THE latest community news from Machynlleth.

Prize bingo

MACHYNLLETH Bowling Club is hosting Easter Prize Bingo on Friday, 14 April, at 7.30pm.All proceeds go to Future Play Machynlleth, who are raising funds to carry out an extensive refurbishment of the children’s playground at Plas Machynlleth.

Dyfi Probus

AT the annual lunch, outgoing chairman David Rynn told members: “It’s been difficult for me to believe that I have been chair now for two years. It seems no time at all since I took on the role.”

He went on to say that when he began his tenure he had some misgivings as he felt that he hardly knew many of the members. He did however know that he enjoyed Probus and that he was happy to give something back.

Since then he has been able to chat with just about all the members. He has also immensely enjoyed the various guest speakers.

David mentioned the sadness within the club at the loss of John Sadler, then went on to thank Clive Miller for producing the Probus monthly news-sheet, and secretary Chris Fuller for the tremendous amount of work he does behind the scenes.

He ended by expressing his delight that John Hoyle would take over his role in April.

When guest speaker Barbara Walker’s computer suffered terminal failure at the start of the February meeting it was agreed to hold the AGM instead.

From this it was decided that John Hoyle would be the new chairman, while Chris Fuller agreed to carry on as secretary/treasurer. The new programme committee comprises John Hoyle, John Derry, Chris Fuller, Clive Miller and David Rynn, who have all been hard at work already rounding up the speakers for the coming season.

New members: Bill Halls, Sir John Houghton, (ex head of the Met Office) and Mike Jarrett, who is a retired civil servant were formally welcomed.

April’s speaker will be Tecwyn Williams with a talk titled Thoughts on Nuclear Power and in May, Carrie Canham will talk about Ceredigion Museum.

On 27 June Dilys Williams will be visiting the club. The provision title for her presentation is Drovers’ Roads.

Planning

IN the period 8-13 March, Powys county planners approved an application for the erection of agricultural building on land near Coed Pryfydau, Llanbrynmair.

Hearing Aid Clinic

THE Hear to Help drop-in clinic returns this Friday, 7 April, at the care centre, Forge Road, from 10am to midday. NHS hearing aid wearers can visit this Action on Hearing Loss Cymru service for friendly help with cleaning their aids, new tubes and free batteries. The clinic is free and is run by trained volunteers on the first Friday of each month.

Centre for Alternative Technology

THIS April a series of talks at the Centre for Alternative Technology will take you on a journey from ancient Welsh woodland to the Amazon rainforest and beyond.

Tonight (Wednesday), CAT starts its programme of evening talks with Adam Thorogood from the Woodland Trust. Adam will talk audiences through the essential work being carried out by the Trust in partnership with landowners across the UK.

On Monday, 10 April, CAT will welcome Tony Russell who will deliver a talk on his exploration of the Amazon rainforest. Tony’s talk, based on his travels in the region, provides an astonishing portrait of one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth.

On Wednesday, 12 April, Prof David Wilkinson has been invited to CAT to explore the complex theory of Gaia. David is the author of 150 scientific papers and books on the subject and is an entertaining and popular speaker with CAT students.

All three of these talks are free to attend and there is no need to book. Meet at the CAT café from 5pm (5.30pm on 12 April) and the talks begin at 7pm (7.30pm on 12 April).