Llys Cyncoed care home, Cyncoed VE Day celebration
Thursday 8th May, 2pm - 5pm
Come along to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. We will be joined by a fantastic brass band for live entertainment throughout the afternoon and the Royal British Legion will be doing a talk in the afternoon about VE Day and the war.
Llys Herbert care home, Lisvane VE Day celebration
Thursday 8th May, 3pm - 6pm
Join us to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day. Enjoy an afternoon of delicious food, entertainment and dancing as we celebrate the spirit of the 1940s. Trusted to care
To attend please call
Bursting onto the Cardiff music teaching scene in 2000, Forte School of Music brought with it a new level of excitement, promising fun music education from energetic, enthusiastic teachers, passionate about music lessons and eager to share their knowledge.
Fast forward and Forte Cardiff are celebrating quarter-century of musical excellence, with their multi-sensory approach still one of a kind, with courses and classes for all age groups - from babies to adults - and hundreds of learners, from beginner to advanced, attending weekly lessons at their school in Danescourt.
When you walk through the door at Forte there is a real buzz about the place – you can put any concept of lessons being dull and dreary well behind you, as you step into modern, bright, clean studios where you are taught by teachers who have undergone a rigorous selection process to find just the attitude and approach.
At the centre of what Forte offers are their group
lessons for children, dispelling any myths that a oneto-one lesson is the only, or even best way to learn. All class teachers are trained to deliver the courses, so that every child is engaged, no matter what their learning style may be.
The curriculum is designed to appeal to visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners, so absolutely everyone is catered for!
What makes Forte unique are the course books, teaching methods and curriculum, pioneered by founders and internationally renowned music educators Paul Myatt and Gillian Erskine, who have inspired a global network of Forte teachers, training and inspiring them to make learning music fun. Using this innovative approach, learners at Forte develop an amazing range of musical skills from improvising to composing, music reading and playing, theory, memorising, playing by ear, concert performance skills and more!
From Jungle Music for infants, through to Coffee Keys for adults (their oldest student is in his eighties!), the Forte method puts the emphasis firmly on fun and is designed to build confidence at the same time as teaching music skills. Learning music at Forte means learning in a dynamic,
nurturing, musical environment, filled with enthusiastic people who love music and sharing it with others and learning with others in a family or group, is the most natural way for young children to learn!
There are many delights and benefits from learning with others in a group, but if a private lesson is preferred, then these are available alongside the class lessons, with their studios packed with individual lessons taking place on a whole range of instruments - from piano and violin to drums and electric guitar.
Students value regular opportunities to perform, with events including their Forte Festival, Playathon (Forte are massive fundraisers for Ronald McDonald House Cardiff!), and their annual ABRSM High Scorer’s concert. As an ABRSM and Rockschool exam centre, they also provide a pathway for students to achieve their musical goals and many students have gone on to study at prestigious
institutions, such as The Juilliard School in New York.
Forte School of Music invites you to celebrate their 25 years of music education in Cardiff, by taking advantage of their current exclusive offers – so go along and see how much fun learning music can be!
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“Pre-Supported Internships and Assisted living. I’ve seen the future and it works.”
by Wyn Evans
No sooner had The Girl (my 19-year-old daughter, who has Down Syndrome), started her course at Cardiff and Vale College than we started making plans for year 2 (2025/26).
Regular readers will recall that last Autumn The Girl commenced a work and life skills course which aims to give her a grounding in the core skills she will need in employment and, ultimately, helping her to find a job.
Happily, the course is going well, and The Girl is thriving, giving her licence to consider 2025/26 options. The College has made an offer for her to complete a Pre-Supported Internship (SI) programme. This is essentially a staging year
between what she did in Year 1 and what she will do on the SI the following year. Amongst other things she will do internship-type things without the assistance of others, to prepare her for the greater complexity of the SI year.
All this has made her very excited and a little anxious because her entry for SI next year will depend on her getting through a Panel interview. She will tell you with pride and awe that it is her “first proper interview”. That being the case I have been trying to establish whether the College differentiates the job seeking and interview processes to account for The Girl’s inexperience and learning disability. Would it be sensible to include a familiar face to help
her settle in? Will her tutors, in the run-in, hold practice/mock interviews? Will there be classroom-based consideration of the dynamics of a Panel interview and preparation for the likely areas of discussion within the interview (e.g. can she explain what the SI programme is and why she wants to go on one of the three schemes offered by the College, etc.).
Needless to say, The Boss and I will be maintaining our parental responsibilities as middle-class, middle-aged, helicopter parents and helping her to prepare. But, as I told her, any interview is a year away, so there’s plenty of time!
Si’s are a transition to work programme that runs across three different host businesses, offering a variety of work placement experiences including Dow Silicones UK Limited, the Parkgate Hotel in Cardiff and Cardiff University.
The Programme PR document states “a combination of training room-based developmental sessions and ‘real life’ internship placement opportunities within the host business, provides students with invaluable experiences that truly prepares them for the world of work”. The young people develop transferable skills, are treated as any other employee, and are helped to secure sustainable employment. There would be three placements across the three terms. The PR document, again, states “each intern will be supported to develop their personal and professional skills, that are linked to” four ‘pillars’: Employability; Health; Community; and Independence. Not every intern enters permanent employment but 59% do. Hopefully, the Girl will be one of these.
Then again, there are other routes to full-time employment. For example, the Down’s Syndrome Association runs the ‘Workfit’ programme. This operates on the premise that everyone who has Down’s Syndrome can work if they want to and are supported to do so. It has a creditable record in placing candidates with permanent employers.
We are not getting any younger and the day may come when our daughter wants to leave the nest. I very much hope that this day is years away. But our job as parents is to rear our young to know the difference between right and wrong, to prepare for independence, and to be loving and kind.
If The Boss and I do our jobs right The Girl is likely to want to establish her own nesting space. My March column told the story about how… people …fought for their right to live independently. It’s important we keep telling it so that people understand how far we’ve come –and how far we still need to go.
I hope that people who see the play ‘Housemates’ feel inspired to make the world a more inclusive place. We all deserve to be seen, heard, and respected”. (Richard Newnham.)
With this in mind I am pleased to highlight organisations like Crwban(1) which provide support and care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to adults with autism, learning disabilities and/ or mental illness who are unable to live independently within the community. Crwban Care and Support Ltd, has two main goals:
(1) To provide our residents with the appropriate amount of support they need to live as independently as possible;
(2) To help our residents live their absolute best lives.
So that’s what The Boss and I are doing on the run-up to Easter this year. Helping The Girl prepare for one day (hopefully) getting a job through the SI scheme, about which there are no guarantees; and taking baby steps to identify the type of assisted living options open to her should she ever want to fly the nest.
What do you mean, about time? No, not Alcoholics Anonymous but Aorta Aneurysm screening, like in the picture (not a good likeness obviously).
Since I am a man of a certain age, a personal invitation hit the mat at Nolan Towers inviting me to attend a local clinic and take up their kind offer of free screening courtesy of the dear old and much maligned NHS. Not being picky but the screening clinic was on a steep hill and local parking very limited, just saying. Now, nobody likes a show off but I was told I had a lovely aorta. Apparently it is 1.9cm of pure joy in an area where size really does matter. No follow ups required, hurrah! I was so relieved we went to the pub.
All which reminded me of the joke about a cardiac surgeon who went to pick up his Aston Martin from the garage following an expensive engine repair. The mechanic went off to fetch the car and the garage owner launched into a soliloquy aimed at the surgeon:
“You know, engine repair is a lot like
by Vince Nolan
open-heart surgery. Well…… it’s the heart of the machine. It’s got fuel injectors like veins, an oil pump like an aorta and pistons that pump like heart muscle. It wears and tears like a heart, but without it, the whole car fails, just like the body. If it’s not repaired right the engine will seize up.”
“That’s true,” concurred the surgeon as his Aston was returned to him.
“So how come I only charge you £5,000 to fix your engine, while a private hospital charges around £50,000 for heart surgery?” said the garage owner.
The surgeon whizzed down his window and said: “Try fixing the engine while the car’s still running pal,” and sped off.
Now you don’t see the word soliloquy used very often but you just may have spotted it in the previous paragraph. Whilst out for a walk in a park the other morning, I came across an elderly gentleman who seemed inclined to give me an impromptu lecture on the etiquette of keeping dogs on leads as well as a short soliloquy on local bylaws and the various punitive measures that violation of these would incur. Not having a dog, not having solicited his incisive analysis and not sharing his apparent interest in the subject matter, I chose to simply walk away in silence. “Aren’t you going to say anything?” he shouted after me. I pondered his query for a moment and then turned and walked back to him.
“Anything” I said. I don’t think that was the response he was looking for but it did the trick (and no swearing).
She Who Must Be Obeyed, the Sainted
main subject being whether we would deal dog and I’m the one on drugs?”
reminded that my Grandad was a dyslexic smartphones are used in schools.” I wonder picture puzzle. How apt.
he wakes up, he finds himself encased in
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In The Words Of by
Carl Marsh
April 2025
Happy Easter, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. It’s that time of year when most of us get to go on holiday with the kids off school. I’m off to Lanzarote with my daughter. I can’t wait, as it’s been nearly six months since my last break away. I hope you all get to do something nice, wherever possible.
With this month’s interviews, I won’t (poorly) attempt to be cryptic, as with my first chat. You’d probably think I was talking about Andrew Lloyd Webber if I said the person wrote the lyrics for Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Joseph, and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. If I were to say The Lion King, then you’d all—hopefully—be correct in saying Sir Tim Rice… and that’s who my chat is with!
The last interview is with a film director pal - Giles Alderson - who’s done a documentary called ‘Food For Thought’. It’s a lighthearted look at veganism that avoids scaring the viewer but relies on allowing one’s own brain to visualise rather than let it appear on the screen why eating animals isn’t nice for them, for you, and for the planet. I am a meat eater, but this documentary has given me some food for thought!
MOVIE Review - Novocaine - Cinema
When you see the trailer for Novocaine, you will if, like me, think of where you’ve seen the lead actor before… well, as I’m a massive fan of The Boys on Prime Video, it didn’t take a second or more to recognise Jack Quaid. I can see why Quaid was a natural fit for this movie, as the similarities between
the TV show and this movie are its humour and [fun] graphic violence, albeit with no one flying in the sky or melting people with their eyes!
Sans superhero powers, Novocaine delivers a wild ride with Jack Quaid shining as a bank teller turned reluctant adrenaline junkie. His charm and comedic timing elevate the chaotic heist-gone-wrong plot. The pacing stumbles, but the quirky characters—like a manic tattoo artist—keep it entertaining. A popcorn flick with bite, it’s not flawless, but Quaid’s grin makes the numbness worth it!
With a highly successful filmmaker of a father [J.J. Abrams], I always take it with a pinch of salt when I hear of how good the son/daughter is, yet it’s annoying when it’s proclaimed how arduous the journey was for them getting a recording contract. There was none of that with Gracie Abrams. She has embraced how fortunate she’s been; furthermore, her talent as a musician is real. Even if her music isn’t my cup of tea, I can appreciate how great she is as a songwriter and singer. However, with this concert, I felt it was a bridge too far for me as it became annoying. My daughter told me she wanted to leave early as all the screaming young girls kept shouting, “I love you”, for Gracie to shout back the same, which soon became irritating. Perhaps, as Abrams is still only 25, she’s still not focused on controlling the crowd correctly, or maybe she’s just too lovely to not avoid too much of the crowd participating. I even joked that this was a watered-down version of a Taylor Swift concert for my daughter to say, “I am never going to one of those!” Perhaps I am getting old, but when your teenage daughter agrees, well…
Take it easy and enjoy your Easter break. I’ll be back in May,
Carl Marsh
Interview with Giles Alderson Words by Carl Marsh
Giles Alderson is one of the two directors of ‘Food For Thought’, the other being Dan Richardson. This documentary gives an uplifting and thought-provoking look at the vegan movement. Shot over a few years, it is intentionally not hard-hitting, but as the title suggests, it’s all about thought-provoking, and rightly so!
Carl Marsh
I like how the documentary is set up in that it made my daughter, and I think about the meat that we eat. I guess that was the intention of the film all along: for people to question their food habits without being shocked by any abattoir footage. Although I know you had Dan, watch something graphic, and you filmed him.
Giles Alderson
I think that it was something me and Dan said from the beginning, “Let’s not put anything in that will be too hard for them to watch”. But I kept saying to Dan, “I think we need something”. We needed something to make the audience realise this was horrendous, but we didn’t show it, and I just asked him, “You should watch it”. And he still didn’t think I was actually going to do that. He had an inkling, but he was like, “You’re gonna do it, aren’t you?” His reaction was real. I mean, you can’t, you can’t take that away, and you can’t, can’t plan for that. You can’t expect it. But yes, we knew that if we put that footage in the documentary, people wouldn’t watch it. Those people who were even vegan wouldn’t watch it. I wanted those you know, anyone who is plantbased or animal lover, to watch it to then recommend it to their friends who can’t watch ‘Earthlings’, or they can’t watch some of the others like ‘Dominion’ that are really hard-hitting.
They’re brilliant, and there is a place for them.
So, Dan and I wanted to make a gateway film, if you hike, to just make something that people could go, “Ah, OK…”, hence why it’s called ‘Food for Thought’ where you need to think about your food choices, think about what you’re eating, and think about the damage it’s doing, not just to the environment, but to animals, and the deep connection we have with life and with each other. Yet, we’re very happy to abuse animals and think that that’s okay when it’s really not, but we’re all up in arms if people are eating dogs in certain countries or whatever, or the woman who picked up the wombat recently, we’re all massively up in arms. But we’re doing this to animals daily, in the billions! And when you think about that, you ask, “Oh, why are we so upset by one but not the other?” That’s what we wanted to get across by saying, “Hey, this should be touching at a deeper level, yet you’re just not yet connecting with it, not yet really reaching down into your soul”.
There’s been so much advertisement and stuff that we go, “Milk is good for you, and it is supposed to be good for your bones”, and all this stuff. And the calcium and cows are bouncing around the field just so you can have some milk! Then, when you look at it, you go, “Oh gosh, yeah, none of that is actually true”. But, yet we are whitewashed with it, and believe it; brainwashed with it, and it’s a big problem, and that’s why we wanted to get that message across as well to the industry… the dairy industry, it’s a big, big, big business, because we need to just do something about it if we can.
‘Food for Thought’ is available for free worldwide via www.youtube.com/@FoodForThoughtDoc
Sir Tim Rice’s career has been mostly spent in musicals, so it’s rather apt that the tour is called ‘Tim Rice - My Life In Musicals - I Know Him So Well’, and it’s coming to Wales Millennium Centre on 25 May 2025.
Carl Marsh
You’ve got so much history; you’ve done it all. I mean, you’ve got five or six decades! It must have been difficult filtering down the ones you talk about, but how did you decide on them because you’ve got so many?
Sir Tim Rice
Well, the songs determine what I say. Usually, I talk about what it’s like to work with different composers. I mean, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John, Bjorn and Benny [ABBA], or Alan Menken. And I usually have quite a few stories, you know, very, very positive stories, I hasten to add, great stories about them all. [Laughs] And I sometimes talk about the technique of working with them, their differences, and their similarities. And all I had to do is to make sure that if I waffle, you know, for a while, about Andrew Lloyd Webber, that the next song coming up is one of his, and I usually get that right, nearly always, anyway. [Laughter] And it’s a kind of chronological story, not entirely, but I go through starting with ‘Joseph’, the first thing Andrew and I
wrote that got any attention, although it wasn’t the first thing we wrote that was financially rewarding. It was always very well received, but it began life in a school, and we got a few tiny cheques in the early days because eight schools had done it in the previous year, each paying something like a fiver, which had to be split at least two ways. It was the piece that gave us a feeling that we knew what we were doing, but the ‘Superstar’ really got us established because it took off like a bullet in America before ‘Joseph’ became a West End Show.
Carl Marsh
Exactly! ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’ and ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ took your career(s) into the stratosphere, but they have those religious connotations. Was this why, at the time, they did so well, especially in the US?
Sir Tim Rice
You’re right. I think that was a significant element of it. There’s no doubt about the story and the intrigue because everybody, whatever religion you are, if you’re in the West, you have a view about Jesus and Christianity and are probably quite interested in it. And this was a new approach. But on top of that, I think one of the things that made it take off on record was that the album in the late 60s was becoming the most popular form of entertainment. More people spent money on music in 1969, I think, than they did on films, theatre, or whatever.
So, we were lucky in that no theatre producer wanted to do the show in England when we tried to hawk it around.
We had a good manager who had heard ‘Joseph’ and signed us up on the strength of ‘Joseph’, but he couldn’t get any theatre manager in 1970 - when we’d written and finished ‘Superstar’ - to take it as a show, but he did get a record company interested, and so we made it as a record without the show. And that made the piece work even better because it was… Andrew, in particular, could use all the facilities he wanted for the score.
He could have a rock band, an orchestra, choirs, and, of course, great lead vocalists, and you would have got none of those in the theatre then.
The technology wasn’t there. Indeed, the expense would have been astronomical, and you wouldn’t have got such great performers to turn up every night for a year, assuming the show ran.
So, we were fortunate that it went as an album.
And I think the combination of the storyline and the fact that it was a beautifully packaged object which people wanted to buy was what, and also, in America, the radio stations in those days were much freer.
They were able to.
I mean, there were so many stations in England at the time, yet only one really could play pop music or rock music, and that was Radio One.
And they were only on for about seven hours every day.
So, we were fortunate, by mistake, to do a record and take it to America first.
Sir Tim Rice - My Life In Musicals, coming to Wales Millennium Centre on 25 May 2025.
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Head to Wales’s largest Science Discovery Centre to feel the force of a hurricane, launch an air-propelled rocket, create coloured shadows, generate electricity and plasma trails in the low light zone, or try your hand at docking a virtual spacecraft!
Live science show, ‘Flower and Eggs’ will be hatching in the Science Theatre, with Star Tours and the new ‘We Are Aliens’ 360° film running in the Planetarium — just choose which to add to your entry ticket when you book ahead online at techniquest.org.
There’s a special early evening event on Easter Saturday too, so head to the website to find out more and book your place at ‘Hoppy’s Easter Party’!
Techniquest • Cardiff UK • Science Discovery Centre https://www.techniquest.org/
A NOSON LAWEN
[A Jolly Evening] by Sara John
On this occasion of the first – as far as I knowNOSON LAWEN (A jolly evening) in this part of Edinburgh, I had decided to inaugurate one in our new home, as a means of introducing ourselves to our new neighbours.
We had organized a very full programme of Scottish and Welsh contributions fortified by ample food and drink.
To start off the evening I thought as an opening act I would explain what I had found on moving from Wales to Scotland.
I explained that when we moved to Scotland recently, Andrew had advised me when we arrived not to keep telling people that I was Welsh. He said they would know. Since then, by letter, telephone and email, Welsh friends have been asking me:
What’s it like? No! No what is it really like? Is it very foreign?
Is it really freezing?
Do you like it? How far is it to Iceland? When are you coming back to Wales?
However, Scots asked different questions:
Can you sing?
Can you play the harp?
Have you played rugby?
This preamble, preambles are themselves big in Welsh culture where actually getting to the point cuts a good story short and is somehow construed as “bad manners”, even worse it is seen as “being abrupt”.
Anyway, the experience of the move from Wales to Scotland got me thinking about the differences and about the similarities apparent between the Welsh and the Scots.
In Wales you never use one word when you can cram twenty into a simple reply.
In Scotland the question might be:
Do you want a cup of tea?
The expected answer is: No, thank you.
In Wales the question is put differently “You’ll want a cup of tea?
Answer; (in Wales) oh, yes, yes please, I would love
a cup of tea, nothing to eat mind, I have not long had a good lunch, well good for me, I often skip lunch altogether, I always cook in the evening but sometimes if Geraint is working late it’s goodness knows what time when we get to sit down at the table……………
The old Edinburgh joke, when welcoming a visitor, is, “Come away in - you’ll have had your tea. Of course, that is told by Scots who are not Edinburghers.
Social get-togethers are another observed example of cultural norms. Why are social greetings for Scots so cursory – blink and you miss it!
Not having met a blood relative for one year means a Scot will nod stiffly in their direction, when they do actually get together. After an absence of five years, he nods stiffly and follows it with an “Aye”. After a gap of ten years, he may even ask them in, depends on what part of Scotland he is from and how effusive he is.
In a Scottish bookshop I overheard two men talking, obviously meeting up after a length of time, one said to the other, “Oh, by the way, how’s your faither?” “Still dead,” came the reply.
On the other hand, a Welsh woman meets a friend after not seeing her for two or three weeks. We exchange a kiss and a hug and a pushing apart in order to inspect each other from top to toe. “Oh Diane it’s wonderful to see you, I’m so glad you could get here, I know how busy you are with your family and everything, you are looking really well, do you think it’s due to the colonic irrigation or is your hair shorter than last time we got together, oh and I love your shoes, they are exactly the colour I have been searching for, …”
In Scotland the written word is treated in the same way as the spoken. Not too many, in fact the bare minimum.
In Scotland - and one of the joys of living here is reading The Scotsman each day – even though it appears to me that the printed words are somewhat rationed.
The newspaper’s Style Guide must insist on the journalists using the minimum words, using the right words to do the job, not repeating the information, all of which is totally unheard of in Wales. Also reminding the journalists to forget all the ‘sentimental details’ and, under no circumstanceseven on a bad news day - ‘to state the obvious’.
There was a good example in the personal column last week of The Scotsman. It read; “Seeking Janet Windburn. I think about you every day. It is time to get together. I need you now. My mother has died. Box number xxx.
There is a whole romantic novel there, albeit probably with a tragic ending, all written like a telegram!
In Wales a personal advert on a similar topic might read:
“Dairy farmer seeks Angharad Jones last seen in Standard five in about around 1949, with an idea of getting back together and seeing more of each other and giving me a hand and helping me at Ty Gwyn Farm more with the water buffalo than anything else but perhaps a bit more as well, if she feels inclined to in that way. My mother passed away two weeks ago, and she always said that she was very sorry indeed about what she said about you to your Aunty Gwaldys and did not really mean it afterwards, even though she meant it at the time. Oh, and have you still got that tractor at Pen Du? If so, please get in touch and, oh! please send picture of tractor.
PS I have lost all my hair what with one thing and another but my mother bought me a small wig to wear on Sundays. Ieuan down the pub told me she’d got it from Allied Carpets.”
I have been told that the English, on meeting for the first time will ask each other, “I say, which school did you go to?”
In Scotland the question is more likely to be, “Who was you faither?”
In Wales, the question is always, without fail, “where are you from then exactly”
With the Welsh there is then a long and tedious conversation (that can take place anywhere in the entire world) to establish common ground, often locating the exact position of the house itself. Eventually there will be an enquiry about one’s name.
In Wales most people have pet names, familiar names, nick names - as opposed to baptismal names. Many have bardic names, stage names, occupational names, patronymic names, or names of reference to a place of birth or residence. This is to confuse the enemy and can identify the many roles that one might play in your life.
For example, Isaac Jones who had been called Ike for short, was 6’ 2’’ by the time he reached form six when he became known as Icarus the Conspicuous. His younger brother Prys, who only grew to six foot was called Pyrrhus the less conspicuous.
Such was the pretentious sense of humour in the 1960’s when I was attending Grammar School in the Rhondda Valley.
Mind you, not quite so pretentious perhaps, as having a row of brass roman numerals on your front door as I have observed in the New Town. Poor old Postman, or do they, in order to be postmen in Edinburgh, have to successfully complete a classical education? Do they traverse George Street, looking at their watches and mumbling “tempus fugit?” “nil desperandum” or offer an apology for misreading and wrongly delivering a parcel with a “mea culpa, mea culpa” to the man at no. XXXIV?
Do you believe what I am saying? Am I telling the truth? Well it is true to me. Lloyd George explained, after being accused of misleading the House, that what he had said some time previously he had believed to be “true at the time”.
For a Welsh person truth can be a reflection of their current state of mind or just a shadowy concept.
On the other hand, Scots set the greatest score on truth telling. Can it be because, like Andrew, they all saw the film, Pinocchio at the age of six? at the Regal Cinema. Why is the exactness of the truth so vital?
Scots are discomforted by there being four gospels with three of them telling different versions of the same story.
The Welsh are disappointed there are so few versions of the truth. They were relieved to hear about the copy of St Thomas’ gospel amongst the Dead Sea Scrolls. There are never just a few versions of any story in Wales.
In Scotland honesty and the truth are very important. Tell it like it is and if it offends, then too bad. How can a Scotsman always be in someone’s face without having permanently black eyes?
My theory on this one, and a possible excuse for the Welsh being accused of being two faced and less than straightforward and truthful is that since the thirteenth century they have survived in a land with a very long border, (a border impossible for a small
population to defend,) under the close eye and occupation of their neighbours.
I have frequently feared that Andrew would find himself in trouble in Wales for being too outspoken. The worst thing that happened to him was being sent off by the referee at a football match.
He was not playing. He was a spectator.
And he can be vicious in précis.
One of the most popular epitaphs in Scottish cemeteries must surely be, “He woudna tak tellin!”.
I reckon that the Welsh have a low threshold of joy.
The Scots have a much higher threshold, and I find it hard to know, when we are with Scottish relatives, if they are actually enjoying themselves. Perhaps the answers to these differences lie in the language.
In Welsh there is no word for confidential as confidential means you can tell one other person.
Wales is enjoying great official, but hard won, support for the Welsh language. It only became a written language with formal agreed spellings in the 1900’s.
Andrew the Scot is alphabetical, chronological and methodical.
Pearl who is Welsh is miscellaneous and a polymath.
The Scots have a clear vision whatever they are doing; when they are out walking, taking photographs, making films, building bridges. They are not distracted by mere words. In fact they are not distracted at all.
I, on the other hand missed seeing the Golden eagle at the top of Ben Nevis, because I was talking to someone, a complete stranger of course, but Welsh, about something or other. I am constantly and easily distracted.
Although still waiting for the Stuarts to return to the throne, and only then will Traquair House reopen their main gates, the Scots, whilst acutely conscious of their history, live in the Present and anticipate a good Future.
In most of Wales it is still the 12th century and any minute now there will be an uprising and Owain Glyndwr will appear again and this time round we will win.
And talking of the 12th century that may well have been the time that neighbours began to get together and enjoy a Noson Lawen. Also during that time all of us would have understood each other with a common language. Nowadays we have to make do with English.
Mind you that might explain why our friends in Pembrokeshire are off to a Ceilidh this evening with their friends in the Scottish Dance Society in LLanybydder.
And we can now begin our “jolly evening” with a warm welcome to you all. Croeso I chi gyd!!!
A Noson Lawen
I checked the house all over for the tenth time. Dim problem, everything in its place, including fast asleep cats in front of the television on their velvet cushions. Television is silent.
The time is now seven o’clock and I think I can hear people in the front porch, Yes, bring, bring, and rattled tat-tat on the knocker. I open the door, and the exchange of greetings, kisses, and explanations can be heard all along the street. “Indoors, everyone” I shout, “come along in!”
“Hang on, hang on” I hear from new arrivals. “Wait for us!” More cars are arriving, lots more greetings with a great deal of cross-pollination, kisses, laughter. “Everyone indoors” I shout hopelessly, it is December after all.
After much hustle and bustle all our guests have arrived and are indoors. There are seats for everyone in the atrium, and it is cosy and warm. We welcome everyone and explain what a noson lawen really is. Some people say they can’t wait! I suggest they need to know what the programme is, as far as we know no one has ever been to one before.
The show begins with a brief word of welcome, “Croeso I chi gyd!!!!
Our first guest performer is our next door neighbour, born and raised in Huntly in Aberdeenshire. A very nice real Scots Lady who was very excited! She explained to everyone that as a young girl she wanted to go on the stage. Her parents were shocked and appalled at such an idea, so decades later, she felt, was a little like her dream coming true at last.
She had written her own poem welcoming us to the street joining all the friends and neighbours who had joined with us tonight. A real tour de force! Which set
the evening alight. We then listened to an interesting “Ten minute Talk” from a guest who spoke of Brythonic which was the language of the Celts in both Scotland and Wales in ancient times. A very appropriate reminder.
His wife Margaret, a very beautiful woman with long jet black hair who had been born and raised in West Wales, sang some folk songs unaccompanied, in Welsh of course. Many of the audience were in tears, she sang so beautifully. She looked extra striking in a long scarlet taffeta dress, I can recall thinking she was the Queen of the Gypsies come to life.
We roared with laughter at a sketch performed by Gail (a high court judge) and her husband Spencer (a lawyer). One of the questions from the prosecutor was, “I must ask you this: were you still sexually active?” The witness’s reply was, “No, I just lie there.”
Guests said they did not want it to stop!! The sketches performed were hilarious, the music was divine, there was not a dull moment.
One contribution deemed unintentionally hilarious started off “straight” as it were. One of our guests was a brain surgeon who had operated that morning had written a poem. He started his monologue, but he was interrupted by the phone in his pocket. He looked at the audience and gently explained that the patient he had operated on that morning had taken a turn for the worst and he was needed in the hospital at once.
This was followed by a search for his glasses as his consumption of red wine had affected him somewhat. My husband preferred a pair left lying on a small table which our Doctor put on, and said they were not his specs but they would do. This is now well on in the evening and his wife “suggested” that she should drive him to the hospital. To see his patient. And, off they went.
Our entertainment recommenced. We had an interlude for supper which was announced by a guest as ALL WELSH FOOD!
We took our seats for the second half of the show, the nerves had all disappeared, along with some well-deserved drinks and all to soon it was time to put on coats, and warm gloves and hats and to say “Nos Da”, “diolch yn fawr” and “da iawn”. Until Next Time………!
From that evening on we were truly integrated into the community after Scotland and Wales had truly come together.
Swing into springtime and let the good times roll!
Walk down any Highstreet in the UK and you’re bound to see signs that suggest that ‘old is far from over’ and is very much ‘in the now’. Old, vintage, retro, chic…whatever terminology you prefer, its appeal seems to be very much a modern-day craze too!
The term ‘Vintage’ refers to the period of manufacture of an item from past generations. In fact, debatably anything over 20 years old can be acceptably addressed as ‘Vintage’ whether this be a style, an item of furniture, a type of music or a fashion trend. In the same vein, ‘Vintage Inspired’, describes, as the term implies, items and trends inspired by the originals. As we swing into 2025, we can see dazzling displays of ‘Vintage’ all around us, which are being re-discovered, revamped and refreshed ready for the 21st century. So, if you fancy donning your flat cap, putting on your poodle skirt or breaking out a babycham in the name of all things retro, read on!
Whether it’s raiding your parents, or grandparents, or perhaps your own, attics to find preloved items (with permission obviously!), going to shops or online to any of the many sites selling items from eras gone by, seeking out a dance class to learn how dance like ‘back in the day’ or being creative to recreate a style from years gone by – vintage is very much big business. Looking at some of the reasons for its revival may highlight just why these trends are so popular despite the somewhat rapid drive for modernisation in other avenues of the modern world.
Its good for the environment - The modern generation are increasingly conscious of sustainability, eco-friendly options and protecting our planet. Let’s focus on fashion here - Did you know that, if sent to a landfill, clothes made from natural fabrics like cotton can degrade in a matter of months whereas synthetic fabrics can take up to a tremendous 200 years to decompose. So, in light of this, reusing or upcycling an item appears a good option surely? In addition, when clothes made from synthetics are washed, synthetic materials release microplastics into wastewater, which can eventually contaminate the environment and potentially enter the food chain. Therefore, by buying or using something that is already made and furthermore, made in a generation where items were ‘made to last’ with sustainable fabrics,
by Natalie McCulloch
you’re possibly helping the environment too.
Nostalgia - There’s often something comforting about buying or using something that you recall from your childhood or that you can imagine an older loved one enjoying. Surely I’m not the only one that decides to have a spring clean and ends up emerging from my wardrobe mid-sort resembling ET because I’ve delighted in the items I’ve discovered which I simply must put on? Or gets slightly agitated by seeing sweets I recall from childhood being rebranded with different names??!
More scientifically, in a 2012 study, Routledge et al showed that nostalgia helps people relate their past experiences to their present lives in order to derive a greater sense of meaning. The result of this process was shown to boost mood and reduce stress. Many studies have found similar effects of nostalgia on mood, behaviour and engagement so, it’s no wonder that either consciously or subconsciously, psychologically, buying vintage items feels good and plays a part in the reason why millennials like vintage products.
Well-made - As I highlighted earlier, items from bygone eras were made to last, possibly due to materials they were manufactured with or the craftmanship needed for them as opposed to many items now which are made with machines and with maximum profit mindsets of manufacturers. (please note this is not a sweeping statement as there are undoubtedly many amazing exceptions to this!)
Secondly, the fact that we are living in a generation where many have more of a ‘throwaway mindset’ as opposed to years ago where items needed to be good quality, stand the test of time and ‘make do and mend’ philosophy. Today these materials are more expensive to purchase for similar brand-new items, however vintage items are considerably lower in price for better quality, which is a win-win situation. Over time items may have become scratched, dented or worn but these imperfections, through the right eyes, only adds to their appeal and character.
Stylish - There is something somewhat endearing and charming about vintage styles, trends and lifestyles and,
some would say, when it comes to ‘Vintage’, there are some great examples available to reflect everyone’s personality. If we look back at just the past 10 years, we can see items from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s come into modern day trends and catwalk styles – cheesecloth anyone?
As they say, “Fashions may go out of style, but style never goes out of fashion”.
Alongside Fashions and Furniture, the appeal of the lifestyle remains too which calls for music, dancing and a good old knee up celebration!
So, lets tune up the wireless…
‘Gentlemen prefer blondes’ is a vintage act that’s been performing a range of music from the 40’s right through to the 70’s for over 12 years. Joan Hoctor who is one half of the dazzling duet, told Cardiff Times why they love doing what they do “40’s music is so romantic, with the war songs containing such hope, they tell stories like no other era does. Then you have beautiful 3-part harmonies such as the Andrew sisters”. For them it’s not just about the music “We love the dresses too, and how glamourous the 50’s was for example –the shoes, the hairstyles and the cars…”
On a similar note, The Satin Dollz, are a collection phenomenally talented pin up style big bang singing sensations who originated in the USA in 2005 and have brought their big tunes, beautiful style and brilliant voices to all corners of the UK. Having recently performed in our very own ‘Wales Millenium Centre’ and with a line up at the Vintage for Victory festival in Whitchurch this year. One of their performers Orphelia highlighted to Cardiff Times “The decades spanning the 1920’s to 1950’s produced iconic music that shaped jazz, swing and the popular music we hear today. Performing ensures theses styles and their cultural impact aren’t forgotten. Without it, a lot of our current music wouldn’t exist! Its important to keep such a rich and impactful musical history alive, pay tribute to those great artists and composers of the early 20th century and ensure their contributions continue to be recognized and celebrated throughout generations”.
Ophelia goes onto tell CT why the Satin Dollz love performing “We love performing these songs for the appreciation of the genre and its impact in musical history, but also because it bridges generations. Many older audiences connect with the music of their youth, while younger generations discover and appreciate its timeless charm, fostering intergenerational connections. It’s always lovely to see people of all ages enjoying our shows. In an age of electronic music and digital performances, live big band shows with glamorous singers and showgirl dancers offer an exciting, immersive experience that stands out. With the intricate arrangements, tight vocal harmonies, and live instrumentation it’s a level of musicianship that is increasingly rare in the modern music industry.
It’s always a lot of fun to perform such a classic sound to our audiences. For groups like The Satin Dollz, bringing this music to life today not only preserves its legacy but also proves that great music is truly timeless!”
These are just a couple of many fabulous vintage performance acts which delight in reviving old time tunes
and the joy, memories and feel-good vibes they bring with them.
With music comes dancing …
‘The Swing project’ is an organisation based in Cardiff with the goal to spread love and laughter through the teaching of Lindy Hop, Charleston and Solo Jazz.
Lindy Hop is a partnered jazz dance created African American communities in Harlem at the end of the 1920’s and its legacy continues to this day, bringing people of all ages and abilities to connect to each other through rhythm and self-expression.
Jessie who founded the project is passionate about sharing the history and legacy of these dances and its originators. They believe that everyone, no matter of age or ability, should have the opportunity to discover the joy of Swing.
The Swing Project host classes, workshops and events, with the aim of sharing the music, the rhythms and the history of this wonderful dance. Lindy Hop and Solo Jazz dance classes are held in in Cardiff Chapter Arts Centre, further information can be found on their social media sites or at www.swingproject.co.uk
Combine both of the above (with a bit of feel-good food, optional beverages and fancy dress) and you have….The incredible VINTAGE FOR VICTORY FESTIVAL. Inspired by the Romance and Glamour of Vintage Fashion and Nostalgia, July 2025, sees the return of the annual Vintage for Victory Festival weekend. The festival is taking place in the leafy suburb of Cardiff at The Library Gardens in Whitchurch Village. This brilliant boutique vintage festival is now in its 8th year and promises to provide family friendly fun in an extremely relaxed unique atmosphere. With an array of stalls, live music, dance lessons, re-enactments and some pretty incredible vehicles it celebrates all that was great from the 1940s 50s & 60s. The Vintage for Victory team broadcast that “We invite you to drift back in time, to those halcyon days and soak up the unique atmosphere in the period costume of your chosen era. It’s an opportunity for you, your friends and family to dress up to the nines in timeless style, amongst a crowd of people doing the same”. Log onto www.vintageforvictory.co.uk to find out more.
So that’s a whistle stop tour of a very varied array of Vintage treasures on your doorstep. Rest assured, there are plenty more to be discovered!
On a personal note, I adore Vintage style, as evident by my wardrobe and music taste. I have enjoyed several rounds of ‘The swing projects’ fab classes and I was lucky enough to attend the ‘Vintage for Victory’ festival in previous years and I would highly recommend both to anyone with such inclination.
Having said this, I feel it’s important to highlight the progressions that have been made over the years in terms of rights, hygiene and ease of housework to name a few. Having spoken to patients in the past who tell me about washing nappies, sharing baths with siblings, sugar sandwiches, twin tubs and cast-iron vacuum cleaners, I can’t help but think these vintage trends are chosen with an air of caution! And highest respect to those that ‘did it the first-time round’!
The Magnificent Seven Part one by Ralph Oates
The heavyweight division is the poundage which always attracts a great deal of attention from the media. When a boxer emerges at heavyweight who looks to have potential there is a feeling of excitement amongst the fans. Over the years Wales has produced seven heavyweights who have acquired the status of British champion. In this month’s column I will be looking at said fighters who fought their way to the top of the domestic division. The article will be in two parts.
Jack Petersen
The first Welshman to win the British heavyweight title was Jack Petersen who was born in Cardiff on the 2 September 1911. Petersen was a clever boxer who caught the eye of the public with his ring skills which produced a number of excellent performances. On the 3 February 1932 he won the Welsh heavyweight title when he defeated holder DickThe first Welshman to win the British heavyweight title was Jack Petersen who was born in Cardiff on the 2 September 1911. Petersen was a clever boxer who caught the eye of the public with his ring skills which produced a number of excellent performances. On the 3 February 1932 he won the Welsh heavyweight title when he defeated holder Dick Power by a knockout in the opening round. The contest was set for the duration of 15 rounds. The meeting between the pair took place at the Greyfriars Hall in Cardiff. On the 23 May 1932 he ventured to London and at the Holborn Stadium he outpointed defending champion Harry Crossley over 15 rounds to take the British light-heavyweight crown. On the 12 July 1932 he climbed between the ropes at Wimbledon Stadium to challenge Reggie Meen for the British heavyweight crown. The contest was over very quickly when
Peterson took the championship knocking out Meen in round 2 of a scheduled 15. Petersen after making two successful defences of the crown lost the title on the 30 November 1933 when out pointed over 15 rounds by Len Harvey at the Royal Albert Hall, London. After that defeat Petersen racked up four victories before regaining his British crown from Len Harvey when stopping him in round 12 of 15 at the White City Stadium, London. The Welshman also captured the Commonwealth title which Harvey had won after defeating Petersen. After making a successful defence of his British and Commonwealth titles, Petersen later lost both the British and Commonwealth championships when stopped in round 3 of a scheduled 15 by Ben Foord. The contest took place on the 17 August 1936 at Welford Road Stadium, Leicester. On the 1 February 1937 Petersen fought Germany’s Walter Neusel at Harringay Arena, London. Petersen was defeated when he retired in round 10 of 12. (This was the third time that Neusel had defeated Petersen) This proved to be The Welshman’s last professional contest. Petersen decided to hang up the gloves. He retired from the sport with a resume of 40 bouts winning 35 and losing 5. He was awarded with the OBE in 1978.
Tommy Farr
Tommy Farr was born in Clydach Vale, Rhondda on the 12 March 1913. He made his professional debut on the 17 December 1926 against Jack Jones, the venue being Tonypandy where he won by a six round points decision. Farr was a tough rugged fighter who always gave his opponents a night to remember when inside the ring. From the off he looked championship material and fought his way to the Welsh light-heavyweight
Left to right Jack Petersen, Henry Cooper and Tommy Farr
Photograph courtesy of Derek Rowe
crown where upon he challenged title holder Randy Jones on the 21 July 1933 at the Empire Theatre, Tonypandy. At the end of the 15 round contest Farr’s hand was raised in victory, he was the new champion. On the 4 February 1935 Farr went for the vacant British light-heavyweight crown, the venue being the Pavilion, Mountain Ash. The man coming out of the opposite corner was Eddie Philips. The two boxers gave the fans an entertaining 15 round contest, however Farr failed to lift the title when Philips was given the points decision. This was a disappointment, but Farr pushed on with his career. He still had ambitions with his eyes firmly set on reaching the top. On the 14 September 1936 he added the Welsh heavyweight title to his name when he knocked out Jim Wilde in round 7 of a scheduled 15 round contest at Vetch Field Swansea. Further success followed when he won the British & Commonwealth heavyweight titles on the 15 March 1937 at Harringay Stadium, London defeating holder Ben Foord over 15 rounds. After a few more impressive victories Farr was given the opportunity to challenge for the world heavyweight championship, against Joe Louis. It would be no easy task. The Welshman would have to go to the USA to take his shot, the venue being Yankee Stadium, in New York. Many boxing scribes in America felt that Farr would be destroyed by Louis in the scheduled 15 round bout and the chances of him hearing the final bell was very remote to say the least. On the 30 August 1937 Farr confounded the critics and left them red faced when he gave Louis a difficult night making him fight hard to retain his crown. At the end of the contest Louis knew he had been in a war which he would long remember. Farr may have lost but he won the respect and admiration of all who watched the contest. Based on this showing it appeared that after a few good victories Farr would be well placed in getting a second crack at the title. However, this wasn’t to be the case. The Welshman stayed on in America and took part in another four bouts which took place at Madison Square Garden, New York all of which resulted in defeat. This put him out of the world title picture. Farr later returned to the UK to continue his career. It was evident that this was not the Farr of old, he was still quality but time and hard fights, and they really were hard fights, were beginning to take their toll on the Welsh Warrior. During his absence in the USA he vacated the British title which had been won by Len Harvey on the 1 December 1938, he took the crown by a disqualification against Eddie Phillips in round 4 of 15 at Harringay Arena, London. Farr won the Welsh heavyweight championship on the 7 July 1951 when he stopped defending title holder Dennis Powell in round 6 of 12. The contest took place at the West Midland Showground, Shropshire. There after Farr participated in a further nine bouts of which he won 7 and lost 2. His career came to an end on the 9 March 1953 when he faced Don Cockell in a final eliminator for the British heavy-weight title at the Ice Rink, Nottingham. Cockell won the contest when he stopped Farr in round 7 of 12. There cannot be any doubt that Farr who was nick-named the Tonypandy
Terror was an outstanding boxer who gave the UK fans many moments of excitement during his career and greatly boosted Welsh boxing. During his career he participated in 143 bouts comprising of 88 wins, 34 defeats, 19 drawn with two contests being declared a no-contest.
Johnny Williams
Johnny Williams was born in Barmouth, Wales on the 25 December 1926. He took his first step into a professional ring on the 16 October 1945 where upon he outpointed his opponent Billy Rhodes over 6 rounds at the Rail & Road Transport Club, Leicester. It was early days and often it is foolish to make predictions for a fighter after having his first bout, since the road to the top is bumpy to say the least and there are many things that can go wrong in a boxing career. However, Williams looked good and appeared to have the ability to make waves in the division. In the months which followed Williams was busy boxing his way through the ranks, making steady progress. On the 11 March 1952 the big opportunity came his way with a shot at the British and Commonwealth heavyweight titles. The defending champion was Jack Gardner. The contest took place at the Earls Court Empress Hall, Kensington, London. At the end of the 15 round bout a new champion was crowned when Williams was declared the victor. A defence of the Commonwealth title took place on the 13 October 1952 against South African Johnny Arthur, the venue being the Granby Halls in Leicester. The contest was scheduled for the duration of 15 rounds but ended in the 7th when Arthur retired. It had been a good scrap up to the end, but Williams was always in command of the encounter. A defence of the British and Commonwealth titles at Harringay Arena, London against Don Cockell took place on the 12 May 1953. Cockell was clearly a serious threat to Williams and at the end of 15 rounds Williams found that he was an ex-champion. The challenger had taken the title with a points decision. This was of course a setback for Williams, but he continued with his career and boxed on for a number of years in the hope that another chance might come his way. On the 27 August 1956 following the retirement of Don Cockell Williams was matched with fellow Welshman Joe Erskine at the Maindy Stadium, in Cardiff for the vacant British heavyweight title. Truthfully it looked as if Williams would have a very difficult task in this bout. Erskine was a talented boxer with ring skills which were admired by many who knew the sport. The contest went the full 15 rounds and as generally expected, Williams came in second and Erskine was now the new king of the heavyweight division following a points decision. Williams had one more bout against Joe Bygraves on the 16 November 1956 at the Kings Hall Belle Vue in Manchester and was stopped in round 6 of 10. Williams had been an excellent addition to the domestic boxing scene during his time in the ring, he had participated in 75 bouts which consisted of 60 victories, 11 defeats with 4 drawn.
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Ty Llandaff recognised
At Ty Llandaff Care Home, receiving a Top 20 Care Home award is an incredible honour and a testament to the dedication, passion, and exceptional care we provide each and every day. This recognition reflects not just our high standards of care, but also the strong ethos that guides everything we do.
Ty Llandaff is built around treating each resident as an individual, providing personcentred care that focuses on their unique needs, preferences, and aspirations. We believe that every resident deserves the highest level of attention and compassion, and this philosophy is woven into every aspect of our daily operations. At the heart of our work is a commitment to creating a supportive, compassionate, and homely environment for our residents, where their individual needs are met with dignity and respect. This is reflected through our many 5* reviews on Carehome.co.uk.
Our staff, who are truly the backbone of Ty Llandaff, are incredibly proud of this achievement. The award is a reflection of their hard work, expertise, and the genuine care they provide.
Many of our team members have been with us for years, and this recognition highlights their consistent dedication to enriching the lives of those in our care.
They are deeply invested in ensuring our residents feel safe, comfortable and valued, this award reinforces the importance of their efforts.
For our residents, this award brings a sense of pride and reassurance. It confirms that the care they receive is of the highest quality and that we are constantly striving to improve their lives. Knowing that they are in such capable, caring hands adds to the sense of community and well-being that we work hard to foster at Ty Llandaff. Ultimately, this award is a reflection of the collaborative effort between our team, residents, and their families in creating a nurturing and fulfilling environment.
Kath O’Dwyer has the privilege of being the Home Manager at Ty Llandaff and brings a wealth of experience having worked in the care industry for over 30 years. It is through her exceptional leadership and the kindness and dedication of her team that the home has received this prestigious award which really does set them apart as a leading Welsh care home.
If you’d like to find out more for yourself or a loved one, we’d love to support you on the next step of your care journey.
