This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page the organisation set up to protect access to cash across the nation has partnered with Co-op to open its very first banking hub within a supermarket setting The hub – located in Co-op’s Treorchy convenience store in South Wales – will provide local residents and businesses with convenient access to essential banking services alongside their everyday shopping needs While more banking customers are choosing to bank and pay for things digitally there are still many customers and businesses that require regular access to cash and face to face banking services the banking industry came together in 2022 to begin the wider rollout of banking hubs to help maintain these services on high streets Gareth Oakley, CEO at Cash Access UK said: “We’re thrilled to partner with Co-op to establish our Treorchy banking hub permanently within their local store This collaboration ensures continued access to cash and banking services for the community with daily support for cash transactions and scheduled visits from community bankers We thank Co-op for allowing us to utilise unused space in their premises.” Mark Matthews, director of format and innovation, Co-op said: “We are pleased to partner with Cash Access UK – and delighted to host their first ever banking hub in a convenience store setting “At the very heart of our approach is convenience they are a community hub combining great quality products value and deals along with community participation and a range of added services “We are committed to creating social value and promoting stronger communities – providing a permanent home for Treorchy’s banking hub inside the local Co-op will ensure convenient access to cash and financial services to benefit the local community.” Hubs offer a counter service operated by the Post Office where customers of all major banks and building societies can carry out regular cash transactions operating Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm will offer customers from all major banks the ability to perform regular transactions including cash withdrawals the hub features a dedicated community banker service with representatives from different banks available throughout the week: The Co-op location was selected after careful consideration and the site meets all accessibility requirements and offers free parking and convenient proximity to the high street Tagged with: Treorchy Male Choir and some incredibly talented teenagers from Treorchy Comprehensive School came together in perfect harmony for Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice Treorchy Comprehensive Choir and Treorchy Male Choir led by conductor Rhiannon Williams all performed in the ‘Christmas with Tŷ Hafan’ shows hosted by journalist and presenter Sian Lloyd in front of capacity audiences at the BBC Hoddinott Hall at Wales Millennium Centre which sold out just days after tickets went on sale also featured moving testimonies from Tŷ Hafan parents Micaela Turner Micaela’s son Cai had the ultra-rare Vici syndrome and he was supported by Tŷ Hafan for more than 10 years before he died in 2021 just days before his 12th birthday also received end of life care at Tŷ Hafan after being told that his cancer was incurable late last summer He was 17 when he died on March 1 this year Both Cai and Daniel’s families continue to receive support from Tŷ Hafan and all proceeds taken the night have gone towards the charity’s When Your World Stops Appeal which is aiming to raise £75,000 to help fund its bereavement services 25-year-old Callum – who performed gorgeous versions of ‘Oh Holy Night’ and Joni Mitchell’s ‘River’ said: “I support Tŷ Hafan because the work they do is vital for young children and their families “Life is extremely cruel sometimes and Tŷ Hafan are there to comfort and support families when they are forced to endure the unimaginable I will always support this charity because nobody should ever go through their child’s life ending prematurely alone.” who performed a duet with guest vocalist Dylan Malyn star of BBC Wales’ drama Lost Boys and Fairies it was my huge honour and privilege to help make this concert happen alongside Tŷ Hafan and Treorchy Male Voice I hope we managed to raise a lot of money and entertain all our audience members who came to support.” in which he stars as flamboyant 19th century Welsh aristocrat Henry Paget added: “I believe other people should support Tŷ Hafan because without this charity I fear for all the families who would have to go through one of the worst experiences life could conjure up alone The world is better place with them in it and we should all get behind and support this incredible cause and everything they do to help children with life-shortening conditions and their families.” A spokesperson for Treorchy Male Choir said: “Sunday at the BBC Hoddinott Hall was a joy to welcome in Advent with two festive sold out shows for the splendid charity that is Tŷ Hafan “Thank you to both our audiences for your very generous appreciation on the night and wonderful feedback Tŷ Hafan is a charity that is very dear to the hearts of our choir and to those who have benefited and continue to benefit from such a vital support network to our dear children and families.” Curriculum Leader for Expressive Arts at Treorchy Comprehensive School said: “The members of Treorchy Comprehensive School Senior Choir that took part in the concert were absolutely fantastic We had an amazing time and it was a brilliant experience for them all “The choir thoroughly enjoyed the day and felt like their hard work really paid off especially with the lovely feedback that we received I’m sure it is a day that they will never forget We really appreciated being asked to join Callum Howells and Treorchy Male Choir on the bill We have been blown away by the amazing feedback we have had for these two Christmas shows The quality of all the performances was amazing and we are so grateful to Treorchy Male Choir our host Sian Lloyd and Tŷ Hafan parents Micaela Jonathan and Catherine for everything they have done for us Tŷ Hafan will walk alongside their family every step of the way – through life “Ticket sales exceeded all expectations, our raffle alone raised more than £3,000 for our When Your World Stops bereavement appeal and there is still time to donate here www.tyhafan.org/whenyourworldstops“ Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Connect with Nation.Cymru on Facebook and Twitter If you would like to donate to help keep Nation.Cymru running then you just need to click on the box below it will open a pop up window that will allow you to pay using your credit / debit card or paypal Enter your email address to receive instant notifications of new articles All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018 In 2017 Nation.Cymru was launched after raising £5000 from a crowdfunding campaign Today it is one of the fastest growing news sites in the UK attracting over 1.5 million visitors a month We are not backed by billionaire owners or hidden behind a paywall but we depend on our readers' support to continue our work If everyone who visited the site over the course of a month donated at least £1 we would have enough funding for the next eight years To guarantee our future please consider making a donation today. If you’re not already experiencing festive fever by eating your bodyweight in biscuits and chocolate while sampling the sort of alcoholic beverages which are only ever consumed at Christmas (I’m particularly looking at you egg nog) then let us truly turn on your Xmas lights (so to speak) We think we may have unearthed the Welshest Christmas video you have ever seen Making a journey to the very depths of YouTube’s darkest recesses we struck gold when we unearthed one of the greatest things we have ever witnessed (save for THAT Gareth Edwards try for the Barbarians against New Zealand and every one of Gareth Bale’s free kicks) What we dusted off is now 54 years old – and if it doesn’t put you in the cheeriest of festive moods then you best rush yourself to A&E and have those medical types check you actually do possess a pulse What we discovered was a Welsh heritage heirloom a classic piece of culture from Wales – The Tom Jones TV Christmas Show from 1970 In this incredible 10 minute clip you not only get Tom in his vocal pomp but you get the amazing voices of the world famous Treorchy Male Choir belting out some seasonal classics in WeLsh and English alongside the singing icon you get Jones The Voice reciting Dylan Thomas’ wonderful A Child’s Christmas in Wales When John Geraint’s work as Creative Director of the Rhondda Heritage Project took him to Coleg y Cymoedd it’s had an even more unexpected consequence But when Rhondda Radio won a major grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund I was determined that – in using the funding to celebrate the valley’s astonishing industrial history – we should look forward as well as back I wanted to hear and record the young voices of the valley so we held Storytelling Workshops at Ysgol Nantgwyn in Tonypandy And when I went to deliver a ‘masterclass’ at Coleg y Cymoedd I was surprised – and delighted – that the young learners there wanted to express their feelings about their home patch not just in the spoken word written especially for the Project by students Abbie Carter They call themselves ‘The Unknown’ – but they’re becoming very well known Because when the Treorchy Male Choir got to hear this new ‘anthem’ for the Valleys they saw the potential and wanted to get involved too So the young group and the world-famous choir got together in the choir’s rehearsal space And their brilliant joint recording of ‘Heart of the Valleys’ proved just perfect as the soundtrack of a video we’ve produced to promote the brand-new Rhondda Heritage Trail The song has really caught people’s imagination attracting rave reviews… and it’s just clocked up an amazing 25,000 ‘views’ online 25,000 views – and hundreds of comments and ‘likes’ People love the combination of young voices and perspectives with the mighty sound of the male choir which made our ‘Valley of Song’ renowned the world over It’s a great accompaniment to a video which celebrates the Rhondda’s astonishing industrial history and our stunning landscape The Heritage Trail itself runs the length of the twin Rhondda Valleys from Trehafod to Treherbert and from Porth to Maerdy an online audio guide takes visitors and residents deeper into past and links to a bank of more than 100 stories and memories which have been recorded by Rhondda people Each of the twelve Heritage Stations focuses on a particular theme in Rhondda’s rich history scan the QR code outside Treorchy’s iconic Park and Dare Theatre and you’ll hear all about Rhondda’s starry performers – the Treorchy Male Choir and individual stars like Glyn and Donald Houston and Sir Stanley Baker But you’ll also learn about why performing together became such a feature of Rhondda life So the Rhondda Heritage Project is bringing the past alive again in this very up-to-the-minute fashion The way Rhondda people express themselves in the recordings we’ve made and are broadcasting on Rhondda Radio makes their communal experience vibrant and vital for the world we live in now And as well as this rich catalogue of spoken testimony I’m so proud to have this beautiful song and video – to quote the lyrics – celebrating the ‘stories made day by day’ under our Rhondda skies You can watch the Rhondda Heritage Trail video featuring ‘Heart of the Valleys’ performed by the Treorchy Male Choir and The Unknown here. Because its Rhondda where everybody speaks English … or “Ronda” as lots of them say Can you believe that they are not able to pronounce where they are from Cân am dreftadaeth yn Saesneg….go figure Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB’s Mental Health Supported Recovery Unit in Treorchy has been collaborating with local artists to improve health and wellbeing through a creative arts project called Building Bridges The team found that these initial projects had a powerful impact and were beginning to bring together the ward community with local members of the Treorchy community Building Bridges was set up to strengthen these connections even further The Building Bridges project aims to improve peoples’ mental health and wellbeing while breaking down barriers relating to mental health by challenging and changing peoples’ perceptions of and attitudes towards mental health Over the last year through the Building Bridges project Chris and Graham returned to work with patients andstaff at Ysbyty George Thomas to become involved They have been running art classes and offering opportunities to engage with different creative materials By offering access to the arts through these classes and creative session Chris and Graham have given the patients and the Supported Recovery Unit staff a platform to creatively communicate and express themselves Chris said: “It’s been mega watching the patients getting better at the different art projects– now they just crack on with it Graham said: “It’s fascinating hearing people tell stories about their lives – everybody’s got a thousand stories to tell fond memories and tributes to their loved ones I believe this work helps people feel they are listened to and they too have a right to the good things in life Self-esteem comes through knowing people are interested in what you’ve got to say and write about It’s great that this opportunity is being made available at YGT One of the patients who took part in the project said: “I’ve enjoyed doing the artwork giving it to my mother and knowing I can look back on it in years to come.” And another said: “I find it relaxing and soothing It takes off the weight of the day.” Clinical Psychologist at Ysbyty George Thomas said: “Art can be an incredible equaliser and creative mediums really have the power to bring people out of themselves and help connect with those around them This includes people who might usually be more introverted withdrawn or less likely to interact.  Within this project Chris and Graham have been using different forms of art to help ward patients and staff to work together to communicate more freely with each other; sharing experiences and stories and thus improving their mental health and wellbeing “People with mental health conditions are people first and foremost but sometimes they can lose sight of their ability to achieve and do normal things – this project has really challenged that and helped our patients and those around them to tap into their inherent creativity and inspire each other to thrive and grow.  “For the next stage of our work we are really keen to find ways to do more to involve patients’ families.  By continuing to ‘build bridges’ between different groups we hope to enhance understanding and empathy of mental health conditions and help to build stronger support networks for those with mental health difficulties and the communities they are a part of We hope that our upcoming exhibitions will help with building further connections and will inspire more people to get involved with the projects.” The Building Bridges project will be holding an exhibition and a talk at Treorchy Library on Tuesday 25th June at 2pm to showcase the work of the participants Building Bridges will also have a stand at the Rhondda Arts Festival at Ystradfechan field in Treorchy on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th June 2024 Members of the public will have the opportunity to talk to members of the team and find out more about the project Cookies are small text files saved on your phone tablet or computer when you visit a website These cookies enable core functionality such as page navigation and access to secure areas The website cannot function properly without these cookies and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences Consent for some third party cookies can not be automatically revoked Please follow the link below if you want to opt out of them We may use third party tools such as Google Analytics and similar to help us anonymously measure how you use our websites This allows us to make improvements based on our users\' needs These tools set cookies that store anonymised information about how you got to the site We use some essential cookies to make this website work We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK remember your settings and improve government services We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports Treorchy High Street has been crowned the UK’s best in this year’s Great British High Street Awards after becoming the heart of community events and digital training was named ‘High Street of the Year’ at the prestigious awards Treorchy was commended for its local community led year-round cultural events including an outdoor cinema an arts festival and an annual Christmas Parade It was also highly-praised for the digital training and support offered to local businesses. The Visit Treorchy website and accompanying marketing campaign now provides businesses with an online platform when only 32% of businesses had a website previously It is the second year in a row that a high street in Wales has claimed the top prize following Crickhowell’s triumph in the 2018 Awards The winners were announced at a ceremony in Edinburgh attended by the High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP and representatives from the 39 shortlisted high streets which identifies the high street taking the lead to adapt and diversify a thriving market town in the Scottish Borders It was praised for its innovative initiatives designed to drive footfall and consumer spending on the high street Congratulations to Treorchy on being crowned the UK’s best high street in this year’s Awards and to Wales for winning the top prize for the second year in a row Our Great British High Streets are one of the great cornerstones of our society They are places where our economies and our communities flourish and key to our levelling up agenda Visa and our other partners are committed to helping communities and businesses not just to survive but to thrive by adapting to the changing high street I am delighted to see so many other dedicated individuals and organisations recognised for their efforts to secure the prosperity and vibrancy of our high streets Every place has its own unique strengths and challenges but all our town centres and high streets have one thing in common – they are the beating heart of of our communities The Great British High Street Awards celebrate the grit and determination of local people who are dedicated to supporting their communities growing their local economy and finding innovative solutions to modern day challenges Today in Edinburgh I saw the very best of our high streets and I want to take this opportunity to congratulate all of this year’s winners and to give my personal thanks to the individuals and communities helping to build the future of the high street I am delighted to see such strong examples of thriving high streets from every nation in our United Kingdom nominated the village’s high street for the Great British High Street Awards following successful high street initiatives undertaken by the local community including regular cultural events such as a Christmas Parade and the Rhondda Arts Festival A newly launched ‘ Visit Treorchy’ website has also helped give local businesses a greater presence online while a strategic partnership provides digital training and support to local entrepreneurs Shop and Save’ scheme offers businesses advertising space on local buses in return for high street discounts of up to 20% to bus users The scheme is helping to promote public transport reduce air pollution and drive footfall to high street outlets – 80% of which are independently owned nominated the high street for the Rising Star Award to ensure survival of the community and boost the town’s civic pride Kelso aims to launch a bespoke app to showcase all that the area has to offer by promoting a variety of local events businesses and organisations in order to raise awareness and ultimately to drive continued footfall to the area Within the app will be a local guide, as well as an interactive PDF linking to the Visit Kelso website and individual business websites The initiative offers promotion and mutual benefit for other businesses and local events to drive consumer engagement and interest from locals and visitors alike Treorchy and The Square in Kelso are fantastic examples of communities that have made huge strides in transforming their high street to significantly improve the experience for locals and visitors alike Their success goes to show that where you shop really does matter a rich cultural calendar combined with a desire to experiment with new ways to drive people to shop local shows how independent businesses can come together to make the high street a better place for all Kelso showcases a clear understanding of its community and drive to innovate to help the high street thrive Visa’s research reveals four in five consumers (80%) say that a thriving high street makes a town or village a more appealing destination underlining why we all need to get behind our local businesses We are honoured to be named the UK’s best high street and hugely grateful to both the Great British High Street Awards and Visa for putting our beloved high street on the map dedication and drive of the whole community of Treorchy and the surrounding area that has helped us to win this We are delighted to be recognised as Rising Star of the Year The Award is testament to the hard work of our community team in encouraging people back to the high street through innovation and customer experience We are excited to deliver the initiatives during the year ahead and are extremely thankful to the Great British High Street Awards and Visa for the opportunity also won awards in the Champion High Street and Rising Star categories High Street Heroes – those individuals who have gone above and beyond for their local high street – were also recognised The winning high streets across all the categories were commended for demonstrating their commitment to their local community an innovative approach to retail and providing community leadership Communities and Local Government in proud partnership with Visa recognises and celebrates local achievements on the UK’s high streets and supports the communities in which we live and work For more information about the Great British High Street Awards 2019 and details on all the winners, visit: www.thegreatbritishhighstreet.co.uk If your enquiry is related to COVID-19 please check our guidance page first before you contact us - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-local-government.If you still need to contact us please use the contact form above to get in touch If you send it by post it will not receive a reply within normal timescale Twitter - https://twitter.com/mhclgFlickr - http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhclgLinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/company/mhclg Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details The world famous Treorchy Male Choir have recorded a stunning version of Myfanwy to mark the birth date of its composer Dr Joseph Parry – and the reaction to their gorgeous rendition has been incredible Posted earlier today the video has so far had hundreds of likes A post on the choir’s Facebook read: ‘Dr Joseph Parry was born on this day his best-known work was the unaccompanied song about unrequited love Myfanwy was composed by Parry and first published in 1875 It has long since retained its place at the heart of Welsh culture it has been performed by some of Wales’ most cherished artists – famed performers such as Ryan Davies The song also features in John Ford’s Academy Award-winning film How Green Was My Valley and in the memorable closing scene of the cult Welsh movie Twin Town Listen and enjoy – and we dare you not to shed a tear MORE: Watch: The beautiful version of Myfanwy people have fallen in love with A beautiful rendition of my favourite hymn/song Excellent tone and interpretation of Joseph Parry’s famous love song….ond diffyg gyda sŵn clir y geiriau Continuing our series written by John Geraint and one of Wales’s most experienced documentary-makers ‘John On The Rhondda’ is based on John Geraint’s popular Rhondda Radio talks and podcasts It’s a little crescent of houses over on the Cwmparc side of the Valley One of my very best schoolfriends lives there these days Though I used to dance to them with her… O you’ll know that the modern houses are built around a circle of a dozen standing stones They look like some sort of ancient Celtic monument put up there to mark the fact that the National Eisteddfod was held in Treorchy in 1928 They’re where the Archdruid presided over the druidic ceremonies of the Festival You can find a Gorsedd Circle like it in any Welsh town or city that’s hosted the Eisteddfod because it’s the only time the ‘National’ has come here But the Valley’s got plenty of connections with this centrepiece of Welsh-language culture the National Eisteddfod is a kind of Olympics for Welsh-speakers It’s held every year – when there’s not a pandemic on – in the first week of August the huge Pavilion travels to a different part of Wales giving a real boost to the language in the area with a ten-day spectacular of music and arts Tens of thousands come to see who’s won the big Eisteddfod competitions especially the Crown and the Chair awarded to the best poets – or they come simply to have a good chinwag in Welsh with friends and acquaintances they bump into around the Eisteddfod field Tradition is important in the Eisteddfod – the whole Gorsedd thing is a tradition in itself mainly by a strange man from the Vale of Glamorgan called Edward Williams Claiming he was recovering an age-old rite Iolo held a Gorsedd or Gathering of Bards at the Rocking Stone on Pontypridd Common back in 1814 who constructed the circle of stones around the big central one Iolo’s Bardic Gathering had morphed into something much more like the Eisteddfod we know today Something of its importance can be judged by the fact that when the 1928 National Eisteddfod came to Treorchy I suppose that David Lloyd George – a proud Welsh-speaker – was there There’s a famous photo of DLG at the Treorchy Eisteddfod and little Evie Williams from Ferndale who won the folk song competition Lloyd George had left Downing Street by then but the man who was in residence at No 10 in 1928 was also on the Maes I wonder what Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin he’s reported to have praised the Rhondda people for organising the event at a time of huge poverty and economic depression here – which Every Eisteddfod takes on something of the character of the place that’s hosting it The Eisteddfod Chair was presented by a coalmining community the Arts and Crafts section of the Eisteddfod added Science to its remit It was done specifically because the Festival was in Treorchy as well as crafts associated with the coal industry Science and Technology remains a big feature of the Eisteddfod to this day with a so-called ‘Village’ on the Eisteddfod site dedicated to it We can think of it as Rhondda’s gift to the National Eisteddfod Almost half-a-century after that Treorchy Eisteddfod non-conformist ministers from the Rhondda scooped the Eisteddfod Crown three times in seven years Ton Pentre won twice – in Rhosllannerchrugog in 1961 and again in Barry in 1968 became a distinguished television drama producer as I knew him as a senior colleague when I joined the BBC was always proud of his Rhondda roots and his education in Porth County But my favourite Welsh poem has to be Y Ffynhonnau which won the Eisteddfod crown for another Rhondda minister Y Ffynhonnau – The Mountain Springs in English – recounts the whole history of the Valley from its rural past to the coming of the coalmines and then the decline of the industry It’s not at all what you’d expect from an Eisteddfod-winning poem: it’s not bardic or druidic or high-falutin’ in any way though it does have some lovely lyric passages and it ends with an old miner delighting in the fact that one of the neighbour’s children is being sent to Ysgol Gymraeg Ynyswen the new Welsh-language junior school at the top of the Valley But mostly it’s written in the ordinary voices of Rhondda people boxers and jazz-band musicians and choristers and Welsh-speaking budgies and parents who snap at their children (cae’r blydi drws ’na!); people who’re proud that the valley has left its mark on them It’s a quote I use in my own social media profile: Mae marc y cwm fel nod ar ddafad arnaf No wonder I was inspired to use the text of the poem as the script of an hour-long TV film I made celebrating the valley I cherish as strongly as Rhydwen Williams did and it was Rhondda women making an impact at the Eisteddfod She’s the daughter of James Kitchener Davies a legendary Rhondda educationalist and champion of the Welsh language and she was one of the first pupils in that school in Ynyswen She’s written novels set in the Rhondda too is about – amongst other things – the oddity of being raised in her generation as a thoroughly Welsh-speaking Rhondda child Christine James from Tonypandy also went to Porth County She not only won the Crown at the 2005 National Eisteddfod but she went on to become Archdruid of Wales in 2013 so it was Christine who crowned her friend Manon Rhys at the 2015 Festival and for the Rhondda’s place in Eisteddfodic history I remember Christine well as a schoolgirl – Christine Mumford she was then and her parents were friends of my Mam and Dad She was the first woman to become Archdruid and the first Archdruid ever not to have been a Welsh-speaker from early childhood a living embodiment of the idea that the Eisteddfod – like the language itself – belongs to us all not just to those who’re brought up speaking Welsh Worth remembering the next time you’re passing Druids Close All episodes of the ‘John On The Rhondda’ podcast are available here John Geraint’s debut in fiction, ‘The Great Welsh Auntie Novel’, is available from all good bookshops, or directly from Cambria Books You can find the rest of John’s writing on Nation.Cymru by following his link on this map Bryan James and his wife Mary at Buckingham Palace As he steps down as Treorchy RFC secretary after close on 50 years in the role Bryan James couldn’t have asked for a much better send off His final season at the helm has culminated in the club securing promotion to the Admiral Championship from Division 1 East Central his decades of service have been recognised by a trip to Buckingham Palace to attend a royal garden party hosted by the Prince and Princess of Wales James played for Treorchy at outside half and centre from 1961 to 1973 before going on to become secretary in 1976 making him one of Welsh rugby’s longest serving club officials There have been some memorable days along the way including the years of ‘The Dream’ in the early 1990s when the Zebras played in the top-flight of the Welsh league pyramid “We came third in all of Wales the one season and we had the honour of playing the Fijian touring team in 1995 It was the best level of rugby we have ever played,” said James “We hosted Canterbury when they came over on tour Northampton and Saracens – they were heady days!” who was honoured for his long service by the Rugby Union Writers’ Club in 2017 has also watched on with pride as products of the club have gone on to play for Wales Bryan James receiving an award for his loyal service from Adam Jones at the Rugby Writers’ Club annual dinner with his final game having brought the victory over Porth Harlequins which clinched promotion to the Championship while we have got quite a strong mini and youth section The club is very healthy in terms of player resources,” he added will still be very much involved with the club as he has been elected President more than 60 years after he first walked through the gates at The Oval what is it that has kept him on board for so long “I just love the place – it’s the camaraderie I prefer watching the game at our level than the regional game because the ball is moved around more,” said James And what about the trip to Buckingham Palace to coincide with my 80th birthday this year outlining how long I had been involved with the club,” he explained I had a letter from the Lord Lieutenant’s office and an invite to a garden party at the Palace When I said I was finishing as secretary she said ‘Oh thank God I can get my airing cupboard back’ because it’s full of files.” Club chairman Andrew Jones has worked alongside James for more than 25 years and has huge admiration and gratitude for his contribution “I became chairman a couple of years after ‘The Dream’ Bryan’s experience and his knowledge were invaluable in bridging that period from ‘The Dream’ back to being a community club again,” said Jones but he has been the constant thread throughout and has enabled Treorchy to grow into the strong community club it is today If you had a dozen like Bryan on your committee every club would be in a far better position “Longevity isn’t something you are seeing as much nowadays I don’t think you will see many other people making that level of commitment over so many years.” Reflecting on the health of the Zebras – who wait to learn which regional section of the new-look Championship they will play in next season – Jones added: “There is a really good spirit in the club and promotion is great It will give us added impetus to drive on even further The effort Bryan has put in has allowed us to become the club we are today.” © 2025 Content Copyright Welsh Rugby Union Residents of ex-mining town in Welsh valleys joined forces to create award-winning destination “Not bad for a town in the Welsh valleys, is it?” said Rees. “This means everything to Treorchy. The place is going from strength to strength and people come from miles around to shop here. You can spend a whole day here. There’s so much to see and do.” Read moreTreorchy (Treorci in Welsh) beat 39 shortlisted streets across the UK for the accolade with judges paying tribute to the way the independent shops on Bute Street and High Street had worked together to turn a town in the Rhondda Valley badly hit by the collapse of the coal-mining industry into a shopping destination They were also hugely impressed by how Treorchy has organised events ranging from Christmas parades to arts festivals and a gay pride event – said to be a first for the area from the firefighters who have put up flagpoles to brighten up the place to the Pen y Cymoedd windfarm that donated money for innovations such as a website for the shops Sara Bailey caused a stir when she started selling prosecco in her cafe Photograph: Gareth Phillips/The GuardianAdrian Emmett the owner of the Lion pub and the Bistro on Bute Street picked up the award for Treorchy at a glitzy ceremony in Edinburgh When Emmett took over the Lion eight years ago it was a boarded-up eyesore It is now the central hub for the community – and the proud sponsor of 15 sports teams “The valleys as a whole can seem like a bit of a left-behind place after the coalmines went,” he said “Our area was built around an industry that disappeared but an entrepreneurial spirit came out of the adversity The jobs weren’t there so we had to create them ourselves Some places wait for help but we helped ourselves Emmett believes the strength of the high street in Treorchy is the combination of old and new Then the energy comes from new businesses that have helped revitalise the place.” Two years ago the chamber of trade had 30 members; now there are 120 Between 25 and 30 new businesses have opened in the past couple of years Occupancy is at 96% – a figure that would have most high streets swooning The former Plaid Cymru leader and Rhondda Welsh assembly member Leanne Wood said she was delighted at Treorchy’s success “The way everyone came together to push in one direction was fantastic,” she said “The high street is successful because there are so many small independent businesses and the large chains have largely not managed to establish I hope the lessons for this can be learned for other communities.” running businesses on the high street is a family affair has operated Carpets ‘n’ Carpets with his son David Directly opposite in a former hairdresser’s shop has recently opened a gift shop called No 86 that specialises in customised hampers Hollie Thomas in her gift shop with her father Photograph: Gareth Phillips/The Guardian“I grew up working in the carpet shop and always wanted my own place,” said Hollie “I think it works well here because every single shop does something different Nobody wants to come to a place where people are selling the same thing David added: “There’s a personal touch here you don’t get in Cardiff or Bristol We were worried by the advent of internet shopping but there are enough people who still want to see and touch things.” It is the second year in a row that a Welsh town has won the UK high street award. Last time the rather more upmarket town of Crickhowell took the prize. Treorchy is not quite as picturesque and it does have chains such as Greggs There is a new Lidl on the edge of town and a Co-op tucked away off the high street There is no old-fashioned baker’s shop or greengrocers at the moment Marco Carpanini ‘We have a bit of a captive audience.’ Photograph: Gareth Phillips/The GuardianBut it does have distinctive from clothes boutiques to a high-end cake shop one of number of Italians from the town of Bardi in the Apennine mountains who set up eateries in the Welsh valleys but it is up for sale because his children have chosen a different path Carpanini said geography and the road system helped Treorchy “There’s only one road going through and no bypass Cardiff Arms customers have a string of other options including Hot Gossip a coffee shop that caused a stir when owner Sara Bailey acquired an alcohol licence and began selling prosecco She opened the cafe nine years ago when she was 25 after being made redundant “It felt like a bit of a risk at the time but the place is booming I couldn’t be busier and couldn’t be happier.” Sitting down with a mug of tea you can hear all sorts of things Such as two old ladies discussing all the demerits of their total of four husbands If I’d taken notes I could have written a novel Or a favourite overheard moment from some years back A woman came in from the December chill to join her friend who simply said ‘You smell cold.’ The Station cafe has now sadly closed its doors for the very last time but luckily director Carys Huws had the foresight to film the place for posterity It was a classic old school valleys’ Italian cafe where they confused me the first time I visited I’d ordered a steak and kidney pie and the lady behind the counter promptly asked ‘Steam?’ I had no idea what she was on about until I saw her colleague running the steel spout of the espresso machine through another pie using  a stream of steam to warm it through despite the disappearance of the Station cafe you have plenty of choice when it comes to Treorchy cafes I chose a Number Five from the menu in the oddly named Cafe Cafe eggs and sausage would bump up my cholesterol level to the point where I should have had someone from St John’s Ambulance standing by with a defibrillator It turned out to be a fabulous breakfast served by someone with the readiest smile I want to return to the waitress’ smile for a moment From the time I got out of the car with my two daughters the ready friendliness of the good folk of Treorchy was palpable A man asked me “Allright?” before I’d even had time to lock the car It more than made up for the weather and the dishwater skies carrying a burden of heavy pewter clouds Eirian and Sel went to Treorchy for their holidays last week They stayed at the totally refurbished and now swanky Cardiff Arms enjoyed many a fine walk in the area and generally had a whale of a time They were reminded of the community spirit of places in the slate-quarrying belt of north west Wales where friendly and fiercely proud people band together to make things happen for each other Now Treorchy isn’t alone as a friendly valleys town but its High Street is unique in being an award-winning shopping experience Three years ago it was named the best high street in Britain seeing off Welsh rivals such as Narberth and Swansea not to mention a legion of other competitors across the UK The town was nominated by pub landlord Adrian Emmett who won an individual High Street Champion award for his efforts He said at the time ‘It’s about our town – it’s about our whole community a small little town in the valleys think we can beat the best in Britain But we showed them up – we proved to them Treorchy is officially the champion high street of Great Britain.’ The high street in Treorchy has about 100 shops in total – with the vast majority being independents and 60% run by women When they won the award the occupancy rate stood at 96% with two empty shops then being refurbished It’s busy and buzzy and friendly to a fault I was reminded of what the American writer John Updike said of small town America: ‘It was a Saturday then Treorchy on a Saturday morning was like that Part of the secret of Treorchy’ High Street success lies in the sheer number of independent shops In the aptly-named fruit and veg emporium Green Valley I spot copies of Nation.Cymru contributor John Geraint’s The Great Welsh Auntie Novel for sale alongside the immaculate cauliflowers Morris how long he’s been working here a co-worker’s voice pipes up from a back room suggesting ‘Too long.’ Mr Morris himself tells me he’s been working here for sixty-one years so I suggest he’s getting the hang of it by now I buy luscious pork chops with the intention of caramelising them with sugar before serving them in a sauce involving capers and shallots along with a grand-looking chicken which will announce to Ianto the dog that it’s ‘Salivating Sunday.’ I ask Mr Morris what he think accounts for the success of the town centre It’s on the flat for a start and there’s such a variety of shops here It’s one of those places that seem to attract people With my twentieth wedding anniversary coming up I buy a large bouquet of flowers at Treorchy Florist (established 1998,) where the mural outside adds so many splashes of colour to the grey day outside having visited a place which lifts the spirits like an outsize painting of daisies Even when the skies empty down with a vengeance Thanks for this richly deserved hymn of praise Diolch am ysgriffenu fy nhref gatref gyda llawer o gynnes The healthy alternative to the crachach infested capital And there are plenty more good towns dotted around our country The things we imagine when we’re asleep are often bizarre though they reveal a lot about our deepest hopes and fears… or so they say A dream can also be something that we hold onto when we’re wide awake – a cherished desire or a grand ambition TV talent shows are full of wannabe singers who talk about ‘living the dream’ But there’s another sort of dream that’s more characteristic of the Rhondda truer to our history – a dream that isn’t just about personal ambition about chasing fame and fortune for ourselves: it’s a kind of vision that includes others that aims to do something to better all our lives It’s almost 30 years since the BBC made the TV series ‘The Dream’ about Treorchy rugby club’s amazing rise to the top It’s a story that’s been told many times – there’s a reason for that which we’ll come to – but it’s worth telling again if you didn’t remind yourself that it actually happened in real life you’d swear that somebody had dreamt it up Treorchy’s rugby Dream came to fruition in the 1990s 20 years before that: with a group of boys who were at school with me in the early 1970s – duw there were fleet-footed backs like my classmates Michael Chapman David Latcham and Stephen Snook; but the ‘grunt’ came from the forwards – a bunch of real tough nuts and with a temper to match the cliché; Phil Davies They’d passed for Porth County with top marks in their 11-plus But something happened to them when they took the field of play And when they left school and formed the core of the Treorchy club side Treorchy became a byword for rugby thuggery When the elite players of Cardiff had to come and play a Cup match at Treorchy’s Oval they changed in the dressing room trembling in fear of their lives He used to turn up for matches with an axe in his kit bag Then something even more extraordinary happened He’d been arrested for affray at the Jazz Festival Now whatever you might believe about the belief he found that night there’s no doubt that it transformed his behaviour Phil Davies his old Porth County team-mate had spent time away from the Rhondda and he was a convert to another powerful agent of change: marketing Marketing wasn’t such a well-developed business tool back then and it was pretty much unheard-of in rugby circles The game was still amateur – at least in the way it was administered But these Treorchy boys saw that change was coming And they saw a way to steal a march on the fusty old traditional clubs like Cardiff Swansea and Llanelli who’d dominated the Welsh game for decades taking their place at the very top table of Welsh club rugby the club would become one of a small number of elite teams playing against the best in Europe in the new professional competitions that Phil Davies had the vision to see coming I was working my way up the ladder at BBC Wales There was a new fashion for documentaries about real life extraordinary things that the camera could film as they were happening: docu-soaps I realised what a great story it would make if we could be in the Treorchy dressing room as they finally made it to the top With my friend and colleague Phil George – another Treorchy boy who’d been to Porth County – I headed up to the club to ask if they’d be willing to give our film crews access There was something special about the series that came about as a result I was involved in producing lots of rugby documentaries – the story of the Lions Tour of 1971 profiles of Barry John and of the Llanelli team who beat the All Blacks a reconstruction of the famous Wales versus New Zealand game of 1905 a fly-on-the-wall series about the Scarlets All these programmes were directed by people who knew their rugby someone who knew next to nothing about the game a Valleys boy fresh out of Film School when I gave him his break into broadcasting; but he was more of a drama director he was chosen for the Treorchy series precisely because we wanted to appeal to viewers well beyond the core rugby audience And we wanted to do that because the Dream dreamed by Phil Davies the late Neil Hutchings (the inspirational club chairman) and all the other leading lights of Treorchy RFC the Dream they were making happen – and it did all come true just as they’d foreseen – that Dream was about more than rugby It was about giving hope to a whole community; about helping young men see that there was more to life than drink and drugs; about showing the Rhondda that it could achieve great things if it pulled together with the kind of intelligence that has always marked our Valley out just as distinctively as the physical strength of our rugby forwards and our colliery face-workers Idris Davies – the working-class poet of the coalfield who knew the Rhondda well – has a poem where he talks of ‘a dreamer in the mining town’ who wandered in the evening to the hills: Treorchy’s Rugby Dream faded fast when the big clubs cottoned on the marketing techniques that had been pioneered in the Rhondda But there was something beautiful about that Dream all the same something powerful which was heard ‘among the far undying echoes of the world’ as Idris Davies puts it later in his poem; something that said – and still says – that Rhondda has vision has the acumen and the gumption not just to take its place amongst the very best I wonder if any of us have a Dream like that All episodes of the ‘John On The Rhondda’ podcast are available here John Geraint’s debut in fiction, ‘The Great Welsh Auntie Novel’, is available from all good bookshops, or directly from Cambria Books 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 Bedwas have returned to winning ways with victory at Treorchy – ending a run of four consecutive defeats in the WRU National Championship East Bedwas scored five tries to secure a bonus-point 36-15 victory against the winless Zebras despite having four players sin binned during the game The win sees Bedwas climb from second bottom up to ninth in the table after eight games played it was the hosts who drew first blood on a wet with Callum Elward’s long-range penalty putting Treorchy 3-0 up after two minutes Bedwas responded with a try from Lloyd Wilkins two minutes later Treorchy came back quickly and a smart kick-through under the posts saw Dixon tackle an advancing opponent without the ball The hosts were awarded a penalty try and Dixon was sent to the sin bin with Hamish Anderson gathering his own chip kick over a Treorchy defender and raced over for a try Almost immediately Treorchy had a chance to reduce arrears after Bedwas were adjudged offside but this time Elward’s penalty kick missed the target The remainder of the half remained scoreless and Bedwas went into the break 14-10 up Both sides changed their starting props at the start of the second half and this appeared to give Treorchy an advantage at the scrum but it was Bedwas who notched the first points of the half with a Dixon penalty The lead was further extended when Wilkins scored his second try of the afternoon after 50 minutes Dixon’s conversion put Bedwas 24-10 ahead Five minutes later Bedwas found themselves a man down once again when Adam Williams was yellow carded for an off-the-ball tackle Bedwas’ lead remained intact and no scores were registered during Williams’ absence Bedwas’ Harry Oliver broke through for the side’s fourth try of the afternoon securing a four-try bonus point for Bedwas Lewis Bowden became the third Bedwas player sin binned while Wilkins joined him shortly after following a knock-on Bedwas grabbed their fifth try of the afternoon A storming 50-metre run by prop Ben Drew set up the supporting Dixon to cross for a try The hosts scored a late consolation try through replacement Matthew Evans but it wasn’t enough to stop Bedwas securing a much-needed victory Bedws return to action on Saturday November 25 when they welcome former coach Stefan Sankala back to the Bridgefield Sankala is now in charge of league leaders Ystrad Rhondda who will pose a stern test for Patrick McGee’s side 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 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. Dominant Penallta made it a hat-trick of titles in the WRU National Plate as they beat Treorchy 34-10 to match their wins of 2012 and 2017. Treorchy were unbeaten coming into the game, but were no match in the end for the free-flowing Pitmen who had lost just once this season at Senghenydd way back in September. They will now go in search of a league and cup double when they host Newbridge in a top of the table Division 1 East clash with Newbridge on Saturday. Penallta took charge right from the start when Will Keep broke clear and ran in the first of four tries. Joe Scrivens add the extras and went on to score 14 points as part of a majestic performance at outside half. “There has been a lot building for us throughout the season. Especially given what’s happened with COVID, it makes all the hard work worth it in the end,” said Scrivens. “Moments like these don’t come along very often and we are going to enjoy it. Then we will see what happens in the league against Newbridge next weekend.” Treorchy worked their socks off from start to finish and tried to gain an advantage by using their strong pack to make headway. It didn’t help their cause that skipper Jordan Lloyd was off colour with his goalkicking and he hit the post with his first attempt with a simple penalty. After their let-off, Penallta scored again through skipper Rhys Stevens as he raced in for the Pitmen’s second score. The Scrivens conversion made it 14-0 and the pressure was already mounting on Treorchy. But in characteristic fashion they ground their way back into the contest with a try from hard-working No 8 Calum Handley that once again went unconverted. That gave Treorchy a toe-hold in the game, but on the stroke of half-time Penallta exploded into action again and lock Rhys Spanswick finished off a wonderful move with a try at the posts that Scrivens improved to make it 21-5 at the break. There was an early let off in the second half for Treorchy when Geraint Capel had a try for Penallta ruled out after he was deemed to have lost control of the ball as he dived to score. Shortly after that, Scrivens kicked a penalty to stretch the lead. A much-needed Treorchy try soon followed, as Callum Phillips crossed the line for the Zebras. Yet again the extra points went begging, but at least the gap was down to 14 points. Another Scrivens penalty made it an even tougher ask before right wing Ryan Davies put the cherry on the cake with a fourth and final try for the very worthy winners, Penallta. Principality Stadium, Westgate Street, Cardiff CF10 1NS © 2025 Content Copyright Welsh Rugby Union, Statistical Data © Opta A man has been found guilty of murdering a 16-year-old girl in a Chinese takeaway Chun Xu killed Wenjing Lin - also known as Wenjing Xu - and was also convicted of trying to kill her stepfather Merthyr Crown Court heard Wenjing was strangled at her family's Chinese takeaway in Ynyswen Mr Jiang told the court how on the morning of the attack Xu had lured him down to the basement of the Blue Sky Chinese takeaway on Baglan Street after asking for a piece of fish from the freezer Man pleads guilty to manslaughter of girl, 16, in Chinese takeaway Xu then launched a frenzied knife attack on him, Mr Jiang said He told the court: "I was reaching into the freezer and suddenly I felt my neck was painful and there was force on my neck.. He continued: "I didn't think he was stabbing me I didn't realise until I turned my body around and saw he was using two knives and stabbing me." Mr Jiang said he fell to floor after slipping on his own blood and a struggle ensued during which he said the defendant stabbed him in the face Xu had admitted to the manslaughter of Wenjing and unlawfully wounding Mr Jiang - but denied murder and attempted murder Mr Jiang said he managed to grapple one of the knives from Xu's hands and then asked him: "What's wrong with you today?" But Xu did not respond Mr Jiang said he asked Xu again why he was attacking him and this time the defendant responded with: "Money The court also heard how Xu had owed the family £14,000 came down the stairs and rang a friend for help the witness said he went upstairs to open the front door of the shop and wait for an ambulance and there he found Wenjing lying on a black mat by the counter he said: "I turned around and saw Wenjing was lying down by the counter I started calling my wife: 'Come down quickly Wenjing has also been attacked by him.'" "I walked close to Wenjing and her face was purple Then I dropped her and was sitting on the sofa." Mr Jiang said his wife came upstairs and cradled her daughter's body He was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff Xu had cut his own throat after the attack and was taken to University Hospital of Wales for treatment after which he was arrested Man rescued from cave doing ‘remarkably well’ after being trapped for 53 hours He later told a police psychologist he wanted "revenge" against Wenjing's mother Meifang Xu after he fell into debt A statement from Ms Xu was previously read out in court in which she said of her daughter: "The moment I saw her I could see her neck was black as she had been strangled." The court heard Ms Xu regarded the killer as a nephew even though they were not blood relatives because their families are next door neighbours in China Following the verdict Judge Paul Thomas told Xu he could expect a sentence of life imprisonment.Xu will be sentenced on Friday (November 12) 3 days agoUpdated Monday to Friday onlyLatest forecast for South East WalesLast updated 44 minutes agoToday It will start bright with plenty of sunshine but some patchy clouds will develop in places later Tonight is expected to see a few clouds early but these soon diminish leaving a mainly clear night Tomorrow will start bright with sunny spells However clouds will move in from the east later but it will continue dry High pressure will continue to be in control over the weather through the extended period it will remain dry and settled through the period with light or gentle winds Thursday will see variable amounts of cloud Friday and Saturday will see more in the way of sunshine for most with just a few patches of cloud in places 1 May 2025Report for Cardiff 1 May 2025Report for Gilwern The Lonely ShepherdessReported by The Lonely Shepherdess 1 May 2025Report for Radyr BBC Weather in association with MeteoGroup, external All times are British Summer Time (Europe/London Treorchy are on their way to the Principality Stadium to meet Penallta in the final of the Specsavers WRU Plate competition after securing a thrilling semi-final win over Brecon the Zebras hit back to beat the reigning champions 31-29 in a game that saw the lead change hands no fewer than five times at Ebbw Vale’s Eugene Cross Park Two early penalties gave Treorchy a deserved lead for their early dominance before Jake Newman replied for Brecon with one of his own Treorchy came up with the first of the game’s five tries to extend their lead but by half-time Brecon had stormed back into the contest with two more penalties from Newman’s boot as well as a conversion of Ioan Edwards’ corner try Brecon then extended their lead at the start of the second half with a converted try from Jake Crockett that pushed them 12 points ahead Treorchy needed a reaction and they were able to prey on mistakes as their No 8 first picked up a loose ball and sped to the posts and then were awarded a penalty try for a collapsed scrum That made it 25-23 to the Zebras and another penalty to Brecon gave them a single-point lead as the lead changed hands for the third time in the game They would have built on that lead but for a forward pass out of a tackle by Crockett to Ben Griffin who raced to the line only to be called back A penalty for either side saw the lead changes hands twice more before Treorchy had the final say with their fourth penalty of the game Brecon fired a drop shot just wide of the posts with the last kick of the game “We are over the moon to have reached the Principality Stadium for the first time It was one of the best games of rugby I have ever seen,” said Treorchy club secretary “It certainly wasn’t for the faint hearted We’ve never been to the Principality before and we’e looking forward to the challenge of meeting a strong Penallta team We know them well and it will be a great thing for District C rugby to have two teams in the final.” champions in 2012 and 2017 and runners-up in 2016 reached the final courtesy of a 35-6 win with a dominant performance over Newcastle Emlyn “It was one of those scores that probably did not reflect the entire game Things were getting quite tight at the start of the second half when we were only leading 13-6 but we were able to take our opportunities well enough to put points on the board,” said Penallta secretary “Both sides put in a great performance all round and it was a great advert for our district’s rugby We’re excited to go back to the Principality Stadium most of them having grown up with us and been involved since junior rugby  It’s great for the entire community that lots of our boys come up through the club and then go on to make a final at the Principality Stadium “We know it will be tough because we’ve had some tough games against Treorchy in the pats Now both sides will battle it out at the Principality Stadium on Saturday 30 April to determine the who takes home the title The causes of flooding in Treorchy during Storm Dennis two years ago have been revealed concluding that it is unlikely flooding could be prevented entirely if similar “extreme” weather struck again This drained to lower ground via a series of ordinary watercourses many of which became overwhelmed with water and debris and eventually overflowed Storm Dennis resulted in 44 properties in Treorchy flooding internally The condition and performance of four culvert inlets identified as sources of flooding to properties were assessed and it was judged that three inlets associated with the Nant Tyle-du network “do not provide adequate standards of protection” the report said While blockages caused by debris is judged to be the main cause of the culverts surcharging the report says they would have become overloaded in the storm in any case could not be done but based on the structure’s poor condition the report concluded that the inlet became “hydraulically overloaded” in the storm The report said that the council as the lead local flood authority has carried out 15 actions in response with three more proposed These include clearance works to the culvert inlet structures identified as sources of flooding and the surveying jetting and cleansing of an estimated 1673 meters of watercourse network in the area It has also led on the development of a central control room to provide a “comprehensive and informed” response to residents during storm events and started an interim property flood resistance project offering expandable flood gates to properties deemed at high risk of ordinary watercourse and surface water flooding It has also installed remote monitoring devices at key culvert structures to ensure the drainage systems in the area  are operating effectively The report said the council will look to better understand the area around Treorchy by developing a business case to provide recommendations for suitable management mechanisms so it can mitigate the future risk of ordinary watercourse surface water and groundwater flooding locally and phase one of this is due to start in early spring The report concluded that the weather of Storm Dennis was “extreme” adding that it is “unlikely flooding from a similar event could be prevented entirely.” It said the risk management authorities (in this case the council) “satisfactorily carried out their flood risk management functions in response to the flood event” but added that further measures haven been proposed to “better address preparedness and response to future surface water flood events.” This is the 10th such report published by the council as part of its duties under Section 19 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 Glyntaff and Taffs Well last month and previous reports on Pentre Cilfynydd and Treherbert as well as an overview report for all of Rhondda Cynon Taf The lead local flood authority must provide a factual account of what happened in significant flood events The council said it will provide a total of 19 reports for locations affected by Storm Dennis following initial investigation of 28 areas One of the world’s greatest choirs are heading to the United States to play their first concerts there in 24 years It’s also the choir’s first long haul tour for 15 years when they performed in Australia and New Zealand A touring party of nearly 70 left Treorchy early this morning to travel to Florida where they will perform concerts in Naples Before they left they fine tuned their repertoire with a moving rendition of a few American favourites that they will be performing Stateside Posting on their Facebook page the choir stated how excited everyone was in the final rehearsal before jetting out in a trip arranged in conjunction with the Sarasota Welsh Society In the words of Treorchy Male Choir: ‘Preparation all done For over 140 years the Treorchy Male Choir has been recognised as one of the greatest choral ensembles of all time Early competition victories were followed by regular radio and television broadcasts feature films and an unequalled number of commercial recordings The Choir has given Royal Command Performances appeared alongside international entertainers and undertaken an enviable number of tours around the world Treorchy has beaten towns from all over the UK to the accolade As part of the prize the Valleys town has been awarded £15,000 to spend in the community More than 80% of the businesses on Treorchy's high street are independent boutique stores including a two-night outdoor cinema event and its annual Christmas Parade and ten new businesses have opened on the high street over the past two years The Welsh town bucking the national trend of high street decline 'They have killed the high street': Welsh businesses struggling as number of empty shops increases It is the second year in a row that a Welsh town has received the honour with Crickhowell winning the prize in 2018 Caernarfon's Palace Street was named the Welsh Rising Star High Street at the awards The high street was commended for how it has kept attracting shoppers to the town saw 39 high streets from across the UK shortlisted When Wales and Cardiff Blues scrum-half Tomos Williams’s name was read out in the recent Rugby World Cup squad announcement video it was Treorchy RFC that had the privilege of doing so “There is a lot of history at Treorchy They are a great club and I started playing with them when I was six or seven,” says Williams “I played four games for them at senior level so I went right through the age groups and I’m really proud to say I’m from there.” So attached is Williams to the valleys club that he attended their pre-season tour to Belgium earlier this year prior to embarking on Wales’ World Cup training camp His affection for the place is evident when he says “Hopefully they are proud of me becoming a Wales international and being at the World Cup “There have been a lot of internationals from the club and I bet there are plenty more to come They produce some really good players.” these have included the likes of Andrew Bishop and Morgan Stoddart – the former of whom has been coaching the first XV The fraternal feeling he has towards the club is literal as well as figurative “I’ve got two brothers who play for Treorchy and my old man coached me all the way through,” says Williams a former age grade basketball international “It means I’ve got a very good connection to the Oval.” Asked whether he might be interested in following in the footsteps of Bishop and another Wales international he answers: “Maybe in the future – not so much just yet Andrew Bishop is there now and doing a good job.” the 24-year-old has only one thing on his mind: making an impact in the Rugby World Cup And he’s got the whole community backing him “I know the whole club will be behind me and wishing me luck,” says Williams “I can’t wait to get the chance to represent Treorchy on the big stage “I’ve got to take every chance when they come because you don’t get that many.” Email: info@wru.wales Telephone: 02920 822 000 It was on this night 50 years ago that a star was born 1973 that Max Boyce recorded his famous Live at Treorchy album Captured live at Treorchy Rugby Club it opens with what quickly became his trademark clarion call – ‘Oggy The crowd dutifully respond with a boisterous ‘Oi oi oi!’ The scene is set for an album that Welsh historian Martin Johnes describes as ‘important to an understanding of Welshness as anything Dylan Thomas or Saunders Lewis wrote.’ it was his third album but his first with the might of major label The album contains a mixture of comedic songs and poems along with Boyce’s interactions with the audience The album was an unexpected success going gold and was the performer’s breakthrough recording helping make him a household name in Wales and beyond That the album even existed at all is some small way thanks to Ken Dodd The Welshman was spotted by EMI record producer Bob Barrett stealing the show from headliner Dodd at the Brangwyn Hall in Swansea Boyce signed a contract with the EMI producer while walking along a bridle path at Langland Bay and was signed to a two-record deal overseen by Vic Lanza The entertainer from Glynneath had produced two albums prior to the release of Live at Treorchy both put out on Cambrian Records in 1971 – ‘Max Boyce in Session’ and ‘Caneuon Amrywiol’ Neither album was very successful and Boyce continued touring clubs around South Wales In 1973 and still an unknown outside Wales Treorchy Rugby Club was chosen as the venue for the recording of a live album It’s incredible to think now but despite a ticket fee of 50p uptake was slow and many in the audience was rounded up by offering free entry to people in nearby pubs Noticeably among those in the audience were members of the Treorchy Male Voice Choir who gave voice and noticeable volume during the singalong choruses of the entertainer’s songs was one of three sent by EMi to record the show setting up the mixing desks in the club changing rooms Boyce was supported Welsh band Triban with the concert compered by renowned broadcaster Alun Williams Completed in one take Live at Treorchy was mixed and completed at Abbey Road Studios its popularity spreading through word of mouth – the distinct Welsh humour striking a chord both inside and outside of Wales The songs on the album played with the rugby theme for which the entertainer is inextricably linked including ‘9–3’ which celebrates Llanelli RFC’s famous 1972 win over the All Blacks The Outside Half Factory and the song with which Boyce is most associated the unofficial Welsh sporting anthem ‘Hymns and Arias’ – sung with with gusto a rugby internationals it was then adopted by football fans at Swansea and Wrexham The success of Live at Treorchy was life-changing for the Welshman allowing Boyce to become a professional entertainer The enduring legend of Live at Treorchy after its release when it was said every house in Wales possessed a copy it entered the UK album charts on 5 July at number 35 Although reaching a peak position of 21 on 11 October 1975 it kept a presence in the charts for 38 weeks The album went gold and had the longest chart life of any of his albums reaching number one in the UK album charts sending the entertainer’s career into orbit at a time when Welsh rugby’s Golden Era was in full glorious effect and Hymns and Arias soundtracked the breathtaking prowess of its myriad stars – JPR Half a century on Max Boyce is a solid gold Welsh folklore hero A statue of the entertainer was unveiled in his hometown of Glynneath in September to celebrate his 80th birthday As for Live at Treorchy – its legend lives on All together now… ‘And we were singing…’ A reflection of the times.A fantastic example of poetry and performance capturing hearts and minds Required listening and ownership when I were a lad There is a huge buzz around the village of Treorchy after the Zebras claimed the Division One East Central title and possible promotion to the National Championship They pipped Ystrad Rhondda to the title with one game to spare and celebrated in style after Saturday’s 34-31 home win over Dowlais in their final league match “It was a good win and fair play to the Dowlais boys 2009 was the last time we won any sort of league title so it’s been a long wait but the boys certainly enjoyed it They’ve worked hard all season and got what they deserved at the end.” The Zebras made their intentions clear from the start of the season They remained unbeaten for 16 games before losing 17-11 to title rivals Ystrad A defeat to Rhiwbina soon followed but wins over Llanharan Heol y Cyw and Rumney saw them clinch the title who clinched the National Youth Bowl final there is a new-found winning mentality at the club and that is important as the Zebras prepare for the all-important play-off games with the winner of One East for promotion to the Championship LiamLiam Lloyd joined Pontypridd RFC from Treorchy RFC ahead of the 2023/24 season Prior to playing for Ponty Liam had previous Welsh Premiership experience representing both Ebbw Vale and Merthyr earlier in his career and also played for Cardiff Blues U16’s and U18’s at regional Age Grade level The pacey winger scored 7 tries in 19 appearances for Pontypridd for departing the Club at the end of the 2023/24 season. Liam Lloyd: Winger, 19 appearances 2023-2024 Chun Xu, 31, is accused of murdering Wenjing Lin - also known as Wenjing Xu - as well as attempting to murder a 38-year-old man in Treorchy on 5 March. The defendant, of no fixed abode, appeared before Cardiff Crown Court on Friday afternoon. An interpreter was there to assist him confirm his details. Xu did not enter a plea to the two charges against him and was remanded in custody ahead of a further hearing on 26 March. The judge listed the case for a trial, which is expected to last for three weeks, on 1 November. On Wednesday, South Wales Police said that Xu had been charged with the two offences. The defendant first appeared before Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court on Thursday. It is understood he is not related to Wenjing. Officers were called to reports of an attack at the Blue Sky takeaway in Baglan Street in the village of Ynyswen at around midday on 5 March. Wenjing's death was confirmed following the incident, in which two men in their 30s were also injured. Wenjing was a GCSE student at Treorchy Comprehensive School. On Wednesday, the school paid tribute to her in a statement, saying she would be remembered as "a positive role model". The school also said that trained counsellors were working with students and providing support. The statement read: "Wenjing Lin’s sudden death is a tragedy and has had a devastating impact on our school and, in particular, her friendship group and Year 11.  "Wenjing’s life, however will be remembered as a masterclass in how to be the very best version of yourself that you can be. "She was extremely hard working and was in the middle of studying for her GCSEs and had ambitions to go on to study psychology and maths and further maths at A-level. "Wenjing was an honest and passionate pupil, who believed that it was important to always stand up for what you believe in. She was at the heart of her circle of friends, who shared a belief in being kind, passionate, and ambitious; but, most importantly, being true toyourself." Chun Xu will next appear at Cardiff Crown Court on 26 March. Martin Clatworthy, 57, has been missing for more than a fortnight. He was seen on CCTV in the Blaenrhondda area at 10.55am on 7 March. Mr Clatworthy is around 5ft 7” tall with brown eyes and short, dark hair. He was last seen wearing black jeans and a black fleece. Acting Inspector Tony Watts said: “Since Martin was reported missing, we continue to pursue all lines of enquiry. "We are currently searching mountains, woodland and local waterways led by a specialist police search advisor and continue to liaise closely with Martin’s family. Police and Martin's family are "very concerned" for his welfare “We have implemented a thorough trawl of available CCTV in the area Martin was last seen and we are releasing an image of the last known sighting of him, in Blaenrhondda, Rhondda. “We, and Martin's family, are very concerned for Martin’s welfare and we continue to appeal to anyone who has any information which might help us to find him to come forward urgently.” Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know... Martin Clatworthy Police say it's "very concerning" that there has not been any "sign of him" Mr Clatworthy was last seen in Blaenrhondda, Treorchy hills and mountains are being searched by officers He was wearing black jeans and a black fleece when he went missing Inspector Tony Watts, from South Wales Police said: “It’s been over five weeks since Martin went missing and there hasn’t been any sign of him and his family and friends are desperate to know where he is “We have carried out extensive searches for Martin over the past weeks and these will continue "I am again urging anybody with information that could us help us find him to contact us immediately.” Those with any information is urged to call 101 Andrew Bishop’s Treorchy side have only slipped up once this season and are eying up a possible league and cup double this season The former Wales and Ospreys centre is into his third season of coaching the Division 1 East Central side and will be hoping to steer them through a tricky Specsavers National Plate quarter final against Rhydyfelin this weekend The Rhondda Zebras were dumped out of the competition at the semi-final stage by Bonymaen last season and would love to go all the way this time around to erase the memories of the 28-19 defeat to the Swansea side who were then beaten by Brecon in the final After an opening round win over Builth Wells (40-12) a walk-over against Bro Ffestiniog in the second round and further wins against Bridgend Athletic (21-17) and Aberdare (30-8) the Zebras are back in the hunt once again this season they know full well they face a massive challenge at the Treorchy Oval this weekend when they welcome Rhydyfelin for a mouth-watering quarter-final tie Both teams are in the same league this season after Rhydyfelin came back down to Division East Central 1 from the Championship and it will be a clash of the top two teams in their league Treorchy lead the way with 10 wins form their 11 outings to date while their cup visitors are eight points behind with a game in hand having lost three of their 10 matches Third placed Rumney are still unbeaten after eight games “We’ve matured this season and some of the problem areas we’ve had in the past have improved Our scrum has become a real weapon for us,” said long-serving Treorchy club secretary “There is far more consistency in our game this season and you get the feeling that out head coach Andrew Bishop has really got to grips with the players and vice-versa We haven’t played Rhydyfelin yet this season but we know it is going to be a huge contest “We had a great crowd at our home game against Mountain Ash over the Christmas period and I’m just hoping the weather improves and we can play in decent conditions We’d love to go one better than last season and it is a target for the club to finally reach the Principality Stadium “There are a few players in our 1st XV who played in the Youth Cup final against Rumney a few years ago but we’ve never been there in a senior capacity.” Rhydyfelin went all the way to the final in 2013 where they were pipped 20-19 by Heol-y-Cyw Now they want another trip to the Welsh capital They warmed-up for the weekend with a 22-20 home win over Cambrian Welfare last Saturday while Treorchy were 29-21 victors’ over Ynysybwl Two-time winners Penallta will be at home against Felinfoel while Plate holders Brecon have to travel to Newbridge for a battle between the top two teams in Division 1 East They played out a 16-16 draw when they met at the Welfare ground in November Fairwater and Canton carry Cardiff hopes in the last eight in the National Bowl while Cardiff Saracens will be hoping to continue their unbeaten season when they host Holyhead in the quarter-finals of the National Shield