What a fabulous day Ynysfach WI had in Bath for their annual summer trip. Bath is a beautiful city with so much history to see. The weather was glorious too.

Photo’s by Chrissie Minton

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A very successful 5th Annual Invitational Tournament was held by Resolven Bowls Club recently with 24 teams of some of Wales’ top players competing for the John Hopkins Memorial Trophy.

The main organisers/brains committee of ‘The 94’ were Andrew Hopkins-Chair RBC, Simon Ace-Hon. Sec. RBC, Stephen Allen-Capt. 2026 and from afar Mike Herbert.

A marquee and gazebos were erected to protect participants, spectators and working volunteers from the very strong sunshine.

Obviously the long hot dry weeks had a big impact on the speed of the bowling green making the timing of a bowl reaching a three quarter jack at almost 18 seconds. For those not involved in the Sport of Lawn Green Bowls, that speed is ‘lightening fast’ and not generally encountered outdoors on grass in the UK. The Resolven ‘greens team’ had worked incredibly hard to create a surface worthy of a big tournament with the cooperation of the Resolven Community Council.

To enable prize money of over £3000 the event was very well supported by generous sponsors as seen in the photograph below plus Martin Harries for use of Neuadd Cwmllynfell Hall Outdoor Bowls Club sound system.

Thanks to Lionel Stock for the following photographs

The following photographs from Hugh Lewis

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Many of the same participants will take part in the Randall Sims Twilight Threes Tournament beginning on Monday, 24 August 2026 for the whole week.

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This article is regarding a publication which has local and general interest.

The following information was written by Marian, the daughter of Gwenllian Hannah Rees who was born in ‘Hendreowen’ , a mountain farm above Resolven in 1910 and died just two months short of her 105th birthday in 2015. Gwenllian was part of the well known and respected ‘Rees’ family and had three sisters, Margaret, Annie, and Eunice, and a younger brother, William John.

Gwenllian’s parents, William and Margaret Ann Rees, were tenant farmers at ‘Hendreowen’ and Gwenllian was their third child. When her life began. she was nurtured in the secure and loving surroundings of a mountain farmhouse learning, along the way, that hard work was a big part of life. Gwenllian and all the family were fluent Welsh speakers as Welsh was the first language in the locality at that time.

Of course, attitudes and beliefs were totally different then. How life has changed since those years!

Some years later, the family moved from ‘Hendreowen’ to ‘Ty’n y Cwm’, another mountain farm on the side of the steep Clydach brook valley, above where the Glyncastle Colliery was situated.

Here, Gwenllian grew to be a young woman with ambitions to learn all she could about everything, eventually leaving the Resolven area at eighteen to train in her chosen career.

However, the ties to Resolven, the mountains, home and Jerusalem Chapel were strong and her connections with the area and her family never went away. She was always proud of her heritage.

When Marian was a small child, her mother, Gwenllian would always find time to tell her about her own childhood and young life. This continued throughout the years and during their time together. About 18 months before she died in 2015, she helped Marian choose the title of a yet unwritten book which is now shortly to be published.

Authenticity is one of the book’s important assets. All the events and happenings are completely true.

In an age where it can sometimes be difficult between truth and fiction, this book will open a door into ordinary lives lived by ordinary people in very different times.

Marian, the writer says the book moves forwards and backwards through time, triggered by events to create a continuity through the generations – back in time to her grandmother Margaret Ann, and forward again, following Gwenllian’s journey.

Marian started writing the book so that the history, stories and way of life would live on for her children, grandchildren and extended family and friends, many of whom still live in and around the locality of Resolven, and wanted to create the images, atmosphere and feeling of that changing era. However, as the book developed, the author wanted to share it with a wider audience, particularly future generations of young people who would have little idea of how life was for Gwenllian when she was their age.

Marian Townsend, the author of ‘The Cloth and the Pot’, grew up in South Wales in a happy home steeped in music. She then moved to London in 1961 to train as a physiotherapist at Guy’s Hospital. There followed a successful career spanning sixty years with the NHS, marriage, and two children. Along the way, she has climbed and mountaineered – as far as Southern Patagonia on one occasion!

The publication by Troubadour is due on 28th August 2026, written in English and is now on their website in advance of the publication date.

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A donation of £250 was given to Ty Olwen Hospice, Morriston by Resolven Bowls Club. Mrs Anna Morgan had nominated Ty Olwen as the recipient of the donation in memory of her husband, Paul a former Head Teacher at Ynysfach Primary School, Resolven who was a respected and very popular Head.

Anna received the donation (which was passed on to The Ty Olwen Trust Fund) at the School in front of a Paul Morgan Memorial bench mentioned in a previous report on Resolven District News. https://resolvendistrictnews.co.uk/remembering-headteacher-mr-paul-morgan/

The money was raised from a well contributed raffle held during ‘The 93’ John Hopkins Tournament in 2025, an Annual Tournament to celebrate the start of the Resolven Bowls Club in 1932. https://resolvendistrictnews.co.uk/the-93-rbc-tournament-report-2025/

For various reasons this charitable donation had been delayed until this year and was carried out before this years’ tournament.

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A meeting takes place at Tabernacl Chapel, Resolven at 6 o’clock on the evening of Friday, 17th July to celebrate 250 years since the Birth of the famous Welsh hymn writer Ann Griffiths by singing some of her hymns.

The Service will be in Welsh but a translation service will be provided.

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A dry and cloudy day with very little wind and a pleasant temperature seemed just about perfect for an outdoor event when Resolven held its annual Carnival on 4th July 2026. This is an event that has always given the Community and families a chance to get together (and is one that very many look forward to every year).

This year, the occasion attracted a very large crowd gathered at the Square, enjoying the sounds of ‘The Indonesian Architects’, a local mixed instruments Band consisting of about 9 talented musicians on the day, who played their particular style of music outside the Church Hall before the parade started.

The much anticipated Parade commenced at 1pm from the School, along Neath Road, around the Square and through the village down Commercial Road to John Street and to the park entrance.

The crowd at the Square followed the Parade to the Park field where the following photographs were taken

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The preparation and organisation of any project or event is difficult and time consuming. Arranging a Carnival is certainly no different. It takes a lot of hard work and effort from an enthusiastic ‘Resolven Community Events Group’ who are willing to give freely, of their time and expertise.

Many congratulations on a very successful, enjoyable and memorable Carnival in 2026.

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Photographs etc. by Hugh & Lorna Lewis

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