All eyes on Welsh Open as new season gets under way
2023 seems to have whisked by and it seems that suddenly I am looking to see what is going to happen in the brass band world in the new world of 2024!
The usual starter for the banding season is the Welsh Open which will be held on Saturday, February 17 at the Riverfront Theatre in Newport.
The Welsh Open was created when Mr Roger Price updated the Miners’ Eisteddfod competitions and transformed it into the Welsh Open Brass Band Entertainment Championship after the closure of South Wales’ deep mines.
The competition rose to worldwide prominence in 1957 when American actor and black civil rights activist Paul Robson, who had promised to attend the Miners’ Eisteddfod at
Porthcawl, was prevented from doing so when his passport was cancelled by the American government after he had refused to confirm or deny if he was a communist.
The miners acquired some fame when they used a new transatlantic telephone link so that he could sing to them, and they could sing to him!
The Open has been going on since 1998 and in 2010 it lost funding from Bridgend Council. Fortunately, the South Wales Miners Welfare Trust is still involved, and the Welsh Open continues to struggle along financially each year.
This year’s contest was initially open to only 13 bands, but following some late discussions with the theatre staff regarding rest periods for the theatre staff during the long day an agreement has been reached to include a 14th band.
The bands taking part in the 2024 Welsh Open Brass Band Entertainment Championship are BTM* (Conductor Jeff Hutcherson); Chapeltown Silver Prize* (Colum O’Shea); City of Cardiff Melingriffith (M1) (Christopher Bond); Ebbw Valley Brass (Gareth Ritter); Filton Concert Brass* (Gary Davies): Forest of Dean Brass* (Martyn Patterson); Llwydcoed ( Joshua Ruck); Lympstone* (Nigel Seaman); Milton Keynes Brass* (Matthew Brown); Parc & Dare* (Dewi Griffiths); Pontardulais Town (Paul Jenkins); Tongwynlais Temperance (Owen Farr); Tylorstown (Rob Westacott); and Wantage Silver (Chris King).
*Eligible for invitation to Senior
Trophy (Spring Festival in Blackpool in May 2024)
The Adjudicator is Sheona White. Contest Controller Dean Evans works closely with his fellow organisers Philip Rogers and Tim Hughes to secure funding each year to ensure the contest can continue as the list of supporters for previous Welsh Open surely indicate.
Recent supporters of the Welsh Open Brass Band Entertainment Championship include Adrian Evans, Brett Baker, David Fowles, Glen Narbeth, Iwan Fox, Jane Jones Francis, Philip Morris and various groups and business interests including 4Barsrest, Adams Brass, Bandiau Pres Cymru, Band of the Prince of Wales, Besson, Brass Band Insurance Services (B.B.I.S), Brass Band Notes,
Brass Band World, British Open Brass Band Championships, C.O.B.R.A. Music Studios, Denis Wick Products, Ev-entz Music, Geneva Group, Gentlemen Distillers (Bandsman Gin), Hercules, Kapitol Promotions Ltd., Larch Music, Musicwearetc, Narbeths Mechanical Services, New Moon Insurance, Rath Trombones, Riverfront Theatre & Arts Centre (Newport Live), South Wales Miners Welfare Trust Fund, South Wales Transport (Neath) Ltd, World of Brass.
Tickets are now available for the Welsh Open from the Riverfront Box Office on 01633 656 757 and cost just £10.
The contest starts at 11am and the draw for the order of play will be announced in the coming weeks.
LALESTON & BROADLANDS Send Your News To:
Carol Thomas
carbrya1@gmail.com 01656 657846
Best Wishes: Wishing all readers a very Happy and Healthy New Year and let’s hope it stops raining soon!
A ‘ Two Doggie’ Xmas Tale: A resident and her partner popped out for some lunch and left their two dogs at home for an hour. Ted and Jack are normally quite well behaved in their 5 star home but were possibly a bit miffed at not being taken out for a walk and became bored.
They overcome such boredom by emptying a couple of boxes of mince pies onto the floor and munched away happily. The dogs did not realise that all those currants and raisins contained in the mince pies were toxic for their doggy stomachs.
When the owners returned home, they were mortified when they saw the empty boxes, the dogs were quickly taken by taxi to a local vet in order to have their stomachs pumped. Not a pleasant procedure for them and a very expensive one for their caring owners who had also paid a vet to clean their teeth before Christmas too!
Oh Deer, Ho Ho No mince pies in that house any more.
Laleston Gardening Club: It is true to say that 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).
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. function room is available for hire for weddings, birthday parties, hen parties, baby showers, and much more. We also have stairlift access to take you upstairs, a snooker table, pool table, dartboards and juke box.
Contact 01656 840243 for more information.
The Inn Nantymoel: Check at the inn for more information.
Non-Political Club Ogmore
Vale: Check at the club for more information.
The Wyndham Arms Pub: For more information on club entertainment, this can be found at the club or on Facebook.
Wyndham Boys and Girls Club: We are open on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5pm.
Please check with the club for Christmas opening times.
Mandy’s Cafe: We are open for sit downs meals and takeaway meals serving some wonderful food (including proper chips) and some fab cakes etc. We can deliver your food, or you can collect. We are open Monday to Saturday from 8am to 3pm.
Blackmill Over 50s: Blackmill Over 50s meet at The community centre on Wednesday evenings at 7pm, 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: We are members of a Knitting Club who live in Nantymoel. We meet twice a week at Dinam Close every Tuesday and Friday at 10am to Midday.
We are always looking for new members and all our efforts are to make things for charity. 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.
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 760640.
All Saints Church, Penyfai:
All Saints Church, Penyfai, Sunday Service January 7 at 9.30am is a NonEucharist Service.
St David’s Church, Laleston at 11am is a Eucharist Service.
St Teilo’s, Merthyr Mawr at 11am is a Non-Eucharist Service.
The three 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.
The next warm hub light lunch is scheduled for Thursday, January 25 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 Communion.
Also, in the vestry, there is a Tuesday coffee morning from 10am-noon; and Thursday evening Bible study from 6.30pm-8.30pm. Everyone is welcome.
Call Peter David on 01656 659 856 for more information.
Happy New Year: I am sending my very Best Wishes from me, Meryl Wilkins, to everyone in Penyfai, Aberkenfig, Tondu and the wider communities who read the column in the Glamorgan Gazette, for a very Happy New Year 2024.
Penyfai In Bloom: The Penyfai Village Community Association is calling all Penyfai gardeners!
The Penyfai Village Community Association is working with the National Garden Scheme are planning an Open Gardens 2024 event next year, and are asking the residents of Penyfai if they would like to help and showcase their gardens in aid of charity?
For more information call Jen Thomas on 01656 655 754.
Bridgend Local Development Plan:
Bridgend County Borough Council has submitted proposals for the Replacement Local development Plan. The documents are available to view on the BCBC Council website at www.tinyurl.com/BCBCLDP
The Penyfai Women’s Institute ( WI):
For further details on meetings and membership of the Penyfai branch of the WI, please contact Adele Hancock on 01656 646 372.
The next meeting of the Newcastle Higher Community Council is scheduled for Tuesday, January 9, at 6.30pm, venue to be confirmed. I did attend the last meeting on December 12 at 6.30pm.
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
Community Council News:
pursuing and making every effort to find a Penyfai traffic patrol person for safety along Heol Eglwys.
Crime figures for Penyfai and Aberkenfig have been steadily going up over the previous months. My concerns I raised under Questions and Observations by the Public with the rising crimes committed in Penyfai, Aberkenfig and Tondu have been taken into account and noted by the Newcastle Higher Community Council and support a stronger
Police Community Support Officer presence in Penyfai, Aberkenfig and Tondu is needed. I am hoping the Police Community Support Officer for Penyfai and Aberkenfig will attend the meeting in this month.
I have visited Porthcawl over the Christmas Holiday and a new bus station is being built but Penyfai residents cannot travel directly to Bridgend or Porthcawl as Penyfai has no bus service provided for them, but I am hoping for some good news from the Newcastle Higher Community Council in their next meeting because Penyfai residents do need a convenient bus service for them to travel to Bridgend, and the wider communities of the Bridgend County Borough. Many residents in Penyfai feel isolated without a bus service, that can be relied on.
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.