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FEATURES
DOGGY DILEMMAS AND PUPPY PROBLEMS
Rocket Recall Tips • Keep your dog’s name sacred. They learn through association with something good, not through constant repetition or using a harsh voice. • Choose a cue word like ‘come’, ‘here’ or use a whistle. Add it after you call your dog and use it just before good things are going to appear. Use every time you feed your dog, give them a tasty treat or play a game with them. • Set your dog up for success. Practice using your cue word at home, in your garden and in a quiet park before expecting them to ‘listen’ at a crowded beach. • Use a long line attached to a harness for safety and management if your cue word fails. This allows you to have control over a situation where your dog can’t ‘self-reward’ by greeting an on-lead dog, continue any rough play or learn to ignore you. • Don’t use your cue word unless you can bet a weeks’ wage that your dog will come to you. This will dilute the cue word which, over time, will become useless. The Reliable Recall Course is available now, contact to book.
Julie Williams APDT IMDT South Wales Dog Training Academy
PORTHCAWL VETERANS HUB
In May we were pleased to announce we were finally allowed to re-open our doors. It has been great to see old faces again after a long time away and we have also welcomed lots of new members to our ranks. The 26th June was Armed Forces Day and by then restrictions had eased enough for us to hold a small celebration outdoors in Griffin Park. Members were treated to burgers, hot dogs and beautiful cakes served at their tables while they sat and chatted. All had a good time. Porthcawl Veterans meet most Saturdays between 10.00 and 12.00. We have had a temporary change of venue and are now meeting at the Griffin Park Bowls Pavilion in the centre of the park. All Veterans, serving military and families are welcome. If there are any veterans or families that may be isolated and need support or assistance, we would encourage them to contact us. We will do what we can to help. If you would like any advice or information on the Porthcawl Veterans Hub you can email us on: porthcawlvh@outlook. com. Alternatively search for us on Facebook under Porthcawl Veteran’s Hub.
Louise Magenty Membership Secretary
NEW PORTHCAWL ROTARY PRESIDENT
It was with joy that Porthcawl Rotary was able to meet up faceto-face for the first time in over 12 months to welcome Bobby Lewis as its new President. Bobby is a long serving member of Rotary and has held several key roles within Rotary. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions the ceremony was witnessed by a few members and limited guests. It was also a very special occasion as it was the club’s 70th Anniversary and allowed us to take the opportunity to celebrate. The anniversary cake tasted delicious and was created and donated by Carolyn Perren. Rev Teddy Kalongo gave his blessing and said grace. Andrew warmly welcomed everybody and gave his outgoing speech, thanked all who supported him as President during his term of office and commentated on how pleasant it was to actually meet up as a group to celebrate our 70th Anniversary lunch. Bobby gave his welcoming address and thanked Andrew for all his hard work, commitment and enthusiasm during these difficult times. Incoming Inner Wheel President Gil Edwards gave her greetings and best wishes on behalf of Inner Wheel.
Rtn Robert Lee
KPC YOUTH & COMMUNITY AGM
KPC will be holding their Annual General Meeting on Weds 11th August at 6 pm. Due to current circumstances this will be held as a Zoom meeting. All welcome to join us to find out more about the work undertaken during the last year, and future plans. If anyone is interested in joining our Board of Directors/Trustees please also contact the centre. Please contact the Centre on 01656 749219 or email: info@kpcyouth.com, so that a Zoom invitation can be sent to you prior to the meeting.
NATIONAL COASTWATCH INSTITUTION – PORTHCAWL
During June we had 18 monitored and 7 logged incidents. These involved missing children, tidal cut-offs and kayakers and jetskiers in difficulty. We logged and monitored 148 commercial vessels, 1504 leisure, 5 military and 67 other types. It is worth noting that recently we have dealt with 5 specific incidents in relation to persons being cut off in the two coves east of the main beach at Southerndown / Dunraven Bay. The critical time for people to become cut off is around 2.5hrs before high water, dependent on tides - Springs or Neaps. Please be aware of the tide times if you are in that area and furthermore, be aware of your final time to exit the 2 coves before cut off. If you see someone in danger, ring 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Congratulations to our Deputy Station Manager, Simon Hughes, who has been awarded the RNLI Long Service Medal for over 20 years’ service with Porthcawl Lifeboat, by Mr Peter Scott, President of Porthcawl RNLI, prior to him joining Porthcawl NCI. We look forward to a day’s filming with the ITV “Coast & Country” team in July, the outcome of which should be screened later this summer.
Nick Weedon Media Officer, Porthcawl NCI
EXCITING CHANGES AT GILGAL
The church was originally built in 1922 and, with its centenary fast approaching, the building project to modernise it is now well underway. We are creating a large, open flexible space for fellowship and community use with, among other things, a new central glass entrance onto Park Avenue, a large open-plan café area, a new internal balcony and two single-storey extensions to the sides housing new toilets and a well-equipped kitchen, You can find more details on our website: www.gilgal.co.uk We truly appreciate the patience of our Park Avenue neighbours and apologise to them for all the disruption the building work will cause over the next few months. But, by creating a building “fit for purpose”, with a more open, accessible and family-friendly environment and dedicated youth facilities, we hope to improve the welcome we can offer to community groups, as well as fulfil our aim “To know Jesus better and to make Him better known”. So, for now, we have left the building to the builders and, for the foreseeable future, will be meeting every Sunday at AWEL-Y-MOR Community Centre at 10.30am and 5pm. We would love you to join us there.
John Hornsby
MYNYDD CYNFFIG WI
Tuesday the 13th of July and we were at the Talbot Center Kenfig Hill, we meet on the 2nd Tuesday of the month 2pm to 4pm. We comply with all the currant legislation regarding the Covid. But we still are able to meet each other have a good time including tea and biscuits. The meeting was chaired by Christine, Sec Enid and Treasurer Eirwen. It’s our job to help our members with anything regarding the WI and anything else that we are able to help with. We couldn’t arrange a speaker for this month but our minute Sec Katherin stepped up to the challenge with a demonstration of making a needle case. We had a lot of fun as we followed her instructions, and the ladies all went home with a smile on their faces clutching their handy work. We were pleased to introduce two new members to our WI and we hope they will continue to attend. We had our usual raffle and competition and all WI business was discussed. Our walking club has arranged a walk for August and the scrabble club will be meeting in the Life Center as soon as the restrictions allow. This applies to the lunch club as well. We are having a tea next month with cake and sandwiches something for us to enjoy. Hears hoping things get better regarding Covid and once again Mynydd Cynffig WI can open its doors to new and old members alike as in the past.
Christine Callaghan
BRIDGEND SOROPTIMISTS AFTERNOON TEA
Bridgend Soroptimists will hold an Afternoon Tea and Boules Social Get Together for charity on 11th August at Laleston Gardening Club 2 - 5pm. Regular Business meetings resume 8th September.
For more info visit sigbi.org/bridgend-and-district www.facebook.com/Bridgend Soroptimists.
NEW FROM KENFIG NATURE RESERVE
It’s been a really busy couple of months at the Reserve trying to get everything up and running and ready for visitors. You may have noticed the outside of the building has been spruced up courtesy of Chris and Nick of CMP Williams painter and decorators, they have also done a wonderful job on the interior rooms at the Centre which are now available for hire. Despite the damp weather the Open Day went well with some very positive comments being made by visitors on the day. The Greedy Pig pop-up proved to be extremely successful, and we hope to see the boys here again in the very near future. As always Emma at the Hyde Out was kept busy, providing her lovely coffee, cakes and sandwiches. We are excited to announce that the Reserve has obtained a wedding licence so ceremonies can now be carried out in the Reserve Centre. This not only offers couples the opportunity to get married in a very special setting but also to have some truly memorable photographs in a spectacular location (keep an eye out for our upcoming wedding package). Following on from this, we have a Wedding Fayre arranged for Saturday 11th September and if you are interested in booking a space, please contact on the email shown below. Chris our warden has been busily counting the very rare and endangered fen orchid, Kenfig is the only place in Britain where you can find the dune variant of the species, so it is very important that these precious plants are looked after, monitored and protected. Our volunteer induction day will be taking place on Thursday 29th July on at 10am and another at 2pm. This will involve a short Health and Safety presentation and then signing up to the Reserves Preserve, Improve, Promote Protect Policy (PIPPS). If you are interested, and haven’t already done so, please contact Chris, on warden@kenfignaturecorporation.com with your details. Huge thanks to local photographer Jenny Hibbert who has donated much of her wonderful photographic work to the Reserve, it is currently on display at the Centre and available for purchase. All proceeds received will go towards carrying out restorative work to our bird hide, please take time to come along and check it out. Finally, we at the Reserve believe it is very important to engage with our local community and while we may not be able to please all of the people all of the time it is important that we have your input to ensure the Reserve prospers and survives. If there is anything you would particularly like to see at the Reserve, please email below and all suggestions will be considered. Things are happening at a pretty rapid pace so keep an eye out for our soon to be up and running Kenfig Nature Reserve website which will provide information on what is happening over the coming months. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the Reserve.
Ceri John Reserve Manager
INNER WHEEL CLUB OF PORTHCAWL
On the last day of June we were able to hold our Handover celebration in the back garden of our outgoing President Mary Emment Lewis. The sun shone and things seemed almost back to normal. We were joined by members of Porthcawl Rotary club, our Mayor Tracey Hill, our District Chairman Helen Starkey, Cannon Philip Masson and a speaker from Inclusability CIC, Joanne Manley, who spoke about Autism. After greetings were given, DC Helen presented the club with its 70th Birthday Charter. The chain of office was passed to President Gil Edwards who cut the Birthday Cake. We then had a delicious afternoon tea catered by The Travelling Teapot and a chance to catch up with friends not seen for a while. We have changed our venue for our meetings for the coming months to The Newton Institute. They will still be on the first Tuesday of the month, but in the afternoon at 2pm. If anyone is interested in finding out more about us with a mind to joining, please come to one of our meetings and say hello, we will be pleased to see you. Here’s to the next 70 years of Porthcawl Inner Wheel.
Liz Jones Club Sec
TRINITY CHURCH
We held a special service to celebrate the charity “Action for Children” on Sunday 11th July. This is one of the key charities that Trinity supports and fund raising events include the Trinity Bargain Store. During the service we learnt about the important work the charity supports including stories from some of the children who needed help. A variety of appropriate music was chosen which we quietly enjoyed. However we will be discussing the prospect of singing and having live music again at our July Church council meeting. We hope it won’t be too long before our church services are able to resume their usual format. We continue to hold a live Zoom service for those who prefer to join from home. Recordings via email or CD are also available. The Trinity Bargain Store operates on Wednesday and Saturday mornings. We may be open some Monday mornings in addition. All proceeds are in aid of “Action for Children” and Trinity. Activities in the church hall have started to resume with strict Covid safety guidelines. Please contact our Bookings secretary for further details. Group numbers are limited and kitchen/toilet facilities are not available. Please visit our Facebook page or website for any further information.
Alison Meredith Thomas, Communication Secretary www.trinitychurchporthcawl.org Tel: 01656786070
THROUGH CHRISTIAN EYES
Did ‘Freedom Day’ (July 19th) bring you release? As we enter August we may be enjoying greater liberties from the protective measures of Covid19 restrictions but many other things can still hinder our lives. For some of us it is the consequences of our poor choices or an addictive obsession, for others it can be our own or others expectations for our lives. At some time in our lives most of us feel trapped in an emotional ‘lockdown’ of one kind or another. But there is hope; there is release in Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” (Luke 4:18-19). Whatever situation frustrates and limits you from enjoying life to the full, bring it to Jesus in prayer and let him deal with it, or with you, and may the rest of this year truly become a ‘year of the Lord’s favour’. For more information contact us at faith@gilgal.co.uk
REV. MARTIN GILLARD Gilgal Baptist Church, Porthcawl www.gilgal.co.uk
TOOLS FOR SELF RELIANCE Tools for Africa
TFSR has not been idle during the problems arising from Covid. As well as re-furbishing tools for a number of kits in the workshop, more akin to an operating theatre, bearing in mind the need for self- distancing, masks, adequate hand sanitation etc. We have nine kits ready to go, Builders, Carpenters and Automechanics. All the kits going to our training partners in Africa. A Typical Kit is shown in this month’s photograph, with 91 tools in total for a Training Centre. Two of the crates also contain hand sewing machines and haberdashery kits. We are always thankful for the support we get and have recently received a number of hand sewing machines from Bridgend College for which we are very grateful. We have also sent a number of un-refurbished tools to TFSR Cymru destined for Tanzania, as well as supplying gardening tools to the Llanelli group for sale at the National Trust Property at Llandeilo. Be assured all our kits will be self- isolating when they arrive in Africa, let alone Llanelli. As you see TFSR here in Porthcawl has been busy during these problematic times and we shall continue to be so.
Mark James Chairman
PORTHCAWL LIONS
July saw a very welcome well-attended first social gathering (separated tables of six at the Hi-tide) and the handover of the President’s chain (see picture attached) from outgoing Lorrie Desmond-Williams to Carole Roberts. Lorrie has obviously presided admirably over a difficult year and mastered zoom - we hope she will have another go and enjoy more normal and rewarding times, as indeed we do for Carole just starting a second term. We are now planning a Sandcastle Competition on Trecco Bay (unlike previous years), spread over the four mornings Wed to Sat 4th to 7th August. Time to practise and make perfect! Competitors should have their castle (it can also be a car, boat, plane monster or any creature) ready for our photographer at about 12 noon. There will be prize-certificates each day and on the Saturday The Mayor of Porthcawl, Tracy Hill will join us to judge (by photo and live) the overall winner. As always details are on our website - Porthcawllions.org.uk - where we hope to show all the splendid creations of a staycation summer. Sadly with loss of venue and restrictions Car Boot Sales seem unlikely this year, but things are hopefully returning to normal and we more than ever need a new generation of lockdown survivors with new ideas to help us revive a club which has done, and still does a lot for our community. Even now we are still supporting youth groups and the food bank, but working together and with new faces will be great - contact Jim 859505 to learn more.
Andrew Collier
