The latest community news from around Aberystwyth.

Probus

ON 26 October the Aberystwyth and District Probus Club president, Hywel Jones, inducted their first lady members.

The president said he hoped they would be the first of many lady members, bringing a wider range of experience and interest to the club.

Last year’s president, Mike Hayward, had chosen Hospice at Home to benefit from the club’s coffee mornings and Christmas raffle, and the day’s speaker was Dr Alan Axford, one of the trustees of HAVAV (Hospice at Home Aberystwyth Volunteering).

Hospice at Home now has more than 70 volunteers, visiting patients in their homes and raising funds in the shop on Pier Street.

Pictured is Dr Axford accepting a cheque for £300 for the charity from Hywel Jones (left) and Mike Hayward (right).

The next meeting of the club is on 30 November, when Dr Jeffrey Davies will talk about the Roman villa at Abermagwr.

Visually Impaired Club

On Monday, 24 October, members of the Visually Impaired Club, travelled to the Bro Dyfi Leisure Centre in Machynlleth where they spent a very enjoyable afternoon playing bowls.

This Ceredigion Association for the Blind event was organised by Genene James.

A sighted guide and coaches, enabled the attendees to play and the first step was to place a string down the centre of the rink.

With assistance from a sighted guide and a coach, the players were then able to learn the technique of delivering a bowl up the rink.

Over time visually impaired bowlers learn how to play a complete game of bowls, which is no different from the game played by regular sighted bowlers.

Peter Williams who was one of the visually impaired members helping to coach on the day has severe sight loss, but plays at international level in competitions designed for visually impaired bowlers.

The group are now hoping to hold a further coaching session in the New Year so they can develop their techniques and play confidently in a match situation along with others who are fortunate to be sighted bowlers.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

JOYCE Evans oedd ein cadeirydd nos Wener, 4 Tachwedd, a chroesawodd y Parch Cen Llwyd, Talgarreg.

Noson oedd hon i gofio D Jacob Davies a braf oedd cael cwmni ei ddwy ferch Hawys a Heini.

Roedd Jacob (1916-74) yn fardd, llenor, storïwr, darlithydd, hanesydd, emynydd, arweinydd eisteddfodau, darlledwr, digrifwr a gwleidydd, ond ei gariad cyntaf oedd bod yn weinidog gyda’r Undodwyr.

Bu Jacob yn olygydd Yr Ymofynydd, cylchgrawn misol yr enwad, o 1949 hyd 1974, ac yn awdur 18 llyfr, colofn ‘O Nyth y Frân’ yn Y Cymro, a 3,000 o sgriptiau radio cyfresi fel Teulu’r Mans.

Ac fe weithiodd yn ddiflino dros fuddiannau pensiynwyr.

Gallai Jacob fod yn ddigrif ac yn ddwys fel y clywsom wrth i Cen ddyfynnu anturiaethau Defi John, y disgrifiad o’r Dyn Perffaith, a damhegion y Mab Afradlon a’r Samariad Trugarog yn iaith y 1970au, a llawer mwy.

Charity concert

THE Aberystwyth Tenovus Cancer Care Sing with Us choir will perform alongside Britain’s Got Talent winner Paul Potts at a special concert, sponsored by Redrow Homes, to raise money to support cancer patients and their loved ones.

The “Evening of Song” on 10 November at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, is hosted by Tenovus Cancer Care patron Rupert Moon and will feature Sing with Us choirs from across North and Mid Wales.

The choirs are a place for anyone affected by cancer to make new friends and receive support from others in the same position.

Since winning ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent in 2007, Welsh tenor Paul Potts has become a household name, touring the world and enjoying chart success.

All profits from the concert will go towards supporting cancer patients and their loved ones.

On performing at the concert, Paul Potts said: “I’m delighted to be performing with some of Tenovus Cancer Care’s Sing with Us choirs at Venue Cymru.

“I know the members enjoy singing and being a part of a choir very much and their energy shines through when they perform. Being a part of a concert that will raise money to help cancer patients and their loved ones is very special to me and I’m looking forward to the night enormously.”

Tenovus Cancer Care started its first choir in 2010 and has carried out pioneering research that proved singing in a choir for just an hour is beneficial for cancer patients, boosting immune system activity while reducing their feelings of isolation, anxiety and pain.

Now, more than 1,200 people go along to Sing with Choirs each week.

Aberystwyth Sing with Us choir leader, Tiffany Evans said: “The whole choir is totally thrilled to be singing alongside Paul Potts. To perform along with such a talented artist at such a prestigious venue makes this a really special occasion for us. We can’t wait to get on stage and sing our hearts out!”

You can buy tickets for the concert by visiting the Venue Cymru website at www.venuecymru.co.uk

Rotary Club

THE guest at this week’s meeting of the Rotary Club was Glan Davies, who took great delight in telling us about his home village of Brynaman.

With three chapels each in Upper and Lower Brynaman, there was a thriving Welsh cultural scene in the village, with keenly contested eisteddfodau, culminating in the annual eisteddfod for the whole village in a hall seating over 800.

Glan recalled his first stage experience at the age of four, having been encouraged to perform by the mother of Past President Hywel Davies.

He was a regular participant over many years and developed his love of acting there, leading to a long career in Welsh television.

Many of his contemporaries from the village also enjoyed success in acting, singing or the arts more generally, such was the effect of the strong performance-focused culture of the time.

Among these he mentioned Hywel Bennett, Dafydd Iwan and Ryan Davies as known throughout Wales.

Glan shared his warm reminiscences of many characters from the village, some of them embellished to reinforce the characteristics that their neighbours knew so well.

Glan has more recently become very involved with Calonnau Cymru/Welsh Hearts, a charity which spends in Wales all the money it raises here.

In recent years it has supplied over 450 defibrillators, 66 of them in Ceredigion alone, and promoted associated CPR classes to ensure their effective use.

This has helped save many lives as emergency ambulances can be delayed by the road infrastructure in rural Wales. Four defibrillators were being placed in villages around Capel Bangor this week, such has been the success of the campaign.

Hywel Jones gave the vote of thanks for Glan’s talk, confirming the high regard held of Brynaman by those living further along the valley, and wishing him continued success for his efforts for Calonnau Cymru/Welsh Hearts.

Patagonia event

AEPPA (Aberystwyth and Esquel People in Partnership Association) is organizing an evening devoted to Patagonia, the region of Aberystwyth’s twin town of Esquel.

Under the general title ‘Perspectives on Welsh Patagonia: past, present and future’, Mr R Mills will speak about why the Argentine government was keen to encourage the Welsh migration to Patagonia at the time of the sailing of the Mimosa in 1865 and Dr Stephen Tooth will give an illustrated talk about his recent visit to the region and about his hopes for the future.

The event will take place on Thursday, 10 November, at 7pm in the Drwm at the National Library of Wales.

Refreshments will be served during the interval. Admission is free but donations in aid of the current extension to the Welsh community’s Canolfan in Esquel will be welcome.

Christmas market

A CHRISTMAS bazaar with live music has been organised to promote the work of local artists and to raise money for the RNLI.

The Marine Hotel will host the Christmas market organised by Aberystwyth artist Maria Doyle, this Saturday (12 November).

Maria said: “To give the day a really festive feel we have lined up live entertainment from local harmony group, the fabulous Hornettes, and singer/songwriter Jules Morgan Walters, who will be running an open mic and busking to raise funds for our local RNLI”.

The free event will be open between 11am and 5pm.

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