Like all of us, our RDN photographer Mike Davies is in lockdown.  He can’t get out and about with his camera, but here are a few images from his vast collection to cheer us up

My twin brother Pat rang to tell me the Pontneathvaughan Falls were frozen over.  I‘d only just recovered from a heart operation, so I was a bit worried about going up there, but my grandson Richard came with me and off we went.  After a slippery walk, I finally got this picture.

I sent it to the surgeon who’d done my op. and he replied ” glad to see you are still ticking”

I have enjoyed photographing for RDN over the years, and I always look forward to the Resolven Carnival.  It’s  a real fun day as I meet up with old friends I went to school with, and now they have children themselves

I trust we can soon have those days again, including the Christmas Fayre.

Some of my pictures have stories attached. Like the day I turned up to cover the sad picture of the Gwyn Hall in Neath ablaze. I was in such a rush to get there, I arrived still wearing my bedroom slippers!

Then there was the day  there were rumours about a whale on Aberavon beach.  I thought someone was having a joke, but I had to get there to see for myself, and yes it was true.

This is taken on sad day– the last horse race at Pentreclwydau.

I’ve always enjoyed taking pictures of wildlife, quite often birds in my own garden like frequent visitor Woody the woodpecker

The day the Queen opened the new Swansea Leisure Centre there was another memorable picture-taking moment for me.

I’m on the far right of picture in navy jacket with white stripes (and camera at the ready) I started snapping away but when she got close into the lens, out ot of courtesy, I stopped filming and put the camera down only to my astonishment to be greeted by Her Majesty!  She walked past the woman with the outstretched hand and held her hand out to me and shook it and asked me where was I from etc.— she was quite interested.   We seemed to be chatting for a while. She told me it was lovely to be back in Swansea and that they were having lunch in the Brangwyn Hall.   I wished them well and she replied,  “You too.  It was lovely to meet you”–a moment in my life I shall never forget, so it was worth waiting in that biting wind all those hours.”

By Mike Davies

The following is a poster from KEEP WALES SAFE

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Here’s a photo catch-up and “cheer us up” on some of the events we’ve enjoyed and activities that were part and parcel of our lives in the years before Covid 19.  All back soon we hope!

CARNIVAL DAY! -thanks to the incredible efforts of the Resolven Events Group. Amazing!

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SARDIS FUN DAY

PROM TIME! STUDENTS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY ON THE SQUARE

RESOLVEN BOWLING GREEN OPEN DAY ( organised and run by the village bowls teams)

St. David’s Church Cream Tea

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Following photos by RDN photographer Mike Davies

Happy days we hope to enjoy again soon

WHY NOT SEND YOUR “CHEER US UP ” PICS TO US AT :

am@resolvendistrictnews.co.uk

Reflections

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As I sit here reflecting on the existence that I have now

And how it’s constantly being controlled by whatever the virus will allow

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As I sit here reflecting that time is passing me by

Life is just so precious, we must stay at home and comply

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As I sit here reflecting this impossible and strange situation

Of an unseen enemy ruling the world, spreading across every nation

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As I sit here reflecting that a vaccine has now arrived

I wait in anticipation and thank God it’s been supplied

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As I sit here reflecting that too many lives have been lost

This pandemic has brought such sadness, leaving those left to count the cost

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As I sit here reflecting that love, hope and caring have all played their part

While lessons learnt and a ‘new normal’ will show the way to a new start

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As I sit here reflecting that life will be good again

It has been a long and difficult journey that has brought many so much pain

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But it has been a challenging lesson that life is meant to rise and fall

But come what may, we are so lucky that life can be wonderful after all

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Arthur Rose

25 January 2021

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Natasha Williams of John Street Resolven, is an award winning worker with the National Autistic Society, but when not at work she takes some great photos locally and shares them with us

NATASHA:

Going into the second lockdown has given me time to look and reflect on the walks that I have been able to take around Resolven.

There are so many lovely places on our doorsteps.

Melincourt waterfall is fantastic.

  Reflecting on my walk and the photos I took, it made me think of how lucky I am to be able to get out and about and to see the beauty in the surrounding areas.