Boxing Day Hunt

As always, a good turnout to see the Banwen Miners’  Boxing Day Meet in Neath

 

 

 

 

 

images and video by RDN photographer Mike Davies

youtube link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBSL5nZerIg

Santa Seen in Resolven

Santa was spotted by our RDN phographer Mike Davies, as he dashed round the corner by the Farmers Arms, even bringing his own snow with him.   He told Mike he was doing a practice solo run (without the other reindeer) to make sure everything goes  smoothly on Christmas Eve.

Good luck Santa and Merry Christmas!

Santa Feeds the Birds

Feed the birds, tuppence a bag!   Santa is on his way and our RDN photographer Mike Davies was lucky enough to bump into him and capture this lovely picture for us.

Hope you managed to let Santa know what you want for Christmas, Mike!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Report on the December meeting of Resolfen History Society.

A Report on the December meeting of Resolfen History Society.

Some years ago the committee of the History Society decided to make the December meeting a Members’ Night. The idea was not to deter other interested parties attending, but rather a reaction to the fact that competing events tended to diminish the size of the audience. Therefore, members were given the chance to show their local knowledge or give an item on anything they fancied.

The meeting began with a power-point presentation given by the Chairman Gwyn Thomas. Gwyn has amassed a large collection of photos regarding the activities of the Society in recent years. None of the slides was given a title, instead the members had to guess which activity was taking place. Without going in to detail some of the memories were a little rusty, but the exercise at least let people speak about their experiences once dredged from memory.

The second item was a reading from the autobiography of Joe Cookson who worked in a coal level above Melincwrt in 1919. The extract related to his first day in the mine and gave a vivid description of the poor working conditions devoid of any notion of Health and Safety legislation. The most interesting aspect of the work was its use of technical terms while describing the journey to work and the work practices of a boy assigned to a collier. Decades ago, terms such as “haulier”, “gob”, “journey”, “mandril” or “dram”, would not have needed an explanation to a Resolven audience,but times have changed. Luckily, enough of the audience had experience underground to enrich the narrative with details and subsequent anecdotes. Poor Joe, spent the end of his first day in a state of unconsciousness owing to succumbing to a bout of the Spanish flu, which incidentally claimed as many lives globally as the number of casualties in the Great War.

The evening finished with the annual quiz. Quiz being a very loose description, since it involved a competition to win Christmas crackers should three history questions be answered in succession by the same person. The accuracy of the answers was a little varied, since the members also helped themselves to refreshments and of course mulled wine to charge the brain cells. The Quizmaster had to resort to some very generous clues in order to get some reaction from the audience.

Merry Christmas, and a happy new year, from the History Society.

Nadolig Llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda o’r Gymdeithas Hanes.

Trefor Jones.

United Council of Churches Carol Service

Clyne Mission Carol Services

In Memory of a Loved One

As Christmas draws closer we offer a chance to remember loved ones whom we see no longer, with carols, the lighting of candles and a space for Reflection. There will also be an opportunity afterwards to share a cup of tea or coffee.

Resolven Church Hall

6.30pm—7.30pm

Tuesday 11th December.

 

Resolven Community Library Update

Our last open day before Christmas will be Wednesday the 19th of December, and we will re-open on the 7th of January 2018. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our customers

From the Volunteers and Trustees of the Library