THE latest community news from Llwyngwril

Garden club

THE chairperson opened the second meeting of the new season with a welcome to an audience of 26, including one guest and a new member. Apologies were received from five other members.

Following other business and correspondence, a vote was taken to decide the venue for the summer trip.

It was decided that the club will visit Ness Gardens on Thursday, 28 June.

One of the members then gave a short slide presentation based on the village cemetery. This was hoped to generate a working party, comprising club members and other volunteers within the village, to take on responsibility to clear, tidy and maintain a specific area.

Ideas are to be considered and reported back on at next month’s meeting.

The speaker, Colin White from Dolgellau, was then welcomed to give a talk entitled Chickens – expect the unexpected.

The group learned that he had worked for the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in Cardiff where a client once arrived at his office asking how to grow grass on coal tips!

Various types of grass seeds and manures were tested, and poultry manure was recommended. Its many minerals sustained the grass root system, keeping a foothold where others were washed away by rainfall.

A slideshow progressed from black towering coal tips into deep shafts with pit props and working colliers and harrowing scenes of Aberfan.

These days the hills and former coal tips are green – with not a chicken in sight!

A vote of thanks was given to Mr White for his interesting presentation and chat and refreshments followed.

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