YOUR COMMUNITY

CEFN CRIBWR Send Your News To: Jill Goudge 01656 740026 jgoudge@sky.com

● Gardening Club News: The club's Annual Plant Sale will be held on Saturday, April 23 at 10am in the front garden of 2 Bryn Terrace, Cefn Road.

A range of annuals and perennials will be for sale and anyone wishing to donate surplus plants is welcome to take them along on the day.

Future events include the

NGS Open Day on June 26 and a Friendly Horticultural Show at the Community Centre on August 20.

Full details will be published in this column later.

● Siloam Chapel Graveyard Access:

Access is permitted to the graveyard at Siloam Chapel, Bedford Road, Cefn Cribwr to the families of the interred to view and place flowers on the graves of the deceased and the right to pass and repass those graves on Palm Sunday, April 10 and Easter Sunday, April 17.

● Goldies returns to St Theodore’s: Goldies Cymru Sing-alongs are back! Goldies sing and smile sessions have re-started in St Theodore's Church and Wellbeing Centre, High Street, Kenfig Hill from 11am-midday on the second Tuesday of each month.

Join Cheryl Davies for a fun and friendly singalong featuring favourite music from the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Please remember to make a donation of £2 for each session towards the work of the Goldies charity.

For more information visit www. goldiescymru.org.uk or email: cheryl@ goldiescymru.org.uk or mobile 07860 944 410.

● Ukrainian Humanitarian Aid: To support international aid efforts for the people of Ukraine, Kenfig Hill Rugby Football Club has become one of several drop-off points for humanitarian aid across South Wales, with an extraordinarily generous response already from the local community.

Every evening after 5.30pm the club is collecting and sorting donations of essentials including toiletries, personal hygiene and medical items.

All donated items must be in good, clean condition and examples include wet wipes, nappies (all sizes), Calpol, Sudocream, dummies, personal hygiene products and toiletries such as sanitary towels, deodorant, toothpaste, soap, shampoo etc, paracetamol, all first-aid kit essentials like plasters, bandages, antiseptic cream etc, thermal hats and gloves, torches, batteries and candles.

Please, no clothes, shoes or food will be taken until further notice. Many thanks.

● Charity quiz at Three Horse Shoes: The weekly charity quiz at the Three Horse Shoes, Cefn, is back on Sundays at 7.30pm. It's £1 per person to enter the quiz and a maximum of six members to a team.

● Cefn Community Pantry: Cefn's community pantry is open from 1pm2pm every Tuesday.

Open to everyone, the scheme, run by volunteers, provides people with a packed bag of food ranging from cupboard staples and family favourites to fresh fruit and vegetables all for just £5. The food, all in date, that would otherwise end up in landfill, is supplied by major retailers via the charity Fare Share.

Anyone can become a member of the pantry for a nominal annual fee of £1 and then pay only £5 for a bag of food including dried and tinned items, and fresh fruit and vegetables worth approximately in total £15-£20.

LALESTON & BROADLANDS Send Your News To: Carol Thomas carbrya@supanet.com

Broadlands Market: The market will take place in the Llangewydd Arms car park on the third Sunday of every month, from 10am-2pm.

Organised by Emily Pardoe of

Pretty Vibe, Pencoed. There is currently a waiting list for traders.

Cost per stall is £25 for traders

– or £60 for three months. Free for charities.

Please contact Emily on 07759 824 827 for more information.

Laleston Gardening Club: Freed from the mandatory Covid rules and regulations the committee have been able to open up the club and there is much for members to look forward to.

The replacement sash windows in the main hall have been installed and can be opened to provide the required ventilation.

This added safeguard is in addition to the air purifier with CO2 monitor that has been in place for some time.

Consequently lectures and large scale meetings can now take place in the main hall, although there will still be a limit on numbers to comply with safeguarding and insurance requirements.

The next lecture will take place on Monday, May 9, when Alison Leach will give a talk on No Dig Gardening – a must for members with aching joints.

Alison and her husband run a market garden and business (Ali's Edibles), based just outside of Llanmaes. It will be her first visit to the club but she will be sure of a warm welcome.

Then on Monday, June 13, Sheena Crossley will be a popular and entertaining speaker, she will give a talk entitled Gardening on the Cheap – very apt at a time when we all need to be saving the pennies. All lectures begin at 7.30pm.

The first ‘Lunch at the Gardening Club' took place on Saturday, March 26 and was an outstanding success. Thanks are due to the Event Planning Team, (Sue, Sian & Linda) who arranged the lunch and the array of homemade dishes.

The lunch was a pilot event and because it proved so successful a second lunch has been arranged for Saturday, April 16 when a different menu will be served.

Unfortunately the Tatton Park trip planned for July has been cancelled due to insufficient numbers. Undaunted by the disappointment our trip organiser, Margaret Worgan has made a provisional booking for a trip to visit two gardens in Somerset on June 18. The gardens are East Lambrook Manor Gardens and Lower Severalls Garden.

Plans are at an advanced stage for the Perennial Plant Sale on April 23 and the main Plant Sale & Coffee morning on Saturday, May 7.

Thousands of plants are being cultivated from seed and plugs and the club is very grateful to all those who have helped in anyway with pricking out, potting on and providing greenhouse space to accommodate the large number of quality plants that will be offered for sale.

Sian James is the key organiser and the Plant Sales would not be taking place but for her massive contribution ably supported by her husband Alan.

The Gardening Club has over the last three years lost four members of the committee and has replaced only one. Following a recruitment process we are happy to announce that three ladies – Joanne Tibbs, Lucy Bloomfield and Heather Williams have been unanimously co-opted onto the committee and will be made most welcome by Sue Ford, chairman and her team.

As an additional service to members, the Club Shop will now open on Thursdays from 10am-12 noon, this is in addition to Saturday mornings.

Dennis Roberts our shop manager was keen for this to happen and hopes he will get volunteers to assist him with lifting and moving stock to members' cars.

LLYNFI VALLEY

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.

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

OGMORE VALLEY

Send Your News To:

Owen Sendell

1 Cardiff Street, Ogmore Vale, Bridgend. CF32 7EW. 01656 760 640 gazette@ogmore-vale.co.uk

● The Inn Nantymoel: Saturday, April 16 Love Cats; Sunday, April 17, Superhans; Saturday, April 23, Lost Youth; Saturday, April 30, Daniel John; May 1, Dick Dastardly. So come along and have some fab nights out with us all at the Inn.

● The Wyndham Pub: Open now as normal and more information on entertainment can be found at the club.

● The Blaenogwr, Nantymoel: Now fully open. They also have Sunday lunch back on and an artist from 4pm into the evening. Also on Saturday, April 23, we hold the Blaenogwr

Darts Tournament. Doors open at 11am starts at 12.30pm. First prize is £200, runner-up is £100, 2 x semifinalists £50 each, furthest woman £50 and highest out £25. Contact 07495510652 to secure your place.

● Valley Footie Pups: Here is some information on the new classes and dates for Valley Footie Pups: April

23: 9am class 3; 10am class 4. They would like to say a massive thank you to all for you continuing support.

● Nantymoel Boys & Girls Club Cafe: Are back open for all your needs. Open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from 10am-2pm.

● Nantymoel Boys & Girls Club: They are now open Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights. ● Wyndham Boys & Girls Club: They we are now open so go along and check them out once again. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm.

● Mandy’s Cafe: They we are now open for sit-down meals and takeaway meals serving some wonderful food including proper chips and some fab cakes etc. They can deliver your food or you can collect. Open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 3pm and Sunday

TBC.

● Mr Big Bites Cafe: Open as normal. ● Blackmill Over 50s: Blackmill Over 50s meet at the local community centre on Wednesday evenings at 7pm, and are always glad to welcome new members. This is a social gathering and occasionally a trip to the theatre or a meal out is arranged. ● Nantymoel Knitters Class: The knitting club meets twice a week at Dinam Close every Tuesday and Friday from 10am-noon.

We are always looking for new members and all our efforts are to make things for charities.

If there is anyone who has any spare wool they do not want, we would be very grateful to receive it.

Many thanks from all the knitting club members.

● Your News: Please remember to send any news or information to me by 8.30pm on Wednesday night every week. Email: gazette@ogmore-vale. co.uk or ring 01656 760 640.

PENYFAI Send Your News To:

Meryl Wilkins

1 Pen-yr-Heol, Pen-y-fai CF31 4ND

01656 724794

All Saints Church, Penyfai: Sunday Service on April 17 (Easter Sunday) 10.30am – Communion at All Saints Church, Penyfai; St David's, Laleston and St Teilo's, Merthyr Mawr.

A Fond Farewell and Best Wishes for the future is sent from the church and the communities to the Rev Anthony Beer and his wife Elaine.

After five and a half years the

Rev Anthony Beer as the Priest in Charge with the responsibility of all three churches – All Saints Penyfai, St David's Laleston and St Teilo's Merthyr Mawr.

The Rev Anthony Beer is leaving the ministry of Penybont and taking up his new post as the vicar for Belonging & Pastoral Care as part of the team in the Ministry Area of East Cardiff on Sunday, May 8, at 4pm, at a service in St Teilo's Church in Wales Comprehensive School, Llanederyn, Cardiff.

With all three churches now open, services will continue to be shorter than in pre-Covid times. Face coverings are no longer mandatory but the church would prefer you to wear them until Easter, just to give relaxations across society a chance to bed-in and to see if there are any adverse effect.

The continued wearing of facecoverings will also allow us to visibly demonstrate our care for one another, especially for those who have not worshipped with us for some time and still might be vulnerable/nervous about it.

Social distancing is not a legal requirement but distancing in some form remains advisable. Cleaning and sanitising of hands will continue.

Although the church is working to reinstating communion in two kinds (hopefully before Easter Day), at present Communion remains in one kind. Arrangements for distribution will be announced by the priest at the start of the service.

There will be some singing at most services. Please be mindful of the additional risks associated with singing.

The Church continues to ask for your patience (especially if you come along on a week or for a service where there is no singing).

In addition there will continue to be acts of worship online.

All the information is intended to protect us all and ensure that the opportunities for any transmission of the virus Covid-19 and the Omicron variant are kept to an absolute minimum.

Thank you to everyone who has been supportive of and patient with the efforts to keep people safe and take care.

For more information about All Saints Church please contact Rev Beer at the Vicarage, Rogers Lane, Laleston, or call 01656 859 487.

Smyrna Welsh Baptist Chapel Penyfai: Sunday evening worship at 6pm; Tuesday Coffee Morning at 10am; Thursday evening Bible study, from 6.30pm-8.30pm.

For more information about Smyrna Chapel Penyfai, please contact Peter David on 01656 659

856.

Easter Greetings: The Rev Alwyn Evans of Smyrna Chapel Penyfai sends this Easter Message to everyone in Penyfai:

“Having had two Easters ruined by Covid 19, how refreshing to face this Easter more eagerly, may I on behalf of my congregation at Smyrna wish you all well at this inspirational time of year.

“The story of Easter is about victory over seeming defeat and light overcoming darkness, the suffering

of our fellow humans in Ukraine saddens us all, but the efforts around the world to provide help to alleviate that suffering inspires each one of us.

“May the message of Christ, The Prince of Peace, encourage our continued prayers and goodwill – “Hate Never Wins”.

● Penyfai Bell Ringing: If anyone is interested in joining the bell-ringing team at All Saints Church, Penyfai, please contact Gwyn Owen on 01656 725 643 for more information.

● The Penyfai Women's Institute ( WI): The WI was formed in 1915 and now plays a unique role in providing women with educational opportunities and the chance to acquire new skills, while taking part in a range of activities in their local communities.

For further details on meetings and membership of the Penyfai branch of the WI, please contact Adele Hancock on 01656 646 372.

● Pheasant Field, Penyfai: The weeks seem to pass by very quickly and it won't be long when, on Sunday, June 5, in the Pheasant Field Penyfai there will be an event to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

At the moment a combined committee of residents of Penyfai and volunteers are organising the event in preparation for the celebration day when the Queen ascended to the throne on the death of her father, King George V1 in 1952, marking 70 years of service to the people of the United Kingdom.

The Pheasant Field is a very important part of Penyfai village daily life.

The young soccer school will be using the Pheasant Field this football season for boys and girls aged 2 to 5 every Friday from 5pm-6pm and for ages 6 to 9 from 6pm-9pm.

Please phone 07803 079 548 for information and bookings.

● Coronavirus Review: Information from the Welsh Government has confirmed there is a new form of the coronavirus and Omicron variant – BA.2 that is now increasing community transmissions in Wales faster than the Omicron variant.

Face coverings are now not legally required to be worn in shops or on public transport, but the coronavirus has not gone away – the guide lines are if you have the Covid virus please self-isolate and keep your family and others safe.

Many families have lost loved ones to this horrible virus in the last two years.

● Post Office reopening: Good news for Aberkenfig, Penyfai and the wider communities, previously located at 64 Bridgend Road, Aberkenfig, the Post Office is delighted to let everyone know that Post Office services were restored this week in Aberkenfig.

The Post Office branch closed temporally in April 2018.

The new service will operate from the Aberkenfig Library, Heol-yLlyfrau Aberkenfig, CF32 9PT by the post master from Brynmenyn Post Office and will offer a range of Post Office products.

● Penyfai Playground: As a precaution, because we still have the coronavirus, please wipe the play equipment down after use to try to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

We want everyone to stay safe.

● Welsh Blood Service: Some of the Covid-19 restrictions are still in place. Cllr Altaf Hussain has reported to the Community Councillors that the Welsh Blood Services do still need your help. Please phone the Welsh Blood Service Donor Engagement Coordinator Paul Chiplin on 07795 831 889 or email: Paul.Chiplin@ Wales.nhs.uk. Your help is much appreciated and can save lives.

● Penyfai Guides and Scout Group: The groups are making plans for when meetings can resume fully and are now looking for children to join the group in Penyfai.

If parents need further information about the Penyfai Guide Group, they can contact Pippa O'Neill on 07480 825 532 or the Penyfai Scout Group via email at: zoeplumley@outlook. com.

PORTHCAWL Send Your News To:

David Newton-Williams

42 Suffolk Place, Porthcawl, CF36 3EB. 01656 451844 davidnewtonwilliams1929@gmail.com ● Queen's Platinum Jubilee: Queen Elizabeth acceded to the throne on February 6, 1951, following the death of her father King George VI.

The great celebration and Coronation did not happen until June 2, 1953, and that was a real celebration. The war was over and the country was getting its act together.

People bought their first television set and gathered in each other's houses to watch the spectacle.

There were street parties and dancing in public parks. People travelled up to London and queued all night to get a good viewing point.

The basics of the celebrations have now been announced and I am sure that Porthcawl will step up to the mark when the time comes.

There is already a committee in existence and over the next few weeks there will be information coming out about the town celebrations and how you can get involved. I am beginning to hear from readers with memories of the event as they recall them. Obviously, there Are a lot of readers out there who have stories to tell or photographs to share and the more of you that contact me, the better the picture we have of what happened in Porthcawl on the day.

Let me know what you did back in 1953. What did you do? What happened in Porthcawl? If you are of a certain age and can remember anything, then please get in touch.

If your street is organising a street party, then let me know: or if your organisation is holding an event then again, let me know and we can promote it for you.

It will help us get an overall picture of what is happening in Porthcawl.

Porthcawl Town Council has had many requests for the celebration cakes that they have purchased for the event in June and it's not too late to order one, (or even two) for a street party, an organisation or a venue. All Care Homes in Porthcawl, for instance, will be receiving a cake for their special tea. The council hopes that you all have fun and enjoy yourselves. They understand that most communities intend to have some form of ‘get togethers' with friendship and food and a cake or two wouldn't come amiss. Please remember if you are having a street party that you have to have a license if you want to close your street for a street party (BCBC).

To start the celebrations there will be a tree-planting ceremony on Thursday, June 2, at 1pm when a tree will be planted in the Wilderness by the Mayor of Porthcawl.

That evening, at 9.15pm a beacon will be lit by the Mayor and Deputy Mayor at Rych Point and then one will also be lit at Hutchins Point all to be co-ordinated with other beacons being lit all over the country.

On Friday morning, June 3, there will be coffee morning held in the YMCA in John Street starting at 10.30 am. Admission £2.50 and there will be coffee and cake to celebrate the Queen's 70 years on the throne.

There will also be a quiz and raffle

That afternoon from 1pm to 3.30pm at Trinity Church Porthcawl there will be free tea and cake while you can listen to songs by Cor Meibion Maesteg, Sounds Fmiliar and the Porthcawl Male Voice Choir. So, go along and enjoy an afternoon of sing-along.

There will be a Queens' Platinum Jubilee Music and Flower Festival, on June 4 at All Saints' Church. It will begin at 11.30am and go on ‘til about 6pm. There will be a Royal Toast is at mid-day and the first 70 people to arrive will be given a glass of bubbly with which to toast her Majesty.

All Saints' will be full of flowers. Carefully crafted arrangements illustrating key moments in The Queens' Life will be created by the members of Porthcawl Floral Arrangement Society who will also be providing a workshop on the day for those of you who fancy giving flower arranging a try.

There will also be a day-long programme of poetry, music and drama provided by Col Canto, Porthcawl Community Orchestra,

Côr Meibion Maesteg and friends.

The organisers are deeply indebted to the Maesteg choir for helping to raise the funds for this event. Also their thanks go out to the numerous sponsors and patrons who have been very enthusiastic indeed.

As well as all of this, there will be soooo much cake, tea and coffee available all day. Entry, as always will be free. However, you will need to pick up a programme to be able to choose what you want to see or hear.

The Music and Flower Festival this year will be supporting the Morganwg Endeavour Charitable Trust. The trust has helped establish a dialysis centre in Bridgend so that our local people no longer have to travel for treatment. ● Farmers' Market and Table-Top Sale Returns: The Farmers' and Artisans' Market is back in Griffin Park on the third Saturday of the month with all the usual stalls.

It opens to the general public between 9am and 1pm and the next market will now be held this Saturday, April 16 and will be back there on Saturday, May 21.

There is also a Meditation Session in Griffin Park every Wednesday at 6pm and Bingo sessions every Thursday afternoon, from 1pm-3pm and every Thursday evening and Saturday evening from 6pm-9pm.

● Kenfig Nature Reserve: If you ever miss the Farmers' Market in Griffin Park, then a Farmers' Market is now held on the first Sunday of the month in the Kenfig Nature Reserve between 10am and 2pm. The next is on May 1.

Again, may I remind you that 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.

● Porthcawl Townswomen's Guild: The year started with a disappointment when the Townswomen's Guild had to cancel their January meeting due to Covid restrictions.

But last month they had an excellent meeting with almost a full house and four new members.

The guest speaker was Eryl Ring who gave a talk on The Life of a Camp Follower at Waterloo.

She and her husband have taken part in many reconstructions of the battle so it was most interesting.

She brought many items of clothing worn by the soldiers and their women. She also had weapons of the period and explained where the phrases Flash in the Pan and

Cock Up came from.

Anyone thinking of joining can go along and find out more or contact Dorothy Thomas on 01656 772 157.

● Porthcawl Museum and Historical Society: The Porthcawl Museum is now open Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am-12noon and 2pm-4pm on both days. Note that there will be a Lecture In the YMCA on Tuesday, April 19 at 7pm on Shipwrecks on the Porthcawl Coast.

The lecture will be given by Ross Martin of the RNLI. Admission is free to members and £1 to others.

● Sandville Self Help Centre: Don't forget the centre a charity shop based at the Centre in Pen y Mynydd (next to the Pyle and Kenfig Golf Club. CF33 4PU).

You can find more about it on their Facebook page and they are open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am-1pm.

● Porthcawl RNLI Charity Walk: This is taking place on Sunday, May 1 and it starts at the RNLI Shop in Porthcawl Harbour at 11am. Sponsorship forms are available at the RNLI Shop, and the Boat House Fish and Chip Bar on the Esplanade – 100% of proceeds will go to the Porthcawl RNLI. There are three Routes: n Route 1 – to Rest bay and return. Approx 5 km. n Route 2 – to Sker Point and return. Approx 10km. n Route 3 – to Kenfig Nature Reserve and return. Approx 15 km with refreshments available at the Nature Reserve.

Visit www.porthcawl-lifeboat.co.uk for more information.