Friendship Group

A NEW Aberystwyth Friendship Group will be launched at a ceremony on Friday, 29 April.The new group will be launched at midday with an open day at the town council offices, 11 Baker Street, with guests including Aberystwyth mayor Cllr Endaf Edwards, MP Mark Williams, Cllr Catherine Hughes, friendship group chair Suzanne Edwards, the group founder and secretary Aislinn Knight. Storyteller Peter Stevenson will engage the room in a story about friendship on the launch day. Founder Aislinn Knight said: “We are a new friendship group based in Aberystwyth town offering a programme of various activities tailored to the over 50s, but anyone over 18 can join. “We aim to offer friendship and support to our members and also make provision that we always have access to a safe and secure venue to meet in. “Our monthly meetings will be held in Morlan Centre, our first on Friday, 13 May.“Jill Piercy will talk about HAUL - arts in health, the benefits of creative activities on health and wellbeing.”

Cambrian Floral Society

ON Wednesday, 6 April, the chairman, John James, welcomed Nicola from Cascades, Lampeter, to conduct a contemporary workshop.There is always a jolly atmosphere when Nicola joins the group, and the evening proved to be both enjoyable and instructive. After she demonstrated the design everyone eagerly proceeded with the work of interpretation and design. The plant material suggested was twigs of Corylus avellana Contorta, Fatsia japonica, 12 roses, and all to be arranged in a 6 high pot. As everyone had chosen a wide variety of roses, the room was a blaze of colour. Before the raffle was drawn, refreshments were served by Joan Su-bacci and Sylvia Greenleaf. During the refreshment break the chairman went through a list of future events which would be finalised during their next meeting.They will next meet at 7pm at Bethel Chapel Vestry, Baker Street on Wednesday, 4 May. This will be a buttonhole and corsage workshop conducted by our chairman, John James. All are welcome to attend and the only requirements are: For the buttonholes - one rose or carnation and fern such as asparagus fern. For the corsage - two roses or carnations and fern such as asparagus fern.

Merched y Wawr

YMWELIAD ag Amgueddfa Ceredigion oedd wedi ei drefnu i ni’r mis hwn a chawsom gyflwyniad i’r casgliad amrywiol a diddorol sydd yno gan Stuart Evans, yn ogystal â chlywed peth o hanes yr adeilad. Cawsom gyfle wedyn i grwydro o gwmpas yr arddangosfeydd a hiraethu am lawer eitem oedd yn rhan o’n plentyndod! Diolchwyd I Stuart gan Tegwen Morris a’n hatgoffodd o ben-blwydd Merched y Wawr yn 50 oed y flwyddyn nesaf a bydd rhaid i nin-nau greu arddangosfeydd o hanes y Mudiad bryd hynny.Aethom ymlaen i Westy’r Belle Vue i gael paned a sgonen ac yno bu Dulcie James ein llywydd yn trafod digwyddiadau diweddar a thrafod busnes.

Rotary club

THE topic of this week’s speaker, Peter Henley, was the history of the postcard. The first postcard issued in the UK in 1870 had a plain back and front with a pre-paid stamp, produced by the Post Office who held a monopoly. This led, in 1884 to the first picture postcard. In 1899 cards were standardised to 5.5ins by 3.5ins. Cards had a picture on one side with little room for a message which was considered unseemly – these were the ‘undivided backs’. Later in 1902 came the ‘divided backs’- message on one half, address on other half and a picture on the front.The speaker was able to show slides of cards produced by local photographers for the increasing number of tourists as Aber became a major resort. ER Gyde of Pier St produced a carte de visite and Henry Hicks Davies produced cards of the opening of the Pier in 1895.The Golden Age of the post card was 1907 to 1915. Peter was able to show a hand woven card sent by a relative, Fred Henley from the WW1 trenches. Postcards had a great propaganda value with such captions as ‘March-ing through Berlin’ in September 1917 as well as Kitchener’s ‘Your Country Needs You’.The saucy seaside postcard with its double entendres came into its own after the war mainly published by Donald McGill although there was a Government crackdown in the early 50’s using the Obscene Publications Act of 1857, but by the 60’s in a more liberal era they were considered to be an art form.Another local photographer was Arthur Davies, his famous photograph of an elephant ‘bathing’ in the sea marked the move to mixed bathing where previously there was segregation in the use of bathing huts.Deltology- or card collecting ranks third in popularity behind philately and coin collecting. Except for rare issues, generally cards have no high value though Titanic and Antarctic expedition related can fetch thousands of pounds.

Peter concluded his talk by showing examples from his large collection as well as his own publication of local views and events in his book Aber Prom.

Railroad Bill play Rummers

It wasn’t supposed to last this long, but somehow a skiffle band that formed in Aberystwyth back in 1986 to play a one-off gig at a student party have just racked up an incredible 30 years on the road.During this time Railroad Bill have taken their tea chest, washboard and guitars to over 1,000 different towns, villages and cities across the world playing countless sets in locations as diverse as Digbeth Coach Station during rush hour, stages at major festivals such as Cambridge and Glastonbury and even a bizarre tour of Singapore during the 2003 SARS epidemic.With three of the original members still going strong and a fourth that has been with them for a mere 25 years they are returning to Aberystwyth on 7 May for a one off show in Rummers Wine Bar - the venue where they had their first residency in the summer of 1986. Supporting them will be Toby Bourke, another ex Aberystwyth student turned singer songwriter best known for his top ten hit ‘Waltz Away Dreaming’ with George Michael. They will also be joined on stage by original band members from their University days.A celebratory comic has been produced telling the full 30 year history of the band and their brushes with disaster and fame. This will be on sale at the gig.