News

Many congratulations to our local Councillor, Rod McKerlich, who was installed as Lord Mayor of Cardiff on 26 November 2020.  Here is a link to the Cardiff Council News Release.

As reported in our News item in May, Cllr McKerlich’s formal installation has been much delayed due to the pandemic and he will now service as Cardiff’s Lord Mayor until 2022. His wife, Sue, is now Lady Mayoress.

As you will see in the News Release, Cllr McKerlich has chosen Alzheimer’s Society Cymru as this year’s Lord Mayor’s Charity.

We again wish Rod and Sue all success in their period of office.

Update… We have now added the official photo of Rod in his chains of office. We look forward to him being present in his official capacity to turn on the Christmas Lights in Radyr & Morganstown on Friday – Don’t forget to tune in to the YouTube link for that event.

Rod and Sue

Christmas is coming – but as with many things this year we will have to do things slightly differently.

The RMA have arranged for the usual small Christmas Trees along Station Road. The Community Council have arranged for the festoons of overhead Christmas lights. In each of Windsor Gardens, Granny Park and Lychgate Gardens we will have a large tree festooned with lights again arranged by the Radyr and Morganstown Community Council. The lights may start to be visible once these trees go up but the official switch on, by the Lord Mayor (who is also our local County Councillor) Cllr Rod McKerlich, will be streamed Live via YouTube at around 19.00 on Friday 4 December. Tune in from 18.50 to make sure you don’t miss out.

Due to the current regulations it will not be possible to have the usual stalls and public gathering for the lights switch-on so, we are asking people NOT to attempt to come to Station Road for this event but to watch from home to allow us to ensure that we maintain good Social Distancing… However, do also keep one eye out of the windows as we hear that Santa also has an appointment to travel around Radyr & Morganstown on his sleigh through this evening before and after the official lights switch on. The approximate timings and his route are below.

Santa will be accompanied by volunteer collectors with buckets for Tenovus, the RMA Charity for 2020-21. Please give generously either to these collectors or through their JustGiving Page – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/radyrfot

Watch the switch on via YouTube from 18.50 on Friday 4 December 2020 – https://youtu.be/SsdsutwU_0w

Santa’s  Itinerary on 4 December.

Please note that all timings are approximate.

17.15   Ravensbrook,  Heol Syr Lewis

17.35   Ffordd Treforgan, Meadowfield Way, Mae y Gwair, Heol y Cwm, Heol y Crofft

17.55   Ty Nant Inn, Main Road (Morganstown), Bryn Derwen, Cae’r Graig, Pentwyn, Cae’r Graig, Bryn Derwen

18.20   Hazel Tree Close, Bryn Derwen, Dan-y-Bryn Ave, Windsor Ave, Windsor Road, Station Road

18.50 – 19.10 Station Road Lighting ceremony – Watch on YouTube

19.15   Kings Road, Fisher Hill Way, Lychgate Gardens

20.00   The War Memorial, Heol Isaf, Llantrisant Road

20.15   Heol Rufus, Heol Roald Dahl, St Philbert Street, Clos Park Radyr, Llantarnam Drive, Drover’s Way.

(Click on image to enlarge map)

Windsor Gardens Tree a few years ago

The RMA General Meeting, held over Zoom, on Monday 16 November was very well attended by all measures (physical or virtual). That was because of the concern being expressed by local residents over the major work that will be conducted in around the Mound Field and Gelynis Farm over the next few years.  Members may already have seen the report of the meeting in the draft minutes sent out last week – we were hoping to be able to share a recording of the meeting as well but unfortunately technical difficulties have prevented that.

For further background, TFW have provided us with a copy of the presentation they gave. They also provided a copy of the draft site plan. Do have a look at those documents to read in conjunction with the minutes.  We also asked TFW where we could find more information about the Metro. They said they were working on a more comprehensive area of the website which will cover Radyr in specific detail but, for now, they suggested the following links: https://trc.cymru/south-wales-metro and https://trc.cymru/metro-faqs.

As soon as the Web Team receive further information we will share it through https://radyr.org.uk

Update 05/11/2020:

Notified today that the resurfacing of the Min y Coed section of Heol Isaf is now scheduled for Sunday 8 November. Whilst Ty Nant Road | Heol Isaf will be closed at the junction with Min y Coed, whilst this work is completed it will be possible to get around the works via a diversion around Bryn Derwen.

Work is well underway at the site outside Christ Church but we do not yet have a proposed date for the closing of the road at that site for resurfacing.

Update – 12/10/2020:

We have now been made aware that Heol Isaf (B4262 | Gelynis Terrace | Ty Nant Road) will be closed to all traffic where the first crossing is being installed near the junction with Heol Syr Lewis in Morganstown from 09.00 until approx 16.00 on Sunday 18 October 2020. This is to facilitate the planing and resurfacing of the new raised table crossing being constructed. The footways will remain open during the work for pedestrians and dismounted cyclists. This is the rescheduled works originally due to happen on Sunday 4 October, and then again delated from 11 October.

We have now had confirmation from Cardiff Council that residents’ vehicles “should” be able to get in or out of Heol Syr Lewis.

We have also been notified that Cardiff Bus will be unable to run any services for the 63 beyond Radyr.  The 63 will not be able to service Morganstown, Pentrych or Creigiau on Sunday.

The official diversion diagrams are available below:

• ERH_Heol Isaf Div_01
• ERH_Heol Isaf Div_02

As much of a story as we know…

Signs have appeared on the B4262 in Morganstown advertising roadworks on the near its junction with Heol Syr Lewis. According to the signage this work is due to start on 14 September for 3 weeks and will only disrupt from 09.30 to 15.30. The web team have asked Cardiff Council for further details of these works and are still awaiting a response.

Following some investigative work your Web Team have managed to pull together what little information is available publicly about the planned roadworks on Heol lsaf in an attempt to give some early warning of what is happening.

The initial consultation document can be found in the Council Archives

The Council response to the initial scheme consultation held in May/June 2019 can be downloaded from the Council website.

We have also been regularly consulting the Cardiff Council published roadwork schedule.

We did attempt to contact Cardiff Council directly but they have not yet responded in full to the Web Team’s requests for information and were unwilling to confirm any details of what the roadworks actually consist of.

A summary of our combined findings shows that there will be 3 new crossings installed in sequence along Heol Isaf.

• a tabled zebra crossing on Heol Isaf near Heol Syr Lewis scheduled for 14 September to 2 October 2020;
• a tabled zebra crossing on Heol Isaf near Ty Mynydd Close scheduled for 5 October to 23 October 2020;
• a tabled zebra crossing on Heol Isaf near Rectory Close scheduled for 26 October to 6 November 2020.

During each of these time periods, temporary traffic lights will be used during the day (09.30 to 15.30) whilst works are underway. At the end of each period we can expect Heol Isaf to have a portion that is completely closed for a whole day whilst the surface is planed and the new tabled crossing surface installed.

We have also learned that the new traffic lights at the Southern end of Heol Isaf (junction with Llantrisant Road near Plas Dwr development) are currently planned to be actuated in early November.

The Web Team will continue our hunt for sources of information on these roadworks and will update this story as we get further details.

Update

Thank you to everyone who joined our Live Stream from the Radyr War Memorial this morning and those who have watched it back since. The video is still available at https://youtu.be/lZ4ryOpMwiU

We are also still collecting photographs of your visit to the war memorial or drawing, colouring or collage of a poppy to add to our Community Collage to show how we remember together event though we are dispersed.

Remembrance Sunday 2020

View this gallery on Flickr

Background

This year our act of commemoration will be slightly different. As we are not able to all gather at the War Memorial, we will be attempting to broadcast the ceremony via YouTube at 10.45 on Sunday 8 November 2020. We expect the short ceremony to start at 10.50 and last approximately 20 minutes.

Rev’d Vicki Burrows and Rev. Judith Holliman will lead the Act of Commemoration before the bell tolls from Christ Church. This will be followed by the laying of the first community wreaths. You can follow along and join in where appropriate by downloading a copy of their Order of Service (PDF, 141KB).

In order to maintain the social distancing rules, we are asking people NOT to attempt to come to the war memorial for this event but to pay their respects by joining in from home. A small number of groups from across the village will be laying their individual wreaths at times later in the day to minimise contact at the war memorial. Individuals or family groups are also invited to visit the memorial at another time.

Also, please note that, although door-to-door poppy collections and availability at some other outlets has been suspended this year, it has been arranged that poppies for Remembrance week will be available to purchase from Radyr Co-op and McColl’s in Station Road, as usual during week prior to Remembrance Sunday. You can also donate to the British Legion directly through their Poppy Appeal website – https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-involved/poppy-appeal

To show that the village is together in remembering the fallen, even though we are dispersed, we are asking everyone to either take a photo of their visit to the war memorial or to make their own poppy (draw, colour or collage) and share a picture of this with photos@radyr.org.uk so that we can build a collage on this website and share our acts of remembrance at this difficult time.

Watch the event Live on YouTube, Sunday 8 November 2020 from 10:45 – https://youtu.be/lZ4ryOpMwiU

Update – 28 December 2020

The Web Team have today heard that the special post-Christmas Green Waste Collection for Radyr & Morganstown has been scheduled for Monday 11 January 2020. Please put your green bin out as usual on this date if you have any garden waste to be collected. You can also place your real Christmas Tree out alongside your Green Bin and this will be collected on this date.

Original story

Cardiff Council have announced that Garden Waste collections will be fully suspended over the winter.

There will be no collections in November, December or February. This means that Radyr’s last garden waste collection of 2020 will be Monday 19 October.

A special collection will happen in January for real Christmas trees and any other garden waste – we will let you know the date for Radyr & Morganstown as soon as Cardiff Council confirm it

Fortnightly collections will restart in March 2020

Garden waste can be taken to recycling centres all year around. Remember you now need to book an appointment at http://www.cardiff.gov.uk/recyclingcentres

Thank you to everyone who took part in the various events and competitions across the Radyr & Morganstown Autumn Festival 2020.

Activity Walk

A number of family groups took on the challenge of following our Activity Walk and returning their answer sheets by the deadline.

The winning group with a full set of correct answers was Gina Baynham and family.

Junk Challenge

Construct an item from junk (e.g. paper, cardboard, wood, plastic, metal, fabric) and display it for all to see.  Entries were out over the weekend for the public to walk around over the first weekend of the Festival.

• Over 11 winner: “The Grayling” by Menna Roberts
• Under 11 winner: “Stop the Trash” by Lara Garrod

Junk Challenge - #RMFestival2020

View this gallery on Flickr

Garden Photographs

A digital photo competition of local gardens or features in your garden, or gardens belonging to others (with their permission). The images can be a whole garden, specific plants, or areas of a garden. We will be looking for originality, colour and quality of the images.

• First: “Sundial” by Nick Dalimore
• Second: “Bathtime” by Adrian Hopkins
• Third: “Lily” by Windsoe Fortt

Garden Photographs - RMFestival2020

View this gallery on Flickr

Cardiff and the Vale Scouts have confirmed that, due to the Coronavirus Pandemic and associated risks, there will not be a Christmas Scout Post for 2020. They feel that the present restrictions under Covid-19 make the sorting of post by volunteers impossible.

Cardiff’s Scout Post is usually one of the largest volunteer sorting and posting efforts across the UK, with a delegated system that sees Christmas Cards moving across the whole of Cardiff and the Vale in time for Christmas for only 30p per stamp.

Your local volunteer team from Radyr Scouts wish to thank all those that helped sort the post over the last few years and ask that you continue to help next year when it is planned for Scout Post to return.

On Sunday 30 August 2020 history was made at Radyr Cricket Club when the ladies hard ball team played their first match against Briton Ferry Steel CC. The team had been training together for several weeks but finally the weather was kind and the match was able to go ahead. Radyr CC is only the third club in Wales to have a women’s hardball team and is an integral part of Cricket Wales commitment to women’s and girls’ cricket.

Girls cricket has been thriving for many years at Radyr. Tony Butlin was tireless in his efforts to get girls playing cricket from a young age.  The support of our coach volunteers running taster cricket sessions for our local Brownie units also inspired many of our young girls to try the game. In the last few years the mums, wives and girlfriends of our junior and senior players have been persuaded to ‘give cricket a go’ with great success.  They have been playing in many softball festivals organised by Cricket Wales over the last 3 summers; and even came runners up in the inaugural indoor league at Sophia Gardens last winter.

Behind the scenes many members of the club have been working to set up a hardball team that could compete in the Wales and South West Women’s league. Special mention should be given to Emma Clegg and Becky Thomas who have championed girls cricket at the club for many years and who have worked hard behind the scenes to bring the first ever women’s team to the club and Cardiff!

On the day the team was captained by Lydia Clements, an experienced Wales first team player who has trained with the team over the summer. Having won the toss, Radyr decided to bat. It was a special moment to see the two opening batsmen (Cerys Griffiths and Sophie Thomas) walk onto the pitch.  Both girls have played all their youth cricket at Radyr and are both now part of the Wales girls squads. The team batted well for their 40 overs, the highlight being a score of 67 from the captain Lydia Clements. Radyr ended their innings on 183 for 4.  In reply, Briton Ferry made 121 for 5.  It was fantastic to see that everyone had the opportunity to contribute either through batting or bowling.  The bowling standard was excellent and meant that despite only losing 5 wickets, Briton Ferry were unable to reach the target set. The women were extremely vocal in the field and supportive of each other throughout.  The game was played in an extremely sportsmanlike atmosphere and was full of excellent cricket but also lots of fun and laughter.

The women’s hard ball team is open to girls and women in the Cardiff & Vale area who play their cricket in other local clubs; however, it was extremely rewarding to see that over half the team had come through the junior set up at Radyr. It was also great to have experienced cricket players on the pitch along with women who have recently discovered or rediscovered a passion for the sport. The club look forward to many more years of women’s hardball cricket and are already excited at the prospect of a full season of matches in 2021.

The first ball of women’s cricket at Radyr CC. Carys Mcclean from Briton Ferry CC bowling to Cerys Griffiths from Radyr CC.

It has been a while since we have been able to publish an update on the (lack of) progress on getting new play equipment installed in the playground off Drovers Way in Clos Park Radyr.

We have recieved the note below from Jamie Grundy who organised the crowdfunding campaign for the new play equipment.

Hello everyone. I wanted to update you on the current state of play with the park and more after delays due to lockdown and (before that) the storms in February:

Although all the equipment has been purchased and ready to install, there is a significant problem with the drain underneath the play park and Redrow have agreed install a new drain to remedy this. Currently we are at a stage where Cardiff Council are due to pass the plans for this work to Redrow. Unfortunately this has not yet happened. This drainage work has to take place before the equipment is installed. I and others have been lobbying behind the scene for this to happen.

This has recently been followed by the following response from Peter Bradbyrt, Cardiff Council Cabinet Memer for Culture and Leisure.
Dated 8 September 2020

Dear Mr Grundy

I am responding to your email dated 5 August, copied into myself and others. I apologise for the delay in responding, but issues around the delays to the playground refurbishment work are complex.

As you are aware recent investigations into the flooding event that occurred in in the playground, in Febuary this year, have revealed serious problems with the draininge system associated with the cover that ‘burst’ open in the playground. It is correct that the CCTV survey revealed significant issues associated with the culverted water course below the playground and open space which is the source of the problem.

I can appreciate the frustration within the local community regarding this issue, particularly after all the local fundraising efforts and time spent planning the playground refurbishment work, but the February flood has changed the perception and risk assessment of the park area in relation to flooding. Officers have given consideration as to how the playground proposals could be modified to allow the playground refurbishment work to take place pending future resolution of the drainage issues, however the current advice si that in order to safeguard the investment to the play area and prevent further impact on the surrounding area, modelling of the flood risk status of the culvert will be required before any surface water drainage improvements or work on the play area can be undertaken

Yn gywir / Yours sincerely

Y Cynghorydd / Councillor Councillor Peter Bradbury

Aelod Cabinet Dros Ddiwylliant a Hamdden

Cabinet Member for Culture & Leisure

Transport for Wales have just issued this Newsletter containing information on work that has started on the Valley lines upwards from Radyr Station.  Specifically, the line north of Radyr Station is now closed from 8pm, with bus replacement services in operation.  It is all part of the process of electrifying and modernising the line.

Do read the Newsletter for full information.  It also contains a link for a virtual tour and contact details for further information.

The Radyr & Morganstown Association (RMA) have been thinking about how we might still organise some form of Festival in 2020 whilst working within the current restrictions. We are planning a ‘Mini Autumn Festival’. It will start on Friday 18 September 2020 and run for just over a week. All events will either be outside (with appropriate ‘social distancing’) or held online.

A full schedule of events is now published on the Festival Website – https://rmfestival.org.uk

Confirmed events include:

• Family Junk Challenge (using waste materials to build items which can be viewed from the pavement/footpaths);
• Published walks around Radyr & Morganstown;
• Garden photo competition;
• Activity Trail / Treasure Hunt
• Tenovus Quiz – through Zoom

Tenovus remains the RMA’s nominated charity for 2020-21. As ever, we want to bring our community back together, have some fun, and raise some money for a worthy cause.

A message from David Silver, Festival Chairman:

2020 has been an unusual year with much that we would normally do postponed or cancelled. Earlier in the year we had to postpone our May Festival events in the interest of public safety. As Tenovus means so much to local residents, and like many charities the pandemic has limited the ways they can raise funds, we have decided to retain them as our chosen charity for the 2020-21 year. Back in August the RMA handed over £3,174, the total we were holding on the charities behalf from the year’s efforts. Whilst we are grateful for everything that was donated this was much lower than our usual total as a good part of our fundraising year had been lost to the circumstances.

As the situation changes we have been looking at what form of events might be possible for us to arrange to have some sort of Festival this year. We are pleased to be able to bring a week long Mini-Festival this Autumn featuring a combination of online events and outdoor events around Radyr & Morganstown where social distancing can be maintained.

On behalf of the Radyr & Morganstown Community, I would like to thank the Festival committee and all our other helpers, without whom the Festival could not take place. Please come along and join us at as many of the events as possible.

We look forward to seeing you all.

A car was stolen on 17/8/20 off a drive in Dan y Bryn Avenue.  Please keep your car locked and be aware of the sensing devices being used by criminals to steal automatic locking cars.

For post scam deliveries (8/10/20) and other recent scams or to sign up for regular alerts to your inbox, please see our Neighbourhood Watch page.

On 10^th August 2020 the Radyr & Morganstown Association held its first General Meeting via Zoom – public meetings still not being allowed due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  The subject of the talk at the meeting was very topical – Radyr resident Ron Eccles spoke on ‘COVID-19 – the great pandemic, questions and answers’.  Ron is an Emeritus Professor at Cardiff University’s School of Biosciences and was the Director of the Common Cold Centre at Cardiff University 1988-2017.

One of the benefits of using Zoom is that it is possible to record a session and, given the topicality of the subject, we did just that.  Both the draft minutes of the meeting and a recording of Ron’s talk can be found on the Association’s website; just follow the links.

We were very privileged to have such an eminent speaker at one of our meetings, and we thank Professor Eccles for taking the time to speak to us.

Our next General Meeting (which may also be on Zoom) will be on 5^th October.  The speaker will be announced soon.

If you would like to know more about the Association’s activities, please email the Secretary.

The Radyr & Morganstown Association (RMA) have been thinking about how we might still organise some form of Festival in 2020 whilst working within the current restrictions. We are planning a ‘Mini Autumn Festival’. It will start on Friday 18 September and run for a week or so. All events will either be outside (with appropriate ‘social distancing’) or held online.

As part of the 2016 Festival which celebrated the centenary of Roald Dahl’s birth, the Radyr & Morganstown Association (RMA) organised a successful Junk Challenge based on the characters from his novels.
The Association is organising a similar challenge to coincide with their Autumn Festival in 2020.

Rules of entry

1. All entries need to be in place on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2020.
2. The entry/ entries (you can submit more than one) needs to be visible from the pavement outside, either in your front garden, front window or paved area. The judges will come around and judge the entries on the 19 and 20 September.
3. Junk is anything that you are throwing out, paper, cardboard, wood, plastic, metal, fabric. You can use any fixing, glue, sticky tape, nails, ties etc and can use paint to decorate your entry.
4. There will be a prize in two categories, under 11 and over 11 on the 10 September.
5. The themes are:
(i) Wildlife. It can be a realistic representation of wildlife animal, or floral and can include an animal character from a favourite book, i.e. Toad from the Wind in the Willows
or the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.
(ii) A favourite book.
(iii) Transport.
6. Entries should be submitted via the form below
7. Entries should be submitted by midnight on the 10 September 2020.

Entry Form

Beware of false TV licence renewal notices appearing to come from from TV Licensing > support@tvlicensing.co.uk threatening to remove the licence and or pass details to a debt collector.

For full details of this and other recent scams please see our Neighbourhood Watch page.

The Welsh Blood Service have set up regional donation hubs, therefore your regular place of donation may no longer be available and you may have to travel further than normally. Morganstown Village Hall would usually host the Blood Donation team at this time of year but cannot in the current circumstances.

During the Pandemic the blood service are unable to take walk-ins. Blood Donation is classed as essential travel.

If you are fit and well please follow the link below to book a convenient day and time.

Please support your local session in these unprecedented times to continue vital supply of platelets and blood products.💕

The next sessions local to Radyr & Morganstown are:

• City Hall, Cardiff: 4-6 August 2020
• Cardiff Met Uni, Llandaff Campus (Western Avenue): 20-22 July, 29-30 July and 27-28 August,

Just follow this link to book an appointment : https://wbs.wales/RMhub

30 children’s play areas in Cardiff will be re-opened on Monday (20 July 2020) following the removal of Welsh Government restrictions on their use.

All nine of the city’s outdoor gyms will also re-open on Monday.

Play areas are being opened on phased basis, following a safety first approach and with a view to ensuring that children across the city have some play provision in their local area as quickly as possible.

Prior to re-opening, equipment and safety surfaces have been checked, and changes have been made to help maintain social distancing and minimise risk of transmitting Covid-19 – for example, some swing seats may have been removed to ensure a 2 metre distance is maintained.

To help ensure safety, new signage will also be installed on site asking families using the sites to:

• wash or sanitise their hands, before, after and during using the equipment;
• keep a 2 metre distance from others not in their household;
• limit visits to 30 minutes during busy times;
• only have a maximum of one adult per child in the play area.

More of the city’s play 116 play areas will be opened in the coming weeks, once all necessary safety inspections have been completed.

The only play area in the Radyr area re-opening on Monday is Fisherhill Way. We look forward to news of further local sites re-opening shortly.

16,000 cases of scams on internet purchasing during the “Lockdown”..  See the Neighbourhood Watch page for details from ACTION FRAUD

Fortnightly collections for green garden waste will return to normal across Cardiff from Monday 6 July 2020. That means that the first of the fortnightly collections for Radyr & Morganstown will be Monday 13 July.

You can check garden waste collection dates for your area here: http://orlo.uk/Dthvv

Please make sure you:
Put out your green wheelie bin or reusable garden sacks by 6:00 on the date of collection
Put only leaves, grass cuttings, plant / flower cuttings, small twigs and branches in the bins or sacks
Don’t put out any additional green garden waste at the side of your bins or sacks. ONLY waste in your bin or your sacks will be collected.