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December 2003 - January 2004

  • THANKS - Janice Jones of Maindy Heating, Bute Street, Treorchy would like to send thanks to all her customers who bought raffle tickets recently in aid of the Macmillan Nurses. A total of £120 was raised and the cheque has been sent to Mr Robert Brown the Treasurer. The winning raffle ticket was No. 78, and was purchased by Mrs Evans of  Maindy Croft, Ton Pentre.

CAMEO SOCIETY - The Rhondda Cameo Society held its New Year meeting in Ton Pentre on Wednesday 28th January at 2.15pm. The guest speaker was Josie Williams who gave an enlightening and entertaining talk on “A Day in the Life of a Civil Servant”. The vote of thanks was given by Gwyneth Brown. Members now look forward to the next meeting, which will be a celebration of St. David’s Day with the choir and prize-winning dancers of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Bronllwyn. Tea and Welsh cakes will be served after the concert.

  • PUBLIC MEETING - Assembly Members and local Councillors will be amongst those attending a meeting of DAPS - the recently formed Disabled Access Parking Scheme group - on Wednesday 21st January.
    The meeting will be held at the Welcome Inn in Tonypandy, beginning at 7 o'clock, and is open to anyone who has an interest in the issue from throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf.

    Invitations have been extended to all AMs MPs and County Councillors in RCT, and Assembly Members Leighton Andrews and Leanne Wood, together with Councillor Pauline Jarman have both indicated they will be attending.
    The aim of the group is to raise awareness of the difficulties encountered by many disabled residents in accessing their own homes due to a lack of on street parking facilities.

    They hope that by doing so they will put pressure on the Council to consider the introduction of disabled residents bays.
    If anyone would like further information then they can contact Chris on 01443 405324, or Gloria on 01443 650615

BBC Radio Wales in Treorchy. Many of your favourite presenters and programmes are coming to Treorchy and Cwmparc for a week of special events and live broadcasts from February 22 to 28. Highlights include:

  • Dewi Griffiths' reunion with old pals from the Treorchy and Cwmparc Boys Club 1948-9
  • Live broadcasts by Roy Noble, Chris Needs, Owen Money and Nicola Heywood Thomas
  • A live performance of Larry Allan's community radio play to mark the 20th anniversary of the miners strike
  • Storytelling workshop - sign up now!
  • Internet sessions on the BBC Wales Bus  

Find out more by visiting the new BBC website about Treorchy Life at http://www.bbc.co.uk/treorchy/

TY DDEWI AEROBICS - Rhondda Special School in Ystrad was recently presented with a generous donation from members of Ty Ddewi Aerobics Club. The donation was made in memory of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Swain. The leader of the Aerobics Club is Mrs. Lindsay Challoner, who specialises in Music and Movement for the over 60’s. The Aerobics Club follows her system which aims to benefit body, mind and spirit, whilst helping to develop memory and concentration. Mrs. Challoner’s good work at Ty Ddewi is much appreciated and enjoyed.

  • SURGERIES - Chris Bryant MP for Rhondda holds the following advice surgeries this month. For any urgent enquiries or if you are physically unable to attend a surgery, please contact the constituency office at 5 Cemetery Road, Porth, Rhondda, CF39 0LG. Due to unforeseen parliamentary business, it may be necessary to rearrange surgeries at short notice. Phone 01443 687697 for further details.

     Friday, 16 January

     3.00 pm

    		5 Cemetery Road, Porth 
     Friday, 23 January

     3.00 pm

    		Penygraig Labour Club 
     Saturday, 24 January 

     10.00 am

    		Noddfa Day Centre, Treorchy

RHONDDA OAP MEETING - The National Association of Old Age Pensioners of Wales meets on Tuesday 6th January at 10.30am in the Ystrad Rhondda Pensioners Hall (near the Star Hotel, Ystrad). All those aged 55 or over are welcome to attend. 

  • TREORCHY W.I. - Will members please note that the monthly meeting for January will be held on Thursday 8th of January and NOT on Thursday 1st January. This month’s guest, Mrs Sheena Sergeant, will be giving a demonstration on cooking with exotic fruits. The W.I. Committee would like to wish everyone, “A Happy New Year”. 

CWMPARC OAP - Members of the Cwmparc Old Age Pensioners held their Christmas Dinner at the British Legion Hall in Pentre on 17th December, where they celebrated with a festive meal prepared by B & T Caterers of Ferndale. The entertainment was provided by pop artist Tony West, and was very well received, with everyone enjoying a wonderful evening. Mr. John Jones, secretary of the Cwmparc OAP Association, thanked the committee for all their hard work during the past year. Fortnightly meetings will resume from Wednesday 6th January at their usual venue in Cwmparc Welfare Hall, and all are welcome to come along. Membership costs just £1 per year. For further details please contact John Jones on 777117. 

  • TREORCHY SENIOR CITIZENS - The members of Treorchy Senior Citizens Club met at Oak tree Hall on Thursday 11th December for their annual Christmas lunch.  A welcoming speech by Mrs Pauline Worman and grace said by Mrs Beryl Rowe was followed by a buffet lunch.  The afternoon continued with a reading from Mrs Beryl Rowe, a raffle, bingo and a session of Carol Singing (with a difference).  The committee would like to thank the caterers Jan Smith; Peter and Marilyn Jones for their continued help and everyone who attended and helped to make the afternoon a success. The Committee would like to thank everyone for the support given to them over the past six months and wish everyone “A Merry Christmas” and “A Happy, and Healthy 2004.” 

NEW HOME - Local staff at Travelcare in Treorchy enjoyed a pleasant short trip of their own in 2003, when the friendly team relocated their Treorchy branch, moving just a short walk southwards down the main street, to their new premises at the Stag Square.

 RCT Council Chairman Brian Arnold helped mark their official opening in High Street.

The Travelcare staff at Treorchy had still made time this year to organise their annual Santa's Suitcase appeal - where customers, members of the public and local businesses are invited to donate toys for the Barnardos Intensive Family Support Service in Llwynypia, to help spread a little joy over the festive season.

Our Council Chairman seeing that, once again, Santa's Suitcase at Travelcare was filled to overflowing thanks to local generosity.

In fact, when our local Barnardo's representative called just a few moments later - she needed 10 large black bags to carry the toys away!

Many thanks to everyone for donating to Santa's Suitcase - and to the girls at Travelcare for such a fun day.

 

The Travelcare team were delighted with their copy of our latest community newsletter and sent their best wishes to everyone for the New Year.

  • FOOD WARNING - RCT Council is warning consumers and the food industry that the Maysum brand of frozen samosas and spring rolls are potentially unsafe.  After investigation, the Maysum brand of frozen samosas and spring rolls have been found to be contaminated with the illegal dye, Sudan 1, and have been given a category ‘B’ warning by the Food Standards Agency. 

  • Maysum brand frozen samosas and spring rolls are manufactured by Bake-a-Paste Limited of Leeds, and have been found to contain Sudan 1, which is not a permitted colour under the Colours in Food Regulations 1995. 

  • “Anyone who has purchased this product should be in no doubt that the product could cause potential health risks,” said Angela Jones, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Acting Divisional Director for Public Health and Protection.  “I would advise any resident who comes across these particular brands to immediately contact our Officers or to immediately dispose of them.” 

  • For further information, contact the Council’s Food Safety Officers on 01443 442100 or visit www.foodstandards.gov.uk.

CHARITY CALENDAR - Maintenance staff at the University of Glamorgan have launched their own 'Full Monty' calendar to raise money for charities.  The Welsh 'calendar boys' are a team of 17 friends and colleagues working at the University's Estates & Facilities Department at Treforest, who stripped off their clothes and posed for a series of light hearted but tasteful pin-up pictures for each month of 2004.    

All the funds will go to the Chairman of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's Charity Appeal* - raising funds for the Children's Unit at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital, the British Heart Foundation and Multi International Aid. 

Calendars are now available - priced at £5 each - from Egryn Jones, Estates & Facilites Department, University of Glamorgan, Treforest, CF37 1DL or from The Chairman's Office, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, The Pavilions, Clydach Vale, Tonypandy, CF40 2XX. 

*RCT Council's Chairman holds office for a year -  each chairman organises a civic charity fund-raising appeal.   

  • FIRST IN WALES - Treorchy Councillors Ted Hancock, Cennard Davies and Richard Ashton have welcomed the opening of Ty’r Afon - a specially designed home built on the site of the old Treorchy Workingmen’s Club at Windsor Street, Treorchy. It is Wales's first home for homeless people with learning disabilities.

  • The five bed unit provides care and training for homeless people with learning disabilities. When fully prepared, residents will move on to independent living in the community.

FALSIFIED SERVICES - Two local motor mechanics were fined a total of £1150, with an additional £2370 in costs, for carrying out a falsified vehicle service. Steven Charles Lewis of Tan Y Fron, Cwmparc, (trading as Pentre Service Station) pleaded guilty to two offences under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, relating to the misdescribed service, and employee David Walter Evans, of Tallis St, Cwmparc also pleaded guilty to two offences under the same act.

  • COUNTERFEIT - A Rhondda man has been fined a total of £4500, with an additional £1084.76 in costs, for supplying and distributing counterfeit mainstream film, audio and pornographic films and titles.  In a joint operation between Rhondda Cynon Taf Council Trading Standards Officers and South Wales Police, counterfeit materials and recording equipment were found after investigations.  Gareth Podmore of Maerdy, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Video recordings Act and seven offences under the Trade Marks Act.   

SURGERIES - Treorchy Ward Councillors hold their monthly surgeries at Cwmparc Welfare Hall from 10am to 11am, at Ynyswen Welfare Hall from 10am to 10:45am, and at Pinewood House (Noddfa), Treorchy from 11am to 12 noon, on Friday, 5th December.

All residents are welcome to attend and no appointments are necessary. If you would prefer a home visit at any other time, please contact our local Councillors - Richard Ashton on 441596, Cennard Davies on 435563 or Edward Hancock on 774785.

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