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to make decisions on your behalf and act for you – which is far more expensive and time-consuming than making an LPA and the court could refuse the application.
If you still have mental capacity, LPAs are a simple, inexpensive, and legally robust way of giving someone you trust the power to make decisions and act for you – either temporarily or long term should you lose capacity in the future.
To plan for this, you must create an LPA now whilst you still have mental capacity and so make things much easier for other people in your life.
Westminster Law are specialists in organising this.
“A miracle at xmas.”
Here I am, keyboard at the ready, cup of tea primed, all set to write my last column of 2024 (if based on when it is written), or my first of 2025 (based on when it will be published and read). According to The Times and the Telegraph equally the story of the day is about Prince Andrew. Here are a few of the headlines:
•Prince Andrew urged to stay out of sight after ‘Chinese spy’ scandal;
•Duke of York is advised to skip public appearances at Christmas festivities;
•The Duke of York should “do the decent thing” and voluntarily withdraw from public view over Christmas, Buckingham Palace insiders believe.
The news channels on the radio also seem to believe that the Duke’s latest thoughtful and discreet antics should head-up their coverage. According to Times Radio and BBC Radio 4, both, the duke should fade into the background and stop being an embarrassment to some or all of: the King, the royal family, the country. Or are the stories about the alleged Chinese spy ‘H6’ a storm in a cup of China tea?
I had intended to talk turkey with you this month but instead all I can think of right now is whether or not ‘Randy Andy’ should vote to have xmas with his
by Wyn Evans
family, with Chinese spies, or stay away from the limelight for good. I’ve spent 65 years arguing that a constitutional monarchy is no way to run a country, that maybe Oliver Cromwell had a point. Recently however, post Good Queen Bess the Second, I’ve started thinking that having a non-party-political head of state is no bad thing. I mean I’d rather have QE2 than King-Kinnock, King William instead of King-Sir-Starmer. (But as for the rest of them? Nah!)
But I need to get back to turkeys. When I was 10 years old my parents moved us from The ‘Diff to a farm in west Wales. My dad had a yearn to be a farmer. He managed to keep this from the rest of the family until an aunt of my mam’s said she was going to get rid of one of her two farms (run down, loss-making, god-forsaken) and dad volunteered to move the family there to oversee the place pending getting it re-established as a going concern. I was at Lakeside Junior school, a term away from joining Ty Celyn/Cardiff High and this move to the sticks was an unpleasant shock. More to the point, my mam was somewhat taken aback. She gave it her best shot however, and the family moved west. Friends I tell about this these days, are all “oh lucky you, beautiful Pembs, fresh air, mountains.” Well, I was then and remain now implacably convinced that this was a backward move and not just a westerly one.
The first oil shock of the 1970s followed us west
and very soon brought home to would-be farmers everywhere just why so many farms were run-down, loss-making and God-forsaken. (Under-capitalised, over-staffed, too small scale.) Instead of going halves on cattle with my aunt, dad was forced to stock the farm with turkeys. They were cradle to grave birds. We reared them from chicks in special infra-red-heated chambers, through until they were 30+lb monsters in their specially-adapted rooms which we had engineered to do away with any right angles. If you put two turkeys in a room with a concave 90-degree corner they will crush each other until one dies. If you multiply that by hundreds of birds all of which were either suffering a death wish or were feeling murderous, the resulting death-toll was exponentially worse. God but they were stupid birds. And if they were stupid, imagine how we who had voluntarily brought them into our lives, felt.
It’s fair to say that there was a breeding season, overlapping with xmas. Large scale turkey breeders (or maybe they were wholesalers…I was but a lad!) would come and inspect your operation and agree to take some or all of them off your hands. The birds needed to have been killed and plucked, washed, and presented in advance of being taken off your hands. For a soft-city boy, this resembled something out of Dante’s levels of hell. The pluckers were tough, wiry women, sinewy, cackling, and keen to play tricks on my sister and me. More than one of them had a glass eye. (Not the same eye obviously, I mean they had a glass eye each – they weren’t forced to share.) Their jobs were to slit the birds’ throats (from memory this was done by cutting the throat from the inside - though I may be mistaken) and letting them bleed out. Thereafter, the birds were taken over by the pluckers who did just what it said on the tin. I swear that I remember one woman plucking using her teeth - though I may be mistaken. It was back-breaking work and the women who did it (they were all women apart from me and dad) were resilient, tough and, like any “in-group” had their own ferocious and very Welsh-speaking humour.
One year, one day, the run up to xmas went something like this (though again I may be mistaken). All the birds had been prepared. The wholesalers were due to collect the birds in their refrigerated mega-lorry. They rang dad to say that they were bankrupt and would not be buying or distributing our birds. Never mind. Dad called-in few favours and borrowed a local neighbour’s mega super-refrigerated lorry and loaded up said lorry with hundreds of our recently plucked birds. The plan was to get them to Swansea train station, where representatives of some branch or other of the turkey
death machine had agreed to inspect them and if content load them on the 0530 train to London and then on to the market in Covent Garden (or was it Smithfield?).
Dad, travelling from Mynachlogddu in Pembs, in a borrowed super-fridgidaire, very much against the clock, stopped for petrol in Burry Port (nine miles from Llanelli). And couldn‘t start again. The fridge had driven its last journey, it was no more, it was as dead as the turkeys loaded into it. In carcass form, these represented the sum total of mam and dad’s wealth. Dad phoned mam back at the farm to say they had lost everything. He was stuck on a forecourt and had missed all the key timings involved in getting the birds to market. Mam came off the phone in tears. They were all the more affecting for being quiet, desperate tears rather than the great wracking sobs one might have expected.
About an hour later the phone rang again. Mam listened to dad, said very little and put the phone down. She gave me and my sisters hugs. She was too happy and shocked to try to find words. Apparently, dad had gotten chatting on said forecourt with a representative of turkey distributerswholesalers (or whatever the heck they were) who was en route to west Wales to collect frozen turkeys from suppliers. He looked at the birds in the frigidaire and took them all off dad’s hands, there and then, ‘just like that’! I don’t think that I ever asked dad did the guy take them down to Swansea station or from there to London. Or what.
Not long after this misadventure we moved away from Sir Benfro, which was the only spur I needed to fall back in love with the place. And now my family (the Boss, The Girl) and I have the best of all worlds: we live in the city and can visit Pembrokeshire as often as we like. And, since you ask, no we shall not be having turkey. My daughter, The Girl, who is 18 years old, has been a vegetarian for well over a year (her own choice). So, our Xmas meal will be centred around a fine nut roast! A miracle indeed! Happy new year folks!
‘And Another Thing...’ Well, Well, Wells by Vince
Nolan
The Current Mrs Nolan and I recently spent my birthday weekend in Devon. Fab time, despite a cottage with ground floor only facilities, almost no heating and precipitous stairs to navigate at depth of night when somewhat inebriated (me that is and not She). Whilst there, we took advantage of watching the local musicians in a pub go through their weekly “Marmalade” (Jam) session which never disappoints. One of the musicians asked the hard of hearing lead guitarist what key he was playing in. Young man replied “Eh?” Whereupon the other guy said “Great, A.” However, unbeknown to us storm clouds were gathering elsewhere in the West Country.
On the way back home to Nolan Towers we stopped off in Wells, this wonderful City where we encountered “Storm Wells.” We know Wells well (see what I did there). Unfortunately, our favourite café next to the cathedral had closed permanently so we repaired to a nearby alternative establishment for some much needed victuals. We were told to take a seat and would be served shortly. We were further advised that since it was 11.30, only the brunch menu would be available. That was the last we saw of the three ladies who were allegedly working there until I approached them and ordered two brunches. I was told that since it was now 11.50, brunch menu was off and lunch menu could not be ordered until noon. They then went back to their conversation. My how we laughed.
As you might imagine we hastily vacated the above premises with many mutterings and Anglo Saxon expletives which were quite appropriate given we were within sight and sound of a similarly aged church.
I went on to read that said café or should that be sad café, was “celebrating 25 years in business.” Really?
I then consulted Trip Advisor, and it seemed that the Three Witches of Wells made a habit of insulting/ignoring customers. Apparently a guy went in with his two daughters. As the girls were both vegan he naturally asked what vegan food might be available and was laughed at and told “we don’t know what goes into the food mate.” Same three. Next story was from an older guy who only wanted a coffee and was told the minimum cover charge would be £5 so he bought a bottle of water that he did not really want and was then forced to cross the street to a Costa Coffee Shop because Fawlty’s Café had no WIFI either!
The likelihood of them surviving another 25 years is about on a par with me being made the next Pope…………..I don’t know though.
Anyway, all of this reminded me of the following related incident: Diner: We don’t eat dairy, eggs, meat, soy, gluten, or nuts. What do you recommend we get? Server: Out.
tech savvy). The till operative person informed
rightly sang the praises of a sixth form college
I thought they were perhaps being secretly filmed Morriston. Who knew?
I particularly liked this bit: “The certainties of *Sauces close to the Prime Minister of course.
fifteen bunnies hopping backwards? A receding hare line.
In The Words Of by Carl
Marsh
January 2025
I hope you all had a good Christmas and wish you a Happy New Year! I had a quiet time at home celebrating, apart from Christmas Day, which was spent in Bath again with family, which was lovely as it meant no cooking or washing up!
There will be no interviews this month… mainly because I have nothing to offer. January is always a naff month when people don’t have any money, and the entertainment PR companies seem to distance themselves with their offerings in December!
I will have at least two interviews in February.
Movie Review - Gladiator 2
When it comes to my favourite movies, Gladiator is always in it if anyone asks me for my top ten films. It is flawless, and to think it was filmed roughly 25 years ago… it still looks better than most live-action films that come out now! And the music from that film! Wow, it’s timeless! So, with that in mind, I had to watch this sequel. I wished I hadn’t. Most actors like Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen, Pedro Pascal…, and even our very own Matt Lucas all hit the mark with their skills. Yet with the lead, Paul Mescal [Lucius], he doesn’t come close to being the leading man I presume Hollywood wants him to be in this movie. The man can act, as in everything he has done before this role… and I am a fan of his work,
just not this outing.
A few things annoyed me about the movie, and due to space, I will only mention two: Sharks - and the ones that eat human types - in the Colosseum! Seriously, Hollywood? I know the Romans re-enacted battles depicting land and water, but sharks! The second gripe is the Mescal’s character of ‘Lucius’. In the original movie, he wasn’t the son of Russel Crowe’s ‘Maximus’, yet in the sequel, he is portrayed as his son! For the whole film, it bugged me, thinking I had got it wrong, and thanks to Wikipedia, I proved I was not going mad.
The film is worth a watch. Just don’t expect it to be on the same level as Gladiator. And this is proof as to why you should never tinker with some films with sequels. Not all. But in this instance…
TV Review - Gavin & Stacey Christmas Special
In a nutshell, this was crap. I turned it off after 25 minutes as I didn’t laugh ONCE! This is meant to be a comedy - of sorts. I hated the last special, but at least I made myself watch it all. This time… no chance I was wasting my time. Ruth Jones appeared with her now-dated stupid phrases as ‘Nessa’.
James Corden is now more Corden, less ‘Smithy’. I could go on and on about the 25 minutes I watched. But, nah… not for me. If this is the level of comedy the BBC is left to commission, I’ll gladly stick to watching my box sets of ‘Little Britain’, ‘Fawlty Towers’, ‘The Office’ and those of that ilk! If you like ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys’, you might like rubbish like this.
Food Review - Gaucho, Cardiff
I have eaten at Gaucho a few times now, and it will not be the last. I could eat here once a week as I can’t find any fault in it. Granted, this is not a cheap outing for your money, especially in January, when we all feel the pinch after Christmas. Yet, Gaucho seems to be on the ball with this with their Winter Set Lunch menu. Two courses are £19.50 or three at £24. Served between 12 pm to 4 pm, Monday to Friday, this is very doable for anyone considering lunch at any eatery in Cardiff during the week. It’s a no-brainer if you can get a booking or not in advance, as they do allow walk-ins.
If there was a fault, it would be that the waiting staff should tell me not to order too many sides, as I leave too full. Until the next time, Gaucho!
Enjoy January,
Carl
Marsh
Twitter - @InTheWordsOf_CM
YouTube - InTheWordsOf
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CELTIC COUSINS
Part 1
Some years ago, we moved from Pembrokeshire to Edinburgh. The capital of Scotland was an exciting choice as although my husband was born, brought up and educated in Edinburgh he had spent some decades in Wales. My father used to say to him, “You have done well for yourself, my boy, in John Jones’ country.” I for the most part had not lived outside of Wales.
We had twelve wonderful years in the glorious countryside living halfway between Tenby and Pembroke, close to Manorbier Castle, and many wonderful, award-winning beaches all along the considerable coastline of the county. Previously, we had accomplished ten years of consultancy work together, working around the world.
Then, we were ready for a change.
The move to Scotland did not happen overnight but once we had made an outline plan, we stuck to it and, apart from the long distances involved in house hunting, the differences in the legal procedures, the journeys to and from West Wales, within months our plan became a reality.
Telling our friends, and listening to their questions,
by Sara John
however, was thought provoking. That first got me thinking; yes! There will be differences for us when we are living in Scotland! There will also be many similarities with our life in Wales! After all the two countries share a common Celtic culture, Welsh and Gaelic have numerous words in common and I had witnessed at first hand the many rugby internationals where it truly did not matter if Wales or Scotland won, as long as………
Anyway, the experience of the move from Wales to Scotland and the months of excitement and activity got me thinking about the differences and about the similarities apparent between the Welsh and the Scots.
In this article, I hope to share some of those thoughts with you.
Welsh friends telephoned, wrote, and emailed soon after our arrival. They asked: “What’s it like then?”
“No. what’s it really like then?”
“Is it very foreign?” “Do you like it?”
“Is it really freezing cold? Now you’re up there, we always clock the weather forecast for THE NORTH.”
“Are you happy? - are you sure?”
“When are you coming back to Wales then?”
And as an example of Wenglish, my native South Wales Valley’s native tongue, only used by one native to another:
“You movin to Scotland, you never are! Bu’ you don’t know nobody there!”
Assuming deep difference between the two cultures, Welsh friends and family, confused Edinburgh with Reykjavik, or even The North Pole itself.
Many of them seeking /exactly the same information, have you lost your mind? What are you going to do about the cat? /cats? Others ask questions covering Scottish culture as portrayed on tins of shortbread, namely: bagpipes, snowstorms, highland cattle (I have seen none so far in central Edinburgh) haggis, lochs and strong red haired men chucking telegraph poles at crowds of cheering visitors and at each other. Anyway, they ventured, as a final attempt to keep me safe in Wales, “Nobody will understand what you are saying ‘alf the time.”
Could I cope with all those comments? No! not ALL at the same time. Scottish friends and family asked NO questions. NO questions at all.
However, Scots that I meet for the first time invariably enquire hesitantly, “are you Welsh? Can you sing?’ The answer to which is, Yes and NoUnless submerged within a choir!
My husband’s only helpful suggestion to me during this radical change of lifestyle was, “Don’t keep telling people you’re Welsh. They’ll know.”
How will they know? I thought to myself. It’s not as though I go about wearing Welsh costume and singing Calon Lan.
This preamble, preambles themselves are big in Welsh culture where actually getting to the point too quickly or, even, ever, cuts a good story short and is somehow construed as ‘bad manners, rude’ and even worse is seen as ‘being abrupt.’
Being abrupt in Wales is a very serious misdemeanor. “Abrupt, she nearly bit my head off! I only asked ‘er wha’ she wanted, I didn’t know she was the doctor.”
How we speak, the tone and pitch of our voice, our vocabulary and use of accepted grammar is still one of the major ‘class markers’ in our so called classless society.
I was raised in the Rhondda Valley just after the war
just in case there is anyone out there who did not know that, and in that upbringing, talk was incessant, dramatic, self-derogatory, and frequently repetitive. It made me, from a very early age, aware of dialect, language, and accent.
The dialect was all around me. But not when I was sitting in the pictures, (there was no cinema as such in those days, you went to the Pictures, you queued to get in, and it was always raining) It was sitting in the pictures in the smokey darkness of the Workman’s Hall in Ton Pentre that I first heard clear precise ‘English’ from the well dressed, beautifully groomed, well behaved actors and actresses on the screen.
I understood what they were saying but I knew it was different. It was not what I heard all around me. There was no music in it. They were speaking to a plain tune.
Years later I could still easily recognise shoppers in Cardiff or visitors on their all too brief holidays to Pembrokeshire as Wenglish speakers, and therefore fellow clansmen. I might even KNOW them.
I would hear any or all of the following: It was like being back in The Rhondda years ago.
“Where’s she to then?”
“He never is!”
“Don’t be so twp, mun!”
“I haven’t gor no more!”
“You must know ‘er. In school with us she was.”
“A nice present I am looking for and pink it is I want.”
“Is there a Bracchi’s round ‘ere then?”
This was certainly not the language of the posh shops in Cardiff, especially James Howells - in its heyday. I did not venture in there for many years, as my granny always claimed you had to PAY to go in.
Wenglish was not the speech pattern used on the telephone, in particular for answering the telephone. It was not suitable for speaking to people from AWAY or for visiting the doctor or talking to the minister.
It was most certainly NOT the method of verbal communication at the old-fashioned girl’s grammar school that I attended where you were severely punished for H dropping, infinitive splitting and repeating oneself.
But that dialect of Wenglish endures today. It is alive and well, but I only heard it in Edinburgh, when the Welsh were up for the rugby.
It is a way of communicating that defines tribal identity.
It is clan talk.
It is what the London Welsh, the real Taffia, lapse into after a few drinks late at night in the West End. Wenglish has now been recognised as having ‘an important’ place in the life of (particularly) South Wales. More people speak it than speak Welsh.
Books are being written about it. Academic studies are being undertaken. It was first recognised as a worthy subject by John Thomas, who had great success when “Talking Tidy,” was published.
Wenglish is speaking Welsh through the medium of English.
The so called, some would say opposite, of Wenglish is the educated style and manner of speech called ‘received pronunciation.’ It was adopted by the BBC, for all parts of Britain from Land’s End to John o’Groats. in the late 1920’s when the wireless service began. Lord Reith had spoken about “One Voice,” pertinent in those times so soon after the First World War. Would it be a way of reuniting the country?
Not until well into the 1970’s was there a change in policy from Broadcasting House in London. Legend has it that Nationwide, which was a live daily link up magazine programme on television following the Six O’clock news pioneered the regional accents that are today widespread. Interviews with ‘regional characters’ on windswept, wet locations provided local colour and a chance to hear genuine accents and dialects not featured much before - Except on comedy programmes on radio or in the Music Hall in years gone by. Gladys Morgan and Harry Lauder and Wilfred Pickles come to mind.
In my part of Wales, the accents of the BBC, up until then, were called “talking posh.”
And anyone who copied that way of talking risked hearing the comment which would be well within hearing range. “An who the ell does she think she is then?” “I was in school with er I was, she was brought up in Station Road, down the far end. By the pit.”
Earlier I mentioned people from AWAY. To the Welsh tribes these people, people, that is ‘From Away’ represented much to be feared, a lot to be wary of and everything to be suspicious about. “They’re funny they are.”
Funny is the word in Wenglish to describe ‘different’ not amusing or humorous but funny meaning ‘strange’ - Not like us!
Visiting relatives who came to stay in the Rhondda when I was a child spoke with what was called a ‘twang’ and generally came from somewhere called vaguely, up England way.’ It worried me how they would know which way to go home. And when! Many of the South Welsh are, these days, ‘bilingual’ that is they use Wenglish every day and English when necessary (and many are also Welsh speakers, of course):
Likewise, the Scots have an extra resource in the Scots Language, now recognised as a separate language from English and Gaelic, so like Wales, we are talking about three languages within the country. Rather like Welsh it was repressed for a long time because of the intrusion of English but has remained in speech patterns and of course in the mouths of the elderly. It contains a rich legacy of words, some of which may be familiar from visits to Scotland and the poetry of Robert Burns and others.
It includes SASSENACH from the same root in old British (Brythonic) the Welsh have “SAESNEG” which means the English and SAESON an Englishman.
Burn’s poetry, he was a man of Ayrshire, just south of Glasgow, included many words which have become familiar. His poetry was full of everyday words such as catty sark, taking a wee keek, blethering, slaistering, the noo, lassies, bonny or otherwise. Here are some more of my favourites.
Clamjamphrie An assortment of things or a gathering of people Carnaptious Irritable or cross
Deid Dead
Dreich Miserable, depressing, related to the weather
Forfochen Worn out
Gallus Cheeky, cocky
Glaikit Gormless
Haar An icy low-lying mist drifting in from the North Sea
Muckle Big
Peely-wallie Pale and sickly looking
Shoogle To shake
Slaister To make a mess
Tapsalteerie Upside down
Whigmaleerie Trinket or knick knack
Foorach Whipped cream with oatmeal stirred in Slogan War cry or clan password
ScunnerTo actively dislike someone or something
Stramas An uproar
Tapsalteerie Upside down
Tatty bogle A scarecrow
Yammer To talk on and on
Lovely words which have added value to speech.
They should be used, so that they will not to be lost forever.
It is the same with some Welsh words, but these usually need at least a sentence or two to describe them.
Hiraeth: that longing for home which manifests itself as a pain in the tummy, a tightness in the throat and an unbelievable sadness of mood often caused by hearing strains of a Welsh hymn in foreign parts. Along with being unable to return to Wales anytime soon.
Cwtching: An embracing cuddle and hiding within the comfort of another, not necessarily with amorous intent, but there might be. Disappearing from the world under a nice itchy Welsh wool blanket. Hiding from bogie boos. A transfer of energy from the warmth of one person’s body, cloak, clothing, arms –whatever, to another weaker, colder, smaller, trembling soul. A cwtch is also the cupboard under the stairs or a hiding place.
But beware of drunken uncles at weddings, dribbly, seriously overweight espying you from afar and lunging towards you with the words, “come over by ere, Blodwen bach and let your Uncle Idwal give you a good old cwtching.” Dim Diolch Uncle Idwal. (No thanks Uncle Idwal).
Twpsin: Noun. The person who, it has been decided by others who know him (it’s usually a him!) that he is Twp (adjective). Being TWP is a state of mind, not necessarily permanent, more a condition of temporary stupidity.
It is not who you really are. More about something you have done.
Daft things like locking your keys in your car, not taking your umbrella with you anywhere in Wales, leaving the baby on the bus. Or as I did on Monday morning, making a phone call to change an appointment for a hearing assessment at the doctors when the lady who answered explained that I had rung the vets.
Twllt: Comes from pwll which means a pit. In Valleys’ Welsh it means a hole in the side of the road, filled with dirty black rubbish.
In usage it would be used in a derogatory way. “Duw, Duw. Yew should see where they’re livin now, it’s a real twllt.”
Ach y fi: Much used with young children. Sticky, dirty, unclean, unhygienic.
A term of disgust. “Is that what he did? He never did? Ach y fi!!!!!”
And in the Demetian dialect of my Mamgu, (Sara John born 1875) from the Gwaun Valley in Pembrokeshire there are words no longer required in the present day:
Achwyn fi: Means my side of the bed.
Cladd gwallt: The place where hair is buried, it was never burnt or thrown away.
Clefyd-y-pwd: A miff, or upset, used specially in reference to a choir member who has taken offence and stays away.
Cwnsel–y–claw: A soliloquist. A man who talks to hedges.
There is a lot more of this wondrous folk law from the Gwaun valley, where they still have New Year celebrations in early January according to the old calendar, up until the Great War they Christened the calves sprinkling them with blessed, holy water, they dyed stockings with colours from wild flowers, funerals took place after the corpse had been winched up the chimney and, retrieved from the roof or the back garden.
More of that next time, by now you will be thinking I am away with the fairies, Oh! And I have a lot to share with you about them too.
End of part one.
Look out for Part Two next month!
MORE WAYS TO MOVE IN CARDIFF
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Book an activity at your local centre, or start your membership online. better.org.uk/cardiff
Carl Stephens Interview with Ralph Oates
In this boxing column I had the pleasure of interviewing boxing trainer
Carl Stephens who kindly answered a number of questions about the sport.
Ralph Oates
In which year were you born?
Carl Stephens 1968
Ralph Oates
Where in Wales were you born?
Carl Stephens Cardiff.
Ralph Oates
How many amateur bouts did you have?
Carl Stephens 91
Ralph Oates
In which stance did you box?
Carl Stephens Orthodox
Ralph Oates
Who was your most difficult opponent in the amateurs?
Carl Stephens
Joe Calzaghe
Ralph Oates
Who was your trainer?
Carl Stephens
Mike Deabreau and Anthony Alsop
Ralph Oates
Have any members of your family ever boxed?
Carl Stephens
Yes, my Father and my Brother
Ralph Oates
How long have you been a trainer?
Carl Stephens 14 years
Ralph Oates
At which club do you train?
Carl Stephens
Apollos ABC
Ralph Oates
Who is your best friend in boxing?
Carl Stephens
My partner Suzy. Apart from Suzy my co trainer Ryan Marshall
Ralph Oates
Who do you feel is the best boxer to have held the world heavyweight title?
Carl Stephens
Joe Louis, he had an exceptional record making 25 successive world heavyweight title defences.
Ralph Oates
What in your opinion was the best world heavyweight title fight to ever take place?
Carl Stephens
The Third Muhammad Ali v Joe Frazier contest which took place on the 1 October 1975. This was an epic fight known as The Thriller in Manila which saw Ali successfully defend his world heavyweight crown against Frazier who retired in round 14.
Ralph Oates
Who is your favourite modern-day boxer?
Carl Stephens I don’t have one.
Ralph Oates
Who is your favourite old-time boxer?
Carl Stephens
Sugar Ray Leonard. An outstanding boxer he won a
gold medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympic games at light-welterweight. In the professional ranks who held the following world titles, undisputed welterweight, WBA super-welterweight, WBC middleweight, WBC and WBO super-middleweight and WBC lightheavyweight.
Ralph Oates
Do you think professional boxing would be best served with just one world boxing organisation rather than four or are you happy with there being four?
Carl Stephens
I think four is fine, but the champions of the rival organisations should be made to fight each other in an effort to get an undisputed title holder. Sadly, it’s all about the money a situation which frankly stop’s these big fights from happening.
Ralph Oates
Over the years there have been a number of boxing commentators on TV who was your favourite?
Carl Stephens
Harry Carpenter he was quality; it was always a joy listening to him.
Ralph Oates
How do you feel about women boxing?
Carl Stephens
To be honest I wasn’t very keen at first about the prospect of women boxing but I am getting used to it. There are some very good women boxers out there.
Ralph Oates
Do you feel that in professional boxing women’s world title fights should be increased from 10 rounds to 12 or stay as it is?
Carl Stephens
I feel they should be increased to 12 it’s a matter of equal rights.
Ralph Oates
How do you feel about there being so many weight divisions in professional boxing?
Carl Stephens
I really have no problem with the weight divisions they are there for a reason.
Ralph Oates
Looking back at the history of Welsh boxing who in your opinion was the best boxer produced in Wales?
Carl Stephens
Joe Calzaghe, he has an untarnished professional record of 46 fights. I gave Joe a close fight when we met in the ABA’s.
Ralph Oates
Who do you think will be the next world champion to emerge from Wales?
Carl Stephens
I am not sure. However, I feel my boxer Owain Harris Allan will definitely be world champion after the next Olympic games in 6 to 7 years from now. He will be 27-28 years of age.
Ralph Oates
Do you have a favourite boxing film?
Carl Stephens
Yes I do. I have three in fact. These being The Cinderella man which starred Russell Crowe as James J. Braddock, The Champ with Jon Voight playing the role of Billy Flynn, and the first Rocky which had Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa.
Ralph Oates
What changes if any, would you like to see made in boxing?
Carl Stephens
The ridiculous judging from all levels from grass roots to Olympic level. It’s scary and ridiculous. It’s really embarrassing for the sport; it’s basically cheating a massive issue at all levels both amateur and professional.
Ralph Oates
What plans do you have for the future?
Carl Stephens
My plans are to train my current gym to produce the best amateurs in Wales and GB. Maybe go through the pro ranks if I think I have a good crop to achieve titles. Most of all I hope to train Owen to be a world champion. I know I can and believe that with the right boxers I can do this. The only issue being we often loose boxers to the national squads. I know it’s a way of progressing which I fully understand but never the less it’s frustrating.
It is more than apparent that Carl knows his boxing and it is good to see that he is full of ambition for the future and looks ready to produce a world champion. Cardiff Times thanks Carl for giving both his time and opinions about the sport in this interview and wish him every success for the future.
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.
Monday to Sunday 10:00am - 5:00pm Penarth Road, Cardiff, South Glamorgan, CF11 8TT
GARY Y PINK ARD
Yourbabydeservesthebestchildcare BUT WHY?
Are you a parent? BUT WHY?
Perhaps it was a carefully crafted plan, or maybe it was the most delightful surprise that graced your life. Regardless of how it came to be, no parent can embark on the journey of nurturing and educating their child alone. To be a truly remarkable parent is to acknowledge this truth and to seek out the finest support possible, ensuring your child embarks on the most promising path from the very start.
Nursery might be the ideal childcare solution for you. BUT WHY?
Extensive research shows that children who attend Early Years settings enjoy benefits both during their time there and later in life. Whether you're working or simply need some time to tackle household chores, your child can gain valuable experiences from attending a quality nursery whilst you do so. Here are just some of the advantages you and your child can experience from a nursery:
Join Care UK’s nationwide ‘Big Dementia Conversation’
Did you know that more than 944,000 people in the UK live with Dementia, yet 94% of people think it’s common to mistake the early signs of dementia as normal ageing*?
Despite our increased knowledge of dementia in recent years, 71% of people feel there is little awareness around the differences between typical signs of ageing compared with symptoms of dementia. What’s more, 46% of people still think that the risk of developing dementia cannot be reduced *
Let’s get talking
‘ The Big Dementia Conversation’ online advice hub is all about sharing knowledge and real-life experiences to support those who are looking after someone living with dementia.
Often dementia is associated with memory, but it can present differently for many and recognising the early signs is important.
Not only can an early diagnosis help you to understand and adjust to the changes your loved one is experiencing, getting the right support in place can help your loved one to live well and can even slow down the progression of dementia.
Our online advice hub also looks at how you can support someone living with dementia and how just a few small tweaks can make a difference.
We’re here for you
If you’re caring for a loved one with dementia and need a little extra support, why not contact our dedicated advice helpline?
Our friendly support team and dementia specialists will be on hand to provide muchneeded advice and support to you and your loved one.
Did you know?
13% of people surveyed thought that ‘People living with dementia can’t lead a meaningful life’ * .
63% of people said ‘Forgetting things they’ve just done or been told’ was one of the first symptoms they noticed, and 59% said this was one of the fastest developing symptoms, yet 57% of these people also put this down to old age initially* .
Visit our online advice hub to find out more by scanning the QR code.
If you’re considering care in Cardiff, call 0330 822 6781 or visit careuk.com/cardiff
*According to a survey of 2,000 UK adults, conducted by OnePoll between 25th September and 2nd October 2023.
Free digital technology training in cardiff by
We live in an increasingly ‘online orientated’ ‘technology savvy’ society whereby everything from doing the weekly food shopping or accessing a lecture, to meeting new people, can happen via the internet. In 2024, It seems more and more companies, organisations and even charities are utilising the ‘world wide web’ to reach society and offer an abundance of ‘apps’, ‘QR codes’ and ‘webinars’, all aimed at making life ‘accessible anywhere’, playing an increasingly essential part of our day to day existence.
According to the global data and business intelligence platform, Statista, global internet use has almost doubled in the past 10 years with 35% of the population accessing the internet in 2014 compared to 67.5% in 2024. There are of course many benefits to having everything ‘at your fingertips’ from being able to contact relatives even when halfway across the globe to having information search engines available 24/7 for all those ‘how do I do this?’ moments, to ordering your evening meal and even being able to heat your house whilst on the route home.
Whilst this may be brilliant for the 67.5% of people online, where does this leave the rest of society? According to a leading charity ‘AGE UK’ around 1.7m people aged 75 and over in the UK, do not use the internet. The related fears associated with this include, not being able to perform the skills to thrive in a digital society on day-to-day life, increased risk of isolation and exclusion from certain events.
Luckily, charities such as AbilityNet have come to the rescue to provide specialist services and impartial support, making access to the digital world possible for everyone! AbilityNet was an initiative set up more than 25 years ago. They offer an array of online resources and support to companies to build accessible digital services, with over 450 communitybased volunteers who aim to help individuals with any disability, of any age, to use all kinds of digital technology.
AbilityNet recognise that the online world can be very daunting, especially with increasing amounts of jargon presumed knowledge of digital issues in the 21st century, and not to mention scams galore. They also recognise that this shouldn’t be a barrier for inclusion, so their dedicated volunteers are determined to make waves in the digital world for the benefit of all. After all, the more people who are confident to use the internet, the more services can
benefit too.
Natalie McCulloch
One well established company which recognised and responded to this, is BT who have created a partnership with AbilityNet to run FREE ‘digital skills sessions’ right here in Cardiff!
These sessions are particularly aimed at residents of Cardiff or nearby areas aged 65+ years old.
The sessions are designed to address any tech concerns you might have and empower you with the skills needed to navigate the digital world safely and with confidence.
The trainer provides personalised assistance, answering any questions you may have, and helping you become more comfortable with your digital device and the online world.
Sessions run from 10.30am to 12.30pm. You can also attend as many sessions as you like, for FREE!
Topics include:
•An introduction to Tech and Getting to know your Smartphone or Tablet
•An Introduction to the Internet and How to Stay Safe Online
•Using Everyday Apps (NHS Wales, Shopping, YouTube, and Banking)
The sessions are held at:
BT Group Offices, 3 Capital Quarter, Tyndell Street, Cardiff CF10 4BZ
To book your place contact: 0300 180 0028 during UK office hours
Or email: digitalskills@abilitynet.org.uk with your name and phone number and the team will be in touch to confirm your place.
Volunteering
If you have read this and are interested in becoming a volunteer, please do not hesitate to contact them too!
Your support could well help someone more than you realise!
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Green Business Ideas for 2025: Pioneering Sustainability for a Better Future
As the world races towards a greener future, 2025 is shaping up to be the year where eco-conscious entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into game-changing realities. The numbers speak for themselves: the global green technology and sustainability market, valued at $17.21 billion in 2023, is expected to skyrocket to $105.26 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights 2024). For forward-thinking businesses, there has never been a better time to embrace the green revolution. Here are some of the most exciting green business ideas to inspire your next big leap!
Sustainable Fashion
The fashion industry has long been a significant contributor to environmental waste, but 2025 offers a chance to rewrite its story. By diving into sustainable fashion, you can champion eco-friendly practices while tapping into a market eager for change.
How to Make an Impact
1.Eco-Friendly Materials: Source fabrics like organic cotton, hemp, and recycled polyester to create stylish yet sustainable clothing. Consider integrating innovative materials like Piñatex (made from pineapple leaves) or Tencel (from sustainably harvested wood pulp) for a unique edge.
2.Resale and Repair: Leverage the power of platforms like Vinted, Depop, or eBay to sell pre-loved clothing. Better yet, offer a repair service that helps people extend the life of their favourite pieces. Small fixes like stitching torn seams, replacing buttons, or re-dyeing fabrics can breathe new life into old garments if you have these skills.
Ultimately, as the demand for sustainability continues to rise, this is your opportunity to become a trailblazer in an industry ready for transformation. So, pick up that needle, brush off that sewing machine, or source that perfect eco-fabric— because the future of fashion is yours to create.
Upcycling Old Furniture
With landfill space dwindling and waste management becoming a pressing issue, upcycling furniture is not only trendy but also necessary. This is not just about repairing old items; it is about transforming them into unique, high-quality pieces that people want to showcase in their homes.
Get Started
1.Sourcing Materials: Begin with local charity shops, flea markets, or Facebook Marketplace where Cardiff has an active online community which often lists free or inexpensive furniture that’s perfect for upcycling.
2.Design with Purpose: Give old furniture a new identity by applying a fresh coat of paint, reupholstering with bold fabrics, or incorporating artistic stencils. Small details, like swapping drawer handles or adding sleek legs, can transform a tired piece into a standout creation. By focusing on upcycling, you’re not just selling furniture you are fostering a lifestyle that values sustainability, resourcefulness, and creativity.
Plant Based Food
The demand for plant-based food options continues to grow, and Cardiff’s vibrant food scene is the perfect place to launch
by Sean Killen
your venture. Whether you are offering savoury dishes, sweet treats, or grab-and-go snacks, plant-based food may not be just a trend—it may be the future of dining.
What’s in Demand
1.Local Plant-Based Twists: Imagine creating vegan versions of Welsh favourites like Glamorgan sausages or Bara Brith. Infusing traditional recipes with a plant-based touch connects you to the local community while appealing to curious tourists.
2.Diverse Cuisine: Offer globally inspired options by experimenting with popular plant-based dishes you feel could add to Cardiff’s multicultural food scene.
3.Eco-Friendly Packaging: Use compostable containers, biodegradable cutlery, and reusable bags.
Beyond the food itself, building a brand that emphasizes community, creativity, and environmental stewardship will resonate deeply with Cardiff’s eco-conscious diners.
Educating Businesses on Sustainability
Regardless of size or industry, every business can adopt sustainable practices to reduce their environmental footprint, stay competitive, and meet the growing expectations of consumers and regulators. To make this shift, targeted education and actionable strategies are crucial.
What Businesses Need to Learn
1.Tailored Sustainability Solutions: Different industries face unique challenges. Training should focus on sector-specific strategies that make sense for their business model. For example, a small café may benefit from composting and local sourcing, while a software firm could explore energy-efficient server solutions.
2.Cost-Efficient Transitions: A common misconception is that sustainability is expensive. Education can highlight affordable actions—like switching to LED lighting, reducing water usage, or using digital tools to cut paper waste—that provide measurable savings over time.
3.Long-Term Value of Sustainability: Beyond immediate savings, sustainable practices attract eco-conscious customers, improve employee satisfaction, and strengthen brand reputation. Workshops can help businesses see how these changes drive long-term profitability.
In today’s world, businesses no longer have the luxury of overlooking sustainability. It is not solely about compliance; it is about staying relevant, competitive, and responsible. From Cardiff’s bustling retail hubs to its forward-thinking tech scene, every business has a role to play, and the tools to succeed are more accessible than ever.
Investing in sustainability education and empowering businesses to act can unlock the potential to transform every industry into a driving force for environmental progress. Moving forward into 2025, one thing remains clear: regardless of the business type, opportunities to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future are always within reach.
Time to get Turn’d Up!
Shekira Johnson introduces us to the dance fitness phenomenon taking the world by storm - online or at a gym near you
My name is Shekira Johnson and I am the Founder and Director of Turn’d Up Fitness. We run classes all over South Wales, and an On Demand platform so people can get their Turn’d Up fix at home.
Why Turn’d Up? Firstly, it’s fun. Imagine a night out minus the hangover. It’s about energy, empowerment and community. And what’s more, it’s an amazing all-over workout - you can burn up to 900 calories in a class! And we do it to the best tunes - R&B, dancehall and chart music. If you’ve heard it in a club, or on the radio, you’ll be dancing to it at Turn’d Up.
A bit of background for you: I’m a Cardiff born-andbred drama graduate with a huge interest in health and fitness - I’m qualified in 22 different fitness programmes. Back in 2017 I was teaching my class in Penarth Leisure Centre and the queue for it was out of the door! I had a ‘lightbulb moment’ when I realised there was a gap in the market for a workout combining dance, fitness and drama. And so Turn’d Up was born! I have trained over 400 instructors and the Turn’d Up movement (my ‘Girl Gang’) is growing - classes are not only in South Wales but popping up all over the UK, and even as far as Australia!
When I talk about Turn’d Up (and I do - A lot!), people say to me ‘But I can’t dance. I’ve got two left feet!’ Believe me, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to have dance experience. The routines are broken down so everyone, no matter what their ability, can learn them and feel like they’re in their own music video. There’s no judgement or competition in our
classes. I train my instructors to make everyone feel welcome and at ease. Add to this the lights are off and the disco lights are on and you can set your inner J.Lo or Beyoncé free. You *know* she’s in there somewhere!
What’s more, if you want to try out Turn’d Up in your living room first, brush up on your skills, or simply prefer to exercise in the privacy of your own home, you can subscribe to our Turn’d Up On Demand platform.
On Demand has our amazing dance routines and tutorials, but it’s so much more than that. My vision was to make it a holistic experience – so you can access yoga, meditations, nutrition plans and self-improvement reading lists, all on one platform. I launched On Demand during Covid-19 - like all entrepreneurs, I had to pivot to meet members’ changing needs, and my gang were missing their classes!
Even as we started venturing out and about again, there was clearly still a need for an online community. Since Covid, everyone is more aware of the power of technology, not to mention the importance of physical and mental wellbeing and of taking time for yourself. Turn’d Up On Demand meets all those needs. Feeling pressured for time? (Who isn’t!) On Demand can fit in around you.
I’m so proud of my community, on and offline, and I can’t wait to see my Girl Gang grow even more. What are you waiting for – we can’t wait to dance with you!
Go to https://turndupfitness.com/ to find On Demand and a class near you.
Dychwelwch i’r ystafell ddosbarth yn 2025gallech chi newid eich bywyd!
Mae Dysgu Gydol Oes ym Mhrifysgol Caerdydd yn rhoi croeso cynnes i oedolion sy’n dysgu.
Mae ein cyrsiau byr a rhan-amser (ar-lein neu wyneb yn wyneb) yn berffaith i roi hwb i’ch CV, ennill credydau tuag at gymhwyster neu i gadw’ch meddwl yn fywiog. Rydyn ni’n cynnig amrywiaeth eang o bynciau sy’n dechrau trwy gydol y gwanwyn ac yn annog y rhai sydd heb fod mewn addysg ers tro i deimlo’n hyderus a theimlo bod ganddyn nhw’r gallu i ddysgu.
Gallwch chi ddysgu er mwynhad neu symud ymlaen i astudio ymhellach (neu’r ddau!) gan ein bod ni hefyd yn cynnig Llwybrau at radd i’ch helpu chi i gael mynediad at astudiaethau israddedig. Byddwch chi’n derbyn cefnogaeth ac anogaeth ar bob cam o’r ffordd.
Efallai y bydd stori Emily yn eich annog chi i ddilyn eich breuddwydion: “Roedd y Llwybr yn hynod hyblyg ac yn hygyrch i mi. Allwn i ddim fforddio cwtogi fy oriau gwaith ac roedd yn rhyddhad dod o hyd i ddosbarth oedd yn cael ei gynnal gyda’r nos. Doedd e ddim wedi effeithi ar fy ngwaith felly roedd yn berffaith! Ar ben hynny, roedd y llwyth gwaith yn gyson ac yn gytbwys a doeddwn i byth yn teimlo fy mod i’n methu ymdopi. Doeddwn i ddim wedi bod mewn ystafell ddosbarth ers rhai blynyddoedd, ond fe wnaeth y tiwtoriaid yn ein cefnogi a chynnig help a chyngor i ni. Fe wnes i wir fwynhau’r Llwybr ac mae wedi bod yn braf gweld eraill yn symud ymlaen i wneud gradd israddedig hefyd. Byddwn i’n annog unrhyw un sydd mewn sefyllfa debyg i mi i gofrestru!”
Graddiodd Emily gyda gradd mewn nyrsio oedolion o Brifysgol Caerdydd yn 2023.
Return to the classroom in 2025 - you could change your life!
Lifelong Learning at Cardiff University provides a warm welcome to adult learners.
Our short and part-time courses (online or in-person) are perfect to boost your CV, earn credits towards a qualification or to keep your mind active. We provide a wide variety of subjects starting throughout the spring and encourage those who have been away from education for a while to feel confident and empowered to learn.
You can learn for enjoyment or to progress to further study (or both!) as we also offer Pathways to a degree to help you access undergraduate studies. You will receive support and encouragement at every step of the way.
Emily’s story may encourage you to follow your dreams:
“The Pathway was incredibly flexible and accessible for me. I could not afford to cut back on my work hours and it was a relief to find a class running in the evening. My work was not affected so it was perfect! Additionally, the workload was steady and balanced and I never felt overwhelmed. I had not been in a classroom for a good few years, but the tutors really supported us and provided help and advice. I genuinely enjoyed the Pathway and it has been nice to watch others also progress onto an undergraduate degree. I would urge anybody who is in a similar situation to me to enrol!”
Emily graduated with a degree in adult nursing from Cardiff University in 2023.
