Garden Party

Tuesday 2nd August saw a celebratory Garden Party at the fifty flat protected Vale of Glamorgan facility, Crawshay Court in Llantwit Major.  The residents, as with many others during the COVID lock-down emergency, had been forced to keep to themselves in order to limit the spread of the disease.  Even when the restrictions were lifted the pattern of mixing between residents was slow to return.

Happily there has recently been a return to a more normal state thanks to encouragement from people such as resident Annie Duddridge, local police support officer Rhiannon Cummings plus Leanne Young from the Vale Council and a group of members from the Llantwit Major Rotary Club.  Regular Tuesday afternoon meetings of residents are held in the communal common room between 2.30 and 4.00pm which is encouraging this return to normality.  

One of these meetings pointed to the need for the residents to have a green-house in the large private garden around which the flats are built. The problem was how to finance it. The solution was found in the decision to build it themselves as far as was possible.  An ingenious idea solved the glazing question.  They collected empty clear 2 litre plastic bottles, trimmed them top  and bottom and using metal supports successfully roofed and side panelled the green house which was constructed on a concrete base they had previously laid themselves. A potting table was placed at one side and now beautiful tomato plants fill one side.

To celebrate the successful greenhouse completion the recent Tuesday afternoon meeting was a special one.  Llantwit Major Deputy Mayor, Dr Peter Dickson represented the town and Geoff Jones represented Rotary Club President, Richard Vidler.  Refreshments for the party held in the well-equipped common room was sponsored by the local Co-op and by OGI. Resident Annie Dudridge said that they were getting back to normal in fine style. This was echoed by Ellis Williams from Rotary who said it was great to see the return of a strong community spirit.