LLYNFI VALLEY

shops in Porthcawl Town Centre.

I know we value our independence but if you are over 70 and need the assistance of the group, then please register on https://porthcawlc19s. weebly.com and a great weight will be taken off your shoulders.

Kerry Marlow:

One of the active founders of the Porthcawl Covid-19 Strategy Group put a post on facebook about one of the volunteer team which I thought should be more widely read.

‘Ady Jones has been delivering prescriptions for our Group since the beginning of April. He has volunteered to work every day to ensure our vulnerable residents in Porthcawl received their medication.

Ady and Sue Butler, working in cooperation with our local pharmacies have been responsible for the delivery of thousands of prescriptions during this pandemic. Ady is returning to work and moving house! and is relinquishing his duties as a valued member of our Group. On behalf of the Porthcawl Community -thank you.

Back in the fifties: 1951 to be exact. I went to the Festival of Britain in London and one thing has always stood out in my memory.

In The entrance lobby to the Lion And Unicorn Pavilion was a larger than life-size automaton of the White Knight From Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking Glass’.

The horse trotted along with it’s sightless eyes fixed on a nonexistent horizon and the rider rising and falling gently in time with the horses gait: whilst this was going on there was a disembodied hand above the rider patting him gently on the shoulder and a voice saying ’Well done’ and ‘Carry on with the good work’.

Every one of us needs a pat on the back at some time in our lives and at this terrible time it is Ady and Sue.

Well done and thank you both; but don’t let us forget the nurses and doctors and all those in the front line, they all deserve that pat as well.

Thursday evening shout out: Now that the Thursday evening ‘shoutout’ has finished, I am sure that none of us will ever forget the dedicated service of nurses, hospital staff and people who work in care homes; but we tend to forget social service carers who are easily forgotten at times like this.

They do it for the love of the individual and get no real thanks for it from the community when they could be on duty 24/7. Today (as I write this) is National Carers Day. So on a Thursday we may not be going outside to clap, but let us spend a moment or two thinking about all these people who are for putting their lives at risk in order to help others.

Variations on a theme: I couldn’t resist including this piece – I have to admit it amused me: Here goes: The Government in Egypt has asked the city’s taxi drivers to drive around Cairo sounding their car horns. It is hoped that the familiar sounds of the city will induce a return to tranquillity and normality following the recent pandemic. Operation Toot ‘n Calm ‘Em will last for the rest of the week.

Houses in Porthcawl: I am sure that you have all gone past ‘Ocean View’ on West Drive thousands of times over the years but how many of you have wondered about the double pitch at eaves level.

Well, it was built by William Bagg the founder of the well respected business which was then carried on by two of his three sons William and Arthur Bagg in the sixties.

He built it in the 1930s as a hotel which he and his wife kept for some years before it was sold and changed into flats.

The roof form itself apparently came as a result of the time he spent in Russia in the first World War where he was quite taken by the steep pitches to the roofs and the added ‘sprocket’ eaves was formed in order to throw the snow away from the building and away from the doors of the house when it started to slide down the main pitch.

The steepness of the pitch follows the old architectural adage -‘The heavier the rainfall the steeper the pitch’ in order to get the rain off the roof as quickly as possible.

He liked the result so much that he went on to build two pairs of houses in Bridgend Road Newton both with the same roof form as ‘Ocean View’

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.

Aberkenfig Radio Club: has relocated to Talbot Community Centre, 9 Prince Road, Kenfig

Hill, CF33 6ED. All welcome, disabled access and refreshments are available.

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.

There are a number of AEDs 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.

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 AEDs 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.

They are for men to enjoy a laugh together, get involved in different projects whether it be the Drama group, Fundraising group or community projects. Sheds are about meeting like minded people, having someone to share your worries with. They are about having fun, sharing skills and knowledge with like minded people.

When retirement comes it can feel like personal identity and purpose is lost. Surveys from mental health are finding that millions of people report feeling lonely on a daily basis.

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 schoolbased 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 07811 339 988.

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 13 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, call 736 267.

Carers Link Worker: Sarah Jarvis is the Carers Link Worker for Bridgend Carers Centre covering Maesteg, Caerau and the surrounding area.

She will be supporting people who are caring for their loved ones and can provide support, advice and assistance in order to support the carer and their loved ones. Call on 07876 872 236 or 01656 658 479.

They offer services including benefits advice, counselling, carers assessment, legal advice, exercise, support groups, training and a listening ear and emotional support.