THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Community Christmas

THERE will be a Community Christmas afternoon tea at St Paul’s Methodist Centre on Christmas Day from 3pm to 5pm. Everyone is welcome, especially people who would otherwise be alone on 25 December.

This is the first time an event of this kind has been held in Aberystwyth. The afternoon is being run by local volunteers as part of the national Community Christmas scheme.

Volunteer co-ordinator Jane Powell said: “No one should be alone on Christmas Day unless they want to be. So we’re putting on afternoon tea for anyone who wants to come along. We hope it’ll be a chance to meet up with old friends and make new ones.

“It’s so easy to stay indoors when it’s cold and dark outside. But at this time of year friendship and a sense of community are more important than ever. It’s a big part of what Christmas is about.”

The event is totally free to attend. Tea and cake will be provided, as well as games and entertainment.

Guests can RSVP at [email protected] or simply drop in on the day.

If needed, transport can be booked by emailing in advance. Aberystwyth Community Christmas is a secular event for people of any religion or none.

Elderly care

THE last meeting of the North Ceredigion Forum for Elderly Care took place on 29 November at the town council offices.

The mayor of Aberystwyth, Talat Choudhri, spoke to the forum about ‘Place Planning’, an opportunity for local individuals and groups to have a say in influencing the Ceredigion Local Development Plan.

It was decided that it would be worthwhile for the Forum to engage with this project and a number of members agreed to attend the next meeting of the Place Planning scheme for Aberystwyth, which is at the Old College at 6.30pm on 13 December.

Chair of the forum, Mark Williams, thanked the mayor for an interesting talk.

The main business occupying the meeting was the response given by Hywel Dda with regard to a Freedom of Information Act request about waiting lists at North Road Eye Clinic.

The point was raised as to how, after initial consultation, routine cases can be waiting for so long that they require urgent treatment.

However, several members also related having received prompt treatment in emergency circumstances and praised staff for doing what they could in difficult conditions.

Chair Mark Williams said: “Our forum remains very concerned about the lengthy waiting lists for ophthalmic services in our area and the fact that many are forced into the private sector out of necessity.”

The forum resolved to enquire whether the eye clinic was making full use of the Eye Health Examination for Wales regulations which allow specialists to refer patients to high street optometrists for initial and follow-up examinations.

The next meeting will be on 19 January (tbc).

U3A

ON 15 November, Matthew Francis, a professor in creative writing at Aberystwyth University visited the Morlan and spoke about his poetic adaptation of the 14th century Welsh epic, The Mabinogion, it is a set of 11 prose tales of magic, adventure, war and romance which have long fascinated readers all over the world.

The audience was entertained by Matthew Francis retelling the Four Branches of the Mabinogi. The book was published in 2017.

The Mabinogi is an important contribution to the storytelling of the British Isles.

On 20 December, at 2.30pm at the Morlan members and guests are invited to our seasonal celebrations where the U3A interest groups will entertain with short presentations.

Typical festive refreshments will be offered, any excess will be donated to a charitable cause.

NHS Retirement Fellowship

BETI Wyn Davies’ talk on 12 November was on Kerala, a land of spices, scenery and splendour.

Situated at the tip of India, spices, coconut palms, rice fields, oil refineries, tea and rubber plantations all contribute to making the area prosperous. A tour of the paddyfields on rice boats is a big attraction. Tea plantations in Kerala are owned by TATA Steels. Latex is collected for many products from the rubber plantation.

A total of 98.95 per cent have literacy in Kerala and extra tuition in maths and English is provided on Saturdays. Schoolchildren are immaculately turned out.

Beti was impressed with the great hospitality and provided the group with some glorious floral slides. A popular plant in Britain at Christmas is the Poinsetia which she saw growing in the hedgerows of Kerala.

Dianne Bishton gave the vote of thanks.

On 10 December, Michael Freeman’s talk will be on the history of water closets.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

DELYTH Evans oedd ein cadeirydd nos Wener, 30 Tachwedd, a’n gwestai oedd y cerddor Dr Rhidian Griffiths.

Bu 2018 yn flwyddyn dathlu canmlwyddiant geni Dilys Elwyn-Edwards ddaeth yn un o’n cyfansoddwyr cerddoriaeth amlycaf. Soniodd Rhidian am ei gyrfa fel myfyrwraig yng Nghaerdydd a Llundain, a’i gwaith fel darlithydd a thiwtor ym Mhrifysgol Bangor, ac yna aeth ymlaen i drafod ei chyfansoddiadau.

Roedd Dilys Elwyn-Edwards yn adnabyddus am ei chaneuon ar gyfer y llais a hoffai gyfansoddi cylchoedd o ganeuon. Ei chylch enwocaf oedd caneuon y Tri Aderyn a gomisiynwyd gan y BBC. Mae’r cylch hwn yn cynnwys ei chân enwocaf ’Mae Hiraeth yn y Môr’ sy’n gosod geiriau soned Robert Williams Parry i gerddoriaeth.

Clywsom lais Elin Manahan Thomas ar y CD newydd o ganeuon y gyfansoddwraig ac yna lais y diweddar Kenneth Bowen oedd y cyntaf i recordio Caneuon y Tri Aderyn.

Choral society

WITH the date of the Choral Society’s Christmas concert getting ever closer, last week saw very dramatic posters and flyers being put up throughout the area.

The poster is particularly apt relating as it does to the Magnificat. John Rutter’s Magnificat is the principal work being performed; along with two pieces by Faure, his Cantique de Jean Racine, and the very popular Pavane for orchestra and mixed chorus.

The concert is on Saturday, 15 December, in the Great Hall of the Arts Centre.

Horticultural society

THE November meeting of the Cardiganshire Horticultural Society took place in the Waunfawr Community Hall on Tuesday, 13th.

The speakers, Dave and Gill Holt of Midway Plants, a hardy plant nursery, near Llandrindod Wells, gave a talk on trees and pruning.

A well-attended meeting enjoyed a very practical evening with demonstrations on how to prune young fruit trees and advice on pruning older ones and we were also introduced to the benefits of adding a mycorrhizal mix to the young roots when planting

The next meeting is on Tuesday, 11 December, in the Waunfawr Community Hall and will be a particularly special one.

The speaker will be Tony Russell, an accomplished garden tour leader, garden writer, broadcaster and lecturer.

Tony led the last CHS summer outing round Plas Tan y Bwlch in August the whole party were enthralled by his enthusiasm, great knowledge and presentation skills.

He will be talking about the top 50 world gardens.

Cancer cash

JENNIFER Hughes of Machynlleth, who now lives in Aberystwyth, would like to thank all who have contributed to her ‘brave the shave’ event that raised £622.72 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

She was diagnosed with bowel cancer last year and, thanks to the bowel cancer screening programme was diagnosed in the very early stages, Jennifer would like to tell people the importance of using this programme as it could save your life.

Firefighters donate money

FIREFIGHTERS and staff at Aberystwyth Fire Station have presented cheques to LATCH, Wales Air Ambulance and Hafan y Waun Charities

The money donated was raised at the station’s annual open day, held in August.

A total of £2,350 was raised by the Station and split between the Firefighters Charity, LATCH, Wales Air Ambulance, Hafan y Waun and other local causes.

LATCH supports children who are receiving treatment for cancer at the Children’s Hospital for Wales and their families.

Wales Air Ambulance covers the whole of Wales every single day.

Hafan y Waun provides dementia specialist care for 70 residents and nursing care for 20, with an adjoining dementia day care and resource centre in Aberystwyth.

Group manager Sion Slaymaker, head of response for Ceredigion Command, said: “Although these cheques are written by Aberystwyth Fire Station, this is a donation from the community of Aberystwyth.

“We are grateful to the public for their kind donations during our annual open day in the summer.” Picture: Joseph, Charlie and Kim Kenobi representing LATCH, Adam Sykes for Hafan y Waun, with Bleddyn Jones on behalf of Wales Air Ambulance

White Ribbon Campaign

FOLLOWING on from previous years, members of Ceredigion Federation of WIs will join together on Friday, 7 December, in support of the White Ribbon Campaign – to remember victims of domestic violence of all kinds against women.

This year will see a slight change in that before the vigil itself, members will meet in the Community Room of Tesco in Aberystwyth at 4pm to listen to a number of speakers.

Joyce Watson, AM for Mid and West since 2007, will talk to the meeting and Elize Freeman, working within Ageing Abuse and Neglect at Aberystwyth University will also talk.

They will be joined by Ann Jones, vice-chair of the National FWI and a long-standing member of Ceredigion WI.

The meeting will close so that those attending can walk to the railway station for the vigil itself at 6pm where they will be joined by Ben Lake MP, who will also speak.

Cambrian Floral Society

FLOWER arranging is such fun - that was the consensus of opinion by all who attended a very successful practical afternoon on Wednesday, 7 November.

However, before the practical session commenced the chairman had to announce the sad loss of another member, Gail Davies, who passed away recently.

The participants were then divided into two groups, beginners and intermediate ability.

Marian Weston taught the group of beginners how to create an all round arrangement, and the chairman, John James, taught the intermediate group how to create an asymmetrical design.

From the very commencement jovial sounds filled the room and the work produced by the end of the afternoon was excellent.

Before the monthly draw, John assessed each beginners’ arrangements and commentated how everyone had displayed a good sense of colour and made good use of form and textures.

Tea was prepared and served by Pat Edwards, Mai Leeding and Sylvia Morgan.

The next meeting will be the Christmas open evening, which will be held on Friday, 7 December, at Llanbadarn Fawr Church Hall.

The demonstrator, John James (Black Orchid) entitled his demonstration ‘Oh Holy Night’.

Mr James is well known for his exquisite floristry. In the field of floral art and during his long career he has won many prestigious awards including the coveted silver salver at Shrewsbury Flower Show.

The entrance fee is £5 and doors will open at 7pm when festive refreshments will be served on arrival.

The demonstration will commence at 7.30pm, and all arrangements will be raffled at the end of the evening. All welcome.

Carol concert

ABERYSTWYTH-BASED choir, Côr ABC, will be holding a carol concert based on the tradition of the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols on Sunday, 16 December, at 7.30pm in St Padarn’s Church, Llanbadarn Fawr.

The choir extends an invitation to the people of Aberystwyth and beyond to come and celebrate Christmas with a programme brimming with traditional carols and Advent music.

There will also be opportunities for the audience to join with the choir to sing a favourite carol or two and to enjoy hot punch and mince pies after the concert.

The concert is free, with a collection in support of local charity, HAHAV - Hospice at Home Aberystwyth.

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