CEFN CRIBWR
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Events At Tondu Wesley Church Centre: Coffee morning on the first Tuesday of the month with coffee, tea and biscuits and optional activities, along with pre-loved items for sale.
For more information, please contact Jane Bowser 07491 651 642.
Mynydd Cynffig WI: If you would like to spend a couple of hours each month having a laugh and meeting new and old friends with a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits pop in we would love to meet you.
Christine Callaghan (Secretary) Classes at Parc Slip Visitor Centre:
There are Tai chi & Qigong classes on a Wednesday. £5 per class and pay as you go. Qigong is from 6.30pm7.25pm and Tai chi 7.30pm-8.30pm. For more information please contact Jane Bowser 07491 651 642.
Parc Slip Visitor Centre And Café:
The Parc Slip Visitor Centre & Cafe is open from 10am-4pm and will also be open on Bank Holiday Mondays.
Consequently the fire hearth will be removed and there will be no further fires. The welcoming glow of these fires will be sadly missed.
Work continues on the upstairs room, commonly known as Annie’s Room. Gerwyn is the go-to man when it comes to building works, but recently he has found a willing ally in Malcolm Guildford who has provided valuable assistance.
Gerwyn has been recuperating after a recent operation, but Malcolm has continued the good work by finishing off the plasterboard ceiling, removing paper from the walls and reinstating around the new sash window. This room will be used to store the growing amount of catering equipment needed to service Club functions.
Disappointingly, the installation of the four remaining sash windows which will complete the £20,000 fenestration project at Cliff Cottage has not yet taken place owing to staffing problems at the local joinery company.
It is true to say 2023 has been a good year, with Laleston Gardening Club holding a full schedule of events as reported on social media, Chairman Sue’s newsletters and bulletins in this column (thanks to Carol Thomas).
Hopefully the Christmas season will be kind to all members and patrons of the Club and May we wish you all a very Happy New Year. There is much to look forward to in 2024, notably the trip to Tatton Park in July, still a few places left to fill. churches are part of the Ministry
Area of Penybont ar Ogwr with St David’s Laleston, and St Teilo’s Merthyr Mawr and all are made welcome to attend.
If information is needed for the three churches please contact the Rev Roger Pitman Team Vicar to the Ministry Area of Penybont ar Ogwr, at The Vicarage, Rogers lane, Laleston Bridgend CF32 OLB Telephone 01656 859 487, Email, vicar@the-vicarage.net.
The Reverend Maggie Thorne is the leader of the ministry area of Penybont ar Ogwr for Penyfai and the neighbouring communities of Laleston, Merthyr Mawr and the wider communities of the Bridgend County Borough.
The Rev Maggie Thorne, leader Ministry Area for Penybont ar Ogwr, The Rectory, Merthyr Mawr Road CF31 3NH. Call 01656 652 247.
Warm Hub: On the last Thursday of every month All Saints Church, Penyfai, has been very successful in the Warm Hub initiative held in All Saints Church, Penyfai.
Although the Warm Hub Programme has finished the congregation of All Saints Church is now offering a Warm Welcome and light lunch on the last Thursday of the month – with the next due Thursday, December 28, from noon-2pm.
All are welcome at these events which are free of charge. For more details, please contact Mrs Jenny Morgan on 01656 722 953.
Smyrna Welsh Baptist Chapel,
Penyfai: Information provided by Smyrna Welsh Baptist Chapel Penyfai. The minister for Smyrna Chapel is the Rev Dorithy M Evans BA. There is a service every Sunday at 6pm and on the first Sunday of the month there is a Communion service.
Anyone wanting information on the Smyrna Welsh Baptist Chapel and its services, please contact the secretary Peter David on 01656 659 856.
Penyfai School: I was very privileged to be in the audience and abled to watch as a grandmother of a pupil of the Penyfai Church in Wales school with the mothers, fathers and grandparents of the children from form 5 and 6 who took part in the afternoon performance of the Christmas Story on Monday December 11.
The Christmas carols sung by the children were traditional Welsh and English carols and told the story to celebrate Jesus’ birth. The singing was excellent, the performance was very special for the form 6 children. This is the last Christmas the children will spend in the Penyfai Church in Wales school – they will be leaving the school next year.
The time seems to have past so quickly since the first day the children started attending the
Penyfai Church in Wales school, and to see them now singing so brilliantly with the 5th Form children will remain a wonderful memory for everyone.
A big Thank You goes to children’s teacher Mr Trevor White, this is his 29th Christmas as a teacher in the Penyfai Church in Wales School. Mr White is retiring and will be missed very much by the children, the staff, his fellow teachers and headteacher Mr Street. Everyone is sending their Best Wishes to Mr White for a very happy retirement.
Community Council News: The next meeting of the Newcastle Higher Community Council took place on Tuesday, December 12 at the Penyfai Church in Wales School. I did attend the meeting.
The Newcastle Higher Community Council chairman is community councillor Mr Michael Flanagan. Contact details are: mflanagan999@ gmail.com.
The council clerk, Mr Harris
Stone, will manage the clerk’s emails and will be happy to help with information and queries via: clerknewcastlehighercc@gmail.com.
Correspondence has been received by the chair of the Newcastle Higher Community Council Councillor Michael Flanagan to request assistance in petitioning the Bridgend County Borough Council for road safety for the children attending Penyfai School to cross the road safely in Heol Eglwys, Penyfai.
I have been informed that Bridgend County Borough Council is pursuing and making every effort to find a Penyfai traffic patrol person for safety along Heol Eglwys.
Under questions and observations made by the public, I highlighted my concerns, which have been noted by the Newcastle Higher Community Councillors, that with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, there is the likelihood of the crime figures going up again for December and the New Year 2024, that support a stronger Police Community Support officer presence in Penyfai, Aberkenfig and Tondu. I am hoping the Police Community Support Officer for Penyfai and Aberkenfig will attend the Newcastle Higher Community Council meeting in January 2024.
No good news has been received regarding the return of the bus service for residents of Penyfai – but there could be a return of the Police Community Support Officer for Penyfai and Aberkenfig.
I am very pleased the Christmas tree on the corner of Court Coleman Road and Penyfai Common is now lit with white festive lighting as promised and is greatly appreciated.
The maintenance committee members have had meetings concerning the maintenance of the Community Woodland, Aberkenfig.
The Aberkenfig Village Square is the focal point of the Aberkenfig Village scene with its flag pole. An additional flag pole is to be purchased in readiness of next year’s Remembrance Day service.
The Aberkenfig Square is part of the ongoing agenda for the maintenance committee of the Newcastle Higher Community Council and in the spring, the bindweed is to be removed before further planting can take place.
The tree on Aberkenfig Square is a welcoming sight with its festive lighting.
A new tender and contact is to be arranged for the Pheasant Field by the Newcastle Higher Community Council for next year.
With the weather changing much colder with frost on the ground the grit bins have been inspected for damage and renewal by the maintenance committee, and more grits bin are to be provided in Penyfai and Aberkenfig.
Please contact the clerk to the Newcastle Higher Community Council if a grit bin is damaged and needs replacing the report will be forwarded to the maintenance committee members.
Penyfai County Borough Council Ward Member: Councillor Heidi Bennett is the Bridgend County Borough Councillor for the Penyfai Ward. If you do need to contact Cllr Heidi Bennett urgently, the number to ring is 07405 208 985 or by email at cllr. heidi.bennett@bridgend.gov.uk.
1st Penyfai Scout Group: Scouting is open to boys and girls under the auspices of the Scout movement. Meetings are held at the Scout and Guide Hall, Court Colman
Road, Penyfai (except summer holidays). For boys there is Cubs and Scouts. Please contact by email Zoe Plumley at zoeplumley@outlook.com.
Penyfai Guides: The Penyfai Guides are looking for children to join the group in Penyfai. Contact Pippa O’Neil on 07480 825 532.