School bake-off

YOU could have cut the atmosphere in the bake off hall with a knife, if they weren’t already in use slicing cakes for tasting!

Twenty eight bakers entered the PTFA’s innovative fund-raising competition, many of the younger pupils from KS3, together with some more experienced bakers from the school and community, all hoping to have a chance at the jackpot prize of £50. There were so many amazing entries; the thought and skill put into the showstopper, as well as the other categories, was incredible.Many thanks to everyone who took part, not just in the baking, but the organising, the judg-ing, and the very many local businesses and shops for donating, the way the whole commu-nity pulled together certainly added to the mix. The ensemble group, together with Mr Gilbert, added an extra ingredient to the event and was the icing on the cake!Results:Biscuits and buns: 1 Erin FreemanCakes: 1 Abigail WestPastries/Bread: 1 Noah Feasey-Perkins‘Showstopper’: 1 Eleanor JonesThe overall ‘Star Bakers’ were: 1 Eleanor Jones; 2 Abigail West; 3Erin Freeman; 4 Noah Feasey-PerkinsThe judging was so difficult; it took four judges to come to a decision – Siân Jones, popular local baker; Mair Jones, catering, Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor; Jo Oliver, Tywyn Bakery; and Diane Jones, Cambrian Cake Designs.Star Baker Eleanor Jones, aged just 12, won the £50 cash prize, being crowned star baker for her amazing showstopper. The judges described it as “rich chocolate, having great taste and texture, with all handmade decorations.” The runner up, Abigail West from The Proper Gander restaurant, was also praised: “As judges we appreciate that gluten free cakes are difficult to get right. Here we’ve had a cake that is full of flavour, moist and light. We are very impressed with your cake. Fantastic!”Erin Freeman, aged only 11, was highly commended and placed in third position as star baker for her scones with fresh strawberries, jam and cream.

This was the first bake off competition to be held at Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn, and judging by the support on the day and comments made afterwards, it will hopefully become an annual event. The headteacher, Helen Lewis, thanked everyone for their help and support, the PTFA, staff, pupils, parents, local businesses and bakers and the ensemble group, with a special thank you to Rebecca Perkins, whose idea the bake-off was, and Katie Morgan, PTFA secretary for all her hard work co-ordinating the troops.

Garden Club

TYWYN Garden Club held the AGM on Tuesday, 10 May in Tywyn Baptist Church. The chairman Margaret Evans welcomed those present.Apologies were received from Jean Waterman, Rev Celia Adams, Mrs J Handcock, Mrs J Esnouf, Mrs D Bishton, Mrs E Brown, Tony Mitchel and Mrs A Jordan.The minutes of the AGM 2015 were read and accepted.Treasurer Ann Malin gave her report; we now have 40 members. The balance in the bank remains healthy.The town council was given £100 towards the town planters for plants. A donation of £100 was given to Montgomery Wildlife Trust who support the Dyfi Osprey.The annual membership fee will remain at £8. The chairman thanked the treasurer, and her report was proposed, and accepted unanimously.Chairman Margaret Evans gave her report. She thanked Sue Yeomans for the informative, and interesting programme, and the other officers and committee and all members for the loyalty and support given during the year.The election of officers followed: Margaret Evans, chairman; Jean Westerman, vice chairman; Susanna Yeomans, secretary; Ann Malin, treasurer; Cathy Chapman, vice treasurer; Janet Handcock, committee members.As nominations, so all were proposed and seconded en bloc.Katie Pearce and Julie Esnouf retired from the committee. Penny Horton was elected onto the committee. The AGM closed at 8pm.A short business meeting followed, before we had our bring and share supper.A visit to Newmans garden Centre on Tuesday, 17 May was arranged, and seven members went in cars.Quentin Deakin who is vice chairman of Meirioneth Horticultural Society advised on his planned outing on 9 July to Crug Farm and two garden centres near Bangor.We also discussed the floral train planned for 9 August.Also our Tywyn garden club annual outing on 14 June to Bridgemere Garden World in time for lunch, and then the Dorothy Clive gardens in the afternoon.Lloyds Coaches, Machynlleth, will pick up in Aberdyfi at approximately 8.45am on the way to Tywyn to pick up at Tywyn Co-op at 9am. We will also pick up in Bryncrug and Abergynolwyn approx 9.30am.

Magic Lantern

SUNDAY afternoon, 22 May, the Magic Lantern Cinema, opened its doors to Margaret Smith who gave an illustrated talk on her visit to Nepal in April 2015.Margaret’s visit was not to the high Himalayas but to look at and photograph life away from the mountains. Her journey in the foothills surrounding the Kathmandu valley gave spectacular views of the Langtang Himal, as well as an insight into a different way of life, staying in tea houses and at the other end of the scale a rather plush hotel.She went on to visit Pokhara where she reflected on her first visit to Nepal in 2000, when trekking to Annapurna Base Camp. After meet-ing up again in Kathmandu with her friend who had been to Everest Base Camp, the last part of the trip was to the Chitwan National Park for a wildlife safari.Her friend had celebrated her 60th birthday whilst on the way to Base Camp and Margaret enjoyed hers at Chitwan photographing superb wildlife and the locals.At the end Margaret showed images of Kathmandu and the villages where guides she knows have family and the damage done by the earthquake on 25 April 2015.One was of her friend Gum sitting with his 94 year old grandmother both looking bewildered; a later image showed them smiling and holding hands.Margaret’s talk was a very informative and moving presentation, engaging the audience and showing both the beauty and destructive power of nature in a spectacular but fragile part of the world which, sadly, gets too little news coverage despite the continuing needs there.The generosity of the people who came to the cinema raised £301.20.Exodus Travels, the company Margaret has used for the past 16 years, will use the monies to continue the work they have been doing to rebuild the villages, schools and lives of their staff, as well as holding medical camps.It was generally felt that this was a very worth-while event for the Magic Lantern to host and it would be good to see other similar ventures in future.So a big thank you to all who came and especially the Magic Lantern and the staff who gave their time and the venue free of charge.