THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Cambrian Floral Society

ON Wednesday, 6 February, the demonstrators for the afternoon were ‘home-grown’. Before the chairman introduced the demonstrators he, on behalf of the society, sympathised with Ray Edwards on the loss of her brother. Also there were a few absentees due to illness.

Demonstrating for the first time was Ann Bates and Mae Cullum and they opened the evening by creating a very impressive design suitable for Valentine’s Day. They placed a round oasis dish on a silver pedestal, and for foliage they used the leaves of rhododendron. The flowers consisted of red roses, white alstromeria and gypsophila. They finished off the design by using an accessory in the shape of a chocolate heart.

The second demonstrator, again demonstrating for the first time, was Eirlys Davies. She chose a modern design and used a square dish for the oasis. She outlined her design with foliage consisting of heuchera, fatsia japonica, arum italicum, variegated hedera and a piece of contorted willow. The flowers used were five red gerberas.

The third demonstrator was Pat Edwards and she chose an unusual pottery container in the shape of a closed book. The foliage used was hedera, eleagnus and looped phormium leaves. The flowers used which repeated the shades of pink on the container, were seven pink roses, pink gerbera, white spray chrysanthemum and gypsophila.

In this design the flowers were all grouped. After Pat’s demonstration refreshments were served by Ann Bates and Sue Ellis. These were followed by a further two designs demonstrated by chairman John James. His first design was placed on a wooden base on which he created an all round arrangement which could be viewed from any angle. He used phormium and dyed orange pussy willow as an outline and the flowers used were ivory roses, peach gerbera and alstroemeria. This was followed by the final design which was an example of a pot et fleur in which he used hazel catkins, daffodils, red and yellow tulips, purple and peach primulas.

In her vote of thanks Sylvia Greenleaf expressed everyone’s appreciation and delight at the talent shown during the afternoon, and hoped that they had inspired others to follow their lead in the future. The next meeting will revert to evening meetings for the rest of the programme. The evening will take the form of an illustrated talk by Richard Bramley, author and Chelsea gold medal winner, of Farmyard Nurseries, Llandysul. The title of his talk will be ‘Plants for Spring Garens’ and he will also bring a stall of plants for sale. A warm welcome is extended to all to join at Bethel Chapel Vestry, Baker Street at 7pm on Wednesday, 6 March.

Rotary club

THE guest speaker at last week’s Rotary club meeting was Hedd Piper, Aberystwyth-born chiropractor and head of Clinig Corff Ystwyth. His talk, on the subject of pain science, began with a historical look at early attempts to understand and analyse pain, by French philosopher Renée Descartes and others.

The interaction of mind and body - the brain and the nervous system was a core element in how the study of pain has developed. ‘Pain is an illusion, but it is always real’ is an axiom that underpins the study and treatment of pain. ‘Pain is personal – we all have our own reasons for how we develop pain.’

Interestingly, it was found that 95 per cent of pain in the lower back has no identifiable or pathological cause. There were several misconceptions about the cause of pain, but it was the case that pain was more likely to occur if you have stress issues, inadequate sleep or if there is excessive use of toxic substances such as caffeine, nicotine and alcohol. Hedd emphasised that “a chiropractor’s work is about coaching patients to achieve their goals and guide them towards more helpful habits”.

Plascrug Bridge Club results

12 February: 1, Betty Brookes and Mike Jones; 2, Susan Sherman and Margaret Ellis; 3, Agnes McKenzie and Mary Jones. 19 February: 1, Pamela Woodhouse and Margaret James; 2, Mair Jenkins and Jacqui Roberts; 3, Doreen Anthony and Dylan Raw-Rees

Aberystwyth Bridge Club

SUNDAY, 27 January: 1, Pat Roe and Margaret James; 2, Roger Boyle and Jeff Thomas; 3, Andrew Loat and Margaret Ellis. Sunday, 3 February: 1, Robert Griffiths and Pamela Woodhouse; 2, Gabor Gelleri and John Holmes; 3, Sue Sherman and Margaret Ellis. Sunday, 10 February: 1, Gabor Gelleri and John Holmes; 2, Mike Jones and Alan Stein; 3, Jean Harrison and Mair Jenkins. Friday, 15 February: 1, Roger Boyle and Jeff Thomas; 2, Dai Hayes and Doreen Anthony; 3, John Holmes and Alan Stein. Sunday, 17 February: 1, John Holmes and Gabor Gelleri; 2, Mike Jones and Alan Stein; 3, Ian Finlay and Doreen Anthony.

Ramblers

THE Aberystwyth Ramblers will be meeting this Saturday, 2 March, at 9.45am at the forestry entrance near Cross Inn (Grid Reference SN551644). Alternatively, those who wish may meet up at Plascrug Leisure Centre at 9am. Sue (07534 889768) will be leading this easy eight-mile walk which will take them along ancient boggy tracks passing common land and forestry. They will gain an insight into an interesting area which is not often visited.

Cylch Cinio

CAFWYD noson wahanol iawn ar gyfer ein cyfarfod mis Chwefror pan ddaeth yr aelodau yngh?d i Amgueddfa Ceredigion. Braf oedd gweld y newidiadau sylweddol sydd wedi eu cwbwlhau yn yr amgueddfa yn ddiweddar sy’n ymgais ragorol ar ran Cyngor Ceredigion i wella profiad yr ymwelydd â’r sefydliad pwysig hwn yng nghanol y dre.

Ar ddechrau’r noson dangoswyd hen ffilmiau o Aberystwyth o gasgliad y Llyfrgell Genedlaethol oedd yn cynnwys cofnod o stormydd geirwon yn chwalu’r prom, clipiau o Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Aberystwyth 1953, dadorchuddio’r gofeb heddwch a lluniau o rai o hen fusnesau yr ardal.

Roedd gweld golygfeydd o strydoedd y dre ddegawdau lawer yn ôl o ddiddordeb mawr oherwydd y newidiadau a chael gweld y ffyrdd yn wag o geir yn rhoi blas y cynfyd i ni ar ddechrau’r ymweliad â’r amgueddfa.

Yn dilyn, cafwyd cyflwyniad gan Alice Briggs, sydd yn guradur ac yn artist cydnabyddedig. Rhoddodd i ni flas o arddangosfa newydd sydd i’w llwyfannu yn yr amgueddfa yn ystod y gwanwyn eleni.

‘Defaid’ yw thema’r arddangosfa sydd yn cynnwys nifer o eitemau o gelf nodedig iawn. Yn ddigon naturiol roedd llygaid yr artist yn gweld defaid mewn cyd-destun gwahanol iawn i’r rhai hynny o aelodau’r cylch sydd wrth eu gwaith pob dydd yn ffermwyr defaid.

Diolchodd Lewis Owen, Abermagwr i Alice am y gwahoddiad i’r amgueddfa ac y croeso ac am y cyfle i gael blas o’r hyn sydd gan y sefydliad diddorol hwn i’w gynnig i bobl leol ac ymwelwyr. Enillwyd y raffl gan Gordon Jones, Bow Street.

Estynodd y cadeirydd Dr Richard Edwards, groeso cynnes i aelod newydd sef Jeremy Randles sydd wedi symud i fyw i Lanrhystud o’r Fenni.

Bydd ein cyfarfod nesaf, ar 8 Mawrth, yng Ngwesty’r Richmond a hynny yng nghwmni Linda Tomos, llyfrgellydd cenedlaethol a phrif weithredwr presennol Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

BRYNHAWN Gwener, 22 Chwefror, bu’r aelodau’n dathlu G?yl Ddewi yn Llety Parc. Wedi inni fwynhau’r wledd ardderchog croesawodd ein llywydd anrhydeddus, Hefin Jones, y gwraig wadd sef Siân Lewis, Llanilar.

Bu Siân yn gweithio yn adran gylchgronau’r Urdd ac mae wedi ysgrifennu dros 250 o lyfrau, y rhan fwyaf ohonynt i blant a phobl ifanc, yn gyfrolau gwreiddiol ac addasiadau. Enillodd Siân Wobr Tir na n-Og yn 2003 a 2016, a Thlws Mary Vaughan Jones yn 2015.

Soniodd Siân am y gyfres o lyfrau a ysgrifennodd am ferched Cymru ac fe gyfeiriodd at ddau arolwg o arwyr Cymru. Yn arolwg Culturenet yn 2004 Catherine Zeta Jones oedd y fenyw uchaf ar y rhestr tra yn arolwg Wales Online yn 2014 Margaret a Gwendoline Davies, Gregynog, ddaeth uchaf. Dim ond Tanni Grey-Thompson a Megan Lloyd George ymddangosodd ar y ddwy restr.

Aeth Siân ymlaen i gyflwyno pum merch allai hawlio’r teitl arwres Cymru – Y Dywysoges Gwenllian, Cydweli; Mari Jones, Llanfihangel y Pennant; Marged ferch Ifan, Eryri; Melangell, ffrind y sgwarnog; a Jemima Nicholas, Abergwaun.

Roedd hwn yn gyflwyniad unigryw a chofiadwy a swynodd y gynulleidfa. Yna cawsom bleidlais a gwelwyd mai Mari Jones oedd dewis aelodau’r Aelwyd yn arwres Cymru.

Gwnaed y diolchiadau gan y llywydd, Delyth Evans.

Holy Trinity Church

ALBERT “Bill” Williams was a staunch member of Holy Trinity Church for many years, and was a very talented musician. Since his death, local musicians have being staging concerts in his memory. The most recent one was on the evening of Monday, 18 February, and it was a great success with a good audience enjoying a varied and mixed programme.

Donations received at the concert raised a substantial sum for Holy Trinity. The mini-grand piano will be put to good use again this coming Monday evening, 4 March at 7.30pm when pianist Tom Poster will be giving a solo piano recital. Admission to the concert and the refreshments is free, but there will be a collection for the Friends of Music fest who are presenting the recital.

David Cooper, who leads the children’s choir, has been thrilled by the progress the youngsters have been making since the Christmas/new year break. It was planned to have a half term break but such was the enthusiasm of the youngsters at last Friday’s practice, there will be a practice as usual this coming Friday at 4pm. The choir will be playing a major role in the 11am service on Mothering Sunday, 31 March, and their principal contribution to a very special service, will be their singing of Michael Hurd’s Jonah Man Jazz, which recounts the Old Testament story of Jonah and the Whale.

Michael Lund’s music includes some narration of the story and this will be undertaken by the children of the Holy Trinity Sunday Club, making the service even more special. David is also planning to augment the small adult Trinity choir and they will be singing the Rutter Gaelic Blessing at the service.

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