THE latest community news from around Blaenau Ffestiniog.

S4C Viewers’ Evening

MORE than 70 people attended the secondary school in Blaenau Ffestiniog recently for S4C Viewers’ Evening (pictured).

The channel organises three S4C Viewers’ Evenings a year to hear the opinions of viewers about the channel’s programmes and services.

The channel says the response at Ysgol y Moelwyn was particularly lively, with people giving fair views on a variety of programmes.

S4C officers were especially enthused by the opinions of students at the schools

Huw Jones, S4C authority chairman, explained the role of the authority and how they monitor the channel’s work.

Ian Jones, the channel’s chief executive and members of the commissioning team were there to hear what programmes the people of Blaenau and Llan like, and what programmes they did not like on S4C.

Huw Jones explained that the cut of 36 per cent in the channel’s funding had forced S4C to make cuts, leading to some difficult editorial decisions. The channel faced a dilemma – either repeat programmes and series to fill the schedule or leave the schedule empty.

Thanking the people of Blaenau for their welcome, Ian Jones emphasised that all the feedback would be passed on to the commissioning team.

Services

BETHEL, Ffestiniog - Rev Anita Ephraim;

Holy Cross - Mass at 6pm on Saturday with Bishop Edwin; St Mary Magdalene - Mass at 11 am with Bishop Edwin; St Michael’s- Morning service at 9.30 am; St David’s - Morning service at 11 am; Manod Orthodox - Third and sixth Canonical Hours at 10am followed by the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom; Calfaria - Thanksgiving service; Bowydd - Thanksgiving service, morning; Bethesda - Thanksgiving service, 10am.

Councillor

FOLLOWING the resignation of Elwyn Powell Jones the council has co-opted Garth Roberts the headmaster of the Maenofferen Primary School as a councillor for the Diffwys and Maenofferen ward.

Planning

REGARDING the planning application for the provision of a terrace/balcony, provision of additional door and roof windows at the Stiwdio Sbench at Bethel, Tanygrisiau the council is to discuss the application further having received the comments of the ward councillor.

Choirs

BOTH the Brythoniaid and the Rhiannedd y Moelwyn choirs have important dates next month as the Brythoniaid will join with Godre’r Aran and the Ar ôl Tri Choirs to entertain the crowd before the Wales against Argentina Rugby International at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff.

As for the Ladies Choir they will be at The Venue, Llandudno on 5 November competing in the North Wales Choral Festival at which they won the ladies choirs competition last year.

Gorlan

AGORODD Cymdeithas y Gorlan ei tymor newydd yng Nghapel Carmel ar 3 Tachwedd gyda Gwynne Pearce yn olrhain “Dylanwadau Canu Pop Cymraeg” drwy stori a chân ar y gitâr.

Treuliwyd noson ddifyr a chartrefol yn ei gwmni a bu i’r gyneulleidfa ymuno mewn sawl cân oedd yn dwyn llawer ô atgofion yn ol i’r ‘60au.

Diolchwyd iddo am noson llawn hiwmor gan Anwen Jones. Cynhelir y cyfarfod nesaf nos Lun, 7 Tachwedd am 7yh yng Nghapel Calfaria pryd bydd Steffan ap Owain yn son am “Hen Lwybrau’r Fro” a mae croeso i bawb i’r cyfarfod hwn eto.

Bank

JUST a few weeks after the closure of the town’s last bank, the HSBC on Church Street a for sale sign has been put on site.

It was confirmed that the town council had received a letter from HSBC dated in April, but which didn’t arrive till May, in response to their letter seeking confirmation that the local branch will not be closing.

It was confirmed in this letter that the branch would not be closing less than a month before the bank announced its intention of its closure.

In the meantime the bank has announced that with its closure it is willing to undertake a project with local schools and businesses

Cymdeithas Bro

THE next meeting of the English Section of the Cymdeithas Bro Ffestiniog will be held at the Ganolfan on Thursday, 13 October, at 7.30pm, where there is a change from the advertised speaker as Tony Russell from Rhyl who is a well-known presenter on the TV and BBC Gardens programmes will be there giving a talk on the Finest Gardens in Wales.

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