News | History | Schools | Competitions | Interviews
Whitchurch Living and Llandaff At the heart of the community
Issue 36 Dec’15/Jan’16
Christmas in Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North Win a winter warmer spa experience for two Sam Warburton: Why I’m looking forward to Christmas
Includes your OFFICIAL Reindeer Run Programme
Your multi award-winning magazine for Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North
Contents What’s on 3-4 News Catch up with the latest 5 Letters 8 How community spirit saved Christmas 11 Competitions Win family theatre tickets 14 Why we love our villages at Christmas What you said 18 Christmas Gifts Our pick of local gifts 20 Competition Win a spa experience 21 Whitchurch Primary School Find out what the children have been up to 24 Sam Warburton The Welsh captain talks Christmas 28 From Cardiff to Costa Blanca and back Interview with Peter Williams 32 What’s in a name? Richard Morgan explains 37 Gardening 42 Wine guide to getting through Christmas Tips for survival 45 Festive recipe 46 Short story Spring Issue deadline: 29th January 2016 Published 15th February 2016 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.
Winners at the 2014 UK Independent Magazine Awards 2
Saturday 5th December Reindeer Run in aid of Velindre Cancer Centre 7pm (see page 7 for details). Monday 7th December Christmas Carol Concert in aid of Bobath Wales. St Mary’s Parish Church, Whitchurch. Tickets £6 from www.bobathwales.org Thursday 10th December Cardiff Round Table’s Father Christmas visits Birchgrove 6pm outside Mojo Lounge. Saturday 12th December Tivoli Cinema, Llandaff North showing Cinderella and Trash.
Saturday 12th December Advent Children’s Workshop, St Mary’s Church 2pm-4.30pm. Tuesday 15th December Cardiff Round Table’s Father Christmas visits Llandaff North 6pm, Whitchurch at 6.45pm and Coryton at 7.15pm. Thursday 17th December Keith Brymer Jones, star of The Great Pottery Throw Down will be making pottery at Bodlon, Whitchurch. Sunday 20th December Tongwynlais Community Carol Service, 6.30pm Ainon Baptist Church, Tongwynlais.
Welcome / Croeso Welcome to your winter issue of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine. We are very excited to be bringing you our 8th Christmas issue of the magazine, since launching in 2008. You may notice some changes and that’s because we have worked hard on creating a new look and ensuring that there is interesting content for everyone. It is also our biggest issue ever at a staggering 48 pages! Inside this festive issue, you’ll find out how the local community saved Christmas, what the Wales rugby captain enjoys about this time of the year, why residents love our villages at Christmas, as well as a selection of local gifts. Local author Richard Morgan delves into the history of local place names and we speak to Peter Williams who launched a weekly newpaper in Cardiff in the 1960s. His story takes us from Cardiff to Spain and back again. We’ve lined up some great competitions for all the family, including tickets to see The Snow Maiden ballet at St David’s Hall and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at The Sherman Theatre. As an extra treat, there is a winter warmer spa experience for two to win courtesy of the Village Spa. Be quick and check the closing dates for entries so you don’t miss out! We are proud to be supporting
Velindre Cancer Centre’s fundraising efforts by featuring the official Reindeer Run programme. You can find it on page 7. We have enjoyed speaking to residents across our villages as well as the local businesses, who through their advertising enable us to produce this magazine free of charge. In return, we ask you to please support the businesses featured in this publication. Please mention that you have seen their adverts in Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine and have a look out for any of their promotions! This is your community magazine so please feel free to write to us about what you think of it, suggestions on anything else you would like included or to send us editorial of your own. Our contact details are listed to the side. Finally, we want to wish all our readers a very Happy Christmas and New Year. Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda. Danielle and Patric Editors
NEWS
Lidl store gets go ahead in Llandaff North
Artist’s impression of the new site Neighbourhood Watch’s Bill Farnham picks up MBE Whitchurch Cardiff West Neighbourhood Watch Association Chairman Bill Farnham has recently picked up an MBE for services to the local Neighbourhood Watch. Bill, who writes a regular column for Whitchurch and Llandaff Living, picked up his award from Prince William in October. He said: “I would like to thank everyone for their very kind messages of congratulations and support. They are all very much appreciated indeed.”
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I would like to thank everyone for their kind messages of support
Major store to open in Llandaff North after years of legal wrangling Llandaff North German supertore giant Lidl is set to open a ‘bespoke’ store in Llandaff North. The news follows years of legal wrangling with petitions both for and against the store being put forward. Lidl will begin work almost immediately on the £7m scheme, including the purchase of the land and an investment in the village. Mark James of James & Jenkins told Whitchurch and Llandaff Living: “The sale of the land draws a line under nearly 40 years on the site, during which time we employed nearly 100 people at our peak. I am very excited to have been able to facilitate this deal which has been a long time coming and which has
Llandaff Society continue to consider local planning applications
BBC move confirmed Llandaff The BBC has confirmed that it is set to move from its current Llandaff site to a new plot in Cardiff city centre. It paves the way for a housing development of 400 homes on Llantrisant Road. Almost 1,200 staff will relocate from the current site to Central Square in 2019.
had the full backing of the local Councillors. “The best bit is that we have been able to save The Pineapple Inn, which also belongs to James & Jenkins. The developers originally wanted to include the pub in the development but we stood our ground and refused to sell it. I see the Pineapple as a part of the Community and provided it is commercially viable then long may it continue.” An online petition raised in opposition to the development proposal raised more than 120 signatures. Concerns raised included traffic flow in the area.
Llandaff The Llandaff Society continues to consider around 10 planning and listed building applications each month. Many of these are for major development. Recent applications to which they have objected include 630 houses and a new primary school on agricultural land between Vista Rise (off Waterhall Road) and Clos Parc
Radyr, with traffic signals to replace the roundabout on Llantrisant Road at its junction with Heol Isaf. Their Chairman gave evidence at the two final days of the Examination of Cardiff’s Local Development Plan earlier this year. This will allow for 41,000 houses to be built in Cardiff between 2006 and 2026 - 11,500 of which are to be built on either side of Llantrisant Road. The Society argues that new housing, health, education and community facilities need to be phased in line with provision of Metro and other public transport to reduce the impact of increased traffic. 3
Lights Camera Action
Llandaff North's Tivoli Cinema comes back to life thanks to a new community initiative Llandaff North residents made history this year when they watched a film in the Tivoli Cinema - 55 years after it closed. The site of James & Jenkins Garage - the old Tivoli, became a car showroom in 1961 and was once Continental Cars - Wales’ first and only Mercedes Benz dealership. This year, as part of the Llandaff North Festival, local residents converted the showroom back to its original use and screened The Night We Dropped a Clanger - the last film shown at the Tivoli before it closed in 1959. Festival organiser, Lewys Wootten said: “When we learned that the garage was the original site of the cinema, we researched it online and found that the last film shown there was a wartime comedy starring some great British talents - Brian Rix, Leslie Phillips, Hattie Jacques, Liz Fraser, and a young Andrew Sachs. It seemed the natural choice for our pop-up cinema and proved very popular.” When organisers approached Mark James, of James & Jenkins, he immediately offered to move the cars out of the showroom - the old cinema hall - so people could enjoy 4
the film in its original venue. Mark said: “The building itself looks very different now, of course, but if you look carefully, you can still see one or two of the cinema’s features. When we took over the building, the old projection room was upstairs with the screen at the far end of what is now our large showroom. I’m pleased we could be part of the festival in such a significant way. “We have some photographs and plans of the original cinema and many people who came along told us their memories of the Tivoli.” There was also a family matinee show of Paddington on the Sunday afternoon of the festival. Both films were very well attended and the Tivoli Cinema has since screened films in a local school and a café. Renown Pictures, the company that owns the rights to The Night We Dropped a Clanger were also delighted to help with a DVD copy of the film. They recently launched Talking Pictures TV, a satellite channel dedicated to showing classic British films. The Tivoli Cinema also won a commendation at the Cinema for All 2015 Awards in a very strong category of ‘Best Single Event’. Not a bad feat at all considering that the project is still in its
first year. “We want to see families from Llandaff North, as well as film fans from further afield, come along to support our pop-up cinema,” says Lewys. We are supported by Film Hub Wales and Cinema For All but we would love to get more support from the local community. We hope that our work so far will mean regular film screenings throughout the year for children and adults, as part of a Llandaff North Cinema Club. We have a a kids’ matinee of Cinderella and an evening screening of Trash on the 12th December. The latest screenings are featured on the group’s Facebook page. Search for Llandaff North Tivoli Pop Up Cinema. For more information, contact: Norman Gettings 07738 782803 normanllandaffnorthfestival@ gmail.com
Letters
READERS’ LETTERS
We always love to hear from our readers. Email us or write to us!
Two sides to every story While I sympathise with Geraint Lewis regarding behaviour of cyclists on the Taff Trail, there are, inevitably, two sides to a tale. I cycle the trail regularly and always ring my bell to warn pedestrians that I am passing and say a quick thank you. You would be amazed at the reaction of many folk from furious glares to verbal abuse. The use of earphones by walkers, runners and cyclists can also be a danger.
I despair at the lack of basic good manners and common sense of people today. The trail is a dual use path so pedestrians have a duty to pay attention, be aware of wandering children, dogs on ridiculously long leads etc. and the cyclist to treat the path, not as a race track but a facility for all to enjoy. So cyclists - watch your speed, use a bell and a friendly greeting; and pedestrians - don’t spread yourselves across the whole path. Jim Taverner Rhiwbina
Whitchurch Christmas Lights a success Adrian Robson and I and volunteers were delighted to help with marshalling and bucket collecting at the recent Whitchurch Christmas Lights switch on. The weather was
Whitchurch Library remains vital to the community The library is a much loved Edwardian building near the centre of Whitchurch village, surrounded by a picturesque park which is greatly appreciated by the dog walking fraternity. Dogs also seem to love the library and occasionally break ranks and pop in for a quick run around the shelves before heading back out again! Book borrowing is still pretty popular, but we loan books in other formats such as CDs, playaways and even downloads from Cardiff libraries website. We also offer one-to-one sessions for those who need some help with their laptop or tablet, and host two adult book clubs every month. We’d like to congratulate all those children who completed the Summer Reading Challenge this year – it’s no mean feat to read six books over the summer holidays when there are so many other things to do. Over the last few weeks it has been a real pleasure to present the children with their certificates and medals at their schools. We also hold regular activities for children of all ages, story times in Welsh and English which take place
every week, and Baby Rhyme Times once a month. We have a new community group called FAN (Friends and Neighbours) meeting in the library every Monday afternoon at 2.15pm. People can come to talk about their everyday lives and the group can be helpful to those who are learning English. For more information ring 20628951 or e-mail whitchurchlibrary@cardiff.gov.uk The Whitchurch Library Team
kind and there was an amazing array of stalls and children’s rides. Thanks to South Wales Police who were out in force protecting everyone. Congratulations to Play Loft and Autocraft for organising an amazing event. Cllr Jayne Cowan Whitchurch 5
bodlon | adjective; satisfied, contented, happy, pleased.
Offering unusual and bespoke Christmas gifts for all the family as well as amazing deli products from some of Wales’s best producers, hampers and much more. Pop in for breakfast, light lunch or just a coffee, cake and chat. Watch this space for our exciting calendar of events.
Open 9-6 Monday to Saturday
Photograph by Huw Jones www.hjphoto.com
We are an independent neighbourhood coffee bar, homewares and Welsh gift shop that has drawn inspiration from the local area, its people and its sense of fun to create a stylish yet relaxed backdrop that welcomes you in to make the space your own whatever time of day.
Coffee | Food | Christmas gifts Vintage | Upcycled | Cushions Throws | Ceramics
12 Park Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 7BQ
New office in Whitchurch PJE Solicitors specialise in all aspects of private and public law, such as Wills and Probate, Powers of Attorney, Conveyancing Transactions, all family matters including Divorce and Ancillary Applications and Children’s Act Hearings. We also deal with Debt Problems and County Court. We are members of the Solicitors for the Elderly organisation and we are also on the Law Society Family Law Panel. We are a well-established firm of four solicitors based in Treforest who have expanded into Cardiff. We are very keen to welcome old and new clients. Please do not hesitate to pop your head in to our new Whitchurch office on Merthyr Road to arrange your first free interview with our senior partner, Phil Evans.
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58 Merthyr Road Whitchurch Cardiff CF14 1DJ
www.velindrefundraisingstore.co.uk
Saturday 5th December
Join In The Fun
PROGRAMME OF EVENTS
4pm Road closes 5pm Outdoor Cinema opens Street Food Market opens 5.30pm Main Stage opens We are delighted to announce the first 5.30pm Disney’s Frozen showing ever Reindeer Run in Whitchurch, Cardiff at Outdoor Cinema in aid of Velindre Cancer Centre! (cinema goers are asked to bring their own camping Taking place on Saturday 5th December chairs/blankets etc) 2015 from 7pm, you can join Wales and 6pm Second Stage: Ystrad Mynach Male Voice British Lions Rugby Legend and Velindre Choir and the Melingriffith Community Brass Patron Sam Warburton, the Lord Mayor Band of Cardiff, Santa and his reindeer for a 6.15pm Scooter Parade (from Velindre into Village) 1 mile sponsored fun run, jog, dance, skip or walk from Velindre Cancer Centre 6.30pm Santa and REAL REINDEER PARADE with Elsa and to Whitchurch Village. Santa’s helpers (from Velindre into Village) After the Reindeer Run there will be 6.45pm Reindeers stabled in their pen plenty going on in the village for all the 7pm Official Reindeer Run starts at family to enjoy such as live music, an Velindre Hospital outdoor cinema, a firework finale, and 7.05pm Reindeer runners start to arrive at the finish much more, until 11pm! point in the village 7.30pm Elf showing at the Outdoor Cinema All Reindeer Run entrants will receive 7.45pm Santa’s Grotto - Meet the Big Man himself a special Reindeer Run T-shirt, a set of and have your picture taken at the RR Media Reindeer antlers and a flashing nose so Wall in the village you will be seen in the dark! 8pm Main Stage - Live Music from the Big What? Band Entry is just £15 for adults and £10 for 9.30pm Firework Finale children under 16 and only £3 for those 9.45pm Main Stage - Stereosonics - Stereophonics Under 5. Enter online at tribute band www.velindrefundraisingstore.co.uk 11pm Stereosonics finish Sign up now as spaces are limited. Proudly supported by Whitchurch Windows, WBS Builders Merchants, Fino
Tel 029 2031 6211 for more information
Lounge, Hungry Horse, James & Jenkins, Hodge Bakshi, Stewart Greenberg Opticians, Damien Harris Cycles, Deli-a-Gogo, PJE Solicitors, Carmichaels, Llewellyns Accountants, Lazarou Bros, Chambers, Villagio and John Dugdale and Sons. Page donated by Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine.
How community spirit saved Christmas Kevin Geary of K2 Coffee Shop Llandaff
Llandaff
down,” Kevin explained. “To add to everything, this year the Council decided to charge for the road closure for the switch on event. They also used to provide a Christmas tree for the village, but not this year.” Kevin is keen to thank the local residents of the Llandaff Society who have contributed to the fund and have managed to donate enough to provide Llandaff’s traditional Christmas tree. Whilst this community has worked hard to raise the necessary cash to give Llandaff its Christmas look, Kevin stressed that the Traders’ Committee needs more businesses on board to help with the costs in years to come. “We all want our village to look nice, so extra support is particularly welcome.”
For the past couple of years, this has been the remit of the Whitchurch Community and Traders’ Association, but when the committee disbanded, brave Tom took on the challenge. “Nobody else was doing anything and I’d been involved in helping in the past. Christmas is the best time of the year and there was a potential the lights and event wasn’t going to happen, which would have been a massive loss to the village. “The lights have been part of Christmasses in Whitchurch for 14 years and the switch on is a huge event. Last year, thousands of people came out on the night to be part of it. The community have always supported the atmosphere in the village and the event is what it’s all about- the spirit of Christmas and celebrating Whitchurch.” It is apparent that Tom has a particular fondness for this time of year and a love for his village - he supplies the Christmas tree on the Park Road roundabout every year to add to the festive atmosphere. Organising the lights this year certainly seems to have been a challenge and a story that has had its ups and downs. “One of the first struggles was to locate the lights,” Tom explained. “Thankfully, when we located them we realised they had been kindly purchased by Ben Thomas, our local councillor and Whitchurch businessman. And to our relief they all worked! We then had to establish the costs to put them up.” Tom soon realised the financial
Kevin Geary is a member of the Llandaff Traders’ Committee, who meet every couple of months to discuss village matters. Historically, Llandaff village created its festive feel with beautifully-lit mini Christmas trees displayed from the walls above the businesses and funded by individual businesses themselves. In recent years, Llandaff has also been illuminated with white LED lights criss crossing the village to add to the festive atmosphere. “We wanted the village to look Tom Champ is a Whitchurch extra Christmassy,” Kevin said. businessman who decided to take To achieve the funding for this, on responsibility for organising the local eateries K2, Jaspers, Porro, Christmas lights in Whitchurch Mulberry and Watkins & Gunn village this year. Solicitors held various events throughout the year to raise the necessary cash. Kevin explained: “We held social events like coffee mornings, evening meals and cheese and wine evenings, specifically with the purpose of raising essential funds for the lights.” But it hasn’t all been plain sailing for the innovative Llandaff community. Tom Champ of “We had to pay a company to Play Loft, Whitchurch put up the lights and take them Main photo of Llandaff courtesy of Richard Martin www.flickr.com/gp/66168652@N08/aWst4F 8
Whitchurch
scale of the task in hand, with £4,000 needed to install the lights, pay for power, insurance and a compere and PA system on the night of the event. He set about approaching the local businesses in the village to ask for donations towards the cause. “Thankfully, there was a really positive response, from both old and new businesses in the village people seemed really proud of this event and wanted to support it. The organisational help I had from Jason Lewis at Autocraft and to Roger Walters of Walters Hardware store was invaluable.” But just when Tom thought things were on track, the Council advised that they were going to charge a legal fee for the road closure- a charge they had always covered. Tom explained: “They also wanted to charge for the provision of staff to manage the road closure.” After some opposition from various community groups, the Council overturned their decision to charge the legal fee and waivered it for this year. And in a bid to save their Christmas lights, the determined Whitchurch community arranged to police the road closure themselves, thereby avoiding the additional charge. Despite the event’s success, Tom is keen to highlight that the community still needs to raise as much as possible to make the event sustainable for next year.
“I have lots of ideas going forward to make it even more traditional. Any donations would be greatly received and can be dropped into the Play Loft in Whitchurch with cheques made payable to the Whitchurch Traders’ Association.”
Llandaff North Lewys Wootten and Norman
Gettings are the Chair and Treasurer of the Llandaff North Festival Committee, who took over the organisation of the Christmas lights 18 months ago. “When the committee first took this on, there was no money in the fund,” Norman explained. As a result, the group set to work on securing donations from local businesses and holding raffles to raise the cash. “We just managed to raise enough funds on time and the event last year was very successful with fairground rides, fireworks and Santa on his sleigh. “Our strategy was to go into the year raising money continuously,” Norman said. Over the year, the group have organised various fundraising activities such as raffles and quizzes, and they had a particularly successful Summer Festival - which was helped by the great weather on the day and a fantastic turn out. “We knew we had enough money to pay for the lights,” Norman explained, “but we wanted to have a buffer going into forthcoming events.” Whilst the group already own the lights, they still have to pay for them to be maintained and installed. “Everything else is done by volunteers,” Norman explained, “even down to the storage of the lights in someone’s garage!” The committee’s hard work throughout the year placed them in a comfortable position going into this year’s festivities; however there was a last minute spanner to be thrown into the works. “We had a good group of volunteers and we were optimistic about the Christmas Festival. We applied to the Council for the road closure license as usual and were informed by email just weeks before the event that we had to pay a substantial fee.” This was the first year the Council decided to introduce this fee so the group appealed to their local councillors for help who then liaised with the Highways Agency. “We were only talking about
Lewys Wooten and Norman Gettings closing 150 yards of road,” Norman explained, “and the cost of the road closure was a third of the cost of the lights on top, which was a huge burden.” In their appeal, the committee were keen to point out that whilst they understood the tough budget cuts imposed upon the Council, that punishing volunteer community groups was not the way to go. “We were worried that it was likely to stir up local resentment towards the Council and create negative publicity. After all, community groups are the alternative solutions to running local events and amenities,” Norman highlighted. Their appeal returned a helpful response from the Council, advising them that if they could provide public liability insurance, the names of eight volunteers and an email from their PCSOs assuring their attendance on the night, that they would allow the group to manage the road closure themselves. Lewys smiled: “Common sense prevailed!” “We have a good relationship with our local councillors and they do their best to support our events,” Norman said. However, Lewys stressed that the committee are keen to think long term about how to manage things in the future. “We would like to get together with other community groups across Cardiff to meet with the Council to discuss solutions.” The pride that this community group feel for their village is evident. “Llandaff North is the greatest little village in Cardiff,” Norman said. “Christmas has been saved!”
Raymond Gubbay presents
Russia’s acclaimed ballet company returns to the UK
The Snow Maiden The Nutcracker Swan Lake
Performed by The
Russian State Ballet of Siberia Accompanied by The Orchestra of the Russian State Ballet
The Snow Maiden
The Nutcracker
Swan Lake
Protected from the outside world by Father Frost, the exquisite Snow Maiden plays innocently amongst the dancing snowflakes in the enchanted Land of Frost. Based on a traditional folk-tale, set in the snow covered landscape of rural Russia, this seasonal sparkler follows the Snow Maiden as she dances into the human world. Captivated by the colourful village and the people who live there, she ventures too far and is swept up by feelings of love, temptation and betrayal. When finally she surrenders herself completely and warms to that love, her heart melts in a tragic embrace.
This most famous of fantasy ballets for all the familybegins as night falls on Christmas Eve. As snowflakesfall 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 and we travel through the Land of Snow to an enchanted place where the magic really begins...
The greatest romantic ballet of all time is brought to life by Tchaikovsky’s haunting and unforgettable score. From the impressive splendour of the Palace ballroom to the moon-lit lake where swans glide in perfect formation this compelling tale of tragic romance has it all. From Odile, the temptress in black tulle as she seduces the Prince by spinning with captivating precision to the spellbound purity of the swan queen, Odette as she flutters with emotional intensity, the dual role of Odette/Odile is one of ballet’s most unmissable technical challenges.
19 - 21 December
22, 23, 24, 27 & 28 December
19 December - 3 January
29 - 31 December & 2 - 3 Janaury
Win family tickets to the ballet this Christmas St. David’s Hall has got the festive season all wrapped up this Christmas with the sensational UK premiere of The Snow Maiden from the acclaimed Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia! The world renowned classical ballet company has never staged this show before, and this brand new production is now set to delight the whole family at the National Concert Hall of Wales. Five magical shows including matinees at 2pm and early evening performances at 5.30pm will take place on Saturday 19 – Monday 21 December. You can be there with a fantastic Family Ticket (2 adults and 2
children) with this exclusive competition for the opening of The Snow Maiden on Saturday 19 December at 2pm. Originally titled The Snow Maiden: A Spring Fairy Tale, this breathtaking ballet is a re-adaption of Alexander Ostrovsky’s story set in freezing mid-winter. Even the coldest of hearts will be melted by such an enchanting tale. Protected from the outside world by Father Frost, the exquisite Snow Maiden plays innocently amongst the dancing snowflakes in the mesmerising Land of Frost. This seasonal sparkler follows the beautiful girl as she dances
COMPETITION
Win tickets
into the human world. Will she find happiness once she finally surrenders herself to the warmth of love? To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, please answer the following question: What is the name of the ballet from the Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia, which celebrates its UK premiere at St David’s Hall on Saturday 19 December? Please email your entries to SDHpress@cardiff.gov.uk with your name, address and a phone number by Friday 11th December.
Win tickets to see The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a visit to the theatre would it? Sherman Cymru are renowned for their festive shows so come with us as we step inside the wardrobe to meet kindly Mr Tumnus, Aslan the brave lion and the cruel and wicked White Witch! This adaptation of CS Lewis’ timeless tale will whisk you away to Narnia, a land where it always snows and adventure is just around the corner. Featuring a company of actormusicians, magical songs and directed by Rachel O’Riordan (Director of last year’s much loved Arabian Nights), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is perfect Christmas storytelling guaranteed to leave you spellbound! We’ve teamed up with Sherman
Cymru to offer you the chance to win a family ticket of four tickets to see the show. All you need to do is answer this very simple question: Q: Who wrote The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? Email your answers to editor@ livingmags.co.uk before 11th December, or if you’d rather post your entry, please forward to the address on the inside front cover of this magazine. Please remember to include your contact details so that we can let you know if you are the lucky winner. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe opens on 4th December and runs through until 31st December.
Children an under 2 d 5s half pric e
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Get ready
to step inside the wardrobe ...
4 - 31 December 2015
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Why we
our villages
at Christmas
Christmas is always held close to our hearts. Whitchurch Residents explain what they love about our villages at Carys: You can find everything you need here in Whitchurch. If you’re looking for Christmas food, this festive time of year you’ve got plenty of shops to buy fresh meat, as well as fruit and vegetables. The best thing of all is that the village really embraces bilingualism. Nadolig Llawen! Delyth: Whitchurch is such a sociable place. We are very lucky here to have this village as a focal point. There are good shops, good delicatessens, cafés and lots of lovely houses. It’s no wonder that it’s such a popular place in Cardiff!
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Where else would you find seven or eight pubs in one village? Everything is on your doorstep.
Ellis, Claire and Kim Gwern: I loved growing up in Whitchurch and Christmas was my favourite time because when I was a kid, Santa would come around our streets on his sleigh. I loved that. Twm: The Christmas lights is the big thing for me in Whitchurch. They always brighten the place up and this is always complemented by the local cafés and coffee houses that really make an effort.
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PEOPLE
A hot drink and Christmas lights
Llandaff North
We spend a lot of our time here in Lew’s Coffee Shop in Llandaff North. We’re looking forward to seeing the Christmas lights and enjoying one of Lew’s hot Christmas drinks! Owen and Nicci
Llandaff North is such a friendly place with a great community atmosphere. We buy what we can here to help local trade and we wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. Mark and Alison
Llandaff We love the festive spirit of Llandaff Gabriella: We love Llandaff because Christmas here is never over the top. The decorations and the shops make it just right.
Will: When the Christmas
Julie: Llandaff is such a pretty
little village. You’ve got the cathedral of course and the village is very community-spirited. We love the cosy pubs, especially at Christmas. Helena: I spend a lot of time up in London but there’s nothing better than coming home to Llandaff at Christmas.
services start at the cathedral, then you know that Christmas is not far Helen: The atmosphere and the away. lights in Llandaff make it a really special time of year. I’ve lived here for 50 years. There Llandaff aren’t that many shops here but is the cosiest the ones that are here are full of place to be at character and make the place Christmas - the special. shops and pubs are They say it’s a city within a city and wonderful it really does feel like it.
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Fran
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Sixth Form
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Bodlon Coffee Shop
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Bodlon Coffee Shop on Park Road only opened its door last year but it’s already a real hub for Whitchurch coffee-lovers. On its wall are photos of some of its high-profile visitors, including Matthew Rhys and Eve Myles. Not only can you grab yourself a great coffee and a bite to eat, the shop has its own unique gifts for sale. 1. Impress your Christmas diners with these wonderful table runners. Milled by Bodlon themselves, there are a selection of festive designs. Prices start at £22. 2. Look the part at Christmas parties with Hultquist earrings, from £12. 3. Bodlon is proud of its Welsh-speaking roots and these 6 cracyr Nadolig with their Welsh language jokes are guaranteed to create a few giggles around the Christmas dinner table.
Christmas Crackers
Our villages are full of great places to pick up Christmas gifts. Here are our choices
Calon Rhiwbeina Calon Rhiwbeina is an independent boutique in the heart of Rhiwbina village. They stock exclusive clothing, jewellery and accessories collections, including designs by Mistral, Ochre, Saskia, Braintree Clothing, Treaty and Eliza Gracious. 1. Necklaces from £10-£30. Also bracelets from £10-£20. 2. Wrap up warm this winter with 100% wool scarves made in Scotland priced £20-£40.
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Cardiff Bed & Furniture Centre You’ll find two floors of beds and home furniture but there are also some great gifts for sale. 1. Yankee Candles are always a hit, especially at Christmas when their festive fragrances invoke memories of times gone by. The official stockist of Yankee Candles in North Cardiff, you’ll find a large collection on display all year round. Prices from £8. 2. Relive the glory days of rock and roll with a Steepletone Record Player. The advanced technology record player enables you to play your old LPs and hear the music the way it was meant to be. It even plays your old tapes and CDs! £159 3. If it’s nostalgia you’re looking for, look no further than this Steepletone Jukebox. Fully remote-controlled, you’ll be up bopping around this retro gadget like the good old days. Features a CD player, FM radio and LED lighting. £179
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Pugh’s Garden Centre Established in 1954, the Pugh family have been helping gardens grow across South Wales for over 60 years. With 15 additional retail concessions within their Radyr village and an additional 4 in their Wenvoe village, it’s the ideal family shopping destination for all seasons. 1. This whimsical little abode will undoubtedly attract the most discerning fairies to your garden. The Fiddlehead Fairy Garden Gourd Shaped Fairy Home - £17.99 Miniature World Accessories individually priced from £3.99 2. Switch off from a busy life and relax. Root Detoxifying Wooden Wick Spearmint & Tea Tree Oil Candle - £13.99 Miss Patisserie Daisy Chain Bath Ball - £3.49 each Evans Lichfield Cottage Garden Cushion - £16.99 3. Keep your garden tidy with this useful gift. Burgon & Ball Tool & Tuck Box - £19.95 Joseph Bentley Hand Trowel - £9.99 Joseph Bentley Hand Fork - £9.99
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Christmas T shirts
Limited Edition Christmas range This year heralds the first ever Velindre Reindeer Run and to mark this great addition to your fundraising activities, we are launching the brand new Limited Edition Reindeer range of T-shirts. We have 10 reindeer in our herd and they all have individual characters so choose the one which best suits your, or your partner’s, character and/or those of your friends and family. Which one will you be? VICTORY DASHER DANCER PRANCER VIXEN COMET CUPID DONNER BLITZEN RUDOLPH
- Never Never Never gives Up - Dasher is Fast! - Dance with a Reindeer? - Prance Around and Primp! - Magical Vixen at Work! - Darting Across the Sky...Look! It’s Comet! - Cupid In Love - Donner - A Thunderous Presence - Blitzed for Blitzen - With That Nose So Bright...
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100% ringspun cotton Ladies sizes 6-8, 8-10, 10-12, 12-14, 14-16 Unisex sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL Designed and printed in Wales
• •
www.velindrefundraisingstore.co.uk or visit our shop in Cardiff Market
Win a winter warmer experience for two at the Village Spa Here’s your chance to win two passes to Village Spa’s Winter Warmer Experience
The nights are getting cold but the Village Spa’s cosy Winter Warmer Experience will have you feeling warm on the inside as well as the outside! This soothing experience includes a heated hand treatment, oriental scalp massage, warming back massage and a Starbucks hot chocolate and cookie. The competition package also includes free use of the club facilities for the day. The Village Spa offers pure escapism along with practical, therapeutic and rejuvenating treatments using CACI,
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ESPA, Jessica and St Tropez products. Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine has teamed up with the Village Spa to offer you two free passes for the Winter Warmer Experience. All you need to do is answer this very easy question: Within which hotel is the Village Spa situated? Answers with contact details can be emailed to vca.healthworks@villagehotels.com Entries close 15th December 2015. Terms and Conditions apply. You can also get 10% off the package by simply booking and quoting Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine. Call 02920 524305 to book your place.
WINTER WARMER EXPERIENCE THIS SOOTHING TREATMENT INCLUDES:
Heated hand treatment Oriental scalp massage Warming back massage Starbucks hot chocolate and cookie
40 mins
£45
Book yourself in at the spa or buy as a gift voucher: WWW.VILLAGE-HOTELS.CO.UK/GIFTVOUCHERS T&Cs apply - see website for details.
SCHOOL NEWS
Whitchurch Primary School Whitchurch Primary has been a hive of activity over the last few months. Here are a few of their highlights Cardiff Bay Visit Pupils in Year 6 were given a guided tour of Cardiff Bay as part of their Geography and History curriculum. They participated in a boat trip to the barrage, took the road train through the docks and learned about its history. A visit was also made to the Cardiff Central Mosque. St Fagans Trip Year 5 visited St Fagans to further their studies on the Victorians. They spent time being taught by Mrs Morgan in a Victorian school, visited Victorian shops and learned all about life in that era. Cawsom hwyl yn Oes Fictoria! ROTA Kids Our ‘Rota Kids’ organised a cake sale and a non-uniform day and raised £1091.60 for the charity ’School in a Bag’. Thank you to Mary Davies from the Rotary Club of Cardiff Breakfast for all her help. Da iawn bawb!
Grandparents’ Day We celebrated National Grandparents’ Day by holding a very successful coffee morning for Grandparents and took them on a tour of our school. It was great to see so many Grandparents in attendance! Diolch yn fawr! Some pupils also visited Heol Don Residential Home in the afternoon and took tea with the residents.
About our school Whitchurch Primary is a successful, modern and forward thinking three form entry school with around 700 pupils on roll, aged from 3 to 11 years old. We are one of the largest primary schools in Wales. Since opening in September 2012, our school has been at the heart of the community and the happiness and wellbeing of each child is central to the ethos of our school. Children are encouraged to cooperate with one another, respect diversity and treat each other as equals. We aim to deliver a stimulating, exciting and challenging curriculum. Through outstanding and enthusiastic teaching, we empower children to lead their learning, so that they become motivated and independent thinkers. We are passionate about equipping our pupils with the skills they need to grow up in an ever changing world and to develop learning attitudes that will stay with them for life. Whitchurch Primary is proud to have been selected by the Welsh Government as one of only 68 Curriculum Pioneer Schools from across Wales charged with creating a new curriculum for Wales. Hallowe’en Disco The Friends of Whitchurch Primary organised a successful Hallowe’en Disco for our pupils. Everyone had a great time in fancy dress and over £1300 was raised! Bendigedig! International Links Teachers from our partner school in Brazil visited us as part of our international links. Year 2 have been busy learning all about Brazil.
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Fresh from the Rugby World Cup, Sam Warburton talks rugby, Christmas and what happened one night while he was out throwing snowballs from a car window
Christmas means family, home and walking the dogs
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It was just before we played our last game in the World Cup last month. Dan [Lydiate] and I were sat on the end of our beds in our hotel room. Both of us were nervous - that time leading up to the game is the worst. “Dan turned to me and said: ‘Why do we do this to ourselves? Right now, all I want to do is work for the Council and be sat on a lawn mower, cutting the grass in the local park.’ “I had a little chuckle to myself and told him that all I wanted to be was a professional dog walker.” It is perhaps a situation that only a small percentage of the population ever get to experience. But for Whitchurch High pupil Sam Warburton, it’s something that he still hasn’t quite got used to, despite
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playing rugby at the highest level for nearly ten years. Sam has, of course, recently returned from the Rugby World Cup, where a Wales team, depleted by injuries, bravely bowed out at the Quarter Finals stage. “It was like someone sticking a pin in a balloon after we lost in the quarter finals. Four years ago, we knew that we had two weeks ahead of us because we were in the semi-finals. We knew that worst case scenario, we’d have to stay for two weeks to play in a third-place playoff. “This time round, I just suddenly found myself sat in front of the TV watching a tournament I’d just given two years of my life to. “People have been kind since the World Cup. People have been very complimentary and the injury crisis we endured did unearth some depth to the Welsh squad. It gives us a lot of confidence going into next year’s Six Nations. “I’m looking forward to playing some rugby at the Blues now in the run-up to Christmas. The pressure is off a little bit at the Blues. As it’s not knock-out tournament rugby, I can always rectify anything I’ve done wrong the previous week instead of being sent home! It means we can enjoy the game a bit more.” Sam has spent all of his professional career at the Cardiffbased club. “I’m not sure quite how it all happened but I now feel that I’m in the second half of my career. It’s all happened so fast - I can’t quite get over the fact that I’ve been contracted to the Blues for
ten years now. I remember getting signed to the Senior Academy when I’d just finished my GCSEs. I was paid £500 a year and thought I was living the dream!” Sam was made Wales captain for the first time in 2011, when Wales took on a Barbarians team at the Millennium Stadium. It’s a position that he’s never taken for granted and he is always on the look-out for upand-coming talent, who might one day take the captain’s armband from him. “I’ve been really impressed with a player down at the Ospreys called Sam Underhill. He’s an openside like me and he’s the sort of player I could see going on to be captain material.” For now though, Sam is grateful for the time off. “After all the work spent on the World Cup, it’s nice just to take the dogs out for a walk around the village and switch off. Spending time with my nieces and nephews is one thing I enjoy doing - I spend half my life at Jump but it is great fun there. I get stopped a fair bit and asked to have my photo taken - I don’t mind that at all. I do find it strange sometimes because I see myself a normal guy from Rhiwbina. “Only 1% of my life is me playing for Wales. It is such a high-pressure situation. After a game, I try to get as far away from rugby as I can; it’s something I need to switch off from. I had my old Whitchurch High teacher call around with his little one a few months back and he asked if his son could throw a few passes with me out the back garden. He was a little put out to discover that I didn’t have one rugby ball in the house.” Photos: Patric Morgan
INTERVIEW
Rhiwbina is Sam’s spiritual home. He recently moved back to the village after spending a year over in Thornhill. “First and foremost, I’m a member of the Warburton family. And as most of the Warburton family and most of the Thomas family (my wife’s family) live here in the village, it made sense for my wife and I to move back. I enjoy family time when I’m away from the game - it’s something I make a point of doing. When there is a big rugby tournament going on, I get stressed because of the pressure and life under the microscope. Then my family get stressed because I’m getting stressed and then I get stressed because my family are getting stressed. So you can see why I like just walking around the village with the dogs or going to the local shops!” Rhiwbina is a special place at Christmas, particularly for Sam and his family. “I’ve got fond memories of Christmas in the village - heading
down to the Deri with my family when I was a kid is one vivid memory. I also remember heading down Rhiwbina Hill one Christmas in my mate’s car when I was in my late teens. It had been snowing heavily and we thought it’d be a laugh to throw snowballs at people as we drove past. I was sat in the passenger seat with a huge snowball in my hand and the window wound down. “I was all ready to go - the snowball I had in my hand was massive and I had my arm cocked back ready to launch. But before I knew it, I got smashed in the face by a snowball myself. I didn’t see it coming until it was too late. “A few years ago, this lad came up to me and asked if I remembered having that snowball hit me in the face. I told him that I did and he shook my hand and admitted that it was him who threw it. “I love Cardiff at Christmas and I’m glad that my wife and I are back in the village this year. I enjoy meeting up with my old mates
from Whitchurch High School for a drink, although the last time I got slightly tipsy was just after the last Lions tour. I never touch alcohol over Christmas - not even a glass of sherry - and never have done. The best bit of all is that we live just four doors down from my wife’s family so after we’ve had Christmas dinner at our house, we’ll be nipping down the road to join the in-laws. “My family have made it a tradition over the last 15 years to visit the Juboraj at Christmas so I’ll be looking forward to that too. Rhiwbina at Christmas is such a lovely place to be. I turned on the village Christmas lights a couple of years ago. I was blown away by the amount of people who turned up to see it and it made me feel very proud to be from this part of the country.” It’s clear how proud Sam is of Cardiff and in return, the residents are proud of the man who has become a true ambassador for the city. Join Sam at the Reindeer Run in Whitchurch on Saturday 5th December
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Peter with Alan Taylor
Bob Monkhouse with Peter
From Cardiff to Costa Blanca and back Whitchurch’s Peter Williams set up his own weekly Cardiff newspaper in 1968, sold it, and moved to Spain to set up a few more. This is his story.
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They say that if you were born on Caerphilly Road, you’re a North Walian. They say that if you were born in Ely, then you’re a West Walian and if you were born in Rumney, you were born in Gwent. I was born opposite the Cardiff Arms Park. That makes me a true Cardiffian.” Sat at his Whitchurch home, Peter Williams sifts through a collection of newspaper cuttings and black and white photos. “You know who that is don’t you?” he asks, picking up a photo and passing it to me. The photo is of Peter alongside Bob Monkhouse. “Bob was spending a few days in South Wales, opening a chain of supermarkets. It was my job to ferry him around. By the third day, Bob was jokingly telling the local policemen that I was following him around.” “So how come you were ferrying 28
Bob Monkhouse around?” I ask. “Ah. I haven’t told you the background story have I?” says Peter. His wife appears with a hot cup of coffee in a china cup. And so I settle down to hear, from the beginning, Peter’s tale. “I went to school at Howard Gardens School in Cardiff. I then spent five years in the RAF on the Isle of Wight working on radar, which is where I met my wife, Sheila. We moved back to Cardiff where I applied for a job at the Western Mail. I was looking after the advertising there. I enjoyed writing from an early age and always had an interest in penning stories. “I eventually left the Western Mail to launch a weekly newspaper with a colleague of mine. We launched the Cardiff Mirror on February 23rd 1968 and the Penarth Mirror not long after. Our aim was to take on the South Wales Echo. What you have to remember is that back in
those days, the main medium that people had for news was the Echo. For businesses, it was also the only way that they could reach potential customers. “After just 21 months of publishing, we had a phone call from a director at Rupert Murdoch’s company. He wanted to see me in his office at 8am the next day. So off to London I went. He told me that they had looked at the Cardiff Mirror, and that it was so successful that they wanted to buy it. So buy it they did.” Peter and Sheila decided to head for sunnier climes so they packed up and moved to Spain. “We moved to the Costa Blanca where there was only one Englishlanguage weekly newspaper, so I
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Our aim was to take on the South Wales Echo
set one up. It became the biggest English-language weekly newspaper circulating on the Costa Blanca.” Peter shows me the front page of one of his newspapers. The main headline reads ‘Rugby Row’ and features the story of an English rugby team who were beaten by Spanish police for no reason. “It was a case of mistaken identity,” says Peter. “There had been a Scottish rugby team marauding around the area previously, deliberately damaging property and generally causing a nuisance. The Spanish police spotted the English team and waded in to dish out some rough justice.” Working for the local newspaper meant that Peter was often one of the first to know of any crimes that took place in the local area. “I remember publishing a story about a robbery that had taken place. I wrote the story up, the newspaper went to print and it went out to all our readers. The head of police then turned up and told me not to print anything about the robbery, but by that point, everybody in the area knew about it because they had read it in the paper!” Peter’s experience within the industry led him to forge connections with well-known names. He hands me more photos. “This is Edmundo Ros. They called him the Calypso King. And this is Alan Taylor. He was the guy who hosted Mr & Mrs on the telly. “We had to move back to the UK for a while after Sheila fell ill. I was appointed press officer for the Football Association of Wales and wrote a lot for national newspapers. We became good friends with John Charles and his wife Peggy who often used to come to our house. We had some good parties with them. Sheila’s condition eventually improved and we moved back out to Spain in 1998.” It was while Peter was back in Spain that, as well as publishing Englishlanguage magazines, he penned his
“
We became good friends with John Charles and his wife Peggy - we had some good parties with them
debut novel. No Flowers for Frankie is a thickset book and Peter is keen for me to check the first few pages where the main characters are listed. “It’s set in the Riverside and Butetown area of Cardiff during the dark days of the mid World War depression.” The book tells the story of Frankie Gallagher, a tough nut who turns to crime in the face of extreme poverty. Accuracy and attention to detail was Peter’s obsession when planning and writing the novel. “It’s a story that needed to be told,” says Peter. “Although it’s a work of fiction, it’s based on events that could well have happened and in some cases, did happen. I researched all the technical details. For instance, the cover picture of a 9mm Browning was the original gun used by Welsh police at the time.” Peter flips the book over and points out the name of a Spanish car dealership that is featured on the back. “I went to see these people when I was writing the book and I asked them how much they’d pay me to mention their dealership within the actual story. My publisher said that he had never heard of this kind of thing, but pay up they did!” No Flowers for Frankie received glowing reviews, one in particular from the South Wales Echo’s Dan O’Neill, who wrote: ‘A journey from the city’s restless streets to the ‘anything goes’ affluence of the Spanish Costas’. Outside their Whitchurch home, a chilly winter wind bends the branches of the trees in their garden. And as Whitchurch prepares for the festive season, the Spanish coast is somewhere that Peter and his wife still long for. Sheila flips open a photo album and reminisces about warmer, more carefree days. “We made so many friends out in Spain. Spending Christmas there was always great, enjoying especially the food and the wine. We stayed in a hotel there one year as we wanted
to stay real life away from the British tourists - we wanted it just to be us two. Another British couple turned up and were plonked on the table with us. But we loved Christmas there -
Peter’s dummy front page announcing the launch of his new newspaper in Spain
watching the children gather in the local square on the 6th January and taking lovely long walks on the quiet beaches.” Sheila closes the photo album and places it back on the shelf. “We would go back there tomorrow if we could,” says Peter. Peter wrote his novel while living in Spain. The story is set in Cardiff, London and Spain and gained positive reviews
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history
What’s in a Name?
What’s in a C
name?
ivilians in Britain during World War II faced many hazards but not all were the creations of the enemy. In 1940, many signposts and signs of railway stations were removed; many more milestones were obscured through the use of cement. The intention was to confuse potential enemy invaders and as a result, people had to get by using maps (in short supply) or atlases (often out-of-date) which were difficult to read during the blackout. Unsurprisingly, many people became hopelessly lost. If you have an idle moment, imagine Cardiff without its road signs, and guess the number of times you would have to stop within a mile in order to direct motorists to a particular street or shop. How long would it take you to reach an unfamiliar address in another part of Cardiff without a name of its destination on the bus? Place names clearly serve practical purposes but sadly, when they attract close curiosity, it is often because of their humorous connotations (ask the inhabitants of Splott!) or arguments over correct spelling. Spelling is important but arguments are best settled by the Welsh Language Commissioner who will consult local people, local 32
Felindre, Velindre or even Velindra? When it comes to local place names, how can we be sure that we are getting it right? Richard Morgan explains
authorities, the Ordnance Survey, and historians. Historians are important because most place names have a historical past which is not always appreciated. We all know that many of our buildings have to be listed by planning authorities because of their architectural or historical merit but do we ever spare a thought for place names? The name of a listed building may actually be a good deal older than its stone, bricks and mortar, yet little protection is given to the name. This matter is now under consideration by the National Assembly in connection with the Historic Environment (Wales) Bill so if you think place names are an important part of our history, now is the time to contact your Assembly Member. Place names often provide important clues to hidden archaeology, lost dialect and natural history. When most people were unable to read and write, names had to be remembered and passed down the generations by word-of-mouth. Travellers could find their way by recognising inn signs but farmers had to remember the names of their fields in order to manage them and conveyancing clerks needed the names of houses, mills, woods and
roads in order to describe property accurately when they drafted deeds. Unsurprisingly, spellings often changed because there were few guides to the form of proper names. Some names survive in estate maps and tithe maps but many have undoubtedly been lost, particularly in urban areas; others survive only in the names of streets and estates. Ty’n-y-pwll Road (‘house in the pool or pit’), Pencisely Road (‘hill of a woman called Sisli or Cicely’) and Ty-Glas Road all recall houses of which few traces, if any, remain. Interestingly, Tŷ Glas (in Llanishen) was recorded in many earlier records as the Blue House. There is no longer a ferry at Gabalfa (Welsh ceubalfa), no monks at Mynachdy (‘monk’s house’), and no water mill at Melin Gruffudd (‘Gruffudd’s mill’) recorded as Griffith Mill in 1666 and Melingriffydd in 1787; but their names provide proof of their past existence. Place names deserve respect and no one, you may think, would want to tamper with those possessing a long pedigree, but many people – especially in rural areas – have been dismayed to find that incomers have changed the names of houses which may be centuries old. Even in Cardiff, many will recollect attempts
in recent years to gentrify Radyr Chain as ‘Radyr Cheyne’. The place name recalls a chain once strung across crossroads on Llantrisant Road to ensure that travellers paid their way on the toll road. Cheyne, meaning a ‘deep valley’, is in any case a word found mainly in the south of England. Anglicisation has undoubtedly had the greatest effect on spelling and pronunciation. Those of us from other parts of Wales soon get used to the local ‘Landaff’ for Llandaf, ‘Heel’ for Heol and ‘Pent-wyn’ for Pentwyn but, less easily, to ‘Castle Coke’ for Castell Coch. Changes such as these are a result of language change and place name historians would never reject them out-of-hand. We also have to be careful not to dismiss local pronunciation as ‘corruption’. I was reminded of this a number of years ago when I noticed an old road-sign (now removed) for Velindre Road - properly Felindre Road. There’s no difficulty in understanding Felindre because it is a very common one, meaning ‘farm (or settlement) at or belonging to a mill’; but the old road sign read ‘Velindra (with an ‘a’) Road’. One letter may not seem to make much of a difference but it is confirmed by historical references to the house as Velindra 1699-1868 and Felindra in 1788, and is evidence of the Welsh dialect (now nearly extinct) of southeast Wales which often substitutes –a for –e and –au at the end of a word. Understanding place names is not an easy subject and mistakes can be made if we take modern spellings at face value and take a guess at their meanings. The only dependable way of understanding our names is through collecting written evidence from histories, maps, land tax records, court records, conveyances and sale particulars. The task is now – thanks to digital technology – much easier but it is still one best taken on by individuals working within a local history group where expertise can be shared. Reading and understanding older historical documents – in Latin, Welsh and older forms of English - can be tricky for those without experience. Research once required frequent visits to libraries and archives. Now it is possible to consult old Ordnance Survey drawings and maps (www.old-maps. Photos courtesy of Steve Nicholas
co.uk, www.vision ofbritain. org.uk/maps) online without leaving your own home. Digital images of wills, tithe maps, newspapers and older historical journals, as well as indexes to other records, can be found Whitchurch Library 1920 on the website of the National Anglicisation Library of has undoubtedly Wales (www.llgc.org.uk). All major had the greatest libraries, national archives and local effect on repositories such as Glamorgan spelling and Archives (www.glamarchives.gov. punctuation uk) now have online catalogues and guides to their holdings so came together to form the Welsh that historians can visit them with Place Name Society/Cymdeithas a clearer idea of what sources they Enwau Lleoedd Cymru need to check. It is important (www.cymdeithasenwaulleoedd however, to stress that hard-pressed cymru.org). libraries and archives cannot The society promotes the study, answer anything other than brief understanding and preservation of general enquiries from members the place names of Wales, produces a of the public. The initiative and regular newsletter and holds annual responsibility for research still lies meetings in different parts of Wales with the individual historian. to which members are invited to Until recent years place name discuss projects and listen to guest research was slow and largely speakers. The society is already uncoordinated in Wales, depending lending support to place name heavily upon the hard work of studies of Flintshire and Glamorgan. a small number of historians. Many lectures are given in Welsh Recent years however, have seen but simultaneous translation is the publication of the Place Names available and no one should feel left of Wales by Hywel Wyn Owen in out if they do not speak Welsh. Local 1998 (updated in 2015) and the research, however, still remains Dictionary of the Place Names of patchy and more interest in place Wales by Hywel Wyn Owen and names has been shown in Welshauthor in 2007 (www.gomer.co.uk). speaking parts of Wales, where The next important step forward several projects aimed at collecting was made in 2010 when historians, evidence for minor names are natural historians, archaeologists, underway.
“
language specialists and many others Site of the Old Turnpike on the junction of Llantrisant Road and Bridge Road, c. 1900 33
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Pet Questions Chris Troughton of Heath Vets answers your pet-related questions I’m aware that chocolate is poisonous to dogs but are there any other foods that could be harmful to my dog that I need to be aware of over the Christmas season? There are quite a number of foods that could be bad for your dog, and several are more common in the Christmas season. The most common and potentially serious is grapes and their derivatives (sultanas and raisins). This risk has only been widely recognised in the last few years, and we still don't know why it happens, but some dogs will develop kidney failure after eating them. Not all dogs are susceptible, and the dose needed to cause poisoning is not known, but amounts as small as 3 or 4 raisins have proved fatal. So it's best to say no grapes, raisins or sultanas at all - and that means no mince pies, Christmas cake or Christmas pudding! Another seasonal item is macademia nuts which can cause symptoms of weakness, tremors, and vomiting. Other common food items to avoid include onion and garlic, avocado, coffee, and of course bones, especially turkey and chicken. Also, watch out for the stones of apricots and cherries and apple pips, which contain cyanide! I have a neighbour who keeps her two Westies in her garage. One of the dogs escaped a few months ago – I found him wandering around in the road. It took a few hours
to find out where he lived as his microchip was out of date. Is it ‘normal’ to keep dogs in a garage – they do bark a lot during the day. The RSPCA seemed disinterested in the whole story when I phoned to tell them. Although to some people it sounds unkind to shut the dogs away in a garage, it is not uncommon, and as long as they have food and water and a comfy bed, it is not cruel, which is why the RSPCA weren't interested. In fact, for some dogs it might be safer than being shut in the house as all the dangerous things dogs like to chew – like electric flexes – can be removed out of reach in the garage. The garage is likely to be dry and draft-free, and is usually secure (but not always, as you found). The barking can be a nuisance for neighbours, but I doubt it happens because they are in the garage. They would probably bark if they were in the house too, as it's likely to be motivated by anxiety at being left alone. You found that the microchip contact details were out of date, and that is a reminder to everyone to keep their contact details current. So if you've moved house or changed your mobile phone number, make sure the information on the microchip database is updated.
stung by a bee. In case the same thing happens next year, is there kind of first aid that I can do on my cat and would he need to be seen by a vet? Sounds as though your diagnosis is correct. Cats, especially the youngsters, quite often get stung because they are curious and like to try to catch flying insects. There is no first aid you can administer, but if you think your dog or cat has been stung by a
Over the summer, my cat appeared to be in some pain under his chin. It settled down after a day or so but then noticed that he’d been sat near a bush that was full of bees. I’m assuming (I hope correctly) that he got
Pets Questions page is sponsored by Heath Vets
bee, do make sure the sting is not still embedded in the skin, as it will continue to pump poison into the skin. Pull it out with a pair of tweezers, being careful not to squeeze the poison sac. If the resulting swelling is painful or in an area which might compromise breathing, it's worth taking the patient to the vet for an anithistamine injection.
a: 123 Heol-y-Deri, Rhiwbina CF14 6UH t: 02920 621511 w: www.heathvets.co.uk 35
Let’s end Loneliness. We can’t do it alone. Let’s end end Loneliness. Loneliness. We Let’s Wecan’t can’tdo doititalone. alone. s endVolunteer Loneliness. We can’t do it alone. Drivers and Companions Needed. Volunteer Volunteer Drivers Drivers and andCompanions Companions Needed. Needed. unteer Drivers and Companions Needed. Clients like and Clients like Beryl and Peter live Peter live Clients likeBeryl Beryl and alone with few visits from family Peter live alone with alone with fewtovisits from family Clients like Beryl and Peter live or friends. Beryl loves go out few visits from family or friends. Beryl family loves to go out foror coffee and alone with few visits from friends. Beryl loves to go Peter enjoys for coffee and go out or friends. Beryl loves snooker. You could to out for coffee and Peter Peter enjoys make impact on their lives fora big coffee and enjoys You could by volunteering tosnooker. support them Peter enjoys snooker. in these activities. make a big impact on their lives
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GARDENING
In Search of the Holy Grail
By Kevin Revell The most requested plant in garden centres today must be low maintenance, evergreen, flower all year round and be suitable for growing in a pot on the patio. Finding such a plant is like undertaking some impossible Arthurian quest for the Holy Grail. While the search may not be fraught with danger, there are plenty of blind alleys and what seems a perfect choice often falls at the last hurdle. In truth, there are no garden plants that do better in pots than in the ground but some are more tolerant than others of the alternating wet and dry or hot and cold conditions to which they are exposed. Rather than expecting one planted pot to perform all year round, I always recommend that three or more similar pots are planted up throughout the year to provide interest for each season; moving them forward when looking good. This way you can treat the patio or entrance like a theatre so that when one performer dies dramatically or fades to exit stage left, another is waiting in the wings for its turn in the limelight. ‘Hero Plants’ - Saviours of the Plant Universe Our gardens are furnished with plants of all sorts from trees, shrubs, flowering herbaceous perennials or annuals and herbs. These all serve some purpose or another, possessing certain attributes such as evergreen foliage or autumn colour, fragrant flowers or ornamental fruit. Few possess all or most of these characteristics; those that do can truly be described as ‘hero plants’, coming to the rescue of the tired looking gardens of suburbia, injecting some whoomph Images copyright Farplants Sales Limited
into genteel cottage gardens and generally sticking around in chic urban spaces when most other plants have long since gone out of fashion. With so much choice available in garden centres, it is hard to decide which plants to buy but the following five varieties perform above and beyond the call of duty and deserve a place in any garden. The plants perform heroically but are not indestructible and require regular care and watering but little in the way of feeding or pruning which makes them low maintenance and easily pleased. Nothing flowers all year round but these plants give it their best shot, occasional dead heading will prolong the flowering display. All are well suited to pots and containers provided that a well drained soil-based John Innes compost is used. Multi-purpose compost, despite its name is suited to very little, drying out too quickly in summer and sitting too wet in winter.
Lavandula ‘Hidcote’ - Lavender Nothing sells better than lavender in May to June, when English lavender is at its most fragrant, the variety ‘Hidcote’ has the deepest blue flowers. It is also among the most compact making it ideal for low hedges and container growing. Once established, it is also surprisingly drought tolerant making it well suited to growing in pots. It is however, intolerant of wet and cold conditions making it a poor choice in heavy clay soils unless large amounts of grit are added. The flowering period is prolonged in garden-grown plants, while cutting back the flowered growth in late summer will keep them compact. Lavender is the absolute favourite plant of bees; a low hedge will attract them from far and wide, keeping them happily occupied from dawn ‘til dusk. Flowers can be cut for indoor decoration or pot-pourri or to fragrance rooms or drawers.
Erysimum ‘Bowles Purple’ Perennial Wallflower This plant is no shrinking violet - there are several perks to being a wallflower. Unlike its large brash cousins which are planted as bare-root plants in autumn to flower with the tulips in spring, this is a compact perennial form with soft lilac purple flowers produced from March to November, which is really about as good as it gets for continuity of flower. Attractive to butterflies and bees, the long flowering season is useful to attract pollinating insects when little else is in flower, making it ideal for wildlife gardening. It offers a pit-stop to those roused from hibernation by warm, early spring weather. The light, sweet fragrance is another advantage along with its compact habit and fresh blue-green evergreen foliage, a sunny spot in well drained soil is ideal.
Pieris ‘Forest Flame’ - Shrubby Andromeda Another candidate for the most requested garden centre plant, mainly around Easter when the new foliage turns bright cerise-red to contrast with the cascades of white bell shaped flowers which are popular with bees. Like many spring flowering plants such as azaleas and camellias, they require ericaceous compost which has a low pH, containing no lime. Pieris will tolerate sunny conditions if the soil is moist but they do best in a lightly shaded position, particularly in high summer. Although compact and slow-growing for a number of years and being happy in pots, they can eventually reach over two metres when they will light up the garden like a torch.
Hebe ‘Caledonia’ - Shrubby Veronica Of all the plants listed here, hebes tick all the boxes in terms of being evergreen with a long flowering period, compact and doing well when planted in pots of free-draining, soilbased compost. All hebes are worthy of attention in early spring when the glossy foliage often takes on bronze or purple tones in the cold weather but ‘Caledonia’ combines the best early colour with flowers that are among the best in terms of colour and quantity and are much loved by bees. One of the most popular plants sold in garden centres, they associate well together in mass planted groups and with other varieties to provide contrast and texture.
Scabiosa ‘Butterfly Blue’ Scabious Scabious is a plant loved by bees, and as well as the native wildflower, there are a number of garden varieties. This one flowers and flowers with remarkable continuity from April to November. Its dwarf habit makes it ideal for planting at the front of borders or in pots, while the charming lavender blue flowers associate well with other plants such as lavender and hebes. Kevin Revell is Plant Manager at Caerphilly Garden Centre
37
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Neighbourhood Watch I am pleased to begin this column with the news that we are now working in partnership with our sister organisation in the East Sector of Cardiff. For many years, and for various reasons, we have been operating as two separate entities but we have recently held several meetings with them, the South Wales Police, Cardiff County Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales, Mr Alun Michael. As a result of these meetings, we are building up a panCardiff group. We will have a joint website and we are already sharing skills and resources to promote and encourage more new groups to be set up. As a result of these developments, we called an EGM which took place prior to our speaker beginning her talk on the evening of the 29th September. The proposal that we revert back to our original group name was made. Our new group title is now Cardiff West Neighbourhood Watch Association. During Rogue Trader Week, we shared a display table with South Wales Police at Asda Coryton on the 28th September. We spoke to many people and made them aware of the dangers that dealing with Rogue Traders can bring, to beware of scams and swindles, and we also gave them advice on home security and personal safety. National Personal Safety Day on 7th October was very successful indeed, during which we liaised with 15 High Schools throughout Cardiff as well as the Cardiff University Students Union, Cardiff Metropolitan University Students Union and the Royal Welsh School of Music and Drama. In my role as New Watch Launch Coordinator, I attended a meeting in the Butetown Community Centre, Loudoun Square, where I met with the Muslim members of the Butetown Mosque who are very interested in setting up Neighbourhood Watch in their area. I attended the launch of the Compact Agreement between South Wales Police, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and the Third Sector on 22nd October at the Heronston Hotel, Ewenny and, as a result of this, I hope to have a place on the Steering Committee at which I will be the representative for Neighbourhood Watch. We shared another display table with South Wales Police again at Asda Coryton on 27th October, and the theme this time was Halloween and Bonfire Night (Operation Be A Nice Guy or Operation Bang as it is now known) and again spoke to many people. I would like to thank everyone for their very kind messages of congratulations and support with my being awarded an MBE ‘For Services to Neighbourhood Watch in Cardiff’. Your messages are all very much appreciated indeed. If anyone is interested in setting up a Neighbourhood Watch Group, please contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team or call our office on 02920 527301. Bill Farnham MBE Chairman of Cardiff West Neighbourhood Watch Association 40
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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
To make an appointment or for more information on my next drop-in surgery, please contact me:
Office of Craig Williams MP, Unit 5, Heol Llanishen Fach, Rhiwbina, Cardiff, CF14 6RG 029 2240 1350 craig.williams.mp@parliament.uk www.craigwilliams.wales @Craig4CardiffN fb.com/Craig4CardiffNorth
Reflections on 2015
by Craig Williams MP
2015 has been an interesting year, and after a hard fought general election campaign, I was delighted in May to be elected as the new MP for Cardiff North. The first couple of months were spent getting settled in both Westminster and the constituency. I was pleased to open my new constituency office (upstairs at the old Thornhill Garage Site, Heol Llanishen Fach, Rhiwbina) in September and many Whitchurch and Cardiff North residents have already been in touch on a wide range of issues. Locally I have been contacted on a large number of issues. These have ranged for example, from the state of Library Park to Tree Protection Orders and the new parking arrangements in Whitchurch. Several of my earliest enquiries related to the removal of the bread slicer in Whitchurch Greggs! Whatever the issue I will try to help if I can. December 5th is small business Saturday. This is a great day to celebrate our local shopping centres, including Whitchurch, and I hope that you will ‘Shop Local’ on many occasions between now and Christmas. It is important for them to have the support of the local community. I have also been supporting the campaign to reverse the decision to close a Household Waste recycling facility in Wedal Road and co-hosted a public meeting attended by a number of Whitchurch residents. I see this simply for what it is, a Council cut directed at the hard-working residents of Cardiff North. In Westminster, I only had to wait a month for an opportunity to make my maiden speech in the House of Commons chamber. As well as paying tribute to my predecessor Jonathan Evans, I made sure that Cardiff North communities, including both Whitchurch and Tongwynlais, were included in my contribution. I led an adjournment debate with the Cardiff City Deal as the topic. The deal is a key opportunity for Cardiff and I have been stressing the importance of South Wales Councils, the Welsh Assembly and Westminster working together for the good of the city. I have already held drop-in surgeries in Asda Coryton and Deli-A-Go-Go and continue to hold them throughout all parts of Cardiff North. They are advertised in local shops and at www.craig-williams. org.uk. When I am in Westminster I can hold meetings via Skype linked from my constituency office or can arrange one-to-one person meetings when I am in Cardiff. If you are going to be in London please let me know and I can arrange for my team to give you a tour of Westminster. I’d like to wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Craig Williams
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It comes around so quickly but before we know it, we are back in work. In the meantime, Living Magazines helps you get through some of the more stressful parts of the holiday season
Your Wine Guide to Getting Through Christmas Spending ages strategically winding the Christmas tree lights around the tree and then waiting with baited breath to see if they actually still work ‘Have you checked every single bulb?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Why don’t they work?’ ‘I don’t know dear.’ When they’re finally working, the woman will advise that they are in the wrong place and will need to be taken off and put back on their way. Lads – if at first you don’t succeed, do it the way your lady told you to do it in the first place. Wine required:
Realising that the little compact tree that looked so good in the garden centre has completely overtaken your living room ‘But it looked just the right height at the garden centre…’ That great centre-piece of Christmas – the mighty evergreen – has finally arrived in the house, has finally been untied and sits majestically in your living room. Sadly, there’s little room for anything else and the only way you can get to your sofa is to slide along the wall, arms stretched either side like someone moving along the ledge on a high building. Why don’t they just sell half trees that you can place up against the wall? Wine required:
Endless shopping The more presents you buy, the more you seem to remember the stuff you haven’t bought. And every year, you vow that you’re going to be 42
more organised. Come Christmas Eve, you find yourself in the feigned festivities of desperate Christmas shoppers. The only reason you stop shopping is because the shop has officially closed for Christmas and you’re being physically manhandled out of the door by security. Wine required:
Christmas markets with tantruming children Even if you’re not a betting person, you can always guarantee that there’ll be some red-faced kid, straining like the Incredible Hulk to get out of their buggy and kick off. You try not to look and you try to pucker your lips inwards to keep that chuckle in. That’s until your kid gets ‘tired’. Then the meltdown begins. Wine required:
Not being able to watch your own TV Do you remember that thrill of sitting down with the new Christmas edition of the Radio Times? Blimey, you’ve even bought a copy of the TV Times and that gives the exact same listings. But who cares? It’s Christmas! And do you remember the evening you sat down with a glass of sherry and circled all the things you wanted to watch with a ball point pen? Do you remember that tingle of festive excitement? Do you? Well you may as well stick it where the sun doesn’t shine because you’ll never watch any of it. Not one minute of it. Nice idea while it lasted though wasn’t it? Wine required:
The pressure of making homemade things In October, you sneered at the
shoppers in the supermarkets picking up their Christmas decorations. ‘How crass,’ you thought to yourself. ‘I’m going to be making everything home-made this year and make it a true traditional Christmas’. By Christmas Eve, you’re back in the same supermarket in a blind panic, picking up the exact same Christmas decorations as the shopper you saw in October, and cursing them with all the names under the sun because they’ve taken the last of the matching set of table napkins. Wine required:
Your mother coming in to ‘help’ in the kitchen You can’t make it any more obvious than wearing your ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ apron, yet she still insists on tip-toeing into the kitchen in her new slippers to check on the cooking and to pick at the turkey. Get out of the kitchen will you mother! Wine required:
Pretending you’re enjoying your relatives’ cooked dinner You’ve built it up in your head for weeks. It’s been the only thing that’s kept you going through the dark, dim months. And when it finally arrives, it’s the biggest let-down since the announcement that they are making a remake of Ghostbusters. For starters, it’s bowl of lukewarm tinned tomato soup. The main arrives and the meat looks like it’s been on an intergalactic space expedition to the surface of the sun. Even the dog turns his nose up at it. And no – Arctic Roll is not classed as a dessert. Wine required:
Having relatives over It all seemed such a good idea back in the autumn when the idea was mooted around. What you completely forgot to take into account was the sibling rivalries, the in-laws who get on each others’ nerves and the fact that meals have to be planned around Nan’s religious-like devotion to watching The Chase and Emmerdale. Wine required:
Feigning excitement at opening another pair of slippers You know as soon as you even clap eyes on the present with your name on it that it’s a pair of slippers. Even as you’re opening it, with all eyes watching, you’re thinking in your own head about the lies you’re about to have to utter: “Oh how lovely. I always need slippers. I can finally throw out my old pair.” The truth is, the old battered bird nests that you’ve been shuffling around in since last Christmas are the comfiest pair of slippers this side of Comfyville. And they’re not going anywhere! Wine required:
Loitering for the turkey delivery at M&S like it is a military operation So they’ve sold out of fresh turkey at M&S. You’ve gleaned classified intelligence from a shelf stacker that there’s another arrival coming in from the west and due in the store at 06.00 hours. Under the cover of darkness, you and your crack team position yourselves at all exits and synchronise watches. At 6am precisely, you launch your attack with blistering speed and accuracy. Go, go, go! Wine required:
Going up in the attic at 3am to get presents without waking the children It’s Christmas Eve and you’ve finally flopped onto the settee with a glass of Baileys. But wait. What’s that? That’s right. It’s time for helping Santa. The feeling of dread washes over you as you realise that you’ve got to get up into the attic to get all the presents down – and without waking anyone. If only your partner had thought of this earlier. After
several attempts and near-misses (‘Is it morning yet?’ ‘No. Go back to sleep’), you finally get up and down the attic like some festive Ninja. All you need to do then is get them downstairs without waking the kids. What you weren’t accounting for was the Lego brick that had been left in your path to the sleeping children and yes – you should have put those new slippers on - the ones you just unwrapped. Every swear word under the sun rattles around your head, desperate to find its way out. A few glasses of wine will be required before bed.
Day?’ is probably the most commonly heard question on Christmas morning. Mothers across the land brace themselves and pay an annual visit to the ‘Man Drawer’ in the kitchen in a hunt for triple A’s. ‘Are these ones new or dead?’ they shout. The man will then often curse himself for not throwing out the old batteries. ‘What’s this bank statement doing in here?’ is often the man’s cue to drop everything and immediately attend the Man Drawer to restore order for another year. ‘No. Those batteries are dead and no, I don’t know why I kept them.’
Sourcing nativity outfits and trying not to get drawn into competition Aw. Christmas concerts are so cute aren’t they? But then you get a letter outlining the school’s plans. The Head had decided that this year’s show will be some sweeping Siberian epic, complete with flying scenes and a chorus of singing reindeer. Your child needs to appear as Rudolf and as far as you’re concerned, they have to look better than all the other kids because, hey - this is Rudolf and he goes down in his-tory. Cue endless visits to Hobbycraft and an empty bank account. The members of staff there greet you with wide smiles, tapping their fingertips together – they’ve been expecting you.
Recoiling in embarrassment as your child tosses a gift from Grandma to one side saying its rubbish That hot-and-cold-at-the-same-time feeling is overwhelming. Your blood drops to your feet. And the more you try to get your child to say thank you, the bigger the hole you find yourself in as they continue to say how rubbish the present is and the bigger the sulk gets.
Wine required:
Wine required:
Watching your partner defiantly attempt to put something together without using the instructions (who needs instructions?) whilst your child gets more and more wound up ‘I don’t need the instructions. I’ve done this before.’ Those famous last words always come back to haunt the DIY expert, who at some point during the assembly, will stand up, scratch their head and ask where the instructions are. Wine required:
Realising the most anticipated toy you bought for your child doesn’t have batteries… and dealing with the consequences ‘Is the Co-op open on Christmas
Wine required:
Wine required:
Finding out there is no wine left You’ve checked the cupboard three times and nothing has magically appeared in those five minutes. You’ve checked the fridge in case you hid a bottle amongst the vegetables three weeks ago. And even the Co-op is shut. We’ll say no more as words cannot describe how the night suddenly comes to a premature end. That’s unless you open the bottle you’ve just wrapped up for the woman at work. Wine required:
Your mother having one too many and dancing to Black Lace’s Superman song in her new dressing gown and reindeer slippers in front of your new partner Trust us. We speak from experience on this one. Wine required: Best not have any more eh? 43
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Quick Christmas Cake Bodlon chef Colin Gray gives his top tips on making the perfect Christmas cake. Christmas is now just around the corner. Here is a quick recipe for Christmas cake. If you make it early December, feed it a little brandy and/ or rum over the next three weeks, it’ll be fine. Feeding a cake is done by pricking the surface and pouring alcohol (rum and brandy) over the top (not too much though - keep some for Gran!)
Top Tips Things to remember when making Christmas cake (or any heavy fruitcake). 1. Ensure the ingredients are weighed out correctly. 2. Ensure the eggs and butter are the same temperature, preferably both at room temperature. The mix is more likely to split if the eggs are too cold. If this happens, add a little flour (from the recipe) to bring it back. 3. Soak the fruit in the alcohol and/or fruit juice at least overnight or preferably a day or two beforehand.
Quick Christmas Cake Mix For those of you who would like it a little simpler, here’s a quick recipe that’s ready to bake in about 5 minutes. It’s not as dark and heavy as a traditional Christmas cake, but some people might prefer it for that reason. It still has plenty of flavour and a moist texture. Make in a food processor. Makes one 8” cake.
Ingredients 2 eggs 175gm/6oz self raising flour 85gm/3oz softened butter 85gm/3oz dark soft brown sugar 1.5 tablespoon milk 85gm/3oz each of raisins, sultanas and mixed peel 25gm/1oz flaked toasted almonds 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice 1 tablespoon dark treacle 55gm/2oz glacé cherries, chopped 1 lemon juice and grated rind • Put flour, eggs, butter, sugar and milk in to the processor and blitz for 15 seconds. Scrape down the bowl and blitz for another 5-10 seconds. • Add the fruit, almonds, spice, treacle and lemon juice. Blitz for 5 seconds. • Pour into a well-prepared tin (see top tips). • Bake at 160°C/Gas Mark 2 for 2 hours. • Cool for 4 hours and either eat or wrap up well and/or ice in the traditional way.
Merry Christmas!
4. Line the tin with several layers of greased paper to protect the cake. You may want to use an old copy of a newspaper underneath the tin to stop the bottom becoming too dark. 5. The baking temperature should be 15o°C/ Gas Mark 2 for the first hour (this sets the cake), then reduced to 14o°C/Gas Mark 1 for a further 2-2½ hours. Reduce this to 120°C for a fan oven. 6. To make sure it’s cooked, insert a skewer or a small knife into the centre. It should come out clean. If it’s sticky, then continue cooking, covering the top with paper if it gets too dark. For those of you who can’t cope with armfuls of sticky cake mix then go on – buy one!
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Short Story
The Anniversary
by Alice Morgan
S
he flicked through the channels on the television, tutting at the repeats that were on every year - was there a person left in Britain who hadn’t seen them?! They didn’t make anything original these days, not like the old classics she loved. Her thumb ached from the arthritis that had flared up so she settled on a programme about elaborate Christmas decorations and laid the remote control on the arm of her chair. ‘Cup of tea, Annie?’ John called from the kitchen. ‘Yes please, love.’ She heard the kettle begin to boil and John’s slippers shuffling around the tiled floor. Every Christmas for the past few years, they had gone to one of their children’s houses but this year, they’d decided to spend it alone. The children would visit tomorrow with their families but it was important to John and Annie
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She heard the kettle begin to boil and John’s slippers shuffling around the tiled floor.
that they had Christmas Eve for themselves. It was their 65th wedding anniversary. Annie and John were at their friend Janet’s wedding to Brian the butcher when they decided they would get married. It was such a wonderful day and the bridesmaids - Annie included wore red velvet shawls that she never forgot. They were made of cheap material that Janet’s mother had bought from the market and stitched together but she felt like royalty. John had held her close at the end of it all and said that they should probably get married too. And that was it! No big fancy proposal; it had all been so simple and they had organised it for Christmas Eve. Annie had saved her money from working in the Beach Café and bought a white chiffon dress that stuck out at her hips and stopped just below her knees. It was a small wedding - only their parents, siblings and a few close friends were in attendance - but it was one of the most memorable days of their lives and Annie wore a cape of deep crimson velvet that she had dreamed of since she had worn the shawl at Janet’s wedding. They had a party in the church hall and ate fish and chips from her uncle Terry’s
shop across the road. It was perfect. Annie smiled to herself as she remembered the way John’s mother had complained that there weren’t any plates to eat off - she collected china and was disappointed to find that there wouldn’t be anything to show off about next time she saw her friends. John walked into the living room slowly as he brought in two cups of tea and a packet of custard creams. ‘There you are,’ he said, setting a cup down beside her. ‘Thanks Johnny.’ John settled himself down on the settee, taking the remote and browsing through the channels until ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ came on. ‘How do you do that?’ Annie said. ‘I can never find anything good on here!’ ‘Ahh, that’s why you’ve got me,’ Johnny replied, winking. ‘Happy anniversary love - here’s to us.’ John raised his cup of tea and Annie clinked hers against it before they both took a sip. The lights on the Christmas tree danced in the corner and they settled down by the fire for their cosy Christmas Eve. More stories from Alice Morgan at www.alicemariarose.wordpress.com
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