKEY 2025

Well, what a start! We’ve had a great first six months and would like to thank all our wonderful customers near and far for your support.

We have celebrated births, deaths, marriages, Christmas Day, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s & Father’s Day. We work with local charities such as 2wish who visit us monthly for coffee & a chat with families that have been affected by the sudden or unexpected death of a child or young adult.

We are looking forward to what the next six months brings as we head back into Autumn and Winter, the season of twinkling lights & real fires. The Horse & Jockey, a place to meet old friends and new. We can offer you solace, joy, company or a listening ear, a shoulder or simply time. Everything you need you’ll find right here, food for the soul and a great pint of beer. The coffee is hot and our Gin is grand, Paula is the boss and The Boys understand.

Our pub is your pub and we’re here for you, where friends come together, old and new. Join us for a swift one, lunch, a pint or dinner. The Marsh family welcomes you, as one of their own.

 

We open seven days a week

Monday: Friendly darts meeting 7pm

Tuesday: Quiz Night every other week

Wednesday: Food served 12pm – 8pm

Both our Luncheon Club & Daily menus

Thursday, Friday & Saturday food served from

12pm to 8:30pm

Sunday: Traditional roasts served 12pm to 4pm Sharing platters 5-7pm

Live music on the last Sunday each month 7pm – 9pm

The Horse & Jockey – a pub to call home!

Vale Foodbank Update

VALE FOODBANK UPDATE

Thank you to all those in Wenvoe who have donated to the Vale Foodbank, especially those who donate frequently. The boxes in St. Mary’s Church porch are emptied regularly and the contents taken to the Foodbank warehouse each week. There is usually a car boot full and in addition money to donate from those who find it difficult to carry food stuff. If you wish to donate money in cash or by cheque written out to the Vale Foodbank it can be posted in a sealed envelope in the Church porch letter box.

All of the local Foodbanks in the Vale continue to be accessed regularly. In June 292 referral vouchers for help included 399 adults and 201 children. Of these 73 households were referred for the first time. Regular donations ensure the Foodbank can continue to support individuals and families. Unfortunately, the number of donations has reduced; for example in June 18,265 kgs of food was distributed with only 17,216 kgs coming in. As the school holi-days now begin, we are reminded that the require-ments for the Foodbank continues at a pace.

Current items in short supply include; Tinned meat for hot meals and sandwiches, tinned vegetables, long life milk and fruit juice, tinned rice pudding, snacks and instant foods for people who do not have access to cookers.

Jude Billingham

What’s On Volunteers Wanted

What’s On VOLUNTEERS WANTED

To join the What’s On magazine team. 

 

Wenvoe What’s On has been published since 1988, with the aim of providing information, news, and entertainment for the people of Wenvoe. Contributions come from a number of people in the village, but we would like to have more. About 600 copies are printed and distributed each month by a network of volunteers. Costs are covered by advertising.

We need help from people with various skills:

  • Desktop publishing
  • Layout design
  • Proof reading
  • Distribution
  • Advertising
  • Finance
  • General information technology
  • and last, but not least, enthusiasm and team working.

This kind of volunteering is well suited to those doing Duke of Edinburgh, or Welsh Baccalaureate, as well as those of us who have a bit more time on our hands.

If you are interested in joining us, or just finding out what we do, please contact Dickon Oliver (07979 474 809) or Annie Bennett (07754 072826). Alternatively write to wenvoewhatson@gmail.com.

Where To Rock This August

WHERE TO ROCK THIS AUGUST

…..and some interesting stuff about the artists hitting the capital this month.

We are fortunate to live near a city that frequently hosts the biggest names in rock and pop music. 2024 saw the likes of Taylor Swift and the mighty Bruce Springsteen. This year the city has among others, already welcomed Stevie Wonder, the Stereophonics, Sting and Oasis. However, the fun is far from over. Tom Jones can be seen twice at Cooper’s Field on 20th August and then at Cardiff Castle on 21st August. But who else is rocking the city?

Will Smith, the celebrated Hollywood star known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Men in Black, is performing in his other guise of noted rapper Live at Bute Park on Monday 25th August. The show is supported by disco legends Nile Rodgers & CHIC.

Will is known for being able to solve Rubik’s Cube in less than one minute, a feat he performed in one of his movies. In 2005 he achieved a Guinness World Record for attending three red carpet events in Manchester, Birmingham and London in just 12 hours. The first hip-hop star to be nominated for an Oscar, he was then famously banned from them for 10 years, after slapping comic Chris Rock at the ceremony in 2022.

 Catfish and the Bottlemen, the Welsh indie rock band from Llandudno, announced their first big stadium show for 1st August at the Principality Stadium. Hugely successful since 2016, that year they won ‘British Break Through Act’ at the Brits and their 2nd album ‘Ride’ reached Number 1 in the UK album charts.

The band’s name originates from lead vocalist Van McCann’s earliest musical memory: an Australian street busker he encountered in Sydney, known as Catfish the Bottleman. The busker earned the nickname “Catfish” due to his distinctive, spiky beard and ‘Bottleman’ because he played beer bottles strung to a wire.

 Midge Ure’s ‘Live Under the Stars’ show is at the Tiger Yard, Cardiff Bay on 16th August. Ure is known for his success in 70s and 80s bands such as Thin Lizzy, Visage, and Ultravox. Most famously, in 1984 he co-wrote and produced the Band Aid charity single ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas?’ Selling 3.7 million copies, it became the second biggest selling single in UK chart history. Ure who co-organised the Band Aid and Live Aid events with Bob Geldof also serves as an ambassador for Save the Children.

Ure’s stage name, Midge, (real name James) is a phonetic reversal of Jim. When he was presented with the OBE by Queen Elizabeth in 2005, Ure wore a black kilt with matching black shirt, jacket, socks and a silver tie, to pick up his honour. ‘The Queen said something about it. I can’t remember what, but I think it was a gracious comment rather than ‘What on earth are you wearing.’

 Basement Jaxx are Live at Cardiff Castle on Sunday, 24 August. The English electronic music duo, consisting of Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe, emerged in the underground house scene of the mid-1990s. They have had international chart success and won Best Dance Act at both the 2002 and 2004 BRIT Awards.

In the past, Buxton’s father did not let him watch Top of the Pops and played his children Austrian and Japanese music instead. ‘He was always very proud that we didn’t watch Top of the Pops. He thought that made me hungry and want it more’ he said.

 

Wenvoe Community Litter Pick

WENVOE COMMUNITY LITTER PICK

The next litter pick will be from Saturday 19th July. Filled bags will be collected, along with your black bags on the 25th July from your home or usual col-lection point.

You can litter pick at anytime and anywhere within the community within these dates I will again dis-tribute and collect pickers, gloves, bags, etc

If interested in participating, please either text/what’s app me as soon as possible on 07724827496 or email at info@russellgodfrey.co.uk.

Wenvoe Croquet Club

WENVOE CROQUET CLUB

There is always a warm welcome at the Wenvoe Croquet Club, where the leisurely sport of croquet is played out in the beautiful and tranquil environment of Wenvoe Castle Golf Club. Join our friendly and good-spirited members for an enjoyable game of Croquet, where players of all levels are welcomed and encouraged. Get in touch for a FREE taster game and find more information at https://wenvoecroquet.co.uk/

 

Wenvoe Croquet Club

The End/Beginning Of An Era

THE END/BEGINNING OF AN ERA

Back in 1988 the Village Youth Club started the What’s On magazine under their leader Vic Reed, working from the Wheelwright’s shop near the Church Hall, using a number of old Roneo hand-cranked printers. Vic moved to Victoria Park in 1993, and with the prospect of losing the magazine, he approached five people to continue producing the useful publication.

The team of five included: Marilyn Case, Colin Jenkins, Ann Miller, Eileen Callely and myself, with each taking on roles writing, editing, assembling, stapling and treasurer. This in addition to the 30+ villagers delivering copies to each subscribing household.

We immediately found a print firm in Penarth and with the aid of cut and paste, DOS and slow typing, we produced a new format magazine. The document was delivered to us as single sheets which were then assembled and stapled before distribution. As the printer grew and invested in better equipment and our computer skills developed, we were able to improve the content to include diagrams and photos.

Regrettably, the Penarth printer closed due to ill health and we transferred to the current printer, Allens, to produce the magazine in its finished form ready for delivery.

The magazine has been produced monthly by a small and dedicated team of volunteers ever since 1988 – Over 38 years without a break. I am proud to have been involved for 33 of those years, and am now the only remaining member of the team.

Unfortunately, due to ill health, I will be stepping down from the team and leave the magazine in very capable hands to continue to develop, providing a way for the villagers themselves to share aspects of village life.

Thank you to all those who have contributed over the years with regular or one-off articles, recipes, jokes and letters, which make up the rich mix of content covering all local life.

It has been a real pleasure working on this project with such a dedicated group for such a long time.

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