Cardiff Times March 2021

March 2021

CARDIFF TIMES® FREE

In celebration of World Down Syndrome Day

21 March 2021 st

turn to page 6 for the full story

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CARDIFF TIMES

PUBLISHER Cardiff Times

EDITOR Louise Denning 07903 947594 FEATURES EDITOR Mark Denning 07758 247194 SALES & MARKETING Beth beth@cardiff-times.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Wyn Evans, Vince Nolan, Sara John, Michael James, Molly Dutton, Carl Marsh, Natalie McCulloch, Jen Abell, Michael Fogg, Kellie Williams

EDITORS LETTER

Welcome Hi All, and welcome to our March issue.

It's World Down Syndrome Day on the 21st March, so we've dedicated the front cover to Angharad Evans, daughter of our regular columnist Wyn Evans. To read about this talented teenager, turn to page 6.

Last month was another quiet one for us, which gave Mark and I a chance to re-assess our health and decide we needed to get fitter. Hence, Mark has been walking for two hours every day and I have been running regularly, and we are pleased to say we are now definitely feeling the benefits, apart from when Mark surprised us with a delivery of delicious cakes, which although amazingly tasty, did nothing for the waistline!

We have also been taking the children on a daily walk, sometimes willingly and sometimes they have needed a lot of persuasion.

Now we are in March and the start of spring, the weather should be warmer, so the children will hopefully need less cajoling/ bribery!

Talking of March and the start of spring, we will still be celebrating St David’s Day this year obviously, but not as we would normally do which is a shame, especially for the children. At least our daughter will be going back to school sometime this month, which she is really looking forward to, hopefully our son will be able to go back to his high school in the not too distant future.

In recognition of St David’s Day, we have two articles, one from Sara John and one from Jen Abell, which should be of real interest to all Welsh people. We also have a new contributor, Kellie Williams, who writes about a famous Cardiff landmark, the lighthouse memorial at Roath Park Lake.

EDITORIAL 029 2046 3028 ADVERTISING 07903 947594 EMAIL info@cardiff-times.co.uk WEB www.cardiff-times.co.uk

Finally, we'd like to dedicate this issue to Sarah Hall who sadly passed away on the 24th February. She was a former nurse at the Heath Hospital, mum and wife. We were going to publish a page in this issue to help raise money for life saving cancer treatment, but sadly this wasn't to be.

Please continue to stay safe everyone, and until next month, happy reading.

Louise & Mark Follow us on Twitter @CardiffTimes

www.facebook.com/Cardifftimes

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4

March CONTENTS 6 The Down Syndrome Diary

by Wyn Evans 10 It’s All In A Name

by Vince Nolan 13 Residents at Ty Llandaff receive COVID jabs 14 Fashion Done Your Way

by Molly Dutton 18 Welsh Are You?

by Sara John 22 The lighthouse in Roath that is the talk of the town

by Kellie Williams 26 Imperfect is Perfect: Top Tips for Welsh language learners

by Jen Abell 30 Protect your wealth

by Michael Fogg 31 Boho Flame Candles Co launches after Development Bank of Wales support 34 In The Words Of

by Carl Marsh 40 Struggling with eating issues? Reach out and have hope – you are not alone!

by Natalie McCulloch 44 Co-Incidences and Cars

by Michael James

The Down Syndrome Diary.

ByWyn Evans

In every cell in the human body there is a nucleus, where genes are stored. Genes carry the codes responsible for all of our inherited traits and are grouped along rod-like structures called chromosomes. Typically, the nucleus of each cell contains 23 pairs of chromosomes, half of which are inherited from each parent. Down syndrome occurs when an individual has a full or partial extra copy of chromosome 21. This additional material causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome(1). Because of this conjunction of three copies of chromosome 21 it won’t surprise you to read that World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) falls on 21st March every year. For twenty-seven families WDSD this year has extra meaning because they are contributors to the Down Syndrome Diary, being published on 21.03.21.

Because she was surprised by and ultimately tired of the negativity she encountered during her

pregnancy, Detroit mum, Jamie Freeman, thought to pen a diary detailing her own hopes and fears at carrying a child with Down syndrome (DS).

She decided to seek entries from other, similar parents with the aim of collating the material into a manuscript that would be published and made available to would-be future parents. My wife (The Boss) and I were invited to contribute, with other parents from North America, the UK, and Europe.

Our daughter (The Girl) has DS and will be fifteen a week after WDSD this year. So I thought I’d offer readers of Cardiff Times a sneak preview of our chapter of the Down Syndrome Diary, below, to commemorate WDSD. ***** “My daughter’s name tells it like it is: “Angharad” is Welsh for “much loved”. We had learned in the course of Nikki’s pregnancy that there was a strong likelihood that our daughter would have Down syndrome (DS). Scans showed that our baby had three holes in her heart and a shortened femur, and with Nik being a forty-two-year-old first-time mother, all signs pointed that way.

Angharad was born on a Tuesday and her extra chromosome was not identified until the following Friday.

Throughout the pregnancy, midwives and doctors had pointed out to us what they called the ‘usefulness’ of having an amniocentesis and more than once stressed the availability of abortion.

This despite Nikki repeatedly asking for her medical notes to highlight that she would not be having an amnio and would not be seeking a termination of her pregnancy. On that Friday, when the doctor told us that our daughter had DS, he did so with a sad voice and a long face. We had a little cry - it seemed expected; and finally knowing for certain was definitely a release of emotional pressure.

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Angharad (or Ace) was born five weeks prematurely.

She weighed 3lbs 10oz and could fit in the palm of my hand. She spent her first six weeks in ICU. She also required open heart surgery, which she was able to have once she was aged 15 weeks.

Post operation, when she was well enough to be with us in our hospital room, she scared us by making her first ever scream. We jumped in fright!

It was explained to us that before the holes in her heart were fixed she hadn’t had enough energy or strength to make much noise. I’d never before realised what a life-affirming thing a baby’s cry could be.

Despite issues with feeding, with hypotonia, with needing to use Makaton sign language (which was a godsend) and despite some people’s attitudes being in the Dark Ages, we were determined that Ace would be a part of and contribute to the local community which we were (and are) part of. We joined every activity and group imaginable.

Nikki took a year’s maternity leave then returned to work as the breadwinner. I left my job and became a full-time dad. At coffee mornings, baby massage, swimming, singing, and other activities, I was generally warmly welcomed by the other parents who were mostly mums (or mams as we say here in Wales)! We tried to give Angharad as many different peer groups as possible; alongside mainstream/ typically developing kids, kids with DS, kids with other disabilities, etc.

We found a pre-school nursery that welcomed Ace with open arms. Her low muscle tone meant that she found some activities difficult but she bounced and rolled and eventually walked her way into a local primary school. In both nursery and reception class, she had 1:1 support that primarily focused on Speech Therapy. When the National Health Service/Local Education Authority speech therapy provision dried-up or was simply over-stretched, we paid for private provision - an hour a week, every week - which is still ongoing. (Ace is now nearly fifteen years of age and is in her fourth year of high school.) As an aside, Nik and I believe that learning Makaton and accessing good S&L therapy have been the two most helpful interventions we facilitated for Ace.

During Angharad’s primary schooling, she attended a Specialist Resource Base (SRB) each morning and then joined her typically-developing peers for afternoon lessons. This model worked well on the whole for all concerned. However, we believed that Ace would gain more (and give more back) if she could attend a mainstream high school without an SRB, but with 1:1 support and a curriculum differentiated for her capabilities.

We started discussions with Cardiff High School well in advance and were heartened by the staff’s preparedness to make this happen. Thus, Ace is the first child with DS ever to attend Cardiff High School. It matters in all sorts of ways, but it is especially significant for us as it is Angharad’s local comprehensive school and serves all the kids in this community. We have now started investigating Ace’s educational options for her post-sixteen years.

Her activities? Angharad climbs Boulders’ rockfaces, rides horses through trotting and cantering, is readying for her fourth judo belt (put on hold because of the COVID pandemic lockdown), and has lessons at a local swimming club. She has loved every minute of Rainbows and Brownies and is now a Girl Guide Ranger. Her two “most favourite” activities are ballet and trampolining.

She holds her own with her typically-developing peers in ballet gradings (currently grade six); has been runner-up in her category in the British Trampolining Championships, also representing Wales in trampolining. She attends a local youth group for kids who have Down syndrome and this gives her great happiness. Most recently she has signed-up for weekly singing lessons. In 2020, she successfully completed the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award.

I can’t be dealing with those people who think having a child diagnosed with DS is the end of the world as they know it. Sorry if that was you, dear reader! Nik and I are not “pushy parents”, we just believe in our daughter to do as well as she can at whatever she turns her hand to. Our job is to love and protect her and facilitate her development. We expect her to be further educated. We expect she will pass her driving test if she decides she wants to

CARDIFF TIMES 7

do so. She tells us that one day she wants to have an interesting job and to settle down and have a family, and we’ll do all we can to support her if, in due course, this happens.

Don’t get me started on health and social policymakers who are trying to eradicate DS from the world as if it was akin to malaria. “Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT)”, while potentially a useful tool in helping prepare families for all eventualities, risks instead being used with abortion to prevent the birth of future generations of people with DS. We are nonetheless heartened by the bottom-up, family-driven work that advocates for those with DS. This has seen the development of helpful and positive information for would-be parents of kids with DS. It has seen changes to the curriculums of doctors, nurses/midwives and therapists in training - so that they actually meet and are lectured to by people with DS and their families.

Surveys show that most people with DS are really happy with their lives. Families and friends of those with DS know what they bring to the party. Now is the best time ever to be a person who has DS, or to be a parent, sibling or friend of someone with DS: • Surgical and pharmaceutical interventions are adding years to life and life to years, extending mean life expectancy into the sixties, which will certainly continue to rise.

• Speech and other therapies mean that people with DS can be understood and can play their part in the babble that is our daily life.

• Educationalists know more about how best to tailor programmes of education to the needs and learning styles of those with DS. • There are plenty of examples of how to tailor the employment and housing markets to give those with DS real opportunities for employment and independence.

Angharad has featured in our local and national press and on broadcast media. I have written a monthly magazine column about her for eight years; this has opened up many interesting opportunities for dialogue and mutual education with members of the public. My Facebook blog has 77,000 followers of whom scores are regular correspondents. All 8 CARDIFF TIMES

these things suggest that there is a well of goodwill out there. It is important to see all the things that people with DS can do rather than be overwhelmed by things that they cannot.” ***** The chapter we contributed concludes with comments we had been sent by people who have followed The Girl’s story. There were many such contributors and the comments ranged from the funny to the deeply moving. Space prevents me from including them here, but they will form part of the published DSD. There is not one thing I’d change about The Girl. I just hope that The Boss and I will be around for a long time yet so that we can watch with pride as she continues to change the world around her!

You can follow The Girl at: https://www.facebook.com/ BeatingDownsBarriers/

CARDIFF TIMES 9

“And another thing...”

It’s All In A Name

ByVince Nolan

I admit to being old school, particularly when it comes to speling and grandma (I know). In fact, I am so old skool that both of the schools I previously attended have subsequently bean bulldozed for houzing. Of course, there are plenty of accidental spelling howlers out there if you keep your eyes open. For example:

Tesco Supermarket: One assumes “Sacues” are sauces whilst from Newport Council, Heol and Hoel street signs mean road and nail in Welsh. Doesn’t anybody check these things?

Accordion to a recent survey, replacing words with the names of musical instruments in a sentence often goes undetected.

In this month’s non-lookalike competition, we have David and Neil Tennant.

Quickly followed by Audrey and Katherine Hepburn.

Can’t see it myself.

10 CARDIFF TIMES

Louise, our esteemed Editor, was musing in an email to me the other day whether anybody might have the surname of Surname and the ensuing carnage that it could cause. An interesting proposition I think you will agree. So, picture the scene at say, the doctors: “I have an appointment at 10.”

“Name?”

“Surname.”

“No, I need your name.”

“Surname.”

“LET ME MAKE IT EASIER FOR YOU. I NEED YOUR NAME SO THE DOCTOR CAN LOOK AT YOUR HEALTH RECORDS BEFORE SEEING YOU. SO, NAME PLEASE.” “Surname.” Etc. There are not too many surnames in the New Testament unless they were baddies like Mary Magdalene, Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate. I suspect this has more to do with highly moral Christian monks translating the Hebrew scriptures into their version of events many centuries later. Names and their meanings can be interesting. Adolf Hitler’s birth surname was Schicklgruber then Hieldler before he changed it. Much to the relief of the Schicklgruber/ Hieldler families one suspects. Nearer to home, Vincent is Latin derived, meaning “Conqueror” and Nolan means “Champion” (from the Gaelic). How about that for a strong set of names. She Who Must Be Obeyed is Lorraine, taken from the Germanic meaning “Famous Army.” How apt. By a strange quirk of fate, she was born in Germany so there you are.

Whilst son and heir Tom, comes from the Gaelic, “Twin.” One is quite enough, thank you.

You may remember that our Tom lives in Long Beach, New York. I recently sent him a picture of a local pastoral scene with our light dusting of snow and a couple of random sheep. He came back to me with: “Dad, we are skiing in Vermont and are just going into O’Dwyer’s Irish Bar for a beer.” Spot the differing lifestyles below.

leave parcel at foot of door. Live re-enactment of the Battle of Hastings being filmed.”

Saw this on a poster the other day from Choose Love who nobly sell essential items to support refugees. “If you have more than you need, build a longer table, not a higher wall.”

Staying with Irish drink, I bought four cans of Guinness Talking of walls, I have no wish to mention the former the other day, purely for medicinal purposes you US President ever again but, in his defence, he understand. I was in the process of removing the conservatory is so big that we couldn’t pinpoint and we were nowhere on the ferry. came near to holding the plastic ties holding them together it but because it sounded like our next door TherePresidential was no Customs inspection in France as record for issuing pardons. when the can I was holding neighbour was messing about in his garden. A few forwe had been inspected and we were off tothree the first time theyears other day unique Inalready the early of theand US,the some acts exploded in my hand.hours A loud bang later a sparrow introduced itself to us which word Paris.

We repeated the people smuggling exercise location I was looking for was “You Are of treason, piracy and rebellion were Lost!” and I was wearing themust contents on the fault way back.

Quite what would have happened have flown in when the patio doors were Design or user error? forgiven. My favourite involved a man if Customs had found Colonel Gaddafi stowing Being man, the hunter, I used my instinctive which travelled up theopen. ceiling, Talking of intolerance, I amClub led towas believe that the Wilson who jointly away called on a St.George Peter’s Rugby bus is anybody’s and trapping skills and picked the little guy across the floor, over tracking the worktop term heckler originated from mail the textile trade, where convicted of stealing at gunpoint guess but it would certainly have caused a major up and and onto the desk. Note thereleased can in him back into the wild. No harm to heckle was to tease or comb-out flax or hemp and incident. was sentenced to death by diplomatic done………………..well, until next door’s cat got o whether the theanimal picture has not been opened fibres. The modern meaning was coined in Dundee Just tohanging. be clear: He Didrefused you hearaabout the urologist him. pardon in 1833 in the early 19th century.

As the hecklers toiled in (in the conventional way) and still who was eaten by a bear?

He was a meteorologist Staying with hunting, if I were illegally hunting for from President Andrew Jackson andthe days’ the factory, one of the team would read out llege student has the widget inside.mushrooms, It could would I have questionable morels? (meaty urologist, oh please news and the others would buttSupreme in with constant was executed after yourselves). the Court f which covered have been quite nastyAlso, given how The Leader of theaOpposition and I weredebate.” sitting in what do you call a deer who has lost both interruptions and stream “furious ruled he could turn itofdown if he wanted With udy, a test was held. sharp the tin was. By eyes a spooky ourinsocially local, The Funky Furlough, in a hunting accident? No eye deer. this mind Idistanced have collated some did there) passed to. No pleasing some folk.quality put-downs whencomics a lady close byused to usto asked the Barmodern Manager I have decided that when Trump dies, I will give coincidence, Guinness was which have deal with day ch square contained if the toilets were still upstairs. He of course hiswas eulogy.

I will the say:time “He it is tried todayto how he was as hecklers: exactly d’s legs. Nofounded bodies, in 1759 which Continuingconfirmed that they were but I thought this to be a make-up shift me nearer to myPresident……….wearing maker. I drank the other three and lying in front “What was asked to identify size of shoe does your mouth take?” the rope very stupid question. I would have said something of us.

Amen.”

Ricky Tomlinson dent sat and stared cans for health and safety reasons. like: “I don’t I was recently asked by the son of a good friend theme: “This is what comes from drinking onknow an empty minute. Finally he I know I have written about sell-buy dates before when madam was of mine if I would write a urology for his Dad’s cture theatre and Soap onhead.” but a recent trip to are my only local3supermarket on a Friday I have discovered thatfuneral. there shops I really last with us but we I didn’t have the heart to say eulogy esk. “This is the athe rope “I know where you were when they were handing almost no perishables would Irevealed recently had aSpecsavers, great withthat Mark Daceymake (on the need during lockdown: Boots and moved them out to but I knewZoom whatcall he meant.

Anyway, here is leS) who is the dynamic CEO of said. The Lecturer Pope on a the brains out………getting an extra helping of following Monday.

In fact I had some doubt whether Neath Talbot Colleges. does not need me to suggest the uncanny life Port is just specs andofdrugs and Itsausage you have Greggs. not filled My the car park many what IGroup wrote: mouth.” they would make ittotoactor the Ricky car for the journey home. rope resemblance he has Tomlinson or vice versa. you have definitely rolls. I don’t know about you, butMike I have had of months ago as a My favourite tale, (heenough was affectionately What is going on because it’s nothing to do with EU e?” you know, if you wore direct soundproof trousers no consequence as Gaddafi because his likeness this lockdown malarkey.

We don’t have to home school Isupply know I issues? haveknown wriKen about sell-buy dates before but a recent trip“Do to my local supermarket Closer inspection of of the packaging I once owned one of the achewed pencils which Perhaps one would hear word you’re saying.” of Covid19.” to the former Libyan leader), involved a trip or anything like thatcountries but whenalmost highlight of the on a Friday revealed no perishables revealed ofthe origin for fruit andthat vegwould like make the following Monday. In fact I ers to the knee used to write his famous He used this works. is whyamount do not run to Paris to watch Wales play France.

WecarShakespeare Tanzania and Argentina.

So these comestibles tell me! “ week washad some doubt whether they would make it to the for the What is going one journey day“Is leSthat onhome. theyour sell-buy date.

It takes an inordinate of skill to supply goo taking the car for an MOT then it’s serious, real face or are you stillI celebrating to chew on it so much that I couldn’t tell whether it was a pub. had developed a 20 year relationship with in-@me” with 24 hours to spare.

Waste levels must be astronomical. are cultivated in exotic climes, picked, packaged, Halloween?” because it’swent nothing to dofor with supply issues? Closer inspec@on of the packaging particularlyonas we both along theEU excitement. el sorry for the A in wife sentgone her French side and distributed themaround and orStaying not 2B. Staying with the Bard, days taken tocountries thea port or origin airport, UK2B and of for played fruit and veghome like Tanzania Argen@na.

So these with food, I have been doing some research into what is by, no longer manufactu imate. They have revealed “Your bus leaves in 10 minutes...

Be under it.” husband aquote romantic away ondelivered French international weekends.

On warehouses then to the shops and put on in order to attract women, I used to use this from Smar@es (C the UK. The list is endless but here is a small sample: Pringles (Belgium), comes@bles are cul@vated in exo@c climes, picked, packaged, taken to the port or airport, belonging Here’s and one, what about skew-whiff?

A(Mike’s phrase we text message.

She wrote: “Ifhim.. you are sleeping, send this particular tripleft first), we did date. it in the the shelves with one day on the sell-buy It Colman’s English Mustard (Act Germany), Terrys Chocolate “Well, it’s a night out for and aOrange night(France) off forand hisHP (Hou Shakespeare’s Hamlet, III, Scene IV, line 82: around UK warehouses then delivered to the shops and put on the shelves with y are being often tutored hear.distributed Apparently, it comes from 18th Century (The Netherlands).

Staggering. takes an inordinate amount of skill supply goods me Sauce your dreams.

If you are laughing, send me your old-fashioned way,the a bus toto Dover, ferry crossingParliament) family.” must causeweaving some industry “just-in-time” with spare.

Waste when something nottostraight was smile.

If you are knock.” eating,“Who’s send me a bite.

If you are “LiKle old lady and then24 onhours to Paris.

I was sitting nextlevels to him. AtHere’s one for you: “Knock there?”

“LiKle old lady.”

“Hello.” “I idea need stereo.” be astronomical. youyou could yodel.” drinking, sendlike meVan a sip.Gogh If youneeded are crying, send me Dover, a uniformed Officer referred tomust as skew weft (from the warpCustoms and weft).

Of came onto “I had no I was reading about Ialove court case where thetexted accused Her husband back: “ as ourbe bus and said:with “Just hold up some your passports of tears. a certain soyou.” my tolerance threshold does work as well it used to course, this Staying should not confused related Iyour walked intoageour local bar, The Moaning Monet and with food, I have beenthe doing researchI am a man was described as “having murderous intent.”

I was par@cularly when being asked to embrace new technology.

I was therefore I’mVan in theGogh toilet,sitting please at advise.” guys and Ito). will come along and them and saw the end on a bar stool.

I heartene catawampus had into(look whatitisup, noI longer manufactured in count the UK. The Who Must Be Obeyed suggested download new app called quiteShe disappointed to learn that had to doWhat3Words. This you.”

Mike me and said “I Pringles shouted “Hey Vince do Ithis you wantanothing a drink?” list is endless but here is a to small sample: A good friend and neighbour ofturned ours, let’s call her Drdidn’t know naviga@on aid which divides the World into 3 metre squares and gives each square a Happy New Year Dear Reader, the Year of the we needed(Canada), a passport and I haven’t got one.”

I camping. with (Belgium), Smarties Colman’s English combina@on of three words.

I s@ll“No drivethanks, about a lotI’ve for business, believe it or not and H, for that is her name, is walking out with Dr R who He shouted back: already got one Ox. this going to be lucky said “oh spiffi ng” orChocolate words to that effect. Then, inassured a Mustard (Germany), Terrys Orange that Apparently this system would beyear muchis more accurate than using our sat nav. I used ear.” is no stranger to TV and radio presenting.

We recently Finally, sad news, my friend David has lost his ID. with the Ox representing diligence, persistence scene reminiscent of a World War 2 prisoner of war (France) and HP (Houses of Parliament) Sauce (The the first @me the other day and the unique three word loca@on I was looking for was walked past their frontescape door where a note wasdown pinned.

Now Are heLost!” isAdios just Dav. Design fault orNot user for error? and honesty. going to be Trump’s year story, Mike ducked into the footwell Netherlands).

Staggering.

Amigos It said: “Please leave next parcel at and footIof door.

Radio then isChums it? to me piled his Live coat and mine onHasta top of La Vista Here’s one for you: “Knock knock.” “Who’s there?”

Programme Being Recorded.”

Notnot to to bemove, outdone we him. I told him whilst we were both “Little old lady.” “Little old lady who?” “I had no idea reducedthe to laughing uncontrollably.

The Customs rushed home I penned following note: “Please youand could yodel.” guy walked the bus, did the count, missed Mike

I am a man of a certain age so my tolerance threshold does not work as well as it used to particularly when being asked to embrace new technology. I was therefore heartened when She Who Must Be Obeyed suggested I download a new

CARDIFF TIMES 11

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Fab News as residents at Ty Llandaff receive COVID jabs (PPE) by all staff. When visits from family members are allowed inside the home’s Covid-proof’ pod, all visitors are required to wear full PPE, including gloves, aprons and face masks, have their temperature checked along with a complete risk assessment.

A care home in Cardiff has become the latest to have its residents receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

Residents and staff from Tŷ Llandaff, an ‘allinclusive’, residential, nursing, palliative and respite care home in Conway Road, Pontcanna, had the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab which was the second vaccine in the UK to be approved against coronavirus on December 30 last year.

Tŷ Llandaff was one of the first care homes in Cardiff to close its doors last Spring when the coronavirus outbreak started before the first national lockdown was introduced. The home did so to create a ‘cocooning environment’ for its residents and keep those in their care safe.

Tŷ Llandaff service manager Lisa Cristina said: “Everybody at the home is delighted that all the residents have had their first dose of Covid-19 vaccine and we look forward to everybody receiving the second dose in the next 12 weeks.”

For more information about Tŷ Llandaff call Lisa on 02920 600 100, email info@ tyllandaffcare.com or visit www.tyllandaffcare.com

NHS staff visited the home in January to administer the inoculations with each one taking a few minutes.

Residents had a short rest in the home’s fabulous home cinema area for a period to ensure none of them suffered any side effects afterwards.

They will need to have a second dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine within the next 12 weeks. Staff at Tŷ Llandaff also received the jab.

Despite the mass vaccinations at the home, Tŷ Llandaff, however, will continue with strict infection control guidelines at the home including the required personal protective equipment CARDIFF TIMES 13

Fashion Done Your Own Way

By Molly Dutton

It is surprisingly sunny for a winter’s afternoon today which is something I have been looking forward to for a long time. I don’t know about you, but I certainly feel like I have lost some of my sparkle recently so, whilst wondering what else to do with my lockdown hours (of which there are many), I decided to do some trend forecasting of all of the upcoming items and colours of spring. I’m usually a huge advocate of living in the moment but this year looking forward to the future seems like the only exciting option, and spring is quickly approaching so we must start considering our fashion choices immediately. Now I’m no expert at prediction, but I have had my share of experience of browsing social media, and the influencers have already begun donning some of the new looks of the season. I am not always one to rely on what others wear to shape my own outfit decisions, however it is useful to get a general idea of what colours and patterns to look out for.

Entering March, I want to explore the never-ending

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possibilities of spring fashion and maybe start a few trends that haven’t reached social media yet (I’m optimistic but unsure this can be achieved).

To start the season off boldly, I think it’s time we moved on from our love of brown, beige and cream and start to explore the more vibrant colour palettes of the pastel and primary colours (I can feel most of my generation screaming at me for saying such a thing). I’m not ashamed to admit that during the autumn I did invest in a very large collection of chocolate brown clothes, being the colour of the season and all that. Truthfully, as much as I love the shades of autumn, I’m ready to liven up my wardrobe and venture into some different patterns and shades, possibly so that I can return to my thirteen-year-old self who was obsessed with ‘unique’ clothes (sadly I’m not sure neon tutus and leg warmers are what I’m after these days, but you never know). One colour that has stood out for me against the others is sage green, a colour that I never expected to have

a place in my wardrobe, or anywhere in my room for that matter. When doing my daily scrolling, or MDS (I made that up, I’m hoping it catches on), I came across some beautiful cardigans that were this interesting shade of green and I found myself really drawn to them for their individuality. Green is a colour that we often ignore because we feel that it may be too bright or too offensive to the eye, but this shade is one that we can all get on board with; it is a much more subtle statement and can be accompanied with tones of cream, beige or even other muted shades like lilac and baby blue. Personally, I decided to start my experimentation slowly by purchasing some square, sage green sunglasses that I feel would be Elton John worthy, although I haven’t had the chance to email him yet. By using bright colours as the inspiration for your accessories you can get used to the colours and then, as you get more confident, you can start to build up your outfits.

Another shade that has taken my fancy these last few weeks has to be pastel or ‘baby’ yellow. A list about spring colours could never be complete without including this stunning shade; it is the living example of sunshine, and why wouldn’t you want to wear a bit of that? Whilst it hasn’t had a key place on any of my

favourite influencers’ feeds recently, I can see this shade taking off and becoming a prime-time spring favourite in March and April. My suggestion for those of you wanting to use this colour in your outfits is that less is most definitely more; one item in this colour is enough to draw complete attention to your outfit without overusing such a bright shade. My favourite items in pastel yellow tend to consist of dresses, cardigans, mini bags (just you wait until next month to hear about this one) and skirts. On a typical spring day, I would go for a yellow dress complimented by a straw hat or a white bucket hat, along with some white trainers and perhaps some black sunglasses if I’m feeling extra fancy. If you’re someone who enjoys wearing statement pieces and delicate fabrics, this colour is the perfect one for you, there are so many opportunities to wear it and you do not have to buy lots of items as one or two will be enough to brighten up your style!

From my recent retail therapy training (also known as online shopping, but more professional of course), I have found the perfect spring accessory to help us all transition into this colourful season and it is affordable and wearable too. The stretchy headband is something that probably takes most of us back to the primary school days of P.E lessons and black daps, however it has made a surprising return onto the trend forecast and everyone is going wild for it.

I must admit that I was rather sceptical about this one, it seemed very young and barbie like, but I took one for the team and ordered one in baby pink so that I could try it out and offer some feedback. It is amazing. The 60s vibes are immaculate and it’s very practical at keeping your hair back on a windy day, not even considering how great it looks with any hair type. It’s not often you come across an accessory that would be appropriate for a night out and a trip to the gym; I could not recommend this more. So, if you’re looking for some spring fashion goodness, pop on the shades, buy a headband and trade the brown for the bold.

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Welsh Are You?

By Sara John

Never forgotten scenes in the film ‘Only Two Can Play’ come to mind. They took place in the Council offices of a Welsh town. There was a vacancy for a promotion in the Library Services and the camera alternated between two of the interviewees’ nervous preparations before the appointments board. When his name was called the more nervous of the candidates, and the more ambitious, played by Kenneth Williams, when asked his full name responded with, “Ieuan Islwyn Owain Dafydd ap Jenkins.”

One of the interview panel, an elderly lady, beautifully dressed in a tailored suit, with hat, bag and gloves asked quizzically with her head on one side, “Welsh are you?”

These days, how can you tell? What is the difference anyway? Does it matter at all? Could the question be framed in any other way?

Could his answer be ‘less obvious’? Should it be?

When we were living in Pembrokeshire, visitors, and our visitors in particular, wanted to see and hear and taste the Welshness.

That is what they had come for! We did our best.

Later on and living in Scotland, we were hosting our first Noson Lawen in our house in Edinburgh. We appeared to invite much curiosity from our guests at the first event we held. Then word spread when we planned some more ‘jolly evenings’. New guests were assured by our neighbours that it would be “all Welsh Food!” (Chicken, cream, leeks, salmon and cheese, oh! And plenty of Welsh-cakes, since you ask.)

However, Waitrose in Morningside did not, and never had, stocked sheep’s heads, brawn, trotters, peacocks

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or swans. “No call for them, Madam,” I was told! Or sewin.

Wales is often used as a handy yardstick by the media people who perhaps, themselves, never stray outside the M25 and the North Circular. They will claim that the small island in the Pacific that they are referring to on the screen is ‘about the size of Wales’. Or, even worse ‘twice the size of Wales’. Little do they know that if Wales was spread out with its wonderful mountains ironed out flat it would be ENORMOUS. Much bigger than many obscure African countries now thoroughly independent and on their third names - and all in our lifetime.

So, who are the Welsh? Are we the same as we always were? Are we changing, keeping up, still with it? Or completely without it, whatever ‘it’ is.

Hamilton Fyfe - clearly not a Welshman - author and traveller, reports in ‘Peoples of All Nations’ published over a hundred years ago, the following in the slender chapter on Wales: Cambrian Life and Character.

“The Welsh have the same love of music, the same natural gift of eloquence, the same religious fervour, the same restless desire to assert themselves as the Irish and the Highland Scots. Their impetuous temperament, dislike of authority, assertive patriotism,

and fondness for flattery are all what we are accustomed to call Celtic traits.”

So, not much change there then.

Going back much further in the history books and maps we are told that Wales had attracted a vast number of invaders, brigands, travellers, nomads, marauders, would be settlers, seekers of second homes, day trippers, caravaners and visitors over the centuries. Did they visit Wales for a change of scene; different food; value for money; first-class tenors; Caerphilly cheese, actually from Caerphilly; beautiful beaches; very large male voice choirs and friendly hospitable curious people?

What really persuaded so many of them to stay?

Archaeological digs and academic research teach us that the Phoenicians sold their glass wares to the Welsh; the Romans had vineyards in Tongwynlais (from the main road you can still see the terracing on the hillside); the Vikings came, and many stayed particularly around the coastline of South West Wales; the Normans developed small hamlets into organised towns with walls, gates, churches with fine towers, rates, laws, rules and so on. Then came the Irish: the Spanish; people from the West of England and so on and so on.

All that energy and fervour fed into the population of Wales today, such a metropolitan mix from far and wide. Does that also explain why we are sometimes accused of living ‘in the past’. Maybe we like it there?

This ‘Welshness’ thing frequently appears to be quite a new concept to recent settlers from away. It has been likened to the pride found in impoverished and embattled hill peoples in different parts of the world.

These include the Corsicans, the Afghans and the Apache to mention a few. All of whom, it has been said, have a reputation for clannishness, deviousness, love of violence and vendetta.

Coming back to Wales - even after a short period of time - helps define ‘this Welshness’ which I think, only my opinion of course, can be recognised under a few simple headings.

Language; WELSH, ENGLISH and WENGLISH Many people living in Wales today are multilingual.

Yes. They can speak all three.

Firstly. There are people who think, and dream, in Welsh, but they also speak English.

Secondly. There are people, in particular in the South Wales Valleys, who speak what is now known as Wenglish. That is, speaking English through the medium of Welsh. Putting the ‘subject’ of the sentence first or using a different syntax. Examples include He never is!

Where’s she to then?

Where have you been to?

That is the communication system I was brought up with: grandparents whose Welsh was far better than their English, parents who, thanks to the education policies of the 1900’s lost any ‘home’ Welsh they had for fear of punishment. Then proper Welsh words were replaced by English ones, but still placed in a sentence as though in Welsh.

Needless to add that at the traditional Grammar School I attended, the girls speaking Welsh caused no concerns, but Wenglish speakers were severely punished and ostracised by staff and other pupils!

CARDIFF TIMES 19

Thirdly. Monoglot English speakers who appreciate a good education for their children at a Welsh language school find themselves swept up into pursuing Welsh studies themselves.

Overheard while shopping in Carmarthen a few years ago, some communications in Wenglish; One lady to her friend about to enter a dress shop, “Well the thing is Betsan, you are so short that threequarter trousers are long on you.”

Outside a ladies shop well known for ‘Going to a Wedding’ clothes, two ladies are looking in the window together and one says to the other, “The thing is Blodwen bach you don’t know the bride and groom that well so you don’t want to go paying really big money for an outfit.”

Inside a shoe shop, I am asked by the assistant, “What size are you taking usually?”

One of the most popular shops was closing for a few weeks for a refit and were advertising a delivery of ‘Refresher Stock’, not wishing to miss a bargain in I went (that is Wenglish syntax, it is “I went in” in English). The very bored assistant, perhaps worried that she would be included in the refit as well, announced, “It’s a waste of time you looking, there’s nothing matching at all.”

I went in to Anwen’s, a very elegant shop selling only the best Ladies’ Lingerie. I asked the price of a matching ensemble of peach satin and coffee coloured lace. I almost fainted at the reply. I thanked the assistant and mentioned that the undies would be lovely for going away for a romantic weekend.

The only other customer in the shop joined in and suggested you needed to be away for a week, if not a fortnight, at those prices!

WORDS There are some English words that do not easily translate into Welsh.

Some examples are Confidential.

I would dare to suggest there is no need or use for a Welsh word for confidential. There never is, because nothing can be - in Wales - anything like ‘confidential’.

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Confidential is often explained to newcomers as, “Well, it means you can tell one other person of your own choice.”

Sophisticated.

You need more than one equivalent word. You need the words for very plain, very expensive, funny looking, with no trimmings or frills, not easy to obtain and not generally popular with customers.

Silence.

Very rarely needed! You have to use words for an absence of singing, no brass bands, no news big, small, reliable or just overheard. Silence on the rare occasions when it descends is treated with great suspicion. The opposite word approximates to ‘communication’ which is, of course, much valued in Wales. In fact, you could say that news, gossip, and information are the most popular form of currency.

Future.

Being a well-established nation of Celts, (many people spend their lives trying to be even more Celtic) and as you would also find if you studied the Celts of the Islands and Highlands of Western Scotland and Ireland, the idea of the ‘future’ is as a Scot from Barra told me once ‘a misty concept’. Many words for the

to 10 Downing Street in an attempt to draw attention to the dire situations at home. Many of the marchers came from the South Wales Valleys which had been badly hit by a slump in coal prices worldwide after the First World War. In the evening of their arrival, some of the Welsh groups got together and formed a choir.

They decided to sing in the streets of the West End collecting pennies from the swish crowds of theatre goers.

past, none for the future, it has not yet arrived, like people waiting for the bus, you cannot know what the bus is going to be like. The future is like that, it has not yet arrived.

SPORT (in Wales that is the popular word for Rugby also known as The Game, as in ‘Are you going to The Game?’)

For example; Everybody in Wales knows how to run the Welsh Team. If you stand at a bus stop, during The Season especially in South Wales, a woman possibly in her nineties and as sharp as a needle will turn to you and say, “I would never have played Williams on the wing, his legs are too short, I knew his mother well, and his gran and grandad, they were all short. And slow too, as a family.”

Rugby gives a tiny, impoverished nation the opportunity to beat another with more than ten times the population.

SOUNDS LIKE MUSIC. The Welsh can often be recognised at a distance, often a considerable difference, by both the sounds they are making and the noise they are generating.

Maybe our motto should be, ‘I talk/sing therefore I am?’

During the Industrial Depression in the 1930s men from many parts of Britain set off to march to London

A famous gentleman who was staying in a posh hotel in Leicester Square threw open his window to find out what all the noise and applause was all about and who was singing? He could hardly believe what he saw. He saw a group of weary, malnourished men in raincoats, with their caps in their hands, who were singing their hearts out. No music. No conductor. No tail suits.

Miners who had walked for days were begging not with outstretched hands but with outstretched voices.

Begging for pennies to pay for their supper and a bed for the night. The next day they were taking their case to the Prime Minister, then, the long walk back home.

And the famous gentleman? That was Paul Robeson.

It was the beginning of a friendship that endured until his death and then, was carried on by his son, Paul Robeson Jnr Wales is proud to be one of the oldest and richest cultures in the world.

Wales was the cradle of British Christianity. The Welsh had the reputation of being among the fiercest fighters in Europe. Welsh pride is mindless, instinctive animal pride that requires no justification.

As Alun Rees, the poet and journalist wrote some years ago, CARDIFF ARMS PARK Only to hear some sixty thousand Welshman sing natural three-part harmony unrehearsed while rugby giants battle on the field is knowing that these men were never Anglo-Saxons.

The language changes, but the hearts do not.

I rest my case. After all, this time is it not surprising that the warm ‘Welshness’ still shines through.

CARDIFF TIMES 21

The lighthouse in Roath that is the talk of the town Lighting up Roath Park’s Lake in memory of loved locals

By Kellie Williams Cardiff’s iconic Scott memorial lighthouse at Roath Lake has had a makeover thanks to Andy Temple, a local Cyncoed resident.

Andy contacted Cardiff Council and made a donation towards the re-work of the lighthouse in memory of both his late wife Rosemary Temple and mother, Evelyn Temple, who sadly passed away last year. Andy thought the lighthouse was a fitting tribute in memory of both his loved ones because the staple monument was always a regular sight on the daily walk Andy would take with his wife Rose and their dogs.

Remembering memories of his late mother, Andy said the lake was always a place his mother enjoyed visiting upon each trip she made to Cardiff to visit her son, “Even at 97 she still managed a lap of the lake.”

The 1915 Scott memorial lighthouse Above: The lighthouse before its makeover in November 2020. was built in memory of Antarctic Credit: John Maroney explorer, Captain R.F. Scott and crew of the S.S. Terra Nova ship following the tragic lights placed around the top and the bottom of the incident at sea where all crew members lost their lighthouse, illuminating the new, freshly painted lives. lighthouse for all to see.

The S.S. Terra Nova ship set sail from Cardiff in 1910 and had plans to reach the South Pole, however, sadly did not reach its destination.

Bringing the community together On the 29th of January this year, locals gathered around the lake to witness the turn-on of the new 22 CARDIFF TIMES

A dear friend of Andy’s and resident of the area John Maroney joined the unveiling and said the lighthouse has brought joy to many locals. John, a Cyncoed resident, thanked his friend Andy for reminding him to not take for granted the things he has on his doorstep.

Following Andy’s donation and heartfelt ambition to tribute his late wife and mother, John concluded, “Everyone that knows him is proud of him.”

Above: The lighthouse in all its glory thanks to the donation from Andy Temple

Beth Perrins, a local resident said she loves the new look of the lighthouse and said she believes it is a monument that “makes Cardiff.” Beth, who has grown up in Cyncoed, said she feels the lighthouse connects Cardiff to its history.

Beth added that such a monument to the city is important for attracting tourists, “If you google one of the Top 10 things to do and see in Cardiff, the lighthouse is listed!”

Cardiff’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Peter Bradbury said, “This kind of donation will make a real difference to Roath Park and to the many people who visit it each year and importantly, serve as a fantastic tribute to the lives of two people who were clearly very much-loved.”

CARDIFF TIMES 23

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Imperfect is Perfect: Top Tips Foraging Four Months Words andLearners Photography: Jen Abell for Welsh language Keen-eyed wanderers spend years taking trips to find foraging spots, many of them fruitless. This is why we’ve all met foragers reluctant to give their maps and tip-offs. This is fair. It’s important to respect the protection of their hard@diffmustbetheplace Instagram. joys, they won annual rituals on when we startJoy our of soil searching. wanted to commission a Welsh language self-guided Before you read this guide, remember three things: tour of my garden. When I started filming, I was 1) Think of your neighbours.

LeaveMy enough for them to frustrated by how rusty my Welsh was. frustration enjoy. didn’t help. I couldn’t refocus my energy on learning

Words and Photography by Jen Abell

until I’d from disappointment.

Acceptance 2) diverted Think of itthe birds and the ecosystem.

Fill a bottle with is key. elderflower cordial, not a cellar.

3) Doubt what you’ve found? Leave it in the ground.

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus i chi! Fingers crossed we’ll be Live your life in Welsh.

The agricultural revolution has long been thought of as an That said, have to be an Iexpert dusting ourofdaffodils and donning our time, dragons a St This one’s hard you and don’t requires discipline. quicklyto dip your advancement humankind.

For the first we for staked snips into foraging.

Start with common plants and see David’s Day Parade in 2022.

For the record, I am not a became able to spend entire weekends in Welsh, a claim in one spot, relishing the safety of predictable food where your interest takes you. Here are some of nature’s sources.

Welsh teacher. I’m not even a teacher. But I am a baffling my friends and classmates. The secret to this obvious offerings to look out for over the next 4 months: five-year invested, sporadically dedicated Welsh Eventually, new-found nutritional safety allowed us spare kickstart is: I committed to media swaps during my March: language learner.

Lockdown induced Welsh inventions learning we first year of study. English language radio was out, time, instigating a surge in all manner of useful metoday. a flurry of online practice requests WelshWhat? was in.

That was tough.

I couldn’t understand takehas forgiven granted Nettles.

Green coarsely toothed leaves that grow from friends. I’m excited for Wales. Where would where words started and ended, let alone what they 2-5ft tall.

With Climate Crisis no longer looming, but hovering over language be without our Noah precious fledgeling represented. My knowledge of current affairs took ourour heads, historians like Yuval Harari are citing the Used for: Soup, risotto, fritters, pizza, cake, plant food, learners?revolution It’s not easy, butthe with a bit ofthat discipline a nosedive! But you get to know which presenters agricultural not as moment we took a smoothies, tea, beer. Nettle is a blood purifier, mild laxative consistency, it becomes of the useful, clearer (Shan Cothidiolch!) slowly patterns stepand to secure lifestyles, but thatone we fell for most a Trojan horse, are and packed with Vitamin C. Itand adds a similar taste to broccoli trapping ourselves in a static cycle of damage toever energising and perspective expanding skillsboth you’ll emerge.

Then you understand keywords. And on it in soups. ourselves and these our planet. learn. May tips help you channel Spring’s energy goes. And yes, English language books are out, Welsh Where? Incredibly common. Railway embankments, the intoknow achieving learning goals: in. This was PAINFUL (poenus) for me. I happily We this asyour the moment that provided an opportunity are Ely River, Bute Park. for animal-derived virus’ to make the leap from beast to average four books a month in English so spending Foraging tips: ‘red Don’t pick the plant in flower, man.

Wewhat haveyou’ve goats to thank for tuberculosis, horses for the time reading Use got. about umbrellas’, ‘spotwhen the dog’ and this changes the nutritional quality. Early Spring or Late Autumn common ducksneeds for influenza, cows measles and as other If yourcold, sentence ten words andfor you have three marvels at my learning level was excruciating. is advised. Wear gloves. If eating raw, use a pestle and for Covid-19: the jury’s out… in Welsh, that’s ok! That’s how it starts. Speak, tweet, But mortar recognising leaps in myformic knowledge andputs growth to pulverise the acid (this the ‘sting’ in Iswrite, this the moment our diets became varied? practice, celebrate and savourless those three(Would in the time I nettle). could spend in Welsh made it completely stinging youwords. like some wheat that That the planet Shout themwith from thewheat?) rooftops, whisper thembegan to worthwhile. And yup, you got it: Eastenders is out, to groan underPepper the weight humanwith industry? beginning Pobol y Cwm is in. your baby. yourofEnglish them. The Whatever of physical inactivity and excess food supply evolving into the gets them moving from your head to your mouth is the lifestyle diseases we now think are unavoidable? Diabetes, rightgout learning technique you. stroke, to name a few. for What were we doing before we Imperfect is perfect. made this ‘leap’? We were gatherers; eating our way across Learning vocabulary and attending lessons isn’t the Accept planet with the you seasons where are. and without passports. We enough. You have to start speaking. Today. Even if moved monthly, sometimes allpractice, the antioxidantIf you’ve taken a break indaily, your eating learning don’t it’s with your cat. But ultimately your learning capacity rich varieties nature had to offer, no mile-long lorry queues at punish yourself. It’s ok to go back two steps before has a ceiling. If trying to remember the subject, the Dover required. taking three forward. I lost a lot of my vocabulary over tense and the conjunctive is difficult, don’t pressure We can’t change the past.

But with a strange down yourself to perfect genders and mutations immediately lockdown.

I live with an English speaker andlocked only saw Spring around the corner, can useofhome exercise too. Sorry not sorry purists, this is essential. We Welsh-speaking friendswe a couple timessprung for a brew expeditions to channel the spirit of our ancestors and last Summer. Garddio a Mwy got in touch after seeing understand you whether you mutate or not. And that’s improve our present. my bi-lingual garden photography project what language is about right, understanding each In and around Cardiff, even on short strolls, I stumble April: across blackberries, dog rose and apples. We are spoilt by 26 CARDIFF TIMES nature’s spoils, no gardens or allotments necessary. With What? Wild Garlic (pictured). Green leaves with white high vegetable diets proven to fight disease, and time in flowers with separate triangular petals. nature a known mood booster, we may enjoy more than a

Be brave.

It takes a Dragonheart to open your mouth and release thoughts in a language you’re not confident in. Let alone one that you don’t have to speak. You don’t have to speak Welsh in Wales, it takes effort.

And for learners, it takes courage too. Focus on your motivation when your courage falters and pat yourself enthusiastically on the back when you manage it.

Anhygoel!

other? You have a chance of learning Welsh if you use Welsh. You don’t if perfectionism keeps your lips sealed. I made a conscious decision not to worry about mutations when I began learning. I started speaking quicker than classmates who didn’t.

Get Resourceful.

App Geiraduron, Duolingo, podcasts, Welsh language music, books from charity shops. For a ‘minority language’, we’re spoilt by free, inexpensive and easy to access learning resources.

Experiment and find what works for you. Join ‘Welsh learners/dysgwyr Cymraeg’ on Facebook and follow @cymraeg on Twitter. Sophie on @welsh.notebook on Instagram is a brilliant source of inspiration and always happy to chat with new learners. You don’t have to wait until you can afford a course to start using Welsh.

Allot time and stick to it.

Achieving learning goals takes time. You’ll need to actively plan this into your week. The only regular time I had to myself was Sunday mornings when I started, so this became Welsh language time. The snag here is that hangovers are a no-no if I want to learn (read- do) anything so I had to toss the tipple on Saturday nights.

Learning a language as an adult is a challenge, but you want to get there right? You may need to change your routine, too.

Laugh at yourself. A lot.

It took me a minute to understand why the bartender I was speaking with turned cherry red. Once I realised I’d asked for sex, instead of ice, it became fairly understandable. Rhyw/rhew, you can see how that happened… We had a giggle (and nothing else!) once my inner monologue flagged my error. I still laugh at it now. Mistakes are funny, not scary. Try to remember that.

Second language use engages different parts of the brain and even positively affects memory and executive function. Alternative pathways created through multi-language use and the skill required to switch between the two (or more) can even slow cognitive decline in adults. Talk about an incentive!

You may be surprised by what it can do for your relationships too. Conversational chemistry changes in a different language. I have close friends in Welsh that I was never close with in English. What a gift. In my experience, a new language gives a new perspective.

And a different perspective, at any age, can be life changing. Pob lwc I chi gyd and remember; imperfect is perfect.

Jen Abell @ffotojenic (Photos: St David’s Day Parade 2018, Cardiff)

This is all you.

People will be delighted to practice with you. They’ll be happy to answer questions too. But you have to learn the vocabulary and sentence structures to have something to practice in the first place. That is all you, get to work.

CARDIFF TIMES 27

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Protect your Wealth

By Michael Fogg

• Edith’s Story Edith has two children from her first marriage to Thomas.

They’re both adults, in their 40s, and sadly in 2019 Thomas lost his fight against cancer. Edith loved Thomas dearly and cared for him in his final years. Now, two years on from Thomas’ death, Edith has met Ronald, a widower, and they want to spend the rest of their lives together. They are also considering getting married, and both Edith and Ronald’s Following my most recent article in the Cardiff Times, I’d

children are happy that they have found each other. Edith still

now like to put some human colour to the sort of things

wants to be buried with Thomas, and Ronald wants to have

that a Trust can do for real people like you and me.

his ashes interred with his late wife Mary. Edith owns her

Please get in touch if you have any other questions you

own home and wants Ronald to live with her there to share

want answered in future months.

the bills and look after the property. Edith has a Will leaving

• John’s story

everything to her children Royston and Jennifer.

John’s mother Frances (Fran) recently died, three years after her husband Anthony (Tony), John’s father. When Fran died, she left everything to John, his sister Elizabeth and his brother David. Frances had a house which she had previously owned with Tony. The house was worth £500,000 on Fran’s death. Fran also had around £300,000 in savings and investments, some of which had come from Tony’s investments as he had left everything to Fran when he died in late 2017. There was also around £400,000 of money which came from life policies payable on the ‘second death’.

In total, around £1.2 million in assets which was to be split three ways between John, his sister and his brother.

From this £1.2 million, however, some payments needed to be taken. Firstly, the cost of Fran’s funeral as she had not taken out a funeral plan. Then the other debts that Fran left, which included around £50,000 of care fees which had been secured against the house. Finally, there was Inheritance Tax of around £60,000 to be paid as well.

Edith could therefore consider several options. Firstly, she needs to know that if she and Ronald do get married that this marriage legally cancels her Will. Therefore she should consider updating her Will, in contemplation of marriage, to make sure that the law does not cause something called ‘sideways disinheritance’. Sideways disinheritance could happen here where the person that Edith marries (Ronald) becomes her main beneficiary through the law of intestacy – the rules which apply when someone does not have a valid Will. Although her children could inherit something, the first £270,000 of her Estate and half of the rest of it would pass to Ronald as her surviving spouse (if Edith died before Ronald).

Secondly, Edith should consider putting the house that she and Ronald will live in into Trust for her children. Although this could reduce the amount that she can leave without her Estate paying Inheritance Tax, it would mean she could be certain that the house would go to her children, as she and her late husband Thomas intended.

As Fran had left a Will, and her late husband Tony had as

• How do I know if I need advice?

well, Fran’s Estate (that’s all her assets, minus all her debts)

If in doubt, ask! Trusting Willpower offers free Covid-secure

was able to leave £1m to her children without any inheritance

remote initial consultation meetings by telephone or internet

tax being paid on it. That meant that the only inheritance

on matters such as Lifetime Trusts and Will writing. They will

tax due was on the other £200,000 minus the care fees and

advise if you need to take any legal steps and, if so, what

funeral expenses. Therefore, John and his siblings Elizabeth

your options are and what the costs are likely to be. In some

and David were able to inherit around £360,000 each.

cases, you may even be able to get some work carried out

If Fran and Tony had not made Wills, then it is likely that the

for free (such as writing a standard Will).

amount that John, Elizabeth and David could have been

If you have any questions arising from this article, we would

reduced by up to £85,000 each with all that being paid in

be happy to answer any questions by phone or email.

additional Inheritance Tax.

Please get in touch at TrustingWillpower@outlook.com

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Vegan-friendly artisan candle-maker Boho Flame Candles Co launches after Development Bank of Wales support A £6,000 microloan from the Development Bank of Wales has supported the launch of veganfriendly candle-maker and retailer Boho Flame Candles Co. The Blackwood-based start-up uses soy wax and hand-pours small batches of their artisanal candles.

They specialise in luxury crystalinfused and scented candles. Owner and founder Melanie Smith decided to turn her hobby into a business after spending years away from the workforce as a stay-at-home mum to a child with additional needs.

“I’d been a stay-at-home mum for many years, more than anticipated after having a child with additional needs, and wanted to start back to work. However, returning to the jobs market was proving difficult after having so many years away, even though I had lots of skills and experience. I’d always wanted to be my own boss and paving my own way and so decided to turn a hobby that I loved into a business,” explained Melanie.

“The loan from the Development Bank of Wales made that dream a reality by helping me fit out my store and buy-in essential stock. The process of applying was a dream too – a simple online form. I’d recommend anyone looking to make that jump of setting up their own business to talk to the Development Bank.”

The loan was arranged on behalf of the Development Bank for Melanie

by Investment Executive Claire Vokes. She said: “Melanie creates beautiful, artisanal candles which are in high demand. She came to us with a good business plan and with experience of making quality veganfriendly candles as a hobby. We were delighted to be able to support her ambitions to turn that hobby into a business. At the Development Bank, we are able to arrange startup loans from as little as £1,000 to help make your business dreams a reality. Finance can cover a range of start-up costs, like fitting out a shop or buying in additional stock and supplies as Melanie has done. A micro loan can go a long way.”

As well as a shop on Gravel Lane in Blackwood, Boho Flame Candles Co candles can be bought online from bohoflame.co.uk.

The Development Bank of Wales can arrange micro loans from £1,000 up to £50,000 to help with start-up costs for Welsh businesses and sole traders.

To check eligibility or to apply, visit developmentbank. wales/get-business-finance/starting-business. For an informal chat about your borrowing needs, you can contact Claire Vokes via email – claire.vokes@ developmentbank.wales.

Ein busnes ni yw helpu Ein busnes ni yw helpu ariannu'ch busnes ariannu'ch busnes chi.chi.

It's ourbusiness business It's our to help to helpyours. finance yours. finance

Apply now: Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc (Development Bank of Wales Plc) yw cwmni daliannol Grŵp sy'n masnachu fel Banc Datblygu Cymru. Mae'r Grŵp yn cynnwys nifer o is-gwmnïau sydd wedi'u cofrestru gydag enwau gan gynnwys llythrennau cychwynnol yr enw BDC. Mae Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc yn gwmni cyllid datblygu sy'n eiddo yn gyfan gwbl i Weinidogion Cymru ac nid yw'n cael ei awdurdodi na'i reoleiddio gan yr Awdurdod Rheoleiddio Darbodus (ARhD) na'r Awdurdod Ymddygiad Ariannol (AYA). Mae gan Fanc Datblygu Cymru (Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc) dri is-gwmni sy'n cael eu hawdurdodi a'u rheoleiddio gan yr AYA. Sylwer nad yw Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc nac unrhyw un o'i is-gwmnïau yn sefydliadau bancio ac nid ydynt yn gweithredu fel y cyfryw. Mae hyn yn golygu na fydd unrhyw un o endidau'r grŵp yn gallu derbyn dyddodion gan y cyhoedd. Mae siart strwythur cyfreithiol cyflawn ar gyfer Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc ar gael yn bancdatblygu.cymru.

Development Bank of Wales Plc (Banc Datblygu Cymru ccc) is the holding company of a Group that trades as Development Bank of Wales. The Group is made up of a number of subsidiaries which are registered with names including the initials DBW. Development Bank of Wales Plc is a development finance company wholly owned by the Welsh Ministers and it is neither authorised nor regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) or the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). The Development Bank of Wales has three subsidiaries which are authorised and regulated by the FCA. Please note that neither the Development Bank of Wales Plc nor any of its subsidiaries are banking institutions or operate as such. This means that none of the group entities are able to accept deposits from the public. A complete legal structure chart for Development Bank of Wales Plc can be found at developmentbank.wales.

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CARDIFF TIMES 33

In The Words Of

By Carl Marsh

The moral of this month’s reviews: I shall be parking all of my mother-in-law jokes and instead try and find some father-in-law ones as my wife’s mother knows her stuff!

Interviews

Still, with no end in sight for restaurants, bars and venues to reopen, it’s just the usual staying at home listening to music or podcasts, reading books or watching the square box. Granted, Boris Johnson may have set up his new plan for when things can open, but he is doing that for England.

We have no way of knowing what Mark Drakeford plans will be for Wales. Let’s hope normality resumes ASAP. I don’t have the space to talk about much that I have viewed or listened to this month, but a few shows I’d like to give a bit of line length to.

The Bay, which is still available to watch on ITV Hub, is a show I saw the first series a couple of years ago. That first series was good, but not one I would have been tempted back to watch this second series had it not been for a recommendation by my mother-in-law! For a show to be ten times better than the first - and you don’t need any viewing of that first series - is so rewarding. Do watch it. And then I had the misfortune of watching a show called The Drowning on Channel Five. My father-in-law recommended this. And what utter-tosh it was.

Perhaps the most inept pile of tripe I have seen in years. Unbelievable, so far-fetched that it would make any Star Wars film seem legit.

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I saw an advanced copy of an independent film called Nemesis. This movie was shot entirely in lockdown, and I was impressed with what they achieved. It stars many a face that some or all of you will recognise. I interviewed one of the main actors from it and her husband, who happens to be the producer of it. It’s not a kid’s film, one for the older ages of 18 plus. I don’t know how they pulled this off based on what I saw. Please give it a whirl.

The younger readers or parents of those younger ones will know all about TikTok. Seeing as it’s the craze and seeing as the current trend is sea shanty songs, I had to interview Nathan Evans, the ex-postman from Scotland who has just had a number one UK charts single based on an upload he did in December 2020 that went viral.

That is all! I will see you next month, do try and have as good a month as best as you can!

Twitter - @InTheWordsOf_CM Facebook - @InTheWordsOf YouTube - InTheWordsOf

Nathan Evans is proof that fame can happen overnight, or in his case, a few nights (thanks to TikTok). By doing a version of the Wellerman Song - covered initially by The Longest Johns in early 2020 - he went viral. And before I forget, 220 Kid and Billen Ted did a remix and featuring Nathan’s lyrics, and it went to Number One in the UK charts! And the rest is history!

Carl Marsh I know you were a postman only relatively recently, but what was the turning point for you to give it all up?

Nathan Evans So, I uploaded a video on the 27th December 2020 on TikTok. About three or four days later, the video just went mental, reaching about a million views. Everybody was commenting; the duets were flying in. And it was maybe two days after that I started to get emails (from music PR companies) saying that they wanted to talk to me about my new video, and we want to talk to you about your career and how you blew up and went viral. On the (following) Monday, I’d had about five emails. On Tuesday, it was double that, and it just kept getting more and more. On Thursday of that week, I was on all the BBC radio stations; I was on BBC News on the TV; I was on Lorraine Kelly, and I quit (my postman job) the next day. I knew I had emails to set me up for more things the following week, and a lot of them I wasn’t going to be able to do if I was still at work. I just decided to quit my job as this is something that I want to do, and (sea shanty) music could help put me in a position that allows me to do the thing I want to do for the rest of my life. So, it was a no brainer,

as with all these things that kept coming in, I didn’t want to say no. I can always go and find another job or even go back to being a postman, but I’ll never be able to get all of these other opportunities.

Carl Marsh It must have been quite a daunting thing to do, especially in the current climate that we live in and most importantly, what did your family think?

Nathan Evans I’m a very spontaneous person, and that has always been my outlook on everyday life. Some people were around me saying, “Are you sure?”

And I just said to them: “I’ve already quit! I’ve done it.” (Laughs) This was all mainly because on that Thursday, and I was on the BBC and Lorraine. On the Friday, I walked into my Royal Mail job and just said to them, “I can’t come back.

I’ll do today, and I’ll do tomorrow, but next week, I’m away.” They were very nice about it and just said that the doors always open for me.

Carl Marsh That last day at work where you were walking around delivering the mail must have been very interesting (laughs)?

Nathan Evans (Jokes) I was flinging letters at people, just to get rid of them as fast as I could. (Laughs) Carl Marsh So, what got you down the path of singing a sea shanty song?

Nathan Evans I’d been doing covers of different types of music on TikTok in January 2020. I had been covering pop songs, rock songs and even Scottish folk songs, but in July, I was taking suggestions, and one of those suggestions was a sea shanty song.

The comments I was getting were excellent once I had uploaded it, and that’s how I got into this genre of music.

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Filming anything over the past 12 months must have been challenging, but overcoming that challenge is what the creators of ‘Nemesis’ did.

The producer (Jonathan Sothcott) and one of the lead actors (Jeanine Sothcott) chatted to me about the trials and tribulations of filming under COVID-19, and how this new movie company (Shogun Films) will create quality commercial genre films with zero compromise on creativity.

Carl Marsh Your new film Nemesis stars some of the most recognised faces in UK/World TV & film; how did you a) get this cast firmed up and b) how did you settle on those that are in the movie, as you must have had so many options?

Jonathan Sothcott: I was always conscious that Billy Murray and Nick Moran - both close friends of ours - had never worked together before, let alone in one of my films, and I thought they’d make great antagonists.

I’m very fortunate that, having produced quite a number of these films, I know most of the top actors, and if I call them up, they sometimes say yes! I tried to use the best possible actors my resources allowed, and I think I succeeded.

Carl Marsh I read that you said that Nemesis was a change in direction for you, how so?

but had to shut down for the lockdown and picked back up in September/October.

Carl Marsh The film’s idea was from one of the leads (Billy Murray); how did he get you interested in it?

Jonathan Sothcott: Billy and I had both seen The Penthouse (1967), and he thought something in a similar vein might work – I added the London gangster element, and thus the concept was born. I then wrote the story with my friend Adam Stephen Kelly who in turn wrote the screenplay.

Carl Marsh Would you say, as a producer, that you are somewhat of a perfectionist? Why is that?

Jonathan Sothcott: When I’m engaged with the material: 100%. In the past, I’ve sometimes made films to make a fast buck, and the resultant movies sadly reflect that.

I want Shogun Films to be the very best they can be, so I’m a perfectionist, sure - whatever I need to be to make the film realise its full potential.

Carl Marsh Jeanine plays Billy Murray’s character’s wife, and as you are the producer of the film, how easy was it to leave home life at home when filming, and vice-versa?

Jonathan Sothcott: Nemesis is the first film from our new company Shogun Films, founded by my wife and myself, and entrepreneurs Danny Bear and Andrew Green, at the beginning of 2020. We’re aiming to make quality commercial genre movies for the international market with no compromise on creativity.

Carl Marsh Usually, I would say that with any art form, it pays to take risks, but with COVID-19, you couldn’t; and with all the restrictions in place, were there lots of moments it was touch-and-go that filming Nemesis might not have been started, let alone completed?

Jonathan Sothcott: We were supposed to start filming in March 2020 36 CARDIFF TIMES

Jonathan Sothcott: There’s a lot more to Jeanine than just being the producer’s wife – she founded the company and is very involved with the day to day running, and offers a different perspective to mine on what we do. Her counsel is invaluable to me, and she was

much more on set than just an actress. It’s the perfect partnership in every way and I’m incredibly fortunate to love my work and work with my soulmate.

Carl Marsh How goes it? And do remind me not to annoy you with these questions as I have seen the film and you play a real tough cookie!

Jeanine Sothcott: Haha, I take that as a big compliment – thank you!

Carl Marsh You play Billy Murray’s wife Sadie Morgan in Nemesis; what was it like playing opposite someone who perhaps you may have been a fan of since his The Bill or Eastenders days?

Jeanine Sothcott: Billy’s a dear friend and gave me away at my wedding, so it was effortless to play opposite him.

He’s so charming and charismatic. Like everyone, I loved him in The Bill, but his best role for me was in my favourite episode of The Sweeney – Stoppo Driver.

Carl Marsh Besides Billy, who of the rest of the cast made you pinch yourself, knowing that you would be working with them?

Carl Marsh You came into acting quite late, and it’s better late than never, does a part of you wonder what could have been, or are you a firm believer in everything happens for a reason? (I am of that ilk) Jeanine Sothcott: I think the timing was perfect – I met Jonathan at a crossroads when I could have gone down the path of making short films forever – there’s a lot of bad advice out there masquerading as a support network, and it’s quite the opposite. Jonathan is such a no-nonsense breath of fresh air.

Carl Marsh What was it like working with your husband who produced this, and were there any times when you thought the locations or sets were a bit challenging due to COVID-19?

Jeanine Sothcott: The whole Covid thing was a nightmare, particularly when we were filming in the main apartment location, but we pulled it off, and I’m incredibly proud of that. I love working with Jonathan. How could I not? He has time for everyone and is incredibly diplomatic, and he really cares about the film.

NEMESIS: UK RELEASE MARCH 29TH - ON DVD/DIGITAL

Jeanine Sothcott: I loved working with Nick Moran, although we had limited scenes together, because he’s such a marvellous, understated actor and he directed one of my favourite films – The Kid. Julian Glover was delightful too, with so much energy and enthusiasm.

Carl Marsh How did you approach this role? Would you say Sadie has any traits in here that you can personally relate to?

Jeanine Sothcott: We both have alpha male husbands at the apex of their businesses which attract a lot of jealousy and whom we’d do anything for. Thankfully the film business is marginally less nasty than organised crime!

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Struggling with eating issues?

Reach out and have hope – you are not alone!

By Natalie McCulloch

A year has passed since the initial lockdown was announced and it seems fair to say that everyone’s life has been touched, or affected, in some way by the changes which this has brought upon the nation.

One segment of society which has been dramatically affected is those struggling with mental health issues.

In fact, more than 50% of adults and 66% of young people have reported their mental health has worsened since lockdown restrictions (MIND, 2020). One mental health issue which has not escaped this impact are eating disorders (ED’s).

According to the Journal of Eating Disorders, lockdown has had a devastating effect on those struggling with eating disorders, with 87% of people reporting their condition worsening and 30% reporting being increasingly symptomatic since lockdown. Research suggested that the lockdown has given people more time to focus on the one thing they are trying to avoid, their eating disorder.

Lockdown restrictions have had a stark effect for various reasons, for example: • Increased anxiety due to limited access to their everyday routines to binge and purge.

• More time at home with family/friends is causing immense distress.

• Increased loneliness, if living alone, making them more vulnerable to anguish.

• Missing family and friends.

• An increase in ‘phone time’ and the social media increasing pressures with the never-ending discussions of food, diet, gym closures and exercise.

A service user in Cardiff reports, “Lockdown restrictions, suspension of face-to-face services, separation from family, friends, colleagues etc brought with it, isolation, loneliness, fear, confusion, emotional flashbacks, relapse, triggers of previous trauma, panic,

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anxiety, insomnia, depression and suicidal thoughts.

This valley of darkness and effects on living and struggling with Eating Disorder issues have seen so many relapses. Furthermore, the impact this had on those caring for those with Eating Disorders cannot be overlooked, as they too have a story to tell.”

Helen, who has lived with the experience of Anorexia Nervosa, recounts: “Lockdown has been incredibly difficult for most people with an ED, as for most people with mental health conditions. On a practical level, I’m no longer able to face doing a supermarket shop, something that I had previously been making progress in doing. Specific food shortages have made getting hold of certain safe foods difficult - to someone with Anorexia one brand of bread, or soup, or yoghurt is not the same as another – it has also made following a specific meal plan set out by the dietitian much more complicated and sometimes impossible. All these things not only hinder recovery but actually can serve as a catalyst to relapse. On the social side, Anorexia and other eating disorders are by their nature extremely isolating, the idea of eating or drinking anything in public now fills me with panic and dread, something that I had spent years working to manage. Not being able to see supportive friends and family and actually talk to people face-to-face, who understand and know how to counter-challenge anorexic, eating disorders, depressive thoughts and voices are hugely detrimental, and in some instances, fatal.”

However, the important message that needs to be spread is that if you or someone you know is struggling with eating issues, you are not alone, there is help, it is nothing to be ashamed of and you can get through this.

For people with eating disorders seeking support and help can be hard at the best of times due to lack of services and also denial, guilt, fear or anxiety.

Lockdown has added extra complications such as fear to venture out for therapy due to Covid 19. The anxiety of face-to-face appointments being substituted for online therapy, or loss of wages, meaning private therapy is unattainable. However, there is a wide range of services out there which will hopefully offer something for everyone!

BEAT is a UK Eating Disorder charity. They have a wealth of support services that are easily accessible for people with eating disorders and their friends/family, their contact details and resources can be found on the internet and their Helpline no is 0808 801 0711. March 1 – 7 2021 marks Beat’s ‘Eating Disorder Awareness Week’ which this year focuses on developing awareness, understanding and compassion for those with Bulimia.

BEAT outline their desired outcome. “If we are to achieve our vision to end the pain and suffering of eating disorders, we need to change the conversation about binge eating disorder.

We must challenge the unhelpful and damaging opinions so many people carry about the disorder so people living with this terrible mental illness can find kindness and compassion when they bravely reach out for help. We hope Eating Disorders Awareness Week 2021 will lay the first stone for this to happen.”

Another fabulous charity, Mental Health Matters Wales offer support to those with mental health issues including ‘SORTED’ which is especially for those with eating disorders. Donna Mason, information officer, encourages people to log onto their website to see the resources available in their area and encourages

people to email her on sorted@mhmwales.org to selfrefer into services such as their peer support groups.

For those living in Cardiff and Vale, www.eatingdisorderscardiff.co.uk is a brilliant website full of links, resources and suggestions on how to support someone or yourself. I was fortunate enough to speak to Dr Menna Jones, The National Eating Disorders Lead, who told me, “The past few months have been extremely difficult for people who have eating disorders. Many have also developed eating difficulties for the first time in their lives. This has been the result of the uncertainty of our circumstances and the intense focus on physical activity and food that we have seen in the media. People’s usual interests, activities and support network have been taken away, leaving many with little purpose or means of coping with stress, other than to engage with unhealthy eating behaviours.

People then resort to restricting their food or binge eating under this pressure. Support is available, and accessing help quickly is crucial in stopping these difficulties from worsening and ensuring recovery.”

A statement from a Cardiff service user concludes this beautifully by stating: “Whether you have an existing Eating Disorder, or find yourself struggling, I want to reach out to you.There are several ways you can access help and support. You do not need to face this alone. You matter, your struggles matter, your Eating Disorder matters, your worth matters and above all, your physical, emotional and mental health matters.”

Resources https://www.mind.org.uk/media-a/5929/the-mentalhealth-emergency_a4_final.pdf? www.eatingdisorderscardiff.co.uk https://www.mhmwales.org.uk/index.htm https://jeatdisord.biomedcentral.com/

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CARDIFF TIMES 43

Co-Incidences And Cars.

By Michael James

Recently, a friend rang to say that he had thought of me that morning because he had received his copy of Cardiff Times and had read my article (February edition), which included a paragraph about me walking a short distance at Roath Park and I had struggled to make it. That made him chuckle because the same thing had happened to him following his attempts at his morning exercises. He went on to say that he often sits on the benches near the boathouse, as do many others, and had formed a new circle of friends on his daily walks. He then told me of his recent conversation with a lady who sat near him, socially distanced of course! She had parked her car in a street near the Lake, the same street he lived in. On hearing this, she enquired the number of his house.

When he told her, she was quite astonished as that was the very house she parked outside on her regular visits to the park. He asked her why she did this, her reply astonished him. It was the same house that was her family home and which she lived in until she was 16 years old! It really is a small world.

This got me thinking of the many occasions, something similar happened to me or which I had heard about.

Too numerous to mention (or bore you with) but, nevertheless here goes, just three.

The first was when I was on holiday some years ago.

I had been enjoying a dip in the sea on the small island resort of Penang, just off the coast of Malaysia.

Walking up the beach I was approached by a chap who said, “I know you, don’t I?”. Strange, I thought, just keep walking! He persisted, “We have a mutual friend,” who he named and indeed it was a friend of mine. Intrigued, I stopped to talk and discovered that my newfound acquaintance and I had last been together in a bar in Scotland while supporting Wales at ‘that game’ in 1971, which John Taylor won for us (18-19) with the last kick of the match.

A second, ‘would you believe it’, moment I heard of was when an American cousin of mine, living in California, was in a local restaurant with his family when he heard an English accent from someone at the next table. Being proud of his Welsh (British) heritage,

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my cousin takes every opportunity to tell people about it and so turned to speak with the young man, whose home was in Derby but was currently studying in America on a sponsorship from Rolls Royce. “I have some distant cousins living in Derby,” said my cousin.

You can probably guess the rest, it turned out that this young man was the grandson of one of the British sides of our family.

Another, although perhaps not final, ‘co-incidence’, happened quite recently. An older friend of mine had a birthday in January. I sent him a birthday card picturing this old Austin 7 motor car. I cheekily asked if it was his first car? “Of course not!” came the reply but, remarkably, said that his first car was the same make and model as the one shown here on the birthday card. Would you believe it? It really is a small world, isn’t it? These incidents keep cropping up for me.

Does the same thing happen in your life?

These last two incidents set my mind to think of other things. How back in the 1920s, folk from my home in the Rhondda Valley and many other parts of Wales, left to seek employment opportunities in other parts of the UK and further afield. My Grandmother’s sister went to America and founded my American family.

Her brother’s son left to work for Rolls Royce and, subsequently to Derby, hence the other branch of our family, and my wife’s uncle joined the AEC bus company in London where some of his family still live.

That set me thinking about the cars I have owned.

See what I did there, linking Rolls Royce to my cars, clever or what (not)? My first car wasn’t a Rolls Royce from Derby, that would be stretching the connections in the story a bit! No, my first car, purchased in 1960, was a lovely old, 1936 Ford 8, which took us everywhere (in South Wales) until it finally ‘died’ about a year later. Taking pity on me, my parents then bought a new Ford Anglia, with the futuristic ‘notched’ back window. It was to be a family car as my father intended to learn how to drive, but following a spinal operation, couldn’t proceed with his plans.

Thereafter, he was quite happy to sit alongside me and be taken to wherever took his fancy. About the same

time, my wife passed her driving test and together we gained experience by me driving from our homes at the top of the Rhondda Valley to our work in Cardiff and she driving back home each night, 25 miles each way. Our beloved Anglia did over 100,000 miles in the five years we owned her until our next new car, a British Racing Green, Mark 2, Ford Cortina, which we bought in March 1967.

Just three weeks later, on 1st April 1967, while in Paris supporting Wales (Gareth Edwards first cap), I had an epileptic seizure, missed the match and couldn’t drive again for four years until I was legally permitted to drive.

Fortunately, my wife was able to drive us wherever we wanted to go and as I had a job which meant that I had to travel to all parts of Cardiff, I cadged lifts from my colleagues or had to use public transport and even walked the shorter distances.

The Cortina served us well until it came time for a change, and what a change! A ‘Top Hat’ Vauxhall Avenger. So-called because, as well as being in shiny, metallic blue, it was topped off with a white vinyl roof.

Very daring for conservative me (please note the small ‘c’). Not only that but it was an automatic, which not many of the small cars were in those days. Brilliant, wonderful, a lovely, lazy car to drive and a perfect match for my personality (lazy, not flash!). I wanted to keep it but with a growing family, needed something bigger and perhaps more in keeping with our new status of being Cardiffians, having moved to live among you. Once again, a new, different looking car, a 1976, white, Austin Princess, the ‘Wedge’ shaped one, which took us on our first trip to Spain, driving there and back via Dover. A long drive, which was OK for my wife and me in the front and perfectly adaptable in the back for the rest of the family and one of those, large, stuffed, Spanish donkeys. With our son sitting in the footwell, my dear Mother sitting on the edge of the back seat, our daughter and her donkey had plenty of room to lie down. (Please remember that seat belts were not compulsory at that time). That Princess took us on our travels all over Europe, as did our next car,

another Austin Princess, until it too finally went into retirement.

In 1990, my employers decided that instead of us using our own cars for work purposes, we would be given the choice of renting cars. I took up this offer immediately, as it was only for three years and gave me the opportunity to try a car with a diesel engine. I took possession of (another white coloured car), a Peugeot 405 Diesel, which served us so well, both comfortably and economically, that I decided to keep/buy it for my wife at the end of the loan period. For my next car for office work, I opted once again to get another Peugeot 405, this time an automatic, in a blue colour but sadly, not a diesel as the company didn’t produce diesel automatics of that particular model.

Once again, a brilliant car which served me well until I retired and, for many years afterwards until I purchased my present (last?) car in 2004. This car, which I love, is a Volvo S40m, automatic, which has now done 119,200 miles in its travels all over Europe and here in the UK. It is still going strong and may well outlast me, unless I am forced to enter into the new all-electric or hybrid era.

I hope that you will excuse an old man’s ramblings which I like to think might bring back your own memories and, who knows just what further coincidences, cars and adventures lie ahead of us but, let me finish on another two co-incidences. Firstly, I am writing this following another Scotland vs Wales Rugby match in Edinburgh, which, in a very tight match Wales, like the match in 1971, just won by a single point. The second co-incidence? You will remember I told you about my old Ford Anglia, registration MTX 210 E, was succeeded by the ‘Top Hat’ Avenger which had exactly (almost) all the same registration numbers except it ended with the suffix, L instead of E??

But enough of co-incidences. I pray that by the time that you read this, most of us will have had the new vaccines that will keep us all safe and well and give us the hope to create further happy adventures, whether by car, aeroplane, ship or just by walking. It will be good to enjoy a holiday again! Until that happens, may God continue to bless us all.

CARDIFF TIMES 45

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