THE latest community news from around Aberystwyth.

Beekeepers Association

THE next meeting of the Aberystwyth Beekeepers Association will be the annual Honey Show, and secretary Ann Ovens has circulated the schedule to all members.

The show will be on Tuesday, 18 October in the Waunfawr Community Hall starting at 6pm.

However, entries may be down as a result of a poor season which for most members of the society, with its very average weather coming on top of a poor winter, has been very mixed, with a lot of swarming and at the end of the day very little in the way of honey to harvest.

The 2016 beekeeping year is rapidly drawing to an end and on a practical level beekeepers are now concentrating on ensuring adequate stores are in the hives for the long winter months ahead. However, beekeepers are ever optimistic and look to keep their spirits up by a series of meetings over the autumn and winter; these are now being planned by the committee.

Further information on the association is available from Ann Ovens on 01970 832359.

U3A

ON 15 September, a large and appreciative audience enjoyed the U3A’s first monthly meeting after the summer break.

The talk was given by Mary Oldham, who has worked since the 1960s in Gregynog’s library. Her talk explored the long-lasting links between the Davies family of Gregynog and the University of Wales in Aberystwyth.

David Davies, a successful entrepreneur and businessman in the 19th century, established what became his family’s tradition of benevolence towards the creation, and subsequent fortunes of the University of Wales in Aberystwyth.

In particular, its contribution to the founding of the building which now houses the Art Department of Aberystwyth University, is still gratefully remembered.

This building is admired both for its architectural splendour, and the many cultural acquisitions donated by the sisters who are the present generation of the family. Additionally, the family home of Gregynog has become a much valued venue for the holding of many social and artistic events, like conferences and musical festivals.

The next monthly meeting of U3A will be held on Thursday October 20th, in Morlan at 2.30, and the speaker will be Dr. Roger Boyle. He has given his talk the intriguing title of “Montague

Burton : the full Monty - chevrons, fans and elephants”. All are welcome to attend this bound to be popular event.

Choral Society

REHEARSALS for the Aberystwyth Choral Societies Christmas concert started last Tuesday evening in the Old Hall in Old College. Conductor David Russell Hulme has selected Sir Michael Tippett’s secular oratorio A Child of Our Time, as the work to be performed.

It is a challenging work which has not been sung by the Society before, and last Tuesday’s rehearsal was the first opportunity many choristers had to get acquainted with it.

It was composed during the early years of the Second World War and is an impassioned protest against persecution and tyranny, with an overriding message of peace.

To convey this Tippett recognised that American spirituals carried an emotional significance far beyond their origin as slave songs in 19th-century America and represented the oppressed everywhere.

Thus last Tuesday’s rehearsal saw choristers beginning to get to grips with the challenges in the work, and focussed only on the spirituals and was a great success and an eye opener to choristers of the challenges ahead.

New choristers in all voices will be warmly welcomed at these early rehearsals and the Society has a no auditions policy.

Plascrug Bridge Club

RESULTS on 6 September: 1, Pam Ellis and Mike Jones; joint 2, Mair Jenkins and Jacqui Roberts/Jo Davies and Elenid Thomas; 4, Pamela Woodhouse and Margaret James

And on 13 September: 1, Pamela Woodhouse and Margaret James; 2, Gwynant Edwards and Jeff Thomas; 3, Elenid Thomas and Jo Davies.

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