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COMMUNITY CENTRE SUPPORT GROUP Summer 2021 In addition to the recent and very welcome spell of summer weather, there appear to be grounds for cautious optimism on the Covid front, as restrictions are gradually eased. Anglesey has seen a huge influx of visitors since the school holidays started, and we can only hope that this helps the Island’s tourism industry, which has taken such a knock since the pandemic started. The pubs and restaurants have been working under very difficult conditions and they deserve a break from the restrictions that they’ve had to deal with. **Note - We have had a temporary interruption to our translating facilities, so the Welsh version of the Newsletter isn’t available yet. We hope to have it sorted in the near future, so meanwhile, please be patient. Diolch yn fawr! ** YMCC UPDATE – from Cllr BRYAN OWENAt the moment everyone is working from home, and all of our meetings are virtual. There is another increase in the number of people testing positive on the island. The vaccine has kept people from being hospitalised, there are approximately 7000 of the island’s population that have not been vaccinated.
WI UPDATE – from MONICA MORRIS |
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Hi everyone, we hope and pray that you are all keeping well. The Bodorgan W.I. have kept very busy, as usual. We hope that our litter picking in the village, along the Cob and both sides of the road towards Newborough was appreciated. Please come and join us next time, we will be out again on the 10th of August weather permitting. We all appreciate this beautiful part of Anglesey, let’s try to keep it that way. Our venues should be opening up very soon, we hope. Please come and join us, we would love to welcome you into a very happy friendly group of ladies, all with very diverse interests. Definitely Not just Jam and Jerusalem. God Bless you all, from Monica
BODORGAN STATION after “ADOPTION” by the WIFor our next project we are hoping to brighten up the front yard of the Community Centre. The weeds have already been treated, and as soon as the yard has been cleared of the dead vegetation, we will ask the Trustees for permission to install planters near the outer wall. The late Alwyn Rowlands had obtained some dinghies to use as planters, and if we utilise one of them, it will seem a fitting tribute to him, in recognition of all that he did to organise events, raising funds for Malltraeth Ymlaen and the Community in general. |
OVER 50s GROUP – from ROZ SMITHUnfortunately, there is still no progress regarding the reopening of our Community Centre. Seeing the building open on Polling Day gave us hope that we were not far off getting back together after such a long time. Sadly, this was not the case – we don't know why. However, the good news is that our membership is increasing. The more members we have – the more activities and fun we will have. If there are any over 50's out there who would like to join us – phone me on 840196. You’d be very welcome!
BODORGAN COMMUNITY CENTRE The Community Centre is managed and controlled by the Bodorgan Community Centre Trustees. Back in August of last year we were told by the Trustees that the Centre would be closed “for the foreseeable future” because of Covid restrictions. Almost a year later, Covid restrictions are easing, and bit by bit we see a return to a measure of normality. Community Centres across Anglesey are reopening for business. The Trustees however have announced that our Community Centre will again remain closed “for the foreseeable future” The reason given this time is concern over Fire Safety. The Trustees requested a fire safety check, and after it was carried out earlier this year, they said “major structural work” would be necessary before the Centre can reopen, and YMCC are not willing to fund it. The Centre is no different structurally from how it was when it was in regular use for functions and meetings before Covid, but the Trustees have refused to let us see the report. Both the Support Group and Malltraeth Ymlaen have expressed their willingness to help and support the Trustees in resolving the issues raised by the Fire Safety check, but to date the Safety Report remains a closely guarded secret, so as things stand, there is nothing we can do to help. Before the pandemic, we were seeing improved utilisation of the Centre, with meetings and functions on the increase, and judging by the number of enquiries from potential users there is no reason why this trend shouldn’t continue. But first we have to open! PARISH UPDATE from Rev ELIZABETH ROBERTSAberffraw and LLangadwaladr Churches are open for Sunday services, subject to Covid regulations. Aberffraw services are on 1st and 3rd Sunday in the month, and LLangadwaladr on 2nd and 4th Sundays. Zoom services will continue on Sundays at 9.30 am with the contact details already given. MALLTRAETH YMLAEN – REPORT FROM THE DIRECTORSDue to COVID restrictions Malltraeth Ymlaen has not been able to arrange full meetings with its members. However, we have been active in recent months. Grant funding for community events is being sought, the Bodorgan Community Council and the Trustees of the Bodorgan Community Centre were approached some months ago for their support for funding as well as a request to the Bodorgan Community Council to allow Community activity notices to be placed within the noticeboards. To date there has been no response from either. Although other Community Centres on Anglesey are gradually opening for their communities it does not appear, for some reason, that this may be the case in Bodorgan. Approaches have been made to the Trustees, but unfortunately there has been no positive response. Without the opening of the Bodorgan Community Centre, Malltraeth Ymlaen is restricted to local facilities where a full meeting with members can be held. Investigations are being made on how Malltraeth Ymlaen can arrange a proper meeting. To consolidate the future of our Community Centre, collaboration with either the Bodorgan Community Centre Trustees or the Bodorgan Community Council, or both, would be both desirable and welcome. BREAKING NEWS: YNYS MON COUNTY COUNCIL ARE OFFERING BODORGAN SCHOOL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP IT AS A COMMUNITY FACILITY. THEY ARE LOOKING TO TRANSFER THIS ASSET TO COMMUNITY USE. WE WILL BE APPLYING! 150 CLUBThe list has now closed, with a total of 81 participants. Still low, but two more than last year! As with so many other activities, Covid has taken its toll, with few opportunities for promoting the draw. Also, Bodorgan Community Council is now refusing to allow access to the notice boards. Total raised for Community events & functions is £405, there will be 5 draws between now and Christmas, prizes as follows: - £25, £20, £15 and £10, with an extra £30 & £25 prize for December. Winners from the first draw are - V Wilson (£25) C James (£20), P Jones (£15), M Dalton (£10)
SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPHS WANTED! |
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This picture was probably taken just after it had been built, about 1910. It’s a fine-looking building and it must have been a revelation to the kids wandering down the hill from Bethel to their lessons. If you have any more pictures from that time then could you send them to us, we’d like to add them to the website. The big gap in our photo record is that we have no pictures of the school between 1920 and 1940. Some time in that period the school was expanded by adding a brick-built wing to each end of the original building. This nearly doubled the size of the school, and, of course, these extensions are still standing. We’ve no idea what that building looked like. Did they render the new brick extensions, or did they leave them as bare brick? What sort of windows did they fit?
If you have any photographs, they’ll be nearly a hundred years old, so I don’t expect I’ll be flooded with offers! But if you find any I’d like to make copies, if we may. They’ll be added to our website. Email me at |
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This has been a great month for emerging plants & flowers - if some are unwanted! Brightest include Red Campion, Purple Vetch, Sea Carrot & Kidney Vetch; and latterly, Spotted Orchids & Meadowsweet; the unpopular - Ragweed & Oil-seed Rape, both of which are dominating the Cob. At least the Ragwort promotes Cinnabar Moths, and the Rape, vital insects like bees & hoverflies. There are many beautiful seeding Grasses, too. *Common Blue Damselflies are currently found in good number on the Cob, with the odd Hawker like the Emperor Dragonfly, or various bright butterflies as mentioned in previous months, plus Meadow Browns. *Amongst other wildlife, Otters & Pygmy Shrews have stood out, with an Otter family still showing regularly on the RSPB Cors Ddyga Marsh, even from footpaths & cycle track; and I have personally seen 3 of the wee, frantically scurrying shrews around here recently, if one was in the post-scurry world.... *Birds – not the busiest time, as largely a winter venue here – at least include squabbling, breeding Oystercatchers, and many warblers singing themselves into a second brood, like the Sedge & Grasshopper Warblers, Blackcaps & Whitethroats, on the Cob; where at least one of our Stonechat pairs have had 4 streaky young. Another Osprey has passed by waders like Black-tailed Godwits, Curlews & Common Sandpipers are already winging south. |
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*Shameless Ad time: a certain book has just come out, covering 50 Wildlife Sites on Anglesey....Including a glowing forward by Iolo Williams, currently filming a new wildlife series here on Môn. (Due to several signing sessions being cancelled due to you-know-what, I am happy to supply and sign books to any intrepid visitors to our estuarine lawn, where ‘One Heron Distance’ applies.)
Intro from the book: “Whilst we have lost quite a lot of flora & fauna, we have actually gained a lot too: The likes of Corncrake, ed Helleborine orchid & Natterjack Toad might have gone, but several others are moving in. Amongst them an amazing three species of Mediterranean egret, Red Kites, uncommon insects and fungi; whilst others, like Red Squirrel, Otter & Bittern are rapidly returning, with and without our help. Our superb rocky and sandy coastline also shows both loss and gain, with auks including Atlantic Puffin, some terns, or cetaceans like porpoises & dolphins, increasing, whilst other species like breeding Shelduck or Atlantic Salmon, decline. Generally though, the biggest losses are formerly common but long declining breeding birds like Skylark, Lapwing, Redshank, Grey Partridge, Yellowhammer, Curlew, Cuckoo, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker & Little Owl. Yet we also have ‘new’ windblown southern insects like Hummingbird Hawkmoth or Clouded Yellow butterfly increasing, or Red Fox, Badger, Polecat & Common Buzzard, all of whose numbers have shot up in recent decades, as have the likes of Peregrines, Black Guillemots, Common Ravens & Choughs.”
Book & Exhibition @ Oriel Mon until 18th July. |
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OBITUARYWe are sorry to announce that John Prys Owen - affectionately known as 'John Plismon' of Gallt Ysw, Bethel, passed away on 19th July 2021. John was a popular and well-known figure in Bethel and surrounding areas, where he lived for a number of years with his family in the Police Station/House – before its closure. He was the last Policeman to be stationed in the Village. We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to his family and friends.'On behalf of Community Centre Support Group 12th August 2021 |