THE latest community news from Blaenau Ffestiniog.

Gallery

FROM 28 April until 9 June, the Maenofferen Gallery hosts an Art Show by Age Cymru’s Wellbeing Centre’s Creative Hour and the Tan y Maen’s Art Sessions under the heading of a New Light on Blaenau.

Poetry

IT has been announced that there will be no more monthly meetings of the local Poetry and Creative Writing Group until further notice, which were held at the Bridge Cafe on the first Tuesdays of the month.

Advice

ON Monday mornings between 10am and 1pm, a representative from the Citizens Advice Bureau will be at the library to give any relevant advice if needed.

Rhiannedd

THE Rhiannedd Ladies Choir of 36 members, conducted by Sylvia Ann Jones and accompanist Awen Davey, took part in the Pan Celtic Festival held at Carlow in Ireland over the weekend.

On Friday evening they took part in a Welsh evening with various other Welsh entertainers and on Saturday they competed in a choral competition which attracted eight choirs. But though they were not in the first two they were highly praised and their conductor was well pleased with her choir’s performance.

The whole weekend had been well planned by local Helen Humphreys and she is thanked for her efforts.

Rhoddion

CAFWYD rhoddion o £409.37 er cof am y diweddar Margiad Jane Roberts o 11 Stryd Jones at Ward Alaw yn Ysbyty Gwynedd.

New Post

LAST Friday Gillian Owen, The Square, left her post as a practice nurse at the local Health Centre after 35 years to take up a post of deputy matron at the Bodawen Nursing Home at Porthmadog and in thanking her for her nursing contribution to the patients here in Blaenau she is wished the very best in her new post.

Bro

THE English Section of Cymdeithas Bro Ffestiniog held its AGM last week with Maureen Jones resigning as its secretary to become its president and the vacant post was taken over by Iris Fosbury.

Following that meeting Sue Smith from Tanygrisiau was the guest speaker and who settled in the area in 2014 becoming part of the community and volunteers at the Ganolfan on Wednesdays. Her very informative talk with splendid slides covered the time she and her late husband did much needed voluntary work in the Himalayas and she was thanked by Maureen Jones with the members also showing their appreciation.

The Autumn lecturers will be starting in September.

Cymdeithas Hanes

CYNHALIWYD cyfarfod diwethaf Cymdeithas Hanes ar nos Fercher, 19 Ebrill. Cyflwynodd Robin Davies y llywydd, y siaradwr gwadd, John Elfed Jones, fel un o’r fro oedd yn adnabyddus i lawer ohonom.Cawsom fraslun o ddiddordebau a gyrfa John, er mynnodd y llywydd buasa cyflwyniad “Rhowch groeso i John Elfed Jones brawd Dafydd” wedi bod yn ddigon i‘r gymdeithas.

Testun y sgwrs oedd “Drwy lwc” ac eglurodd John mae hen atgofion o’r ardal a’i yrfa oedd ganddo, gan ddechrau drwy sôn am ei fam a’i dad yn dod o gyffiniau Coedpoeth i weithio yn Nyffryn Maentwrog a disgyn mewn cariad â’r ardal.

Yn ôl John yr oedd y dyffryn yn “Le i’r enaid gael llonydd”. Magwyd Dafydd, John a Carol yn y Swch, Rhydysarn a John Swch mae wedi bod ers hynny.

Roedd John yn teimlo fod Rhydysarn yn le perffaith i fyw ynddo fel plentyn, achos y rhyddid i fwynhau bywyd natur, i ddringo Clogwyn Jac y Do ac i gael pysgota. Roedd afon yn rhedeg ger y ty a dyma lle cafodd ei eog cyntaf ac er ei fod wedi dal pysgod llawer mwy na’r un deubwys yna, hwnnw roddodd y wefr fwyaf erioed iddo wrth bysgota.

Wedi gadael Ysgol Maenofferen aeth ymlaen i’r Cownti ac o fano i Goleg Tech Wrecsam i ddilyn cwrs peirianneg a bu am gyfnod yn gweithio efo’r Bwrdd Trydan.

Clywsom amdano wedyn yn ymuno â’r Awyrlu fel swyddog cyn treulio tua blwyddyn fel cynghorydd dringo yn ysgol Outward Bound Aberdyfi.

Cafodd swyddi pwysig a chyfri-fol iawn am weddill ei yrfa yn Rio Tinto Zinc (Anglesey Alumnium) yn Sir Fôn; Swyddfa Cymru lle gwnaethpwyd yn bennaeth Bwrdd Dwr, cadeirydd Bwrdd yr Iaith, a chynghorydd i Fwrdd Darlledu Harlech.

Mynnodd mae drwy lwc y cafodd y swyddi hyn, ond heb amheuaeth ei dalent, egni, dyfalbarhad a’i frwdfrydedd oedd wedi bod yn gyfrifol am ei lwyddiant.

Roedd y ddarlith yn llawn hiwmor a digon o sylwadau ar y diwedd. Yn dilyn un cwestiwn, clywsom gan John ei fod wedi cael swydd bwysig mewn cwmni Swedaidd achos fod dyn o Ddolgellau ar y bwrdd oedd yn ei holi yn siarad Cymraeg ag o â’r gweddill yno ddim yn sylweddoli mae dim yr iaith Swedaidd yr oeddynt yn siarad a’i gilydd. Hwyrach fod hyn wedi bod yn enghraifft o’i lwc!

Talwyd y diolchiadau swyddogol gan Emyr Jones, gan ychwanegu ei fod o hefyd yn lwcus i gael gweld a gwerthfawrogi harddwch Dyffryn Maentwrog o’i dy.

Services

BOWYDD: Rev Aled Edwards, morning and evening.Calfaria: Members to attend the Baptist Singing Festival at Bethabara, Llangernyw. Manod Orthodox: Third and Sixth Canonical Hours at 10am followed by the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. St David’s and St Michael’s: United service at 11am at the Holy Trinity Church, Penrhyndeudraeth. St Mary Magdalene: Mass at 11am with Bishop Edwin.Holy Cross: Mass at 6pm on Saturday with Bishop Edwin. Bethel, Ffestiniog: Dennis Davies, Llanrwst.

Race

THE Blaenau Amateurs FC who, along with the Hebog Harriers, were the organisers of the recent annual Moelwyn Fell Race have announced that it was a good day financially for the club.

As a result the club has decided to give donations to the Hebog Harriers, Army Cadets, Aberglaslyn Search and Rescue Team and the Bro Ffestiniog Rugby Club from where the race started and ended as a thank you to them for their valued support to this popular race.

The hope is that next year’s race will be held on 21 April (date to be confirmed).

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