THE latest community news from Aberystwyth

Cardiganshire Horticultural Society

THE first of the society’s 50th anniversary year’s special summer outings took place last Wednesday, 16 May, when a party enjoyed a wonderful day in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Two very contrasting Shropshire estates were visited.

The first of these was Millichope Park with its four-acre walled garden which is now home to a specialist viola nursery.

On arrival, the party was warmly welcomed by Laura Willgoss who, with her husband Jack, set up the now thriving nursery business in 2013 in the then derelict walled garden which had been used to rear pheasants.

She gave a brief overview of the nursery and the huge lottery-¬funded project which had led to the restoration of the magnificent range of glasshouses.

After tea and cake in the tea room, she handed the group over to Duncan Brokensha, the head gardener of the estate, who gave a fascinating history of how this large agricultural estate is managed and run today.

The 14-acre historic, landscaped grounds were an absolute joy to go round with their lakes and cascades, woodland walks and wildflower meadows.

The party then returned to the glasshouses in the walled garden to enjoy a talk from Laura on their viola nursery.

After enjoying an excellent light lunch, the party then had time to look round the nursery before rejoining the coach and travelling a few miles to Delbury Hall.

They were warmly welcomed by Richard and Jill Rallings who run a hardy plant nursery in the former walled garden.

The Delbury estate is completely different to Millichope, with little agricultural land and the buildings round the hall being managed as a wedding venue.

After an introduction from Richard, he took members for a tour round the estate grounds and the associated trout fishery in the lake.

With over 800 varieties of herbaceous perennials to look at, everyone then enjoyed a walk round the nursery before more tea and cake and retail therapy.

The second of the season’s trips is on Tuesday, 12 June, and will take in Nanhoran and Plas Gwynfryn in north-west Gwynedd.

A warm welcome is extended to anyone interested in gardening and horticulture.

To come on the summer outings and for more information, contact the chairman, Jan Eldridge, on 01970 828949, or visit the society’s website.

Cylch Cinio

CLWB Rygbi Aberystwyth oedd lleoliad cyfarfod mis Mai.

Daeth nifer dda o aelodau ynghyd i fwynhau noson gymdeithasol.

Braf oedd cael croesawi y gwr gwâdd, sef Ray Williams o Giliau Aeron, milfeddyg sydd wedi ymddeol erbyn hyn.

Mae wedi symud yn ôl i’w gartref genedigol a’r ôl 40 mlynedd o weithio dros glawdd Offa.

Ar ôl gweithio yn gyntaf yn gwneud ymchwil a’r wartheg ac yna hyfforddi i fod yn filfeddyg, bu’n rhedeg milfeddygfa yn Swydd Gaerloyw yn Malmesbury. Efallai i rhai weld y filfeddygfa a’r rhaglen BBC Countryfile.

Ers iddo ddychwelyd adref, mae yn brysur iawn yn ei gymuned. Mae’n gadeirydd a chyfarwyddwr Cilcennin Gyntaf – cwmni di-elw sydd yn rhoi cymorth i’r gymuned.

Mae hefyd yn gyd-gadeirydd o Gymdeithas Cymru Ohio.

Mae bod yn filfeddyg yn rhedeg yn y teulu a chafwyd sgwrs hynod o hwyliog a diddorol a roedd yr aelodau wrth eu bodd yn gwrando ar y storïau.

Fel cyd-gadeirydd o Gymdeithas Cymru Ohio mae llawer iawn o’i amser wedi mynd i drefnu y dathliadau 200 mlwyddiant sydd yn cymryd lle rhwng 22 a 30 Mehefin.

Mae yn wythnos lawn o ddigwyddiadau sy’n gorffen gyda chyngerdd ar gae sgwâr Aberaeron gydag artistiaid fel Lloyd Macey, Gwawr Edwards, Catrin Finch ac eraill yn cymryd rhan.

Cafwyd holl wybodaeth am y digwyddiadau a’r y noson ac mae modd gysylltu â [email protected] am rhagor o wybodaeth am y dathliadau.

Rydym yn dymuno pob llwyddiant i’r dathliadau.

Diddorol oedd clywed am yr hanes o chwe theulu yn 1818 a benderfynodd adael ardal Cilcennin i sefydlu un o gymunedau Cymreig mwyaf enwog America ac i geisio bywyd gwell.

Rhwng 1835 ac 1850 amcangyfrifir bod tua 2,500 i 3,000 o wyr, gwragedd a phlant wedi gadael Sir Aberteifi ac mae rhaid cofio ac edmygu y teuluoedd yma .

Talwyd y diolchiadau gan Gwynfryn Evans a Gwynfor Williams oedd enillydd y raffl.

Mis nesaf byddwn yn ôl yng Ngwesty’r Richmond gyda John Meredith fel y gwr gwâdd.

Croeso cynnes i aelodau hen a newydd.

Bridge Club

THE winners on 11 May were the MJs: Margaret James and Mike Jones. John Holmes and Alan Stein came second, with Keith Bellamy and Nigel Symons Jones, third.

Winners by a resounding margin on 13 May were Robert Havard and Mike Jones.

Aberystwyth Bridge Club normally plays twice a week in Waunfawr Community Hall, starting at 6.45pm with Friday being the main evening.

Visitors are welcome. For further information, please ring the club secretary on 01970 639229.

For details of beginners’ lessons starting in this month, contact Elenid Thomas on 01970 828765.

Welsh learners

FIVE competitors, including one from Aberystwyth, were announced as the finalists of the Welsh Learner of the Year competition, following a full day of activities and interviews at Yr Hen Lyfrgell (The Old Library) in the centre of Cardiff.

The five are Nicky Roberts, Aberystwyth, Steve Dimmick, Cardiff, Mihil Patel, Cardiff, Yankier Pijeira Perez, Llanrug, and Matt Spry, Cardiff, in a competition which attracted 23 competitors, one of the highest number over the past few years.

Eisteddfod organiser Elen Elis said: “It’s great to see so many competitors taking part this year, and we look forward to getting to know the five finalists better over the next few months, as they prepare for the final during this year’s Eisteddfod week.

“We warmly congratulate each and every entrant, not only for competing but for their commitment to the language and culture. We wish them all very well in the future.”

The winner receives a trophy, donated by School of Welsh, Cardiff University and £300 from Peter and Gill Griffiths, Pentyrch, Cardiff, and the other four finalists will receive trophies donated by School of Welsh, Cardiff University. Finalists will also receive a year’s subscription to the magazine, Golwg, and gifts from Merched y Wawr.

The winner is invited to become a member of the Gorsedd.

Probus Club

AT the club’s April meeting, members were treated to an animated and amusing account of Lesley Evans-Worthing’s adventures and anecdotes from her time as a holiday tour manager.

Early retirement from an academic career gave Lesley the opportunity to be paid for indulging her life-long enthusiasm for foreign travel.

However, the job of tour manager is anything but a sinecure. Customer satisfaction is paramount, and the qualities required to achieve this are wide-ranging: enthusiasm, integrity, sense of humour, excellent organisational skills, calmness under pressure, being a good listener and, not least, plenty of energy.

Lesley’s ability to speak several different languages also helped, though occasionally even she had to resort to sign language with some of the foreign coach drivers.

Tour manager is obviously not a job for everyone, but it clearly suited Lesley, who said that it had enabled her to meet many interesting people, make new friends, and feel she was playing a useful social role in her later years.

The club’s next meeting will be at 11am on Wednesday, 30 May, in the Waunfawr Community Hall. Jack Evershed, co-chair of the Mid Wales Health Care Collaborative, will talk about the new proposals by the Hywel Dda University Health Board for changes to NHS provision in our area.

All are welcome and further details can be obtained from the club secretary, John Andrews, on 01970 358095.

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