1. pets
2. birds

THE NEWSLETTER
Spring Edition 2015
Wiseman’s Bridge, Pleasant Valley, Stepaside
Summerhill, Amroth
Supported by Amroth and District Community Association
FLY-TIPPING MENACE
Do you recognise any of this rubbish?
Local fly tipping affects the woods, streams and
beaches where our children play.
Just one haul pulled out of Craig-y-Borion woods by volunteers. Rubbish
is tipped down the steep bank towards the stream. Waste includes half
empty oil drums, paint tins, fence preserver, fridges and other highly toxic
liquids which get into the Amroth stream and end up on the beach, affecting the quality of the sea water. Sadly some of these people live locally,
and may have children who play in the stream and on the beach.
1
THINGS GOING ON AT THE PARISH HALL
MONDAYS
Youth activities 6.00 to 7.30 p.m.
Women’s Institute every second Monday of the month at 7.00 p.m.
Computers—Mondays 1.30 to 3.30
TUESDAYS
Gentle exercise—9.30 to 10.30 and 11 to 12 (weekly) vacancies
Short Mat Bowls—7.00 to 10.00 p.m.
History Group—Last Tuesday in every month 7.00 p.m. phone
811972 for details.
Crochet 1.30—3.30 pm (Vacancies)
WEDNESDAYS Film Night—every other week. Admission/
refreshments free—Donations welcome. Doors open 7.00 p.m.
Film starts 7.30 p.m.
March 18 Mystery Road (15) Crime thriller
April 1
The Imitation Game (12A)
Biographical thriller
April 15 Boyhood (15) Drama
April 29 Gone Girl (18) Mystery thriller
May 13 The Theory of Everything (12A) Biographical drama/
romance
May 27
Paddington (PG) Family comedy
June 10 Birdman (15) Comedy drama
June 24 Pride (15) Comedy drama
July 8
Still Alice (12A) Drama
July 22 Mr Turner (12A)
Historical drama
THURSDAYS Summerhill Sewing Circle 1.00 to 5.00 p.m. (No vacancies at present)
FRIDAYS Sewing Circle every other Friday 9.30-5.00 p.m.
BINGO starts MARCH 27th. Doors open 7 pm eyes down 8 pm
2
WHAT’S ON
THE AMROTH ARMS
OPEN 11 am to 11 pm
Food—11.45 to 2.15
Quiz funds given to Tenby/Angle
RNLI & St Nons Elderly Ward
Withybush 10th April Coffee morning
10-12 for St Elidyrs.
The Arms Quiz Masters Quiz at Amroth Parish Hall 28th May
6 to 9 pm. Quiz nights held in pub every other Tuesday for Charity. All
funds from the Quiz go to the charity. Prizes are donated.
THE NEW INN
From Easter, OPEN all day with
Food served daily.
26th/27th/28th June—BEER/CIDER
Festival at New Inn to celebrate the
Luger family’s 40th year at the pub!
Lots going on that weekend. Details
nearer the time which will include
Some charity fundraising.
THE PIRATE CAFÉ AND
SMUGGLERS
Pirate: Daily 9.30-5.00
Smugglers: Wed to Sat. 12—7pm
Sun 12-4pm. From Easter hols. Daily
12-7pm
From Easter, Pirates new coffee,
smoothie and ice-cream Bar
Will be open.
.
COLBY WOODLAND GARDEN
1st/2nd April 7pm Woodland Walk
3rd to 6th April Cadbury Easter Trail
11am 2nd/3rd/4th May The Story
of Wood. 23rd/24th May 10 am Vintage Fair
3
WHAT’S ON……….CONTINUED
WISEMAN’S BRIDGE INN
Food 12—2.30 & 5.30-9 pm daily
SHOP open daily 9-4pm from April 9-5pm
Macmillan Buffet/Quiz Night April 17th 7 pm
(tickets from Pauline Davies 810360)
QUIZ nights 25th March; 15th/29th April
Last one until September. Well done Mary for
making these nights such fun!
TEMPLE BAR INN
OPEN 9am to 10.30 pm—7 days
Food served 9 am to 10 pm
PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR COMMUNITY HALL
Oscar winning films + CONCERT SAT. MAY 9th 7pm
‘Songs from the Shows’ with Peter Carey
A LOCAL CELEBRITY
Our new playing field is used extensively. It will be officially
opened by Rosie Swales-Pope later in the year. Thanks to
Planed for the £10,000 donation and to the Carnival Group for
a further £13,000. This generous donation has meant that we
now have a very worthwhile community facility in our area.
WESLEY CHAPEL—Pleasant
Valley
Services are every Sunday at
11.00 am . Everyone most welcome.
Sunday May 3rd 8.00 pm—Songs of
Praise with the Harries family of Woodstock with guest artistes.
July 3rd Strawberry Tea at Wiseman’s
Bridge. Always a lovely occasion
with great views and yummie strawberries.
4
FAREWELLS
Our thoughts are with families
And friends
Mrs Jane Lawrence—Amroth
Miss Anne Dudley—Llanteg
Mr David Sibery—Wiseman’s Bridge
Mrs Janet James—Amroth
Mrs Pam Thomas—Begelly (formerly Amroth)
Mr Roy Williamson—Amroth
Mrs Lisa Attewell—(formerly Wiseman’s Bridge)
Graham and Julia Richard’s daughter from Wiseman’s
Bridge
The W.I. Meets 2nd Monday in the month at 7 pm in the Parish Hall,
Summerhill. New members most welcome. Varied programme:
April 13th Stackpole Mencap Gardens
May 11th The Work of PATCH
June 8th
Outing to Brecon and 2 1/2 hours on Brecon Canal. We
support PATCH every month and members are very generous.
March 2nd was our “Welsh” morning when an unexpectedly large, but
most welcome audience were entertained by pupils from Stepaside
school. It was an opportunity to welcome the new
Headteacher, Mr Paul Harries. An enormous
“Welsh” raffle was held!
Our Group meeting (Tavernspite, Templeton,
Kilgetty, Saundersfoot, Ludchurch and Summerhill)
is on March 25th at 7 pm in the Parish Hall. Mr
and Mrs Rye of Milford, will organise Country Dancing.
5
STEPASIDE SCHOOL
At the end of the Autumn term Staff and pupils wished Mr Griffiths all the
very best for his retirement. He retired after fifteen years as the Head
Master of Stepaside CP School and we were all sad to see him go. We
all have our own happy memories of working side by side with Peter and
know that you will join with us as we wish him well. Pictured here is Peter with some infant pupils after their special trip to Cardiff to see the LION KING.
As the new year started we were happy to welcome Mr Paul Harries to
school as our new Head Master. Paul has come from Coastlands School
where he was acting Head. He is very
happy with his appointment here at Stepaside and looks forward to working with
pupils, parents and community groups in
the future.
New Headteacher Mr Paul Harries
6
WILDLIFE WATCH
According to the weather forecasters’ we have had the sunniest and warmest
winter for years, but our Camellia bush in the garden doesn’t agree. It has only
now come into full flowering when in past years it has flowered at Christmas/
January.
You may have seen a pair of Red Kites in the
Amroth/Summerhill/Pleasant Valley
areas, lets hope they nest and are successful in
rearing young in the area.
On a more sad note photos of a dead male Sparrowhawk has been sent to me from a local garden where a Sparrowhawk had been attacking
Chickens in a wired enclosure and killed itself in
the process. This is a beautiful and striking bird
with long barred tail but rarely do you get to see a
Sparrowhawk close as they are very secretive
and only see a flash as the bird travels at high
speed, often very low to the ground and swooping
to surprise its prey.
A Sparrowhawk
This photo shows the male,
the female is half as big again and has a rufus colouring to its cheek and breast.
A Woodcock has also been seen in a local Amroth garden, this again is another
bird which is very rarely observed.
There are now the usual signs of Spring approaching with Great Tits calling
the repetitive mechanical ‘ ti-ta ti-ta ti-ta ‘ but the most noticeable sign of Spring
is the sound of Lawnmowers !!!!!!! One of my favourite walks in the Amroth area is along the stream from Stepaside to Wisemans Bridge where I frequently
see the Dipper and Grey Wagtail. “
COAST CARE GROUP
The Amroth Coast Care Group has continued to carry out regular beach cleans
during the winter, except when heavy weather has intervened.
No beach cleans were planned for March because Keep Wales Tidy informed us
that both Tavernspite School and the Wisemans Bridge Rowing Club would be
doing them in our area, so we agreed to leave the coast clear (literally) for them.
We will be resuming our work in April, time and place to be arranged. If you
would like to take part but are not already on our mailing list, please call David or
Jackie on 810245 or email us at [email protected]
Meanwhile, thanks as ever to Ann Green for all her unstinting efforts on our behalf and to George Jones for transporting a mountain of bags of litter up the hill
from Telpyn Beach.
WELL DONE BEACH CLEANERS
7
OUR WILD LIFE IN JEOPARDY
The amazing, constantly threatened wildlife of our
ponds and streams
As thousands of children find out every year, the stream that runs
through Colby and comes out on the beach at Amroth, is stuffed
full with life. Masses of Caddis and stone-clinging May-fly larvae,
Gammarus shrimp, Whirligig beetles and Pond-skaters provide the
rich diet that supports a healthy population of beautiful little brown
trout, water shrews and dippers. The fish from the river, and frogs
from the ponds in the valley, also support the local Otters, which
range up and down our coast following the small streams up the
valleys and hiding out in a variety of “holts” along the banks. One
of these elusive residents was spotted this winter by the 1st Kilgetty
explorers who came down to Colby one evening for a campfire to
find the meadow mostly underwater. They had to settle for a
splashy torch-light wade through the flood-waters and a rare Otter
sighting.
8
HELP TO PROTECT OUR WATER
The lovely little trout of the Amroth
stream.
The healthy, stream-fed ponds at Colby
have produced so many amphibians over
recent years that any rapidly drying pocket of Spring rain water fills with frogspawn. So we decided to give the frogs,
newts and toads a few more places to
spawn successfully, (they need shallow water that won’t dry up altogether) and excavated a series of new ponds to accommodate them and all
the other weird and wonderful residents that prefer ponds to streams. At
Colby, these include alien looking Water-Scorpions, huge predatory
Dragon-fly larvae and silt-burrowing mayfly nymphs. We’re happy to report that after successful seeding with silt and pond plants from our other
ponds, the new ones are teeming with frogs this Spring, and masses of
frogspawn are already accumulating in the shallows.
Water levels will fall in the Summer, but each pond is carefully designed
with a deeper “sump” full of Lilies and oxygenating weed to provide shelter until the young frogs, newts and toads are ready to crawl away into
the meadow.
In real downpours, the stream always bursts its banks into the flood
meadow at Colby, and the new ponds should also help to soak up some
of the water, helping to prevent greater impacts down-stream.
But sadly these flood events also leave the ponds vulnerable, along
with the stream itself, to pollution from the thoughtless and criminal
fly-tipping happening constantly further up the valley.
9
HELP US TO PROTECT OUR RIVERS AND SEA
WATER FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF EVERYONE
If you want to help us keep our woods, stream and beach, clean,
safe and rich in life, please report any suspicious activity and record the number plates of vehicles involved, (especially on the Killanow road) to Steve Whitehead on 01834 811885, e-mail [email protected]
KELLY VOADEN of Beach House, Amroth & LEMMY
AT CRUFTS
Congratulations!! For being
a part of the Welsh team in
Obedience to come 3rd
overall with Lemmy, producing a near faultless round
at Crufts. Well Done both
of you. Will give more details in the next edition.
10
LOCAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE GROUP
New Members Wanted. This is a very relaxed social group no membership just pay when you
come (usually £3) talks or walks to local places
with lots of history attached. Usually last Tuesday
of the month in Summerhill Hall 7pm.
In November the group enjoyed a guided tour of
the Sunderland Trust in Pembroke Dock. This museum has so much information on the Sunderlands and history of the Dockyard itself.
Mrs Sue Lloyd gave a fantastic talk to a full hall in January on Mounton
Chapel Canaston. Afterwards there was an opportunity to speak to Mrs
Lloyd on her research over tea and welsh cakes. A walk has been arranged to Mounton Chapel Canaston for May.
Coming up this year: Colby Moor Civil War tour. Tour of Magpies Nest
Templeton. Talk by Mr George Lewis on the coming of the Tenby to
Pembroke railway. Walk to see the pilgrims graves at Llanfihangel Abercywyn church.
Thank you to everyone who got in touch with information about the family
connections in Summer 2014 newsletter. We have found out that the
Hancocks at Summerhill Farm were related to the Prouts. Also the Thomas’s at Temple Bar were related to the Lewis’s of Marros and Peter the
son went to fight for his country in 1914.
For information on any of the above contact Sue on 811972
SUPERFAST BROADBAND
Superfast broadband is now up and running in some areas of our
community. At the time of print, Summerhill was ‘turned on’ and
up and running. To check when yours is due register on web-site:
www.superfast-cymru.com
Please contact one of the Editorial Team— Sue Evans; Ann Green;
Dave Welton; Steve Whitehead; Morris North or Pauline Davies
TO MAKE ANY COMMENT OR SUBMIT A STORY
Or contact 01834 811972
THANKYOU
11
TINKER’S HILL BIRD OF PREY AND SWAN
RESCUE CENTRE
A lovely spring morning
saw me walking down
Maria’s drive to the rescue
centre where I was greeted
by her 2 dogs and the sight
of geese, swans, a variety
of chickens and wonderful
white pea hens basking
and preening themselves
in the sun. Maria still has the 2 swans that were attacked by a
dog and children, I mentioned in the last letter, but they are improving and she is confident they will eventually be released
back to the wild. She has recently had to collect a swan from
Pembroke Mill Pond that was being beaten up by other swans
and another in the same circumstances from Withybush
Woods. These were reported to her by members of the public
and have now happily been relocated at Garron, where they
seem to be settling well. Since the last Newsletter she had a
gentleman bring her a bird he had found on Amroth beach, obviously exhausted and standing over the body of its companion. Not being certain what it was, Maria called in Bob Heycock
(a bird expert) who identified it as a Pomarine Skua. This is really exciting as they are a passage migrant who pass over us in
the late Autumn on their way to West Africa to spend the winter
but certainly rarely if ever seen in Amroth! Anyway after a few
days of rest and being fed, Maria returned him to the beach and
he went off into the water had a splash and was gone. WONDERFUL NEWS. Well done yet again Maria.
Picture of swans at Pembroke Mill Pond
12
COMMUNITY HEADLINES
TAVERNSPITE AND LLANTEG OIL SYNDICATE
A group
have set up in the area researching oil prices every three months and
enabling local people to buy the most competitively priced oil around. If
you would like further details, then telephone the syndicate organiser on
07964775006
———————————————————
2014 POPPY APPEAL
A very big ‘thankyou’ to everyone in Stepaside area who responded so
generously and cheerfully to the Poppy Appeal last November when
£215.43 was raised. Elizabeth looks forward to seeing you all again in
the Autumn. Thank you one and all.
Also thanks to Elizabeth Hall, for the work she does each year to
make it such a success locally.
———————————————————DEFIBRILATOR—A defribrilator is now being located at Wiseman’s
Bridge for community and visitor use if needed. This was obtained from
the British Heart Foundation using their Grant Scheme. Many thanks go
to the members of our community for funding our contribution , and seeing this project fulfilled. (And thanks to you Mary Thomas for all your efforts in securing this vital bit of equipment for our community)
————————————————————
MACULAR SUPPORT GROUP—for our community
Would you be interested in joining?
Being diagnosed with macular disease can leave you and your family feeling isolated
and uncertain about the future.
Groups offer support and help in understanding macular disease and coming to
terms with sight loss. They often share information about treatments, other services
and staying independent.
The Macular Society is the national charity for anyone affected by central vision
loss. They provide free information and support to improve lives today. They fund
research so that one day we can overcome macular disease.
For more information contact any of the following:The Helpline on 0300 3030 111 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm)
Postal address: Macular Society, PO Box 1870, Andover, SP10 9AD
If you are interested in joining a Support Group, please
contact Val Robinson on 01834 843138
13
YOUNG PEOPLE’S CLUB
Thanks again must go to the Amroth Arms for raising another £300 for us from
quizzes held at the end of last year. We have bought some indoor/outdoor Basket Ball hoops on stands and 2 pop up football nets and several soft balls for
indoor play with some of the money and will buy more equipment when the
weather improves. Thank you also to Mary Thomas and the Wiseman’s Bridge
Pub for the £130.00 raised at a quiz for the club. We are so grateful to you all
for supporting us. The outing to the Xcel bowl in Carmarthen was a huge success before Christmas and the children had a lot of fun and enjoyed the food
afterwards!! Since we started again in the New Year, there has been great enjoyment using the new equipment and in the craft room we have made bird feeders, Valentine’s mats, bead and wire hearts, Welsh cakes and Mother’s Day
gifts. We have had an outing to Carew Control Tower, where the staff allowed
the children to dress in some WW2 outfits and told them interesting stories. We
finished the evening singing (with helmets on) in the Air Raid shelter. It was an
excellent evening. Sadly we had to cancel a club evening in March as the hall
was being used and we couldn’t find a venue for the children but we will make
Easter decorations before we finish for the Easter holidays and return on Monday 20th April.
Follow us on Facebook
www.facebook.com/
AmrothYoungstersClub and please LIKE our page. More information on our
website www.amrothyouthclub.moonfruit.com or call at the hall on Monday
nights between 6-7.30 p.m. All children are welcome between the ages of 7-14
and it is only £1.00 per session.
14
AMROTH BAY
HOLIDAYS
Luxury caravans with
central heating/double
glazing.
Call Emily or Nigel now
01834 831259
www.thebayamroth.co.
uk
TENBY TOURERS
OPEN at Llanteg
Tourers & Static
Caravan Sales & Repairs
Caravan, Camping and
Accessories shop
Open 7 days a week
www.tenbytourers.co.uk
01834831900
TEMPLE BAR
INN
Warm and welcoming
Good Food till late
Family Room
Now under new management
01834 812486
GREENHILL AVENUE
GARAGE
Cut your motoring costs
Service and Repair
MOT Preparation
Local collection/delivery
01834 842007
07074842007
KATE IMPEY
LBSH.RSHOM
Registered Homeopath
Complementary Therapist
For further information
Please call:-
01834 811961
07974 777108
Stepaside Coachworks
Accident Repair Centre
All accident repairs
undertaken
including all insurance
work
Laser 4 wheel alignment
Diagnostics
Aircon Specialists
01834 812491
COLBY GARDENS
TEAROOM
open 7 days
Imaginative Lunches
* Homemade cakes *
* Clotted cream teas *
* Fairtrade coffees *
01834 814163
COMPUTER PROBLEMS
Open 7 days 8-5pm
JusT Us Homefriends
Emily’s Funky Knits
and Wool Shop
All Day Breakfast
Sunday Roast
Private functions
Children’s Parties
Designs, Small exterior /
interior maintenance. Holiday Props. looked after/
House Sitting undertaken
Architectural
Services
Planning Applications;
Drawings ;New Build;
Conversions; Extensions
Low prices – high quality
Initial consultation free
T: 01834 831855
M: 07810 891375
E: [email protected]
Byron’s Café Llanteg
01834 831193
Interior Decoration &
07964775006
All computer problems
solved. Typically £25 plus
parts. No fix no fee
Please call
Andy 07771 923077
At Amroth Bay Holidays Pendeilo
FOR ALL YOUR KNITTING NEEDS
07823696966
www.emilysfunkyknits.com
THANK YOU TO LOCAL BUSINESSES
FOR SUPPORTING OUR NEWSLETTER
15
WATKINS BAKERY
Begelly
Freshly baked bread rolls
baguettes
pies pasties
Open 8.30-5.00
Mon to Sat
01834 812170
AMROTH ARMS
A Warm, Friendly
Welcome
Food served
12-2.30 daily
01834812480
E.C.Thomas & Son
Funeral Directors
Garden of Remembrance &
Chapel of Rest at Zoar
Memorials & Inscriptions
Pre-paid Funeral Plans
01834 812861
07818 098444
Nigel Ayers
Electrical Contractor
NICEIC Approved
Tel: 01834812685
07967935474
WISEMAN’S
BRIDGE INN
All year welcome
Home-cooked food
Sunday roasts
Parties welcome
Quiz nights
01834 813236
The Pirate Café
Stuart Lewis
- Good coffee
- Good food
- Warm welcome
Sky TV & Aerial
Services
DON’T CALL SKY…
CALL US
On
01834813007
07831839625
In the heart of Amroth village
01834 812757
Amroth Castle
HOLIDAY CENTRE
- Right by the sea
- Own your own
holiday home
01834 813217
National Trust
The Shop at Colby
Garden Outdoor
Wildlife Home
Gifts & Books
Open mid Feb – Oct.
10 – 5 Everyday
SHORT CUTZ
Osborne Village
Shop Amroth
- Newspapers
- Groceries
- Gifts and much
much more
01834 812948
KEITH LEWIS
& SONS
Summerhill
Building Services
07766 733016
01834 811089
NEW INN
Kath and Fran
Welcomes you
and your family
to our salon
Open all season
Home-cooked food
Varied menu
01834 812368
01834 831113
ALL WELCOME
CHIMNEY SWEEP
West Wales
WISEMAN’S
BRIDGE SHOP
Solid fuel cookers
Log burners
Open fires swept
Call Dave:
07854739251
- Open all year
- Off-licence
- General grocery
- Newspapers
Adjacent to Inn