August 2019
CARDIFF TIMES FREE
SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER AT PREMIER LEISURE PARKS FANCY OWNING YOUR OWN LITTLE PIECE OF PARADISE? SEE PAGE 31 FOR MORE DETAILS AUGUST 2019 - PART 1 page 1
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editors letter
cardiff times
Welcome
PUBLISHER Cardiff Times EDITOR Louise Denning 07903 947594
Hi All, and welcome to our August issue.
FEATURES EDITOR Mark Denning 07758 247194
Last month was an emotional one for Mark and I, as our son’s time at Primary School came to an end. There were a number of events put on for both children and parents alike, culminating in a very funny and moving ‘Leavers Assembly’ which made all the parents laugh and cry in equal measure! He has been very lucky to attend such a good school with great teachers and a very supportive Head, and to have made so many close friends.
July was a hot month wasn’t it?! We had a mini heatwave, together with a spectacular thunderstorm, typical weather for this time of the year in Cardiff!
SALES & MARKETING Beth beth@cardiff-times.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Wyn Evans, Vince Nolan, Carl Marsh, Sara John, Molly Dutton, Natalie McCulloch, Melissa Compton, Sue Good
At the time of writing, we are preparing to embark on our son’s first County Cricket Tour to Bromsgrove, which is near Birmingham. We have everything crossed that the weather will be good. His team will be staying in a private school which is set in acres of grounds, with its own swimming pool - parents are staying in the local Premier Inn! With the school summer holidays now in full swing, there are plenty of ideas for things to do and where to go with the children this month, in particular we have another summer feature starting on page 32 if you are stuck for some ideas! We are pleased to welcome a new writer this month, Sue Good, who has written a very interesting article on ‘going green’ and what little changes we can implement in our lives to help the environment - a hot topic at the moment!
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Until next month, happy reading.
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August
CONTENTS FEATURES 14 August Diary
48 ‘And Another Thing…’ By Vince Nolan
18 Memories And Pride By Wyn Evans
54 Puzzle Mania
23 The Art Of Volunteering Versus The Pain Of Paralysis
By Sara John
58 Boys, Coal And Rock ‘N’ Roll
By Natalie McCulloch
64 Beauty Done Your Own Way 28 Beauty - Everything You Need For A Beautiful Summer Holiday
By Molly Dutton
68 Let’s Start A Green Tsunami By Sue Good
31 Premier Leisure Parks Gower 32 Summer Feature 40 “In The Words Of…” By Carl Marsh
71 Puzzle Mania Solutions 72 My Day With A Royal Part Two By Sara John
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The perfect place to discover thousands of unique items not found on the high street! Also on site are: CafĂŠ Florist Tarot Card Reader Reflexologist
Antiques, Retro, Mid Century, Modern Furniture, vintage clothing, jewellery, toys and more. Over 45 Traders. A quirky and eclectic mix. www.thepumpingstation.cardiff.co.uk 02920 221 085 Penarth Road, Cardiff, CF11 8TT
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CARDIFF CARE HOME GETS ARTY FOR NATIONAL CARE HOME OPEN DAY
A Pontcanna care home showcased the creative skills of its residents to friends, family and the local community for National Care Home Open Day last month.
Tŷ Llandaff service manager Lisa Cristina said: “Building relationships with the local community is really important to us at Tŷ Llandaff, and National Care Home Open Day was a fantastic way of bringing generations together.
Tŷ Llandaff, a private nursing, residential and respite care home, in Conway Road, joined thousands of other care homes around the UK taking part in the annual event with a theme this year of celebrating the role of ‘Arts in Care’.
“Here at Tŷ Llandaff, we use art therapy every week as part of our varied activities programme, and we were really excited to be able use this open day as an opportunity to show visitors exactly what happens in our art classes.
The idea behind National Care Home Open Day is to encourage local people to visit care homes in the community and work together to build long lasting relationships. Tŷ Llandaff invited the community to join their residents for a cup of tea and slice of cake, and meet Tŷ Llandaff’s new service manager Lisa Cristina.
“Creative activities are great for relaxation and stress relief, as well as self-expression. Our classes are also good social occasions as everyone can chat while they work and share in what they have created. “Our residents were excited to see their masterpieces displayed in the exhibition. We’re really proud of them and their artwork and loved showing it off. It was a lovely friendly afternoon of fun.”
Residents keen on artistry regularly attend weekly art sessions at Tŷ Llandaff which are organised by staff at the home. The home staged an exhibition of the residents’ artwork for visitors to view, while children were able to join in by making masterpieces of their own as colouring and drawing was made available for younger guests.
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For more information about Tŷ Llandaff call Lisa on 02920 600 100, email info@ tyllandaffcare.com or visit www.tyllandaffcare.com
Thursday, 18 July 2019 22:42 Magenta Yellow Cyan Black
august diary
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The beach features a giant child-friendly sandy beach, a shallow water play area, a variety of rides and games, a giant wheel with views across the bay, free live entertainment, great food and drink, and traditional deck chairs for visitors to chill out in the summer sun. Roald Dahl Plass, Cardiff Bay www.cardiffbaybeach.co.uk
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Based on the smash-hit DreamWorks animated motion picture, Madagascar The Musical follows all your favourite cracka-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo, and find themselves on an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff www.wmc.org.uk
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Green Man is an independent music and arts festival held annually in mid-August in the Brecon Beacons, Wales since 2003. It has evolved into a 20,000 capacity 4-day event, showcasing predominantly live music, with additional events showcasing literature, film, comedy, theatre and poetry. The festival has won many awards and rave reviews over the past few years. Brecon Beacons, Black Mountains www.greenman.net/
Đ“ - 8 8 Đ“ Travel back through time and witness valiant knights, alongside brave squires, in thrilling displays of medieval combat. Come to the Castle for an action packed day out as the Warwick Warriors compete in epic battle for the title of champion in the Tournament of the Knights. Highlights Include: exhilarating and authentic displays of fighting; cheer on noble or villainous knights; have-a-go archery and artillery; medieval games and entertainment; music from the Minstrels de Clare; practice your circus skills. Cardiff Castle www.cardiffcastle.com
What's on Diary - August 2019 page 1
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August Diary
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This August Cardiff is set to spring to life with cheer and song as the stadium, streets, pubs and clubs rumble with joyous celebration and tense atmosphere as Wales clash against their old foes England on August 17 in the Principality Stadium, Cardiff. Also, on August 31 Wales take on their great rivals Ireland. Principality Stadium, Cardiff www.principalitystadium.wales
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Peculiar Productions returns to The Gate Arts Centre with one of Pratchett’s best-known novels – comedy crime thriller Men at Arms. Captain Vimes has been landed with a new hiring policy that means his City Watch must include members from the city’s populations of trolls, dwarfs, gargoyles, and the undead. On top of managing tensions between his new recruits, Vimes must also contend with a city packed with clowns, assassins, a mostly-benevolent tyrant and a dog that is capable of barking sarcastically. The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff www.peculiarproductions.co.uk
K K 3 3 - 5 5 K Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend is Wales’s biggest celebration of equality and diversity. Over three days, Pride Cymru hosts over 50,000 people in the Welsh capital to celebrate the LGBT+ community. There will be lots of family fun, extravagant entertainment and celebration of the importance of the LGBT+ community. Cardiff City Hall Lawns www.pridecymru.com/festival/big-weekend/
4 4 - 5 5 The best of the Uk’s fish craftsmen demonstrate their skills in a range of exciting competitions. This year’s event will be held in the centre of Cardiff Bay, and with lots going on there on August Bank Holiday weekend, there’s bound to be good crowds. Roald Dahl Plass, Cardiff Bay https://www.fishmongers.info/craft/craft.php
31 1 K 31 1 K The Dreamboys, the UK’s ultimate Magic Mike style show, are back and hotter than ever with a brand new show and UK tour for 2019. The Dreamboys are without a shadow of a doubt the UK's top male strip show, perfect for a girls night out with all your friends. Their showcase is unquestionably the most famous male stripper act the UK has ever produced. St David’s Hall, Cardiff www.stdavidshallcardiff.co.uk
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memories and pride By Wyn Evans Memories past. When John F Kennedy was shot I was out of bed and sitting on the stairs, listening to dad listening to the radio. When the Beatles irrevocably split I was sitting in dad’s speeding car taking mam from our home in Mynachlog-Ddu to Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen, so that she could give birth to my youngest sister. And today, on Monday 22nd July, I can recall perfectly where I was fifty years ago when Apollo 11 took to the skies so that the Eagle could land and a Giant Leap be taken for Mankind: squatting next to mam, on the floor of our lounge-diner in Farm Drive. In school, I had made a Nine Men’s Morris board and counters. I’m not a natural craftsman so it was perhaps with a view to encouraging this flickering flame of creativity that mam suggested we play a few games of NMM. We played, raucously! Dad was less than pleased, which is probably why the memory remains so vivid: “You two are playing silly board games and screeching when you could be paying attention to one of the greatest achievements ever. If you’re not going to watch then keep the noise down”, after which he stomped back to the TV and the Apollo 11 countdown. Mam and I continued playing, no less raucously than before.
and in arm/hand/finger extensions; there were jumps, twirls on single and double feet; amazing little up-and-down/in-and-out foot press-ups.
Laying down future memories (1) Ballet. The ballet troupe recently put on a little rehearsal for parents. The Girl, my thirteen year old daughter who has Down Syndrome (DS), was not able to be in it as we were in Coventry for the National Trampolining Finals, for which she qualified a couple of weeks ago. I had a surprise when Miss Emily, the ballet coach, knocked on my car door - I was patiently waiting for the class to finish, to take The Girl home. She said to me "the girls need an audience, will you come and take the role please?"
It was easy for me to clap and shout 'bravo' at the end of each routine - they more than earned it. Emily agreed with me that a couple of the girls there, young women really despite only being thirteen, look to have the potential to go all the way to become professional dancers - lean and lithe, balanced and expressive. I asked her was it a challenge to get all the girls up to the level of those couple who made it look so effortless. A couple of the routines were not only more technically difficult than anything they'd done before, they were also at a faster tempo. Over the months, Emily had slowed-down the recordings by about one quarter and the class had split into small groups and learned the dances at the slower speed. Emily then slowly, class by class, sped up the recordings to full speed, and all the girls were able to complete the routines at the faster tempo.
So in I went and saw that Emily had set out two chairs at one end of the rehearsal hall, one each for her and me. She explained to me that all the girls in the class were doing Grade 5, for which they will be examined later this year. She said that the routines they were about to do were much harder than anything parents will have seen them do before. True enough, the routines saw great expressiveness and elegance in the kids' body-lines
The Girl has a grace of her own. She'll never have the physique of a Darcey Bussell or Deborah Bull.
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CT Feature
they all, develop a network of friends here, some with special needs, some typically developing, who they can look out for and who will look out for them.
And her DS means that she will always find some of the moves harder to learn/complete than typically-developing kids will do. So it is with intense pride that I can write this: The Girl did not look out of place next to any of her class-mates. She nailed just about all the moves (though her jumps still need more bounce and distance), was expressive, and was driven by her desire to get it right. And by her infectious enthusiasm. And the girls all support one another and Emily looks out for them all; a wonderful teacher. I am a very proud man.
Laying down future memories (2). End of Year 8 School Report. I used to hate taking home my school reports. Mam and dad were rarely cross – my reports on the whole were quite good. But if there were what she deemed to be fewer ‘A’s than she thought me capable of, mam would sort-of sigh, this exhalation signifying disappointment that I wasn’t achieving my potential. So it is with some relief that The Girl’s end-of-year school reports come home to me and The Boss and that we have nothing to be disappointed by. The Girl has made significant progress over last year and the estimated level that the teachers believe she will achieve by the end of Year 9 has gone up in most subjects, and gone down in none. The teachers have clearly put significant effort into reporting on her progress, just as they have into teaching her. The Report itself seems to me to be a very positive process/ document. The girl we read about in the Report is very much ‘The Girl’, with all her strengths and challenges ringing true. That means it seems to me that both The Girl and the Report are fit for purpose!
Laying down future memories (2). School’s Out for Summer. On the last day of term the Head Teacher, came up to me at the school gate, with his hand held out to shake mine: "She's had a good year, it's been a very good year!" I agree with his assessment and it was a nice touch that he sought me out to say as much. As I waited at the gate, my daughter’s best friend, came and waited with me; "I'm really going to miss [The Girl] this summer. Will you and my mum be able to arrange time for us?" They only live just over a mile and a half apart but it's along busy roads and, of course, both families have different holiday plans so finding the right play-dates takes some jiggling of diaries. We'll manage it.
I thought that I might close this month’s article with a quote from The Girl’s form teacher. It is more generic than the subject-specific sections of the Report and there's nothing in it that is private or that my daughter herself would be embarrassed by. Here it is. “[The Girl] is a delightful member of the form class. She always arrives with a smile on her face and is keen and eager to complete any form activities that we do. [She] is a confident young lady and is always keen to make a valuable contribution in class discussion and to read aloud when we discuss our thoughts for the week. Both myself and [her classmates] are in awe of the numerous extra-curricular activities that [she] clearly enjoys! I very much look forward to moving forward with [her] and guiding her through her GCSE option choices in year 9.”
The Girl arrived and they walked to my car arm in arm. I tried hard not to cry with love and pride at the two such lovely girls. Both finding their feet in an increasingly grown up world. I think also of her friend in Aberystwyth, whom The Girl will be visiting later this summer, and another friend whom my daughter has only really met once a year on residential courses, these past four years but whom she looks up to and laughs a lot with. I hope she,
PS, The Girl was interested enough to want us to read the Report through with her before bed. She was chuffed to bits and demanded a family cuddle when we told her how proud we are. There are some memories I’ll never forget!
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Stewart Greenberg Page page 1
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JD Cymru Leagues: New Brand Identity And Sponsorship Deal Announced For Top Tiers Of Men’s Domestic Football The Football Association of Wales has announced a new brand identity and sponsorship deal for the top two tiers of the men’s domestic game. 45 clubs from across the country will come together as one community, under a new identity: the JD Cymru Leagues.
Sponsorship The FAW are delighted to announce that JD will continue their support of Welsh domestic football by becoming the title sponsor of all three divisions, which will henceforth be known as the JD Cymru Premier, JD Cymru North and JD Cymru South, with JD Cymru Leagues becoming the overarching name for the leagues.
‘JD Cymru Premier’, the newly named top tier of Welsh football will form the peak of the new pyramid system. ‘JD Cymru North’ and ‘JD Cymru South’ replaces the Huws Gray Alliance and Welsh League Division 1 respectively, with both leagues coming under the FAW’s jurisdiction for the first time.
JD have been a partner of Welsh domestic football since 2015 as the title sponsor of the JD Welsh Cup. JD and the FAW extended their domestic partnership in 2017 becoming title sponsor of the Welsh Premier League as well as the Exclusive Retail Partner to the FAW since 2013.
The three leagues encompass every corner of Wales, which is why the new bilingual naming system places ‘Cymru’ at the heart of Welsh football. Alongside the naming system, a new visual identity has been created for the leagues. A key component of the FAW’s brand identity, the daffodil, has previously been used to represent the 11 players of the national teams and will now be incorporated within the Cymru Leagues.
The new deal sees the FAW’s partnership with JD cemented for the next seven seasons, with the sponsorship running until the 2025/26 season. Ian Davis, Head of Marketing and Commercial at the FAW, said: “We are thrilled that JD have extended their support of Welsh domestic football. The successful pyramid restructure has brought Tier 2 under the control of the FAW for the first time, and we are very pleased to have such a well-established, national brand partnering with us as the title sponsor of all three divisions.
Seven daffodils, each representing one of the seven leagues of Welsh domestic football’s top three tiers, upon completion of the pyramid restructure, come together to form the striking ball logo. The recent success of our domestic teams has captured the true Welsh spirit of supporters across the country. A radical departure from past identities, the modern logo reflects the modernisation of the new pyramid structure and the future ambitions of Welsh football.
“JD’s commitment to Welsh football is unquestionable, and we are delighted that they will be the inaugural title sponsor of the new FAW league system for the next seven seasons.”
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the art of volunteering versus the pain of paralysis By Natalie McCulloch
Meet Charlotte, 26, who is living with chronic neuoropathic pain in both legs and a paralysed left arm/hand.
disabled person about their condition, but sometimes solely commenting on the physical deformities or differences in disabled bodies can be unhelpful and adds to the alienation and sense of “otherness” felt by disabled people.”
When Charlotte was just two years old she had surgery to remove a spinal tumour which unfortunately resulted in her arm and hand being paralysed due to nerve damage. Since the age of 16, due to tissue damage, chronic pain in both of her legs has developed. But, thanks to strong determination and strength, she is resolute not to let it stop her doing amazing things!
Charlotte details how for her, continuous doses of daily pain medication has helped to ease its severity, but how alternative forms of management have proved useful. “I’ve found art to be a really therapeutic way to manage my pain. I make sculptures and prints in which I draw/sculpt/follow the movements and pressure of my pain, physically externalising something that’s otherwise hidden. I also manage my illness and the feelings of aimlessness and isolation that came with it, by volunteering at Llandough Hospital. I work with the elderly patients on East 8, which has really helped to give me a sense of purpose, routine and huge fulfilment that I didn’t have prior to starting this role. I feel really honoured to be working with patients who also suffer from pain, illness and isolation, and help the staff give the lovely patients a sense of purpose and excitement to days that can often feel entirely aimless while in hospital.”
Whereas acute pain is helpful like ‘an alarm telling us something is wrong’, in contrast, chronic pain ‘often serves no useful purpose’ as treatments often do not lead to pain cessation. Therefore, the long term effects of chronic pain can be disadvantageous to an individuals health and wellbeing. (British Pain Society, 2014) Charlotte explains: “Whilst I manage well largely using just one arm/hand, the chronic pain in my legs is what affects me the most. My pain differs day to day and so my abilities can also often differ. I sometimes find it difficult to walk, or leave my bed and complete everyday tasks at home, making it difficult to keep plans. This can be worsened by things like lack of sleep which will sometimes affect me for several days thereafter. It’s very difficult to plan for, or avoid flare ups as even on days where I rest a lot, I can often experience increased pain the following day.”
Concluding beautifully Charlotte states: “If I could give someone in a similar position to me a piece of advice it would be to try to find the same sense of purpose I have found in volunteering and art making which will help you achieve a sense of identity outside of your illness.”
In terms of others reacting to her condition, she reasons: “People often find it difficult to understand how different my abilities can be and how some days I can be really productive and other days I can’t achieve much at all. People can be surprisingly vocal about finding my paralysed arm strange or unpleasant. Due to the muscle wastage, my forearm has shortened and my hand is bent inwards at the wrist and so I often get stopped in the street by strangers for my arm to be commented on or asked about.”
If you are interested in finding out more about volunteering in Cardiff and Vale hospitals, that’s fabulous as they are always keen for new people to join their friendly team of volunteers. Please contact Voluntary Services via Telephone: 029 2184 5813 or email : Volunteer.enquiries.cav@wales.nhs.uk
Resources www.britishpainsociety.org/people-with-pain/ frequently-asked-questions/#what-is-pain
However upsetting this may be, Charlotte adds: “I wouldn’t want to discourage anyone from asking a
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FREE
FOC Wax Day
Thursday 15th August
Call today as there are limited spaces
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Craniosacral Therapy brings about a eep state o rela a on This can help resolve problems such as back or neck pain, hea aches or any stress relate symptoms It can also help spee your recovery rom acci ent, opera on or illness
Craniosacral Therapy enhances health an well–being or more in orma on, contact !u y Clover RCST on 029 20 481844 or mail@ju yclover co uk www ju yclover co uk
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help! what can i do about unsightly thread veins on the face? Small, broken veins on the face or a general flushed redness resulting from roseacea are a common complaint that we see in clinic. Although they can affect both men and women, the latter are more susceptible as oestrogen and other female hormones affect blood vessel growth. Anything that affects the hormone levels, such as pregnancy, the menopause and medication such as hormone replacement therapy or birth control, can make you more prone to developing thread veins, but, don’t worry, there are facial vessel removal treatments that can produce highly satisfactory results, with minimal downtime and complications.
The vein is then broken down and absorbed by the body. This means we can deliver a very targeted facial vessel removal treatment with minimal chance of scarring. Rosacea is a slightly more challenging condition and facial flushing can be accompanied by papules and pustules. A dermatologist that is experienced in treating all skin conditions can prescribe antibiotics to control rosacea. Patients with rosacea have very sensitive skin, so we use mild facial washes and facial creams from the NeoStrata range that are non-irritant. We also offer the bespoke Universkin serums which we tailor for each individual patient’s concerns. Rosacea patients often react to the preservatives that are used in many facial skincare products and these serums are all preservative-free. They also contain an active ingredient called Rutin which has a vasoconstrictive effect on blood vessels, visibly and quickly reducing the appearance of facial flushing.
1. Prevention is better than cure Broken capillaries on the face, typically on the cheeks and nose, are mainly caused by weathering and sun damage. Ultraviolet rays cause the tiny blood vessels under the skin’s surface to dilate and constrict quickly and they can tear. As we age, the skin thins and this can make the marks more visible. Wearing high factor sun protector all year round is key, but there are also other factors, include alcohol consumption or our diet, that can cause the blood vessels to dilate and, over time, thread veins to appear.
Facial veins are rarely harmful, but they can make sufferers feel very conscious about their appearance. Facial vessel removal is relatively quick and effective and results are highly satisfactory. For more information, call 02920 617690 to book a consultation.
2. Be gentle Do not try and ‘scrub’ them away; anything that damages the top layer of the skin such as aggressive scrubs and exfoliators or treatments like microdermabrasion will not improve the appearance of facial veins and may make them appear worse. Facial vessel removal treatments work by treating the veins under the surface of the skin.
3. See a specialist If you’re bothered by thread veins on the face, then they can be treated very effectively. Pulsed dye and KTP lasers can produce excellent facial vessel removal results. Both lasers work in a similar way; the laser energy is attracted to the colour of the facial vessel, heating the vein without damaging the surrounding skin tissue.
Dr. Maria Gonzalez 27
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Everything You Need For A Beautiful Summer Holiday CODE Beautiful Created and launched by Welsh sisters, Sarah and Emma Cross, CODE Beautiful is shaking up the world of beauty; created and launched by normal women, for everybody, CODE Beautiful has become every beauty fanatic’s secret weapon, selling out regularly instore and online.
CODE VLM Volumising Lengthening Mascara £19.95 The volumising, lengthening, thickening, curling, no-clumping, no-smudging, vegan mascara is water-resistant, so whether you’re sweating it out at the gym or having a good cry, you will be covered. HOW TO APPLY: Roots: Pop the brush on to your lashes as close to the root as you can. Wriggle: Give the brush a good wriggle back and forth, this will make sure even the tiniest of lashes are covered. Roll: Gently twist the brush from root to tip.
CODE SSL Soft Smooth Lip Liner £18.00 3-IN-1 LIP LINER, LIPSTICK AND LIP PLUMPER. Formulated with plumping ingredients that stimulate collagen when you fill in your lips with it. HOW TO APPLY: Line the lips: start in the middle, line your lips top and bottom doing short strokes. Vertical lines: Drawing vertical lines gives a great base for your lips and makes the most of the lip plumping ingredient. Rub lips together: CODE SSL is super blend-able so now you have the perfect base for your favourite lipstick, gloss or CODE LIP
CODE LIP Lip Intense Plumper £20.00 CODE LIP is a hydrating, plumping, long-lasting, defining, hyaluronic acid-infused lip plumping treatment. Created for people that want to reduce fine lines on their lips, or want a fuller, more defined pout. HOW TO APPLY: Line the lips: First line your lips with CODE SSL or your fave lip liner. Apply generously: The applicator is a really nice size to coat even the edges of your lips. Second coat: Pop on a second coat and leave to dry for an hour then apply your fave lip gloss or balm or just keep applying CODE LIP. Stockists: code-beautiful.com, Beauty Bay and Beauty & The Boutique.
Men-U Citrus & Mint Shower Gel 500ml If showering is your main hygiene and personal care regime for the body (often twice a day), why would you not want this to be an efficacious and enjoyable experience? men-ü ultra concentrate shower gels have a high percentage of active ingredients so a little goes a long way. Unlike most cheaper shower gels, men-ü does not disappear through your fingers and creates a rich lather for the height of ‘clean’ and has added moisturisers to help prevent the skin from drying. Includes Pro Vitamin B5 and Vitamin E. After the initial fresh citrus fragrance, mint and menthol are activated by the hot water and permeate through to invigorate and give you a lift! Includes a locking pump to provide accurate dosage, promoting less waste. £25.35 – £26.85, men-u.com
Men U Black Pepper & Bergamot Shower Gel 500ml This spicy and fruity blend of black pepper and bergamot citrus combine to invigorate and keep you fresher for longer. Includes a locking pump to provide accurate dosage, promoting less waste. £25.35 – £26.85, men-u.com
Beauty Pages - August 2019 page 2
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CT Beauty AFRICOLOGY SKIN BOOSTER SERUM Give your complexion a powerful vitamin boost with Africology’s award-winning Vitamin Skin Booster Serum. Blended with Vitamin Ester-C, Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin E and F, it provides nutrition to the skin, leaving your complexion glowing and rejuvenated. This formulation has been carefully put together to help boost the skin’s immune system, target pigmentation and reduce fine lines. RRP £35 Available from: uk.africologyspa.com
Max Factor Miracle Touch Foundation New Miracle Touch Foundation by Max Factor has been reformulated to include SPF 30 and hyaluronic acid to provide continuous hydration to the skin throughout the day. RRP £13.99.
Max Factor Colour Elixir Lipsticks New Colour Elixir Lipsticks by Max Factor hit stores this month and are available in 29 beautiful shades covering nudes that suit all skin tones, classic red hues as well as punchy pinks and corals. Available at Boots and Superdrug RRP £9.99 each.
Clarins Fresh Scrub Exfoliant The cream-gel exfoliant that thirsty skin cannot live without... Fresh Scrub gives your skin a blast of freshness and radiance as it removes impurities and dead skin cells using two different sized natural beads, made from wood cellulose. The larger beads exfoliate, the finer beads refine the skin texture. The refreshing formula has been enhanced with organic leaf of life extract which encourages the synthesis of sponge molecules in the skin to help boost skin's natural hydration process. Skin is left fresh and supple, and complexion appears radiant. RRP £26.
Clarins Limited Edition Bronzing Compact A two-tone bronzer to give your skin the perfect golden glow. A bronzing powder in an ultra-slim compact format with the perfect extra-large mirror for a flawless application. Available in 2 shades. RRP £32.
Get Festival Ready! THE TIME SAVER Don’t want to waste precious dancing time? NEW Olay Whips Moisturisers SPF30 has a lightweight, zero grease feel that will help protect your face against harmful UVA/UVB rays AND fight the shine that would have built up pre-main-stage act. Made with Active Rush Technology to transform from cream to liquid for instant absorption, you can wave goodbye to setting times! NEW Olay Whips Moisturisers SPF 30 RRP £34.99.
THE EXPRESS FACIAL Daily Facials Micellar Clean will change your festival experience when it comes to cleaning your face. These water activated dry cloths come in two formulas for dry and sensitive skin. By removing makeup, cleansing, exfoliating, improving the look of skin and preserving moisture, you’ll still have that gorgeous glow come day five! Daily Facials Micellar Clean RRP £6.90.
THE SOOTHER We all know that festivals can give us puffy, tried eyes, but Olay has you covered. It’s NEW Deep Hydrating Eye Gel features heavyweight ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide / vitamin B3 and will give you a much-needed turbo boost of hydration, keeping you looking fresher for longer! Olay Eyes Deep Hydrating Eye Gel RRP £24.99.
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Premier Leisure Parks - Gower Affordable Luxury Holiday Homes in Three Spectacular Gower Settings
behind Whiteford Burrows, this hidden gem has a large children’s adventure playground making it an ideal choice for families. There is also a laundrette and shop but no clubhouse on site. However, the award winning Britannia Inn public house with restaurant is in walking distance, along with a lovely village shop where you can sit in the cafe for homemade tea and cakes or buy local produce at your leisure.
With a choice of three stunning leisure parks all based on the glorious and renowned Gower Peninsular, Premier Leisure Parks offer three jaw dropping locations to own your perfect holiday home. A paradise you can escape to at the drop of a hat, time and time again, whenever it takes your fancy. Premier Leisure Parks is an independent, family run business that has been providing high quality holiday homes in the most picturesque parts of Wales for nearly 25 years.
Greenways of Gower Greenways Leisure Park offers holiday home owners some spectacular scenery overlooking the beautiful Oxwich Bay. Greenways has high quality holiday homes available for sale for holiday use by private owners and boasts an array of facilities for owners to enjoy. There is a children’s recreational area with large adventure playground; family focussed lounge-bar; disabled friendly facilities; a new launderette and a boat storage facility.
All three parks are privately owned and based on the philosophy of providing high quality holiday homes, with a customer service to match, in the most idyllic of settings. A leisurely life of luxury awaits prospective holiday home owners and with no commercial fleet hire available this is as far removed as possible from the busy, boisterous and hectic holiday parks as you can get. A family owned and run business since 1994, there really is a personal touch to owning a holiday home here. Premier Leisure Parks are more like communities with friendly neighbours forming long lasting friendships. Many of the pitches are spacious and offer impressive sea and/or countryside views.
Green Meadow Green Meadow Holiday Park is the newest addition to the Premier Leisure Park group and is now the sister site to Greenways Premier Leisure Park just down the road. The park has it's own small play area, small laundrette and also demands some stunning views across the coast. Customers of Green Meadow are also invited to use the sister site facilities of Greenways of Gower.
The vast majority of the caravans are deluxe models from some of the best manufacturers including: BK Bluebird, Swift, Willerby and ABI. The caravans have either two or three bedrooms and can accommodate four to eight people. With an impressive range of new and pre-owned caravans available, there is a holiday home to suit everyone’s budget and it's more affordable than you may think.
As soon as you arrive at a Premier Leisure Park you can feel the stresses and worries of everyday life disappear as your mind and body immediately adjusts to the slower pace of life and the beautiful surroundings. The only dilemma you face is... deciding which park to choose!
Whiteford Bay Whiteford Bay Premier Leisure Park overlooks the beautiful bay, has wonderful sunsets and its peaceful location is one of Gower’s best kept secrets. This is the largest of the three Premier Leisure Parks but shares the same intimate, friendly atmosphere as all the groups parks. Nestled
Telephone: 01792 391203 email: info@premierleisureparks.co.uk www.whitefordbay.co.uk www.greenwaysleisure.co.uk
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: r e m m Su
where Things to do & gust to go in the Au ays... summer holid
Aerospace Bristol Aerospace Bristol tells the incredible story of Bristol’s amazing aviation achievements and gives you and your family the chance to step aboard Concorde Alpha Foxtrot, the last of the supersonic jets ever to fly. There's loads to discover starting from the earliest days of powered flight, through to today’s cutting-edge aerospace technology. There's aeroplanes, helicopters, missiles, satellites, engines and more to see, and lots of interactive exhibits for all ages. Join the fun this summer with a packed programme of events, including story time sessions, make-and-take activities, and discover how Bristol changed the world with fascinating new aerospace history tours. And when the sun is shining, relax with a coffee whilst the kids run around the aeroplane climbing frame and helicopter-shaped springers in the new outdoor play and seating area. It’s ideal for budding pilots to enjoy. With free parking for visitors, and now with no bridge toll, getting to Aerospace Bristol from South Wales couldn't be easier. You’ll find us just off the M5, near Cribbs Causeway. Book your tickets now at aerospacebristol.org and get ready for a supersonic day out for all the family.
Better Leisure ULTIMATE INFLATABLE FAMILY FUN! When it comes to finding the perfect place for the kids to burn off some energy, Air-Venture ticks all the boxes! They can bounce, climb, slide, jump and crawl their way over Cardiff’s newest giant inflatable obstacle course, blending action-packed activity with a fun way to get fit. The inflatable extravaganza is jam-packed with exciting activities and features guaranteed to provide fun for the whole family. But it’s not just young ones that can get bouncing - our giant inflatable assault course, which is based at Better, Western Leisure Centre on Caerau Lane (CF5 5HJ) is for everyone from age 5 to 95 so is the perfect place for the whole family to enjoy having fun together, whatever the weather! Prices start from just £5 per person for a session with a pre booking discount available when you book online. To secure your session now or for any further information visit better.org.uk/western-inflatable. With additional sessions provided throughout the summer holidays, special sessions for under 5’s and their grown-up, and brilliant birthday party packages too, make sure you head to Air-Venture in Cardiff for the ultimate in inflatable family fun.
Techniquest Celebrate the 50th anniversary of when humankind first stepped foot on the Moon with the brand-new summer show, Mission Moon. Take a look at rocket power and the dangerous ride to the Moon, explore the invisible dangers of space and even follow the Apollo missions’ explorations of the lunar surface. Sit tight and delve into the science and history of one of humanity’s greatest adventures! The lunar theme continues in the 360° Planetarium, with new show The Moon. Explore its myths and legends and discover why it’s so important to all of us on Earth. There’s also Star Stories for younger visitors to discover the stories of mythical creatures in the summer stars. Plus, learn coding the easy way in the fantastically fun LEGO WeDo workshops, running at weekends over the summer. Do you know a budding scientist aged 7–11? Help them escape the boredom of the summer break with Techniquest’s Summer Camps holiday club, running on weekdays from 5 to 23 August. Wrap-around and sibling discount packages available. Techniquest is open every day from Saturday 20 July to Sunday 1 September, from 10am to 5pm. See techniquest.org for details or ring 029 2047 5475.
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Forte School Of Music Whether your child has been learning their instrument for a while or you’re considering starting them on their musical journey, look no further than Forte School of Music! Free Taster Piano Lessons If you’re considering music lessons for your child, you might be interested in coming to a free taster lesson to help you make the right decision about their musical education and development. On Friday 30th August, we will be running classes for the following courses: 3½ - 5 years: Music is Fun is our introductory piano course. There's a variety of musical activities designed to be fun and develop your child's musical skills and senses 5 – 7 years: Junior Keys is our premier foundation piano course. Children develop a rich base of important musical skills, a strong platform on which to study any musical instrument in the future. 7½ - 9 years: Piano Keys is recommended for slightly older beginners. A full range of musical skills will be developed with the emphasis firmly on playing the piano. Live Performance Workshop Students of guitar, bass, drums and piano/keyboard, aged 8 years upwards, are invited to join us on Wednesday 28th August for this fun, one-day workshop, during which they will learn new material and band skills. Price: £25.00. For further details or to book a place in any of these events, please contact Forte on 029 20631340 or visit www.fortemusic.co.uk
Pugh’s Garden Village Bring your children along for a spectacular summer adventure at Pugh’s Garden Village, Woodland Lodge! The Woodland Lodge Rangers have planned 6 weeks of Magical Myths and Legends themed activities for your little ones to enjoy. There’ll be real life animal encounters, dragon egg making, enchanted garden growing and much more! Each activity ends with a hunt around the garden centre, plus there’ll be chances to enter the summer photo competition for a wondrous prize. In the two venues in Cardiff & Vale of Glamorgan, children are welcome aged 3-14 to the green, wild and creative workshops which provide both a fun and educational setting to help bring little green fingers closer to nature. “We absolutely love Pugh's Little Green Fingers workshops. My son has been to each and every one and we eagerly await the next one. From seed sowing to reptiles, sun catcher craft to bird box painting, they are all brilliant and the staff are wonderful with the little ones. The sessions are a perfect balance of education and fun. Can't recommend it highly enough...in fact I have already done so to many mummy friends!” To check dates and book tickets please visit www.pughsgardencentre.co.uk Pugh’s Garden Village, Radyr CF15 8LB 02920848000 | Wenvoe CF5 6AD 02920598118
Red Dragon Centre GO WILD FOR GREAT FUN AND FOOD THIS SUMMER An IMAX cinema, top restaurants, bowling, a gym, and even a Casino – find all this and more at Cardiff Bay’s entertainment and foodie hub. There’s really no need to jet off this summer! The Red Dragon Centre offers a whole entertainment experience in Cardiff Bay, with something for all ages come rain or shine. Open every day, the Centre is easy to travel to by car or public transport and offers six hours free parking for customers. Inside you’ll find an ODEON IMAX cinema where you can catch all the biggest blockbusters this summer including The Lion King, as well as a 26-lane Hollywood bowl with a diner and top amusements. There’s also a Grosvenor Casino and a state-of-the-art Simply Gym to help you achieve your summer fitness goals! Hungry? The Red Dragon Centre is a foodie’s paradise! From all-you-can eat options to top restaurants brands including Five Guys and Bella Italia, you’ll be sure to find something to suit all tastes and pockets. The Centre is also inviting young and old to go wild for their summer programme of events this summer! Be sure to explore their new Green Zone and take a #selfiesafari with their beautiful life-sized Lion, and head on down to their Balloon Art Fiesta between 23 – 26 August to take a walk on the wild side with balloons! Full details at www.thereddragoncentre.co.uk
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Homestay hosts within the Cardiff area required for International students aged 16 years and over.
Excellent remuneration offered. For further information, contact Richard (We-Bridge Academy) on
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Beth am herio eich hun i ddysgu rhywbeth newydd eleni? Mae rhestr ein cyrsiau rhan-amser ar gael nawr!
Why not challenge yourself to learn something new this year? Our new part-time courses are out now!
Cyrsiau Rhan-amser i Oedolion
Part-time Courses for Adults
Rydym yn cynnig amrywiaeth o gyrsiau rhan-amser i oedolion, ar gyfer ystod eang o ddiddordebau, megis busnes a rheoli, astudiaethau cyfrifiadurol, ysgrifennu creadigol, llenyddiaeth a'r cyfryngau, hanes,cerddoriaeth, athroniaeth, ieithoedd, gwleidyddiaeth a'r gyfraith, gwyddoniaeth a'r amgylchedd, neu astudiaethau cymdeithasol. Edrychwch ar ein prosbectws neu ewch i'n gwefan i weld y rhestr lawn o'n cyrsiau.
We offer a varied range of part-time courses for adults, whether you’re interested in business and management, computer studies, creative writing, literature and media, history, music, philosophy, languages, politics and law, science and the environment, or social studies. Take a look at our prospectus or visit our website for our full course listings.
Pathways to a Degree Llwybrau at Radd
Our range of pathways are designed to support adults who may have been away from formal education a long time realise their ambition to study a degree. In most cases no previous qualifications are necessary. Pathways are taught on a part-time basis in a friendly and relaxed setting and are available in the following subject areas: - Business Management, Accounting or Accounting and Finance - English Language, English Literature, Creative Writing and Philosophy (Inside Narratives) - History, Ancient History, Archaeology or Religion (Exploring the Past) - Healthcare - Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies (Our Media, Our World) - Politics and International Relations - Modern Languages - Medical Pharmacology - Translation - Social Studies
Dyluniwyd ein llwybrau gradd i gefnogi oedolion na ydynt efallai wedi cael addysg ffurfiol ers amser hir, i'w helpu i gyflawni eu huchelgais o astudio ar gyfer gradd. Yn y rhan fwyaf o achosion, nid oes angen cymwysterau blaenorol. Caiff llwybrau gradd eu haddysgu'n rhan-amser mewn awyrgylch cyfeillgar a hamddenol, ac maent ar gael yn y pynciau canlynol: - Rheoli Busnes, Cyfrifyddu neu Gyfrifyddu a Chyllid - Saesneg Iaith, Llenyddiaeth Saesneg, Ysgrifennu Creadigol ac Athroniaeth (Naratifau Mewnol) - Hanes, Hanes yr Henfyd, Archaeoleg neu Grefydd (Archwilio'r Gorffennol) - Gofal Iechyd - Newyddiaduraeth, y Cyfryngau ac Astudiaethau Diwylliannol (Ein Cyfryngau, Ein Byd) - Gwleidyddiaeth a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol - Ieithoedd Modern - Ffarmacoleg Feddygol - Cyfieithu - Astudiaethau Cymdeithasol
Open Day Diwrnod Agored
If you’d like to find out more about our courses come along to our Open Day! We’ll be opening our doors on Wednesday 11th September 2019 from 12.00 – 2.00pm or 5.00 – 7.00pm.
Os hoffech chi gael rhagor o wybodaeth am ein cyrsiau dewch i'n Diwrnod Agored! Byddwn yn agor ein drysau ddydd Mercher 11 Medi 2019 rhwng 12.00 a 2.00pm neu 5.00 a 7.00pm.
Contact us Cysylltwch â ni
www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn 029 2087 0000 Learn@cardiff.ac.uk
www.caerdydd.ac.uk/learn 029 2087 0000 Learn@caerdydd.ac.uk
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“in the words of…” By Carl Marsh
medical reasons. They said it was one of the best adventure activities they have done, and even though it wiped them out, they did sleep well that night, saying that though it was a hot day, by being in the water, a lot, made it better for them. They said that the 50 mins time limit went so quickly, yet they did get to go on everything there and got to repeat a few of the slides. All in all, they could not wait to tell me how much fun they had. It costs £20, and they provide all of the safety gear, apart from your swimming costume and towels!
August, the month where driving around Cardiff just became so much more comfortable in the mornings and afternoons, due to the schools being off!
Towards the end of July, I attended the Feels Like Summer event, which is an annual event run by Orchard Live, held at Sofia Gardens Front Lawn. Headlining the event was Bananarama, and I got to meet them before they went on stage. They belted out the classics, and the crowd soaked up all the hits with glee. They did not disappoint. And the audience all got into the spirit of the day, many dressed up very retro. I know that Mr Motivator was there, Liberty X and S Club, so there was something for everyone. I just wished they had a compere (or two) hosting the event between the acts, to get the crowd rocking and keep them entertained.
In July, I had the privilege of attending the opening night of a new restaurant called The Coconut Tree, which is at 10 Mill Lane, in Cardiff. On arrival, it was evident, only slightly, that the work was overrunning a little but that the venue would all be finished in time for the general public opening the next day. There was no cause for concern as this added to the ambience of what was to become a much loved, if brief, night - as I had to head off to a Ricky Gervais concert afterwards. The drinks, cocktails if I can be exact, were out-of-thisworld crazy strong! And so much choice. Being a Sri Lankan restaurant, the food is as you would expect, a first for me, and delicious it was too. They brought out dish after dish, all to share, and I got to try food I would never dare say, let alone eat, before. No point me talking about my taste in food, as I know everyone has differing tastes But one item on the menu I need to mention are the egg hoppers. Trust me. Order one, I was impressed. Immensely. As mentioned above, I attended the Ricky Gervais Supernatural concert at the Motorpoint, and I have my review for you to read later on in my reviews page but to sum it up in a few words, I had a fantastic night!
Interviews This month's interviews are with Gok Wan, who is doing Pride in August, a show at The Mercure Holland House Hotel in October, and pantomime at Christmas, so he will be practically living here for a while! Then I spoke to the drummer from the band Keane; they have a new album out soon. I talked to another band, this one being Feeder, again, they have a new album out, and will be touring in November in Cardiff. Lastly, I chatted to the lead singer of Ocean Colour Scene, Simon Fowler, whose band are the headline act at Ponty’s Big Weekend this month.
Seeing as it's the summer, I thought I would write a little about something for those of us that are fit (of sorts) and able, and it's in Cardiff Bay, it's the Aquapark. I sent my daughter and friends to try it out and to report back, as I cannot do it for
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Gok Wan Coming to Cardiff over the weekend of 23 - 25th August for Pride Cymru will be Gok Wan doing a DJ set, but not long after that, he is doing One Size Fits All at the Mercure Cardiff Holland House Hotel on the 26th October. I spoke with him at length about the upcoming October show, and let's not forget he is also doing pantomime in December! The event One Size Fits All, the people of Cardiff will be curious to know what to expect before they rush and buy a ticket? Well, its the ultimate day out for anybody and it involves fizz, so booze, food, fashion, masterclasses and makeovers. It's for anyone that has an interest in fashion, or for anybody that wants to learn more about body confidence or self-esteem. It is your ultimate day out, all wrapped up into a big fashion event but its much more than just that, you are not just sitting in a front row, you are having lunch with friends, meeting new people and there is a whole shopping experience going on too. There will be local boutiques, and the masterclasses are great, I can say that as I do them! They are full of information, lots of fun and a bit cheeky as well, they are not stuffy at all. And there will be a huge Q&A, so it is very interactive.
Will you be mingling with the audience by walking around the event? Yeah, yeah, honestly, it's not stuffy in the slightest, so there will be lots of opportunities as I will work my way around the room and go and talk to people, or they can come to speak to me. I am on stage for a lot of it, but it's really personable. What would be your best result of what people can take from attending the event? People that come to these type of events are a bit nervous before they come because a lot have never been to a show like this before. What we want them to leave with is having had loads of fun, their faces are aching from laughing, full tummies, probably a bit fuzzy from the champagne, and also on top of all that, lots of knowledge about style and how to feel better about themselves. If they can feel inspired not ever to be afraid of their bodies or fashion, either. Much nearer to this event, you are doing Pride Cymru this August with a DJ set, I know you love house music, so what type of tracks do you like to play, as I know sometimes you do the odd dance anthems type of sets? I'll ask you, Carl, what is your favourite house track ever written? Mmmmm, ok, U Got The Love (Candi Staton), I guess. Noooooooooooooo! That's so commercial! Well, at Pride I am going to do an anthem set and make sure you come and see me, and you can spin a couple of tracks!
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Feeder you have got the big arena, you've got St David's Hall, which I don't think is that great for rock.
Originating out of Newport, but when they moved to London, they wanted a third member, so Japanese student Taka answered the call, and the rest is history. They have a new album out on the 9th August called Tallulah, and it's impressive listening. Later in the year, they will be back touring in Cardiff at The Great Hall, Cardiff University on the 7th November. I spoke with lead singer Grant Nicholas.
Your new album, it seems like it’s a tale of two records, with the first half being much different than the second half, as it looks a bit more experimental but still decent, would you agree? Yes, the album is front-loaded with a few catchy songs whilst I wanted the other half to be not as a concept record but like watching a film where you've just seen a car chase, but you can't just watch a car chase through the whole movie, you need something different to give you a break. That's how the album developed really, I wrote a few only for Spotify singles, and then I started to get this whole album thing in my head and then Taka had said he had already demoed a load of songs, sent them over, and it all went from there really.
I know you play some large venues around the world and some a bit more intimate, but which type do you prefer? It depends as we have just done a North American tour which was all club gigs, so they were quite intimate and really good fun. Then we come back and do a festival stage the weekend after so you adjust to it, but some of the private venues can be slightly harder than doing the much larger ones. You feel like you are much more connected to the people as you have got more of an atmosphere, but I quite like that. I like both really, so it's nice to have the best of both worlds, especially when you are trying out something new like a song for the first time. How many does it hold in there?
I have listened to it, and I love the title track, Tallulah and then from the track Kyoto, it goes a bit more mellow. The second half is a bit more anthemic, and it goes to a slightly different place, I think it is a little bit like a set in some ways where you playing at a festival and you need to get the people on board, then maybe go off a little bit and try a few different things in between. That's how the album was sequenced, so I think it works quite well.
I think it is about 2,000 capacity in there. Yeah, it holds more than it looks really, it's not too bad. It's hard to find the right place to play in Cardiff because
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Keane - (Richard Hughes) The album to me is very modern and has a very fresh feel to it, and I can see why you and Tom liked it. Thank you very much. I'm glad you liked it. I know you are going to be touring briefly around the UK, are you all set for that, as it has been quite a while since you all toured together? Yes we are, as we are very, very proud of the record and we've been doing a few festivals and a few shows around the place, but once the album is out, people are going to love a few songs on there, and I can't wait to play it to them. We are already talking about set lists and while its nice playing festivals, there is nothing quite like getting on a tour bus and knowing that you are taking your show around, from place to place.
After getting back together, which is always a good thing for the fans of bands like Keane, they have a new album out soon, called Cause and Effect (releases 20th September). I got to speak with the drummer, Richard Hughes, just after their performance at Glastonbury in July. You took a hiatus for a few years, as a band as a whole, so what did you get up to Richard? For me, the main thing was becoming a dad which happened about three years ago. It was all about taking the chance to be around, as very few new dads get the opportunity to spend so much time with their kids. I feel that that was timed very well. I also did a bit of cycling and exercise but generally speaking, just trying to decompress a bit as I thought we were done (as a band), I thought we were finished, so I didn't really think about Keane too much during that time, which was a weird thing. It almost felt like it was a past life or something. How did you all get to come back together then, as one band? Tim had written in effect, a solo record and Tom and I had persuaded him to play us that, and then send us the songs. And we thought it was great, and then Tim and Tom had a chance to catch up a little bit a couple of years ago, and I just felt that they enjoyed each others company. Tom enjoyed this solo record, and so did I, but Tim had lost confidence in it as a few people had told him it was not very good. We both thought it was great so we said to Tim, why don't we all record these songs and we will make another Keane record. I think enough time has passed and that we were up for it but we were all a little bit nervous about it. Basically we said we would only do it if it were fun and that we were not going to go on a world tour that lasts 18 months, and we never get to see our homes again. We just said that we would do it on our terms, and so far it's been great.
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Ocean Colour Scene - (Simon Fowler) Headlining this year's Ponty's Big Weekend on 17th August up in Pontypridd are Ocean Colour Scene, one of the biggest bands of the 1990s; their album Moseley Shoals is such a classic that I can only wish it is in every die-hard music fans collection. It was a privilege to speak to lead singer Simon Fowler. What's it like being the lead singer of one of Britain's most successful bands? It did feel pretty special at the time because I couldn't quite believe it in a way that everything could happen so wonderfully, but now it’s sort of who I am and I don't think about it, daily. I'm just me, in my life here, I don't go to openings of things in London. I go to the local pub with my friends and mates and talk about cricket and football.
Still? Yeah, I don't know how to use computers as I have never used a computer in my life. I am a real Luddite; I seriously am. So I've got a really old Sony tape player with actual cassettes (laughs). The thing is, its so immediate without messing around with (sound) levels, you can press play and record, and strum (the guitar) and la-de-la, and something will come out eventually. It's fun when I go and ask for cassettes from youngsters in shops.
You must get invites to all sorts of events then? Not really, I think people already know that I don't want to go. (laughs) What have you been up to over the last few years then?
Do they still sell them?
We've played quite a lot actually over the last three years. We've done a tour every Christmas and we have done all of the festivals, so this year has been unusually quiet all because of Steve (Cradock) being away with Paul Weller - (he has toured with him for many years outside of Ocean Colour Scene). Also, you can't continually play without a new album, so that is why we need to get some new material together. The priority now though is to do something new otherwise we are in danger of turning into Status Quo!
Well, I brought about 50 from Asda Living in Stratford-upon-Avon about a year ago, as I thought that they are not going to last, are they! I have heard they are meant to be making a comeback, but quite frankly, they are not. They are rubbish, really, a rubbish medium. I have always had this impression that you used to live in Cardiff?
How do you all write a song then?
Yes, when I was a student, I know Cardiff quite well. I was a journalism student, I lived there only for about a year, but it’s a great city is Cardiff. It's the first city that I ever remember going to that had a paved centre, I think it was on Queen Street, and now practically everywhere (in the UK) is, every city is now.
I write all the songs on the whole, and I still use an old tape player and a guitar.
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CT Feature Entertainment Reviews
Freya Ridings was. I also had the chance to interview her last week, and I will get that interview up around the time of the tour. Lost Without You is for me the standout track on this album, you will have heard it. Or it might be more recently Castles or Ultraviolet. All are sublime in their way. (Five Stars)
Concert Ricky Gervais Supernature - Motorpoint Arena An ongoing theme throughout the night was hearing Ricky Gervais say "That's not going in That won't make it in ..." which refers to the fact that Netflix has purchased the rights to film the concert. I am yet to see the final edit, as it will not be out for quite a while, so it will be useful to see what content did make it in. The content in question was what you would expect from this overly talented individual. I wish he didn't have to keep apologising to the audience saying that it was just comedy, and comedy is just that, comedy. The world has gone too political correctness mad, we know what to expect from a comedian like Ricky, so I hope next time he doesn't feel that he needs to inform us before he goes too deep or too extreme with any of his hilarious jokes. I can't mention any of the jokes or topics here, but it is safe to say, I loved it. And it made my jaw ache with laughter, all night. (Five Stars)
Film My Friend The Polish Girl (in selected cinemas now) Written and directed by duo Ewa Banaszkiewicz and Mateusz Dymek (Warsaw Pact Films)
Music Lexicon by Will Young Will Young returns after taking some time away from music, and I guess you could call this Echoes - Part Two), which is what Will Young told me when I interviewed him recently. My favourite song by him was Jealousy, which came from the Echoes album. Lexicon has a track called All The Songs, which bears no resemblance in sound to Jealousy, it is just as good. The photographer Rankin produced the video for it, and even though a bit risquĂŠ, it is beautiful to watch. The rest of the album is like the lead song, very much for the disco dance floor pleasers. Some people might need to listen a few times to the record to get into all of the songs but for me, its a worthy brother or sister to Echoes. (Four Stars)
My Friend The Polish Girl is their feature film debut. For me, I like to watch a lot of different genre films, and that could mean large productions from the giants like Warner Bros or Sony Pictures, or independent film producers. This film falls into the latter, and it takes the form of a first-time filmmaker's 'experimental' documentary, even though it is a film. It's so good, that even until half-way through I was still thinking that this was a documentary and not an actual movie pretending to be one! The story is told through the eyes (and lens) of amateur filmmaker Katie (Emma Friedman-Cohen): an American rich kid following Alicja (Aneta Piotrowska), an erratic unemployed Polish actress. What follows is a roller coaster of a ride for how the treatment of migrants might be in a post-Brexit London, yet one that is being filmed by a non-native herself, albeit one that is from New York. It shouts out lots of issues wrong with society today, regardless of a Brexit vote or not. I intended to watch the film properly after just turning it on for a few minutes for bed, to view it the next day; silly me, I got hooked in and stayed up till past 1 am. The camera work has to be some of the best I have witnessed, not even having to add the caveat that it's from an independent film either. (Four and a Half Stars)
Freya Ridings by Freya Ridings Lauded as the next Adele. I can 'hear' why. I also know she writes her own music. And like Adele, she writes about heartbreak and other times in her life that warrant having a song written about or for them. I like this album. A lot. It's been on repeat play for the last two weeks or so. Even my daughter and wife cannot wait to see her in concert in the autumn. And it was thanks to my daughter that I got to know who
Carl Marsh - August 2019 page 6
Thank you all for reading, see you next month. ( Feel free to contact me on Twitter @InTheWordsOf_ or Facebook @InTheWordsOf )
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“And Another Thing…….”
By Vince Nolan
and death shall have no dominion Hello avid Readers who may have accidentally blundered onto this page at your local hairdressers and instantly recognised the title taken from one of Dylan Thomas’s poems. I have been to far too many funerals this year and most of them were for people much younger than I. Most recently, my mate Geraint, sent me a text to give me the sad news that our mutual friend Gareth had sadly passed away and was having a celebration of his life at the Crematorium Chapel on 26th June. I duly attended as Gareth was a top guy. It surprised me that there were not huge numbers milling around outside nor anyone recognisable to me, including Geraint. Anyway, in we filed and the vicar opened proceedings to celebrate the life of Gladys Evans. Since so few appeared to have known Glad (including me), I found myself sitting near the front and so could hardly stand up and leave during the service without showing huge disrespect for the dearly departed and in so doing reduce the congregation by 20%. Turns out Geraint gave me the wrong date, so I went to the right funeral two days later. My how we laughed!
told his colleague why he would do so. Talk about indiscreet. Did I mention they were having an affair and they also named their school? I have many mates who are teachers who would have been appalled to listen to this. Dirty old business, education. Next up, Break Dancing at the 2024 Paris Olympics for the first time. Coincidentally, the six times world champ is French. Whilst it is no doubt a highly skilled and athletic discipline it is a street thing. So why not marbles, conkers, hopscotch and skipping? The world has gone mad. Next up they’ll have horses dancing at the Games and calling it something French, mais oui, dressage.
A woman is sitting at her deceased husband’s funeral when a man leans towards her and says: “Do you mind if I say a word?” “No, go right ahead” the woman replies. The man stands up and clears his throat and says “Plethora.” After a short pause the woman says “Thanks, 7777777.that means a lot.”
Just listening to the radio and this guy said that if you want to say “Spice Girls” in a Scottish accent say “Space Ghettos” in an American one. Try it. It works for some bizarre linguistic reason.
Talking of teachers, I had the great misfortune to overhear a conversation in our local hostelry, the other evening. The Current Mrs Nolan was at her Sniper For Beginners Class and I was left to fend for myself. I witnessed a new local Head talking with a member of his staff who did a pretty good job of character assassinating many of her colleagues. He said: “It’s time for a change and I need some early wins.” She said: “You might want to do a drive-by and take some of them out.” He said: “In an ideal world I would remove three teachers” and then proceeded to name them and
Now I have never claimed to be a domestic God and am indeed fortunate to be married to She Who Must Be Obeyed who actually likes washing, ironing and cleaning. If you asked me to put into one sentence my contribution to our domestic bliss it would be: the shopping, the cooking and the holiday booking. (I also sort the car out and stuff, but I could not make that rhyme). I spoilt her the other day and bought her the latest Bosch Steam Iron, well it was her birthday.
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He is devoid of manners and whatever the weather, wears a long mackintosh. I am not convinced that manners and mackintoshes are mutually exclusive but it is good alliteration (again). Anyway, he orders the same meal every evening which is pizza and chips which he eats as if he is in an enormous hurry. He also talks to himself throughout this performance. I have struggled to give him a name so the best I could come up with is: Same time, same place, same meal, same face. (I did come up with a name but the Editors deemed it to be too Anglo Saxon to be printed).
Above, son and overdraft’s former place of work. Below, his probable next. Between jobs he will be going to the Rugby World Cup in Japan. Where did it all go wrong for him?
Now Jan is a good friend of the current Mrs Nolan. She recently suffered too many close encounters of the animal kind. In a single week her dog was bitten by a snake, a squirrel flung itself onto her Mother’s head and then a seagull pinched Jan’s lunch whilst she was eating it. Unlucky you might think but if you are a gullible fool and open to suggestion then it may not have been so bad after all. I have researched these incidents and some would claim that: • When a squirrel comes into our lives it is often a message for us to have more fun and take life a little less seriously. • Flying birds represent hope, beauty and transcendence. • Snakes represent a creative life force.
I am writing this from Greece (and the holiday booking, see) where you will be pleased to hear we have had some rain. What I am struggling to understand is that the sea was full of swimmers and then it started to rain so they all ran out to shelter from the rain. What is that about? How much wetter were they going to getter? Since drafting this item, it has come to my attention that Jan is now published in a magazine which praises her floral and wedding organisational abilities. Do your own publicity from now on Jan, you don’t need me anymore. Regular readers of this tripe will have been closely following the blossoming career of Welsh martial arts Champion Dai Kwando. Unfortunately, I have bad news. He was beaten in his latest title defence by Dai Hard.
Pretty good alliteration too: Squirrel, Seagull, Snake. Finally, The Prime Minister held a meeting with the cabinet today. He also spoke to the bookcase and argued with the chest of drawers.
You may have noticed that I spend some time in our local hostelry. I see myself as a kind of outreach worker for the locals. Anyway, She had gone off to her arm-wrestling class leaving me to observe the wildlife in The Jolly Taxpayer. I have noticed many times that at circa 6.30pm this owl-like academic looking chap pops in for his tea.
Kalispera my friends.
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puzzle mania! Crossword 1
2
3
9
8
10
16
17
21
22 25
29 36
11 11
6
5
12
19 19
18
31
32 32
33 33
34 34
41 41
40
52
46
15
23
24
28 28
35 38
37 37
45 45
14
20 20
27 27
30 30
7
13
26
39
44
4
47
53
48
42
43
49
50
51 51
54
Across 1. Scrape with the feet (5), 4. Premiere (5), 6. Small songbird (5), 8. Wheel mark (3), 10. Impressive (9), 14. Limb (3), 16. Dark red (7), 19. Race official (7), 21. Nervous twitch (3), 22. Defensive barrier (9), 23. Crafty (3), 25. Belonging to him (3), 27. Female parent (3), 29. As well as (3), 34. Cry buckets (3), 36. Slender fish (3), 37. Tool (9), 38. Commercials (3), 39. Method (7), 41. Not in any place (7), 44. Assistance (3), 46. Natures soil-worker (9), 50. Understand (3), 52. Covering for the hand (5), 53. Gambol (5), 54. Make a god of a thing (5). Down 2. Group of vineyards (3), 3. Thick mist (3), 4. Genetic fingerprints (1,1,1) 5. A pair of (3), 6. Lawyer’s charge (3), 7. Worthless hound (3) 8. Mythical bird (3), 9. Muscle spasm (6), 11. Greek letter (3), 12. Scattered fragments (6), 13. Use a chair (3), 14. Affects ability to communicate (6), 15. Russian space station (3), 17. Underwater boats (4), 18. Mad Roman emperor (4), 19. Tinned meat (4), 20. Nervous throat-clear? (4), 21. Jiffy, instant (5), 24. A long time (coll.) (5), 26. 7 Fleming, author (3), 28. Spanish one (3), 29. 7 eyes (6), 30. US coin worth ten cents (4), 31. Classical piece (4), 32. Shortage or lack of (6), 33. Intend (4), 34. Casserole (4), 35. Scenes of mass confusion (6), 39. Part of a whistle (3), 40. Ocean (3), 42. Over poetically (3), 43. River of SE Devon (3), 45. Unwell (3), 46. Inhabitant (suffix) (3), 47. Football umpire (3), 48. Hardwood tree (3), 49. Wet soft earth54 (3), 51. Pixie (3).
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WORD WHEEL
E O
N E
E
L
E.g. NET
T
P H
Including the middle letter, how many words of 3 letters or more can you make? 20 = Good 25 = Excellent 30 = Outstanding
Sudoku Easy
Hard
4
1 5 8
2
8 5
6
4
7 4
9
1
2
2 1
4
5
5
8
4 6
2
8
1
5 7
3
3 1
1 8
3
4
1
5
4 6
3
4 9
6 2
2 9
8
7
8
1
3
2
9 2
6
5
7
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boys, coal & rock ‘n’ roll Growing Up In The Rhondda Valley By Sara John The Valleys, driven by seemingly endless supplies of the best steam coal in the world, developed rapidly from the 1870’s until the Admiralty announced in 1919 that the British Navy would be changing from steam engines to gas turbine. Up until then the Navy had been the best and biggest customer any industry could wish for with coaling stations requiring constant supplies, around the globe, to serve the vast British Empire. That decision led eventually to the demise of the industry with strikes, slumps, depressions, hunger marches, despair and rocketing levels of unemployment throughout the twenties and thirties until the outbreak of the Second World War when markets for coal rallied again.
Travelling to the Rhondda Valley recently with visitors from New Zealand, and answering their many questions, started me thinking about how very different life was when I was growing up there and how the three words in the title above, boys, coal and rock ’n’ roll came up, frequently, in my answers to our visitors’ questions. Firstly, boys. They have always been a bit of a mystery to me, growing up, an only child, in a seriously matriarchal society, in South Wales post war. I think they still are. Boys, and, men, continue to surprise and confuse me: being male is being brave and strong; it is about seriously enjoying sport; often seeking arguments; willingly taking on dangerous activities; and keeping up-to-date on current affairs and rarely being wrong about anything. Also to me, they seemed reluctant to listen. Refused to ask directions when lost; were never afraid of the dark; but were in the habit of making unfortunate comments to cover embarrassment about sensitive issues. They were also good at laying down the law and blustering when in doubt. In those days, I admired them for their ability to not cry so easily.
Women had never been employed underground in the Rhondda, the mining industry developed too late and the legislation forbidding the employment of children and women, was well established by the 1870’s. But women were working “on top” as it was called, as hauliers, pulling trams, as brick makers (some collieries also ran brickworks or gasworks) and other related and permitted jobs. This was not widespread but there is photographic evidence. Valleys industry, coal mining and all the related activities were men’s jobs. Men had to be strong, fearless, sociable and sensible to work in mining. Lives, safety, output, pay at the end of the week, all relied on working together, looking out for each other and turning up for work at every shift. Absenteeism was treated seriously by both fellow workers and management.
However when speaking to girl friends long ago, I detected what I called “playing Fanny by Gaslight” with what were then, more innocent women, including me. A little different today perhaps? Living, as many families did well into the 1960’s, with grandparents, Victorian cultural controls were still blowing in the wind, often so strong that they darkened the lives of us grandchildren until we managed to break free sometime mid- decade.
Women and their daughters ran the home, did the cooking, cleaning, washing, heating water, had babies and cared for the sick. Mam was in charge, and laid down strict rules for the children for what she considered serious crimes. These included:
Another major influence in my early life was coal. It was everywhere. Coal dust in the playground, and if you fell down and cut your knees, which often happened, you would get coal dust in the wound, a blue scar for life. I have one on the right side of my right knee – I have just checked and, ‘Yes’, it is still there.
- Being wasteful with anything – food, drawing paper, paper bags, rubber bands, jam jars and short lengths of string. (There were no other sort, actual balls of string had disappeared instantly when war was declared in 1939). - Asking for an apple when you had already eaten an orange. - Putting snow through someone’s letter box. - Knocking someone’s door and running away. - Walking about out of doors with your hands in your pockets. - Dragging your feet. - Whistling after dark – and now no one can – whistle that is. - Asking for just about anything. - Being idle. - Answering back.
Useable coal was dumped with unsaleable coal and waste on mountain tips. Many local people, during hard times, were arrested and charged with theft for “stealing” this coal which, it was claimed still belonged to the Colliery Owners. There were deliveries of concessionary coal which was tipped outside terraced houses as part of the negotiated pay package for miners, still employed or retired. The final part of “putting in a load of coal”, (that is removing it from the highway and putting it in your own coalshed) was the lady of the household carefully sweeping up the remnants left on the road and pavement to use for “damping” down a fire that burned too fiercely.
Reading through the above list I realise these are all mainly misdemeanors perpetrated by boys.
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CT Feature Girls, you see, could not whistle, had no pockets in their trousers because they wore skirts, and of course most girls spent little time outside.
Sometime towards the end of the fifties those far reaches of gender differences began to meet up. Life was changing. Rapidly.
Although in defence of the male species I recall, myself, a mere girl, being reprimanded for asking my parents for a set of Lego, I never even mentioned Meccano! That was In Standard Two when I knew Wayne Bebb had Lego and I wanted a set too.
In my early days, and at an early age, cinema probably defined my moral universe. But the mass of millions of pennant sandstone, as old as time, in Gelli Mountain (Mynydd William Meyrick), Cefn Y Rhondda, Penrhys and Maindy Mountain all delineated my physical existence.
The other telling off I had was for threatening NOT to get married and have children. I had seen a picture of Eva Bartok, a Hungarian film star, big hat, fur coat and sun glasses, arriving in London and still unmarried! That’s me, I decided. In vain.
As in the song, “The Bronx is up and the Battery’s down”, for me Treorchy was up and Porth was down. All buses and most traffic, some still horse drawn deliveries of milk, Thomas and Evans pop, and fruit and vegetables went either up the valley or down the valley. Trains went Up to Treherbert, and Down to Pontypridd. If you climbed up the mountain on the north west side of the valley you might well recognise other children you knew climbing up on the south east, the other side of the valley. Even at the wider parts. Claustrophobic in winter; glorious in summer. But ultimately confining.
The woman's’ world then smelt of clean kitchens, fresh laundry, just baked welsh cakes and, possibly, a light touch of talcum powder called something to do with Spring or with April Showers. The world of men smelt of tobacco, tweeds, leather and Brylcream and that wonderful smell in a barber’s shop, long before aftershave was easily available, which is my equivalent of Marcel Proust and his madeleines.
Going off to Grammar School in my far too big new school uniform changed everything for me. Opportunities opened up, as long as you did your homework. School work dominated my life. I discovered the Central Library in Ton Pentre, it was FULL of books and you could borrow them if your hands, shown on both sides, passed inspection by the stern lady librarians.
The power of Mam continued from boyhood into manhood. It was hard to let go for her, and even harder than getting out of Colditz for him. The P of M (power of Mam) was the very backbone of society and of the culture of South Wales then, and in some parts even now.
I was serious, busy, quiet and frightened of most things; adults, bus conductors, dark winter nights, rough boys, taking a short cut home from my cousins’ house in Ystrad through Gelli Colliery at night, with the cold blue mercury lights glinting on the wet coal. The Valley was still full of coal, on top and underground. Then came the closures of collieries, many men never worked again. The coal dust which had been ever present, in the gutters, the river, the puddles on the neglected roads, disappeared like tangleweeds.
Men were discouraged from living on their own in an unmarried state, they could not cook anyway, as they were never allowed or taught to. Men lived with family otherwise they might discover they liked being on their own. Then, there would be one less reliable chap in the community, thereby stranding a potential bride in the fog of eternal spinsterhood. Men living on their own might lead them to thinking for themselves, threatening to disturb the Mam-lead social order of local society. I have known of grown men unable to cut the crust off their own sandwiches, or the tops off their boiled eggs, their Mams gladly did it for them!
And as for rock ‘n’ roll there was none for me at that time. Both my parents played the piano, and naturally, only played classical music. The influence of rock ‘n’ roll reached me slowly, and at an unlikely venue. It was not Bill Haley and Rock Around the Clock, I was not allowed to see that film and it was before I really knew what was going on.
Men had nothing to do with tablecloths, pillow cases, napkins (of any description) or paper d’oylies. They were not permitted any floral garments, or to wear any apron unless it was bloodstained, made of leather or marked with horses’ hooves.
It was Ton Pentre Boys Club with their very popular Saturday Hops. I think it was sixpence entrance fee. The hop was held, in those days, in a large wooden building on a disused colliery site which had already become the home of many activities for boys of all ages, in particular basketball, football and billiards.
Then, there were only two genders, unless you were part of an aristocratic elite, or moved in bohemian circles or in show business. The two genders were at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Then it was Radio Luxemburg, juke boxes in the local Bracchis (cafes originally opened by the Bracchi family from Bardi in Italy).
This separation of boys and girls was strengthened through single sex education; the workplace; job or career opportunities; sport and activities; dress and appearance; speech patterns; body language; outlook and attitudes; general interests: and of course, in different, socially acceptable sexual behaviour for each gender.
Transistor radios with terrible reception, and record players if you were lucky. Standby for the sixties – the Beatles are coming.
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beauty done your own way By Molly Dutton
There has been one beauty item that has really captured my attention in recent weeks and has been something I am enjoying experimenting with; false eyelashes. Now, before you start envisioning some long, spider leg type things (because that is exactly what I did) and the tricky glue in eye dilemma, lashes can be as much of an important item as lipstick in a makeup look. Previously to venturing into this idea, I must admit that I did find the process of putting them on daunting to say the least but with time you will be a professional; it really is that easy.
Summer has officially begun. The sun and heat have finally made the appearance we have all been waiting for since the start of spring and I am thrilled. There is nothing better than lying in the garden with a good book and now is the ideal time to do that in case we experience some harsh rain suddenly (and you know we will). I will admit that when the sun comes out, I tend to remove the makeup and let the freckles free but sometimes we all want to feel a bit glam. It’s important to feel good always whether that is with a full face or just a dab of mascara and highlight, so I have been reflecting on what I most commonly wear on my face over the numerous summer events I have been involved in. I often find my greatest inspiration on my Instagram feed which consists of mostly beauty bloggers, models and actresses who all contribute towards each of my makeup looks. Personally, I find that models provide the best inspiration for summer makeup as, commonly, they are known for their natural, toned down bases and glowy skin, although I’m still annoyed I don’t look like Cindy Crawford when I put mascara on. Despite this, I don’t rely entirely on the rich and famous, mostly down to the fact that they use very high-end products which quite frankly are unaffordable to people like myself. Instead I copy the everyday bloggers who are more likely to go for a drug store option which suits me perfectly. For me, watching videos is all well and good to see how to apply the products, but I prefer to look at photos for the actual inspiration itself; individuals like Sophie Rimmer and Hannah Renee proving to be my absolute favourites.
I first encountered false eyelashes on Halloween when I was probably only about twelve and, as expected of a pre-teen, I purchased the most awful winged things that they sold to glue onto my eyes (picture mascara gone very wrong). They looked atrocious. After that initial experience I stayed within a five-mile radius and fully broke up with lashes; the thought of all the hassle kept me at a reasonable distance. In the last few years however, my love of long lashes has spurred me to try again with some more
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expensive and highly rated falsies (no more Halloween disasters for me). It takes a lot of time and practice to achieve a good look, many times spent in front of the mirror with a floating lash near my eyeball. Despite this, once you get past the first hurdles you will be able to do them every time if you do not stress, sit down and use tweezers to place them directly onto your lashes with the help of a mirror.
they look glam without a spot of makeup but check with your technician that they are waterproof (floating lashes seems a bit alarming I’m sure). Beautiful and easy to maintain are key things I like to associate with beauty and lash extensions are both of those terms tied with a ribbon. If any of you take inspiration from this article, I would love to see what your extensions look like, especially as there are very rarely two people’s that look the same.
To keep on the lashes theme, there has been a real rise in the amount of my gal pals leaning towards the use of lash extensions as a temporary fix for their lash needs and I absolutely love them! Many people can be reluctant to go down the extension route since there are a lot of suggestions that it is harmful or that it is ineffective; I can counter all those arguments from personal experience.
This article has included an overwhelming amount of lash talk, but I have been thinking about the topic frequently over the last month since I started getting back into false ones. Each time I sit to write about makeup or fashion my opinions on certain items have changed since the previous month; my mind is just a bit like that. Often, I focus on one beauty trend at a time, perfecting my skills on that one thing, and I would recommend that you do the same. That way you can build up a look that would threaten even the most in demand makeup artists. By practicing the application of lashes this month, I can carry that on whilst practicing something else until I’m where I want to be. I can reassure you I will still be perfecting my brows until I’m ninety (can you imagine!) I hope you’ve had enough lashpiration to last you all summer.
I will say that I am not a consistent user of lash extensions (extensions and glasses are not best friends) but the times that I have ventured into them I have found that they give me a look that I have not been able to achieve with just false lashes. The different types available mean that you can adapt them to your own taste and that you don’t have to have the long and sometimes inefficient ones. For someone of my age group and I’m sure many other individuals, I couldn’t possibly afford to get them every month, but they are very much a treat to look forward to on a special occasion, perhaps a holiday abroad. I discovered that they are ideal for a holiday as
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AUGUST 2019 - PART 2 page 67
Sunday, 21 July 2019 23:02 Magenta Yellow Cyan Black
let’s start a green tsunami By Sue Good
is attempting to reduce its massive carbon footprint: electric and solar planes have successfully flown; they are currently adapting planes to become more fuel efficient, plus they are looking into biofuels (fuel source made from biological materials) as an alternative to fossil fuels. But all these are still a long way off public and commercial air use. So maybe for now we do take our foot off the air travel pedal and sometimes choose alternative forms of travel. Consider catching a ferry to Scandinavia; interrail or cycle across Europe, or simply see more of beautiful Britain and leave the flying till next year.
I know, I know – you’ve heard it all before: our planet needs saving. But it’s time we were realistic. Taking ‘bags for life’ on the weekly shop and using tin foil, instead of cling film, is a start, but it’s simply not enough anymore. With the Welsh Government declaring a Climate Emergency earlier this year, in order to inspire a “wave of action” (Lesly Griffiths AM), we need to join in and help turn a ripple into a tsunami, if we are to make our city carbon neutral by 2030. So here it is: An idiot’s guide to going green. (Please don’t be affronted by the idiot label – that's for me.) This monthly column aims to provide you with hints and tips on making small changes to your lifestyle, in order to make a big environmental difference. Each feature will concentrate on how to make you and your families’ lives greener and healthier. The articles are meant to empower and inspire, not dispirit or overwhelm. With thought and proactivity, then maybe a small part of the Cardiff community can help make this world a cleaner, safer, more balanced place. So, if you fancy joining me in making a difference, then read on+
Turn into a one car family This is a big ask. There’s no doubt I like having my car. With two kids doing separate clubs, a job that generates lots of baggage and yoga classes 3 times a week, I rely on my run around. But maybe this is a realistic sacrifice for some of us. If I did more of the following alternative travel options, perhaps I don’t need my car after all. Just need to convince hubby+.
Public transport
Part 1 – Travel
Driving less is an easy way to reduce our carbon footprint and ease congestion. This doesn’t mean we all sell our cars – it just means that we consider alternative travel options. Catching the bus to work or the train into town, means you can avoid the queues, relax and reduce the amount of traffic on the roads, all at the same time. I know what you’re thinking: buses and trains aren’t exactly green machines, however Cardiff is making small steps forward to transform the carbon footprint of its public transport: last year saw the release of the city’s first electric bus. Trains are also turning greener with the electrification of main route tracks eg. London to Bristol. There’s still a long way to go before rail electrification reaches Cardiff and all buses are electric (powered by renewable energy sources – of course) but if we use them more, then there are less cars on the roads, which is progress.
Change your travel habits Living in a suburb of Cardiff with two kids and two cars, I am classed as part of the 10% of the world’s population who causes most pollution. I drive, I fly (a bit) and I eat meat – three of the worst contributors to climate change. So, as people that like to travel (and often need to travel) what options are there for reducing our carbon emissions?
Less air travel Stopping air travel completely may not be a realistic option for some of us. But reducing the amount of times you fly is not an impossible ask. Research suggests that if families were to limit flying abroad to short haul once every 2 years, then harmful carbon emissions would significantly reduce. The air industry
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Article - Sue Good - August 2019 page 2
Friday, 19 July 2019 19:16 Magenta Yellow Cyan Black
CT Feature
Car shares
offer guidance on electric car home-charging and authorised installers. Check out: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ government-grants-for-low-emission-vehicles
Car share/pools are a winner: economical, sociable and green. People have shared journeys to work for years, but don’t forget other opportunities: school run, party run, sport/club run, coffee run! So many of us live in the school catchment, but the ease of getting in a car; dropping kids off, then whizzing home/to work/ for coffee is too appealing. But next time, how about arranging a lift share rota with friends/family for takes and pickups. This will also help to make roads around schools safer and less busy, which has got to be a bonus. Car shares work for all types of kids’ clubs, sports and activities after school, football matches, swim meets, orchestra practice, as well as children’s parties. If we all shared a bit more then it wouldn’t be just one less car on the road, it would be hundreds.
Cycling This is the greenest option. Cycling will not only help you minimise your carbon footprint, it will also make you fit. Research suggests that cycling just once a week, rather than driving, can help reduce carbon emissions. Approximately 1 litre of petrol creates 2.3 kg of Co2. Even if you were to cycle approximately 8 miles to and from work once a week, for 46 weeks, then you could prevent the emission of over 100 kilogrammes of Co2. For a small change that’s a big saving. Cardiff Council have obviously invested in this form of travel, as cycle routes are growing in and around Cardiff to make cycling safer and more time efficient. Ask at work to see if there are any cycle schemes that reimburse you the cost of a bike and equipment. Or just make use of the nextbike scheme and ride one of those home, rather than grab a taxi.
Buy an electric car There is an alternative to the one car family predicament: invest in an electric car. Electric cars produce zero exhaust emissions, meaning that they do not emit pollutants or greenhouse gases, that damage air quality. However, the only way to fully appreciate the environmental benefits of an electric car is to use renewable energy to sustain it. This might mean looking into energy providers for the home, such as Bulb and Ecotricity, as well as having words with your employers. The government are also doing their bit: did you know that the UK government is also offering grant schemes for the installation of electric vehicle charging in order to build an electric energy infrastructure? You can apply to the council for on-street residential charge points (seems to be targeted at streets with no off street parking), plus they
Or simply walk more My favourite. Unrealistic for long distances - I know. But that trip to the corner shop or pick up from school does not always need to be by car. All that’s needed is a bit of extra time and comfy shoes – both of which I don’t have but my next step is to invest in both. In fact, isn’t that what all of the above is: organisation and time. None of this is rocket science, but by simply adjusting our travel by actioning some of the above then we can and will make a difference. And if you are a green traveller and do a lot of the above already – then thanks for leading the way.
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Friday, 19 July 2019 19:17 Magenta Yellow Cyan Black
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AUGUST 2019 - PART 2 page 70
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AUGUST 2019 - PART 2 page 71
Monday, 22 July 2019 10:29 Magenta Yellow Cyan Black
my day with a royal part two By Sara John
Westminster for the big event and to deliver my presentation. Princess Margaret had disappeared to “powder her nose” but her Lady-in-Waiting whispered to me that, “actually she had gone for a fag.” Just as a lot of guests were leaving to go to Church House, some very well dressed men arrived and seemed to ‘take over’. Security, of the highest order, I decided. Princess Margaret’s own bodyguard looked and sounded like a youngish Michael Cane in four figure tailoring. She and Chief Guide were swished off through the big front doors, and I was left with her Lady-in-Waiting. “We will travel together,” she explained as we stepped outside.
Last month I wrote about being invited to the Girl Guides Association Annual Conference at Church House, Westminster. An event in the presence of their President, H.R.H. the Princess Margaret. This is what happened next. Now, read on. The morning’s business meeting was just finishing and I was taken in to meet The President. I noticed the buffet to one side of the room and a small table set for four in the bay window. The room was full of women. I was introduced to H.R.H. No handshakes, I had been advised, just a nod of the head and address her as “Mu’um” just the once at the outset. Take the lead from her. She said she was looking forward to meeting me and was interested in what I was going to say. By then I was in what I believe is called in psychology a fugue state.
Outside in the bright sunshine were two navy blue Rolls-Royces about as long as a terrace of houses in Wales. AND, and, nine Police outriders all of whom were matching in height, easily six foot six each with the biggest and shiniest motorbikes a girl like me had ever seen. I could feel all my socialist principles melting away, I tried to remember them but they had gone! I thought I could hear my grandfather (originally a Liberal, yes – he had met Lloyd George - but he became a founder of the Labour Party in the Rhondda before the first World War) spinning, shouting and singing in his grave in Treochy cemetary. Had I let the causes that had been so hard fought for blow away so easily. The answer to that was “Yes”, but only for the time being.
We four, the other two at the table was a Lady-inWaiting and the Chief Commissioner for the UK, chatted easily, with much laughter and I almost began to relax. I said almost. Princess Margaret asked me to go with her to select her lunch items from the buffet as no one else was allowed to go before her! And she always disliked being the first! After the main courses, delicious of course, quickly disappeared, Princess Margaret then collected our plates and returned them to the counter, and asked if I would go with her to select a pudding. She asked us for our coffee preferences and returned with a tray of coffee and fudge. The fugue state of mind had become fantasy. Was this real?
On the journey across London to Westminster, which I wished would last for ever, tourists with cameras took our photographs. The Lady-inWaiting said that when she travelled with Princess Margaret in this way, they would decide which one of the police out-riders they would each want to take home with them. I was not totally convinced that she was teasing me. “Would I like to make my choice too?” she enquired.
After lunch, at the Guides association H.Q, at Birdcage Walk, Victoria, we made our way out to the grand Reception Hall at the front of the building, and I wondered how I would travel on to Church House
I still had not delivered my presentation and was beginning to think I never would. Soon I would wake up and it would be time to go to school. I felt as if I was a thousand years old.
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Sara John - August 2019 - Article ... page 1
Tuesday, 23 July 2019 21:39 Magenta Yellow Cyan Black
CT Feature We arrived at Church House, Westminster. Princess Margaret said, “walk with me,” and the six hundred people there rose to their feet as we walked in. The atmosphere was calm and pleasant, but could they hear my heart thumping?
Paddington, Reading, Bristol Parkway, Newport and Cardiff Central were calling for me inside my head. “I’m on the way. I’m out of here, if only I could find the way out,” I replied in silence. It was not to be. Lady-in-Waiting approached and, on behalf of H.R.H. invited me to have tea with her in the next room. “Of course, how lovely,” I answered. “Follow me, I will take you in.”
The business was soon under way. Quite swiftly, suddenly, it was my turn to deliver my presentation and Princess Margaret touched my arm and said, softly, “do not worry, you’ll be fine.”
Again, all the guests were standing with cups of tea and plates of cakes and chatting away, but I was taken to a small table where Princess Margaret was poised with a teapot. She explained that she loved tea parties, how they and being with the Guides reminded her of being a child again. “Do tuck in,” she instructed, “the cakes are delicious.” Leaning towards me, she whispered “Now, I will tell you who is who and who<<” So it went on. In my mind, I could hear the four o’clock train pulling out of Paddington, then the five o’clock and at ten to six it was clear, still listening, laughing, answering questions, giggling and gossiping with H.R.H. that I was not on that train either.
That million dollar feeling, that I last felt when I received good examination results, flowed over me. My notes in front of me, I stood behind the lectern and slowly looked around the vast Hall. Wearing my reading glasses was an old and useful trick as, although all my font was size 16 – double spaced speech was ‘rit big’, I could not focus on anyone or anything else further back than the second row. A little like speaking to the sea from an empty beach. Deep breath and off I went, allowing pauses for the audience to tune in and adjust to my, possibly, unfamiliar accent. In that large and echoing vastness I thought I sounded like Harry Secombe on the Goon Show doing a skit about his Aunty Gwaldys from Swansea and her chickens.
Eventually, I was on a train speeding west. I was still clutching my bouquet of flowers. What an amazing day, I decided, and sat quietly just glowing, knowing next day brought deadlines at work, problems, challenges, laundry, cooking and down to earth reality.
I heard laughter, I heard a shriek from The President herself, I risked turning my head, she was laughing and nodded agreement with what I had reminded her of. I may, just, get through this I thought to myself. I instructed my main frame, “Don’t fade before you finish, keep up the pace, listen to the rise and fall of the audiences’ responses, try not to fall over when you go back to your seat.”
Had it really happened? Was I still me? Next morning I answered a ringing telephone. It was Kensington Palace. H.R.H.’s Lady-in-Waiting thanked me for my contribution yesterday, passed on more thanks from the President who had reported much of my speech to the Queen Mother, but, had forgotten some of my funny bits. “Is it possible,” she asked, “for Princess Margaret to have a copy of your material?”
I was on the last page of my presentation, and there was no sign of Beefeaters. I finished speaking, I heard applause. I had a lot of applause. I was ten feet tall but felt a desperate need to be on Platform One on Paddington Station boarding a Wales bound train surrounded by “my ain folk”. As I took my seat, Princess Margaret, next to me, tapped my leg and said, “Well done, you were great!”
“Yes, of course, I will send it by post,” I replied. Being asked for a copy of the script was the greatest compliment I could have had.
The meeting was brought to a close, contributors were thanked, more applause. A large number of the audience (none were guides but may well have been in the past) were shown into adjacent rooms.
So, there you are then, I thought to myself, as I walked along to the Post Office, it must have REALLY happened. Really?
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Tuesday, 23 July 2019 21:39 Magenta Yellow Cyan Black
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