LLYNFI VALLEY

Send Your News To: 01656 733417 llynficolumn@sky.com

FLU INJECTIONS: are available at Llynfi Surgery every Tuesday in October no appointment necessary just come along between 1.30 and 3pm.

MAYOR’S CHARITY: The Mayor of Maesteg’s Fund was launched in 2013 to raise funds in support of community services or charities that provide care or assistance to residents in the Llynfi Valley. The current mayor, Cllr Jennifer Terry, for her year of office 2016/2017, has nominated Macmillan Cancer Support, Diabetes Wales, Caerau Community Gardens and Noddfa Youth. This coming Friday, October 7 at 2pm there will be a Duck Race held on the river above Brewers field off Caerau Road in Caerau (opposite the Blaenllynfi Hotel). Ducks can be purchased from Noddfa Youth or the Council Offices for just £1, with a first prize of £50, second of £30 and third of £10.

MAOS: Coming soon, showing for two nights only at Maesteg Town Hall: Friday 21st & Saturday 22nd of October, 7.15pm:-in this year when we all commemorate the Battle of the Somme, Maesteg Amateur Operatic Society has chosen to perform Oh What a Lovely War. Based on the First World War, the musical is a series of snapshots into historical events and the lives of the people who lived through them. It’s a hilarious comedy with a serious message: “Never Again”. MAOS’ company play multiple roles, including Soldiers, generals, suffragettes, politicians, profiteers and spies performed in every accent imaginable from Scottish to Serbian. Tickets £12/£10, available from Maesteg Library, 01656 815995

DRAMA: Llynfi Valley Amateur Dramatic Society’s ’Fright Night will be on October 28th at Maesteg Harlequins, time 7.30pm, admission £5. We will be providing a buffet and the bar will be open’. During the evening we will be telling ghostly tales myths and legends of Maesteg and there’ll be a fabulous buffet. We also have two dramatised stories written by two talented authors, Paul Skye and Jim Lediard.

HALLOWEEN: Bridgend Communities First has lots of free spooky Halloween activities for all the family to enjoy this year! From creepy crafts, carving your pumpkin, making Halloween costumes, a magic show and lots Halloween crafts for you to make...you will be spoilt for choice! Find out what’s on here.... 25/10/2016 Halloween magic show and crafts at Cwm Calon, Maesteg 28/10/2016 Halloween family crafts at Caerau Market Garden.

TOWN HALL: Future events at our Town Hall are: Friday, October 7 at 7.30pm, Aberystwyth Mon Amour – the new stage adaptation of the smash-hit comedy crime fiction novel. Tickets cost £11.50. Thursday, October 13 at 7.30pm – it’s Maesteg Comedy Club with three up and coming award-winning comedians. Tickets are £7.50. Thursday, October 27 2-4pm, recommended for ages 0-7 and children must be supervised by a responsible adult. Party fun through the medium of Welsh with a competition for the best costume. Tickets cost £2.50. Friday, October 28 at 7.30pm. Steeleye Span in Concert – the folk rock pioneers are touring with a new live show, Moddy Prior – a mixture of new and classic material. Tickets are £22. Wednesday, October 26 at 11am - Strictly Cinema – film, buffet and bingo. Tickets £6.50 and booking is essential. This month the film is ‘Eddie the Eagle’.

YOUNG SINGERS: Calling all young singers who read this – for 11-18 year-olds it should be in your school’s music department now: Dunraven Welsh Young Singer of the Year, organized by Maesteg Gleemen – applications should be in by Wednesday, November 30 and live auditions will be held on Saturday, January 28 at Maesteg Town Hall. Prize of £2,500 for the seniors with £500 for other finalists and £500 for Juniors with £100 for other finalists.

TWO 2-DAY TRIPS: The first is the Christmas Market in Birmingham on 14th December, cost £109 and £42 extra for a single room with a £35 deposit required when booking. Then on December 21, Andre Rieu in concert in Birmingham £204 and £15 extra single room with a deposit of £108 required when booking. Contact Eirwen Thomas on 01656 736379.

EVENTS DIARY: With so many events taking place and often clashing, this is going to be tried once again. There is a Town Events Diary in the Council Offices, accessible during office hours. All organisations are invited to enter individual events in that Diary to avoid overlap or clashing dinners/ concerts etc in the town. I personally hope that this time all groups (in churches, local halls etc, as well as at Maesteg Town Hall) will use this diary to avoid those clashes, for, as you can see, there are a number of future events to be held and there is already one clash on September 28.

FREE HELP: How do I get online? Can you help me use jobs search websites? Is it safe to shop online? How do you use price comparison websites? What are mobile apps? How do you send emails? What is social media? Organised by Awen Cultural Trust in partnership with Bridgend Communities First, we can answer all your questions and more! The course continues until December 16, pop in for a chat on Tuesdays at Maesteg Library, 10am-12pm (telephone: 01656 754835).

FREE COURSES: All by Bridgend Communities First: Healthy cooking. The sessions are at Caerau Development Trust on Fridays: October 7, 14 and 21 and November 4 and 11. All of them are from 10am12pm. Enjoy finding out how to make easy to cook recipes to keep you healthy! Advance booking required by contacting Jeremy: Telephone 01656 643518 or Email: Jeremy. Dimond@bridgend. gov.uk. Zumba at Caerau Social Centre on Tuesdays October 11 and 18th. All of them are from 10.30-11.30am Have great fun with your friends and family getting fit to music created with specific beats and tempo changes which targets every muscle group in the body! Again they are advance booking required by contacting Jeremy on 01656 643518 or email Jeremy.Dimond@ bridgend.gov.uk. Healthy diabetic cooking sessions at Noddfa Community Project on Mondays 10, 17, 31 October and November 7 from 10am-12pm Do you have or live with someone who has Diabetes? Find out to make healthy meals suitable for people with Diabetes. Free to all those living in Bridgend Communities First areas, advance booking required by contacting Jeremy on 01656 643518 or email Jeremy.Dimond@ bridgend.gov.uk. Level 3 emergency paediatric first aid course at Noddfa Community Project on Wednesday, October 12 at 9.30am. Would you know what to do if you saw a child in need of first aid? Book onto our free course as it could mean the difference between life and death! Free lunch provided: Free to all those living in Bridgend Communities First postcode areas, advance booking required by contacting Lisa T: 01656 642619 / 07792 663645 or E: LisaMaria.OSullivan@ bridgend.gov.uk Accredited Level 2 Safeguarding Children and Young People Course at Noddfa Community Project on Thursday, October 13 at 9.30am. Understand how to safeguard and protect children and young people and learn how to respond to concerns. Free lunch provided. Free to all those living in Bridgend Communities First postcode areas, advance booking required by contacting Lisa, T: 01656 642619 / 07792 663645 or E: LisaMaria.OSullivan@ bridgend.gov.uk Level 2 emergency first aid course at Caerau Development Trust on Tuesday, October 18 at 9.30am. Gain the essential skills needed to give safe, prompt and effective first aid in emergency situations. Free lunch provided. Free to all those living in Bridgend Communities First postcode areas, advance booking required by contacting Lisa, T: 01656 642619 / 07792 663645 or E: LisaMaria.OSullivan@ bridgend.gov.uk Accredited Level 2 food safety course at Caerau Development Trust on Wednesday 19 October 2016 at 9.30am. Gain a qualification and learn how to prepare, store and re-heat food safely and avoid common hazards (ID required) Free lunch provided. Advance booking required by contacting Lisa, T: 01656 642619 / 07792 663645 or E: LisaMaria.OSullivan@ bridgend.gov.uk Level 2 free emergency first aid course at Maesteg College on Tuesday, November 15at 9.30am.

Gain the essential skills needed to give safe, prompt and effective first aid in emergency situations. Free to all those living in Bridgend Communities First postcode areas, advance booking required by contacting Lisa, T: 01656 642619 / 07792 663645 or E: LisaMaria.OSullivan@ bridgend.gov.uk. Accredited Level 2 food safety course at Maesteg College on Tuesday, November 22 at 9.30am. Gain a qualification and learn how to prepare, store and re-heat food safely and avoid common hazards (ID required).

Free to all those living in Bridgend Communities First postcode areas, advance booking required by contacting Lisa, T: 01656 642619 / 07792 663645 or E: LisaMaria.OSullivan@ bridgend.gov.uk. To find out what’s on at Bridgend Communities First, visit www. commfirstbridgend.com/ whats-on.

SPECIAL DATES: Do you have a 100th birthday coming up, or a Golden or Diamond Wedding and live in the Maesteg Town Council area? You, or your relatives, can inform the council.

Then you can expect a special visit from the Mayor and consort bearing gifts.