BRIDGEND TOWN

Send Your News To: Natalie Murphy 7 Lon-Y-Bugail, Llangewydd Court, Bridgend 01656 663041

Good News: For all Bridgend post office users – we all now know the post office in Dunraven Place will remain open.

St John’s House Concert: The Annual Tree Choirs Concert for St John’s House (Hospice) Newcastle Hill will take place at St Mary’s RC Church, Ewenny Road.

The Friends of the House have organised the concert for Friday, March 17 at 7pm.

Bridgend Male Choir along with ladies choir Vocelle and the children’s choir from Oldcastle School will perform. Entry is £6.

Bridgend Townwomen’s Guild: The guild meet on the second Wednesday of each month in Hope Baptist Church Institute, Derwen road at 2pm.

Call Maureen Morgan on 01656 653477 or Beryl Channin on 01656 659558.

The Quakers: Meet Sundays at 10.45am for an hour at the Quaker Meeting House, 87 Park Street. Contact 01656 648817.

Step Back In Time: On Saturday, June 10, Bridgend will step back in time to WWII.

Further details on www.facebook.com/ wartimebridgend/

Bridgend U3A: Meetings are held at Brackla Community Centre, 1 Whitehorn Drive, Brackla on the third Monday of each month at 2pm. At the next meeting on Monday, March 20, at 2pm a Social Afternoon will take place. All welcome.

Brush Up Your Literacy: Bridgend Communities Firsts and Bridgend Employment and Skills Project (BESP), are holding free accredited one day sessions will offer you brush up your English skills at the YMCA, Angel Street. Welcome and registration on Wednesday, March 22, from 10am-12noon – the session is on Tuesday, March 28, from 9.30am3pm. Call 01656 642605 or email cf.besp@bridgend.gov.uk.

Hospital Service: The next Hospital Christian Fellowship service will take place on Friday, March 24, at 3pm. Mr Malcolm Stafford from Bridgend will lead the service which will take place in the Hospital Chapel at the Princess of Wales Hospital, Coity Road. All are very welcome.

Golden Oldies: Golden Cymru are singing and activity sessions that are open to everyone. They are not a choir and don’t worry about reaching the notes!

Their focus is about enjoyment, socialising and meeting new people. We enjoy music from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Sing-a-long, sometimes dance and shake off the inhibitions.

The venue is the Evergreen Hall, Angel Street, on Wednesdays from 10.30am (the sessions will last up to an hour). Free tea and coffee.

Painting Skills: An Oil Painting Workshop for beginners and all abilities will take place at Carnegie House (former Library) Wyndham Street on Saturday, April 22, from 10am-4pm and will cost £12.

Bridgend Artist Bryan Shambler will be demonstrating the Dipping Bridge at Merthyr Mawr with brush and painting knife.

Advance booking is recommended however bookings can be made and paid on the day.

To request a booking form please email: bridgend.tc@bridgend.gov.uk or call 01656 815757 or pop into Carnegie House, Monday to Friday, from 9am-2pm.

Charity Bake-Off: A Fairtrade Festival will present a Charity Fair Trade Bake Off on Saturday, March 18, from 11am- 3pm at Carnegie House, (former Library) Wyndham Street. The event will include cake-tasting, coffee bar, stalls, films, music and African drums, children’s story-telling, raffle and tombola, etc. Entry is free.

Lent Lunches: The lunches which are held in Nolton Church Parish Hall continue until a week before Easter. The lunches consist of a lovely bowl of soup (normally a chose of two), a bread roll, cheese and a nice cup of tea or coffee all this for a modest £2.50. All welcome.

The Ladies Guild: Thursdays there is a Baby and Toddler Group at 9.30am held in the School Room, Station Hill. Sunday’s Cool (Sunday school) is held at 10am. Morning service is at 10.30am and evening service at 6pm.

Bridgend Male Choir: On March 17 the choir will be appearing with Vocelle Ladies’ Choir and Oldcastle School Choir at St Mary’s RC Church, Ewenny Road, in support of St John’s House Trust (former Hospice), Newcastle Hill.

The Choir will now also be performing at Harrow School’s Speech Hall on June 17.

New members are welcome to rehearsals on Thursdays from 7.30pm9.30pm at Oldcastle School South Street.

Contact choir secretary Gareth Reese on 01656 862037 or 07773 170373.

Pilates Classes: Classes for beginners are held Thursdays at Litchard Mission Church Hall, from 6.15pm. Call Ruth on 07786 627 335.

Bridgend U3A: The group meet at the Brackla Community Centre, 1 Whitethorn Drive, Brackla, at 2pm. Call Jennifer Morgan on 01656 767 529.

Coffee Morning: Join us at Bridgend United Church on Tondu Road every Friday and Saturday from 10am-12noon.

Coity Flower Club: The club meets on the first Tuesday of each month in Coity Church Hall, Coity. New members always welcome.

Bridgend Writers’ Circle: The group next meet at Carnegie House on Thursday, April 6 at 7.15pm. There will be a talk and workshop led by local playwright Carmen Stephens on Writing and Formatting Radio Plays. Entry is free, but please call 01656 647140 so that enough chairs can be put out. All are welcome.

Social Afternoon: Carol and Paul, Steward and stewardess of the Railway Club on Coity Road have started a Social Afternoon every Tuesday, from 1pm4pm. Food, bingo, raffle and music for just £2

Bridge MPS / The Zone: The Bridge MPS would like to thank the people of Bridgend who have been so generous in their support of The Zone Family Centre situated 4648 Dunraven Place.

The centre is open from 10am-12noon on Wednesdays for people to receive food items at on charge.

A cooking course programme entitled Eatwell is held on Tuesdays from 11am-1pm; Knit and Natter group meet from 10am-12 noon; and Arts and Crafts for toddlers meet from 1pm-3pm.

The Cuppa and a Chat group meet Fridays, from 10am-12noon.

Also on Friday mornings Men’s Mental Health group meet from 10am-12noon. All are very welcome.

Book Fair: The next Lions Club of Bridgend Annual Charity Book Fair will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday April 7, 8 and 9 at Westward Community Centre Cefn Glas, with the largest Charity Book Fair in South Wales. The fair is open from 9am-4pm each day.

The bargain books can be found at Westward Community Centre, Llangewydd Road, Cefn Glas (opposite shops). Postcode CF31 4JR for your satnav.

Buses also run from Bridgend Bus Station – catch the Cefn Glas circular bus.

As well as books, tea, coffee and light refreshments will be available. All proceeds are donated to Lions local good causes.

Contact admin@ bridgendlions.org.uk.

Fundraising Training for Voluntary Groups: If you are a voluntary group looking for help in planning your fundraising, Bridgend Association of Voluntary Organisations (Bavo) is holding an Introduction to Raising Your Own Funds course on Thursday, March 16, from 10am-1pm in their office in Maesteg.

Organised by Bavo, cost per person is £25 for Bavo members, £35 for non-members and £50 for those not in the nonvoluntary sector.

To book, visit the training pages of www. bavo.org.uk or call Bavo on 01656 810400.

Photography Exhibition: Local butcher Tim Wood is presenting an exhibition, entitled Landscapes, Wood to Coast at the Grand Pavilion Porthcawl. The launch will be on Tuesday, March 21 at 7pm. The exhibition runs until May 21 and is free.

Bridgend Local & District History Society: The group now meet at Carnigie House (former Library) Wyndham Street.

The next meeting is on the second Wednesday of the month, April 12, at 7pm when Roger Morgan will give a talk on the Knights of the Hospitaller.

Light refreshments available afterwards.

Bridgend Carers Community Cafe: This takes place Wednesdays at Bridgend Carers Centre, 87 Park Street, from 12.30pm1.30pm.

Pilates: Beginners Pilates class held at Litchard Mission, Taylor’s Road, Litchard, Thursdays at 6.15pm. Contact Ruth on 07786 627 335.