Oh boy! Rare vintage Mickey Mouse toy saved from rubbish

A vintage and rare Mickey Mouse toy will proudly be put on display after being saved from the rubbish tip thanks to eagle-eyed colleagues from Monmouthshire County Council’s waste and recycling contractors, Suez. The extraordinary cuddly toy, which is thought to date back to the 1930s, was discovered in a container destined for the tip. After unearthing the old toy, staff contacted MonLife’s Museum’s team about their special find.

Intensive research found the Mickey Mouse was originally made at one of UK’s oldest teddy bear manufacturers, the Deans toy factory in Pontypool. The business, which dated back as far as the 1700s, was the first manufacturer to make the Disney character in the UK in the 1930s but sadly fell into administration in 2005. An almost identical example of the toy – the earliest version of Mickey, as he appeared in his debut 1928 film ‘Steamboat Willie’ – is held within the collections of the V&A Museum in London.

After discovering the historical importance of the toy, Rachael Rogers, curator of Abergavenny Museum suggested that Mickey’s forever home might best be Pontypool Museum, which is less than a mile from the old Dean’s factory where it was made all those years ago.

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Speaking about the extraordinary find, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, Councillor Jane Pratt said: “I think it’s wonderful that Mickey has, after his very long life, been saved from the rubbish! I am so pleased that he is being donated to Pontypool Museum near to where he was made at Deans Rag Book Company. I hope that the publicity he creates will encourage people to think carefully before they throw things away. I am delighted that he will be viewed by generations to come in his new home.”

Cllr Pratt added: “Our Reuse shops at Llanfoist and Five Lanes have gone from strength to strength, with fantastic support from the staff at these recycling centres who spot lovely things, as well as the dedicated team of enthusiastic volunteers. It is not every day you find something as special as Mickey, but you would be amazed at what great things get saved that would have simply been thrown away.”

Upon receiving the donation, Pontypool Museum Curator, Caitlin Gingell said: “The curatorial staff are very pleased to be acquiring Mickey into the collections at Torfaen Museum. Dean’s toy factory, where Mickey was made, has been an important strand of Pontypool’s history and it is lovely to be bringing him back to his hometown. We hope that Mickey can go to a professional conservator in the near future, to be cleaned and structurally supported before going on display as part of a small exhibition about the toy manufacturer.”

Bargain hunters and antique enthusiasts alike will be able to head to Monmouthshire County Council’s Llanfoist and Five Lanes Reuse shops from mid-March.  Buying reused items is a great way to help the environment and reduce waste. All profits from the reuse sites go to tree planting in Monmouthshire to help in the fight against climate change. People can visit the reuse sites at the following locations:

• Llanfoist Reuse shop – Llanfoist, NP7 9AQ, reopening every Tuesday 10am – 3pm from 15th March
• Five Lanes Reuse Shop – Caerwent, NP26 5PD reopening every Wednesday 10am – 3pm from 16^th March

COVID Announcement

Following on from the recent announcement from Welsh Government on the easing of covid restrictions, we’d like to update you on how this applies when you visit our MonLife venues.

From Monday 28th February 2022

• Adults and children aged 11 and over will no longer be required to wear face coverings in our MonLife venues.

• If you have covid symptoms do not enter our facilities – get tested and follow current self-isolation advice.

• We will continue to take reasonable measures to keep staff and visitors safe during their time in our venues including ventilating areas; completing bespoke risk assessments; maintaining good hygiene at the premises.

• Please respect those who continue to wear face coverings – everyone’s safety is important to us.

Once again, we thank you for your continued support. For further important updates, offers and news why not download the MonLife App.

Abergavenny Swimming pool update

Exciting news, Abergavenny pool is back in action!

We’re delighted to announce that Abergavenny Leisure Centre Swimming Pool will re-open today (23^rd March).

You no longer need to prebook swimming session, simply come along at your chosen lane swim or public swim time and enjoy!

Additionally, our Aqua Aerobics fitness class will be returning from Tuesday the 29^th to help keep you active in a low impact environment. This can be booked online or via the MonLife App.

For our full pool and fitness class timetable visit our website HERE, or via the MonLife App.

Our Learn to Swim programme will also recommence from Monday 4^th April, all swimmers on the programme will receive an email from our Aquatics Team shortly with more information.

If your child is attending The Monmouthshire Games this Spring half-term, please ensure they bring their swimming kits with them to enjoy this activity. Not signed up yet? You can register your child’s place here – The Monmouthshire Games – Monlife

Once again we’d like to thank you for your patience and understanding whilst all necessary works were undertaken, and we look forward to seeing you back in the pool.

MonLife Active Team

Thank you

Monmouthshire woman who spent three weeks in coma praises MonLife referral scheme for helping change her life

Face-to-face classes were halted during the pandemic but resumed in September 2021 at Chepstow, Caldicot, Monmouth, with Abergavenny starting back on the 10^thJanuary. 

For Sheila the return to the classes has also meant the opportunity to meet new people. She added: “I have gained so much from these classes, my health and fitness has improved so much over the past few weeks and this has helped my day-to-day living. I have also met so many lovely like-minded people and I look forward to my classes every week.”

Cabinet member with responsibility for MonLife, Councillor Lisa Dymock said: “We never truly understand how much of an impact schemes like the exercise referral scheme can make until we hear stories like Sheila’s. For many others in her situation, doing any sort of physical activity following a serious health condition can be daunting and overwhelming. This initiative is designed to support people through that challenging time and ultimately help them on their journey to recovery. Like Sheila, this scheme not only aids physical recovery but has an huge impact on mental health and confidence. If like Sheila, you have experienced a life-changing health condition or injury, please come and talk to our advisors or your doctors to access this brilliant service.” 

People referred to the scheme get access to their respective leisure centre’s fitness suite and swimming pool, access to all NERS/Fit4Life classes, 4,16 and 52 week progress consultations and a free kit bag. The scheme costs £16 per month and can be accessed by contacting MonLife’s Exercise Referral Coordinator on 01633 644800 or by referred by a GP / practice nurse; physiotherapist or dietician.

Abergavenny’s £1.7m refurbished leisure centre now open to members

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Following its £1.7m refurbishment, Abergavenny leisure centre has opened its doors to the public, revealing a host of new equipment and modern leisure facilities.

The refurbishment of Abergavenny Leisure Centre, which opened on the 4th January 2022, has created a wellness hub over the first floor to create modern leisure facilities for the local community, helping to increase participation in regular physical activity.

The new facilities include:

• Extended Fitness Suite
• Dedicated Group Exercise Studio
• Spin Studio
• New Fitness Changing Facilities
• Ground Floor Coffee Vending Offer

Members are advised that due to unforeseen circumstances, the swimming pool at Abergavenny Leisure Centre will be closed during the month of January. Investigatory works are being carried out and updates will be available through MonLife’s website and social media channels soon.

This development follows the successful completion of the project at Monmouth leisure centre, which was completed in 2019. Elected members of Monmouthshire County Council have stated how committed they are to investing in and developing Leisure facilities across our county to support the health and wellbeing of our citizens. The continued investment into Monmouthshire’s leisure facilities will have a significant impact on wellbeing for not only now, but also for future generations.

Councillor Lisa Dymock, Monmouthshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing and Social Justice, said: “It is extremely fulfilling to see the doors open on this exciting project. We are committed to investing in and developing leisure facilities across our county, which has such a positive effect for not only our current residents, but future generations too. Seeing the incredible facilities shows just how hard MonLife have worked. Thank you to everyone for your continued hard work, being a fantastic way to start 2022.”

To celebrate its opening, MonLife Active are offering a membership deal, where members could get a 12-month membership for the price of 9, where more information can be found here: Be Extraordinary – Monlife

Gwent gets ready for Nature Isn’t Neat 2022

Following successful grassland management pilots to improve biodiversity across the Gwent local authorities, this year the Nature Isn’t Neat approach to management is being coordinated to cover wider areas across Gwent, with the mission of making it ‘pollinator friendly’ by allowing more wildflowers to grow in our green spaces.

The project which is to be delivered as part of the Gwent Green Grid Partnership, will engage with local communities across South-East Wales, raising awareness of pollinator decline and encouraging community ownership and empowerment to deliver actions that will help them recover. 

Nature Isn’t Neat will establish a joined-up approach to the management of green spaces, also known as Green Infrastructure (GI), to create wildflower-rich pollinator habitats across 5 local authority areas (Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen) An operative’s Code of Action and training programme will be delivered, supporting effective pollinator management within the region.

The project will also contribute to the development of Pollinator Policies for local authorities and other relevant organisations to secure wide scale land enhancement for pollinators, creating resilient ecological networks. 

Activities and events are planned for 2022 to promote wildflower and pollinator management, so look out for further updates on the website(www.monlife.co.uk/outdoor/nature-isnt-neat/) or follow on Twitter @Natureisntneat and @Gwentgreengrid for all the latest news.

Monmouthshire County Council’s cabinet member for Climate Emergency, Cllr. Jane Pratt said: “This new year we are delighted to be able to build upon the progress made within each of the local authorities to enhance grassland biodiversity, including Nature Isn’t Neat across Monmouthshire. Pollinators are a vital part of ecosystems; most plants need pollen from another flower to complete their lifecycle and produce fruits and seeds.

Bees, butterflies and many more insects perform this free service, pollinating 88% of wild plants and 75% of global crop species. However, pollinators are in trouble. Since the 1980s, half of all pollinator species have become less widespread, and populations of bees and hoverflies have declined by 30%. While progress has been made, thanks to changes such as our selective mowing policy, there’s still work to be done and this year offers many fantastic opportunities to make a difference.”

Gwent has many species of pollinators which are at risk, including the nationally rare Shrill Carder Bee, which has one of its strongholds on the Gwent Levels.

Changes to help keep flowering species alive for longer, not only provide food and habitats for the pollinators and other species, but also increases water absorption, provides Carbon sequestration, and improves the health of the soil. Research suggests that creating environments which support a wider range of wildlife, benefits people’s health and mental wellbeing, while encouraging them to slow down and enjoy watching flowers, insects and other wildlife.  

Councillor Lisa Dymock, Monmouthshire’s cabinet member with responsibility for Green Infrastructure said: “We are excited about the coordination of the Nature isn’t Neat approach through the Gwent Green Grid Partnership, as this strategy is crucial in response to the decline in biodiversity and challenges of climate change. Using the Nature isn’t Neat approach, the project aims to improve prospects for wildlife, providing crucial stepping stones for species to move between good habitat areas at a regional level.”

This project is part of a series of programmes to be delivered under the Gwent Green Grid Partnership Project, which is supported by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe Investing in Rural Areas and is funded by the Welsh Government’s Enabling of Natural Resources and Well-being Grant.

Find out more about the Gwent Green Grid at: www.monlife.co.uk/outdoor/green-infrastructure/green-infrastructure-partnerships-projects/gwent-green-grid-partnership/

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Residents invited to share views on new walking and cycling route proposals in Monmouthshire

Residents are being invited to have their say on proposals for improvements to the local walking and cycling network between Caldicot, Portskewett and Caerwent/Crick. Monmouthshire County Council is currently working with Sustrans Cymru to make local active travel – a term used for journeys with a purpose – in the area accessible, more enjoyable and safer for the whole community, encouraging more journeys to be taken on foot or bicycle instead of by car.

Two new traffic-free routes are being designed: one through Caldicot Castle Grounds and another along the old disused railway line from Portskewett to Caerwent and Crick, focussing on Phase 1 between the castle grounds and the Severn Bridge Industrial Estate.

Sustrans, on behalf of the council, is now seeking ideas and feedback from the people that live, work and travel in the area who could benefit from the proposals, on what they would like to see along the new routes in the future. Ideas might include places to stop and sit, places to play, artwork, local information, items that add local distinctiveness, planting etc. All ideas will be considered and the information given will help inform the next steps of the project.

Residents can share their ideas and feedback by visiting the project website hosted by Sustrans: www.sustrans.info/CaldicotLinks The survey will be available online for four weeks until 20th February 2022. Paper versions can be obtained by contacting Sustrans Cymru by phoning their office on 029 2065 0602, emailing: caldicot@sustrans.org or writing to them at Sustrans Cymru, 123 Bute Street, CF10 5AE.

MonLife celebrates it’s 2nd year promoting a healthier and more inspiring Monmouthshire

This month, Monmouthshire County Council is celebrating MonLife’s second year of promoting healthier lives and inspirational experiences, promoting the vibrancy of Monmouthshire as a wonderful place to be.

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For more information on the amazing achievements of MonLife please click on our 2^nd Birthday Infographic above

As part of its celebrations, MonLife, which delivers leisure, youth and outdoor education, green infrastructure, countryside access, arts, museums, attractions and destination management services across the county, has reflected on many of its key achievements in what’s been a challenging period.

Launching in January 2020 and at a time of uncertainty, MonLife has continued to provide services during restrictions and has adapted to make sure it was fit for purpose to ensure residents were still able to access services to help with their health and wellbeing.

The aims of MonLife are to enrich people’s lives through participation and activity, build strong communities in Monmouthshire and develop leadership skills for future generations. In the last two years, it’s been able to achieve these aims by attracting 863,000 visits to the four Monmouthshire leisure centres for physical activity, including over 2,000 children in the learn to swim programme. This has also included the provision of pre-recorded fitness videos from MonLife instructors, including Tai Chi, Yoga, HiiT and sports challenges to keep people active during the lockdowns.

Over 2498 children had the opportunity to take part in The Monmouthshire Games (TMG) in just 73 days of activity, The Games have also reached over 9,300 attendances over 73 days.  TMG will once again be returning for February Half Term and future school holidays across the four leisure centres.  

MonLife has delivered a wide and varied holiday provision for children and young people over the 2-year period.  This has included TMG, School Holiday Enrichment Programme and Open Access Play Sessions to name just a few.  During this period, we have supported 1153 vulnerable children providing a safe and enjoyable space over the school holidays.

MonLife Active, which operates the four leisure centres in Monmouthshire located in Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow and Monmouth, has also continued to develop its sites and invested 2.5 million in services to ensure residents have access to a range of modern equipment and facilities.  Abergavenny Leisure Centre was part of this investment and opened on the 4^th January 2022, creating a wellness hub over the first floor to create modern leisure facilities for the local community helping to increase participation in regular physical activity.

MonLife Connecthas worked incredibly hard over the last two years, connecting the community together throughout the pandemic.  The closing of youth centres meant youth workers stayed in touch with local young people through outreach and digital programmes, which included making time for chats and helping to run outdoor activities.  Young people could also stay connected via social media channels like Facebook and Instagram, as well as youth workers providing digital 1 to 1 support. Friendly Friday sessions were introduced, which included a wide range of topics that mattered to young people, including autism and voting.  86% of young people who were engaged in these projects perceived an improvement in two or more areas of their mental health/emotional well-being, which reflects on the importance of this service.  Our Sports Development team created online physical activity opportunities to support physical and mental health throughout the pandemic.

MonLife Heritage have also reached successful milestones in the last two years, with over 53,000 visitors, and over 200 hours of volunteering across Monmouthshire museums, and a combination of over 300,000 visitors across heritage sites in Monmouthshire.  Whilst keeping communities up to date with key facts and information on Museum collections and heritage sites on social media there was also access to live online historical lectures during the pandemic.  

MonLife Outdoors milestones included £2,912,000 worth of funding which was secured to deliver Biodiversity, Green Infrastructure and Active Travel projects for 2021.  658 young people from across Monmouthshire were involved in an expedition as part of their DofE award and 330 new young people were recruited from Monmouthshire’s comprehensive schools.

MonLife Creative engaged in activities with 700 older people and people living with dementia who have benefitted from using MonLife’s Reminiscence boxes which can be hired from Monmouth Museum.  The team also worked with 1564 children and young people.

This also marks the 2-year anniversary of MonLife taking a leading role in Active Travel for Monmouthshire County Council.  During this period, we have been successful in securing in excess of 4 million in grant funding and worked on 49 projects to help create an environment to increase walking and cycling levels.

Praising MonLife for its excellent contributions, Councillor Lisa Dymock, with responsibility for MonLife said: “The team have worked tirelessly over the first two years to deliver services to our communities. It has been a testing time, but we have a tremendous sense of pride in what has been achieved through all our teams’ endeavours and hard work. We are planning for 2022 to be an even better year, considering how we can enhance our services by consultations and listening to residents’ ideas.”

Ian Saunders, Chief Operating Officer “I would just like to thank our customers and teams who contribute each day to being part of MonLife services and programmes, we are all so very proud of the outcomes they deliver”

If you would like the chance to win some fantastic MonLife prizes please click HERE

For more information about the work MonLife is doing in Monmouthshire, please visit:  Home – Monlife

Abergavenny Leisure Centre Swimming Pool Closure

Please be advised that due to ongoing technical difficulties the swimming pool at Abergavenny Leisure Centre will be closed during the month of January.

Investigatory works are being carried out and we will look to update you further on the situation as it develops through our MonLife website and social media channels.

We would like to remind you that MonLife have 3 other centres across Monmouthshire all with swimming pools that you can use as either part of your membership or pay as you go at Monmouth, Chepstow and Caldicot.  For further information, please visit www.monlife.co.uk.

If your child is currently on our Learn to Swim programme at Abergavenny Leisure Centre then there will be no payment taken in January.

If you have an Aqua membership with MonLife your account will be frozen but if you wish to use the other centres then you will need to contact the membership team by emailing monmemberships@monmouthshire.gov.uk to unfreeze your account.

Although the swimming pool will be unavailable for use during the month of January all other facilities at the centre including the gym, classes etc will be operating as normal during this time.

We would like to thank all of our customers for their continued support and will ensure that the works are completed as quickly as possible.

Thank you

Monmouthshire museums project ensures relevance of its collections to the community

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Photo1: Cllr. Lisa Dymock.

Photo2:   The project enabled the team to find out more about this 17^th century spoon from the Skirrid Inn in Llanvihangel Crucorney

A project to review Monmouthshire’s extensive museum collections, started in April 2020, has been moving forward apace. It comes as similar projects looking ensure collections are relevant to local communities takes place at museums across the UK.

The Collection Review Project 2020-2022 has given MonLife museums the opportunity to discover more about the objects and their connection to Monmouthshire’s story. Funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project has enabled staff to develop a more sustainable way of caring for collections. One of the aims of the project is look into the costs of long-term storage and conservation, and to ensure that resources are used appropriately.

The process has identified some objects within collections without a clear connection to Monmouthshire and these will now be offered to alternative homes. Items identified for removal will find a place in an appropriate UK museum in the first instance, a learning establishment or a relevant community organisation, with those left over sold at public auction. Money raised from sales will be used to conserve the museum collections.   Museums in Torfaen, Blaenavon and Hereford are among the museums we have transferred artefacts to.  For example, Y Gaer in Brecon, received a late 19^th Century engraved walking stick which belonged to the Vicar of Llywel in Brecknockshire.

Cabinet member with responsibility for MonLife Museums, Councillor Lisa Dymock said: “As a local history museum service we want to focus our area on prioritising objects that are related to Monmouthshire people, businesses, communities and industries.  After careful thought and research by the museum team, and in-line with professional and ethical standards, some are being removed from our collection.”

This process is already having a positive impact on the museum’s work.  By removing artefacts which are not part of the Monmouthshire story and reorganising stores, museum colleagues are able to create much needed physical space which will allow for the collection of contemporary objects telling the story of events, people, and communities in today’s Monmouthshire.  Staff are also conducting physical checks to assess the condition of objects and their potential for use in future exhibitions.

Many duplicate or generic historic items, while having been removed from the formal museum collections have now found a new home with MonLife’s Learning Team, providing a wonderful resource for handling, reminiscence and outreach initiatives.  In addition, research into collections has resulted in the discovery and re-discovery of fascinating tales and material. One artefact discovered was an antique spoon. After looking through documentation dating back to the 1960s, the project team discovered that it came from the Skirrid Mountain Inn in Llanvihangel Crucorney and dates from the 17^th century. Being able to conduct this research enabled to team to reunite this object with its story.

Councillor Dymock added: “I’m very grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its support to enable our museum service to undergo this very valuable exercise.  It’s provided a very welcome boost to our learning and research, freed up valuable space in our museum stores and uncovered some fascinating stories as well as benefitting other museums who have been able to add to their collections.”