Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts. Become a member today Residents on a street in Cefn Hengoed are preparing for a full day of activities to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day Earlier this year, Caerphilly County Borough Council announced residents could ask for permission to close their street and celebrate VE Day something Emma Moore has taken advantage of in the past Speaking to Caerphilly Observer the Cefn Hengoed resident said: “We’ve held similar street parties before and are expecting around 100 people to be out taking part “We have a fun day for the family planned including a bouncy castle It’s also a good chance for children to learn about our history “We have a lot of older residents on the street as well as one veteran from the Falklands War who’s especially excited for the day.” will run between 2pm and 6pm on Sunday May 4 community events and more will be held up and down the country to celebrate the Allied victory in World War II Support quality, independent, local journalism…that mattersFrom just £1 a month you can help fund our work – and use our website without adverts.Become a member today By Ian Lewis · 10 February 2025 Voters in Llanelli are going to the polls on February 20 A by-election is being held in the Hengoed ward of Llanelli Rural Council after a vacancy was created on the authority Labour councillor Bethan Williams has stood down as councillor So far three candidates have thrown their names into the political ring LoadingDaily Email Updates {{contentTitle}} Swansea City are teaming up with club partner Westacres to provide Christmas surprises to some very special people (and animals!) this festive season Our first Christmas surprise saw Lee Trundle joined by local singer Chris Maunder Chris entertained residents with a number of songs including 'Rockin' around the Christmas Tree' and 'Take me to the Vetch Field' whilst club ambassador Lee Trundle met with residents and handed out boxes of biscuits and chocolates to everyone "We had a lovely afternoon meeting all the residents and staff and it was brilliant to see everyone enjoying themselves," said Trundle.  "After what has been such a difficult couple of years for everyone it was great to see everyone with smiles on their faces.  a referee and a lady whose husband played for Cardiff!  "The football club is a pillar of the local community and it's important we provide some Christmas cheer and give back to the community." The Christmas Surprises with Westacres will continue throughout the week, so keep your eyes peeled to see what we have been up to © 2025 Swansea City Association Football Club Limited will reopen under new management on Monday October 7 The post office closed following the retirement of postmistress Lynn Hobbs Lynn was presented with a long service award from the Post Office for reaching the decade milestone said: “We are delighted to be restoring Post Office services to Cefn Hengoed as we know how important a post office is to a community.” The post office will be open between 8.30am and 5.30pm from Monday to Sunday Two new homes could be built next to a row of houses in Hengoed New plans submitted to Caerphilly County Borough Council show “garden space” at 44 Brynavon Terrace could be redeveloped has “acquired the existing property and has determined the existing side garden is sufficient to construct two houses on this land” The proposed homes would be attached to the existing property with car parking accessible via a rear lane The garden space is described as “surplus” by planning agent Peter Seaborne Designs for the proposed homes show each property layout would mirror the other kitchen and toilet would be built on each ground floor with two bedrooms and a bathroom on each first floor and a study and third bedroom on each second floor – which would be located within the roof space Each of the new homes would have a “generous” rear garden area and their designs would have “regard to the existing dwellings” either side of the application site in a “highly sustainable location” according to a planning statement submitted in support of the project The application is currently out for consultation and can be viewed on the Caerphilly County Borough Council website under reference 24/0625/FULL A disqualified driver who caused the death of his friend in a crash four years ago has been jailed lost control of his car in Cefn Hengoed on Saturday November 14 leaving the road and crashing into concrete posts Bradford had been to the pub with two friends The crash claimed the life of 27-year-old passenger Callum West and caused life-changing injuries to the other passenger Bradford appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday January 7 where he pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving He also pleaded guilty to causing death while disqualified from driving and causing serious injury while disqualified Bradford was handed a six-year and seven-month jail sentence A victim impact statement from Mr West’s family was read out in court It said: “We could talk all day about the memories we all hold of Callum and how much of a loved son nephew and friend he was and will always be Callum was an amazing father to his then six-year-old daughter who is now growing up without the support and guidance of her beloved dad.” The statement continued: “For over four years Bradford was allowed to live his life freely yet he was fit enough to get married only a few months after the crash living the life that Callum will never get the chance to live the lives of his victims’ families have been put on hold “We understand that no legal outcome can bring Callum back or restore what we have lost we hope by sharing our pain and frustration today we can emphasise the grave consequences of reckless decisions.  “Justice for Callum cannot reverse that damage but it can be a solemn reminder of the value of life and the heavy cost of negligence.” the family of the injured passenger also welcomed Bradford’s sentencing and said: “We are glad that this ordeal is over and we can start trying to move on and heal “We would like to thank all the emergency services who helped and especially would like to thank the senior investigating officer PC David Thomas for investigating this unnecessary tragedy and for his support throughout.” described Mr West’s death as “not only the tragic loss of a deeply loved son but also a father of a daughter who misses him greatly” He also highlighted the life-changing injuries suffered by the other passenger and said: “This is due to the reckless and needless actions of what they believed to be a friend Bradford drove without due care and attention while disqualified and thought to be over the drink drive limit and the serious injuries sustained to the other passenger No sentence will ever comprehend the loss of a loved one  “I would like to thank the families involved for their support and understanding throughout this long investigation.” Cefn Hengoed Ladies’ Choir is teaming up with pupils at Hendredenny Park Primary School for a charity concert The choir will perform alongside pupils from the school’s performing arts club on Friday March 28 The concert, which starts at 6.30pm, will be held at the school and will be free to enter. The money raised through the raffle and refreshments will be donated to Ty Hafan It will be the second time the pupils have performed with the choir, having raised money for Noah’s Ark charity last year The school’s performing arts club is made up of children aged between six and 11 who meet after school once a week to sing together and play drama games Over the years they have performed at St David’s Hall St Martin’s Church and their school’s annual talent show Cefn Hengoed Ladies’ Choir is one of Wales’ oldest community choirs having been formed in 1947 by the then-headteacher of Derwendeg Primary School the choir has performed at venues across Wales and further afield they will head to Belgium to perform at the Menin Gate memorial in Ypres practices at Derwendeg Primary in Cefn Hengoed at 7pm on Wednesdays during school term times Here’s a list of every polling station in the Caerphilly constituency of which there are 72,643 of in the Caerphilly constituency will have been told where their polling station is via their poll card You can only vote at the polling station on your poll card A 70-year-old man who was facing multiple charges of making indecent photographs of children has been found dead at home Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.comand on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 in Hengoed had been due to make his first appearance facing five counts at Telford Magistrates Court on Tuesday Magistrates were told by prosecutor Kate Price that Morris had been found dead at his home near Oswestry Morris had been due to face charges that had included sending a message that was grossly offensive or of an indecent obscene or menacing character in Oswestry on November 10 He had also been accused of making 516 category A indecent images of children between January 28 and March 12 All were alleged to have taken place in Oswestry He also faced a fifth charge of possessing 17 moving and eight still images of extreme pornography involving animals climbs gently from Hengoed Viaduct through Nelson and Trelewis to the climbing centre at Taff Bargoed is celebrated with its magnificent ‘Wheel of Drams’ artwork For much of its length the trail runs parallel to an existing railway line on a specially built cycle path steep climb from Trelewis up a series of zigzags takes you past The Cascades a dramatic water feature carrying the Bargoed Taff down the valley and beneath a handsome new footbridge over the river As you approach the climbing centre you pass a series of reed beds that have succeeded in reducing by 97% the iron ochre that previously stained the river red and caused severe problems to the aquatic wildlife You will also pass a succession of signboards with details of the old coal seams that were worked in the valley It is easy to extend the ride either to the west through Quakers Yard to link to the Taff Trail or east from Hengoed to Wyllie and the start of the trail through Sirhowy Valley Country Park Would you like more route inspiration? 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We have taken all responsible steps to ensure that these routes are safe and achievable by people with a reasonable level of fitness all outdoor activities involve a degree of risk Sustrans accepts no responsibility for any accidents or injury resulting from following these routes Walking and cycling routes change over time Weather conditions may also affect path surfaces Please use your own judgement when using the routes based upon the weather and the ability experience and confidence levels of those in your group The Hengoed Viaduct to Taff Bargoed route is part of the National Cycle Network Your donation today will help keep the Network safe and open for everyone to enjoy Sign up now to hear more about our latest news Sustrans is committed to fundraising in a way which is legal, open, honest and respectful. Read our fundraising promise Sustrans is a registered charity in England and Wales (326550) and Scotland (SC039263) and a company limited by guarantee registered in England (1797726) at 2 Cathedral Square Philip Morris, of Garside Close, in Hengoed had been due to make his first appearance facing five counts at Telford Magistrates Court on Tuesday Magistrates were told by prosecutor Kate Price that Morris had been found dead at his home near Oswestry A “kind-hearted” shop owner who ran a Cefn Hengoed convenience store for 40 years has retired who ran Magnum Stores alongside husband Ted and son John has also been the postmistress at the in-store post office for the past ten years was recently presented with a long service award from the Post Office for reaching the decade milestone Lynn decided it was the right time to retire Lynn said: “We will really miss our customers as they are like family “We moved to Powys ten years ago to be near our grandchildren. We’ve commuted since and will keep going back to Cefn Hengoed to see people.  “My husband is from this area and I moved from Brecon I was apprehensive at first but people are very friendly here and they made me feel very welcome.” She continued: “The best thing about being a postmistress and running a shop is the social side of the job We have had some excellent staff over the years too “We want to thank people for the custom and their friendship.” Lynn added: “Our shop and post office stayed open throughout the pandemic but my hard-working local staff kept it going and the community really appreciated that they could stay local for the post office and their groceries “People were also grateful to see familiar faces.” has been taken over by husband and wife Jaswinder Singh and Navi Kaur who have also applied to take on the running of the post office The couple are already well-know in the community as they run the village’s Premier convenience store “Lynn has served the local community for 45 years I was delighted to present Lynn with her Post Office ten-year long service award before her departure “I want to wish them a very well-earned retirement.” As Lynn and Ted embark on their retirement the couple are looking forward to spending more time with their family and enjoying days out the Post Office said: “We are working hard to restore a post office to this community as soon as possible alternative branches include Hengoed and Fleur de Lis.” Paul and Yvonne Ingram from the Junction Inn have finally called time at the bar after announcing their pub in Hengoed will be closing down on Sunday April 21 The couple have run the 164-year-old pub on Kings Hill since taking over in 2019 investing thousands to refurbish the interior but ultimately felt like they couldn’t continue in a “struggling” industry Speaking to Caerphilly Observer about the last few years at the pub Paul said: “It’s been difficult I won’t lie We made it through Covid but I don’t think we or the industry fully recovered “We did have a sale for the pub lined-up but unfortunately that fell through at the last minute As well as struggling to bring in enough punters has been waiting for an operation on her knee which she’d pushed back several times to keep the pub going We didn’t have any experience in the industry and only bought it because it was my local We’ve put a lot of effort in but we’re in our sixties now and it does get too much sometimes.” Paul and Yvonne transformed the pub when they took over but also by introducing food and creating a beer garden Paul continued: “The majority of people have wished us well You have some who can’t understand why we’re closing but there are a lot of factors to consider “I will miss the place and all the people we’ve built relationships with Yvonne has been quite emotional about it all too it’s been struggling for a while.” Asked how they’re going to celebrate the final weekend of the pub Paul added: “We’re going to go out on a bang that’s for sure “We’ve got a band booked tonight [Friday April 19] and bingo tomorrow We’ve booked out our Sunday dinner service then on the final night we’re just going to have a big party with all the customers so it should be fun “I’ve still got work to do elsewhere once this is all over so that will keep me busy Yvonne will be resting up after her operation.” Paul said how the pub is still up for sale, with more details available on its website Care home residents have been busy painting and decorating pebbles for children to find The pebbles were decorated by ten residents at Valley View care home in Cefn Hengoed as part of the King’s Coronation celebrations a community initiative set up by Rhiannon Stone in 2019 The scheme involves residents decorating rocks and hiding them in the community for children to find said residents wanted to do something for the community as part of the Big Help Out The Big Help Out is a voluntary initiative supported by volunteer organisations from across the UK such as the Scouts and the Royal Voluntary Service The aim is to raise awareness of volunteering and give more people the chance to volunteer in their communities Visit the Big Help Out website for more information Menna said: “Residents were asked if they would like to take part [in the Big Help Out]. It was a resounding yes so we got to thinking about what we could do to help.” She explained that the care home has a strong relationship with both Derwendeg Primary and Hengoed Primary with pupils from both schools visiting the home regularly The pupils play games with the residents and read to them “Our residents love spending time with the children,” said Menna, “so when it came to how our residents could volunteer it was the children they thought of first.  “We mentioned that it was hard getting children outside these days and off their computers “The residents decided that it would be nice to paint some pebbles for the children to hunt and find in the area. They know this is a popular activity for local children after a workshop we did back in December with Rhiannon Stone of Hengoed Rocks.” She continued: “Intergenerational connections are so important for both the young and the not so young We are so grateful to both schools for coming and spending time here our residents have taken part in The Big Help Out by painting some pebbles for the children to find.” Some of the painted pebbles included designs inspired by the union flag Cefn Hengoed post office is to close its branch on Thursday April 11 after its postmaster resigned Described as a ‘unplanned closure’ by the Post Office the branch on Hengoed Avenue is now searching for a new postmaster after apologising for the late notice to customers the Post Office said: “We would like to assure you that we are working hard to keep any period of closure to a minimum and we are currently investigating the options available which will enable us to reinstate a post office service to the local community “We can confirm that we have an applicant who has registered their interest in restoring this service and I hope to be in a better position to advise you of our finalised plans in the near future it is important that any future service is sustainable for the person operating the service Lynn Hobbs is the postmistress for the branch She was shocked and upset by the Post Office’s statement claiming she gave them plenty of notice having handed her resignation over in August 2023 she said: “I was due to leave in March but decided to extend so they could find someone else “I’m not leaving for anything to do with any Post Office scandals I’m nearly 70 now and believe I’ve been a great servant to the community all these years “It’s just the Post Office dragging its feet once again.” “We apologise for the inconvenience the closure may cause We hope that our customers will continueto use Post Office services and details of alternative post office branches in the area.” Alternative post offices in the area can be found on Kings Hill Grenfell Jones – or Gren as he was better known to his fans – was a Welsh institution whose popular cartoons of valleys folk entertained the nation for almost 40 years Caerphilly County Borough Council is keen to commemorate Gren’s life and work by creating a unique ‘Gren Way’ walking route in and around Hengoed – the village of his birth The route will cross the imposing viaduct that spans the valley between Hengoed and Maesycwmmer and it is hoped that a series of artwork pieces reflecting Gren’s many hilarious characters can be developed along the walk A special ‘Green Plaque’ will also be erected commemorating Gren’s birthplace at his former home at nearby Brynavon Terrace Council leader Lindsay Whittle said: “Gren’s popular characters hold a special place in the nation’s heart – especially in the traditional valleys communities that are reflected in so many of his cartoon strips “We thought it would be a fitting tribute to develop this walk through the landscape that inspired some of his most famous creations.” The walk was officially launched last week with a special event at Hengoed Community Centre Life size ‘mock ups’ of various Gren characters were placed across the viaduct to show guests how the final artwork pieces could look Local businesses and residents hae the chance to ‘sponsor’ a character and contribute towards the cost of each artwork installation For more information please contact Sarena Jones on 01443 863218 You must be logged in to post a comment Gwent Police confirmed on Thursday January 11 Gwent Police officers are concerned for the welfare of 15-year-old Mia Jones Mia is believed to be wearing a black headband; a cream-coloured all-in-one bodysuit; a white cardigan; brown ankle-sized Ugg boots with brown fur around the ankles; navy blue trousers; and a navy blue top with a Nike logo Anyone with information on Mia’s whereabouts is asked to call Gwent Police on 101 or direct message the force via social media quoting reference number 2400011207 Mia is also urged to get in touch with the police Pupils from Hengoed Primary School have been helping to improve their local environment by taking part in a litter pick around their school grounds Several large bags of litter were collected from the site by pupils with the help of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Tidy Towns team said: “Our pupils have helped to improve the environment and show genuine enthusiasm and pride for our local environment Hopefully our efforts will be an example for the rest of the community to follow.” Caerphilly County Borough Council is encouraging schools residents and community groups to grab their litter pickers spades and wheelbarrows and join forces with the council for The Big Spring Clean 2012 Litter pickers and refuse sacks are available for any groups or schools wishing to organise a clean up – the council will also arrange to collect the litter collected following the clean up To get involved, or to report an environmental concern in Caerphilly county borough please contact Caerphilly StreetPride on 01443 866 566 or visit www.caerphilly.gov.uk You must be logged in to post a comment the first service was held at a makeshift wooden chapel on Gelligaer Road its anniversary has been marked with a service on the same site More than 100 people attended the main event to mark the centenary which was a thanksgiving service led by Pastor Stephen Darby on May 21 Among the attendees were Pastor Huw Williams who travelled from the Republic of Ireland Both are great-grandsons of Pastor Morgan Lewis who founded the church – while their grandfather The service included hymns and a presentation led by church deacon Marc Howells The original chapel was opened in May 1922 plans to build the permanent chapel that now sits on the site were delayed with the chapel trustees at the time instead focusing on opening a second site in Penybryn Many of the churchgoers came from the Penybryn area and were finding it increasingly difficult to walk to Cefn Hengoed to attend services Cavalry Chapel was opened off Penybryn Terrace Bethel Baptist Church was built in Cefn Hengoed replacing the wooden mission hall which stood in its place Speaking to Caerphilly Observer Pastor Darby said the church was hoping to hold a range of events over the course of the year to tie in with the centenary “We’re looking to start our monthly meetings back up in the autumn for the first time since Covid we had to learn how to stream services online It’s something we want to keep doing “Some people are housebound or can’t get to the church for whatever reason It’s helpful for those who can’t be here in person.” Pastor Darby said the church had good links with both Hengoed and Derwendeg primary schools as well as Cefn Hengoed Ladies’ Choir and Gelligaer Community Council He added: “During lockdown we also did a virtual Remembrance service with the choir community council and the schools and put it on YouTube We weren’t able to gather with the community but we were able to connect with them.” A 38-year-old drug dealer from Hengoed has been jailed for three years and nine months appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday where he admitted to possession with intent to supply cocaine also pleaded guilty to possession of ecstasy said he hopes the sentence “deters anyone thinking about getting involved with this type of criminality.” He said: “Sargeant was supplying class A B and C drugs to people within our communities “I want to reassure residents across Gwent that we will continue our efforts to fight drug crime; carrying out operations to target those involved and bring them to justice.” Pharmaceutical company Norgine has celebrated the 50th anniversary of its manufacturing site in Hengoed Employing around 370 permanent staff and about 120 contractors the company produces medicines for around 23 million patients The Hengoed site manufactures more than 30 million medicine packs a year which help people across the globe living with constipation and support the diagnosis and prevention of serious gastro-intestinal diseases such as colorectal cancer While the overall company was established in 1906 its UK operation was moved from London to Wales in 1969 Its managing director then was Peter Jones it was his decision to move to Wales and five decades later Speaking to Caerphilly Observer at a special event marking the anniversary on Friday Norgine’s chief executive Peter Stein said: “I think we are very important for the area but also the area’s very important for Norgine We have benefited enormously from an employee base who wanted to be developed “The staff have grown with us and we place a lot of weight on the development of our employees Having that base of employees who want to grow with the company has been a huge boon for us.” He added: “You always have a choice of where are you going to manufacture and Having trade routes and being able to shift things easily within Europe has been enormously important for us – and that is more important than the gain you would have by putting out in China “We have a fantastic workforce who are committed to the company “The very fact that we are manufacturing here for Japan and China is a sign that we are able to do that and that’s thanks to stability and being able to grow with the site “We’ve never really had a need to move from here – we’re not 100% reliant on here because obviously now in the current situation we have to have alternatives.” The “current situation” Mr Stein referred to is Brexit and the looming possibility of no deal and the uncertainty that brings The company has spent £11 million preparing for such a scenario Mr Stein said: “We haven’t hidden the fact that we are a European company and we mean it – we are European I’m confident that we have taken the steps necessary to cope with whatever outcome arises But it’s not something we are welcoming “A qualified person has had to move to Holland the quality control has moved to France and registrations have moved to Holland and Sweden “We’ve invested a lot of money that we could have used to invest in new products and new production but that’s what we had to do to ensure that we have the practicable availability for our patients.” Despite the overall uncertainty Brexit could bring the company has said it is committed to the Hengoed site and has invested nearly £13m there over the last five years Caerphilly’s Member of Parliament Wayne David said: “Norgine is one of the most important employers in the county borough not just in terms of numbers but the quality of the employment provided “It is something unique for the county borough to have a quality employer like this.” Also speaking was Caerphilly Assembly Member Hefin David who added: “Norgine has been an important employer in the Rhymney Valley for half a century They are well-established at Tir-y-Berth Industrial Estate and provide high-skilled well-paid jobs in a vital and growing industry “I am confident that Norgine will continue to have a significant presence locally and I look forward to working with them in the years ahead.” UPDATE – Monday April 24: Gwent Police have confirmed that Mr Richards has been found A 48-year-old man from Cefn Hengoed has been reported missing Gary Richards was last seen leaving his home at around 5.45pm on Monday April 10 Mr Richards is described as being 180cm (5ft 11in) tall of medium build with short grey hair and stubble on his chin He has a scar above his eye and several tattoos including a full sleeve on one arm and a Geisha on his side Mr Richards has links to Pontypridd and is believed to be driving a black Honda Civic Anyone with information on his whereabouts can contact Gwent Police on 101 or through direct message on Facebook or Twitter Police also urged Mr Richards to get in touch to confirm he is safe and well An investigation has been launched by environmental body Natural Resources Wales after what appears to be farm farmyard slurry was seen in Nant Cylla in Cefn Hengoed The brook, a tributary of the Rhymney river, had only started to recover after it was left heavily polluted by oil and chemicals following a fire at Penallta Industrial Estate in September last year The new pollution was seen by a Caerphilly Observer reader on Monday NRW said officers had been on site to investigate It said: “Investigations are ongoing to assess the impact to the watercourse “All pollution incidents are a matter of concern and we aim to deal with them as quickly as possible “If anyone sees any further signs of pollution in the area or has any other environmental concerns they should report it immediately to the NRW incident hotline on 0300 065 3000 Sandra Hardacre and Donna CushingA youth club set up by residents Caerphilly County Borough Council and Gwent Police is celebrating its first anniversary Officers from the Ysrad Mynach Neighbourhood Policing Team joined forces with the council’s youth service and the Cefn Hengoed and Hengoed Communities First Partnership to create Hengoed Youth Club The club gives youngsters the opportunity to keep youngsters busy on Friday nights with a range of activities the chairwoman of the Communities First Partnership and local resident Donna Cushing open the doors of the local community centre each week for the club Sandra said: “The young people are generally well-behaved in the youth club and over the last year they have got to know us will often say hello if they see us walking about in the community “I enjoy helping to run the club and providing them with somewhere to go and something to do on a Friday night.” More than 80 youngsters have signed up to the club which attracts between 40 and 45 people a week said: “The community volunteers have been fantastic in providing their time each week to run the youth club and in helping to get funding from the Communities First Partnership to improve the facilities and activities on offer to the young people.” cabinet member for education and leisure said: “It is very pleasing that this facility is making such a positive difference to the lives of the Hengoed and Cefn Hengoed communities and I hope the initiative goes from strength to strength over the coming years “By providing local youngsters with opportunities to fill their leisure time constructively on Friday evenings this is also helping to tackle and prevent anti-social behaviour and youth disorder from occurring “May I also offer my thanks to the local volunteers who so generously give up their time to help ensure the success of this fantastic project.” Alternatively you can e mail them on ystradmynach@gwent.pnn.police.uk You must be logged in to post a comment Members of a voluntary group have arranged a community event for people who face spending Christmas Day alone organised by volunteers at the Hengoed Happiness and Wellbeing Group will take place at Hengoed Community Centre on December 25 entertainment and other activities will be provided on the day Volunteers at the group have said they will try and provide transport to and from the event for those who may need it The group was set up in February this year and aims to promote mental wellbeing who has helped set up the Company4Christmas project said: “Hengoed Company4Christmas is a project we have undertaken as a group initiative as we realised there are people who will spend Christmas Day completely alone.  “These people may be members of our group but don’t need to be – they’re equally welcome “We’re simply reaching out and offering them companionship friendship and hopefully a lovely Christmas meal with others so they’re not alone.” the group said: “A huge thank you is due to Hengoed Community Centre committee for allowing us to use the venue and to Cllr Judith Pritchard for personally giving her time to open and close the doors to make it possible.” Group member Sarah Parry said: “The group has really taken off this year and members are benefiting from the positive community and varied social events “We meet monthly in Penallta RFC on the first Thursday of the month at 6.30pm to share a meal listen to a guest speaker and then socialise afterwards– it’s a great opportunity for people to share socialise and learn different strategies to make life more enjoyable.” The group is appealing for help on Christmas Day To make a donation or to volunteer to help on the day email HengoedCompany4Christmas@gmail.com or call 07881 268150 A man has died and two others are in a critical condition in hospital following a car crash in Hengoed Gwent Police confirmed 27-year-old Callum West His family are currently being supported by specialist officers The silver Renault Clio came off the road at around 10.45pm on Saturday Police are investigating the crash and have appealed for motorists who were in the area at the time to come forward with any dash cam footage they may have They can also be contacted through direct message on Facebook or Twitter The Speaker of the House of Commons welcomed the Cefn Hengoed Ladies Choir to Speaker’s House in the Palace of Westminster recently to celebrate their 65th anniversary The choir was joined at the reception by Wayne David Labour MP for Caerphilly and Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Owen Smith MP the choir performed a number of songs for the Parliamentarians including the Rhythm of Life Big Spender and excerpts from Vivaldi’s Gloria Mr David said: “This was a brilliant evening I was delighted that the Speaker of the House of Commons chose to invite the Cefn Hengoed Ladies’ Choir to perform at Speaker’s House “It was a marvellous experience for the Choir to be able to perform in the magnificent surroundings of Speaker’s House and they were able to show to Mr Speaker and other Parliamentarians why they have rightly gained a reputation as one of the finest choirs in South Wales.” the pharmaceutical company which has a base in Hengoed the members of the Choir were taken on a guided tour of the House of Commons and the House of Lords and had free time to see some of the sights in London You must be logged in to post a comment UPDATE 04/01/17: Chloe Davies has been found safe and well Police are appealing for information to help find a missing Hengoed teenager was reported as missing from the Hengoed area on New Year’s Day She is believed to be wearing black Nike trainers Anyone with information relating to Chloe’s location can call Gwent Police on 101 quoting log 489 01/01/17 You must be logged in to post a comment A primary school in Cefn Hengoed has been celebrating its 100th anniversary this term Derwendeg Primary School first opened on April 18 pupils have taken part in a range of activities throughout the summer term to mark the centenary The school was officially by Mr Jonah Evans and Mrs Hannah Davies it cost £9,373 to build and could accommodate 250 children a time capsule has been buried at the school to show future generations what life was like in 2021 Pupils have also been dressing up in fashion from the decades in which the school has been open with each class given a specific decade to learn about The school has held a competition for pupils to design a special 100th anniversary logo with the winning design featured on a commemorative mug for all the staff and pupils at the school Pupils have worked with music company Upbeat to write and perform a song about the 100th anniversary pupils have been learning about the history of their school and are creating a commemorative book and website detailing that history pupils worked with artist Megan Jones to produce a mural which has been displayed outside the school A socially-distanced ceremony was held at the school on July 2 where Hengoed ward councillor and former Derwendeg pupil Donna Cushing cut the ribbon to unveil the mural Headteacher Lynsey Wangiel said: “Derwendeg Primary School is a very special school at the heart of the community We are very excited to be celebrating our 100th birthday this year and learning all about the school’s rich history “We are delighted to display this fantastic piece of artwork created by our children to celebrate our school’s history.”