THE latest community news from Blaenau Ffestiniog

Services

Holy Cross – Mass at 6pm on Saturday and 11am on Sunday with Fr Shaji Punnati.

Manod Orthodox – Third and Sixth Canonical Hours at 10am followed by the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom.

St Michael’s – Morning service at 9.30am.

St David’s – Morning service at 11am.

Carmel – Service taken by the members.

Bowydd and Bethesda – United service at Bowydd with the Rev Anita Ephraim.

Bethel, Ffestiniog – Rev Huw John Hughes.

Clwb Cerdded

Taith nesaf aelodau Clwb Cerdded Stiniog fydd dydd Sul yma i rhan 3 o Lwybr Llechi Eryri a gofynnir iddynt fod ger T? Gorsaf am 9yb.

Gallery

The Maenofferen Gallery hosts an exhibition under the title of Images of War by Francesca Williams until 2 November.

Festival

Plans are going ahead for a Winter Festival with ice rink to be held in Blaenau Ffestiniog in the park between 3 and 10 December.

It will cost £2,000 to have an ice rink, which Blaenau Ffestiniog Town Council has agreed to pay.

The rink owners will be responsible for the installation and dismantling of the equipment and the cost of skating shoes.

The company will be responsible for raising fees for the use of the rink with a percentage of any profit returning to the council. A full list of what will be available there for the public should be known nearer the date.

Lease

The Town council has had a meeting with the bowling club to offer an amendment to the boundary of their present lease so that it is in keeping with the new fence, which means a new lease on the same terms as currently exists, but to offer a shed to be located at the farthest side of the green for use of the club only.

The area in front of the pavilion would then come back to the council’s control and the Park Café will be allowed to place tables and chairs on this land.

Train

Train enthusiasts were disappointed as, due to the effects of Storm Callum, the Class 40 D213 Andania train was not able to visit as Network Rail had closed the Conwy branch line from Llandudno Junction to Blaenau Ffesstiniog.

Siop Siarad

The monthly meeting of Siop Siarad, a social group for Welsh learners, will be held at 11am on Saturday at the Bridge Cafe and everyone is welcome.

Course

An RoSPA survey has shown that there are no safety problems regarding the crazy golf course which is located within the tennis court at the park.

However there is little use of it and discussions on how it can be improved is needed. The pavilion leaseholder is entitled to keep half of any proceeds from selling tickets to this course.

In response, the town council has recommended that it should be left as it is for now and have another discussion with the leaseholder in the near future when the cafe business is better established. As for the wall between the tennis court and the children’s playground fence it is recommended to try and repair it even though it is in a fairly difficult location.

Donations

Ceinwen Jones of the local Siop Dan Charity Shop has had letters of thanks, one from the Alder Hey Children’s Charity for the £1,000 they received and the other from the west Gwynedd branch of the RSPCA for the donation of £101.60.

A sum of £707.19 was received in memory of Michael Jennings, of Jones Street, the RWF club secretary towards the Blind Veterans Centre at Llandudno and the club will stage a Northern Soul Night on 23 November. The money raised will be donated to the High Dependancy Unit at Ysbyty Gwynedd in memory of Michael.

Dancers

The Blaenau Morris Dancers enjoyed a weekend at Southport for the Carnival Guild of Wales Championships and Blaenau came home with several prizes with their Babies placed second in their group, the Dinkies third and Tinnies second, with best leader Cara Jones and best mascot Kacey Meredith winners.

In the Juniors stages, they were placed third with best leader Kira Williams and best mascot Caia Humphreys.

The Senior 2nd were placed third with Elin Jones the best and overall mascot winner. Senior 1st group won their stage prize, as did their leader Lynn Roberts.

Cymdeithas Hanes

Y siaradwraig yng nghyfarfod mis Hydref oedd Rhian Williams o’r Manod a’i thestun oedd ‘Gweithwyr o bob math’.

Ar gyfer y sgwrs, yr oedd wedi bod yn mynd drwy Gyfrifiad 1851 ar gyfer ardal Ffestiniog gan edrych ar y math o waith yr oedd pobl yn ei wneud yr adeg honno.

Ar y pryd, yr oedd poblogaeth Ffestiniog dros 4,500, gyda’r mwyafrif wrth gwrs yn gweithio yn y chwareli a diwydiannau cysylltiol. Yr oedd Rhian fodd bynnag wedi canolbwyntio ar rai oedd yn gweithio y tu allan i’r maes hwn.

Dangosodd ei hymchwil economi mor fyrlymus oedd yn y cylch ar y pryd – gyda’r ardal yn hunan-gynhaliol o ran llawer iawn o’i anghenion. Yr oedd llawer yn gweithio mewn meysydd a oedd yn gysylltiedig ag amaeth wrth gwrs. Yr oedd llawer o siopwyr ac yr oedd yn amlwg ei bod yn bosib prynu unrhyw beth yr oeddech ei angen yn lleol. Yr adeg hynny, yr oedd dillad yn cael eu gwneud yn lleol gyda nifer o deilwriaid, cryddion a hyd yn oed gwneuthurwr hetiau yn yr ardal. Gyda phoblogaeth yr ardal yn tyfu’n sydyn yr oedd hwn yn adeg prysur o adeiladu tai ac felly yr oedd nifer dda o adeiladwyr a chrefftwyr.

Y siaradwr yn y cyfarfod nesaf fydd Ifan Dafydd Roberts, Cae Clyd.

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