THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Bridge club results

1 NOVEMBER: 1, Dai Hayes and Alan Stein; 2, Keith Bellamy and Mike Jones; 3, Roger Boyle and Jeff Thomas.

On 3 November: 1, Mair Jenkins and Doreen Anthony; 2, Elenid Thomas and Pamela Woodhouse; 3, Alan Stein and Mike Jones.

On 8 November: 1, Dai Hayes and Doreen Anthony; 2, Jean Harrison and Mair Jenkins; 3, Mike Jones and Margaret James.

On 15 November: 1, Keith Bellamy and Mike Jones; 2, Magda Corser and Jeff Thomas; 3, Herbie Rowley and Robert Griffiths.

On 17 November: 1, Pat Roe and Margaret James; 2, Andrew Loat and Jeff Thomas; 3, Elenid Thomas and Pamela Woodhouse.

At the Mid Wales McKinley Cup teams competition, held on Sunday 10 November, Aberystwyth teams came second and third.

The team of Mike Jones, Alan Stein, Keith Bellamy and Dai Hayes lost out on first place by 0.27 Imps.

If you would like to learn to play bridge or would like to have refresher lessons, contact Jeff Thomas: 01970 828765.

Parkinson UK

THE chairman welcomed everybody to the meeting at the Waunfawr Community Hall.

He attended the cycle exhibition in Ceredigion car park in rain. There were few people there, but the bikes were multiple in shape and he was certain they would be very useful to Parkinson sufferers.

Clive and Viv Marshall gave a report of the meeting they attended in Cardigan with representatives of various Parkinson groups and the Hywel Dda health board.

Members received the Christmas menus for the Christmas dinner at the Wildfowler in Tre’r-ddôl, which will be held on Thursday, 19 December.

The speaker for the meeting was Erwyd Howells. Erwyd is well known in the area and has been working as a shepherd all his life, and knows every blade of grass from Aberystwyth to Rhayader. His main theme for the meeting was the life as a drover.

CANTM

THE Ceredigion Association of National Trust members enjoyed their annual lunch at the Marine Hotel on 13 November with 41 members present.

The speaker, Prof Frank Pott, spoke about the career of Sir Henry Walford Davies, a world-renowned composer and resident of Aberystwyth.

The final get-together in 2019 is on Monday, 2 December, at noon in the picturesque church in Ysbyty Cynfyn, Ponterwyd where Delyth Morris, the church warden, will give a short talk followed by carols and lunch.

The new year for members starts with a coffee morning at Waunfawr Hall on Monday, 20 January, at 10.30am with speaker Richard Ireland on the subject of ‘Sarah Jacob, the fasting girl’.

The annual five-day holiday in Staffordshire will be between 19 and 23 April, with deposit due for hotel reservation by mid-December.

The committee wished all a happy Christmas and new year.

St David’s Church, Bath Street

SUNDAY, 1 December: Morning service at 10.30am (communion) with Rev Adrian Williams.

Sunday, 1 December: Evening service at 6pm with Rev Roger Humphreys.

Rotary club

THE work of Guide Dogs Cymru was the subject of an interesting talk by David Fillery.

After his retirement from the police service, David and his wife Paula became involved in the organisation’s work, which includes the training and provision of guide dogs for people with sight loss, and advising owners on building a working relationship with their ‘guides’.

Dogs come from a central breeding centre where they are assessed as to their suitability for work, and then transferred to training centres, including one at Cardiff, where final training is provided. Guide dogs have to wear a harness and act as their owners’ ‘eyes’ and must therefore learn basic skills such as responding to commands, walking in a straight line, stopping at kerbs, negotiating obstacles (including vehicles illegally parked on pavements), and not being distracted by various smells and noises when out walking. Guide dogs are allowed access to all public places, including public transport, by law.

The guide dogs charity was established in 1931, working mainly with the German Shepherd breed. Today, a high proportion of dogs are Labradors and Retrievers; Labradoodles were also being introduced as they have the advantage of less hair loss.

Dogs are assigned to their owners free of charge, subject to an agreement that they will take good care of them. David noted that there were around two million people in Britain with varying degrees of sight loss, of whom two per cent were totally blind. There are currently 260 guide dogs working in Wales. The cost of training and providing dogs is substantial and the charity depends heavily on public support and donations.

The club was successful in the area quiz competition for Rotary clubs in Ceredigion and East Carmarthenshire, held at Lampeter Rugby Club.

The Aber team consisted of club president David McParlin, Robin Varley and Hywel Wyn Jones.

The team, along with Carmarthen Tywi Club, will progress to the next round early in 2020.

Stroke club

ON 20 November, 51 members of the club made their way to the golf club in Borth. The chairperson, Ann, greeted all and introduced two new members, Sue and Ann to the lunch outing.

Judith did the rounds with the raffle tickets, assisted by Myfanwy, with many prizes awaiting them after the meal.

The staff then helped serve the carvery to the members less steady on their feet.

Whilst tea and coffee were being handed around, the 750 club draw took place, with Roland, the champion ticket seller, taking a fistful of cheques back to town to distribute over the next few days.

The raffle draw then got underway with the gifts soon carried away by lucky winners.

A vote of thanks was given to the staff for the meal and the help given to all the members.

A reminder from the social secretary of the Christmas luncheon at the football club on 4 December and, if donating a gift for the raffle to wrap it in Christmas/fancy paper.

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