Learn more about dementia, how it can affect individuals, and what you can do to help people living with dementia.
Llys Herbert care home, Lisvane Adjusting to a diagnosis of dementia
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Speaker: Barbara Stephens
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Improve your knowledge, achieve your ambitions, boost your CV and make new friends.
We also provide Pathways to a degree at Cardiff University.
You don't need previous qualifications to study most of our courses.
www.cardiff.ac.uk/learn tel: 029 2087 0000
Study an evening class at Cardiff University
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 mind active, make new friends or progress to degree studies by enrolling on one of our Pathways to a degree – we have the course to suit your needs.
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We are running in-person teaching and online classes to fit in with your busy lifestyle. We are also offering free courses with the support of the Commission for Tertiary Education and Research (CTER formerly HEFCW). More information about the Student Fee Waiver and eligibility can be found on our website.
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School’s out forever!
Summer has arrived and with it The Girl, my eighteen year old daughter who has Down Syndrome (DS), has left secondary education behind for good. It all began fourteen years ago with the nursery years. First, private, followed by the nursery year at Marlborough Primary school. We lived within the school’s catchment area, which qualified The Girl for Reception class and, subsequently, years one through six. Because she had DS, we parents were given more choice about which schools we wanted our daughter to attend.
Our choices were formalised in a Statement of Educational Need, updated annually. This statement set out where The Girl would be schooled and what inputs she would need to allow her to succeed. Typically, these
by Wyn Evans
included Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, and Dietetics. We built on these inputs by buying in weekly private speech therapy sessions. (These continued throughout her primary and secondary years.) Yet, despite the Statement, provision was inconsistent. Speech Therapy services are managed by the NHS rather than the local education Authority. This could mean that staff holidays across the two sectors were uncoordinated and that the kids’ therapy sessions were cancelled.
We are committed to a mixed economy as regards the provision of Special Needs education. We were adamant that we wanted our daughter to be integrated with typically-
developing, mainstream children. We felt that her early problems with speech and communication would best be addressed in a mainstream setting, where the majority of the kids did not have speech and language deficits. We maintained this approach through The Girl’s Secondary education to year eleven. The one downside was that she was the only child with DS in Cardiff High School. There were other kids with special needs in her class; she was voted Form Captain three years running by her peers; and, among her qualifications, she was most pleased with her Maths GCSE.
As you’d expect, we enrolled The Girl in plenty of extra-curricular activities and joined her up with a number of DS groups. For years twelve and thirteen she transferred to Whitchurch High school, where her class included many young people with special needs and with DS. Not being the only child in the school with DS gave our daughter a wider peer group of “kids like me”, as she put it. At Cardiff High she completed the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver awards. At Whitchurch High she completed the DofE Gold award. This qualifies The Girl to attend a reception in one of the Royal palaces to celebrate her achievement. Staff at Whitchurch are currently establishing when she will be able to attend her function. (The Boss and I are both threatening to buy new hats for the occasion. Unfortunately, The Girl is limited to one guest.)
And now, here we are: “School’s out for ever”! What’s next? She’s been accepted by Cardiff and Vale College to study Work and Life Skills in their City Centre campus from 9th September. Thereafter, she will go on to study childcare. She wants to work with young kids, so she knows what she wants and The Boss and I will do all we can to help her get it.
First though we have a summer holiday to enjoy! The Boss works from home four days
a week which means she can join The Girl and me for lunch. She has started having a snack mid-morning or mid-afternoon; Cadbury’s instant drinking chocolate, a banana, and a packet of cheese and onion crisps She gives very precise instructions regarding how frothy she likes her chocolate drink to be. (Very, is the answer! Demanding vigorous stirring.) My treat is a Cadbury’s Magnum, a very frustrating ice cream, which sheds its chocolate covering if you even look at it askance. But it’s worth it, just. Anyway, if you’ll excuse me, I have a snack to prepare!
‘And Another Thing...’ Just A Pinch of Humour by
One has oft mused about the origins of throwing salt over one’s left shoulder. One wishes one had stopped musing. A superstition says spilling salt brings one bad fortune and one should take a pinch of the spilled salt and throw it over one’s left shoulder to cancel the bad luck. The left shoulder was where the devil was supposed to lurk and tossing salt into his eyes was one way of making him disappear. Leaving “one” behind for a second, if you take a close look at Leonardo da Vinci’s painting, The Last Supper, you will spot that Judas Iscariot had knocked the salt onto the table with his elbow. Since he then went on to betray Jesus, people at that time began associating salt with lies and disloyalty. Just to confuse matters further, salt is believed to ward off evil spirits in Mahayana Buddhist tradition. After a funeral, salt is thrown over the left shoulder to prevent evil spirits from entering the house. All the same basic belief really. Anyway, why will you never see Satan in an Armani suit? Because……...the Devil wears Prada.
The Current Mrs Nolan and I recently witnessed yet another 20-mph driving spectacle. We were motoring home following another hard day at the coal face and were travelling through a “drive any slower and you will stop zone.” Passing on the other side of the road was a traffic cop in a marked BMW with his lights and sirens on “chasing” a motorist at 20 mph. The slowest car chase ever seen. The criminal stopped at a red traffic light, unusual in itself these days and the cop made an arrest whilst laughing hysterically. It was a bit like that AA advert of the bank robbery where the getaway car breaks down and the cops only move to chase the robbers once the AA fixes their car. All of which reminded me that a police officer
Vince Nolan
pulled me over once and said, “Papers?” I said, “Scissors, I win,” and drove off. He must have wanted a rematch because he then chased me for 45 minutes at more than 20 mph.
She Who Must Be Obeyed and I were recently enjoying the ambience of our local coaching inn, The E-Coli Arms. An adjacent would-be diner asked the server whether the eightounce steak she was planning to order was the raw or the cooked weight of the meat. She was told it was the raw weight of course. I would have said:” Madam, I am glad you asked me because this is a very complex process. It is generally held that meat loses 20%-25% of its raw weight when cooked.
one gram.” Just in case the lady in question
one assumes that the 103 stone did not apply
Mumbai. All very laudable perhaps given what
Bay it was reported that a swarm of bees
Finally, I read this line recently penned by
REACH FOR THE SKIES AT TECHNIQUEST!
It’s time to take off with Techniquest this summer, as the science discovery centre in Cardiff Bay explores just a few of the ways we’ve found to defy gravity over the years. The holiday theme of heading ‘up, up and away!’ means you don’t need to be jetting off abroad this year to discover the magic of flight as a feast of fun science activities will take you on a journey of discovery right here in Cardiff Bay.
You can catch the live science show ‘Skybound’ in the Science Theatre and find out a whole host of fascinating facts about flight, with audience participation and some fun demos thrown in too.
There’s the chance to go stratospheric with a Star Tour in the Planetarium, learning all about the night sky, its constellations, and the planets in our galaxy.
The Planetarium will also be used to show a special 360° film called ‘We Are Guardians’, where you can view the Earth from space through amazing satellite images, showing how climate change is impacting our world.
If you’re aged 9 or above, you can visit the KLA Lab and experiment with ice and fizzling fire in an interactive workshop, ‘Air & Flare’: make teabags fly with a flame, create mini tornadoes with dry ice and discover the secrets of fireworks in the state-of-theart laboratory at Techniquest.
With over 100 hands-on exhibits aimed at an age
range from toddlers to teens and adults too, it’s the perfect place to play with science and make some great family memories at the same time. You could set the mini hot air balloon in motion, discover how the beach ball on the Bernoulli Blower stays in the air, take a seat and let Henry Hoover raise you up, send rockets skywards, or just see whether gravity or friction wins out on the giant silver slide – spoiler, it’s usually gravity!
Set on the waterfront of Cardiff Bay, there’s plenty nearby to make an entire day of it too. You can get back to nature in the wetlands that are just a few steps away, where wildlife is waiting to be discovered; or head to the Oval Basin and enjoy the Family Fun Park as part of your day out. Once you’ve picked up your entry wristband at Techniquest, you can pop out whenever you need to and return later in the day; so it’s easy to grab a bite to eat off-site at one of the many outlets in the Bay — or if you just want a quick break, then Coffee Mania is right next door offering light bites, scrumptious cakes, hot drinks and ice cream too.
So, if you’re looking for a fabulously fun experience to engage the whole family at the same time, whatever their ages, you don’t need to ‘wing it’ this summer: book ahead at techniquest.org and give them something they’ll remember for a lifetime.
In The Words Of by
Carl Marsh
August 2024
It’s been a funny old month: July. Football didn’t come home to England. An ex-President was shot at. The Olympics had the best - and worst - opening ceremony. Unrest here and there across the UK. A certain Welsh newsreader now facing prosecution for… and oh, a change of government. Or is it when you hear about taxes going up? Still, at least you’ve got me to give you some respite from all the aforementioned to be entertained via music, TV, film, books, sports and any other forms of entertainment. I like it this way. I like it a lot.
For my interviews this month, you’ve got a selection from literary, US wrestling and Welsh comedy. Have a read, and tag me on X [Twitter] if you approve of them @InTheWordsOf_CM
Movie Review: Furiosa: A Mad Max SagaMovie Rental Providers/Downloads
Mad Max has come a long, long way since the Mel Gibson films of 1979, 1981 and 1985. The latter is perhaps not too far away from what Mad Max: Fury Road [2015] was, yet Fury Road is one of the best action films I have ever seen. Now, with Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, we have no Max, aside from a brief cameo of his character [Not Tom Hardy] and some flash-forwards at the end of the film. I say flashforwards because this latest film is set in the past of how Furiosa came to be and then in the run-up to Fury Road. Are you still with me? The two main actors in Furiosa did get along in filming, versus how Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron infamously didn’t with the former are Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. The film is a blast. I admit that the first five minutes or so are a bit slow, unlike the last film that didn’t let up from start to finish. It’s a great movie, one to be watched on the big screen or if you’re lucky, a big TV at home. Fury
Road is a Golden Buzzer moment from one of those ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ shows, whilst Furiosa is one where all four judges don’t press to show an “X”.
Movie Review: Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F - Netflix
If I was asked to name five of my favourite films from the 1980s, Beverly Hills Cop would be in there. The sequel is just as great; the third one came out in the ‘90s, so doesn’t count. Yet, still fun. Maybe it was the nostalgia on hearing the news that a new film was coming out, and also seeing the trailer where all of the old gang are there, albeit those still very much alive and kicking! Eddie Murphy, in the role that made him a star heads back to Beverly Hills, and all chaos ensures. There you go, that’s the synopsis of the plot, but will have some variations to keep you entertained like the other films did. You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to fathom that Murphy is the star. Always has been, and always will be. I only hope that I don’t need to wait another 30 years for another one. Then again, that would be silly now thinking about the ages!
Enjoy August
Carl Marsh
Twitter - @InTheWordsOf_CM
YouTube - InTheWordsOf
Neil Collins is a Cardiff-based writer and co-host of Welsh Music Podcast. He is the author of the Liverpool FC books ‘Make Us Dream’ and ‘Red Mist’. He’s now written about Welsh music with ‘International Velvet: How Wales Conquered the ‘90s Charts’.
Carl Marsh
Had bands such as Stereophonics, Super Furry Animals, Feeder, Manic Street Preachers and Catatonia not exploded onto the scene at roughly the same time, do you think the music world would still not be taking notice of what alternative Welsh music had to offer?
Neil Collins
I think music scenes are cyclical. The London music press is always keen to cover what is going on in the capital, so what you then see are pockets of rebellion across the country. In the 1960s, there was ‘Merseybeat’ where a load of similar-sounding bands came flooding out of Liverpool and Manchester. Once the music press has squeezed all it can out of a scene, it gets bored and moves on to another.
Yet, the pendulum soon swings back. In the ‘80s, Liverpool became cool again with Echo & The Bunnymen, The Teardrop Explodes and The Mighty Wah, while down the road ‘Madchester’ did the same in the early ‘90s with the Stone Roses and Happy Mondays before Oasis emerged.
Likewise, music genres are cyclical and apart from a short-lived indie revival in the early noughties, there hasn’t been a predominant guitar scene since the ‘90s. Luckily, there was a clutch of great guitar bands in Wales back then with something unique to offer. The Manics and the Super Furries were the stand-out, generational talents, while Catatonia had a knack for an uncanny pop hook delivered by a brilliant frontwoman in Cerys Matthews. Stereophonics hit upon a chart-topping commercial winning formula that has sustained throughout their career, while Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci are one of the most idiosyncratic and inventive bands of the last 30 years.
Unlike Britpop (which became diluted by too many third-rate Oasis copyists), there was nothing connecting the Cool Cymru bands other than their national identity. Those Welsh groups rightfully received the recognition they deserved, and they helped transform narrow perceptions of Welsh music forever. Artists today are judged on merit rather than their nationality, and thankfully clunky clichés about Welshness are now a thing of the past.
Carl Marsh
Are you surprised by all the research you put into this book that the snobbery against alternative music coming out of Wales, indeed often mocked, until the late 1990s by the record labels not located in Wales?
Neil Collins
It was a surprise because Wales has always produced great music, and for a nation of three million people, we punch above our weight. Badfinger was like a Welsh version of The Beatles. Signed to Apple Records, they should’ve been huge had it not been for their tragic story resulting in the suicides of two band members. The Alarm went on to achieve international success, while John Cale continues to be an endlessly evolving maverick musician, who incredibly was a member of The Velvet Underground.
The 1980s was a great decade for pop and Wales had its own mega-selling duo Shakin’ Stevens and Bonnie Tyler to add to huge names like Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. Yet for the alternative music fan, there wasn’t much to offer, and Wales became a laughing stock for the London music press.
A&R men wouldn’t travel this side of the Severn Bridge, while some Welsh artists travelled to Bristol to send off their records with an English postmark. Some North Wales bands even claimed they were from Liverpool.
Yet, the fightback started with a vibrant, Welsh-language scene of the mid-80s. Anhrefn and Datblygu set about rebranding outdated and caricatured Welsh culture, while Y Cyrff and FfaCoffi Pawb swapped members and languages, and eventually morphed into two of Welsh music’s biggest success stories, Catatonia and Super Furry Animals.
Carl Marsh
Devolution, whether anyone was for or against it, played a big role in spotlighting Wales to the world as a whole, and I know you talk about this in the book. Yet, one can’t argue that it’s not helped bring Welsh music’s popularity to a higher level on the international stage, can they?
Neil Collins
Although Cool Cymru’s peak years are from 1996-99, I would argue that there was a shift in confidence across the decade, which really sped up in it in its final quarter. This feel-good factor encapsulated music, culture, sport, language and politics. Rhys Ifans and Catherine Zeta-Jones won over Hollywood, while sports stars like Ryan Giggs, Joe Calzaghe and Colin Jackson became household names. Plus, the Welsh Language Act of 1993 put Cymraeg on an equal footing with Saesneg. All this created a groundswell of confidence and patriotism, which contributed towards the ‘Yes’ vote for devolution in 1997.
Online streaming inevitably means that Welsh artists do not sell anywhere near as much as in their 90s heyday, but they now have more freedom to indulge their creativity away from major label pressure; unburdened by the heavy expectations of representing their country.
Gwenno has received a Mercury Prize nomination by singing in Welsh, English and Cornish, while Adwaith has won the Welsh Music Prize for both their albums recorded in their mother tongue. In the last year, Skindred became the first Welsh act to win a MOBO, while Anglesey rapper Ren stormed to No.1 in the UK album charts. Plus, grassroots artists like Hana Lili and Himalayas are now making the ascent by opening for massive names like Coldplay and Foo Fighters.
For the first time, Wales’s rich contemporary scene can embrace its history, and ultimately craft its own.
‘International Velvet: How Wales Conquered the ‘90s Charts’ is available to buy now from all good bookshops. Calon, £16.99 hardback.
Interview with Kiri Pritchard-McLean
Words by Carl Marsh
Comedian Kiri Pritchard-McLean brings her new show: Peacock to Wales Millenium Centre on 10th August. She talks about the trials and tribulations (and love) of becoming a foster parent. Yep, I didn’t know that either, so come and join “Louise” as she lifts the lid on social workers, first aid training and what not to do when a vicar searches for you on YouTube!
Carl Marsh
So, foster parenting… and why call the show ‘Peacock’?
Kiri Pritchard-McLean
It’s vaguely named, very deliberately, because I didn’t know if I was going to… I knew I wanted to do the show, but I didn’t know if I’d be allowed to. So, for the last three years, my partner and I have been foster carers, and I’ve sort of been covertly a foster carer because part of the agreement was that I could do it, but I couldn’t talk about it on stage. I couldn’t even tell the kids what I do or even use my (real) name with them. I had to have a different name because it’s such a distinct set of names. So I had this kind of weird double life. And I’m so evangelical and positive about the experience of fostering that I was having all these conversations privately about you know, the challenges, and how edifying it was. And I just kept thinking that people come away and go “This gives me a lot to think about”, or “Maybe that would work for…, I think I’m gonna talk to my brother about that. I think he might like this”. And I was like, “This is a very slow way of doing recruitment”. Whereas I could talk about it on stage and let people into this part of my life because I’m not used to fading a bit back as I normally talk about everything on stage. And so yes, I sort of wrote the show in secret. And then I said to my longsuffering, social worker, “I’ve got an idea for you. I’ve written a show. Will you just let me kind of show you it and see what you think?”. And yeah, I did the show to three social workers in the town Council offices at two o’clock on a Wednesday
afternoon, which I wouldn’t say is a highlight of my career! [Laughter] It was a very nerve-wracking gig, and they were like, “OK, we get what you’re about now and what you’re trying to do”. And so it went to the higher-ups and I had to do it in front of the head of Social Services and the head of fostering in my county and yeah, I wanted them to listen, and word spread, because there were six people in the audience in that particular boardroom, but yeah, they signed it off and have been incredibly supportive. And it’s difficult because often, you know, I guess part of it is lots of foster carers are very humble. So it’s quite hard to sort of push them to the front sometimes, but luckily for them, I’m not encumbered by such virtues. [Laughs]. So, I’m perfectly happy to talk about being a foster carer on stage, and hopefully demystify and debunk a few things as well as being really honest about the process and the kind of difficulties and what was really tough about being kind of analysed and assessed really.
Carl Marsh
I guess you’re the comedy pioneer doing a show about fostering as you say, it’s not been straightforward getting agreed for someone who is actively fostering.
Kiri Pritchard-McLean
Let’s call me that! Yep, I’m a pioneer. Do you know what, I think I’m not doubting that anyone who’s done my job has been a foster carer before, but maybe because of the reasons that I was bumping my head against. They haven’t talked about it in public. I think there are a lot of people my age, who are like my partner and I, we are family-orientated, but we don’t necessarily think that biological family is the right thing for us. And so, I’ve been in this sort of hinterland of thinking, “Oh God, have we got to hurry up and have a baby otherwise you will regret it!”, but then going, “I don’t think I want a baby. I don’t know what my future looks like”. And then fortunately for us, fostering has been the exact thing that we wanted from, you know, our household and our family.
Kiri Pritchard-McLean: Peacock - Wales Millenium Centre on 10th August.
Interview with Will Ospreay Words
by Carl Marsh
Second to only WWE, and surely on a trajectory to surpass, and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) have only been around for a few years! ‘AEW Dynamite & Collision’ make their much anticipated Welsh debut at Utilita Arena on 21st August, and I chatted to one of its stars, UK-born, Will Ospreay.
Carl Marsh
When you were younger, was there a particular wrestler that inspired you to become one, when you were growing up in the UK?
Will Ospreay
AJ was the guy… AJ Styles [US wrestler] is the guy who inspired me to want to pursue this career because I’d seen how he moved and performed when he was wrestling in TNA. I just never saw anybody like it. But from there, my taste varies. I love Japanese wrestling. So, I love [Naomichi] Marufuji. I loved Hayabusa, but then I like guys like Ricochet. So, my style and taste were definitely towards the fast-paced and cruiserweight-style wrestlers because they were the things that got me excited just because I’d never seen anything like that before. It was like superheroes coming to life. But AJ was the guy to get me into wrestling and pursue it, I should say.
Carl Marsh
I know you’re from London, and it’s not something that was in schools in the UK like it is, for example, in the US, but what challenges did you have to become a wrestler?
Will Ospreay
Well… really, the biggest challenge was [finding] who are the reputable people to go to because when you do these training schools… there are a lot of them. I remember going to some training school in Essex and it was run by a guy who had no credentials, and no credibility, but because he called himself a wrestler, people didn’t know what the criteria was to be a professional wrestler, so this guy was like, “Yeah, I’m a wrestler”. He would go to schools, but it was only until I went to ‘Lucha Britannia’s London School of Lucha Libretto in Bethnal Green run by Garry Vanderhorne. They had contacts with huge companies that would bring in guys all the time; and then have their own monthly shows. They would then send their guys to work at other indie companies like Future Pro Wrestling. I was able to do stuff like that, but like it’s always a super hard career choice to make, especially when you’re so young and all you can think about is wrestling. But for me, where I found a kind of solace with it, I found I just used to do a lot of backyard wrestling. My mum saw that I was always getting into trouble at school. So, she thought, he’s obsessed with wrestling, and she knew a fabric manufacturer and a welder, so she had a wrestling ring made in my back garden.
So, for us, we’d create our own storylines, and we would wrestle each other in the ring. We would go everywhere like we’d travel up in the car to places like Luton and Newcastle. Every single month. We’d wrestle with people who just enjoyed backyard wrestling. And because I had those clips and had worked out that structure already at such a young age, by the time I actually cracked on to the independent scene, I already - in a weird way - had my ‘black belt’ of independent wrestling before I’d even started.
Catch Will Ospreay and the rest of the AEW [All Elite Wrestling] at the Utilita Arena on 21st August.
Gwersylloedd Chwaraeon Iau! Junior Sport Camps!
Archebwch nawr ar 2024!
Book now for 2024!
Rygbi, Pêl-fasged, Hoci a mwy! Rugby, Basketball, Hockey and more!
This month I had the pleasure to interview Broadcaster Wyn Thomas who gave his views on boxing.
Wyn follows the sport and has given some interesting responses.
Ralph Oates
Where in Wales were you born?
Wyn Thomas Neath
Ralph Oates
When did you first take an interest in boxing?
Wyn Thomas It was in the1960s
Ralph Oates
Have any members of your family ever boxed?
Wyn Thomas No members of my family have boxed.
Ralph Oates
Which do you prefer amateur or professional boxing?
Wyn Thomas I would have to go for the Professional side of the sport.
Ralph Oates
Who is your favourite modern-day boxer?
Wyn Thomas I would have to say Tyson Fury who is a talented boxer.
Ralph Oates
Who is your favourite old-time boxer?
Wyn Thomas Muhammad Ali the man was a fantastic boxer.
Ralph Oates
Who do you feel was the best boxer to hold the world heavyweight crown?
Wyn Thomas
Once again I go for Muhammad Ali who fought the absolute best in his division, there is no argument about that.
Ralph Oates
What in your opinion was the best world heavyweight title fight to ever take place?
Wyn Thomas
The fight titled the Rumble in the Jungle. This was the contest where Muhammad Ali beat the odds and regained the world heavyweight title from the fearsome George Foreman whom who was undefeated at the time in 40 professional bouts. Ali knocked out Foreman in round eight. No one saw that coming it was felt that Foreman would defeat Ali easily.
Ralph Oates
Over the years there have been a number of boxing commentators on TV who was your favourite?
Wyn Thomas
Harry Carpenter was my favourite his commentary was always superb.
Ralph Oates
How do you feel about women boxing?
Wyn Thomas
Not too happy about it. In my opinion its dangerous and is not controlled enough.
Ralph Oates
There are four major world boxing organisations, WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO do you feel that boxing would be better with just one organisation?
Wyn Thomas
Yes I do the four organisations cause confusion with there often being four world champions in any one weight division. Many casual followers of the sport find this hard to fathom. It does not do boxing any good.
Ralph Oates
How do you feel about there being so many
weight divisions in boxing?
Wyn Thomas
There’s far too many. The old system was better.
Ralph Oates
Looking back at the history of Welsh boxing who in your opinion was the best boxer produced in Wales?
Wyn Thomas
I have no hesitation in saying Joe Calzaghe his record was 100%. He had speed and punching power. Joe won all versions of the super-middleweight title, the WBO, IBF, WBA and WBC. He left the sport with an undefeated record consisting of 46 wins and that is incredible. He faced top fighters like Jeff Lacy, Mikkel Kessler, Bernard Hopkins and Roy Jones Jr. His last bout taking place at Madison Square Garden.
Ralph Oates
Who do you think will be the next world champion to emerge from Wales?
Wyn Thomas Frankly at this moment in time I don’t see one.
Ralph Oates.
Do you have a favourite boxing film?
Wyn Thomas
Rocky 3 with Sylvester Stallone who of course played Rocky Balboa.
Ralph Oates
What changes if any would you like to see made in boxing?
Wyn Thomas I have three.
One world boxing organisation which I think would help boxing to be more straight forward.
I would also like to see Boxing returned to BBC and ITV.
Also head protection being used in Professional boxing.
Cardiff Times would like to thank Wyn for taking the time to give his views on the sport of boxing.
Wyn Thomas Broadcaster
Facebook/LinkedIn @wynmthomas on Twitter
YouTube: After 5 Guest with Wyn Thomas
Cardiff solicitors urge local families to plan ahead to reduce their inheritance tax bill
Hannah Thomas, Senior Associate Solicitor at Harding Evans Solicitors in Cardiff, is encouraging people to plan ahead to help reduce their inheritance tax bill (IHT).
Latest figures from HMRC show that inheritance tax receipts have risen by 7.2% since last year. By taking advantage of available tax reliefs and planning carefully, families can make sure their loved ones pay the smallest tax bill possible and get the most out of what they inherit.
The Association of Lifetime Lawyers represents a community of the most qualified legal professionals in the UK supporting vulnerable and older people with expert advice and support.
Hannah, who is a member of The Association of Lifetime Lawyers, says there are precautionary steps to take if you plan for family members to inherit part, or all of your estate upon your passing.
Ms Thomas says: “With more estates than ever liable for IHT, it’s crucial to plan ahead to avoid a large tax bill for your loved ones. If the value of your estate is below the current nil rate band allowance of £325,000, no inheritance tax (IHT) is owed, provided the allowance hasn’t been reduced by relevant lifetime gifts.
“For married couples or civil partners who leave their entire estate to each other, HMRC permits the full
transfer of the nil rate band to the surviving partner, effectively doubling the allowance to £650,000. Even if only a part of the estate goes to the spouse, the unused portion of the nil rate band can still be transferred upon the death of the second spouse.
“If your estate includes a business or related assets, at present, additional reliefs currently apply at rates of either 50% or 100%. Likewise, certain agricultural properties, such as land used for rearing animals or growing crops, can pass free of IHT, provided specific criteria are met.”
“Creating a will is essential to ensure your assets are distributed to your chosen beneficiaries. Without a valid will, your estate will be divided according to the intestacy rules, which may result in your family not receiving what you intended. Research from The Association of Lifetime Lawyers shows nearly half of UK adults (49%) do not have a will. It’s important to consult a legal professional to help you draft a will.
“Given the recent change in government, we’d recommend keeping an eye out for any potential policy changes and speak with a Lifetime Lawyer to help minimise your tax bill.”
If you need to discuss planning or updating your will, please contact Harding Evans Solicitors on 029 2267 6818
RemeMBering the ‘I’ in Hospitality
1 step at a time by
Natalie McCulloch
Eleanor Roosevelt once declared that “True hospitality consists of giving the best of yourself to your guests”. Whilst arguably this recognises the important element of being treated like a valued customer when ‘wining and dining’ or staying somewhere away from home, it negates to recognise the risks associated with going ‘above and beyond’ to those you serve, at all costs.
Registered charity ‘Hospitality Action’ rose to the challenge of recognising these risks and raising awareness of them. Advancing this, they set about to meet this unmet service need and invite anyone involved in the hospitality sector to join them to start recognising the importance of their role and their wellbeing as well as those that they serve, one step at a time.
Whilst on the surface the smiles, slick service delivered and unwavering attention to detail provided by those working in hospitality can present an appealing image of enjoyment and job satisfaction, this isn’t always the case.
Since 1837 ‘Hospitality Action’ recognise that long hours, demanding workloads with often poorly paid roles in high-pressured environments, whilst enjoyable, can also be one of high stress.
This theory was met with an idea from Craig Prentice from ‘Hospitality Action’ which has touched the lives of 1000’s so far and helped balance out stress in such roles.
How? WALKING!
It might not come as a surprise to you to know that one widely documented way to lower the stress hormone
cortisol in ones body is through simply taking a walk!
To quote ancient Greek physician Hippocrates “Walking is man’s best medicine”.
In light of this, Hospitality Action created the annual event ‘Walk for Wellbeing’ which sees 8 cities, including Cardiff, invite everyone in the hospitality industry and beyond to put on their walking shoes and unite to promote mental health and wellbeing, whilst raising funds and awareness to support individuals and their families in the hospitality industry that may be facing challenging times.
Craig Prentice, Creator of Walk for Wellbeing, said: “There is an essential need for hospitality businesses to prioritise the mental health and wellbeing of their employees – our continued industry success relies on it. Walk for Wellbeing is a grassroots movement that promotes selfcare as well as encouraging good employment practises, and it’s rapidly gaining national prominence.
“Community is at the core of hospitality; Walk for Wellbeing connects people locally, raises awareness, educates, unites, nurtures, and empowers our community. We invite everyone to join this movement across the UK.”
From a small group walking in London in 2020, it’s now evolved into a national movement to help people take proactive steps to improve their own wellbeing and support the wellbeing of their colleagues. It’s also an opportunity for business leaders to foster camaraderie among employees and drive positive change in the
communities they serve.
So, this October, everyone in the hospitality industry and beyond are invited to put on their walking shoes and come together for this enjoyable and flexible event to promote mental health and wellbeing, whilst raising awareness and critical funds for individuals and their families who are facing challenging times.
Everyone is warmly welcome to join in at 10am Sunday 13th October at The Parkgate Hotel (9.30am registration). This accessible circular trail takes you through Llandaff Fields, along the River Taff through Bute Park, Sophia Gardens and Pontcanna fields. You can catch a glimpse of Cardiff Castle or have a bite to eat along the way.
Whilst there is no pressure to raise funds any donations are appreciated. Since the start of the pandemic, they have awarded 12,000 grants, totalling £4,000,000 to hospitality households across the UK and answered tens of thousands of calls via their helplines.
Which adds even more oomph to their promise that, ‘Whatever you do in hospitality #wevegotyou’
Those who can’t make that date can ‘Walk It Your Way’ at a location of their choice any time between World Mental Health Day on Thursday 10 October and Sunday 27 October. Designed with flexibility in mind, participants can choose a convenient time to embark on a long or short walk with family, friends, colleagues, and pets.
City Host Damien Martin, General Manager of The Parkgate Hotel, said; “Cardiff, with its dynamic hospitality
scene and iconic attractions, is delighted join the Walk for Wellbeing as a brand-new city host. The enthusiasm and support from the local hospitality community has been remarkable, highlighting the importance of having the Walk for Wellbeing here. Cardiff is ready to come together to support Hospitality Action, making it a perfect addition to the already popular Walk for Wellbeing locations.”
On a personal note, as someone who has experience of working in the hospitality industry and loves walking, I highly advocate for a wellbeing check in combined with exploring the wonderful scenery a walk in our beautiful city can provide.
This initiative is a terrific way to recognise and react to the stresses of the industry whilst raising awareness and funds for a brilliant cause. Win win!
Register for Walk for Wellbeing today and let’s walk the walk and make a positive difference together.
To register please visit www.walkforwellbeing.org
For more information visit www.hospitalityaction.org.uk
0203 004 5500
info@hospitalityaction.org.uk
High quality care in Cardiff
At Llys Cyncoed care home in Cyncoed and Llys Herbert care home in Lisvane, our highly trained teams are experts in providing high quality care from residential and dementia care to short term care.
A lifestyle tailored to you
At our homes our teams are passionate about supporting you to enjoy a fulfilling life. We’ll learn all about your interests and preferences so we can create a fully personalised lifestyle plan that you’ll enjoy whether it’s gardening, cheese and wine socials, or playing chess.
Luxury living
Our care homes in Cardiff offer luxurious facilities, including a coffee shop, hair salon and beautiful landscaped gardens.
Our chef-led kitchen teams are passionate about providing high-quality food and there’s always a choice of nutritious and delicious dishes at every meal.
Hear what relatives have to say
We recognise the importance of friends and family staying involved in their loved one’s care and
lifestyle plan and our regular relative meetings are popular.
In our recent relative survey at Llys Cyncoed care home, 97% of families felt staff treat their relative with kindness, dignity and respect^ and 94% were happy with the cleanliness and hygiene of the home.^
Trust us to care
Llys Cyncoed care home in Cyncoed and Llys Herbert care home in Lisvane are part of Care UK, the country’s most awarded large care provider. We’ve been delivering high-quality, person-centred care for over 40 years. That’s why over 8,000 families trust us to care for their older loved ones.
To find out more about our care homes in Cardiff, call 0330 822 6781
Llys Herbert care home Ty-Draw Road, Lisvane, Cardiff, Glamorgan CF14 0AW careuk.com/llys-herbert
Llys Cyncoed care home 127 Cyncoed Road, Cyncoed, Cardiff, Glamorgan CF23 6AF careuk.com/llys-cyncoed
^Care UK relative survey April & September 2023. Study operated by QRS Market Research, an independent survey agency.
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