Over the last few weeks, with Huw’s help I have been preparing for the Duck Race. Huw had ordered the nets and the ducks whilst Sian, Huw, and myself had made various site visits to choose the most suitable, accessible and safest course with the ultimate aim not to lose any ducks. So, with a risk assessment in place and adequate barriers set up to prevent the little yellow ducks from joining last year’s 70 escapees we were ready to go. Also, I was keen not to add to the world’s plastic pollution.

I had planned to run 8 heats (50 ducks in each) with the first 4 going into the final. This also made it more of an event to watch but also easier behind the winning line to capture the ducks. With all the heats over and all ducks accounted for it was ready for the final. As soon as all 20 ducks entered the water they sped to the finishing line, each duck now knowing the pitfalls along the way. It was a closely fought race with the first 3 ducks hot on each other’s tails as they raced toward the winning line. There was no need for a photo finish as each duck won by a beak.

 

 

 

 

 

The result:   First 273, Second 63, Third 294

The five of us thoroughly enjoyed ourselves that afternoon, Amber too and with most of the money in we have raised over £300 for Church funds. Thank you to all who helped – producing the tickets and posters, everyone who sold the ducks, to all who bought a duck and to Huw, Chris, Tracey and Sian for helping on the day.

Ruth Jones (Report)

Ruth and daughter Sian (photos)

 

 

A large fire broke out at a metal scrap yard in Neath Port Talbot on Saturday evening. South Wales Fire said it received the first of dozens of calls about 19:20 BST reporting the blaze near the the A465 at Skewen. Three fire engines were  in attendance at the scene but there was not considered to be a risk to life.

images and live footage by Mike Davies

 you tube link

https://youtu.be/OYK-XMue-Ds

JACK and  THE BEANSTALK

On Saturday April 2ist, I sat in the audience to watch the latest offering from Resolven Young Performers.  The group has grown over the years and this year they performed their pantomime in Cam Gears Club instead of the Miners Welfare to accommodate the larger cast and what a show they gave us. The lights went low and the stage came to life and it was non stop singing dancing and lots of comedy.

 

The prince and his princess (jack Roberts and Ella Charles ) gave  regal and commanding performances along with their royal entourage along with a most excellent and enthusiastic ‘Silly Billy’ played by Carlie Harris, who interacted with the children in the audience keeping them enthralled .

 

 

Dame Trotty played by Josh Sims entered the stage and the panto really came alive.  Along with her son Jack (Harley herring) who was so full of energy and enthusiasm continuously, and daughter (Casey Sullivan) who was at the end of Dame Trotty’s sharp tongue throughout.  The comedy never stopped and in true panto style the Dame became the focus for the night and gave a performance worthy of any stage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then came the wicked witch (Libby Herbert) who both thrilled and scared us with her excellent acting and singing. All this was linked beautifully by the good fairy (Gracie O’Sullivan) who gave an impeccable performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No panto is complete without a chorus and when you remember that the groups ages span from 3 to 17 it was a challenge to the leaders of the group (Christina James and Chris Edwards) to teach the many scenes dances and songs needed to make this night one to remember and I can vouch that the challenge was met and achieved beyond all expectations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REPORT by DIANE SIMS

Spring has sprung and Tommy Blanchard, Chairman of Clyne and Resolven Gardening Club, has already opened the gardening supplies shed in Clydach Avenue, Resolven (near the blue bridge).

 

 

Tommy is there every Saturday morning between 11 and 12 to serve all customers not just members (though joining the club won’t break the bank —just 50 p!) and the club stocks a wide range of gardening supplies. You can buy almost anything from grow bags to slug pellets, compost to weed killer.  The only thing Tommy can’t provide is ideal gardening weather and he reckons because everything is about a month behind after our harsh winter, we need to be extra careful before planting out.

Remember this a few weeks ago?  A photo of frozen Clydach brook taken near the blue bridge by our RDN reporter Diane Sims

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The meeting began on a very sad note as the recent death of committee member Mrs Jean Thomas was announced. Jean had been ill for some time and had served on the committee for many years. A minute’s silence was then marked in her memory. Our sincerest condolences go to our Chairman Gwyn on his loss.

The speaker this month needed no introduction since it was none other than Resolven History Society member Mr Ken Thomas. Mr Thomas apart from being the dependable projectionist at Brynaman Public Hall for many years,had also made his living as a training officer in the manufacturing industry. He explained that as much of his work involved visiting various manufacturing works which guarded their secrets carefully, he had signed the Official Secrets Act which prevented him from going into any detail. To this effect he had produced a film on the glove industry of the UK,originally in VHS format the film had recently been digitalised. Despite the fact that he had written the script himself he had ensured that any claim on intellectual property had been settled before showing the film publically.

The talk began with a brief introduction to the clothing industry in the UK which was once enormous and had clothed the world, but was now largely a shadow of its former self. The Manchester area alone at the start of the last century employed over a million workers in textiles. Worcester was the centre of the glove industry and at its zenith employed over 50,000 workers.

The glove trade itself is ancient and its roots can be traced as far as the Romans. Gloves are essential in the protection of the hands against heat, cold, blades, filth and disease. It was stressed that the Queen always wears gloves when meeting the public to protect her from being poisoned (a fact which was made so real recently by events in Salisbury). The revolutionary change in the quantity of their production came with the invention of the sewing machine in the USA in the 1860s. It is normally assumed that this innovation was solely the work of Irwin Singer, however the originator of the sewing machine was actually a man named Elias Howe and indeed there was such bitter rivalry between the two, that they were given co-patency of its licence. The sewing machine, whether driven by handle, treadle or water wheel speeded up production though it was still largely a manual skill until the 1960s. The trade for gloves dropped off in the second half of the twentieth century owing to changes in fashion and its footloose nature allowed it to relocate to the cheaper west country of England around Yeovil, where Dent’s remained the sole manufacturer (now sole importer) of gloves in the UK. Owing to foreign competition from Asia no gloves are now produced in the UK, indeed the Glove Guild of the UK ceased in the early years of the present century.

The film itself was a gem and appeared far older than its fifty years. Some of the early handmade preparation could have been placed in the same workshop as the Anglo-Norman names given to the components of a glove. It was obvious that the workers were on a piece rate since they worked with both speed and efficiency. Even then, it was obvious that many of these practices were old fashioned even by the standards of the 1970s and the late introduction of mass production was unable to save it. Nevertheless, the loss of hundreds of thousands of well-paid and skilled jobs done by both sexes was a crying shame. Mr Thomas was of the opinion that the glove industry alongside other manufacturing trades had been sacrificed by Mrs Thatcher in the 1980s in order to gain aerospace contracts with those very same far eastern countries.

Mr Trefor Jones, deputising for Mr Gwyn Thomas gave a vote of thanks to fellow “Brynamanite”, Mr Ken Thomas for a most enjoyable evening.

Report by  Chairman Mr Trefor Jones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exact venue for the race is still to be decided (watch this space)  But it will take place on Sat 28th April at 2pm– weather permitting. Tickets are £1. and are available from Church members or Marcia – Post Office. The event is in aid of St David’s Church.

RUTH JONES

 
Lenticular clouds— sometimes called UFO clouds– seen at sunrise over the Vale of Neath 

Mike Davies