Now that Tower Colliery has finally closed, the new language that has been incubating there during the past thirteen or so years finally emerges.
Tyrone O’Sullivan and Tower Colliery shareholders now speak the language of business development and exploitation, the language of managers of men and land, of balance sheets, profit and bottom lines.
Over the past year or so, stories have been drip-fed via the corporate press about possible developments at the Tower site after its closure, including entrepreneurial-sounding visions for a waste processing plant, a housing and retail development, a museum and a range of other schemes.
There has been much talk about creating “sustainable jobs” at the former Colliery site, but one is skeptical of this type of lofty talk. The only idea not discussed by Tower Colliery shareholders is that perhaps the land be left to recover after nearly two hundred or so years of gross industrial exploitation.
No discussion has taken part with the communities of Rhigos or Hirwaun, or indeed any other community that will be blighted by more industrial expansion or development at the Tower Colliery site.
The new language of Tower Colliery is the language of a business class.
Many people visit Aberdare Blog looking for creatures that inhabit Aberdare Park including the Bongo (
Tragelaphus eurycerus) a rare and elusive African antelope, the black rhino, the bush pig, or giant forest hog.
We apologise, but we are only able to offer ducks, geese and other birds, trees, flowers, a variety of fungi, the annual colourful Carnival and road races, and of course, last but not least, the Aberdare Park grey squirrels.
We are nonetheless very, very proud of our local wildlife, flora and fauna.
Aberdare Park in Wales is around 50 hectares. Aberdare National Park in Kenya is around 77,000 hectares. The mind boggles at this scale.
If our mathematics are correct, you could fit nearly 3790 Aberdare Parks into the Kenyan Aberdare National Park.
Why did the Kenyans name such a vast nature reserve Aberdare National Park ?
Read the rest of this page »
Amidst the frenetic flurry of stories on Tower Colliery this week, one story caught our eye as an insightful breathe of fresh air …
John Redwood commented in his blog this week on the closure of Tower Colliery. He was Conservative Secretary of State for Wales at the time of the pit closure and subsequent buy-out. Without his enthusiasm for the project, it is doubtful whether the miners would ever have become owners of their own pits.
Redwood blogs thus :
When the miners arrived in my office, I think they were surprised by my enthusiasm for their cause, and by my explanation that their task was not to persuade me, but to work with me on our joint case to the Energy department and Coal Board to give them the opportunity to run the mine. As it meant being allowed to prove the Coal Board wrong it was not going to be easy, but I felt that between us we could do it.
So was forged a partnership in British politics that none had predicted. I joined forces with Tyrone O ‘Sullivan, the charismatic Lodge Secretary and leader of the buy out team to persuade Coal Board and government the should give the miners a chance. I was the only person who saw nothing strange in the alliance. I had always believed in workers participation and employee ownership. Here was a chance to show its magic in an industry that had been gravely damaged by the them and us mentality of the large corporation.
Perhaps the greatest modern legacy Thatcher left the Valleys was the Tower Colliery Story where two hundred or so workers bought their own pit and worked it by and for themselves until they dug every last tonne of coal they could dig out of the ground. The Tower Colliery Story is a success story and a story of radicalism. Every community needs a good story to tell the next generation.
There is a wonderful set of photos on Flickr entitled The Day Tower Colliery Closed by local Welsh photographer Trelewis.
The High Court has decided to hear the case of 14-year-old Sarika Singh, excluded from Aberdare Girl’s School for wearing a Sikh religious bangle.
The human rights group Liberty will argue that the school has breached race relations and human rights laws, as well as a 25-year-old Law Lords’ decision which allows Sikh children to wear items representing their faith, including turbans, to school.
Anna Fairclough, Liberty’s Legal Officer representing the Singhs, said: “Nothing less than our traditions of religious freedom and racial tolerance are on trial in this case. Individuals from any religion who wish to modestly express their faith should not be denied a proper education as Ms Singh has.”
Singh, of mixed Welsh/Punjabi origin, has been brought up in the Sikh faith and is the only Sikh at the Aberdare Girl’s School. The school’s uniform policy prohibits the wearing of any jewellery other than a wrist watch and plain ear studs. When the school noticed that Singh was wearing the religious bangle, she was subsequently isolated throughout the day, including meals, for approximately two months.
Children with disabilities in Rhondda Cynon Taf will have more opportunities to play sport this year in new football, swimming and badminton schemes, according to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council.
A new swimming initiative for children with mild learning disabilities will start in Aberdare next month. The 10-week block of disability swimming lessons begins at 4pm on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 in Aberdare Pool.
If you would like an application form to enable your child to take part in the lessons, please contact Rhondda Cynon Taf’s Disability Sport Wales Development Officer, Shelley Coster, on 01443 490242
Aberdare Badminton Club is holding an open day for people with disabilities at Aberdare Leisure Centre on Saturday, February 16, from 10am-midday.
The club will open its doors to anyone over the age of five who would like to take part. Wheelchair users are also welcome, as some sports wheelchairs will be available on the day.
There will be an opportunity for anyone interested to become a member of the badminton club – which usually runs on a Saturday evening from 7pm.
Regular hour-long football sessions for children of all ages are also currently being held at Pontypridd High School on Sundays at 10am.
Shelley hopes to eventually put together a team of players from these sessions. This will allow participants to take part in festivals and matches throughout South Wales.
“The football sessions follow successful ‘taster’ days held in Autumn 2007. Any children who did not attend the taster days but are interested in playing are welcome to join the sessions,” she said.
For more information on the swimming, football or badminton sessions, please contact Shelley Coster on 01443 490242
What would the late and great Phil Weekes have to say about the closure of Tower Colliery this week ?
In 1974 at a Conference held during the Year of the Valleys, Philip Weekes described himself thus :
I have all the contrasts, the contradictions, the cussedness, the emotions that you will find in the typical valleys miner, which is what I claim to be. My devotion to the Valleys has no logic that I can discover; it seems to be rooted in emotion. An emotion that made me demand that I be removed from an exciting job as Director-General of Mining in London – to run the largest, geologically-toughest, most unprofitable coalfield in Britain, and probably, Western Europe.
Weekes was a genius communicator but even he would now find it difficult to articulate his disappointment at the demise of our old way of life in the Valleys.
Aberdare’s MP Ann Clwyd has tabled an Early Day Motion in Parliament on the Aberdare Girls School Sikh case.
An Early Day Motion enables an MP to express their opinions on a subject and gather support. There is no guarantee of a debate in Parliament.
The EDM reads thus :
That this House takes serious note of the continued refusal of the Governing Body of Aberdare Girls’ School to permit a 14 year-old Sikh girl from wearing to school her Kara, a small Sikh bangle that is an article of her faith; is concerned to learn the punishment for the girl for her insistence on wearing her modest Kara was at first keeping her in isolation for nine weeks and then on 5th November, excluding her from school; and calls upon the UK Government to work with the Welsh Assembly and to do everything within its power to ensure the girl is immediately reinstated as her treatment clearly amounts to discrimination and contravenes the Race Relations Act 1976.
There is a detailed profile on the Cynon Valley MP on the TheyWorkForYou website, including Parliamentary contributions, voting records, and details on expenses. Nowadays it is possible to keep tabs on one’s Member of Parliament and read their Parliamentary contributions almost instantaneously. You can even request a free copy delivered in your e-mail intray!
A photogaph of Peter Hain’s local Labour Party Office taken recently… Neath Labour Party Office, Windsor Road, Neath.
Rev. Bernard Jones became the new Aberdare Rural Dean this week.
Rev. Bernard is currently (Church in Wales) Vicar for the Parish of Hirwaun responsible for two Churches within the Parish : St Lleurwg’s Church (Hirwaun) and the sister church at Penywaun, St Winifred.
The role of Aberdare Rural Dean involves extra responsibilities and duties within other Parishes in the Deanery of Cynon Valley. A key role for the Rural Dean is to support parishes during vacancies. The previous Rural Dean was Rev. Robert Davies of Aberdare Parish.
Congratulations to Rev. Bernard and we wish him well in this new role.
Want to get out and get more active in 2008? Then come along to Dare Valley Country Park, Aberdare, on Wednesday, January 23, where there will be guided cycle rides and walks for all ages and abilities – with bikes provided free of charge – from 10am-1pm.
Activities lined up include :
· A guided bike ride to Cwmaman along the old tramway – six and a half miles there and back along the flat – which will take up to an hour and a half.
· Short bike rides around the lake, with people on hand to help those who haven’t been on a bike for some time and would like to try again. Go around once, or as many times as you like.
· A walk of about a mile and a half around the park with an experienced ranger who can tell you all about the history and natural features in the park. This will take up to an hour – and you can have a go on a bike afterwards!
There will be a warming bowl of soup and a roll provided in the cafe between 12 and 1pm for everyone who has taken part. If weather conditions are bad, please come along anyway to find out about forthcoming outdoor activities. Participants will also get a chance to have their say about the type of outdoor activities they would like to join in their area.
For more information, contact Eleanor Rothwell on 01443 490206 or email eleanor.rothwell@sustrans.org.uk
Emma Robertson from the Welsh Blood Service blogs here with an urgent appeal :
Blood Donors are desperately needed at this time of year …
THE WELSH BLOOD SERVICE WILL BE AT THE FUNCTION ROOM
MICHAEL SOBELL SPORTS CENTRE
YNYS, ABERDARE
ON
THURSDAY 10 JANUARY 10.00 – 4.30
BLOOD STOCK LEVELS ARE LOW PRESENTLY – DUE TO COLDS & FLU & ALL THE EXTRA SUPPORT WOULD BE REALLY APPRECIATED GIVE SOMEONE HOPE
We have prepared a collection of Aberdare Grot Spots using photos from a variety of locations across Aberdare and Rhondda Cynon Taf.
One of the ugliest grot spots is perhaps at the top of the Mountain overlooking Aberdare. Hereabouts people dump their fast-food flotsam.
Visitors coming to Aberdare via Maerdy in the Rhondda are greeted by the sight of wrappings from the local junk food merchants.
In fairness to Aberdare’s local Council, they clean up the mess left by other people pretty soon, but perhaps, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council should prosecute a few more litter-bugs to ‘get the message across’.
Local recycling mascot Rhyscycle does an excellent of educating young people about the importance of recycling. Maybe it is now time to invent a similar cartoon character to help educate the Neanderthal adults in our midst who have not yet discovered the modern invention called a dust-bin!
Click on the thumbnail photos to see larger versions.
Mario Rutelli’s War Memorial at Aberystwyth is the most spectacular Welsh war memorial.
There is a collection of photos of the Memorial in the Gallery. Judge with your own eyes, or better still visit it yourself.
Who was the model ? Answers on a postcard if you know, please.
Welsh historian Gwyn Williams described it vividly : “I know people who still go round the point on which it stands to view once more what is thought to be the finest backside in Cardiganshire“. (‘The Land Remembers’, Futura, London 1977).
Spot on Mr Williams.
Better late than never… this Christmas we discovered the television comedy Gavin and Stacey, thanks to a gift from a kind uncle. The comedy was written by Ruth Jones and James Corden.
It was a thrilling discovery. We had to pause the DVD several times to try and recover from fits of hysterical laughter.
Gavin and Stacey is a lovely romantic comedy romp, with a strong Welsh flavour.
There were one or two scenes that really tickled the heart-strings in a big way. We fought (and failed) to hold back the tears watching the scene with Rob Brydon on the way to the Church with his niece.
Rob Brydon was absolutely excellent. He recently appeared in a one-man show in the Coliseum Theatre, Aberdare. How we now wish we had gone to see him!
The humour in Gavin Stacey is reminiscent of Rhondda playwright Frank Vickery. In the words of Smithy, the best mate of the show’s Essex hero, it’s “a Welsh thing”.
*
The drama revolves around a romance which begins over the telephone between a twenty-something girl from Barry Island, Wales, and a young man from Essex. The following is an excerpt from a conversation at the beginning of the first show, between Stacey and her pensioner neighbour Doris. Doris offers ‘romance tips’ to Stacey on her forthcoming blind-date in London :
Doris : Hiya Stacey
Stacey : Alright Doris, how’s the leg ?
Doris : Oh love, I wish they’d cut the bugger off.
Stacey : Oh you don’t mean that.
Doris : Oh yes I do. You ‘and me the axe, I’ll do it myself. You still going up London then on your blind date ?
Stacey : It’s not really a blind date. I mean, we’ve been talking for six months on the phone. We just haven’t met in the flesh like.
Doris : What time you off ?
Stacey : First thing. Dave’s coaches. I’m cacking myself I am.
Doris : Stace love, you’ve got to chill out. Thing to remember is don’t go giving him nothing on the first night.
Stacey : Really ?
Doris : Well, no, not nothing… A kiss, a cuddle, a cheeky finger… just don’t go selling him the whole farm.
We eagerly await the second-series which is in the making.
