LLYNFI VALLEY

better albeit different, but better.

That night someone had lit an enormous ‘ V’ in the gorse on Mynydd Dinas and we all climbed up the track that led to the old Fever Hospital at the top of the mountain and then moved across the mountain to the bottom of the ‘ V’ wanting to be part of it – not aware of the dangers or the fact that the Fire Brigade had to go there in the dark to try and put it out.

The mountains played a big part in our lives at that time.

We climbed them in our daily adventures,and they protected us from air raids because Port Talbot is on a narrow coastal plain and the only way the German bombers could get at it was by coming down the Afan Valley and only once did they manage to do that – dropping bombs down from Cwmafon to the sea with the last one, thankfully a ‘dud’, landing in extremely close proximity to the largest gasometer in Europe!

No casualties except for some chickens in Cwmafon and half a house on Tydraw Hill.

We climbed them when we weren’t in school and we climbed them in the night with our parents to watch Swansea in flameslike a fireworks factory on fire – we too young to appreciate the loss of life and the personal misery that it caused.

John, my friend in college and best friend until he died some five years ago, was from Swansea and was dug out of the ruins of three separate houses with his parents on three mornings on the trot.

I don’t think we understood what ‘ V Day’ meant – we were still at war in the Far East and the horrors of Burma, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were yet to come.

We still had parents, older brothers and family friends serving out there still in danger – and we didn’t really understand concentration camps in Europe and PoW camps in the Far East until men started coming home – never to be the same.

A fellow architect who hailed from Porthcawl was in charge of the first troops to enter Belsen and he never really got over what he saw there; or another college friend who was forced to dig his own grave on the route of the Burma Railway only to find the next day that the Japanese had left the camp and an American

Unit was at the gate to rescue them.

So what do I remember of ‘ V Day’?

The streets full of people, lights everywhere for the first time since 1939, an enormous

‘ V’ shaped fire on

Mynydd Dinas, music and dancing by the Bandstand in Talbot Park, an overbearing feeling of relief and a hope that ‘ VJ Day’ would not be too far away.

Last week we had a one minute’s silence so that we could think of those in the front line of the fight against the coronavirus and some weeks ago I wrote about something that may have prompted that event.

Towards the end of World War One, an idea was mooted by Major Wellesley Tudor Pole who came up with the idea of a daily minute of silent and united prayer while he was a severely wounded PoW in the Middle East in 1917.

Later, at the beginning of WWII, he persuaded Winston Churchill and George VI to accept his Silent Minute which then started on Armistice Sunday, November 10th 1940 at nine o’clock at night.

During the Second World War, people would unite in meditation, prayer or focus (each according to their own belief) and consciously will for peace to prevail.

Big Ben sounded for the nine o’clock news on the wireless and then there was this one minute silence.

It has to be noted that it was observed by everyone, wherever they were; but then it was at a time when people would stand for the National Anthem at the end of the feature film in a cinema.

This continued after the war on the BBC Home Service until the mid fifties.

In the times that we are living in it makes one wonder whether such a movement would be equally successful.

When asked to comment further on his idea, Major Wellesley Tudor Pole in a wireless interview said: “There is no power on earth that can withstand the united co-operation on spiritual levels of men and women of goodwill everywhere.

“It is for this reason that the continued and widespread observance of the Silent Minute is of such vital importance in the interest of human welfare.”

Thursday night it is then!

Send Your News To: llyngazmvr@hotmail.co.uk

Llynfi Valley Voluntary Aid: Are you a society/ group that puts on events in Maesteg or the surrounding area?

With the Town

Hall being closed for renovation, don’t forget that if you want first aid cover at your events you now need to arrange it yourselves.

We are a voluntary group and do not charge to attend your events.

Just drop us a message with the details and we will do all we can to be there with our equipment.

Maesteg Ramblers: At the March meeting president Alexis James welcomed members and after the business meeting members grouped together to form teams and there then followed a quiz.

Members enjoyed refreshments that had been made by committee members.

Rotary Maesteg: Maesteg Rotary President Gwynfor Phillips handed over a cheque for £1,500 for the purchase and installation of an (AED) defibrillator in Maesteg town centre to Nikki Dart of Maesteg Community First Responders.

Also at the Cross Inn in Cwmfelin was PCSO Julie Banks of South Wales Police who also donated £600 from the Police Station tuck shop fund.

PCSO Banks said: “There have been a number of medical emergencies in and around Maesteg town centre in recent week, and the availability of an AED can mean the difference between life and death in these situations.”

An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a portable electronic device that automatically diagnoses the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia and is able to treat them through defibrillation, the application of electricity which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.

With simple audio and visual commands, AEDs are designed to be simple to use for the layperson, and the use of AEDs is taught in many first aid, certified first responder, and basic life support level CPR classes.

Automated external defibrillators are generally either kept where health professionals and first responders can use them (health facilities and ambulances) as well as public access units which can be found in public places including corporate and government offices, shopping centres, restaurants, public transport, and any other location where people may congregate.

There are a number of AED’s sited throughout the Llynfi Valley, and access to them is dependent on where and how they situated.

It is intended to site the new AED in the centre of Maesteg for maximum usefulness.

Another issue is having access to an electricity supply to ensure that the batteries are fully charged when called upon, and that the container is heated to ensure performance.

Nik Dart of Maesteg Community First Responders said: “Having access to an AED within a crucial timeframe is essential to respond to life threatening situations”.

Nik is also compiling a register of all the AED’s within the valley for the public’s information. Maesteg Community

First Responders also provide First Aid lessons including the use of the AEDs, which are intended to be as easy to use as possible with audible and visual instructions.

Maesteg Rotary President Gwynfor Phillips added:

“Following Maesteg Rotary’s donation to

Llynfi Valley Voluntary Aid (who provide first aid cover at local events) in November for a defibrillator, this donation is part of our continuing commitment to serving the community locally as well as our national and international charitable work”. Maesteg Rotary has also made donations to other organisations and clubs within the Llynfi Valley over the past few years.

The new AED will be installed in the old New Theatre doorway of the Sawyers Arms in Commercial Street, and electricity will be supplied by J D Wetherspoon.

Even though AEDs are a relatively new phenomenon, the portable version of the defibrillator was invented as far back as the mid1960s by Frank Pantridge in Belfast, Northern

Ireland, since when countless lives have been saved.

Caerau Mens Shed:

The Caerau Mens shed is going form strength to strength, with 33 members.

We are community space for men to connect, and converse.

The fundraising group are planning a gala concert at the St Cynfelins Church in Caerau featuring the Kenfig Hill Male Voice Choir, The Maesteg Children’s Choir and guest soloist Rhydian Jenkins on Saturday, September 26.

A Winter Craft and Food fayre is also being planned for Saturday, November 28 at Maesteg Rugby Club– ideal opportunity to buy presents for Christmas and support local organisations.

For further information on these please contact Rob Doyle 079692 032 51.

Uniform Swap Shop: A school uniform swap shop will be opening soon in Central Church Maesteg when current restrictions allow.

The more school uniforms that are donated to us when they are no longer in use, the better.

If your child has outgrown any school items, and they are in reasonable condition, please donate it to us, hopefully in a clean and reasonable condition to be then made available to another family.

We will also accept games kit, bags, coats and jackets, shoes, togs etc, all associated with school-based needs.

Non-badged items will also be accepted in the school’s colours.

The swap shop will initially be open on a Monday afternoon from 1pm-5pm and dependent on a needs-based system will increase its hours of opening accordingly.

For more information please call 07811339 988.

Maesteg Harlequins:

Next season we are looking to restart our youth team when current restrictions are lifted!

If you are currently in year 11, 12 or 12 in school and are looking to get into rugby or would like a fresh challenge then Maesteg Harlequins RFC is the place for you.

All our youth coaches are fully qualified, plus there will be a strong working relationship with our senior squad including joint sessions. If you are interested then please contact us.

Noteworthy: The choir have a busy year ahead of them and here are some dates for your diary, pending current restrictions being lifted:

Friday, June

26 – Concert at St

Mary’s Church, Garth (fundraising concert for the church).

Sunday, September 6– Concert with Loud Applause Rising Stars at Margam Orangery.

Saturday, September 12 – Memorial Concert in aid of Cancer Research UK at St Michael & All Angels Church, Maesteg.

Friday, December

11 – Annual Christmas Concert in aid of Cancer Research UK at St Michael & All Angels Church, Maesteg.

If you would like to continue to support Noteworthy as a Vice President and do not pay your annual fee via direct debit/standing order, please could you arrange to send a payment to me as soon as possible.

Our fees for 2019/20 are £20 (single) and

£30 (couple). On behalf of Noteworthy Mixed Choir may I take this opportunity to thank you for your continued and much appreciated support.

News: Do you have any stories, pictures, history, old programmes/tickets/ posters or fond memories of Maesteg Town Hall?

We’re compiling as many stories and as much information from the past that we can, in order to preserve our history and better shape our future!

Please send anything you have to memories@ maestegtownhall.com.

Events Diary: This is for organisations of the valley, asking them to check at the Council Office’s Diary before arranging an event, so that you won’t clash with anyone else.

The diary is in the office purely for that purpose.

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 or even a card from the Queen – current restrictions pending.

If you live in the Llangynwyd Middle Council area, then you contact their clerk of the council.

Therapy Dogs: Therapy

Dogs Nationwide have a South Wales representative in Ben the Poochon.

TDN is a national charity.

Our volunteers have their own pet dog, temperament tested, and always focused on caring for people in the community, so our volunteers will go to nursing homes, schools, special needs schools, hospitals, hospices, care centres and prisons, or local groups plus we offer help by working with the professional medical sector.

For more information on joining TDN or the programmes we offer contact claregriffiths@ aol.com.

Clwb Maesteg: Mae rhagor o fanylion ar gael gan Lloyd Evans 07856 553 777 e-bost: Psycho1283@hotmail. com.

Further details are available from Lloyd Evans on 07856 553 777; or email: Psycho1283@ hotmail.com.

River Care: There are two groups, who sometimes work separately and sometimes together.

One group is responsible for the community garden in Garth, the other with Resources Wales, the three-year plan to get rid of Japanese knotweed.

Both work to clear the rubbish still being dumped along the banks of our River Llynfi and planting bulbs.

The Maesteg Community First Responder (CFR):

The team comprises volunteers who respond to high priority emergency 999 calls in our valley, on behalf of the Welsh Ambulance Service.

This can range from cardiac arrests, to strokes, choking infants or major bleeding, along with many other types of emergency situations.

Please check our website www.maestegcfr. comor find us on Facebook or Twitter @ maestegcfr to follow our volunteer work, saving lives in your area!

Credit Union: Llynfi Valley Credit Union is open for business for just £1 membership joining fee.

For more information, please call 736 267.

Carers Link Worker: Sarah Jarvis is the Carers Link Worker for Bridgend Carers Centre covering Maesteg, Caerau and the surrounding area. Call on 07876 872 236 or 01656 658 479.