South Wales Argus, December 28, 2020

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Monday, December 28, 2020

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Trusted news for 128 years read by 95,706* in print and online #ThereWithYou

WE’RE IN IT TOGETHER UNITED: Among those backing our campaign are, clockwise from top left: Newport East MP Jessica Morden, Newport City Council Leader Jane Mudd, Monmouth MP David Davies; Newport West MS Jayne Bryant, Argus editor Gavin Thompson, Newport Mind CEO Dave Bland, Newport East MS John Griffiths and Islwyn MS Rhianon Passmore

Today we launch a new campaign aimed at bringing people together to help one another through lockdown: pages 2 & 3

NEWS INSIDE

Christmas first for the Grange

A NEWPORT couple had an extra special Christmas this year, as their new arrival became the first Christmas baby born at the new Grange Hospital.

Aaron and Robyn Hughes welcomed baby Jacob Boston Hughes into the world at shortly after 1am on Christmas morning. ● Full story: page 6

Storms hit region AS IF THIS year hadn’t been traumatic enough, homes and businesses across Gwent were hit by flooding just before Christmas as storms struck the region. ● Full story: pages 4 &5

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Get in touch Editor: Gavin Thompson gavin.thompson@newsquest. co.uk Community Content Editor: Jo Barnes jo.barnes@southwalesargus. co.uk 01633 777240 Newsdesk: newsdesk@southwalesargus. co.uk 01633 810000 Sports Writer: Chris Kirwan sportsdesk@southwalesargus. co.uk 07824 478078 Head of Events: Cathy Parsons catherine.parsons @gwent-wales.co.uk 01633 777126 Reception: 01633 810000 Advertising sales manager: Lynsey Hughes lynsey.hughes@localiq.co.uk 01633 777114 Classifieds: Christina Hobbs 07463783768 christina.hobbs@localiq.co.uk Family notices: Sarah Pritchard sarah.pritchard@localiq.co.uk 01633 777102/052 Sales support:Chris Fox chris.fox@localiq.co.uk 01633 777145 Promotions: Gwyn Roberts 01633 777185 Circulation: 01633 777072 Home delivery hotline: Freephone 0800 052 0198 deliveries.admin@newsquest. co.uk Get your view published

WRITE: Our letters page is the liveliest printed forum for local debate. Write to the Editor, South Wales Argus, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, NP20 1DW E-MAIL: letters@southwalesargus. co.uk WEB: southwalesargus.co.uk/ news/letters/send_your_letter Or click on the comments button on one of the dozens of stories we break every day online. Or start your own debate on our forums at forum.southwalesargus. co.uk

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PHONE: 01633 810000 E-MAIL: newsdesk@southwalesargus.co.uk WEB: southwalesargus.co.uk/ contactus TWITTER: @southwalesargus or @argussport POST: Newsdesk or Sportsdesk, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, NP20 1DW RETAIL PRICE: 70p *Source: JICREG/Etelmar November 2018 ( Figure relates to 1 insert in print and 1 week online at respective website) The recycled paper content of UK newspapers in 2019 was 63.2%

Monday, December 28, 2020

Let’s work together to

LAUNCH: South Wales Argus editor Gavin Thompson

By Gavin Thompson

Editor, South Wales Argus newsdesk@southwalesargus.co.uk TODAY the Argus is issuing a rallying cry to the people of South Wales to support one another through the bleak lockdown winter ahead.

Starting today, the South Wales Argus launches its ‘We’re in it Together’ campaign, with the goal of bringing people together in spirit to help one another through the physical and mental challenges ahead.

We are all feeling the strain of living in the shadow of Covid-19 and, just as the vaccine brought us hope, the new faster spreading variant of the virus has made the nights seem to draw in that bit darker as we retreat to our homes again.

Both our physical and mental health is at risk. Not just from the virus but the isolation our response to it creates.

But we can draw strength from our communities. We are all facing this together.

To play our part, the Argus will publish, online and in print, a list of support services – public organisations, charities, community groups and local volunteers – who are there to help in whatever way through this difficult time.

You can find this on page 18 of today’s Argus.

And we are asking you to help us by doing three things.

First, if you know an organisation or group that should be on our list, let us know and we’ll add them so more people can benefit.

If you know of a group doing good in your community, tell us so we can share their story and provide hope and inspiration.

And, most importantly, think about who the people are in your community who you might be able to help, be it a card through the door or dropping off some shopping. In short, look out for each other.

You can send us your suggestions your suggestions or stories by emailing us at newsdesk@ southwalesargus.co.uk or calling the newsdesk on 01633 810000.

You can share ideas on social media too using #InItTogether. ● The South Wales Argus We’re in it Together campaign has been welcomed by community leaders.

‘FANTASTIC’: David Davies MP Rhianon Passmore, Senedd member for Islwyn, said: “This important campaign is symbolic of what we all need to be doing in microcosm – we are just stronger together.

“So thank you to the South Wales Argus for this hugely welcome initiative – it will be important and very welcomed - across the valleys of Islwyn during a bleak and troubling time for all.

And for some the very bleakest.

“But we can all help each other, where it is safe to do so and we should – because we believe in community, and all that this means for those in real and desperate need now.”

John Griffiths MS for Newport East, said: “I am very pleased to support the Argus’ We’re in it Together campaign. It’s often in times of adversity that we see the very best of our communities rallying together to help one another.

“That has very much been the case throughout 2020 and we have seen numerous examples of individuals and groups across Newport and Severnside doing their bit to help the most vulnerable.

“There hasn’t been a lot of positives to take from this year – but one of things I hope we can take

‘POSITIVES’: John Griffirhs MS

into the new year and beyond is a continuation of that collectiveness with that shared goal of creating more caring, tolerant resilient communities.”

Jayne Bryant, Senedd member for Newport West, echoed that view.

“This has been an incredibly tough year, but one of the shining lights has been how many in the community have done all they can to help their friends and neighbours,” she said.

“From delivering food and medicine and arranging regular phone calls for those who are lonely, to coordinating and establishing whole community groups and charities. The efforts shown have been so inspiring.

“I’ve been fortunate to have been able to say thank you to some of those people who have gone above and beyond during this pandemic. It has been a real privilege to acknowledge their wonderful efforts.

“I’m really pleased that the Argus is running this campaign to help shine a light on some of those people who have and continue to make a difference to others.”

Dave Bland, chief executive of Newport Mind, said: “It has been

an extremely difficult year for everyone. It’s important that we all ask for help and support when we need it, but also that we offer this same support where we can.

“The ‘We’re in it Together’ campaign highlights the need to look out for the most vulnerable in our communities and signpost them to services that can help them.

Newport Mind is here for anyone struggling with their mental health, whether it’s for advice, practical support, or just to have someone to talk to during these hard times.”

Monmouth MP David Davies said: “This is a fantastic campaign which will have support across South Wales. So many different formal and informal groups and individuals have been willing been willing to give up their time to support others.

“I am delighted that the Argus is going to highlight their work and ensure that they get the thanks they deserve.”

Newport City Council leader Cllr Jane Mudd said: “I’m very pleased to be supporting ‘We’re in it Together’. Now more than ever, we need to look out for each other; we need to support each other, to listen and be kind. These are hard

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Monday, December 28, 2020

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help each other pull through

‘TOUGH’: Jayne Bryant MS

‘SYMBOLIC’: Rhianon Passmore MS times for all of us but together we are strong.

“Our community spirit is what makes our city. Your kindness and generosity is outstanding. I’d encourage everyone to get involved in the campaign as much as possible; we can all play our part and show that we really are all in it together.”

Newport East MP Jessica Morden added: “In these difficult times, the South Wales Argus’ ‘We’re In It Together’ campaign is an important way of celebrating those who go above and beyond to support others.

“I am so grateful for all the work being done here in Newport East by volunteers at our local foodbanks and community organisations who do so much to provide support and comfort to those who are vulnerable and in need. Their work has never been more essential or appreciated.”

‘OUTSTSNDING’: Cllr. Jane Mudd

‘NEED’: Newport Mind CEO Dave Bland

‘IMPORTANT’: Jessica Morden MP

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Monday, December 28, 2020

Flooding hits businesses and

‘I FEEL SICK’: Nigel Merrett, owner of Arnold’s Electrical in Skinner Street, Newport, after the December 23 flooding.

AS IF THIS year hadn’t been traumatic enough, homes and businesses across Gwent were hit by flooding just before Christmas as Storm Bella struck the region.

Torrential rain during the evening on Wednesday, December 23, - with parts of Newport and Monmouthshire particularly badly hit.

Shopkeepers in Newport’s Skinner - including one of the city’s oldest shops - found themselves counting the cost of flood damage to their stores, piling on the misery at the end of a difficult year.

Nigel Merrett, owner of Arnold’s Electrical, arrived at the shop on Wednesday evening to find “at least two feet” of floodwater had poured in and his stock “bobbing up and down”.

He said the floods were worse than anything he had seen during his 40 years at Arnold’s which was established in 1808.

“We’ve had moments in the shop with a couple of inches of water, but luckily we’ve been here to sweep it out,” he said on Thursday, standing among heaps of waterlogged boxes. “This time we wouldn’t have had a chance.”

Next door, at the Power Up mobile phone shop, owner Javed Shafi said the flooding had “affected a lot of stock” despite the defences outside his property.

“It’s really sad,” he said. “We had [flooding] two or three years ago but this time it was much worse. It went over the flood barrier on the front door”.

Mr Merrett was at home in Llanwern on Wednesday when his phone rang, with an urgent call to tell him “Skinner Street was filling up with water”.

He attempted to reach the shop but found scenes of traffic “chaos” on his way into the city centre, with vehicles on several

RAIN: Flooding in Skinner Street, Newport, on Wednesday, December 23, 2020. Picture: Chris Jarvis

By Dan Barnes, Elizabeth Birt, and Nicholas Thomas

newsdesk@southwalesargus.co.uk Twitter @southwalesargus main roads brought to a halt due to the flooding.

Footage from Wednesday evening showed the junction of Skinner Street and Upper Dock Street was completely submerged.

To make matters worse, Mr Merrett returned to Llanwern later that evening to find the ground floor of his home had also flooded.

“I feel sick inside but what can you do?” he said on Thursday.

“We’ve got our health.

“We’ll try and enjoy Christmas tomorrow. With everything else it’s just crazy.”

Magor was one of the areas in Gwent hit particularly badly by the flash flooding.

As heavy rain fell on already saturated ground, the water rose and rose.

Cllr Frances Taylor described the floods as ‘significant’ expressing her sympathy to all those in the town affected.

“It’s really sad, on top of everything else over the past few months,” she said.

“Tragically, people are having to clean up their homes on Christmas Eve.” Cllr Taylor said that such an event would be bad enough at any other time.

“But in a year which has been so difficult anyway, you can only imagine how difficult it has been for people,” she said.

Cllr Taylor also praised the work of emergency crews who had worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of Magor residents.

“There have also been local volunteers offering their help,” she said.

“There has been fantastic community spirit.

“Local halls have been offering emergency accommodation if needed.”

Thankfully, she said that this had not been required, but should people need assistance from the council, they can call 01633 644644.

“It’s really awful,” she said.

“I’m thinking of those affected.

“I hope people will still be able to have a bit of a Christmas.”

And there was heartbreak for Newport Sea Cadets on Christmas Eve, after discovering Wednesday’s flooding ruined their headquarters.

Recent work to renovate the building has been undone by the severe bad weather which struck Gwent on Wednesday afternoon, with 18 inches of floodwater pouring in.

Lisa Summerhayes, one of the cadets’ instructors, said the organisation was “so gutted as so much work had recently been done to improve the building and the grounds, so we could get our cadets back to some sort of normality”.

She added: “So much damage has been done.”

Uniforms, computer equipment and the kitchen facilities had all been ruined in the flood, she said, adding: “Unfortunately, we can not open at present as major work will have to be done.”

The coronavirus testing centre at Newport’s Rodney Parade was also flooded on Wednesday evening, but was quickly back up and running.

Speaking on Thursday morning, head of Covid testing in Gwent Dan Davies said that, despite being fairly well prepared, the site quickly found itself under a foot of water.

“It was very wet yesterday,” he said.

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homes just before Christmas

TESTING: The Rodney Parade Covid-19 test centre was under a foot of water

WATERLOGGED: Flood damage at the Newport Sea Cadets building, December 24, 2020. Picture: Lisa Summerhayes

“We had to stop the drivethrough testing.

“We moved to urgent testing only. This is for people who need tests before surgery or for our key workers so they can get back on shift.”

A pump truck, courtesy of Newport City Council, was manned by site and stadium staff to lower water levels throughout the night.

“They managed to have us ready to go by 8am this morning,” said Mr Davies Mr Davies added: “We’ve had a bit of a tough year, but the way people came together was unbelievable. Amazing.”

Meanwhile, Newport’s cemeteries were left in an ‘upsetting’ state.

Newport City Council teams

battled to keep flood water from damaging the sites.

However, despite their best efforts the city’s cemeteries have been “badly impacted”, the council said on Thursday morning.

“We appreciate this may be upsetting for families visiting the cemeteries over the coming days,” continued the council statement.

And the impact of the weather continued after Christmas too, with continued downpours meaning the Welsh Grand National, due to be held at Chepstow Racecourse yesterday, Sunday, had to be called off due to a waterlogged course.

Meanwhile around 800 homes in a number of areas of Gwent were left without power on Sun-

day morning, while trains between Newport and Hereford delayed or cancelled after a tree fell on the track between Newport and Cwmbran.

And there’s more bad weather on the way, with a yellow weather warning for snow and ice in place across most of Wales and western England, including Gwent between midnight and 6pm today.

The Met Office has not directly predicted snow for most of Gwent, but Newport and Caerphilly is expected to have rain between 5am and 7am. Cwmbran is predicted to have sleet at 6am and rain between 7am and 10am. Ebbw Vale is due to have the whitest day, with snow forecast between 5am and 10am and again between 8pm and 10pm.

STORM: Flooding in Skinner Street, Newport, on Wednesday, December 23, 2020.

Picture: Chris Jarvis

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Coronavirus marches on over festive season THE Christmas period saw 12 more coronavirus- related deaths confirmed in Gwent, among 105 across Wales.

The latest deaths saw the total in Gwent since the pandemic began rise to 643, according to Public Health Wales, which also puts the Wales-wide total at 3,368.

More than 6,300 new cases were confirmed in Wales between Christmas Eve and Saturday, December 26 inclusive, again according to Public Health Wales.

These included 1,401 in Gwent, as follows; ● Caerphilly: 465; ● Newport: 360: ● Torfaen: 265; ● Blaenau Gwent: 195; ● Monmouthshire: 116.

The rolling weekly case rate across Wales, for the week to December 22, is 558.6 per 100,000 population.

Blaenau Gwent currently has Gwent’s highest rolling weekly case rate - 854.5 per 100,000 - which is the third highest in Wales, behind those of Merthyr Tydfil and Bridgend, which are each above 1,000 per 100,000.

Newport’s case rate to December 22 is 739 per 100,000 the sixth highest in Wales.

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Monday, December 28, 2020

Baby Jacob is an extra-special Christmas gift A NEWPORT couple had an extra special Christmas this year, as their new arrival became the first Christmas baby born at the new Grange University Hospital.

Aaron and Robyn Hughes welcomed baby Jacob Boston Hughes into the world at shortly after 1am on Christmas morning.

Their newborn son weighed in at eight pounds exactly, and both mum and baby are said to be doing extremely well.

“Robyn was phenomenal through the whole ordeal,” said new dad Mr Hughes.

“I couldn’t be more proud of her.

“We would both like to send a message to our families who we can’t see during this very special time.

“Thank you for all the messages, love and support you have shown us.

“It has all meant so much and we cannot wait to all be together again soon.”

Baby Jacob has made history already, becoming the first Christmas baby born at the new Grange University Hospital following its opening earlier this year.

Mr Hughes paid tribute to the staff at the hospital.

“A huge thank you to Gemma, Holly and the rest of the team for all their support. They were fantastic and deserve a mention,” he said.

In total five Christmas Day babies were born in Gwent this year – three boys and two girls.

PRESENT: New parents and Aaron and Robyn with Christmas Day baby Jacob Boston Hughes

Concern after care ‘cancelled’ at short notice

A NEWPORT woman claims her bed-ridden mother-in-law is just one of many left who were left without vital care and support after a care package was cancelled at short notice.

Juls Benson says that her mother-in-law Rosalind, 76, who has been receiving care services at her home from ND Care and Support for the last two years, was “left lying in bed, not knowing what was going on” after her provision was cancelled.

She says the decision was made by Newport City Council - although the council disputes this.

ND Care and Support provide carers to visit and support people in their own homes.

The team in Gwent had been facing staff shortages due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“They (ND) asked Newport City Council for help over the Christmas period,” said Ms Benson. “All the residents who re-

By Dan Barnes

01633 777093 daniel.barnes@newsquest.co.uk ceive their care got a call to say that the care package had been stopped.

“The agency knew nothing.”

She said that ND Care and Support had phoned the council, who told them that the package had been “cancelled as of today (December 23).”

“We’re talking about people who are bed-ridden,” she said.

“I don’t know how many other residents are lying in bed with no carer and not knowing what’s going on. It’s shocking.”

However, Newport City Council say that the cancellation of ND Care’s care package is a short-term measure based upon staffing issues and the lack of agency cover.

A spokesperson said: “New-

port City Council did not cancel the contact with ND Care and Support. The agency notified the council that they were handing back a number of care packages with immediate effect due to staffing issues.

“We explored whether it would be possible for them to use agency staff to backfill their rotas in the short-term, but this was not feasible. As a result, we had no other option but to find another domiciliary care agency to ensure vulnerable residents were not left without any care.

“When the company’s staffing situation improves, there will undoubtedly be new offers of packages of care given the constant demand.

“We recognise that a change of carer can be upsetting for those involved and it is something we try to avoid but there is significant pressure on the capacity of domiciliary care at the moment because of the pandemic.”

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Monday, December 28, 2020

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Wooden nativity burns down on Christmas Eve

By Jonathon Hill

jonathon.hill@newsquest.co.uk Twitter @jonathon_hill96 AN EYE-CATCHING wooden Christmas nativity scene in Raglan, which was stolen last year, has burnt down a year later on Christmas Eve. The festive bus stop, funded by the Beaufort Hotel in the village and put together by retired theatre design lecturer and resident Liz Friendship, has had terrible misfortune since it was thought up in 2018.

Ms Friendship explained: “In 2018 Mary was taken, in 2019 two shepherds were stolen and never came back, and in 2020 it’s burnt down.

“It’s now just three kings staring at the bus stop. It’s very sad. But it hasn’t dampened our Christmas spirit.

It’s a lovely community and while it’s a shame, I know people appreciate the sentiment and the efforts we’ve put in this year.”

The fire occurred at around 10pm on Christmas

BURNED: The nativity scene pictured after the fire Eve, but it is not known at this time if the incident is being treated as suspicious.

Owner of the Beaufort Hotel Miguel Santiago said: “It was late on Christmas Eve, on the same day we’d put it up, when I saw it engulfed.

“Fortunately I was at the hotel and put it out as soon as I saw it, but by then much of the damage had been done. I couldn’t believe it.

“It’s a shame because so much effort went into putting it together this year.

Liz and I were committed to bringing it back even better after last year’s problems, and we had brought it back better.

“We added three kings which really made it a great sight, we made sure the figures couldn’t be taken, and we put CCTV in the bus stop.

COLOURFUL: The nativity scene in its full glory “It’s hugely unfortunate again, but we will do what we can to make it better again for next year – and maybe in a different location.”

Monmouth MS Nick Ramsay, who supplies the electrics and lighting for the nativity, praised those who work hard to bring the nativity to Raglan each year.

“I know how much went

into this nativity this year, and the importance of things like the nativity became even greater after the year we’ve had,” he said.

“There are a lot of people on board helping bring it to life, and it’s a reminder of how brilliant this village is.”

Mr Santiago is asking for any witnesses to call the Beaufort Hotel directly.

NEWS IN BRIEF Missing people

TWO people have been reported missing from Gwent.

Lydia Davies (left), 46, was last seen at 9pm in Monmouth on Wednesday, December 23.

She is 5ft 2in, of a slim build with shoulder-length hair and was last seen wearing a camel-coloured fleece, trousers and grey and turquoise trainers.

Mike Reaney (right), 17, was reported missing on Christmas Eve. He is described as being 5ft 9in tall, and of a stocky build with black hair.

He was last seen wearing a red tracksuit hooded top and black Adidas tracksuit bottoms.

He is from Malpas and also has links to Cwmbran.

Lydia Davies and Mike Reaney are not connected.

Information about either person can be reported to police on 101. Quote 2*463147 for information on Lydia Davies or 2000463169 for information on Mike Reaney.

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Monday, December 28, 2020

An early Christmas present for this loyal Argus reader CHRISTMAS came early for this retired postal worker, who was the sole winner of the Argus bingo jackpot last week.

Gordon Livesley, from Cwmbran, won £500 in Love2shop high street shopping vouchers.

Now retired after spending 30 years as a postman in his hometown, regular Argus reader Mr Livesley said he was over the moon to have won the big prize.

“I’m very pleased – I didn’t expect it at all, because I haven’t won anything for years,” he told the Argus when he found out he had won.

“It’s come out of the blue.”

Mr Livesley, 72, said he was already planning how to spend the vouchers – which can be spent in a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and attractions – and was hoping to buy some new furniture for his house.

Game three of the Argus bingo competition starts today.

To get your game card and have a chance to win up to £500 in Love2Shop Vouchers, call freephone 0800 052 0198.

WINNER: Gordon Livesley

New Brexit deal ‘better than no deal’: Drakeford FIRST minister Mark Drakeford has claimed the UK’s post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union is “better than no-deal” but falls short of the protections desired by the Welsh Government.

A trade deal has been agreed by negotiators from the UK and the EU after months of talks and frantic last-minute wrangling.

The deal was secured on Christmas Eve, one week before current trading arrangements expire, bringing to a close the long and tumultuous political process sparked by the result of the June 2016 referendum on Britain’s EU membership.

Speaking as the deal was announced, a Downing Street spokesman called it “fantastic news for families and businesses in every part of the UK”.

But first minister Mark Drakeford businesses in Wales would still face trade barriers when

By Nicholas Thomas

07824478065 nicholas.thomas@newsquest.co.uk Twitter @NThomasArgus the transition period ends on December 31.

The deal was “better than the catastrophe which would have been a no-deal” but falls short of a deal “we would have negotiated,” he added.

In a statement issued after the deal was announced, the first minister said: “Faced with a binary choice between no deal and this – indeed any deal – we would prefer a deal.”

But he called it “appalling” that the draft deal had been agreed just one week before the end of the transition period.

“While we don’t have any of the detail we know this deal is not the one we would have negotiated,” he continued. “After

f facebook.com/South-Wales-Argus

December 31, Welsh businesses will still face major new barriers to trade; Welsh citizens will no longer be able to travel freely in Europe; and there will be little in it for service sector businesses.

“Even so, this deal is better than the catastrophe which would have been a no-deal. It means we have preserved our relationship with our nearest and most important trading partners. It provides a platform from which better arrangements can be negotiated in the future.

“The Welsh Government will continue to work with all partners, businesses, communities and people across Wales to prepare for and help navigate the end of the transition period and the new relationship with the EU.” The Senedd will be recalled on Wednesday, December 30, to discuss the draft deal.

@southwalesargus

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EST 1892

Our Say:

We’re in it together TODAY we launch a new campaign as Wales settles down to more lockdown restrictions following the very brief Christmas Day relaxation.

While we recognise the lockdown as important to restrict the spread of coronavirus, we also recognise the toll it is taking on many people’s physical and mental wellbeing.

We face further challenges ahead – and for some of us a little helping hand in these difficult times could make all the difference.

We are all in it together, and we are part of the community, so we will be publishing details of support services throughout the region who are doing their bit to help people.

If you know of groups who should be added to our list, let us know and we will do what we can to put people in touch; if there is a group already doing good work in your area, let us know and we will give praise where it’s due; and if you know anyone who may be in need of help, we may also be able to put them in touch with a relevant group or organisation. Or if you have any suggestions of other ways we may be able to help, please let us know.

This is not a party political issue – it has cross-party support, but it is one which we think can bring people and communities together so we can help each other pull through.

We’re in it together.

If we get it wrong THE South Wales Argus is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation and we seek to abide by the Editors’ Code which is enforced by IPSO. The Code is available at (www. editorscode.org.uk/the_code.php) Details of IPSO can be found at (www.ipso.co.uk) COMPLAINTS and requests for editorial corrections or clarifications should be referred to the Editor in the first instance, who can be contacted as follows: complaints@southwalesargus.co.uk or by post at South Wales Argus, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, NP20 1DW. IT is essential that your email is headed “Complaint” in the subject line and contains the following information:

Your Say: ‘Lost the plot’

WHAT a way to celebrate Christmas and New Year together with all the restrictions.

The pubs can`t sell beer even with food, a bit like telling the local butcher that he is not allowed to sell meat, although strangely shops and supermarkets can carry on selling alcoholic drinks.

And by what bizaare stretch of the imagination was it deemed by Cardiff that clothes and shoes were non-essential and therefore couldn’t be sold in shops? It`s winter and it`s wet and cold outside, children especially grow out of things quite quickly.

I am more convinced than ever that both PM Boris Johnson and Mark Drakeford MS have totally lost the plot and they should accept the medical advice that the Covid Virus will come and go as it pleases (as do other viruses) and we will have to learn to live with it.

Arnold Greenhalgh Ross Street Newport

Monday, December 28, 2020

Write: Letters, South Wales Argus, 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, NP20 1DW Email: letters@southwalesargus.co.uk Web: southwalesargus.co.uk/sendaletter

3 No discussions with elected councillors or engagement it seems with anyone It seems that the decision had already been made, and there is not even any communication up in the Blackwood Store when I visited the store which was extremely busy, and the vulnerable in our community will be saddened particularly as the Blackwood Store has always supported local voluntary organisations and charities via your community champion process We and the community are most disappointed and upset and thought there would have been some compassion/ understanding at this difficult time.

Could I ask that Mr Burnley the Managing Director visit the store with myself and meet stakeholders for their views and comments in January and extend the withdrawn deadline who I have already contacted Councillor Kevin Etheridge Blackwood Ward

Reader Picture

Free bus service Alternative way WHAT I find most disappointing with Asda being part of our Community in our Town Blackwood is the timing of this announcement with high unemployment , covid levels, xmas period and withdrawing the free bus service from Blackwood Bus Station to their store. We were informed as Council via Stagecoach to Council on 21/12/20 with the service withdrawn on 31/12/20. My disappointment is: 1 High Degree of Senior Citizens and Vulnerable People or their well being attend 2 No discussion with shoppers and the public or lead in time

WHILE the new year is likely to bring more of the “new normal”, we can still shake things up by making meaningful and achievable resolutions for 2021.

For healthier, happier living, why not swap out the meat, eggs, and dairy for vegan fare? A record number of people are choosing plant-based foods to benefit their health, the planet, and animals – and January is the perfect month to give it a go.

While most of us will face strict local restrictions for the foreseeable future, home-cooked meals that rely on vegetables and vegan pantry staples like beans, lentils, and grains are not only good for us but also

SWIM: Last of the Christmas Day sun on the canal at Cwmbran.

Wales Argus Camera Club

inexpensive and satisfying.

Of course, there’s also an abundance of vegan-friendly takeaway options, like Papa John’s, Nando’s, and Wagamama – and we’ve seen a rise in local, independent vegan eateries, too. By whipping up a three-bean

chilli or ordering a seitan “pepperoni” pizza, we can reduce our risk of suffering from serious health issues and spare animals a hideous death.

To help people get started, PETA is offering free vegan starter kits – containing

TODAY’S OUTLOOK

Summary: Wintry conditions

continue today, accompanied by heavy and possibly thundery showers. Cold.

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southwalesargus.co.uk

Monday, December 28, 2020

YOUR MP writes Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith IT HAS been a very trying year for many.

Covid-19 continues to hit areas like Blaenau Gwent and the rest of the Gwent valleys hard.

The health service and hospitals are experiencing an incredibly difficult time and tough decisions have been made to try and keep us all safe while the vaccine programme gets under way.

The full roll-out may be some time away yet and, though there’s a chance we may be returning to something resembling normality next spring, the economic fallout of the crisis will be far from over.

There is a jobs crisis looming and not enough is being done to get ahead of it.

I asked a question in the house earlier this month about the Government’s Kickstart scheme and how many jobs it is expected to create for young people. I did not receive much of an answer.

Billions of taxpayer money is being spent on this scheme.

We should be assured that it is creating high quality placements, is supporting small businesses as

well as larger employers, and will result in long-term employment for young people who may not otherwise have been able to find work.

The Chancellor’s recent announcement that the job retention scheme would be extended by a month was made at the last possible moment, just 24 hours before businesses with more than 100 employees would have needed to begin redundancy processes.

This typifies the UK Government’s approach of waiting until the last moment to act on issues or ignoring warnings while making rash decisions that later require a swift u-turn.

There must be a plan in place.

The focus must be on retraining, retaining and rebuilding.

Labour previously called on the Government to deliver an economic recovery that will confront the combined challenges of unemployment and – another issue on which Government rhetoric and reality are very different - climate change.

This would involve capital investment to create new, clean manufacturing jobs over the next 18 months, investing in lowcarbon sectors and retraining workers by putting in place an emergency training programme to equip people with the skills they need for the future greener economy.

To recover from this crisis and ensure a brighter future we must look ahead.

What we need is anything but the short-sighted attitude we have seen from this UK Government.

TRYING YEAR: Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith

11

southwalesargus.co.uk/news

12

Claire Petulengro

YOUR STARS WITH

Monday, December 28, 2020

Chemists

Picture of the day

BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY ROTA CHEMISTS

ARIES March 21 - April 20

Many of you rams find yourself having to spend time in company you’d rather not. You’re doing it for those you love, so show you can be the bigger person. A broken promise is replaced by a better offer. Don’t let pride or haste make you say, or do something, you’ll regret. Ring now for help.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4972

BLAENAU GWENT Abertillery: TH Pritchard and Son, 48 Church Street, noon-1pm.

Brynmawr: Well Pharmacy, Brynmawr Wellbeing Centre, Blaenavon Road, noon-1pm.

Ebbw Vale: Lloyds Pharmacy, 3-4 Market Street, 4pm-5pm.

Shackleton, Riverside Pharmacy, Cwm Hir Road, Beaufort, 6pm8pm.

Tredegar: Tredegar Health Centre Pharmacy, Park Row, 5pm-6pm.

60p PER MINUTE + ACCESS CHARGE

TAURUS APRIL 21 - MAY 21

This year took its toll on you, but it also taught you how strong you are. You no longer are the same Taurus I wrote to a year ago. You’re bigger, brighter and bolder. Try to point your aim higher. The world is your oyster from here on in. Ring me now so I can help you plan big.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4973

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GEMINI MAY 22 - JUNE 21

Close ones all offer help. You don’t want to take it, you should.

Your ruling planet can see you the sociable, or unsociable, sign in the whole zodiac. You’re letting a stubborn mood force your hand. Step back today and look at the bigger picture.

Ring now to make your move.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4974

CAERPHILLY Abercarn: Evans Pharmacy, 1-2 Victoria Buildings, High Street, 2pm-6pm.

Abertridwr: Morris Pharmacy, 19 Thomas Street, 2pm-6pm.

Bargoed: Vida Rogers, 18 Hanbury Road, 5,30pm-6.30pm.

Blackwood: Boots, 2 The Market Place, 12.30am-1.30pm.

Caerphilly: Asda Pharmacy, Pontygwyndy Road, 10am-4pm.

Nelson Pharmacy, Nantgarw Road Medical Centre, 4 Beddau Way, 6pm-8pm.

New Tredegar: Sheppard Pharmacy, White Rose Way, 11.30am-12.30pm.

Rhymney: Complete Care Pharmacy, 51 High Street, 2pm6pm.

Ystrad Mynach: Lloyds Pharmacy, 5 Bedwlwyn Road, 2pm-3pm.

60p PER MINUTE + ACCESS CHARGE

CANCER JUNE 22 - JULY 22

Relationships come under the microscope. You find yourself asking, ‘is this enough’. Stop analysing life and start living it, then you’d find out. Old friends want to see you. Reach out to them. It’s time to build a life not an existence. Ring now to hear which sign is your match made in heaven.

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0906 585 4975

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LEO JULY 23 - AUGUST 23

You’re making decisions when you have not seen all the options. Try to spread your wings and go bigger with your aspirations. You may not realise it, but your sign is ready to learn and grow. Friends of friends are the key to shortcuts you’re seeking. Ring now for a message from Venus.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4976

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VIRGO AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 22

You want to take close ones out of their comfort zone. You want to get to know them as the person they have become in this life changing year. You’re about to discover what new dreams will replace the old for you both. Instigate talks.

They’re what lead to answers. Ring now for a preview.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4977

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LIBRA SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 23

You can try to sweep the issue under the carpet, but it will still be the elephant in the room. Talking things through today, can show that you’re not that far apart with your aspirations.

A third party’s recent influence seems to be the cause of this.

Ring now for your astro week in full.

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0906 585 4978

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SCORPIO OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 21

There is a sense of stale mate with a relationship around you.

Move forward, Scorpio. Spend less time on what doesn’t make you happy and more time on what does. You’re moving in different circles professionally now. An offer for better finances is incoming. Ring now for the signs.

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SAGITTARIUS NOVEMBER 22 - DECEMBER 20

There is the need to organise your life. If you continue with this messy feel, you are going to cast yourself as uncontrolled to those you want around you. Plans change linking with learning and you have to think outside the box. Ring now to find out more about you and your strengths.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4980

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CAPRICORN DECEMBER 21 - JANUARY 20

You can’t seem to do the right thing for a close one lately. Try to look beneath the tough exterior they show. Realise that they’re anxious and try to reassure them of what you have strong between you. Family ask for more than you want to give. Ring now to reason with them.

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0906 585 4981

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AQUARIUS JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 19

Lies you tell for others come back on you. Think carefully before agreeing. Contracts come into dispute and it may be worth your while paying for a professional opinion. Odds seem to be in your favour this week. You can afford to take chances and trust your instincts. Ring now for clear sight.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4982

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PISCES FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 20

Important projects need to be tied up before this week is up.

Try not to let pride stand in the way of you asking for help from those who offer. Teamwork is the key to you enjoying the days ahead. Compromises you show in love, bring you loyalty. Ring now for more on relationships.

FOR WEEKLY READINGS CALL

0906 585 4983

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RAINBOW: Newport’s Transporter Bridge. Picture: Mark Wall, South Wales Argus Camera Club

105 years ago Excerpts from the South Wales Argus 105 years ago

All quiet but plans are afoot on both sides FOR all the news they could have contained the public lost nothing by the non-publication of papers during holiday intervals and this morning we seem to be in almost the same position as on Friday last.

In the West interest seems to centre in the conflicting reports as to what has happened at Hartmannswillerkopf.

The probability is that it remains with the French and that the Paris and Berlin communiques appear to contradict each other merely because they are not speaking of identical positions.

On the whole, Christmas at the front appears to have passed quietly, although a noncombatant suddenly dumped down a mile or so from the artillery positions would doubtless imagine a very different state of things.

The term “quietness” had, of course, only a relative significance and it is also true that if only the guns are talking they occasionally

do a lot of damage.

Yesterday, for instance, the French artillery blew up another ammunition depot in the Woevre, and in the Vosges one of the French batteries “caught under its fire an ammunition train which was standing in a railway station”.

The report concludes: “a big explosion was observed by our spotters”.

“Spotters” is not a bad attempt at translation!

The British guns were also hard at work and were “effective against the enemy’s possessions east of Albert”.

Of preparations there would probably be a different story to tell; for all accounts agree that in this respect there is great activity on both sides.

More credence than is customarily the case continues to be given to reports of German reinforcements arriving and the supposition is that the enemy has decided to anticipate our offensive by one of their own.

In the East the reports from both sides are or a colourless character, and the comparative silent on the front, it is suggested, cloaks activity even greater then they observed in the west.

Petrograd is very quiet as to the growing Russian Army and the pleas for the near future but that silence must not be misinterpreted.

The German, at all events, is under no illusions and much of the hesitancy in his councils is

probably due to a very real fear of the potent mugshot the “white figure”.

On the Italian front the struggle continues and while to all appearances the fall of Gorizia is no nearer than it was two months ago, we may wake up any fine morning to learn that the Italians are in possession.

For the present they are keeping a big Austrian army fully employed and the other Allies are well aware of the value of the service Italy is rendering the common cause.

As to Salonika, it is highly significant to learn that “the situation was such as to permit the Commander-in-Chief to grant the men a Christmas holiday”. That is to say, the preparation of the defences is so near completion that tools could be temporarily downed without danger.

Since the complete withdrawal of the Anglo-French troops into Greek territory, the weather conditions, we are told, have been extremely favourable for pushing forward defensive works and full use has evidently been made of the opportunity.

Due to the current situation we are unable to bring you our usual look back at the pages from the South Wales Argus from 100 years ago. We are revisiting stories from the First World War 105 years ago as a temporary measure.

MONMOUTHSHIRE Abergavenny: Boots, 2 Cross Street, 10am-4pm. Shackleton Pharmacy, 33 Brecon Road, 6pm-8pm.

Caldicot: Chappells Pharmacy, 28 Newport Road, 2pm-4pm.

Chepstow: Boots, 17 High Street, 10am-4pm. Merrick Pharmacy, 12-13 Steep Street, 4pm-6pm.

Monmouth: Boots, 60 Monnow Street, 10am-6pm.

Portskewett: Portskewett Pharmacy, The Old School House, Main Road, 4pm-6pm.

NEWPORT Asda Pharmacy, Pencarn Way, 9am-6pm.

Boots, 155-156 Commercial Street, 10.30am-4.30pm.

Boots, Unit 1A Newport Retail Park, Spytty Road, 9am-6pm.

Lloyds Pharmacy, Sainsbury’s, Albany Street, 10am-4pm.

Pill Pharmacy, 44 Commercial Road, 6pm-8pm.

Tesco Pharmacy, Harlech Retail Park, Cardiff Road, 9am-6pm.

TORFAEN Abersychan: Abersychan Pharmacy, 14-15 Broad Street, 2pm-6pm.

Blaenavon: Blaenavon Pharmacy, Middle Coed Cae Road, noon1pm.

Cwmbran: Boots, 10-14 The Mall, 10am-4pm.

Pontypool: Lloyds Pharmacy, 124-125 Osborne Road, 11.45am12.45pm. New Inn Pharmacy, 110 The Highway, 2pm-8pm.

Tides & lighting up times Sunset: 16.10. Sunrise: 08.18.

Headlights to be used: 16.40-07.48.

Tide times: Today: 05.41 (10.9m), 18.05 (10.9m).

Tomorrow: 06.23 (11.2m), 18.48 (11.2m).

southwalesargus.co.uk/news

Monday, December 28, 2020

13

Student nurse on the front line as new hospital opens

GETTING to work in your ideal job when you leave university is something not everyone can say they’ve done, but Jen Lynch is doing just that before she even graduates.

And not only that, she was also one of the first people to work in the brand new Emergency Department at the first major hospital to be built in Wales in the past 20 years – The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran.

Ms Lynch, a final year adult nursing student at the University of South Wales (USW), who’s on placement as part of her course at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board (ABUHB), was on shift at the new hospital when it first opened on November 17.

Now providing emergency and urgent care for the Gwent region, The Grange University Hospital has brought together services that were previously provided at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport and Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny.

The move into the new hospital has overlapped with Ms Lynch’s placement in A&E, where she is learning all about the job she hopes to take up full time when she finishes her adult nursing degree next summer.

By Argus Reporter

newsdesk@southwalesargus. co.ukTwitter “I was working at Nevill Hall as the transfer was taking place, so some of the services in Abergavenny were scaling down,” she said.

“It was great to be involved in that process, and to see what was going on, and moving down to work in the new hospital was a great experience.

“Being on shift when the new department actually first opened was brilliant, and it was also a little bit scary too. There was a whole new team of people who had to start working together and getting things done, and a whole new set of people for me to meet. But it was done perfectly and professionally, and was ready to provide the best care for all the patients from the first second.”

Being one of the first to work in the new Emergency Department was great experience for Ms Lynch, and has given her a first-hand taste of what she can expect if she goes to work at The Grange when she graduates. And it’s an opportunity she keen to grasp with both hands.

“You never know what’s coming through the doors of an emergency

department, every single day is different. So many different challenges – you don’t know what you’re walking into,” she said. “And you need to be able to relate to every single person, because you’re dealing with people of every age.”

Being able to deal with people of various ages and background is just one of the main skills that nurses need, but, Ms Lynch says, being resilient is also vital.

“At times people who come through the doors of A&E may not be the nicest, which is understandable as it’s a place of high emotions,” Jen said.

“The people who work there get that, and have the resilience to deal with it.

“This has obviously been even more noticeable during covid, because families have not been allowed to see their loved ones. It’s something I totally understand because I would be the same if it was one my family members.

“But that’s the role I have chosen and one I hope to carry on doing when I graduate, and, like all nurses, no matter what department you work in, you have to be caring and you have to be compassionate – these are the things that ground everyone in the profession.”

JOB SATISFACTION: Jen Lynch

Monday December 28, 2020

14

HOMES & GARDENS

Celebrity gardeners predict the challenges of the coming year Monty Don

Alan Titchmarsh

G

ARDENING became a saviour to millions during 2020 as people had a go at growing their own veg, learning planting know-how and nurturing new houseplants.

So, what are the challenges gardeners face as we go into 2021?

Our most famous green-fingered gurus offer their views.

Monty Don “On a very basic level, the challenge is space. By the time I was in my early 30s I was on to my second garden of my own,” says the Gardeners’ World presenter, whose latest book My Garden World has just been published.

“But young people my children’s age, in their early 30s, don’t have houses, they don’t have gardens – it’s having the opportunity to garden.

“If young people have the energy and the desire to change things but don’t have access to gardens, like we did, that is a big challenge.

“Climate change is something that is affecting gardeners as much as anyone. It’s not necessarily disastrous but it is a change and it’s difficult.”

Alan Titchmarsh The gardening guru, whose latest poetry book Marigolds, Myrtle and Moles: A Gardener’s Bedside Book provides a much needed escape, says: “One good thing that did come out of 2020 was the realisation that gardens had an enormous part to play in not only preserving the sanity of the nation, but also in providing food.

Pic: Danny Lawson/ PA

Sarah Raven

Pic: Hannah Stephenson/ PA

Pic: Jonathan Buckley/ PA

Michael Perry and Ellen Mary Pic: The Plant Based Podcast/ PA

Chris Collins

Monty Don, Alan Titchmarsh and others predict space, seed and plant shortages – and the need to make gardening greener.

“More folk than ever decided to grow their own fruit and veg.

Thankfully, in spite of being closed at the beginning of the first lockdown, garden centres were opened just in time before the spring turned into an absolute disaster for British growers and British horticulture – worth around £24 billion GDP to the economy, and priceless in terms of our physical and mental wellbeing.

“I do hope that the legacy of this year, and the solace and stimulation that has been provided by gardens and gardening, will have a lasting effect on our attitude to growing things, and that future generations will see gardening for what it is – the sharp end of caring for the environment, albeit on a small scale at local level. It really does matter, and it really does make a difference.”

Michael Perry (aka Mr Plant Geek) and Ellen Mary The co-hosts of The Plant Based Podcast say: “This year has been a challenging, yet enlightening, year for horticulture. While supply had its own challenges, interest in growing reached a peak. The world of mail order excelled and opened up a range of plants you couldn’t buy in the garden centre.

“Fingers crossed, 2021 will see further interest in horticulture, if not inhibited by availability. Our hope is that we can entice

Pippa Greenwood Pic: Sarah Heneghan/ PA houseplant lovers to consider their outside spaces, patios if they have them, or window boxes.

“Indoors, we’d like to see a move to flowering houseplants, which opens up the world of orchids, calandiva and some super sparkly chrysanthemums. Outdoors, innovations for growing veg will make home harvests the norm.”

Pippa Greenwood The regular panellist on Gardeners’ Question Time and grow-your-own expert at pippagreenwood.com says: “If you can say that Covid-19 had an upside, for me it was that so

many people discovered gardening for the first time, and many re-found it after a long break. It’s up to all of us who are already hooked to ensure that we pass on help, hints, tips and inspiration at every opportunity.

“As for challenges, I do have concerns that there could be plant shortages, partly because of Covid, but my fear is that the new border controls and proposed plant inspections, import regulations and all the costs involved could have a far bigger impact.

“For many reasons (and certainly in terms of actual carbon footprint) we simply cannot grow all the plants gardeners want in the UK, basic things like day-length, seasons and temperature mean that growing some of what we want would not be acceptable from an environmental perspective.

“These EU-exit effects are also likely to cause a hike in the prices we see in garden centres and nurseries.”

Sarah Raven “With new research pointing to the immunological benefits of Vitamin D, being outside, growing and gardening is set to rise further, says the gardening broadcaster and author, whose new book, A Year Full Of Flowers is due to be published by Bloomsbury on March 4.

“Uncertainty about the future

Pic: Kimi Collins/ PA

makes planning anything hard, and that includes the garden. There are longer than usual waiting times for things with greater demand for stock and fewer people out there able to grow and/or deliver the plants you want or need.

“And with Brexit, plant availability and prices are less certain. What will happen to the euro/pound exchange rate? Will there by tons of waste? Will there be lorries held up full of plants coming from the continent needing water? Growing your own is the best way to keep at least some control.”

Chris Collins The head of organic horticulture at charity Garden Organic and former Blue Peter gardener says: “Looking back, suddenly I had all this time for walks, looking at plants and tons of time on the allotment. I’ve never eaten so well.

“Some people will refer to 2020 as the year of Covid. To me, though, it will always be the year of the tomato as I never cropped so many.”

“The biggest challenge is maintaining the march toward a more natural style of gardening and further imbibing it into the mainstream norm.

“Younger gardeners in particular are much more aware that a garden is a shared space and needs the balance of both nature and plant care.

“Many new gardeners will be small space urban gardeners and we will miss a trick if we don’t engage and retain them.”

Monday December 28, 2020

15

WORLD NEWS

POWERED BY THE PRESS ASSOCIATION

Gender pay gap ‘wider with age’

WORLD IN BRIEF

PEOPLE speak with Rockford police at the scene of a

Three killed in US shooting A GUNMAN opened fire inside an Illinois bowling alley, killing three people and injuring three others on Saturday night in what authorities believe was a random attack.

A “person of interest” was taken into custody after the shooting at Don Carter Lanes, Rockford Police chief Dan O’Shea said during a news conference.

Two of those who were shot were teenagers.

The Rockford Register Star reported that 2020 has been the city’s deadliest year for homicides, according to records that date back to 1965.

Thirty-five people have been killed in the city 85 miles from Chicago this year, breaking the previous record of 31 in 1996.

Youth crime crackdown CHINA has lowered the age of criminal responsibility for some serious crimes from 14 to 12, as it looks to combat juvenile crime committed by children.

Under an amended law, children aged 12 to 14 will be held criminally liable for “intentional homicide or intentional injury that leads to death or causes others severe disabilities by extremely cruel means”.

Currently, the age of criminal liability in China is 16, with those between 14 and 16 held criminally responsible for serious crimes such as rape, robbery and intentional homicide.

Previously, minors who committed serious crimes have received what appeared to be lenient punishments, causing public outrage.

In one instance, a 13-year-old boy from the northern city of Dalian was given just three years of correctional education after he was found guilty of murdering a 10-year-old girl in October 2019.

CHILLING: A man walks through the snow in Killin, Stirlingshire, yesterday

Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Storm Bella winds top 100mph WINDS reached more than 100mph at the weekend as Storm Bella brought rain and blowy conditions across the UK. Two ‘threat to life’ flood warnings remained in place in Northamptonshire yesterday after days of wintry weather over the break, with a cold snap with icy and wintry conditions still to come.

The top wind speed was recorded

at the Needles on the Isle of Wight where it reached 106mph overnight on Saturday.

Fire crews in north Yorkshire rescued a number of people from vehicles stranded in floodwater.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service used a boat to rescue two men and two dogs from a vehicle stuck in flowing floodwater in Hawes, while in Aysgarth, a man

and a woman were also rescued by boat from the roof of their car.

Yesterday yellow weather warnings for ice and snow remained in place across Scotland, northern England, Northern Ireland and parts of North Wales. Towards the New Year conditions will remain cold with sunshine and the possibility of wintry showers, the Met Office said.

Oxford Covid jab is ‘more effective’

By PA Reporters THE boss of the firm behind the Oxford/AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine has raised hopes it is more effective than first thought amid the rapid spread of the UK virus strain across the globe.

AstraZeneca chief Pascal Soriot told The Sunday Times he believed researchers had found the “winning formula” using two doses and promised to publish the results as reports suggested the UK regulator could approve the jab within days.

The claim will come as some relief even as Canada became the latest country to identify cases of the new highly- infectious variant of coronavirus, which was first detected in the UK and has since spread to at least a dozen countries.

And Chancellor Rishi Sunak praised vaccination efforts so far, telling the Mail on Sunday: “There

RESEARCH: The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine could be approved in days will be tough days and months ahead, but there are reasons to look ahead to a brighter future and what 2021 promises.

“The early roll-out of vaccines – and the incredible work of our scientists and NHS – means we can now see light at the end of the tunnel with this pandemic.”

But medical unions and Labour criticised the Government’s handling of the programme, which

they said had not made enough progress in care homes.

Nadra Ahmed, chairman of the National Care Association, told the Sunday Mirror the Pfizer/BioNTech roll out was going to be “difficult” but added: “It’s another case of the massive over-promise on something that just cannot be delivered. It’s constant.”

And Labour shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth told the paper there was a “race against time” to vaccinate enough people as he urged the Government to avoid what he said were “the same mistakes again” in being “too slow” to protect care home residents - a veiled reference to PPE and hospital discharges.

On Christmas Eve, the Department of Health said more than 600,000 people had received their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, but the roll-out in care homes has been limited to seven areas. It added larger care homes with 50 to 70 beds would be prioritised first.

THE gender pay gap increases with age and is at its widest for the over-50s, new research suggests.

Analysis indicated that the median annual salary of women working full time in their 50s was 23% less than for men in the same age group.

Women in their 60s were paid 25% less, the report by Rest Less found. Its study indicated that the median annual salary of a woman in a full time job this year was just under £28,000, compared with £33,923 for men. But the gap was wider for those in their 60s – £26,230 for women and £34,325 for men.

Stuart Lewis, of Rest Less, said: “Women in their 50s and 60s face the double discrimination of age bias, combined with the widest gender pay gap of all ages.”

Have you won £1.8m?

LOTTERY bosses are “desperate” to find a £1.8m mystery EuroMillions prize winner who has still to claim their cash.

Players are being urged to check their tickets after one that was bought in West Lothian scooped the sum in the December 11 draw.

The ticket, which matched the five main numbers and one lucky star number, is worth a total of £1,886,380.

Camelot’s Andy Carter said: “This amazing prize could really make a massive difference to somebody’s life, and what a way to start the new year it would be.”

16

Grassroots southwalesargus.co.uk

Monday, December 28, 2020

Your round-up of local news from our correspondents

Beechwood & St Julian’s Tel: 07802 487 042 david.hando@hotmail.com

Virtual choral celebrations

Oops A Daisy!

Spare a thought for councillor Carmel Townsend, who took a tumble while delivering the Focus.

Aware of the slippery wet leaves on the steps, Carmel used the wooden handrail, which unfortunately collapsed. Down she went and needed to be helped by her fellow Focus deliverers and the concerned and helpful residents, A visit to the Royal Gwent confirmed that she had broken her arm and was badly bruised. Her spectacles were also shattered. We send our commiserations and best wishes to Carmel.

also took the opportunity for a sneak preview of the extension to the choir hall which is nearing completion. She also had a chat with vice chairman Leon Jones who has been mainly responsible for getting this project to its current position. On being invited to the choir’s next concert Jessica said: “I am very much looking forward to seeing you all when we can! It looks great (the choir hall) and it’s wonderful that you are hosting the food bank.”

For Your Christmas Tree The Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge have had some attractive baubles made featuring our majestic bridge to adorn your Christmas tree. They are £3 each and, like the masks, are selling like hot cakes at the visitor centre on Saturdays and Sundays from 10–4.

Bridge souvenirs are available and make ideal presents.

Christmas CD St John’s has produced a CD of Christmas music arising from the Choir contribution to the virtual carol service. It is selling fast at £5 a copy. If you are quick John Granger may have a few left. Tel: 769684.

Raven House Is appealing for tins of potatoes, meat and fruit, custard, rice pudding and pasta sauce jars.

Any food items are gratefully appreciated. They are looking to set up some Christmas parcels and would welcome any items for them, such as small boxes of chocolates, fruit cakes, jelly babies, wine gums, Liquorice Allsorts and biscuits etc. Please leave at Raven House, Cromwell Road, or St Julian’s Methodist Church or the Manse next door in St Julian’s Avenue.

Maindee Library The volunteers have re-opened the Library on Wednesdays 10-4 and Saturdays 10-2 for books, printing, refreshments and green bags, but computers will not be available. ESOL classes will run on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 9-2. Job Club Wednesdays 10-4. There have been some changes to make the Library as safe as possible.

Keep in Touch Any of the organizations operating in our area are welcome to communicate with their members via this column.

Local Councillors Continue to serve you the best they can in the circumstances. Just give them a ring: Beechwood Ward: Ring 779 795

Correspondents are reminded that all area reports should be e-mailed to grassroots@ southwalesargus.co.uk

Monmouth

Charles Boase MonmouthFocus@gmail.com

VOCALS: Members of the U3A choir, taken before the coronavirus pandemic.

Members of Newport U3A normally enjoy attending their own carol service on the last day of term at Shaftesbury Methodist Church, but all events have been cancelled. The language groups sing carols in their respective languages, the choir performs a new carol written by its musical (Cllr Davies), or 667 904 (Cllr Berry or Cllr Spencer).

St Julian’s Ward: Ring Carmel or Holly Townsend on 211 809 or Phil Hourihane on 07955 834 297.

Smile Lines From St John’s, Maindee, parish magazine: LUCKY JIM ~ Jim: My wife doesn’t know what she wants for Christmas.

John: You’re lucky; mine does.

GET IN TOUCH Grassroots is YOUR column. Let me know of your news and activities by phoning or texting me on 07 802 487 042, or emailing me on david. hando@hotmail.com

Bettws

Colin J Barne

We have approached Christmas time, and the thought of enjoying the yule tide is becoming harder to realise, but hopefully the new rules on restriction means families could meet, that is brilliant. So, to all the residents in Bettws, lets kick the

director and one of the creative writers recites a seasonal story.

These are interspersed with members reading the lessons and singing congregational carols.

Chairman, Stephen Berry, has emailed to our members an electronic ‘Christmas hamper’

of musical goodies that he has compiled. It consists of a collection of carols in the five languages of our groups, Bible readings, choral items and short stories from the creative writers.

Additionally, the Reverend Gordon Gresswell has provided a seasonal message.

pandemic where it hurts, and think of the youngsters by celebrating Christmas but still using common sense, cleanliness is essential! To all my story givers, my quiz readers and the whole estate, on the best of your ability enjoy Christmas!

2021 will, I am sure bring happiness to all, prosperity and good health.

So put your best foot forward, and think positive, so to all, A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.

still have work to go to, and worse still, there is “no standing on buses”, therefore only a limited number of travellers allowed. I see this as a total misjudgement on behalf of Newport Transport, and the sooner they think of the public conveyance in their own community, the better. Double deckers must be used.

Buses I wrote previously of the Bettws transport issue of times, limits etc. The buses arrived at 3 minutes intervals, making it hard for people travelling to the workplace, also no Sunday services. On Thursday, December 10 I was told by a bus user of his complete annoyance at the Bettws service lately saying it is a sheer disgrace. Even though he said that there are more early morning buses, it is absolutely abysmal that people at the stop are met by a bus driver in his seat with a typical answer of lunacy: “Only one place left.” There were many waiting for a bus to work, two people called a taxi. We all accept the health problems now, but they

Caldicot Male Voice Choir Caldicot Male Voice Choir is supporting the Caldicot Food Bank by providing the choir hall in Mill Lane as a warehouse and distribution centre. This valuable service, providing hundreds of food parcels and Christmas gifts to the local community in these difficult times was visited on December 11 by Newport East MP Jessica Morden who praised the efforts of the dozens of volunteers, sponsors and supporters of the food bank.

A long standing and loyal supporter of the choir, Jessica

Climate Activists Celebrate Community activists fighting global warming are celebrating a year of success despite the Covid-19 pandemic. ACE Monmouth (Action on Climate Emergency), set up by the town council last year after it declared a climate emergency, now has four groups working towards specific climate-related objectives.

Bike-Friendly Monmouth set up a town cycling club, now more than a hundred strong, its popular Dr Bike clinic will be repeated next year, and it has plans for a children’s “bike library.” Our Green Spaces identified a dozen areas around the town for planting trees and insect-friendly flowers, and is partnering Nature Isn’t Neat, Bug Life and Pesticide Action Network to increase biodiversity; and the Repair Café, squeezed in just before the March lockdown, attracted strong community support and will be repeated as soon as conditions allow. The big disappointment was having to postpone to next year the climate future festival in September.

“Despite all the challenges of 2020, the community of volunteers has grown in size, determination and enthusiasm,” said ACE chair town councillor Claudia Blair.

“Absolutely anyone is welcome to join and get involved.”

Get in touch through the groups’ Facebook pages or speak to your local councillor.

Row over £700 Trees About a dozen trees are to be planted in Monmouth at a cost of £700 in an initiative organised

by Green Spaces, part of the council’s ACE Monmouth (Action on Climate Emergency), working with the county council. They will be at Rockfield, Lancaster Way (Osbaston), Vauxhall Fields, Hereford Road (past the Royal Oak) and Monmouth Comprehensive School (the landowner’s permission is need for last two).

If you have items for Grassroots, please contact your local correspondent or email grassroots@southwalesargus.co.uk

Monday, December 28, 2020

17

southwalesargus.co.uk But the application to spend the money from a pot set aside for responses to the climate emergency did not go smoothly through the town council. Conservative councillors raised objections that threatened to have the proposal put off to next month.

Lack of consultation worried Cllr Richard Roden: “When trees have been planted in Osbaston the residents there have been quite upset because they weren’t consulted.” He added: “Individuals that have gardens are at free will to pay for trees themselves and plant them, so I don’t really see the need for this.” Cllr Rod Smith, anxious about the drains, wanted Welsh Water and Natural Resources Wales to be consulted. Summing up, chair Mat Feakins said: “The plan does lack a little bit of detail. There’s lots of unknowns about this.”

Chair of ACE Monmouth Cllr Claudia Blair said: “Anyone is welcome to plant a tree in their garden, but we also have a lot of spaces and trees are one of the most positive things we can do in terms of climate emergency.

So, I am astonished there is any resistance to it, to be honest.”

Cllr Kelly Jackson-Graham said: “I think this is a fantastic partnership with Monmouthshire County Council. We are not talking about planting a forest in someone’s garden, this is a few trees here and there. It’s an effort to work with our commitment to acknowledging there is a climate emergency which we have done as a council. Time is of the essence.

Trees need to be planted ideally at a certain time of the year and that would be now or early next spring.”

In reply to Cllr Feakins’s concern that the plan lacked detail, she said: “If you have questions you could have contacted Cllr Blair and said, right, could you bring to this meeting or can you send something. You know, as the chair of this committee it would have been useful rather than delaying things again and again.” She added: “I trust the working group to making decisions with the county council. That’s why we have working groups.”

That point was taken up by Cllr Jupp: “I think we know the working group. They are the town council’s working group after all. These are estimable people who have been working very hard and treading the hard yards trying to find out where to plant these trees. I am sure they have all their workings to show for it and I really think we are not crediting our volunteers with any goodwill or intelligence if we look at their carefully-thought-out request and simply say ‘not enough information, put it off and wait another year’. Frankly the point about whether we go around drains I would have thought these people being quite expert in their field are looking at that kind of thing and also thinking about how we are going to cope with flooding which is by planting trees,” she said.

Cllr Anthea Dewhurst also said that planting trees would help to reduce flooding, especially in Osbaston – “a great source of water, because of the amount of clay and the water rushing off the hills”. “I am less worried about drains and more worried about soaking up the water,” she said.

In the event the £700 expenditure, subject to consulting local people and confirming the long-term responsibility for the maintenance

of the individual trees, was approved, with only Cllr Roden against. £200 for Relate The relationships charity Relate is being given £200 from the Monmouth town council Covid-19 recovery fund to pay for an additional webcam licence to support their online counselling service. The demand for their services has increased during the time of Covid-19 restrictions.

Torfaen

Text and photos supplied by Mary Barnett, unless indicated otherwise. marybarnett. uppercwmbran@gmail.com

First let me thank readers for continuing to support our local newspaper, the South Wales Argus, and congratulations to all the staff involved in its production in these very challenging times. Many thanks also to all individuals and groups who have supplied news of interest to Torfaen residents, that I have been able to use over the past months when there has been such a dearth of concerts, sporting, cultural and other events.

To each and every one of you have a lovely Christmas and best wishes for a happy and pandemicfree 2021.

Sadly many of us will have lost loved ones, friends and colleagues this last year and I send best wishes for a peaceful Christmas and New Year with the consolation of happy memories.

News from Torfaen County Borough Council Nifty Thrifty Torfaen Food banks opening closing times over the festive period: Trac2-Offices Will be open to provide support up to 2pm on Christmas Eve and will then close until Monday, Jan 4.

For urgent support over the Christmas break contact Trac2 by messaging their Facebook page or contact Councillor Sue Malson via Facebook messenger.

Woodland Rd Social Centre The Centre is open 11am-12pm every day and will be open on Christmas Eve. The Centre will close from 12pm on Christmas Eve and will reopen on Wednesday 30th of Christmas week between 11-12.

If you are facing a food emergency, call Councillor Gauden on 07540250200 and you may be entitled to receive a crisis food bag.

Some Christmas hampers and gifts may also be available by contacting Councillor Joanne Gauden over the next few weeks.

Northville Community Group Northville Community Group will be closed from December 24-28 and on January 1. Emergency food request can be made by calling Torfaen County Borough Council.

Eastern Valley Food Bank The Eastern Valley Food Bank works as a voucher referral scheme, administered by local charities and community organisations. The final referral date will be on December 22,2021.

Costar Partnership Costar Community Centre will be closing for the Christmas break

from midday on December 23 and will reopen on Monday, January 4. Local residents facing financial hardship can contact Costar directly for support 01633 869277.

Garnsychan Partnership For households in financial hardship, food parcels will be available and delivered up to December 24 by contacting Garnsychan Partnership on 01495 774453. Nominations can also be put forward for households to receive a Christmas hamper (preferably households in need from the local area).

Thornhill Community Centre Food parcel support up to December 18, referrals for Christmas hampers only up to December 4 and will be delivered from December 14.

Salvation Army Pontypool Christmas gifts are available for families in need by contacting Pontypool Salvation Army on 01495 751480 or email Pontypool@ salvationarmy.co.uk.

New Parents Claiming Child Benefit Reminded to Register Births “Parents in Wales are being urged to register the birth of their newborns, so HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)) can verify their Child Benefit claims.

Normally, a birth must be registered before claiming Child Benefit.

However, with some local register offices operating at a reduced capacity and some parents unable to go to them because of COVID-19, HMRC announced in April that claims could be made without having to register the child’s birth first.

More than 100,000 parents across the U.K have been able to take advantage of this temporary change, ensuring that they receive this vital form of financial support.

But to ensure they continue to receive the benefit they should register the birth as soon as they can, if they have not done so already.

Local register offices in Wales are Covid-secure and are all operating at full capacity.

HMRC will be contacting anyone who has claimed since April but has not yet registered their child’s births so that the claim can be verified. Parents will receive an SMS text message or letter asking them to contact their local register office and make an appointment to register their child If parents receive this letter or text but are currently unable to do this, they can contact HMRC to seek more time.

Karl Khan, Interim Director General for Customer Services, HMRC, said: “It’s really encouraging to see that parents have taken advantage of the change we put in place earlier this year to help ensure they can claim the financial support they’re entitled to.

It is now crucial for parents who claimed Child Benefit without registering their child’s birth to do it now so that they continue to receive their benefit.

Child Benefit claims can only be backdated up to three months, so it is important that new parents claim as soon as they can so that they receive the maximum financial support available. They

GRASSROOTS should then make an appointment to register the birth at the earliest opportunity so that HMRC can verify the claim.

First time parents will need to fill in Child Benefit claim form CH2 which can be found online and send it to the Child Benefit Office.

If they haven’t registered the birth because of COVID -19, they should add a note with their claims to let us know.

If parents already claim Child Benefit, they can complete the form or add their newborn’s details over the telephone on 0300 200 3100. They will need their National Insurance number or Child Benefit number Child Benefit payments increased from April 6 this year to a weekly rate of £21.05 for the first child and £13.95 for each additional child.

Child Benefit is paid into your bank account, usually every four weeks.”

Keep up the Mighty Recycling Effort this Christmas to help get Wales to Number One Most people in Torfaen recycle.

“As Wales’ recycling rate reaches an all-time high, we’re calling on our residents to keep up their ‘mighty’ efforts when it comes to recycling this Christmas.

With 92 per cent of us recycling regularly, Wales is a nation of mighty recyclers. We’re the world’s third best recycling nation, and we’re backing Wales Recycles’ Mighty Mission to get to number one.

The latest recycling data revealed that we’re one step closer to reaching the top spot.

Despite the challenges faced by COVID-19, Wales’ overall recycling rate saw a big boost this year, increasing from 63 per cent to 65 per cent. This means we are now recycling 65 per cent of our overall waste, exceeding Welsh Government ‘s 64 per cent target for this year.

A recent survey also revealed that 55 per cent of us are recycling more than we did this time last year, with environmental concerns being one of the biggest motivators. That’s fantastic, but with almost half of us still not recycling everything we can, there is still more we can do if we’re to help Wales get from third in the world to first, and continue protecting our precious resources, we all need to ramp up our efforts this festive period.

Christmas is traditionally the time of year we create the most waste at home. From all the extra food we consume to the mountain of packaging from Christmas gift purchases, it’s a prime opportunity to make sure we are recycling everything we possibly can.

That’s why we’re supporting Wales Recycles’ Be Mighty, Recycle campaign, funded by Welsh Government to encourage everyone in Wales to be mighty recyclers this Christmas.

Councillor Mandy Owen, executive member for the environment, said: “Welsh citizens are showing that they’re mighty when it comes to recycling and we should all be proud of our efforts, but there is still more we can do.

We’re calling on our residents to keep up the good work over Christmas to help us reach the top spot!

“We know people in Wales care about protecting our beautiful country and recycling plays an essential role in tackling climate

change. It’s a simple thing that everyone can do to help make a real difference.”

Follow these top tips to be a Mighty Recycler this Christmas: * Eat, recycle, be merry. Every council in Wales provides a weekly food waste recycling collection service. Please use it.

You can recycle turkey bones, veg peelings and any leftovers from your Christmas dinner (that can’t be safely eaten later)! And keep recycling other waste over the Christmas period too, such as tea bags and coffee grounds, eggshells, peelings and cores from fruit and stale bread. * Conquer your card this Christmas. You can recycle all cardboard from online deliveries.

Please remove all sticky tape first and flatten any boxes. And once Christmas is over, please recycle all your cards, just remove any bows and ribbons first, and any parts with glitter. * Most plastic from around the home can be recycled; drinks bottles, cleaning products toiletry bottles, such as shampoo and shower gel. Don’t forget to empty, crush and replace the lids before recycling. And remove any pump dispensers or trigger sprays first as these can’t be recycled. You can also recycle the big plastic tubs of chocolate and sweets you may have around the house at Christmas. * Don’t overlook foil this Christmas. Please recycle foil cases from mince pies and any clean or unstained foil used in your Christmas cooking. Please empty and rinse foil trays and containers before putting them out to be recycled. * Metal drinks cans and food tins as well as empty aerosols, such as deodorant, shaving gel and hairspray, can all be recycled. * If you’re unsure what you can and can’t recycle, visit Wales Recycles‘ Recycling Locator.

To learn more about the Mighty Mission and Wales Recycles’ ‘12 days of Christmas ‘ recycling facts and tips, visit www. bemigntyrecycle.org.uk, look out for the ads on TV, listen to the radio ad, and join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #BeMightyRecycle.

Changes to Christmas Waste and Recycling Collections The Council is pleased to announce that this year we will be collecting waste and recycling on Bank holidays. which in previous years wouldn’t have occurred.

Councillor Mandy Owen, executive member for the environment said: “We have listened to our residents, and other than those who would normally have collections on January 1, all collections will be on their normal day.”

Collections due on January 1 will take place on January 2.

“Due to this change we are asking all residents to share this information with family and friends, so no one misses out on a collection.

This year has been tough on everyone because of Covid-19, and I would like to thank residents for their patience with waste and recycling crews. They have faced challenges like never before. I would also like to thank the waste and recycling crews for their dedication throughout this tough year--thank you.”

If you have items for Grassroots, please contact your local correspondent or email grassroots@southwalesargus.co.uk

southwalesargus.co.uk/news

18

Monday, December 28, 2020

Help available if you need it

By Elizabeth Birt Community Reporter Twitter @ArgusEBirt

AS the lockdown across Wales kicks in, we are highlighting the places that are available to help if anyone is in need.

During these times when normal daily life is turned upside down and people can be left more isolated than normal or are unable to get to the shops due to isolation, it can bring on or make many mental health conditions worse and leave people feeling helpless.

But there are many people out there who are doing their best during these trying times to make life easier for people who are struggling, whether that is by doing shopping or small errands for people isolating, or phoning people to check in.

Here are some local and national organisations that are on hand and the services that they will be offering.

NEWPORT Newport Mind Newport Mind offer adult wellbeing activities, groups and self-management course through Zoom. They support adults on a 1-2-1 basis and have a dedicated peer support worker to those who cannot access the internet services, instead providing telephone support.

They also have a housing and tenancy support team who provide support to people living in their supported houses and for people who are having issues with housing, tenancy agreements, homelessness and benefits support, as well as delivering food parcels.

They also offer counselling services priced at £40 per sessions or £10 per session if there is financial hardship or receipt of benefits.

There is 1-2-1 and group support available for children, young people and families. There are specific projects to help with trauma, nature and eco-therapy, family resilience and volunteering opportunities. There is a whole school approach team to support the entire school community to understand and support their mental health.

There are resources on the Newport Mind website to help with lockdown for both adults and children. Information can also be found on accessing help from Newport Mind at http://www. newportmind.org/keeping-mind--body-active/ or by calling 01633 258741.

Raven House Trust Raven House Trust have been supporting the community with food parcels and much more. They have increased their output by more than five times, going from 20 food parcels a week to 100.

They are currently closed over the Christmas period but will reopen on January 5. Anyone who needs help can contact them through 01633 762999.

Newport City Council Community Hubs Free phone number to ring for support 08001963482.

Feed Newport Feed Newport help homeless, refugees, older people, people fleeing domestic violence, and those at risk through living in

poverty.

You can contact them on 01633 549796 or visit https://www. feednewport.com CAERPHILLY Risca Covid-19 Volunteers The Risca Covid-19 Volunteers were set up in March specifically to help members of the community during the first lockdown with small errands, shopping and prescription runs and calling people who are lonely and isolated.

They currently have around 200 volunteers supporting almost as many individuals and families.

There are a lot of other projects they have been doing including coffee mornings and craft sessions, which have been suspended due to the lockdown restrictions.

They are also running a tin on the wall campaign for the Risca food bank and other local charities.

If you need any help from the Risca Covid-19 group, you can contact them on 07935646375, 07935647795 or by visiting www. riscacv19volunteers.com and through Facebook.

BMMR Churches Bedwas, Machen, Michaelstony-Fedw and Rudry Churches (BMMR) set up a CSRE project on March 23, run by Reverend Dean Roberts. They deliver food parcels, collect prescriptions and provide support via telephone. You can visit www.theparishtrust.org.uk Gateway Church Claire Hughes at Gateway Church in Caerphilly has used £7,000 worth of Lottery funding to set up virtual wellbeing workshops to help with people’s mental health during lockdown.

You can get in touch by emailing info@gatewaychurchcaerphilly. co.uk.

Tin on A Wall Newbridge The tin on a wall in Newbridge supplies the Pantside foodbank with tonnes of food each week as generous members of the community leave food to be collected.

St Cenydd Road Church, Caerphilly Have a food bank which is open between 10am and noon every Wednesday. No voucher is necessary.

Hengoed Happiness and Wellbeing Group Provide friendship, support and a host of online events. You can join quizzes, coffee mornings, craft evenings, buddy support and tea together.

These events are all held in

person usually but are limited to online at the moment.

Find out more at www.Facebook.com/ HengoedHappinessandWellbeing BLAENAU GWENT Brynmawr Rotary Club The club run a supplementary food bank to support working poverty groups and people directed to them. They have supplied 182 families with Christmas hampers and supplied 100 fresh fruit and vegetables parcels to another group’s hamper delivery. If they are unable to help, they will signpost to other organisations.

TORFAEN Panteg House Has supported 565 families and donated 36,000 items of food. They are also supporting 32 families every two weeks from federated schools. They have supplied care homes and a number of individuals throughout the area and are working with groups in New Inn and Cwmynyscoy to take in donations and help people in need. The New Inn group were the first to start a ‘tin on the wall’ collection scheme to encourage donations from their community – the food they collect is stored and distributed via Panteg House.

They have supported people out of their immediate area and have acted as the hub for our donation, delivery and distribution network, enabling us to buy and receive in bulk before distributing to other centres.

Thornhill Community Centre Are supporting around 85 families a week and are seeing an increase in people walking into the centre. They are supporting families from in their area and have helped people from other areas too.

Croesy Food Share Have supported 225 people since beginning of April, serving the south east of the Borough, including and beyond their immediate area.

Co-Star Have supported 264 families with crisis bags and also 180 school families. They support Greenmeadow, Coed Eva, St Dials and Fairwater but have also helped people outside their area when needed. They also continue to support 55 families with food share bags, but they are not included in the above numbers.

Garnsychan Partnership

Have supported 694 families and / or single elderly households.

Predominantly those supported live in Abersychan & Garndiffaith ward, with some provision to Pontypool and Blaenavon.

Blaenavon Town Council/ Healthier Blaenavon Estimate that they have supplied over £3,900 worth of food to local people. They have been receiving food share since 5th August and over the 13 weeks they have given out over 325 bags of food, each worth around £12.

Trac 2 Have supported 631 households throughout Torfaen and given out over 12000 food items. They have also included local care homes and traveller sites in their support.

Northville Community Group Have supported 42 families over the last month and have 125 outreach contacts.

Noddfa Church Has been supporting Abersychan, Talywain, Garndiffaith and Blaenavon. They have worked out that they averaged 10 families a day since February up until the beginning of half term. This does not include the food parcels they delivered to approximately 30 households in the community at the beginning of the pandemic, which they carried out for 3 months.

Trussell Trust Eastern Valley Foodbank Assists people across the Borough. Since they switched to the delivery model at the start of the first lockdown, they have delivered 1,907 emergency food parcels. The number of people fed so far is 4,255 (although in some cases this may be the same people more than once). As each parcel contains three meals a day for three days, this equates to 38,300 meals. They have given out 34 tonnes of food during this time.

MONMOUTHSHIRE Mind Monmouthshire Offer adult wellbeing activities, groups and self-management course through Zoom. They support adults on a 1-2-1 basis, provide counselling, housing support and benefits advice.

For support with mental health, contact 01873 858275.

Monmouthshire council Are offering support to people shielding or isolating. This includes people needing shopping done or prescriptions collected.

For more information or to use this service, contact 01633 644696 or email partnerships@ monmouthshire.gov.uk NATIONAL Live Fear Free The Welsh Government’s Live Fear Free helpline provides support for people suffering from violence and abuse. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

You can call free on 0808 8010800, text 07860077333 and email info@ livefearfreehelpline.wales.

Dyn Project Dyn Project offers support for men across Wales suffering from domestic violence by contacting 0808 801 0321 or emailing support@ dynwales.org.

C.A.L.L. Helpline The mental health helpline for Wales is C.A.L.L Helpline. It is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.

They offer community advice and a listening line, with confidential listening and support service.

You can call 0800 132 737 or text ‘help’ to 81066. You can also visit www.callhelpline.org.uk for more information.

Samaritans Samaritans are a UK-wide service for people needing help with their mental health. They are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They will listen and you can call at any time day or night.

For help call 116 123 for free or visit www.samaritans.org.

You can also email jo@ samaritans.org but take note that a response to the email can take 24 hours.

Mind Mind can provide information and signposting services. They are open 9am-6pm Monday to Friday, apart from bank holidays.

You can get information on mental health problems, where you can get help close to you, treatment options and advocacy services.

Contact the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393, text 86463 or visit https:// www.mind.org.uk/ Please be aware than they are closed on Christmas Day, December 28 and January 1.

Melo The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has developed the Melo website with partners to promote the mental wellbeing of people living and working in Torfaen, Newport, Monmouthshire, Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent.

Melo is here to help you to develop new skills that will support you when life is difficult. https://www.melo.cymru/ Carers Trust South East Wales Carers Trust South East Wales is running a winter emergency grants scheme for unpaid carers affected by the Coronavirus crisis.

Carers can now apply for a grant of up to £300 to address immediate winter pressures and emergency needs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The Carers Support Fund has been provided by Welsh Government via Carers Trust Wales to be administered by Carers Trust South East Wales (CTSEW). For more information visit https://www.ctsew.org.uk/ carers-support-fund-grants?fb clid=IwAR0ykTwHHx7iBUwo xXbP96FkeK3H1-wJMTtps-UgVk01zvUulnHZhinzVs Home-Start Cymru Provide friendship, emotional support and practical advice in the homes of families who are having difficulties managing parenting for a variety of different reasons.

These could be poor mental health, managing children’s challenging behaviour, disability, domestic abuse, isolation or low self-esteem.

Our mission is to give children the best possible start in life, by supporting parents so they grow in confidence, strengthening and enjoying their relationships with their children and widening their links with the local community.

For more information or to get help visit https://homestartcymru. org.uk/ ● Have we missed any? Please let us know by e-mailing newsdesk@southwalesargus. co.uk with some information on what the group is doing during lockdown to help the community.

southwalesargus.co.uk

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PUZZLES DOUBLE CROSSWORD

WORD WHEEL 21. The end of cigarette smoking? (4)

You have 10 minutes to find as many words as possible using the letters in the wheel. Each must use the hub letter and at least 3 others.

Letters may be used only once. You cannot use plurals, foreign words or proper nouns. There is at least one 9-letter word to be found.

22. And semis are rebuilt by one helping at church (8) 23. Lied about being lazy (4)

Down 1. Possibly Welsh valets (8)

E

2. Under the weather having been hit by a car (3,4)

C

4. Responds with opened crates (6) 5. Unlikely to confuse a dafter chef (3-7) 6. Complete state (5) 7. Two orders of extinct bird (4)

CRYPTIC CLUES Across

1. Challenge to read out (4) 3. Deep trouble for pound (8) 8. Ages due to nose operation (4) 9. Otherwise criticise returning man being killed (8)

11. A real boost that Nelson got? (4,2,3,3) 13. Ski with an athlete (6) 14. Put an end to whisky (6) 17. People who restore plush, perhaps (12) 20. Rulers with no charms somehow (8)

Down 1. Compress (8) 2. Disperse (7) 4. Plunder (6) 5. Commanding (10) 6. Rule (5) 7. Refuse (4) 10. Peaceable (3-7) 12. Rashness (8) 15. Slavery (7) 16. Result (6) 18. New (5) 19. Row (4)

Across 1. Price (4) 12. Charles gets a new blue 3. Ready (8) vestment (8) 8. Trim (4) 15. Gave therapy to Edward at 9. Dislike (8) 11. Alienation (12) the new rate (7) 13. Stripe (6) 16. A maths problem causes 14. Firm (6) breathing difficulties (6) 17. Unconcern (12) 18. Longed for a tree to have 20. Bills (8) died (5) 21. Wise Men (4) 22. Demote (8) 19. A politician’s current units (4) 23. Extremely (4)

1

14

2

15

3

16

4

17

5

G

18

6

19

7

20

8

21

9

22

10

23

11

D

24

12

25

13

26

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ

NINER Each number from 1 to 9 represents a different letter. Solve the clues and insert the letters in the appropriate squares to discover a word which uses all nine letters.

THE CLUES 12389 82894 745698

1

2

gives a skill; gives a symbol; gives a charm.

3

4

N T

Starting from 1, fill in the grid clockwise with four-letter words. The last letter of each word becomes the first letter of the next to reveal the seven-letter key word in the shaded boxes.

1

2 10

14

15

8

11

6

7

8

9

4

16

7

12 6

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Tom-tom, say Net Maori war chant Among Small pointed missile 6. Group of footballers 7. Fail to hit

5

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

Condiment Canvas shelter Light haircut A sweet Group of three Egg-shaped Arm or leg Hurt by knocking Mines

Keyword clue: Fruit type

Christmas Eve’s solutions DOUBLE CROSSWORD: Cryptic: Across: 7 Raised; 8 Despot; 10 Mohican; 11 Exact; 12 Tees; 13 Nepal; 17 Llama; 18 Gala; 22 Gross; 23 Nearest; 24 Temper; 25 Opener.

Down: 1 Primate; 2 Lighter; 3 Reach; 4 General; 5 Appal; 6 State; 9 Undermine; 14 Cluster; 15 Pageant; 16 Pasture; 19 Agate; 20 Forms; 21 Harps.

Quick: Across: 7 Rarely; 8 Divide; 10 Vitiate; 11 Thing; 12 Send; 13 Metre; 17 Alarm; 18 Dive; 22 Enemy; 23 Produce; 24 Rescue; 25 Danger.

Down: 1 Proviso; 2 Pretend; 3 Bleak; 4 Jittery; 5 Civil; 6 Verge; 9 Telegraph; 14 Playful; 15 Divulge; 16 Revelry; 19 Weary; 20 Cease; 21 Foray.

WORD WHEEL: ABSTAINED.

5

3

9

13

Codeword is the crossword puzzle with no clues. The number in each square corresponds to a letter. Work out the words in the grid using the letters provided.

Fill in these known letters first, then use skill and judgement to work out the others.

5 8 2 3 5 2 5 4 8 7 3 7 9 4 5 1 7 8 8 2 1 5 8 3 5 2 5 9 7 4 3 1

I

SPIRAL

CODEWORD

Hard

Medium

SUDOKU

D

K

How you rate: 15, average; 20, good; 25, very good; 30 or more, excellent.

QUICK CLUES

10. On the face of furniture (10)

H E

CODEWORD: 1=H, 2=T, 3=J, 4=C, 5=L, 6=O, 7=K, 8=I, 9=U, 10=V, 11=N, 12=Y, 13=E, 14=B, 15=X, 16=W, 17=G, 18=Q, 19=S,

20=A, 21=M, 22=Z, 23=R, 24=D, 25=P, 26=F. NINER: CAMPFIRES WORD SPIRAL: 1 Tram; 2 Mast; 3 Tuba; 4 Atop; 5 Peck; 6 Kepi; 7 Imps; 8 Sham; 9 Mask; 10 Kiwi; 11 Iris; 12 Soft; 13 Tear; 14 Rind; 15 Drab; 16 Bung.

Keyword: Sangria.

SUDOKU 1 8 4 6 5 2 7 9 3

9 2 7 3 1 8 5 6 4

6 3 5 4 9 7 2 8 1

5 4 2 8 3 9 6 1 7

3 1 6 7 4 5 8 2 9

8 7 9 2 6 1 4 3 5

7 6 1 9 8 4 3 5 2

4 5 8 1 2 3 9 7 6

2 9 3 5 7 6 1 4 8

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Family Notices as unique as your family An opportunity to share memories and to leave a lasting tribute to family and friends.

Place obituaries on our dedicated website: southwalesargus.co.uk/obit Deaths BRYANT On 17th December 2020, Yvonne Bryant of Pontnewydd, Cwmbran.

Beloved wife of the late Anthony, devoted mum of Mark, Philip, Tracy, David, Daniel and Victoria, adored nanny of all her grandchildren and great grand children. Loved and sadly missed by her loving family and friends.

A private funeral to take place at Gwent Crematorium. Flowers and enquiries to Peterson Funeral Home, Maendy Way, Cwmbran, NP44 6JU. Tel: 01633 483127.

GILHOME Angela On 15th December 2020 peacefully at home, aged 75 years of Sherston.

Much loved partner of Ian. She will be sadly missed by her sister Rosemary, family and friends.

All funeral enquiries and donations if desired for “Cancer Research UK”, to Matthews Independent Funeral Directors, 7 Burnham Road, Malmesbury, SN16 0BQ. Tel: 01666 822216. www.matthewsofmalmesbury.com

LAWRENCE Jeff After a short illness Jeff sadly passed away.

Sorely missed by his loving wife Ann, beloved brother Bryan, dearly loved dad of Tim, Caroline and David and cherished grandad and great grandad. will be sadly missed by all his family and friends.

Private funeral service to be held at Langstone Vale crematorium on Wednesday 30th December at 2.30 pm. Family flowers only but if so desired donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s society.

We’ll help you find the right words GENERAL VERSES VERSE 1A

Take him/her in your arms Lord, Guide him/her through the storm, Sit with him/her in sunshine, and let the wind be warm, Play his/her favourite music, And when you see him/her smile, Tell him/her that we love him/her, And he’s/she’s thought of all the while.

VERSE 2A

Jesus take care of our (name) And love her/him as we do Because she/he was everything, Loving kind and true

VERSE 3A

Not one to trouble or make a fuss, You asked for nothing from any of us, God called you to him and we had to part, Leaving us lonely and with a broken heart.

VERSE 4A

I cannot bring the old days back, When we were all together, But memories keep you close to me, And memories last forever.

VERSE 5A

Safe in the arms of Jesus, And free from pain, Rest in peace (name) Till we meet again.

VERSE 6A

A light is from our household gone, A voice we loved is stilled, A place is vacant in our home, Which never can be filled.

We have to mourn the loss of one, We did our best to save, Beloved on earth, regretted still, Remembered in the grave.

VERSE 7A

A golden heart stopped beating, Two smiling eyes at rest, God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

VERSE 8A

Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, If I die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Free from pain, Now you’re up above, Feelings of sadness, And feelings of love.

VERSE 9A

It’s a wonderful journey (name) From the old world to the new Someday I’ll take that journey Just to be with you.

And when I get to heaven Where all are free from pain I’ll put my arms around you (name) And we’ll never part again.

Family Notices

as unique as your family...

An opportunity to share memories and to leave a lasting tribute to family and friends.

Place obituaries on our dedicated website: southwalesargus.co.uk/obit

Monday, December 28, 2020

VERSE 10A

Although we’re not together, We will never be apart, Because you have that special place, Right here within my heart, Always and forever.

VERSE 11A

VERSE 20A

Each dawning day, a thought of you At eventide, a prayer, And in the hearts that loved you so, You always will be there, Ours to remember.

VERSE 21A

You never complained, You never gave in, You fought a battle, You could not win, You were so brave.

No matter where I go (name) No matter what I do, I’ll cherish the memories of yesterday And the laughs I shared with you.

VERSE 12A

Farewells were left unspoken, You gently slipped away, You left many happy memories, That will never fade way.

VERSE 13A

We never lose the ones we love, For even though they’ve gone, Within the heartsof those who care Their memory lingers on.

VERSE 14A

I did’nt see you often, But you knew I really cared, And I have some lovely memories, Of happy times we shared.

Time is not measured by the years that You live, but the deeds that you do, And the joy that you give And each day as it comes Brings a chance to each one, To love to the fullest, leaving nothing undone.

VERSE 15A

It seems that certain friends we meet.

Are thought of for a while.

While others are remembered for A special deed or smile But those who stay within our hearts Are very very few, But (name) that’s the kind of friend We all found in you.

Did the sun shine a little brighter, Was the sky a deeper blue, Or was it just a better world, (name) When we shared our lives with you.

May God grant us, Hope for each morning, Strength for each day, And peace for each night.

On the wings of a prayer our burdens Take flight, And our load of care becomes Bearably light.

And our heavy hearts are lifted above, To be healed by the by the balm of God’s Wonderful love.

And the tears in our eyes are dried by the hands of a loving Father who understands All of our problems, our fears and despair, When we take them to him on the wings Of a prayer.

Our hearts are filled with memories, Which we gather through the years, All the happy times we shared, Are treasured souvenirs.

VERSE 16A

My heart is filled with love each day, I loved you in a special way, Trusting that God will understand, I place my heartache in his hands.

VERSE 17A

Life’s work well done, Life’s race well run, Now comes rest.

VERSE 18A

How hard it is to part with those We hold so dear, The heart no greater trial knows, No sorrow more severe.

VERSE 19A

I’ll treasure forever the friendship We shared.

The things you did, the way you cared, Someone to turn to, so kind and true, One in a million (name) I’ll never Forget you.

VERSE 22A

VERSE 23A

VERSE 24A

VERSE 25A

VERSE 26A

You lived your life with little needs, Full instead, of selfless deeds, For everyone you did your best, May God grant you eternal rest.

VERSE 27A

It was hard to part with one so dear, We little thought the time was near, Farewell, dear one, your life is past, Our love for you till the end will last.

VERSE 28A

Every day in some small way, We miss you more than words can say, In our hearts you will always stay, Loved and remembered every day.

VERSE 29A

From pain to peace, From home to heaven, God Bless.

Share memories & leave lasting tributes at: southwalesargus.co.uk/obit

Monday, December 28, 2020

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Monday, December 28, 2020

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SPORT

in association with

Chepstow showpiece called off CHEPSTOW’S Coral Welsh Grand National meeting was abandoned after an early-morning inspection yesterday due to a waterlogged track.

The fixture has had no luck down the years on the weather front and once more course officials were forced to admit defeat.

Earlier in the week there had been optimism that the prestigious card, which also features the Grade One Coral Finale Juvenile Hurdle, would survive but a further downfall overnight from Storm Bella left the course with patches of false ground.

Clerk of the course Libby O’Flaherty inspected at

STORMY: Today’s big meeting at Chepstow was called off because part of the course was waterlogged.

Picture: Alan Crowhurst / Getty Images

7.45am but was left with no choice but to call the meeting off.

Catterick card

Going: Soft TOTE: Placepot: First six races.

TV: RACING TV ITV4 1.30.

SKYBET BRITAIN’S MOST POPULAR ONLINE BOOKMAKER CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS’ HANDICAP CHASE (CLASS 5)

11.50

2m 3f 4yo and upwards £2,989 DON’T NEED TO KNOW 19 R M Smith 6-11-12W Shanahan(7) SNOUGAR 17 D McCain 7-11-12........................ T Gillard(6) RELKADAM 13 T Easterby 6-11-11 .....................N Moscrop BARRYS JACK 20 B Ellison 10-11-11...........D McMenamin GOLDENCARD 28 Christian Williams 7-11-7Jack Tudor(3) LOCO COCO 48 T Vaughan 5-11-5.......................... C Brace GOUET DES BRUYERES 25 Oliver Greenall 4-11-5 ............. ............................................................................. Ross Turner(3) 8 08P23 KING GOLAN 25 Kenny Johnson 9-11-2Alison Johnson(7) 9 2P-PP TWO HOOTS 53 Miss J Foster 9-10-6 .......... Sam Coltherd 10 PP-04 RAJAPUR 14 Stef Keniry 7-10-1.............................T Willmott BETTING: 11-4 Goldencard, 5 Relkadam, 6 Barrys Jack, Don’t Need To Know, 7 Snougar, Loco Coco, 8 King Golan, 20 Two Hoots, Gouet Des Bruyeres, 33 Rajapur.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

3U4 61-77 4-445 3/285 04822 507-4 0-085

SKY BET EXTRA PLACES EVERY DAY MAIDEN

12.20HURDLE (GBB RACE) (CLASS 4)

2m 3f 3yo and upwards £3,769 1 3-32 BARRICHELLO 30 D McCain 4-11-7..................... B Hughes 2 72 BOLLIN NEIL 13 T Easterby 4-11-7..................... J Hamilton 3 0 DREAMS AND VISIONS 16 M W Easterby 4-11-7S Quinlan 4 57 EARLY MORNING DEW 27 P Niven 4-11-7..................R Day 5 4/1-2 GOLD MINER 29 B Ellison 7-11-7.............D McMenamin(3) 6 4221 NOT WHAT IT SEEMS 24 M Hammond 4-11-7....J Colliver 7 12-64 SOUTH TERRACE 26 P Kirby 5-11-7 ....................T Dowson 8 F1-21 TARDREE 34 Laura Morgan 6-11-7.....................C O’Farrell 9 5980 TEENAGE DIRTBAG 18 C Longsdon 4-11-7 .....G Sheehan 10 59-0 CIMETTA 13 G Boanas 5-11-0..................... Mr J Dawson(3) BETTING: 9-4 Gold Miner, 4 Not What It Seems, 5 Bollin Neil, 6 Tardree, Barrichello, 8 South Terrace, 10 Early Morning Dew, 50 Dreams And Visions, 100 Others.

SKY BET ENTER ITV7 TONIGHT NOVICES’ HANDICAP CHASE (CLASS 5)

12.55

2m 4yo and upwards £2,989 1 444-2 DEXCITE 13 N Kent 9-11-12 ......................... C Hammond(3) 2 65B25 SIR TIVO 57 G Hanmer 6-11-7 ............................D Burton(5) 3 -5997 ANNIE DAY 25 Christian Williams 5-11-6 ..... Jack Tudor(3) 4 8P-81 TORTUGA BAY 18 J Ewart 6-11-5 ......................... B Hughes 5 74-39 PEPPER STREET 24 Sam England 5-11-2...........J England 6 -5668 FOURTH OF JULY 35 R M Smith 5-10-11 .W Shanahan(7) 7 505UF ELIXER 15 F Murtagh 7-10-0 ............................ L Murtagh(3) 8 8P37P CONNERYS HILL 15 Kenny Johnson 7-10-0D McMenamin(3) 9 -5966 BARDEN BELLA 29 Christian Williams 4-10-0 ..G Sheehan 10 0-046 MADAM SCULLY 13 Miss T Jackson 7-10-0S Mulqueen(3) BETTING: 11-4 Tortuga Bay, 7-2 Dexcite, 6 Annie Day, 7 Sir Tivo, 8 Elixer, Barden Bella, 10 Pepper Street, Fourth Of July, 33 Others.

1.30

SKY BET MONEY BACK AS CASH HANDICAP HURDLE (CLASS 3)

2m 3yo and upwards £5,913 1 P-3PF THE RUSSIAN DOYEN 30 C Tizzard 7-11-12......H Cobden 2 3-492 MISS HERITAGE 26 Mrs L Wadham 6-11-3D McMenamin(3) 3 28-34 FIN AND GAME 23 D McCain 8-11-2 .................... B Hughes 4 142 LORD TORRANAGA 34 P Kirby 5-11-1.................T Dowson 5 21-15 STAINSBY GIRL 23 D Whillans 6-11-0.............Craig Nichol 6 3/31F MICK MAESTRO 16 N Kent 7-11-0........................C Todd(5) 7 0200P ZUCKERBERG 125 Jennie Candlish 4-10-13...... S Quinlan 8 2-556 ILAYA 23 M Hammond 6-10-7.............Miss Becky Smith(3) BETTING: 11-4 Mick Maestro, 7-2 Miss Heritage, 5 The Russian Doyen, 6 Fin And Game, 7 Lord Torranaga, 8 Stainsby Girl, 14 Ilaya, 16 Zuckerberg.

2.00

SKY BET PRICE BOOST PROMISE MARES’ NOVICES’ HURDLE (GBB RACE) (CLASS 4)

2m 4yo and upwards £3,769 1 11-41 ANYTHINGFORLOVE 27 J Snowden 5-11-4......G Sheehan 2 - AMBER F677 P Niven 4-10-12 ................................ S Quinlan 3 -F327 BIOVERDIA 111 Laura Morgan 5-10-12 .............C O’Farrell 4 7/36- BRAVANTINA F44 M Walford 5-10-12................. J Hamilton 5 9-F CUP OF COFFEE 68 S Drinkwater 6-10-12......... B Hughes 6 90-88 FILLE D’AVIGNON 30 P Kirby 5-10-12.................T Dowson 7 D GAMESTERS ICON 27 Oliver Greenall 5-10-12Ross Turner(5) 8 3/5-6 PRINCESS AVERY 19 S Corbett 6-10-12............... Doubtful 9 2 SASHENKA 39 M Scudamore 4-10-12 ................B J Powell 10 68 YORGUNNABEAMUNKY 22 R Ross 4-10-12Ross Chapman BETTING: 11-8 Sashenka, 6-4 Anythingforlove, 9-2 Bioverdia, 12 Gamesters Icon, 20 Bravantina, 25 Cup Of Coffee, 100 Amber, Fille D’avignon, 150 Others.

2.32 1 2 3 4

3-704 1/2-P 325-3 3-P7P

GORDON KEELEY MEMORIAL HANDICAP CHASE (CLASS 5) 3m 1f 4yo and upwards £2,878 ARCHIE BROWN 18 H Hogarth 6-12-0 ............... J Hamilton STORMY MILAN 33 C Longsdon 7-12-0 ......... T Buckley(5) PATH TO FREEDOM 34 Jacqueline Coward 8-11-12Page Fuller CHASE THE WIND 34 Miss J Foster 11-11-11 ... S Quinlan

“We’ve had another 27mm overnight and this morning, up to 7am when I was

walking the track,” said O’Flaherty.

“It’s so annoying as there’s

5 2-432 EVENT OF SIVOLA 46 M Walford 6-11-9.............T Dowson 6 P52-P SOLID STRIKE 19 Paul Collins 12-11-9 ............ T Gillard(7) 7 P-U16 EPSOM DES MOTTES 28 P Kirby 6-11-6 ..Ross Chapman 8 22P-5 ISKABEG LANE 24 Mrs S Smith 9-11-6 .. Sam Coltherd(3) 9 2/92P GOLD RUNNER 15 Sam England 8-11-3 .............J England 10 843-5 UISCE UR 35 B Pauling 8-10-13 ............................ B Hughes 11 3/U74 IWASTHEFUTUREONCE 13 T Easterby 7-10-10D McMenamin(3) 12 42-86 SMUGGLER’S STASH 19 Mrs R Dobbin 10-10-9Craig Nichol 13 4P-53 SIGURD 25 Miss J Foster 8-10-2 .........................G Sheehan 14 342-0 BUZZKILLBOB 19 Rebecca Menzies 10-10-1N Moscrop(3) BETTING: 7-2 Event Of Sivola, 6 Stormy Milan, 7 Sigurd, 8 Uisce Ur, 10 Iskabeg Lane, Iwasthefutureonce, Epsom Des Mottes, 12 Gold Runner, Archie Brown, 14 Others.

3.07

TIM DAVENPORT ONE THAT GOT AWAY HANDICAP HURDLE (CLASS 4)

3m 1f 4yo and upwards £3,769 1 53P-2 LITTLE JACK 110 G Hanmer 6-12-0Miss Immy Robinson(7) 2 62/73 TAWSEEF 20 D McCain 12-11-12............. Abbie McCain(5) 3 142-8 KAUTO D’AMOUR 79 Mrs S Smith 5-11-12Sam Coltherd(3) 4 04-73 MOROZOV COCKTAIL 22 T Easterby 4-11-6Mr W Easterby(5) 5 8-242 MAISON D’OR 13 M Hammond 6-11-5..................J Colliver 6 -7535 MAMOO 38 Sam England 7-11-2 ...........................J England 7 78P06 TOI STOREY 19 Rebecca Menzies 7-10-13 ........ B Hughes 8 5-640 WBEE 74 G Hanmer 5-10-13................................D Burton(5) 9 23-11 CUDGEL 19 J Walton 7-10-8.................................C O’Farrell BETTING: 7-2 Maison D’Or, 4 Little Jack, 9-2 Cudgel, 5 Kauto D’Amour, 6 Mamoo, 10 Morozov Cocktail, 12 Toi Storey, Tawseef, 33 Wbee.

Newcastle card

Going: Standard TOTE: Placepot: First six races.

DRAW: High draw an advantage.

TV: SKY SPORTS RACING

2.20

PLAY 4 TO WIN AT BETWAY HANDICAP (DIV 1) (CLASS 5)

1m 4f 3yo and upwards £3,429 1 347 WINFOLA 27 P Kirby 6-10-0..........................J Williamson(7) 6 2 11317 GEORGE RIDSDALE 13 M W Easterby 4-9-12P Mulrennan 1 3 40150 ZABEEL STAR 13 I Jardine 8-9-10 .........Shannon Watts(7) 3 4 /37-6 RIVER GLADES 16 T Tate 5-9-8...........................JP Sullivan 7 5 54330 KELLS 14 M Appleby 3-9-8 ....................................... A Mullen 4 6 50805 AJMAN PRINCE 27 A Whillans 7-9-7..........................R Scott 9 7 46-22 BRANCASTER 13 B Ellison 6-9-5.......................H Russell(5) 11 8 738-9 WYNFORD J13 Lucinda Egerton 7-9-4 ...................P Dennis 5 9 977/ AUTONOMY 802 P Kirby 4-9-0 ...................................T Eaves 2 10 37522 QUOTELINE DIRECT 27 M Hammond 7-8-13............ G Lee 8 11 05068 ARCHIVE 28 Suzzanne France 10-8-12...............D Costello 10 BETTING: 7-4 George Ridsdale, 3 Brancaster, 4 Quoteline Direct, 10 River Glades, 14 Ajman Prince, 16 Autonomy, 20 Zabeel Star, Kells, 25 Others.

2.55

PLAY 4 TO WIN AT BETWAY HANDICAP (DIV 2) (CLASS 5)

1m 4f 3yo and upwards £3,429 1 25165 SNOOKERED 16 B Ellison 6-9-13......................H Russell(5) 6 2 69642 MY BOY SEPOY 40 S C Williams 5-9-11 ............. D Muscutt 4 3 93736 ALFRED RICHARDSON 13 J J Davies 6-9-9 .......C Beasley 8 4 04673 HINT OF STARS 26 Kevin Foy 3-9-8................ B Sayette(7) 10 5 40593 ST JUST 13 J O’Keeffe 3-9-8 ...................................J Garritty 11 6 2/006 IDILICO 70 P Kirby 5-9-6 .............................................T Eaves 1 7 35821 GREENGAGE 13 Tristan Davidson 5-9-6 ................P Dennis 7 8 /09-0 ASTUTE BOY J120 R M Smith 6-9-2 ...................JP Sullivan 3 9 04537 THE RESDEV WAY 22 M Hammond 7-8-13 ................ G Lee 2 10 00164 HELIX 13 David Loughnane 3-8-13..........Laura Pearson(7) 5 11 -0005 AD LIBITUM 13 Roger Fell 5-8-11 ..............................R Scott 9 BETTING: 3 My Boy Sepoy, 4 Greengage, 5 St Just, 6 Hint Of Stars, 8 Alfred Richardson, 10 Helix, 12 Snookered, 14 Ad Libitum, 20 Others.

3.30

BOMBARDIER BRITISH HOPPED AMBER BEER NOVICE STAKES (CLASS 5)

1m 3yo and upwards £3,429 1 - BIG MUDDY Seb Spencer 3-9-6..............................C Hardie 8 2 626 CALCULUS 14 Lucinda Egerton 3-9-6....................P Dennis 9 3 2 DUEL IN THE SUN 204 C Fellowes 3-9-6 ............ D Probert 6 4 6 NIGHT RANGER 13 B Ellison 3-9-6 ...................H Russell(5) 5 5 8 PANZERTANK 178 Mrs M Fife 3-9-6 ..........................R Scott 10 6 53- POWER OF TIME 399 D O’Meara 3-9-6 .....................S Gray 7 7 - SWEET VINETTA J13 G Boanas 6-9-2......................... G Lee 4 8 89 TANNADICE PARK 16 J Goldie 5-9-2 .........O Stammers(5) 3 9 - LITTLE MISS MOO Mrs K Tutty 3-9-1..................C Beasley 2 10 73 REAL TERMS 13 G Tuer 3-9-1.................................. S James 11 11 36456 RHYME SCHEME 117 M Appleby 3-9-1 ................. A Mullen 1 BETTING: 11-8 Duel In The Sun, 11-4 Power Of Time, 9-2 Rhyme Scheme, 8 Real Terms, 14 Tannadice Park, 20 Sweet Vinetta, 25 Calculus, 33 Little Miss Moo, Night Ranger, 66 Others.

4.05 1 2 3

BOMBARDIER ‘MARCH TO YOUR OWN DRUM’ HANDICAP (DIV 1) (CLASS 5)

1m 3yo and upwards £3,429 18758 DAAFR 28 A Brittain 4-9-12 .......................................C Hardie 46407 TWIN APPEAL 13 Mrs K Tutty 9-9-10........ Gemma Tutty(3) 94762 ROLLER 23 M Loughnane 7-9-9............................D Costello

7 5 2

just one area of false ground down the back straight and I was trying to find a way around it but there just isn’t one.”

Speaking later in the morning O’Flaherty confirmed that the meeting would now be run on January 9.

“We’ve rescheduled for January 9. It should be likefor-like but we are just waiting for official confirmation that the card will be exactly the same,” she said.

Today’s meeting at Leicester was also abandoned due to a waterlogged track following an inspection at 9.30am yesterday, and Fontwell’s meeting suffered a similar fate.

TODAY’S TIPS

CATTERICK 11.50 King Golan, 12.20 Gold Miner, 12.55 Tortuga Bay, 1.30 MICK MAESTRO (NAP), 2.00 Anythingforlove, 2.32 Event Of Sivola, 3.07 Cudgel.

NEWCASTLE 2.20 River Glades, 2.55 Greengage, 3.30 Duel In The Sun, 4.05, 4.05 Roller, 4.35 Sword Spirit, 5.05 Dramatista, 5.35 Insurplus, 6.05 Be Proud, 6.35 Another Angel.

DOUBLE: Mick Maestro and Gold Miner.

4 69074 TRICORN 21 Mrs R Carr 6-9-8 ................................. A Mullen 4 5 97569 CLAY REGAZZONI 13 K Dalgleish 3-9-7....................S Gray 9 6 01003 MY BOY LEWIS 27 Roger Fell 4-9-6............................. J Hart 6 7 33135 CHANNEL PACKET 31 M Appleby 6-9-5...............T Ladd(3) 1 8 60603 ISLAND STORM 14 Mrs H Main 3-9-3 .....................L Morris 8 9 09449 VIVE LA DIFFERENCE 27 T Easterby 6-9-2 ......JP Sullivan 3 BETTING: 7-2 Island Storm, 4 My Boy Lewis, 5 Roller, 6 Channel Packet, 7 Tricorn, 8 Daafr, 10 Vive La Difference, 14 Clay Regazzoni, 16 Twin Appeal.

4.35

BOMBARDIER ‘MARCH TO YOUR OWN DRUM’ HANDICAP (DIV 2) (CLASS 5)

5.05

BOMBARDIER HANDICAP (CLASS 6)

5.35

BOMBARDIER HANDICAP (CLASS 6)

6.05

HEED YOUR HUNCH AT BETWAY HANDICAP (CLASS 5)

6.35

BETWAY HANDICAP (CLASS 4)

1m 3yo and upwards £3,429 1 14020 ROGUE TIDE 14 M Loughnane 3-9-11Elisha Whittington(5) 2 2 42123 JEWEL MAKER 7 T Easterby 5-9-10 ..................D Fentiman 5 3 431 SWORD SPIRIT 7 W Haggas 3-9-9(6ex)..................C Fallon 4 4 23739 PADDYPLEX 24 K Dalgleish 7-9-8 .................... B Garritty(5) 7 5 13185 GREAT COLACI 7 G Boanas 7-9-6 ..............O Stammers(5) 3 6 -2357 RECLAIM VICTORY 13 B Ellison 3-9-5 ..............B Robinson 8 7 06764 CATCH MY BREATH 13 J Ryan 4-9-4 .............. D Keenan(3) 9 8 42432 CORKED 31 A Whillans 7-9-3 .................................................... 6 9 56 ARABIC WELCOME 145 M Botti 3-9-2Christian Howarth(7) 1 BETTING: 11-8 Sword Spirit, 9-2 Jewel Maker, 7 Corked, 8 Catch My Breath, 10 Arabic Welcome, 12 Great Colaci, 14 Rogue Tide, Paddyplex, 20 Reclaim Victory.

7f 3yo and upwards £2,782 1 15701 DEOLALI 7 Mrs Stella Barclay 6-9-8(5ex) ..................S Gray 7 2 42718 STRAWBERRYANDCREAM 52 J Bethell 5-9-7.......L Morris 3 3 22267 INNER CIRCLE 13 M Loughnane 6-9-7Elisha Whittington(5)13 4 946 ARLO’S SUNSHINE 25 L McJannet 3-9-6............ D Probert 2 5 44500 CASTLEHILL RETREAT 55 B Haslam 3-9-4 ............ H Shaw 1 6 -6374 CAPTAIN CORELLI 59 Julie Camacho 3-9-4..P Mulrennan 10 7 24073 DRAMATISTA 13 Roger Fell 3-9-4 ................................ J Hart 12 8 32073 WOTS THE WIFI CODE 8 T Coyle 3-9-3..............D Costello 5 9 08524 THREE CARD TRICK 10 Phillip Makin 4-9-3 ............R Scott 11 10 72329 ELDELBAR 7 G Harker 6-9-3 .................................... S James 6 11 -3000 BILLY WEDGE 24 Miss T Waggott 5-9-3 ..................T Eaves 9 12 74548 ABSOLUTE DREAM 17 R Fahey 4-9-0....... Megan Nicholls 14 13 61232 ROCKLEY POINT 7 Katie Scott 7-9-0 .....................P Dennis 4 14 12598 AIDEN’S REWARD 13 B Haslam 3-9-0.................... A Mullen 8 BETTING: 5 Deolali, 11-2 Rockley Point, 6 Dramatista, 7 Three Card Trick, 8 Eldelbar, Captain Corelli, 10 Arlo’s Sunshine, 12 Absolute Dream, Strawberryandcream, 14 Others.

7f 3yo and upwards £2,782 1 02351 WRATH OF HECTOR 8 M Appleby 3-9-9(6ex) .....T Ladd(3) 9 2 53562 NORDIC FIRE 24 Roger Fell 4-9-7................................ J Hart 5 3 40840 I AM THE SECRET 12 J Chapple-Hyam 4-9-7P Mulrennan 3 4 63734 ORIENTAL LILLY 7 J Goldie 6-9-7.....................H Russell(5) 12 5 828-7 BORN TO FINISH 26 E De Giles 7-9-6 ................. D Probert 6 6 66863 INSURPLUS 24 J Goldie 7-9-5......................O Stammers(5) 2 7 47707 BRING HIM HOME 11 J O’Keeffe 3-9-5.................J Garritty 7 8 51090 GREEK KODIAC 99 Kevin Foy 4-9-5 ........................C Fallon 13 9 11554 PEARL OF QATAR 11 Tristan Davidson 4-9-5.......P Dennis 4 10 54315 CALONNE 24 G Harker 4-9-5 .................................C Beasley 10 11 5562 UNAPOLOGETIC 13 R Fahey 3-9-1............ Megan Nicholls 8 12 30714 BOBBY JOE LEG 13 Mrs R Carr 6-9-1 ...............JP Sullivan 11 13 36677 FIRSTEEN 13 Rebecca Menzies 4-8-5....................C Hardie 1 BETTING: 3 Wrath Of Hector, 6 Unapologetic, Insurplus, 7 Nordic Fire, 8 Pearl Of Qatar, 10 Bobby Joe Leg, Calonne, 12 Oriental Lilly, 16 Others.

6f 3yo and upwards £3,429 1 33005 FENDALE 27 B Smart 8-9-7 ........................................... G Lee 2 2 65240 GLOBAL WARNING 59 C Dwyer 4-9-7...............M Ghiani(5) 8 3 45013 BE PROUD 7 J Goldie 4-9-6..........................O Stammers(5) 12 4 -4072 FRIENDLY ADVICE 24 K Dalgleish 4-9-6 ........ B Garritty(5) 5 5 06708 ROYAL PROSPECT 24 Julie Camacho 5-9-6 .P Mulrennan 11 6 03113 BURROWS SEESIDE 41 P Kirby 3-9-5 ..................... H Shaw 10 7 82911 HERRINGSWELL 24 H Spiller 5-9-5 ........Laura Pearson(7) 4 8 07956 LAPIDARY 12 Mrs H Main 4-9-4................................C Fallon 7 9 32523 THOWQ 52 M Botti 3-9-4 ........................................ D Muscutt 1 10 29601 GOOD NIGHT MR TOM 7 Miss T Waggott 3-9-4(6ex)T Eaves13 11 15831 GHATHANFAR 73 Miss T Waggott 4-9-3 .................L Morris 3 12 02675 PADDY POWER 16 R Fahey 7-9-1 .............. Megan Nicholls 9 13 48681 I KNOW HOW 41 Julie Camacho 5-9-0........................ J Hart 14 14 03906 CHARLEMAINE 69 B Haslam 3-8-13....................... A Mullen 6 BETTING: 11-2 Herringswell, 6 Good Night Mr Tom, 7 I Know How, 8 Friendly Advice, Thowq, Ghathanfar, Burrows Seeside, 12 Paddy Power, Be Proud, 14 Others.

5f 3yo and upwards £5,208 1 08425 LOMU 9 David Loughnane 6-9-7 ...............................L Morris 1 2 52492 OUTRAGE 15 D & C Kubler 8-9-6 .............................C Fallon 2 3 26511 MUTABAAHY 27 A Brittain 5-9-3 ........................H Russell(5) 3 4 05623 ANOTHER ANGEL 9 A Brittain 6-8-11.....................C Hardie 7 5 72739 PRIMO’S COMET 56 J Goldie 5-8-9........................P Dennis 5 6 03545 FASHION ADVICE 21 K Dalgleish 3-8-6.....................S Gray 4 7 65015 LONGROOM 16 P Midgley 8-8-4..........................JP Sullivan 6 BETTING: 9-4 Outrage, 11-4 Mutabaahy, 6 Another Angel, 7 Lomu, 8 Fashion Advice, Longroom, 12 Primo’s Comet.

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Monday, December 28, 2020

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County still top but are now four games without a win

FRUSTRATION: Ryan Haynes after his effort hit the side netting NEWPORT County AFC take on Exeter City at Rodney Parade tomorrow looking to end their four-game winless run after failing to see off 10-man Crawley Town at the People’s Pension Stadium.

The Exiles, who remain top of League Two, struck early in West Sussex through Ryan Haynes, before Mickey Demetriou headed into his own net later in the first half.

County’s cause was helped by the dismissal of Crawley’s Tarryn Allarakhia on the hour mark, but the Welsh club couldn’t make their numerical advantage count.

Here are the talking points from Saturday’s clash…

THE PERFECT START County boss Michael Flynn would have been keen for his men to put the disappointment of the previous week-

Crawley................1 County.................1 sportsdesk@southwalesargus. co.uk

after being found by Scott Twine, who set-up the chance with a surging run from his own half.

Haynes also had a decent chance to double his tally and County’s lead midway through the first period but found the side netting.

end’s home defeat by Oldham Athletic well and truly to bed with a rapid start.

And having made two changes to his starting XI with midfielder Robbie Willmott and striker Jamie Proctor dropping to the bench and being replaced by Matty Dolan and Tristan Abrahams, that’s exactly what he got courtesy of Haynes’ strike inside the opening five minutes.

It was a superb right-footed finish inside the Crawley box from the left-footed Haynes

MICKEY’S OG BLUES There looked to be little for County to worry about when the hosts pumped a long ball into the visitors’ half just after the hour-hour mark.

And when Demetriou got his head to it to nod the ball back to keeper Nick Townsend, little did the defender think his name would be on the scoresheet seconds later.

However, that was the case as Townsend came out too far and ended up leaving an open net behind him.

By David Williams

HEADS: Matty Dolan challenges for possession KEEPER CONCERNS Townsend’s desperate attempts to prevent Demetriou’s header going in was pretty much the gloveman’s last meaningful involvement in the game.

Not long after he required treatment on an injured right knee and in first-half injurytime was forced off because of the problem.

Tom King replaced Townsend and, in truth, had very little to do after the break, particularly following Allarakhia’s sending off.

CUTTING EDGE LACKING County bossed possession in the second half without really threatening Glenn Morris in the Crawley goal.

And lacking a cutting edge in the final third was missing

from their play throughout the afternoon.

Crawley stuck to their task after the red card, but County will feel it was more a case of two points dropped rather than one gained.

Aside from the goal, they weren’t convincing in and around the Crawley box, and home Morris didn’t really have much to do.

STILL TOP BUT NO WIN IN FOUR The Exiles finish the year at home to Exeter tomorrow hoping to secure a first win in five.

Despite claiming just two points from a possible 12, Flynn’s side still lead the way in League Two, although their reign looked like coming to an end on Saturday.

Carlisle United were oddson to claim pole position

when they led Bolton Wanderers 3-0 in Cumbria, before the visitors hauled themselves level.

“It’s a tough division and we go again with two big home games against Exeter and Southend,” said Exiles assistant manager Wayne Hatswell.

“We’re still top of the league, we want to be there or thereabouts, and now we’ve got to turn an away point into a performance at home. We’ve got to be ready for Tuesday now.”

Crawley: Morris, Davies (Francomb 84), Tunnicliffe, Craig, Dallison-Lisbon, Nadesan (Hesketh 63), Powell, Hessenthaler, Allarakhia, Watters (Matthews 46), Nichols. Subs not used: McNerney, Ashford, Galach, Nelson.

County: Townsend (King 45+1), Shephard, Cooper, Demetriou, Haynes, Bennett (Willmott 74), Sheehan (capt), Dolan, Collins (Amond 74), Twine, Abrahams (Proctor 62). Subs not used: Baker, Devitt, Longe-King.

Referee: David Rock Argus star man: Ryan Haynes

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GOAL-BOUND: Ryan Haynes watches his shot all the way to the Crawley net. Pictures: Huw Evans Agency

MASKED MAN: County manager Michael Flynn

DANGEROUS: Tarryn Allarakhia is sent off after this tackle on Liam Shephard

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Dragons badly miss the fans in drab derby against Blues

CHARGE: Jack Dixon is challenged by Lloyd Williams THE Dragons were beaten 13-12 by Cardiff Blues in a dour Guinness PRO14 derby at Rodney Parade.

Josh Lewis kicked the Dean Ryan’s men into a 12-3 lead early in the second half but they were then pinned inside their half by the men from the capital.

Jarrod Evans booted a second penalty and then converted a try by Josh Turnbull with 12 minutes left to secure the spoils for the Blues, their 11th win against the Dragons on the spin.

Here are the talking points from Rodney Parade…

SOUND OF SILENCE The Dragons returned from lockdown to finish 2019/20 against the Ospreys and Scarlets, then they faced Bristol in a European Challenge Cup quarter-final.

At the start of this month there was another big clash when Wasps visited Rodney Parade in the Champions Cup to end a decade in the second tier.

Dragons ........... 12 Cardiff Blues .... 13

By Chris Kirwan

07824 478078 cki@southwalesargus.co.uk Twitter @argussport The Dragons have played 12 fixtures since August, all of them behind closed doors, but this time it was really felt.

Normally Boxing Day derbies are great events, even if the rugby is as poor as it was on this occasion.

There would have been between 7 to 8,000 people at Rodney Parade instead of around 100 and perhaps their presence would have given a lift to the rugby.

“You miss the buzz, it’s such a shame,” said Dragons captain Jamie Roberts. “All the players would have loved to play in front of a sell-out crowd.

“Boxing Day games are

about the fans, rugby and professional sport is about the fans.

“None of the lads have experienced a Boxing Day derby like that before and hopefully we never will again.”

Maybe the Dragons could have prospered from a momentum-shifting tackle or the Blues would have lost their cool after making an error when chasing the game.

The absence of supporters impacted the sport and it has also hit the Dragons in the pocket; they normally have around 2,000 season ticket holders and this fixture would have attracted approaching 6,000 extra punters.

That’s a lot of pints that were drunk at home while watching S4C instead of at Rodney Parade.

A GAME OF FEW HIGHLIGHTS The official PRO14 stats say it all: 29 penalties awarded by referee Craig Evans, no line breaks and just two offloads.

TURNOVER: Tavis Knoyle and Aaron Wainright celebrate regaining possession Dragons centre Jack Dixon and Blues flanker James Botham shared the honour as leading ball carriers… with just four.

Full-back Jonah Holmes made the most metres with 36, a paltry distance that was totted up in his run-ups for aerial bombs.

This was an awful, awful game and the weather can’t be totally blamed. It was wet on a heavy pitch when the Scarlets and Ospreys visited last season and it wasn’t just because the Dragons won at the death that made both of those derbies better occasions.

Yesterday’s back three featured serious pace in Holmes, Ashton Hewitt, Owen Jenkins, Josh Adams, Hallam Amos and Aled Summerhill.

Sadly, they were reduced to being kick-chasers. The Dragons didn’t create a single try-scoring chance.

WARNINGS BUT NO YELLOWS The penalties flowed from

the off with the Dragons earning a 9-0 lead courtesy of seven successive Cardiff Blues offences that was picked up by ref Evans.

It was then the hosts’ turn to get on the wrong side of the officials, a costly spell that ensured they only went into the break 9-3 up despite having the wind at their backs.

The Dragons’ scrum was on top in the first half and under pressure in the second, which allowed the Blues to put the squeeze on in the 22.

There were 29 penalties awarded in total, 17 against the Dragons and 12 against the Blues, yet nobody saw yellow.

Warning weren’t followed up with sin-binnings and post-whistle niggle went unpunished.

It’s unlikely that it would have improved the quality of rugby but offending players should have been sent for 10 minutes on the naughty step.

CHANGES FOR ROUND

TWO The Dragons need to up their game for Friday when they face the Scarlets, Wales’ best team with the biggest budget.

Tavis Knoyle and Josh Lewis did okay at half-back but Rhodri Williams, in isolation, and Sam Davies, out with a calf strain, were missed.

The absence of centre Nick Tompkins (compassionate leave) was not felt too badly given the conditions and Jack Dixon’s performance when carrying hard.

The Dragons will hope that either Joe Davies or Joe Maksymiw, who were excellent against Bordeaux-Begles’ heavy pack, will return for Llanelli because the lack of a specialist lock on the bench was a hindrance.

But as Dean Ryan said, there wasn’t a lot to be learnt from such a game in horrible conditions. This isn’t a case of going back to the drawing board, the Dragons just need to freshen up and go again.

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MISERABLE: The rain comes down at Rodney Parade.

CATCH! Taine Basham lobs a pass to Brok Harris

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Pictures: Huw Evans Agency

CRASH: Jamie Roberts is tackled by Brad Thyer and Josh Turnbull

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Today’s TV

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Welsh Grand National meeting falls victim to Storm Bella – see page 25

IN SEARCH OF CUTTING EDGE

By David Williams

sportsdesk@southwalesargus.co.uk

NEWPORT County AFC will be eager to rediscover their cutting edge in the final third and end a four-game winless run before the year is out after drawing 1-1 with 10-man Crawley Town on Saturday.

The visit of Exeter City to Rodney Parade tomorrow (kick-off 7pm) gives County a chance to finish 2020 on a high and reaffirm their status as League Two leaders going into the second half of the season.

Something was missing from County’s attacking play at the People’s Pension Stadium in West Sussex, and not even the secondhalf dismissal of Crawley’s Tarryn Allarakhia could spark them into life.

It had started so well for County thanks to Ryan Haynes’ strike five minutes in, but a freak own goal by Mickey Demetriou just after the half-hour mark ended up giving Crawley a share of the spoils.

“We should have won the game,” said Exiles assistant manager Wayne Hatswell. “We just couldn’t quite find that cutting edge and it’s two points dropped.”

Reflecting on Demetriou’s bad luck – the defender headed past Nick Townsend from distance as the keeper rushed out to deal with a long ball – and how it affected the rest of the match, he added: “We knew they would probably try and go back to front quite quickly whenever they had the ball and we weren’t dictating play in their half.

“They just put a 45-yard ball over the top of us, trying to get in behind, and the mix-up wasn’t great.

“We gave them a lift, something to cling on to, and they made a few changes after going down to 10 men to try and keep a point, and they did.

“They stuck together and man-

EARLY JOY: Ryan Haynes celebrates after scoring for Newport County against Crawley on Saturday.

Picture: Huw Evans Agency

aged the game quite well.

“It became a little bit harder for us, but we got into good areas and made positive changes to try and get that goal.

“It just didn’t quite fall our way, but we’ve got to be killing off teams like that.

“But it’s a tough place to come, they’ve been doing really well of late and we got another point away from home, albeit we’re disappointed it’s not three.”

He continued: “It’s a tough divi-

sion and we go again with two big home games against Exeter and Southend.

“We’re still top of the league, we want to be there or thereabouts, and now we’ve got to turn an away point into a performance at home. We’ve got to be ready for Tuesday now.”

Hatswell’s Crawley counterpart Lee Bradbury couldn’t believe the decision to send off Allarakhia.

“The red card was beyond me,” he said. “It should never have

been a red card.

“It was a good point, but I really did feel that we could have won the game if that hadn’t happened.

“They’re a good side, they moved the ball well, they all know their jobs in the team and the formation they play is effective.

“I thought we pretty much nullified that and we were just disappointed we didn’t get 90 minutes to have a go at them.

“We were hard done by with the decision.”

Published by Newsquest Wales, a division of Newsquest (Midlands South) Limited, with trading address at 1st Floor, Chartist Tower, Upper Dock Street, Newport, NP20 1DW, and printed at Newsquest Print Centre Weymouth at Fleet House, Hampshire Road, Weymouth DT4 9XD. Registered at the Post Office as a newspaper

Boss Ryan: Dour derby a write-off DRAGONS boss Dean Ryan says there is little point reviewing the tape of a dour defeat to Cardiff Blues for pointers to turn derby despair into derby delight, writes Chris Kirwan.

The men from the capital took the spoils 13-12 on Boxing Day in a forgettable contest of 29 penalties, no line breaks and just two offloads.

Josh Lewis kicked four penalties for the Dragons, who failed to have a single try-scoring chance, and Jarrod Evans booted a pair of penalties and the conversion of Josh Turnbull’s close-range try.

Horrendous weather ensured it was a game of few highlights on a heavy pitch, and that Ryan won’t be spending too long looking for nuggets of information ahead of the New Year’s Day trip to the Scarlets.

“I don’t think that you learn a lot from that. You get back, you get fresh and get ready to go again because that was a war of attrition when you look at small behaviours. You just freshen up and go ready to go again,” said the director of rugby.

The Blues have now won 11 games on the spin against the Dragons, a streak that goes back to the 2015 European Challenge Cup quarter-final in Newport.

“It was a tight derby game in tough weather conditions,” said Ryan. “We’ve got to challenge ourselves about sitting in games like that because some of our behaviour allowed them to march up the field too easily.

“A couple of poor penalties, a few kick chases put them in our 22. Ultimately if you spend a lot of time in your own 22 then they are going to come out the right side of a one-point win.

“We were pretty gutsy when sitting on our line, but don’t sit on your line so often is the lesson to be learnt.

“It’s always tough when you don’t win, it’s always tough when you don’t win because of certain things that you are in control of.

“Sometimes it’s a bit easier when you know that someone has done something well. We’ve just got to be better in those close contests.”

The Dragons face the Scarlets on Friday and then welcome the Ospreys to Newport on Saturday, January 9.

That is the day before Newport County AFC host Brighton in the FA Cup with the Exiles entertaining Exeter on Tuesday and Southend on Saturday.

The pitch is starting to struggle and the situation isn’t helped by a coronavirus outbreak among the groundstaff.

0307-5222 53>

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Monday, December 28, 2020

Remember when...

Looking back at days gone by in Newport and surrounding area

Page 2: Let’s go to the shops

What happened to one of the biggest stations in the country. Page 4

Page 3: Why the bunting was out in Newport in 1937

Page 6: New year traditions from around Gwent

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On this day

1694: Queen Mary II died from smallpox, leaving William to reign alone.

1734: Rob Roy, legendary Scottish clan chief immortalised in a novel by Sir Walter Scott, died.

1879: The Tay railway bridge collapsed when the Edinburgh to Dundee train was crossing. The engine and Carriages plummeted into the icy river below, killing 75 people.

1903: Jazz pianist Earl Hines, who developed the modern single-finger style, was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania.

1918: Lloyd George’s coalition government was re-elected.

2009: At least 25 people were killed and dozens were injured in a suicide bombing on a Shia procession on the day of Ashura, in Karachi, Pakistan.

On this day last year: Sir Elton John said he was “humbled” after receiving the highest acknowledgement in the New Year Honours.

Birthdays: Lord (Roy) Hattersley, Labour politician, 87; Dame Maggie Smith, actress, 85; Denzel Washington, actor, 65; Nigel Kennedy, violinist, 63; Terry Butcher, ex-Newport County AFC manager and former footballer (below), 61; Ana Torroja, singer, 60; John Legend, musician, 41; Frank Turner, singer/songwriter, 38; Sienna Miller, actress, 38.

southwalesargus.co.uk

Take a trip to the shops FROM beautiful village centres to the bustling towns of Abergavenny and Monmouth, Monmouthshire boasts some great shopping centres. Here are some archive photographs of shopping streets in the past.

STATUE: Agincourt Square in Monmouth in 1980

CENTRE: Cross Street in Abergavenny, picture taken in 1991

BUSY: Caldicot town centre in 1993

QUIET: Raglan High Street at a time when there were no cars to be seen

BUSTLING: Monnow Street in Monmouth in 1992

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REMEMBER WHEN

The bunting was out to celebrate visit to Newport by the new king

I

N the December 14 edition of the Remember when... supplement we published a picture of Old Green, Newport and asked readers if they knew when it had been taken:

I think that this photograph was taken in 1937 to celebrate and welcome to the town King George VI accompanied by Queen Elizabeth (who became the Queen Mother) shortly after his coronation.

He came to the throne in 1936, when his brother King Edward VII abdicated because of his affair with the American socialite Wallis Simpson.

While at Newport he cut the first turf on the site where the civic centre now stands.

The spade that he used was manufactured by the Newport jewellery firm Pleasance and Harper and was made of solid silver.

The Royal couple then visited Cardiff and the Glamorgan Valleys.

Richie Gunter Ponthir I think that this photograph was taken sometime in 1937, the bunting flags etc were probably put in place to celebrate the coronation of King George VI on 12th May 1937.

I was born and brought up in the Maindee area of Newport in 1950s. I remember that when I was young walking back from ‘town’ with Mum and Dad being allowed to play on a cantilevered balcony that run along the side of Jays, the last store on the right hand side, this balcony overlooked the River Usk. On the opposite side of the river you can see ‘Davies Brothers’ , builders merchants, their premises occupied a wharf where the steam pleasure boats used to dock to take passengers to Weston Super Mare.

You can see on the east bank of the river, on the left hand side of the bridge, Fords Motor Depot and to the right hand side of this the light coloured building used to accommodate, I think, Pickfords Travel.

In the foreground of the photo there is building or store named Godfrey’s, running alongside this, and to the east of Kingsway was a lane, if I remember correctly, was named Screw Packet Lane.

This led to a wharf alongside the river, I believe I can recall an ironmongers or builders merchants being located on this lane.

The photograph certainly brings back some happy recollections of my younger days.

Howard Hicks Cwmbran

CENTRE: Newport decked out in bunting to celebrate a special visitor

BUILDING: King George VI visited Newport and cut the first sod on the site of what would become the city’s civic centre.

This picture shows Newport Civic Centre pictured in 1965 when the iconic tower was under construction.

This picture was shared by Tutti Oi, a member of our We Grew Up in Newport Facebook page

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One of the most important stations in the country TRAINS: This is the original Pontypool Road station which was opened in 1854. Initially the station was called Newport Road and a Mr Henry Griffiths was appointed as the first station master. These early buildings and platforms were positioned on the south side of the road bridge but, by 1906 were unable to cope with the ever-increasing volumes of traffic. This it was decided to construct a much larger station on the north side of the bridge.

STAFF: This is a picture of 34 members of station staff pictured in 1915. The facilitiers offered here in days gone by even included licensed refreshment rooms. Then came the unabated decline of rail travel during the 1960s, and Pontypool Road was all but demolished by local contractors W J Harris and Sons in 1970.

By Jo Barnes

W

HILE putting together our regular 50 years ago feature we came across this bit of news about Pontypool Road Station, which for more than a century was a major passenger and freight junction, being demolished.

We have found some fantastic pictures of the station from Pictorial Memories of Old Pontypool by Bryan Roden.

The story from 50 years ago said: “Work on the job, which will take four months, began this week and the contact has been awarded to a local firm, W J Harris and Sons, Pontypool.

“Built in the early 1850s, it was originally called “Newport Road”. It was from this small beginning that the great junction was built up and with it

the area of Griffithstown, which took its name from the first station master, Henry Griffths.

“Throughout the late 50s and early 60s the marshalling yards grew into a tremendous complex and Pontypool Road the marshalling yards grew into a tremendous complex and Pontypool Road became the most important rail junction in Wales and one of the most important in the whole country.

“At the very beginning railway speculators had hoped to open a line into the Midlands through Brecon, Hereford and Worcester, but this scheme failed through lack of financial support.

“But a subsidiary scheme to join Newport to Hereford was better supported and assuming the title of the “Newport, Abergavenny and Hereford Railway”, was passed by Parliament.”

BUSY: This picture of Pontypool Road Station was reproduced from a 19th century glass lantern slide.

It shows a pre-1900 scene with a porter in thr front wearing a hat bearing the name Clarence Hotel - he had probably been sent to the station to collect some passengers intent on staying at what was Pontypool’s leading hotel at the time.

GONE: The new and extensive Pontypool Road Station which was completed and officially opened on March 1, 1909. This was a major freight and passenger stationwith a platform length of almost a quarter of a mile - the second longest in Britain at the time surpassed only by Manchester’s Victoria.

The station today is but a shadow of its former self and has been renamed Pontypool and New Inn. Inest: Pontypool railway station as it is today

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New Year traditions in Gwent

FACE-OFF: Two Mari Lwyd horses in Chepstow

New Year celebrations for the end of 2020 are set to be a rather muted affair not the drinking, fun and debauchery which has been enjoyed by many down the years. We have delved into our archives to bring you this feature by Martin Wade first published in 2016 on the customs which have been a feature of welcoming the new year in Gwent for hundreds, if not thousands of years.

C DECORATIVE: A Calenig apple

ARRYING a horse’s skull around might seem a strange way to greet the New Year, but a revived South Wales tradition, popular in Gwent, does just that.

The Mari Lwyd is a celebration centred round a horse’s skull carried on a stick and decorated with rosettes and coloured ribbons. Meaning ‘grey mare’ in Welsh, it sees a party of revellers going from door to door singing ribald songs.

Their verses would then be met by mocking responses from the resident.

This contest was called ‘pwnco’

(possibly derived from the Welsh ‘pwnc’ or ‘subject’) and must have been like a medieval version of duelling rappers.

After the pwnco the party would be invited into the house for a drink before moving on to the next.

A description from ‘The Gentleman’s Magazine’ in 1842 tells vividly of the tradition: “There is a custom in the neighbourhood of Monmouth of carrying round from house to house the Merry Lewid. This is a representation, generally very well executed, of the head and neck of a white horse.

“The neck has some black stripes on it, so as to bear some resemblance to a zebra, and from it hangs a sheet, beneath which is a man carrying the Merry Lewid elevated on pole. The pole, swayed backwards and forwards, gives the movements of a prancing and rearing horse.

The writer remembers the eerie effect of the horse form: “In the doorway, with the outline well defined in the strong moon-light, stood erect a great white horse, furiously tossing his head about.”

That it survives at all is something of a miracle. The rise of non-conformism in Wales saw such ‘pagan’ festivals viewed very dimly.

The Mari Lwyd was seen by some as an orgy of drunken bad behaviour and a Blaenau Gwent Baptist minister did his best to put a stop to it. In his book called ‘The Religion of the Dark Ages’ the Rev William Roberts described in detail the Mari Lwyd so that people

could recognise it and avoid it. He said: “We must try and get the young people of our time to interest themselves more in intellectual and substantial things such as reading and composing poetry, essays, singing etc.”

Mick Widder is one who is happy that the Rev Roberts failed. He is one of the organisers of the ‘Wassail Mari’.

Known as the ‘Oldest new tradition in Wales’ it is a combination of Welsh Mari Lwyd and the English ‘Wassail’ New Year traditions and is based in Chepstow.

‘Because we’re a border town we wanted to bring both traditions together.’ The event sees revellers from the English and Welsh sides meet on the town’s iron bridge to exchange flags. It is, Mick says, a peculiarly moving scene: “You’ve got these two crowds of people walking towards eachother in the dark.”

Some are waving flags and some have a horse’s skull. “The hairs stand up on your neck he says. “It looks like they are marching to war and then peace breaks out” adding: “The two sides meet in the middle and the Welsh invite the English over for a party.”

The hybrid celebration started in 2006 and Mick says it has grown hugely since then. “We’ve had people from Cornwall and Nottinghamshire taking part; interestingly many of them have similar traditions horse traditions at New Year to the Mari Lwyd.”

“The event is all about community” says Mick. “We started it to get people away from their TVs and their computer games and to get out and do

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DRAMATIC: The meeting of the English and the Welsh on the Wye Bridge in Chepstow during the Wassail and Mari Lwyd

REVIVAL: The Mari Lwyd returned to Caerleon at the Bell Inn in 2015 stuff ” he adds, “and so many have done that.”

One tradition which was common in Monmouthshire is that of the Calennig apple. Although calennig is a Welsh word meaning ‘New Year celebration/ gift’, its routes could lie further afield.

The Calennig was well-known in Caerleon where children would decorate apples and then take them from door-to-door and recite a rhyme on New Year’s Day to be given sweets or cakes.

Monmouthshire writer Arthur Machen recalls the curious custom: “When I was a boy in Caerleon-on-Usk, the town children got the biggest and bravest and gayest apple they could find in the loft, deep in the dry bracken.

They put bits of gold leaf upon it. They stuck raisins into it. They inserted into the apple little sprigs of box [hedge], and then they delicately slit the ends of

hazel nuts, and so worked that the nuts appeared to grow from the ends of the box-leaves, to be the disproportionate fruit of these small trees.

“At last, three bits of stick were fixed into the base of the apple, tripod-wise; and so it was borne round from house to house; and the children got cakes and sweets, and —those were wild days, remember—small cups of ale. And nobody knew what it was all about.”

Machen was sure the tradition descended from the town’s Roman origins: “Caerleon means the fort of the legions, and for about three hundred years the Second Augustan Legion was quartered there, and made a tiny Rome of the place, with amphitheatre, baths, temples, and everything necessary for the comfort of a Roman-Briton.

“And the Legion brought over the custom of New Year’s gift of good omen. The apple, with its gold leaf,

raisins and nuts, meant: ‘good crops and wealth in the New Year.’ “ This echoes the wider Roman midwinter festival of Saturnalia.

Saturn was the Roman god of agriculture and in the mid-winter the festival was given in his honour in the hope he would bring good harvests in the new year.

David Howell is a lecturer in Early Modern History at the University of Gloucestershire, who lives in Monmouthshire, sounds a note of caution when describing events like the Calennig apple and Mari Lwyd as ‘ancient traditions’.

He said: “There are no records earlier than the 18th century describing them.”

But he echoes Mick Widder when describing how vital they are.

“When you strip away the horse heads and the apples from these events, what is important about them is community.”

WRITER: Caerleon-born Arthur Machen

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