THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth and District Floral Society

THE meeting on 17 December was a workshop with Beti Wyn Davies.

Glenys welcomed everyone and announced the 200 Club draw results: 1st, Glenys James; 2nd, Wendy Jones; 3rd, Leisa Wyn Davies.

Glenys congratulated the members who were successful in the floral competitions at the recent winter fair, winning 18 cards in total.

Glenys welcomed Beti Wyn Davies, who is a member of the Aberystwyth and District Floral Society, and congratulated her on her recent success at the NAFAS Photographic competition, gaining a first, two seconds and a third prize in various categories.

Beti Wyn provided the members with a list of items required for the workshop and began by filling a sturdy pot covered with hessian with stones or gravel for stability.

She placed biodegradable oasis in a bag which came an inch above the pot, then placed five bamboo canes covered in wool in the stones at equal distance, using a star shape as a guide and a wire ring, also covered in wool, near the top of the canes to create another level.

This was secured with wire and another block of oasis was placed on the top tier to create a two-tier design.

She produced two previously prepared arrangements using different foliage and flowers to give members ideas on how to create their arrangements.

Beti Wyn was thanked for a very enjoyable evening and the members enjoyed a buffet to end the night.

The lucky number draw took place and many thanks were given to the members for selling the numbers.

The next meeting will be held on 21 January and will be a members’ evening demonstration.

For any further information contact Donald Morgan, president at [email protected] or 01974 202233.

Merched y Wawr

PLAS Nanteos oedd y man cyfarfod ar 16 Rhagfyr i ddathlu’r Nadolig a penblwydd y gangen yn 50.

Croesawyd pawb gan Bethan Bryn, y llywydd.

Hyfryd oedd cael cwmni Jean Davies ar ôl iddi cael llaw driniaeth yn Ysbyty Treforus, a trist oedd clywed am farwolaeth Joan Anthony Jones.

Y wraig wadd oedd Ellen ap Gwynn, arweinydd Cyngor Ceredigion a llywydd cyntaf y gangen.

Ar ôl bwyta pryd blasus a weiniwyd gan staff croesawgar, cafwyd anerchiad gan Ellen yn sôn sut y sefydlwyd y gangen a ysgogwyd gan y diweddar Millie Gregory.

Soniwyd am bwysigrwydd Merched y Wawr yn ystod yr 50 mlynedd yn lob?o ac yn ymgyrchu dros y Gymraeg ynghyd a mudiadau eraill.

Ei neges oedd i’r aelodau barhau i ymgyrchu.

Yn ddiweddglo hyfryd i’r noson canwyd carolau a drefnwyd gan Bethan a Lona i’n dwyn i wir ysbryd y Nadolig.

St David’s Church, Bath Street

SUNDAY, 12 January: Rev Eifion Roberts at 10.30am; no evening service.

Ramblers

THE walk on Saturday, 11 January will be a moderate one of 4.5 miles, lasting about two and a half hours.

The starting point will be Tre’rddôl (grid ref SN660923).

The walk starts in Tre’r-ddôl which is just off the A487 about 15km (nine miles) north of Aberystwyth. The walk will start at 10am.

It climbs through the wooded Cletwr Valley Nature Reserve onto farm land which gives excellent views of the Dyfi Estuary and coastline beyond, then descends passing Bedd Taliesin and old mine workings back to the start.

Leaders: Timothy Cutts and Haydn Foulkes.

There is no need to contact the leaders, but should you wish to know anything more, Timothy can be contacted on 01970 617506 and Haydn on 07542 536556.

Walkers may travel by bus X28 from Aberystwyth departing at 9.30am.

Alternatively walkers can park on the roadside in the village.

No dogs please. Registered assistance dogs by arrangement.

Choral society

THE society’s Christmas concert in the Great Hall on Saturday, 14 December was very successful with choirs, soloists and Sinfonia Cambrensis, under the baton of David Russell Hulme, giving of their best.

The audience particularly enjoyed a performance of Faure’s Requiem.

The choir’s Christmas break is coming to an end with rehearsals getting underway in the Old Hall, Old College at 7.30pm on Tuesday, 21 January, for the spring concert on Saturday, 25 April, in the Great Hall.

The main work being performed is the Mozart Coronation Mass which was composed in 1779, and is one of the most popular of Mozart’s settings of the Ordinary of the Mass.

This setting, like the majority of Mozart’s mass settings, is a missa brevis, or short mass, and is a great sing for choral societies.

New choristers in all voices will be most welcome to join the choir and anyone interested should come to the Tuesday evening practices in the Old Hall, where they can be assured of a warm welcome.

The choir has a no auditions policy.

Further information on the society and the concert is available from the chairperson, June Wilson, on 07852 188184.

Horticultural society

THE December meeting of the Cardiganshire Horticultural Society took place in Waunfawr Community Hall on Tuesday, 10 December and attracted a very good audience.

The speaker was Will Ritchie, the curator of horticulture at the National Botanic Garden of Wales.

The talk was followed by traditional seasonal refreshments which brought to an end another very successful year for CHS.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, 14 January at 7.30pm in Waunfawr Community Hall, and the speakers will be Julian and Fiona Wormwold.

They are no strangers to CHS, having given a talk some years ago which was followed up by a visit to the superb garden they have created over the past 25 years at Rhydcymerau, near Lampeter.

Both are confirmed Galanthophiles, enthusiastic collectors and identifiers of snowdrop (Galanthus) species and cultivars.

A fascinating evening is in store as they have actively been growing and researching snowdrops for many years and Julian is undertaking a long-term Welsh historic snowdrop hunt.

Anyone interested in gardening and horticulture can be assured of a warm welcome and an interesting meeting.

More information can be obtained from the chairperson, Jan Eldridge, on 01970 615570, or from the society’s website.

U3A

IN December at the Morlan Centre, the annual Christmas festive celebration took place.

Entertainment was provided by the recorder group, German group, poetry appreciation, classics, Welsh, literature and philosophy.

Later in the afternoon refreshments were offered to the audience.

During the meeting, the urgency of trying to attract members to volunteer to work on the committee was emphasized.

The next meeting will be at 2.30pm on 16 January in the Morlan Centre.

Fred Long BSc, PhD London, a partially retired senior lecturer in the department of computer science at Aberystwyth University will give a talk entitled ‘A Layman’s introduction to Public Key Cryptography’.

Community Christmas

A GROUP of volunteers held a tea party for the community in St Paul’s Methodist Centre on Christmas Day.

Over 30 people attended the event, from all walks of life. A Christmas quiz helped the event to go with a swing.

During the afternoon, Charlie Taylor from the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service attended to present a cheque for £150 to Jennie Macaulay-Kirkland of St Paul’s.

This was a contribution to the church’s Thursday lunchtime club, where volunteers prepare a three course meal mostly from supermarket surplus food and anyone is welcome to eat on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis.

Pictured are Cllr Mair Benjamin, Jennie Macaulay-Kirkland, Charlie Taylor and the mayor, Cllr Mari Turner with the cheque.

“We had an open day in the fire station last August,” said Charlie.

“The money raised went to charities and local organisations. We’ve supported the Penparcau Hub, St Anne’s Food bank, Bronglais Hospital and the Care Society, among others, and we are really pleased to be contributing to community meals at St Paul’s as well.”

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