THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Rotary Club

NATIONAL librarian Linda Tomos, the guest speaker at the club’s lunchtime meeting during St David’s week, gave members a fascinating illustrated presentation of a range of curiosities housed in the National Library’s attic.

Artefacts in the collection ranged from a cigar once owned by Pope Pius XI to a buckle from one of the shoes worn by Charles I on the way to his execution, and a section of the first transatlantic cable which was laid across the ocean bed by Brunel’s SS Great Britain.

Among the many items of Welsh significance, there was a silver and gold eisteddfod medal awarded to the winner of the harp competition at the 1913 National Eisteddfod at Abergavenny, a tailor’s scissors which had been the stock-in-trade of novelist Daniel Owen, and a medal commemorating ‘Welsh Day’ by the Lackawanna Druid Society of the 19th century Welsh settlement at Scranton USA.

Of particular local interest was an old sampler inscribed with the maker’s name: ‘Lizzie Julian Williams of 2 Bridge Street, Aberystwyth. Aged 21 – 1882’. She had apparently been awarded a competition prize for her sampler but the prize was then withdrawn as she had washed the fabric before submitting it!

The Club has presented Lionel White Awards to Elin Wallace and Owain Feasey to support their impending visits to participate in humanitarian projects abroad. Principal speaker at the Rotary Club’s 71st annual Charter Night on 2 March was Prof John Williams, former head of the Law and Criminology Department at Aberystwyth University.

He entertained guests with some revealing and amusing tales from the legal profession. Club President Michael Deaville in his talk reflected on some of the highlights of his year in office.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

CYRHAEDDWYD pen y dalar nos Wener, 8 Mawrth, ac yn ôl yr arfer cynhaliwyd y cyfarfod blynyddol gyda’r llywydd anrhydeddus Hefin Jones yn cadeirio.

Wedi i’r aelodau dderbyn adroddiadau’r llywydd, Delyth Evans, a’r trysorydd, Lona Jones, etholwyd swyddogion am y tymor nesaf, sef llywydd anrhydeddus – Terry Edwards; llywydd – Gwynfor Jones; is-lywydd – Lionel Madden; ysgrifennydd – Menna Evans; a thrysorydd – Lona Jones.

Daeth y noson i ben gyda ’Fy hoff arwr/arwres’ dan ofal Lionel Madden. Dewis Gwynfor Jones oedd John Roberts Williams, y mab fferm o Eifionydd wnaeth gyfraniad eithriadol i fywyd y genedl trwy gyfrwng papur newydd, cylchgrawn, llyfr, ffilm, teledu a radio. Yna siaradodd Lionel am Syr John Williams, y meddyg oedd yn bennaf gyfrifol fod y Llyfrgell Genedlaethol yma yn Aberystwyth. Onibai am y weithred honno mae’n bosibl na fyddai Lionel, sy’n hannu o Sheffield, wedi dod i Aberystwyth ac wedi dysgu Cymraeg.

U3A Aberystwyth

ON 21 February Cambrian News reporter Mike Lewis gave a talk on the Yeti, which included worldfamous video footage by Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin in October 1967, of an ape-like figure about seven feet tall, on a forest clearing along the river of Bluff Creek, in northern California.

The film is hailed by believers as the best evidence that a giant ape is really roaming the American woods. Pictures of alleged footprints were found at Bluff Creek and several Native American tribes tell of looming furry beasts.

Meanwhile, sceptics just dismiss it as a guy in a fur suit. Members and guests thanked Mike Lewis for the interesting wellresearched topic.

The next meeting at the Morlan Centre at 2.30pm on 21 March will be the AGM followed by a quiz.

Beekeepers’ Association

LOOKING ahead, the association’s annual Honey Show will be held in mid October, with a very keen younger beekeeper, Tracy Harper, looking after the photographic completion. Tracy has already circulated details of the competition, which this year has the themes of ‘Bees throughout the Season’.

Members are being asked to submit three images on this theme to her by midAugust. Entries will then be judged by regional beekeeping officer Frank Gellatly and Karen Smith, who will select the winners and the 12 photographs which will be used in the association’s 2020 calendar, which will be on sale at the show in mid October.

Looking forward to spring, the association will be holding a beginners’ taster weekend in May and anyone interested in taking up the craft should get in touch with Ann Ovens, the secretary, on 01970 832359.

Ramblers

THERE is an eight-mile moderate walk on Saturday, 16 March, starting at 10.05am from the railway station at Talybont (grid ref SH586215). It includes a stretch of the coastal path, a walk through 6,000 years of history on the Taith Egryn and a return via pastures and woodland.

The route passes an Iron Age hillfort, remains old manganese workings, Bronze Age hut circles, a Neolithic burial chamber and traces of a Medieval settlement. Meet at Aberystwyth station for the 8.30am (8.53am Machynlleth) train; return by bus or train.

Please contact leader Jacky on 01654 761561 to confirm transport times. On Sunday, 17 March, there is a walk from Hafren Forest to the source of the Severn. Meet at 9am at Aberystwyth Leisure Centre, for sharing cars or at 10.30am at Hafren Forest car park, Grid Reference SN857869. This is a gradual climb on welldefined footpaths to the source and then return along different forestry paths.

The seven-mile walk will be led by Penny - contact her on 01970 627379.

RWFCA

THE RWFCA St David’s Day Dinner 2019 was again a marvellous event. This year members were fortunate to have as their chief guest Captain Willian Craig, the Regimental Adjutant of the Royal Welsh.

Captain Craig’s attendance was even more fortuitous for the branch as he was a former pupil at Penglais comprehensive school and was able to touch base with a number of former members of staff who were present at the dinner, including branch president Mike Binks so there was a further reunion celebrated as well.

Aberystwyth mayor Talat Chaudhri and his consort Caroline Hodges, also graced the gathering as did members of both Aberystwyth and Borth RBL. The evening’s event was conducted by branch secretary Cllr Paul Hinge, who read out good will messages from the Queen (Colonel in Chief and Patron), from the Colonel of the Regiment and from many of the branches of the RWFCA and Royal Welsh.

He also introduced those proposing the various Regimental Toasts on the evening. Alongside the leek-eating ceremony, being the highlight of the evening, this year’s raffle collection was to go towards helping a young child who is the grandson of a member of the Regimental family to be flown out to the USA for pioneering cancer treatment which is unavailable here in the UK. The branch will be sending £200.

The leek-eating ceremony saw four eager candidates rushing forward as their names were called to participate in this long-held regimental tradition exercised of or around St David’s Day... this in the annals of Regimental history is one of the highest honours to be bestowed on any recipient. They have to eat a prepared raw Leek and on completion they then take a drink from the ‘Silver Loving Cup’ then hold the cup above their head and shout out ‘A Dewi Sant’, the last person to finish the Leek traditionally has to finish off all the contents of the Loving Cup! This year’s candidates honoured to take part were: Aberystwyth’s mayor Talat Chaudhri, The mayor’s consort, Caroline, Dr Isabel Glover and Keith Belliars-Lumby. The leek party were Duncan Sykes (Master of Ceremonies), Mike Binks and Mark Randal who brought in the Loving Cup and leek platter into the dining room to rapturous applause.

On completion of the ceremony, each candidate was presented with a certificate and lapel pin badge of a Leek by Captain Craig to wear with pride and acknowledgement that they had indeed eaten the leek on St David’s Day. The next branch meeting is on Wednesday, 27 March, at 8pm in the RNA Club. Final payments for Battlefield Trip are due on that date.

AberOpera

ABEROpera will present a Concert of Opera Favourites with Instrumental Interludes at the Old Hall, Old College on Friday, 15 March, at the earlier time of 7pm.

Tickets will be available at the door from 6.30pm, with wine and soft drinks available in the interval. Proceeds will go to Aberystwyth University Vice-Chancellor’s Charity of the Year 2018-19 - Wales Air Ambulance.

This all-Wales charity providing emergency air cover for those who face life-threatening illness or injuries.

Holy Trinity Church

A CONCERT at Holy Trinity Church has raised over £500. On Monday, 18 February, an audience gathered at the church in Stanley Road, Aberystwyth, to hear music by Purcell, Boccherini, Brahms, Squire, Albinoni, de Falla and Vivaldi. Concertgoers generously donated £512.50 towards church funds.

The event was the fifth in the AJS ‘Bill’ Williams Charity Concert Series, upholding Bill’s wish to promote music performed by local musicians.

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