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September 2003

HOSPICE WALK - The first George Thomas Hospice Walk will take place on Sunday 19th October at Bute Park, Cardiff , beginning from the Temple of Peace at 10am - for either a 4 or 8 mile walk. Joining walkers will be BBC Wales presenters Sara Edwards & Derek Brockway, HTV's Juliet Piper and sports personalities Rupert Moon & Nicky Piper. For details contact Karen Brocklebank on 029 20485345.

  • CREDIT UNIONS - The member-run credit unions in Rhondda Cynon Taff united recently and merged with the Association of British Credit Unions (ABCUL). The RCT administrative headquarters are in Bute St. Treorchy and has nearly 500 members and assets of £1million. *Rhondda Credit Union has web pages in our community website. See under "local societies".

GRANT - Abergorki Community Hall in Treorchy received a £7,400 grant from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust this summer for funding improvements at the hall, providing new mats for the martial arts section, resurfacing the forecourt and providing a security shutter for the front door.

  • REUNION - Former members of Bodringallt Youth Club who spent time there between 1942 and 1963 are invited to a reunion at the Rhondda Sports Centre, Ystrad on 15th November. Tickets cost £2.50. Proceeds will got to the Sea Cadets in Llwynypia. For more information phone 01443 - 422892.

A FISH CALLED RHONDDA - A Ton Pentre fish and chip shop has qualified as the Welsh regional winner of a Yellow-Pages contest to find Britain's best-named business. "A Fish Called Rhondda" - run by Leighton & Gaynor Jones - will now go forward with the 11 other regional winners' names, for a chance of scooping the £1000 prize.

  • MICRO-CHIPPING - Pet owners in Rhondda Cynon Taf are invited to contact the council's animal wardens to have their dogs micro-chipped free of charge. To arrange an appointment phone 01443 442100.

COMMUNITY TRANSPORT SURVEY - Copies of the report for community transport in the upper Rhondda are now on display - for inspection only - at Treorci, Treherbert and Ton Pentre libraries. The reports cannot be borrowed, but anyone is welcome to call in and read them on the premises. The survey is also published in full on this community website. *see transport survey link on newsroom main page.

  • RHONDDA ANIMAL AID - Anyone wishing to apply to give a good home to a pet can contact either Rhondda Cats Protection or Rhondda Animal Aid at the same telephone number on 01443-437709.

GUEST SPEAKER - Chris Bryant MP for Rhondda will be a guest speaker at a Valleys Forward fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference in the Wessex Hotel, Bournemouth on 29th September between 12.30and 2pm. Mr Bryant will be lobbying for increased resources in the South Wales Valleys.

  • LIBRARY SERVICE - A new library service to supply free books to cancer patients receiving hospital treatment in Velindre Hospital, Whitchurch is now underway - with plans to expand to other hospitals. Anyone wishing to donate unwanted books can drop them off at Velindre hospital. For details, phone the hospital on 029 2061 5888.

CANCER HELPINE - Free and confidential advice, along with literature on testicular and prostate cancer, is available from the Tenovus freephone cancer helpline on 0808 8081010.

  • SINGLE PARENTS - The Single Parent Action Network is a support group helping one-parent families. To discuss any issues, contact them on 0845 450 0399.

CHURCH COUNSELLING - A voluntary worker for the Churches Counselling Service in Wales is keen to set up a base in the Rhondda to offer free counselling to anyone who may be in need. Anyone who wishes to help financially or who may wish to use the service can contact Tydfil Lewis on 422700. 

  • BOGUS CALLERS - Elderly people are warned to beware of bogus callers to their homes. If anyone receives a suspicious caller please get in touch with Age Concern immediately on 01443 485505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Elderly people worried about their safety can also contact Age Concern now - for referral to a scheme run by the Crime Prevention Panel which will offer security checks and advice free of charge.

COMPLAINTS SYSTEM - A new complaints system for children in care is available in the Rhondda. "Get It Sorted" will allow children to register their complaints and make enquiries through a special free phone telephone line - without having to seek permission from an adult. For more information contact the Complaints Unit on 01443 424122 or 01443 424134.

  • ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY - Cardiff Astronomical Society can be contacted on 01656 646920.

ADULT EDUCATION - Anyone wishing to return to education can call learndirect on 0800 100900.

  • DRINK DRIVING - Shocking figures have revealed that more drivers than ever before have been caught drink-driving in South Wales this summer. More than 12% of drivers who were stopped, failed the breath tests - double the figure anywhere else in Wales - under the "Don't Drink & Drive Campaign" undertaken between 12th - 26th August.

OWEN MONEY - Comedian Owen Money hosts a musical evening to raise funds for children with cancer. All funds will go towards building a forth floor for the new Children's Hospital for Wales. The concert is at St David's Hall, Cardiff on Sunday 19th October and tickets cost from £4 upwards. Phone the box office on 029 2087 8444.

FIRE CHECK - The Fire Service has launched a national campaign for people to check and maintain their life-saving smoke alarms. Tips are

  1. Fit smoke alarms on each level of your home
  2. Do not put smoke alarms in the kitchen
  3. Check the battery once a week
  4. Replace the battery every twelve months
  5. Battery smoke alarm units should be changed every ten years
  6. Consider installing 10 year smoke alarms.
  • FUNDING - Cwmparc Welfare Association has been awarded a grant of £26,799 from last year's BBC's Children in Need Appeal to build on the work with children at their Youth Centre project at Alison House.

SCOUTS - If you would like to see a new scout group start up in Treorchy, i.e. Beaver Scouts (for 6 to 7yr-olds), Cub Scouts (for 8 to 11 yr-olds) and Scouts (for 11 to 14 years), then please phone Dave John, District Commissioner for Scouts, on 01443 437437.

Mr John wishes to hear from anyone who would like their child to join any of the above sections, and also from anyone who would be able to help run the group. He is keen to start scouting in the upper Rhondda Fawr in the near future, as there are no groups above Pentre at the moment, and he reminds us that children in the area are missing out because Scouting caters for all types of children and covers a huge range of interests.

  • ADULT EDUCATION - Brochures are now available for the range of adult education classes available throughout the Rhondda and Taff Ely areas for 2003 to 2004. Contact Marilyn Allen on 01443 682862 for further information. Registration for classes will be held at Treorchy Comprehensive School on Monday 8th September at 7pm.

SURGERIES - Treorchy Ward Councillors hold monthly surgeries on the first Friday each month 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 12noon. Next surgeries are on Friday, 5th September. 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.

  • CAR BOOT SALE - The last of this season’s monthly car boot sales, at £3 per car, will be held at Ysbyty George Thomas on Saturday 6th September from 8am. All proceeds to Fernhill ward.

PERFORMING ARTS - Treorchy WI’s Performing Arts Group perform their “Let Us Entertain You” show at the Phoenix Theatre, Ton Pentre on Wednesday 10th September at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £3. The evening will include a local young people's group (choreographed by Mrs Emma Port) who will perform their musical routines as part of the evening performance. Anyone wishing to purchase a ticket is welcome to ring 01443 773661.

  • PETITION - A campaign to save Treherbert's only remaining GP surgery has been launched by Treherbert Councillors Layton (Percy) Jones and Geraint Davies - following the issue of letters to all patients in the area from Dr Singh & Dr Saunders (whose other surgery is located in Regent Street, Treorchy). Copies of the petition to save the Treherbert surgery are available from Councillor Jones on 01443 776784 or 07720 723985.

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