Rhiwbina Living Issue 30 by Rhiwbina Living

RHIWBINA

Living

Issue 30 Spring 2015

Andrew Davies: The Champion of Bodice Rippers

North Cardiff Libraries: Saved For Now

Your FREE Award-Winning Magazine for Rhiwbina

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3 News 5 Letters vies 9 Andrew Da n 12 Competitio 16 St Teilo ood 21 Neighbourh Watch 25 Pets’ Page 26 Gardening 30 Recipes 31 Column

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contents

The first magazine of the year always seems to take an age to put together. After hibernating M LISTINGS IU M E R P D N A E FRE away for the winter (well, for a few weeks), getting OUR AVAILABLE ON back in the saddle takes a bit of getting used to. RY But here we are with Issue 30 of Rhiwbina Living. ONLINE DIRECTO And what a treat we have for you! First up, we were delighted to speak to screenwriter Andrew Davies. He’s the man behind TV classics such as Pride and Prejudice and Mr Selfridge. He tells us about his childhood here in Rhiwbina, his life and his career on page 8. Our history feature this issue centres around a lp local finding ways to he over n, ai ag saint who most people probably don’t know too ce on sy bu We’ve been site attracts much about. Yet he was the man who first founded a nisations. Our web thought it was ga or d an es ss ne si e bu church in Llandaff. Read about the life of St Teilo on sitors a month so w 10,000 individual vi eated an online directory to help page 16. cr it (and each about time that we . We’ve optimised ve ha e Local vet Chris Troughton answers your pet w So s. er is ings. our advert up the Google rank g t ge lp he questions on page 25, while popular gardening to g) tin individual lis ting by visitin columnist Kevin Revell is back after a short absence. free or premium lis registering. ur yo d ad n ca u Yo and .livingmags.co.uk We are delighted to see him back and you can catch our website at www up with him on page 26. If you’re a concert-goer, you will want to check out page 12. We’ve teamed up with St David’s Hall to give you a chance of seeing Lord of the Dance on its opening night in April. , Cardiff And before you plunge head first into our pages, don’t Road, Rhiwbina h c a tb n Pa 2 22 A: forget that you can keep up to date with all our news CF14 6AG and features on our award-winning website at 2920 1775 / 07974 02 08 2 77 07 T: www.livingmags.co.uk. k livingmags.co.u We’re currently looking into the possibility of creating E: editor@ gmags.co.uk W: www.livin r the magazines as audio discs for the hard of reading. We’ll keep you posted on our developments of this in our next issue. See you in the summer. Patric and Danielle (editors) 2

, the publishe y of the contents any way arising sure the accurac in r en tte to ma de y ma an en for or be s issions, made to contact any copyright While every effortanha for errors or om ty bili en nsi be po s res ha y effort pt ical publication. cannot acce material. Eveisryan independent, apolit blication ofdthis ng Livi aff from the puitch nd r Lla an h holders. Wh urc opy deadline fo

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POLICE WARNING FOR CAR OWNERS Police are warning car owners to keep their cars locked after a spate of car break-ins

OAKS GARDEN NURSERY GETS A MAKEOVER For those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure of visiting The Oaks Garden Nursery, it is run by local charity Vision 21 (Cyfle Cymru), who provide realistic work based opportunities and practical work experience for people with learning difficulties. The Oaks is a social enterprise located on Allensbank Road selling a large selection of plants, hanging baskets, vegetables and herbs to the public, whilst giving the opportunity for trainees that attend to learn many skills from growing seeds, potting on, to social interaction and retail experience. Last autumn brought the long awaited news for The Oaks Garden Nursery when the Victorian house that showcases itself at the front of the nursery was handed over to Vision 21 from Cardiff Council with the help of Cllr Hinchey. This brought exciting news for The Oaks as their uninviting portacabin was on its last legs. Having suffered a series of breakins over several years it made for a very unsettling environment for the staff and trainees. So the news of The Victorian House, or The Lodge as it is known, would bring much needed improvements to the site. The Lodge was in need of a facelift before the staff and trainees could start making use of it. If you would like further information about Vision 21 or The Oaks Garden Nursery, visit www.V21.org.uk. Don’t forget to ‘like them’ on Facebook too!

news HOW RHIWBINA LIBRARY WAS SAVED By Jayne Cowan Late last year, Cardiff Council published their draft budget proposals. The proposals were met with fury by local residents and councillors alike. “On Friday 21st November, the Cabinet’s draft budget proposals were released into the public domain. We read the proposals in detail, and noticed that funding was proposed to be cut from Rhiwbina Library. We were not prepared for this to happen without a fight therefore called a public meeting, a surgery with a library professional who presented via Skype, drafted cards and leaflets and started spreading the word. We also set up a Facebook Page (Help Save Rhiwbina Library), Twitter Account (SaveThisLibrary) and pages on www.rhiwbinaward. co.uk. Every home in Rhiwbina and Pantmawr had a card with details on about the Community Poll. We had a huge response, probably the largest I’ve seen in being elected for close on 16 years.” News of the outcry made headlines in the news, both local and national. Its support came from far and wide. “We had great support from the community and famous figures such as Andy Fairweather-Low,

Andrew Davies (who grew up in Rhiwbina), Paul Carey Jones, Sam Warburton and more recently Ken Follett. Our meeting in All Saints attracted more than 250 people. It was a fantastic turnout.” A Community Poll was discussed – Cllr Adrian Robson drafted the wording, and 50 people (on the electoral register) signed to call a Community Meeting, which was chaired by Eleanor Sanders. “A total of 363 people were allowed into Rhiwbina Baptist Church and around 600 plus people queued around the block as the church was full to the rafters. The Community Meeting only needed 150 residents (on the electoral register) to start the next step. The vote was unanimous.” On the 5th February, the Poll took place with the following results declared: Should Cardiff Council continue full funding for Rhiwbina Library? Yes – 2595 – 99.08% No – 19 – 0.73% Spoilt Ballots – 5 – 0.19% The Cabinet agreed to delete the proposed budget line and safeguard the libraries for a year. 3

news

WINE BAR PLANS FOR RHIWBINA DISMISSED

Plans for a wine bar in Rhiwbina have been turned down by The Planning Inspectorate. The decision was based on the perceived ‘increase in noise and disturbance’ that a wine bar would bring. It was hoped that the village would benefit from a wine bar and the idea gained a lot of support from local residents. One resident told

Living Magazines: “The village has been crying out for something like this for years. Neighbouring Whitchurch has its own wine bar which brings a lot of trade to their village. It’s such a shame.” The decision also cited potential parking problems caused by people visiting from outside the village.

ST JOHN’S COLLEGE CELEBRATES DEBATING SUCCESSES St John’s College pupils have enjoyed remarkable success in three major public speaking and debating competitions this winter. In December, sixth formers Dominie Patel, Ross Lisney, Abhinaba Guha and Matthew Barbato claimed victory in the first round of the prestigious Cambridge Union Schools Debating, reaching the South West Regional Final at Badminton School, Bristol. Meanwhile, three Year 8 public speakers won the first round of Intermediate Rotary Youth Speaks with a cautionary speech on the dangers of over-exposure to technology. As the youngest competitors at the Area Final, Sanay, Suyash and Finn deserve commendation for assured performances and for speaking entirely without notes. Across the two rounds they were awarded ‘Best Chairperson’, ‘Best Team’ 4

and ‘Best Proposer of the Vote of Thanks’ between them. Finally in the Senior section of Rotary Youth Speaks, St John’s sixth formers, Ryan Martyn, Rebecca Daniels and Bethan Thomas competed in the fiercely contested Area Final, seeing off strong competition from Bro Morgannwg, Cardiff High, Cardiff Sixth Form College, Llandaff Cathedral School, Westbourne School and Whitchurch High. The St John’s College team were declared overall winners, and Rebecca earned the additional accolade of ‘Best Speaker’ for her speech.

FUNCTION ROOM FOR HIRE AT RHIWBINA LIBRARY Rhiwbina Library now has a function room that is available to hire. For details, email rhiwbinalibrary@cardiff. gov.uk or telephone 029 2069 3276.

ROTARY AWARDS FOR TWO FORMER PUPILS

Two former pupils of Whitchurch High School were recently honoured with the Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship by Rotary International. Bethan Powell and Zachary Thomas become interested in Rotary when they joined the Interact club (Rotary for 1118 year olds) at school, where they took part in summer trips organised by The 5Cs (Chernobyl Children’s Cancer Care Cardiff) charity. They helped to develop, maintain and assist at the summer camp run by the Belarusian Children’s Hospice in Minsk. The hospice provides care for children who are directly or indirectly affected by the Chernobyl disaster. After graduating from university, they joined the Rotary Club of Cardiff Breakfast. Now both Beth and Zac actively help support three Interact Clubs in local schools and assist in setting up new ones in Cardiff and the Vale. The Rotary Paul Harris Fellowship was created in memory of the founder of Rotary to recognise people who have performed outstanding service to their community and to Rotary.

If you’d like to get in touch, you can find our address on the inside front cover. Alternatively, you can email us at editor@livingmags.co.uk

letters

A BIG WELL DONE

The children (and their parents) of Rhiwbina have enjoyed the Santa Run for many years. So much so, that we would love to know when this tradition started and whose idea it was. Is there anyone out there in Rhiwbina

In 2010, Rhiwbina Living posted this story: A history enthusiast from North Cardiff is seeking help in tracking down the owner of a 60 year old locket found in a field. Alex Kemp from Llandaff North, found the locket while metal detecting in fields close to a Rhiwbina

And in 2015, we received this letter I was thrilled to receive the silver brooch and felt it was very fitting that it should be found beneath the earth on my favourite walk. For it was on Wenallt Hill that I walked alone for a part of each weekend from the age of 12 years to 30. I would sit on the top of the Wenallt, finding peace and solace as I gazed across Cardiff to the sea in the bay beyond. It was both peaceful and exciting, especially when I heard the ship’s foghorns at night. I loved the sound of the foghorns and loved the sea. I would spend frequent Fridays after school (Penarth Grammar) walking to the sea front and cliff walk in Penarth. Sadly, after 30 years in Rhiwbina, my parents retired

who can remember? If so, please can you get in touch with Living Magazines! Last year’s run was great fun - one of the most successful ever. But a lot of work and effort goes into making this such an enjoyable yearly event. Santa, the Wizard and Rudolf are always

looking for new helpers - the more the merrier! If interested, please see Mary Clarke late November! Many thanks - you’ll be certain of an enjoyable time!

farm. “I was recently detecting some fields. I had a good signal and came across a silver brooch. It had a floral design and was inscribed with the words: ‘Presented to the Queen, Rhiwbina Fete 1950’. About a foot away, I found another signal and found a tiny shield which I presumed was part of the brooch as it fitted in the middle perfectly. The hallmarks indicate the brooch was made in Birmingham in 1947.” Alex attended Rhiwbina Junior

School as a child, and attended many fetes at that time. “On the shield, there appear to be some letters roughly scratched into the surface - it reads LB or 2B. I am not sure if they are initials or a class number. Presuming the Fete Queen was about 16 at the time, then she would be about 76 now. It would mean a great deal to me if I could re-unite the brooch with the ‘queen’ or the queen’s family.”

to the place of their birthShrewsbury. So I decided to take a job teaching French in Bermuda - drawn to the island by the sea. After two years, I returned to Britain and met and married a man who decided after 14 months, to sell his company and buy a catamaran. So we sailed, together with our tiny four month old daughter Holly, around the Mediterranean, across the Atlantic Ocean and on through the Caribbean to Florida. We sailed around the islands near Florida for two years and then set sail for home, returning across the Atlantic to the Scilly Isles and then on to Falmouth, where the boat was sold after almost four years at sea. Within a year, we had our second daughter, Rebekah, who at the age of 30 years, produced our one and only adorable

Dave and Caroline Pen-y-Dre Rhiwbina

grandchild India Rose. What is so amazing is that India (now aged 4 years) insists on keeping a photo of a yacht in the centre of their dining table. So it may be that my dreams on Wenallt Hill will continue with our dear little granddaughter, who has an affinity with the sea. I really want to thank you so much for the silver brooch, which has brought back so many happy memories. ANN KYNASTON-WEAVER (AKA The Queen!) Leighton Buzzard 5

Settling in Nicely Almost a year on from opening their office in Rhiwbina we catch up with the team at Cardiff Residential Estates - Lee, Julian & Louisa. “Things are going really well.” says Lee Bryce, Managing Director. “We have had some great successes across Cardiff, The Vale and especially here in Rhiwbina. I have lived in the village a few years now and it’s great to be able to support the local community by providing more of a bespoke service when it comes to home selling. We have had some fantastic testimonials and people really do appreciate the hard work and commitment we provide. We are really passionate about what we do and I think that shows in how hard we work and the results we have achieved. We have a good and experienced team here and our dedication is something I am very proud of.” Sales Director Julian Preston has also been enjoying his time with his former colleague: “Lee and I worked together previously and we always made a good team. The approach and bespoke service that we provide really differs from that of ‘High Street’ agents and more and more people are benefitting from this. Our home finder service is proving very effective. We look at specific requirements of the client and go and find them the home they really desire. As a business, we are very proactive. We recently sourced a bungalow for a client of ours who suffers from Parkinsons, both he and

his wife can’t drive and have no internet access so we ensured we went that extra mile to get them their next home here in Rhiwbina and supported them extensively and continue to do so. I am also very proud of the service we provide and look forward to speaking to more people about how we can help them.” Community Support The community has always been a main focus of Cardiff Residential Estates and the company are engaged in many different areas of support. “Our ongoing support for the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital is something we hold dear having young children of our own. We had some fantastic support during the Rhiwbina Festival and also sponsored their Cardiff Bay walk which was great fun. We also sponsor Rhiwbeina Primary School via the Safe 4 Kids scheme which raises awareness on such things as bullying and how social media can also affect children. During the Christmas period, we had great help from Deri Stores, The Flower Lodge and Spar for our Cardiff Food Bank appeal and it’s great that as a community we can all work together.” says Lee. The Future “We currently offer a service that no other agent in Cardiff and the Vale provide. We would be delighted to speak to anyone looking to buy, sell or even if you have been sat on the market for a while and things have slowed down with your current agent, we would like to help you. There have been some major changes recently in the way agents advertise their clients’ properties and we believe this could have

an adverse effect on potential sale prices due to the change in exposure in the market place. We continue to advertise on all the major websites like Rightmove, Zoopla & Prime Location.” Rhiwbina Testimonials “Cardiff Residential provide an efficient and friendly service. They remained positively committed to achieving the successful sale of my home.” Mr. C. Fowler Rhiwbina “We found Cardiff Residential Estates to be a first class Estate Agent. They are very professional with extensive knowledge of the business yet provide a very personal and friendly service to their clients. Their marketing strategy is excellent and we were aware from day one that we had made the right choice. We strongly recommend that if anyone is considering selling or buying that they speak to Cardiff Residential Estates. This is the company to move with.” (Property sold on first viewing at full asking price) Avril & Lynn Gardner Rhiwbina “Lee and the team couldn’t have been more helpful and also professional throughout the time I dealt with them. Helpful, patient and they dealt with any problems I had in the minimum of time and with the minimum of fuss. I couldn’t recommend Cardiff Residential Estates any more. First class service from start to finish.” Mr. G. Rae Former Cardiff City & Scotland International Rhiwbina 7

The Champion of Bodice Rippers: Andrew Davies Writer Andrew Davies is the name behind some of the biggest shows on television. He tells Living Magazines about his childhood in Rhiwbina, and how he got into writing He’s been described as ‘the undisputed champion of the bodice ripper, the King Midas of middle-brow drama.’ Screenwriter Andrew Davies, Rhiwbina-born and Rhiwbinabred, has spent the last 25 years adapting literary classics for prime-time television. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, House of Cards, and Mr Selfridge are all titles that feature on his CV. His list of screenwriting credits is impressive, almost prolific, but writing wasn’t how it all started: “I grew up on Lon-y-Dail. I remember going to Rhiwbeina Junior School – the winter of 1947 is a memory that sticks with me. We had about 3 or 4 feet of snow and we had to hack our way up to school. My Pugsley was the headmaster and I had a teacher called Miss Foster, who wore this funny-looking leather flying helmet. It looked like the scrum caps rugby players wear these days. She was very good at getting us to work out mental arithmetic. The village felt a lot closer then than it does now. It was less connected to Cardiff as a city.” Andrew attended Whitchurch Grammar School. “I also remember going to Sunday School at Beulah Church. In later years, we’d skive about and head up the Wenallt instead. 8

There was a little store about halfway up the hill and we’d go in and buy a bottle of pop. “I lived in the village until I left for university. My parents continued to live there, my Dad living there until he died in his late nineties. I was always good at English and enjoyed writing poems and stories. I actually quite fancied myself as a singer or an actor. I entered a lot of competitions and auditioned for school plays. Then my voice broke. My beautiful singing voice suddenly became very ordinary. It was all rather depressing. My Dad, who was a teacher, always told me that writers never made any money. I went into teaching myself, but carried on my writing alongside it. I could have carried on teaching for a long time.” It was at University College, London where he received his BA in English. He took a teaching position at St. Clement Danes Grammar School in London, where he was on the teaching staff from 1958–61. By 1960, Andrew was contributing material to the BBC Home Service’s Monday Night at Home strand, alongside Harold Pinter and Ivor Cutler. He wrote his first play for radio in 1964 and many more were to follow. “Dylan Thomas was a big influence for me when I was

starting out. It wasn’t so much his poetry – it was more reading about his life. He seemed to have such a similar suburban childhood to mine. He’d write about things I’d done as a child.” Andrew’s first television play, Who’s Going to Take Me On?, was broadcast in 1967 as part of BBC1’s The Wednesday Play strand. His early plays were written as a sideline to his teaching work, many of them appearing in anthology series such as Thirty Minute Theatre, Play for Today and Centre Stage. His first serial adaptation of a work of fiction was of To Serve Them All My Days (1980), from the novel by R. F. Delderfield. He is also well known for adaptations and dramatisations, including Michael Dobbs’ House of Cards and its sequel, To Play the King, George Eliot’s Middlemarch, and Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Austen’s Sense and Sensibility was first aired on the BBC in January 2008 with series such as Mr Selfridge (2013) and A Poet In New York (2014) to follow. In addition to all of this, Andrew was writing children’s television and books (he wrote two original series of Marmalade Atkins and dramatised Alfonso Bonzo from his own children’s novel) and has written feature film screenplays, including Circle of Friends and

an adaptation of his own book, B. Monkey. The first of his few novels was Conrad’s War, published by Blackie in 1978. Andrew won the annual Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, which is judged by a panel of British children’s writers and recognises the year’s best book by an author who has not yet won it. He also wrote the stories Dark Towers and Badger Girl for BBC TV’s Look and Read series of programmes for schools audiences. “I’ve had lots of landmark achievements along the way.” he says. “Things like Pride and Prejudice stick out. For me though, my proudest achievement would be a TV show I wrote back in the 1980s. It was called A Very Peculiar Practice and was set in a university. I used a lot of the things I’d learnt when I was teaching in university and for me, it was my most personal piece of work.” Andrew has been the recipient of many awards, both for his TV work and written work. As well as the Guardian Children’s Fiction Award in 1979, he’s picked up the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, (1980), Broadcast Press Guild Award, (1980, 1990), Pye Colour TV Award (1981), Royal Television Society Award (1987), British Academy of Film and

Television Arts Award (1989, 1993), Writers Guild Award (1991, 1992) and Primetime Emmy Award (1991). In film, he has collaborated on the screenplays for both of the Bridget Jones films, based on Helen Fielding’s successful novels. With the amount of work he’s racked up, it’s no surprise to discover that Andrew has to put the hours in. “I have an office next door to where I live so I keep regular hours. I like to be in by 9am and finish around 6pm. However, I’d

probably say that I only get about 2 hours of real work done by the time I’ve finished answering emails and so on! I’m currently working on War and Peace, which will be aired on BBC One later this year. “I’m happy to keep on working. I think it’s a bit too late to think about any unfulfilled ambitions. I always wanted to write a hit pop song or be a backing singer in a rock band but I’ve had a pretty good run of things to date.”

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Win Tickets To See Lord Of The Dance at St David’s Hall THE spectacular new Lord of the Dance extravaganza is set to take St David’s Hall by storm on 7-12 April. And now you can be there in the best seats in the house on opening night with this exclusive competition! We’ve teamed up with the National Concert Hall of Wales to offer two top-price tickets to the breathtaking Dangerous Games production on Tuesday 7 April at 8pm. The scale of the world tour is jaw-dropping with over 200 dates

already booked across 15 countries with stunning staging, cool costumes and perfectly precise choreography. With the legendary Michael Flatley directing 40 of the world’s most outstanding young performers, this latest instalment of the iconic series promises to combine the classic with the very best new music and dance. Flatley’s incredibly innovative performance of Riverdance at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest

changed the face of dance forever. Talking of the Dangerous Games tour, he said: “I’m blown away by the remarkable talent and abilities of the great cast we’ve gathered.” To be in with a chance of winning a pair of amazing tickets, please answer the below question: What is the name of the Lord of the Dance tour at St David’s Hall? Please email your entries to SDHpress@cardiff.gov.uk with your name and contact details by Friday 27 March.

LIVING MAGAZINES LAUNCHES OLD CARDIFF IN PICTURES WEBSITE TO DOCUMENT CITY’S HISTORY Living Magazines Cardiff has set up a new website to document Cardiff and its past. Old Cardiff In Pictures will feature photographs sent in by visitors to the site. Editor Patric Morgan said: “We get quite a few people sending in pictures to us and as we are always tied with space in the physical magazines, we thought it would be a good idea to set up a website where they could be viewed. It’s something we’ve been meaning to do for some time now - when I was a youngster, we had a friend of the family who published books about Barry and its past. Those books were always so fascinating. “Several weeks ago, a friend of mine who runs Old Barry In Pictures on Facebook decided

that he should set up an official make the public domain. website for Barry. The Cardiff “We’re hoping that people can version will be the sister site to send in pictures that aren’t your the Barry one.” typical postcard scenes. We’re The site will help document the looking for the real history of city’s history and will also feature Cardiff - its locations and its articles written by the citypeople.” said Patric. dwellers themselves. The site can be accessed at “The first batch of areas covered www.oldcardiffinpictures. will be North Cardiff where com. There is also a Facebook we have a good collection of group at www.facebook.com/ pictures. From there, we’ll be oldcardiffinpictures and a Twitter looking to build and add to our account at www.twitter.com/ collection of photographs from OldCDFInPics all over the city to create Need a second pair of hands for: a collection that will be available for this Cleaning · Ironing Services · Home & Garden generation and Maintenance · Companionship · Shopping · for generations Driving Help · Pet Walking · Baby Sitting to come.” Visitors to Castle Health - Helping Hands the site will be All staff DRB checked. Carefully vetted and fully insured encouraged We are a newly established agency associated to submit company of the main company Castle Health their photos that wouldn’t Tel: 02920 220177 Mob: 07702 254573 necessarily Email: helpinghandscardiff@gmail.com

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St Teilo There are schools named after him. He is second only to St David in having churches named after him. And it’s not just here in Wales - there are churches in Cornwall and Brittany that bear his title. Furthermore, there’s part of his skull residing in Llandaff Cathedral. Also known as Elios, Eliau, Teliarus, Teliau or Télo, Teilo (later to become St Teilo) was a Christian monk, bishop, and founder of monasteries. He founded churches from Penalun (Penally) near Tenby in Pembrokeshire near his birthplace. More importantly to North Cardiffians, Teilo founded the first church in Llandaff. According to tradition, Teilo was born between 480-500AD. He studied under St Paulinus at the monastic school at Whitland, Carmarthenshire. Here he met 16

and became firm friends with Dewi (St David), who may have been his cousin. Teilo subsequently travelled with him to Mynyw, now known as St David’s, where Dewi set up his religious community. In about 518 AD, the group, along with St Padam, are said to have set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where all three were consecrated bishops by John III, who was the Patriarch of Jerusalem. The now Bishop Teilo returned to Wales to found the episcopal church of Llandeilo Fawr (the Great Church or Abbey of St Teilo) in Dyfed. However the outbreak of Yellow Fever in Wales around 549 AD forced Teilo and his religious group to seek refuge in Cornwall. From here, they set out across the Channel to Dol in Brittany where they stayed for seven years. Celtic people had begun to settle in France since the 5th and 6th

centuries, having been driven out of southern parts of Britain by invading Germanic tribes. Teilo and his friends would most likely have felt at home there. There are several legends about Teilo during his time in Brittany. According to one, he saved the local people from a winged dragon which he tamed and then kept tied to a rock in the sea. In another, when a local lord offered him all the land he could encircle between sunset and sunrise, Teilo chose to ride on a stag to cover as much ground as possible in the time available. Several churches in Brittany are dedicated to St Teilo, including the church at Plogonnec, Finistére, and the Chapel of Our Lady in Kerdévot. In both cases he is shown wearing bishop’s robes and mitre, and is seated on a stag, no doubt in reference to the legend. Whilst in France, Teilo, St Samson and his followers are also

said to have planted three miles of fruit trees. Even today the fruit groves they planted are known as the groves of Teilo and Samson. In around 554 Teilo and his followers returned from Brittany to Llandeilo Fawr. After the death of St. David, Teilo became revered as one of the most holy men in Wales. He was joined at Llandeilo by many disciples including Cynfwr, Teulyddog and Llywel. He died at the abbey of Llandeilo Fawr on February 9th, probably around the year 560. But St. Teilo is now most famous today for what is supposed to have happened after his death. According to an account in the early 12th century by Geoffrey of Llandaff, there was a dispute over the body of St Teilo. There were three claimants to the remains: the church at Penally (where he was born), Llandeilo (where he founded his church and died), and Llandaff (who claimed him as their bishop). During the night, the body is said to have multiplied into three, one for each church, thus settling the argument. In the early Middle Ages, it was financially advantageous to have relics or a shrine in a cathedral, in order to attract pilgrims. Geoffrey’s account would very conveniently explain why there were three different sets of relics, yet all apparently true relics. The tomb of Teilo in Llandaff Cathedral is most probably the correct one, and his shrine on the south side of the high altar did indeed become a place of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages. St Teilo’s Well at Llandyfan also became a place of pilgrimage. Pilgrims came from far and wide to drink the spring water at the well, which had a reputation for curing paralysis and similar ailments. Today the waters of the well have been diverted into a nearby reservoir but the well, used in the 19th century for outdoor baptisms, is still there next to the Victorian church built on the site. These days, at nearby St Fagans Museum, sits St. Teilo’s Church. St Teilo’s church is believed to have been built during the late 12th or 13th century on the site

history St Teilo’s Church at St Fagans Museum

of an earlier Celtic church. Over the ensuing centuries, the building was altered and extended. The oldest parts of the present structure are the nave and chancel. During the 14th century, small chapels were built onto the north and south sides of the chancel, and during the late 14th or early 15th century, the church’s capacity was increased by the addition of an aisle to the south side of the nave. The old south wall was replaced by two arches, with a third arch opening into the chancel, and finally, a porch was added to the entrance door leading into the south aisle of the church. During 1984 and 1985, the church was dismantled and moved to its present home at St. Fagans. It was officially opened to the public in 2007, making it the 41st building opened to the public at the museum. The roof timbers are of typical early fifteenth century design (arch-braced collar-beams), though they may in fact be slightly later in date. The west wall of the nave was altered in the early 18th century (datestone 1736) and in 1810, the interior was furnished with box pews and a three-decker pulpit. Most of the stone-mullioned windows appear to have been blocked up at this time, and were replaced by new ‘Georgian gothic’ lancetshaped windows. One original two-light stone-mullioned window (14/15th) survived in the south aisle. Probably the oldest surviving feature of the church is the stone font which is believed to date from the 13th century or

earlier. St Teilo’s church has been refurbished as it may have appeared about the year 1530, complete with all the elements associated with a late medieval Catholic church, including a rood screen and loft (between the nave and chancel), altars, carvings and brightly-coloured paintings on all the walls. St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School was opened in September 1966 as an 11-16 school and provides a church school comprehensive education for secondary students living mainly in the eastern half of Cardiff. It is now one of three Voluntary Aided Secondary Schools in the Diocese of Llandaff and serves a much wider geographical and spiritual ‘catchment’ area. In September 2013, St Teilo’s High School officially moved to the playing fields of Llanederyn High School.

A piece of St Teilo’s skull, which is on display at Llandaff Cathedral 17

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News in the Community NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH With Bill Farnham Our AGM for this current year was held on 18th November 2014 at the Whitchurch Rugby Club. I had someone standing against me this time, namely Mrs Jo Huntley, Neighbourhood Watch coordinator from St Francis Road, Whitchurch. I was reelected on the evening and I am pleased to say that Jo has agreed to become one of our Committee Members. Our activities since the last issue of this magazine have included attending the ‘Cheese and Crime’ evening at the Western Leisure Centre, Ely, which was a great success. This was the third year we have attended this event and

it is very rewarding to watch the young people getting involved with the various displays that are available eg Crime Scene Investigation, Home Security and Safety etc. Of course, they really enjoy the cheese element during the evening. The Operation Perception in conjunction with Small Business Saturday in Whitchurch in December last year was very successful, with the possibility of another new Neighbourhood Watch Group being set up. I successfully launched a new watch in Pencisely Road, Llandaff in December and much interest has been shown to set up a new watch in Butleigh Avenue which is off Pencisely Road, following a nasty incident with Rogue Traders in that road. This will probably come about at a

meeting to be held in March, 2015. Following an Operation Perception in Rhydlafer recently, I hope to re-launch the Neighbourhood Watch Group on the estate at a meeting to be held on 10th March. Some advance notification for your diaries of future events that we will be involved in: • The Big Lunch takes place on Sunday 7th June, 2015. • National Neighbourhood Watch week is from 20th June to 28th June, 2015. • The Suzy Lamplugh Trust National Personal Safety Day is on 7th October, 2015. If anyone is interested in setting up a Neighbourhood Watch Group, call our office on 02920 527301. Bill Farnham, Chairman

10 Reasons to Advertise with Living Magazines Cardiff 1. WINNERS at the UK Independent Publisher Awards 2014 We scooped both Best Website and Best Editorial awards at a glittering ceremony in Coventry. Judged by a panel of industry experts, our magazines were recognised as ‘exemplary’ and ‘outstanding’. We publish editorial and news that readers can really relate to – spending more time with our magazines means that our readers spend more time with your advert! It’s a simple equation. 2. We have helped promote over 1,000 businesses and organisations since 2007. Our magazines were specifically created to provide a neighbourly and costeffective platform for local trade. Our testimonials prove that advertising with Living Magazines can have a positive effect on your business balance sheets. 3. We take pride about our distribution. After all, what’s the use of keeping boxes of glossy magazines in storage? After getting our hands burned when FR EE we first started, ! we trust no-one RHIWBINA Living but ourselves At the heart of the community to get the job done properly. We deliver Rhiwbina Living, door-to-door, to 4,400 homes in S Rhiwbina each R A issue (covering YE 1,000 miles a Rhiwbina year on foot in brates ion Edit Centenary Cele ry the process!). tena Cen We also make sure that 6,000 copies per issue of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living get everywhere in Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North, five times a year!

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Pet problems CHRIS TROUGHTON OF HEATH VETS ANSWERS YOUR PET-RELATED QUESTIONS

IF YOU HAVE ANY PET-RELATED QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE CHRIS TO ANSWER, PLEASE EMAIL US AT EDITOR@LIVINGMAGS.CO.UK AND WE’LL PASS THEM ON.

I have recently acquired a small kitten (long story!). What I want to know is whether catnip is dangerous for cats and especially small kittens?

Catnip (Nepata cataria) is a common garden flower. It produces an essential oil called ‘nepetalactone’ and some cats react to this by getting ‘high’. The oil is taken in by sniffing, but cats will chew the plant and roll in it; this is believed to release more of the oil to inhale. Not all cats are sensitive to the effect – half of them don’t react at all, and kittens under 3-4 months never do. The sensitivity of old cats is also reduced. For susceptible cats, the effect usually makes them very frisky and playful, but sometimes they can appear sedated. However, the effect lasts only a few minutes (15 maximum) and cannot be repeated for at least an hour. There are no reports of cats ‘overdosing’ and becoming ill, and it is not addictive. Since it doesn’t affect cats under 3 months at all, it is unlikely that your little kitten will even notice its presence. If she should, just enjoy watching her having fun!

My wife is paranoid that our two year old Staffie is going to pick up parvovirus from the local park. Is it something that can be transmitted in this way and what are the symptoms that we’d need to look out for if it did pick up this disease?

Parvovirus is a deadly dog virus that causes severe bloody vomiting and diarrhoea, which, if untreated, is usually fatal. With careful and intensive Page is sponsored by Heath Vets 02920 621511

treatment, most adult dogs recover from the illness and it leaves no lasting problems; in puppies the prognosis is not so good, and about 20% of them will die in spite of treatment. The virus is spread via faeces. After becoming infected, the dog incubates the disease for several days before showing symptoms, but already during that time virus is being excreted in the normal-looking faeces, so it is not just diarrhoea faeces which could be infected. The virus can survive on the ground for years after the faeces in which it arrived has gone, so areas like public parks, where lots of dogs defecate, can, over the years, acquire a significant burden of infection. Fortunately, there are very effective and safe vaccines against parvo, which are part of the routine injections that all dogs should have every year. So as long as your Staffie has his jabs every year, there should be no risk of him catching this nasty virus.

Just a question of curiosity – my dog recently had an ear infection and was administered medication. It was the same medication that he was prescribed a few months before. Do vets need to see the animal EVERY time he has the same problem or, like humans, is there a ‘repeat prescription’ procedure available? Vets do provide ‘repeat prescription’ medicines for chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, heart failure, etc. When your pet has a problem that requires constant treatment, once he is stable on his medication, your vet will need to check him from time to time to make sure nothing has changed and he is having no side effects; in between check-ups, repeat prescriptions will be provided. This is the same as for human patients. The only difference is that vets often need to check their patients more frequently because pets can’t tell you they aren’t feeling quite so good – it needs a skilled examination to notice this. However, if a condition recurs when it wasn’t expected to, we must not assume it is the same as the previous event as that could lead to disaster. To use the ear infection example – you probably noticed your dog scratching his ear or shaking his head. These symptoms could be due to an infection, or they could be due to a foreign body (notably a grass awn) that had got lodged in the ear canal. If your vet just gave you some more ear drops without examining him, your dog could end up deaf with a perforated ear drum!

gardening

What is a Garden?

eople have been gardening and cultivating plants for thousands of years. Ever since communities became settled in the Bronze Age, we have secured boundaries to protect crops and livestock. Perhaps we are no longer economically dependent on our plot of land but we might grow a few fruit and vegetables, or plant some ornamental plants to improve the aesthetic and commercial value of the property. A garden must have a gardener or it soon becomes something else; plants must be planted and weeds weeded. Gardens furnish our ecological niche with natural beauty, a meeting of the natural and human worlds within the external boundaries of a property allowing the urban or suburban gardener to live close to nature. Selected plants are nurtured while others are discouraged if not altogether eradicated; weeds are a constant threat as nature fights back against the artificial construct. Sometimes a look at a wild meadow or plant community on a woodland floor will make you wonder why we should try to create something better. Few gardens could be described 26

as entirely natural but we strive to garden with a lighter touch to encourage wildlife, to control less and understand more, to use less chemicals and fertilisers and weed a little less. Increasingly we must cater for the natural world which is fast being squeezed out of the countryside by modern agriculture, urban sprawl and human activity. Then again what exactly is natural? A meadow is only the result of a particular grazing regime. Most woodland is either planted or secondary, having invaded formally cultivated ground. Gardening for wildlife is increasingly popular and few would deny the need to encourage bees and birds but perhaps we need to encompass all that arrives in the garden, pests and all. These are at the base of the food chain and encourage biodiversity; it seems perverse to feed birds in the winter only to starve them of their natural food in the spring and summer. Some see the garden merely as an extension of the house; some property developers take this a little too literally and the recent garden grabbing trend has been blight on our towns and cities as attractive corner plots have

by Kevin Revell disappeared or new houses have sprung up in spacious back gardens. Front gardens have disappeared under concrete and tarmac to cater for increasing car ownership but at the cost of increased runoff into drains which enter watercourses to exacerbate potential flooding downstream. The patio and decking, trampolines and swing frames cater for the human aspect and enable us to spend time living and relaxing outdoors in the comfort of our own home surrounded by our families and friends but increasing overlooked and disturbed by our neighbours, private quiet time is now hard to come by.

Is Gardening Cool? Most people who garden would probably not give a fig whether it was or not but it may be important to a younger generation who seem to need the reassurance of acceptability within their peer group or online community before pursuing any new activity. If it were measured in terms of the amount of money

lavished by corporate sponsors on the show gardens at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, we might assume the answer to be a resounding “yes”, but the reality is that these shows have very little to do with day to day gardening and were it not for the disproportionate media coverage we would scarcely be aware of its passing. The activities of Chelsea Football club bear little relation to parks football, though the rules are the same the rewards are vastly disproportionate but enjoyment can be derived from both. The village hall horticultural show probably has more relevance to a larger proportion of the population but is apparently rather un-cool. The perceived wisdom is that an older generation do gardening in a way that is not attractive to the younger generation who are more interested in how plants look and are less concerned with how to look after them. Few of us today grow our own cut flowers but even these are making something of a comeback as we become aware of the folly of buying supermarket flowers flown in from around the globe. Post-war, it was a necessity to grow fruit and vegetables to keep the family fed. In today’s similarly austere times, many have been drawn in by the grow-your-own trend and look to do something healthy for the children. Sustainable healthy living -

what’s not to like? What else connects people with nature, provides passive exercise, reduces stress and is good wholesome fun in the fresh air? Whatever you do in your garden, just do something. Make use of the precious resource you have because plenty of people today are denied that chance as space is at a premium and our population continues to grow. A well maintained lawn will encourage members of the family into the garden when the weather is favourable; perhaps some will stay and start to notice their surroundings. How many of us renew our gym memberships while ignoring the vigorous workouts available on our doorstep for free. Go on, give it a go – just don’t expect it to be easy – little in this life ever is. It

all seems so effortless when you watch the experts grow perfect plants on television and read about them in glossy magazines and aspirational coffee table books but the sad reality is that things often go wrong. We should not expect perfection every time but adopt a more even-handed approach, some you win, some you lose - celebrate the small victories but don’t get too hung up on the failures; treat them as lessons learnt in the school of hard knocks and move on; finding out by trial and error is what really works. Through experience, knowledge will be gained which builds up over time until you too are an expert charged with passing knowledge on to the next generation. How cool is that?

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Thought that being vegan was all about being hippydippy-happy-clappy? Try out these delicious recipes and be amazed at how amazing fresh vegetables can taste

EDITOR’S PICK 

Potato and Cauliflower Curry

1 onion chopped, 1/2 fennel bulb, 1 tbsp sunflower oil, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 deseeded and finely chopped large green chilli, 2.5cm peeled and finely chopped ginger, 2 or 3 medium potatoes, 1 cauliflower broken into florets, 1 heaped tsp garam masala, 1 tsp ground tumeric, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground allspice, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1 tbsp tomato purée, 200g passata, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 vegetable stock cube, 100g chopped kale, 30g fresh coriander, salt and pepper to season, brown rice and dairy-free raita to serve. 1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based pan, adding the onion and fennel. Season and sweat for several minutes until soft. Add the garlic, chilli and ginger to the pan, stirring well and covering. Allow the flavours to infuse over a low heat for a few minutes. 2. Add the potatoes to the pan, covering once again and cooking for another few minutes. Add the cauliflower florets. Sprinkle in the spices and stir well, making sure that the potato and cauliflower are completely coated. Cover once again and allow the spices to release their aromas before stirring in the tomato purée, passata, sugar, and a little bit of water. Season, cover and cook for another two minutes. 3. Crumble in the stock cube and simmer for 30-40 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add more water if required, ensuring that the cauliflower doesn’t overcook. 4. Roughly chop the kale and toss it into the pan for the final ten minutes of cooking. Allow it to wilt, taste for seasoning and add most of the chopped coriander to the pan. Keep a small amount back for garnishing. 4. Serve with brown rice and a dollop of raita.

Greek-Style Spaghetti

2 tbsp olive oil, 3 finely-sliced shallots, 3 finely sliced garlic cloves, 250g halved cherry tomatoes, 400g spaghetti, juice of 1 lemon, 2 tbsp capers in brine (drained, rinsed and roughly chopped), 100ml vegan white wine, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper, freshly-chopped flat-leaf parsley to garnish 1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Heat the olive oil in a large, nonstick, heavy-based frying pan and add the shallots. Season and allow the shallots to sweat for a few minutes before adding the garlic and tomatoes. 2. Add the pasta to the pan of boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the packet. Ensure that you stir it sufficiently to avoid it sticking to the pan. 3. Once the tomatoes begin to soften, pour over the lemon juice, season and reduce for a few minutes. Add the capers and wine to the pan - turn the heat up and let the alcohol evaporate and the sauce thicken slightly. 4. Reserve a small cup of cooking water from the pasta before draining it. Lightly toss the spaghetti in the sauce. Pour over the reserved water and let the pasta soak up the flavours. 4. Serve with drizzled virgin olive oil and parsley.

Column PATRIC MORGAN

WHY SPRING IS A TIME TO COUNT ONE’S BLESSINGS Last week, I had the honour of looking after my four-year old god daughter for four days and three nights. I say honour, but in the weeks leading up to it, I was a nervous wreck. I’m not a parent, save to a small dog. But having readily agreed to babysit several months ago (and after a bottle of wine), the challenge of looking after a friend’s little one slowly lumbered up on me like a giant ogre. I arrived at the house at 6am. Three hours later, I was woken by a sweet small call of ‘Good Morning’ calling from upstairs. After breakfast, we played PlayDoh and then decided to wrap up in our winter coats and head to Barry Island. We put two pence pieces into the money dozers and won some clunk-clunk-clunk. We headed to the neighbouring shop and treated ourselves to a small gift each with our winnings before heading back to Rhiwbina for lunch. The following four days were a pure delight. We went to Caedelyn Park and went looking for blossom buds. We sat in the park and spoke about the seasons. We ate together, went everywhere together. On our last day, we even went back to Barry Island to buy Mummy and Daddy a gift each. We painted a large Welcome Home banner and hung it above the patio window. And at the end of it all, when it was time for me to go back home, our eyes were filled with sadness. Looking back, they were a special few days. Away from the stresses of work, we revelled in its pure simplicity. All my god daughter had to worry about was what games we should play next. As for me - other than thinking of all the practical parenting stuff, I too thought of nothing more than enjoying life’s simple pleasures. It was a memorable experience. As I sit here typing this up, the window to my office is wide open. The big yellow sun is high in the sky. And carried on the cool, crisp spring air, I can hear the sound of

a distant playground. The sound of laughter. The sound of pure joy. For us in here in North Cardiff, we do need to take stock of what we do have and what we shouldn’t take for granted. Life is a challenge, without a doubt. But just a cursory look at the news reminds us that we are, in fact, pretty blessed. - the promise of better days ahead A few years ago, I was sat with (any day with some sunshine in my father in a small room at will do). And thinking back to my Velindre Hospital. The previous four day babysitting ‘holiday’, I’ve day, we’d been given a diagnosis come to the conclusion that it’s the that shook our world. My mother simple things in life that really do was sat with us. She sat staring at matter. the floor in silence, until after a Taking the dog for a walk in while, she finally spoke up. Radyr Woods with my wife; “Life is rubbish.” she said. She breakfast in bed; a glass of wine looked up at me and said: with friends - these are all simple “When you were a baby, I told activities. These are the everyday you how wonderful life would be. things that we should cherish and I told you all the amazing things be grateful for. you could do with your life. But I was wrong. Life is hard. It’s rubbish. I’m sorry.” As we left hospital that day, we took a walk into Whitchurch village. An old Graphic Design, Digital & Litho Printing, focused couple were solely on delivering a quality service.. walking towards us and as they passed, the old woman, for some reason known only to herself, said out loud “Your health is your wealth.” I have no idea why she said it, or why she said it out loud. But she was right. They (whoever ‘they’ are) say that spring is a time of new beginnings. For me, it’s more of a season of hope 31

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