THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Rotary Club

THE club warmly welcomed Jeremy Turner, artistic director of Arad Goch, who spoke to us about a forthcoming event ‘GWyl Hen Linell Bell/Far Old Line Festival’ to be held between 21 July and 5 August. The purpose of the festival is to celebrate the many facets of Aberystwyth, past and present, with a series of artistic and performance events in and around the town but culminating in the Sea King’s Feast/Gwledd Gwyddno, a major public celebration on the promenade on the evening of Saturday, 5 August.

Arad Goch is well placed to promote such a festival, with its focus on major performances for young audiences, not only in Aberystwyth but around the world. It has been successful in winning significant funding from a range of sponsors to mount the festival. Seventy-two different events, all free of charge, have been organised over the 15-day period, ranging from gigs in the bandstand by a number of excellent performers with connections with the town and Ceredigion more widely, to stories about the town and the legend of Cantref Gwaelod. Street artists and story-tellers will engage with townspeople and visitors alike to bring to life the vibrant history of Aberystwyth and the local area. Classes in beach sculpture and chalk art will be on offer, as will lessons in a specially commissioned folk dance to be staged at the height of the feast. That evening, Cantref Gwaelod will be recreated on the main beach, to be washed away by the incoming tide, just as in the legend.

Jeremy emphasised that the festival is planned as a major community event. Local people are already being encouraged to provide short 100-word stories about the town and its people, many of which will appear or be told in the Giant Story Tree to be set up on the prom on various days over the festival. Organisers are looking for volunteers to participate in any way and to assist in its promotion and organisation over the fortnight.

Full details can be found on www.henlinellbell.cymru.

Rotary club president Martin Davies wished Jeremy and Arad Goch every success in this major event and hoped that many club members and local people will participate in and enjoy the festival’s many events.

Bridge Club

SUNDAY 2 July:

1st - Doreen Anthony and Ian Finlay; 2nd - Mike Jones and Kim Marsh; 3rd - Betty Brookes and Margaret James.

Morlan Centre

Sharing a meal is one of the best ways to turn strangers into friends. That is why the Morlan Centre held an event called Food for Thought on Thursday, 29 June, bringing together different faith communities as well as secular perspectives.

Breaking bread with our neighbours is the basis of community, and feasts are an important part of Christianity, Islam and other faiths. But in the modern world, food all too often becomes simply something that is bought and sold, and we become consumers rather than citizens.

The aim of this event was to explore how we can draw on insights from the religious traditions as well academic research on values and happiness to remind ourselves that we are people before we are consumers.

“In an increasingly uncertain and unstable world, it is easy to lose sight of important values such as community, kindness and friendship,” said Rev Enid Morgan, one of the speakers. “Eating together is about listening, sharing a conversation, get to know each other and enjoying ourselves.”

Another speaker was Cllr Talat Chaudhri, who is also a Muslim and a member of Cymru i Bawb (Wales for All), an organisation that works towards a tolerant and welcoming society.

From a secular perspective, Paul Allen of the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth and one of the authors of Zero Carbon Britain talked about how the story of the ‘consumer’ – that is, the idea that buying things makes us happier – has been part of climate change, and called for another vision for our food system and society.

“As a centre for faith and culture, Morlan organises various events throughout the year,” said Jane Powell, member of the Subcommittee for Faith and Religious Affairs at the Centre. “The goal is to raise awareness of different issues involving faith, social affairs, human rights, and so on. With this event we wanted to suggest another way of looking at food, bringing our community a little closer together.“

A light supper was provided by Aber Food Surplus, who collect left-over food from supermarkets in town, and Morlan volunteers.

There was a collection for local charities.

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