CHOIR OF ANGELS

Under the guidance of the inspirational experts from the Gwent Music Support Services the children are keen to learn and are already making a big impression.

In next to no time they have mastered a repertoire of over a dozen songs. The choir passed the first big test with flying colours following an impromptu performance in front of their parents earning them a standing ovation and bringing a tear to the eyes of their mums.

Prouder than any parent the beaming smile of headteacher Christina Davies said it all.

Watch this space for news of their progress.

Anyone for Cricket: Thanks to a very kind donation from the Columba Club my colleague Ken Critchley is looking for a good home for a top quality full adult size Cricket set.

A mean cricketer himself in his day Ken is looking for the club or organisation who can put the kit to best use. If you can give the kit a good home drop me an email stating why, and who will use it, I will forward the details to Ken.

Nash Grove:Thanks to everyone who took the time and trouble to contact the ward councillors to discuss the possibility of creating a children's play area at Nash Grove.

Unfortunately the idea was not universally popular with many residents expressing concern that a play area would be used as a congregating area for some of the troublesome older element who haunt various locations of our ward.

Their comments are understandable and will be respected. The ward councillors will no longer pursue the possibility of providing a play area in Nash Grove.

Once again it is sad that smaller children have to lose out due to the reputation of a handful of idiots whose behaviour has made it impossible for the older generation to feel comfortable having them around.

Race Night:Joan Jepps would like to thank everyone who attended the recent race night held at the Orb club in aid of St Annes hospice.

The event raised £250 for this very worthy cause.

Joan's sonNeil Jepps has again been selected to run in this years London Marathon on April 22, and will be pounding the pavements of London in aid of the St Anne's Hospice charity.

As always Neil is looking for as many sponsors as possible to make his brave effort worth while. If you can help please contact Neil on Newport660664.

Neighbourhood Watch Issues: Recently a gang of hooligans damaged 16 cars in the Magor Street area.

Someone out there knows who the culprits were. If you allow them to carry on unchecked the next property they damage could be yours.

If you have any information do everyone a favour and either tell the police or ward councillors.

Mayors Gala Concert: It could possibly have already been mentioned a couple of times in various grassroots columns but it is worthwhile mentioning again.

The standard of performance by the many youngsters taking part in this years Mayors Gala concert at the Riverfront theatre was fantastic and a credit to our city. Youngsters representing the Vanessa Clark school of dance, our secondary schools and the Gwent Youth Orchestra danced, sang , acted and played their way through three full hours of top quality entertainment that made the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Not only that they used their talents to raise thousands of pounds for the mayors charities. We truly can produce kids to be proud of. Sadly on the occasions when our teenagers do have cause to celebrate and make us proud of them it is seldom reported.

A handful of thugs terrorising a shopkeeper or old people's complex is far more newsworthy.

I say it as often as I can. The difference between the thugs and the talented kids on show at the Riverside theatre are the Vanessa Clarkes of this world and the teachers who invest time and energy in them by inspiring them to bring out their full potential.

We take these people for granted occasionally handing them a bouquet of flowers for their efforts. Without the huge contribution these very special people make to enrich the lives of these children there would be a lot more of them hanging around on our street corners. They truly are local heroes of the very best kind.

Easter Bonnet Parade: Now and again I get involved with some things that turn out to be so much better than I was expecting.

(Far more often it happens the other way around but I wont go into that) I was dreading going to the Lliswerry Nursery School childrens Easter Bonnet Parade.

First of all I was afraid that they might ask me to judge the bonnets and have to face the wrath of the mums dads and grandparents of the cherubs who didn't actually win.

With my political life flashing before my eyes I was a bath of sweat as I arrived to see what appeared to be hundreds of potentially hostile parents and grandparents waiting for parade to start. It looked like they were all carrying pointed baseball bats. I was about to turn and run when I heard the voice of an angel (well the Nursery boss Maureen Richards actually) say to me 'hope you don't mind but we have already judged the bonnets. Do you mind just handing out the prizes? ''Alleluia.'' I then realised the baseball bats were just umbrellas.

The parade itself was fantastic. A riot of colour and smiles that left a trail of eggs, chicks, straw and feathers in its wake. In fact it would have been possible to have made another dozen bonnets or fed a small country from the dross that fell on the floor.

Not that I would ever accuse anyone of cheating but the hats seemed very elaborate for three and four year olds or was that just my imagination. Egged on by Maureen Richards. Kim Smith ,Sue Davies and Julie Ross the children paraded themselves around the Nursery compound as their parents took hundreds of photographs.