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We bring you recent community news here from around Grangetown. If you'd like to add your own snippets of news, video, events or comments and opinions about issues in the area, you can email us: grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk if you'd like to help, are local or would like to send any contributions for inclusion. You can also now follow us on Twitter @grangecardiff. We have a growing number of followers and are keen to encourage a social network to promote Grangetown community events, activities, issues, businesses and organisations.
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Stained glass memorial fund-raising campaign launched
St Paul's Church in Grangetown has launched a fund-raising campaign to restorea memorial stained glass window in honour of fallen servicemen.
St Paul's Church in Paget Street
has stained glass depicting the sea, air and trench warfare of World War One.
Photo: Roy Paul.
The impressive window is the area's largest memorial and the church wants
to restore it as part of a larger project to redevelop the church, which will
include some housing association homes. The
window was made by prominent London stained glass makers. firm Burlison and
Grylls and iss one of the largest stained glass war memorials in Wales
There is also a smaller window installed in memory of Private Percy Storey
Henderson, who was killed four years earlier at the Somme, aged only 20. He
was serving with the London Scottish Regiment and was the only son of his
widowed mother Priscilla Stone Henderson, who lived in Grange Gardens. The
family had previously lived in Pentrebane Street and Stockland Street.
Anyone who wants to help can
donate online here
Flats plan for old beds warehouse
How the development will look
A social housing development is being planned for the site of an old beds
warehouse on the corner of Ferry Road and South Clive Street.
A total
of 19 flats in three-storey buildings are being proposed.
The Windsor Buildings has been a beds warehouse/store for a number of years
although housing proposals have been put forward in the past. It lies next door
to a similar building, which is a car body repair centre.
Most of the flats will be one-bedroomed and the planning application says
there is a "compelling need for affordable housing within the Grangetown area,
particularly for one and two bedroom flats".
The developer, Christopher Burridge of Roath Housing Company, had wanted to
build on the site of the garage business next door too but this has been resisted
with the owner's "strong stance in not wanting to proceed with redevelopment
proposals". The flats will include a carpark for five vehicles.
The application says it will "significantly upgrade a relatively run-down
site in an area currently in need of enhancement and regeneration". 
Campaign urges parents to consider Welsh medium
option
Parents who want their children to start
a Welsh medium education at a primary school in Grangetown have been urged to
put their names down for a starter class at Ninian Park Primary.
The TAG campaign group (@ymgyrchtag) said parents should consider the choice
on what was the former site of Tan yr Eos classroom from September.
"It is intended that this class will be the first intake for the new Welsh-medium
school that is promised for the Butetown and Grangetown wards," said the
campaign. "This school seems likely to be located next to Hamadryad Park
and to open in 2017.
A consultation about the new school was postponed until after the General
Election and the campaign said parents should be aware that even if they have
registered for another school but would prefer the new Welsh-medium class, they
can contact the council to inform them that they want their child registered
for Ysgol Gymraeg Pwll Coch and the Ninian Park class in particular.
For more information about the school.
Take-away plan rejected again
Plans to convert the downstairs of a
house in Cornwall Street into a take-away have been rejected for a second
time.
The original proposal last autumn was rejected by Cardiff Council planners
on the grounds of "unacceptable" noise and potential smells, as
well as the likelihood of short term illegal parking in a residential area.
But a
new planning application went in, which would see the ground floor
of the property on the corner with Allerton Street turned into a Punjabi food
take-away, open six days a week. It included a seating area for customers
to eat in.
The proposal was rejected again by councillors on the grounds it would
bring unwelcome smells and also create street parking problems.
The application said: "There isn’t any authentic Punjabi curry
takeaway within the vicinity and therefore this takeaway concept will
complement and provide additional variety of food and choice for the customers"
as well as "avoiding the property from falling into disrepair."
Community garden project launches
near bowls pavilion
A community garden has launched
near the old bowls pavilion in Grange Gardens.
The community garden will be on land near the club but not involve
the bowling green itself. To start off, flowers and vegetables are being planted
in bedding areas on top of pallets.
A long list of interested groups are already looking to be involved, including
Grangetown and St Patick's primary schools, Food Cardiff and the Grange Gardens
Pavilion Action Group.
Residents still hope to take on the ownership of the pavilion over the next
18 months.
A community gardening day was held on Saturday 16th May to launch the project,
with more than 40 residents taking part. Julian Rees from pollination consultancy
Pollen8 Cymru brought along seeds to attract bees, and Sam Holt of the Federation
of City Farms and Community Gardens, taught people how to build raised beds.
Elen Robert, a member of the pavilion project group, said: "The bowling green
at Grange Gardens has always been an important site where local people can
come together to participate in a communal activity that is fun and healthy.
We wanted to ensure that the site continued to be a focus for community gathering
in the heart of Grangetown." Elen, who has been involved with Riverside community
garden previously, said she had experienced first-hand the “benefits of working
with other people in the community to grow healthy food and other useful plants.
"The site near the bowling green at Grange Gardens seemed the perfect spot
to try to establish something similar, and from talking to other local residents
it became clear that there was a real need in Grangetown for more activities
and events that could help draw people of all ages and cultures together,”
she said. "Over the coming months we will be working with Cardiff University
to establish a wider network of local people, including local schools, who
are interested in using and tending the site."
Organisers say all ages are welcome to get involved and it is a chance to
learn new skills, get involved in growing your own and meet new people.
More info from info.grange-pavilion.cymru or call 07951 095374; Twitter:
@grange_pavilion.
Doughty praises "hope
and tolerance" after re-election in Cardiff South and Penarth
Sitting Labour MP Stephen
Doughty has been re-elected in the Cardiff South and Penarth constituency in
the General Election.
He increased the share of the Labour vote from 2010, with a comfortable
majority - given what was happening elsewhere - of 7,453 over Conservative
Emma Warman. UKIP's John Rees-Evans won third place with nearly twice the
vote of Plaid Cymru in fourth.
In his acceptance speech, Mr Doughty - who succeeded Alun Michael in a by-election
in 2012 - thanked his fellow candidates for fighting an "honest"
campaign. He also said he was proud to serve a constituency with history and
heritage and said local voters had chosen "optimism, hope and tolerance
over fear and division."
Most of the parties appeared little on the streets in Grangetown during
the campaign, apart from Mr Doughty and Plaid candidate Ben Foday. The only
minor controversy was over some "anti-voting" flyers posted on lamp-posts
by a fringe Islamic group, including on polling day, although this was more
than outweighed by work by local Muslim groups to encourage people to register
to vote.
Mr Doughty had also met local residents involved in anti-litter work during
the campaign. He and two of the candidates responsed to questions about Grangetown
from us in a Q&A - answers are given here.
The former head of Oxfam Cymru has been known for his approachability and
constituency work since he was elected in the seat with the largest number
of electors - more than 78,000 - in Wales. Quins quit league
Long-established local football
club Grange Harlequins have abruptly resigned from the Welsh Football League.
The Quins, celebrating their 80th year this season, quit Division Three
of the league in March. The club has been playing at the Cardiff Athletics
Stadium at Leckwith for a number of years but the council-owned arena is being
sold off as part of budget cutbacks. It's understood costs involved in operating
the club from the stadium - which was rebuilt across the road after the new
Cardiff City Stadium was built - is a major factor.
The club tweeted: "It's been a tough 24hrs and as the final whistle
blows we thank the football family for their kinds words and support #UpTheQuins."
The first team had been struggling in the league this season. Now its record
has been expunged after the League announced the club's resignation "with
regret". Ten years ago was a high point for the club when it was promoted
to the Welsh Premier League and assembled a strong squad but it proved too
expensive to sustain that status and club was relegated. It has had a policy
of using local players, living in Grangetown and Butetown, in recent years. Play centre given reprieve after budget
rebellion threat
Grangetown Play Centre has been given
a lifeline - after some local councillors threatened to oppose the city's budget.
The long-established after-school play centre off Ferry Road was earmarked
to close its doors at the end of March after more than 40 years as part of
Cardiff Council budget cuts, with two staff losing their jobs.
But an 11th hour amendment during Cardiff Council's budget meeting saw the
leadership offering to keep play centres open and staffed for six months,
and also to appoint an official to work with the community about handing over
the facility over the next 12 months.
This is a major concession and it followed days of criticism and behind
the scenes local councillors Ashley Govier and Lynda Thorne looking like they
may join a move with 10 other Labour councillors and the oppostion to put
forward an alternative budget.
In its original budget plan the council said the centre would close but it
would keep the centre's building "in a reasonable condition" for
six months to give time for the community to put together a rescue package
to re-open it.
The development is a lifeline but there is still a question mark of the
centre's long term future. Under its current model, with two full-time workers,
it costs £100,000 a year to run. There is also the question of upkeep of the
building after the next year. A crowd-funding effort was only really aimed
at raising awareness.
Local campaigners have been frustrated because the future of the play centre
has been in the balance for a year and it has taken a climbdown at the last
minute on the night the budget was signed off. There has been a lack of practical
solutions and help with an alternative model for running the centre, which
runs indoor art, craft and play activities, as well as an adventure playground.
The centre has helped generations of Grangetown children and in its current
set-up it needs £100,000 a year to operate, which includes funding for two
full-time workers. A final decision was delayed last year but the future looks
bleak with the current budget proposals set to be voted on.
The proposals would also protest the city's youth services.
Local councillors, Stephen Doughty MP and Vaughan Gething AM had met the
Cardiff Council leadership earlier this month to lobby on behalf of the local
facilities to call for a change of heart.
Mr Govier had called for "much needed clarity regarding play and youth
services locally" but is worried that once the play centre closes its
doors, it might be challenging to open them again.
The crowd-sourcing initiative raised an initial £3,600, including a substantial
donation from Grangetown-born restauranteur Giovanni Malacrino. to raise the
profile of the campaign.
Grangetown to share from £5m
renovation loan pot
Grangetown is one of seven
urban areas in Wales who will share a £5 million pot to renovate old and empty
buildings.
The money will be available to Cardiff Council as a loan for up to 15 years
from the Welsh Government's Tackling Poverty Fund to help develop sites and
buy and upgrade properties.
Communities Minister Lesley Griffiths said: “By making our town centres more
attractive and accessible, we hope to increase visitor numbers and give local
businesses and communities a boost.”
The properties can then be sold on the open market and provide loans to
third party organisations such as property owners, housing associations and
private landlords.
The Welsh Local Government Association's Neil Moore said: "This offers a
relatively small but important contribution to support the vital role local
town centres can and should play, within the heart of our communities.
"As the funding comes in the form of a loan, the projects supported will
need to be able to generate a return so that the loan can be recycled and
ultimately repaid to Welsh Government. Our town centres are assets to be nurtured,
and the revolving nature of this funding will allow for a longer term approach
to be taken to town centre regeneration, while also giving local businesses
a much needed economic boost.”
The other areas who will share the £5m are Rhymney, Llanelli, Rhyl, Caernarfon
and Barry.
Keep Grangetown Tidy group
hit the streets
More than 30 residents took
part in the first community litter-pick organised by the new Keep Grangetown
Tidy group.
Together they collected more than 40 sacks of litter and recyclable material,
while fly-tipping was identified and reported to Cardiff Council.
The two-hour pick was the first in a series of monthly weekend events in
the area. Starting in Grange Gardens, it involved streets in the surrounding
area. "This was a very encouraging start and it brought the community together
to do something positive," said Grangetown Community Action secretary Ashley
Lister. "We're not aiming to do the council's job for them but show pride
in our area, be proactive and work with waste management and cleansing teams
in difficult circumstances to make the streets of Grangetown as litter-free
as we can."
Joining the litter-pick were members of the voluntary Cardiff Rivers Group,
the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association Wales and community police officers.
The group also surveyed 25 local residents about litter and waste issues.
The group's launch - coordinated by Grangetown Community Action, Councillor
Ashley Govier and Keep Wales Tidy - attracted around 20 residents to a meeting
at Channel View earlier this month.
The group discussed approaches and ideas, which include:
The problems have been highlighted regularly at Grangetown PACT meetings
and on social media, with residents critical of the response by the council
and worried that things will get worse as cleansing teams are cut back on.
"Grangetown is a very busy area and the litter is not just from Grangetown
people - there is lot of traffic passing through, there are match days, we
are getting more than our fair share of litter problems," said Councillor
Govier.
He said a "proactive approach" with volunteers coming together could help
prioritise litter action in the area, with only 80 street cleaners for the
whole city and budget cuts set to bite.
Since April 2014, Grangetown had had 288 fly-tipping reports - which is
around one a day - 176 notices issued and 15 people fined.
Residents at the meeting meanwhile complained of litter problems associated
with certain letting agencies, supermarkets and chain stores.
One of those involved in setting up the group is Dave King, who lives in
Grangetown and is a member of Keep Wales Tidy and the Cardiff Rivers Group
- which is a voluntary group involved in cleaning up the Taff embankment through
the city.
He described himself as an "obsessive" about litter. "If
I see litter, I pick it up," he said. "What you will also find when
you join a group on a litter pick, is that it brings the community together,
it will be enjoyable too."
The group will operate as a satellite of Grangetown Community Action and
is open to anyone who wants to volunteer in different capacities - or can
spare a couple of hours a month for the litter-pick. A second litter-pick
is being organised for Sunday 22nd February at 10am - meeting at Courtmead
Gardens off Court Road and Hereford Street. Meanwhile, staff and students
from Cardiff University will be leading another litter pick from the Taff
Embankment on Wednesday 4th March (2.15pm), organised by the Community Gateway
project team. Anyone wanting to be added to the e-mailing list, contact grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk.
See also our environment page.
Time for action: Community group looks to
future with new name and new plans
The long-running Grangetown Community Concern
group is looking to the future with a new name - and new plans.
The charitable group was set up in 1977 - its
main functions include publishing the tri-annual Grange News paper
and organising the annual Grangetown Festival and Carnival Day in June. One
member also runs this website and the @grangecardiff Twitter network.
But is has been hit, like many other organisations by cuts to its funding
and also by an ageing committee.
Now following a review it has decided to re-launch itself with a new name
and some new plans.
Grangetown Community Action, as it will now be called, will look
to the following:
GCA recently elected local youth worker Ashley Lister as its secretary and
treasurer, and will be looking to bring in people who want to work on specific
projects. A youth programme has already been incorporated into GCA's work.
The group has decided to discontinue the annual Christmas lunch and schools
Christmas concert, but hopes to organise an outdoor community concert around
the festive season and a community picnic next year.
Anyone who wants to help with any of the above projects or has suggestions,
please contact us - grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk
Parents' education forum set
up
Parents in Grangetown are being
invited to join others in Riverside and Butetown in a new forum to discuss schools
and the wider education system.
The first forum is being held on 27th February - and there is an online
version too.
The idea came out of a parents' education conference at the end of January,
organised by SEF Cymru - the local
education organisation aimed at improving achievement - Grangetown Community
Action and Cardiff Youth Service.
More than 100 parents attended and there were speakers from Cardiff Council,
Cardiff and the Vale College and Fitzalan High School.
The forum will give parents the chance to discuss any issues which they are
encountering with formal and informal education. The first meeting is on Friday
27th February at 6:30pm in SEF Cymru’s offices on Trade Street or is available
online at www.sefeducation.org
For more information please contact pm_sefcymru@yahoo.co.uk
Tributes to Clark's pie shop pioneer
Tributes have been made to the man who opened
the Clark's Pie shop in Grangetown, after his death aged 84.
Dennis Dutch, the grandson of the founder of the famous Cardiff pie name,
Mary Clark, opened the shop in Bromsgrove Street nearly 60 years ago. He had
previously worked for his parents in the Clark's Pie shop in Canton.
The family said: "Dennis was the third generation of the Clark's Pie
family, baking his first pie with his mother whilst just a toddler. When he
left school at the age of 14 he joined his mother, father and brother to run
the family business and by the age of 25, he set up his own Clark's Pie shop
in Grangetown.
"Dennis' shop is the last remaining Clark's Pie shop in Cardiff where he
continued baking pies almost until the end of his life. Dennis' family, still
running Clark's Pies today, are now looking forward to continuing to grow
the brand of which Dennis was so proud and was so close to his heart. Dennis
will be sadly missed. God bless you Dennis."
A service to celebrate Dennis's life was held at Dinas Powys Methodist Church
on 11th November.
Remembrance Sunday marked at
memorial
Rememembrance Sunday on 9th
November was marked by a very well attended ecumenical service in Grange Gardens.
Poppy wreaths were laid at the memorial by families and organisations, including
Grangetown Local History Society
Crowd-fund reaches £3,600 for play centre
campaign
The first"crowd-funding" target has
been hit by the campaign to save the Grangetown Play Centre on Ferry Road.
The centre, which costs £100,000 a year to run and has been used by children
after school for more than 40 years, is on borrowed time due to the continuing
budget cuts at Cardiff Council. It has been spared in the short term but there
had been frustration at the lack of progress in finding an alternative solution.
The initial target is £3,500 towards a goal of £5,000 - and
that has now been met, thanks to a generous donation by Italian restauranteur
Giovanni Malacrino, who was brought up in Grangetown.
The good news came as a report by Barnado's showed Cardiff South and Penarth is the worst constituency for child poverty in Wales.
The Campaign to End Child Poverty has published new figures and a "child
poverty map" of Wales. This showed Cardiff and Penarth - including Grangetown
and Butetown - has 34% of children considered to live in poverty conditions.
This is higher than any valley areas.
When broken down, Grangetown has nearly 27% living in child poverty, but
that rises to 40.3% after the cost of housing; in neighbouring Butetown, the
figure is 31% and 46% after housing costs. The average in Cardiff is 19% (30%
after housing).
David Holmes, chair of the Campaign, said: “These figures reveal just how widely
and deeply child poverty reaches into our communities, even those areas generally
regarded as well off. Far too many children whose parents are struggling to
make a living are suffering as a result and missing out on the essentials of
a decent childhood that all young people should be entitled to. We can and must
do better for our children.
"Poverty ruins childhoods and reduces life chances. Failing to invest properly
in children is a false economy: already child poverty costs the UK £29bn each
year and in the long run taxpayers will foot an even higher bill for correcting
the damage."
This followed a day after the Children's Commissioner for Wales in his annual
report said he was particularly concerned that children living in poverty
lack sufficient opportunities for play.
The idea by residents campaigning to save the centre and local councillors
is to tap into local goodwill and find enough people who can pledge some money.
Residents are now being asked to try to reach the £5,000 figure with
donations of £5 upwards.
People can pledge one-off amounts - payable by direct debit - of £5 upwards
to £100. There are thank-you rewards for those who give money. You just have
to register
on the Crowdfunder.co.uk site first.
One of the Friends Of Grangetown
Play campaign group, Wendy Ford, said: "I grew up with this play centre
and have many many a happy memory. My family members have volunteered their
time to this establishment to help the community thrive."
An official launch of the scheme took place on Friday 10th October and despite
heavy rain there was a tremendous turnout from parents, while guest of honour
was the Lord Mayor, and others supporting the launch included local councillors,
Vaughan Gething AM and local MP Stephen Doughty.
The idea is to test the model but an option is to look for sustained funding.
The campaign is looking for one-off donations, to test the water. But if all
goes well, there's a hope of developing a regular giving scheme where a typical
sum might be £10 per month, which would see local people or businesses becoming
community sponsors. This is a bit like giving so much a month to a charity
through your bank account.
The concept uses the internet to bring people together behind worthwhile
like-minded causes and projects and aims to raise money online through secure
platforms. One of the largest crowd-funding operators has already got in touch
about working with the campaign.
School digs trench and
holds poppy ceremony to mark centenary
Fitzalan High School near Grangetown
has been involved in its own project to mark 100 years since the outbreak
of World War One, including constructing a trench in the grounds. Grangetown
Local History Society was invited to the commemoration day on July 10th.
"All pupils in Key Stage 3 had a special timetable so that they could
learn about life in the trenches and the First World War. There were special
assemblies and all of the different departments across the school joined
in. We also had a re-enactor visit (a Tommy) and First World War artefact
boxes from Cardiff Castle."
History teacher Adrian Smith said: "It seemed a bit ambitious but we decided that a permanent replica trench would not only be a fitting way to commemorate the anniversary but also a teaching resource and a suitable memorial. It took a while to get going and at one point it did seem that we were not going to be able to construct a trench.
"However, we contacted Matthew Ward of History Needs You and with only
a few weeks to go, he was able to get the project moving. With donations
of materials, a grant from the Welsh Government and help from staff and
pupils the trench was completed. "What was particularly nice was that staff
across the school expressed support for the project and wanted to have a
whole day of activities related to the First World War."
Shelter gets the treatment
Grangetown's most unusual listed building has been given a makeover.
The wooden bus shelter in Corporation Road, outside Grange Gardens, is believed to date from Victorian times. It has undergone a major facelift, with old timbers carefully replaced. The structure, which blends in with the park beyond, is still used and has been given a protected status.
Happy landings for high-flying Rita
A grandmother from Grangetown has made her second parachute jump for charity - at the age of 75.
Rita Spinola, from Llanmaes Street made the leap over Swansea Airport and raised £1,000 for Cancer Research Wales.
The school dinner lady and vice chair of Grangetown Local History Society made her first jump at the age of 69.
"Thanks to all who supported me," she said. "This fulfils a promise after
I made the first one that if I was fit enough I would jump again at 75."
Gardens included on heritage
register
Grange Gardens has been recognised for its historic value by being put on
a register by historic monuments body Cadw.
The Victorian park was opened in June 1895 after being gifted to Cardiff
by local landowners, Lord Windsor and the Marquis of Bute four years before.
The park includes a replica of the original bandstand, a bowls club, modern
children's playground and a listed war memorial.
Grange Gardens has now been included on Cadw's Register of Landscapes,
Parks and Gardens of Historic Interest in Wales. It was included because
it represents a "well-preserved Victorian urban public park that retains
much of its original layout" and became the first of Cardiff’s parks
to include a bandstand and public tennis courts. Although not the same level
of protection as a listed building, it does give the park some status in
terms of any future planning application. The park includes the bowling
club, which dates from 1906.
Just outside the park on Corporation Road is a wooden shelter, near the bus stop, which could date from Victorian times and is a listed structure.
Housing plan for market
site
There are plans being put
forward for 250 new homes and offices on the site of Bessemer Road market.
The site is being marketed to developers, according to BBC Wales News
which could see the fruit and vegetable market and weekend car boot - set
up in 1965 - move to a new site. The property agents say the current site
is too large for the market's purposes in the current climate and with competition
from supermarkets. If sold, there could be a £1.3m community benefit deal agreed with Cardiff council with any future plans.
Grangetown by numbers
Here are some latest Grangetown
statistics, with the latest figures released by the ONS from the 2011 Census.
Photography students
from the University of Newport were in Grangetown in 2013, capturing the
community on camera.
Seven students spent three months immersed in different parts of the suburb
to try to find what community means, from the people themselves. They took
photos of groups and organisations, ranging from the police to Salvation
Army band, as well as individuals and characters across the community.
"We think Grangetown is such a diverse area, filled with so many
interesting cultures and people." added Hannah, when asked about the
students' impressions of the neighbourhood. "We felt very lucky to
be have had an opportunity to meet just a few of all the communities that
Grangetown holds, it's very obvious there is a place for everyone there.
"On the persuading side, we had a very wide response. I personally spent
time getting to know the people I wanted to photograph (The FAN Charity),
and was very welcomed into the community they had there. Other members in
my group, though, had a struggle to gain people's trust. "On some level
I do feel that the people of Grangetown are reluctant to let people into
their lives, and are very private, but in a way, I understand it. After
talking to some people, you can see that not everyone has welcomed the change
in culture in the area as well as others. But we had a varied response,
and most people were happy to at least talk to us, even if they refused
a picture being taken of them."
They launched their work with a publication of 90 of their photos at an
event at the Lyndon Social Club in Clare Road, which was used by one of
the students as a makeshift "studio," where residents stopped
by for photo sessions. Another student got involved with the youth of Grangetown
to produce a Banksy-style series of photos, with them expressing their views
on issues like drugs and racism.
GPs "thrilled"
as new health centre opens
The development saw the Grange Medical Practice moving from an end-of-terrace
in Corporation Road to a new primary healthcare centre, off Bishop Street.
The health centre is over two floors, includes a new pharmacy, and enables
the practice increase the number of GPs from five to seven, as well as an
extra practice nurse.
The GP practice of Dr Seema Sinah and partners (formerly Dr Steve Lush
and partners) opened in the new 11,700 sq ft centre in Bishop Street in
October. The telephone number for the practice stays the same – 029 20 226057.
The new surgery will serve the practice’s existing 7,000 patients, but
with room to expand with the growing local population. The health centre
will offer minor surgery, phlebotomy services, immunisations and vaccinations,
as well as management of chronic diseases, such as diabetes, asthma.
Steve Davies, operational director of primary care for Cardiff and University
Vale Health Board said: "We are delighted the people of Grangetown
have a brand new, purpose-built medical centre. This project marks a significant
step in the development of GP surgeries in Cardiff and Vale, and provides
the local community with first class health facilities."
Dr Steve Lush, of
Grange Medical Practice added: "The building looks superb and we are
thrilled to have moved into the new centre, which provides fantastic facilities
within a modern building. This is a provision that local people desperately
need and we are pleased to now be able to offer the local community an extended
range of healthcare services."
The development involved demolishing the old St Patrick's church hall.
The new medical centre was developed by MedicX, a leading UK investor
and developer of healthcare premises, and was designed by local architect
Powell Dobson.
Grangetown the wrong stop
for health
Grangetown has been highlighted
by Wales's chief medical officer as an area for poor life expectancy, in a
comparison with other places connected only a few miles away by railway.
Dr Tony Jewell in his annual report drew attention to an analysis which
links differences in communities, separated by only a few miles by public
transport. The average life expectancy for men in Grangetown is 71.5 years,
but only three train stops away in Dinas Powys it is 81.8 years; for women
it's 79.4 years compared to 84.5. In Cardiff the average is 77.8 years for
men, 81.9 years for women. The figures were drawn from the Public Health
Observatory, with similar comparisons drawn along transport routes in London,
Belfast and Glasgow.
The disparity was raised in the assembly by Vaughan Gething AM, who said
citizens also had a role to play in responsibility for their own health.
The underlying causes are also linked in the report to poor diet and exercise,
alcohol and smoking, as well as social factors including unemployment, while
Dr Jewell elsewhere in his report looks at how housing improvements might
be a factor in improving health. Over the years there have been health promotion
projects in the area, notably under the umbrella of the old Butetown and
Grangetown Healthy Living programme, with projects continuing under the
umbrella of Communities First.
See also
Life expectancy improving but deprived areas lagging (BBC) and
The big Welsh divide (Wales Online)
A sunny start to the garden project
Local residents have been looking to take over the pavilion itself from
ownership of the council, after the bowls club disbanded and is to be granted
a temporary licence to start organising activities there in conjunction with
the Community Gateway programme.
Labour candidate Stephen Doughty after winning the seat.
Didn't we do well? The litter collected was sent to the council's depot
You can click on the image to download and print off a poster
The festival is a multicultural event and will be given a revamp - as well
as looking for volunteers to help organise it
The conference attracted 100 parents.
Denis Dutch - his shop and bakery remain in Bromsgrove Street
The play centre now and an archive video of an adventure playground on The Marl in 1972
Cardiff South and Penarth
34%
Rhondda
32%
Cardiff Central
31%
Cardiff West
31%
Swansea East
31%
Aberavon
30%
Blaenau Gwent
30%
Cynon Valley
30%
Lowest: Monmouth
18%
Cardiff North
17%
Source: End Child Poverty/Barnardos
The whole school took part in the day. © Photos: Roy Paul
"Our trench looked very realistic and it was a good experience," said
year 8 pupils Ray Hext and Jake Holmes.
Back to earth - Rita after her jump
Grange Gardens and bowling green, c1900s.
Artist impression of new homes between Bessemer Road and Hadfield Road
Images of Grangetown captured
by student photographers 
© Photo: Hannah Trott for the Grangetown Localities project
One
of the second year students Hannah Trott said 90 photos made the final publication
for the Grangetown Localities project,
which were given out to residents at a well-attended event on January 15th.
"We took so many other images that didn't make the cut - too many to count,"
she said. "I know I alone took about 300 which ended up being just 20 in
my publication."
A new health centre in the
centre of Grangetown has opened, with doctors saying they are "thrilled"
to move into their new building.
The report also shows the rate of improvement in deprived areas like
Grangetown is slower than more prosperous areas. Dr Jewell says: "We
also know that this is a particularly complex ‘wicked’ issue where there
are no simple solutions, and closing this gap requires concerted action
from the NHS, academic communities, government at every level, and the whole
of society. It is only through the combined efforts of all that we
will make progress in reducing the disparity."
We're starting to include local community videos on the website - here
is one of a trip down the River Ely by Grangetown Local History Society,
and another showing the Grangetown parade and carnival day in June 2011.
