Commemorations and Festivities

 

Welcome to this month’s Blog from Pontyclun Community Council, where this week we have been actively involved in Remembrance services across the area, honouring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice  serving our country.

Wreaths were laid in Pontyclun, Miskin and Groesfaen on behalf of the Community Council and by the local Councillors, and events were, as ever, exceptionally well organised and respects paid impeccably. It was great to see so many local groups, including veterans, Air Cadets, children’s Cubs and Brownies groups and musicians come together.

Thank you to everyone who helped to organise and attended.

Pontyclun Christmas Fayre

Yes, it’s here. It’s officially time for Christmas planning!

The upcoming weeks are obviously busy for many people and it’s a huge month for the Community Council. Our flagship event, the Christmas Fayre, takes place on Saturday December 3^rd with a whole host of local traders and caterers providing festive cheer in the village. The main event takes place in the community car-park (behind Tesco and Indiaah) but there is lots going on across the village.

Parking is available at multiple locations which will be clearly signposted, including the sports clubs and Y Pant, amongst others.

Indeed, the whole weekend will be a festive celebration as the marquee being constructed in the car-park is used to its maximum.

On the evening of Friday 2^nd December, a charity quiz, carols and crackling night is taking place in conjunction with the Pontyclun Refugee Support Group. Tickets are going fast but any left will be available from them pontyclunrsg@gmail.com or from The Boar’s Head.

Saturday is dominated by the main Fayre but then on Sunday three separate events are taking place in the marquee. Firstly, local charity 2 Wish are holding a Christmas Cracker Fundraiser from 9:30-1pm with lots of family entertainment. This will be followed at 3pm by a Carol Service with local church groups and then, in the evening, singing of a different kind as The Pipeworks hosts an Open Mic and entertainment night to round off the weekend.

A couple of other noteworthy events for your diary too…the Saturday prior to the Fayre sees the turning on of the village Christmas lights by Giles Gallery. This will take place at 4pm on Saturday November 26^th, whilst Christmas celebrations are rapped up by the Bethel Nativity Trail on 17/18 December and the annual Santa Fun Run on Sunday18^th – you can enter online by looking up ‘Pontyclun Fun Run’.

Forest Wood Quarry:

Plans to develop Forest Wood Quarry and increase the amount of heavy traffic through the village came to prominence last month with a number of petitions and protests from local residents. There are details on the Community Council website of minutes from our last meeting for details of what was discussed, and if you have a specific concern please email your local Councillor.

Details of the Council's objections can be found here

Meeting the Constituents:

Cllrs Wayne Owen and Paul Binning continue to hold no-appointment-necessary open surgeries in Pontyclun and Groesfaen in the first Tuesday of every month. Please keep an eye on social media channels for details and any necessary changes. Cllr Martin Ashford also held a trial surgery this month. For further details please get in touch with them individually – they’re all available via Facebook or contact details are on the main RCT Council web pages.

 

Area Events diary (not all organised by the PCC)

November 26:                   Christmas Lights Turn On – Giles Gallery

December 2:                     Pontyclun Refugee Support Group Quiz, Carols and Crackling (evening)

December 3:                     Pontyclun Community Council Christmas Fayre (1.30-6pm)

December 4:                     2 Wish Christmas Cracker (9.30-1pm) / Church Carol Service (3pm)  /                                                       Pipeworks Entertainment (evening)

December 17/18:              Bethel Nativity Trail

December 18:                   Santa Fun Run – Pontyclun Rugby Club

We want to make this Events Diary as comprehensive as possible to promote each month for the whole community; so whether you’re a local organisation, charity, PTA, social club or anything else, please email paulbinning@pontyclun-cc.gov.wales by the 7^th of each month to be included for the next edition.

 

Enjoy the holiday season!

Autumn update - the nights are getting chillier

 Brrr, the mornings are getting colder and there’s definitely a touch of winter in the air.

Plans for our Christmas Fair are moving along nicely, so make sure you keep Saturday December 3^rd clear to come down to the village and enjoy the festivities. We do need some kind, public-spirited volunteers to help us set up, manage the day and take down afterwards. If you can help at any point over the weekend, please contact us via clerk@pontyclun-cc.gov.wales or call 01443 238550.

Café 50 are also putting the finishing touches to a series of Christmas lunches in December – keep an eye out for details and tickets on their social media pages and noticeboards.

 

Remembrance Sunday commemorations:

As ever, services will be taking part across the region this November in memory of those who lost their lives in the two World Wars. Poppy Wreaths will be laid by Community Councillors in Pontyclun, Miskin and Groesfaen on Sunday November 13^th.

 

Local area planning:

Work has recently taken place to improve road surfaces in two local areas. The link road between Ffordd Cefn-yr-Hendy and the A4119 (by B.E.T.S.) was recently resurfaced and this was followed by a small stretch many of you may not use often, by Pontyclun Railway Station, leading to the Ely Valley Industrial Estate. If there is a piece of road you believe needs resurfacing or some other work, please feel free to contact any of the local RCT Councillors and we’ll raise it with Highways within RCT Council.

An application has also been received for a new Solar Farm north of Ynysmaerdy, this was on the agenda to be discussed in the Community Council meeting in the week this was being written. Also in the offing is a new 7.5t weight limit on the bridge on Hensol Road in Miskin, whilst the oft-talked-about pedestrian crossing in Groesfaen is at final planning stages and hopefully to be implemented soon.

 

Café 50 update:

In September’s Community Council meeting the future of Café 50 was discussed in terms of how it operates and who manages it. Minutes are available online and the updated actions will have been discussed in October’s meeting by the time you read this. If anyone has any questions about this, please feel free to check out the minutes of meetings or contact Wayne Owen or the Council Clerk directly.

Meanwhile, all existing classes and groups continue to meet there - for details of all fitness classes and other groups that take place at Café 50, please contact Tara on 01443 238500 or email; cafe50@pontyclun-cc.gov.wales

 

Meet your Councillor!

Your local elected Independent RCT CBC representatives, Paul Binning (Pontyclun East) and Wayne Owen (Pontyclun West), have started holding Open Surgeries in the area for any resident to come along and say hello, raise an issue or simply have a chat. They are taking place on the first Tuesday of every month in Pontyclun and Groesfaen. We’ll be at a venue tbc in Pontyclun on Tuesday 1^st November at 10am, then moving onto The Dynevor Arms at 11:15am.

     

 

Pontyclun Environment Group are joining forces with the Glamorgan Fungus Group and hosting a Fungi ID walk on Sunday October 23^rd. The walk starts at YGGG Llantrisant (the Welsh language school in Miskin!) at 10am and is suitable for all the family.

For more details follow the Pontyclun Environment Group on social media and drop them a message.

 

Area Events diary (not all organised by the PCC)

10am October 23^rd: Fungi ID Walk, YGGG Llantrisant with Pontyclun Environment Group

10am November 1^st: RCT Councillor Open Surgery, Pontyclun (10am) & Dynevor Arms (11:15am)

6pm November 6^th: Llantrisant RFC Fireworks Display

7pm, November 10^th: Pontyclun Community Council Meeting

November 13^th: Remembrance Sunday services, Pontyclun, Miskin & Groesfaen

Saturday December 3^rd: PCC Pontyclun Christmas Fayre!

We want to make this as comprehensive a list as possible to promote each month for the whole community, so whether you’re a local organisation, charity, PTA, social club or anything else, please email paulbinning@pontyclun-cc.gov.wales by the 7^th of each month to be included.

Community Updates from August Buddy Magazine

 

What a change another year makes in Pontyclun. With Covid causing problems in 2020 and 2021 meaning there were no events on it is great to see our Community events starting again in the area.

Picnic in the Park 2022

On Saturday 16^th July Pontyclun park was packed with families enjoying an afternoon out in the sunshine and Pontyclun’s Picnic in the park.

With a range of Community and Sports group stalls and food and drink vendors there was a great party vibe for those here.

We are now planning for a bigger and better event in 2023

Walking Rugby festival

A walking Rugby festival was held at Pontyclun RFC on the morning of Sunday 31^st July. With over 170 players from across South Wales and the West Country this was the biggest Walking Rugby festival in Wales so far.

It was organised by the Pontyclun Walking rugby team. Anyone interested in playing this fast growing sport should contact them by emailing pontyclunwalkingrugby@gmail.com or via facebook and twitter (search for Pontyclun walking rugby)

Remembrance day

Once again we are planning Remembrance day Commemorations at the War memorials in Pontyclun (11am) Miskin (11 am) and at the War Memorial bus shelter in Groesfaen (1pm)

More information will be published nearer the time

 

Pontyclun Christmas Fayre

The plans for our annual Christmas festivities are progressing well. Why not search for Pontyclun Christmas fayre on Eventbrite and register so we can update you as we go.

We have over 60 stalls and food traders booked across the Community Centre; Café 50 and Heol yr Orsaf Car Park for the afternoon of Saturday 3^rd December making our Fayre one of the larger ones in Wales

In addition, our large marquee will be in use on Friday 2^nd December in the evening and Sunday 4^th for a variety of Community events on behalf of a range of groups and Charities. Keep an eye out for advertising for these as we get nearer the dates.

The Christmas Tree lights will be lit on Saturday 25^th November and we hope for the return of the Pontyclun Santa Run and Bethel Nativity trail in the woods behind Bethel Church once again this year.

 

Tell us about your events

If you are planning Community events in a Pontyclun, Miskin or Groesfaen why not tell us so we can help with promotion.

Or perhaps you have a suggestion for something you would like to see, tell us and we can try and see if we can support.

e-mail us at clerk@pontyclun-cc.gov.wales

Welcome from the new Council and local events in June

Hello everyone, 

Following the Local Elections in May there is a new Community Council in the driving seat in Pontyclun and we are raring to go! We are indebted to the previous Council members who have left the community in a great condition and with lots of exciting plans on the radar.

 

We will do our absolute best to build on this and hopefully the red, white and blue flags decorating the village of Pontyclun for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations were well received by many.

 

There are ten elected Community Councillors who we’ll introduce you to in future editions, with one seat outstanding for Pontyclun East. We recently advertised that open position and will be electing the final seat in due course.

 

We meet as a Council monthly, and all our meetings are open to the public, with the agenda and minutes always posted online, so you can always check up on what we’re talking and planning.

 

Did you also know the Community Council offices are generally always open from 10am-noon Monday to Friday so please feel free to pop in and say “hi” and ask us anything you want.

 

As a Council we cover Pontyclun, but also Groesfaen, Mwyndy, Miskin, Brynsadler and Talygarn (and lots of bits in between) so if you have a question relating to any of those areas, please feel free to contact us – all of our details are on the Community Council website www.pontyclun.net/community-council/

 

 

WHAT’S ON?

 

 

Picnic in the Park 2022

The popular Picnic in the Park will be back in Pontyclun on Saturday 16th July from 1pm. Fingers crossed for some good weather!

 

There will be Community stalls, as well as family activities and games throughout the afternoon. Bring a blanket and a picnic and enjoy the fun.

 

If you don’t want to make your own there will also be food and drink for sale provided by some of our top local traders - Pizza, Burgers, Beers, soft drinks, sweets, cakes and more.

 

We look forward to seeing you all there!

 

 

Community Market

As of June 18^th, The Community Market is relaunching at the Windsor Pub in Pontyclun on the third Saturday of each month. It’s on from 10am-2pm so please get down to support lots of our local traders – and why not wander onto the village high street on your travels?

 

 

Art in the Forest

Art in the Forest is a fortnightly art session held in Bethel Forest starting from July the 1st at 10:30am.

 

It’s an opportunity to spend some time in nature creating art through different mediums: watercolour, pencils, oil pastels, natural sculptures, or whatever your preferred medium - you’re welcome to come and knit, or even sew amongst the trees! 

 

A selection of supplies will be provided, but you’re welcome to bring your own.  There will be someone on hand to offer some ideas to get you started, or to help in any ways we can.

 

Their Oasis Coffee Shop will also be open for you to enjoy a cuppa while you create

 

The C-Word (yes, we know!):

As well as all of the above, and further events we’re looking into for the autumn, plans are also well underway for a fantastic all-weekend Christmas event on December 3^rd-5^th. Mark the date in your diary as we can promise lots of fun, seasonal activities going on all weekend to get you in the seasonal mood.

 

 

Stay up-to-date:

To make sure you stay on top of everything that is going on, please follow us on our social media channels. We are on Facebook and Twitter @PontyclunCC

 I hope to see you all at the Picnic or at another local event soon.

Councillor Paul Binning

Whats on in Pontyclun - coming soon...

 Last month we talked about Café 50, a social hub for over 50’s based in Pontyclun, offering a wide variety of opportunities to meet new people, take up a new hobby or just pop in for a cuppa; but did you know about the other things that happen here?

During lockdown Café 50 Manager Tara took part in a training course on working with volunteers with learning disabilities and met Ann Broadway from RCT Adult Services. After the course, Tara invited Ann to Café 50 to look at the potential of taking over the kitchen as a base for their Training Centre, after their last one was destroyed in the floods of early 2020. This led to discussions and proposals with RCT Learning Curve taking over the kitchen at Café 50, under the experienced and watchful eye of Sarah Jones, Senior Daytime Opportunities Officer.

Led by a fantastic team of support workers, the kitchen is a training centre for adults with learning difficulties to help them gain new skills and potential employment experience, as well as the prospect of achieving accredited qualifications, increase their independence, reduce loneliness and provide new challenges.

Open Monday to Friday 12pm – 1:30pm the kitchen offers a wide range of tasty hot meals at a discounted rate, along with a freshly prepared salad bar, jacket potatoes and baguettes. All the food is prepared fresh every morning and the special of the day, hot meal changes every day. Along with delicious meals they also do a fantastic variety of hot and cold desserts, and a main meal & dessert will cost £5.00, including a hot drink. The lunch service is open to anyone, you don’t have to be over 50 to enjoy the delicious meals here at Café 50.

From May, a new service has also been added to the already jam-packed timetable, a Youth Café and Drop-in Centre. With the assistance of the Neighbourhood Network to make the introductions; Pontyclun Community Council and YEPS have started a Youth Café is now running every Monday evening from 6pm until 8pm. A safe place where anyone between the ages of 11-18 can come and hang out or talk to one of the experienced youth workers about a range of issues, including: finance, jobs, training, feelings of isolation and loneliness. If you would like more information, please call Caroline Wool on 07769 164717.

 

The new Community Council starts its work

Following the recent Community Council elections, the new Councillors held their first meeting on 11^th May 2022.

Councillor Wayne Owen was elected Chair and Councillor Jordan Thorne Vice-Chair. The Council has some great plans to improve our community and we will be sharing these with you as they develop.

Look out for some new benches coming soon, some great community events over the Summer including our Picnic in the Park on 16^th July.

Friends of Cefn y Hendy

The Cwm Taf Nature Network is a Welsh Government funded project and part of the ENRaW scheme (Enabling Natural Resources & Wellbeing) and aims to form a collaboration of organisations in the Cwm Taf Health Board region to manage the green infrastructure of the region for the benefit of people, businesses and communities. The project is split into three themes that align with the Cwm Taf and Bridgend Well Being Plans with the themes of action for the ENRaW.

 

· Enable - Increasing access to green infrastructure.

· Empower - Improving environment quality for thriving communities.

· Unite - Creating a connected network of green spaces.

 

Cefn y Hendy has been selected as one of the project sites and there is a call out for local people and volunteers to get involved with this  exciting project so that we can ensure this is 100% community led. We want to support all residents to maintain this incredible local green space. We plan to do this by working with you through events and activities to form an ecological network focused on biodiversity connectivity. We hope that this green space alongside other green spaces in the Cwm Taf Nature Network, will be accessed easily on foot or by bike and will encourage active travel and improve wellbeing.

 

For more information on how you can get involved please contact

 

Lowri.Owen@bridgend.gov.uk

 

Walking Rugby festival coming to Pontyclun

The Pontyclun Walking Rugby team are holding a Walking Rugby festival at the Rugby Club on Sunday 31^st July. They are expecting up to 24 teams from all over South Wales and the West Country to attend and enjoy this fast-growing sport.

People who would like to try Walking Rugby should go to Pontyclun RFC on Monday evenings at 6.30 or Pontyclun Park on Wednesday mornings 10am. Men and women are welcome with all abilities and skills catered for and we will be pleased to see you

Cafe 50 Pontyclun

 

Café 50 is a vibrant, busy social hub set right in the heart of Pontyclun. It’s been around for almost a decade but you’d be forgiven for not knowing much about it. When the council originally took it over, it was still very much associated by the locals as the Day Centre.

Eight years ago, the Community Council opened Café 50 after the Day Centre closed. In those 8 years Café 50 has become a social hub for the over 50s.  Groups start at 9am most days and range from exercise, languages, interest specific, musical and so much more. The hub has the sole aim of ensuring no one spends retirement lonely or bored.

Now though nothing could be further from the truth.

The décor has changed and been modernised, the groups and activities have become more inclusive and fun; there is a lot more variety, along with a fantastic kitchen service offering delicious meals and snacks.  The kitchen is run by Learning Curve Enterprises; a social aspect of RCT Adult Services, offering adults with learning difficulties, the opportunity to learn new skills. The team are fabulous, and so welcoming and helpful.  Their Thursday Carvery is beautiful and the desserts are outstanding.

Most of the groups are run by wonderful volunteers and group leaders who are always on hand to chat, listen and include.

Tara Davies, who manages the facility, said “Café 50 is a welcome haven for anyone. We offer a unique experience that isn’t really found anywhere else. Our users are all so lovely and plenty have made lasting friendships here that they may not have found anywhere else. It is very hard to put into words just how fantastic this place is”.

An average week starts with the Welcome Friends group, where attendees can join in with crafting, board games or charity knitting. There is also a digital table where users can learn all things technical on a more one to one basis. The afternoon welcomes the Afternoon Social group; set up for anyone living with or caring for someone with dementia. This group is run by a team of volunteers and the wonderfully vivacious Sabrina, of The Jolly Good Company, offering a safe haven for individuals and their carers. It’s a happy afternoon, filled with tea, biscuits, songs and laughter.

The rest of the week is a blur of amazing food, from fish and chips to a beautiful carvery style lunch finished off with cherry crumble. Quizzers, Art & History groups; two low impact exercise classes to burn off all the amazing food, and three different yoga & tai chi style classes, suitable for all levels and abilities. We also spotted beginners Spanish class, ready for the summer holidays we have all been waiting for.

Once a month you can pull up a comfy chair, grab some popcorn and sit back and relax at the monthly Film Club. If you have grandchildren, they offer a biweekly Grandparents hour, where you can meet other grandparents while the children play games, get involved in craft projects or just enjoy some home-made cookies, perfect, especially  when the weathers miserable.

As if all that isn’t enough, they hold regular special seasonal events with Action for Elderly recently funding free Valentine’s Day & St David’s Day lunches and an Easter Picnic. Future events are being planned hopefully to include a summer picnic (including some virtual horse racing) an autumn Murder mystery adventure and of Course Café 50’s legendary Christmas Dinners

Café 50 really is a wonderful place, with a vibrant mix of groups and activities suitable for all. A full timetable is available on their website www.pontyclun.net/cafe50/ For classes run by U3A visit www.u3a.uk

Tara Davies can be contacted on cafe50@pontyclun-cc.gov.wales or on 01443 238500.

Pontyclun Happy Easter

 We hope that you will enjoy meeting up with some family and friends over this Easter period. We all want to stay safe and at the moment this means limiting our gatherings to four people from 2 households in a garden or public space

Violence against women

Violence against women  is sadly with us constantly. During march Sarah Everard was kidnapped and murdered. A woman is killed every 3 days in the UK. Many women live in homes where they are subjected to physical and mental abuse. Other women are abused online and in public spaces by men who respond to their inadequacies by intimidating women. Women, men and trans people all contribute to our communities. We all contribute in different ways and we should respect each other. Whenever we see women being abused, we need to stand up and object. We all have a voice.

COVID and young people

This year has been stressful for young people of all ages who have not been able to socialise with their friends. In Rhondda Cynon Taf, Eye to Eye is a young people's counselling service based at Bryncelynnog school in Beddau. Eye to Eye provides free and confidential counselling to young people aged 10 to 25 in schools, in the community and online. There are occasions when it is difficult to cope with a problem on your own and talking may help. You can contact Eye to Eye on 01443 202940 or by email at info@eyetoeye.wales

The Children and Adolescent Mental Health team in Rhondda Cynon Taf is able to help those children and young people with more severe, complex and enduring emotional and behavioural mental health issues. You can contact CAMHS on 01443 443008 and they are open 9am to 9.30pm

COVID and Re-entry syndrome

As we look forward to a return to "normal". it will create its own anxieties. We may want to return to the hairdresser or to visit some of the shops which have been closed. However, some of us will feel anxious about meeting people once again. We may choose to take small steps at any one time as we get used to being with people once more. We will want to quietly support our friends who might be anxious. To control our fears, we need to slow down and breathe deeply. If this isn't working, contact your GP who may refer you to mental health services.

Margaret Griffiths, Councillors