THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Rotary club

‘ETHICS and Councillors – are they mutually exclusive?’ was the provocative title of a talk by club member Hywel Wyn Jones at last week’s meeting. Hywel, himself a former councillor and currently chairman of Ceredigion Ethics and Standards Committee, and that of the Mid/ West Wales Fire Authority, began with some amusing examples of how the culture of patronage and power in local government had in the past led to indiscretions and misuse of authority. In the wake of a series of public office scandals reaching right up to government level, a Committee on Standards in Public Life had been set up in 1994 under Lord Nolan; this had led to the adoption of a set of ethical principles and a binding Code of Practice for all members of public bodies, including county and community councillors. The code meant that all councillors now had a legal obligation to adhere to the principles of honesty, equal opportunity, respect and consideration for others, avoiding conflicts of interests, and not acting in a way that brings their position or their authority into disrepute. Allegations of a breach of the Code of Conduct were investigated by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, and Hywel cited a number of cases where councillors had been suspended from duty or disqualified for gross breaches of the Code. He stressed however that, considering how many people are serving as members of local bodies, and the pressures that they often face, the number of reported breaches was comparatively small, and that there was today a growing awareness of the need for a firm ethical approach to public duty.

Ramblers

ABERYSTWYTH Ramblers will walk to Talybont on Saturday, 23 February. Wallog, on the coast path north of Aberystwyth, is of interest for its disused lime kiln and Sarn Gynfelyn, a causeway leading to the sunken kingdom of Cantre’r Gwaelod. It will be visited on Saturday, 23 February, on Michael and Val’s (01970 832937) moderately hard, 10-mile walk from Plascrug Leisure Centre (Grid ref. SN594812) starting at 9.30am. The route then goes inland, descending the Poets’ Path to Llandre Church, along Glanfred Lane before following the River Leri through Coed Alltgoch to reach Talybont with the option of refreshments at the White Lion before returning to Aberystwyth on the X28 bus.

Probus club

AT its January meeting, the club enjoyed a talk by Dr Chris Fletcher with the intriguing title ‘A journey to the centre of creation’. This was an account of the expedition he made some years ago to Mount Kailash in the Transhimalaya mountains of Tibet. Mount Kailash is a sacred place, central to the cosmology of four religions (Buddhism, Jainism, Hinduism and the local shamanistic religion of Bön). The region also contains the headwaters of the rivers Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra. As an experienced geologist, Chris was able to explain to the club how the Himalayas were formed by the collision between what is now India and the rest of Asia. The tops of many of these mountains, such as Everest, are made of limestone, evidence of their origins as sediments on the floor of the ancient ocean that was once located there. In addition to the geology and topography of the region, Chris’ talk also dealt with the hardy inhabitants of this region, who farm on some of the poorest soil imaginable, and keep sheep and yaks on land that appears to contain virtually no greenery. Perhaps the most astonishing sight was of the pilgrims, who not only walk hundreds of kilometres to reach Mount Kailash, but stop on every seventh step to prostrate themselves on the ground. Joining in the circumambulation of the mountain, Chris found out just how hard walking and breathing can be when you are 15,000 feet above sea level. However, in the last few years the Chinese authorities have been encouraging immigration from other parts of China, so that the traditional way of life that Chris witnessed may well not last for much longer. The speaker at the club’s next meeting (11am on Wednesday, 27 February, in the Waunfawr Community Hall) will be Stuart Richards. As an army chaplain, Stuart has served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and has a special interest in military ethics. His talk is open to all. Further details can be obtained from the club secretary John Andrews on 01970 358095.

50+ Forum

THE Aberystwyth 50+ Forum held its first meeting of the year at the end of January when two representatives from Porth y Gymuned gave a very informative talk about their work. Porth y Gymuned is a new service provided by Ceredigion County Council to enable people of all ages to access the support and help they may need to improve their wellbeing. The Porth y Gymuned team, which is based in Aberaeron, consists of a team leader and four Community Connectors who will go to see people at their request or, with their consent, at the request of friends and relatives. Over a fluid, eight-week period, the Community Connectors will work out a plan with them to get them the specific support and help they need. The team can be contacted on 01545 574200. The Community Connectors are trained in a variety of relevant areas and work in partnership with community agencies such as GPs, the police, the fire service and third sector agencies such as the Care and Repair, the CAB, the Stroke group, etc. They will signpost or refer people to these agencies and accompany them where necessary. At the end of February, the forum is going to the Park Lodge hotel for afternoon tea. The next meeting of the forum will be at 2pm on Wednesday, 27 March, at the Morlan Centre, Queen’s Road when Helena Herklots, the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, will be coming to speak at the AGM. If you would like to join the Aberystwyth 50+ Forum or need more information, contact Mair Benjamin on 01970 615854.

Horticultural society

THE February meeting of the Cardiganshire Horticultural Society took place in the Waunfawr Community Hall on Tuesday, 12 February and attracted a very large audience. Vice-chairman Kay Edwards, welcomed everyone to the meeting. Philip Ellis, is planning an autumn trip to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and asked for expressions of interest of which there were many. The summer outings organisers, John and Sue Wildig, gave a preview of the programme for the season and a sheet was distributed with the dates. Kay then went on to introduce the speaker for the evening, Michael Thurlow, who has had a long and distinguished career in gardening, including spells at Dyffryn and Aberglasney. Michael’s talk, however, was on the 13-year period when he lead work on the restoration of the derelict walled Kitchen Garden at Audley End, near Saffron Waldon where he was employed by Garden Organic to restore and manage it organically. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, 12 March, at 7.30pm in the Waunfawr Community Hall and will be the AGM. This will be followed by a slide show of the gardens visited during the 50th anniversary year summer outings and on the September Trip to Normandy. Anyone interested in gardening and horticulture can be assured of a warm welcome and an interesting meeting.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

AR nos Wener, 15 Chwefror, cawsom wledd i’r llygad a’r glust yng ngwmni Academi Gerdd y Lli. Cadeirydd y noson oedd Eleri Davies. Y mae oddeutu 50 o blant o Flynyddoedd 1 i 7 yn mynychu’r Academi sydd yn nwylo diogel Gregory Roberts, Rebeca Roberts, Gemma Roberts a’r cyfeilydd Natalie Jones. Clywsom nifer o ganeuon bywiog, llawn hwyl, o’r sioe gerdd Pwy bia’r gân gan Robat Arwyn, sioe a seiliwyd ar batrwm cystadleuaeth yr X Factor. Roedd y brwdfrydedd a’r wên ar wynebu’r cantorion ifanc wrth iddynt ganu o’r galon yn dangos eu bod yn gwireddu nod yr Academi sef hybu’r mwynhad o ganu. Dymunwn yn dda iddynt yn eu paratoadau ar gyfer Eisteddfod yr Urdd ac edrychwn ymlaen at ddilyn eu perfformiadau yn y dyfodol.

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