PORTHCAWL

Send Your News To: David Newton-Williams 42 Suffolk Place, Porthcawl, CF36 3EB. 01656 451844 davidnewtonwilliams1929@gmail.com

● Elvis is Back in Town: Good news for all Elvis fans and for Porthcawl.

After the Festival was canceled last year because of Covid, the Porthcawl Elvis Festival is back in Porthcawl in the usual venues between Thursday, September 23 and Sunday, September 26.

The festival will be spread across various venues in town with The Hi-Tide, The Grand Pavilion, The Brentwood Hotel, The RAFA Club, and the General Picton in New Road among the lead venues.

Look out for posters and fliers for times and prices.

Hopefully, the weather will be kind and the town will also benefit from the influx of fans over the weekend.

Heaven only knows the town could do with it!

There do not appear to be any posters on view yet so if you are one of the many Elvis fans and want to find out more about what’s on then check the various websites.

● The Banff Mountain Film Festival: The Banff Mountain Film Festival is on the road again.

This year it is made up of Short Films about the oceans of the world.

If you haven’t ever seen one of these evenings then I have to say that it is well worth the price of the ticket.

The venue is The Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl and the date for your diary is Thursday, October 28.

For times etc check posters or go to the Grand Pavilion website.

● Mid Glamorgan Savoyards Production Of The Mikado: Just a reminder that rehearsals have started back on Thursdays at 7.30pm in All Saints Church, Victoria Avenue, Porthcawl.

● Kenfig Nature Reserve: The centre is now up and running and as an example, the following events are already programmed.

There will be a Warden’s Wild Walk on Saturday, September 25, starting at 10.30am and finishing about 12.30pm.

If you are interested just turn up on the day and I am sure Chris the warden will give you a great welcome.

Saturday, October 2 is National Fungus Day and there will be two Fungi Forays starting at 10am and finishing at approx 3pm and you will be introduced to some of the wild and fascinating fungus that exist in the Reserve.

There is also a Farmers’ Market on Sunday, October 3.

I also note that the Toilets are open at the Reserve seven days a week from 10am-4pm and here Cornelly Community Council have been extremely helpful in making this happen.

Finally, if you wish to hire any of the rooms at Kenfig Nature Reserve or would like any information then please contact Chris on 01656 530 089.

● Royal British Legion Porthcawl Branch: Branch Meetings started back at the RAFA Club on Station Hill in Porthcawl on Wednesday, September 15, and they will meet on the third Wednesday in every month at 7.30pm.

● Armistice Day 2021: Plans are already afoot to prepare for the Armistice Day Service at All Saints Church, Victoria Avenue, and as soon as they are finalised I will give details in this column.

● Activities in Griffin Park: The

Friday Table Top Sale is still taking place and is now also being held on a Sunday morning.

In both cases, the doors open at 8.30am for stallholders to set up their stalls and the public are allowed in from 9am-1pm.

Bingo Sessions are now being held on Thursdays and Saturdays with two sessions on a Thursday (2pm-4pm and 6pm-9pm) and one session on a Saturday (6pm-9pm).

There are mobility exercises and exercises to keep you fit on a Tuesday at 1pm at a cost of £1.50 per session.

● Farmers’ Market is Back: The Farmers’ Market is back in Griffin Park on the third Saturday of every month with all the usual stalls.

It opens to the general public between 9am and 1pm.

This month it will be there in Griffin Park on Saturday, September 18.

● Age: Someone said to me the other day that you know when you are getting old when people start talking to you about cricket and especially if they started to talk about ‘having a good innings.’

● The Boys Are Back In Town: Walking the dog the other evening I walked past Arlington Road Presbyterian Church and through the still night air I could hear the dulcet sounds of the Porthcawl Male Voice Choir and suddenly you realize that things are getting better and it won’t be long until their Annual Concert and another packed house in the Grand Pavilion. I can’t wait.

I also noticed that the beer mats in the Lorelei in Esplanade Avenue all had a picture of

General Kitchener and the slogan ‘Porthcawl Male Choir needs you!’ and a message on the obverse which read; ‘Come and join us at Practice nights, 7.30pm Tuesday and Friday, in Arlington Road Presbyterian Church Porthcawl’ or check their website for details at www.porthcawlmalechoir.co.uk.

● Newton Burrows Nature Reserve: Like a lot of people Gaynor and I walk our dog, ‘Perro’ over the Common to Rest Bay most evenings and we are well aware as to how lucky we are here in Porthcawl.

We have the beaches and we have Kenfig Nature Reserve on our doorstep.

We also have Newton Burrows which is a bit like the poor relation, half-forgotten by the borough.

I am told that the three parties responsible for its upkeep, BCBC, Tythegston and Merthyr Mawr couldn’t reach a management agreement and discussions have terminated. The signage has been removed.

Rubbish is collected by the active group of volunteers across the beaches and the dunes ‘piles’ up and is not collected until Merthyr Mawr Estate Office has been informed.

Unlike Kenfig there is no warden and residents are getting concerned about the lack of management and supervision of this beautiful resource.

So much so that there is real concern that the sterling work carried out by Duncan over the last 10 years will be lost.

● Porthcawl Museum is Now Open: The Porthcawl Museum has now reopened on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11am until

3pm with the last admission being 2.30pm.

It has been fully refurbished and I believe the café is open again as well.