THE latest community news from Machynlleth

Garden club

MACHYNLLETH and District Garden Club’s plant sale takes place at the bowling club car park on Saturday, 18 May, between 10am and 1pm.

The club is arranging a visit to two gardens in the Newtown area - Cwm Weeg and Glansevern - on Thursday, 27 June.

Both members and non-members are welcome. For further information or to book your place phone 01654 702853.

Big Lunch

ON the first weekend of June, millions of people across the UK get together with their community to have a Big Lunch and celebrate all the positive things that happen where they live.

This year there is a community picnic and treasure hunt in Machynlleth.

You are invited!

This Big Lunch will be extra special because the Big Lunch Community Walk will be travelling across Wales for two weeks visiting different groups and will end with the Big Lunch in Machynlleth. This will be a chance to shine a light on the town and highlight all the positive things that happen.

Bring a picnic. Join the treasure hunt. Celebrate the community.

Music club

ON Friday, 17 May at 7.30pm Noriko Ogawa will perform.

A highly-acclaimed international pianist, recording artist, presenter, educator and artistic adviser to MUZA Kawasaki Symphony Hall.

She presents a stunning programme and finale to the club’s 2018/19 season. Adults: £12/under 18s: free (music club members: free).

Tickets on the door.

UNESCO Dyfi Biosphere

THE Dyfi Biosphere is discussing how to increase the impact of collaborative action in this special UNESCO area – the only one of its type in Wales.

This is one of the subjects on the agenda for the annual meeting on Thursday, 16 June. The Dyfi valley and Aberystwyth together have formed the Dyfi Biosphere area since 2009. Every 10 years there is an opportunity to ask UNESCO to agree changes to how we do things locally, including defining the area. Tywyn, Carno and Faenor are expected to be included in an expanded area, at the request of their Community Councils, and the door is still open to others nearby for a short time.

The meeting will discuss the draft reports prepared for UNESCO by consultants BRO and WSP at the request of Natural Resources Wales.

These reports are available at www.dyfibiosphere.wales.

While much has been achieved since 2009 through partner organisations and volunteers, the lack of core funding has held back progress.

The Annual Meeting will consider options for the future. The meeting will also discuss how the Dyfi Biosphere can strengthen work locally on climate change and biodiversity. Through UNESCO, the Biosphere is committed to contribute towards the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, while in Wales these are reflected in the 7 Goals of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. Two examples of local action will be described - Ceredigion County Council’s carbon management planning and Machynlleth’s climate emergency process. Suggestions about what other actions could make up a ‘framework for action’ will then be sought.

Ray Quant, Chair of the Dyfi Biosphere Partnership, explained that a UNESCO Biosphere is a place where people share a way of living with nature that builds a future we’re proud of. “There are many ways to get involved”, he said, adding that the annual meeting is an open event, so anyone is welcome to go along to find out more.

The meeting will be held at 7.30pm on Thursday, 16 May, at Y Plas hall, although people are encouraged to come any time from 7pm to have refreshments and to chat informally.

For more information phone 01654 703965 or email [email protected].

Dyfi U3A

MEMBERS of Dyfi U3A – university of the third age – are anticipating a most interesting talk on Glaciers by their guest speaker, Prof Neil Glassner, at the bowling club on Friday, 17 May, at 2pm.

Dyfi U3A holds monthly meetings at the bowling club on the third Friday of each month from 2pm to 4pm.

Market day talk

THE Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) Machynlleth series of the popular midday market day ‘Meet the Artist’ series of talks continue at the Tabernacle on Wednesday, May 29, at noon.

Admission is free. Further details via 01654 703355.

Council AGM

MACHYNLLETH Town Council will be electing the town mayor and deputy mayor at its annual general meeting 2019/20 at Y Plas on Tuesday, 28 May at 6pm, to be immediately followed by the council’s ordinary monthly meeting for May at 6.30pm.

Formal notice of the meetings will be affixed to the council’s notice boards in front of the town library and Plas foyer. Public and press are welcome to attend.

Gerddi/Gardens meet

AT the May meeting of Gerddi Bro Ddyfi Gardens held at the Old Shop, Bryn-y-Gog, chair Norma McCarten welcomed members’ initiatives towards the group’s AGM at Y Plas on Saturday, 25 May, from 11am to 1pm.

She praised all for their diligence at the Plas-based gardens and advised that a suitable quantity of the gardens’ leaflets were now available.

Co-ordinator Angela Paxton said that the group’s presence at the climate emergency fair and the recent Wednesday market had gone very well. She thanked all the helpers, loyal band of volunteers and public for their support. S

ecretary Eleanor Lamoure reported that the post of assistant co-ordinator had been filled after interviewing a number of excellent candidates and would take up the post shortly.

Veterans’ bowls

PRIOR to the opening round in the Welsh Bowls Association’s Veterans’ County Championship, the Montgomeryshire Bowling Association held a county trial match at Newtown Bowling Club on Tuesday, 7 May.

Machynlleth bowlers hoping to catch the selectors’ eyes for the opening match were: John Astley, Hefin Ellis, Alwyn Jones, Kevin Jones, Brendan Rogers, David Rowlands, Peter Saunders and Bill Stone.

Cymhorthfa

THE Plas in will be buzzing again on Sunday, 19 May, as the twice yearly Cymhorthfa – Repair & Share Fair – returns.

Cymhorthfa means a place to get help.

Between 10.30am and 3.30pm the help at Y Plas will focus on avoiding waste, mending and putting things to good use, and having fun by trying out something new.

Ecodyfi has brought together several community groups in the Dyfi Biosphere to provide an antidote to the ‘throwaway society’.

Over 400 people attended the first Cymhorthfa in May 2018, and hundreds more enjoyed the October event.

Many of them brought household and garden items to be mended by volunteers in the ‘Repair Cafe’ that forms part of the event.

The biggest group of things consisted of lamps, radios, fairy lights and other small electrical items, and the second busiest set of menders and advisers were those dealing with computers.

This year, John Behnan’s IT support desk will be bolstered by enthusiasts from Aberystwyth University who are expert in the Linux open-source operating system.

Children’s activities will include arts and crafts, and Mid-Wales Refugee Action’s ‘Redress the Balance’ will invite people to dress up in outrageous secondhand clothes and fineries.

Attractions on the lawn will include a Seedling Swap organised by Mach Maethlon and hands-on activities including tool sharpening.

Refreshments will be provided by Aber Food Surplus volunteers, from food that would otherwise be thrown away by supermarkets.

More information is available at http://repairfair.ml/ and through an event on Facebook.

Gin tasting in Pennal

GIN tasting on 14 June at 7.30pm. Booking essential; £15 to include lucky ticket prize.

Contact conolfanpennal2021@hotmail. co.uk or phone 01654 791221.

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