Women’s World Day of Prayer

THE 2016 Women’s World Day of Prayer will take place on Friday, 6 March, and, last Thursday morning, 4 February, representatives from many of the churches and chapels in Aberystwyth met in St David’s Church, Bath Street, where, under the guidance of Sarah Edwards from Holy Trinity, they planned this year’s English special service and enjoyed a Bible study session centred round the theme of the service. This year’s day, prepared by the Women of Cuba, has as its theme ‘Receive Children, Receive Me’.In their introduction to the service they write of being part of a wave of prayer in which during the day over 3 million women, men and young people in over 170 countries will have prayed, with and for, the people of Cuba. In the British Isles alone, 6,000 services will be held. Dr Beryl Thomas had prepared a PowerPoint presentation giving members the background to the work of the women in Cuba both for their country and the service.The Aberystwyth English service will be held in the evening at 7pm on Friday, 6 March, at St David’s Church.

Aberystwyth and District Floral Society

THE SOCIETY had a very well attended evening on Tuesday, 19 January, in Llanfarian Village Hall. The demonstrator for the evening was Jonathan Lloyd-Davies from Neath. He trained at Pencoed Horticultural College over 20 years ago and has a vast experience in the florist industry and has won Best in Show at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show. He deftly showed the group how to do 10 separate and very different floral arrangements using his flower choice for the evening tulips, hence his title of Tiptoe Through the Tulips.His first design using yellow tulips showed how they can be manipulated within a glass bowl. Next came red tulips and long stems of red cornus arranged with tulip leaves around the base to hide the oasis taped to the bucket container. The third arrangement made use of a candle and white tulips to make a table centre. Flat moss and a handmade trellis made from dogwood was used for a double-sided arrangement using pink tulips. The fifth design had coiled chicken-wire stood upright on a large platter into which were dropped tangerine tulips and long stemmed prunus blossom. The tulips were cut straight to en-able them to ‘drink’ in the shallow depth of water in the platter. Next a traditional loose arrangement in a metal jug showed off his yellow tulips and foliage of ivy with berries. A horizontal tray was used to create the seventh design, with the plant materials positioned from left over right. White tulips at different heights were used to good effect with sprayed bamboo to create a design like a sail for his eight arrangement. The penultimate design made use of a trough which was filled with eucalyptus and hard ruscus foliage and varied coloured tulips grouped together with manipulated tulip leaves. A modern construction arrangement using a large vase was the final design of the evening. Pussy willow stems tied with together decorative wired wool was used to make a cage and carefully positioned orange tulips and peach coloured hypericum berries placed within, with flat moss around the base to hide the oasis. The final touch was more wired wool wound around the cage.The evening ended with the pres-entation of the members’ competition winners’ shields for last year. Chairman Christine Gilbert awarded the Novice Shield to Beti Wyn Davies, the Intermediate Shield to Carol Bland and the Advanced Shield to Donald Morgan and wished everyone who took part in the previous years success in the coming year’s competitions.The winners for the evening’s members’ competition for ‘An Arrangement for a Dark Corner’ were: Novice, Ffion Hicks. Intermediate: 1, Pat Edwards; 2, Carol Bland; and 3, Beti Wyn Davies.The next floral demonstration is to be held in Llanfarian Village Hall on 16 February at 7.30pm with Donald Morgan of Blodau’r Bedol, Llanrhystud, as the invited demonstrator for the evening. His title is ‘A Touch of Romance’. The members’ competition will be ‘A Gift of Roses’. New members and visitors are very welcome.

Wildlife Trust

THE FEBRUARY meeting of the north Ceredigion section of the Wildlife Trust South and West Wales, took place on Monday, 1 February, in Lecture Theatre C22 of the Hugh Owen Building on Aberystwyth University’s Penglais Campus.There were over 35 people present at the meeting which began with an account of recent conservation work Em Foot had undertaken with her team of volunteers in the Trust’s Ceredigion Wildlife Reserves. This was followed by members of the audience being invited to share their recent wildlife experiences with the meeting. With the very changeable and often unseasonal weather conditions prevailing, some very interesting observations were shared. Section chairman John Wildig then warmly welcomed to the meeting Sue Parker of First Nature. Sue is a botanist by training and over a long period has developed a passionate interest in wild orchids, not only in Wales but in the Algarve of Portugal where she has been studying them for many years. Sue gave a wide-ranging presentation, frequently comparing and contrasting the Algarve with Wales and opened the eyes of many in the audience to the beauty of wild orchids and the conditions they grow under in both countries. A very good discussion followed which was brought to an end with a warm vote of thanks from Isobel McGuiness. The next meeting will be at 7pm on Monday, 7 March, in C22, Hugh Owen, Penglais Campus once again when birds will have centre stage with local wildlife artist Owen Williams giving a talk on the Woodcock Network.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

NOS WENER, 5 Chwefror, Terry Edwards oedd ein cadeirydd a chroesawodd Michael Morgans i rannu ei atgofion o’r diwydiant llaeth.Aeth Michael i weithio yn Hufenfa Felinfach, y ffatri laeth, yn syth o’r ysgol yn 1965 a bu yno nes iddi gau yn 1988. Trwy gyfrwng ei luniau dangosodd Michael y llaeth yn cyrraedd mewn caniau (‘churns’) ar gefn lorïau ac yna’n cael ei rhoi ar drên i Lundain, neu’n cael ei droi’n fenyn, caws neu ei sychu’n bowdwr llaeth sgrim.Wedi i Felinfach gau, symudodd Michael i Langadog lle roedd yn oruchwyliwr yr adran pwdin reis oedd yn llenwi 138,000 o duniau bob dydd, a bu yno nes i’r ffatri gau yn 2005. Cadwodd Michael ei ddiddordeb yn y diwydiant llaeth yn fyw trwy gasglu hen offer ac erbyn hyn mae ganddo gasgliad sylweddol sy’n dal i dyfu.