A celebration of Stuart Cable’s life takes place at St Elvans Church, Church St, Aberdare at 12.00 on 21st June 2010.

Procession Starts from Richard’s Funeral Services Chapel of Rest, Harriet St. in Trecynon to Mill St.
Left at The Welsh Harp into B4725,
Continue for 1 mile to town center (Canon St).
Right at Cenotaph into Victoria Sq, bear right
Right into Church St.

Procession End:
St Elvans Church can be found directly ahead.

For Parking:

From Cardiff:
Use Dukes St Car Park or continue to Tesco roundabout,
Turn left and follow road to R’bout then continue straight over
into Gadlys Pit Car Park

Secondary Parking:
YNYS Car Park. Right off A 4059 towards
Michael Sobell Sport Centre.

Send your Pics and Video and Share your Thoughts here.

Mountain Ash folk are urged to line the streets of Mountain Ash this weekend to enjoy a public ceremony organised to mark the rededication of the town’s war memorial.

The event will include a parade through the town being led by local dignitaries and the Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh, which is set to please the crowds.

Significant work has taken place on and around the important memorial after it was damaged by mindless vandals in 2008.

As well as a full repair of the structure and new plaques, important work has also taken place to improve the footways and lighting around the war memorial.

To mark the end of such an important restoration, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and its partners, including the Royal British Legion, has worked to organise a community-based event to rededicate the war memorial.

The event takes place on Sunday, May 23 and begins with a parade that leaves the Remembrance Gardens in Oxford Street at 1.45pm.

For those who feel they cannot complete the full distance from Oxford Street to the war memorial, the parade will be stopping at St Margaret’s Church, where those who can walk the final 200m to the memorial can join it.

The Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh will lead the parade, which will also include local dignitaries, including Mayors from neighbouring authorities, ward members and the Royal British Legion.

The parade will end at the war memorial, where the service will begin with a welcome from Cllr Simon Lloyd, Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf and prayers and hymns led by Reverend Michael Jones, vicar of Mountain Ash and Miskin.

The restored war memorial will be unveiled by Lord Aberdare and Cllr Lloyd, before the Last Post is played and wreaths are laid – by the Representative of the Queen, the Mayor and the Royal British Legion.

Mountain Ash War Memorial was originally dedicated in 1922 and Reverend Jones will reflect on that service over 80 years ago in his service on Sunday.

Cllr Simon Lloyd, Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf, and Ward Member for Mountain Ash West, said: “We were all devastated when the war memorial was damaged by mindless vandals in 2008.

She said “I was a Brownie, a Guide and gained my Queens Guide Award, a Young Leader, and then I became a Guider at the age of 18 and took over 1st Abercynon Guide unit.
I have been involved in guiding in the county continuously since becoming a guider – Outdoor activities adviser, International Adviser for Cynon Valley Guiding. I have been district commissioner for Mountain ash, International Adviser for Central Glamorgan, also Outdoor Activities Adviser for Central Glamorgan. I have been Divisional Commissioner for Cynon Valley for 5 years. Now I have been lucky to hand the post to the very capable and enthusiastic Guider Mrs. Stephanie Martin.”

Photograph by Joan Rees: On the Left is Julie Thomas. On the Right is the new Divisional Commissioner of Guiding for the Cynon Valley Mrs. Stephanie Martin.

To celebrate the ‘golden’ occasion the members attended a presentation and buffet evening at the Gloucester Arms in Aberdare.

An evening of reminiscing on the fun and the work of the committee over the years, and a reunion of members who had not met for some time.

In recognition of their commitment members were presented with brooches appropriate to their length of service.

Enjoy the exclusive photos from the event here.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Public Health and Protection team has been working hard for three years to deal with the unacceptable condition of a property at 54 Oxford Street in Mountain Ash, in a bid to allay the concerns of residents and traders.

A successful court hearing in 2007 saw owner David Williams convicted for failing to take heed of a legal notice served on him by officers the year before.

The order demanded he take the action needed to either bring the eyesore building up to standard or demolish it. Due to the inaction on his part, he was subjected to a daily fine of £2, to be paid for every day he failed to take the necessary action.

Despite the legal order, court hearing and daily fine, no action has been taken so the council has once again taken Williams, of Navigation Street, Mountain Ash, to court.

The latest case was heard at Aberdare Magistrates’ Court on August 10, during which Williams admitted non-compliance with the legal order made in 2006.

Sentencing was adjourned for three months to allow Williams to undertake any work that may be used as a mitigating factor when he is sentenced.

Cwmaman Music Festival 2009 is on its way folks. Oh yes, the 2nd annual music shindig will be bigger and better even than last years amazing cultural weekend.

Cancel all plans for the last weekend in September 09 because there’s only one place you wanna be. Yep, once again Cwmaman will extend a welcome to music fans everywhere and showcase the excellent talent on offer around the valleys and beyond, following the success of last year we have a surprise headline act.

For more information on the weekend enjoy the Cwmaman Music Festival Myspace page here.

On Thursday 19th September 2009 between 7pm – 10pm.

There will be an open mic slot and refreshments will be provided.

Places are limited – please ring to book.

Telephone Cynon Valley Museum and Gallery on 01685 886729

More Information on Alun Lewis on Rhondda Cynon Taff Wiki here

Rhondda Cynon Taf Mental Health Partnership is working together to raise awareness of mental illness in the County Borough by hosting a series of sponsored walks as part of world mental health week.

Choose the walk that suits you best, the walks start at 11am and are taking place in the following locations on the dates listed:

• Rhondda Mile at Gelligaled Park – 5th of October,

• Cynon Mile at Aberdare Park – 8th of October,

• Taff Mile at Ynysangharad Park – 10th of October.

The mile can be walked, run, cycled, skateboarded, whatever you fancy. Come along as a group, as a family, alone or in fancy dress and the best dressed will win a prize. The routes are wheelchair accessible and are suitable for pushchairs.

If you are unable to take part in the walk, why not come along and support the walkers or become an event volunteer.

Entrance Fee is £1.00 per walker payable on the day, for more information on the Rhondda Mile call Paul Bargewell on 01443 688770, for the Cynon Mile call Angela Evans on 01685 875481 or for the Taff Mile call Nannette King on 01443 486856.

Funding secured by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, as part of the Heads of the Valley Regeneration Programme, will be used to provide improved facilities for passengers at each bus stop between Hirwaun – Aberdare – Glynhafod.

These include new bus boarders to assist passengers with boarding and alighting, new signage and service information and, at the busiest bus stops, new shelters.

This investment will raise the overall quality of public transport services in the area and coincides with the introduction of a fleet of modern, easy access buses along the route by the operator – Stagecoach.

During this year, the Council will also be carrying out improvement works to a number of other bus stops in the Rhondda Cynon Taf area as part of further investment secured through the Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership and from within the Council’s own budget.

GOLD (Guiding Overseas Linked with Development) provides members of Girlguiding UK with opportunities for personal development through participation in community development projects overseas, using the medium of guiding. Development projects vary and could include anything from teaching English as a foreign language to setting up and running a business skills training programme. On return to the UK, participants bring back and put into practice what they have learned to their own community.