Buddy Magazine - July 2025 - Bridgend & RCT by Buddy_Magazine

BRIDGEND & RCT EDITION

JULY 2025

Local Business Directory

Swansea and Bridgend’s newest private hospitals. Enhancing the lives of patients through quality care.

Bedroom Furniture

FREE CAD Design Service for

bedrooms & Home

From South Wales’ Premier Fitted Bedroom & Home Oﬃce Specialist Unit 1, North Point

Bespoke Fitted Hinged and Sliding door Wardrobes Visit Our Showroom Today

Bespoke home oﬃce installations Dedicated Specialist Wiemann Studio

• FREE Home Consultations 01656 657526

• GENUINE Made to Measure Service

• ALWAYS Beat the National Companies

• FRIENDLY Family Business Est. 40 Years

• REAL Showroom open Monday to Saturday

• CAD Design Service

The missing piece of your retirementplan could be locked up in yourhome

Alifetimemortgagemayimpactyourentitlementtomeans-testedbeneﬁts and theinheritanceyoumayleave. LifestyleHouse,97-99TalbotRoad,TalbotGreen,CF728AE LifestyleEquityReleaseis a tradingstyleofLifestyle(Glamorgan)Ltdwhichisauthorised

AFRICA ALWAYS AMERICA BEAT IT BROKEN WINGS CALL ME CONTROL CRUISIN' DOWN UNDER ENDLESS LOVE FAITHFULLY FAME FAST CAR FREEDOM GLORIA GUILTY HEARTBREAKER HEAVEN HOLD ME HUMAN HUNGRY HEART INFATUATION KOKOMO LA BAMBA LET'S DANCE

MAGIC MANIC MONDAY MONY MONY NEVER NOTORIOUS OUR HOUSE PASSION PATIENCE PINK HOUSES PURPLE RAIN ROCK ON SAILING SARA SATISFIED SHOUT SONGBIRD SUKIYAKI SUSSUDIO THE FLAME THE LOOK THE ROSE TIME TOO SHY TRUE TRULY

TWO HEARTS VACATION VOICES CARRY WE BELONG WHIP IT YOUR LOVE

TV GOLD - Dallas (1978 to 1991)

OVER

AUGUST 11-15th

- 1:00pm

followed by lunch

Name:

Arts & Crafts

Skittles

Children’s

Table Tennis

Ukelele Band

Try hand bells Darts

Please post this slip through the letterbox at Bethel Baptist Church to book your place.

By Mathew Ap Gwilym

Graham Loveluck-Edwards is a historian, author and broadcaster and is available for talks, lectures and public speaking engagements. For more information visit his website at www.grahamloveluckedwards.com.

As Wales’ Premier Health & Racquets Club we will help you find the right fitness regime to get you on track to a fitter and healthier lifestyle in just six weeks.

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE

•20m pool

•Cardiovascular gym

•Resistance gym

• Exclusive junior timetable

•Spin studio

•Free weights gym

• Over 70 classes per week

•Squash and tennis

•Whirlpool baths, sauna & steam room

•Outdoor functional ﬁtness zone

• FREE body composition testing

•Crèche

•Day nursery†

•Wales’ largest spa†

•Bar and restaurant

•Exclusive member discounts throughout the Resort

Strange But True

Koalas spend 99% of their lives eating and sleeping. The remaining 1% is devoted to searching for a mate, during which they wander. They eventually give up and go back to sleep if they do not nd one.

Rabbits have teeth that never stop growing, so they constantly chew on hay or wood to keep them from getting too long.

In 1937, goalkeeper Sam Bartram was left alone on the eld after a football game was cancelled due to heavy fog. He stood there for about 15 minutes until a police o cer informed him that the game had been cancelled.

J.M. Barrie, author of Peter Pan, donated the story's copyright to Great Ormond Street Hospital in 1929. His generous gift ensured that all royalties would fund the hospital's work- a legacy of kindness that continues over 80 years after his death.

A woodpecker tongue loops around its head helping to protect it’s brain from the force of repeated pecking.

Alligators and sharks can live up to 100 years.

A honeybee has two stomachs, one for honey and one for food.

A small amount of alcohol on a scorpion will drive it insane and cause it to sting itself to death.

Blue whales are the largest creatures to ever roam the Earth.

Sharks are older than trees. Sharks: 400 million years. Trees: ~350 million years.

Chickens Can Remember Over 100 Faces. They also dream, have strong social structures, and recognize human faces, especially those who treat them kindly.

There’s a giant water reservoir oating in space.

It holds 140 trillion times all the water on Earth and surrounds a black hole.

Some people possess a rare condition called Hyperthymesia, also known as Highly Superior Autobiographical Memory (HSAM), which allows them to recall an unusually large number of their life experiences with great detail.

Elephants weigh less than the tongue of a blue whale. A blue whale’s heart is the size of a car.

Rats Laugh When Tickled They emit ultrasonic giggles (inaudible to humans) and will seek out the person or hand that tickled them again. Scientists literally use a rat “tickle box” to study joy.

There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all Earth’s beaches. Estimated: 1 septillion (1 followed by 24 zeros) stars.

Bats Sing Love Songs

Male bats of some species produce complex, melodic calls to attract matessimilar to birdsong, but ultrasonic.

There are lakes and rivers under the ocean.

Known as brine pools, these are super-salty pockets of water that sit on the sea oor and don’t mix with the surrounding water. They even have shorelines and currents.

Do you have fatigue due to Long COVID?

Are you interested in participating in a research study on how your body responds when you do a physical or mental task, and how this relates to your fatigue and how you think and feel?

We are looking for:

- Individuals with Long COVID experiencing fatigue

- Aged 18 – 69 years

Where and when?

• You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire online about your fatigue and wellbeing.

• The remainder of the study takes places in Cardiff, Ty Dewi Sant building on Heath Park Campus (University Hospital Wales)

• You will be asked to come to Ty Dewi Sant on two separate days. Each session will take up to 90 minutes. The appointments can be arranged to suit your schedule.

To see the full information about this study and information on how to take part, please scan the QR code

If you have any questions, please contact longcovidfatigue@Cardiff.ac.uk

With the ongoing developments and evolution of conservatory roofs, we have examined the options available for homeowners looking to maximise the potential of their living space.

Whether you want to expand your current space or improve an existing conservatory, there are a number of products on the market that have significantly altered the home improvement market in recent years.

CONSERVATORY

Traditional Edwardian Conservatory

Due to relatively low cost, the traditional conservatory is still the most popular choice for extended living space. Conservatories over 5 years old or those fitted recently with inefficient glass or polycarbonate roofs, are often too cold to use during the coldest winter months and too hot to use during the middle of summer. However, as a result of much investment into energy efficient products over the last 5 years, our conservatories utilise the same technology as our A+ rated windows and doors, meaning radiation heat gain is reduced in the summer and conduction heat loss is reduced in the winter, making the conservatory more useable during the seasonal extremes. With a range of shapes and sizes available, we can extend your living space for a modest outlay.

EXTENDED LIVING SPACES -

AN INDUSTRY INSIGHT.

ORANGERY

Orangeries are increasing in popularity recently due to their grand visual aesthetics and opulent accessories. This stunning building floods the adjoining rooms with light, whilst the interior height of the Orangery creates the feeling of grandeur that is sure to appeal to the discerning homeowner. Whether you prefer a brick pillar look with matching parapet, or vertical columns and a decorative fascia, we have options to compliment and suit every taste.

LivinROOM

Interior

Our Livin Rooms combine the best of both worlds, giving you the light of a conservatory but the feel of an extension. You can maintain light and space by

using windows all round, have brickpiers to give a greater sense of solidity or use our super - insulated Loggia columns for a stylish, thermally efficient finish. The internal pelmet also allows you to install downlighters, giving you an authentic Orangery experience at a conservatory price point.

LivinROOF

LivinRoof is the first roofing system designed to give you the flexibility to combine solid and glazed roofing seamlessly. It helps you extend your living space and enhance thermal performance to give you a room that you can use all year round.

Whether you are constructing a new home extension or replacing an old existing conservatory roof ,the LivinROOF can give you total design flexibility and the ability to create stylish and thermally efficient rooms like no other solution on the market. The LivinROOF can be installed on top of any shape conservatory, allowing you as many or as few glazing panels as you require. Plastered on the inside, the LivinROOF provides a truly superb extended living solution.

WarmROOF

Our WARMroof technology enables homeowners to remove the traditional choice between a conventional extension and a conservatory. These highly functional, flexible and luxurious living spaces are suitable for both new installations and conservatory replacement projects, providing you with a living space that is comfortable whatever the outside temperature. Giving a cosy but grandiose feel inside, the clever use of modern building materials allows the additional living space to blend seamlessly with the existing home. With a range of tiled roofs options and traditional or contemporary designs, we can cater for all types of extension or replacement roofs.

Orangery interior with brick piers

Orangery with brick piers and decorative fascia

LivinRoom

Conservatory with LivinROOF exterior

Conservatory with LivinROOF interior

Conservatory interior with Loggia columns & WarmROOF

Traditional L-shape conservatory with WarmROOF

Great service and excellent product. From first contact with John the salesman through to plasterers, electricians and Anthony and Dan who built the conservatory, all were very professional and friendly. I will definitely be asking the company to replace my windows in due course and would highly recommend Falcon Installations to anyone considering any home improvements. - Sian Miles

Great to deal with. Visited the store and so much helpful info was given. We ordered a new door and it was fitted promptly. A few weeks later we decided we needed a door knocker which we hadn't ordered. They sent someone up and fitted it without extra charge. What more can one say? - Phil Gardner

A SERVICE YOU CAN TRUST

FENSA CERTIFIED INSTALLERS REGISTRATION 18159

ACCREDITED BY GOVERNMENT ENDORSED TRUSTMARK SCHEME

PRIMARY AUTHORITY PARTNERSHIP ‘DOING THINGS THE RIGHT WAY’ 10 YEAR INSURANCE-BACKED GUARANTEE ON ALL PRODUCTS

PRODUCTS YOU CAN TRUST

Protecting Your Family’s Inheritance

Most people hope that their estate will pass on to their loved ones eventually. But this will not happen for many unless careful arrangements have been made to protect their assets from being taken towards the end of their life to pay for care home fees. e solution to help protect your estate is a Will incorporating a Property Protection Trust (PPT). A testamentary PPT can only be executed whilst both partners remain alive. Upon death of the rst partner, their Will speci es that their share of the property is placed into trust and names the ultimate bene ciary of this share, normally the children of the deceased. e surviving partner, under the terms of the Trust, has the unequivocal right to remain living in the property for the rest of their life. On the death of the second partner the Trust comes to an end and the property passes to the bene ciaries. As the surviving partner does not own the deceased's share of the property it is fully protected for the bene ciaries, so if the surviving partner requires care, or even remarries, this share of the children's inheritance is protected. is last point can be of particular interest to couples who have come together but have children from di erent partners. A PPT can help each person in a relationship ensure that their children inherit their share of the property, while giving their surviving partner the ability to live in the property for the rest of their life. If the surviving partner wants to move to another property they can still sell the property and the proceeds be used to purchase a new property; the terms of the trust remain over the new property.

Westminster Law will assess your current circumstances and arrange the trust that will provide the best protection for you, your family and your assets.

Book Review by Tessa

Blissett

None of this is true

By Lisa Jewell

When 45-year-old' birthday twins' Alix and Josie meet by chance at a gastropub in Queens Park, London, podcaster Alix little expects that her life will become inextricably linked with seamstress Josie. Chatting casually, Josie learns that Alix interviews influential women who have turned their lives around and persuades Alix that she herself is on the cusp of major life changes and would be a perfect candidate. During a series of visits to Alix's garden studio, Josie attempts to befriend, emulate, and influence Alix's attitude towards her own husband.

She claims that her own much older husband groomed her and later abused their older daughter. She arrives at Alix's home in the middle of a Friday night, displaying signs of a physical attack, and is invited to stay. Still, when asked to leave a week later, she takes a path that will alter Alix's life forever, leaving only a trail of lies behind....and the question, Who is the real Josie Fair, and where is she?

Happy Reading!

Story Behind The Song

Much more than just a Solid Roof - Choice of Tiles, Slate & Velux Windows The LEKA Warm Roof Advantages

Lightweight Construction

GRP (ﬁbreglass) construction avoiding thermal bridging & risk of condensation as seen with aluminium & timber.

Achieves a U-Value of just 0.15W/m2k - JHAI building control approved THE LEKA ROOF WITH EXTERIOR TILES & PLASTERED INTERNAL CEILING LOOKS LIKE ATRADITIONAL EXTENSION AS WELLAS SAVING ON YOUR ENERGY BILLS.

LookingForTheBest MortgageDealOrWantTo MakeSureYourMortgageis WorkingForYou?

AtAJLMortgages&Protection,we’reall aboutmakingmortgagesandinsurance simple,clear,andstress-free.Whether you’reafirst-timebuyer,movinghome, remortgaging,orprotectingwhat mattersmost–we’reheretohelp.

At AJL Mortgages & Protection, we ’ re all about making mortgages and insurance simple, clear, and stress-free. Whether you ’ re a first-time buyer, moving home, remortgaging, or protecting what matters most – we ’ re here to help

Weofferfriendly,down-to-earthadvice tailoredtoyou,withyourbestinterests athearteverystepoftheway.

We offer friendly, down-to-earth advice tailored to you, with your best interests at heart every step of the way.

Have you ever thought what would

Cinema Listings in july

Jurassic World Rebirth

Starring : Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Steven Spielberg, Frank Marshall, Gareth Edwards, Jonathan Bailey, Ed Skrein

Five years after the events of Jurassic World Dominion, the planet’s ecology has proven largely inhospitable to dinosaurs. Those remaining exist in isolated equatorial environments with climates resembling the one in which they once thrived. The three most colossal creatures within that tropical biosphere hold the key to a drug that will bring miraculous life-saving bene ts to humankind.

Eddington

Starring : Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Clifton Collins Jr., Ari Aster, Luke Grimes, Micheal Ward

Superman

Starring : Rachel Brosnahan, Milly Alcock, Isabela Merced, David Corenswet, James Gunn, Nicholas Hoult, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Skyler Gisondo

The story of Superman’s journey to reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing as Clark Kent of Smallville, Kansas. He is the embodiment of truth, justice and the American way, guided by human kindness in a world that sees kindness as old-fashioned.

Fantastic Four: The First Steps

Starring : Julia Garner, Pedro Pascal, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Feige, Joseph Quinn, John Malkovich, Vanessa Kirby

Story follows a small-town New Mexico sheri with higher aspirations.

Marvel Studios' The Fantastic Four: First Steps introduces Marvel's First Family: Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach). They must balance their hero duties with family ties to defend Earth from the space god Galactus (Ralph Ineson) and his Herald, Silver Surfer (Julia Garner), as Galactus's plan to devour the planet becomes deeply personal.

Local Business Directory

Local History -The Barrett's of Bridgend: Petty Crime and Death

Louvain Rees, Social Historian of Death and Wales. Founder of Remembering Bridgend and HelloHistoria

FIRST AID FOR

WINDOWS - DOORS - CONSERVATORIES

Mist or condensation between the panes ofyour double glazing? If so, then why not give us a ring and we will be happy to come out (FREE OF CHARGE) to measure up and give you a quote to replace the glass only.

Having trouble opening or closing your UPVC windows or doors? Are they catching the frame or just difficult to open or lock? Give us a ring because we can help fix the problem (NO FIX NO CHARGE POLICY)

We replace all types of UPVC hardware that is failing or broken :- Letter boxes, handles, locks & hinges, re-seal failing, silicone seals and trims.

We can also re-align a window or door sash that is letting in excessive noise or a draught.

I can also fit cat and dog flaps. Bi-fold door adjustments and service.

Pontyclun Carnival 1909

Tuesday - Friday 10-5 Saturday 10-4

Giles Gallery, Wesley Hall, Palalwyf Avenue, CF729EG

Dream Doors Cardiff, 146 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff, CF14 3NA

029 2132 1077

Emma Priest is a Partner and the Private Client Team Lead for Bridgend and Porthcawl, having joined David and Snape, a predecessor firm of Redkite, in 1999. Emma holds the Association of Lifetime Lawyers Client Care in Practice Award and is a Legal 500 Key Lawyer and a full Member of STEP.

Samantha Abbott joined our Wills and probate team in 2023, bringing with her 14 years of local experience. She is an Associate Chartered Legal Executive and an accredited member of the Association of Lifetime Lawyers.

Emily Holloway is a Legal Advisor. She runs her own caseload while assisting the team with Will, Lasting Powers of Attorney and Probate administrative matters. Emily is currently studying for her CILEX qualification.

Sophie Davies joined Redkite in 2021, at the time David and Snape Solicitors. She is now a trainee solicitor in the Wills and Probate department in Bridgend and Porthcawl.

Sharon Howe and Carys Worthington work as Legal Assistants within he Wills and Probate department, assisting clients and ensuring the teams smooth running.

1, Silver. 2, Tomatoes. 3, 1974.

4, Renee Zellweger. 5, The Price is Right. 6, Jägermeister. 7, Guitar.

8, Gettysburg. 9, Sn.

11, L – Lima. 12, Jamaica. 13, 4 14, Vivaldi. 15, Jaw.

16, St David’s, Wales. 17, London.

18, Cricket.

19, The plate.

10, Top Hat, Thimble, Iron, Boot, Battleship, Cannon.

20, Dexys Midnight Runners.

Photo Credit - Lee McGrath

Local News -Walking with Valeways

ValewaysWalks–July 2025

7Mon 10.30 WalkingBooks, TheSky BeneathUs,FionaValpy Wenvoe,StMary’sChurch CF56AL 9Wed 10.00 Hensol,Pendoylan&WelshStDonats Hensol,ForestrycarparkCF71 7SX 17 Thu 9.30 Churchor Castle Ewenny, Priory,AbbeyRd CF35 5SW 20 Sun 14.00 Ruthin - TopoftheWorld Ruthin, QuarrycarparkCF35 5DY 23 Wed 10.00 Visiting Llantrithyd in aroundaboutway StHilary,TheBush Inn CF717DP

27 Sun 14.00 North &SouthofBonvilston Bonvilston, Maes-Y-FfynonCF56TT

31 Thu 9.30 Court, Castle &Wells Cowbridge, CattleMarket,TheButtsCF71 7AS

Progression Walks: Approximately 1.5hours, gentleterrain with limitedstiles, steps orsteepinclines.

SecondaryWalks:Approximately 2–2.5hours withsomestiles, stepsorsteepinclines.

ExtendedWalks: Approximately 3–4hours. Manystiles, steps orsteepinclines. Bringadrinkanda snack.

Brynna Utd 1947 Welsh Challenge Cup Winners

Brynna FC celebrating their promotion this year to the South Wales Premier League

Broadlands Dental Surgery

Whatever your dental problem, we can help. Our friendly team are ready to provide a wide range of treatments, including teeth straightening, whitening and composite bonding – all in a relaxed atmosphere.

SATURDAY AND EARLY MORNING APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE.

Pay as you go or affordable Denplan monthly plans available, from as little as £11.69 for adults, and their children will receive free check-ups.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for regular offers. Give us a ring or pop in if you’d like more information- QUOTE BUDDY FOR 10% OFF YOUR FIRST CHECK-UP.