Rhiwbina Living Issue 37 by Rhiwbina Living

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Rhiwbina Living

At the heart of the community Issue 37 Winter 2016/17

WINTER

Win family tickets to The Nutcracker and Peter Pan Your multi award-winning magazine for Rhiwbina

Contents

What’s on in Rhiwbina

3-4 News 5 Rhiwbina Library 6 Letters 8 Rhiwbeina Primary School 12 Dear Santa What Rhiwbina kids want for Christmas 16 Lucy Owen Our exclusive interview 18 Competitions Win family tickets to the ballet and panto 20 Winter Crafts 24 Believe Anna Bates’ inspirational story 28 Welsh Football 25 years of Welsh Football magazine 32 Festive Gifts Local gift ideas 36 All Aboard Cardiff’s trolleybuses 40 Gardening 45 Pet Questions 47 Winter Walk 50 A-Z of Christmas Light-hearted look at Christmas 58 Festive Treats Tasty festive nibbles 62 The Gift A Christmas Story

Street Food Festival Bethany Baptist Church Friday 2nd December 4.30-7.30pm Rhiwbina Christmas Festival Rhiwbina village Saturday 3rd December 4pm-6.30pm A Christmas Cracker All Saints’ Church Hall Wednesday 7th December 10.30am-12pm Llanishen Fach Primary School Fete Llanishen Fach Primary School Friday 9th December 5pm Rhiwbeina Primary School Fete Rhiwbeina Primary School

Spring Issue deadline: 20th February 2017

Published 13th March 2017

a: 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG t: 07772 081775 / 07974 022920 w: www.livingmags.co.uk e: editor@livingmags.co.uk or danielle@livingmags.co.uk While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any matter in any way arising from the publication of this material. Every effort has been made to contact any copyright holders. Rhiwbina Living is an independent, apolitical publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the publishers.

Winners at the 2014 UK Independent Magazine Awards 2

Friday 9th December 4.30pm Tea with Santa Pantmawr Inn Saturday 10th December 12pm-2pm The Great Deri BakeOff The Deri Inn Sunday 18th December 10am-12pm Deri Christmas Quiz The Deri Inn Sunday 18th December 8.30pm Rhiwbina Village Dance Rhiwbina Recreation Club Friday 23rd December 7.30pm. Tickets available from the Recreation Club

Welcome / Croeso It’s been nine years since our very first issue and it’s exactly one year since we set about improving the quality of our magazines. Our magazines are now twice the size and feedback from both advertisers and readers has been so positive! To that end, we decided that we’d invest in the magazines again, so from this issue onwards, we’ll be printing 6,000 copies of Rhiwbina Living per issue. We now also have a magazine stand in Sainsbury’s Local on Heol Llanishen Fach, where we should reach a whole new readership in Thornhill and Caerphilly and beyond. We’re delighted to offer you this wonderfully festive issue in time for Christmas. We caught up with broadcaster Lucy Owen, who has just published her first book for children. Lucy reveals why she wrote it - and how it’s going to help children here in Cardiff. The magic of Christmas is all about the little ones, so we asked a group of Rhiwbina children what they were looking forward to about Christmas this year. Their answers are both sweet and comical! We’ve got two great competitions this Christmas. If you like the winter spectacle of the ballet, you can win a family ticket to see The Nutcracker at St. David’s Hall. We also have a family ticket to see this year’s festive pantomime, Peter Pan at the New Theatre. What better way to spend the holidays than with loved ones? If the weather outside turns frightful, why not try your hand at some of our delightful winter crafts? We’ve got a selection of stunning things to make at home, both for kids and for grown-ups!

www.facebook.com/ rhiwbinaliving

Christmas is a time for reflection and love, and our interview with Anna Bates is a very poignant and thoughtprovoking one. Following a devastating tragedy last year, Anna has gone on to set up the charity ‘Believe’ to raise awareness of organ donation. Her story will inspire you. Welsh Football magazine celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. The national magazine is created right here in Rhiwbina, so we spoke to editor David Collins about its history and its future. If you’re looking for some inspiration for Christmas gifts, look no further than our selection of gifts that are available right here in North Cardiff. Who needs to head to the city when we have everything we need on our doorstep? It’s the perfect time to shop local. You may be showing your age if you can remember Cardiff’s trolleybus service but we’ve got a great feature about the much-loved mode of transport for you to reminisce. We have a selection of delicious festive dishes for you to make and enjoy, and if all that Christmas eating is too much, we’ve got a great winter walk over Caerphilly Mountain to blow away the cobwebs. Finally, we’ve got a heartwarming short story from our editor and his god-daughter. The pair wrote the story together on a rainy autumn day. So snuggle up by the Christmas tree and enjoy this festive issue. We’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Danielle and Patric Editors

@RhiwbinaLiving

news

Rhiwbina Christmas Festival Monico Movies announce 2017 set to bring festive cheer

Rhiwbina’s Christmas Festival takes place on Saturday 3rd December this year and the village is already looking forward to the annual celebration. The event promises to get residents and visitors in a festive mood with lantern decorating taking place at the Art Workshop from 2pm onwards. DJ Sparky Marky will get proceedings underway from 4pm onwards with music and live acts to keep festivalgoers entertained. Canolfan Beulah will be the venue for crafts and gift stalls and there will be late night shopping in the village. The big Christmas Light Switch On

will take place at 5pm, which will be followed by the singing of carols at 6pm around the tree. In between those two events, the much-loved Lantern Parade will take place at 5.30pm, starting in Lon Fach and heading out around the village. Children will be able to enjoy themselves on the rides at Pen-y-Dre and they can also go and visit Santa in the Secret Garden, formerly known as New Roots Garden Centre. Eleanor Sanders of Rhiwbina Events Committee which organises the festival, told Rhiwbina Living: “We are definitely due a dry one! It can’t keep raining on our Christmas Festival Days.” Heol Y Deri will be closed to all traffic from 2pm on the 3rd December and will re-open at 8.30pm. The road closures begin at the crossroads of Beulah Church and continue to Lon Isa. Pen Y Dre will also be closed to traffic during this time from the crossroads to Lon Y Dail.

Rhiwbina Street Food Festival to cook up a treat The first-ever Rhiwbina Street Food Festival is being held on Friday 2nd December outside Bethany Baptist Church and in the grounds of Llanishen Fach Primary School. The event promises to be a real treat with street food vendors including Got Beef, Mr Croqenwich, Flour’d Up and local businesses Gateway of India, Baked@88 and Big Fish, Little Fish. There will be music and entertainment from Morris Dancers, to children’s singing and entertainment. Bacon rolls and hot soup will be available to purchase from the kitchen and there will be a focus on providing meals for younger guests. The beautiful Christmas Tree Festival will be taking place inside Bethany Baptist Church, where visitors can vote for their favourite trees. There will also be a colouring competition for the children. Organiser Jayne Cowan said: “A huge thanks to the school for their help and support. We are delighted to welcome a number of local businesses to the event. “We will be holding a raffle on the night and the proceeds will be split

schedule

Beulah Road Pop up cinema Monico Movies have announced their 2017 line up. Feel good comedy Pride, the classic Casablanca, the beautiful animation Song Of The Sea and the comic and touching true story Florence Foster Jenkins all feature in the new year’s listings. The community group were recently awarded £4483 from the National Lottery to buy equipment to help continue showing films on a monthly basis. The project was set up to recreate the old Monico cinema in Rhiwbina. The Monico closed in 2003 because of pressures from new multiplexes arriving in the surrounding areas. The spring schedule is: 14th January: Pride (15) 18th February: Casablanca (U) 18th February: Children’s matinee, Song Of The Sea (PG) 11th March: Florence Foster Jenkins (PG)

“

Monico Movies has been such a huge success and the community’s response has been absolutely fantastic between Cancer Research Wales, St John Cymru Wales (Rhiwbina and Llanishen Division), Bethany Baptist Church and Llanishen Fach Primary School. There will also be a bucket collection to support these charities and good causes.” Santa will be in attendance between 4.30pm-6.30pm on the night. Entry to see Santa is £2 to include a gift.

Volunteer Sue Harding said: “We are absolutely delighted with the funding. Monico Movies has been such a huge success and the community’s response has been fantastic.” The cinema has just celebrated its first birthday party, to which everyone in the area was invited.

news

Local salon scoops Bake Off win Rhiwbina business Gondi Lifestyle Salon won the Children in Need Bake Off arranged by Rhiwbina Councillors Jayne Cowan and Adrian Robson. The cake was judged by Andrew RT Davies AM and Hilary James, owner of Cakey Wakey. Jayne and Adrian said: “The standard of entries was exceptionally high and we would like to thank everyone who entered a cake and donated money to this wonderful cause. More than £117 was raised and donated to this excellent charity.”

Rhiwbina Floral Society put on festive display The Rhiwbina Floral Society recently held a Christmas demonstration in the Rhiwbina Memorial Hall. The hall was packed to absolute capacity, with the audience captivated by the exceptional talents of the florist, Ruth Milton-Jones. The club holds one demonstration evening and one practice session on alternative meetings. In their annual calendar, in addition to the regular sessions, they hold an evening as an Open Night subject to a charge for members and non-members.

Council react to Caerphilly Road accidents Cardiff Council have reacted to the recent spate of accidents on Caerphilly Road after the introduction of a new bus lane. The scheme to create bus lanes on the busy road in Birchgrove is due to be finished soon. But residents believe that the changes have caused a number of accidents on the road. Residents insist that some cars cannot see approaching vehicles in the bus lane. Cardiff Council have reacted by announcing that they are going to erect more signs.

Remembrance Day marked by locals Rhiwbina’s Garden Village Garage organised a ceremony on the 11th November to mark Remembrance Day. A number of local children, residents, along with Craig Williams MP and Cllr Adrian Robson attended to pay their respects. Wooden crosses were placed to mark the occasion.

Local tree surgeons donate money to Rhiwbina organisations Local tree surgeons Tree Control have donated money to three Rhiwbina organisations after their offer of a real Christmas tree to Cardiff Council was declined. Events started when Cardiff Council announced that it was sourcing an artificial Christmas tree for the city centre. It said that they were shipping in a Christmas tree-like structure from China at a cost of £30,000 over three years. The big Christmas light switch-on went ahead without the usual traditional Christmas tree, which provoked a backlash on social media. Tree surgeon firm Tree Control wrote to the Council, offering to install a 20ft tree outside Cardiff Castle. They said that they were reacting to the furore from residents. They offered to source and install the tree themselves. Cardiff Council declined the offer of the tree, insisting that: “The Christmas tree which will be sited at Cardiff Castle this year has been hired on a three-year lease through the UK-based company MK Illuminations. “The artificial tree, sourced from China, is a 40m-high, tree-shaped structure covered in golden baubles with all decorations and illuminations pre-attached. It should be a spectacular addition to Cardiff’s Christmas offering.” After being turned down, Tree Control decided to split the equivalent

amount of money that they were going to pay for the tree between three Rhiwbina organisations. They will be sourcing and donating towards Rhiwbina’s real Christmas tree and to the two charity shops in the village, Tenovus and Barnardos. Tree Control’s Amanda Anderson said: “In the economic times we are in, to go outside Britain to get a tree is a bit of a poke in the eye. The cost of a real tree bought in Wales would be fractional compared to the cost the council is going to incur by importing a 40-metre structure.”

Rhiwbina squash coaches shortlisted for top awards Two coaches from Rhiwbina Squash Club have made it to the finals of the Wales Sport Awards. Richard Plenty and Bob Perry were shortlisted after being nominated for their outstanding contributions to community sport, following a nationwide search. They coach two disability specific

squash sessions and also have a disabled member now attending mainstream sessions, playing matches against non-disabled members: “Our aim is to get at least four wheelchair users as members of the club who play alongside non wheelchair users,” explained Richard.

library

Library News Library Round Up It’s been a busy couple of months for Friends of Rhiwbina Library – but that’s how we like it! We marked National Poetry Day by sharing poems we love. Jo Verity’s Short Story Workshop was a sell-out; Peter Lewis PhD inspired us with his personal insight into ‘Reversal of Heart Disease’; Sian Mile’s Pop-upPoetry ‘taster session’ proved terrific fun. Many thanks to all our speakers and participants. All proceeds from FoRL events go towards enhancing the facilities at Rhiwbina Library.

All the latest news and events from Rhiwbina Library

Children’s Book Bank Our Children’s Book Bank continues to flourish. The recently-opened Grangetown Food Bank (located in the Baptist Church, Clive Road) is the latest to welcome your donations of new and nearly-new children’s books. Please keep them coming. There is a red suitcase at the bottom of the stairs awaiting your offerings. Don’t forget: ‘If you give a child a book, you give them the world’ – particularly important when families are going through tough times.

Jigsaw Library every Saturday morning – 10am to 12.30pm Pop up Poetry session (Details to be announced). Come along and read or listen to your favourite poems. Next ‘Quiz and a Cuppa’ sessions: Wednesday 30th November & 25th January: 3.30 – 5pm (£2) ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ : Thursday 12th and 19th January: 7.30 – 9pm

GET INVOLVED

Who Do You Think You Are? Our ancestors – who they were, where they came from and what they did, is a source of fascination. Mr. Hugh Payne will run two sessions on tracing our predecessors and making contact with wider family members on Thursday 12th and Thursday 19th January from 7.30pm to 9pm. We are delighted to support events arranged by Rhiwbina Library staff. Recently, local author Anne James discussed her book ‘Remarkable Rhiwbinans’ and Dr. Rhian Morgan (Wales Gene Park) gave a talk on DNA extraction. NB: Check with the library for details of craft sessions, games and general Christmas fun for children over the holiday period.

Dates For Your Diary

Jigsaw Library Our Jigsaw Library has been operating for over a year. It’s open every Saturday morning (apart from high days and holidays) between 10.00 a.m. and 12.30 p.m. offering a huge range of jigsaw puzzles for children and adults. What could be nicer on a chilly day than to settle down with a cuppa and a thousand pieces? Borrowing is free for children and a small donation from adult puzzlers is appreciated. We are always on the lookout for volunteers.

If you have suggestions for events or would be willing to give a talk/demonstration on an interesting topic, please get in touch. Most importantly, support Rhiwbina Library by coming along to our events. Why not become a ‘Friend’? Membership is free to all.

Become a ‘Friend’ or if you have any comments/suggestions, get in touch. Email: friendsofrhiwbinalibrary@ gmail.com or leave your details in the ‘Friends’ box at the library desk. Website: friendsofrhiwbinalibrary. weebly.com You’ll also find us on Facebook and we tweet @FoRhiwbinaLib

news & letters £1,500 raised at Rhiwbina Christmas Craft Fayre Residents in Rhiwbina recently raised £1,500 at a Christmas craft fayre to support new parents. The event took place at Rhiwbina Baptist Church in November, where independent stalls from around Cardiff sold handmade cards, Christmas gift packs, jewellery, and toys. A £1 entry fee, bake sale and children’s party also helped to raise funds for the National Childbirth Trust’s Cardiff, Caerphilly and Gwent branch. NCT breastfeeding counsellor and branch coordinator Clare Coan, said: “NCT is about giving back to parents. We help them to make the right choices for themselves. This money will go a long way to support the various groups we run over the next year.” The charity, which offers support, information and friendship to new and expectant parents, provides mums and dads with free advice and a range of weekly activities.

International Tennis comes to Rhiwbina International tennis came to Rhiwbina Tennis Club when it hosted an International Tennis Federation world seniors tour event in October. The Yonex YCsports Welsh Seniors Open involved more than 60 players from Wales, England, Scotland, Hong Kong and New Zealand, in age groups 35, 45, 55, and 65, singles, doubles and mixed.

Local rugby derby this December Rhiwbina Squirrels take on local team Llanishen RFC on 10th December in the SWALEC Plate 3rd round draw. The Squirrels had a walk-over into the second round in October when Hendy couldn’t raise a team for the 2nd round draw. The club will be hosting its annual Black Tie Christmas Ball on Saturday 17th December in the Recreation Club. There will be a Christmas raffle and live entertainment.

Your Letters

If you have anything you’d like our readers to know about, drop us a line at editor@livingmags.co.uk or by letter to our postal address which can be found on the inside front cover

Rhiwbina is pretty but lacking adequate car parking I visited Rhiwbina several weeks ago as I wanted to visit the local shops there. I was sorely disappointed when I discovered a total lack of parking in the area. I spent fifteen minutes looking for somewhere to park my car and eventually found myself in the pretty area of the Garden Village. Parking was at a premium here too but I did wedge myself into a space and

headed off to the shops. On returning to my car, I found that someone had popped a note on my windscreen, advising me that I had parked on a grass verge, which I found a little upsetting as I was only a few inches on the grass. If your village had better parking, I’d be back in a flash!

J Ellis Cyncoed

What’s going on? It’s good to see how Rhiwbina Living is thriving over time. I would like to make a suggestion to make it, in my opinion, even better: encourage local clubs and societies to submit a regular report on their most recent activities. For example, the Tennis Club, the Bridge Club, the Civic Society, toddler groups, the Scouts, local churches and many more. The School News and Library News articles in the autumn edition were steps in the right direction. In this way, local residents (especially those new to the area) get to know what’s going on - and it’s free advertising for the organisations to attract new members! Please let me know what you (and your readers) think about this suggestion.

Roger Wright Rhiwbina

Editor’s Response Many thanks for your kind words, Roger. As the official community magazine for Rhiwbina, we try to accommodate as much local

information into our pages as we can. Unfortunately, we can only do so much in gathering details of local events and news. We publish nine magazines a year - four for Rhiwbina and five for Whitchurch and Llandaff. We take care of all the door-to-door deliveries and distribution to shops and other public places. In addition to that, we run a very large social media presence to help promote all of our advertisers online, alongside our award-winning website and as you can imagine, it’s a round-the-clock job. One thing we struggle for is time. We’d be delighted to publish details of everything that’s going on but we simply cannot chase people for information. We therefore encourage local groups and clubs to get in touch and use our popular publications to promote their news stories. We are always on the lookout for new stories and we can be contacted by post, email or telephone. Our contact details are on the inside front cover of the magazines.

Thanks for the magazines! Many thanks for dropping through the door a copy of your great magazine. We find the magazines really helpful and have used a number of businesses who advertise with you

and made sure they knew we found them in Rhiwbina Living magazine!

Lee Waterson Rhiwbina

The

RHIWBINA EVENTS COMMITTEE PROUDLY PRESENTS

Rhiwbina Christmas Festival

From 2pm Lantern decorating at The Art Workshop on Lon Fach From 3.30pm Father Christmas will be in his grotto at The Secret Garden (formerly New Roots) on Beulah Road From 4pm DJ Sparky Marky and live acts on Heol Y Deri 5pm Christmas Tree Lights switch on 5.30pm Lantern Parade from The Art Workshop on Lon Fach 6pm Christmas Carols around the village Christmas Tree

Christmas Lights Switch On

Meet Father Christmas

Lantern Parade

RIDES | CRAFT & GIFT STALLS | LATE NIGHT SHOPPING | STREET FOOD

RHIWBINA VILLAGE DECEMBER RD 3 2016 4pm - 6.30pm ROAD CLOSURES: Heol Y Deri will be closed to all traffic from 2pm on the 3rd December and will re-open at 8.30pm. The road closure begins at the crossroads of Beulah Church and continues to Lon Isa. Pen Y Dre will also be closed to traffic during this time from the crossroads to Lon Y Dail. Beulah Road will remain open to traffic and the buses will be diverted along it.

Year 2 say Jambo (hello) to Africa

School News

Year 2 recently had a great African themed day after a busy half term finding out about Africa. The children dressed up in costumes ranging from Masai Warriors to lions and giraffes. The three Year 2 classes had fun painting African necklaces, playing drums and researching African countries.

All the latest success stories from Rhiwbeina Primary School Busy Reception Our teachers are so proud of how quickly Reception children have settled into school. We have been busy learning about ourselves and our community in our topic ‘Through The Magic Mirror’. We have learnt about healthy eating, how to look after our teddy bears and friends, and have enjoyed exploring our new outdoor classroom.

We have been working in the ICT Suite, used Blue Screen to tell our stories and have been to Forest School on an Autumn walk! Phew! What a busy half term! We can’t wait to start our new topic Glitter and Glow.

Year 3 turn sleuths The children in Year 3 enjoyed two visits during their ‘Looking for Clues’ topic putting their ‘detective skills’ to great use!

Year 1 sparkle! Year 1 have had a very exciting half term. All of the colours were taken from Sparkle Land and we have been helping King Sparkle to get them back by completing challenges set in our daily letters. We all worked together as a team and finally by the last week, all the colours were back and Sparkle Land was bright and colourful again! To celebrate we had a Sparkle day where we all wore colourful and bright clothes to school. During our topic we went on a visit to St Fagans to learn all about toys the children used to play with in the past. We got to hear how some toys were made and we looked at the materials they were made from. After the workshop we got to go outside and play with some of these olden day toys ourselves.

They learnt many new facts about the past, and enjoyed investigating facts about the Bird family, and at the Art Gallery completed some detective challenges using their observational skills. The PTA also provided pupils with an opportunity to improve their ‘scooting skills!’ Back in class, we reminded ourselves of the importance of road safety.

schools Year 4 become time travellers

Year 4 pupils travelled back in time to visit both Cardiff and Caerphilly Castles. The primary aim of the tours was to explore and compare the defensive features of both castles. The visit also enabled pupils to gain a deeper understanding of life in medieval times. At Caerphilly, pupils had an hourlong role-play experience, preparing the Great Hall for a lord’s banquet, before holding a mock-battle between the Welsh and English ‘invaders’.

On returning to school, the children had the dilemma of deciding how they would launch an attack on both castles, and had to decide which they would rather take sanctuary in during times of siege. Thanks to all the adult helpers who accompanied us throughout this memorable day!

Year 5’s knight and maidens Rhiwbeina Primary School took a step back in time in October when all Year 5 pupils partook in a medievalthemed day. Pupils dressed in appropriate costume, were entertained with a medieval banquet, performed chivalrous duties such as jousting and sword-fighting skills, and attempted to be pages by holding tray-andbeaker relays! In their groups, pupils designed the ultimate medieval castle and finally made their own coat of arms. Many thanks to all the would-be knights and fair maidens who helped make this a day to remember!

We had a scrumdiddlyumptious start to the term celebrating Roald Dahl’s birthday. The children dressed up as their favourite Dahl character and two lucky pupils won our Willy Wonka’s Golden Ticket prize of a bucket of sweet treats, bubbles and book vouchers, together with Roald Dahl items kindly donated by Victoria Fern Gallery.

Year 6: Life in WW2 Year 6 have had an amazing start to their final year in Rhiwbeina Primary School. They kick started the term by celebrating 100 years of Roald Dahl by dressing up as characters from his books or by simply wearing Dahl’s favourite colour, yellow. The day was spent completing Dahl-inspired activities. To immerse the children in their topic, ‘Life in World War II’, the children dressed as evacuees boarded the train at ‘Paddington’ (Whitchurch!) to then arrive at 1940s Rhiwbeina. They were taken on a tour by the Billeting Officer and chosen by members of Beulah Church. A great day was had by all and a big thanks to all in the community who supported our activities. To end their topic, the children visited Swansea Bay World War II Museum. They took a guided tour through the 1940s streets, dressed up in 1940s clothes and accessories, and even looked at artefacts from the era. A half term this enjoyable will be very hard to follow, however we will try! The children are very excited to learn more about their new ‘Shipwrecked’ topic starting next half term.

Our events wouldn’t be successful without all the generosity and support from our local community, so if you can help us to raise school funds this year, we would love to hear from you. Could you make a donation? A raffle prize? Help with marketing? Do you have a fundraising idea or are you able to share your time at one of our fab fundraisers? Our Christmas Fayre this year is on Friday 9th December from 4:30pm. Come and have some festive fun – it’s a great opportunity for you to purchase Christmas crafts and for the children to enjoy games, activities and see Santa in his grotto! Please do come and support this event. Donations for our raffle would be very much appreciated. If you would like event tickets, or if you are able to contribute to our Christmas events, then this is how to contact the PTA team: Email: committee@ friendsofrhiwbeina.org.uk Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter. com/FORhiwbeina Follow or message us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ friendsofrhiwbeina We would love to hear from you as we really cannot make our events successful and raise the much needed funds for our school without you. Rhiwbeina Primary does not receive the funding that perhaps some other schools do, so gaining your support really does make a difference.

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Dear Santa

We asked a group of Rhiwbina children what they are looking forward to about Christmas. This is what they said

Lucas aged 7 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? I’m really looking forward to opening my Christmas stocking because it’s exciting to see what’s inside. What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? I would love a Messi football kit because I love playing football. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? Hopefully building a snowman! Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? Don’t know which list I’ll be on. Why should Santa put you on the good list? I deserve to be on Santa’s good list because I’ve been really kind and always share my sweets.

Martha aged 4 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? I’m really looking forward to going over my Grandma & Grandad’s on Christmas Day because I love them. What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? I’d really like some Shopkins Dolls because I don’t have any of the

dolls yet. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? I’m really looking forward to going to the Winter Wonderland. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? Good list. Why should Santa put you on the good list? Santa should put me on his good list because I’ve been a really brave girl this year.

Evie aged 5 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? I get to see the dust by the fireplace and outside from Santa and Rudolph. But I really want to put on my list “please Santa make me fly!” What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? I’m looking forward to getting a Pocahontas doll and Barbie Dreamhouse because there is a swimming pool and the Barbies get to go in there. I want these things because I haven’t got them. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? Opening presents and eating Christmas food. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? Good list. Why should Santa put you on the good list? Because I keep my house tidy and because I do lovely drawing.

Lily aged 5 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? I can’t wait for it to snow hopefully and for Santa and presents, and making reindeer food because it’s fun. What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? I really hope I get Mario Kart for my DS computer. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? I really can’t wait to relax and play games. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? GOOD, GOOD, GOOD! Why should Santa put you on the good list? Because I looked after my hamster really well.

kids Bronwen aged 5 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? We normally go to Nanna and Bampa’s house and I like their house. What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? A toy doll that can walk and talk and close its eyes when it is night time because I’ve never had one before and it sounds really exciting. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? Building a snowman if it snows. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? Good. Why should Santa put you on the good list? Because I am good more often than I am naughty.

Zara aged 5 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? Opening my presents on christmas morning with Mummy, Daddy and Ben. What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? A real horse and a robot cat. I really like horses and I really love cats! What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? Playing with my horse and cat and eating lots of chocolate. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? Probably the good list. Why should Santa put you on the good list? Sometimes I share with my brother, I read my school book every day and I listen to Mummy and Daddy.

Ben aged 7 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? I am most looking forward to snow as it hasn’t snowed for 3 or 4 years, What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? A bike as my old one is too small and doesn’t have gears. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? Having a lie in! It’s my baby cousin’s first Christmas too. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? I think I’m on the good because I’ve only done a few naughty things this year. Why should Santa put you on the good list? I helped Mummy cook dinner, I do what I am told and I listen to my teacher.

Tilly aged 9 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? I’m most looking forward to decorating the house and the Christmas tree because I get to help. What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? I really want a new long sleeved gymnastics leotard and some gymnastics shorts because I only have sleeveless ones and it’s getting cold now. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? I’m really looking forward this year to catching up with my friend, Eva, who now lives in America. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? Good list. Why should Santa put you on the good list? Santa should put me on his good list because I’ve been kind to my brother and sister, and help Mummy.

Joseph aged 5 What are you most looking forward to about Christmas and why? The presents, they are really good and I love them. What are hoping to get this Christmas and why? I’m hoping to get an awesome skateboard. Because it’s so cool and I really want to skate. What are you most looking forward to doing over the Christmas holidays? Making a snowman and doing snowball fights. Will you be on Santa’s good list or naughty list? I have no idea. I think I will be on the good list really. Why should Santa put you on the good list? Because I have been really good. I’ve done stuff, but I can’t remember.

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Christmas

WITH THE STARS STARRING

LESLEY GARRETT

A festive celebration of the best-loved musicals in the company of stars from stage and screen.

TICKETS £28 BOOK NOW AT welshhearts.org/events or 029 2064 7735

CARDIFF CITY HALL 11TH DECEMBER 2016 • 7pm 029 2064 7735 • welshhearts.org • Registered charity number 1154109

WelshHearts

Lucy

OWEN Newsreader Journalist Author

Lucy Owen is one of the country’s most recognisable broadcasters. Living Magazines caught up with the newly-published author She appears in homes across the country most evenings and her charity work has helped raise vital funds for those in need. But for broadcaster Lucy Owen, writing her own book wasn’t something that she ever thought she’d do. “My dad was a solicitor when I was younger and he worked on Vincent Kane’s radio shows. People would phone in and ask Dad their questions and Dad would give them advice. “I remember going along to the BBC studio in Llandaff as an 11

year old girl and being fascinated by the whole process. I was sat there thinking that everything was going out live to homes across the country – to me, that was just extraordinary. That one moment really inspired me and several years later, I wrote to Vincent Kane asking for his advice as I was looking to get into broadcasting and current affairs. He got me some work experience working on a lunchtime radio show and that’s where it all started.” Born in Dinas Powys, Lucy

attended Howell’s School in Llandaff. “I was lucky to spend a lot of time in the North Cardiff area growing up. Even back then, I was aware that the area has the best of everything. There’s so much on your doorstep - in one direction you’ve got fields and greenery and in the other direction, you’ve got a bustling capital city.” Lucy is now the established face of Welsh TV news and has been for well over twenty years. She began her broadcasting

career at BBC Radio Wales as a researcher, and later progressed to a reporting role. She then moved on to co-presenting for a features programme. She joined HTV Wales in 1995 as a newsreader for regional opt-outs during GMTV, and between 1996 and 2007, she co-presented Wales Tonight, the regional news programme on ITV Wales, broadcast from Cardiff. Lucy also presented on the now defunct ITV News Channel, and was also seen anchoring the main ITV News: Lunchtime News, Evening News and Weekend News. She signed off from her last edition of Wales Tonight on Friday 19 October 2007. She now appears on Wales Today. But for all her TV work, she is also renowned for her endless charity work, particularly with the Welsh Children’s Hospital charity, Noah’s Ark. “I’m very lucky to do the job that I do. I feel very privileged that I am able to give something back via the various charities I try to help. My work with Noah’s Ark is very important to me and I love doing it. As a parent of an eight year old, I like to know that should anything happen to him or to any other child, that there is a welcoming place for them to try and get better. The Children’s Hospital is an amazing place – everything from the colourful lighting to the incredible staff there. The children there are amazing and it’s important for me to help them where and when I can.” Lucy’s work with Noah’s Ark took an unexpected and exciting turn earlier this year when she was helping plan ways to boost funds. “We were having a fundraising meeting back in May earlier this year and I suddenly hit upon the idea of writing a book that could raise money. I’ve been writing

I’m very lucky to do the job

that I do. I feel very privileged

that I am

able to give something back

as a hobby for many years and as soon as I mentioned about writing a book as a fundraiser, the charity was backing me all the way. “Boo-a-Bog is about a little boy called Tom who finds it difficult to make new friends. It has three voices – Lucy with illustrator Andy Catling firstly the narrator, secondly Tom himself, and lastly the monster. The book was launched in mid November Wales football manager Chris at the hospital with my husband Coleman descibed the Rhodri and my son Gabriel there. It’s book as: been a real family affair, with Rhod “A delightful, rhyming story with translating and Gabriel coming up excellent imagery which I’m really with ideas for quizzes and games at looking forward to reading with my the end of the book. The theme of children.” the story makes a good fit with the Even actor Matthew Rhys took to charity too. social media to say: “Writing the book has been a bit “This is a beautiful song of hope of an eye-opener into the world for the Tom in all of us. If only there of children’s publishing. There are were Boo-a-Bogs in adult life too. lots of different things to be taken Lucy’s obvious flair and talent for into account and the story we’ve rhyme lets this poem of hope fly.” produced is very gender neutral. For Lucy, it’s when the book makes Now that I’m a published children’s its mark on its intended readers that author, I can’t help but notice how really makes her happy. many books are clearly geared “We did a reading of the book towards boys or girls! at the launch at the Children’s “In the story we tried not to relate Hospital. One of the nurses came to anything about Tom’s home life. over to me afterwards and told This was to maximise the amount me that one of the girl patients of children who can relate to it had smiled for the first time since - they may find that their family she had come into hospital. It’s situation is very different to Tom’s. moments like that that make it all My publishers Gomer are very worthwhile.” good at pointing these things out So are there any more books in the things I’d never have even thought pipeline? about before setting out on this “I’ve got plenty of stories in my adventure. head but I want to do well with this “During the writing process, it book and see how it goes before was also interesting trying to make committing to any more. every word count. I’ve read a lot Boo-A-Bog is available from The of Julia Donaldson over the years Welsh Books Council, Amazon and and I was always fascinated how all good book shops. she used her words carefully. The fact that she used rhyme to help convey thoughts and ideas also appealed to me and that’s something I used in Boo-a-Bog. I think the rhythm helps children engage with the words more and also provides a sense of movement.” Boo-a-Bog has already drawn admiration from esteemed names.

Win tickets to the ballet and the panto

Win a Family Ticket to see The Nutcracker at St. David’s Hall

What better way is there to get in the Christmas spirit than to enjoy a world class ballet with your loved ones at St. David’s Hall? The Nutcracker returns to St David’s this winter from December 22nd to December 28th. This most famous of fantasy ballets for all the family begins as night falls on Christmas Eve. As snowflakes fall outside, the warm glow of the open fire sends flickering shadows across the boughs of the Christmas tree and all the presents beneath. When midnight strikes, we are swept away to a fairytale world where nothing is quite as it seems - toy dolls spring to life, the Mouse King

and his mouse army battle with the Nutcracker Prince. Finally, we travel through the Land of Snow to an enchanted place where the magic really begins. Performed by the Russian State Ballet of Siberia and accompanied by the Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet, this sensational ballet turns the stage into a winter wonderland - a perfect way to celebrate your Christmas in style. We’ve teamed up with St. David’s Hall to offer you the chance to win a Family Ticket (4 tickets) to see the Nutcracker on Tuesday 27th December at 5.30pm. All you need to do to enter is answer this simple question:

What is the name of the villain the handsome Nutcracker Prince battles with in The Nutcracker? Is it: a) The Rat King b) The Mouse King c) The Ferret King Email your answer to SDHpress@ cardiff.gov.uk by Monday 19th December at the latest for your chance to win. Two other ballets are appearing at St. David’s Hall over Christmas. La Fille Mal Gardée is showing on Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st December, while Swan Lake appears from 29th December through to 2nd January.

Win a Family Ticket to see Peter Pan panto at the New Theatre Global superstar David Hasselhoff is at the helm of this year’s New Theatre pantomime Peter Pan, taking the role of Captain Hoff the Hook. Best known for his roles in the iconic television programmes Knight Rider and Baywatch, The Hoff is thrilled to be returning to

Cardiff, a city that holds a lot of happy memories for him: “I love being in pantomime, it’s a lot of fun and to tell the story of Peter Pan is a huge honour, especially as I made my stage debut in the show as a child. I’m particularly happy to be spending Christmas with the people of Cardiff - so watch out Wales!” Joining David will be Cardiff’s much-loved dame Mike Doyle who will star as Mrs Smee. Following last year’s critically acclaimed appearance as Widow Twankey in Aladdin, Mike will bring his array of comedy, costumes and audience participation to the high seas this Christmas. With amazing flying effects, barrels of laughter, magic and fairy dust, you can join Peter and the Lost Boys and set sail in the ultimate pantomime adventure complete with all of the ingredients audiences know to expect in this swashbuckling festive treat. We’ve teamed up with the New

Theatre to give you the chance to win a Family Ticket (4 tickets) to see Peter Pan at the 7pm show on Tuesday 13th December. All you need to do is answer this simple question: What role is David Hasselhoff playing in this year’s Peter Pan? Is it: a) James Hook b) Captain Hoff the Hook c) Michael Knight Email your entries to competitions@livingmags.co.uk by midday on Friday 9th December. You can also enter by post by sending a postcard with the correct answer on it to our address on the inside front cover by the same date. Peter Pan runs at the New Theatre from Saturday 10th December 2016 to Sunday 8th January 2017. Please ensure that you provide your name, address and telephone number so we can contact you.

Rhiwbina Living 37_Layout 1 02/11/2016 11:42 Page 1

Miles Jupp

The Bootleg Beatles

Anton & Erin

English Chamber Ensemble

24.01.17

06.12.16

19.02.17

08.12.16

Songs of Freedom

Live in Concert

Stephen K. Amos

Lord of the Dance

26.01.17

27.01.17 - 29.01.17

World Famous

Dangerous Games

Swing Time

Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra

Paul Carrack

09.12.16

18.02.17

A Night at the Movies: Heroes & Villains

RAYMOND GUBBAY presents

Russia’s acclaimed ballet company returns to Cardiff in 2016

La Fille mal gardée The Nutcracker Swan Lake The Russian State Ballet of Siberia Accompanied by The Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet Performed by

THREE MAGICAL BALLETS ONE EXCITING SEASON

20 - DECEMBER - 2 JANUARY

feat. Craig Ogden

Soul Shadows

winter crafts

Christmas Trees

These homemade Christmas lights are operated by battery-powered lights and can look so cosy anywhere around the home. They are especially handy for putting next to the kids’ beds.

You’ll need some green card that you can cut and glue into a cone shape as in the image above, remembering to taper the bottoms so that they sit nicely on a flat surface. Pop some holes in the card and push through the lights so that they poke out of the holes. To create the star, cut two stars out of paper and put Scotch tape over both sides. Cut out a star shape but leave one edge untaped so that you can slide a light bulb into it. You may find that you’ll need to use the endmost bulb on your string of lights. You can hold the star in place by sticking some tape on the inside of the cone. Place the battery pack inside the cone and turn your lights on.

Tinsel bells What you’ll need Paper or plastic cup Ribbon Scissors Jingle bells (you can get these from most hobby stores) Paintbrush White glue Tinsel garland Poke a small hole in the bottom of the cups. Cut some ribbon to a length that is about four times the height of the cup. Thread a jingle bell halfway onto the ribbon and double it. Knot the doubled ribbon together about halfway, making sure that the bell will hang just below the opening of the cup. Push the ends of the ribbon through the hole in the cup and tie at the top to hang. Spread glue on the outside of the cup and wrap the tinsel garland around until covered completely; let dry.

Fabric Baubles

These baubles are easy to make but do require the use of a paring knife so you may want to provide some adult help. Start by cutting up some fabric into around 2 or 3 inch pieces. Use whatever fabric you want - you can use a mixture of fabrics. Next, you’ll need a styrofoam ball, which you can get from any hobby store. Larger ones will probably work better as the smaller ones can become too fiddly. Take the paring knife and with the edge of the knife, push one end of the fabric strip into the ball. Work your way around the ball, adding fabric until the entire ball is covered. The fabric should stay in place if you have pushed it in far enough using the paring knife. To finish off your bauble, take a piece of ribbon and secure it to the top of the ball using a pin. Push the pin into the ball to make sure that it can take the weight when you come to hanging it up.

crafts crafts Winter scene jars

These winter scene jars are easy to make and can even be given away as gifts. You’ll need a jar with a screw lid on it and it will need to be a fairly wide jar to accommodate your winter scene. It will be the lid that is actually the main thing to work on. You can buy miniature trees and fake snow from any good hobby store. The idea is to glue the base of the tree to the inside of the jar lid. At this point, you can glue anything you want, for example a creature or snowman. Leave your glued items to dry for a few hours. When the glue is completely dry, fill the glass jar with the amount of fake snow that you want to feature. Screw the lid back onto the jar and once it’s tight, tip the jar upside down so that the snow now drops to the bottom, covering the base.

Instant Outdoor Christmas Lantern

Greet visitors to your home this Christmas with this easy-to-make outdoor lantern. Large metal lanterns are available from any good garden centre so take one of these and fill it with a mixture of shiny baubles and battery-powered lights. It’s up to you what coloured lights and baubles you want to use but once you’re ready, simply pop your lantern outside or even in a window.

Ice Lamps

Homemade Christmas tree hanging decoration

You can experiment with designs. You may want to have the jar lying on its side but you’ll need to place your ‘scene’ inside the jar instead of glueing it to the inside of the lid. If you’re feeling very adventurous, you may want to use a battery-operated tea light inside the jar. To do this, glue a button magnet to the inside of the lid and place the tea light on the magnet. This will be different to the above design as the lid will remain on the top of the jar instead of inverting it. You may want to add bows or ribbons to your jar and you can also paint the outside of the jar. There is also the option to fill your jars with water so that you can create your own snowglobe!

Begin by taking sticks of increasingly long lengths and lay them out on a table in the form of a Christmas tree. With one length of thick cord, begin tying the sticks together, leaving a loop at the top for hanging. Decorate with baubles, ribbons and cones, attaching them to the sticks with hot glue. Leave to dry before hanging on a wall.

The beauty of these candle lamps is that you can make them as little or as large as you like - and they’ll also cost you next to nothing to make. They are perfect for illuminating paths to your front door if you are thinking of having a festive party. You’ll need two containers - one larger one and one smaller one. The difference in width between the two is going to be the thickness of your lamp. Start by placing the smaller container inside the larger container. Ideally, you want the smaller container to sit directly in the middle of the large one. Make sure you place this on a flat surface as you’ll end up with a wonky lamp if you don’t. Fill the small container with stones or pebbles as you’ll want it to remain central. Fill the gap between the two containers with water. At this point, you can add in twigs, berries or other festive foliage. You could even add food colouring. If the weather is below freezing, leave the two containers outside overnight to freeze. Alternatively, place in a chest freezer until it’s frozen solid. When suitablty frozen, run warm water over the outer container so that the inner container comes free and you have yourself an ice lamp!

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Believe

The gift of life. Anna Bates is a woman who has always appreciated life and what she has. She was blissfully married to Stuart and family life with their two children, Elizabeth and Fraser was the thing they valued the most. But last year, on December 6th, life changed dramatically for Anna and Elizabeth when Stuart and young Fraser, just seven years old were knocked down as the family were on their way home from a Christmas party. Both Stuart and Fraser tragically died. Through the donation of their organs and tissues, lives were saved, despite theirs being sadly lost. Since then Anna has campaigned tirelessly for the charity Believe, which she set up as a legacy to the boys to raise awareness and support surrounding organ donation. For Believe, encouraging people to have a conversation around organ donation is one of their four main objectives. On the night of the accident, at a time of unimaginable shock and sadness, Anna knew organ donation was the right decision because of a conversation the family had had just a few weeks before.

The donation of Fraser’s organs

especially has given me such strength and positivity

“I’m always so thankful for that, because if we hadn’t have had that conversation I wouldn’t have known what Stu or Fraser would have wanted me to have done.” She reflects on the comfort she gained from the process: “The donation of Fraser’s organs especially has given me such strength and positivity to realise what an amazing gift that was, and to realise the fact that he went on to save at least four lives. To have that knowledge before Christmas last year helped us get through Christmas.” The ‘Fraser Bear’ has become the mascot of the charity which came about when the House of Fraser donated Fraser bears to all of Fraser’s friends after he died, because of his nickname of Bear within the family. Anna explains: “The Bear has helped to start conversations, along with what has become the ‘Fraser stance’, the Believe stance, which celebrities have reproduced worldwide. I think as a society we treat death as a taboo, where it shouldn’t be a taboo, because unfortunately death is part of life. If something so amazing can come after your death, then why are we not discussing it with our children, why are we not discussing it with each other?” Wales became the first country in the UK last December to enact an ‘opt out’ for organ donation, meaning that everyone in Wales is automatically considered an organ donor unless they specifically register their wishes to not become a donor after their death. Having

these conversations with loved ones therefore seems all the more important, especially as decisions can be overridden. “What struck me was that even though Stuey had opted in as an organ donor, I as next of kin still had the power to overrule his decision, which surprised me.” This leads onto the next main objective of the charity, which is education surrounding organ donation. The charity has had discussions at both a local council and government level about incorporating the subject of organ donation into the national curriculum. Anna explains: “There have been assemblies that have already been done on organ donations as result of our work. Willows High School have actually incorporated Believe into their logo.” Anna was amazed by the reaction of the Year 7s at Willows when she went to talk with them and believes that conversations should start in junior school. “We start sex education early. Fraser’s friends are having conversations in relation to organ donation and saying they want to be a superhero like Fraser. Elizabeth is so bright and she understands that Fraser went on to save four lives. We discount our children and we think if we don’t discuss things with them it will never happen to us. But death is there, it is reality.” Anna explains that the highest number of organ donors come from the 16-18 age group, because they are statistically more likely to be Cardiff City photograph courtesy of Media Wales

involved in a RTA and most organ donations come from a traumatic event. Currently, the first thing a child knows about organ donation is a month before their 18th birthday when they get sent a letter from the Government explaining about the opt out. Anna believes this is too late. “There is a real shortage of child organs which can go to adults as well as children. Fraser’s heart went to a baby boy, his lungs went to a child boy, his kidney went to a child girl and his kidney and liver went to a woman in her 30s.” Anna has been moved by the heartbreaking stories of parents waiting for organs for their children and similarly the guilt that parents can feel when their child becomes a recipient. This links with the next level of what Believe is trying to do, which is to provide the appropriate support to donor families and recipients. Anna explains: “At the moment, everything is there but there is nothing that bonds it together. We are going to use the charity money to train our volunteers to be mentors for families. They will advise about the various sources of support that are out there and continue to follow up with families and assess their ongoing needs over time.” Support and education from the charity also extends to professionals such as family liaison officers working in the police force across the UK. Anna has recently bravely presented at the BRAKE conference in Birmingham about the difficulties around having such sensitive conversations at a time when a family are going through intense trauma, but when time is of the essence with regards to organ donation. Finally, Believe aims to streamline the process around organ donation. “Even though Stu had opted in, I still had to complete paperwork to be able to donate and due to the time delays we couldn’t donate

We set sail at 4 o’clock, the time that Stu and I got married, so we can toast Stu

on our special day and I can remember him

as fondly as

I did last year

as much of Stu’s tissues as we wanted to. So we’re looking to try and streamline the process with the assistance of NHS Blood and Transplant. We have got an app and website in development, and interactional videos and educational tools.” It’s inspirational to see how much has been achieved by Anna and the Believe team over the past 12 months. Anna is especially proud that North Cardiff has the highest number of people who have opted in to the organ donor register. She has a clear vision for the charity which has raised over £110,000 and hopes that it should be selfperpetuating, with models in place for education and support in Wales that the rest of the UK may follow. So what have been Anna’s highlights? “On a personal level it was meeting Bear Grylls, because Fraser was Bear and so I gave him a bear from me. Obviously being nominated for the Pride of Britain Award and then winning the Welsh Pride of Britain and being surrounded by so many inspiring and phenomenal people was a privilege.” Anna also held the first Believe Ball in September just after the boys’ birthdays to celebrate their lives and the gift of life. But perhaps Anna’s proudest moment was when her son Fraser was honoured posthumously with the Order of St John Award for Organ donation. Asked what she thinks the boys would think of Believe and what she has achieved, she pauses and her eyes fill with tears. “I know they’d be proud. It took me ages to say that. I always used to say that the boys did it all, but I think they gave me the strength through their love. I also think they would be so proud of Elizabeth and how she deals with it all too.” The tears give way to laughter as Anna reflects how Stuart would also be envious. “Stu would be absolutely fuming and jealous about me going to the Pride of Britain, both him and Fraser would be jealous about me meeting Bear Grylls and Stu would be just ridiculously jealous about where the bear has travelled as he loved to travel.” It seems poignant that when Anna produced a Pride of Britain photobook that Stuart and Fraser managed to get in there, by the sheer coincidence that some yearly memories had popped up on her phone and so ended up being incorporated into the book.

Words strictly copyright Living Magazines, Cardiff. No reproduction of this interview, in part or whole is permitted.

Anna and her sister Bridget at the Pride of Britain Awards “It was hilarious and was like they were saying ‘ey you love, I was there too!’” With the first anniversary of the accident and the boys’ death approaching, Anna has clear plans for how they are going to manage this difficult time as a family. “Elizabeth and I, along with my parents are going away on a cruise. It will mean we are in the sunshine and because we are on a cruise, there are no cars; so Elizabeth and I can mark it as we did Fraser’s birthday, appropriately as a family.” Poignantly and deliberately, the family are boarding the cruise on Anna and Stuart’s wedding anniversary. “We set sail at 4 o’clock, the time that Stu and I got married, so we can toast Stu on our special day and I can remember him as fondly as I did last year.” The family will return for Christmas and Anna has planned how she will approach the holidays. “For the first time ever I am cooking Christmas dinner, my mother and father have actually allowed me to do it and to host it. We will have Christmas together, a new Christmas, new memories, a different Christmas, but we will never ever forget. We will decorate our Fraser Bay tree, our Christmas tree which is a Fraser tree that’s out in the garden, we will sit and have a glass of wine around our Stuey and Fraser roses because we have got our Forever Young and our Never Forgotten roses, and we will sing carols around the piano.” Anna pauses as the tears come again. “They will be here.” Anna reflects on the festive season and concludes: “Everybody has difficulties in their lives and I have seen that in the last 12 months especially, and I think us as a society are so willing to judge people or to judge ourselves. So just face Christmas with what you’ve got, celebrate what you’ve got, make memories, deal with things as positively as you can, because life and the gift of life is so important.” A poignant message for us all.

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s d l e i f n In gree d n a l e h across t

rsary this year. e iv n n a th 5 2 s it s te azine celebra Welsh Football mag ina resident David Collins tells its story Editor and Rhiwb

2016 has seen a host of football books published in Wales on the back of the success of Chris Coleman’s team in the Euros. It hasn’t always been so - football publications in Wales have been few and far between - but one constant over the past twenty-five years has been the independentlypublished Welsh Football magazine. Rhiwbina resident David Collins has edited and published this national football magazine since its foundation in late 1991. “1991 was a significant time for football in Wales,” David explains. “The Football Association of Wales knew its independence as a separate football nation was under threat; as part of the response to this threat, a new national League of Wales, outside the English football system, was to be launched in 1992. There was a feeling that

Rhiwbina resident and Welsh Football magazine editor David Collins

Wales should have its own football magazine as well, but a previous publication, published in England, had folded after a handful of issues.” Together with several other football writers and enthusiasts based in Wales, David became one of the founders of the new independent publication Welsh Football, whose first issue appeared in January 1992. “It was a gamble. We put up the money to finance the early editions, not knowing what sort of response there would be. But the small print run of the first issue quickly sold out, and that told us there was a market.” It is maybe ironic that the driving force behind our national football magazine is an Englishman by birth. Having moved to Rhiwbina from London a decade earlier, avid Wimbledon FC fan David had been increasingly watching local football around Wales as a way of immersing himself in his adopted country. “The 1980s were the hey-day of football fanzines, before the internet age, and I sent in contributions to a few publications. Over the years, I became known as someone with a knowledge of semi-professional and amateur football in Wales, and that’s why I was approached when the idea of a Welsh Football magazine was taking hold.” Writing about football satisfied his creative instincts but he says his central role in the magazine came about by accident. “There were three of us as joint editors to start with but after a couple of years there was just

me. By about 1997, we’d got a settled format and a good team of writers and I just carried on because coverage of Welsh football competitions (as opposed to English football) was still very limited. At times it was hard to fit it around work and family life but I enjoyed it, especially as it was taking me to so many different parts of Wales, and I was making so many friends at clubs up and down the country.” Milestone issues came and went: five years, ten years, 100 issues. “The magazine developed a recognised style: we aimed to celebrate what was good about football in Wales - great clubs at the heart of their communities, wonderful scenic grounds and above all, the fact that Wales was an independent football nation with its national team and its champions and cup-winners representing the nation on a European level. We also aimed for the most professional standard achievable, and made gradual improvements in print quality as and when we could. After Euro 2016 this summer, we produced a special celebratory edition that I’m pretty sure was our best ever.” “We have stayed independent though - the Welsh FA have always been supportive and helpful but we knew that we’d lose something if we became seen as their mouthpiece. We’ve been able to be critical on occasions. We don’t set out to be controversial or campaigning but because of that, when we do speak out, people tend to take notice.” These days, Welsh Football

people

appears eight times per season, a professionally-produced A5 magazine with a minimum of 36 pages. “It’s a fairly well-established routine from the season preview edition in August through to the end-of-season review in June,” David explains. “The gap between issues is about six weeks, which is as short as we can comfortably manage. As soon as we’ve despatched one issue, I start planning the next one; talking to contributors about ideas for articles and writing the club features, history articles and programme reviews. Then just before the copy deadline, there’s another flurry of writing to produce the regular columns on the various Welsh leagues and the national team’s fortunes. “The editing process takes a day or two before everything is compiled as digital files for Harris Print and Design of Porthcawl to work their magic on it. The best part of the whole process is when I see their artwork for the proofs - that feeling of seeing the finished product emerge on the page.” David bemoans the fact that his publication, despite having a devoted reader base, has always

struggled just to break even and cover its printing and postage costs - neither David nor any other contributor receives anything - “not even expenses - we do it because we choose to!” “There was never enough surplus for an advertising budget so we’ve always relied on word of mouth and recommendations to bring in new subscribers. And it’s almost impossible to get an independent publication into the big newsagent chains without taking inordinate risks, so distribution is mostly via subscriptions and independent shops, though I’ve always got a few copies on me at every game I go to.” Many print magazines have disappeared in the past decade as people have turned to the internet and social media, but Welsh Football is one of the publications that endures. “We’ve had to adapt, of course,” David admits, “In the nineties, people could tolerate information being a few weeks old, even league tables and other statistics, but the pace of life has changed and now we expect everything to be absolutely current. So our core content is more feature-based, while any match photos we include need to tell a story that will still be of interest when they’re read. A statistics supplement with up-todate league tables is assembled and photocopied the day before publication. But we have a website where we can publish results, and a blog, as the internet is the right medium for these now. “I think as technology evolves, print publications will have to keep adapting. But predictions of their demise were premature - there really is a continuing demand for something you can hold in your hand and keep for reference. We also have to remember that technology has made the editing and publishing process easier and better, and opened up new possibilities, so it’s wrong to see it purely as a threat.” David, who is now retired after a 40-year career in IT, attends between one and two hundred matches a year, mostly in Wales. “I don’t follow any team in Wales particularly, though of course I do have my favourites. But as editor of the national magazine, it helps that I’m fairly neutral and just love watching

football, anywhere and at any level. “I just wish more people appreciated the pleasure that can be derived from watching football at their local clubs. For instance, here in North Cardiff we’ve got Cardiff Met, over at Cyncoed, playing really attractive football in the Welsh Premier League and only charging a few pounds admission yet in a city of 350,000 people they get very little publicity and crowds of only a few hundred.” After twenty-five years, the inevitable question is how much longer David plans to continue: “So many people go out of their way to encourage me to keep the magazine going that I know it’s still valued, so as long as the demand is there and it manages to cover its costs, I’m happy to carry on producing it. After all, the next milestone is our 200th issue in less than a year’s time!” Welsh Football magazine is published eight times a year and is available via subscription. The normal annual cost, including postage, is £27.00 but residents of Rhiwbina can benefit from a special post-free rate - details available from info@welsh-football.net. The magazine is also regularly available in a few retail outlets, including Albany News in Albany Road, Roath. The magazine’s website is www. welsh-football.net and David Collins can be followed on Twitter at @CollinsWFM

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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR 2017 On 13th May 2017, Pen-y-Fan mountain will be host to Ten Y Fan. Organisers Steve Western and Lee Gillen take up the story: “The Ten Y Fan event was created in 2014 to raise money for a boy called Harri, who at just age 4, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Initially Ten Y Fan was intended as a small sponsored event. However, after learning of Harri’s story, many more people wanted to help. The conversation took place in our kitchen and we had no idea it would be so popular. After launching the event on social media, over 100 people joined in to climb for Harri. “The inaugural Ten Y Fan was amazing and far exceeded all expectations. In addition to those climbing, the event was boosted by tireless volunteers, supporting the climbers and making sure all were safe and the event went smoothly. These included the registration team, manning the tent throughout the night to monitor climbers, and student physios who came along to attend to any aching limbs. Hot food was even provided by Harri’s grandparents, and a local family made hot drinks and soups from their campervan. The Ten Y Fan community came together to support each other during the marathon challenge. Ultimately, 140 climbers took part, with 11 completing the full 10 climbs, resulting in us raising over £10,000!” The 2016 was even more successful, with over £50,000 raised for the Welsh children’s

The event is 40 miles in total and those that complete the full 10 climbs will have achieved the same overall height as Everest

cancer charity LATCH. They also had 69 people completing the full ten climbs to the top of Pen y Fan, with a large percentage of people doing more than five. To top it off, they held their first award ceremony which went very well. 2016 also saw EE sponsoring the event and Hollywood star Michael Sheen taking on the role of ambassador of the event. “Michael is a superb role model for the event and is passionate about supporting local charities so we couldn’t be happier to have him support the cause,” said Steve. The popularity of the event has almost taken Steve and Lee by surprise. And it’s no mean feat arranging and organising, especially when they are always looking to make it bigger and better. “We would like to raise £100,000 in 2017 and we’d also like to have at least 300 climbers taking part. Organising things like the website, posts on social media, registrations that come in daily, T-shirts and memorabilia, volunteers - that all takes time. Then there are the donations of food, drink etc. from companies to organise!” The awards ceremony is a chance to pat everyone on the back and applaud the achievements of everyone that participated in the event. It’s a great opportunity for sharing Ten Y Fan stories, while giving out well deserved awards and (hopefully) handing over a huge cheque to the chosen charity. “Next year we’re going bigger and better. The awards night for 2017 will be held on 17th June 2017 at the Vale Resort at Hensol. The cost is £30 per ticket and promises to be a fantastic night. You will be treated to a drinks reception followed by a 3 course meal and a fantastic awards ceremony with a couple of special films to watch. There will be an auction with some very special prizes and then the final sponsorship monies will be handed to the charities. If this isn’t enough, you can then let your hair down for the 80s disco! We would love to see you there so please book your ticket. Places are limited so please book early,” says Steve. The two charities that will benefit from this

year’s event are 2 Wish Upon a Star, and Dreams & Wishes. The aims of 2 Wish Upon a Star are to raise funds to improve bereavement services in Wales. Emphasis will be on bereavement support for parents after losing their child suddenly and traumatically. Dreams & Wishes is a charity dedicated to helping seriously ill children by making their dreams and wishes come true. Since they began in 2011, they have been working with families across the UK, providing vital support throughout the child’s illness as well as helping to build happy memories by granting lifelong wishes.

All You Need To Know Do I really have to do ten climbs? Not at all. You can do just one climb if you like - everyone who takes part will receive a goody bag which will have a t-shirt, slate medal, certificate and a Ten Y Fan water bottle with other gifts to be added as well. It’s all about the fundraising! Do I have to stay the full 24 hours? No, the event lasts 24 hours, but you may have completed your chosen number of climbs much sooner. Some people may choose to not climb through the night so they go home for a much deserved sleep then return the next day to continue climbing once refreshed. It’s up to you. How do I take part? Go to www.ten-y-fan.org and register there. You can also buy tickets for the awards night as well.

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2. Padded cotton Christmas hearts £5.49 These rustic festive decorations look great anywhere in the home. Complete with Gingham bows, Christmas message and a natural finish. From Serenade, Rhiwbina

3. China Christmas Tree £49.99 This vintage style Christmas tree is great for illuminating those dark corners of the house. Perfect for the kids’ room, the living room or the hallway. From Serenade, Rhiwbina

There’s no need to head into the city this winter when our villages have all you need for those perfect Christmas gift ideas 4. Range of ghd stylers from £135 A range of ghd stylers that allow you to create bouncy curls, tousled textures and the ultimate sleek look for the party season. From Coco Hair and Beauty, Rhiwbina

5. Mugby Calendar £5.99 Packed with rugby cartoons and poems from rugby-mad cartoonist Mumph, this calendar can be hung from a wall or used as as desktop calendar. From Serenade, Rhiwbina

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6. Small Vintage Clock £6.99 This vintage inspired standing clock would look just charming on the mantelpiece, desk, kitchen worktop or bedside cabinet. From Tŷ Bach Twt Interiors, Whitchurch

7. Redken Christmas Gift Sets £32.50 Redken’s Christmas Gift Sets includes a shampoo, a conditioner and a free leave-in blowdry treatment. From Michelle Marshall Salon Rhiwbina

8. Dog mugs £15.95 For dog lovers everywhere, these beautiful earthenware mugs are handmade in England and made from the finest Cornish clay. Dishwasher safe too! From Flower Lodge, Rhiwbina

9. Silver plated dog tags £10.95 Treat your furry friend to their own silver plated tag this Christmas. They come in a range of designs and with a humorous saying on the back. From Flower Lodge, Rhiwbina

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history

All aboard The Cardiff trolleybus service opened on March 1st 1942. Keith Walker charts the rise and fall of the much-loved service

Transport in Cardiff today involves road, rail, bus, water and air. But 75 years ago, the city introduced a fleet of buses driven by electricity collected from overhead wires. Britain had 50 operators between 1911 and 1972 running in many large towns and London suburbs. By the standards of the various now-defunct trolleybus systems in the UK, the Cardiff system was a medium-sized one, with a total of 14 routes, and a maximum fleet of 79 trolleybuses. The trolleybuses were introduced to Cardiff as an option as replacement for the ageing tramcar fleet. After many years of discussion and debate, the first route was opened on St. David’s Day, March 1st 1942. It became operational from Wood Street to Clarence Embankment via Grangetown and later extended to Llandaff Fields via Cathedral Road. The council transport department

purchased ten new vehicles and over the first twelve months, they covered around 250,000 miles on the 3.19 mile route carrying over six million fares. The vehicles were designed to a low height standard to allow for passing beneath the numerous railway bridges in Cardiff. As this first route was on the western side of the city, the vehicles were accommodated in the Clare Road tramcar depot. The Newport Road depot that had been built in 1902 contained the bulk of the tramcar fleet, but as other routes were developed across the city, trolleybus services to the west were located there. Once the tramcars were phased out, all trolleybuses were based at Newport Road from 1953 onwards. The expansion of trolleybus services recommenced in 1947. The tram track along Bute Street had deteriorated so much that

Cardiff’s second trolleybus route was introduced there. This wasn’t that straightforward however as the railway bridges at the city end would not permit double deckers to pass beneath. An order was placed for five single deckers but due to a backlog in orders, there was a delay. Nearby Pontypridd had seven single deckers, and although they were eighteen years old, they were soon purchased as a stopgap. Due to the age of the trolleybuses, there were limitations on their speed. There was also a noticeably distinctive whine from the motors, which after the recent conflict, sounded similar to the Doodlebug flying bomb. The vehicles adopted this nickname which was passed to their successors from 1948. The original aim was to replace each tramcar route as it became too expensive to maintain, but the grander plan was to operate trolleybuses across the city which Photographs by kind permission of David Christie (Flickr)

history would have seen them reach Whitchurch, Heath, Llandaff, Rumney, Splott, Llanishen and Cyncoed. To this end, the Council had applied in 1934 for powers to run to these areas but decisions made in 1960 saw the end of the trolleybus operation by 1970. The only significant extension outside the tram network was to be the extension from Victoria Park to the expanding Ely housing complex in 1955. At its zenith, the Cardiff fleet operated 79 vehicles and all were three axled six-wheelers being one of only two systems in the United Kingdom to do so. It is interesting to compare the Cardiff fleet which operated over around nineteen miles of overhead wires, to the largest fleet in London with approximately eighteen hundred vehicles using two hundred and fifty miles of overhead. Cardiff was one of only fifty systems in the UK and it is thought that when London decided to scrap their system with undue haste, this led to a collapse of the market which saw many systems close. During the final decade as the routes closed, the final service was to Ely - the 10a and 10b. With the depot being the opposite side of the city, enthusiasts had some consolation of seeing the vehicles running over the longest section of overhead. The final week of operation was during the first week of January 1970, when the preserved Cardiff trolleybus owned by local preservationists Number 262 was the last trolleybus to enter Newport Road depot. The power was then switched off and Cardiff was the last trolleybus system to operate in the country. It was also the furthest operational in the west of the UK. In the early 1970s, vehicle restoration was very limited but four of the Cardiff fleet have survived. One is with a national

Trolleybuses on Cardiff’s High Street

Cardiff’s last trolleybus makes its last journey through the city

group, another is within the National Museum and Galleries Wales at their Nantgarw centre, but of more interest, two examples are within the care of a self-funded noncharitable group founded in 1992. The Cardiff and South Wales Trolleybus Project has quite a story to relate, having brought two vehicles home from exile in Yorkshire, established a workshop over the last sixteen years and commenced their extensive restoration. Both vehicles are very unique - the double decker fleet number 262 as mentioned, closed the Cardiff system. It is the sole survivor of a batch of twenty-five built in

Cardiff. Because Bruce Coachworks in Tremorfa only ever built this amount, it is the only Bruce-bodied trolleybus in the world. The single decker delivered in 1955 is the last three axled single decker built in the UK. Both are worth saving and restoring, preserving for future generations. Although the present group restoring the vehicles have achieved much, there is still one objective to be realised - the establishment of an overhead circuit in the Cardiff area to run the vehicles on. The project is considered an important part of our transport heritage, an education facility, a leisure addition, a tourist attraction and is the only group of its kind in the country. It’s also right on our doorstep. Find out more at www.cardiff-trolleybus.org.uk

CRAIG WILLIAMS MP Working hard for Cardiff North SS GERIES ACRO DROP-IN SUR N TH O CARDIFF NOR NINGS R O M SATURDAY PPOINTMENTS ONE-TO-ONE A ON FRIDAYS SURGERIES ‘SKYPE’ VIDEO THE WEEK THROUGHOUT

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gardens

winter

magic

Watery sunshine, elegant silhouettes and coarse stems and bark. Kevin Revell reminds us that the winter garden is a place of beauty

he garden in winter is often avoided and rarely visited due either to inclement weather or a lack of interesting plants to justify the effort of wrapping up to go and have a look. Hitherto unnoticed evergreens revealed by the die back of herbaceous plants and the loss of deciduous leaves from trees and shrubs now give the garden a sense of permanence and solidity in an ever-changing seasonal journey, and are useful in giving winter cover to wildlife in the worst of winter weather. Some have glossy, colourful evergreen foliage which stands out well in winter, contrasting with the desolation surrounding them or have berries

which persist well into winter. Autumn leaves have dropped to reveal the internal architecture of trees and shrubs which can now be appreciated more for the colour or texture of their stems or bark. Even the dead stems and flowers of deciduous shrubs such as hydrangeas need not be ignored as they all add to the tapestry of colour, even if it is in shades of grey and brown, so prevalent at this time of year. Seeing the faded flower heads rimed with frost is another seasonal treat. The monochrome garden of winter contrasts with the riotous colours of summer, but differences between the plants can now be discerned that would scarcely be noticed at other times of year - both in terms of subtle changes in bark colour or texture and the differing shades of green, which are picked out by the weak, lowangled sunlight. Occasionally a hard winter will hold the garden

in an iron grip for a number of weeks, but more frequently we are subjected to wet miserable days without end. At least in cold weather it is possible to venture outside but pruning is best avoided to avoid frost damage to the exposed cuts. Walking on a snow covered lawn may be an interesting experience, but can lead to damaged grass, so a walk around the garden is best confined to paths and hard standing. In persistent wet weather, there is little joy to be had working in the garden as soil and lawns turn to a quagmire underfoot and time is better spent inside by the fire, planning the year ahead.

Top Five Shrubs for Winter Interest Cornus alba â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Baton Rougeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dogwood A common enough shrub in garden and landscape plantings, where after a good display of autumn colour, the bright red

gardens them relatively expensive and consequently relatively rare in our gardens. Flowers are produced on older growth, so larger plants which bear the better flowering display are often prohibitively expensive.

Mahonia japonica ‘Winter Sun’- Bear Berry

winter stems are revealed. The variety ‘Baton Rouge’ is a superior form to the better known ‘Sibirica’ or ‘Westonbirt’ having a more intense winter colour which almost fluoresces in the winter sunshine, but all are garden worthy. To prevent it becoming too big and woody the stems should be cut hard back in spring, which will encourage fresh replacement growth, given a good dressing of general fertiliser. This treatment will keep the plant to a manageable 1.52m. There are numerous varieties with contrasting bark colours, such as the acid yellow-green ‘Budd’s Yellow’ and the purple ‘Kesselringii’. It’s another virtually indestructible plant which suffers from no pests or diseases and is happy growing in a range of soil types, even wet clay.

Hammamelis mollis ‘Arnold Promise’ – Witch Hazel

This is a large prickly holly-like shrub which should be kept well away from pathways. Apart from its sheer size at 2-3m, it has little to make it stand out from the crowd until the nights turn cold in autumn which is a signal for the

While Euonymus is best known as an evergreen groundcover plant, there are a number of deciduous forms which display excellent autumn colour. The large growing native spindle Euonymus europaeus has a bright red autumn colour but the smaller winged spindle goes a shocking cerise crimson which in a sheltered spot, will persist for a number of weeks. They may be accompanied by shocking coloured pink fruits which split to reveal bright orange seeds. A further benefit is provided by the corky wing-like structures which develop on the bark as the stems mature, giving winter interest to the mature plant. This is another low maintenance shrub which requires no pruning and should not exceed 1.5m. Although attractive to look at, care needs to be taken with placing this shrub as all parts are toxic.

Viburnum bodnatense ‘Dawn’

eruption of whorls of bright yellow fragrant flowers which open in December-January, much to the delight of early foraging bees. Later in spring, the flowers drop to reveal pendulous blue berries which are attractive to birds and larger mammals such as bears in its native Oregon. This large evergreen has a solidity to add bulk to plantings while the stems have an architectural quality. Occasional removal of larger stems will help keep the plants in bounds and it is tolerant of the dry shade found under larger trees.

This is a tall upright shrub, suitable for squeezing into narrow borders close to the house where it will go largely unnoticed for most of the year until it takes on a fine red shade of autumn colour. The foliage drops to reveal clusters of

Sarcococca confusa – Christmas Box

This archetypal winter flowering shrub deserves to be more widely grown. Copious long-lasting small, spidery yellow fragrant flowers appear in January and February, which resemble mini crepe paper streamers and survive the hardest of frosts that are possible at this time. Another benefit is the stunning yellow, orange and red autumn colour. Eventually it may attain a height of 2-3m. Plants are hard to propagate and are invariably grafted, which makes

bright pink, trumpet shaped flowers which open in the depths of winter to unleash a heady perfume on an unsuspecting world. This will provide a welcome to visitors in the dark days of winter. Stems picked in the depths of winter can be taken inside and placed in a vase of water which will fragrance the house and act as an early harbinger of spring.

Kevin Revell is Plant Area Manager at Caerphilly Garden Centre

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Councillor News with Eleanor Sanders

13125

2016 is nearing an end so I’d like to wish you all a blessed and happy Christmas. I’m hoping to see lots of you at our Rhiwbina Christmas Festival on 3rd December. In the last issue of Rhiwbina Living, I promised to share some citywide projects I’ve had the privilege to be involved in. As the chair of trustees of Cardiff Foodbank, I have seen first hand the ever increasing need to provide three days of emergency food to those who find themselves in food hunger. In the second half of this year, we have seen a 40% increase in food parcels provided, reaching 63% in October when compared to last year. Thanks to so many in Rhiwbina and Pantmawr who donate non perishable food for us regularly. I recently organised an event in the City Hall for individuals and organisations who seek to support the vulnerable in our city. Lots of new connections were made, joint working arranged and new friendships forged with a common goal to alleviate poverty and need across our city. 2017 will soon be with us with local elections planned for early May. I’m hoping you will consider voting for me to continue as your Independent Councillor on Thursday 4th May. Look out for my survey on transport needs across Rhiwbina and Pantmawr. It will drop through your letterbox very soon. As your local Independent Councillor, if I can help in any way please contact me on 07802 225425 or Eleanor.sanders@cardiff.gov.uk Twitter: @ IndependentRhi1

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Your pet questions answered

Chris Troughton is clinical director of Heath Vets in Rhiwbina. He’s here to answer all your pet questions. If you’d like to ask Chris a pet-related question, drop us a line How important is protein to a dog? I’ve come across lots of pet foods that seem to be made mostly of anything other than meat and I’ve fed my dog on a few of these over the years without any noticeable difference to his demeanour or health. I think there is a slight confusion here between ‘meat’ and ‘protein’. Although meat is (largely) protein, protein is also found in many other foods, including eggs, milk, nuts, grains, even vegetables and grass. Protein is an essential part of the diet of all animals. Every species is different in the way they digest food, and what is a good source of protein for one might be useless for another – for example, people don’t thrive on a diet of grass but cows do. Dogs are able to digest some plant material (principally grains) to extract the proteins and other nutrients. Because grain is much cheaper than meat, it is often used to supply a fair proportion of the protein in poorer quality dog food. Some dogs seem to be able to do well on this lower quality food, but many do not thrive, and we often see a dramatic improvement in coat condition and general demeanour when we switch dogs from a high-cereal/lowmeat to a high-meat/low-cereal diet. The premium quality foods for dogs are made with much higher proportions of meats, and there are now several brands made without using grains at all. Another aspect of the meat content of food, and for your dog this is probably more important, is taste! Meat is tasty, and the

more meat there is in the food, the tastier it is and the more he will enjoy it. At Heath Vets, we have our own range of high quality grain-free dog food, made with 50% meat content. If you bring the coupon on this page to the surgery, you will get 20% off your first bag! I have a two year old cat who seems to enjoy playing when I go to bed rather than during the day when he sleeps. This has a knock-on effect when I’m trying to sleep and I often spend the next day very tired! Do you have any suggestions as to how I solve this problem? Cats are of course nocturnal hunters. They naturally spend much of the daytime asleep, and are active in the evening and night hours, so wanting to play at night is really quite normal, although not very convenient for their human companions! You need to provide plenty of interaction and play in the evenings to give him lots of stimulation and exercise. Cat toys such as plastic wands with feathers dangling on a string are really good for this, and so are laser pointer toys. Some cats will chase (and even retrieve) balls of crumpled up paper. When your cat is left alone in the day, provide some entertainment for him – hide treats or cat biscuits in the specially designed balls and toys, so he has to bat them around to make the food fall out. This simulates hunting behaviour and will help to tire him out. It’s also important not to reinforce your cat’s nocturnal play by inadvertently rewarding

it with your attention. If you get up and play with him for a while or even shoo him away, he’ll more likely do it tomorrow! Take away noisy toys (for example ping pong balls that bounce on a hard floor) and replace them with stuffed toys scented with cat-nip. You might be able to move his living quarters further away from your bedroom. If all else fails, buy some ear-plugs! How often would you say cats cough up hairballs? My cat seems to be bringing a lot up over the last few months and I don’t know why. All cats groom and ingest large amounts of hair in the process. Normally this passes straight through the digestive tract and we see nothing of it but some cats vomit hairballs from time to time, often accompanied by a loud retching sound (which is why they are often said to have ‘coughed up’ the hairball). Unsurprisingly, long haired cats suffer more with the problem. I wouldn’t worry about it if it’s only one or twice a month. However, more frequent hairballs can be a sign of gastric problems, and it might be worth getting your cat checked over, especially if there are any other symptoms such as weight loss or non-hairball vomiting.

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The Garden Village Garage

I think I found my Mummy’s Christmas list. This is what she wrote,

Dear Santa, I have been a very good girl this year. So, I would like somebody to run around after me more, I would also really like more time for myself, I would really, really like somebody to wash, clean and hoover oh...and really, really, really would like less stress, I know you’re busy, hope this is not too much to ask? I’ll leave you a mince pie and large sherry! Mummy Xxx At the Garden Village Garage we run around after cars every day, not just at Christmas, so if you’ve been a good boy or girl and want to get on our list, call us for free on 0333 121 2012. Even a kid knows that! The Garden Village Garage, 227 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AE

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walks

Walking in a winter wonderland Caerphilly Mountain Winter Walk

Starting point Woodland Car Park, Van Road, Caerphilly Grid reference: ST171863 Nearest postcode: CF83 3DB

ead to the back of the car park where you will find a forest track. The waymarkers will lead you up the hill and when you reach a T-junction, head left towards Mynydd Rudry. You will continue up through the forest and eventually arrive on the edge of Rudry Common. There is a path to the right of the woodland. Head up this path â&#x20AC;&#x201C; it will take you across the common and up to the car park. Pass through the car park, crossing the road and heading up the hill and up the old road. Keep on going, passing Caerphilly Woodlands and remembering to close the gate in the road. You will see ancient beech trees here. Make your way to Cefn Onn Farm and twenty metres or so after the farm, turn right at the bridleway crossroads to join the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway Walk. Follow the track, turning right at the waymarker and then turn left at the next one. The path takes you around a limestone quarry. Continue into the wood of beech trees, looking out for an old lime kiln. The final gate you will come to will take you past the derelict Blaen Nofydd Farm and on to the main road. Carefully cross the road to Pant y Gollen and look out for the signposted bridleway. You will see the Travellers Rest pub across the road. Take care crossing the road if

you decide to take a rest here. Continue on the bridleway, passing Cefn Carnau Fach as far as the finger post. Follow the direction for Rhiwbina, passing through the golf course but staying on the track. Exit the track when it dips to the left near the Private Access sign. Head straight ahead, along the perimeter of the golf course and on into the wood. You will enter a small wooded valley via a gate and footbridge. When you reach the bridle gate, head right up the steep hill and follow the waymarked route until you reach the pedestrian access gates. Should you need to take a break, the Black Cock Inn is well signposted from here. Turn right from the pub along Black Brook Road up to the entrance to Tyn y Coed Cae House. Follow the track until you turn left through a series of gates and where you reach the road. Continue up the hill until you reach a cleared track on the common. The track runs alongside the road and will bring you to the junction with Watford Road. Cars can come along here at speed so please look out for traffic. Cross over the road and pass through the two rocks and you will now find yourself on Caerphilly Common. Take an immediate right and the path will take you up to another path on the left that will

Please take appropriate steps to ensure your own safety and the safety of others. This includes wearing the clothing suitable for the environment and familiarising yourself with the Countryside Code. Living Magazines is not responsible for your safety

lead to the summit. From here, you will be afforded fabulous views in all directions. Continue on the ridge towards the snack bar. The path leads from the rear of the car park behind the Caerphilly Common sign. Keep left but beware of the quarry edge. The route is marked and soon the path heads into woodland. The path soon drops down into a wooded valley. The path eventually joins forestry tracks but stay on the main track leading downhill. You will pass through the gateway and pass a red-bricked house on the way to Wern Ddu. Join the minor road and head straight on, passing a house with wagon wheel gates, over a railway bridge and passing a timber yard. A narrow lane will open up onto the road junction so take care here. Head over the main road and turn right towards Rudry. Continue to the end of the pavement and you will find yourself back at Caerphilly Woodlands car park.

Windoor

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Mist or condensation between the panes of your double glazing? If so, then why not ring us? We are happy to come out (free of charge) to measure up and give you a quote to replace the glass only. Having trouble opening or closing your uPVC windows or doors? Are they catching the frame or just difficult to open or lock? Give us a ring because we can help fix the problem (no fix, no charge policy). We replace all types of uPVC hardware that is failing or broken - letter boxes, handles, trims, locks & hinges, re-seal failing silicone seals and trims. We can also arrange to re-align a window or a door that is letting in excessive noise or draught.

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Jane Clarke Hypnotherapy Evening and weekend appointments available in Rhiwbina or online via Skype

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The cold weather has arrived and we all rely on our homes to keep us warm and dry, so it makes sense to prepare them ready to see us through another winter. Eleanor Richards-Jones, from Rhiwbina-based chartered surveyors Jones Battye, says: “I really enjoy this time of year with the prospect of Christmas ahead. But the harsh winter weather can really take its toll on our homes so it’s worth taking the time to look after them properly.” Here’s Eleanor’s top 10 common sense tips for looking after your home both inside and out this winter: 1. Take a good look outside. Check roofs and walls for damage and replace any cracked tiles, poor pointing or hollow render. Rain will always find its way in if it can, and frost can cause pointing and render to crumble. 2. Clear gutters, gulleys and drains of autumn leaves and debris. Overflowing gutters are a major cause of dampness. 3. Keep paths and paving well drained. Standing water will freeze and may cause accidents. 4. Remove debris from sub-floor vents and check they are not obscured by flowerbeds or decking. 5. Make sure your loft insulation is in good condition and meets the current depth recommendation of 300mm. And while up in the loft, check the cover is on the cold water tank and that pipes are properly lagged. 6. Get your chimney swept if you have an open fire or log burner, and make sure you have an active carbon monoxide detector. 7. Check your heating system. Get your boiler serviced, insulate hot tanks and bleed radiators. 8. Put silver foil behind radiators on outside walls to reflect the heat. It’s an old idea but it works! 9. Reduce draughts the old-fashioned way. Invest in (or make your own) draught excluders, line curtains, put down rugs on bare boards and get a chimney balloon. 10. Give your home adequate fresh air and ventilation. Drying clothes indoors, showering, cooking and even just breathing causes a lot of moisture which needs to escape or it will cause condensation and mould growth. Fit extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens, and open trickle vents on double-glazing. For professional advice, property valuation and RICS Home Surveys, give us a call on 02920 625433, visit www.jonesbattye.com or pop in to see us at 5 Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff.

Celebrating our 15th year in the heart of Rhiwbina village

CHIROPRACTIC Established since 1998, Rainer Wieser and our team at C3, Chloe Stamper, Lia Biancheri and Niki Douglas have been providing effective chiropractic care to thousands of patients. Our team are qualified and experienced members of the British Chiropractic Association (BCA) the Royal College of Chiropractors (RCoC), and are registered with the General Chiropractic Council (GCC). They work within a professional setting, utilising the latest equipment and techniques in order to provide effective diagnosis and treatment for many conditions including back and neck pain, arthritic pain, headaches and migraine, hip, knee and ankle pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain, sports injuries, repetitive strain injury and sciatica. Our team are also registered practitioners with leading health insurance companies including BUPA, AXA PPP, AVIVA and many more.

CHIROPODY / PODIATRY Our chiropody/podiatry clinic located within C3 Chiropractic clinic, located in the heart of Rhiwbina Village is now in its fifth year and continues to go from strength to strength, providing professional foot care for residents in Rhiwbina and North Cardiff. Our team of Podiatrists/ Chiropodists, Lynne and Laura are qualified to degree level and are registered HCPC health care professionals. 223-225 Pantbach Road Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AE

Feet Facts and Stats by C3 podiatrist Lynne Griffiths

The foot is an intricate structure containing 26 bones, 33 joints and over a 100 ligaments, muscles and tendons. In a pair of feet, there are 250,000 sweat glands and more nerve endings per square centimetre than any other part of the body; Leonardo da Vinci even invented an alarm clock that woke the sleeper gently by rubbing the feet. According to the College of Podiatry, feet are getting bigger (up two shoe sizes since the 1970s). The average shoe size for men is 10 (up from size 8) and the average shoe size for women is size 6 (up from size 4). Footwear is the biggest cause of foot problems in the UK and 60% of people have one foot larger than the other. A survey undertaken on behalf of the College of Podiatry, found that people are nearly twice as likely to buy shoes too small (44%) as too big (24%). Remember, feet often spread as you get older or heavier and can also increase in size during pregnancy, so you might need to consider wearing a larger shoe size or one with a wider fitting. Shoe size in Britain is measured in barleycorns, a unit of measurement that stretches back to Anglo-Saxon times. Based on the length of a grain of barley, there are three barleycorns to an inch, so each shoe size adds a third of an inch in length to a shoe. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Jeison Orlando Rodríguez Hernandez, a Venezuelan has got the biggest feet of a living male. His right foot measures

an incredible 40.1cm (1ft 3.79in) while his left measures 39.6cm (1ft 3.59in) so that’s how many barleycorns? The average person uses their feet to walk 150,000 miles in a lifetime (equivalent to walking around the world five times). Walking is one of the best exercises for your feet - it also contributes to your general health by improving circulation, contributing to weight control and promoting allround well-being. Remember to wear supportive shoes, ideally with a strap or laces to hold the feet in place if you’re walking a lot. Saint Margaret the Barefooted is the patron of brides, difficult marriages, victims of abuse and widows. Do remember however, that walking barefoot in communal areas at for example gyms and swimming pools increases the risk of picking up fungal infections and the viruses that cause verrucae. Barefoot walking should also be avoided at all times if you are diabetic, to reduce the potential for injury and the complications that can occur. It has been estimated that between 75% and 80% of the adult population have some form of foot problem. Foot problems most commonly appear following decades of wear and tear, neglect and persevering with poorly fitting footwear. REMEMBER: It’s never too late to start taking care of your feet, book a consultation with Lynne or Laura at the C3 podiatry clinic in the heart of Rhiwbina for friendly, professional foot care and footwear advice and treatment.

02920 627888

www. c3chiropractic.co.uk

christmas

a-z

It only comes around once a year but for some, that seems like once too many. For others, it’s the best time of the year. Here’s our A-Z of Christmas - all in alphabetical order of course Alcohol

Let’s be truthful. Whether it’s that bottle of Blue Nun that’s been sitting in your cupboard since last Christmas or a belly-warming glow of your usual tipple, Christmas and alcohol just seem to be made for each other. Sadly, some of us can get carried away and use the holiday as an excuse to get totally legless – but hey! It’s Christmas. We’re allowed!

Bonus

Bonus? Do they still do them or are they just an urban myth? If they do, it will have been long spent by the time the big day actually comes around and what have you got to show for it? ‘As long as we have a nice Christmas.’ Those are the words you’ll be repeating to yourself over and over as you sink into your sofa with a warm glass of eggnog.

Crackers

There’s a knack to winning a gift from a cracker. Simply wrap both hands around the entire cracker and

then push the opposing player off with your foot, thus ensuring that you win cracker and pointless gift.

Debt

Just think - the end of January is just a few little weeks away. By then, your December pay packet will be a distant memory and you’ll be clinging on for dear life and praying for January’s pay packet to magically appear in your bank account early. It won’t. It’ll come on the very last day of the month.

Eating

Diet starts January 1st right? Ok. Maybe the Monday after that. Maybe February. Realistically, that’d make more sense.

Friends

You don’t see them all year long and when you do see them, you pledge that you’ll make an effort to catch up with them in the New Year. This process can be repeated every Christmas, meaning you’ll only have to see them once a year.

Games

Traditional Christmas games involve sitting around, smiling politely at each other and asking what else there is to do.

Hangover

You’re having a night in front of the telly. Those glasses of wine have gone down a treat and why not? Your wine rack is fully stocked up and that’s why it’s there. But by 3am,

traditional

christmas

games involve sitting around, smiling politely at each other

and asking

what else there

is to do

feature you’re slipping off the edge of the sofa and beginning to think about tomorrow morning. How bad will this hangover be? Will it last into the following day? Will it ruin that catch up you had planned with your friends tomorrow? Well, the damage has been done already. Let’s have one more glass before bed. Oh no. There’s none left. Where’s that bottle of Blue Nun you had from last year?

Indigestion

Cheese, chocolate, meat, alcohol and fresh veg. All at one sitting. That’s just asking for trouble now isn’t it? While you roll around on the sofa clutching your gut, making all sorts of noises, spare a thought for the rest of us.

Jumpers

Once upon a time, a Christmas jumper was a must-have Christmas accessory. Then they went so far out of fashion that they made a come back as a comedy item of fashion. A bit like moustaches.

Karaoke

It seems a good idea at the time and you could have sworn that you put in an epic performance. That was until you saw the video that you didn’t know was being taken and is now shared all over social media. It’ll blow over one day. Promise.

Lying

A tricky one this. For a Christian holiday, it’s pretty much full of lies yes, that jumper you just bought me is lovely; that Christmas dinner was the best one I’ve ever had; and of course, that big one about wanting to spend time with your family over Christmas.

Money

Haha. What’s that then?

Nuts

These are the things that your other half buys from the supermarket in huge batches in November, lays them out around the house for guests to nibble on, and then puts them all in the bin after no one has eaten them in January.

Online shopping

All your Christmas shopping done in a few hours and you haven’t even got out of your

irritating and pointless song ever written. Someone stop it. Please.

pyjamas. Perfect. That’s until you arrive back from collecting one of your parcels from the Post Office sorting depot to find that the postman has left a note saying that he couldn’t deliver another of your parcels to your house and that it’ll be waiting for you down at the Post Office sorting depot. This routine will play out over several days. Stay patient.

The most boring presents known to man. At least you can get the correct size underwear if you receive any.

Parties

Wrapping Paper

The time and place for people to shed their work demeanours and to show their true colours. Sadly for most, this won’t be a pleasant thing to experience and they’ll all come sneaking back into work quietly in the New Year and pretend it never happened.

Quality Street

They went on sale in September and at the time, you thought it’d be a good idea to stock up ready. By the end of October, you’re on your third tin. You’re best off just getting them just before Christmas eh? By ‘just before’, we mean never.

Relatives

You can’t get away from them can you? Actually you can. You can buy a plane ticket to Uruguay or somewhere similar. Wouldn’t that be the best Christmas present you’ve ever had?

Snow

We did actually have some of the white stuff here in Rhiwbina a few years ago. And it was carnage. Traffic ground to a halt, milk and bread were stripped from the Co-op in industrial amounts and people struggled to battle through the two inches of snow to get home. It was awful. Looked pretty though.

Underwear

No matter what size you buy as a gift, it’ll either be too small or too large. You’re best off getting vouchers so that they can go and buy their own size underwear.

Vouchers

You buy so many rolls of the stuff that you end up wrapping birthday presents with it the whole year round.

Xmas

The only word that relates to Christmas that begins with the letter ‘x’. We were told as kids that we should never use the term Xmas because it’s taking Christ out of Christmas. The ‘x’ actually comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word which in English is ‘Christ’. Or something.

Yuletide Log

A bit of tree that you set fire to. It’s very festive. Probably.

Zzzzzzzs

If there’s anything worth doing over Christmas, it’s getting some sleep. That way, you’ll be bright and cheery to start work again in the New Year. Sort of.

Twelve Days of Christmas

Eurgh. Possibly the most drawn-out,

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Seasonal advice from our Hair Designers Amy Archbold Amy began her career in Dublin, Ireland where she was raised. She worked for a wellknown name in Ireland - Peter Mark, from 2003 until 2013 when she decided to spread her wings and travel to North America. She worked for a family business in Toronto, Canada for six months, learning new techniques that she was happy to bring back with her to Ireland. Amy only recently joined Michelle Marshall but is already impressed by the great team spirit and inspirational attitude of all of the team and is looking forward to a long and happy career.

Amy’s advice for colour trends

Cool blondes are really on trend this winter, with our highlighted and Balayage blondes. The biggest trend we’re seeing is a rebirth of the all over platinum blonde. The new 2016/17 versions are iced-grey tones with a hint of pearly or mauve. My advice is to use a heat protector to prevent your colour from fading out quickly. Heat such as blow-drying, straightening and curling, play a huge part in causing hair damage and colour fade. I recommend products such as Redken Pillow Proof Blow-Dry cream. This protects and nourishes your hair while making it three times stronger, as well as helping to keep your blow dry in for longer. My go-to recommendations to look after your blondes are Blonde Idol shampoo and Violet toning conditioner to keep your blonde fresh and strong. Photography by Sarah Barnes Photography

Jaime Churchill

Kaye Radcliffe

Styling hair is in Jaime’s blood. From a small boy, he was plaiting his father’s hair and giving his sister’s dolls Mohawks and inverted bobs. In school, he was cutting friends’ hair and by the age of 16, he had joined his first salon. By the time he was 21, he had joined a prestigious salon in Brighton where his clients included local business people and celebrities. After 10 years in Brighton, Jaime moved to Pembrokeshire for a quieter life where he helped progress several salons. He stayed there for 8 years before deciding to move to Cardiff and eventually made his way to Michelle Marshall. Jaime also works for the BBC at Cardiff Bay, styling celebrities for their TV shows. Jaime’s relaxed and friendly demeanour makes him a very popular member of the team, both with guests and his fellow colleagues.

Kaye, in her own words, ‘fell into hairdressing’. She loved the atmosphere of a busy salon and asked for a Saturday morning job when she was having her hair cut aged just 13. Now, 29 years later, she is an experienced designer stylist with a love for creative hair. Her own personal style shows her creative side with her love for tattoos and piercings, and this natural creativity is put to good use when designing a new style for a guest. Kaye has been able to develop her skills over the years with cutting courses from Vidal Sassoon, wedding hair with Trevor Sorbie and cutting and colouring with Lee Stafford and Andrew Barton, enhancing Kaye’s passion for creative colour.

Jaime’s advice on styling trends

We’re seeing a move towards mixing up two trends that we’ve already seen on the red carpet this year with trend-setting celebrities. Instead of a low messy bun worn at the nape, it’s moving further up the head and being mixed with the quirky top knot. It’s very low key and unstructured and still on fleek! It’s a great marriage of the two that can be worn just as easily with a leather bomber jacket or a little black dress. For this look, preparation is key to supporting the style and texture. I would recommend Redken Stay High 18 gel mousse for support and fullness. Use a medium size round brush (ceramic is best) for movement and volume. Once your hair is dry, shake in Redken Firm Grip 03 powder into the roots to dishevel and add ‘guts’ to the style before pinning it up using a mix of an invisabobble and hair grips.

Kaye’s advice for colour and hair care

The winter can play havoc with your hair and cause all sorts of problems. Make sure you use a moisturising shampoo and conditioner such as Redken Allsoft. This formula will not only hydrate but also help keep your hair super strong throughout the winter. We tend to use more heated appliances this time of year so it’s imperative to use heat protectors for drying and curling. Try Redken Iron shape 11. Your colour can fade more quickly especially if you’re not using salon recommended hair care products. My advice would be to avoid shampooing your hair for 48 hours after colouring and rinse with lukewarm water. Using a treatment mask once a week will keep hair moisturised and glossy through the cold months. I also recommend booking in for regular hair cuts to prevent dry split ends caused by heat styling and brushing. A: 12 Beulah Rd, Cardiff CF14 6LX T: 029 2061 1566 W: www.michellemarshallsalon.co.uk

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The Grapevine at the Butcher’s Arms

Curry Club - Tuesdays Steak Club - Wednesdays Sunday Roasts Choice of 5 roasts £9.95 Served 12-6pm Early Bird 12pm-6pm Monday to Saturday 2 main courses for £10 Fresh food served daily Monday 12-8pm Tuesday-Thursday 12-9pm Friday-Saturday 12-10pm Sunday 12-6pm

22 Heol-y-Felin, Rhiwbina, Cardiff, CF14 6NB

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After a successful information evening regarding the new Rent Smart Wales legislation at our office in Whitchurch village, we thought we’d share some valid questions that were raised by some of our clients and associates on the night. My friend and I own a rental property in Cardiff and we manage the property between us. Do we both need to register as Landlords? Nadine B, Whitchurch, Cardiff Yes. It’s probably best to decide between you which of you would like to register as the ‘lead’ Landlord and list both peoples’ details on the registration form. As you both manage the property, you will have to apply for a Landlord licence too. I own properties across England and Wales. Will I have to register them all? David C, Whitchurch, Cardiff No, just the properties in Wales. I have a large rental portfolio in Wales. Will it be particularly time consuming for me to register these properties? Can I upload them in bulk? Steve J, Roath, Cardiff You can upload properties in bulk via the Rent Smart Wales website. You manage my properties on behalf. Can you register me as a Landlord? Phil F, Cathays, Cardiff No, sorry! Only you, the Landlord, can complete the registration. We can do the rest. I understand there is a fee to pay to register myself as a Landlord, but what does the money go towards? John W, Whitchurch, Cardiff Rent Smart Wales insist that any fees collected are for the running costs of the scheme, which includes ensuring that Landlords who try to ignore their legal responsibilities are dealt with accordingly. No profit is made from the fees.

Providing full tree, grounds and estate maintenance and landscaping services. We’re very proud of what we do for our clients and like most people who work in nature we spend a lot of time on our knees in one way or another. This is always humbling. Now, whether you call it humility or respect or admiration for nature, if you’re looking to work with a company that cares about these things TR33 could be what you’re after.

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When is the deadline? Phil E, Whitchurch, Cardiff 23rd November 2016! If you require any further information regarding the Rent Smart Wales legislation, please contact our Lettings Manager, Kathy Challinor, on 029 2052 2106 or via email at kathy@chambersestateagents.co.uk.

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An award winning, family firm,established for over 30 years We all have a favourite place to sit in our homes, whether it’s our seat at the dinner table, our spot on the sofa, or the plush chair in the living room. Unfortunately, for many of us, there comes a time in our life when our favourite chair no longer gives us the support we need. There are 3 main questions to ask yourself if you feel your favourite chair is no longer sufficient: 1. Are You Sitting Comfortably? If comfort is an issue when you are trying to sit and relax it could be a sign your chair is offering you insufficient support. 2. Do You Sit In Your Chair For Extended Periods? When your mobility needs change you can find yourself spending long periods of time in the same chair. If this is the case you need to ensure your chair is giving you the maximum support possible. 3. Do You Find It Difficult To Sit And Stand? Sitting and standing eventually becomes a problem for the majority of people, and it can cause individuals to find themselves restricted and dependent on help. A rise and recline chair can help you retain independence by easing your mobility. How A Rise And Recline Chair Can Help Rise and recline chairs give you support when and where you need it most. The right chair should support your entire back and neck, so you are sitting comfortably when you are in the chair for an extended period of time, and help you to sit and stand. • Rise – There will be a button located on the hand control which raises the whole chair upwards. When you are sitting the chair will ease you into a standing position, and when you want to sit you simply position yourself on the raised chair and press the button which will ease it down slowly. • Recline – The recline function allows you to get into more comfortable positions when you’re sitting so you can avoid soreness and pain. They also allow you to put your feet up and lie back, which can relieve pressure and allow you to rest without having to go to bed. At Recliner Chair Centre we have a wide range of premium quality and stylish rise and recline chairs that are ideal for any environment. We have been providing excellent mobility solutions in South Wales for over 30 years, and our dedicated and experienced team are always on hand to offer you impartial advice and fantastic products.

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Good news for Rhiwbina dental patients I’m pleased to report good news for Rhiwbina residents with the opening of the new NHS practice Gwena Dental Care. I campaigned on behalf of constituents who were worried about finding a new NHS practice after the Rhiwbina Dental Surgery announced it would no longer be seeing NHS patients. The new practice, on Maes-y-Coed Road, opened on November 1st and, as promised, is prioritising patients who lost access to NHS treatment when the previous practice went private. Events in the village In October, I attended two very successful events in the village to mark the opening of the Victoria Fearn Gallery’s Christmas Exhibition and a fashion show organised by Calon Rhiwbeina to raise funds for the very worthwhile charity 2 Wish Upon a Star which supports suddenly bereaved families. Events in the Senedd In the Assembly, I’ve sponsored events including the ChildLine 30th birthday celebration. The event was attended by ChildLine founder Dame Esther Rantzen (pictured). It’s so important that in these troubled times children, who reports show are feeling ever more anxious, have someone to call if they feel they have no one else to turn to. I also attended the launch of the Samaritans annual report and an event hosted by Radio Wales’ Jason Mohammad and the BBC World Service to explore refugee stories. More public toilets needed In November, I highlighted the lack of public toilets in Rhiwbina, Whitchurch and Llandaff North after being contacted by a constituent, Betty Lewis, who was concerned about the lack of public toilets in the area. I know that this is causing concern for her and other older people who just don’t feel happy to go out if there are no facilities and it also affects parents with young children too. I’m pressing for Assembly Members to take account of this when we scrutinise the new Public Health Bill in the Senedd. How to get in touch If you have any concerns or issues please contact my office on 029 2061 4577. I can also be contacted via Twitter @juliemorganlab and email julie.morgan@assembly.wales.

FESTIVE treats Whether you’re entertaining guests, or just fancy some tasty nibbles to snuggle up with, these delicious dishes are the perfect festive treats

stilton & chutney rarebit For the chutney 2 red onions, thinly sliced 4 tbsp muscovado sugar 100ml balsamic vinegar For the rarebit 300g Stilton, crumbled 200g Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), grated 2 tbsp crème fraîche 2 eggs, beaten 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 6 slices sourdough bread or German rye bread

q Put the onions, sugar and

vinegar into a large pan on a low heat. Cook for about 25 minutes, stirring now and again, until gloopy and sticky. Cool. Mix together the cheeses, crème fraîche, eggs and mustard with

some seasoning, then chill.

q To serve, heat the grill,

lightly toast the bread and cut each slice into chunks. Put onto a baking sheet, spread a teaspoon of chutney on each chunk, then pile on the rarebit mixture – as much as the little squares can hold. Grill for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

sticky sausages 30 meat/Quorn cocktail sausages, about 400g (14oz) 2½ tbsp hoisin sauce 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1-2 tsp sesame seeds

q Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan) gas mark 6. In a small roasting tin, mix together all the ingredients. Cook for 2025 minutes until sausages are

cooked through. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

cheese and bacon bites 1 tube crescent dough sheet 350g smoked ham/Torfurkey smoked ham, thinly sliced 12 slices Swiss cheese, thinly sliced 170g butter, melted 1 tbsp poppy seeds 1.5 tbsp yellow mustard 1 tbsp dried minced onion ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce

q Preheat oven to 180ºC and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Roll out your crescent dough and press into an approximately 13x18 inch rectangle. Top with ham and cheese. q Starting on the long side, roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the

recipes ingredients with some salt and pepper, then spoon it all into a small bowl. Heat about 5cm of oil in a wok or deep pan. Add a tiny blob of batter. If it rises to the surface surrounded by bubbles and starts to brown, then the oil is hot enough to proceed. q Add heaped tablespoons of onion mix to the pan, a few at a time, and then cook for a few minutes, turning once until they are evenly browned and crisp. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Drain your bhajis on kitchen towel, sprinkle with some salt and keep warm while you cook the remaining bhajis. Serve with the raita. ends together and place with the seam facing down. Cut into 12 pieces. q Place your rollups in your baking dish, evenly spaced. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the butter, poppy seeds, mustard, onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Pour the sauce evenly over the rollups. q Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes until lightly browned.

RED ONION BHAJIS WITH COOLING RAITA 2 red onions 100g gram flour (chickpea flour) 2 tsp curry paste or powder ½ tsp baking powder 1 green or red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped vegetable oil, for frying For the raita 150g tub of natural yogurt 1 small garlic clove, crushed 2 tbsp chopped mint

q Finely chop one red onion and

thinly slice the other. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Add in the curry paste or powder, the chopped chilli and a good dusting of salt. Add 150ml of cold water to make into a thick batter. Stir in the chopped and sliced onions until they are well coated. q Mix together the raita

Gingerbread Pudding 400g packet gingerbread mix 240ml milk 110g raisins 280g water 165g packed brown sugar 165g butter

q Lightly coat the inside of a

slow cooker with cooking spray; set aside. In a medium bowl, combine gingerbread mix and milk until mix is moistened. Stir in raisins (batter will be thick). q Spread gingerbread batter evenly in the bottom of the prepared slow cooker. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar and butter. Bring to boiling and reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Carefully pour sugar mixture over batter. q Cover and cook on high-heat setting (do not use low-heat setting) for 2 hours (centre may appear moist but will firm up as it stands). q Remove liner from cooker, if possible, or turn off cooker. Let cake stand, uncovered, for 45 minutes to cool slightly before serving. q To serve, spoon warm cake into dessert dishes. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

shortbread christmas cookies 250g unsalted butter, softened at room temperature 125g caster sugar 240g plain flour

q Heat the oven to 150°C (gas mark 2). q Line two oven trays with baking paper. Beat the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon until it is soft and smooth. q Add the sugar and plain flour, and work the mixture with the spoon until it is blended. Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface to form a firm dough. Then chill the mixture for 20 minutes. q Divide the dough into two portions and roll out each between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 5-7mm (¼in). q Cut the dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place onto the oven trays and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until pale and dry. This recipe makes 20-25 biscuits. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.

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Season’s Greetings

from Rhiwbina Baptist Church

Merry Christmas and New Year blessings from Rhiwbina Baptist Church We are a church of all ages, right in the heart of the community. And there’s a place here for you. We believe that a relationship with Jesus transforms everything; and we’d love to share His hope, peace and love with you this Christmas time. Monday 28th Nov–10th Dec (school hours) Christmas through the Keyhole Primary school children will enjoy an interactive Christmas journey leading to Bethlehem. Sunday 4th December 10.30am Café Church with Christmas through the Keyhole Come and see for yourself what school children have been enjoying. A chance to experience an interactive journey through the Christmas story, as well as a church service with a difference. Saturday 10th December 9.30am–1pm Christmas through the Keyhole: Community Day Your last chance to walk through the Christmas journey in this community day. Book early to avoid missing out. Hear the sheep and smell the hay in the manger as well as visiting the Magi in their faraway palace. Sunday 11th December 4pm – 6pm Messy Christingle Oranges, sweets and an amazing light show! Share in the delight of Christmas through crafts, games, story and song in this family event. All finished off with a lovely meal together.

Christmas 2016 in RBC Thursday 15th December 9.30am and 1.30 pm Friday 16th December 9.30am and 10.30am Little Steps and Tiny Tunes Christmas parties for the little ones. Sunday 18th December 5pm Community Carols by Candlelight A celebration of Christmas for the whole community. Join us for a great family event with carols led by the Melingriffith Brass Band, and Christmas reflections. Stay afterwards to enjoy hot food and mulled wine. Saturday 24th December 11.15pm Christmas Eve Holy Communion A service of reflection, communion and Advent wonder. Sunday 25th December 10.30am Christmas Day family service Come and join us to worship Christ, the Newborn King on Christmas morning. Sunday 1st January 10.30am New Year’s Day Walk and Worship Start the New Year in a healthy way.

Rhiwbina Baptist Church Lon Ucha, Cardiff CF14 6HL Phone: 029 2062 3791 www.rbc.ac

Twitter: @RhiwbinaBC; @RhiwbinaBC_Kids

short story

The gift

A short story by Evie Loynton and Patric Morgan

t had been a long and tiring winter’s day for Evie. Mum had dragged her around every shop in town looking for Christmas gifts and things to make the house cosy. The shops had been so busy that all Evie could think about was getting home, stepping into her pyjamas and snuggling up with teddy. Evening was slowly falling in the village as they stepped off the train at Rhiwbina station. The purple sky was speckled with tiny silver stars and in the nearby homes, the kitchens were busy with bustle and bubble. “Why do we need to get everyone presents?” asked Evie as they headed home through Caedelyn Park. Evie was still finishing her packet of mini gingerbread men. “To show people how much we love each other,” said Mum, struggling with all her bags. She was almost too tired to talk. All she wanted to do was slump into her sofa and curl up with a piping mug of cocoa. “But it’s not Christmas for a few weeks yet. Why do we need to buy them so early?” Evie was an intelligent girl, and also an inquisitive one. She asked a lot of questions for a five year old.

the purple sky

was speckled with tiny silver stars

and in the nearby homes,

the kitchens were busy with bustle and bubble 62

“I want all the shopping out of the way so I can actually enjoy Christmas,” said Mum wearily. “What usually happens is Mummy spends so much time worrying about getting the right Christmas presents that she leaves it too late and ends up buying rubbish.” Evie was still a little confused. Surely Santa sorted all that out? “I’m really looking forward to getting my big doll’s house,” said Evie eventually. “All my dollies can live there.” “Yes, you’ve been very patient waiting for your doll’s house haven’t you? I’m sure Santa has it ready to deliver to you on Christmas Eve.” Evie smiled at her mother. Mum always made Evie feel safe and happy. The cold night was closing in around them. Up ahead in the gathering gloom, they could make out the shape of a small animal sniffing around the base of the trees. It was a small dog-shaped creature, light in colour and moving quite slowly. “What is it Mum?” asked Evie. “I’m not sure,” replied Mum. She peered into the mist. “Looks like a little dog.” She looked around for the owner but there was no-one around. As they approached, it became clear that it was indeed a little dog, looking a little scruffy and looking a little lost. Evie rushed forward to touch him but without warning, the dog scarpered into a nearby bush alongside the path. The pair looked at each other in

surprise. “Come on. Let’s get home,” said Mum. “I’m so tired.” “No!” remarked Evie! “He has no home!” “Who?” “The doggy.” “Of course he has,” said Mum “His owner will be around somewhere.” Mum cast a hopeful eye over the park once again but the park was empty and still. This is all she needed. A lost dog. Evie marched over to the bush and crouched down. “Here doggy,” she squeaked. From underneath a bush, she could hear heavy panting. She beckoned Mum over. Mum headed over and stood over her girl, wondering what she was going to say next. “Come here doggy,” Evie cooed. She held out her hand and offered the dog a mini gingerbread man from her packet. To her delight and surprise, the dog slowly emerged from the bush and gobbled down the gingerbread man in one gulp. “See? He’s hungry,” said Evie. “I don’t think we should be feeding him. His owner might not like it.” Evie took out her last gingerbread man and held it out with her cold hand. “You can have my last gingerbread man,” she said “You need it more than me.” The dog took the treat and crunched it up before sniffing around Evie’s pockets for more. He was a cute looking dog with big sad eyes and floppy ears. Around his

neck was an old blue collar and on it was an old brass fob. Evie held it and read it out in the fading light. “Bubby,” she said. Mum crouched down to have a look. “Buddy,” it says. “Aw. He’s called Buddy,” called Evie. Within a few minutes, the dog had snuggled into Evie’s winter coat to keep warm. “Can I have this dog as he hasn’t got anywhere to live?” asked Evie. Mum wondered how long it’d take for that question to pop up. “We can’t just take him home Evie. He might have an owner. If his owner doesn’t come soon, we’ll need to take him to the dog warden.” Evie didn’t like the sound of that very much. Poor doggy. What he needed was a warm home and someone to love and care for him. With no sign of the owner coming, Mum put down her shopping bags, took the belt off her coat and attached it to the blue collar around Buddy’s neck. “Come on. Let’s get him to the warden.” It really was the last thing that Mum wanted to do. As they arrived at the house, Mum put Evie and the dog straight in the car and dropped the shopping in the house. “Seatbelt on please,” said Mum as she got back into the car. She started the engine and together they headed off to the dog pound a few miles away. Buddy sat on the back seat next to Evie. For once he looked a little warmer and a little happier. “You’re a good boy Buddy,” said Evie looking at him. She patted him on the head reassuringly. She’d never spent time with a dog before. She always thought that they’d be smelly and silly but she felt an instant love for him. “Here we are,” said Mum

COLOURED LIGHTS

GLOWED SILENT

AS STARS AND AT THE BASE OF THE TREE WAS

CAREFULLY PLACED

A MINCE PIE, A CARROT AND

A GLASS OF MILK

eventually. Evie’s heart dropped. She would have to say goodbye to Buddy. The dog warden was just as Evie had imagined. An unfriendlylooking man who had no gingerbread biscuits in his pocket. “He’s got no microchip. I’m not sure where he’s come from,” he said, “but we’ll keep him here for now and sort him out with a bed for tonight.” “Can’t we take him home?” asked Evie. “He can have my bed.” “We can’t take him Evie and that is that,” said Mum. The warden didn’t say a word. He simply placed Buddy down on the floor, took Mum’s belt off the collar and replaced it with a lead. Then he made for the kennels with Buddy in tow. It was the last time that Evie saw Buddy. Evie didn’t say a word as they headed home. She simply peered out the back of the window. She looked at the lights from the homes – each and every one of them preparing for Christmas - and everyone seemed to be having fun. Except for poor old Buddy. What kind of Christmas was he going to have? He had no-one to look after him. No-one to snuggle up with at night and no-one to say goodnight to. “Where will the dog spend Christmas, Mummy?” asked Evie. “I’m not sure,” came the reply. Evie decided that she would ask Santa to find him a home. Over the following few weeks leading up to Christmas, Evie could think of nothing but her friend Buddy. She hoped and hoped that he’d come back for Christmas and that way, they could stay together forever. She went to the park with Daddy several times but never saw Buddy again, no matter how hard she looked. Christmas Eve arrived. Mum and Dad had done a wonderful job of decorating the house. The log fire had been lit, giving the living room a warm glow. In the window stood their Christmas tree. Coloured lights glowed silent as stars and at the base of the tree was carefully placed a mince pie, a carrot and a glass of milk on a plate. Outside the window, snowflakes had begun. “Time for bed, Evie,” said Mum. “Santa won’t be able to come unless you’re asleep will he?” Evie was very excited to climb the stairs with her stocking but after Mum and Dad had kissed her goodnight, she found it very hard to settle. She tossed and turned, thinking about the new doll’s house

that was on the back of Santa’s sleigh. But she also thought about Buddy and wondered whether he was spending another night alone in the pound. She hoped and prayed that he had found a home for Christmas and as she drifted off to sleep, she imagined him sleeping on her bed. She awoke early. Light was silently streaming through the window and the warm smell of bacon had drifted up from downstairs. Evie bounded out of bed and dashed downstairs. Mum and Dad were already up and dressed, and sat enjoying a glass of Buck’s Fizz and a bacon roll. “Good morning lovely girl!” said Dad. Evie didn’t hear. Her eyes were filled with the sight of a large box underneath the tree. Evie’s heart leapt. Was it Buddy? She skipped over to the box and tore at the wrapping paper. Within seconds, the box was unwrapped but Evie’s heart sank. “It’s the doll’s house you were wanting!” announced Mum. Evie looked up. “Thank you,” she said. It was what she’d wanted. She couldn’t be ungrateful. It was a beautiful house - everything she’d ever wished for. She would have hours of fun with her dollies. She carefully opened the large door on the front to look inside. In the living room, there was a family of figures stood around a Christmas tree. There was a Mummy doll, a Daddy doll and a girl doll. “Look!” cried Evie. “It’s us!” But then she noticed the small figure of a dog alongside them. Her heart dropped. She’d forgotten about Buddy. She picked up the small toy dog and looked at it. “You’ve also got a visitor,” said Mum nonchalantly. Evie turned around and her jaw dropped. There sat at Mummy’s feet was Buddy. “Oh my goodness!” Evie squealed. She ran towards him and threw her arms around him. “Can we keep him forever?” she asked. Mum smiled. “Yes, he’s here to stay for good.” “Really?” asked Evie. She could hardly speak. “Yes. We went back to get him. This is his new home.” Evie cupped Buddy’s face and looked into his eyes. “You’re the best dog in the world,” said Evie. “And this is going to be the best Christmas ever!”

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