Cardiff Times - August 2022

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AUGUST 2022

Continuing and Professional Education Addysg Barhaus a Phroffesiynol

CARDIFF TIMES® Cyrsiau rhan-amser ar gyfer

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Visit Bristol Zoo Gardens for the very last time this summer Many of you will remember visiting Bristol Zoo Gardens as a child, and may have brought your children… or even grandchildren.

From 21 July, Bristol Zoo Gardens is marking its last chapter, before closing on Saturday 3 September, with its BIG Summer Send-Off celebration event.

The centrepiece of the final summer programme is ‘Wilder’, a specially-commissioned wooden clad gorilla sculpture, which is taller than the largest giraffe ever recorded, and as wide as three king size beds.

Sitting tall on the main lawn, ‘Wilder’ delights visitors with surprise movements throughout the day as she ‘eats’ lettuce, sprays unsuspecting families with water and reveals her baby ‘Monty-Alan’ – a name inspired by the national park in Equatorial Guinea where Bristol Zoological Society works to protect western lowland gorillas in the wild.

4 CARDIFF TIMES

The Zoo is also running ‘Into The Wild’ theatre shows where children get to wear animal-eared headphones and dance around to fun conservationinspired music, stories and games.

BIG Summer Send-Off also features a ‘Past, Present, Future’ timeline exhibition on the Zoo’s historic top terrace. It will include poems, pictures, and stories on ribbons, shared by visitors.

For a chance to feature on the timeline, Bristol Zoo Gardens is asking people to share their favourite memories using the hashtag #TheZooAndYou, and tag Bristol Zoo Gardens on Facebook @ BristolZooGardens and Instagram @bristolzoo.

As well as all of these exciting events, Bristol Zoo Gardens is home to incredible animal species, including the famous gorilla troop, red pandas, penguins and sloths.

Enjoy a final special day out to Bristol Zoo Gardens this summer! For information and tickets for Bristol Zoo Gardens and its BIG Summer Send-Off, go to bristolzoo.org.uk.

Invest in yourself this year Buddsoddwch ynoch eich hun eleni PTCFA Advert A4newC[P] 2022_Layout 1 07/07/2022 12:46 Page 1

Cardiff University provides hundreds of part-time courses for adult learners to enable you to achieve your ambitions. Whether you would like to improve your CV, challenge yourself, learn something new, keep your active, make new friendscourses or Part-time rhan-amser armind gyfer progress to degree studies by enrolling on one of our Pathways to a degree – we have the course to suit your needs.

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Eleni byddwn yn cynnig dosbarthiadau addysgu wyneb yn wyneb ac arlein er mwyn sicrhau bod y cyfan 2022-23 yn gweithio gyda phrysurdeb eich bywyd. Rydym hefyd yn cynnig cyrsiau rhad ac am ddim gyda chymorth Cyngor Cyllido Addysg Uwch Cymru (CCAUC). Mae rhagor o wybodaeth am y cynllun Hepgor Ffioedd Myfyrwyr a chymhwysedd i’w gweld ar ein gwefan.

Bob blwyddyn rydym yn derbyn adborth cadarnhaol gan fyfyrwyr sydd wedi cyflawni eu dyheadau gyda ni:

Emma Carr-Ferguson

“Roedd y cwrs yn ddiddorol iawn. Mwynheais bob sesiwn. Cefais gyngor gwerthfawr gan weithwyr proffesiynol yn y diwydiant ar sut mae awduron yn mynd ar drywydd cyfleoedd. Doeddwn i ddim yn gwybod mai’r cwrs hwn oedd yr union gam ymlaen roeddwn ei angen er mwyn gwirioneddol ddechrau ystyried fy hun yn ddarpar awdur. Gwnaeth hefyd ddangos i mi fod y diwydiant cyhoeddi o fewn fy nghyrraedd. Emma Carr-Ferguson, myfyriwr Ysgrifennu Creadigol “Roeddwn i mor nerfus ynghylch dechrau astudio eto ar ôl cynifer o flynyddoedd, yn enwedig pwnc nad oeddwn i wedi’i astudio o’r blaen. “Roedd y gefnogaeth a’r cyfathrebu cyn i’r cwrs ddechrau yn wych, ac roeddwn yn teimlo’n fwy cartrefol cyn i’r wers gyntaf gael ei chynnal hyd yn oed.” Elinor Ridout, myfyriwr Llwybr at Ofal Iechyd www.caerdydd.ac.uk/dysgu 029 2087 0000 learn@caerdydd.ac.uk

This year we will2022-23 be providing in-person teaching and online classes to fit in with your busy lifestyle. We are also offering free courses with the support of Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW).

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

Every year we receive positive feedback from students who have achieved their ambitions with us:

“The course was very engaging - I loved every session. I received valuable advice from industry professionals in how to pursue opportunities as a writer. It was the steppingstone I didn’t know I needed into taking myself a bit more seriously as an aspiring author, and made the publishing industry as a whole seem more accessible.”

Emma Carr-Ferguson, Creative Writing student “I was so nervous about returning to study after so many years, especially with a subject that I hadn’t previously studied. The support and communication prior to the course starting was brilliant, and I felt more at ease before the first lesson had even taken place.” Elinor Ridout, Pathway to Healthcare student

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www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn tel:CARDIFF 029 2087 0000 TIMES 5

Hope trumps cynicism

byWyn Evans

They say, don’t ‘they’, that we turn into our parents. I’m living through this experience big time right now. Looking back at me out of the mirror is my late father. It’s not just that our features are matched, as if his had been morphed into one of those look-alike latex masks that Tom Cruise is forever using in the Mission Impossible films; I keep reaching to the back of my head trying to get a hold on the mask and unpeel it, revealing my handsome and unlined, optimistic and uncynical visage once more. No, it’s not just the features. It’s also the world-weary emotions on display, the exhausted unsustainability of old age etching ever deeper into my soul. Yet it’s more than features and emotions; I’m starting to sound like him and share his opinions too.

This was brought home to me last night. We’d left the TV on after the evening news and the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth games worked its way insidiously into our lounge. I didn’t actually count the number of times I snorted at the telly but it was a good, high number. “Seventeen feeds”, I rhetorically told The Boss, “Seventeen”! The Boss said nothing for she knows better than to feed the beast.

“The darn BBC is running seventeen live feeds from these Games. What on earth for? Each of the BBC channels is showing the event and if you just press the yellow/red/green/blue buttons you can get even more feeds. And then there’s the radio coverage. Don’t get me started on the radio coverage...”. The long-suffering Boss looked up from her book as if to imply ‘YOU got yourself started without any help from me’. Oblivious, I prattle on: “and the commentators are all women now.

Where have they put the men? Some of them were there on merit not just because they are tools of the patriarchy.

And Lenny Henry! Why Lenny Henry? He stopped being funny thirty years ago. Oh no, he’s doing his Black Country accent shtick now...”.

In fairness, Dad was less cynical than I am. I get fed up with the ‘progressive’ values enforced by the BBC; as if it is the plaything of the university-educated middle-class left-wing. [Editor’s note: ‘what, do you think the BBC should be regressive instead’?] Then there’s the licence fee.

[Editor’s note: ‘do NOT get started on the licence fee’.]

The licence fee is just another Poll Tax... [Editor’s note: ‘I’m warning you’!] Oh, okay, okay, where was I? Ah yes, Dad being less cynical than I. Though I would never willingly plonk myself down in front of the goggle-box to watch, say, the opening ceremony of the London Olympics or the pre-match confection building-up to a big rugby international, I might watch the Games or the international match itself.

6 CARDIFF TIMES

Not Dad. He stopped watching sport on the box completely. Yes, he’d say it was because he couldn’t stand ill-informed commentators’ voicing forth; but the real reason was that he couldn’t bear the hope. Hoping that Wales would win the rugby match.

Hoping that Lynn Davies would repeat his gold-medal winning long-jump (he never gave Davies the time of day after he stopped competing after Bob Beamon had smashed the world record). Dad was an optimist at heart. He couldn’t cope with the hope that ‘this’ would be the beautiful game, that ‘today’ would see the world record broken. And so he stopped watching sport completely rather than handle the hope. He died ten years ago today. I miss his craggy face, his tender jokes, his being there. He used to tell me that energy can never be destroyed and he hoped this meant his life’s energy might meet up with Mam’s again after he’d joined her in death. Thinking about it now, he had a Philosophy which he lived and which was based on hope.

Dad sounded cynical but really wasn’t, whereas I definitely tend to cynicism. There is a younger Evans who would never be a cynic about life. The Girl, my sixteen-year-old daughter, who has Down Syndrome, lives life to the nth degree. She approaches every task with the determination to give it her best shot. She will try and try again. Her complete attention to the task at hand is guaranteed. For example, she worked her socks off to achieve her Royal Academy of Dance Grade 6 ballet exams, which she passed this week. You’ll have to believe me when I say that having Down Syndrome militates against fine and

gross motor skills, whereas ballet is all about having those skills. It would be unfair to compare her achievements with typically developing kids; but it would be fair to suggest that compared with her own previous performances she always tries hard to do that little bit better, to master those movements, and to apply her learning.

The Girl spent four days this week in a residential summer camp for teenagers with Down Syndrome. It was run by a fabulous charity called 21 Plus. The ‘21’ doesn’t refer to the age of the participants but to the fact that Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder caused when abnormal cell division results in an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21.

This extra genetic material causes the developmental changes and physical features of Down Syndrome. It also explains why Down Syndrome is also known as Trisomy 21.

Anyway, the course leaders called me in to give feedback on The Girl’s performance. She was ever willing to come up with ideas, willing to go first, sensitive to the needs of a younger group who were also staying over, supportive of members of her own group, including one whose mother recently died; willing to take on board other people’s ideas, build on them and give them effect. Being a good and attentive listener. She made a distinction between being a teenager but wanting to be treated as a ‘young adult’.

(There’s a lot there to unpack!) Oh, and she wants to do more of her own cooking “from start to finish” without parental involvement. (I’m sure that we’ll be willing to effect this desire of hers!)

This week marked more than the 10th anniversary of my

dad’s death. Sixteen years ago, when she was but four months old, The Girl had open heart surgery at Bristol Children’s Hospital to fix three holes in her heart. Without the operation she would have died. The op was a complete success and five years later she was told she didn’t have to have any more annual check-ups. She’d never made a sound before her operation, not even a wail - she just didn’t have the energy to waste. It was a real shock to the Boss’s and my system when she let out her first full-throated scream.

Two anniversaries: an eighty-three-year-old man’s death and a four-month-old girl’s promise of life. It’s hard to be cynical when considering one man’s life well lived or the gradual, inexorable blooming of our young adult into her future self.

CARDIFF TIMES 7

Cardiff Times August - Page 1 Editorial_Layout 1 28/07/2022 14:13 Page 1

CARDIFF CLASSICAL SERIES 2022/23 FROM Brussels to Reykjavík, the Cardiff Classical Series 2022/23 features 18 world-class concerts and after the return of live performances last year, we’ve got even more reason to be smiling - the National Concert Hall of Wales is 40 years old! We are so proud to provide visiting orchestras with one of the world’s finest acoustics to perform in. Plus, this year’s breathtaking season is more affordable than ever with more than 500 seats available at just £20 and below, and hundreds at under £10.

The series starts in style with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Thurs 6 Oct). Led by Ryan Bancroft, the evening opens with the first of many distinguished soloists throughout the season as Yeol Eum Son performs Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 3 before an epic finale of Stravinksy’s spellbinding The Rite of Spring. The following week sees award-winning cellist Laura van der Heijden join the Brno Philharmonic Orchestra (Sat 15 Oct) for a feast of Czech music including Martinů, Janáček and Dvořák, while the Welsh National Opera Orchestra (Fri 4 Nov) perform stormy seascapes to stunning sinfonietta under the baton of Tomáš Hanus.

Virtuoso pianist Paul Lewis joins forces with the Belgian National Orchestra (Weds 9 Nov) for a variously solemn, scintillating and stirring repertoire of Respighi, Mozart and Saint-Saëns, and masterful conductor Markus Stenz leads the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Thurs 17 Nov) through a thrilling performance of Mahler’s Symphony No 9. Meanwhile, John Wilson puts the Sinfonia of London (Mon 28 Nov) through its paces in a sumptuous programme from Broadway to Boléro including former BBC Young Musician of the Year, Martin James Bartlett playing Gershwin’s jazz-inflected Rhapsody in Blue.

Then it’s time for the return of The Sixteen (Sun 4 Dec) with their captivating Christmas concert, while the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Sun 15 Jan) celebrate 100 years of Disney. The Welsh National Opera Orchestra (Sun 29 Jan) luxuriate in Bedřich Smetana’s sparkling portrait of his beloved bohemia in Má Vlast, and the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Sun 12 Feb) play a mesmerising programme of Brahms, Messiaen and Fauré. Powerful emotions of passion and patriotism surge through a Philharmonia Orchestra (Sat 25 Feb) repertoire of Berlioz, Bloch and Sibelius featuring Sheku Kanneh-Mason. Plus, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (Thurs 9 March) make a welcome return with Elgar and Schumann. Then there is a double-header from the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Sat 25 March & Thurs 20 April) with master works by Britten, Elgar and Szymanowski.

Don’t miss a rare chance to hear the Iceland Symphony Orchestra (Thurs 27 April) with its chief conductor Eva Ollikainen and acclaimed pianist Stephen Hough playing Beethoven, as well as Daniel Ciobanu reeling off the fabulous flourishes and thundering bravura of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Thurs 11 May). The penultimate concert of the series serves up a real treat as Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska directs The Hallé (Sat 20 May) in an incredible programme of Sibelius and Beethoven with three of the world’s most distinguished artists in Nicola Benedetti, Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Benjamin Grosvenor. The Cardiff Classical Series 2022/23 then comes to a sensational conclusion with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (Thurs 1 June) playing a rousing repertoire of Grace Williams, Mozart and Richard Strauss featuring soloists Alice Neary and Becky Jones.

Tickets start at just £9.50 and you can save up to 30% by subscribing - for more details, please call Box Office or visit our website below!

8 CARDIFF TIMES

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19/07/2022 12:25 pm

not cut out for nautical adventures but was a dream to watch. You know the type, all the gea and no idea. He had a kite surfing free-wing? This was essentially a surfboard paired with a v large kite like a hang-glider. The idea appeared to be to balance on the board whilst holding t kite above one’s head. The windy day did not help and neither did the fact that our man cou not stand up on the board for more than 5 seconds. He enjoyed more dunkings than your average witch. He looked like he was trying to pick up a garage door whilst balancing on a pl of wood on a windy lake. He failed so many times to achieve any forward motion that the sa Vince Nolan boat started circling him in a scene reminiscent of Jaws.byMy how we laughed. He is probably No, not a misspelt Quentin Tarantino film of Coincidentally, two friends were at there now up to his chin in reservoir and clenching and unclenching hiswindsurfing fists.

‘And Another Thing...’

Reservoir Gods

the 1990s, but a reference to a recent trip the their local lake. Suddenly, one of them sees a Current Mrs Nolan and I took to Llandegfedd funeral procession on the road next to where Coincidentally, twohectares friendsof were windsurfing local lake. stands Suddenly, Reservoir. This is 174 lake with café they at aretheir surfing.

He stops, on his one board,of them se water sports centre. The was lively closes his eyes, bows down prayer. stands His aand funeral procession on centre the road next to where they areandsurfing.

Heinstops, on his with canoeists, paddle boarders, windsurfers and friend seems surprised and says to his mate: board, closes his eyes, and bows down in prayer.

His friend seems surprised and says to sailing dinghy folk all showing off their expertise, “That is the most thoughtful and touching thing mate: "That the most thoughtful thing ever You truly well, apart fromis one unfortunate.

He was so and not touching I have ever seen.I have You truly are seen. a kind man.”

His are a k cut out for but was well, a dream matemarried replies: “Yeah, well, we were married for 35 man."

Hisnautical mateadventures replies: "Yeah, we were for 35 years." to watch. You know the type, all the gear and no years.” idea. He had a kite surfing free-wing? This was Keeping and thingsI were nautical, She Whothe Must Be and an iced Keeping nautical, enjoying sun essentiallythings a surfboard pairedShe withWho a veryMust large Be Obeyed Obeyed and I were enjoying the sun and an iced kite like a hang-glider.

The idea appeared to be coffee on Penarth Pier one evening after work.

I know, I spoil that woman. Well, we were tr coffee on Penarth Pier one evening after work. I to balance on the board whilst holding the kite to enjoy thehead. ambience, but it did was by the loud persistent of a small do know, I spoil that and woman.

Well, webarking were trying above one’s The windy day notbeing help spoilt to enjoy the ambience, but it was being spoilt by for the sa and neither did the fact that our man could not on the beach below. The owner was fishing, and the dog appeared to be letting rip the loud and persistent barking of a small dog on stand up on the board for more than 5 seconds. of it. After about ten minutes of this staccato I could take no walked over t theyodelling, beach below.

The owner wasmore. fishing, Iand He enjoyed more dunkings than your average the dog to befrom letting40 ripftforup thewhich sake hit the hou the railHe and unleashed a sizeable ice up cube from my appeared iced coffee witch. looked like he was trying to pick of it. After about ten minutes of this staccato a garage door whilst balancing on a plank of on the snout and shut him up instantly. Us ex scrum-halves never lose our passing accuracy. yodelling, I could take no more. I walked over to wood on a windy lake. He failed so many times course, the ice melted leaving no evidence and noand animals werea sizeable harmediceincube the from writing of this the rail unleashed to achieve any forward motion that the safety my iced coffee from 40 ft up which hit the hound anecdote.

However, hearreminiscent that Fido has developed an irrational fear of piers. boat started circling him inwe a scene on the snout and shut him up instantly. Us ex of Jaws. My how we laughed. He is probably scrum-halves never lose our passing accuracy. still there now up to his chin in reservoir and Ifclenching you were daft enough to read my scribblings lastthe month youleaving may recall, I talked about Of course, ice melted no evidence and unclenching his fists. and no animals were harmed in the writing number of incidents of us rescuingofbees. Anoth this anecdote. However, we hear that Fido has bee hitched a lift into Cardiff the other morning developed an irrational fear of piers.

miles on the rear windscreen and we just rescu If you were daft enough to read my scribblings further one from the house who didn’t want to last month you may recall, I talked about a leave.

Don’t know what is going number of incidents of us rescuing bees. on.

Another

bee hitched a lift into Cardiff the other morning.

8 miles on the rear windscreen and we just This picture is of the new oven gloves She boug rescued a further one from the house who didn’t me surprise Her generosity know wantas to aleave.

Don’t present. know what is going on.

bounds.

This picture is of the new oven gloves She bought me as a surprise present. Her generosity knows

no bounds.

Staying with cooking, I used to be like that shou chef Gordon Ramsay (55).

I cooked Staying with cooking, I used to be Whenever like that shouty chef Ramsay (55).time.

Whenever yelled andGordon shouted all the ThenI I discovered………….. oven gloves.

10 CARDIFF TIMES

away on a St. Peter’s Rugby Club bus is anybody’s pping skills and picked the little guy term originated the textile trade, wading through it, I am not sure what is happening to our heckler Fair City.

First, of itcertainly isstealing the from carnage ofcaused bike lanes taking where convicted mail at gunpoint guess but it would have a major d him back wild.hostelry No harmthe other I wasinto in the alawlocal evening, The Unwelcome Inn. The Memsahib was something wrong it is called a typo.

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Whilst being welcomed by most wrong it called a talko?

Hand Grenades For Beginners One regulars ordered wine.

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As the hecklers toiled in wrong the Stereophonics and Tom Jones carrying a ordered fractional electric charge, postulated bottle of Jennen Blank.

One assumes he meant Chenin Blanc but one may but bad news for the Cardiff under 14’s a grave error?

Between typos and autocorrect regulars wine.

He asked for a bottle ofbe off. I engaged four old-timers who were in the bar (could have been the which runs under Churchill Way. Within who was eaten by a bear?

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The concerts were then (meaty urologist, oh please yourselves). uld I have questionable morels? who will the no longer be slapping each other as tiny mistake and your whole post is urined.

Blanc but one may be wrong.

Later that evening, news and the others would butt in with constant was executed after the Supreme Court tour and free beer for the afternoon.

Fearing some kind of honey trap, they took predictions based on their existence have cancelled and we found a City centre hotel traffic cones dumped insaid it,Iforgotten.” stag nights morning. will tellboth you are again in half an hour you will have Quite one ofas the older patrons to his equally old of routines unless they given people downpoign to th The Leader of the and were sitting in oupart callfor a their deer whoIwas has lost nvincing that myhurrah! offer genuine.

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Merlot Tammy?”

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Andog instead.”

Reprising her role, However, she lends her to the New York any of his work here but I encourage you to (91).

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"Imagine that," the drunk muttered.

He never…… remember. former acting of his who told him the waitof food.

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During one particular attack he add shiny paint over it.

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

I was e.

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This avoids any possibility that a of defamatory statement might be taken asGod, referring combina@on three words.

I s@ll about a lot for business, believe it or not a Finally, a blessing for the drink: in his name.

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He opened saying.

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ritis?"

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12 CARDIFF TIMES

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CARDIFF TIMES 13

In The Words Of

by Carl Marsh

I see Monkey Pox, or is it Shingles - who knows! are still trying to reach the top of the scare league.

So, the top tip before talking about some worthwhile distractions for you is to stop reading/listening/ watching the media for a week, then see how you feel. Then go back, and witness how pathetic it is.

And laugh.

REVIEWS Aqua Park Cardiff - Cardiff Bay

Now wasn’t July a hot one? Perhaps not as deadly as the mainstream media had made out, but still, it was lovely having temperatures that befitted a summer that the UK was used to. I remember it was hotter in the 1970s and 80s, and 90s, but hey-ho, the press do like to scare us now with click-bait scare tactics! I suppose it means you don’t have to do some real journalism…

Being in the fresh air and doing some exercise on a sunny day was right up my street. In July, I took my daughter and her friend to the Aqua Park in Cardiff Bay. You don’t have to be super fit to do this, as I witnessed some people a bit on the large size, but it does help if you can hold your own. New obstacles have been added this year. It’s great fun. Perhaps the best outdoor activity I have done in years. An hour is £20 if booked online but £25 if paid on the day. So it’s an hour, but that hour feels like two hours. We all commented how thrilling it was, even though we were all worn out. Get yourselves down!

INTRO RANT What a clown world we live in. I have heard in Wales that kids aged 14 can now vote: I don’t get that. How can someone that will not have started paying household bills - which those are continuously increasing - or worked a full day yet, they can vote? At least Welsh Labour will have more voters as the kids will vote for what their parents or grandparents tell them to do. Pathetic.

20 mph speed limits are coming into play at some point in 2023. All of this net-zero nonsense has gone too far. Please don’t get me wrong; saving lives is imperative if it means someone being hit at 20 mph lives versus one at 30 mph. But, and it’s a big “BUT”, it’s like the morons in the Welsh Government think it will save the planet, even though the earth has been allegedly in danger all this time over the decades, albeit with some other catastrophe [made-up?] every few years. Driving at 20 mph will use more fuel than moving at 30 mph.

Fact. And not everyone can walk to work or use public transport. Maybe it’s Cardiff-centric [stupid] ideology for the few. Who knows?

14 CARDIFF TIMES

INTERVIEWS I’ve gone all sophisticated this month with two interviews connected to the Proms that are touring the UK’s four nations for the first time. First, I was offered time with the Director, David Pickard. I got to ask him why touring all four nations had not happened before and how he came about the Carion Wind Quintet, as my second interview is with Egīls Šēfers, who plays clarinet in the group. He lives in Latvia, where the interview was conducted, but they have an operational base in Denmark. I love all music, but often, when it comes to radio, the only one I will listen to is Classic FM. Have a great August; see you all next month, Carl Marsh Twitter - @InTheWordsOf_CM YouTube - InTheWordsOf

David Pickard is the Director of the Proms, and I had the chance to chat with him mid-tour whilst he was at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Carl Marsh This is the first time that the BBC Proms will be performed across all four nations of the UK. I’m more surprised at the fact that it’s never happened before rather than it’s happening now. So why has it taken this long, and also, why now?

David - BBC Proms Well, to put it into perspective, the first time the Proms travelled anywhere other than London was in 2017. So, in a way still, the Proms are synonymous with the Albert Hall, which has been its home the whole time. When I took the first Proms out of London that year, we went to Hull, which was the City of Culture that year. I always thought that could be the start of building more of a presence across the UK. And why now? Because I think it’s essential for all of us in terms of the Proms, and my mission is to give it its widest possible audience. And we think about that all the time as a lot of it is broadcast through television, doing some popular music; by doing relaxed concerts. But, also, we need to think geographically. Could we reach a new audience that’s not going to come to the Royal Albert Hall, but could we reach an audience in Liverpool or Cardiff or Glasgow who would like to get a little taste of the Proms because it’s just down the road? So that’s what we hoped would happen?

Carl Marsh And it certainly makes it more accessible as going to London is a big deal for anyone visiting because you can’t drive and park outside, or close by without ridiculous charges and travelling time!

every concert is broadcast live on the Radio or TV so that everybody can experience every concert this summer. But nothing beats hearing it live in the Albert Hall. Yet, it’s nice that we can do more stuff away from there, and I wish we could do more. But, of course, moving away from your home base is challenging logistically and financially, and setting up microphones and getting artists out. But I’m so pleased that we’re doing it this year.

Carl Marsh I’ve got to ask you about the Carion Wind Quintet as I’m interviewing one of them also. How did you come across them, then?

David - BBC Proms If I’m really honest, I’ll tell you what happened. A colleague who works with me on the Proms came across a YouTube clip of them. And we were thinking about different groups for these chamber concerts where you often have a pianist or violinist, a singer and a piano. And with the [Carion] Wind Quintet, we were looking; as we said, it’d be lovely to see a concert with wind quintet music because we don’t often do that. So, my colleague who’d seen the clip of these people said their energy is extraordinary. Because I don’t know if you’ve had a look at them, they don’t just play from memory but move around the stage. So our poor radio engineers will have a tough time trying to catch them! [Laughter]. They’re not going to stand still. So I think again; it’s lovely when you discover artists who feel fresh and do things differently. Not in a gimmicky way, but their movements in their field matches the music so well. So, we’d gotten in touch with them and said, “Did you want to come and do a concert?” They were delighted to do so. So it’s as simple as that. It’s the beauty of the internet. You can find people in such strange ways.

David - BBC Proms

The Proms and Carion Wind Quintet will perform in Cardiff on Monday 15th August at 1 pm at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

You can’t do that. So I think for us, for me, certainly, as

Image: by Thane Bruckland

CARDIFF TIMES 15

Egīls Šēfers - Carion Wind Quintet - BBC Proms - Cardiff 15th August As one-fifth of Carion Wind Quintet, clarinet player Egīls Šēfers - I spoke to him back home in Latvia. Carion Wind Quintet perform by only standing and moving about, have no sheet music, and only plays by memory!

Carl Marsh When I spoke to David Pickard [Head of BBC Proms] yesterday, he told me about the unusual way how he came across Carion Wind Quintet: somebody had shown him one of your YouTube videos! And that is how you came to be on the bill for the Cardiff Proms. I take it that you knew this?

Egīls Šēfers No, no, no, I didn’t. I’m listening with much curiosity. Tell me more.

Carl Marsh [I explain what David (BBC Proms) had told me in greater detail about how the powers of social media, especially YouTube, and subsequently modern technology had led to everyone discovering new music and acts].

Egīls Šēfers It used to be where we’d be looking at those YouTube videos… and it just takes so much time and energy. And we don’t do a lot of them. Because we always think that they do not materialise into anything important. People would book us usually… at least it used to be that way, as it’s the agents’ legwork. It’s word of mouth. It’s the reputations, the reviews.

It’s all the old-fashioned legwork of the industry working until you start getting some bookings. It’s never the videos, but now you’re saying we’re going to BBC Proms because of the YouTube videos. That’s news to me!

Carl Marsh And with that aside, can I ask you what’s the most challenging thing for you when you’re in Carion Wind Quintet: is it learning the music off by heart? Is it the standing and the stamina needed for the performance on the night?

The arrangement? Many things!

IMAGE: by Jānis Porietis

16 CARDIFF TIMES

Egīls Šēfers All of those things are challenging, of course. It would be much easier for us to play from sheet music because it’s so much more work to get to the level [where] you have to memorise the part and make it work together.

But I have to say the most challenging thing is actually for us to find the time together. That is the hardest part because we’re all willing to find time; we’re all willing to do this. We see the benefit. We’ve tried to scale back and see if we could make it work by playing a contemporary piece from the sheet music. But we know the difference it makes in [not using sheet music] connecting with the audience, having this impromptu freedom, picking up on each other’s cues on stage, and adjusting the improvisation and interpretation.

When we get the chamber music piece to this level, we know not only our part, we know each other’s parts intimately, and we know the score, and we liberate ourselves from that material and make that music our own. We’re not interpreting the notation anymore, we’re not thinking of the musical notation, because there’s a thing that you would call like the tyranny of the bar line, the musical notation is not perfect in its sense, you know, it does not show you all the kinds of small, intimate, small nuances that you would pick up like a jazz musician would, for example. So, once we liberate ourselves from the paper [sheet music], we start making that music come alive. And that feeling when you know it has become alive, you don’t care what’s written on the sheet music anymore.

You make it your own at that moment. You feel that you’re recreating the piece in a way where you’re not just trying to interpret whatever the composer wrote; you’re recreating it at that moment. And all the things that happened at that moment are essential: the audience’s reaction, the acoustic situation in the room, the mood your friend is in, for example, in the Carion Wind Quintet. And if they are more aggressive, I will respond more aggressively. If he’s more contemplative, then maybe I will react differently. And we never know how it is going to be. And there’s this feeling where you don’t know and create things on the spot. It’s priceless. You can never have that playing from sheet music. And that’s why we never go back.

Carion Wind Quintet will perform at the BBC Proms in Cardiff on Monday 15th August at 1 pm at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Penarth Pier Hop on the bus from the city centre to breeze down to the waterfront by Penarth Pier, open-top * from the end of July.

DAILY 2 June - 4 September, then 10,11,17 & 18 September

*

in inclement weather or for operational reasons, we may substitute a closed-top bus

FAMI LY

£5.50

up t o5 peo max ple at le 2 adult sw ast 1 child ith

this special fare applies at weekends & school holidays

FAMI LY

Barry Island route 95 DAILY

Always popular all summer long, and always hugely enjoyable, Barry Island is Cardiff’s local day out whatever your age.

normal Cardiff Bus fares apply

£8

up t o5 peo max ple at le 2 adult sw ast 1 child ith

this special fare applies at weekends & school holidays

every 15 mins to

Cardiff Bay

Hop on the Baycar on St Mary Street for a great time in Cardiff Bay. DAILY 5 June - 3 September

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27/07/2022 09:45

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08/07/2022 12:12

Meeting the Three Bears

by Sara John

It was a cold and frosty evening, a very long time ago, when I was taken to the local Church Hall to see my first Pantomime. And what a pantomime it turned out to be!

At the time I was a small, fearful child, an only child, terrified of anything that was bigger than me, and most things were.

My very small world included much to be frightened of rather than anything which might bring a smile or laughter to my life. These ‘small world’ fears included going upstairs on my own in my own home, the dark, the river, which was black, opaque and very shiny, ponds and pools, and, the woods with huge shadows.

My mother and I were shown to our seats when we arrived at the hall, and quite soon, on stage a lady in a long frock appeared with hairdresser-set-that-afternoon hair. She was heading for the piano on one side of the stage. Then, the lights dimmed. She played a tune. The music was obviously setting the scene and the mood, the right word for which I did not know at the time. It was ‘ominous’ I realised many years later.

I felt apprehensive!

Then, then! Three ENORMOUS dark brown bears walked on stage. A really big one, one a size even bigger and a very very very big one.

I screamed and people in front turned round, I started shouting “get out”, “get out”, “they will eat us, they will eat us”. I was convinced those bears had not been fed for days and were going to destroy all the members of the audience. They were roaming about at the front of the stage looking for the terrified child, ME. What was the matter with all these people, why were they being so slow to depart. Did they want to be eaten?

The lady turned round in her seat in the row in front of us, and tried her best to quieten me and prevent further disruption. It did not work. My mother, covered with embarrassment, gathered me up to take me home. She put me down outside on the stone path, wrapped me up warm and snug and pointed to the large poster in its glass case on the stone wall.

I was too young to read all the writing BUT I did not miss the picture of three huge brown bears starring in the Christmas pantomime as, “Goldilocks and the Three Bears”. I was so glad to extra hurry along home with my mother. I was safe at last.

If the audience, including the Vicar, Mrs Vicar and the Curate who was with his fiancé (I had no idea what that was) along with the rest of the audience, decided to stay and be eaten they would miss Christmas.

In response to my overreaction to three very large bears on the loose, (had they come down from the mountains?) I wondered, if, I should plan to run away? Ever since then I have carried with me a frisson of fear when going to a theatre, having always felt safer in the pictures, nowadays known as the cinema. Bear free for me, so far.

If I did run away I would miss the things that I was not afraid of; namely, meeting cats of all sizes, shapes and colours in the garden or street and quickly attempting to capture them for a quick cuddle before my mother would spot me and ask, “how many

20 CARDIFF TIMES

Out shopping with my mother, she frequently became caught up with a neighbour which would lead to an even longer conversation. The neighbour would use the magic words to my mother, “Never!!!!!. I do not believe it. Oh! That is terrible, you must tell me more!”

This delay might give me enough time to slip out of the harness of my pushchair so I could go to pat Mr Frost’s pony who helped him deliver fruit and vegetables around the houses. He appeared to me to be about 108, Mr Frost that is, not the pony. The cart may now be in St Fagan’s. Or maybe it had come from St.Fagans in the first place.

Something else that I might have to forego should I run away, would be visits to the box room in my maternal grandmother’s house.

times do I have to tell you?” I could not answer her, I wondered why she wanted to know “how many?”

Was there a rationing allowance as with everything else you could think of? Anyway I could not count very far. It was easier to release said struggling Puss cat who was, in meow speak, demanding, “Put me down NOW!”.

I never saw a box, only brown paper parcels tied with string. All cardboard boxes had been commandeered during the War, so I had been told, “because of the Germans” my grandmother would add. Why did the Germans want so many boxes? They already had sealing wax, jars of blue ink, pieces of string longer than ten inches, carbon paper and lots of story books printed on what felt like blotting paper, other countries’ oranges, bananas, sweets, chocolate, eggs, (real eggs I suppose, not ones pounded into egg powder) brown paper and writing paper. Enough stuff you would think. Why could they not share like I was told to do.

CARDIFF TIMES 21

I would be allowed, as I grew older, to sit on the floor in the box room and, with scrubbed clean hands as if I was about to perform open heart surgery, to look at the beautiful illustrations in the two very heavy family bibles. The first from Grandfather’s first wife’s family, the other from the family of his second wife.

Bound in Black leather, complete with two enormous brass clasps on each, meant, I presumed, to keep small personages well away from the treasures within.

There were many full-size illustrations inside showing people with strange names such as Martha, Job, Ezekiel, Zachariah and Salome all dressed, I thought at the time, in curtains, without awkward buttons or buckles.

Even as a child I was keen to follow this as a ‘way of life’. Sitting on the floor, studying picture books like these, and wearing very generous lengths of fabric held together with even more generous sashes, like the people illustrated. Maybe even playing a small harp. Surrounded by cats.

My father explained to me that when I grew up I could do all of these things, but, in the meantime I 22 CARDIFF TIMES

had to attend Mrs Jones’ Class at the local school with similar sized four year olds. “Going to school would mean”, he added, “that you could make choices about all sorts of very interesting things to do when you were grown up.

Visiting my other (paternal) grandparents also held treats in store. At the foot of the stairs in their house was a very large framed print of ‘Famous Welsh American Authors and Poets (from 1865). Each had a small photograph showing all the different gentlemen with assorted styles of facial hair and a number. From the number you could match the legend and identify who was who. Well, you could if you could both read (which by then I could - more or less) and reach.

When the grown-ups were busy talking I used to drag a wooden chair to stand on to see better. At the time I thought the gentlemen were all different sorts of Father Christmasses.

But, there was more. Another treat. In the back bedroom, another box room with no boxes, there was a black, glass fronted case about two foot square and one foot deep. It was an important family treasure that had been brought to the Rhondda from Pembrokeshire in the 1880s or, maybe earlier.

It did not contain some poor stuffed birds which had been a very popular ornament in Victorian times ( not of course with the birds themselves, or for that matter with their relatives).

The history of this case has taken decades to ascertain. I understand from elderly relatives that Mam-gu’s grandfather was a farmer, a butcher and a vet. His name was Stuart Morris. His family’s house is described in ‘Houses of Pembrokeshire’. When he married he bought Blaencwm, a farm not that far from Crymych. It would appear that he continued to undertake three jobs, which is still the case today for some residents in that beautiful county.

Somewhere around the 1860s, he was called out to help a very important, pedigree and, very pregnant cow to deliver her calf safely. This was successful eventually. Mother and calf survived.

There was rejoicing and drinking. It was dark and very late and G-G-Granddad Morris had his faithful companion with him, his mountain pony. We may assume that he needed help to mount and get on his way home. However he had not travelled very far, when a cry went up. It was found that G.G.G-Father Morris had fallen off his pony, somehow managed to climb back on but had passed out on the pony’s back. The pony knew well the way home but G.G.G.Morris was found to be dead on arrival.

All these incidents were part of my early exposure to tales, stories, memories, dramas, and events and so on that built up into my adult existence. It continues now with me writing, telling tales, remembering highs and lows, performing on stage, speaking at events when invited, as opposed to talking a lot!

Planning more articles, working in broadcasting, working abroad, writing and publishing books.

Looking back at another age, it is clear to me that since avoiding being eaten alive by wild bears at a Church pantomime, many of these worries and fears have remained with me but I have overcome them by a busy lifetime of activities.

Keep this to yourself, but discovering gentle, lovable and amusing Rupert Bear helped me overcome my fears of “the you know who’s”. ************* Look out for Part Two next month about, what came next?

The connection with the glass case is difficult to fathom. The scraps of information are as follows.

The case held a doll belonging to a child who had died and was sadly missed. After her death the child’s hair was cut and used as a wig on the doll.

When I was shown this family treasure my hair had turned silvery grey. The lovely dress the doll was wearing was fashionable in the late 1830s. All around the doll small toys had been placed, including wooden soldiers about four inches tall. According to family legend, the little toys had been made by the French soldiers during their imprisonment after their failed invasion landing near Fishguard. Many of them settled in the area after they were released. They never returned to France.

This doll in its glass case surrounded by small toys, shells, pretty small stones and glass beads was a “gift” from close friends, to the Morris family and it was to be handed on to the eldest daughter of each generation, as a means of saying ‘Thank You’ for a Good Deed. It was put away in my grandmother’s house because her eldest daughter had said, “No! No! Thank you, but it is too creepy for me.

CARDIFF TIMES 23

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Reiki Healing

Japanese healing technique Reiki has been used for almost a century to help with a wide variety of physical and psychological issues

by Lisa Pryce-Jones

Reiki in small groups. The Reiki 1 course enables you to give yourself Reiki and to also help your friends and family. Some courses are taught jointly with David Muzzlewhite. Lisa and David are both very experienced healers and became Reiki Master Teachers in 2019 when they trained in Japan.

During the training they visited the birthplace of Reiki (Mount Kurama), palaces, shrines, ancient Zen gardens, learned how to write the Reiki symbols in a calligraphy class and travelled to Tokyo, passing Mount Fuji, to pay respects at Dr Usui’s resting place.

Reiki is a healing technique (also called energy healing) where the therapist can channel universal energy to the recipient which activates the body’s natural healing processes, balances the energy body which then impacts positively upon the physical body.

It works on the physical, mental and emotional level at the same time. Most clients describe their session as being extremely relaxing, peaceful and feel energised following it.

Reiki was founded nearly 100 years ago by Dr Mikao Usui in Japan. It is not based upon any belief or faith and is offered all over the world. It is a non-invasive complementary therapy that works alongside conventional medicine and can be used safely by people of all ages, including pregnant mothers, new-born babies, surgical patients, the frail, the elderly and in fact in any situation.

Healing can either be done by touching non-sensitive parts of the body or distantly (sending the healing from a distance) which is just as effective.

In addition to offering one to one Reiki healing sessions at her Newport practice Lisa also teaches

26 CARDIFF TIMES

Many hospitals and hospices offer Reiki too. Lisa and David are both trained to work in hospital and care settings and with permission of the surgeon can offer healing pre, during and post-surgery too.

To find out more about how Reiki could help you just get in touch now to arrange your free telephone consultation.

Lisa Pryce-Jones Hypnotherapy & Healing www.hypnotherapyandhealing.co.uk Lisapryce-jones@outlook.com 07427 451992

LEARN THE GAME OF BRIDGE AT CARDIFF BRIDGE CLUB

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

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

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

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

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

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

To find out more, book onto our free Bridge “taster” Session to be held at Cardiff Bridge Club on Wednesday 14th September 2022 at 14:00hrs. Or just book-up for the first or second terms (each 10 weeks) starting on Wednesday 21st September 2022 13:30-15:30hrs and 16:0018:00hrs respectively.

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

Penylan Bowling & Cardiff Bridge Club, Marlborough Road, Cardiff CF23 5BU CARDIFF TIMES 27

Take advantage of ALL our Welsh routes this summer, whether that’s helping you get to work on time, or heading to the beach with the kids!

Some of our city and beach Cardiff routes are available - scan he below QR code for more!

Fashion Done Your Own Way

by Molly Dutton

It’s halfway through 2022 and yet it somehow feels as though there are more new beginnings now than ever before. As a newly labelled ‘city girl’, I have recently had the exciting adventure of my first ever moving day (that is without the help of Mum and Dad), and I now understand why everyone feels the need to get a takeaway the night of the big move.

After living in my lovely skyrise flat for the last year, it was time to enter the world of houses and landlords, and it has all been very exciting. Whilst I thoroughly miss my little room in my flat, and the idea that I won’t get to have that first ever “living away from home” moment again, my house is quite literally the best place ever (even if I’m biased). Now, without meaning to boast, I think myself and my friends have rather great interior design qualities, but none of my room interiors would have been possible without a little bit of inspiration from external sources; many of which I have explored with you all before. It can be very difficult to turn a blank canvas into a home but when done in the right way, your home can be a reflection of your personality and character, a thought which makes me very happy.

I am no stranger to a bit of room decorating, especially after the excitement of getting to completely transform my old room. However this time, the whole experience felt very different. Suddenly, I had this square room with vintage furniture and cream walls and it all started to feel very real; I had the power to do whatever I wanted with my own space.

The thought of completely transforming a room can be very overwhelming, which is why I think it’s always best to section off areas that you can focus on individually. For example, I began by rearranging my bed area and planning how to use the plain walls around the bed for a bit of decoration. Lights are always a wonderful way to accentuate a room and,

despite the LED trend that took over social media platforms like TikTok, I feel that none have ever come close to the beloved fairy lights. Now, you know me, I don’t like to blend in too much, so for my choice of fairy lights, I picked up some rose-styled ones from IKEA that still emitted that calming yellow toned light that sends many people off to sleep. The second decorative technique that I used on my bedside table was the art of the fake plant. Sadly, I have a bad track record when it comes to keeping plants (ironic considering I work in a Garden Centre) so when I came across some potted plants from IKEA my heart was racing. If you’re ever in doubt about how to add a bit more to your plants, the IKEA skurar plant pots are ideal, and they double up as a makeup brush holder.

The next area I put my attention towards was the gorgeous antique desk that our landlady very kindly put in my room.

Statement pieces like this very rarely need too much decoration, although I have too many things to have just left it as it was. If you have a key piece of furniture in your space, the aim should be to compliment it rather than drown it out with too many additions. Lanterns are your best friend when it comes to a more vintage aesthetic. As the legs of the desk were made from black metal, I found a black metal lantern which I filled with fairy lights for some ambient lighting. To add some more texture and a bit more of a natural feel to the decor, I chose some more fake plants (in case you haven’t guessed already, they work wonders), but instead opted for grey stone plant pots, so as not to brighten the corner too much.

After a recent search on Pinterest (the source of all my good ideas), I saw that a lot of people have been using clothing rails recently to display all of their favourite or most

30 CARDIFF TIMES

worn pieces. I have mixed opinions on the use of them, as, sometimes I feel that they can be too bulky to compliment the room. Nevertheless, if you don’t try, you’ll never know, so I was very kindly given one by my lovely nan just to see if it could work. One thing to remember with clothing rails is that you need quite a bit of space to be able to use one in your room without filling it too much. Also, to avoid it looking unorganised, I would suggest carefully picking out the items that you wish to have on the rail as this can be a huge factor in how the final result looks. I decided that this time round I would go for the autumn colours and items as that is the time of year that I will be properly using my room and I will be using those outfits more during the September to November time frame. From my research, a lot of people chose to hang bags and accessories on the rail, which when presented well, looked fabulous!

scents and packaging options. The first thing to do is to decide which scent you feel matches the space, and then go from there. I have matched sweet scents like vanilla and honey to my room, whereas I used to be more fond of the floral fragrances. A candle can elevate the vibes of any room, especially when chosen carefully!

Go and grab your trolleys and have a good old homeware hall, and don’t forget your IKEA meatballs!

A final note for all budding interior designers is that smaller items hold just as much importance as larger ones. Candles, pots, books and clocks have the power to really influence the aesthetic of a room, sometimes even more so than the furniture. Bath and Body Works have always been the perfect company for providing the biggest range of specific

CARDIFF TIMES 31

WELSH DIVING

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

bubbles illustration: @upklyak/freepik

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

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

museum.wales

amgueddfa.cymru

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Ar agor dydd Iau cyntaf bob mis tan 9yh EXTRA TIME...

Open month Ar agorfirst dyddThursday Iau cyntaf of bobevery mis tan 9yh until 9pm Open first Thursday of every month until 9pm Amgueddfa Genedlaethol Caerdydd National Museum Cardiff

THE PUMPING STATION

ANTIQUES & INTERIORS

With more than 35 different traders under one roof it is easy to while away an entire afternoon at this welcoming destination - you can even enjoy a coffee at the onsite coffee shop.

Here at The Pumping Station you will find so many wonderful examples of clothing, jewellery, antiques, furniture and home furnishings from the Victorian era right through to modern day, there really is something here for everyone.

info@thepumpingstation-cardiff.co.uk

02920 221 085

Monday to Sunday 10:00am - 5:00pm Penarth Road, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF11 8TT

CARDIFF TIMES 33

Johnny Owen - The Merthy Matchstick Part One

by Ralph Oates

Johnny Owen was born on the 7th of January 1956 in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales; the same town which gave boxing world-class fighters like Howard Winstone and Eddie Thomas. Owen looked set to continue the proud boxing tradition. After having an excellent amateur career Owen eventually turned professional under the management of Dai Gardiner. Owen didn’t look at first sight to be a person who would be associated with a sport like boxing. However, looks can often be deceiving as we all know. What wasn’t deceiving was his boxing skills which suggested that he was fated to reach the very heights in the sport in the fullness of time. His thin frame led to his nickname The Merthy Matchstick.

The Welshman had his first paid bout on the 30th of September 1976 at the Sports Centre in Pontypool. His opponent George Sutton had a decent resume having taken part in 6 bouts; winning 5 and losing 1. Owen gave a competent performance to register his victory outpointing Sutton over 8 rounds. This was an encouraging start for the man from Merthyr. Owen was back out on the 9th of November 1976 whereupon he met Neil McLaughlin at the Templemore Sports Complex in Londonderry, Northern Ireland. McLaughlin came with a record of 3 bouts; winning 1 and losing 2. A win was expected for Owen but at the end of the 8 round encounter, a draw was given.

A little disappointing perhaps for the Welsh boxer but it was early days yet and he was still learning the game as a professional. Owen returned to the ring on the 23rd of November 1976 boxing at the Rhondda Leisure Centre in Ystrad. The fighter in the opposite corner being Ian Murray who had a resume of 9 bouts; consisting of 6 wins and 3 defeats. Owen scored his first inside the distance victory when he stopped Murray in the 7th stanza of 8. The Welshman was once again in action this time on the 28th of January 1977 at the Gala Baths, West Bromwich where he met a former opponent Neil McLaughlin who in their first encounter had held him to an 8 round draw. This time Owen romped home to victory over the duration of 8 rounds with a solid points victory. Then on the 15th of February 1977 the pair met for a third time at the Sports Centre in Merthyr Tydfil whereupon Owen repeated his previous win over McLaughlin with an 8 round points decision.

On the 29th of March 1977 at the Leisure Centre in Ebbw Vale stepped into the arena to contest the vacant Welsh

34 CARDIFF TIMES

bantamweight title. His opponent being George Sutton, a fighter whom he had defeated in his first professional debut in 1976. An Owen win was expected, and the Welshman did not disappoint; he added the championship to his name by outpointing his opponent over 10 rounds. The situation for Owen was looking good, he was very near having a crack at the British title. On saying that the Welshman could not relax, he knew that every contest presented a risk and a defeat could well blight any ambitions that he may have to go for the domestic crown. On the 25th of April 1977 he met the very experienced ring operation John Kellie from Scotland.

The Scot had met a number of top fighters and while it would be true to say that perhaps his best days were behind him he was still a dangerous foe who could not be taken lightly.

The fighting Scot was still ambitious and a win for him would breathe new life into his career. The pair met at the St. Andrews SC Albany Hotel in Glasgow, in a bout scheduled for 10. Owen ended the contest with a stoppage in round 6.

This was a pleasing performance against a fighter who had a resume of 32 bouts; winning 18, losing 12 and drawing 2.

Everything was looking good for Owen, his boxing ability was making him a man who looked more than capable of winning the British bantamweight title when the opportunity was presented to him.

The next bout for Owen did not look to be too taxing, he was facing Terry Hanna who was making his professional debut.

The contest took place at the Leisure Centre in Ebbw Vale on the 16th of June 1977 and while he made a valiant effort Hanna was stopped in the 4th round of 8. Familiar opponent George Sutton was the next to stand in front of Owen in a contest which took place on the 21st of September 1977, the venue being the Midland Sporting Club, the Civic Hall, Solihull. Sutton now had a resume of 10 fights; consisting of 6 wins and 4 defeats. The two fighters had met twice before with Owen winning each one of their respective bouts. No one expected a different result on this occasion and true to form Owen won a decision on points over the duration of 8 rounds. At that moment in time the WBA world bantamweight champion was Alfonso Zamora of Mexico, the WBC king was Carlos Zarate also of Mexico. While it was true to say Owen was not yet ready to take on these fighters at the moment, he was keenly moving close towards them such was his progress. In his next bout on the 29th of November 1977 Owen challenged Ireland’s Paddy Maguire for the British bantamweight title. Maguire had a slate of 34 fights with 26 wins, 7 defeats and 1 draw. Maguire was the most difficult opponent to date for Owen and would not be an easy man to topple. The bout which was held at the National Sporting Club at the Café Royal, Piccadilly in London provided the spectators with an exciting night of boxing. The bout was scheduled for the duration of 15 rounds but ended when the fight was stopped in the 11th stanza with Maguire having a badly cut right eye. Owen was the new British title holder and still undefeated in 10 fights with 9 wins and 1 draw. On the

23rd of January 1978 the newly crowned champion entered the ring at the Afan Lido in Port Talbot in a scheduled 10 round contest. The opposition facing Owen was Alan Oag who came with a record of 15 fights; winning 4, losing 10 with 1 drawn. The fight was all over in the 8th stanza when Oag was stopped by Owen. It was Mexico’s Antonio Medina Rodriguez’s turn to face the Welshman. Medina had a resume of 22 fights; winning 9, losing 11 with 2 drawn. The pair met on the 27th of February 1978 at the Marton Country Club in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. It wasn’t likely that Medina would halt the progress of Owen and so it proved when the home fighter won an 8 round point’s decision.

Owen made the first defence of his British bantamweight title on the 6th of April 1978 at the Leisure Centre in Ebbw Vale. The challenger was Wayne Evans who entered the ring undefeated in 11 bouts. Owen, while being the firm favourite to retain his title, had to be cautious since Evans did represent a danger to his reign. The big win of note for Evans was his 1 round victory over the then British fly-weight king John McCluskey on the 4th of December 1975. The fight was all over in the 10th of a 15 round contest when Owen kept his crown by way of a stoppage. On the 12th of June 1978 Owen con-tinued his march in an upwards direction in the rankings when he outpointed Dave Smith over 8 rounds at the National Sporting Club the Café Royal, Piccadilly in London. Smith was an opponent who had a slate of 12 fights; winning 9, losing 2 and drawing 1. Smith was a competent opponent but nowhere near world-class, but the fight was good for the Welshman since it kept him active.

The Double Diamond Club in Caerphilly was next on the agenda for Owen on the 29th of June 1978. The man who was to confront Owen was Davey Larmour, who with a record of 4 fights with 2 wins and 2 defeats was clearly not going to shock and defeat Owen and indeed was stopped in the 7th stanza of 10 by the Welshman. (Larmour later went on to win the British bantamweight crown outpointing the then holder Hugh Russell over 10 rounds on the 2 March 1983).

It was time to go to work again and the next man to test Owen was Wally Angliss who with a record of 20 fights; winning 8, losing 10 with 2 drawn. He was not going to be a risky opponent for the British bantamweight champion. On the 25th of September 1978 at the National Sporting Club at the Café Royal, Piccadilly in London Owen put on a show and added to his win column when he stopped Angliss in the 3rd round of 10. On the 2nd of November 1978 it was time for Owen to step up a level and hence meet his most experienced opponent to date. The boxer who would be coming out of the other corner was Australian Paul Ferreri, the former Commonwealth bantamweight king. He came with an impressive record of 70 bouts; winning 59, losing 6 and drawing 5. The Australian visitor had fought a number of top-class oppositions, so Owen would hold no fears for him.

On the 28th of August 1976 Ferreri travelled to the USA, the venue being the Forum in Inglewood, California whereupon he challenged Mexican holder Carlos Zarate for the WBC world bantamweight crown. Ferreri fought his hardest but failed in his bid when stopped in round 12 of 15.

At the Leisure Centre in Ebbw Vale, Owen and Ferreri squared off for the vacant Commonwealth bantamweight

crown. While Owen was a confident tip to win and thus add the championship to his British title there was an element of risk attached to the fight. It was always possible that Ferreri would be a little too ring-wise for the Welshman to know tricks that Owen had yet to learn. However, Owen once again confirmed that he was ready to move into the top division when he outpointed Ferreri over 15 rounds. This was an excellent victory for Owen whose career continued to grow at a good pace.

Many Britons venture to Spain for their holidays to catch the good weather and have a good time in an attempt to get away from the everyday stress that life often throws at them. On the 3rd of March 1979 Owen also went to Spain the location being the Plaza de Toros de Almeria, Andalucia.

However, it wasn’t for a holiday it was for business the boxing business. The British and Commonwealth champion was to challenge Juan Francisco Rodriguez for the European bantamweight title. Rodriguez had fought on 14 occasions; winning 11, losing 2 with 1 drawn. Rodriguez had challenged for the WBC world bantamweight title on the 2nd of December 1977 against the reigning titleholder Carlos Zarate in Spain but was halted in round 5 of 15. The Spanish fighter went on to capture the European crown on the 16th of September 1978 outpointing holder Franco Zurlo over 15 rounds. Rodriguez was not a walkover but looked beatable, well within the range of Owen. However, there was a question mark hanging over the fight with regards to the Welshman getting the decision. It is always difficult beating a champion on home ground. Often the challenger must either get a stoppage win or clearly outpoint his opponent to obtain the victory. On the night the fight went the full distance of 15 rounds. To many neutral observers Owen did more than enough to win the title from Rodriguez. Yet it was not to be and the decision went to the champion. To say this wasn’t a setback would be a foolish statement since it was, it hindered the Welshman’s progress to a certain degree.

On the bright side when considering that the decision was not well received by the followers of boxing the reputation of Owens was not tarnished in any way he was still regarded as a major player in the division. He just had to put some more wins together to edge upwards in the world rankings and if possible get a return bout with Rodriguez.

PART TWO TO FOLLOW IN NEXT MONTH’S MAGAZINE

Walter Bartleman presents award to Johnny Owen.

Image by Derek Rowe.

CARDIFF TIMES 35

Viney Hearing Care

How do you clean your ears?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Viney Hearing Care is now the first hearing centre in Swansea to Thursday 29th September offer Micro-Suction, the SAFEST way to remove wax. No more ear FREE lifetime Normal cost £55 syringing necessary, there is no aftercare service Call today as there are longer any need to pump water into limited spaces Micro-Suction wax the ear to remove wax. It is performed removal. The safest under direct vision using a microscope way to remove wax using gentle suction and instruments to clean the ears. The ear canal is narrow and curved and can become blocked with: wax, skin, debris from infection and Service, repair and foreign objects. This can cause your hearing to become dull and the quickest relief is calibration of ANY microsuction. If you are having problems and dull hearing, itchy ears, blocked feeling, it hearing aid could be wax blocking your ear canals.

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

Video Otoscopy We will use a fibre optic camera to view and assess the condition of the fibre optic camera ear canal and ear drum. If we find that the ears are blocked with wax, to show the microsuction is the safest way to remove it. condition of the ear Speech Analysis - testing how well your hearing aids allow you to hear speech

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CARDIFF TIMES 37

Cardiff’s Cardiff’s Centenary Centenary Club Club

by Ashley Lovell

We plan to pay homage over the coming months to some of the most prestigious and established organisations across Wales who’ve achieved the honour of reaching their centenary year. We begin this month with one of the few companies based here in Cardiff with the accolade of having served our community for the past 200 years; this being the esteemed memorial stonemasonry company, Mossfords.

“Our mission “Ouratmission Mossfords at Mossfords has always hasbeen always to achieve been to achieve nothing short nothing of excellence, short of excellence, but we achieve but wethis achieve by paying this by paying meticulous meticulous attention attention to three main to three areas. main Firstly, areas. weFirstly, carry we carry out our business with honesty, professionalism. out our business with integrity honesty,and integrity and professionalism.

Secondly,Secondly, we genuinely care about ourabout clients and aim and aim we genuinely care our clients to give them the them best service finally, wefinally, are 100% to give the bestand service and we are 100% committed to supporting and serving local our communities.” committed to supporting andour serving local communities.”

Mossfords’ story began in 1821 and first came to Cardiff shortly after Cathays Cemetery opened, with a branch on Fairoak Road, Cathays that is still there today. This was followed by a branch containing their memorial masonry facilities on Cowbridge Road West near Culverhouse Cross and as the business expanded across South Wales, a branch in Cwmbran.

It is this kind trust loyalty which meant Mossfords It is of this kindand of trust and loyalty which meant Mossfords MemorialMemorial Masons were trusted commissioned

by The by The Masons wereand trusted and commissioned Aberfan Memorial Charity toCharity entirelytoreplace original Aberfan Memorial entirelythe replace the original weathered memorials with replica memorials all carvedall carved weathered memorials with replica memorials from elegant White granite. were alsowere entrusted fromPearl elegant Pearl White They granite.

They also entrusted to restoretothe Memorial Garden inGarden the centre of centre Aberfan, restore the Memorial in the of Aberfan, for family,for friends visitors have atoquiet forspace for family,and friends andtovisitors havespace a quiet cherishedcherished momentsmoments of reflection which Mossfords brought brought of refl ection which Mossfords back to itsback original with a thorough refurbishment. to itselegance original elegance with a thorough refurbishment.

This involved high specification cleaning replacingreplacing This ainvolved a high specifi cation process, cleaning process, the failingthe stone walls andwalls replacing the garden failing stone and replacing thefurniture garden furniture with highly durable quality replacements.

Their work with highlyfine durable fine quality replacements.

Their work continuescontinues to this day maintaining the sites and ensuring toby this day by maintaining the sites and ensuring the memorials remain fittingly eternally preserved. the memorials remainand fittingly and eternally preserved.

As well as being one of Wales’ handful of companies to have reached a double centenary, Mossfords are also the oldest monumental stonemasonry business in the country. Their presence and long-standing reputation in our city continues to reign supreme having recently won the accolade of Family Business of the Year at the Cardiff Business Awards.

Amongst Mossfords’ dedicated team are sixty monumental masonry experts. Each day they skilfully blend age-old traditional methods and true craftsmanship with new innovative techniques and modern machinery to help the people of Cardiff and South Wales honour the lives of our loved ones, just as they did over two centuries ago.

The company started life with their founder Thomas Mossford, a farmer’s son, born in Cheshire in 1800. A descendent of Russian immigrants and devout family man with six children, he learned his trade in stonemasonry carving inscriptions to supplement the family’s low income from working the land. He taught his craft to his son William, who went on to continue the family business when Thomas Mossford died aged 83. William and his son Fredrick Thomas Mossford then went on to create FT Mossford with its established workshops on Gelligaer Lane behind Whitchurch Road.

Mossfords’ Chief Executive Simon Morgan strives to ensure their range of exquisitely crafted bespoke memorial plaques, headstones and monuments achieve the best of both worlds.

That being to capture and preserve the traditional skills of their skilled stonemasonry as well as adapt and evolve the business through cutting edge technologies and innovation.

Simon Morgan explains the secret to Mossfords’ success, “We’re so proud to have achieved our double centenary in 2021. To continue to serve the community we’ve been embedded in for so long has been a tremendous privilege.

It is possibly the most sacred possession anyone can have, to bestow their trust in an organisation with their loved ones memory and it’s an honour we don’t take lightly.”

38 CARDIFF TIMES

Simon Morgan “The Aberfan Garden Garden Simoncontinues, Morgan continues, “TheMemorial Aberfan Memorial and the Aberfan CemeteryCemetery is very close and theDisaster Aberfan Memorial Disaster Memorial is very close to our heart andheart is possibly finest hour as every to our and is Mossfords’ possibly Mossfords’ finest hour as every stonemason put their heart andheart soul and into itsoul as a mark stonemason put their into it asofa mark of respect torespect all those lost their lives.their Welives. also made themade the to who all those who lost We also bespoke bespoke stone markers the trees planted Her Majesty stone for markers for the treesby planted

by Her Majesty The Queen 2010 which replaced the previous wooden wooden TheinQueen in 2010 which replaced the previous plaques that had weathered over timeover and time for HRH plaques that had weathered and The for HRH The Prince of Prince Wales of in Wales 2016.” in 2016.”

Restoration work of heritage is pieces a speciality Mossfords Restoration work of pieces heritage is a speciality Mossfords proudly carry out.carry The out. soldier statue onstatue the war proudly The soldier onmemorial the war memorial in Toedyrhiw required arequired new carved after rifl being in Toedyrhiw a newmarble carvedrifle marble e after being vandalised.

With nothing of theleft rifleoftothe berifl guided it vandalised.

Withleft nothing e to beby,guided by, it took a Mossfords master sculptor be abletotoberecreate took a Mossfords masterto sculptor able to such recreate such intricacy for the replacement piece in matching marble. After intricacy for the replacement piece in matching marble. After meticulously researching a replica a Royal Enfield meticulously researching replica Royalrifle, Enfithis eld rifle, this gave theirgave craftsman all they needed sculpt a piece their craftsman all theytoneeded tonew sculpt a new piece from theirfrom finest marble continues to stand proud in all their finestwhich marble which continues to stand proud in all its formerits elegance to this day. former elegance to this day.

Depending on location, are often are ableoften to arrange Depending on Mossfords location, Mossfords able to arrange a home visit to discuss needs. can contact on them on a home visit toyour discuss yourYou needs.

You canthem contact 0800 0930800 8377093 or email info@mossfords.com.

8377 on or email on info@mossfords.com.

We at The Cardiff Times salute Mossfords for their devoted We at The Cardiff Times salute Mossfords for their devoted service toservice our community over the past years.

A years. A to our community over 200 the past 200 companycompany that is so that entrenched across our day toour day lives is so entrenched across day to day lives and entrusted to our loved ones without necessarily and entrusted to our loved onesuswithout us necessarily knowing much about how they how came to be.

If you would likewould like knowing much about they came to be.

If you to suggest company to be recognised within ourwithin prestigious toasuggest a company to be recognised our prestigious advertorial Centenary Club, be this Cardiff based or based based or in based in advertorial Centenary Club, be this Cardiff Wales, please email ashley.lovell28@outlook.com Wales, please email ashley.lovell28@outlook.com

hieve y paying we carry m. ssionalism. d aim 00% .” mmunities.”

sfords d by The riginal arved dentrusted berfan, ce for brought . bishment. ng s, replacing rniture ir work ensuring rved.

Garden ery close as every ark of made the y Majesty er wooden H The

ds Mossfords memorial ter being ded by, it ch create such er arble.

After ifle, this ew piece all proud in all

e to arrange on them on act

r devoted . A day lives sarily ewould like us prestigious in based in or m

CARDIFF TIMES 39

Parkinson’s UK is the operating name of the Parkinson’s Disease Society of the United Kingdom. A charity registered in England and Wales (258197) and in Scotland (SC037554). © Parkinson’s UK 02/22 (CS3761) Created in RightMarket - 6/5/2022 - 13:09:43

Walk for Parkinson’s Cardiff, Bute Park 24, September, 2022

events.parkinsons.org.uk/ walkcardiff 0800 138 6593

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40 CARDIFF TIMES

Step out for Parkinson’s UK The money raised will help fund Parkinson’s UK’s vital work, which aims to transform the lives of people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones. In the UK, there are around 145,000 people already living with Parkinson’s, including an estimated 7,600 in Wales

beautifully landscaped gardens and rich parkland. All you need to do is decide to walk 1 mile or 5.5 miles.

Ann Rowe, Head of Regional Fundraising at Parkinson’s UK, said: “Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and currently there is no cure. Current treatments aren’t good enough, and people can experience distressing side effects from their medication. Parkinson’s UK is leading the way towards research breakthroughs, but we need your support. Together, we can take strides towards finding a cure.”

“Parkinson’s is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world and currently there is no cure.

Current treatments aren’t good enough, and people can experience distressing side effects from their medication. Parkinson’s UK is leading the way towards research breakthroughs, but we need your support. Together, we can take strides towards finding a cure.

Siân Lloyd, TV broadcaster and Parkinson’s UK supporter, is calling on people in Cardiff to sign up to Walk for Parkinson’s. Siân’s mum passed away in 2019 after living with Parkinson’s for ten years.

She said: “My mum’s experience of Parkinson’s has inspired me to support Parkinson’s UK’svital work to ensure that we find new and better treatments for the condition. Walk for Parkinson’s is a fantastic way for us to come together and help make this a reality. By simply walking, we can transform the lives of people with Parkinson’s and their loved ones. Every step you take gets us closer to a cure .”

Walk for Parkinson’s Cardiff starts and finishes within the historical walls of Cardiff Castle. Entering Bute Park through the castle’s north gate, the route meanders through

CARDIFF TIMES 41

Forever Flowers

by Natalie McCulloch

Some of you may remember the Forever Flowers campaign article which CT covered in April which is run

by City Hospice and provides an opportunity for our community to celebrate and remember the lives of lost ones.

One local lady who is keen to support City Hospice, is 27-year-old palliative care patient Amy-Claire Davies, she tells us why purchasing a forever flower is so important to help City Hospice continue to do the incredible work they do every day!

Well, a few months on (and much hard work from the City Hospice team!) it’s now time for a final push to make this year’s campaign the biggest and best ever yet! Having recently won the Wales Business Awards 2022 for best CSR campaign of the year for Forever Flowers 2021 it’s clear to see why this is a campaign worth every bit of support!

Amy-Claire Davies has an incurable degenerative disease and has been under the care of City Hospice for nearly 8 years since she was just 19 years old.

If you have yet to purchase your own sunflower, or perhaps yet to become aware of this fabulous campaign, don’t despair! There is still time to get yourself one of these incredible limited edition metal sunflowers and support your local City Hospice. You have until Thursday 28th July to get your very own stunning sunflower ready for the flower to appear in the display!

42 CARDIFF TIMES

She states: “The most important thing City Hospice does is to help me live a good life, as much as possible, for as long as possible. My life may not look like most 27-year-olds, but the care and support of City Hospice has helped me to shape a full and happy life.”

Despite chronic pain and daily symptoms including fatigue, nausea and seizures, Amy-Claire is supported to enjoy a variety of hobbies such as frequenting Costa coffee shops and walking the dog, alongside being a passionate volunteer disability activist. She recently shared her experience as a palliative care patient at the official launch of Forever Flowers at the Senedd.

Amy-Claire states “So much of what City Hospice does is clinical care, but they also offer other types of excellent practical support such as counselling, accessing complementary therapies and navigating the complex maze that is the benefits system. One of the most valuable parts of hospice care is emotional support; hospice care is so often about knowing you’re not alone on this journey. I’d like to thank City Hospice for making my journey such a truly wonderful one and I hope we will have many more years of travelling together.”

City hospice helps people like Amy and her family and many other people 365 days a year to ensure they receive the additional support they need during what can be a very difficult time. City Hospice receive around 1200 referrals per annum and look after over 550 patients at any one time, so it goes without saying that every bit of support they can receive, as an organisation, is welcomed warmly!

Amy illustrates the impact of this support beautifully by voicing “Of course, one day my hospice will care for me when I die. We’ve had many difficult conversations about the end of my life and what I want that to look like. Whilst these conversations are never easy, they are filled with far more humour and love than many people would imagine and I feel safe in the knowledge that City Hospice will do everything in their power to ensure that I, one day, will have a good death.”

Amy-Claire hopes that this year’s Forever Flowers campaign will be more successful than ever, raising funds and awareness to help City Hospice continue to care for people with terminal or life-limiting illnesses and their loved ones. She warmly invites you to be part

of it by purchasing your Forever Flower for £25 today.

Your pre-ordered flower will form part of a striking display at Cardiff Castle between 30th July and 14th August.

During the final two days of the display, you will be welcome to take away your flower and place it in a space that is special to you.

This year City Hospice will also be holding a Celebration of Life event in the grounds of Cardiff Castle during the display on Thursday 4th August in the evening. Everyone who purchases a Forever Flower will be invited to join with family, friends, and others to celebrate and remember the life of their loved one in the iconic grounds of Cardiff Castle at this free event and more information will follow.

Amanda Fenton, Fundraising and Marketing Director at City Hospice, said “Forever Flowers provides an opportunity to celebrate life and remember loved ones with a unique and lasting tribute, which is particularly needed following the impact the pandemic has had on grief and bereavement. Forever Flowers is open to everyone, not just those cared for by the charity.

It’s a very special way to remember your loved one by purchasing a Forever Flower to be part of the display in the beautiful grounds of Cardiff Castle. The support we have had from local businesses, families and the local community has been incredible.”

So why not join Amy Claire and show support for City Hospice’s spectacular sunflower campaign and remember your loved one? It really will make the world of difference to so many people!

CARDIFF TIMES 43

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Visit Techniquest this Summer No matter what the weather, you’ll find plenty inside Techniquest to keep the whole family entertained this summer. The Science Discovery Centre in the heart of Cardiff Bay lets you bring science to life at your fingertips. You’ll take a feast of fascinating factoids home with you, along with some great memories too.

The new Science Capital extension includes dozens of hands-on exhibits that cater for a wider agerange than those in the original ‘Retro’ section of the building — so there’s no limit on who can enjoy a trip to the ever-popular visitor attraction these days. From creating your own digital fireworks and performing a virtual operation, to launching rockets and feeling the earth move beneath your feet on the earthquake simulator, there’s a huge range of hands-on exhibits, puzzles and activities to get involved with. And don’t worry, there are still plenty of the old favourites in the Retro area too like the Giant Piano, Probability Pattern, Treasure Chest and many more.

While you’re there, why not take a Star Tour in the Planetarium or watch some live science demos in the Science Theatre? And if you time it right, you can catch a free drop-in workshop inspired by the science behind the Disney and Pixar movie Lightyear too — just check the website for details.

If you’re feeling the heat then pick up a cold drink or an ice cream next door at Coffee Mania, or cool down at the Hurricane exhibit on the first floor. You can even step out onto the east terrace for a breath of fresh bay air now, as a new Sensory Garden is being developed as a pilot project over the summer, thanks to help from Viridor and Pugh’s Garden Centre.

Complete with plants showing off a variety of scents, colours and textures there’s also a bug hotel, water feature and even a mud kitchen for the youngest to get stuck into (and yes, perhaps a change of clothes might be worth considering!).

Set on the waterfront of Cardiff Bay, next door to the Wetlands area and a stone’s throw from a wide range of restaurants and cafes, it’s the perfect place to spend some time making memories together this summer.

For more information and to book ahead online visit techniquest.org 54 CARDIFF TIMES

LET YOURSELF GO THIS SUMMER Get ready to be amazed by science, earthquakes, hurricanes and more!

LIGHTYEAR INSPIRED WORKSHOPS First Floor Hub, 12 – 4pm Every Monday* & Thursday through summer holidays *Excludes Bank Holiday Monday

Open weekends & every day of the summer holidays

SCIENCE THEATRE SHOW 21 July – 4 September

Book now

techniquest.org

Book now before the Zoo closes #TheZooAndYou #BIGgorilla