THE latest community news from Blaenau Ffestiniog

Services

BETHESDA: Richard Llwyd Jones, 10am.

Bowydd: Rev Eifion Williams.

Carmel: Eifion Jones.

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

St Michael’s: Morning service at 9.30am.

St David’s: Morning service at 11am.

St Mary Magdalene: Mass at 11am.

Holy Cross: Mass at 6pm on Saturday.

Bethel, Ffestiniog: Nan and Myfanwy at 10am.

Trawsfynydd: Penstryd, 10am and Cwm Prysor, 5.30pm, both taken by Rev Anita Ephraim.

Moreia: Sunday School at 10.45am and Rev Richard Llwyd Jones at 2pm.

New priest

IT has been announced that Father Shaji Punnati has been appointed as the new parish priest to succeed Bishop Edwin who left the post after five years due to ill health.

Father Punnati is presently parish priest of Denbigh and Ruthin and his first weekend services at the Holy Cross at Gellilydan and St Mary Magdalene in Blaenau will be on 28-29 October.

Council committees

COUNCILLORS Rory Francis, Mel Goch ap Meirion and Ronwen D Roberts have been appointed onto the town council’s amenities, planning, law and order, parking matters and transport committees.

Rory Francis was also elected onto the resources committee and Ronwen D Roberts to the Christmas committee.

Coffee morning

THE next health and wellbeing event to be held at the library will be a Macmillan Coffee Morning on Monday, 25 September, from 10am to noon.

Maenofferen Gallery

FROM 20 September to 4 November the gallery will host the art and craft work of those who attend the Stephen Owen classes.

Park

THE local park has won the Green Award once again this year, but it has been decided not to order a flag pole for the banner due to the associated costs.

However, new bins with the town council logo are in place, a new fence has been installed and the pavilion, benches and picnic tables have been painted.

Planning

THE following applications were resolved by the planning authority and permitted: Provision of ATM and associated signage with ATM at Eurospar; application to remove condition 5 for an approval relating to landscape on land by the recycling centre, Tanygrisiau; to demolish an existing shed at Pencae, Fuches Wen and erect an extension in its place; an application for a non-material amendment following grant of planning application in the form of amending windows, inclusion of additional windows, extension to a store and amendments to finishes at Tan y Bryn, Ffordd Pencefn, Tanygrisiau.

Bro Ffestiniog Archaeology Society

THE opening talk of the society’s autumn season will be held today (Thursday) at 7pm at Y Ganolfan.

The guest speaker is Dr Ian Brooks on aerial survey techniques in archaeology. The talk will be in English.

Tea and coffee will be served at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

Earlier in the summer, the society held its AGM and all officers offered to continue in their posts; this was agreed by the membership.

The officers are: chairman, Bill Jones; vice-chairman, Dafydd Roberts; treasurer, Peter V Jones; secretary, Ronwen Roberts.

Committee members: Dafydd Jones, Avis Reynolds and Mel Thomas (as press officer).

The AGM was followed by an extremely interesting presentation by Gareth Jones, son of the late Ernest Jones, of photos he took while he was growing up in Stiniog.

The very appreciative audience were taken back to the ‘60s and ‘70s through both colour and black and white pictures of the town and its quarries at the end of the slate industry in the area.

A number of places in the town had changed much since Gareth recorded that period of time in the town’s history.

Siop Siarad

THE next meeting of the area social group for Welsh speakers and learners will be held at 11am at the Bridge Café on Saturday, 23 September.

All are welcome to come along for an informal chat over a coffee and cake.

Moelwyn Choir

THE choir, conducted by Sylvia Ann Jones and accompanist Wenna Francis Jones, were in concert at Betws y Coed on Friday evening.

They were joined on stage by young soloists Alaw Jones and Tomos Heddwyn Griffiths.

The compère was Gareth Griffiths.

Ysgol Maenofferen

MAE pennaeth newydd Ysgol Maenofferen wedi dechrau yn y swydd.

Mae Aled Meredydd Williams, sy’n wreiddiol o Sir Fôn ac wedi gweithio dros bedair blynedd yn Ysgol Llandegfan, yn dod yn ôl i Sir Feirionnydd lle y bu’n bennaeth am 10 mlynedd yn Ysgol Talsarnau.

Dywedodd: “Eleni rydym wedi croesawu 29 o ddisgyblion newydd i’r dosbarth Meithrin a sawl disgybl i ddosbarthiadau eraill yr ysgol ac mae pawb wedi ymgartrefu yn dda ar ddechrau’r flwyddyn ac yn barod am flwyddyn brysur.

“Dwi’n hynod falch o fod wedi cychwyn yma’n Ysgol Maenofferen fel pennaeth newydd yr ysgol ac mae’n gyfnod cyffrous.

“Rwyf yn edrych ymlaen i gael cydweithio gyda phawb sy’n ymwneud â’r ysgol ac adeiladu ar gryfderau yr ysgol.”

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