THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Cylch Cinio

Yr actor a’r cyflwynydd teledu Alun Elidir oedd ein g?r gwâdd yn ein Cinio Nadolig eleni yng Ngwesty’r Richmond.

Mae Alun yn gymeriad lliwgar a byrlymus ac yn ystod ei sgwrs ddifyr fe gyffyrddod ag amryw o agweddau o’i fywyd, o’i fagwraeth yn Rhydymain i’w ddyddiau Coleg yn Aberystwyth yn ogystal ag ymweliad anturus ag America. Yn dilyn marwolaeth ei dad fe ddychwelodd i Rydymain i amaethu ar fferm y teulu ac mae wedi bod yn weithgar gydag Undeb Amaethwyr Cymru. Bu’n rhannu ei amser dros y blynyddoedd rhwng llechweddau yr Aran ym Meirionnydd a Thalybont ar lawr gwlad Ceredigion, a honnodd iddo gael ei ddisgrifio fel ‘mochyn dau dwlc’. Wedi marw ei fam fe ddioddefodd gyfnod anodd o iselder ysbryd a chyfeiriodd at nifer o brofiadau dirdynnol. Ers hynny mae wedi bod yn siarad yn gyhoeddus am ei salwch ac yn sgil hynny mae wedi cael cryn ymateb oddi wrth lawer o bobl yn y diwydiant amaeth, ac eraill, sydd hefyd wedi dioddef o’r salwch.

Diolchwyd iddo gan John Williams a gyfeiriodd at gyfoeth ei gefndir yn ddiwylliannol ac yn amaethyddol yn ardal Rhydymain.

Cynog Dafis oedd enillydd y raffl.

Cyhoeddodd y cadeirydd Dr Richard Edwards fod panel bychan yn cael ei sefydlu gan y Cylch Cinio er mwyn cydweithio gyda swyddfa’r Eisteddfod i symud pethau yn eu blaen i wireddu breuddwyd y Cylch Cinio i gyflwyno’r gadair ar gyfer Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Ceredigion 2020 yn Nhregaron. Llongyfarchwyd Tegwyn Lewis Rhosgoch ar ddod yn ddatcu unwaith eto a chydymdeimlwyd â Hefin Jones, Llanbadarn Fawr ar farwolaeth ei chwaer Morfydd yn 91 oed yn Calgary.

Yr Athro Elan Closs Stephens fydd ein ein siaradwr gwâdd yn ein cyfarfod ym mis Ionawr yng Ngwesty’r Richmond a bydd croeso i aelodau newydd ymuno ar ddechrau blwyddyn. Dymunwyd Nadolig Llawen i bawb a diolchwyd i berchnogion a staff hawddgar y Richmond am groeso cynnes a chinio da, yn ôl yr arfer.

Stroke Club

The club’s Christmas dinner took place on 5 December at the town’s football clubhouse.

Fifty-nine members sat down to dine after Judith and Jean had gone round all the tables with tickets for the usual draw and for the special Christmas draw. Two tables were full of lovely gifts/prizes for which thanks is given to all who donated.

The meal was super and the sweets delightful, and there was plenty for all. Chairperson Ann, called out the numbers and Jean handed out the packages to the winning ticket holders.

Thanks were given to staff, who looked after us so well, then it was time to wish all a merry Christmas and a healthy new year.

The social secretary, Audrey, reminded the members off to Llandudno on the Friday, that the coach was starting its journey at 10am, picking up on route.

Twenty-eight members of the club set out for the Turkey and Tinsel weekend on 7 December. A comfort stop was made in Dolgellau, then it was onwards to Llandudno via Porthmadog and Caernarfon, giving the Crimea Pass a pass this year.

Members were greeted at the St Kilda’s Hotel with tea and a scone whilst the cases were taken to the rooms.

They were treated to sight of the Santa Run along the prom. About 150 to 200 santas took part.

Each evening there was entertainment to enjoy or not, join in with the singing or not and even line-dancing if you wished. The food was good and varied and the staff were excellent.

The chairperson gave a vote of thanks to Audrey for her organising skills and thanks to Robbie, the driver who did very well, especially with the handling of many cases.

Cambrian Floral Society

OUTSTANDING, ‘Ardderchog’, Fab-u-lous, - these were the words used to describe the society’s Christmas demonstration held on Friday, 7 December, at Llanbadarn Church Hall.

The demonstrator, John James, was introduced by Marian Weston who referred to his long career in floristry and floral art during which he arranged flowers for the Queen, Elizabeth Taylor and more recently the Prince of Wales. The theme for the evening was ‘Oh Holy Night’ and John weaved six carols through his arrangements and asked for audience participation in guessing which carol he was interpreting.

After the first half Pimms and mince pies were served by Pat Edwards and Mai Leeding. Also the main raffle was drawn at this point. To conclude the evening’s staging of the arrangements, the lights in the hall were switched off but each arrangement was lit up which created a Wow factor! The vote of thanks was given by Mrs Eirlys Davies who referred to John’s amazing talent as a gift which had left his audience speechless. She also thanked the members who had been busy baking mince pies and to those who had donated gifts for the raffle.

The floral arrangements were raffled at the end of the evening and each of those lucky winners went home with a beautiful Christmas arrangement.

We start off our programme for 2019 with a Demonstration by John on Wednesday, 2 January, at 2.30pm in Bethel Chapel Vestry, Baker Street. This demonstration is special in that all the arrangements will be miniatures so it will also be instructive to show competitors.

RWFCA meeting

THE last meeting of 2018 for the Aberystwyth Branch RWFCA of the Royal Welsh was well attended with the exception of the chairman who unfortunately was still suffering the effects of an RTA the previous week.

The usual business was conducted and sanctioned with new business being the main topic on the agenda.

It was felt that the Remembrance Parade and Service had been a success and was blest with reasonable November weather.

The next item on the agenda was in the forward plan for 2019 and this was the Branch’s St David’s Day Celebrations which next year will take place on Saturday, 2 March, with the Regimental Adjutant Royal Welsh accompanied by his good lady as our Chief Guest...members please keep this date in your diary.

The second payments for our commemorative trip to Normandy in July 2019 were due and there will be 19 of us travelling to Caen in Normandy to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Royal Welch Fusilier’s relief of E’vercy, the South Wales Borderers part in the D Day landings on Gold Beach and finally the significant role the Welch Regiment played in the breakthrough at the Falaise Gap. This will be a chance for us to see the battlefields and to meet with the residents of those areas in this platinum jubilee year.

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