Youngsters from Hawthorn, Heol-y-Celyn, Ffynnon Taf, Parc Lewis and Coedpenmaen Primary schools took part in an after-school film club and made a movie entitled ‘How to Build a Time Machine’.

Cluster worker for Hawthorn High School, Nadine Reeves, co-ordinated the club along with Lily Pad Film Company as part of the Zoom Film Festival. The annual young people’s film festival featured workshops, screenings and special events held across Rhondda Cynon Taf.

‘How to Build a Time Machine’ was entered into the Zoom Young Film-makers Awards held at Valleys Kids in Penygraig and pupils and staff were overjoyed when they won their category.

Pupils from Coedpenmaen Primary School were presented with the award, which they accepted on behalf of the group of schools.

Cllr Eudine Hanagan, Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Lifelong Learning, said: “The youngsters were given the opportunity to learn new skills and thoroughly enjoyed their time as film-makers.

“The Hawthorn cluster schools are fortunate to now have filming equipment including a DVD camera, microphones and a computer so that they can make their own films relevant to their schools and to the communities in which they live.”

Dydd Llun 9.30 – 11.30 Rhondda Bowl Tonyrefail
Dydd Mawrth 2.00 – 3.00 Clydach Vale
Dydd Mercher 9.00-10.00 Glynfach Porth
Dydd Mercher 1.00-2.30 Glyncoch
Dydd Iau 9.30-11.30 Capel Bethleham,Tonyrefail
Dydd Gwener 10.00 – 12.00 Maes yr Hâf, Trealaw

Os hoffech fwy o fanylion am unrhywun o’r boreau coffi uchod, yna cysylltwch â’r swyddfa Cymunedau’n Gyntaf perthnasol.

Cofiwch hefyd fod na foreau coffi anffurfiol dal yn cario ‘mlaen yn rheolaidd ar agor i Gymry Cymraeg a dysgwyr yn ogystal dan adain Menter Iaith. Mae rhestr llawn o rhain iw gweld dan y ddolen GWASANAETHAU uchod.

This brand new 11 mile walk, co-organised by Macmillan and Jeff Cowland, who originally thought of the walk and is a Rhondda Cynon Taf Council employee, will take place on Saturday 5 September 2009 starting by Treherbert Rugby Club at 9am, and finishing at the Rhondda Heritage Park, travelling through Treorchy, Tonypandy and Porth on the way.

Every day 822 people are told they have cancer and they all need treatment and support. Over 116,000 people are affected by cancer in Wales every year, and one in three of us will receive a cancer diagnosis at some point in our lives. Macmillan currently helps over half of these people and our aim is to support everyone affected by cancer in the UK. Macmillan Cancer Support are the only charity to help people from the point of diagnosis through the whole of their cancer journey, offering them help, advice, information and support. We rely on donations for 99% of our income, which is why your involvement is so valuable.

The Rhondda Walk will help to raise vital funds for Macmillan in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area. Last year, Macmillan awarded 727 patient grants totalling nearly £302,000 to people in South East Wales who needed our help. Macmillan also has over 50 Macmillan professionals working in the area, including two welfare benefits advisors, who since being in post in 2007 have accessed over £1M in benefits for local people affected by cancer.

Gemma Jones, Fundraising Manager, said ˜the Rhondda Walk will be an exciting day for the whole community. We hope to attract a large number of people to get together, put
their walking boots on, have fun and get healthy, and at the same time raise money to help local people living with cancer.

So come and get involved with the Rhondda Walk now! Register for only £10, and you will receive your fundraising pack in the post, together with a t-shirt and goody bag on the day. For more information, or to register, please contact Helen Ashcroft on 01656 968968 or email hashcroft@macmillan.org.uk

The opening times are 10am until 9pm Tuesday to Friday and 10am until 4pm on Saturday. There will be £1 entrance fee.

A raffle will be running all week of a framed painting by local artist Paul Arnott. It will be drawn on Saturday afternoon.

Approximately 150 works of art by members of the society will be on show. The exhibition will be opened by local author and Councillor Cennard Davies.

Do come along during the week to browse and enjoy the exhibition.

The Youth Arts Plan: Inspiring Creativity will be launched at the Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, on Wednesday, March 4, when talented young people from across RCT perform in a youth arts extravaganza, including dance, drama and a film showcase.

The plan is funded by the Arts Council of Wales and developed by the RCT Youth Arts Strategic Partnership (YASP). The Council’s Youth Arts programme within Cultural Services – commissioned by Fframwaith – will develop youth arts opportunities, in partnership with other Council services and the voluntary sector, for children and young people eight-25, and leads the YASP.

Councillor Robert Bevan, Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, said: “All children and young people in Rhondda Cynon Taf should be able to take part in arts and cultural opportunities, as it is a great way for them to express themselves, gain confidence, learn new skills and make new friends. ”

For further information and to request a copy of the Youth Arts Plan, please contact: Caroline O’Neill, Arts Development Officer for Learning and Inclusion on 01443 490258 or email caroline.a.oneill@Rhondda-Cynon-Taff.gov.uk

· If you would like to attend the launch at The Muni at 7pm on March 4, please contact the Muni Arts Centre box office on 01443 485934. Tickets are free and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Llantrisant Community Arts Festival, which runs from Wednesday, February 18-Saturday, February 28, 2009, aims to involve people of all ages. Activities planned over the ten days include visual arts, music, dance, literature and performance.

Events will take place all around the town in Llantrisant Parish Church, The Model House, Llantrisant library, Y Pant Comprehensive School, Gwaun Ruperra, The Old Victorian School, and local primary schools.

Highlights of the festival include

· A mural workshop at Y Pant School on Wednesday, February 18 from 10am-3pm (Ages nine-18 years)

· Author workshops at Llantrisant Library on Thursday, February 19

· Family Day drop-in activities including painting and cardmaking on Saturday, February 21 at the Old School

· Smarty tots mums and toddlers’ art group at The Model House on Wednesday, February 25 from 10am.

· Children’s photography competition: Youngsters aged six-12 and 13-17 are invited to submit photographs taken of the local area. Images must be submitted to Llantrisant Library or The Model House by Tuesday, February 24.

There will be a chance to sample what’s gone on during the festival at an exhibition and performance evening at Llantrisant Parish Church from 5.30pm on Friday, February 27.

The following groups and organisations have lent their support to the festival: RCTCBC Cultural Services Arts Development’s Youth Arts Programme; Fframwaith, Y Pant and their E3 team, Llantrisant Community Council, Llantrisant Parish Church, South Wales Valleys Literature Project, Academi, The Model House, OTAG, The Giles Gallery, RCT Music.

For more information, contact Y Pant’s E3 office on 01443 237701, Llantrisant Community Arts on 01443 222671 or Llantrisant Library on 01443 237842

Ydych chi, neu rhywun chi’n adnabod yn ystyried addysg Gymraeg i’ch plant neu eisiau gwybodaeth am eich Cylch Ti a Fi neu’ch Cylch Meithrin lleol. Croeso i chi ddod i’n clybiau anffurfiol newydd i rhieni ardal Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Mae na ddau Glwb Cloncan yn rhedeg yn wythnosol ar hyn o bryd. Y cyntaf yng Nghanolfan yr Urdd, Stryd y Gwynt, Aberdâr sy’n cael ei chynnal rhwng 1.30 a 3.00 bob Dydd Llun, a’r llall yn yr ystafell gyfarfod ger y caffi yng Nghanolfan Garth Olwg, Pentre’r Eglwys rhwng 1.30 a 3.30 Bob Dydd Mercher.

Os hoffech mwy o fanylion am eich Clwb Cloncan lleol, cysylltwch â Vicky Pugh ar 07500 878289 neu swyddfa’r fenter ar 01443 407570.

The Partnership Overseas Networking Trust (PONT) was set up in 2000 and aspires to link as many professionals and organisations in Pontypridd with their counterparts in Mbale.

Assembly Ministers Jane Hutt and Jane Davidson attended the event and took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of PONT’s work.

The purpose of PONT is to build direct personal relationships between interested individuals and organisations with intention of increasing the capacity and governance of individuals and organisations in Mbale.

The event at the University also saw the launch of a scheme which will allow University employees the opportunity to donate money to PONT through their salaries.

The Mbale region has 760,000 inhabitants and covers 2466 square kilometres; it is roughly the same size as the Rhondda Cynon Taf area.

Dr Jim Richardson, Head of Division of Family Care at the University of Glamorgan is one of the conference organisers. He said, “The PONT team believe the Ugandans have much to teach us about family and community values along with a rich cultural heritage, so the partnership is very much a two way link. This conference was a significant milestone with the introduction of pay roll giving for University staff.”

To date over 50 visits have been made by teams from Pontypridd in 6 groups, and 23 people have visited Pontypridd from Mbale.

The PONT team set out to identify a town in a third world country where English was widely spoken, it was relatively safe to travel, and where we would be welcomed by both government and non-governmental sectors. In 2002 the first visit was made to Mbale, where we felt we had found exactly what we were looking for. Mbale town is of a similar size to Pontypridd, but serves a region of 760.000 people, most of who live in poor rural villages.

The competition will be held in association with Barnardos Cymru and the winning act will get to perform at a top Cardiff venue in November 2009.

The show will be hosted by Wales own singing sensation Kara Korbella who herself will be competing in Ganu Cymru 2009 .

Living The Dream 2009 will be held in November with a finale song composed by 21 year old Rhondda composer Jason Staddon. who is a student at the Royal Welsh College of
Music And Drama.

Both Kara and Jason are previous pupils of a Theatre School run by Welsh choreographer Sandra Gage.

The audition line is open until January 31st 2009 and you can register at kidsgottalent@talktalk.net before this date.

The theme of this year’s sleepover was the CIRCUS. Most of the Trefoil Guild members were clowns, but there was a super ’strong man’ from Gwent and also a lion tamer.

The ladies from Gwent Trefoil Guild catered with the help of the usual Cardiff team.

Visit the Aberdare Trefoil website here

The youngsters took part in Slam Jam – one of the finest break dancing events of its kind in Wales, where crews from Wales battle it out against some of the best B-Boys and B-Girls (young break dancers) from England.

The Get Fresh Crew attend weekly classes at the Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd, and are trained by break dancing professionals from Cardiff-based Elemental Force. Sessions are organised by the Rhondda Cynon Taff’s Youth Arts project, and funded through Fframwaith and the Cultural Services Take Part Programme.

Jason Barker from Elemental Force said: “We have been running a lot of projects within the RCT area and have put a lot of effort into identifying raw talent within the community.

“We’ve used the opportunities given to us in short term projects to establish enough demand within an area and develop the Get Fresh Crew. The group formed in April this year and are growing in confidence.

“Crew members are from across Rhondda Cynon Taf and they have all learnt to interact and develop individual skills. The classes have already provided a positive platform for all involved! ”

Liz Driscoll, Youth Arts Co-ordinator for Rhondda Cynon Taf’s Cultural Services, said: “Break dancing is a fantastic art form and is really starting to take off in RCT. Along with the classes at the Muni, we have also recently started a new class at The Park and Dare Theatre, Treorchy, and many of the E3+ schools have also started running classes.”

For further information on break dancing classes, visit www.rct-arts.co.uk or contact Angela Gould on 01443 485934

Women of all abilities are welcome to join the informal, fun classes, which are held every Thursday at 6pm, with the aim of building up to a 30 or 40-minute jog.

Participants will be able to pick up tips on nutrition and healthy living and receive a running jacket worth £40. Ladies will also have the opportunity to train for the Nos Galan 5k Races held in Mountain Ash on New Year’s Eve, with optional free entry to the event.

The walk-to-jog course costs £15. For more information, please call Andy Jones on 01443 400563 or 07817939298

For more information on the Nos Galan Races, go to www.nosgalan.co.uk

The event is being held as part of a week of celebrations marking the 50th Anniversary of St Winifred’s Church, Penywaun.

Between 10am to 5pm.

All warmly welcome.

St Winifred’s Church is located opposite Penywaun Post Office.

In the Photograph : Youth of Penywaun hold a Show at St Winifred’s Church held in the 1970s

Pirate parties involving stories, rhymes & crafts will be held on Friday October 10th at Pontypridd Library from 11am to 11.45am and at Aberdare Library from 2pm to 2.45pm. A prize will also be given for the “best dressed pirate”!

Bookstart is run by Booktrust, an independent national charity that encourages people of all ages and cultures to discover and enjoy reading.

In conjunction with Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Libraries and Museums Service, plenty of people step foot in their local library and get involved in the many fun events on offer.

Working through local authorities and primary care trusts, Bookstart gives the gift of free books to children at their eight and 18 months health checks, along with guidance materials. Parents wishing to receive a pack should speak to their Health Visitor or contact their local library.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Libraries and Museums Service made a successful bid for funding from the Neighbourhood Area Renewal Grant Fund to open a new exhibition and art gallery at Penrhiwceiber Library.

The gallery room is a dedicated display area for community use so, if you are a budding artist, keen photographer or are organising local competitions or events and would like to promote your work within the community please either call into the library or telephone to book the room.

The gallery, which was formerly a storage room, was officially opened by Penrhiwceiber Ward Member Cllr Adam Fox.

The community meeting room at the library has also been extended and local groups are invited to use it for meetings at no charge. For further details contact 01443 472424

She was pleased and proud to officially open Breast Cancer Support for Pontyclun and the surrounding areas, an essential network formed by Barbara Powell.

Barbara formed the group after being diagnosed and treated for breast cancer herself. With little knowledge of any cancer support group in her area, she attended the Rhondda Breast Friends Cancer Conference and wanted to emulate their inspiring support and peer system in her local area.

As a result, Breast Cancer Support for Pontyclun and the surrounding area was formed to offer essential peer support for those going through difficult times, offering advice, information, support and motivation for patients, carers and their families.

Cllr Davies said: “I was honoured to be at the launch of such a worthwhile support group that helps those who suffer with breast cancer, as well as their families.

It is hoped the group will now meet on the first Monday of every month at the same location at 7.30pm.

Formore information, contact Barbara Powell on 01443 237997 or enquiries@barbarathebread.co.uk

The production of Robinson Crusoe, starring Owen Money and Peter Karrie, will be performed at the Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd from Monday, December 15 to Sunday, December.28

Auditions to join the Take PART ‘Performance Crew’ as a dancer and chorus member for the production will be held at the Muni Arts Centre, Pontypridd on Tuesday, September 16 between 5pm and 7pm.

To audition, you must be aged between eight and 18 years old and be available for the performance dates in December. Registration in advance is essential. Once you have been registered, you will be given an audition time. On Tuesday, September16 , you must have a prepared dance piece that lasts no longer than two minutes, remembering to bring your selected music on CD to the audition.

Rehearsals will be held every week on Tuesday evenings up to the start of the pantomime.

For more information and to register contact Angela Gould, Audience Development Manager on 01443 485934 or Email Angela.Gould@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk. For further information about Rhondda Cynon Taf’s Take PART Programme, please visit www.rct-arts.gov.uk

The Association of the Friends of Rhondda Heritage Park will also be available with information relating to the South Wales Coalfields and mining records. Other displays throughout the weekend include research with microfiche, books, prints of old towns and villages plus lots more.

Cabinet Member for Recreation and Culture Cllr Robert Bevan said: “For anyone interested in local history or researching their family tree there’s no better place to start. This promises to be a fascinating day with lots of help and guidance available from the experts in this particular field.”

Visitors to the event will also have the opportunity to experience an underground tour at a discounted rate.

The Family History Day takes place on Saturday September 6th from 10am to 4.00. Admission is free.

Rhondda Cynon Taff Community Arts, in partnership with Community Dance Wales, is bringing dance to the park through the spectacular work of Motionhouse, one of the most exciting dance theatre companies in the UK. Motionhouse fuses images, action and dynamism to surprise, challenge and delight. Two-attention grabbing and highly physical pieces of dance will be performed at the park at 7pm on August 11.

‘Chaser’ will be the first piece – described as ‘Three people going out for the night and literally fall over the edge’. It is 15 nail-biting minutes of dynamic encounters, high-speed socialising, friendly rivalry, flying and falling.

The second piece will be ‘Underground’ – ‘Life going down the tube’: Four travellers are thrown together in an unlikely alliance as graffiti artists paint their love in motion. Suspended at odd angles within a rocking tubular structure and riding the rhythm of the train, four characters are constantly drawn together then torn apart.

Taff Vale Shopping Centre, Pontypridd, will be used as an alternative venue in the event of wet weather. Tickets cost £3 with £2 concessions. To book, contact the box office on 01443 485934 (Muni Arts Centre), 01443 773112 (Park and Dare Theatre) or 01685 881188 (Coliseum).

The outdoor performance event is being held in connection with A Professional Summer School of Dance, to be held at Treorchy Comprehensive School, from Monday 11th – Friday 15th August 2008. Participants will receive a complimentary ticket to the Motionhouse double bill.

For further information, please contact Rachael Robertson, Rhondda Cynon Taff Community Arts on 01443 776090 / rachael@rctca.org.uk or Angharad James, Community Dance Wales on 02920 575075 / angharad@communitydancewales.com

Following British Telecom’s announcement that it intends to remove 34 phone boxes, the Council is acting in line with guidance from communications watchdog Ofcom to determine whether it wishes to exercise its veto where there are valid and objective reasons.

As a result of this option, the authority immediately set to work attaining the views of its local communities via consultation.

This feedback has been used to form what is referred to as a First Notification and Schedule which sets out the Council’s draft decision in response to the BT proposals, which is to oppose them.

The decision was made after attaining the views of the community and their representatives on each of the 34 phone boxes, which are in Pontypridd, Pontyclun, Clydach Vale, Tonypandy, Mountain Ash, Tonyrefail, Treherbert, Treorchy, Ynysysbwl, Treforest, Nantgarw, Rhigos, Hirwaun, Penderyn, Aberdare and Llwydcoed.

In all cases, residents stated the phone boxes were a well valued community amenity and, in some cases, the proximity of the boxes to accident hotspots could be the difference between an incident being serious or fatal.

Responses were considered by the authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which has made its draft decision and generated another period of consultation. Following this further consultation period, the Council will submit its final decision to BT. It should be noted that BT has the right of appeal to the Competition Appeals Tribunal against this.

Those with views on the Council’s draft decision to support the consensus of public feeling are urged to submit them by August 25 to Chris Davies, Research and Consultation Manager, Strategic Policy and Continuous Improvement, Ty Elai, Dinas Isaf East, Williamstown, CF40 1NY, via 01443 444598 or policyenquiries@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk