SHORTLISTED FOR COMMUNITY NEWS AWARD 2020 AND 2019 - WALES MEDIA AWARDS
This is a community website for Grangetown in Cardiff, highlighting people, business, community activities, local news and things to do in the area and linking other websites and blogs.
This voluntary project - in connection with Grangetown Community Action - is the free, independent, online presence of the long-running Grangetown New s community paper, which has been distributed to 6,500 local homes at least twice a year for 40 years.
E-mail us on grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk if you'd like to help, are local or would like to send any contributions for inclusion, or wish to advertise. Also if you'd like to be included FREE in our DIRECTORY,
You can also follow us on Twitter @grangecardiff and look for Grangetown Community Action on Facebook. 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.
Looking for Grangetown ideas to tackle traffic
A residents' group is being set up to come up with ideas to tackle traffic problems in Grangetown. It will feed into a Europe-wide project, set up by aur pollution and transport experts. It is looking for "citizen scientists" to fit monitors on their windows, to record the volume of cars, lorries, cyclists and pedestrians in their street.
Setting up the Grangetown group is local resident Dafydd Trystan, who said it was an opportunity to collect information on traffic and then see what could be done to improve things.
"There'll be plenty of opportunities to volunteer for the project in due course, but we're looking at the moment for a group of local people who might like to bring some ideas together and identify some of the problems we face that the project might help tackle," he said.
An initial virtual meeting is being set up for Thursday 22 October (5pm).
The WeCount project will eventually see a sample of residents fitting sensors to their upstairs window overlooking the street to capture traffic data.
The two-year project, which is being led by Cardiff-based Prof Enda Hayes of the University of Western England in Bristol, will see Cardiff join Leuven in Belgium, Dublin, Madrid and Barcelona and Ljubljana in Slovenia in the research.
Anyone who wants to join up with the Grangetown residents group can send their name and email details to Dafydd Trystan via email dafyddtrystan@yahoo.co.uk
Street market relaunches at new pavilion
Grangetown's community street market has been relaunched at the first major opening of the new Grange Pavilion in Grange Gardens. The hope is that Grangetown World Market - offering a mix of crafts, designs, clothing and selected street food - will eventually become a monthly Saturday event.
The first market was well attended, with 24 stalls spread out over the sizeable green at the £1.8m community venue. There was also scope for some use of indoors, allowing for covid regulations.
The first market rannged from print-makers and jewellers, to ice cream and flowers - is full. Here are a list of stalls taking part.
The market was trialled on a few occasions at St Patrick's school playground - although the weather proved a handicap.
The new home for the market - launched as part of the #LoveGrangetown, Shop Grangetown project - offers more room and versatility, as well as toilet facilities.
The not-for-profit project ploughs money raised back into the market infrastructure, such as gazebos. The aim will also be to encourage local, young designers and entrepreneurs who want to try out selling their produce. The organisers are looking for more volunteers to help run and organise future markets, with the hope if there is demand, that it can become eventually a monthly event. There has already been a big response, with the December market already nearly booked up - and there may now be an additional pre-Christmas market, to meet demand.Thanks to all our stallholders, volunteers, @CommunityGtwy @Grange_Pavilion and especially all the #Grangetown residents who joined us. Great interest in our next one already in December pic.twitter.com/i5RLewjijo
— Gtown World Market #LoveGrangetown (@GtownWM) October 17, 2020
At the moment, markets are pencilled in for Saturdays on: 12th December 2020; 27th February 2021; 15th May; 17th July and 11th December 2021.
The prices for stall-holders are: £25 – Food stalls; £20 – stall with gazebo; £10 – stall without gazebo (please feel free to bring your own).
Anyone who wants to book a stall or help plan future markets can email grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk
| EVENTS Monday 26th October and week:Grangetown Community Safety Week, Grange Pavilion. Details to follow. A week of activities providing advice on safety - from roads, fire, cycling and home, with different organisations including police, fire and rescue service and victim support. Saturday 7th November: Keep Grangetown Tidy litterpick, 10am-12pm, Grange Gardens. New volunteers welcome to join monthly litter-pick. Everyone welcome but limited to 30 people, so please register in advance if you’re coming. Link to follow. Saturday 12th December: Grangetown World Market, 10am-2pm, Grange Pavilion. Second street market with crafts, designs, vintage and street food outside at the new community venue. Add your Grangetown event here, email grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk |
The hopes of an opening party to mark the opening of the building in Grange Gardens were dashed due to coronavirus, but residents are being asked to join in virtually on Friday to mark the occasion, using the hashtag #MyGrangePavilion.
Local residents and local organisations, from Grangetown Community Action to Cardiff Bay Rotary, have been in partnership with Cardiff University's Community Gateway project since 2014.
The venue has different sized rooms, a cafe and toilets, as well as a big outdoor space and terrace. The hope is there will be a lively range of events, classes and attractions - from yoga to Grangetown's own community market.
Other regulars include a weekly Youth Forum, a social running group and a mental health peer support group, all of which can now meet at the new building.
Pavilion manager Sophey Mills is already a few months into the job - and rooms are getting booked up via its website. Reduced rates are available for hire costs to local groups and charities.
Ali Abdi, Grangetown resident and member of the Community Gateway team said: "The community in Grangetown is made up of people of all different backgrounds, so to have a mutual building to bring all of these communities together has always been at the forefront of our conversations with this project."
Ayah Abduldaim, a member of the Youth Forum and girls’ football coach said: "I can’t wait to be able to use the new Grange Pavilion and encourage girls from our football project to come along, get involved in physical activities and take part in the events that will be taking place in Grange Pavilion in the future."
As well as the building, the grounds include room to grow fruit and vegetables and pond area, to encourage wildlife. It includes a research garden for the university with specific plants for pollinators that residents can also benefit from to make their own honey.
"It’s across the road from where we live and
right at the heart of the community," said Steve Austins, chair of trustees."The
vision for Grange Pavilion is really exciting
and it’s been a privilege to play a part in
making it happen."
Colin Riordan, Vice Chancellor of Cardiff University said the venue would make a real difference in the community.
"Despite not being able to physically come together to share in this huge achievement, Grangetown has shown that not even a global pandemic can stop them," he said.
Housing association to press on with flats plan
Residents have been told that controversial plans to build 74 flats are to go ahead - despite the site being bought by a housing association
Developers Rightacres sold on the old Track 2000 site - and planning permission for 74 flats - to Hafod Housing last year after a protracted battle with local residents.
The Bottleworks proposals had faced 140 objections and a petition from local residents, while local councillors objected to the scale and Cardiff Civic Society called it "unsympathetic" and "retrograde".
Now local ward councillors have met with Hafod and been told it intends to continue with the development as planned.
Councillor Lynda Thorne told the Pentre Gardens residents group that they had reiterated their concerns about "scale of the building, waste collection issues and other concerns".
Hafod told them they planned a "modular build" for the project and were pursuing an innovative funding grant, and hoped to start work either next Spring or Spring 2022. Pentre Gardens residents have welcomed the idea of social housing but say they are "disappointed" the size of the development is still being considering and are hoping Hafod will listen to their concerns. Cardiff-based Hafod has a portfolio of 5,700 properties across seven council areas and a turnover of £60m a year. It is committed to investing £170m in new homes over the next few years. COVID-19 SUPPORT NETWORK PAUSED@HafodHousing to go ahead with controversial plans for track 2000 despite widespread opposition, 3 very critical reports from independent consultants and only 4 of the 10 planning committee members voting in favour of the plans. Social housing welcomed but this is disappointing
— PentreGardens (@pentregardensCf) August 26, 2020
Grangetown's neighbourhood support network has been suspended from August 16th, as the wave of coronavirus has eased.
More than 160 people stepped forward to offer help with errands and keeping an eye on neighbours shielding or staying at home during lockdown. Grangetown volunteeer network coordinator Dafydd Trystan thanked everyone for their help - with 160 volunteers offering support."We haven't had many new referrals in the last few weeks, but there are a number of neighbours that we've continued to support," he said". "It's difficult to put a precise number on it - but there have been well over 200 residents of Grangetown that have been supported by the Grangetown volunteers - some of whom supported every week (and more) during lockdown."
"I think we can all take pride in the Grangetown response to the pandemic."
Those needing help will be referred to other organisations but formal work by the network has been suspended. "If things do take a turn for the worse - then we will be here - ready, willing and able to help," said Dafydd.
We have all current information, contacts and further community resources on our webpage here.
Grangetown News - we hope to be back later this year
Grangetown News on hold during coronavirus pandemic
Due to the pandemic and the fact we rely on volunteers to deliver the newspaper, we have put plans on hold until later this year. In the meantime, we're trying to update our website and social media as often as possible and would welcome any help or contributions.
Our autumn 2019 edition included news on the progress of the £1.6m Grange Pavilion, including an exclusive first interview with the newly-appointed manager. We have features on one long-running shop that has closed - and a new business which has opened. A look behind the scenes at Grange Albion football club - and we will be also catching up (if we can!) with the folks involved with Run Grangetown.
There is also a special farewell message from Grangetown vicar Father David Morris.
There is now an online version here - and we are appealing for volunteer deliverers, especially for streets in North Grangetown and off North Clive Street.
Please email grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk or go to our Trello board to register an interest in delivering.
Copies are distributed to 6,500 homes, shops and businesses. It is also be available in Grangetown Hub, local shops, venues and pubs and you will be able to view an online version above.
Grangetown News was shortlisted for a community news award in the 2019 Wales Media Awards in what is the publication's 40th year.
The newspaper - with website and social media presence - was chosen by the judges in the community news category. Can we take this opportunity of thanking all our readers, contributors, volunteer deliverers and advertisers for all their help and support over the years.
Now called Grangetown News, the first edition of the new-look 16-page full-colour tabloid newspaper came out in May 2016. Published by Grangetown Community Action, it has been a quarterly magazine format since 1978. In March 2019, it was shortlisted in the community news category in the Wales Media Awards.
Thanks for all those who have contributed and advertised - and also to our volunteer deliverers. If you can help deliver - email grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk
Should you have a local news story or would like to tell the community about your organisation or school then our paper is a perfect way of reaching people!you are a local business/organisation who would like to advertise to the local community our paper is an ideal place to place an advert.
Our rates are listed below:
1/8 page - £40
1/4 page - £70
1/2 page - £110
1 full page - £200
1 full back page - £250
The Grangetown News is still printed 100% in COLOUR, but is printed in a tabloid format, making your articles and adverts larger than ever! This is a pilot project which will hopefully allow us to increase readership through spreading more positive, local news stories. The editions are 16 pages. All articles submitted should be in a Word document (or jpeg for images / designed adverts - All images to be supplied high-quality 350dpi, colour pictures converted to CMYK) and sent to grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk.
If you would like to discuss advertising in the Grangetown News, please feel free to contact grangetowncardiff@yahoo.co.uk, or call Ashley on 07572875804.
As well as more local news stories, there are features on local businesses and also sport. The paper has also been designed by Grangetown residents. Online versions of the features - with more photos - will also be put up later on this website But it's not too late if you want to get involved:
Other Cardiff community websites: Cathays Danescourt Lisvane Pobol Caerdydd Radyr Roath Rumney Splott St Mellons Tongwynlais Whitchurch/Llandaff North © Grangetown Community Action and webmaster 2020. Last updated October 18th |