THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Talking Newspaper

Papur Sain Ceredigion Talking Newspaper (PSCTN) was founded as a charity in Aberystwyth in 1970, and was the first Talking Newspaper in the whole of the UK.

A service to visually impaired people, it is a means of access to the Cambrian News and various Welsh-language publications by those unable to do so in the usual way.

Over 100 people, mostly in Ceredigion, some in adjoining counties and others beyond Wales are its recipients.

The recordings on USB sticks are delivered – and returned – free of charge by Royal Mail each week.

PSCTN is part of the Talking Newspaper Federation.

Both were founded by Ronald Sturt, member of staff at the College of Librarianship in Llanbadarn.

Older readers will remember how Aberystwyth Rotary supported the venture from the start, holding an annual Donkey Derby to raise funds in its support.

Currently, with 48 years of continuous service under its belt, PSCTN is appealing for volunteers to help with audio-recordings.

Not an onerous task, to volunteer means being on a rota and expected to do a duty of two hours once a month.

More than 60 volunteers already take part in teams consisting of sub-editors, readers, administrators, duplicators and sound-recorders.

Everyone is crucial in securing delivery of the weekly recordings to people’s homes, in English-only or in both English and Welsh languages.

The charity would welcome volunteers for any of these teams but particularly need more help with producing the recordings and guaranteeing their quality.

Full training in this would, of course, be given.

Listeners receiving these recordings listen to them using either special equipment obtainable on request by the RNIB, using their own computers, or PSCTN’s own simple devices can be supplied on loan.

All volunteers keen and interested in PSCTN, for more information please contact: [email protected] (recorders); [email protected] (all others)

Bibliographical Group

The Bibliographical Group held its AGM in the National Library on Tuesday, 20 March.

Dr Lionel Madden stood down at the meeting after 12 years as chairman, and Dr David Stoker was elected as his successor.

As a token of the group’s thanks, an extract was presented to Dr Madden from The Misfortunes of Elphin by Thomas Love Peacock, specially printed for the occasion by Huw Ceiriog Jones, a member of the group’s committee, at Gwasg Nant y Mynydd.

Flowers were presented to Mrs Madden.

The speaker for the evening was Bill Hines, formerly assistant director for Information Services at the University of Wales Aberystwyth.

In a sequel to a talk given to the group in 2015, he spoke on ‘Politicians, Princes and Prelates: More Rambles around the Hugh Owen Library Stacks’.

The illustrated lecture was the result of the speaker’s continuing research into the provenance of rare books in the university library, focusing in particular on politicians, royalty and churchmen.

These ranged from a 1572 Bible with the binding stamp of Anne of Denmark, Electress of Saxony, to a volume with the bookplate of William Wilberforce.

After the meeting, the group entertained Dr and Mrs Madden to dinner at Medina in Market Street.

The next event will be a visit to the Old Stile Press in Monmouthshire in early July.

Rotary Club

This week’s speaker was Rtn John Bradshaw, who bravely stepped in at the last moment following the illness of the scheduled speaker.

John’s talk focused on his trip to Ethiopia in 1998 which he arranged following the cancellation of a job there on account of the war being waged at that time between Ethiopia and Eritrea impacting on the area he was due to work in.

Bravely, he decided to carry on while avoiding the area disputed by the two countries.

An unexpected consequence of his visit was a two-day stopover in Sanaa, capital of Yemen, courtesy of Yemeni Air.

A rickety plane ride took him to Addis Ababa, the bustling capital of Ethiopia.

His visit to the local Rotary Club was singularly unwelcoming.

Having been strongly advised to avoid bus travel, John took an internal flight to the area around Lake Tana near the source of the Blue Nile. There he explored, in the company of a local guide, Bahir Dar, Gonder, Lelibela and enjoyed the wonderful rock-hewn churches of the region, some of which dated back to the 12th century.

The Blue Nile Falls were a particularly memorable sight.

He met few other tourists on his travels and had to be careful of his choice of hotels – some of those advertised were little more than shacks in very distressed areas.

Notwithstanding the two attempted robberies, his overwhelming memory of the trip was the friendliness of the people, despite their great poverty and difficult circumstances.

President Martin thanked John for stepping in at the last minute and telling members of yet another of his adventures in the far-flung corners of the world.

Postcard Club

At the March meeting of the Aberystwyth Postcard Club, the members were entertained with a fascinating illustrated talk by Gareth William Jones of Bow Street on the history of the postcard.

Mr Jones described how in the early 19th century this form of postal communication initially emerged in a modest way.

He described how later in 1894 the postcard began to be accepted as a serious and popular means of worldwide communication.

Its popularity peaked prior to the Great War in 1914 when many millions would be sent daily.

He described how the very popular view card publishers eventually closed their doors, giving way to today’s electronic methods of contact.

Mr Jones displayed the many forms of cards that had become available over the next century from the colourful picture postcard to the saucy seaside comic cards with their captions full of innuendo.

The next meeting of the Postcard Club will be on Tuesday, 3 April, at 2pm in St David’s Church Hall in Bath Street when a bring and buy event will take place.

Merched y Wawr

Cyn cyflwyno ‘r gwr gwadd yng nghyfarfod mis Mawrth, pleser oedd estyn llongyfarchiadau a dymuniadau da i’n llywydd Megan Jones, oedd wedi priodi ar ddechrau’r mis, ac sydd bellach yn Megan Jones Roberts.

Brodor o Eifionydd, sef Meirion Roberts, oedd ein gwr gwadd; cigydd a pherchennog y siop Porchell yn Bow St.

Gyda hanner oen yn barod i’w ddatgymalu a digon o fin ar ei gyllell, aeth ati i dynnu’r esgyrn a thorri’r oen yn ddarnau’n barod ar gyfer y ffwrn, gan osgoi unrhyw wastraff.

Roedd yn amlwg bod Meirion wedi perffeithio’i ddawn ac wedi cael profiad hefyd fel cogydd ,ond roedd yn cyfaddef ei fod wedi gorfod ymweld â’r uned frys yn yr ysbyty ar fwy nag un achlysur wrth ymarfer ei grefft!

Braf oedd deall bod y cig yn dod o ffermydd lleol a bod y cigydd yn paratoi amrywiaeth o gigoedd a selsig â blasau gwahanol, a’r cyfan yn cael ei labelu’n ddwyieithog

Diolchodd Meirwen Williams i Meirion am noson ddiddorol a gwahanol.

Y mis nesaf byddwn yn cwdd yn Hwb Penparcau am 7yh.

Japanese composer

When Japanese composer Toshimaru Nakamura visited Aberystwyth to make his Wales debut, people attended from across Wales and beyond attended.

Ceredigion Museum was full and Toshimaru played alongside Aberystwyth-born internationally-acclaimed improvisers Rhodri Davies and Angharad Davies.

There was a stellar list of leading experimentalists taking part in the third Listen to the Voice of Fire festival of experimental music curated by Dr Dafydd Roberts.

Cambrian Floral Society

THE evening meetings for the coming months commenced on Wednesday, 7 March with an informal practical workshop.

Unfortunately, the chairman, John James, was unable to be present as he was a patient at Bronglais Hospital.

Marian Weston stepped in to supervise the evening and she gave a short instructive demonstration on how to design a pot-et-fleur which was then drawn at the end.

It was extremely encouraging to see so many take part and and observe how everyone had different ideas which resulted in a colourful display and of a high standard.

Sylvia Greenleaf and Joan Subbacci were the tea hostesses and during the break a get well card to John was circulated and signed by all.

It is now good to report that he is out of hospital and back ‘in harness’ with his numerous activities.

On Wednesday, 4 April members look forward to another enjoyable workshop in the company of Nicola Harries.

This will take place at 7pm and a list of requirements and worksheet can be obtained by calling 01970 623544.

All welcome.

Cymdeithas yr Aelwyd

NOS Wener, 23 Mawrth, bu’r aelodau’n dathlu Gwyl Ddewi yn Llety Parc, noson y bu’n rhaid ei gohirio ar ddechrau’r mis oherwydd y tywydd garw.

Croesawyd pawb gan ein llywydd anrhydeddus, Hefin Jones, ac wedi inni fwynhau’r wledd ardderchog aeth Hefin ymlaen i gyflwyno ein gwraig wadd, sef Linda Tomos, y Llyfrgellydd Genedlaethol.

Wedi iddi dalu teyrnged i’r arloeswyr sefydlodd y llyfrgell yn Aberystwyth, rhoddodd Linda gipolwg inni trwy gyfrwng lluniau ar rai o’r 60 miliwn o eitemau sydd dan ei gofal, yn llyfrau, llawysgrifau, archifau, cerddoriaeth, printiau a lluniau, mapiau, a’r archif sgrin a sain. Gyda dyfodiad cyfrifiaduron mae pobl led-led y byd yn gallu edrych ar rai o’r trysorau, yn arbennig ffilmiau, papurau newydd a llawysgrifau.

Dyma un o lyfrgelloedd mawr y byd, sy’n gof cenedl ac yn dipyn mwy na chasgliad o lyfrau – ac mae hi ar garreg ein drws. Oedd, roedd hi’n werth aros tair wythnos am y noson hon.

Horticultural society

THE Cardiganshire Horticultural Society’s March meeting was held in Waunfawr Community Hall on Tuesday, 13 March, when chairman Jan Eldridge warmly welcomed a good turnout of members to the annual general meeting.

The usual business of an AGM was speedily transacted with Jan continuing as chairman, Kay Edwards as vice-chairman, Sue Wilson as treasurer and membership secretary, and Anne Ellin succeeding David Hughes as secretary.

Jan, in her report, paid a special tribute to David for the great service he had given the society as secretary and membership secretary for many years.

She went on to thank all those members who, in many and diverse ways, had ensured a very good year for CHS with a good programme of winter meetings, six very enjoyable outings in the summer and a four-day tour to the Isle of Man in September.

This year is the society’s 50th anniversary year and Jan said she is looking forward to a very special year in the life of the society.

The first event in the centenary year is the annual plant sale in Llanfarian Village Hall on the afternoon of Saturday, 22 April.

This will be followed by the CHS 50th anniversary lecture on Tuesday, 8 May, when the speaker will be the eminent forensic ecologist, botanist and palynologist Prof Patricia Wiltshire, who will be speaking on how plants, fungi, animals and soils help solve crimes.

Five special summer outings have been organised, with the first of these in the middle of May taking the society into the Shropshire Hills AONB to visit Millichope Park and the associated viola nursery, plus Mynd Hardy Plants.

In mid June the fabulous garden and grounds of Nanhoron will be the highlight of a day in west Gwynedd.

In early July there will be a visit to David Austin Roses at Albrighton, and by contrast the second visit of that day will be to the award-winning Bowbrook Community Allotments in Shrewsbury.

Also in July there will be the 50th anniversary celebration – an evening outing and buffet at Llanerchaeron.

At the end of September there will be a five-day coach tour to northern France to the gardens of Haute-Normandie.

Full details of all these activities will be in the society’s journal, Spadework, which will be available with booking forms at the plant sale on 21 April.

A warm welcome is extended to anyone interested in gardening and horticulture to take part in these activities. More information can be obtained from the chairman, Jan Eldridge, on 01970 828949.

Stroke Club

ON 21 March, 50 members of the club gathered at the town’s football club for their monthly lunch.

Judith and Jean did the rounds with the raffle tickets and did so well that a book of 100 went in double quick time.

Chairman Ann greeted them all before the excellent staff helped with the serving of the carvery for those who needed assistance.

The 765 Club numbers were drawn and the cheques written and handed out to the lucky winners.

Then the raffle took place with lots of good prizes to be had.

Thanks was given to the football club and staff for making the day go so well.

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