THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Clwb drama

CYFLWYNODD y criw clwb drama AGwedd perfformiad arbennig o gynhyrchiad Yfed Celwydd yn Arad Goch ar nos Fercher, 18 Gorffennaf.

Cafwyd perfformiad graenus o gomedi naturiol, gwreiddiol a doniol. Diolch i bawb a wnaeth gynhyrchu’r perfformiad ac i Carwyn am ei amynedd a’i frwdfrydedd.

Bridge club

THE winners on 10 August were Martin Page and Magda Corser, with Margaret Hathaway and John Gould second and Pamela Woodhouse and Jeff Thomas third.

Two pairs – Gill Howells and Keith Bellamy, and Margaret James and Mike Jones – bid and made 6 Hearts with an overtrick on Board 5, with the losing diamond being disposed of on the long clubs.

Gill and Keith also bid and made a thin minor suit slam on Board 26.

The winners on 12 August were Betty Brookes and Sue Sherman.

Mike Jones and Martin Page were second and Andrew Loat and Jeff Thomas third.

Aberystwyth Bridge Club normally plays twice a week in Waunfawr Community Hall, starting at 6.45pm, with Friday being the main evening.

For further information on the club, ring the club secretary on 01970 639229.

To arrange beginners’ lessons, contact Elenid Thomas on 01970 828765.

Rotary Club

JACK Evershed, of Wallog, was the guest speaker at last week’s lunchtime meeting.

His talk was entitled Health Services in Mid Wales.

He started with an outline historical perspective, spanning the establishment of the NHS 70 years ago to the opening of Bronglais hospital in 1966, and the succession of management bodies leading to the present Hywel Dda Health Board within a devolved NHS service for Wales.

After some years of uncertainty, and vigorous campaigning to secure the future of Bronglais as a full district general hospital, a government-commissioned report by Prof Marcus Longley had recommended a collaborative arrangement involving the Hywel Dda Board, together with the Powys and Betsi Cadwaladr authorities which had led to the creation of a Mid Wales Health Collaborative.

Mr Evershed had been appointed chair of this new initiative, now called the Mid Wales Joint Committee, and new clinical initiatives were being developed, jointly with GP practices, in a number of specialties including dermatology.

Mr Evershed felt that the new body had been able to establish a basis of trust with the health board, and current options on the table for the future of healthcare in the south-west and mid Wales appeared to recognise the need to retain and develop the present function and status of Bronglais.

“Relatively small hospitals can deliver good outcomes, and centralisation does not always deliver savings and improvement”, he said.

Training and recruitment of staff was crucial, and a hopeful new development was that medical students would be able to receive part of their training in hospitals such as Bronglais and Ysbyty Gwynedd, thereby making them aware of the advantages of working and living in rural areas, he added.

While giving an optimistic outlook for the future, despite financial constraints and political uncertainties, he added that while the “will and direction” is there, the change that is needed will be a slowly emerging picture.

50+ Forum

AT THE July meeting, Ben Lake spoke about his first year as Wales’ youngest MP.

He described some of the Westminster protocols, several of which, as a new member, he had inevitably broken.

He told the meeting about being given a ‘cwtch’ on his first day by half the cabinet and that Boris Johnson had said that it would be okay because Plaid did not stand in his constituency.

He spoke about the problems of getting chosen to ask a question which, after party balance, experience, expertise and offices held, seemed to come down to whether or not you were liked by the powers that be.

He also said that some of the behaviour at Westminster had shocked him, particularly seeing MPs being physically dragged into the lobbies.

Questions afterward strayed beyond being a newcomer in Westminster into Brexit, the closure of the day centre and Bodlondeb, austerity and the out of date funding formula for Wales.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 26 September, at 2pm in the Morlan Centre when a dietitian will be talking about healthy eating for older people.

In the meantime, members will be going on a trip to the Coracle Centre in Cenarth on Wednesday, 29 August.

If you are interested in joining the forum, ring the chair, Mair Benjamin, on 01970 615854.

If you’re a member of a club, society or group, send your news to [email protected]