THE latest community news from around Aberystwyth.

Rotary Club

THIS week the club gave a warm welcome to Richard Griffiths, lifeboat operations manager at the RNLI station in Aberystwyth.

The RNLI has had a boat based in Aberystwyth since 1861 but there is a history of a locally-owned lifeboat operating from the harbour since 1843.

Many local people will remember the lifeboat being hauled by tractor from its base in Queen’s Road to the slip on the promenade until 1964, a most impressive sight for locals and tourists alike.

Operated entirely by 25 male and female volunteers, the local station costs £90,000 a year to run, with training costs of £1,600 per crew member each year. The latest rescue boat, an Atlantic 85 cost over £214,000 when originally purchased.

Nationally, RNLI costs over £168m to run annually and thanks to phenomenal fund raising activities last year managed to raise £181m. It has 349 lifeboats and took part in 7,800 rescues around British and Irish waters.

The first in-shore rescue boat in the UK was in fact trialled in Aberystwyth in 1963 and proved so successful that it proved the model for many bases around the UK.

Richard shared with the club some memorable incidents, from the death of crew member John James in 1877, when the lifeboat was unable to return to harbour safely, to the unusual request from Bronglais Hospital in 1980 for a supply a clean sea water to be used in the treatment of a child suffering from severe pneumonia.

Numerous cliff rescues had been undertaken, some in collaboration with air rescue teams, and recently some local crew members had participated in flood rescue work in Cockermouth in Cumbria.

In recent weeks, the Aberystwyth station has been involved in seven rescues and two sad fatalities, which are fortunately very rare in the area.

Rotarian Lindsay Fletcher, a former sea captain, gave the vote of thanks on behalf of the club and paid tribute to the bravery and devotion of RNLI’s volunteer crew members, whatever the conditions they are faced with.

University

A SPECIAL one-day conference at Aberystwyth University will explore the historical and cultural links between Ireland and Wales, including how a disused whisky distillery in Meirionethshire had far reaching consequences for the Irish independence movement.

The event on Wednesday, 14 September, is being organised by the Wales–Ireland Research Network with the support of the Welsh Government’s First World War centenary programme, Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers 1914-1918. Entitled ‘1916 in Ireland and Wales’, the conference will bring together leading historians as well as the Irish Ambassador to the UK to focus on that momentous year.

Aberystwyth & District Floral Society

THE AGM was held on 5 September and a new committee was duly elected from the votes taken: President, Donald Morgan; vice president, Christine Gilbert; chairperson, Pat Jones; vice chair, Glenys Morgan; secretary, Christine Hughes; treasurer, Christine Gilbert; programme secretary, Beti Wyn Davies; publications, Christine Hughes; press secretary, Glenys Morgan; prize draw organiser, Carol Bland; and competitions, Lynne Lloyd.

The next meeting will be on 20 September when Delyth Price, winner at the Royal Welsh Show will be demonstrating ‘A Night at the Musicals’ and the members’ competition is ‘We plough the fields’.

There are three sections, Novice, Intermediate and Advanced, please feel free to take part.

Membership remains at £25 per year which includes 10 demonstrations/workshops (£2.50 per session) throughout the year and includes affiliation to the National Association of Flower Arrangers Society (NAFAS) that offers discounts on publications such as The Flower Arranger Magazine and all other events and workshops. You can also pay on the door at £4 per session.

Junior members at primary school is free and secondary school is £10 per year.

We are a very friendly club and we extend a warm welcome to you all. We meet at Llanfarian Village Hall every third Tuesday of the month.

See our website for more details and the year’s programme. We have a very interesting programme with award winning NAFAS demonstrators visiting over the next 12 months.

Christian Aid meeting

AFTER the short summer break, the monthly Bread and Cheese Frugal lunches have recommenced, and will continue over the winter on the first Monday of each month.

The next will be held in Bethel in Baker Street on Monday, 3 October from noon to 1.30pm.

On Wednesday, 7 September, representatives of most of the churches and chapels in Aberystwyth involved with Christian Aid, met in the early evening to discuss future activities.

Plans were made for the Annual Street Collection in Aberystwyth which will be taking place on Saturday, 1 October.

Whilst helping out with a street collection can be difficult, the chair of the meeting, Jenny Smith, pointed out that the money raised would help many people, adding that it was easier than walking five miles to get water or not having health care when pregnant, situations which the beneficiaries of Christian Aid monies often face.

Plans are also being made for a ‘Sing for your Supper’ evening in October which will not only raise money but be a wonderful social occasion. All the churches and chapels will be involved with each congregation bringing some food to share and offering a couple of items of entertainment.

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