Come along to Llys Herbert care home to celebrate The Big Care UK Sports Day, where we’re welcoming the local community to join us for fun and games at our Olympics-themed open day.
Llys Cyncoed care home, Cyncoed Dementia Friends event
In this friendly and interactive session you’ll learn more about dementia, how it can affect individuals, and what you can do to help people living with dementia in your community. Book your free space at one of the below events and become an Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friend:
Tuesday 9th July at 3pm and Wednesday 17th July at 2pm
SATURDAY 13/7/24, 6PM SUNDAY 14/7/24, 3PM
BBC Hoddinott Hall, Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Place, Caerdydd CF10 5AL
Musical Director: Simon Curtis
Musical Director: Simon Curtis. Pianos: Rhiannon Pritchard and David George Harrington
The Deck at Penarth Marina reopens the Jetty Bar with a Mediterranean twist
The Deck at Penarth Marina announces the highly anticipated reopening of its unique floating Jetty Bar, for the 2024 summer season. The iconic waterfront destination, renowned for its stunning views, vibrant atmosphere and relaxed dining bar menu, is open now.
Visitors to the Jetty Bar can sample a revamped menu curated by its expert chefs. Small tapas-style plates that are made with the best locally sourced ingredients and presented with a Mediterranean twist, creates a dining experience distinct from the main restaurant.
The new menu includes dishes such as the panko coated Spanish goat’s cheese with lemon curd, hickory smoked brisket with focaccia and served with a lemon and oregano sauce, patatas bravas served with chive and lime yogurt, and diver caught scallop with hot honey chorizo and corn puree. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options are available.
Visitors can also look forward to a summer schedule of live music and entertainment, kicking off with the Hot Gin Swing trio on the opening evening.
Liam Wilde, Chef Patron at The Deck at Penarth Marina, comments, “Our team has been working behind the scenes to create a memorable experience that will whisk you away and make you feel like you’re on holiday! With our on-the-water Jetty Bar and panoramic views of the marina we offer the perfect setting for everything from casual gettogethers to special celebrations.”
Opening hours for summer 2024 will be Friday 4 pm to 10 pm, Saturday and Sunday 12 pm to 10 pm. Booking is suggested to avoid disappointment.
The new menu is priced at £8.50 per plate or £21 for 3 plates.
To book online visit: https://www.thedeckpenarth.co.uk/the-jetty-bar
For more information on Penarth Marina visit: https://www.boatfolk.co.uk/penarth-marina-cardiff
For further information about boatfolk, visit: www.boatfolk.co.uk
Dine by the water's edge
Indulge in exquisite dishes prepared with local Welsh produce as you soak in the views over Penarth Marina. Join us for breakfast, lunch or dinner at The Deck, or discover our hidden Jetty Bar, perfect for sundowners and small plates with your favourite people. thedeckpenarth.co.uk
In praise of classic movies!
by Wyn Evans
Last night, The Boss and I returned to a long-standing bone of contention between us: that modern movies can’t hold a candle when compared to the classic movies of the ‘40s and ‘50s. Those of you who know us will not be at all surprised to learn that I am the reactionary who supports this contention while The Boss contents herself with a withering look and a shake of her head. Let me share with you some dialogue from one of the classics. I’ll leave the names of the speakers in, and I suspect that readers aged sixty-plus will be able to identify the movie. Younger readers will probably recognise the movie from the dialogue only if they are already movie buffs(1)
EVE… You’ll be picked up by the police the moment you show your face.
THORNHILL (kissing her) And it’s such a nice face, too.
EVE (kissing him back) Don’t you think it would be better if you stayed in my hotel
room while I locate Kaplan and bring him to you?
THORNHILL Can’t let you get involved. Too dangerous.
EVE I’m a big girl...
THORNHILL (nibbling away) In all the right places, too.
EVE (responding with growing excitement) This is ridiculous. You know that don’t you?
THORNHILL (kissing her lips) Yes.
EVE I mean, we’ve hardly met.
THORNHILL That’s right.
EVE How do I know you aren’t a murderer?
THORNHILL (to her neck) You don’t.
EVE Maybe you’re planning to murder me,
right here, tonight.
THORNHILL (working on her ear) Shall I? …
EVE (whispers) Yes … please do … (This time her hands do help him, and it is a long kiss indeed.)
THORNHILL What’s happening to us?
EVE We’re just strangers on a train.
THORNHILL Beats flying, doesn’t it?
EVE We should stop.
THORNHILL (continuing) Immediately.
EVE I ought to know more about you.
THORNHILL (kissing her) The rest is unimportant.
EVE You’re an advertising man, that’s all I know. You’ve got taste in clothes, taste in food.
THORNHILL Taste in women… (tasting her) I like your flavour.
EVE And you’re very clever with Words. You can probably make them do anything for you… sell people things they don’t need… make women who don’t know you fall in love with you …
THORNHILL I’m beginning to think I’m underpaid.
Yes, if you plumped for Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘North by Northwest,’ full marks. And don’t you just love the line about being underpaid? Further kudos to all who knew that the star of the movie was Cary Grant, previously known as Archie Leach from Bristol. Grant was named the second greatest male star of the Golden Age of Hollywood by the American Film Institute in 1999(2).
Humphrey Bogart was first and Jimmy Stewart third. The movie also featured Eva Marie Saint as the love interest and James Mason’s very gaunt cheekbones well-cast as the villain. Tonight’s movie will be “Some like it hot” in which Jack Lemon and Tony Curtis witness a mob execution and join a women’s jazz band led by Marilyn Monroe to make their escape. Curtis’s portrayal of his character is done in the style and accent of Cary Grant and is very funny. And of course, the writer of this film was the incomparable Billy Wilder, whose final line, “Well, nobody’s perfect” to this day brings the house down.
I have tried over the years to interest The Girl, my eighteen-year-old daughter who has Down Syndrome, in these classic movies. But she takes after her mum, and I don’t believe that she has ever managed to sit through a whole film. (Or wanted to for that matter.) Ah well, you can take a horse to water… The Girl likes anything cartoon-based with songs she can belt out: Zootropolis, Moana, Maleficent, Brave, Frozen and the Toy Story films. She can take or leave the superheroes from the Marvel and DC worlds (mostly leave). The Boss and I surprised ourselves agreeing that the Thor films were quite funny, and that Harrison Ford would have been in each of our top twenty-five male actors list.
I’m clearly going to have to become a better advocate for the ‘classic’ movies if I want my family to watch them with me.
WE’R E ROLLING AG AIN
Now heating up
Cardiff, St David’s
‘And Another Thing...’ Boy or Yob
I recently visited a well-known local burger emporium to partake in some caffeine and a quick read of the paper (see paragraph below). Three lads of some seventeen Summers had partaken of the saturated fats menu as part of a clumsy tactic to avoid National Service. Upon finishing their anything but light repast they got up to leave. One of their number refused to take his tray to the recycle section. He said: “I do not work in this place, am never going to and so I am not clearing the table.” Arrogant little turd I thought to myself (but then again, he probably just ate one). However, his mates had a go at him for this and cleared up after him. Good on them I thought. Then it occurred to me that Boy and Yob have the same letters. How appropriate.
A local journalist writing about Cardiff recently suggested that there was “A mystical aura about Rover Way.” I don’t want to be picky, but you wonder if they had ever been anywhere near the place what with steelworks, sewage plant, stray horses etc. My understanding is that auras represent the subtle energy fields surrounding living beings and are believed to convey essential information about a person’s emotional, mental, and spiritual state. A day after this libellous aura report was published the Bomb Squad sealed off Rover Way whilst they dealt with an unexploded bomb which no doubt added to the aura, well it would have, had it exploded.
I have mentioned before in my mutterings that I don’t do DIY (Don’t Injure Yourself). However, I recently made an attempt at cutting our neighbour’s hedge as you can see.
I hunted out our electric hedge trimmer which was hiding in a plastic bag in the garage. Ever the safety-conscious person I plugged it in, asked The Current Mrs Nolan to stand clear
by Vince Nolan
and hey presto, it worked, which was nice. (I was of course hoping that it had given up the ghost many moons ago but alas it was too well made). I could not find a suitable extension cable so bought one with a fancy trip switch on it in case of accidents. One morning I then made my way to the front garden and started up the multi-toothed beast. Alas I failed to notice that the cable was caught in the teeth and so when I sparked it up it sparked me up. However, the new trip switch did its job as did the house trip switch and thus I was saved, hurrah. I have since invested in a new battery powered machine, so I trimmed my neighbour’s bush if you pardon the phrase, just to test it out. Not bad for a first attempt. However, whoever has the contract for Tesco needs sacking. What about this for a bit of topiary.
I read about the managers of the Goat Hotel in mid Wales – apparently, they are Mr and Mrs Argument, honest. I thought I had won an argument with She Who Must Be Obeyed about how to rearrange our furniture but when I got home, the tables were turned. I also started an argument with her whilst riding in an elevator. Apparently, I was wrong on so many levels.
I have written before about having had the pleasure of visiting Mount Fuji on a couple of
have questionable morels?
out the City hotels. The concerts were then cancelled and we found a City centre hotel
will no longer be slapping each other as their routines unless they are given dispensation by our First Minister.
(meaty urologist, oh please yourselves).
£80, hurrah! However, the fickle finger
ones from the Taff Vale) and asked them whether they fancied having a free beer for the afternoon. Fearing some kind of honey trap, they took that my offer was genuine. Cautiously, they agreed to join us. Picture the scene, 5pm on a sunny weekday evening at the side entrance to the Brewery on
deer who has lost both accident? No eye deer. when Trump dies, I will give “He is today how he was as President……….wearing make-up and lying in front
this in a local pub on their specials board: Love Local and champion local farms fisheries.” All very laudable but the first on their menu was Mediterranean Olives. Overheard in the same pub: “Every time we here we come here.” You don’t say.
intervened and cancelled the office lunch leaving us to wander lonely as some clouds around the Castle and its outdoor bar facilities until frostbite got the better of us and forced us back to a hotel we did not need. Much fun, but quickly found out that there is a limit to how much mulled wine one can drink before falling over.
occasions. Now that does have a mystical aura. Apparently, the local town of Fujikawaguchi had become plagued by tourists wanting their picture of the mountain. The villagers clubbed together and bought a large black canvas screen to stop pictures being taken and thus remove the tourists clogging up their streets. The very next day officials found many holes in the canvas at eye-level where the same tourists had thrust their zoom lenses through to capture that all important picture. Kind of ironic really when you remember that Fuji make film and cameras. Just sayonaraing.
tiny mistake and your whole post is urined.
was executed after the Supreme Court ruled he could turn it down if he wanted to. No pleasing some folk.
A bit of a clue in his name wouldn’t you say. Possibly only bettered as a name by President Roosevelt’s son, Kermit. I kid you not.
have not been directly observed but theoretical predictions based on their existence have been confirmed experimentally.” Oh please! And as for mesons and baryons, we could be here all night.
news and the others would butt in with constant interruptions and a stream of “furious debate.” With this in mind I have collated some quality put-downs which comics have used to deal with modern day hecklers:
Continuing the rope theme: Soap on a rope
Pope on a
How long have you had arthritis?” “I don’t have arthritis, Father,” the drunk said, “but just read in the paper that the Pope does.”
pensioners who could barely stand were seen hanging onto a lamppost, for support, rather
dates before but a recent trip to my local supermarket perishables that would make the following Monday. In fact I would make it to the car for the journey home. What is going EU supply issues? Closer inspec@on of the packaging and veg like Tanzania and Argen@na. So these climes, picked, packaged, taken to the port or airport, then delivered to the shops and put on the shelves with Tomlinson
“What size of shoe does your mouth take?”
with Mark Dacey (on the leS) who is the dynamic CEO of Colleges. It does not need me to suggest the uncanny Tomlinson or vice versa.
I am often puzzled by the origin of everyday phrases and offer you these three: “Hat Trick: The phrase comes from cricket and was used when a bowler took three wickets with three consecutive balls. The club would give the bowler a hat to celebrate this achievement. Of course, this hat was originally created by the London hat-makers Thomas and William Bowler in 1849. A top tip: It’s not recommended to put a bowler hat on a donkey because no one likes a smartass.
ensure that we had properly warmed up since we didn’t want to pull any drinking Unfortunately, only six of us turned up and a minimum of ten were required or the off. I engaged four old-timers who were in the bar (could have been the aforementioned ones from the Taff Vale) and asked them whether they fancied having a tour and free beer for the afternoon. Fearing some kind of honey trap, they took convincing that my offer was genuine. Cautiously, they agreed to join us. Picture the scene, 5pm on a sunny weekday evening at the side entrance to the Brewery on Caroline Street where four pensioners who could barely stand were seen hanging onto a lamppost, for support, rather than illumination. An afternoon they would never…… remember.
brewery got on a bus and sat
Wine every day all month!
“Hello.”
drink, there has always been attached to wine. Indeed, living from it, but I am making a the lockdowns. I’m giving up all month. No wait, that’s not Wine every day all month!
time it tried to other three shops I really and and sausage had enough of home school highlight of the it’s serious, excitement. phrase we 18th Century straight was and weft). Of the related call her Dr Dr R who We recently was pinned. door. Live Radio outdone we note: “Please
The world has taken a strange twist – at least the parts I seem to occupy. I have been reading about a proposal for the 2027 Rugby World Cup which will prevent any team in red shirts and green shirts playing each other because colour blind people often struggle to distinguish between the two. Not criticising them of course but this would affect Wales, Canada, Ireland, Tonga, Russia, South Africa and Japan. This had me in mind of that quote from BBC snooker commentator Ted Lowe who famously said during one of his commentaries: “And for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green.”
drunk's shirt was stained, his face was full of bright red lipstick and he had a halfempty bottle of wine sticking out of his pocket. He opened his newspaper and started of minutes later, he asked the priest, "Father, what causes arthritis?" by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, and fellow man," the priest replied. "Imagine that," the drunk muttered. He reading his paper. The priest, thinking about what he had said, turned to the apologised: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had have arthritis, Father," the drunk said, "but I just read in the paper that
“This is what comes from drinking on an empty head.”
“I know where you were when they were handing the brains out………getting an extra helping of
I was at the hairdressers the other day for my January scalping when the Jimmy Nail song “Ain’t No Doubt - She’s Lying” came on the wireless. Totally unscripted, we, the masked singers in the chairs and our masked stylists all started to sway and sing to the music in a scene reminiscent from The Full Monty when they all started dancing in the queue at the job centre. Fortunately all sharp implements were downed for a few short minutes and then without further comment, just like in a musical, everybody went back to their day job like nothing had happened. Lockdown has a lot to answer for but that was very funny.
Staying with the drink, there has always been much snobbery attached to wine. Indeed, people make a living from it, but I am making a stand because of the lockdowns. I’m giving up wine, every day, month. No wait, that’s not it. I’m giving up.
Stool pigeon: A person acting as a spy or informer for the police, but this originated from tying a pigeon to a stool as a decoy to draw other birds into a net. A bird walks into a bar, takes a seat, and is promptly shot by Hunter Biden. It was a stool pigeon.
I once owned one of the chewed pencils which Shakespeare used to write his famous works. He used to chew on it so much that I couldn’t tell whether it was 2B or not 2B. Staying with the Bard, in days gone by, in order to attract women, I used to use this quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act III, Scene IV, line 82:
Two people out on a first date. “Do you like Merlot Tammy?” “Yes, but you don’t pronounce the “t.” “Oh, Ok.” Looks at waiter: “Two Merlots for me and Ammy.”
The Leader of the Opposition and I were sitting in our socially distanced local, The Funky Furlough, when a lady close by to us asked the Bar Manager if the toilets were still upstairs. He of course confirmed that they were but I thought this to be a very stupid question. I would have said something like: “I don’t know when madam was last with us but we moved them out to the car park many months ago as a direct consequence of Covid19.” Perhaps this is why I do not run a pub.
“Do you know, if you wore soundproof trousers one would hear a word you’re saying.”
minimum of ten were required or off. I engaged four old-timers the bar (could have been the aforementioned ones from the Taff Vale) them whether they fancied brewery tour and free beer for the Fearing some kind of honey trap, some convincing that my offer was Cautiously, they agreed to join us. scene, 5pm on a sunny weekday side entrance to the Brewery Street where four pensioners barely stand were seen hanging lamppost, for support, rather than An afternoon they would remember.
recent WalesOnline article bizarrely claimed GPs were working 40 months an hour overtime. I have no doubt they are ridiculously stretched at present, but 40 months an hour? over three years an hour. The only way this would be to time travel so maybe were referring to Dr Who. In my world this be like driving at 40 hours a mile which be quite slow but not unlike trying to negotiate the recent traffic carnage in Cardiff Centre as they impose bike lanes on the us.
Recent crossword clue: “Brush under the carpet 5 and 4.” The answer was “gloss over.”
Interesting lyric we heard on the wireless the other day: “Sports bra and a Maserati car.” Who would have thought of that combination? Apparently many have including a poet called Dave Cox whom I have just “discovered”. Intellectual property rules prevent me quoting any of his work here but I encourage you to look him up. A real comedy genius and hugely refreshing.
one day leS on the sell-buy date. It takes an inordinate amount of skill to in-@me” with 24 hours to spare. Waste levels must be astronomical. Staying with food, I have been doing some research into what is no longer the UK. The list is endless but here is a small sample: Pringles (Belgium), Colman’s English Mustard ( Germany), Terrys Chocolate Orange (France) Parliament) Sauce (The Netherlands). Staggering.
“Is that your real face or are you still celebrating Halloween?”
Picture the poor student trying to learn English. Student – try it in a German accent: “If I understand zis correctly, in ze first place you are brushing benease your carpet and zen you add shiny paint over it. You British!”
the son of a good friend a urology for his Dad’s the heart to say eulogy meant. Anyway, here is (he was affectionately because of his likeness leader), involved a trip play France. We year relationship with played them home and international weekends. On (Mike’s first), we did it in the bus to Dover, ferry crossing was sitting next to him. At Customs Officer came onto hold up your passports along and count them and and said “I didn’t know and I haven’t got one.” I words to that effect. Then, in a World War 2 prisoner of war ducked down into the footwell his coat and mine on top of move, whilst we were both uncontrollably. The Customs the count, missed Mike
A Grass: This metaphor for treachery, alludes to a poisonous snake concealed in tall grass, and was used in 37 B.C. by the Roman poet Virgil, apparently. I’ve been trying to think of jokes about grass all day…but it’s pretty turf to do so (Sorry). And finally……………some updated proverbs for you:
A wife sent her husband a romantic
“Your bus leaves in 10 minutes... Be under it.”
The Leader of The Opposition and I were listening to Michael Ball on the wireless. He was interviewing Donny Osmond who had been appearing in panto at the London Palladium. Donny was speaking about a former acting mentor of his who told him the following: “Theatre is the only place where you can dream in public. Your job as an actor is to deliver that dream” which we thought was rather good. Oh yes it is.
“I need you like Van Gogh needed stereo.”
A Transport for Wales press article also caught my eye when it defended a planned 33% increase in rail services for the Fishguard branch line. Very laudable you may think but in 2022-23 the train was used by less than six passengers per hour. Is it me?
text message. She wrote: “If you are sleeping, send me your dreams. If you are laughing, send me your smile. If you are eating, send me a bite. If you are drinking, send me a sip. If you are crying, send me your tears. I love you.” Her husband texted back: “ I’m in the toilet, please advise.”
Our friend Dr H has trained her dog Daisy to bring her a bottle of red wine. No surprise really, she’s a Bordeaux collie. I was sat with She Who Must Be Obeyed the other day whilst she sipped a glass of wine and she said, “I love you so much, you know. I don’t know how I could ever live without you.” I said, “Is that you or the wine talking?” She said, “It’s me talking to the wine.”
“Well, it’s a night out for him.. and a night off for family.”
Here’s one for you: “Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “LiKle old lady.” “LiKle “I had no idea you could yodel.”
I was reading about a court case where the accused was described as “having murderous intent.” I was quite disappointed to learn that this had nothing to do with camping.
Staying with word games, I completed a word puzzle on my phone and I correctly guessed that the word they were looking for was Hadron as in the Hadron Collider. Having no clue what this was really all about I decided look it up. I wish I hadront bovvered (see what I did there): “Any member of a class of subatomic particles that are built from quarks and thus react through the agency of the strong force. The hadrons embrace mesons, baryons and their many resonances.” Trouble then wanted to know what a quark was.
I love that Fairy Liquid ad, you know the one: “Daddy I really wanted to make a space rocket out of that Fairy Liquid bottle, but it is lasting for ages.” “Tom, you are 35, it’s about time you grew up!” Where does the Devil do his washing up? In Helsinki of course.
Thanks to my cousin Lawrence for this joke. What do you call a Frenchman wearing sandals? Phillipe Flop! Quickly followed by a poem what I writ:
Sainted Mother-In-Law was looking for car insurance now that her stunt driving days are managed to find a reasonable policy, it out and paid for it. She in turn kindly reimbursed me with this immortal covering “Thank you, the Monet is in the bank.” I course countered this with “There was really need to give me a priceless impressionist painting but thank you anyway.”
A leopard never changes its underwear. Don’t bite the hand that pays you. Don’t judge a book by its author. Look before you sleep. An apple a day keeps the Doctor at bay (not that you could see one if you wanted to). Many hands make light work (the strapline of the Beijing Electrical Power Company).
Roses can be red, Violets are purple. Just saying.
Au Revoir Mes Amis
Finally, sad news, my friend David has lost his ID. Now he is just Dav.
on a first date. “Do you like “Yes, but you don’t pronounce Ok.” Looks at waiter: “Two and Ammy.” has trained her dog Daisy to bring her a bottle of red wine. No surprise Bordeaux collie. I was sat with She Who Must Be Obeyed the other day whilst
sell-buy dates before supermarket on a Friday that would make the some doubt whether the journey home. nothing to do with EU inspection of the packaging fruit and veg like these comestibles picked, packaged, distributed around UK the shops and put on the sell-buy date. It skill to supply goods spare. Waste levels doing some research manufactured in the UK. The small sample: Pringles Colman’s English Chocolate Orange Parliament) Sauce (The knock.” “Who’s there?” who?” “I had no idea my tolerance as it used to the factory, one of the team would read
A drunk who smelled like a brewery got on a bus and sat down next to a priest. The drunk's shirt was stained, his face was full of bright red lipstick and he had a halfempty bottle of wine sticking out of his pocket. He opened his newspaper and started couple of minutes later, he asked the priest, "Father, what causes arthritis?" caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, and for your fellow man," the priest replied. "Imagine that," the drunk muttered. He reading his paper. The priest, thinking about what he had said, turned to the apologised: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had "I don't have arthritis, Father," the drunk said, "but I just read in the paper that does."
I walked into our local bar, The Moaning Monet saw Van Gogh sitting at the end on a bar stool. shouted “Hey Vince do you want a drink?”
I have also been reading Bob Mortimer’s autobiography which I also strongly recommend. Funny, poignant and very clever, but enough about me. In it he recalls a tale about having chronic flatulence as a child which was both embarrassing and at times very painful. During one particular attack he went to the Doctors who managed to “release the pressure” for him. He quotes the Doctor as saying: “Better an empty house than a noisy tenant” which I thought was very good. Presumably this was in the days before the Doctors were working 40 months an hour.
I am a man of a certain age so my tolerance threshold does work as well par@cularly when being asked to embrace new technology. I was therefore She Who Must Be Obeyed suggested I download a new app called What3Words. naviga@on aid which divides the World into 3 metre squares and gives each combina@on of three words. I s@ll drive about a lot for business, believe assured that this system would be much more accurate than using our sat the first @me the other day and the unique three word loca@on I was looking Are Lost!” Design fault or user error?
Adios Amigos
Finally, a top bathroom tip: Never leave your pile ointment next to your toothpaste!
Happy New Year Dear Reader, the Year of the Ox. Apparently this year is going to be lucky with the Ox representing diligence, persistence and honesty. Not for going to be Trump’s year then is it?
Finally, a blessing for the drink: God, in his goodness, sent the grapes, to cheer both great and small. Little fools will drink too much and great fools none at all. My round.
He shouted back: “No thanks, I’ve already got ear.”
Hasta la Vista.
Hasta La Vista Chums
Yamas Chums
In international news, there should be no surprise that US President’s son, Hunter Biden, was convicted of buying a revolver.
have observed when people type
smelled like a brewery got sat down next to a priest. shirt was stained, his face bright red lipstick and he had bottle of wine sticking out of
In The Words Of by
Carl Marsh
July 2024
It’s a sombre affair this month, as I never in a million years would guess that out of the many 100s of interviews that I’ve conducted would this person be the one that passed away first. Michael Mosley is someone that I have interviewed in person, on the phone and only this year - along with his wife - via Zoom video. For the guy who spent practically all of his adult working life informing us all how to eat healthily and stick to it. He was a great guy, one who always gave me more than enough of his time, oh, and that he likes to talk is something he’d have told you many times, yet we’d laugh about it! Never a dull moment was had with Michael. I was invited on Jason Mohammed’s BBC Radio Wales show a few weeks back to pay my respects to Michael, I only wished I’d had more time as I had a few stories to tell. This month, have a look back at two interviews I did with Michael Mosley. I’ll miss him.
Concert Review: LIAM GALLAGHER
Performing at the Utilita Arena in Cardiff, Liam does draw a highly buoyant and rowdy crowd in what was all standing downstairs, whereas his brother Noel’s last gig was all sitting. I guess that’s how it’s always been, one drawers the foot-tapping music aficionados whilst the other brings the noise, and all that chaos. If you didn’t mind getting soaked by the constant throwing of pint pots of beers, water, and God knows what - I don’t want to even think about the latter! - then this was a great gig. The music was all from the ‘Definitely Maybe’ album, and to hear Liam sing tracks that Noel originally belted out, now that was class. And yep, Liam’s “Definitely, not, Maybe” can sing. And this was a Monday night in Cardiff. I’m so glad it wasn’t a weekend as it would have gone off big in there. Stone Island wearers aplenty, some legit football faces, but lots of whippersnappers thinking they were it and unable to hold their beer down. Still…
Concert Review: JAMES
A week after Liam, fellow Manchester legends’ James were in town; and performing at the same Utilita Arena. In a sold-out gig, much like the aforementioned LG gig, James likes to get the crowd singing along and involved. What they don’t like though, especially lead singer Tim Booth, is when he’s in the crowd and singing to have a mobile phone shoved in front of his face. He proceeded to chuck said phone into the yonder. And rightly so. As he said [not verbatim], “You’re there to enjoy yourself, not be like one of these fools yearning for a bit of social media fame or Likes by doing what this person did. Go for the music, go for the event. Go to enjoy yourself”. Maybe I’m getting too old, but at least I’m not alone as all of the crowd clapped and cheered when Tim did what he did. Rant over! James knows how to put on a bloody good show. It goes without saying, that these bands won’t be touring forever, so please do find the time to see them whenever that may be.
Enjoy July, Carl Marsh
Carl Marsh
Carl Marsh
You didn’t originally train at university to become a Dr, it was only after leaving university and a few years working in banking, yet what was it that made you have a change of heart to give it all up to study medicine?
Michael Mosley
I originally studied Politics, Philosophy and Economics as I was really interested in Economics, and then I went into the City (of London) and decided that frankly, making money was not what I was most interested in. I was more interested in what makes people tick psychologically and also what makes the body tick, so that’s why I switched over and trained as a Dr. What has been a part of my professional life ever since has been understanding what the human body does, how it does it and the interactions between the body and the brain. It was very unusual in those days, although much more common now, to go from doing one degree to studying medicine. The Royal Free Hospital (Medical School) where I trained at the time was very relaxed, and it took quite a lot of people who had more unconventional backgrounds, so that is how I ended up being a Dr. If I had continued in medicine, I probably would have ended up becoming a psychiatrist, but I got a bit disillusioned with psychiatry, and that’s why I randomly applied, on a spur of a moment to the BBC, and they offered me a thing where I thought I’d do this for a couple of years. In the end, that was 30 years ago, so I am not going back into medicine any time soon!
Carl Marsh
How do you get to stay in touch with all things medicine if you are not practicing it?
Michael Mosley
I do inference on healthy people but differently; my wife is a GP now and she puts into practice a lot of the things that I talk and write about, so I get a lot of feedback like that. I also get a lot of people who stop me in the street to say how well they have done on the ‘5/2 Diet’, or whatever it might be, or how they have reversed their diabetes by doing the ‘Blood Sugar Diet’. I talk to a lot of doctors as I get invited to a lot of medical conferences, and they treat me as one of their own.
Carl Marsh
I was about to ask you about the ‘5/2 Diet’ as I got on that for a time because of you, and for me, it was very worthwhile.
Michael Mosley
Oh good, good, I am pleased to hear it but yeah, it has really taken off in the last six years. The reason I got into it in the first place was when I discovered I was a Type 2 Diabetic and I was looking for something else and that’s why I made the BBC2 Horizon documentary ‘Eat, Fast and Live Longer’, and in the course of that, I kind of invented the ‘5/2 Diet’. I wrote the book after I did that documentary. As a result of that book and television programme, there have been a lot more scientific studies being done on the ‘5/2 Diet’ and that is one of the things that I am going to be talking about on the tour.
Carl Marsh
Such as?
Michael Mosley
What have we learnt in the last six years and that sort of stuff. I’ve been trying to make it easier for people with a new version of it. I will also be talking a bit more about other forms of intermittent fasting because there is a new kid on the block called ‘Time Restricted Eating’ which has become the number one trend in the US, mostly for the under 30s.
Carl Marsh
How does that differ from the ‘5/2 Diet’?
Michael Mosley
It has some of the same principles as the idea that you have longer periods without food fasting, but in this particular version, what you do is, and it is sometimes called ‘16/8’, so what you do is extend the overnight fast where you finish eating at 8 or 9 pm, then don’t eat again until midday the next day. You have this prolonged period without food, and there are lots of interesting things that go on inside your body as a result of that. I’ve been involved with the scientists who developed that, and I have done one of the very few human trials on it.
Interview with Dr Michael Mosley and Dr Clare Bailey
Husband and wife, Dr Michael Mosley and Dr Clare Bailey are embarking on a joint tour, talking all things ‘EAT (Well), SLEEP (Better), LIVE (Longer!) Known for all things about diet and nutrition, you’d be crazy to avoid this show.
Carl Marsh
I’ve been wanting to ask you why you haven’t done a tour together before because you’re both singing from the same hymn sheet regarding health, fitness, lifestyle, and everything else. And you’re husband and wife!
Dr Michael Mosley
I was in Cardiff about four years ago. And at that point, I had also wrecked my knee, I think… no, I tore my Achilles tendon. So, I was actually on crutches. But I don’t know, you’ll have to ask Claire. Claire, why haven’t you come out on the road with me before?
Dr Clare Bailey
I don’t know. I think we’ve just been really busy. Because there’s so much exciting stuff going on. So yes, I think it’s time. And I’ve just written another book, which I’m really excited about, a book on treats. It will come out after Mike’s barrage of vast amounts of filming. So life’s just been busy.
Words by Carl Marsh
Dr Michael Mosley
And you were working back when I last did a tour; Clare was still working fairly full-time as a GP, so she’s scaled back since then. So, I think she didn’t have the time or the energy. And yeah, so no, it’s something I’m looking forward to. The trouble is, as you can already tell, I can talk across Clare, which she resents. [Laughter]
Dr Clare Bailey
Yeah, because he’s doing it again, even on Zoom! [Both are on separate links from different locations]
Carl Marsh
Between the two of you, who was the first to be interested in all the benefits of a good lifestyle and eating healthily?
Dr Clare Bailey
It wasn’t until Michael found out he was diabetic that we really got interested in that area. And I have to say, as a GP, and I’m embarrassed to say it, but I think it was the case then and to some extent now that we were given no training in nutrition, we had no concept of the value of it. We weren’t buried in ultra-processed foods at that time. Well, not as much as we are now. And so, most doctors, like me, basically said, “Eat less. Move more. Off you go. Bye”. And essentially, the reason for that was because the diets that they had, you know, traditionally for decades, did not work. People lost weight and then gained it all again. So it wasn’t satisfying for anybody to do, and people’s waistlines were just continually expanding. So, I had no real interest in it until Mike got it out on the agenda. And I think he did an amazing job in terms of following the evidence and getting the advice out there.
Dr Michael Mosley
I was going to say one of the things is Clare and I met at medical school. And the first day of medical school. This was in September 1980. The Dean said two things. One was that - and there were 100 of us in the yearstatistically, four of us would marry people who had never met before, who were in that room, and Clare and I were one of the couple and the other couple of close friends of ours, Tim and Clare, who live in Australia. Now, they went out there many years ago. But the other thing he said was that we would learn a huge amount over the next five or six years, but most of it would be out of date within ten years. So, that was the kind of warning sign if you like. Clare and I, I think, were genuinely interested in nutrition at medical school; Clare was much more interested in food than I was. I used to live largely on salami sandwiches at lunchtime, whereas Clare has always been a bit of a foodie. We are different in the sense that I’m more of a Labrador, and she’s more of a Grey Hound.
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MOVING ON - UP or DOWN
by Sara John
www.freepik.com
It is usually early Spring but can happen at any time. Usually the lady of the household, let us name her Yvonne, looks around the busy kitchen and decides that she must instigate CHANGE. She is tired of blue, although it was her idea to start with (she still had the coloured cutting from House and Gardens circa March 2010 when they moved in!).
She starts musing and planning. She scans Rightmove. She makes notes on interesting properties (in poor handwriting so they remain totally, at this stage, confidential).
She phones a friend, Diana, one she can trust. The friend begins an interrogation worthy of Scotland Yard.
This is what she asks:
“Why? For God’s sake Why?? Answer that!” demands Diana on the phone, then I can come aboard.
“I will try” says Yvonne and takes a deep breath; Here goes…….
1. Mike, her husband, is talking of a promotion opportunity when Henry his boss retires in six
months.
There is talk of reorganisation/head office/ cutbacks and expansions.
2. We need more space. Mike’s father who lost his wife a year ago needs ‘looking after’.
He is a lovely gentleman but has aged noticeably in the last six months.
3. We are looking for less outside space. The garden is far too big for our needs and demands a lot of looking after.
4. The traffic in this street has increased and is very noisy with increased pollution levels ever since they redirected traffic flow at the roundabout.
5. We need some peace and quiet.
6. We miss the countryside.
7. Another bathroom would be useful. (Who doesn’t thought Yvonne, as she read through the list.)
“Right” said Diana, who had herself moved house at least twice in her entire life, “I will come around for a quickish coffee and to discuss this matter face to face. I can then explain my reaction and how I see your dilemma. Okay. I’ll be there in ten.”
‘Bring, bring’ on the front doorbell. “Come in come in” (she was already in and ready to take over - and in another woman’s house!)
“Now then,” said Diana, “this is one of my favourite topics, I’ve lots of info to share with you.”
Yvonne did not manage to get a word in, edgeways, with Diana in full flood, just listen she told herself, it was the only way.
“Questions first. Have you found anywhere that answers all your needs?”
“Ummm! No not exactly,” came the reply. “Not Yet.”
“Is there a reason to move quickly or is the pressure entirely of your own making?”
“No time pressure” said Yvonne remembering that she was already very well ahead in the decision making, leaving her husband a long way behind, the words blissful ignorance came to mind.
“So, are you now saying this is all a plan in the future?” Diana asked with the slightest menace of a slight threat in her voice, possibly thinking she is now dealing with someone who is messing about and on the verge of being a total waste of time.
“Well sort of yes, it is, it’s that blue paint that got me thinking,” replied Yvonne.
“Let’s move on and look at the situation when things have been discussed, decisions agreed, and you have put this house on the market AND there is interest, okay???”
Diana adds in a serious voice, “Anyway to
prepare for the future get hold of a notebook and a decent black inky pen so you can jot down the list of items to take when going off to do a viewing. You will need”
1. Notebook and two pens.
2. A serious steel measuring tape.
3. A camera all set up and ready to shoot the properties, seeking permission first of course.
4. A compass to ascertain the position of the house in relation to its orientation.
5. A list of questions on information that is important to you both but may not have been covered in the published details.
6. Codewords for signaling between you and your husband’s reaction to certain features.
These would refer to your thoughts so far such as:
‘I could never live here.’
‘What is that strange, pongy smell?’
‘Poor feel so far!’
‘This will cost us a fortune to get it how we would want it to be.’
‘Looks big outside but is small inside.’
Or to be avoided until you are in a private place:
‘I love it, I love it,’
‘I could see us living here,’
‘A perfect house for us all now.’
Without having given anything away, leaving your imagination in the car, get out your workbook on this project and ask the estate agent the following:
1. What is the square footage of the house NOT including the garage?
2. Fill us in on the heating system?
3. Where are the meters for the power supplies?
4. Are any of the fireplaces open and ‘working’ or suitable for an open fire?
5. How many bathrooms/WCS and Baths (as opposed to showers) are there?
6. Listen! Can you hear the traffic?
7. Are there parking facilities for visitors/ delivery companies/builders etc.?
8. Leaving the three killer questions to last, try these for getting the full picture.
a. Why are the vendors selling?
b. How long have they lived here?
c. Any concerns with the neighbours? Noise, parties, teenagers, strange pets?
Should you (both?) be interested, this is the moment to try out the agent’s knowledge of what figure the vendors would accept for the property, having done your research on comparable properties recently sold. You still need to be calm and cool, interested but not that desperate. You may even throw in with
thanks and goodbyes, a comment about the many other houses you are viewing.
The agent may ask a question about your financial situation, the sale of your existing home, will you need a mortgage or a loan? Have you done calculations and investigated mortgage companies?
Undertaking viewings about such an important purchase requires stamina and (maybe) family discussions. Stick to the agenda, answer questions, and discuss only the questions that concern the future residents. For the purchasers who are taking on the responsibility try and continue discussions on each stage of the project as you go along. Avoid sleepless nights by rational open discussions avoiding possible emotional reactions. Everyone involved will have a different agenda.
It is essential to have a second viewing of the favoured property before submitting an offer as a second visit allows you to see so much more. You may have a completely different reaction the second time around! Taking a notebook and two pens, go slowly and make a note of any concerns. One of my concerns would be cat www.freepik.com
keeping facilities such as sufficient cat flaps, size, and plan of the garden, does it go around the house? Is it safely away from heavy traffic particularly heavy early morning traffic? Are there late-night noisy shops or party venues nearby?
Before bidding, have another look at your rough estimates for repairs, improvements, and extensions.
Be prepared.
Be reasonable.
Be firm.
Do not show any disagreement between husband and wife/two partners/single person or any other combination of future residents, when dealing with the agent or the vendors.
There are lots of unknowns and perhaps the answer to some of these will be found at a later date, maybe there are no answers to that particular concern. Be patient and recognise that house moving is the most expensive event you will undertake. Accept that it can often be terribly slow and frustrating, involving the stress of dealing with complete strangers, legal experts, financial experts, and buildings surveyors.
Hopefully, it will all come right eventually but it can be exhausting.
MOVING DAY ITSELF
It is wise to get at least three estimates from three different removal companies, ensuring they know at the outset if you require chaps to pack everything for you or want just the basics removed and put in place in the new house.
A private protocol for preparing, pricing, proceeding, and progressing promptly without provoking panic in persons in public.
With the vendors permission you may be able to list and attach on sheets of A4 all the items to be deposited in each room. If possible blu tac the sheet of contents on the outside of the door to that particular room.
Confirm in ink and in writing all agreed arrangements with your selected removals company.
Keep a copy for yourself and a spare one to hand just in case.
Print up a copy of the floor plan and blu tac it close to the front door. Mark clearly on the floor plan dining/kitchen/bedroom one etc.
Prepare a cardboard box to be in a convenient place, put inside pencils, paper, sellotape, scissors, small hammer, screwdrivers and so on. Ensure that the children’s names are on their bedroom doors so they can find their named belongings.
Possibly do the same for the grown-ups as well.
Ensure you can provide cups of tea, biscuits and a kind word will help arrangements to go well.
You might want to knock next door and introduce yourselves to your new neighbours.
Once the move is complete and you are in your new home, it is recommended, that you delay a brief time before getting on with any plans regarding improvements unless, it is of extreme urgence. Have a break to recover from the stress of dealing with such a major project before taking on a crash, bang, wallop of when the builders/decorators/carpet layers and anyone else start arriving early in the morning.
A word on the side, it is a useful tip when dealing with these chaps to have a fresh supply of chocolate hobnobs which can work wonders.
STEVE ROBINSON
Part Two
by Ralph Oates
In this month’s column I have continued the interview with Steve Robinson the former WBO world and European featherweight champion who gives his interesting views on boxing and his career.
(My thanks to Rachel Bowes who is Steve Robinson’s PR)
Ralph Oates
What changes if any would you like to see made in professional boxing?
Steve Robinson
I would like to see the judging more computerised, so that when there is a close decision they can review the video evidence to see how many punches landed/caught etc (punch stats). I say this because there are so many bad decisions in the boxing world. If the decision is appealed the option for playback is there to be viewed like football and tennis.
Ralph Oates
Which is your favourite weight division?
Steve Robinson
Lightweight. There are so many good boxers in this division at the moment. Fighters like Gervonta Davis, Devin Haney and Teofimo Lopez. It’s the most exciting weight at the moment.
Ralph Oates
Who is your favourite all-time fighter?
Steve Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson the former world welterweight and middleweight champion he was someone who was very special. Punch power, speed, timing, footwork he had it all. Watching him fight was a fistic education. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990.
Ralph Oates
Who is your favourite modern-day fighter?
Steve Robinson
There’s a few out there. I like Terence Crawford, Canelo Alvarez, Gervonta Davis, also Naoya Inoue (The Monster). To date Inoue has held a world title in three different weight divisions I also highly rate Dmitry Bivol.
Ralph Oates
Who would you say was the best boxer to date to have held the world heavyweight title?
Steve Robinson
Muhammad Ali the first boxer to win the world heavyweight crown on three separate occasions. The man was outstanding a true legend in the sport.
Ralph Oates
To date what is the best world heavyweight title fight you have seen?
Steve Robinson
The best world heavyweight title fight I have ever seen was the Muhammad Ali – George Foreman contest which took place on the 30 October 1974.
Ali defeated Foreman by a knockout in round 8. It was called The Rumble In The Jungle.
Ralph Oates
Who do you feel will be the next world champion to emerge from Wales?
Steve Robinson.
I feel the next world champion from Wales could be my son Jacob Robinson. I believe in him he has been unlucky with injury but is now coming back strong. He is in training and seems a differ-ent person.
Ralph Oates
Do you have a favourite boxing movie?
Steve Robinson
You can’t beat the old Rocky movies with Sylvester Stallone. My favourites being Rocky 3 and Rocky 4.
Ralph Oates
What is the best advice you have been given
with regards to boxing?
Steve Robinson
The best advice I was given was by my old trainer Ronnie Rush. He told me you shouldn’t burn the candle at both ends. You really must live the right life if you want to be a champion. Don’t smoke or drink. Eat healthily and believe in yourself. Wise words which I pass down to the boxers I coach.
Ralph Oates
Do you have any other favourite sports apart from boxing?
Steve Robinson
Yes Athletics and Sprint work.
Ralph Oates
Do you have any hobbies?
Steve Robinson
Yes, my hobbies are running and training with my partner.
Ralph Oates
What are your ambitions for the future?
Steve Robinson
To produce champions from all ages and hence in so doing produce a world title holder. To run a successful gym which I have recently opened and support the local community by running fitness classes for men, women and children aged 10 and up.
Steve has contributed a great deal to boxing over the years and is continuity to do so. He was an outstanding fighter who overcame the odds to get to the top of a very difficult division.
We all at Cardiff Times wish Steve the very best with his future endeavors.
There are opportunities for sponsorship visibility in gym and guest appearances at dinner events.
Please Email: Info@rachelbowes.com
Wales Strongest Man brings the fire to Cardiff in July 2024
Wales’s Strongest Man returns in Cardiff this July, following a knockout event in Cardiff in June with the UK’s Strongest man.
A family day out of strength extravaganza not to be missed, there something for everyone to enjoy, watch the strongest men battle it out with gruelling events. We are also celebrating 20 years of the greatest strength show and oh boy will it be a celebration not to miss!
In June 2024 we saw Paul Smith from England take the crown as the UK’s Strongest Man and what a showdown it was.
Wales’s Strongest Man 2024 will bring some tough competition. Will Mark Jeanes from Bridgend defend his title as Wales’s Strongest man or will Ramplee, Garret, Luke Sperduti or Matt Dimond take the title?
Tickets are available at Eventbrite or www.ultimatestrongman.tv
‘Remember Me Roses’ to bloom at castle this summer
Cardiff charity City Hospice’s popular, award-winning Forever Flowers campaign will return to Cardiff Castle for a fourth consecutive year this summer.
Supporters are invited to purchase a limited edition ‘Remember Me Rose’ to remember and celebrate the lives of family members, friends and colleagues. This year’s choice of flower symbolises love, affection and respect, while the colour also pays tribute to the charity which is marking its ruby anniversary this year.
Expertly crafted by the British Ironwork Centre, the unique and lasting tributes will feature in a beautiful display within the grounds of Cardiff Castle from Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 August. Those who purchase a flower will also be able to join with others at a special Celebration of Life event on Thursday 8 August.
Supporters will be able to collect their flowers, which are on sale for £25 from today, during the final weekend of the display and following the
event. There will also be an opportunity for the roses to be personalised with an engraving at participating Timpson stores after the display at a significantly reduced cost.
By getting involved with Forever Flowers, people will not only be celebrating the lives of their family, friends and colleagues but will also be supporting the work of City Hospice in the community.
Forever Flowers can be purchased by visiting www. cityhospice.org.uk/forever-flowers
GET READY TO PLAY WITH SCIENCE!
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TAKE OFF WITH TECHNIQUEST!
It’s time to reach for the sky at Techniquest this summer, as the science discovery centre in Cardiff Bay explores just a few of the ways we’ve learnt to defy gravity over the years.
You can catch the live science show ‘Skybound’ and find out a whole host of fascinating facts about flight, with audience participation and some fun demos thrown in too. There’s the chance to go totally stratospheric with a Star Tour in the Planetarium, and to view the Earth from space in the 360° film ‘We Are Guardians’ — or to experiment with ice and fizzling fire in an interactive workshop in the KLA Lab if you’re aged 9 or above.
With over 100 hands-on exhibits to enjoy, it’s the perfect place to play with science and make some great family memories at the same time.
You could set the mini hot air balloon in motion, discover how the beach ball on the Bernoulli Blower stays in the air, take a seat and let Henry Hoover raise you up, send rockets skywards, or just see whether gravity or friction wins out on the giant silver slide!
So if you’re looking for a fabulously fun experience to engage the whole family at the same time, whatever their ages, you don’t need to ‘wing it’ this summer: book ahead at techniquest.org and give them something they’ll remember for a lifetime.
Rugby Lessons
On Saturday 27th April two of her PE teachers and now retired Headteacher looked on proudly from the stands of the Principality Stadium to watch their former student Carys Cox win her eighth international cap on the left wing in Wales’ pulsating 22-20 victory over Italy in the final game of the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations Championship.
Earlier this month, as that former Headteacher from Park House School in Newbury and now equally proud player sponsor through my education consultancy company, I was delighted to meet up with 25-year-old Carys at the end of a long season with both Wales and English Premiership side Ealing Trailfinders to reflect together on some ‘rugby lessons’ from her fifteen years in the game.
How did you first get involved in the game?
I first got involved in the game when my Dad started a summer tag club in Hungerford, our local town and he bought me along to participate. I was immediately hooked and then played there in the juniors until I was 11. After that I played at Newbury and Reading until I was 17 before getting into the premiership league.
What did your involvement in the game at school look like?
Involvement in school didn’t start until I was a bit older. I believe Year 12 and 13. In these years we
had a committed coach and full support from the school which enabled us to get to the national school final at Twickenham. This was quite an achievement for a state school at the time.
How have you managed to combine both your former university studies and a career outside of rugby with professional performance at the highest level?
To be honest, it wasn’t easy; probably some of the hardest years of my life in relation to burnout and balance, but enjoyed the process nonetheless. I had to plan a lot and learn to prioritise in order to try and achieve at both.
Derek Peaple in conversation with Welsh Women’s international and former student, Carys Cox
What are the key differences between club and international rugby?
The main differences between club and international rugby in my opinion is the pressure and consistency in standards. The training in the latter tends to be a lot more intense, the expectation and skill standard is higher.
What does playing for Wales mean to you?
Playing for Wales means everything to me. I have had the dream to play for Wales ever since I was a child and for it now to be my full-time career is something I could never have expected. With the majority of my family being Welsh it makes it even more special, and they are a massive inspiration for me.
What have you learnt more widely from your involvement in the game?
I believe the game has shaped the person I am today. It has taught me to be respectful, polite, a team player and hard worker. The game has also taught me to be ambitious, competitive and introduced me to some amazing people who will now be friends for life.
What are your ambitions for the future?
Ambitions for the future include firstly competing well in the forthcoming WXV with hopefully some good team performances. I then aim to get into the World Cup squad for next year. Within this time period I also hope to help get Trailfinders Women into the top 4 in the 24/25 Premiership season.
From a personal perspective, I can only add by way of a conclusion to our insightful conversation that
it has been a pleasure and privilege to have known Carys as both her headteacher and now sponsor. To her achievements on the pitch for Wales, formerly Worcester Women and now Ealing Trailfinders, she holds a First Class Honours Degree in Nursing Studies from Cardiff Metropolitan University. As such, she is an inspiration and role model, keen to share her ‘rugby lessons’ with others in both educational and corporate settings. I’m certainly looking forward to learning more from them as Carys’ exciting journey through the game continues into next season.
Derek Peaple
Derek is the former Headteacher of Park House School in Newbury, where Carys was a student from 2010-17 and Managing Director of The Leading Peaple Company. If you would like to discuss opportunities to co-player sponsor Carys with him, please email derek@leadingpeaple.com or visit the consultancy website www.leadingpeaple.com
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From better healthcare to a more understanding society, eating disorders are everyone’s business by James Downs and Natalie McCulloch
In a world flooded with societal pressures, demands, stressors and expectations, finding ways to cope and navigate our way to a life worth living is paramount. Unfortunately for many people the ways in which they learn to cope are not always healthy, eating disorders are one example of this. According to a leading charity ‘BEAT’ eating disorders are serious mental illnesses. People with eating disorders use disordered eating behaviours as a way to cope with difficult situations or feelings.
Eating disorders affect people of all ages, genders and backgrounds and can present in various ways including limiting the amount of food eaten, eating very large quantities of food at once, getting rid of food eaten through unhealthy means (e.g. making themselves sick, misusing laxatives, fasting, or excessive exercise), or a combination of these behaviours.
In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of people experiencing eating disorders. This has been especially the case during and since the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns, increased inequality, and reduced access to healthcare have all made it harder for people with a range of conditions to get the timely treatment they need.
When it comes to eating disorders, there have been increased demand for services but a reduced capacity to provide them, which can feel like a perfect storm for overworked staff and patients struggling to get help. Only a minority of people can be prioritised, which means that too often people have to become very unwell in order to get access to treatment.
James Downs tells CT “As a patient who has lived with an eating disorder for nearly 20 years, I think that one of the main reasons I still struggle today is because I had to become severely unwell for a very long period of time before I could get any help. This set in motion patterns of behaviour that can be very difficult to change in the short window of treatment most patients are offered.
I also think that we tend to think that eating disorders are a niche area. Healthcare professionals I have seen have often said that they don’t know much about eating disorders, that it is something for the specialists. But the evidence shows that around 75% of young women may screen positive for a “possible” eating disorder. It simply wouldn’t be acceptable for healthcare professionals such as GPs not to know much about conditions that affect the population at a similar rate.
I also think that because too many patients are not prevented from becoming severely unwell, we end up with an image of eating disorders being a scary and difficult subject which impacts only a small minority of people. Yes, eating disorders of all kinds can have huge impacts on the body and mind, and can be incredibly dangerous. I know from being admitted dozens and dozens of times with life-threatening malnutrition that was causing my heart to stop working that eating disorders can be serious.”
James continues to shed light on why he thinks eating disorders are so prevalent in western cultures “When you stop and think about the way in which we live, it is not surprising that struggling with disordered, chaotic, and sometimes harmful eating patterns is increasingly normalised. We are so removed from the way food is
grown and made, and we live in lots of ways that are unnatural for our bodies. We face chronically stressful conditions and massive pressures to keep up, survive financially, be productive, and get food on the table in the first place - all whilst trying to appear to others as though we are living our ‘best lives.’ Add to the mix the wild west of unregulated social media content, the general stresses of life in an uncertain world, and the pressures that our culture puts on appearance, weight, and shape - it is surprising to me that people don’t have eating disorders.”
Whilst too many people get too unwell before they get the help they need, this doesn’t need to be the case. There are so many things that can be done to prevent this. There is a lot of research evidence showing that getting into treatment sooner helps people to recover faster. We don’t really need research to understand this - it’s a no-brainer to catch something early when it is easier to deal with. We need to get better at providing more timely treatment for all eating disorders, but this is something we have struggled with in Wales.
There is some hope, though. Whilst specialist adult services for eating disorders were only created in Wales since 2008, there has been a recent review of the way they are provided (in 2019). This review is finally being put into place with the NHS Wales Executive creating an Eating Disorders Clinical Implementation Network which includes patients and carers at the heart of the work being done to make the recommendations of the review a reality.
Getting people to treatment early isn’t about having the services there in the first place, it is also about encouraging people to recognise the signs of eating disorders in themselves and others, and to go and seek help. This is where all of us can play our part.
Yes, we need trained doctors, teachers, nurses, dentists, and other professionals who might spot signs of eating disorders. These might include increased preoccupation with food and eating, increased or rigid exercise and eating patterns, social withdrawal or signs of weight loss, vomiting or other disordered behaviours. But as well as these professionals, we need the people around us in society to be more aware. It might be friends, family members, or colleagues - people who are more in tune with how someone is day-to-day - who might notice first that someone is changing when it comes to their relationship with food and eating.
If you are concerned about someone, it is always better to approach the subject than to leave someone struggling in silence, but this comes with its own challenges as confrontation can be difficult for someone struggling with difficulties of any kind.
It is important to ‘go in’ with the right approach for that individual and express concerns from a place of caring not critiquing or confronting.
There are lots of helpful resources online as follows:
www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk - 10 Helpful Things to Say to Someone With an Eating Disorder
www.eating-disorders.org.uk - A Loved One Has An ED - National Centre for Eating Disorders
or by calling The Beat helpline on 0808 801 0433 or email at: Waleshelp@beateatingdisorders.org.uk
As James’s moving account of his own struggles shows, eating disorders are not something to be ignored, please join in the fight to raise awareness, and help individuals free from the chains that an eating disorder can create.
I too am in recovery from anorexia so know only too well the struggles with eating disorders.
Acknowledging an issue is the first step to action so well done and remember you are not alone on the next step of the journey whatever your circumstances may be.
Taylor Swift went down a storm at the Principality Stadium
There was a SWIFT MANIA BUZZ in the air on the 18th of June in Cardiff. Cardboard cutouts of Taylor Swift were in shops and bars across the city; cocktail bars put on special menus to celebrate the megastar coming to the city.
As we approached the stadium fans crowded outside who didn’t have tickets but wanted to listen and it was certainly loud enough to hear from the streets surrounding the arena. 67,000 fans packed out the Principality Stadium to see, Taylor Swift, during her epic Eras Tour.
Inside the stadium the volume intensified as fans yelled loudly! And when Taylor came out on stage the fans upped the decibels. Never heard the stadium that loud, ever! We reckon if the volume was measured with a Digital Decibel Sound Meter, Taylors fans would come out top!
The principality pitch, normally used for rugby matches was filled with fans, the stage, and a gigantic screen. It didn’t matter where you were situated, you still had a great view.
The interchangeable stage elevated during performances, so Taylor had to be in the right place at the right time. Sometimes the stage separated into three stands and other times the stage elevated into stairs. Really impressive, so she had to stay focused on her footing as well as performing her various songs.
The costume changes were phenomenal from sassy little sequined bodysuits to glittery blazers, sparkly boots, dreamy fairytale gowns to classy long ruffled dresses. Each outfit tailored to suit the genre of the song.
Some of the standout songs for us were “Fortnight” from The Tortured Poets Department album, “Anti-Hero”, “Bad Blood”, “Shake It Off ” and “We are never getting back together”. She brought so much drama with each song with fearless
performances then toning the music down to perform acoustic numbers.
On guitar, Swift sang “I Forgot That You Existed” mixed with “This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things” from Reputation.
On piano, Taylor chose a combination of “I Hate It Here” from The Tortured Poets Department and “The Lakes” from Folklore. During the piano performance Taylor wore a stunning red gown. She stopped mid-song and took out her earpiece to listen to fans cheering. It was LOUD. The cheers went on and on before she completed the song.
Taylor also plays the banjo, and ukulele. She really is a multi-talented musician.
There were so many teenage girls mimicking along to every song she sang, with the exact same facial expression and arm movements. There were literally mini versions of Taylor Swift dotted everywhere.
In total Taylor belted out 44 songs over 3 hours and didn’t seem to break a sweat!
The amount of technology used on the night at the Principality peaked at 3.3 terabytes of data consumed by fans: equivalent to downloading more than 700 HD films.
Now that’s impressive!
To end her knockout tour in Cardiff, Taylor made the largest donation by an individual to Cardiff Foodbank. What a legend!
Thank you, Taylor Swift, for your generosity and giving Cardiff fans a concert they will never forget!
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