PORTHCAWL

Send your news to: 42 Suffolk Place, Porthcawl, CF36 3EB. 01656 451844 davidn-w@homecall.co.uk

Porthcawl St Sebastian Town Twinning Association: Members please note that the PSSTTA will be holding a fish ’n’ chip supper with a European Day of Languages quiz and raffle on Wednesday, October 3 at Beales, Porthcawl at 7.30pm.

There is a choice of menu and if you are interested could please contact melands@ hotmail.co.uk or contact Anne on 01656 788027 as Beales need to know numbers quite soon.

Porthcawl Shout Forum: Shout will be meeting on Friday, October 5 in Trinity Church at 2pm and the guest speaker will be Sue Cooper who is the BCBC Director of Social Services.

For those residents interested in the BCBC Care in the Community service and its future following the new situation after 1 April 2019, then it will be a chance to go along to the next Porthcawl Shout Forum at 2pm on Friday, October 5 to hear Sue Cooper give a talk on the service and maybe what the future holds.

Closure of John Street Public Toilets: I have to be honest, I looked at the calendar to see whether we were still in April and time had passed without my knowledge, when I read the article in last week’s Gazette – but no, it was genuine; Bridgend have reached a new level of municipal madness – indeed it is something worthy of a Monty Python episode.

BCBC are seriously thinking of closing the public toilets in the main street of ‘the Jewel of the Severn Sea’, the ‘Lung of the Valleys’ and the only seaside resort in the Borough!

We have all seen the queues on Bank Holidays or during the Elvis Festival as well as the steady stream of local residents on a normal working day who make use of these facilities.

None of us is getting any younger, and by the same token I don’t think any of us would object to paying 20p for this essential facility – well we have to when we to visit Tenby or Narbeth.

What about children who can’t wait until they get home (wherever that may be) or wheelchair users who couldn’t make it down to Griffin Park – if indeed that stays open.

There are people who don’t want to go into public houses to ‘spend a penny’– and there are public buildings in the town who have refused other people entry to use the toilets.

Without raising the issues of statutory duties and double taxation it does make one wonder about their commitment to re-generation generally.

There is a petition on Facebook for you to sign and I would stress that everyone who can reach it should do just that.

Cancer Research UK: Two dates for your diary: Cancer Research Christmas Lunch has been arranged for Saturday, December 1 at 12.30pm for 1pm; Tickets at £13.50 can be obtained from from Diane on 784762.

Then the Cancer Research Candle Lit Service has been arranged for Sunday, December 9, commencing at 4pm.

Love2Walk Festival: The Love 2 Walk Festival is back for its 4th year this autumn, taking place over 4 days between Thursday, October 31 – Sunday, November 2.

The festival promises to be the perfect solution for keeping the whole family entertained this half term.

Back are the firm favourites such as Food Foraging, Local Heritage, Meet the Dairy Cows and a Nature Walk; as well as plenty more new walks such as Creepy House, Stargazing and a Ghost Walk!

The festival offers a variety of walks which will include stunning expeditions around our SSSI scenery and blue flag coastline.

Look out for a leaflet or a flier detailing all the walks throughout the Borough.

There are one or two local to Porthcawl: One is subtitled ‘Porthcawl’s Past’ and is on Saturday, November 2 (2 miles) – It starts at 11am from the Porthcawl Museum and is a tour of Porthcawl aimed at discovering the town’s past. There is also a Ghost Walk & Talk on Saturday, November 2 (1 mile) - Start at 6pm

Join local writer Hayley Williams and Tracey Walmsley on a tour around the most haunted spots of Nottage, Porthcawl with stories and tales from the other side. Y hois starts off in The Swan in Nottage and can be described as a spooktacular event not to be missed!

Finally, Only Dogs Allowed – Sunday, November 3 (1.5 miles) - Start at 2pm at Newton Beach.

Take your dog and join the Welsh Dog Whisperer Colin Jones for a stroll across the beach at Newton, and pick up tips and learn more about your four-legged friend.

Full details of the walks are found in the booklet/ website www.love2walk. co.uk / www.facebook. com/love2walk and can be booked by calling 01656 815078.

Royal British Legion Porthcawl Branch: Just a reminder that the Porthcawl Branch of the Royal British Legion meets on the third Wednesday of the month in the RAFA Club on Station Hill at 7pm.

Are any of you exservice? If so come along to the next Branch Meeting on Wednesday, September 19 and meet up with a friendly group of ex-service personnel and find out the benefits of membership.

Griffin Park Table Top Sale: This popular indoor table top sale is held every Friday morning in Griffin Park Hall in New Road starting at 8am and finishing at 12.30pm. If you want a table to sell items yourself then the cost is £5 per table. Finally, I believe that refreshments are available and from my experience the sale is usually worth a visit.

Porthcawl Farmers Market: The next Farmer’s Market will be held in Griffin Park, New Road Porthcawl CF36 5DF on Saturday, September 22 from 9.30am-12.30pm.

All the usual local stalls will be there and refreshments are available. Remember, that the Farmer’s Market is always on the 4th Saturday of the month.

Porthcawl Museum and Historical Society: The Museum Society will be holding one of their very popular Quiz evenings in the Hi-tide in Mackworth Road on Thursday, October 4.

The evening starts at 7pm for anyone wishing to order food (not included in the ticket price) the quiz will start at 8pm and there will be prizes for the best and worst team as well as spot table prizes and a raffle.

Tickets at £5 each are now on sale at the museum

Saturday, October 27 sees the start of an Archeological Week which is in the museum until Saturday, November 3 and then, also in November there ís an exhibition entitled The U-Boat War 1914-1918.

As we reach the celebration of the end of the Great War 1914-1918 it is only right that we remember the men and indeed women who gave their lives to ensure our freedom.

On Saturday, November 10 there is a showing of a unique film on the Battle of Ancre in the Museum and which, I am informed, was one of the first occasions that tanks had been brought into the front line, the first time they had been used was in fact at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette in September 1916, some ten days before the Battle of the Ancre Heights which started on October 1st 1916.

There is also a Good Old Days Show – War Has Ended in the Hi-tide on Friday, November 23.

Finally One of the highlights of the Museums Year is the Gwyn Petty Lecture

Which this year is being given on Tuesday, September 25 at 2.30pm by Trevor Fishlock the distinguished foreign correspondent, broadcaster and author.