PORTHCAWL
Send your news to: The Cottage, 34 Esplanade Avenue, Porthcawl CF36 3YU 1656 783068 davidn-w@homecall.co.uk
Porthcawl Male Choir: Porthcawl Male Choir – Côr Meibion Porthcawl have a joint concert with Whitland Male Choir in All Saint’s Church Porthcawl on Saturday, May 13, at 7pm. Tickets £6 from choir members or 07773 622 537. The soloist is Rhian Thomas and the harpist is Kath Lewis.
Newton Pop and Beer Festival: This year’s festival is on Saturday, August 26 and that bands are coming from as far afield as Italy to appear. Steve Maitland Thomas says the committee is looking for volunteer stewards – call him on 07926 909 912.
Porthcawl and Kenfig Hill Branch of Rafa: Present a Roy Orbison tribute artist
U3A Volunteers' Forum: You will recall that last year a series of lectures was arranged by U3A in which representatives of individual voluntary organisations talked about the causes that they supported. and at the end of the course there was a joint meeting at which there was a general discussion to discover what members of the various organisations could do to help each other. At the end of this very useful and informative meeting it was agreed that the group would meet again in the Spring Well Spring has just about sprung and Andrew Collier has arranged a further meeting of the group for Tuesday, May 9, at the Y-Centre in John Street at 7.15pm.
Queries and RSVPs to Clare at the Y Centre. email: sdw@theycentre.
Call Ruth on 07786 627 335 or email: ruth@ c2fitness.co.uk for further details.
Blaengarw Cricket Club: With summer on the way, preparations for the new cricket season are going well for Blaengarw Cricket Club.
The club meet every Sunday at Tondu Cricket Club at 2pm for indoor net practise.
Visit the Blaengarw CC Facebook page for more information.
Garw Valley Links Community Church: The church meets on Sundays at 11am in His Place (next to Spar) in Pontycymer.
Everyone is welcome. Activities for children included. (Children under six need to come with an adult.)
Garw Valley Links also meet every Sunday at 6pm in Blaengarw Community Centre. com or email Andrew (U3A) at: helgandrew@ yahoo.com.
Porthcawl Lions: A new season of book sales started in John Street last Saturday and these are scheduled to run on a fortnightly basis thereafter.
To donate unwanted books to the Lions contact Martin on 01656 786 745.
The May Fayre takes place on Bank Holiday Monday, May 1 at All Saints, Victoria Avenue.
Porthcawl Choral Society: Practices are held on Mondays from 7.15pm9.15pm in Trinity Church. Call Porthcawl 784211.
All Shook Up – Elvis Musical: Porthcawl Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society present All Shook Up at the Grand Pavilion on Friday, May 5 at 7.30pm and Saturday, May 6 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Tickets from the PAODS on 01656 788148 Contact Pastor David Rhodes on 871198.
Strictly Cinema: The cinema group are currently looking for suggestions as to future films you, the public would like to see screened. Please come along if you can and offer your views.
Pontycymer Tabernacle: The 6 0’clock Sunday service at the Tabernacle on Meadow Street will be taken by the Reverend Philip Denyer
Valley Veterans Rugby Match: A huge crowd, well over 750 people, gathered at a sunbaked Lawrence Park for this headline grabbing charity rugby match in aid of Prostate Cancer Cymru.
Both sides played their part in this thrilling encounter. South Sea island style rugby was the order of the day, with the two very evenly or 01656 815995.
Sunday Quiz: At the Seagull in the Precinct in Nottage at 9pm. £1 entry per person.
Traditional Morning Services: At Gilgal Baptist Church, Park Avenue, Porthcawl. Wednesdays at 11am, Gilgal Baptist Church Porthcawl hold a morning service. The service concludes at 11.40am and is followed by prayer and tea and coffee in the hall.
Porthcawl Museum And Historic Society: The museum has reopened with a new Maritime Exhibition which will help you discover the story of the SS Samtampa disaster.
A May Day Coffee Morning will be held at the Y Centre, John Street, from10.30am-12noon on Friday, May 5. Entry is £1.50 to include tea or coffee and cake. There will also be a raffle, tombola and a quiz.
The lecture by Ceri matched running the ball from deep. The first half was a game of cat and mouse,between the Garw Valley neighbours, with each side testing the water. Huge first half displays for Blaengarw came from evergreen lock Tony Evans and scrum half Rhys Morgan; while big games for the home side came from hooker Steve Edwards and centre Gerwyn Wilcox. When the two sides stopped for their well deserved slice of orange at half time, the score remained deadlock at 0-0.
On restart the ball fell into hands of the Pontycymer captain and no.8, Garwyn Bevan, who galloped over for the opening try, minutes later the home side were at it again with second row Steve Lacey touching down in the famous Joseph on Dic Penderyn is now on May 16 at 7pm at the Y-Centre.
The cost is £1 for nonmembers with members having free entry.
Free Tai Chi: Classes held at the Awel y Mor Centre on Friday mornings.
Porthcawl Townswomen's Guild news: Since last month’s report the Guild members have enjoyed another lunchtime drama at the Pavilion and the monthly lunch, at Isabella’s in Well Street was a great success.
At the April meeting Guild members were privileged to welcome Simon Richardson MBE - son of chairman Dee - as a speaker.
He gave a presentation which covered his career as a paralympic cycling medallist and his plans for the future.
His told how he had decided that his priority at this time is a charity cycle ride from Paris “Tubb’s Corner” making it 10-0. Replacement lock Darren Williams was the next name on the score sheet, grabbing a try under the post. Outside half Steve Gillet added the extras. This was just the wake up call Blaengarw needed, as they went through the gears playing some eye catching off the cuff rugby.
After a well worked moved the ball reached The Stags speed merchant Tim Durston, who put on the afterburners to score a fantastic 45 metre solo try, wing Phil Hope slotted over the conversion,making it game on at 17-7.
With ten minutes left on the clock home scrum half Daryl Ridge crossed for Pontycymer’s fourth try, pivot Gillet kicked the conversion. The visitors to Swansea in August in aid of the Welsh Air Ambulance. Knowing the many problems he has overcome to be able to ride again, the guild has decided to sponsor him for this worthwhile project. If you dear reader would like to sponsor Simon in this amazing venture then you can go on the internet to “Just Giving” Simon Richardson Paris to Swansea or call in at Stains “The Paper People” next to Percy House in Church Place: (opposite Porthcawl Library.}
The next meeting of the Porthcawl Townswomen’s Guild will be held on May 10th at 2p.m. in All Saints Church Hall when the ever popular Miss Debra John makes a return visit with more “Welsh Tales”.
For any further information on the PCTWG, please ring Dorothy Thomas on 01656 772157 had saved the best till last, after an outstanding passage of play, fast wing Phil Parsons scored right on the final whistle, to round off an great afternoon,enjoyed by everybody. The man of the match award went to prop Deri Lloyd.
Pontycymer Rugby Club chairman Dai Lacey said ‘It was great to see so many people turn up on the day to support such a worthy cause,with £6,800 raised.
There was a carnival atmosphere all afternoon at Lawrence Park,with people of all ages enjoying themselves.
A huge thank you must go to everybody who helped to make the day such a success,especially The Valley Ravens junior section and Gilfach Goch junior section, who played an entertaining curtain raiser’.
Local elections 2017: My father used to say that "service to the community was the rent you paid for living in that community". Not a bad philosophy.
The other day I realized that I have lived in Porthcawl since the late seventies and have served on Porthcawl Town Council over four decades, during the ‘eighties’, the ‘nineties’, the ‘noughties’ and the ‘tens’, and during that time I have had the privilege of being elected mayor on four occasions This time I have decided that for various reasons, (none of which relate to the fact that I am over twentyone), I will not be standing this time around.
Good luck to all who stand and to those who are elected remember where you stand as part of the history of this lovely town.
Now the wheels are motion,it is hoped that this could become an annual event, and next year,play at the Recreation Ground, for a charity of Blaengarw Rugby Clubs choice’
Final Score: PONTYCYMMER OVER 35’S 24 BLAENGARW OVER 35’S 12
Garw Valley Community Council: Among items debated and actioned at last week’s meeting were the monthly crime figures presented by PCSO Janine Dulson. Maintenance and public safety of benches and seating owned by the Community Council was discussed and a website update given by the Clerk, Ann Harris with Ward and Borough council updates following.