NPT Council for Voluntary Services Information & HOT JAM

Information supplied by Carys Miles

Principal Officer Development

Neath Port Talbot Council for Voluntary Services

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There is no charge to take part

Andy Mulligan

Hot Jam

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Carriageway Surface Dressing -Abergarwed

Information on road works from NPT Council

We are scheduled to be carrying out Surface Dressing Carriageway works on the B4242 Neath Road, Abergarwed with the programme expected to commence on the 01.08.2020 for four days pending weather and plant breakdowns.

The first two days 01.08.2020 – 02.08.2020 will consist of applying the first coat of bitumen and chippings, after an initial sweep the contractor will return to apply the ‘seal’ part of the treatment on the 05.08 & 06.08 which is an emulsion spray that goes onto the first coat to lock in the chippings, this is usually a very fast process and is usually drivable on after around 30 minutes (weather temperature dependent).

The works will be under stop/go traffic management and delays should be expected/anticipate.

Neath Road, Abergarwed

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Children’s Playground Open today

The children’s playground in Resolven Park is open today. Hooray! Hooray

Village Lockdown Stories

The corona virus lockdown hasn’t been a pleasure as I am sure we all agree but just because adversity comes our way it hasn’t stopped Resolven making the best of a bad thing. So many negatives have dominated our way of living and loving life it’s sometimes been difficult to see a silver lining but there have been many. Community spirit came to the fore when so many local residents offered their help to those who were shielding and staying home as recommended — doing shopping, delivering essential supplies and generally supporting anyone who needed it. This has been prevalent throughout and that includes the local businesses that kept supplies stocked and did doorstep deliveries to so many households. Flour was in short supply mainly because the bakers among us made treats for NHS and keyworkers as well as for friends and neighbours. Where the taste buds benefitted from such delights, the waistlines have all probably suffered but for good reason..

 A Facebook page connected over 300 likeminded people who were always there to provide any help required and was a great success. The support shown towards the NHS and careworkers was inspiring and the clapping on the doorsteps each Thursday was quite astounding. We lit up windows with blue lights, decorated our windows with rainbows and a feeling of unity was all around.

THE WELFARE HALL LIT UP FOR THE NHS

There were moments of negativity and frustration and a lot of ‘fed up’ days but as a whole Resolven has stepped up and stayed in and stayed safe. The virus was kept at bay locally with very few reported cases and we felt both relieved and fortunate.

Working from home was a new experience for those able to comply and the word ‘keyworkers ‘ showed who it was keep the country moving and working .

Home schooling gave us all a new perspective on how teachers should be applauded and appreciated.

The silver linings had to be looked for but they were there. The internet played a huge part in keeping us all connected not only to our nearest and dearest but there were quizzes, music concerts from homes, online dance classes, video exercises, church and chapel services, video group chats and lots of photos through social media outlets that kept everyone up to date and most of the time amused with what was going on indoors and in gardens all over the village and new friendships were formed.

Walking became the main pastime and it reminded us of how blessed we are to live in an area that offers so many walking and cycling opportunities, with beautiful scenery. the lack of traffic and the sudden slowing down of life gave us chance to appreciate our surroundings in a way we hadn’t had the chance to for years .

Nant y Gleisiad Brook
THE RIVER
Wild flowers

Street parties with social distancing were organised for the 75th anniversary of VE Day where it was possible to party outdoors keeping social distancing and where that wasn’t possible family garden parties in the glorious sunshine. Flags and bunting decorated the whole village

V.E. Day Garden Party

Ynysfawr avenue continued the VE day success with street bingo and even organised live music to keep up moral, and Ynysfach Avenue followed suit.

Birthdays were celebrated in gardens and via zoom conference calls as were wedding anniversaries so nobody missed a celebration.

As the weeks ticked by it stepped up a notch. The ukulele band known as the Indonesian Architects who practice at the Welfare Hall decided it was time to go on tour and played on the streets of Resolven to much acclaim and continue to do so when the weather permits.

Resolven AFC ordered new training tops with NHS logo that raised money for NHS charities doing their bit to show their support of the Health Service.

The carnival was cancelled but the ladies from the Welfare repeated last years successful painted rocks and created a rock hunt that children could search for on walks with their parents to make a stone snake on school road for all to view . So far there are over a 100 stones in the snake and its still forming. Mr. Morgan the headmaster of ynysfach primary has generously agreed to display the rocks on school property when they reopen in September.

PAINTED STONES

HIDING ST0NES IN THE RAIN

Local crafter Amanda Williams has created a magical fairy trail sited on the canal path that has enthralled not only so many little ones but their parents too and will hopefully be a lasting attraction that can be enjoyed by both locals and visitors to the wonderful tourist area that is the Neath Tennant canal. This in turn will encourage people to take the opportunity to hire canoes and visit Ty banc for ice cream or a coffee whilst enjoying the wonderful scenery on offer.

THE FAIRY TRAIL

ALONG THE CANAL

As lockdown is coming to a gradual close, the rugby club have opened their fields and club so we can begin to socialise slowly and safely once again and even though social distancing is still important its giving us the opportunity to come out of lockdown and begin to meet up again be together a bit more giving us a taste of the ‘new normal’ we all speak about.

From the very start Resolven community council and our NPTC councillor Dean Lewis have been on hand to provide regular information and support to all going above and beyond their normal remit answering the call whenever it was needed  for which we can all be grateful .

I am sure there was much more that could be mentioned so please send us your lockdown stories so we can share the smiles.

REPORT by DIANE SIMS

‘Indonesian Architects’ (Resolven Ukelele Group)

With the easing of Lockdown now continuing, in what has been the strangest and most challenging of times, it was enlightening and heartening to hear that the ‘Indonesian Architects’ (otherwise known as the Resolven Ukelele Band) have been  performing in different street locations around the village for the past month. (weather permitting).

They are a group of local enthusiastic musical players who have joined together, along with their different instruments, albeit with a strong leaning towards the Ukelele, (which seems to have become a fashionable instrument these days).  They are mainly from Resolven but have welcomed other members from Neath, Cwmgwrach and the Dulais Valley.

Unfortunately, due to the current Coronavirus restrictions, they are somewhat depleted and consist of only Resolven locals at present.

On Saturday, 11th July, with the weather fine and warm, we made our way to Williams Avenue, the street chosen by the Indonesian Architects to give their latest outdoor performance.

Word had obviously got around as there were several groups ready and waiting, having brought chairs and refreshments for this afternoon treat.

It was a very pleasant and enjoyable way to spend an afternoon in the company of this talented group who played well known sing-a-long songs and were clearly enjoying themselves too, as well as providing a great afternoon for all those listening.

As residents we thank you for the giving of your time and providing an occasion for the community of Resolven to enjoy being together in these unprecedented times.  It is also worthy of note that their successfully entertaining performances are given completely free of charge.

We understand that next week, on Saturday, 18th July around 4pm weather permitting, they will be performing at Rheola Avenue/Rugby Road.

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End of an Era

Our RDN photographer, Mike Davies, took these “before and after ” pictures of Clun Primary School-the latest image this week during demolition

The school opened it’s gates in1896 and the last home-time bell was rung there in July 2015. It was known as Clyne school until the name was changed to Clun Primary school in 1983.

Clos yr Ysgol, a housing development for 2, 3 bedroom houses and bungalows is being built on the site of the old school

All the pupils on their last day at a much loved school

Sardis-Message for 5th July from Pastor Fortunato Santos

Hello everyone’

I trust you are well and enjoying fellowship with the Lord.

This coming Sunday we are going to have Communion together. So, please have bread and wine at hand.

God bless you greatly.

C Message 15 – Matthew 13:44-46

In Matthew chapter 13 there are many references about what the ‘Kingdom of Heaven is like’. It is worth reading the whole chapter to learn the comparisons Jesus made. In verse 11 ‘The secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven’, in verse 24 ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field’, in verse 31 ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed’, in verse 33 ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast’ in verse 47 ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is like a net’. Today we are going to be looking at verses 44-46 ‘the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field and like a merchant looking for fine pearls’.

There is a very good Christian booked called ‘Jungle Pilot’ and it tells the story of 5 American missionaries who went to Ecuador as missionaries and were killed by some tribal people. Jim Elliot  said a beautiful phrase ‘ It is no fool the one who gives away what he cannot keep to gain what one cannot lose’.

The Kingdom of Heaven is the most precious thing you will ever find. The Kingdom of Heaven is not just when we die and go to heaven, it is the principles of Jesus teaching being applied into our lives this very day. Once we have a better understanding of the Kingdom of Heaven, we will invest all of our energies in seeing it growing and prospering among mankind. I have met many people who have sacrificed careers, social position for the good of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Lord Jesus compares it with someone who finds a treasure in the field and sells everything he had to buy the field and then to own the treasure. Once we find the reality of the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven and we become convinced of its beauty we will not be afraid of investing in the Kingdom of Heaven. As any other Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven has principles the subjects live their lives by. Just a few examples of the Kingdom of Heaven… ‘pray for those who persecute you’, ‘forgive as your Heavenly Father has forgiven you’, ‘do not worry about tomorrow’, ‘it is better to give than to receive’ etc. To be part of a Kingdom with such wonderful principles is an amazing thing. We must understand to be a Christian is not just having our sins forgiven, there is much more to be entitled to. We become part of a new Kingdom with principles different to the ones we are used to. The principles of the Kingdom of Heaven are healthy and promote the wellbeing of those who belong to it. It is a fallacy to think the Kingdom of Heaven starts when we die and then we go to Paradise. This is another facet of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of Heaven starts when we accept Christ as our Saviour and Lord, and willing to start to live our lives by the principles of His Kingdom where He is the King. We see how valuable the Kingdom of Heaven is that we will be willing to do anything to promote it. The Kingdom of Heaven is priceless. People are willing to do whatever they can in order to gain the Kingdom of Heaven.

All of us we used to belong to the kingdom of darkness. We have been transported into the Kingdom of His marvellous light. The darkness can be very thick and intense in the kingdom of darkness. When we read the newspapers or hear the news of the TV it is shocking to see the wickedness in people’s hearts. There is no consideration for others and people will go out of their way not just to cause trouble but to cause destructions to others. It is truly horrifying what people can do to people. Once we have belonged to that Kingdom too. We can truly argue that we did not do such evil things or even approve of them and I believe what you are saying. Nonetheless, before we came under the Lordship of Christ we belonged to a kingdom where the rules were contrary to the teachings of Christ. We lived in the kingdom of darkness until we crossed over to the Kingdom of God. We call this conversion.

Now that we belong to a new kingdom with a different King and rules we need to learn to live and adapt into, social habitat of this new kingdom can truly prove to be a real challenge. We are living in a world where the majority of people do not live by the principles of the Kingdom of Heaven and even oppose  them. We need to learn to be in the world and not be part of it. We cannot do it in our strength and we truly need the King to aid us in our strife. However, once we have being liberated from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of Heaven we give it such a value that we are willing to do anything in our strength to gain it. The Kingdom of Heaven becomes the most important thing in our lives. God bless

Today we are going to have Communion together.

You will need to have before you bread and wine (Ribena or  just water).

Read I Corinthians 11: 23-26 and then ask the Lord to forgive your sins.

Give God thanks for giving us Jesus who died for us and then eat the bread. Give God thanks for the blood of Jesus who washes away our sins and then drink the wine