Merched y Wawr

GARETH Owen oedd ein gwestai y mis yma a rhoddodd ddarlun difyr i ni drwy air a sleidiau o fywyd a gwaith ei dad dylanwadol, Ifor Owen, Llanuwchllyn, a fu’n ddiwyd yn cynhyrchu’r comic Cymraeg, Hwyl, i blant Cymru am dros 40 mlynedd.Hanai o deulu amaethyddol yng Nghefnd-dwysarn. Amlygwyd ei ddawn mewn celf yn gynnar yn ei fywyd, dawn a feddir gan amryw o’i deulu, gan gynnwys Gareth ei hun sy’n arlunydd a chyn-athro celf a ymddeolodd i Aberystwyth yn ddiweddar.Bu’n brifathro yng Nghroesor, Gwyddelwern a Llanuwchllyn. Roedd diddordeb ysol ganddo mewn trosglwyddo’r pethe a hanes Cymru i’w ddisgyblion ac yn ei gyhoeddiadau. Bu’n ymgyrchydd brwd dros sawl achos. Dyluniodd ddwsinau o lyfrau i blant ac oedolion.Wrth ddiolch, dywedodd ein cadeirydd, Dulcie James, mor hiraethus ydoedd wrth weld lluniau cloriau’r llu llyfrau dylanwadol hynny.Diweddwyd noson ddiddorol gyda phaned a baratowyd gan ferched Heol y Gogledd.

Cylch Cinio

CYNHALIWYD cyfarfod mis Chwefror ar nos Wener, 12 Chwefror, yng Ngwesty Llety Parc. Ein gwr gwadd oedd y cyflwynydd Aled Sam, sydd yn lais ac yn wyneb cyfarwydd i ni gyd ym myd teledu a radio. Mae llawer yn gyfarw-ydd ag e ar hyn o bryd fel cyflwynydd y rhaglen wythnosol ar S4C Sam ar y Sgrin. Fe allai gyrfa Aled wedi bod yn dra gwahanol onibai am ei gysylltiad ag Aberystwyth. Bu’n ddylunydd am gyfnod gyda Mudiad yr Urdd yn y dre yn yr `80au ac wedyn ymunodd â’r grwp pop Y Trwynau Coch a bu gyda nhw ar daith i’r Amerig. Yn y cyfnod yma roedd yn cael ei gyfweld yn aml ar radio ac wedi dychwelyd adre cafodd swydd gan BBC Radio Cymru. Dyna oedd dechrau gyrfa gynhyrchiol a llewyrchus yn myd y cyfryngau. Pan yn Aber gwnaeth Aled gyfarfod â’i wraig, yr actores adnabyddus Rhian Morgan a enillodd wobr BAFTA yn ddiweddar am ei rhan yn y gyfres Gwaith Cartref ar S4C. Fe allai ei fywyd wedi bod yn wahanol iawn oni bai i Aled deithio i Aber i’r cyfwelaid yna gyda’r Urdd!Talwyd y diolchiadau gan Hywel Wyn Jones, Llanrhystud, a Hywel hefyd oedd enillydd y raffl.Hysbysodd John Lewis, y cadeirydd, yr aelo-dau fod tarian wedi ei harchebu ar gyfer Parêd Gwyl Ddewi. Bydd y darian barhaol hon yn cael ei chy-flwyno i’r siop fuddugol yng nghystadleuaeth addurno ffenest i ddathlu Gwyl Ddewi. Annogwyd unrhyw aelod o’r Cylch Cinio a oedd yn gallu i roi help llaw i stiwardio yn ystod y parêd eleni ac iddynt gysylltu â’r cadeirydd i roi gwybod ymlaen llaw.Byddwn yn dychwelyd yn ôl i Westy’r Rich-mond ar nos Wener, 11 Mawrth, ar gyfer ein cinio Gwyl Ddewi a’r siaradwraig wâdd fydd Betsan Powys, pennaeth BBC Radio Cymru. Disgwyliwn gael trafodaeth fywiog yn ei chwmni a bydd cyfle i aelodau i holi cwestiynnau a chyflwyno sylwadau am y gwasanaeth cenedlaethol.

Politics talk

IN A speech at Aberystwyth University’s international politics department, Plaid Cymru leader Leanne Wood AM outlined her party’s plans for reviving Wales’ democracy and delivering an open and accountable Plaid Cymru government if elected in May.Speaking at the event, organised by the Electoral Reform Society at Aberystwyth University, Ms Wood detailed how a Plaid Cymru government, within its first 100 days, would consult on the most significant democratic renewal Wales has seen since devolution, including the introduction of a new Welsh Representation of the People Act.She added that a Plaid Cymru government would also extend the franchise so that 16 and 17-year-olds have a right to vote, as well as establishing a Youth Parliament for Wales.Criticising the current Labour Welsh Govern-ment’s “bunker mentality”, Ms Wood said that a Plaid Cymru government “will open up the corridors of power to scrutiny and to discus-sion”, ensuring Wales’ status as a vibrant and youthful democracy.Rotary ClubTHE CLUB welcomed PCSO Mary Weller as the speaker at their meeting on 16 February.Mary works in Aberystwyth where her community policing role is supporting and engaging with the community, and being visible in the community.The talk covered a range of low-level crimes including rogue traders and doorstep cold-call-ers and ways to avoid becoming a victim. Only a small number of these crimes are reported so those approached are encouraged to ring 101 so that the police are aware of the scams operating in the area. Fraud and internet crime can also be reported to Action Fraud. Telephone and e-mail scams, befriending on Facebook, vehicle crime, farm crime and hate crime were also described. Leaflets are available about these low-level crimes and personal safety advice. The Telephone Preference Service was mentioned as a means of reducing unwanted telephone calls.There was an extreme case of a lady who was hounded by criminals after entering a competition she thought would lead to a large cash prize. The scammers put her name on a “suck-ers” list and sold her details to other criminals all over the world. She received 30,000 criminal letters over a five-year period and sent thousands of pounds to the criminals in the belief that a big prize was imminent.Rotarian Emlyn Watkin thanked the speaker for a very informative talk.

Stroke Club

ON WEDNESDAY, 17 February, 45 members of the club made their way to Penrhyncoch Football Club for the monthly lunch outing. The chairman, John Lewis Jones, made them all feel welcome. He then asked the group to be upstanding for a minute’s silence in memory of Mair Roberts who ran the club’s raffles very successfully for many years. A new member was greeted, Ceri Jones; the group wished her well and hopes she enjoys the outings in the future.After grace was said bilingually, everyone settled down to a lovely roast meal and delightful puddings. While tea and coffee were being served, the 600 club numbers and cheque were dealt with before the raffle, organised by Jean Davies, who did a first class job, was drawn.Audrey Evans, the club’s social secretary, then reminded everyone about the summer holiday coming up in June and urged members to book if they want to go along.The next outing in March for cawl is on 16 March and at Aberystwyth Town Football Club – not the Conrah as stated on membership cards.Thanks were given to all the staff at the club for a super day out before a coach of happy members returned home.