SUMMER 2009
National Play Day
The sun came out for National Play Day. Once again the climbing wall was one of the favourite attractions on the day, so we offer a big thank you to The Language & Play Team who paid for the wall. The water slidewas also very popular with many of the young people, adults too, who preferred the texture of the mud bank alongside the water slide. Nia and Emma from the LeanaProject promoted a healthy life with a ‘Peddle your Smoothie’.
The Community Farm brought their animal corner, there was lots of den building, face painting, dressing up and lots more.Everyone enjoyed the day. Many Thanks to everyone who made this possible.
Also, a big thanks go to the neighbours who supplied the water for the slide and fed the people with hot dogs.
SPRING 2009
While Blaenymaes Community Centre has recently celebrated their 30tth anniversary, they continue to offer many opportunities for local people to get involve in their community.
From fun carnival days, bingo nights, valentine disco’s, dance classes, Santa’s grottos and many children activities, the Community Centre has been well used by many local people. Among the Center’s many achievements, Blaenymaes Boxing Club ranks high among them. Based in the upstairs of the Community Centre, the Boxing Club is set to become the talk of the town as they train our future champions.
This year the Boxing Club is celebrating 20 years of opening its doors to training people in this Olympic sport. 1989 was a time where we saw world class boxers such as Sugar Ray Leonard, Barry McGuigan and Lennox Lewis dance around the ring becoming champions.
Over the last two decades, these boxing heroes, and others like them, have been the inspiration of many of our local young people as they have jabbed and punched their way to success.
While the numbers of those using the Club at the beginning were not always high, this did not reflect on the quality of skilled boxers entering its rings. Coach Tony Thompson, looks back over those years remembering its achievements. “During our 20 years we have had quite a few Welsh Champions, School Boy Champions and Senior Champions training at the Club, including 2 professional boxers”. An impressive feat that Tony believes will continue as the Club enters the next twenty years.
When asked if he believes that there are stars of tomorrow at the Club, Tony was keen to tell us about 15 year old, Ben Wheel. “He has the potential to become a professional boxer and go all the way and we will push him to his best. You can tell that he is a boxer, he is very determined. There are categories in boxing, there is a fighter and there is a boxer, and a boxer will always beat a fighter. A fighter is just aggressive but a boxer is skilled and Ben has this spark in him. One to look out for!”
When Ben was in year 10 at school he started to get picked on, so he joined the Blaenymaes Boxing Club to give him more confidence. As he was learning boxing he found out that he was good at it and decided to stick at it. Ben explained “I really enjoy going to the boxing club, it keeps me off the streets and out of trouble. I never fight anyone on the streets, I do it all in the ring. I hope to become professional when I’m older and hopefully enter 2012 Olympics. I train up to 6 times a week and watch what I eat when I know I have a fight coming up.” Ben loves the song by Kanye West, Stronger, the words make a lot of sense Ben said.. His favourite boxer is the legend Ricky Hatton, Ben say’s that “he is a great boxer and a real down to earth guy”.
As the Boxing Club builds on its achievements of the last 20 years it is offering valuable opportunities for the young people in the area, to not only learn new skills and develop their boxing abilities, it also provides a healthy focus and discipline that most teenagers thrive on. The Boxing Club, which is open 4 nights a week, offers a positive space where young people train their bodies and learn new ways to deal with teenage angst. Tony told us, “It gets them off the streets and away from causing trouble. They get good discipline at the Boxing Club because when the trainer tells them to do something, they do it or they are out! This is very good for them and the kids get to take any anger or stress built up, out on the bag.”
Along side sessions for children and young people the Club also has adults only training sessions. These times are well used and flexible enough for those working to also take advantage of the facilitates. It has also previously run a Ladies Boxercise Group, ‘The Warriors’! With over a dozen ladies going to the class twice a week, it offered a chance for local women to keep fit, get healthy and laugh together while trying something new. They also gave some of the men a run for their money.
While the Club has had its obstacles to over come, it has been well supported by those in the community and its many local volunteers that have enjoyed the opportunities that it has bought their way. With local support coming from the Blaenymaes, Portmead, Penplas Development Trust, based at the ARC, the Club were able to purchase training kits and bags for the youth. Other local businesses such as builders, Fil Fil, and Tudor Court Guest House have also provided support, all of which helps the Club continue into the future.
With an impressive 20 years gone and many more around the corner, Blaenymaes Boxing Club is sure to continue with great success. With potential stars, such as Ben Wheel and others training at the Club, I’m sure that they will see many more champions taking their place among the best!
Winter 2008
Students from the Action Resource Centre had a proud moment on Saturday 29th November 2008 when they attended the graduation ceremony at Swansea's University of Wales. For their achievements in the field of Information Technology Foundation Certificate, pictured here are some of the graduated students... Jean Powell, Maureen Thomas, Seleh Chege and Joanne Fitzgerald pictured with Lisa Watkins and Debbie Jones, staff from the ARC and tutor Georgina Hayman, who also graduated.Michael Powis, Elaine Quinn, Cath McCormack also graduated in absento.
Autumn Issue
Summer Carnival 2008
Come rain or shine our community carnival has pride of place in the summers of local residents! Not put off by the great British weather the community comes together for an afternoon of fun! With a huge variety of play, action, dancing and activities on offer, this years carnival did not disappoint! With parades, games, face painting, bouncy castles and boxing available there was plenty of fun to be had with impressive numbers turning out.
Well, considering the awful weather we’ve had over the Summer holidays the community carnival this year was very well attended and a great success!!
Our prayers were answered on the day too, the rain held off long enough for the parade to take place and by the time everyone got under cover at the community centre the heavens opened and boy did it rain.
Reverting to ‘good old’ plan B, we headed indoors to shelter from the British Summer! Moving all the activities and stalls under cover within the Community Centre and Youth Centre. Thankfully there was just enough space to accommodate most of what we had planned. The big bouncy castle was out side and this could only be used in dry weather and again thank goodness it did dry up enough for the young people to make use of it.
An impressive display of local talent was on show by the community with the variety of carnival activities that took place, they all went down a storm, just like the weather outside. With Tan dance and VAPA Vision performing their dance moves, and not forgetting a spectacular solo performance from Nathan Shepherd.
Nathan also lead the parade with an energetic dance routine down Broughton Avenue. A big well done and thank you to all of you that took part.Delicious cakes and cookies from St.Teilo’s church ladies were the first to go. With no surprise, their stall certainly pulled in the crowds. With us all gaining a few extra pounds from the delicious cream cakes... yummy yummy!
The Fire Service went the extra mile too... Due to the bad weather they had to cancel the planned chip pan fire display, but undeterred, arrived on carnival day in style! The fire engine siren’ed its way into Blaenymaes. The children loved trying on the fire hats, jumping on board, finding out what all those red buttons are for... and ringing those sirens! A very welcome addition to the day!
Cornerstone Church worked really hard on the day, they came with lots of activities, puzzles, story telling, face painting and some fabulous floor games which kept many children… and adults, entertained for an hour or more.
We would like to thank the St John’s Ambulance team for their attendance on the day and the Police who blocked off the road and guided those in the parade. We would also like to thank all the staff at the Community Centre who worked really hard keeping us all refreshed.
Last, but not least, the Health and Wellbeing Survey team who worked hard with a lot of residents on the day filling in the questionnaires! With many completed on the day, it set the survey off to a good start ! But if you were to distracted by all the fun on the day, you could still have your say by completing and returning your home survey!
All in all, it would be fair to say that carnival day went down a treat. With organisations, volunteers and residents pulling together to make the day fun and another successful carnival year!!! A big thank you to all those people that made the day possible...bring on next year!!!!
Summer Carnival 2008
Come rain or shine our community carnival has pride of place in the summers of local residents! Not put off by the great British weather the community comes together for an afternoon of fun! With a huge variety of play, action, dancing and activities on offer, this years carnival did not disappoint! With parades, games, face painting, bouncy castles and boxing available there was plenty of fun to be had with impressive numbers turning out.
Well, considering the awful weather we’ve had over the Summer holidays the community carnival this year was very well attended and a great success!!
Our prayers were answered on the day too, the rain held off long enough for the parade to take place and by the time everyone got under cover at the community centre the heavens opened and boy did it rain.
Reverting to ‘good old’ plan B, we headed indoors to shelter from the British Summer! Moving all the activities and stalls under cover within the Community Centre and Youth Centre. Thankfully there was just enough space to accommodate most of what we had planned. The big bouncy castle was out side and this could only be used in dry weather and again thank goodness it did dry up enough for the young people to make use of it.
An impressive display of local talent was on show by the community with the variety of carnival activities that took place, they all went down a storm, just like the weather outside. With Tan dance and VAPA Vision performing their dance moves, and not forgetting a spectacular solo performance from Nathan Shepherd.
Nathan also lead the parade with an energetic dance routine down Broughton Avenue. A big well done and thank you to all of you that took part.Delicious cakes and cookies from St.Teilo’s church ladies were the first to go. With no surprise, their stall certainly pulled in the crowds. With us all gaining a few extra pounds from the delicious cream cakes... yummy yummy!
The Fire Service went the extra mile too... Due to the bad weather they had to cancel the planned chip pan fire display, but undeterred, arrived on carnival day in style! The fire engine siren’ed its way into Blaenymaes. The children loved trying on the fire hats, jumping on board, finding out what all those red buttons are for... and ringing those sirens! A very welcome addition to the day!
Cornerstone Church worked really hard on the day, they came with lots of activities, puzzles, story telling, face painting and some fabulous floor games which kept many children… and adults, entertained for an hour or more.
We would like to thank the St John’s Ambulance team for their attendance on the day and the Police who blocked off the road and guided those in the parade. We would also like to thank all the staff at the Community Centre who worked really hard keeping us all refreshed.
Last, but not least, the Health and Wellbeing Survey team who worked hard with a lot of residents on the day filling in the questionnaires! With many completed on the day, it set the survey off to a good start ! But if you were to distracted by all the fun on the day, you could still have your say by completing and returning your home survey!
All in all, it would be fair to say that carnival day went down a treat. With organisations, volunteers and residents pulling together to make the day fun and another successful carnival year!!! A big thank you to all those people that made the day possible...bring on next year!!!!
"I look forward to the carnival every year. There is always lots going on and the kids love the bouncy castles and having their faces painted.” Local resident, aged 35.
“I always think that I have more fun then the kids do.lol.” Local resident, aged 22.
“I loved it in the Fire Engine, pressing all the buttons.” Local resident, aged 9.
“I bought a lovely plant for 20p in the youth centre in the carnival, it’s growing loads.” Local resident, aged 68.
“I’ve been going to the ARC for the last 2 weeks, getting my dress ready for the parade. It looked lush.” Local resident, aged 13.
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“I loved it in the Fire Engine, pressing all the buttons.” Local resident, aged 9.
“I bought a lovely plant for 20p in the youth centre in the carnival, it’s growing loads.” Local resident, aged 68.
“I’ve been going to the ARC for the last 2 weeks, getting my dress ready for the parade. It looked lush.” Local resident, aged 13.
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Spring Issue 2008
The Penplas Inn Memories
The Penplas site has been a hub of activity for the past three decades.It has been the home of hair salons, news agents, supermarkets and of course the Penplas Inn. We can look back with fond memories at the stories and activities this site has brought us. Bringing many in the community together through darts teams, pool competitions, discos and parties, the Penplas site certainly made its mark.
In the Penplas area there was a shopping complex that thrived since the early 1980’s. This centre included Leo’s super market, a hair salon, travel agents, news agents, and a Gwalia Housing Office. This shopping complex played an integral part in the community. However, in the 1990’s a horrible fire caused Leo’s to close and was later demolished. This was the beginning of what would be a snow ball effect. After Leo’s was no more, it was not long before the other shops closed. The only facility left standing was the Penplas Inn. The pub stepped up and helped keep the community spirit alive.
The Penplas Inn Memories
The Penplas site has been a hub of activity for the past three decades.It has been the home of hair salons, news agents, supermarkets and of course the Penplas Inn. We can look back with fond memories at the stories and activities this site has brought us. Bringing many in the community together through darts teams, pool competitions, discos and parties, the Penplas site certainly made its mark.
In the Penplas area there was a shopping complex that thrived since the early 1980’s. This centre included Leo’s super market, a hair salon, travel agents, news agents, and a Gwalia Housing Office. This shopping complex played an integral part in the community. However, in the 1990’s a horrible fire caused Leo’s to close and was later demolished. This was the beginning of what would be a snow ball effect. After Leo’s was no more, it was not long before the other shops closed. The only facility left standing was the Penplas Inn. The pub stepped up and helped keep the community spirit alive.
Since then, the Penplas Inn has created many memories. From dart teams to Valentines Day parties, it was a place that brought people together. A community member remembers “all the community grouped together for fun evenings out like the fireworks display on the Penplas site”. This was just one event to lift community spirits. However, it was not only social events that brought this community together. As far back as 1999 there had been talks to demolish the Penplas Inn. As early as August of 1999 the Chairwoman of the council released a statement saying that "the estates committee resolved to accept the surrender of the lease from the brewery subject to the brewery first demolishing the building". It was rumoured that this would make way for a housing development, despite over a 600 signature petition. There was a refusal, to acknowledge the residents need for the pub reasoning that if those who signed the petition actually used to the pub there wouldn't be a problem. Many residents felt it was the only facility open to them without having to take a long walk to neighbouring areas. For many tearing down a place that has brought so much to the community would be tearing down an important part of the community.
Despite the decision to demolish the site, this was not the last chapter for the pub. Many residents were still compelled to turn up in the Penplas Inn even after the electric was cut off. This just illustrates the community's loyalty to the pub. In the end, loyalty was not enough to save this beloved pub. The fate of the pub, which ignited the whole controversy, did not end in it being demolished as planned. Instead the pub met its end in a fire. So after all the memories made, petitions signed, and social functions attended, this pub has had its 'last call'.
Paul Ryan remembers the pub and say it will be "Greatly missed by many people. the pub held quiz nights , ladies and mens darts teams , football teams, family parties and wakes".
Tricia Morgan remembers when her father would go down for his afternoon sessions at what he called his 'community centre' and meet up with friends to do cross words over a pint.
What is the next chapter for this site? With unclear plans for its future, perhaps the same energy and spirit that brought the community together can be channelled to support a decision to help build a new facility to replace it. John Webber, 11years old of Blaenymaes, would like to see a field to play football or maybe a fun centre for kids.
