THE latest community news from Blaenau Ffestiniog

Services

BETHESDA: Elfed Lewis, 10am. Bowydd: Rev Dr G.P.Owen.

St David’s: United churches morning service at 10.30am.

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

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

Town council

HAVING received information that a fence in front of the bowling green, which is to the standards set for child safety, will cost £3,668, the council has accepted the quote and will order the fence.

The council has agreed to a request for the provision of three new bike trails at Llechwedd on the condition that ecological, environmental, habitat and archaeological studies are carried out.

Also permitted was the application to construct sheds to serve houses on plots 1-4, 6 and 11-14 and erect garages separately on plots 5, 9, 10, 15 and 16 together with alterations to external display of cladding and dormer windows on land behind Penrhiw.

After receiving three requests from residents for salt bins to be placed near their homes, the town council has said that as the precept is already set there is no money allocated for this.

The council will contact Gwynedd Council to emphasise the importance of gritting the smaller roads, especially those near a school or surgery.

Appreciation should also be expressed to the county council for its work in ensuring that the A470 over the Crimea stays open during adverse weather conditions, town councillors said.

Moelwyn Male Voice Choir.

THE choir, conducted by Sylvia Ann Jones and accompanist Wenna Francis Jones, were in concert at Betws y Coed on Friday evening with Gareth Griffiths acting as the compère.

This Friday evening they will give a concert for the residents and staff of Bryn Blodau Residential Home in Llan Ffestiniog.

Bowls

THE AGM will be held at the Lakeside Café next Monday evening at 6.30pm.

Camera club

PHIL Chadwick from Rhos on Sea was the judge for the competition against Caernarfon.

Blaenau were the winners by a score of 545 points to 529. In the club’s Digimanir competition, where members were asked to enter five images on different themes, judge Jean Chadwick placed Alwyn Williams first, Ian O’Neill second and Amanda Sims third.

History society

THE society had a change of topic when Rob Booth from the North Wales Wildlife Trust told members about swifts.

These birds are often mistaken for swallows and house martins. The swift population has declined by 60 per cent in Wales in the last 20 years, he told the society, partly due to loss of traditional nesting sites and a major decline in the insects that they eat. But it is possible to install new nest boxes where the entrance to a previous one has been covered over by building work.

Over a lifetime, a swift can fly up to four million miles, with one ringed bird having been tracked leaving London in the morning, having lunch in Frankfurt, and returning later the same day! To help the swift population, contact the North Wales Wildlife Trust for more information.

Prior to the next meeting, the AGM will be held at 7pm before arrangements for the outing on 9 May to the Ll?n Maritime Museum in Porthmadog and meal afterwards will be discussed.

The lecture, entitled Blaenau Ffestiniog 100 Years Ago with speaker Steffan ab Owain will be, as usual, at 7.30pm.

Visitors are welcome.

Bro Ffestiniog Archaeology Society

THE most recent talk was by Marian Gwyn on Posh Privies – toilets in country houses. It was a fascinating talk, starting briefly on the progress of toilets from the Roman age.

Various types of toilets from the 14th century to the 1900s were then discussed with ample sketches and photographs to highlight the talk. By far the most astonishing thing uncovered in the lecture was that up until the 1930s only the staff had what we would call toilets. The rich owners of the house continued to use chamber pots and commodes because it was part of the duties of the staff to empty them.

The next meeting will be this Thursday at the Ganolfan at 7pm. The talk will be by Tomos Jones, Snowdonia National Park archaeologist, on archaeology in the park.

The talk will be in Welsh with simultaneous translation to English.

Clwb Merched

G?R gwadd nos Fawrth oedd Owain Roberts o Cerrigydrudion wnaeth sôn am ei ddiddordeb mewn tyfu llysiau a chael llwyddiant mewn sioeau.

Gestai y te oedd Glenys a Val ac ennillwyd y raffl, rhoddedig gan Eirlys, gan Medwen.

Siop Siarad

THE March meeting of the social group for Welsh learners will take place at 11am on Saturday, 23 March, at the Bridge Café. Everyone is welcome.

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