Cardiff Times - August 2023

AUGUST 2023

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nationalracehorseweek.uk

9th-17th September

An experience like no other...

From 9-17 September 2023, in an experience like no other, over 130 events across the country, including training yards, studs and retraining centres, will open their doors to show what life as a racehorse is really like. Three venues across Wales are available to book, and places are free to book! You can book your tickets to attend at nationalracehorseweek.co.uk Tim Vaughan Racing, based near Cowbridge, South Wales, is a fantastic state-of-the-art yard to visit. Offering purpose-built facilities dedicated to offering the best care and attention to racehorses, it is a great yard to see if you’re looking for a behind-the-scenes experience.

Spiteri Retraining, based in Beulah, West Wales, retrain retired racehorses to lead happy lives in many different disciplines. Visitors will have the incredible opportunity to see the racehorses enjoying a gallop on the sands at Poppit Beach, as well as a demonstration of their horses being schooled.

Evan Williams Racing, based in the heart of the Vale of Glamorgan, is offering the chance to experience their excellent training facilities, as well as a dedicated team that supply a steady flow of winners season after season.

Spaces are filling up fast across the three venues, so book your places now.

Remember to share images of your visit using #NationalRacehorseWeek and #LovetheRacehorse

“What holidays?!”

byWyn Evans

You wait all year for the summer holidays to arrive and when they do it’s to warnings on Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme this morning not to go near dead birds or seals on the Pembrokeshire coast for fear of cross contamination with bird flu; Just Stop Oil walking for mile after mile in front of vehicles, preventing folk going on holiday in the first place; high temperatures on the continent threatening lives and homes in an arc from Spain through the Greek islands; and, closer to home, the futile attempt to make every minute of the holidays full of learning and meaning for our kids.

Culmington Manor in Shropshire. It takes the form of a sports/adventure camp with inputs from specialist speech therapists (an important resource for those with DS). The Girl loves the camp, and it was all I could do to prevent her telling everyone she was starting her holidays a week early. “Not so”, I’d interject, “the course is part of your education, it’s just like going to school.”

This simply earned me uncomprehending looks. Much like the ones I gave my dad when, fifty-seven years ago, he told me he’d decided that I could have a weekly comic. I assumed I am writing at the end of week 1 of the holidays that he’d allow me agency in choosing what although it feels like we’ve already had a comic to take and had already narrowed it fortnight off. My 17 year old daughter was down to a straight choice between The Beano given permission to be absent from school for and a Marvel comic, possibly Thor. You the final week of term allowing her to attend can imagine my joy when, on the following the annual summer camp run by an excellent Thursday along with that day’s South Wales charity called ‘21Plus’. It’s a five-day residential Echo they delivered my new comic: ‘Look and course aimed at 14-21 year old young adults Learn’. Over the months I came to appreciate with Down Syndrome and this year’s was held at some of the articles but they did not match up 6 CARDIFF TIMES

to the extra-terrestrial adventures of Marvel or the ribald, subversive, scatological humour of The Beano. (It’s such a shame that, for the comic’s 85th birthday edition this week, it has gone woke. Still, be kind!)

Then this week, the de jure first week of the holiday, The Girl spent three days helping out at the Barinowsky School of Ballet’s three day summer school. I say ‘helping out’ with the younger kids but I think she saw it more as an opportunity for joining in. The irrepressible Miss Emily was glad of The Girl’s presence and I am grateful to Emily for all she has done for my daughter over the years.

All these activities essentially meant that my first holiday duties as stay-at-home-Dad did not arise until the Thursday of the first week, yesterday. Naturally, she started with a lie-in and ignored me when I tried to get her to leave her bed (“Da-ad, it’s holidays; I neeed a lie-in.”). Then followed a battle over whether she would take her shower a.m. or p.m. She settled on a morning one leading to battle number three – would she wash her hair (she would), and number four – could she not use too much conditioner please (she couldn’t).

Still, I found the one guaranteed sure-fire way of winning her round: a promise of lunch at Bentley’s café on Wellfield Road. We love Bentley’s. Distraught we were those few years ago when it appeared that the writing was on the wall, but it has come back as strong as ever and The Girl happily tucked into her cheese Panini and chips… and promptly exercised it all away with a two-hour session at her second home, Twisters South Wales Trampoline Club, in Collivaud Place. And so ended the ‘de facto father and daughter first day of the holidays’, with a knackered young person happily retreating to her computer and thence to bed.

Getting in the bouncing practice is important.

The Girl will be representing Wales as a Region in the Inter-Regional Challenge Cup Final later this summer. She’s earned a move up a few classes and will be presenting by far the most difficult routine she’s ever attempted, against more experienced opposition than

she’s faced before, some of whom are simply awesome. The height these kids can reach and their facility to twist and spin in the air has to be seen to be believed. Yet, The Girl has competitively earned her place on the team and is there on merit. That’s to look forward to.

July 23rd was the 11th anniversary of my dad’s death in 2012. He had cancer. I don’t think of him any less and, of course, I still miss him.

But the passage of time does take the edge off. Some years ago we’d been due a trip to Ludlow which we had to cancel. So, The Boss and I decided to use the Girl-free time available to us when our daughter was on her summer camp in Shropshire to visit Ludlow. What a remarkable town it is. There are well-over five hundred listed buildings there, many of them replete with Tudor beams. There were delightful delis and cafes and seemingly no end of independent, non-chain shops. We stayed in The Feathers Hotel which can trace its history back in excess of six hundred years (see picture attached). I was surprised at the history of the town and the extent to which its central location gave it an important role in the commercial and political life of Wales across the centuries.

By the time you read this the hols will be close to ending. The Girl will enter Year 13 with us having to decide what options to follow at Year 14. As well as college options we will need to consider initiatives like Project Search, Work Fit and others which give support to young folk with disabilities, allowing them to build and display skills in the work place. The future seems a very serious place whenever I contemplate these options. Still, The Girl always gives her all, is hard to daunt, and has a fiercely determined side to her nature. These traits will hopefully stand her in good stead as she contemplates her future.

Good luck to our readers and your families as you too approach the new academic year.

CARDIFF-TIMES.CO.UK 7

Cardiff Times - August_Layout 1 14/07/2023 12:01 Page 1

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DEXYS The Feminine Divine 13.09.23

SIR RANULPH FIENNES Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know 27.09.23

FOIL, ARMS & HOG Hogwash 29.09.23

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THE SNOWMAN + WALLACE & GROMIT 07.12.23

JOE CALZAGHE Britain’s Greatest Ever Boxer 08.10.23

ADRIAN EDMONDSON Berserker!

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GRAYSON PERRY A Show All About You 12.10.23

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8 CARDIFF TIMES

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22/05/2023 11:19

‘And Another Thing...’

Greek Bean byVince Nolan

No, not Green Bean but Greek Bean. Have a look at this guy we recently spotted in a taverna in Greece.

The likeness was uncanny, and I started making Bean noises which were wasted on Stavros. Fab holiday, two weeks in the sun with She Who Must Be Obeyed but we hit the beginnings of that heatwave and at 43 degrees it was very unpleasant.

Our holiday tactic has always been to follow our noses, instincts and wherever the Greek Islanders are eating and playing. Skiathos, (Rich Shade of Trees) is our favoured spot. Of course, being an ancient Greek island, they did not reckon on ever needing a runway. Now Pegasus (the winged horse) was the closest they came to flying in those days and he did not need much room to land, whereas this one is a wee bit scary. As you will have noted my lack of Greek mythology knowledge has always been my Achilles Elbow.

On return from our holiday excursions, we repaired to our local hostelry, Zorba’s Place and overheard a lady discussing her forthcoming foreign sojourn with her partner. Two weeks in Spain with each day and evening planned with military precision and no room for imagination. I have no wish to offend any of you Chums, but we do not understand why it is that when the mercury hits 80+ degrees so many Brits light a fire to carbonise a variety of meats and then plunge into a molten outdoor bath. However, I digress. She went on to say, “I am not just after your money, you are a nice guy.” Both circa aged 60 and second time around the dance floor. She ordered fillet steak and a bottle of Prosecco and he, pie and chips, presumably to save his money that she was now spending. Then he paid the tip £1……pathetic.

What do you get when you drain a hot tub full of clowns? Several gallons of laughing stock.

10 CARDIFF TIMES

Same venue and with our radar firmly on, the Current Mrs Nolan and I overheard this guy telling his wife that “they” are now doing brain transplants.

We thought about this for all of two seconds and imagined the situation where say your father now has a serial killers’ brain and walks like him, talks like him and behaves like him and doesn’t know who you or any of his family/friends are nor his own name. What a marvellous scientific breakthrough! Some people.

Keeping up the romantic theme I bought the Leader of the Opposition a packet of crisps at the above venue (I know, I spoil that woman) and this one was in it. How romantic.

Nothing to do with crisps but this caught my eye the other day: “I eat my peas with honey, I’ve done it all my life. It makes the peas taste funny, but it keeps them on the knife.”

What else to tell you since we last met? Oh, just the usual. Son and heir Tom married his delightful NYPD fiancée Shannon in New York and bought a house

Just tohanging. beten clear: Didrefused youorhear about the urologist a pardon inpostulated 1833 ortunately, only six of us turned up and abeing of wereHe required theelectric inminimum thedue early 19th century.

As the hecklers toiled in the Stereophonics and Tom Jones a fractional charge, under 14’s t bad news forold-timers the Cardiff a carrying grave error?

Between typos and autocorrect Ig,engaged four who were in the bar (could have been the who was eaten by a bear?

He was a meteorologist if I were illegally hunting for at the Principality Stadium which had sold as building blocks of the hadrons.

Quarks Andrew Jackson andthe from President derhosen Formation Slap Dancing Ensemble it’sone getting harder to post stuff read these out days.

One the whether factory, of the team would days edout ones from Taff Vale) and asked were them they fancied having a Citythe hotels.

The concerts then have not been directly observed but theoretical (meaty urologist, oh please yourselves).

I have questionable morels? ho will the no longer be slapping each other as tiny mistake and your whole post is urined. news and others would butt in with constant was executed after Court Queens ready for ourafirst Grandchild (a boy) and free in beer for the afternoon.

Fearing some kind of the honey trap, they tookonthe and we found City centre hotel predictions based theirSupreme existence have rt cancelled ofa their routines unless they are given me before.”

We shook hands and I walked off with in due on my birthday in November, so, nothing much The Leader of the Opposition and I were sitting all deer who has lost both ingfor that myhurrah! offer wasHowever, genuine. the Cautiously, they agreed to join us.

Picture the and a has stream “furious debate.” fickleinterruptions finger been confi rmed experimentally.”

Oh tears rolling down my cheeks.

A good life lesson The world taken a down strange –please! at leastWith ruled he could turn itof iftwist he wanted ecial £80, dispensation by our First Minister. happening then! scene, 5pm on a sunny friends. our socially distanced local, The Funky Furlough, ccident?

No eye deer. of fate (presumably the middle one),this thenin mind And as for mesons and baryons, webeen could be the parts I collated seem to occupy.

Iquality have I have some put-downs to.

No pleasing some folk. just read that Wales has signed aboard: 5-year weekday evening at theayou side How long have had arthritis?”

“IRugby don’t intervened and cancelled the offi ce lunch here allabout night. aw this Trump inI have a local pub on their specials reading proposal for the 2027 when a lady close by to us asked the Bar Manager when dies, I will give Finally, I do not promote things in my scribblings, but whichonentrance comics have usedonto deal with modern day collaboration with Cornwall to work together to the Brewery us toofand wander lonely Fair as some clouds We leaving Love “areas Local champion local farms World which will any team in “but red I have arthritis, Father,” themate drunk said, this isCup the exception.

Ourprevent good Dr Rhys Jones, shared interest.” enough, but it is iffacilities theCaroline toilets were still upstairs.

He ofother course “He it isthat today how he aswarmed hecklers: IStreet was at the hairdressers the day for my where four ey: time tried to Cardiff Uni Lecturer and famous for his BBC Series around Castle and itswas outdoor bar densure fisheries.”

All very laudable but the first shirts and green shirts playing each other we had properly up since we didn’t want to pull any drinking to the be called “The Celtic Heritage Cornwall-Wales just read in the paper that themore, Pope does.”

“Rhys tocould the Rescue” andI very has Continuing January scalping when themuch Jimmy Nail who barely Collaboration Agreement.”

Snappy ain’t it. pensioners until frostbite got the better of us forced usand confi rmed that they were but thought thischarts to song be ato earing make-up and lying front m on their menu was Mediterranean Olives. because colour blind people often struggle . Unfortunately, only sixinof us and turned up a minimum of ten were required or he other three written a book (the first in a trilogy) which his the “Ain’t Nohanging Doubt - She’s Lying” came on the “What size ofseen shoe does your mouth take?” stand were onto back toina the hotelsame we did not need.

Much fun, but verheard pub: “Every time we distinguish between the two.

Not criticising Staying with the drink, there has always the rope humble upbringing, battle with dyslexia and amazing very stupid question.

I would have said something mlinson I purchased some “plastic cheese” from a wellsme off.

I engaged four old-timers who were inthem the bar (could have been the wireless.

Totally unscripted, we, the masked ahow lamppost, rather we quickly found out that there is aon limit to here we come here.”

You say. of support, course but thisattached would affect Wales, lifefor experiences.

It is entitled “Becoming Dr Jones – known supermarket, the kinddon’t used burgers (not been much snobbery to wine. like: “I don’t know d by the son of a good friend singers in the chairs and our masked stylists theme: A Wild Life” and is published by Headline Publishing “This is what comes from drinking on an empty entioned ones from the Taff Vale) asked them whether they fancied a much that mulled wine one drink before falling than illumination.

An Canada, Ireland, Tonga, Russia,having South Africa we eat burgers atcan Nolan Towers).

Iand examined release on August 3rd. urge you to have ait,read. sell-buy dates before Indeed, people make aIsing living from allfor started toThis sway and to the music in a the label.

Sell-by date was Christmas Eve largely over. afternoon they would and Japan. me intrap, mind of that quote when madam was a urology for his Dad’s ytrite tour and free beer forSoap the afternoon.

Fearing some kind ofhad honey they took onhead.” because it contained only 11% cheese.

As for the scene reminiscent from The Full Monty when butfrom I am making a stand because thewho supermarket on aeulogy Friday 3onvincing shopsremaining I that really BBC snooker commentator Ted of Lowe never…… remember.

89%,offer you do was not want to know butCautiously, it got with us butat we e the heart to say my genuine. agreed tolast join us.

Picture the they they all started dancing inof the queue the a rope famously said during one his commentaries: me wondering about how much original content is lockdowns.

I’m giving up wine, every day, all “I know where you were when they were handing les that would make the with Mark Dacey (on the leS) who is the dynamic CEO of oots and job centre.

Fortunately all sharp implements scene, 5pm onare a them sunny moved out to meant. needed Anyway, here is a food whilst not falling in order to name foul “And for those of you who watching in black A drunk who smelled like a onthe a brains month.

No wait,forthat’s not it.minutes I’m giving out………getting an extra helping ofup. adand some doubt whether were a is few short and then ofdoes the Trades Itsausage notDescriptions need Pope meAct? to suggest the uncanny and the pink next to the green.” seges. weekday evening at the side brewery gotwhite, ondowned a bus and sat the car park many Wine every dayThe all month! without further comment, just like in a musical, mouth.” r for the journey home. rope down next to a priest.

Tomlinson or of vice versa.

We were recently awarded a contamination sticker entrance to the Brewery ekyhad months ago aslike aonthe ale, (heenough was affectionately everybody went back to their day job Interesting lyric we heard on the wireless from the police, this despite having divided s nothing torecycling do with EU drunk's shirt was stained, his Two people out on a first date.

“Do you Caroline Street where four nothing had happened.

Lockdown has a lot to no other day: “Sports bra and aconsequence Maserati car.”

“Do you know, ifbright you wore soundproof trousers our over many years into appropriately direct because ofrecycling his likeness e-buy to home school face was full of red dates before but a recent trip to my local supermarket ction ofcoloured the packaging differing boxesI to help their work. answer for but that was very funny. like Merlot Tammy?”

“Yes, but you don’t Who would thought of which that combination? pensioners could barely once owned one of the chewed pencils onecooking would hear a word saying.” lipstick and he had ahave half-you’re of who Covid19.”

Perhaps nperishables leader), involved adiscovered tripmake they some rogue foilMonday. light ofApparently, the that would the following In fact I or fruit and veg like Apparently many have including a poet called pronounce the “t.”

“Oh, Ok.” Looks at stand were seen hanging onto in the wrong box and then used a large plasticempty sticker bottle of wine sticking Shakespeare used to his famous works. used Thewrite Leader of The Opposition andI He I were this is why do not run ales play France.

We Dave Cox whom I have just “discovered”. these comestibles (and glue) to bring this to our attention.

Clearly a would make it to the car for the journey home.

What is going one day leS on the sell-buy date.

It takes an inordinate amount of skill to sup hen it’s serious, “Is that real face or are you still celebrating outwaiter: ofyour hislistening pocket.

He opened “Two Merlots for me and Ammy.” to Michael Ball on the wireless. a lamppost, for support, rather hanging offencewith and this the people who strew Intellectual property rules prevent me itquoting tofrom chew on with it so much that Istarted couldn’t whether was atell pub.

0th year relationship in-@me” 24 hours towas spare.

Waste levels must be astronomical. his and s, picked, packaged, Halloween?”

He interviewing Donny Osmond who EU supply issues?

Closer ofnewspaper the packaging ourten emptied containers all over inspec@on the and return the excitement. mum of were required or road than illumination.

An any of his work here but I encourage you to Our friend Drthe H has trained her dog Daisy uple of minutes later, he asked theorpriest, "Father, what causes arthritis?" the bins to the wrong houses.

Who is the clientStaying here A in wife sent her played them home and hadhim been appearing in panto at the London 2B not 2B. with Bard, days gone by, distributed around UK recent WalesOnline article bizarrely claimed look up.

A real comedy genius and hugely fruit and veg like Tanzania and Argen@na.

So these Staying with food, I have been doing some research into what is no longer ma as off.

I engaged four old-timers afternoon they would End being of rant.with cheap, wicked aused by anyway? loose living, women, too much and to bring her alcohol, a bottle ofhusband red wine.

No asurprise Palladium. was speaking about “Your bus leaves inDonny 10 minutes...

Be under it.” aquote romantic ernational weekends.

On at GPs were working 40 months anUK. hour refreshing. o the shops and put on in order to attract women, I used to use this from the The list is endless but here is a small sample: Pringles (Belgium), Sm in the bar (could have been the had o@c climes, picked, packaged, taken tothat," the port or airport, your fellow man," the priest replied.

"Imagine theformer drunk muttered.

He remember. never…… acting mentor of his who told him sat the Staying with service providers, I recently cause really, she’s a Bordeaux collie.

I was phrase we ertime.

I have no doubt they are ridiculously text message.

She wrote: “Ifhim.. are sleeping, send Mike’s fiones rst), we didpriest, it in Taff the on the sell-buy date.

It Vale) Colman’s English Mustard (Act Germany), Terrys Chocolate (France) eading his thinking about what he had said, turned tofor the following: “Theatre isyou the only place where topaper. attend aThe supermarket Pharmacy.

I asked the ioned from the “Well, it’s night out and aOrange night offyou forand his Shakespeare’s Hamlet, III, Scene IV, line 82: Ia have also been reading Bob Mortimer’s Recent crossword clue: “Brush under the ses then delivered to40 the shops and put on the shelves with etched at present, but months an hour? with She Who Must Be Obeyed the other he 18th Century “assistant” if I could leave my prescription with her.

Parliament) Sauce (The Netherlands).

Staggering.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come on so strong.

How long have you had can dream in public.

Your job as an actor is of skill to supply goods me your dreams.

If you are laughing, send me your aogised: bus to Dover, ferry crossing autobiography which I also strongly carpet 5 and 4.”

The answer was “gloss over.” them they fancied at’s overwhether three anas hour.

The only way family.”

A drunk who smelled like a She said Iyears could not they did not open until 09.00 whilst she sipped a glass of very wine to deliver thatFunny, dream” which weand thought was don't have arthritis, Father," the drunk said, "but I day just read in the paper that poignant recommend. clever, Picture the poor student trying to maybe learn o spare.

Waste levels straight was do would be to time travel so (this being 08.57). how IAt laughed.

I smile. ofEnglish. course Ifdidyou are eating, send me a bite.

If you are s.

I this was sitting next toMyhim.

Here’s one for you: “Knock knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“LiKle old lady.” rewery tour and free beer for the brewery got on amuch, bus and sat “LiKle o and she said, “I love you so you rather good.

Oh yes it is. s." but enough about me.

In it he recalls a tale the gentlemanly thing and waited until 09.00 and told “Hello.”

Student – try it in a German accent: “If I ey were referring to Dr Who. In “Imy world this “I need you like Van Gogh needed stereo.” had no idea you could yodel.” drinking, send me adown sip.

If next you are me Offi cer came Fearing kind ofonto trap, pCustoms and weft).

Of her some to shove the prescription the sun did not toI could acrying, priest.

The about having chronic flatulence asever asend child understand zis correctly, inhoney zewhere place you know.

Icourt don’t know how live ould be like driving at 40 hours afirst mile which I was reading about a case where the accused Thanks to my cousin Lawrence for this joke. shine.

End of second rant. the drink, there hasbut always been some convincing that my offer which was both embarrassing and atwork times tears.

I love Her husband texted back: “ as Just hold up your passports brushing benease your carpet zen drunk's shirt was stained, his ould be quite slow not unlike towalked I trying amand awas man ofyou awithout certain age soyou.” my does aswine well thare the related you.”

Itolerance said, “Isthreshold that you or the Iyour into our local The Moaning Monet anit een doing some research What do you callbar, a Frenchman wearing ery attached to wine.

Indeed, very painful.

During one particular attack he add shiny paint over it.

You British!” was described as “having murderous intent.”

I was Now for sometraffic humanity.

I to wasjoin in in Queen Street Cautiously, they agreed us. the recent carnage Cardiff par@cularly when being asked to embrace new technology.

I was therefore I’m in the toilet, please advise.” egotiate along and count them and face full ofon bright red talking?”

She said, “It’s me talking to the sandals?

Phillipe Flop!

Quickly by a I h Van sitting atwas the end afollowed bar stool. init,they the UK. The sorting out Euros thebike aforementioned holiday.

I Gogh aactured living from but I amformaking alanessaw went to the Doctors who managed to “release ty Centre as impose on the e scene, 5pm aapproached sunny weekday She Whoby Be Obeyed suggested I download anothing new app called what I writ: quite disappointed topoem learn that had to doWhat3Wo must have been times the wine.” lipstick and hequotes had athe halfost me and said “Ion didn’t know Staying with word games, I completed aMust word shouted “Hey Vince do you want a drink?” emall of the lockdowns.

I’m giving upthree the pressure” forthis him.

He Doctor sample: Pringles of us. et’s call her Dr same homeless guyto aggressively asking foraid money. naviga@on which divides the World into 3 metre squares and gives each s the side entrance the Brewery myNophone I correctly guessed asRoses saying: “Better an empty house than a empty bottle of wine sticking ay, all month. wait, that’s not Happy New Yearcan Dear Reader, the Year of the ortpuzzle and Ion haven’t gotinand one.”

I camping. with Finally, I told him a very blunt and clear fashion to a), Colman’s English be red, Violets are purple.

Just combina@on ofFinally, three words.

I s@ll“No drivethanks, about a lot for business, believe it or atenant” blessing for the drink: God,good. ingot his one the they were looking for was with Dr Rword who ee that Street where pensioners He shouted back: I’ve already Sainted Mother-In-Law was looking forMother’s car noisy which I thought was very up.

Wine every day month! go away.

As all Ifour walked off, I could my out of his pocket. opened saying.

Ox. Apparently this year is going toHe be lucky words to that effect.

Then, inassured ahear Chocolate Orange Hadron as in the Hadron Collider.

Having no that this system would be much more accurate than using our sat na voice in my head (my personal Jiminy Cricket) goodness, sent the grapes, to cheer both surance now that her stunt driving days are Presumably this was in the days before the barely stand were seen hanging ear.” ing.

We recently Finally, news, my friend David has lost ID. his newspaper andhis started saying: “You are the lucky one, going onwith holiday, just out on awhat first date.

“Do this was really alllike about Isad decided the Ox representing diligence, persistence of aclue War 2 find prisoner of war Parliament) Sauce (The the first @me the other day and the unique three word loca@on I was looking er.

IWorld managed to a you reasonable policy, Doctors were working 40 months an hour. a top bathroom tip: Never leave your greatFinally, and small.

Little fools will drink too mppost, for support, rather picked up adon’t pocketful of Euro’sthan when that guy has y?”

“Yes, but look itpinned. up.

I wish Ipronounce hadront (see .ducked Atocouple ofyou minutes later, he asked the priest, "Father, what causes arthritis?" ote was rted it out and paid it.footwell She Ibovvered in turn Now he iskindly just Dav. Are Lost!”

Design fault or user error? pile ointment next to your toothpaste! and honesty.

Not for going to be Trump’s year down into the nothing.

Do thefor right thing.” went and found the Adios Amigos much and fools none at all. My round. n.

An they would Oh, Ok.” Looks at waiter: “Twoabeing what Iafternoon did there): “Any member of awith class la great Vista. mbursed me with this immortal covering bloke and said: “Mate I want word you.”of He Hasta it's caused by loose living, with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, and Bye for now Amigos door.

Live Radio then is it? ed his coat and mine on top of subatomic particles are from quarks was understandably very cautious andbank.” backed away eremember. and Ammy.”

Yamas Chums Hasta La Vista mail: “Thank you, the that Monet isbuilt in the I Chums kpt knock.”

“Who’s there?” for your fellow man," the replied. a bit.react I apologised to him for mypriest attitude and what I "Imagine that," the drunk muttered. He and thus through the agency of the be outdone we ocourse move, whilst we were both countered this with “There was reallyme, had said to him and gave him £10.

He thanked H has trained her dog Daisy to bring her a bottle of redabout wine. No surprise dy who?”

“I had no idea dneed to reading his paper.

The priest, thinking what he had said, turned to the strong force.

The hadrons embrace mesons, ho smelled like apriceless brewery got to give me a impressionist hugged me and started to cry.

I asked him what was gng uncontrollably.

The Customs note: “Please Bordeaux collie.

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Trouble but thank you anyway.” wrong and"I'm he said: has evermean apologised to dinting apologised: sorry, I didn't to come on so strong. How long have you had and sat down next to“Nobody a priest. , did is I the thencount, wantedmissed to knowMike what a quark was. ?" shirt "I don't arthritis, Father," the drunk said, "but I just read in the paper that ’s washave stained, his face when people type ewe sohave my observed tolerance

ebright does."red lipstick and he had well as it used to pty bottle of wine sticking out of ed to embrace new .with He opened histhere newspaper and been the drink, has always

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CARDIFF TIMES 13

Contains at least one RGB ColorSpace

In The Words Of

by Carl Marsh

INTRO RANT How many news channels initially said that the fires in Rhodes and other Greek locations resulted from climate change, yet it’s apparent that arson and discarded cigarettes are to blame? I am a frequent visitor to Corfu. I’ve friends that live there. It’s a yearly occurrence. Still, we’ve got to keep that narrative flame burning now, don’t we? [lousy pun - sorry] Wales and its soon-to-be comprehensive scale implementation of many 20 mph zones. A quick question for Drakeford and his merry men and women - Do you realise that people will be spending more time looking at that speedometer than they will be looking ahead of them? And more cars will pollute more fumes at 20 than at 30 mph. As with all this climate stuff mantra and legislation, it has more holes than the last teabag I used for my cup of tea! If there was no money to be made [governments & industry] with all this climate lark, then people might take it seriously. Me…, well, forget it. I’m only someone with a keyboard and an opinion not blinkered by the TV man/woman.

MUSIC REVIEW Liam Gallagher - Knebworth 22 It might be a live performance CD of past Oasis and Liam Gallagher songs, but it’s Knebworth. I love how Liam has embraced the old with the new. He is the voice of Oasis. He always has, always will be. With talk of an original reformation being just that, talk.

Seeing this guy perform at Knebworth alone will - and did - bring back those memories from when Oasis did the same thing many years ago. This CD is for those fortunate to make it last year, decades ago, or both! And for those that made neither, what are you waiting for?

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INTERVIEWS Ukweli Roach: cast as the lead in BBC One’s new show, ‘Wolf’, he plays Jack Caffery. Shot in Wales, it’s based on the novel of the same name by the late Mo Hayder, with an all-star cast of Welsh talent.

This is warming up to be the BBC’s biggest summer drama offering.

Beth Nielsen Chapman: Nashville-based singer/ songwriter Beth is appearing at Acapela Studio on August 3rd. It’s guaranteed a fantastic night, and as she told me, amazing pizza!

Stephen J Shaw: Writer, Director and Producer of ‘Birthgap - Childless World’. It’s a subject matter probably alien to most of us, yet one that is more important now than it will ever be. Please have a read and then follow up by watching the documentary.

Mr Bewlay: Cardiff-based singer/songwriter and ultimate performer, Mr Bewlay is a force to be reckoned with. Articulate, intelligent, talented and a marvel to behold. There are not many artists like him around these days. He’s one to watch out for!

Enjoy August. I’m off to Ibiza and then Michigan in the US. Maybe more places, but I’ll see nearer the time.

Twitter - @InTheWordsOf_CM YouTube - InTheWordsOf

Interview with Ukweli Roach

UKWELI ROACH: “It’s every actor’s dream to play such a complex and conflicted character.”

Ukweli Roach first appeared on screen in the movie ‘StreetDance 3D’ in 2010, subsequently acting in many films and shows as the FBI psychiatrist in the US TV series ‘Blindspot’, whilst most recently in the UK drama ‘Annika’. He now leads the cast as ‘Jack Caffery’ in the BBC series, ‘Wolf’, this is my interview with him.

Carl Marsh The series is based on [the last] one of Mo Hayder’s ‘Jack Caffery’ series of books. So, were you a fan of her books before you read the script?

Ukweli Roach I didn’t. To be honest, I’d never heard of the books before the audition. And then I did want to read the book, but then I decided not to before filming because I wanted to base my adaptation of Jack on the actual screenplay written by Megan Gallagher. I knew slight differences existed, so I tried to base it on that. However, my Mum had finished it before I’d even gotten the job, she finished the book [Laughter] as she’s always very eager and she was always telling me bits and bobs and of certain similarities between the character and me! So, the short answer is no, I deliberately didn’t read the book beforehand. I didn’t want that to inform my version of Jack. I wanted it to be on [scriptwriter] Meghan.

Carl Marsh Those similarities that your Mum said that you and the character share, what are they?

Ukweli Roach Well, they were… [Laughs] Essentially, there were parts of the book, and I remember her messaging me telling me that a pub that I can see from my balcony

was featured in the book. And there’s one book in particular which focuses specifically around the area where I live, which is quite strange. And just lots of things like that. And as she was reading it, I was unsure whether to take this as a compliment. But she said, “Oh, I could see why you’d be good at playing Jack”.

And the more I learned about Jack, I’m not sure that was a compliment! [Laughter] Carl Marsh Jack’s a pretty disturbed individual, having gone through a lot of trauma with his brothers’ unsolved murder at a very young age. How hard was it to get into the mindset of portraying such a damaged individual? And didn’t you create a music playlist to help you prepare for the role?

Ukweli Roach Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I did. Music is a big thing for me; it’s a perfect gateway to get into a character or a state. So, I created a playlist of songs that I felt connected with Jack or the story of ‘Wolf’. It was exciting, to be honest, when I read the first script before the audition, everything about it appealed to me because, as an actor, there’s the substance that is available there playing a character like you said, that’s this disturbed and is in the depths of trauma. That’s a real engine that pushes him to get answers to solve crimes and do what we see him do. Honestly, that was really exciting for me because it’s every actor’s dream to play such a complex and conflicted character.

‘Wolf’ is showing now on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

CARDIFF TIMES 15

Interview with Beth Nielsen Chapman

BETH NIELSEN CHAPMAN:” The overriding feeling about the songs is resilience.”

Singer and songwriter Beth Nielsen Chapman has many accolades to her name. Her song ‘This Kiss’ was sung by Faith Hill and was ASCAP’s 1999 Song of the Year, Grammy-nominated many times, Nashville’s Songwriter of the Year, and even inducted with the ultimate honour a songwriter can expect to achieve: the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame! Oh, and an Ambassador for the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation. She’s playing at Acapela Studio in Pentyrch on August 3rd. I had a Transatlantic Zoom chat with her.

Carl Marsh Oh yes! A year passed, then two, and now we are three years later. It was a crazy time. The album could have been called ‘Crazy World’, but I guess it was not written during this time?

Beth Nielsen Chapman The funny thing is, we recorded the album in six days, and on the last day of recording, somebody - one of the musicians - came in and said, “Have y’all heard about this virus coming from China?” And I’m like, “What?”

Because we’ve been so busy recording. We weren’t paying attention to the news. And it was this vague, Carl Marsh weird thing that infiltrated our last day, and then at the Your last album, ‘Crazy Town’, came out last end of the day, they were like, well, I think they’re gonna year, but I know you’ve got new songs and more make us go into lockdown. And then we had to wait to come. Will it be aimed at what’s to come or through the whole pandemic, and we were working on interspersed with most of last year’s album? it a little bit, you know, finishing it up. But the songs on ‘Crazy Town’ were almost written as if we’d already gone Beth Nielsen Chapman through all that we were getting ready to go through.

Yeah, we’ll start from the album, obviously, but I That’s happened to me a few times throughout my always do old favourites because I can’t get through songwriting career, where I write ahead of schedule. I’m the show without some requests for songs that I do writing about things that haven’t even happened yet, but in every performance. And then we’ll be doing both I don’t know that I’m doing that until I get to the other new songs. The one’ Back to this Moment’ is so much side of the thing that’s getting ready to happen. Then I fun to perform and has this kick-ass beat. It’s a song look back and say, “Wait, that song is about this,” and with this kind of longing and has some depth of going I’ve had people say. “Does it creep you out?” and I’d through life stuff, but the overriding feeling about the song is resilience, which I love. And that’s kind of what said, “No. Actually, it gives me a great deal of comfort we have to do right there. I think collectively, our whole that some part of the entity of existence knows what’s world is coming out of this pandemic, and many people going on, even if I don’t.” So, that’s comforting. [Laughs] feel like they’re just looking back and going, “Wait, did that really happen?” You know, it was a very weird time. Catch Beth Nielsen Chapman at Acapela Studio, Pentyrch, on August 3rd.

[Laughs]

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Interview with Stephen J Shaw

STEPHEN J SHAW: “There’s an imbalance, and it’s going to affect young and old alike.”

Writer, Director and Producer of ‘Birthgap - Childless World’, Stephen J Shaw spends his time between Tokyo, New York and London. You can watch part one of the documentary at www.birthgap.org, and please do. I asked Stephen questions on a topic - I’d only become aware of via Zoom video when he was in Tokyo. It’s a topic you do need to know about.

I’ve got to ask you about some of the Wales birthgap figures. For Cardiff and its surroundings [26%], it’s less than in the Valleys [31%]. I always would have believed that city centres would naturally be less family-friendly than the outskirts, but how wrong am I?

Stephen J Shaw No, and I see this everywhere where people often live in their cities or urbanised areas, and it feels busy. I live in Tokyo, a city of 30 million people, but I know that there are vacant apartments not far from Tokyo, and I know that if you go to the towns that go up to the valleys here, there you will see desolate places, and frankly, some desolate people as well. So, the World is changing very, Stephen J Shaw very quickly. It doesn’t surprise me that you’re surprised Well, that’s the message we’ve been getting. But what because, often, there are many counterintuitive things in shocked me is when you look at the actual data, the only the data. But yeah, you’re right with the UK. The UK overall reason the World’s population is going to increase a little has a 23% birth gap, and that’s the number of 50-yearbit more for the next few decades is that we’re getting olds going down to the number of newborns. If you break older. The number of babies on the planet peaked about a it into a more regional basis, Scotland 37%, Southwest decade ago. The number of babies born yearly is the same England 32%. And then number three, Wales at 29%, and as in the 1980s. So, we’re really at a turning point. And the the northeast at 28%. So, you know, Wales is not as bad as term birthgap is a term I came up with to explain that it’s Scotland. But these gaps are widening. actually not the total population that matters. It’s the gap between the number of older people to support and the Carl Marsh number of younger workers who will need to pay taxes to We hope those gaps go the other way; that’s the support their health care social services like the NHS. So, ultimate wish. when you have these birth gaps, the number of children decreases. You don’t usually know this for a generation Stephen J Shaw or two. It’s when you try to find workers, and there aren’t Yeah, it’ll take time. Awareness is the start of it, though. enough workers. Then you start to have stresses on the So you know, I will appreciate being interviewed here and economy, but throughout that time, the number of older whatever I can do to help people understand that the World people stayed pretty much about the same for a generation we’ve gotten used to for the past few decades will be pretty or two before that number went down. So, there’s an different from the one we’re about to enter into. imbalance, and it will affect young and old alike.

Carl Marsh Most people will say that the World is too overpopulated, and you’ve most likely been asked so many times, but why should we all be alarmed by what Birthgap’s message is all about?

Carl Marsh

Birthgap - Childless World can be watched at www. birthgap.org

CARDIFF TIMES 17

Contains at least one RGB ColorSpace Interview with Mr Bewlay

MR BEWLAY: “I’m as pure an artist as I think all artists should be.”

Now based in Cardiff, singer-songwriter Mr Bewlay oozes so things that no one’s talking about. I want the fun. much quality, passion and originality. He is adept at writing songs about everything and anything, whatever mood or Carl Marsh observations he’s seen. I recently met him in person at an I know what you mean. You don’t want to go down the event in Cardiff. This is my interview with him. same path as most artists who, for example, only ever write and sing about heartbreak?

Carl Marsh Please tell me about your journey thus far into Mr Bewlay becoming this outstanding performer and singerI mean, there is an audience and a market for that, and songwriter I see before me. those people are very successful, and that’s great. And maybe, at one point, I’ll delve into that.

Mr Bewlay I’m as pure an artist as I think all artists should be. I’m an Everything I do is kind of fake and surface-level. I’m just a actor. I’m an actor who chose to (now) choose music rather tourist. I’m a tourist of people and a tourist of art. I see the than acting. I wanted to be an actor for a long time, but I sights, buy the gift, and then go to the next place. got tired of directors and producers telling me what to do on stage and on the screen. And so, as a result, I’ll be my own Carl Marsh boss. And so, I go into any music project as if it’s a book or Where do you get your creativity and flair from? Must as if it’s a movie or something with defined features around you be inspired by any acts you’ve encountered over it. They all interconnect. I wouldn’t say I like pulling myself the years? down with a particular style or theme. They are all varied.

I’m just a musician, working and performing.

Mr Bewlay Yeah, I feel like when I was younger, there was a lot of Carl Marsh influence from the likes of David Bowie, Gary Numan, There aren’t any restrictions on any musical genre for Morrissey, David Bird from the Talking Heads, that sort of you. Is it just whatever appeals at that given time? stuff. As I’ve grown older, I’ve realised that I still like those things. It’s still just embedded in me. But my influence now Mr Bewlay kind of, I don’t know if it’s, if it’s a case of I’ve absorbed all I feel like if I did that, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. of those in the deep-set in my memory. And so now I just Artists who only play postpunk or who only play jazz, or come up with things that have been influenced by these those artists who you play pop music. Where’s the fun? The colour palettes or by those actions or by this choreography, fun is that every time I release something, my audience is but a lot of it I just kind of dredge up from within. Imitation is always shocked and surprised about what comes out. If the best form of flattery. it’s a song about Wobbegong sharks in Australia or a song Check out Mr Bewlay’s music across all streaming platforms. Gigs for October and onwards will be about a guy called Dan’ the Don’ Wilson. [Laughs] announced in due course.

[Jokes] I don’t want to release a song called ‘Heard’

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The Health Service Over the Years A Personal Report

by Sara John

“Daddy, what was that new very big word you just said?”

“I asked her what we were going to have for tea.”

“No, no, no, I responded, it was a big, long word, you and uncle Bryn were talking about it in Mam-gu’s house on Sunday.”

“Was it Nationalisation? ” he asked me.

“Yes, yes” I responded and tried to say it myself, “what is it?”

“I will tell you when you are older” he said, always to me a very disappointing answer. “Will I be older next week? Will you tell me then?” “Will there be another war?” I recall asking that question daily. It was usually part of the answer to any questions a child asked in the late nineteen - forties.

My father found it easier to surrender some of his off-duty time to respond to my endless questions, then he could settle down with his newspaper. And I would be put to bed.

Over a period of time, I was told a simplified version of what led up to the Nationalisation. Eventually the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act was passed.

My father explained that it gave miners and their colleagues greater control over their own energies.

Everything became quieter, more peaceful, the workforce seemed more confident, men and management were fulfilling the same aims. The 22 CARDIFF TIMES

industry was looking to the future, the workforce mattered more. Laws were passed, serious change was in the air. Life for the workforce, the management and all their families would become measurably better.

There was a lot more to come. I was very small but felt life was going to be different from now on. I recall visiting Mam-gu’s house on a Sunday evening and staying for supper along with a chapel’s worth of aunts, uncles and cousins. Grace was always said prior to Aunty Morfydd giving permission for everyone to begin their meal. Inevitably the conversation eventually turned to politics, the coal industry and competition from abroad. There was a remembered fear of the bad times following the First World War when Germany by paying réparations to the Allies in the form of cheap coal, upset world coal prices. This affected many joint agreements between the workforce and management that had been agreed and settled in the recent past. Thank Lloyd George for all that.

By this time of an evening, small persons such as myself were in the hall looking for their pink bonnet, pink gloves, purses with a little small change, but no sign of sweeties as they were still on ration. I was ready to go home and to bed and greet my almost bald teddy, I had cuddled him to severe baldness, and, as my father explained, there had been a war. An overload of worry for Teddies.

was passed, thirty-six million people applied to join the new, free at the point of use scheme, became available to all as the National Health Service.

The fear of illness, suffering and being a burden on your family had been banished. The tale of how it eventually came about, the politics, the ‘system’ that was so complicated behind the scenes all took a very long time. But it was completed and people who had not kept up with reading the acres of newsprint were in awe when they visited one of the new clinics or hospitals for the first time. So clean, so modern, so efficient.

On the way home I wanted to know why Uncle Bryn was going to have an x-ray in Cardiff, was it anything to do with the pictures of Rays in my Animals of the World book. My father began to explain. The “old dust” had come up for popular discussion. Changes were being put in place along with new rules and regulations, in the main for the benefit of workers who, thanks to x-rays and wonderful pioneers such as Doctor Fletcher of Llandough Hospital, were being better cared for. At last.

Looking back now, it seemed that the next huge change in well-being came along in no time at all. However, it was on July 6 1948 that the next big one happened.

Up until that date, sick people had to pay for care, operations, diagnoses, false teeth, spectacles, walking sticks and wooden legs. Even for my generation, and with some of us with good memories, we cannot grasp the worries, realities and suffering that affected so many people before a scheme for free, health care for all was introduced.

However, in the middle of the previous century changes had begun to filter through society following the most welcomed bills that Lord Shaftesbury introduced to the generally disinterested House of Parliament. The growth of the non-conformist movement, seeking change, fairplay and a better all round standard of living also helped to grow awareness of the terrible conditions thousands were living in following the bursting success of the Industrial Revolution. A revolution that had ensured the investors, the risk takers, and sons of wealthy people had a fulfilling career ahead when it was clear they were not the inheritors of large estates, nor were they destined for the Church nor the British Army.

My first exposure to this New World was going with my mother to visit a cousin who was in Church Village – East Glamorgan hospital. She had a tumour on the brain and was being prepared for an operation.

Listening to ‘grown up speak’ by other relatives, I understood that it would be a first-time event in that particular hospital, and all totally free. My father explained to me that previously under the old scheme of things, she might not have had an operation at all.

We went into the main concourse, all tiles and polished chrome, I was trying to take everything in to remember to tell my father, but I was mesmerised by the number of nurses and their uniforms. My mother explained their ranks, “Oh”, she said suddenly, “there is the matron”, in the midst of a group of very well starched young women. Matron’s elaborate headgear signalled to one and all, “I am THE matron”. There were many different coloured dresses for all the other staff I was observing.

It was, I realised some years later, that it seemed we were in America. I had discovered story books about Sue Barton, I had them from the library, and any of the passing immaculate nurses could have been a friend of Sue Barton. The Book’s title always included her progression, through her training, Sue Barton, Student Nurse, Sue Barton Ward Sister and so on.

I was taken outside the building and shown some concrete steps leading up to one of the large windows.

The window was open so I could wave to my cousin and

The health of the current working population determined the level of energy, health, ambitions and success for the next generation.

This was considered new thinking. It made sense but how to ensure that it would bring forth fruits? In July only two or three years after the National Health Law

CARDIFF-TIMES.CO.UK 23

blow her kisses.

That hospital visit cleared from my little brain the photographs of medical articles that I should not have been reading anyway. During the War and well before I was born my mother had been ‘The Housekeeper’ at a local fever hospital and had handy stories to use as a warning to me about what might happen if I did not eat my food, take medicine and finish my prunes. In retrospect a bit heavy handed I think, and totally unlike what was already happening in hospitals all over the country.

But how did all of this come about?

Outbreaks of plague, The Black Death as it was known, cholera, typhoid and many other highly virulent fevers spread rapidly in poor areas. In one of the tenements in the Royal Mile in Edinburgh the only way deadly infections could be managed at all was by bricking up a series of adjacent homes in the same building containing sick people. The inhabitants then expired either because of the disease or through starvation.

The properties were not unbricked until discovered fairly recently.

There were few “hospitals” as such, usually owned and run by nuns and monks but with small numbers of beds, ten or twelve at most.

In the early 18th century there was just one Hospital in Cardiff. It was on the north side of Newport Road almost on the corner with the beginning of Queen Street, it was the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire Infirmary. This was not a hospital as we know it. You could not stay overnight. It dispensed medicines and outpatient care only.

From the eighteen seventies onwards, there was much discussion about the need for a larger establishment.

Money had to be raised, there were no grants from head office in those days. The Marquess of Bute offered four acres of land on Long Cross Common for four thousand pounds, which was half its real value.

That is where the “our” Cardiff Infirmary stands today.

Leaping ahead of this story about the “Infirmary”- there is an excellent book by Arnold Aldis called Cardiff Royal Infirmary 1883 – 1983 Cardiff University Press 1984 explaining where funds came from and the problems to be overcome during an epic project.

For people living in the South Wales Valleys this was hardly a workable solution, every day with such a dense population at that time, women died in childbirth before the ambulance had reached Pontypridd, children with serious conditions, fevers, road accidents and others feared never seeing their parents again. The ambulance continued on its way, going along to Cardiff thumpity bump-thumpity bump thumpity-bump. A good twenty-five miles away.

Local people even when I was small, believed that

24 CARDIFF TIMES

when Valleys folk were taken to the Infirmary they would never return home again.

In the early years of the nineteen hundreds a number of Cottage hospitals were opened in the mining Valleys.

Often with only ten to twenty beds, serviced by local and devoted doctors who still ran their own practices and with a small but permanent staff of nurses and a matron. The running costs were covered by various insurance type schemes. Men working in the coal industry were docked one penny, per man, each week.

These funds were sufficient, along with Bazaars, Sales of Work, Bequests and “the kindness of strangers”. For example Madame Patti gave concerts in both Swansea and at Craig yr Nos to raise monies for such, often lifesaving, ventures.

Going backwards in time for a moment, how did this begin? who thought it could possibly be viable?

One of the first seams of steam coal was won – an odd word but the right word – in Dinas. The mine, despite an early Disaster, flourished and it was decided by the Management that they would dock the pay by one penny per man and would, themselves employ a fulltime doctor to care for not only their workforce but the their workforce’s family.

This is the real beginning of a health service free at the point of use. Taken up in later years by other mines and their owners, prior to Caerphilly Miners Hospital’s well deserved later fame.

You may wonder how, what might look like a small place of industry, could find enough men and enough pennies to fund such a venture. I will point out that at its peak The Park and Dare Works in Cwmparc employed five thousand men.

Dinas Works School was also opened and funded as a school for young children. They were taught to read, write, listen, play together and how to behave. This early place of learning was of course soon overtaken by new legislation regarding education.

Meantime hospitals were being built and added to in Cardiff as the City population grew and grew.

I have spent brief periods in some of them over the years. I have much to be grateful for.

The most interesting one historically was the “Fever Hospital” which gave Sanatorium Road its name. It was built in the eighteen seventies to care for the patients with cholera which was rife in Cardiff for a time. The hospital was built on stilts as the site was subject to flooding and haboured rats; a lot of rats. I was only there for a minor procedure but it was like going into a museum. Nothing appeared to have changed. All the plumbing was brass or copper and it took two patients to turn on the taps. It had been built to last and was clearly suited to giants. The gas lighting was still in place but not operational. The huge bathrooms had

enormous baths, if you dropped your soap you had to swim around looking for it.

I had my son in Glossop Terrace Maternity hospital.

I was there for two weeks. It was an extraordinary experience. The student midwives told me how lucky they were to have been accepted there. In their future, when fully qualified, they would be welcomed in any hospital in the country.

Needing to have some of my inner working parts rearranged I was fortunate to stay in St Winefride’s in Romilly Road. Mr Hilary Wade looked after me and he was a perfect gentleman from the old school. Sat on my bed, held my hand and seemed to have x-ray vision and knew about all my inner workings.

I was in a ward with three other ladies. The hospital was run as a Catholic establishment and as none of my fellow patients were Catholic, we were not sure what to expect.

brow of Penrhys mountain. It was demolished years ago but had done its duty as recently as 1961 when there was an outbreak of Smallpox. There were a number of deaths and it was all very frightening.

During the war my mother had worked at Tyntyla fever Hospital, as The Housekeeper and recalls three or four children to a bed during a very serious outbreak of diptheria. The hospital was built as five separate units, scarlet fever, diptheria, chicken pox, German measles and so on. T.B. patients were nursed in a different area with exceptionally large clear glass windows.

My most recent hospital stay was in the University Hospital at the Heath. It is overwhelming in scale but has wonderful staff who must walk many miles every day apart from performing their duties. I was very well looked after in every way, and I am now enjoying a clean bill of health. There is a lot more I would like to say. Stories for another time perhaps?

We soon had a welcoming party of Nuns in traditional garb with black gowns down to the floor. Then we had a visit from Nuns all in white who were nursing nuns.

We were each delegated a nun, the ones in traditional clothes, to look after our needs.

We were blessed before we went to sleep with our personal nun sitting on the bed.

First thing next morning in comes Sister Visitation who tells us she is eighty-four and as fit as a fiddle, waving about the racing pages of the Daily Mirror.

She explained she had just come off the phone with a colleague from the Order’s HQ somewhere in the countryside outside Dublin. Who did we fancy for the three o’clock at Sandown Park? She had had a number of tips all written out on a sheet of paper tucked into her prayer book. One hour later we had all chosen our bets and given the money to this extraordinary lady.

That business, so unexpected, had brought us up to coffee time, or so we thought. Sister Visitation was back with a pen and notepad. And gone again. And back again with a tray of drinks. And I mean drinks. She had scurried across the road to The Romilly which she described as “our Local”. I had a generous wine glass full of Guinness which she said would build me up.

She had specified various liquids for my room mates and insisted she knew what she was about. None of us were quite so sure. We survived but lost our money backing horses all of whom were known along with their mothers and fathers to Sister Visitation. And their aunts and uncles.

In complete contrast to The Sanatorium Road hospital, I had more re-arrangements carried out at the BUPA hospital along with a host Nurse and printed menus in leather folders and bedspreads that matched the curtains.

From my bedroom window in the Rhondda when I was a child, I could see the old Smallpox hospital on the

CARDIFF-TIMES.CO.UK 25

Made at Sherman

/ Crëwyd yn y She rman

LOVE, CARDIFF: 50 YEARS OF YOUR STORIES 17 and / a 19 August / Awst Co-created by our / Cyd-grëwyd gan ein Community Cast and / a Paul Jenkins Directed by / Cyfarwyddwyd gan Francesca Pickard

SHERMANTHEATRE.CO.UK 029 2064 6900

PAY WHAT YOU WANT TICKETS: TOCYNNAU TALU BETH FYNNWCH:

£4 – £20

The production is the result of a community project made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Mae’r cynhyrchiad yn ganlyniad i brosiect cymunedol a wnaed yn bosibl drwy Gronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri Genedlaethol.

Sherman Cymru Productions Ltd | Registered Charity Number / Rhif Elusen Cofrestredig 1118364 Image / Llun Burning Red

26 CARDIFF TIMES

Love, Cardiff: 50 Years of Your Stories 17 & 19 August

Imagine a city transformed by the people who come to live there. A city enriched by its communities who live side by side. That city is Cardiff – a city of thousands of stories.

Sherman Theatre’s 50th birthday is an opportunity to celebrate the people and the city that made the theatre possible. Love, Cardiff: 50 Years of Your Stories is a major moment in the Sherman’s 50th birthday celebrations. Communities from across Cardiff will take to the Main House stage to tell some of those stories. These are incredible stories from your doorstep. The show will also tell the story of the remarkable people who made Sherman Theatre possible.

This major event features professional

performers alongside members of the communities themselves.

Love, Cardiff: 50 Years of Your Stories is a show full of celebration, empathy, generosity, compassion and surprises. Witness the stories of communities all around you, make new discoveries and see the world through their eyes. Love, Cardiff: 50 Years of Your Stories promises a life enhancing, energising live theatre experience, shared with others.

For Love, Cardiff: 50 Years Of Your Stories, Sherman Theatre is working with Cathays Day Provision (ALN), the Welsh Ballroom Community (LGBTQIA+), Waulah Cymru, the Kurdish All Wales Association, the Jewish History Association of South Wales, and members of the Deaf Community.

The production is the result of a community project made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Pay What You Want tickets (£4 - £20)

CARDIFF TIMES 27

DIVE INTO SCIENCE THIS SUMMER OCEAN EXTRAVAGANZA 21 July – 24 September

LIVE SCIENCE SHOWS LAB WORKSHOPS STAR TOURS IMMERSIVE 360° FAMILY FILM: LEGEND OF THE ENCHANTED REEF OPEN 10am – 5pm every weekend and throughout the Summer holidays Supported by

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techniquest.org

Wales Book of the Year Awards 2023

by Suzie Good

grade novel, The Last Firefox (Penguin Random House Children’s) and in the Welsh category, Gwenllian Ellis took home The Golwg360 Barn y Bobl Award for Sgen i’m Syniad – Snogs, Secs, Sens (Y Lolfa).

Last, but by no means least in the Children & Young People Award, Luned Aaron & Huw Aaron won the Welsh language award with Dwi Eisiau Bod yn Ddeinosor, (Atebol) and Lesley Parr took the English category with When the War Came Home (Bloomsbury Children’s Books).

The Cardiff Times was lucky enough to grab five minutes of Lesley’s time to answer a few questions about her work and what it felt like to win this special award: What is When the War Came Home about?

This July the Tramshed, in Cardiff, opened its fairy-lit doors to host the Wales Book of the Year Awards. After four years of online ceremonies, this in-person event proved to be a special and sparkly evening, celebrating Wales’ best writers, attracting publishers and agents from across the UK. Hosted by Literature Wales, and led by one of last year’s winners Ffion Dafis, the Wales Book of the Year Award is an annual prize honouring writers from across Wales. Prizes are awarded in English and Welsh language categories across four genres: Fiction, Creative Non-fiction, Poetry and Children and Young People.

The Overall English-Language Wales Book of the Year, as well as the Rhys Davies Trust Fiction Award, went to Caryl Lewis, with her novel Drift, published by Doubleday (an imprint of Transworld, Penguin Random House). Drift is Lewis’ first English language novel and wowed judges with its lyrical tale of lost identity. Lewis is the first writer to win the overall award in both English and Welsh, having succeeded in 2005 with Martha, Jac, a Sianco and Y Bwythyn in 2016. This year’s Welsh Language Overall Award went to Llŷr Titus, with his novel Pridd (Gwasg y Bwthyn). Both Lewis and Titus take home a prize of £3000.

A girl called Natty moves to a new place and discovers what she believes in, and how to fight for it. More than anything, it’s a story about people. It explores themes of community, inequality and justice, class and the aftereffects of World War I on a South Wales village.

What was the inspiration for this book?

It started as a feminist exploration of life for women and girls after the war, but became about rights in general and the way very young soldiers (who lied about their age to join up) came back different people.

What does winning the WBOTY Children and Young People Award mean to you?

A lot! This was a very difficult book to write and to receive an accolade for it at this level – and from my own country – feels like validation as well as reward.

Why are awards like this so important?

They celebrate Welsh culture, diversity and heritage in many different ways, and shine a light on people who don’t always get the media coverage of more well-known/celebrity authors and illustrators.

What are you writing at the moment?

In Poetry, Paul Henry won the English award with As If to Sing (Seren Poetry Wales Press Ltd) and Elinor Wyn Reynolds won in the Welsh language category for Anwyddoldeb (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas).

A story set in 1980 against a backdrop of the fear of nuclear war. My main character Marcus is an angry young man; the perceived bad kid who just needs people to give him a chance. I’m extremely fond of him.

The Creative Non-fiction Awards went to Isabel Adonis for And… a memoir of my mother (Black Bee Books) and to Gareth Evans-Jones in the Welsh language category for Cylchu Cymru (Y Lolfa).

Lesley’s novel When the War Came Home can be bought in any good bookshops and would make a fabulous choice for a children’s summer read.

All of the above winners were carefully chosen by judges from the worlds of TV, publishing and writing, but we mustn’t forget the popular categories: awards voted for by the reading public. For Wales Arts Review People’s Choice Award, Lee Newbury won with his children’s middle

The Cardiff Times would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Lesley and all the winners of Wales Book of the Year, as well as the short-listees who, yet again, prove without doubt that Wales is a writing tour de force. Da Iawn pawb.

CARDIFF-TIMES.CO.UK 29

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KEN BUCHANAN (Part 1)

by Ralph Oates

London, Buchanan was impressive stopping Tonks in round 2 of a contest scheduled for 6. After this debut win Buchanan fought often sharing the ring with the kind of opposition who would give him vital ring experience. On the 23 January 1967 he fought for his first title the Scottish Area lightweight championship of Scotland. At the Central Hotel in Glasgow. Buchanan won the crown when he boxed his way to a 10-round point’s decision over John McMillan. Five more victories followed before Buchanan was pitted against Jim Spike McCormack in an eliminator for the British lightweight title on the 30 October 1967. The venue being The National Sporting Club, Piccadilly, London.

This looked to be a testing fight for Buchanan against a ring wise fighter who had accumulated a record of 92 fights, winning 42, losing 38 with 12 drawn.

McCormack would not be an easy opponent to get past. On the night Buchanan excelled boxing his way to victory with a 12-round points decision. The Scot was now undefeated in 23 bouts.

Photograph courtesy of Derek Rowe

In this month’s column I have paid tribute to the outstanding Ken Buchanan who sadly passed away on the 1 April 2023 aged 77 years, 9 months and 4 days. There is no doubt that Buchanan was a true boxing great. while a proud Scot he had a very strong connection to Wales, that being in the early stages of his career he was managed by Cardiff born Eddie Thomas the former British, European and Commonwealth welterweight champion he was also the stable mate of Welsh legend Howard Winstone who was also managed by Thomas. Under the guidance of Thomas, Winstone won the WBC world, British and European featherweight titles so the Scot was in good company being guided by a man who really knew the sport. In later years Buchanan, would follow Winstone achieving world honours not at featherweight but at lightweight, eventually becoming the undisputed title holder.

In the amateur ranks Buchanan had won the ABA featherweight title in 1965 and as expected turned professional having his first bout against opponent Brian (Rocky) Tonks on the 20 September 1965 the venue being the National Sporting Club, Piccadilly

32 CARDIFF TIMES

The big moment came for Buchanan on the 19 February 1968 when he stepped into the ring at the Hilton Hotel, Mayfair, London to challenge Maurice Cullen for the British lightweight crown. Cullen had won the vacant title on the 8 April 1965 when he outpointed opponent Dave Coventry over 15-rounds and had since defended it successfully on three occasions. So, make no mistake, Cullen was a good champion with a record consisting of 47 bouts winning 40, losing 5 with 2 drawn. It looked as if Buchanan had a difficult task in front of him. Many felt that Cullen would leave the ring on the night as the victor giving Buchanan his first defeat in the paid ranks. However, the Scot showed his class and produced a spectacular performance to take the championship by knocking out Cullen in round 11 of a contest set for 15. This win showed that Buchanan was a little special, but he still had mountains to climb. Winning the British crown was an outstanding achievement but when looking at the global scene there was a number of tough fighters who would provide the Scot with stern opposition. The question was would Buchanan be able to compete with them on equal terms when the time arrived.

The Scot next entered the fray on the 22 April 1968 against Frenchman Leonard Tavarez a man who knew his way around the ring and looked more than capable of giving the British champion a tough night. The two squared up at the National Sporting Club Piccadilly in London. At the end of eight keenly contested rounds the Scot emerged with a point’s victory.

After the Tavarez bout the Scot had a further 8 winning bouts which further elevated his position in the world rankings. His reputation was growing greatly, fans were beginning to recognise his ring skills. Buchanan travelled to Madrid in Spain on the 29 January 1970 to contest the vacant European lightweight crown against home fighter Miguel Velazquez who had a resume of 40 bouts, winning 38, with 1 defeat and 1 draw. It is always difficult for a visiting fighter when he has to do battle on the home fighters’ turf. All the advantages are with the local man. It was of course a shame that promoters could not have secured the fight for the UK since the outcome might well have been different. On the night the Scot entered the ring with an unblemished record of 33 fights. At the end of the 15-round contest Buchanan had lost his undefeated record when Velazquez was given the decision. It was a setback one which had first sight appeared to put his chances of having an early tilt at the world crown very unlikely. It seemed it would be a case of having to rebuild and hence attempt to climb his way back up the world rankings.

Boxing like life can be strange, since after a further three winning fights which included an impressive defence of his British lightweight crown on the 12 May 1979 against Brian Hudson at the Empire Pool, Wembley, London, which resulted in a knockout in round 5 of 15; an unexpected opportunity presented itself when Buchanan was offered a title shot at Ismael Laguna. I say opportunity but this looked to be a fight where the challenger was not experienced enough to share the ring with a champion of Laguna’s class. The defending title holder was born in Panama and over the year’s had fought the very best during his time in boxing and had comprised a record of 70 fights, winning 63, losing 6 with 1 drawn. Laguna was showing no signs of being on the slide. Buchanan had to travel to the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Puerto Rico to cross gloves with the champion. Not only would Buchanan have to battle against an outstanding title holder, but he would also have to cope with the debilitating heat.

In truth very few people if any thought that the man from the UK would come out of the contest with the championship belt strapped around his waist. It looked a routine defence for Laguna, who would simply know too much for the man standing in front of him. Prior to this bout Laguna had been stripped of the WBC version of the title leaving him with the WBA portion of the crown. Laguna had the WBC crown taken from him since he allegedly broke a contract with a promoter Aileen Eaton to make his next defence on her show.

However, despite this Laguna was still regarded as the real champion, the top man in the division. Buchanan make no mistake had the odds greatly stacked against him. It would be an outstanding achievement for him to last the full 15-rounds let alone win.

their left jab to good effect. As the fight progressed those at ringside were greatly surprised to see that Buchanan was equal to the champion, matching him punch for punch showing exceptional ring skills. At the final bell the two warriors were exhausted. They had given their very all. It was punishing waiting, while the judges checked their score cards. When the decision was announced it was a dream come true.

Buchanan had won he had shocked the world, he was the new champion, he had defeated Laguna, this was a fantastic victory. Amazing to say despite this outstanding win the Scot was not recognised in the UK as world champion since the British Boxing Board of Control were not members of the (WBA) the World Boxing Association. Yet there was no argument that at that moment in time when considering the facts, the Briton was the best lightweight in the world. He was without doubt the main man in the division.

The next port of call for Buchanan was Madison Square Garden, New York. In a 10-round non-title bout on the 7 December 1970 the British fighter was matched with the unbeaten Canadian welterweight champion Donato Paduano who had an impressive resume of 22 bouts in which he was undefeated. This did not look like a gift contest for the fighter from the UK, it looked a very tough fight indeed. Once again Buchanan produced a winning performance which more than impressed the American audience. He gave a masterful display of boxing; his talent was now being lauded by many pundits who followed the sport.

Buchanan was next in the ring on the 12 February 1971 at the Sports Arena, Los Angeles, his opponent being American Ruben Navarro who came with a resume of 28 fights, winning 24, losing 2 and drawing 2. The contest saw the Scot make the first defend his WBA version of the lightweight crown.

The fight also involved the vacant WBC title. At the end of 15-rounds Buchanan’s hand was raised in victory. He was now the undisputed world lightweight king. The next assignment for Buchanan was at the Empire Pool, Wembley, London on the 11 May 1971 against Venezuela born Carlos Hernandez the former undisputed world super-lightweight champion who came with a record of 75 fights, winning 60, losing 11, with 4 drawn. The contest was a non-title bout which the Scot duly won by way of a stoppage in round 8 of 10.

At this time Buchanan’s career was clearly going from strength to strength he was on a crest of a wave.

Part 2 in next months edition

Once the bell sounded the fight showed the class of the two men inside the ring who exchanged punches, using

CARDIFF-TIMES.CO.UK 33

WELSH DIVING

NEW ADVENTURE! Why not try a new hobby this spring by learning to scuba dive?

bubbles illustration: @upklyak/freepik

Welsh Diving is a PADI Five Star Scuba Diving School and Instructor Development Centre.

We provide courses from complete beginner to professional dive instructor. From ages 8 years to adults For more information please contact: kmartin@welshdiving.co.uk m 07753 691794

Apply now!

Start College this September

Ymgeisiwch Nawr!

Dechreuwch yn y coleg ym mis Medi

cavc.ac.uk CARDIFF TIMES 35

36 CARDIFF TIMES

Celebrating 18 Years!

Little Fizz Preschool Classes and Party Fizz Children’s Entertainment This year Little Fizz Multi Award Winning Baby and Toddler/ Preschool Classes and Party Fizz Children’s Party Entertainment and Family Events are celebrating 18 years in business! As part of the 18-year celebrations, Little Fizz/ Party Fizz have been VERY excited to announce that the business is going to be franchised and Emily Quinn, massively popular and much-loved member of Team Fizz for almost 9 years will be the first Little Fizz/ Party Fizz Franchisee! From September 2023 Emily will be Business Owner and Franchisee for Cardiff North! Congratulations Emily!

Franchise opportunities are also available for other areas including Cardiff South, Caerphilly, Newport, Vale of Glamorgan, Swansea, Bridgend and RCT – get in touch with Liz on: 07728881531 or email liz@littlefizz. co.uk for more information.

Little Fizz classes and parties are lively, engaging, interactive, imaginative, and truly memorable! Little Fizz Classes provide the ideal environment and opportunity for parents / carers and children to spend special time together – inspiring creative development, encouraging learning and making every moment full of fun and laughter! Party Fizz parties are fun filled for the children and stress free for the adults! Parents can relax while the children are mesmerised by a huge range of engaging activities and the fantastic entertainers.

Classes and parties are lively, engaging, interactive, imaginative and help make magic memories! Little Fizz Classes provide the ideal environment and opportunity for parents / carers and children to spend special time together – inspiring creative development, encouraging learning and making every moment full of fun and laughter!

Little Fizz Themed Summer Parties will be held for 5 of the weeks throughout the long 6-week School Summer Holidays when many activities close! Adults are welcome and school age siblings are welcome to join Summer Parties FREE! BOOK NOW at www.littlefizz. co.uk There is an exciting new Theme each week – Beach, Rainbow, Jungle, Going Wild and Dinosaur! Parties are excellent value, fun filled and truly memorable.

Little Fizz advise booking at least a few days in advance to make sure you get a space and because parties may need to be cancelled where numbers are too low.

Please make payment when you book to secure your place. You will be refunded if the class does not go ahead for any reason.

Each 40-minute Little Fizz Party comprises of a variety of carefully designed activities – the ideal mix of fun and learning – linked to each Summer Theme! Booking is also available for the September/ October Half Term.

Classes are relaxed, welcoming and enjoyable for little ones, parents/ carers and older siblings.

Little Fizz unique combination of activities includes: • Original and Popular Action Songs with Props and Puppets •

Percussion instruments to music,

•

Movement and Dance,

•

Sensory Play

•

Story Massage

•

Parachute Games

•

Movement based Developmental Activities

•

Amazing Fun Props!

•

Storytelling and imaginative play

The Party Fizz diary is filling up fast for September to December - the busiest time of year for birthday party bookings as well as Party Fizz annual Halloween Parties and Christmas Parties! If you are planning a party get in touch ASAP to make sure your child’s birthday party is their best party ever!

cardiff-times.co.uk 37

LEARN THE GAME OF BRIDGE AT CARDIFF BRIDGE CLUB

Anyone can learn to play bridge – you don’t have to be Warren Buffet(left) or Bill Gates (right)!

We all understand the need to keep physically active throughout our lifetime. But keeping mentally active is equally important. The game of bridge can keep us challenged mentally and also provides good social interaction with like-minded people.

There are many aspects to the game of bridge which all contribute to the continued fascination. Anyone can learn to play bridge and our bridge courses have been developed and refined by the English Bridge Union over the last 40 years.

At Cardiff Bridge club, our bridge teachers are both experienced bridge players and fully qualified bridge teachers dedicated to helping you achieve your goal of becoming an active participant in your local bridge playing community.

Cardiff Bridge club is an excellent venue for bridge teaching, spacious with good presentation facilities and other technologically advanced teaching aids.

There are many bridge clubs in the South Wales area to choose from and you can play bridge at a local club every day of the week, weekend tournaments and you can enjoy a wide range of bridge holidays and cruises. In addition, you can play “online” 24x7x365!

To find out more, book onto our free Bridge “taster” Session to be held at Cardiff Bridge Club on Wednesday 13th September 2023 at 14:00hrs. Or just book-up for the first term (each term is 10 weeks) starting on Wednesday 20th September 2023 13:30-15:30hrs.

The course fee for each 10 week course is £190 which includes “Beginning Bridge” course documentation. You also will receive associate membership of Penylan Bowling & Cardiff Bridge Club so you can enjoy all our club’s facilities. For more information or to book the course or the free “taster” session please email: teaching@cardiffbridgeclub.org or phone Sarah Amos on 07930 503746.

Penylan Bowling & Cardiff Bridge Club, Marlborough Road, Cardiff CF23 5BU

38 CARDIFF TIMES

If you feel like you have nothing left to hold on to, we’ll help you let go...

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Your lawyers, for life. cardiff-times.co.uk 39

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40 CARDIFF TIMES

MESSAGES OF HOPE Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s life or the world at large (Ditcionary.com) For Bethan Evans that was exactly what she needed in 2020 and, furthermore, exactly what she wanted to give to others who may be experiencing similar.

Bethan explains “As I’m sure many people can relate with, 2020 was the beginning of a very difficult and challenging time for myself. Alongside having to cope with the news of a potential global pandemic on the horizon, and trying to complete my second year at university, I was also just starting to emotionally unpack a series of unfortunate and traumatic events from my past. The more I unpacked, the more difficult things became and the more I began to struggle with my mental health.”

mental health.

by Natalie McCulloch

She reaches out to communities through her website, social media and even ‘goes on the road’ to host events or complete giant murals to spread posivity and share messages of hope. Recently Bethan has held a drop in mural event on Barry Island beach and prior to that she’s created her largest mural of messages which measures an amazing 7 meters long and can be found on Cardiff Road!

If you would like to get involved and share some positivity please drop Bethan an email, follow ‘Messages of Hope’ on social media or log onto her website messagesofhope.co.uk to leave a message of positivity for all.

Whatever you do, remember you are not alone.

Perhaps you can relate?

She continues to explain “Very quickly I completely lost sight of who I was, my goals and what I had to live for. I felt utterly hopeless. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was at the beginning of a long battle against borderline personality disorder, (also referred to as, Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder). This mental illness seeped its way into every aspect of my life until I began to believe that the only escape from the torment was suicide.”

According to “zerosuicidealliance”, Wales has the third highest suicide rate in the UK, with 10.3 suicides per 100,000.

In times like this having strong support networks, or someone to reach out to, is essential and that is where ‘Messages for hope” steps in.

Bethan enlightens “It was thanks to my incredible support system that relentlessly reminded me whilst I was in the depths of despair, locked inside hospitals and psychiatric facilities that I did matter. It was then that I began to wonder, if these words of support from my loved ones were able to help and encourage me to keep fighting, was there a way to use their words to support others in times of difficulty. I suppose that was when my Messages of Hope seed was first watered and ever since, my Messages of Hope flower has continued to flourish and grow.”

Bethan’s Campaign, Messages of Hope, is a campaign that encourages anyone and everyone to write anonymous messages for people that are going through a difficult time and/or struggling with their

If you are struggling to cope and need to talk to someone about how you are feeling, there is always someone there to listen.

•

Call Samaritans for free on 116 123.

•

Text SHOUT on 85258.

These helplines are free, completely confidential and open 24/7, 365 days a year. These helplines are for anyone who is struggling. No problem is too small.

Whatever you’re going through, they will not judge you.

cardiff-times.co.uk 41

Viney Hearing Care

How do you clean your ears?

In my years of being a Hearing Audiologist I have been told many stories about what people clean their ears with from the everyday cotton swabs to pens, paperclips, hair grips, glasses arms, car keys. I’m sure nearly everyone reading this is guilty of sticking something in their ears they are not supposed to so I’m going to explain why the old wives tale ‘nothing smaller than your elbow’ is so true.

Our ears are designed by nature to be both self-cleaning and self-protecting and that’s why by using the wrong cleaning methods, you risk causing injury to the ears, damaging your hearing or even causing infections.

Earwax (also called cerumen) is necessary for the ear's self-cleaning mechanism to work properly. Earwax is manufactured by glands in the skin of the outer ear canal, the hole through which sound travels to the eardrum. Earwax serves several important functions. It coats the skin of the ear canal, repelling water and helping to protect it against injury and infection. It also helps to keep the skin inside the ears from

FREE hearing tests & advice with the latest diagnostic equipment FREE demontrations of the newest hearing aid technology FREE lifetime aftercare service Micro-Suction wax removal. The safest way to remove wax Service, repair and calibration of ANY hearing aid Video Otoscopy fibre optic camera to show the condition of the ear Speech Analysis - testing how well your hearing aids allow you to hear speech

42 CARDIFF TIMES

getting dry and itchy. In addition, earwax traps dust and germs, keeping them from reaching the eardrum. Usually, you don't need to do anything to help this natural cleaning process unless you suffer from an impaction that may have to be removed.

Trying to forcibly remove the ear's protective wax layer or stop an itch can damage the delicate skin of the ear canal or puncture (put a hole in) the eardrum.

This can increase your risk of infection and lead to a permanent hearing loss needing either surgery or a hearing aid to correct the

impairment. So it is best to leave the inside of your ear alone and not disturb its natural environment. This means no cotton swabs, no fingers and certainly no sharp objects, keep your hair grips for holding your hair back and keep your car keys for unlocking your car!

The ear canal is narrow and curved, consequently some people are susceptible to getting blockages of wax, skin, foreign objects, debris from infection. If a blockage is present you may notice your hearing seems, dull, there may be a ringing sound in your ears, your ears may feel full become itchy or ache. If this is the case you will need to have it professionally removed.

Although there are several methods to clean your ears such as syringing, sprays and drops, Microsuction is renowned as the most efficient and the safest. It is highly recommended by GP’s, audiologists and ENT consultants. Microsuction of an ear canal is performed under direct vision using a microscope. The ear canal is cleared using gentle suction, proving to be the most effective way to clean the ears reducing all risks of infection.

Viney Hearing Care FREE

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Viney Hearing Care is now the first hearing centre in Swansea to offer Micro-Suction, the SAFEST way to remove wax. No more ear Call today as there syringing necessary, there is no are longer any need to pump water into limited spaces the ear to remove wax. It is performed under direct vision using a microscope using gentle suction and instruments to clean the ears. The ear canal is narrow and curved and can become blocked with: wax, skin, debris from infection and foreign objects. This can cause your hearing to become dull and the quickest relief is microsuction. If you are having problems and dull hearing, itchy ears, blocked feeling, it could be wax blocking your ear canals.

Come and have a FREE ear health check to determine if wax is the problem.

We will use a fibre optic camera to view and assess the condition of the ear canal and ear drum. If we find that the ears are blocked with wax, microsuction is the safest way to remove it.

WAX DAY 6th Sept 2023

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Study an evening class at Cardiff University myself a bit more seriously as an aspiring author and made the publishing industry as a whole seem more accessible.”

Emma Carr-Ferguson, Creative Writing student “I was so nervous about returning to study after so many years, especially with a subject that I hadn’t previously studied.

The support and communication prior to the course starting was brilliant, and I felt more at ease before the first lesson had even taken place.” Elinor Ridout, Pathway to Healthcare student www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn 029 2087 0000 learn@cardiff.ac.uk Cardiff University provides hundreds of parttime courses for adult learners to enable you to achieve your ambitions. Whether you would like to improve your CV, challenge yourself, learn something new, keep your mind active, make new friends or progress to degree studies by enrolling on one of our Pathways to a degree – we have the course to suit your needs.

This year we will be providing in-person teaching and online classes to fit in with your busy lifestyle. We are also offering free courses with the support of Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).

More information about the Student Fee Waiver and eligibility can be found on our website.

Every year we receive positive feedback from students who have achieved their ambitions with us: “The course was very engaging - I loved every session. I received valuable advice from industry professionals in how to pursue opportunities as a writer. It was the steppingstone I didn’t know I needed into taking CARDIFF-TIMES.CO.UK 45

A little moment of byfabulous!

Natalie McCulloch

Did you wake up this morning feeling fabulous? If the answer is no, or you feel you could feel more fabulous, please read on to discover the fantastic group which aims to help you feel as every bit fabulous as you deserve to!

‘Beauties in Bute’ was dreamed up in 2017 by three friends: Lili Del Fflur, Lana Del Red and Flossie Smalls – all of whom met through local dance troupe Cardiff Cabaret Club.

The team may be small but has a big heart and two simple goals: 1. To create fun, easy-going events and safe, joyous spaces for people to explore self-love and selfexpression through fun clothing.

2. To raise money for Marie Curie Wales.

It was at Cardiff Cabaret Club classes that ‘The Beauties’ also met Lorrainne, a fellow dancer, incredible costume maker and the inspiration for ‘Beauties in Bute’ events. Amazingly, Lorrainne continued to dance through her long battle with cancer which sadly ended in 2017.

Throughout her journey with cancer, she was looked after by Marie Curie Wales which is why our events aim to give something back to their phenomenal charity.

46 CARDIFF TIMES

Flossie deduces, “Lorrainne had this incredible lust for life – she was so creative and generous, and she loved dancing. She never wanted to stop doing what she loved until she couldn’t. Marie Curie made an amazing short film about her love of Cardiff Cabaret Club and of life – and we too knew whatever we did to remember her, it had to be fun and fabulous.”

“I just want quality - not huge amounts of time where I wouldn’t be me...I’m going to show you how to live” – Lorrainne The first event ‘Beauties in Bute’ hosted was a ‘pin-up picnic’ in Bute Park. Attendees brought their own food, dressed in vintage fashion and could enter a raffle which raised money for Marie Curie.

After the success of that event, the format was one ‘Beauties in Bute’ have carried on, and they now host both summer and winter events as well as marching at Pride Cymru. They even hosted remote tea parties connected over video chat during lockdown. This year ‘the Beauties’ also held their first Cabaret event at the North Star pub featuring local burlesque and drag artists as well as song and poetry, with the performers kindly donating their time so all proceeds could go directly to their chosen charity.

Since it began, ‘Beauties in Bute’ have raised thousands of pounds for Marie Curie and made a host of new friends and they are keen to keep up the amazing work!

Although that first picnic focussed on vintage fashion, in recent years the ‘Beauties’ gatherings now suggest that attendees should wear anything that makes them feel fabulous. ‘Beauties in Bute’ wanted to make the events appealing and welcoming to everyone, and whilst dressing up is not mandatory, it’s part of what makes the get togethers memorable.

The invitation, which is open to everyone, to this year’s picnic reads: “Wear something that makes you feel Fabulous. This picnic is an excuse to break out your outrageous outfits - from fantasy to vintage, bright colours or full out goth.

Whatever you feel amazing in, wear it.“ A message that creates a moment for everyone to feel a little moment of fabulous - something they think Lorrainne would have loved.

Flossie told CT “We understand the need for safe spaces for people to express themselves openly through fashion. Wearing something that makes you smile can offer a real lift to self-esteem be that silly, sensational or something more simple. We wanted to offer everyone a place to rock up, sit in nature and feel good about themselves. Everyone deserves that.”

The events run by these three friends (who between them are queer, plus sized, non-binary and neurodivergent) aim to be welcoming, laid back and fun; open to families, friends and strangers (who never remain strangers long).

Since starting ‘Beauties in Bute’, the founders have seen the benefits of the events, not just through the fundraising but to the attendees who often appreciate the event as a social gathering with low pressure and high dopamine reward, and over the years have seen new friendships be formed through people who they may never have met otherwise.

the event and you can buy t-shirts off their social media sites.

Finally, if ‘feeling fabulous’ is something you want to foresee In your future, please don’t hesitate to follow Beauties in Bute on social media to be kept up to date!

‘Beauty’ Lili Del Fflur is soon going on holiday with an attendee new to last year’s picnic.

You can see Lorrainne in action by following this link: https://fb.watch/lxHn8dr4fl/

“It’s lush to be able to meet new people in a space where you can hear one another talk and really get to connect and find joy with one another for a couple of hours” – Lili Del Fflur

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUcN3zE-cF4

This year’s ‘Beauties in Bute ‘Picnic takes place on Sunday 20 August 12-4pm on Bute Park near the Secret Garden – visit their Facebook or Instagram pages for more details. You are warmly invited to come along and feel FABULOUS!!

If you’d like to support Beauties in Bute but cannot attend the picnic, donations are still welcome via their Just Giving page, and the Beauties are also looking for unique or high value raffle prizes to help raise money at

CARDIFF-TIMES.CO.UK 47

Remove the guesswork from your bathroom, kitchen or bedroom renovation by stepping into your accurately scaled room in Virtual Reality, and see the exact products and colours you’ll receive in your finished room!

Here at Thomas Vaughan, we offer a complete installation service on all our bathrooms, kitchens and bedrooms. Our professional designers and installation teams will create your dream room, all backed up by our full installation guarantee. Call us on 01443 204197 to arrange a free, no obligation design consultation or visit our website — thomasvaughanltd.co.uk Plan

Finished Room

Sustainability in style at Iberostar’s Cala Domingos,

by Ashley Lovell Mallorca crickets all around, it is the perfect When your coach transfer arrives on the south-eastern backdrop to sit back coastal tip of Mallorca at the grand entrance of Iberostar Cala Domingo’s for the first time, two things will happen to you. Firstly, your heart will skip a metaphorical beat and secondly you won’t be able to resist a discreet little smile to yourself of self-satisfaction. That’s because, if you are staying at Iberostar Cala Domingos, you will soon realise that you have picked exceptionally well. For Cala Domingos is one of Mallorca’s best kept secrets.

As undoubtedly the most exquisite destination in the region, Iberostar Cala Domingos will outshine anywhere else you could care to stay as it is, quite simply, serenity exemplified.

Everywhere you look it is clean, contemporary and immaculate.

With natural tones throughout, Cala Domingos, is the most recent addition to the Iberostar brand in Mallorca, having had a complete renovation and official opening in May 2022. Within Mallorca’s Iberostar family, it is quite simply the jewel in the crown.

A key focus throughout the resort is sustainability and you’ll see this all around you in both the way it seamlessly merges in with its natural surroundings and around the hotel and villas. Iberostar are helping lead the force in their industry in terms of their commitment towards sustainability and the environment. They are already 100% free from single use plastic in all properties, and plan to be waste free by 2025 and carbon neutral by 2030, having successfully reduced 10% of their carbon footprint in 2022. You will find outdoor water stations dotted all around the complex so you can fill up your glassware jug, available in every property, any time you wish day or night. 90% of the seafood served at Cala Domingos is sustainably sourced – the same goes for the rest of Iberostar’s Spanish resorts.

There is something truly altruistic about staying here yet this is in no way to the detriment of having a fabulous fun filled family holiday. If anything, it enhances it.

Iberostar’s passion, responsibility and creativity shines through in every corner of Cala Domingos making you feel truly at one with the beauty of nature and its surroundings. The location is set within a stunning backdrop of Mallorcan countryside with their landmark restaurant perched on an exquisite cove overlooking the bay.

and soak up a great evening of entertainment.

The culinary offerings for this all-inclusive are incredibly generous with sustainably sourced seafood and fish including lobster, a chocolate fountain and cocktails all available from the extensive buffet offerings and a choice of two restaurants. As well as lunch and breakfast there is also a late-night self-service tea available and ice-cream stations and soft drink dispensers scattered around so the kids can just go and top up when they like throughout the day.

Cala Domingos has two swimming pools, a grass tennis court, supermarket/gift shop and a gym as well as a wide range of excursions available. There is plenty for the family to do. Each day a popular ritual being for guests to take on the challenge of the inflatable mat which is laid on top of one of the pools while guests enjoy a public display of attempting to run on water – via the mat. There is also water polo and other sports with a full schedule of activities.

However, if you simply want to be at one with your surroundings and just lay and soak up the ambiance, you are equally able to do so by the pool or private beach which is a short walk down to the end of the complex. Buggies are available to shuttle you to and from the beach, villas and reception should you need them.

The rooms are spotless, contemporary and beautiful.

The side sea-view double room was spacious with a good amount of indoor and outdoor space for you to enjoy.

Simply put, Cala Domingos will provide you with a beautiful holiday which the whole family will enjoy where you are guaranteed to feel truly at one with your surroundings.

Beside their private beach cove is also the location for the outdoor evening entertainment. Coupled with the ambiance of the picturesque bay at sunset and sound of

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Enjoy great days out by bus this summer!

Cardiff Bus have revealed its most popular routes for days out across its network. Hop on the bus to these great locations or plan your own adventure using the journey planning tool on their website or app.

Whether you’re going on a solo trip or taking the family, there’s a ticket for everyone. Simply download the Cardiff Bus app to buy tickets in advance or buy a day ticket from the driver when you board the bus with cash (exact change), contactless or use the Tap On, Tap Off system.

Open top bus rides to Cardiff Bay and Penarth Pier Service 99 - 10 June – 3 September and 9,10, 16, 17 & 23 September Bask in the sunshine on Cardiff Bus’ open-top bus, the Skycar. Service 99 departs from St Mary Street in the city centre before making its way to Cardiff Bay and Penarth Pier – perfect for a leisurely stroll along the waterfront and an ice cream on the pier.

Normal Cardiff Bus fares apply on this route.

Baycar, service 6 (every 15 mins 10 June – 2 September) For days out in Cardiff Bay, where there are plenty of cafes and restaurants to choose from as well as waterfront walks, hop on board Cardiff Bus’ baycar (service 6), which runs every 15 minutes during the daytime. Buses travel between St. Mary Street (Wyndham Arcade) and Cardiff Bay daily and stop outside the Wales Millennium Centre.

You can also catch services 1, 2, 5 and 8 to the Bay.

St Fagans Service 32 Recently voted best free day out, St Fagans is one of Europe’s leading open-air museums. Visit their collection of significant historical buildings relocated from across Wales as well as St Fagans Castle. Service 32 operates daily from Wood Street (JA) and Westgate Street (KM) in the city centre to St Fagans via Canton.

Roath Park Services 28, 28A and 28B

One of Cardiff’s first public parks is still a favourite with locals and visitors. Enjoy a walk around the lake and the gardens, including the botanic gardens which are Service 95 situated south of the dam. Catch services 28, 28A and For those looking for a traditional day at the seaside, hop 28B from Hayes Bridge Road (JH) or Churchill Way (HG) in the city centre. on service 95 to Barry Island. Catch this service from

Barry Island

Wood Street (JR) in Cardiff city centre and enjoy the sandy beach and cafes that Barry Island has to offer.

Cardiff Bay

View timetables and a full list of fares online at cardiffbus. com, or search ‘Cardiff Bus’ on Google Pay or the App Store.

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Advertising Feature

Quality care in a place you can call home Llys Herbert care home open now on the outskirts of Lisvane. We will deliver high quality residential, dementia and short-term care.

As the UK’s most awarded large care provider, Care UK delivers high quality care that’s all about enabling you to enjoy the lifestyle you want.

We support you to be who you’ve always been, or who you want to be, shaping your care and lifestyle to suit your interests, needs and preferences.

More like family Our teams receive the latest training in all aspects of care. Our partnership with the Association for Dementia Studies at Worcester University means we stay up to date with the latest dementia care approaches, and a Dementia Champion in each home supports all colleagues to deliver high quality care.

Above all, our team is passionate about supporting you to live life to the full.

We are looking forward to getting out and about in the community.

Relax in luxurious surroundings At Care UK, our stunning purpose-built home will offer a wealth of superb facilities, including a hair salon, cinema and Caffi Castell’ (Castle Café). And if it’s peace and quiet you’re after, there are plenty of comfy lounges and restful alcoves where you can relax with a favourite book. Each en-suite bedroom is beautifully furnished, with our ground floor rooms enjoying private patios. If you’re a gardener or simply love the outdoors, we have lovely gardens to explore too.

Trust us to care At Care UK, we’ve been delivering high quality, person-centred care for over 40 years.

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