THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Beach-clean

PEOPLE are invited to get into the festive spirit while keeping a popular Aberystwyth beach looking beautiful this weekend.

Aberystwyth Beach Buddies are hosting their second annual ‘Bad Taste Christmas Jumper Beach Clean’ at Tan y Bwlch this Saturday, 16 December.

As the title suggests, willing participants are invited to don their most garish festive pullovers to provide some light-hearted entertainment while the beach is scoured for litter.

Alan Cookson, of Surfers Against Sewage and ABB, said: “Back for the second year running, your chance to wear and air the very worst in Christmas jumpers, elf ears and antlers on a beach in Aberystwyth. Well who wouldn’t want to do that?

“Christmas is about giving, caring and sharing with family, so why not bring yours along and help clean Tan y Bwlch beach for a few hours.

“With the BBC documentary Blue Planet 2 highlighting to many what we’ve being fighting for years now, we’d love to see as many new faces as possible, be they dogs, children, grandmas, reindeers, elves and Santas — all welcome.”

The beach-clean will start at noon at Tan y Bwlch car park and finish at 2pm. All equipment will be provided.

Carol service

A carol service is to be held at the crematorium in remembrance of those who have passed away.

It will start at 11am on Saturday, 16 December.

The resident organist will play two well-known carols and a few words will be said by the Rev Richard Lewis who has carried out many ceremonies throughout the year.

A large amount of money will be donated to HAHAV at the end of the service.

People are encouraged to come and light a candle for a loved one who has passed away.

Rachel Harrison, manager and registrar, said: “Sadly this event is usually an afterthought and is never executed properly drawing in disappointing numbers of the public.

“This year, however, being my first Christmas at the helm I want to provide a fitting tribute to those who have passed away and their grieving families and friends and set the standard for the years to come.

“With cremation, ashes are often scattered and there is not a grave to visit. This can provide the bereaved with somewhere to go during the Christmas period to remember a loved one.”

Parkinson’s UK

At the monthly meeting of the Parkinson Group at the Rugby club, the chairman welcomed everybody and said that Paul Standing was still in hospital and a number of members were absent with illness.

Two new members enrolled.

He also welcomed Dawn McGuiness who was visiting and Anna Palazow, the new director of Welsh Parkinson’s. She is originally from Mexico but has been director of many charities in Wales since 1980.

Orders were taken for the Christmas dinner at Plas Antaron on Thursday, 14 December and the pantomime Cinderella at the Art Centre on Saturday, 20 January.

After a discussion it was decided to go to the craft centre at Rhydypennau on 24 January for an afternoon tea and visit Penrhyncoch Church to view their Christmas tree decorations on Tuesday, 11 December between 2pm and 4pm.

With the speaker delayed because of work the first part was used as general discussion with Dawn and Anna explaining various plans on the go with development forums. She said that Elaine Evans from Bala was arranging a game of Bochia in April, with various teams from north Wales playing against each other. Lack of transport was also discussed.

The speaker for the afternoon was John Hughes from Dysgu Bro. He was born in Pentre Gwydderwen, Corwen and now works in Dysgu Bro teaching computers and IT.

He has spent six years in Russia, works at Canolfan Rheidol, and teaches basic IT. People can register for weekly or courses of 10 weeks. He does word processing and gives advice on how to stay safe online and look out for scams.

He showed photos of Russia. He had a general interest in Russia since watching the film Dr Zhivago. Judy Southgate thanked John for an interesting afternoon.

Maureen Kinamouth won the raffle and the meeting closed with a cup of tea. Next meeting will be the Christmas dinner.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

Daeth hanner cyntaf tymor yr Aelwyd i ben nos Wener, 8 Rhagfyr, gyda Gwasanaeth Nadolig dan arweiniad Parch Mark Ansell.

Cyflwynwyd darlleniadau a gweddi, a chanwyd carolau i gyfeiliant Delyth Evans.

Yn ystod y myfyrdod cafwyd hanes y cracer Nadolig a ddechreuodd fel arwydd o gariad rhwng mab a merch.

Mae cynnwys y cracer heddiw yn ein hatgoffa am eni’r Iesu, e.e. y snap yw’r pwer yn y stabl tlawd a’r het bapur yw coron brenin y brenhinoedd.

Darllenwyd adroddiad a baratowyd gan Siôn Meredith am y ffoaduriaid sydd wedi cartrefu yn Aberystwyth, 23 hyd yn hyn a rhagor i gyrraedd yn y flwyddyn newydd. I gloi’r cyfarfod gwnaed casgliad o £125 tuag at elusen y ffoaduriaid.

Choral Society

The Society’s Christmas Concert is this Saturday, 16 December, and the week before the big day, is always a very busy one for the members with practices in the Old Hall, Old College, on both Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, a staging practice in the Great Hall on Friday evening and the final rehearsal with soloists and orchestra on the Saturday afternoon at 2pm.

With some choristers coming in to each practice from as far away as Barmouth and Rhayader, members of the committee are hoping that there is a marked improvement this week on the bad weather of last weekend.

The concert itself starts at 8pm and the choir will be performing the Mozart Requiem, the Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols and Handel’s Zadok the Priest plus some well known Messiah arias from the four soloists Zita Syme, soprano; Kathryn Turpin, mezzo-soprano; Stephen Anthony Brown, tenor; and baritone Charles Johnston.

The choir and Sinfonia Cambrensis will be conducted by David Russell Hulme.

Côr Meibion

At the invitation of Aberystwyth Rotary Club the choir supported their annual Christmas charity collection which was held on 8 December in the foyer of the Tesco and M&S stores in Aberystwyth.

While the Rotary members collected, the choir sang a wide variety of carols and Christmas music to the shoppers. The programme included many of the well-known English carols and a number of Welsh items including Wyt Ti’n Cofio Nos Nodolig, Ar Gyfer Heddiw’r Bore and Hwiangerdd Mair.

Also included was Carol Gwr y Llety sang to Troyte’s Chant and the Welsh version of the beautiful Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen.

This was the first of three engagements of Christmas singing. The second will be at an Age Cymru function on Wednesday, 13 December and the third will be entertaining the residents of Hafan y Waun on the following evening.

After a short Christmas break the choir will restart on Thursday, 4 January in Aberystwyth Rugby Club.

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