Rhiwbina Living Issue 49

Rhiwbina Living 

News | Home | Interviews | History | Competitions 

At the heart of the community 

Issue 49 Winter 19/20 

Your multi award-winning magazine for Rhiwbina

2 

Inside this issue 

Rhiwbina's 

Martha Clarke 

shares how 

she is trying 

to influence 

perceptions on a 

taboo subject 

Rhiwbina history 

Discover the 

people and 

stories behind 

Rhiwbina's blue 

plaques 

Winter 

Wonderland 

Head outdoors 

this winter and 

discover the real 

beauty of this 

season 

The Joy of Giving 

10 ways to make 

alternative 

giving a joy this 

Christmas 

Spring deadline: 

28th February 2020 

Published 13th March 2020 

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 

Distribution: 6,000 copies of Rhiwbina Living are 

personally delivered by us to every house in the 

Rhiwbina ward four times a year in line with the 

seasons. We also distribute to local shops 

While every effort has been made to 

ensure the accuracy of the contents, 

the publisher cannot accept any 

responsibility for errors or omissions, 

or for any matter in any way arising 

from the publication of this material. 

Every effort has been made to 

contact any copyright holders. 

Rhiwbina Living is an independent, 

apolitical publication. No part of this 

publication may be reproduced 

without the express written 

permission of the publishers. 

Welcome / Croeso 

The excitement of the winter 

season is upon us and our 

villages, homes and shops are 

glowing with warm colour. This 

issue is packed with festive 

treats, but as the Winter issue, it 

will take us through until Spring. 

We have therefore themed 

many of our features around 

Winter and the uniqueness 

of this beautiful season, 

with a sub-theme around 

sustainability and the planet. 

The magazine has always 

celebrated the characters 

and stories from our villages. 

We spoke to Martha Clarke, 

a Rhiwbina woman who has 

used a distressing personal 

experience to raise awareness 

of a taboo subject and, in the 

process, helped in the recovery 

of herself and others. 

To mark other significant 

Rhiwbina stories and 

achievements, we celebrate 

those that have been granted 

'Blue Plaque Status' in the 

village. 

We often look to hunker down 

at this time of year but we've 

put together a great feature that 

will entice you to wrap up warm 

and step outside your front door 

to the Winter Wonderland that 

awaits you. 

With the focus on the 

sustainability theme, if you're 

looking to reduce your own 

negative impact on the 

environment, we present 

several ways you can achieve 

this - including over Christmas 

when traditionally we create a 

lot of waste. 

With this in mind and for 

those who want to give a gift 

a little differently, we highlight 

alternative ways to show your 

appreciation for loved ones. 

What’s on 

Monico Movies: American Graffitti 

Saturday 11th January 7pm 

Canolfan Beulah 

American Graffiti is the George 

Lucas masterpiece with a superb 

ensemble cast. 

Six Nations 2020 

Saturday 1st February 

Principality Stadium 

Wales start the defence of their title 

against Italy. 

Food is an important part of 

the season but it can also be a 

time of excess. We've got some 

recipes that will help reduce 

waste by making the most of 

your leftovers. 

There is a heart-warming short 

story, kindly written by Alice 

Morgan. The story won the 

South Wales Echo Christmas 

Short Story competition a few 

years ago and reminds us to 

be grateful for everything we 

have this season. Local resident, 

Geraldine Seymour pens a 

further festive treat for us all to 

enjoy. 

As we turn to welcome in 

not only a new year, but a 

new decade, we highlight a 

psychological model that can 

help you effect change. 

So, as we say goodbye to 

what's gone, let's think about 

where we want to be. 

Danielle and Patric 

Editors 

@RhiwbinaLiving 

www.facebook.com/rhiwbinaliving 

Cardiff Viva! Vegan Festival 

Saturday 22nd February 10.30am 

Cardiff City Hall 

A huge variety of stalls, plus outdoor 

hot food vans and gazebos selling 

all manner of tasty treats. 

Murder in the Wenallt 

17th/18th/19th April 

Canolfan Beulah 

The popular community theatre 

group put on a new play for 2020.

Rhiwbina community theatre 

returns for third year of fun 

news 

New litter pick 

started in village 

The litter pickers meet every month 

to help make Rhiwbina cleaner 

Following the success of the 

Rhiwbina community pantomime, 

a new play will take place in the 

village in 2020. 

Writer and organiser Anthea Parker 

told Rhiwbina Living: 

"The charity show will take place 

in April at the end of the Easter 

holidays 2020 and will be called 

'Murder in the Wenallt'. We're going 

to do something slightly different to 

what we've done in the previous two 

years - this time it'll be a play with 

songs. 

"Councillor Jayne Cowan will 

be taking on the role of the 

Good Witch of the North and her 

fellow councillor Oliver Owen will 

accompany us on piano. There will 

be other guest appearances from 

local business owners and members 

of Cardiff North Sing with Us Choir." 

The 2019 pantomime was a 

complete sell-out, and also featured 

Peter Karrie, who is famous for his 

leading role of the Phantom of the 

Opera. 

"We had such a laugh putting on 

the show last year. It was great to 

see community relationships being 

forged through the whole process 

too," said Anthea. "If people want 

to put their names on a list for preticket 

sales, then they can do so by 

contacting me. It’s a real community 

event with Tenovus reaching out to 

the area in which we rehearse at All 

Saints Church." 

The 2020 play will take place in 

Canolfan Beulah. Tickets will be 

available from Rhiwbina Tenovus 

Shop from February onwards or from 

Anthea on 07789 448277. Anthea 

can also be contacted on email at 

theparkers120@sky.com. 

Tickets cost £10. All proceeds will 

go to Tenovus Cancer Care and a 

charity of Canolfan Beulah’s choice. 

Council seeking Wedal Road replacement 

Cardiff Council has admitted that they 

are struggling to find a site for a new 

household recycling centre in north 

Cardiff. 

The Council has been seeking an 

alternative site after the Wedal Road 

facility closed last year. Reports of flytipping 

across the city have increased 

since the closure but the Council says 

that sites are still being looked at and 

that money has been set aside for a 

new one. 

Gabalfa's councillor Rhys Taylor told 

the media: 

"What's frustrating is that residents 

were told across Cardiff north that 

they wouldn't lose the facilities that 

Wedal Road offered." He added that 

the Wedal Road site should not have 

closed before a replacement was 

found. 

Cllr. Oliver Owen said that people 

were fed up of having to travel across 

the city to dispose of excess waste. 

Rhiwbina has a new litter-picking 

group, with the aim of making 

Rhiwbina a cleaner and healthier 

place. 

The group of volunteers meet 

at Rhiwbina Library/ Hub on the 

last Wednesday of every month at 

10am. They finish by 11.30am and 

celebrate with tea and biscuits in 

the library. 

Linda Hadfield, the secretary of 

Keep Rhiwbina Tidy, said: 

“We are just in the process of 

becoming a properly constituted 

and insured group with the aim of 

keeping Rhiwbina a cleaner and 

healthier place to live. 

“We also aim to raise awareness 

of recycling, proper waste disposal 

and the problems of littering.” 

Currently supported by Keep 

Wales Tidy and the Cardiff Council 

initiative Love Where you Live, from 

January they will have to become 

an independent group and will 

be raising funds for insurance and 

additional equipment. 

Linda explained: 

“Although there is a small amount 

of equipment stored at the library 

for us to use, we are going to need 

a lot more, as last month we had 

an amazing 44 volunteers including 

pupils and staff from Rhiwbeina 

and Greenhill schools. We filled 19 

bags of litter!” 

The group welcomes more 

volunteers, who can do as much 

or as little as they like. They just 

have to turn up. Litter picking is 

a great way to get to know your 

neighbours, as well as contributing 

to the local community. Anyone 

wanting more information can 

contact the group by email on 

keeprhiwbinatidy@gmail.com. 

For 2020, the dates are: 

January 29th, February 26th, 

March 25th, April 29th, May 27th, 

June 24th, July 29th, August 26th, 

September 30th, October 28th, 

November 25th. 

3

news 

New McDonald's 

causes upset 

A new McDonald’s in Llanishen 

has upset both residents and 

councillors with plans to serve 

food throughout the night. 

Proposals to open the restaurant 

on Ty Glas Avenue were approved 

by Cardiff Council in September. 

It is set to open its doors in 

December. 

Conservatives beat 

Labour in Llanishen 

by-election 

Conservative candidate Siân-Elin 

Melbourne was recently elected to 

be the new councillor for Llanishen 

and Thornhill. She replaces former 

Labour leader of Cardiff County 

Council, Phil Bale. 

Image: Welsh Conservatives 

Siân-Elin won over 40% of the 

vote in the by-election, which 

was triggered after former Labour 

councillor Phil Bale stood down. He 

had represented the area for over 

seven years. 

Siân-Elin joins three other 

Conservative councillors in that ward 

- Shaun Jenkins, John Lancaster 

and Thomas Parkhill. Siân-Elin's win 

means that the Conservatives now 

hold all four seats in the Llanishen 

ward. Turnout for the by-election 

was 27%. 

serenade 

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· Gifts for all occasions · Demdaco Willow Tree 

· Welsh chocolate · Party Balloons & 

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partyware 

· Wrapping Paper by · Top Model by Depesche 

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13 Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6HA 

02920 522424 www.serenadecardiff.co.uk 

4 

HMRC set to vacate Llanishen offices 

Artist's impression of 

the new building 

Staff at Llanishen's HMRC office will 

soon begin vacating the premises 

ahead of a £100m move to a new 

building in Cardiff's city centre. 

The UK Government recently 

signed up to a new 266,000 

sq ft building in a major pre-let 

deal, marking the next phase 

of the capital's Central Square 

development. It is the biggest office 

deal seen in Wales, allowing HMRC 

to potentially employ 4,000 people. 

The move will also deliver over 

£1bn of savings to the taxpayer, free 

up land for housing and reduce UK 

Government buildings from 800 to 

around 200 by 2022. 

The new 12 storey building will 

be known as 6 Central Square and 

will be built by construction firm 

Robert McAlpine. HMRC are then 

likely to sell the site at Llanishen, 

which could make way for housing 

developments. 

Rhiwbina Living magazine nears half-century 

Rhiwbina Living magazine will be 

celebrating its 50th issue in March, 

over twelve years on from its launch 

publication. 

Rhiwbina residents received 

their first issue of the magazine in 

November 2007. It has gone on to 

more than double in size since, and 

has picked up several prestigious 

awards along the way, including 

Community Business of the Year at 

the 2017 Cardiff Business Awards. 

Co-editor Danielle Dummett said: 

"When we first set up the magazine 

Former Squirrel makes Rugby World Cup 

Former Rhiwbina Squirrel, Owen Lane 

was recently called up to play for 

Wales at the Rugby World Cup. 

Owen, who played as a Squirrel from 

U7s to U16s, originally missed out 

on the Wales World Cup Squad. The 

Cardiff Blues winger was called up 

after back rower Josh Navidi had to 

pull out due to injury. 

Nicknamed the 'Lane Train', Owen 

had previously pulled on a Welsh 

jersey in the summer when Wales 

played Ireland in a warm-up game. 

He impressed during that game, 

scoring a well-worked try. 

Owen burst onto the scene during 

the 2017/18 league campaign, 

marking his Guinness PRO14 debut 

with a try against Connacht. 

Cemetery work begins 

Work on controversial new 

burial sites at Thornhill 

Crematorium has begun, 

a year after the site was 

confirmed by Cardiff 

Council. 

The Council is spending 

£3m to develop a 12.5- 

acre site, north of the 

M4 on the A469, and 

less than 650 metres 

from Thornhill Cemetery. 

The Council says that 

in 2007, we never thought we'd still 

be here over twelve 

years later. Along with 

its sister publication, 

Whitchurch and 

Llandaff Living, we've 

produced 105 issues 

over the years. It's 

been a pleasure to 

serve the people of 

the community and 

we are glad that the 

magazines are so well 

loved by the residents." 

the developments are 

necessary to provide 

graves in Cardiff for 

another 25 years. 

The plans caused 

controversy after approval 

was given, despite 

concerns from locals 

over how the cemetery 

would affect traffic and 

the nearby Thornhill Farm 

Shop business.

Rhiwbina Library 

All the latest news and events from Rhiwbina 

FoRL funds 

As we reach the end of another 

year, ‘Friends’ would like to thank 

everyone who has attended events, 

bought raffle tickets, made donations 

and given their time to support our 

library. The money we raise is used 

to enhance the library’s facilities and 

environment. 

A huge THANK YOU to ‘Rhiwbina 

Against Plastics’ and to the ‘Good Yarn 

Knitters’, both of whom have made 

donations to ‘Friends’. 

To date, we have provided storage 

units, leisure seating for readers, 

new folding tables, a shelf unit for 

displaying the latest books, and 

attractive and comfortable stacking 

chairs. We also use our funds to 

support children’s activities such 

as the annual Summer Reading 

Challenge. This year, 547 children 

signed up for the challenge and 

366 completed it. Well done to all 

involved! 

Reading groups 

Cuppa with a Copper 

If you have any queries, concerns or 

comments, call in for a cuppa and 

an informal chat with a local Police 

Community Support Officer and find 

out if they can help. (Alternate Fridays 

4pm–5pm). 

Lego Club 

The weekly Lego Club is very popular 

and great fun. Drop in, chill out and 

get building. Lego Club takes place 

on Mondays 3.30pm–5pm. 

Book delivery 

Books are delivered to the library 

EVERY DAY. As a library member, you 

can request any title free of charge. 

eBooks and eMagazines are also free 

to borrow while eAudiobooks are also 

available for £1.70 (3 week loan). 

For details of events, consult the 

notice board or Tel: 029 2069 3276 

Rhiwbina Library currently supplies 

sets of books to nineteen reading 

groups. If you’re interested in joining 

a group or starting your own group, 

contact the library for details. 

And don’t forget, Barbara leads 

a Children’s Book Group. Young 

readers, aged 8–10, meet on the first 

Friday of each month (4pm–4.45pm) 

to discuss the month’s chosen book 

and to take part in related creative 

activities. 

School visit 

Pupils from Rhiwbeina Primary School 

enjoy regular visits to Rhiwbina Library 

for talks, stories and all things bookish. 

Email: friendsofrhiwbinalibrary@ 

gmail.com 

Website: friendsofrhiwbinalibrary. 

weebly.com 

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and 

Instagram 

5

letters 

Your letters 

WE 

WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 

We love to hear what you've been up to 

so send us your letters and photos! 

We'll do our best to print them all! 

editor@livingmags.co.uk 

Where was 

Rayboulds? 

I was interested to read the 

article about previous shops in 

the previous Rhiwbina Living but 

disappointed that Rayboulds the 

butcher was not included. 

The shop has only disappeared 

recently but was thriving in the 

early 1950s. The owner of the shop, 

Mr Raybould, managed the local 

football team, Rhiwbina Athletic, 

which eventually became top of 

the Cardiff and District league. All 

the players - including myself and 

my brother - were pupils at the 

then Whitchurch Grammar School 

where the PE teacher disapproved 

of any boys playing football instead 

of rugby! Mr Raybould's sons - Jim 

and Joe - also played in the team. 

Colin Palfrey 

email 

Ah, the nostalgia! 

Being born and bred in Rhiwbina, 

but now exiled from there, I relished 

your articles on the former village 

shops, along with the one on Cliff 

Smart's Garage. Ah the nostalgia! 

Pardon me though, but there were 

one or two omissions: 

Before the days of the large 

supermarket, Rhiwbina had 

three supermarkets - the Co-op, 

Bateman's and Peglers. I also 

remember a small grocers called 

Baddley's. The latter always had a 

little Scotty dog on the premises - 

health and safety wasn't so strict in 

those days. 

Also, as children, the Aladdin's 

Cave was the Tuck Shop in Lon 

Fach. This was run by a Mr and Mrs 

Northcott and had rows and rows 

of jars full of sweets. Newspapers 

today are often read online - the 

internet wasn't around in the 70s! 

Thus we had three newsagents - 

Crocker's, Wilson's and the one on 

the hump, which was then known 

as Holly's, before it was renamed 

the Cabin. (Holly Lollys were a 

special treat). 

I appreciate going to Asda (other 

supermarkets are available), but - 

6 

unless my spectacles are unduly 

rosy, I think that today we miss 

out on the personal service and 

friendships we used to enjoy in 

former times. 

Dr Timothy Cross 

Grangetown 

My memories 

I read with interest your feature 

about the shops of Rhiwbina. Sorry 

to make a few corrections and 

observations to your article but here 

goes. These cover the period from 

the late 1940s and 50s/60s: 

Snails - the Post Office was where 

you currently go into Snails and 

where the tables are. The post box 

is a clue outside. 

Peter Shields Butchers was a 

separate shop next door - the area 

where Snails' counter and kitchen 

area now are. Peter Shields started 

in the butcher’s department of the 

Co-op which was a supermarket 

style shop on the site of the Juboraj. 

Its main feature, for us children, 

was the pulley system where the 

shop staff put the cash which 

disappeared and came back with 

any change etc - magic! 

The Cabin - my mother worked 

in this lovely shop from 1955 - 

originally called Nethercott’s 

(owners) and she and another local 

lady Mrs Wynn worked selling 

stationery, newspapers, sweets etc 

in a very small area. 

Next door, further up the hill, was 

a small Cobbler’s shop - repairing 

everyone’s shoes - lovely smell of 

leather. 

When Mr and Mrs Nethercott sold 

the shop, the lovely husband and 

wife, Mr and Mrs Thomas bought it 

and it became even more popular. 

It was a happy place to visit - long 

before the chiropractor was ever 

thought of, and before its name 

changed to The Cabin. 

Garden Village Garage - this was 

the local library in the 1940s/50s 

- until the current library building 

opened. The librarian, Miss Jones, 

married our local author Jack Jones 

and became Mrs Jones. 

The Paper Mill was originally 

another paper/sweet shop called 

Wilson's, owned by a family 

who lived on Wenallt Road. I was in 

Rhiwbina Junior School with Susan 

Wilson, one of their daughters. 

Lawrences - This was originally 

called Commerce House where you 

could find anything and everything 

to do with knitting, sewing, darning, 

dressmaking etc. Part of this 

heritage is still going in Beulah 

Road next to the dry cleaners. 

And here are a few of my 

favourites. The smells of the next 

two evoke a very happy time in my 

life as a child and when the village 

was a ‘village’. 

Gooches - my favourite shop 

to go with my Dad when he was 

searching for anything related to 

tools and repairs. It just had an 

amazing smell which I can recall 

today - metal and oil-based like my 

Dad’s shed. Fireworks were also 

bought here for 5th November. 

Counsells, which was where 

the NatWest Bank stood on the 

hill on the corner of Heol-y-Bont. 

The smell in here was of fresh 

fish and fresh vegetables. It may 

sound weird but I used to go there 

regularly with my grandmother to 

buy our vegetables. I can still smell 

it to this day. 

Mr David’s Sweet Shop - my 

absolute favourite. It was situated in 

Lon Fach to the right of what is now 

Calon Rhiwbeina. It was a child’s 

paradise with every ha’penny and 

penny sweet you could imagine in 

jars or stacked along the counter. 

Every child went in there as often 

as they had the money, on the way 

to or from school or cutting through 

Lon Fach into Y Groes and Lon y 

Dail. It was run by two lovely people 

Mr and Mrs David, who so obviously 

loved children. Mr David I recall had 

only one arm which did not hamper 

him however. 

Peta Grimshaw 

email

THE MUSIC OF STAR WARS & BEYOND 

with / gyda London Concert Orchestra 

15.03.20 

SUSAN BOYLE 

The Ten Tour 

10.03.20 

BEN FOGLE 

Tales from the Wilderness 

05.03.20 

ED BYRNE 

If I’m Honest 

21.03.20 

STACEY 

DOOLEY 

21.02.20 

MILTON JONES 

Milton: Impossible 

11.03.20 

ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA 

with / gyda Tasmin Little 

13.03.20 

THE 

BOWIE COLLECTIVE 

26.03.20 

NEW PURPLE CELEBRATION 

The Music of Prince 

11.01.20 

PAUL CARRACK 

The 20/20 Tour 

07.03.20 

CARDIFF PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA 

Opera Spectacular! 

20.03.20 

BOYZLIFE 

Brian McFadden & Keith Duffy 

07.02.20

Interviewer Samuel 

Here at Llanishen Fach, we 

are fortunate to be able to call 

upon the expertise of specialist 

teachers; these teachers work with 

pupils across the school to extend 

engagement and learning. 

Specialist teachers lead in 

several areas including: physical 

education, outdoor learning, 

innovation through Lego 

technology, problem solving 

facilitated in our maths garden, art 

in our fully equipped art studio and 

bee keeping. 

One such member of staff is 

Mr Barrett. Originally secondary 

school trained, Mr Barrett has 

many years’ experience working 

at both Foundation Phase and Key 

Stage 2. 

Mr Barrett teaches art as part of 

a weekly rolling timetable and is 

regularly heard to say, “I have the 

best job in Wales!” 

Once you have read Samuel's 

interview, we feel sure you will 

agree. 

The following transcript is of a 

conversation between Samuel, 

a Year 6 Dosbarth Enfys pupil at 

Llanishen Fach and Mr Barrett the 

specialist art teacher. 

Student Samuel 

interviews Art 

teacher Mr Barrett 

SC: I’m going to start with a general 

question - what gave you the passion 

to start art when you were young? 

MB: When I was at school, I really 

enjoyed art. I wasn’t so good at 

some of the other subjects, but I felt 

confident when I walked into the art 

room. 

SC: Did you go to college just to do 

art? 

MB: Once I finished my A Levels, 

I went to art college and studied 

silversmithing; then later fine art 

printmaking. 

SC: What is it you now enjoy about 

teaching art in our school? 

MB: The thing that I enjoy most about 

art lessons at Llanishen Fach is when 

the children are working away in the 

art room producing just incredible 

work, and I look at it and I just think, I 

wish I had done that. I feel proud that I 

have helped bring that about. 

SC: The next generation of artists? 

MB: Yes. 

SC: How did you get to teach art at 

this school? 

MB: A few years back, Mrs Coombes 

the headteacher, audited the skills of 

all the staff, discovered my art interest 

and decided to broaden my role to 

teach art across the whole school 

community. 

SC: How did you feel when you were 

given the opportunity to teach art to 

all the classes? 

MB: I was really excited. I had always 

taught art as part of my classroom 

teaching responsibilities, but to 

be able to teach art to a much 

wider audience was a very exciting 

prospect. 

SC: Are there any projects you 

8

particularly like doing with the 

children? 

MB: I’ve taught a number of projects, 

but the one I enjoy returning to is the 

Year 3 colour project which finishes 

with a residential visit to Storey Arms. 

The children paint outdoors, having 

previously looked at the work of the 

Welsh artist, Peter Prendergast. 

Each year the work is different; one 

year it was snowing, another year, it 

was full sunshine and we have had 

everything in between. 

SC: So landscape art then? 

MB: Yes. I’m also excited about the 

work children have been doing 

recently in Year 4 based on the Welsh 

artist Brendan Stuart Burns. 

The children have looked for 

boundaries between textures and 

then photographed them using iPads 

before doing some amazing abstract 

paintings. 

SC: What goes through your head 

when you are planning projects? 

MB: I start with an art skill I want to 

teach. I then look at the context that 

the children are studying in class, 

whether it’s the Romans, National 

Parks or rainforest destruction. Then 

I look for examples of art that can 

be used to engage the children. 

By combining all of this, I hope the 

children will not only learn the art skill 

but also extend their own creativity. 

the past, we have looked at the work 

of a sculptor who lives near Brecon, 

Sally Matthews. We’ve looked at her 

work and written to her, and based 

projects on her drawings. I also like 

Brendan Burn’s work, who I have 

already mentioned. He comments on 

our Instagram posts and we follow his 

Instagram in return. 

A year or so ago we had a visit from 

the BBC to film a piece on our work 

on the artist Kyffin Williams, whose 

paintings are a great starting point for 

our pupils. 

schools 

in Australia and America, as well as 

schools, art colleges and artists in this 

country. 

SC: Are you more a fan of classical art 

or modern art? 

MB: I think I would go with modern 

art. 

SC: Interesting. I wouldn’t have 

expected an art teacher who teaches 

about olden art to select that, but 

I understand that. Finally, are there 

any art projects you want to do in the 

future? 

MB: Ahh. The art project I really 

want to do is stone carving with the 

children. Every year I think about 

it, but I haven’t yet quite had the 

courage. 

SC: You should pursue it. 

MB: You are probably right. 

SC: Thank you. 

SC: So you come up with all these 

projects by yourself? 

MB: Yes I do. It’s one of the many 

enjoyable parts of teaching - the 

creative challenge of developing 

fresh ideas to generate really exciting 

work. 

SC: Are there any particular art works 

you like? 

MB: I’m very interested in Welsh art. In 

SC: Talking about Instagram, you have 

an account? 

MB: Yes we do. 

SC: Can you tell us about that? 

MB: Our Instagram @art_llanfach is 

a way of sharing with the families of 

our pupils what goes on in the art 

room. As time has gone by, our posts 

are reaching a wider audience and 

we now have contacts with schools 

9

Christmas Festival 

at St Martin’s School 

Free hearing tests with 

Diamond Hearing! 

At Llanishen Eyecare, we are committed to 

giving our patients the best service in a relaxed, 

friendly and professional environment 

- NHS and private patients welcome 

- (WECS) Welsh Eye Care Service accredited 

- Wide range of contact lenses 

- On-trend eye wear to suit all budgets 

- Local experienced Optometrist who has been 

testing in the Llanishen area for over 25 years 

Follow our Facebook page to keep up 

with all the latest news and products 

Church School House,2 Heol Hir, 

Llanishen, Cardiff CF14 5AE 

02920 754314 www.llanisheneyecare.com 

Craft Stalls • Food • Drink 

Sixth Form Open 

Evening 

10th December 

from 5pm 

If you would like a stall at our event 

for just £10, please email : 

enterprise@stmartins.caerphilly.sch.uk 

St Martin’s School, 

Hillside, Caerphilly CF83 1UW 

Telephone : 02920 858050 

www.stmartins.caerphilly.sch.uk 

Concerts at the Crossroads 2020 

Beulah URC Rhiwbina 

Wednesday 29th January 

Opera students from the Royal Welsh College 

of Music and Drama (RWCMD) 

This is a annual treat when four opera students from 

the David Seligman Opera School at the RWCMD 

come to perform their favourite songs and arias. A 

great opportunity to hear the opera stars of the future. 

All concerts start at 1.05pm and last approx. 50 minutes 

Wednesday 26th February 

Jâms Coleman – piano 

Jâms is regarded as one of the outstanding 

musicians of his generation. This Anglesey born 

pianist, who has won many major and prestigious 

awards comes to Beulah for the first time. 

Wednesday 25th March 

Centenary Concert 

Rebecca Evans - soprano 

Michael Pollock - piano 

We are delighted to announce that the 

internationally renowned Welsh soprano Rebecca 

Evans will join Michael Pollock to celebrate our one 

hundredth Beulah lunchtime concert with us. 

Tickets for all concerts £5 payable on the door 

1A Beulah Rd, Cardiff CF14 6LT

Dear Resident, 

We have enjoyed another exceptionally busy year working on your behalf in 

Rhiwbina and County Hall. We have all asked questions at the Council 

Meeting on a variety of issues including council tax, waste collections, 

schools issues and planning. Adrian, as Leader of the Opposition also sits 

as an observer, with speaking rights, at the Council’s Cabinet Meeting and 

makes his views known about the Executive’s proposed ideas for Cardiff. 

In Rhiwbina, we attend the joint Partnership and Community Together 

Meetings (PACT) with the local Police and continue to work closely with 

the police and council on issues which are raised with us both at the 

meetings, and via correspondence or at ward surgeries. We attended the 

Older Persons Event run by several associations, and have learnt a lot 

about the additional services that are available to keep people living 

longer and more safely in their own homes. We thoroughly enjoy attending 

events in Rhiwbina which are always varied and fun. So much hard work 

goes into ensuring that they are enjoyable and often raise money for charities 

and good causes. Jayne and Oliver took part in the Rhiwbina Friends of 

Tenovus Pantomime staged in Canolfan Beulah. We understand another 

event is planned for early 2020 so please keep an eye on our social media 

feeds for updates! 

We have been working with the Council to ensure that appropriate play 

equipment is installed in Caedelyn Park, and we are assured by officers that 

this will be completed before the start of the new financial year. 

We wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! 

Jayne, Adrian and Oliver 

@Adrian1Robson 

07973 145116 

@OliverOwen 

07976 440388 

@JayneCowan 

07970 013332

kids 

Dear 

Santa 

Santa Claus 

Lapland 

North Pole 

Dear Santa 

Dear Santa 

I’m looking 

forward to 

Christmas Day 

this year. I hope 

it snows! 

I think I'm on the Good List 

because I’ve been helping 

out at school and at home 

throughout the year. 

Please can you bring me Our 

Generation School set? 

Have my elves, Charlie and 

Cheeky, been good helpers 

this year? 

Jenna aged 8 

This year, I am looking forward to 

getting presents and having fun with 

my family. 

I think that I'm on the Good List 

because sometimes I’m good. But 

I’m a bit naughty as well 

because I’m mean to 

my little brother. 

For Christmas, I 

really want an iPod 

and a skateboard. 

I hope that I’m on 

the Good List. I 

promise to try my 

hardest to be nice to 

my brother. 

Rhys aged 8 

Dear Santa 

I look forward to my elf Timmy coming 

back in December and also seeing my 

family and opening my presents. 

I think I'm on your Good List because 

I've been playing with my sister. 

I would like an LOL doll, Hatchimals, 

Descendants dolls, a doll of Mary 

Poppins, a sewing kit, a Harry Potter 

colouring and activity book, and a 

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince 

book. 

Please put me on the Good List! 

Rosie aged 8 

Dear Santa 

I am looking forward to meeting all 

of my family and opening all of my 

presents this Christmas. 

I think that I am on the Good List 

because I always try my hardest, look 

out for others and care for people. 

Please can you bring me LOLs and 

a tablet. 

Thank you for the presents I have 

had in previous years. 

Holly aged 8

Dear Santa 

I am looking forward to opening presents 

and seeing my family this Christmas. I'm 

also excited about Chippy my elf coming 

back to stay because I love finding her in 

funny places and talking to her. 

My Mummy thinks that I'm on the Good 

List as I look after my little brother and 

make him laugh, and I am kind to my 

friends. 

I really want an iPod for Christmas because 

you can chat to friends and play games 

on it. I would also like the 

Descendants dolls. 

I hope you and all the 

elves are having fun 

getting ready 

for Christmas. 

Evie 

aged 8 

Dear Santa 

I am looking forward to spending time 

with my family this Christmas. 

I'd like to think that I'm on the 

Good List because I am kind and 

helpful. 

For Christmas, I'd like a litter 

picker, a chin-up bar and a 

skateboard. 

Thank you for my Christmas 

presents. 

Molly aged 9 

Dear Santa 

I am looking forward to opening 

my presents, seeing my family and 

going to the fun house at Winter 

Wonderland. 

I think I'm on your Good List as 

I have been good and I am kind to 

everybody but sometimes I have 

been naughty. 

For Christmas, I'd like Hot Wheels 

and Space Lego. 

I love you Santa. 

I hope you have a 

great day. I wish I 

could see you in 

Lapland again. 

Eddie aged 5 

Dear Santa 

I'm looking forward 

to Christmas because 

you bring me 

presents. 

I think I am on the 

Good List because 

sometimes I’m a 

good boy. I’ve been good today! 

I’d like a planet calendar for 

Christmas please. 

You're the best because you 

give presents to all of us. 

Charlie aged 6 

Dear Santa 

I'm looking forward to seeing the 

presents under the Christmas tree. 


because I like giving Mummy 

cuddles and being a good friend to 

my friends. 

For Christmas, I'd like a new kitten, 

and a Robux card.‍‍ 

Thank you for 

bringing our 

presents every year 

and your beard is 

beautiful . 

Dear Santa 

I'm looking forward to visiting 

Uncle Ed in London this Christmas. 


because I like helping people. For 

Christmas, I'd like a new kitten and 

a glowpad. 

Please can you keep me on the 

Good List Santa 

and I like your beard. 

Ava aged 8 

Dear Santa 

Sophia aged 8 

I’m looking forward to Christmas dinner with 

my family. 

I think I’m just on the Good List because I’m 

better at rugby and listening. 

This year, I’d like Minecraft LEGO and Nerf 

guns. 

Watch out for our new 

puppy when you come 

down the chimney- she 

likes to chew things! 

Seb aged 9

Services and 

Events for 

Advent and 

Christmas 

Sunday, December 1st - Advent Sunday: 

10.30am: Advent service led by the Worship Team 

Junior Church 

6pm: United ‘Festival of Light’ Service at Bethany Baptist Church 

Sunday, December 8th - 2nd Sunday in Advent: 

10.30am: Morning Worship led by the Worship Team 

Junior Church 

6pm: ’Light for our Loss service’ with Revd Martha McInnes: 

a service for those grieving at Christmas 

Sunday, December 15th - 3rd Sunday in Advent: 

10.30am: Communion Service with Revd Martha McInnes 

Junior Church 

Wednesday, December 18th: 

7:30pm: Sine Nomine Concert in aid of Cardiff Institute for the Blind 

Thursday, December 19th: 

7pm: Carol Singing around the Village, departing from Canolfan Beulah 

Friday, December 20th: 

7pm: Carol Singing around the Village, 

departing from Bethany Baptist 

(All money collected through Carol Singing is in aid of Ty Hafan Children’s Hospice) 

BEULAH UNITED 

REFORMED 

CHURCH, 

Heol Y Deri, Rhiwbina 

Saturday, December 21st: 

10:30am: KIN Musical Christmas Coffee morning at Canolfan Beulah 

Sunday, December 22nd - 4th Sunday in Advent: 

10.30am: Family Christmas Service led by the young people of Beulah 

6pm: Carol Service led by the Music Group 

Monday, December 23rd: 

7pm: Carol Singing around the Village, departing from All Saints Church 

Tuesday, December 24th Christmas Eve 

5-5.30pm: Blessing the Crib service led by the younger children 

11.15pm: Midnight Communion – Revd Martha McInnes 

Christmas Day: 

10.45am: A service of celebration for Christmas Morning 

led by Mr Geraint Richards 

Sunday, December 29th: 

10.30am: Family Service led by Worship Team 

(For more information about these and other events at Beulah 

during December, please contact: secretary@beulahurc.org.uk)

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Martha's Mission 

Following a traumatic event at university, one Rhiwbina woman is 

determined to raise awareness of one of society's darker problems 

The car boot opens and inside, 

there are shopping bags full of milk, 

biscuits and bread. 

"We're filming tomorrow," says 

Martha, heading into the house. 

It's a cold winter's night but one 

warm Rhiwbina household is a hive 

of activity. For 24 year old Martha 

Clarke, it's another small part of her 

ongoing campaign to change things 

for the better. And this particular 

small part is a short film she's 

helping to make for an event she's 

arranging in the New Year. 

The second Martha's Ball will be 

taking place in Cardiff in February, 

16 

designed to raise awareness of one 

of society's big problems. 

"It takes a lot of planning," says 

Martha, sipping her coffee. "I start by 

finalising the date and venue, and I 

take things from there." 

And despite the glad rags and 

champagne, there is a very serious 

reason for organising the ball. 

"At the end of my first year at 

university, I was raped. I spent the 

following year and a half telling 

myself that it didn't happen. You 

see, I'd always been under the 

impression that rape involved dark 

alleyways and strangers but that 

The short film is designed to raise awareness of consent 

didn't happen in my case." 

Martha's experience is one 

that is not uncommon. In fact, it 

is precisely why Martha is on a 

mission to change perceptions. 

"One of the themes in the first 

ball that I arranged earlier this 

year is consent - the myths and 

misunderstandings surrounding 

it; the absence of education to 

explain the importance of it, and the 

long-lasting impacts on physical 

and mental health when it isn’t 

respected." 

For Martha, depression took hold 

soon after the incident. It took 18 

months for her to come to terms 

with what had happened. 

"I moved away from Cardiff which 

was sad as it’s my home, but I 

would have found it difficult to 

move on emotionally here with my 

perpetrator being in the same city. 

Who knows when I would have 

bumped into him? 

"While still at university, I joined 

the Domestic Violence Awareness 

Society, becoming President there 

by the time I'd left. I also worked 

with the Response Team, which 

was the reporting tool at Cardiff 

University."

Martha also joined two groups 

outside of university in a bid to help 

others, but also to try and help ease 

her private pain. 

"I joined Plan International, an 

international organisation that 

works with vulnerable children and 

especially girls so that they can 

learn, lead, decide and thrive. I also 

joined the Full Circle Youth Advisory 

Panel - both of these groups 

promote gender equality and I 

had to go to weekly and monthly 

meetings. It was great because I 

learnt about planning campaigns 

and had to give speeches. 

"My first speech was in 2017 and 

no one knew at that point what had 

happened to me. I spoke to 200 

people about the extent of sexual 

violence on university campuses. 

"It was about two weeks later that 

I felt that I had to tell my family 

about what had happened to me. I 

couldn't keep it in any more. They 

were very shocked. I remember my 

dad saying to me, and it’ll always 

stick with me, that 'there will be a 

way through this – we don’t know 

what it is yet, but we will figure it 

out.’ That was the first thing he said 

to me. 

"My mum’s been brilliant too. She’s 

really helped with my mental health 

issues and my sisters have listened 

to everything I've had to say. I’m 

very lucky." 

Martha has put her new-found 

skills and confidence to good use. 

"Eventually, I decided to arrange 

a ball of my own that would raise 

awareness of consent. I arranged 

to have a variety of speakers there 

and I also wanted to say something 

myself. I read out a poem about my 

experience that no one had heard 

before. 

"Pushing myself has given me new 

experiences that I never thought 

I'd find myself doing. I recently 

spoke in the House of Commons 

on behalf of Plan International, who 

were launching a street harassment 

campaign. I also submitted the 

poem that I'd read at the ball to be 

published in an online poetry book 

about Me Too and I had an email 

very recently to say that I’d been 

successful!" 

But Martha still has work to do. 

"One week after my first ball, 

there was an incident involving 

my perpetrator. The police said 

that they were going to investigate 

and asked if I wanted to give a 

statement. 

"They then told me months later 

that there was going to be no action 

taken. The fact is that most of these 

crimes aren't reported, and of those 

that are reported, less than 5% lead 

to a conviction. That's not good 

enough." 

In Martha's case, no one was 

brought to justice. She is keen to 

point out that the reasons for this 

are a wider problem. 

"The reason for this is partly 

because a large proportion of 

society don't know exactly what 

rape is. Many also don't know 

when it's happening to them; that 

they might freeze and not talk, or 

attempt to push the perpetrator off. 

You freeze with fear. Fear is also 

the reason why many people don't 

come forward to report it and a 

culture of victim-blaming doesn't 

help either. There's a whole world 

of conscious and subconscious 

sexism out there in society and 

added to that, there's also a huge 

misunderstanding of some of the 

mental health issues at play. 

"Even living in London now, I 

still present symptoms of PTSD. I 

struggle at times when I'm on the 

Tube, when there are lots of tall 

bodies closing in around me." 

Martha has had to push through 

her distress and try and turn 

negatives into positives. Next year's 

ball is going to be her second, and 

she's hoping to more than double 

the amount of money she raised 

earlier this year. 

"We raised £2,000 for Rape Crisis 

England and Wales at our last 

ball. The charity does incredible 

work but they only have one 

centre in Wales. They provide 

specialist support, legal advice and 

counselling to survivors; they also 

deliver training to universities and 

places of work. 

"We are doing away with speakers 

for this ball and are having what's 

effectively a short film festival for 

this next one. This includes the 

short film that my dad and his 

colleagues are making especially 

for it. After that, we'll be looking to 

use the film to highlight the theme 

of consent. I'm currently looking for 

any legal people who might be able 

to help me! 

"Last year’s event was great 

because so much discussion was 

triggered. I had people coming 

up to me and saying that they 

would look to implement more 

gender equality - football coaches, 

teachers and even parents. Those 

engagement levels really showed 

that the event had the impact that I 

was looking for." 

It's this type of legacy that Martha 

is hoping to build upon in years to 

come. 

"If I can change one person's 

perspective, that will be something," 

she says. 

Even if it is just one person at a 

time, the Rhiwbina post-graduate 

will be hoping that she can help 

make the world a better place. 

Martha's Ball takes place at 

the Radisson Blu Hotel on 29th 

February. Ticket available from the 

following social media pages: 

@fundivism 

@fundivism 

interview 

Martha with friends at the inaugural ball 

The short film promotional poster 

17

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The 

Joy of 

Giving 

Christmas is a time of 

giving. Spread a little 

joy this Christmas with a 

few alternative ideas 

65 1. BAKE FOR A 

NEIGHBOUR 

Maintaining neighbourly relationships can be 

helped with kind and unexpected touches. Baking 

a cake is an ideal way to bestow the festive spirit on 

your neighbours. 

6 2. GIFT A STRANGER 

Happiness is often found in selfless acts. Prepare a 

parcel for a stranger and leave it on their doorstep 

on Christmas Eve. Alternatively, there are websites 

where you can swap gifts with complete strangers 

across the world. 

5 3. DONATE TO A FOODBANK 

Amid all the excess of Christmas, there are those who 

struggle to even obtain the basics. There are plenty of 

Foodbanks in and around Cardiff and some of these dropoff 

points can be found towards the exits of supermarkets. 

Foodbanks often need tinned fruit, long-life fruit juice, UHT 

milk, rice pudding and tinned vegetables. 

6 4. SPEND TIME WITH 

LONELY NEIGHBOURS 

Loneliness can be difficult to cope with at any time 

of the year, but for some, the added expectation of 

festive cheer and togetherness can be too much. 

Clear your diary and spend some time with lonely 

neighbours - you may be the only person they see 

over the festive season. 

20

feature 

5 5. SHOP WORKERS 

Retail can be a difficult time for its workers and 

customers can often be difficult and demanding. 

You can make all the difference to a workers' day 

with the simple act of smiling. If a worker provides 

great service, seek out a manager or a comments 

card and pass on some good feedback. 

8 6. BUY A HOT DRINK FOR 

A HOMELESS PERSON 

Winter can be very unforgiving for those on the 

streets and a hot drink will warm them both 

physically and emotionally. 

65 7. STICK POST-IT NOTES IN 

PUBLIC PLACES 

You never know when someone just needs to hear the right 

words or when they're having a rough day. You can easily 

get a message of hope across to strangers at Christmas by 

leaving inspirational messages on post-it notes in public 

places. Keep them short and simple and very positive. It is 

the season of goodwill after all! 

65 8. DONATE TO ANIMAL 

SHELTERS 

Animals deserve a Christmas too and for those down at the 

animal shelters, it can often be a lonely time. Even if you 

don't donate food or toys, making a financial donation will 

be just as welcome. 

5 9. DONATE TOYS TO A 

WOMEN'S REFUGE 

There are plenty of children who will go without 

this Christmas and some of those will be spending 

the season in a women's refuge. Families often flee 

from their homes to escape abuse, leaving behind 

their possessions and friends. Pick up a few items 

when you are out doing your Christmas shopping 

and drop them to your local women's refuge 

centre, where they will be most welcomed. 

6 10. TAKE TREATS INTO WORK 

Working at Christmas can be a chore so why not lighten 

the mood by taking in some festive treats to keep those 

spirits up? It doesn't have to be anything fancy - even just a 

few biscuits or cakes will do. 

If you find that you've been given too many boxes of 

chocolates for Christmas, these can always be shared with 

colleagues. 

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feature 

Winter 

Traditions 

The Winter is a time of tradition and 

familiarity yet we rarely often stop to 

ask about their origins. Here are the 

backgrounds to a few of our known 

and less well-known customs 

Hogmanay 

Hogmanay is the Scots word 

for the last day of the year 

and is synonymous with the 

celebration of the New Year 

(Gregorian calendar) in the 

Scottish manner. 

There are many customs 

and traditions, both national 

and local, associated with 

Hogmanay. The most common 

national custom is the practice 

of first-footing, which starts 

immediately after midnight. 

This involves being the first 

person to cross the threshold 

of a friend or neighbour's house 

and often involves the giving 

of symbolic gifts such as coal, 

shortbread, whisky and fruit 

cake, which is supposed to bring 

different kinds of luck to the 

householder. 

It is tradition that a dark-haired 

man should be the first-foot and 

it can go on for many hours after 

midnight. 

There are also 

many local 

customs in 

Scotland such as 

fireball swinging - 

balls of fire swung 

around on chains. 

Twelfth Night 

Wassailing in an orchard 

Also known as Epiphany Eve, 

and celebrated on January 5th, 

Twelfth Night celebrates the last 

night of the Christmas period. 

Food and drink were 

traditionally a main feature of 

Twelfth Night and in some areas 

of the UK, people would go out 

to orchards and 'wassail'. This 

ancient custom involved singing 

to the trees to encourage a good 

harvest for the forthcoming year. 

A popular Twelfth Night tradition 

was to have a bean and pea 

hidden inside a Twelfth Night 

cake; the man who found the 

bean in his slice of cake became 

King for the night while the lady 

who found a pea in her slice 

of cake became Queen for the 

night. 

Mari Lwyd 

The Mari Lwyd is an ancient 

Welsh custom which used to be 

widespread but now survives 

only in a few places, whereas 

in other locations it is usually a 

revival of a dormant custom. 

Mari Lwyd means 'grey mare', 

and she takes the form of a 

decorated horse-skull on a 

pole operated by a man in a 

white sheet. The Mari would 

be paraded around the district 

in return for refreshment as a 

house-visiting custom. A feature 

of the event was the singing 

battle between the visiting party 

and householders, followed by 

the visitors being invited in for 

cake. 

The custom was first recorded 

in 1800. 

A contemporary Mari Lwyd

Burns Night 

Burns Night is annually 

celebrated in Scotland on 

or around January 25th. It 

commemorates the life of the 

poet Robert Burns, who was 

born on January 25th 1759. 

The day also celebrates Burns' 

contribution to Scottish culture. 

His best known work is Auld Lang 

Syne. 

Many people and organisations 

hold a Burns Supper on or 

around Burns Night. Everyone 

enjoys a hearty feast (which 

includes haggis, neeps and 

tatties, rounded off with drams of 

whisky). Some of Burns’ poems 

and songs are recited, and 

tributes are made to the great 

Bard. 

St Dwynwen’s Day 

St Dwynwen’s Day is celebrated in 

Wales on 25th January. 

St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint 

of lovers, which makes her the Welsh 

equivalent of St Valentine. Dwynwen 

is believed to have been a daughter of 

King Brychan Brycheiniog, who lived in 

the 5th century. 

People exchange cards and gifts, take 

time out and have special meals with 

loved ones. 

Shrove Tuesday 

Shrove Tuesday is the 

day before Lent starts on 

Ash Wednesday. 

The name Shrove 

comes from the old 

middle English word 

'Shriven' meaning to 

go to confession to say 

sorry for the wrong 

things you've done. 

Lent always starts on a 

Wednesday, so people 

went to confessions 

on the day before. This 

became known as Shriven Tuesday and then Shrove Tuesday. 

The other name for this day, Pancake Day, comes from the old English 

custom of using up all the fattening ingredients in the house before Lent, 

so that people were ready to fast. The fattening ingredients that most 

people had in their houses in those days were eggs and milk. 

Kissing Friday 

Kissing Friday is no longer a popular 

tradition in the UK but until the mid- 

20th century, on this day a schoolboy 

could kiss a girl without fear of a slap 

or a telling off. 

If the boys wanted to the kiss the 

girls, they had to catch them. Some 

boys would tie ropes across the 

street and the girls would have to 

pay for passage past the rope with a 

kiss. Others would simply chase the 

girls until they caught them. 

Boxing Day 

Ash Wednesday 

Ash Wednesday is the Christian 

holy day of prayer and fasting. 

As it is the first day of Lent, 

Christians begin Ash Wednesday by 

marking a Lenten calendar, praying 

a Lenten daily devotional, and 

abstaining from a luxury that they 

will not partake of until Eastertide 

arrives. 

Ashes are ceremonially placed 

on the heads of Christians on 

Ash Wednesday, either by being 

sprinkled over their heads or more 

often, by being marked on their 

foreheads as a visible cross. 

Leap Year 

In the Gregorian calendar, the 

standard calendar in most of 

the world, most years that are 

multiples of four are leap years. 

In each leap year, such as 2020, 

the month of February has 29 

days instead of 28. Adding one 

extra day in the calendar every 

four years compensates for the 

fact that a period of 365 days is 

shorter than a tropical year by 

almost 6 hours. 

In Ireland and Britain, it is 

a tradition that women may 

propose marriage only in leap 

years. A person born on February 

29th may be called a 'leapling' or 

a 'leaper'.

67 Thornhill Rd 

Llanishen 

Cardiff 

CF14 6PE 

02920 755682 

Services we offer to all: 

• Free prescription 

collection service from 

all North Cardiff surgeries 

• Free delivery 

• Help taking your 

medicines 

• Flu vaccinations 

• Weight loss help 

and lots more 

Get the New Year off to a great start 

Lipotrim Weight Loss Programme 

www.lipotrim.com and www.insyncpharmacy.co.uk 

Please call in to get started today 

Pharmacy only programme 

Weekdays 8.30am-6pm 

Closed 1pm-1.30pm 

Saturdays 9am-12 noon 

20% off 

Throughout January and February 

FREE STOP SMOKING SERVICES 

CALL 02920 755682 

to book an appointment today 

Set sail 

with us... 

At Passion for Cruises we pride ourselves on offering the highest 

standards of customer service combined with incredible savings. 

We boast some of the most experienced cruise agents in the industry 

with over 50 years experience in selling cruises. 

When booking with us your every cruising requirement is catered for 

whether you are a first time cruiser or a single traveller. We are specialists 

in low or no single supplement cruises and are committed to helping find 

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We have the best variety of cruises to exciting destinations across the 

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Sign up for offers direct to your inbox - email sales@passionforcruises.co.uk 

Call 029 2061 9961 

Monday - Saturday 9am - 5.30pm | www.passionforcruises.co.uk 

Cartwright Travel, 23 Heol Y Deri, Rhiwbina, Cardiff, CF14 6YF

Les vêpres 

siciliennes Verdi 

The Marriage 

of Figaro Mozart 

Carmen Bizet 

Chwefror 8 – 29 February 2020 

Archebwch nawr ar yganolfan.org.uk 

Book now at wmc.org.uk 029 2063 6464* 

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• Child Care Law 

• Conveyancing 

• Employment Law 

• Family Law 

Service. Expertise. Community. 

• Litigation 

Call Robertsons today on 

• Personal Injury Claims 

029 2023 7777 

• Probate, Wills & Trusts 

www.robsols.co.uk 

law@robsols.co.uk

have an 

eco christmas 

The planet may not be at the top of 

your Christmas list but it does need 

your help. Here are a few ways to make 

your Christmas more eco-friendly 

Christmas cards 

Around 1.5 billion Christmas cards 

are thrown away by UK households 

each year. Bearing in mind that 

Christmas cards were first sent in 

1840, that's a lot of trees that have 

been sacrificed over those 150 

years! 

If you still want to send traditional 

greetings, choose cards that are 

sustainably resourced or made 

from recycled card. Many large 

retailers have stopped using glitter 

on their cards because it's so hard 

to recycle - making the conscious 

choice to avoid glitter will help. 

Try and deliver your cards in 

person and if you'd like to cut down 

on your carbon footprint further, 

you may want to consider sending 

e-cards instead. Seeded cards are 

also available. Plant your cards after 

they are used and watch plants 

grow from them months later! 

Brown parcel 

paper 

Lots of gift wrappings contain 

varying degrees of plastic, 

rendering it unrecyclable. This of 

course, all goes straight in the bin 

once it's discarded. Opt for the 

more eco-friendly (and elegant!) 

alternative of wrapping your gifts in 

recycled brown paper and string. 

Not only does it look more stylish, 

but it can be recycled once finished 

with. 

Use your own trees 

Up to 8 million Christmas trees are 

bought every December in the UK 

and that's potentially a lot of waste 

once Christmas has gone. 

If you usually buy real trees for 

outside displays, consider using 

any trees that are already there. 

Indoors, you can either purchase 

large plants (like yucca for instance) 

if you don't already have them and 

decorate those. It'll help with your 

impact on the environment. 

Recycle your tree 

'Real' Christmas trees are 

recyclable and can be shredded 

into chippings which are then 

used locally in parks or woodland 

areas. 

You can often get your tree 

recycled by the local Council, who 

can let you know where and when 

to take your tree. Some Councils 

also offer collections. Check your 

local authority website or give 

them a call for more information.

feature 

Go rustic 

With the current drive to ditch the plastic, it's a great 

excuse to bring a more Nordic, rustic Christmas into 

your home. Creating a woodland theme can be done 

by adding forest finds, handmade decorations and 

soft, cosy fabrics. 

Your living room is likely to be the place where 

you hibernate for most of Christmas and this can be 

adorned with pine cone garlands and twigs from 

the garden. Adding foliage and holly boughs around 

the room can also add to the festive feel. Add cosy 

cushions and throws to keep you warm. By creating a 

woodland indoors, not only are you making your very 

own Winter Wonderland, you're reducing the amount 

of plastic and waste. 

Vegan food choices 

Veganism has really taken off in the last few years. There are several 

reasons why people have turned vegan and saving the environment is 

one of the main ones. The meat industry's environmental impact is huge. 

It contributes to land and water degradation, biodiversity loss, acid rain, 

coral reef degeneration and deforestation. 

There is now a wealth of vegan food options available, meaning that you 

don't have to go without gorgeous food at Christmas. In fact, creating an 

entirely plant-based Christmas dinner has never been easier. As well as 

your traditional nut roasts, there are countless meat alternatives for those 

who can't bear to go without their meaty dishes. And for desserts, there'll 

be no need to serve up fruit salad as many supermarket shelves are full of 

luxurious and ethically-sound yumminess. 

Let's face it - it'll save you going through the traditional Christmas 

discussion about how boring and tasteless turkey is this year. 

Share transport 

We often think of Christmas as a 

busy time and this is often best 

illustrated when our roads are 

clogged up with traffic. 

Ask if your neighbours need a 

lift to do their shopping or even 

arrange a lift rota with friends over 

the Christmas period. 

You can make Christmas travel 

greener by using public transport 

where possible and if you are 

shopping online, try and arrange 

for bulk deliveries to cut down on 

delivery van runs. 

Gift sustainably 

There are plenty of outlets where 

you can source sustainable 

gifts. From ethical and fair trade 

to organic and recycled goods, 

every little really does help the 

environment. 

You may even want to go down 

the route of buying alternative gifts 

such as adopting an endangered 

animal or donating to ethical 

charities. These are the type of gifts 

that keep on giving and benefit 

those in need. 

Use up leftover 

food 

How many times have you sat 

looking at the aftermath of a 

Christmas dinner and uttered 

the words 'I think we cooked too 

much'? 

Christmas has become a time of 

excess waste but it doesn't have 

to be like that. Cook sensibly but if 

there is waste, don't throw it away. 

Use the leftover food to make 

extra meals that you either eat 

during the holidays or to freeze 

and have a later date. Using up 

your leftover bits and bobs will 

help the environment and also 

help your purse. 

29

House Clearances 

2nd 

time around 

2nd Time Around 

specialise in 

house clearance 

We provide a professional and 

friendly service for full or part 

clearance, attics to cellars. 

Specialist Glaziers with over 30 Years Experience 

Repairs & Renewals 

Experts in the repair of windows, doors and conservatories 

uPVC Products 

We offer a full range of quality replacement uPVC products 

Mirrors & Processed Glass 

Mirrors, glass (standard, safety, greenhouse & picture) 

Secondary Glazing 

A less costly option to reduce noise & heat loss 

Unit 4 St Catherine’s Park, Pengam Road, Cardiff CF24 2TY 

029 2048 6797 

contact@wrightglass.co.uk www.wrightglass.co.uk 

We also offer the following services: 

• Reports for probate purposes 

• Valuations & advice on selling at auction 

• Auction service 

• Cleaning service 

• Sympathetic handling of deceased’s estates 

• Small removals & deliveries, nationwide 

• Rubbish removal 

• Recycling 

We comply with current legislation; we are waste 

management registered and have public liability insurance. 

House Clearance Specialists 

www.houseclearancecardiff.com 

Contact: Jan Richards 

T: 02920 692704 M: 07715 622406 

E: janrichards4@hotmail.co.uk 

W: www.houseclearancecardiff.com 

Viney Hearing Care 

Introducing Micro-suction 

THE SAFEST WAY TO CLEAN YOUR EARS 

Viney Hearing Care is now the first hearing centre to offer 

Micro-Suction, the SAFEST way to remove wax. No more ear 

syringing necessary, there is no longer any need to pump 

water into the ear to remove wax. It is performed under direct 

vision using a microscope using gentle suction and 

instruments to clean the ears. The ear canal is narrow and 

curved and can become blocked with wax, skin, debris from 

infection and foreign objects. This can cause your hearing to 

become dull and the quickest relief is micro-suction. 

If you are having problems and dull hearing, itchy ears 

or a blocked feeling, it could be wax blocking your ears. 

Come and have a FREE ear health check to determine 

if wax is the problem. We will use a fibre optic camera to 

view and assess the condition of the 

canal and the ear drum. If we find 

that the ears are blocked with 

wax, micro-suction is the 

safest way to remove it. 

FREE 

Microsuction & 

Ear Health Check Day 

Friday 31st January 

(usually £45) 

Call now! Limited spaces! 

02920 250121 

FREE hearing 

tests and advice 

with the latest 

diagnostic 

equipment 

FREE 

demonstrations 

of the newest 

hearing 

technology 

FREE lifetime 

aftercare service 

Micro-suction 

wax removal, 

the safest way to 

remove wax 

Service, repair 

and calibration of 

ANY hearing aid 

Video Otoscopy 

- fibre optic 

camera to show 

the condition of 

the ear 

Speech analysis - 

testing how well 

your hearing aids 

allow you to hear 

speech 

66 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1DJ 

02920 250121 vineyhearingcare.co.uk

Chto 

The Art Workshop 

Quality Fine Art Tuition for adults and young artists 

New term starts 

Monday January 6th 

Courses in Drawing • Painting • Oils • Acrylics • 

Textile Art • Watercolours • Printmaking • 

Children’s Academy • Holiday Art Workshops for 

Children • Group Events • Birthday Parties 

3 Lon Fach, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6DY 

For timetable and booking see 

w: www.theartworkshop.co.uk 

e: theartworkshop@live.co.uk 

t: 07947 003111 

www.euronics.co.uk 

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*Terms and conditions apply. Sold as an agent for Euronics Limited. All rights reserved. All offers are subject to availability while stocks last. Delivery & Installation charges may apply. Exclusions and Radius Apply. Prices correct at 

time of print but can be subject to change. See in store for full details. Images for illustration purposes only. Copyright Euronics 2019. Savings compared to a higher price charged for 7 days. Savings on selected models only.

2 

1 

3 

4 

Gorgeous 

gifts 

1. Christmas 2.Floral body 

hampers £POA soufflé £20 

These made-toorder 

Christmas body soufflé 

This rich nourishing 

hampers are is infused with 

bursting with tasty organic geranium 

food and drink for rose, known for 

all occasions - the its beautiful floral 

perfect festive, aroma. Enriched 

foodie gift this with vitamins A, B 

Christmas. 

complex, D and E to 

Pughs Garden 

hydrate your skin. 

Centre, Radyr wavybeauty.com 

32 

3. Robert Welch 

Nest Candelabrum 

Five Arm, Stainless 

Steel £190 

Made from high 

quality 18/10 

stainless steel, 

this hand-finished 

candelabrum 

comes with a mirror 

finish and is gift 

boxed. 

Leekes 

Put a smile on the faces of loved ones this 

Christmas with our hand-picked 

collection of thoughtful gifts 

4. Sleepy Sheep 

Hot Water Bottle 

Cover £22.50 

Hand-knitted, 

sheep themed hot 

water bottle cover. 

With buttoned flap 

opening. Made 

from 100% wool in 

Nepal. Suitable for 

a standard 2 litre 

sized water bottle. 

ethicalshop.org 

5. Wood-carved 

polar bear £20.95 

This carved 

wooden polar bear 

has jointed knees 

and shoulders so 

you can casually 

style it on any 

bookshelf or 

mantelpiece 

according to your 

mood! 

Flower Lodge 

6. Skog scented 

candles £29 

The fragrance will 

scent a mid-sized 

room for up to 45 

hours, and the 

painted glass votive 

glows colourfully 

when lit. Wash and 

re-use the glass 

votives for tealights 

when finished. 

www.trouva.com

5 

6 

7 

9 

8 

10 

11 12 

7. Chunky tweed 

scarf £15 

There's no room 

for winter blues 

with this vibrant, 

chunky tweed 

scarf with beautiful 

contrasting colours. 

Would make an 

ideal cosy gift for 

the oncoming cold 

season. 

Calon Rhiwbeina 

8. Santa’s Sleigh 

Is On Its Way To 

Cardiff £4.99 

A brilliant book 

for Christmas for 

anyone living in 

Cardiff or from 

Cardiff, who wants 

their children to 

enjoy the magic of 

Christmas Eve! 

Little People Store, 


9. Small rocking 

reindeer £13 

This chap will 

rock around the 

Christmas tree 

with you! Classic 

materials and 

a quirky design 

combine to 

make this a really 

unique Christmas 

decoration. 

Flower Lodge 

10. Vegan snack 

bag £5 

A washable vegan 

leather snack 

pouch with a roll 

top and popper 

fastener, perfect for 

snacks on the go. 

It feels like paper 

but it's incredibly 

robust and is also 

machine-washable 

up to 60 degrees! 

thewisehouse.co.uk 

11. Dyson humidifier 

£499 

Scientifically proven 

to hydrate the air for 

a more comfortable 

environment. 

This humidifier 

precisely monitors 

temperature and 

humidity to maintain 

a hygienic and 

healthier room. 

Budd Electricals 

12. Top Model by 

Depesche from 

£2.75 

The colouring 

books, pens, 

coloured pencils, 

templates, stencils 

and stickers 

promote creativity in 

a fun way. These are 

perfect for stockingfillers. 

Serenade 

33

Welcome to Bailey’s Better Homes. Located in Cardiff, 

BBH specialise in creating striking and bespoke kitchens 

and bathrooms in South Wales 

Are you looking for the following? 

• A contractor who will respect your wishes and home 

• An individual service tailored to you and your needs 

• A vast range of high quality products to choose from 

• First class fitting service 

• Friendly, hand-picked tradesmen 

• A single point of contact from start to finish 

• Design, supply and install in one place 

• High definition 3D designs on the latest CAD software 

• Exceptional aftercare 

If so, please get in contact with us. 

You won’t be disappointed! 

Chris Bailey 07595 512414 

mail@baileysbetterhomes.co.uk 

www.baileysbetterhomes.co.uk 

New beginnings 

are often disguised 

as painful endings 

No-one plans for marriage or relationships to end. Divorce and separation can leave us feeling lost and hurt, 

and can completely disrupt our sense of identity as well as family life. 

Getting the right legal support is so important to understand your rights, 

what happens next, and to help you find your feet again. 

For more information please contact Sandra Horwood, a Solicitor and Partner with over 30 years experience. 

QualitySolicitors 

J A Hughes 

Changing the way you look at lawyers. 

Cardiff 02920 619 700 l Penarth 02920 702 449 l Barry 01446 411 000 

solicitors@jahughes.com www.qualitysolicitors.com/jahughes

Win tickets 

to see 

swan lake 

and dinner 

for two 

competitions 

Win a Family Ticket to the ballet at St. David’s Hall 

What better way is there to get in 

the Christmas spirit than to enjoy a 

world class ballet with your loved 

ones at St David’s Hall? 

They've got the festive season all 

wrapped up with three enchanting 

productions from the prestigious 

Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of 

Siberia. 

Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake (Fri 27th- 

Tues 31st Dec) has it all - from the 

majesty of the palace ballroom to 

moonlit lakes; this compelling tale 

of tragic romance is the perfect way 

to spend a winter's evening. 

To be in with a chance of winning 

a Family Ticket for 4, please answer 

the following question: 

Who was the composer of the score 

to Swan Lake? 

a) Tchaikovsky 

b) Prokofiev 

c) Rachmaninoff 

Please email your answer to 

SDHpress@cardiff.gov.uk by Friday 

20th December 2019 along with 

your full name and address, plus a 

phone number. Alternatively, please 

post your entry with your contact 

details to: Marketing Team, St 

David’s Hall, The Hayes, CF10 1AH. 

Family Tickets for 4 can be made 

up of any combination of adults and 

children, but must include at least 

one adult. 

Win a two course meal and a bottle of wine at the Hollybush 

cooked meals. 

We've teamed up with The 

Hollybush to offer one lucky reader 

the chance to win a two course 

evening meal for two and a bottle of 

house wine. 

To be in with a chance of winning, 

all you need to do is answer the 

following question: 

In which village will you find the 

Hollybush? 

Set in the historic semi-rural village 

of Draethen, the Hollybush is a 

picturesque country pub offering a 

perfect venue to enjoy a selection 

of hand-cooked meals and a choice 

of carefully selected real ales and 

other beverages this Winter. 

Suitable for young and old alike, 

visitors can choose to either dine 

and drink downstairs in the lounge, 

complete with two open fires, or the 

large restaurant or snug. 

The Hollybush also offers guests 

an opportunity to stay in a private 

room in a separate building set 

just 10 metres from the entrance. 

Guests can be provided with 

complementary breakfast 

essentials and full access to the 

pub itself including hearty home 

Please email your answer to 

competitions@livingmags.co.uk by 

January 15th, including your full 

name and address, along with a 

telephone number. 

Alternatively, please post your 

entry to our address which you will 

find on the inside front cover of this 

magazine. 

The winner must pre-book their 

dinner with the venue. Prize must 

be taken by 31st March 2020. 

w: www.hollybushdraethen.co.uk 

t: 01633 441 326 

35

Make your next 

move stress-free with 

Mansells.... 

Rhiwbina’s longest 

solely-owned estate agent 

We are an independently owned 

and locally managed estate 

agency covering North Cardiff and 

the surrounding areas. Our wealth 

of experience in residential sales, 

probate valuations and property 

management have made us the 

Estate Agency of choice. Our 

enthusiastic staff are committed 

to offering a proactive approach 

to marketing your home using 

our combined extensive local 

knowledge and expertise. Make 

your 2020 home move with Mansells. 

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Cardiff, CF14 6HA 

029 2052 1600 

property@mansellsestateagents.co.uk 

A DIFFERENT OFFER 

A WEEK 

VILLAGE Hotel CARDIFF, 

29 Pendwyallt Rd, Cardiff CF14 7EF 

029 2167 1120 | VillageHotels.com

Christmas 

Posting 

by Geraldine Seymour 

Santa scowled with hatred at the 

gigantic sack of children’s letters. 

Sighing wearily, he put on his reading 

glasses, and took out the first letter. 

Dear Santa, 

Mummy says we’re having a green 

Christmas this year. I don’t mind because 

all I want for Christmas is my daddy. 

He’s a soldier in Afghanistan and I’m 

frightened he will be shot like my Uncle 

Ben was. Please, bring him home on your 

sleigh. It will make Mummy happy. I hear 

her crying every night. 

Your sleigh won’t affect the atmosphere 

like an aeroplane, so that’s all right. 

I have been a good girl all year, 

Love, 

Zoe Evans aged 7. 

“I don’t think I can do this 

anymore!” Santa said, pulling his 

chair closer to the roaring log fire. 

He suddenly felt overwhelmed by 

the enormity of it all. And lonely. So 

incredibly lonely! He wasn’t God or 

Merlin; he couldn’t perform miracles or 

magic. He was just Santa. 

He kicked the sack of children’s letters, 

causing it to split and the contents 

spilled onto the floor. 

“That’s what I think of you whinging, 

demanding, spoilt little brats,” he 

snarled. “Why won’t you just leave me 

alone?” 

Santa shivered. “Brrrrr – I’m cold. 

My old bones can’t cope with these 

Lapland Winters.” He rubbed his legs, 

trying to get the circulation going. “A 

‘green’ Christmas indeed! All I want is to 

get away from this snow and ice." 

Santa picked up his paper and a 

supplement dropped out. He reached 

down, grumbling about his stiff joints, 

made worse by years of living in a cold 

climate. 

“Ah! Magical,” he said. “Now, that’s how 

I’d like to spend Christmas!” 

He stared at a competition for a 

Caribbean cruise. His eyes glazed over, 

as he imagined the warm green ocean; 

sun kissed beaches cooled by tropical 

breezes and green, yes lovely, lovely 

green everywhere! 

Why not? Since the installation of the 

new computer system, the business 

more or less ran itself. Those lazy 

pretend Santas could do the deliveries 

instead of swanning around in nice 

warm department stores and lying to 

little children. 

It had been years since he’d had a 

holiday. He scrutinised the questions: 

“Damn these low energy light bulbs,” 

he snarled, straining to read under 

the weak light. "I must make a note to 

steal a few 100 watters when I make 

my deliveries. I know the old aged 

pensioners have cupboards full of 

them! Now where was I?” 

Question 1: In which city is the ‘Climate 

Change Conference’ being held? 

“Easy…Bonn!” 

Question 2: Which animals are being 

blamed for producing high amounts of 

methane gas? “Easy, peasy! Cows!” 

He wrote down the answers. Now for 

the final question: 

Question 3: How much longer do 

‘energy-saving bulbs’ last? 

“Now, let me see.” Santa thought for 

a while. “Got it! I do believe it’s twelve 

times longer.” 

So, it was completed and posted. 

Santa went to bed early that night with 

a glass of warm milk and brandy. It was 

dark and stormy, and the wind whistled 

through the cracks in the doors and 

windows. Around midnight, he was 

awakened by a child’s cry. 

“Papa, Papa,” it called mournfully. 

Sitting bolt upright, Santa peered into 

the gloom and found himself face to 

face with a pair of ghostly eyes intently 

fixed upon him; they were the saddest 

eyes he’d ever seen. 

“Who are you?” Santa asked. “What do 

you want?” 

“I am the Ghost of Christmas past,” the 

tiny apparition whispered. 

“And I want my Papa – have you seen 

him?” 

As his eyes accustomed to the dark, 

Santa saw that the child was clutching 

a photograph of a soldier in an oldfashioned 

uniform. The child placed 

the photograph on Santa’s bed then 

disappeared. 

The next night, again as the clock 

struck midnight, a tiny light appeared 

in Santa’s bedroom. He watched as it 

grew in size and intensity until he had to 

shade his eyes from its brightness. 

Suddenly, as if from its very core, a 

small boy appeared. He was dressed in 

desert combat clothes and also held a 

photograph of a soldier. 

“I am the Ghost of Christmas present - 

of children whose fathers have died in 

Afghanistan,” he said. “Will you bring my 

daddy home?” 

The boy stood a while, as if waiting for 

an answer – then was gone. 

The following morning, a letter arrived 

in the post. It contained two prize 

tickets for a Caribbean cruise. Santa was 

delighted! 

He sat up late that night reading 

holiday brochures. Then, just after 

midnight as he was nodding off, a sound 

– not so much a sound but a vibration 

woke him. It was the sound of marching 

feet. A small girl marched into the room. 

“Left, right, left right,” she chanted, "Left 

right, left right.” She stopped abruptly in 

front of Santa. 

“I am the Ghost of Christmas yet to 

come,” she said, “of the children of The 

Welsh Guards returning safely home for 

Christmas. I am going to see my daddy 

soon.” 

She smiled a smile that lit the room 

with a glow of love so strong that Santa 

felt totally engulfed by its force. Her 

smile slowly faded, like the Cheshire 

cat, then she was gone. 

The next morning Santa sat at his desk 

and began a letter: 

Dear Zoe, 

Please don’t worry about your daddy; 

I’m sure he will soon be home safe 

and sound. He and his comrades have 

enormous pride in their work, and are an 

immense credit to Wales and the U.K. I 

want you to be proud of having a daddy, 

who’s a brave soldier serving his country. 

This is very important to him. I enclose 

a special Christmas present for you and 

Mummy. 

Merry Christmas, 

Love, 

Santa xxx 

He slipped the cruise tickets into an 

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work I go!” 

37

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pets 

Your pet 

questions 

answered 

Chris Troughton is clinical director of Heath Vets. He’s here to answer all your pet 

questions. If you’d like to ask Chris a pet-related question, drop us a line 

I understand that poinsettias 

are harmful to pets at Christmas 

but I was recently told that 

cyclamen are also toxic. Is this 

true and are there any other 

festive plants that I should look 

out for? 

Poinsettias and cyclamen are 

indeed toxic to dogs, usually 

causing mild stomach upsets. 

However, they are not the only 

risks and many of the seasonal 

plants we bring indoors at 

Christmas are also toxic to 

varying degrees. This includes 

mistletoe, holly, cotoneaster, 

pyracantha and solanum 

('Christmas cherry') berries, 

hellebores ('Christmas rose') and 

daffodils. Lilies are very toxic 

to cats, causing kidney failure. 

There are many other toxic 

plants you might bring into the 

house but they aren’t common 

at Christmas. In addition to the 

plants mentioned, you should 

be aware that the pips and 

seeds from fruit (eg. apples, 

apricots) contain small amounts 

of cyanide and ingestion of 

sufficient quantities can cause 

poisoning. 

While discussing Christmas 

poisoning, please do remember 

that raisins, sultanas and grapes 

can also be very toxic, so be 

careful that your dog gets no 

mince pies or Christmas cake. 

My dog has been suffering from 

arthritis for the last two years 

and after reading about how 

CBD oil has helped humans, is 

there any research for similar 

use of CBD oil in relieving pain 

in dogs? 

CBD oil seems to be the latest 

‘fad’! It is touted as a panacea for 

all the ills of man (and woman) 

and now is being picked up 

by the pet industry. However, 

there is precious little scientific 

evidence for the claims made for 

it in people, and absolutely none 

for its use in animals. Therefore, 

my advice would be to keep 

clear of it for the present. If it 

truly does have good effects, 

there will be clinical trials 

published in due course and we 

will be able to recommend it 

with confidence. 

While out on a walk a few 

weeks back, we met a dog 

walker who told me that her 

dog was recovering from a 

bout of mange. My dog came 

into very minimal contact with 

her dog. Whenever my dog 

starts scratching, I can’t tell if 

I’m over-thinking the fact that 

my dog has caught mange. Is it 

contagious and what do I need 

to know about it? 

The mange that you are referring 

to is a very itchy condition which 

is caused by a parasitic mite that 

burrows in the skin. People can 

get a similar problem (scabies) 

but the human version does 

not infect dogs, and vice versa - 

though dogs and foxes do share 

the same infection. It is highly 

contagious but most dogs are 

infected by contact with objects 

that infected foxes have rubbed 

against – they are itchy too. 

Spread between dogs requires 

some close contact for the mites 

to move to the new host. 

I think it’s unlikely that your 

dog will have contracted mange 

from the brief meeting you had, 

as transmission requires close 

contact. In addition, if the other 

dog was 'recovering from a 

bout of mange', he presumably 

had been treated. Treatment is 

usually very effective at killing 

the adult mites in the skin 

so patients are generally not 

contagious once treatment has 

been given. 

The new-generation flea and 

tick treatments being prescribed 

by vets nowadays are also very 

effective against mange, so if 

you are concerned, make sure 

you use one of these for routine 

parasite control. 

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f

history 

Rhiwbina's Blue 

Plaque Club 

Rhiwbina village has more than its fair share of blue plaques. 

Rhiwbina Civic Society have unveiled four in the last ten years. 

42 

Cyril Fox 

Sir Cyril Fred Fox Kt FSA FBA MRIA 

was an English archaeologist who 

became keeper of archaeology 

at the National Museum of Wales 

from 1926 to 1948. Along with 

his wife, Aileen Fox, he surveyed 

and excavated several prehistoric 

monuments in Wales. 

Born in Chippenham, Cyril 

held various positions, including 

gardener and a director of a small 

research station in Cambridge. 

In 1926, he was appointed Director 

of the National Museum of Wales, 

following the publication of his 

Ph.D thesis on archaeology and 

anthropology. 

From the early 1930s onwards, he 

published a range of papers that 

were met with critical success. For 

his administrative and scholarly 

work, he gained a wide range of 

honours, including a knighthood 

(1935) and Fellowship of the British 

Academy (1940). 

Together with his colleague Nash- 

Williams at the Museum of Wales, 

he collaborated with the artist Alan 

Sorrell on reconstruction drawings 

of the Roman excavations at 

Caerwent which were published in 

the Illustrated London News. 

He married twice, to Olive who 

died in 1932, with whom he had two 

daughters; then to Aileen, and had 

three sons. After retiring, he lived 

in Exeter and died there on 16th 

January 1967. 

His blue plaque can be found in 

Heol Wen. 

Edgar Leyshon 

Chappell 

Edgar Chappell was a social 

reformer, who was a trained teacher 

and a headmaster for a time. 

Born in Ystalyfera in 1879, Edgar 

joined Professor Herbert Stanley 

Jevons as a research assistant in

1912. His work involved travelling 

and lecturing throughout South 

Wales as a propagandist on behalf 

of the garden cities movement, and 

also for town and country planning. 

He wrote articles and pamphlets 

on these and related subjects and 

by 1921, had become Secretary of 

the South Wales Regional Survey 

Committee, created by the Ministry 

of Health. 

He later formed and managed 

building and land development 

companies in the Cardiff and the 

London areas. He was one of the 

founders, and for some years, the 

secretary of the Welsh Housing and 

Development Association. 

He was active in Council circles 

and received an honorary MA 

degree from the University of Wales 

in 1948. 

In later years, he wrote books 

about Welsh life, looking at various 

social and economic aspects of 

different areas. 

He died in Cardiff on 26th August 

1949 and his blue plaque can be 

found in Y Groes. 

Kate Roberts 

Kate Roberts was one of Wales's 

best-loved authors, and lived in 

Rhiwbina during the late 1920s and 

early 1930s. 

Born in Rhosgadfan in 1891, Kate 

attended Caernarfon County 

School after winning a scholarship. 

She went on to study at Bangor 

University, where she left with a 

Teaching Certificate. 

She spent much of the 1920s 

teaching and grew interested in 

politics, joining Plaid Cymru when it 

was formed in 1925. It was through 

Plaid Cymru that she met her 

husband Morris T. Williams. They 

married in 1928, when Kate gave 

up teaching and the pair moved to 

Rhiwbina. 

By the mid-30s, they had returned 

to North Wales, making their home 

in Denbigh after buying Gwasg 

Gee Press in 1935. It was one of the 

oldest and most important printing 

presses in Wales at that time, 

traditionally publishing Welsh and 

non-conformist material. 

It was around this time that Kate 

published a number of volumes, 

including her most famous work, 

the novel Traed Mewn Cyffion (Feet 

in Chains), which was published in 

1936. 

Morris died in 1946 but Kate 

resumed her writing a few years 

later, publishing Stryd y Glep (Tittletattle 

Street) in 1949. 

Rural life was one of the main 

themes that ran throughout her 

work and thousands of school 

pupils and students have come to 

learn about the harshness of the 

slate quarrying family's life during 

the period. 

Kate Roberts died on 4th April 

1985, aged 94 years. Her blue 

plaque can be found in Lon Isa. 

Iorwerth Peate 

Along with Sir Cyril Fox, Iorwerth 

Peate was best known as the 

founder of St Fagans National 

History Museum, an institution for 

which he was largely instrumental 

in creating in 1947. 

Born in Llanbrynmair into a 

family of carpenters, his interest 

in folk studies and anthropology 

was kindled when studying 

Colonial History and Geography 

at Aberystwyth University under 

professor Herbert John Fleure and 

writer T. Gwynn Jones. 

Iorwerth started his career 

lecturing in parts of West Wales 

and was appointed to the National 

Museum of Wales in 1927, to 

catalogue the museum's folk 

collections. 

At the end of the Second World 

War, the Earl of Plymouth gifted 

St Fagan's Castle to the museum 

to become a new National Folk 

Museum and Iorwerth devoted 

himself to the new venture. 

Inspired by the Scandinavian 

open-air museums, Iorwerth 

envisioned recreating this style of 

attraction for Welsh life and culture. 

Despite objections from those 

within and outside his professional 

circles, work on the museum 

commenced in 1946. 

Iorwerth was insistent that the 

museum would not just be a 

collection of buildings - he wanted 

the inclusion of folklore from oral 

sources too. As a poet and a critic 

himself, he was aware of the folklife 

that existed within people. 

He would go on to publish works 

on the study of folk life in both 

English and Welsh. He received 

many honours during his life and 

died in 1982. 

His blue plaque can be found in 

Lon-y-Dail. 

Rhiwbina Civic Society is a 

friendly and sociable group that 

enables members of the local 

community to voice their ideas 

in an organised and constructive 

way. 

43

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It's been a busy year for Ivor Thomas Funerals. Here's how the 

independent, family-run business has helped families this year 

It's been a very busy year for Ivor 

Thomas Funerals. Not only did they 

officially launch their local business 

earlier this year, but they have also 

hit the ground running. 

"It's also been a very successful 

year," adds director Mark. "We've 

done over 30 funerals this year so 

far, which is a lot for a first year." 

The son-and-father team of Mark 

and Neil Thomas moved into their 

new premises near the Heath 

Hospital in May. 

"We did a good month's work to 

get the place in a good enough 

condition to welcome the public," 

says Neil. "We had all hands on 

deck and the whole family chipped 

in to help us. We've been very 

grateful for all of their help." 

The new premises allow Mark and 

Neil to offer a relaxed sanctuary 

that can help people deal with 

potentially difficult decisions. 

"The office is an ideal place to 

welcome you, to sit you down 

with a cup of tea and to make you 

comfortable. You can relax once 

you're here and we give you the 

space and time to come to your 

own decisions." 

Giving loved ones a dignified 

and respectable funeral can be a 

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service they provide, and the time 

and care they devote to each family. 

"Since our first funeral in February, 

we've already done a wide variety 

of funerals - from one with a horsedrawn 

hearse to a Hindu one. 

That's the great thing about our 

service - we are very adaptable and 

very flexible. We have traditional 

packages but these are just starting 

points that allow you to have the 

exact funeral you want. 

"We also believe that we are one of 

the most affordable funeral services 

in Cardiff and the surrounding 

areas but that's not to say that we 

compromise on quality," says Mark. 

"Our quality of service has been 

reflected in the reviews we've been 

getting online. 100% of them have 

given us 5-star ratings and we are 

extremely proud and happy of that. 

"I think it's our ability to involve 

everyone who wants to be involved 

in the funeral itself that makes the 

difference. We encourage family 

members to be pall-bearers for 

their loved one's final journey if they 

so wish; we are even able to offer 

family members the option to help 

weave the willow caskets we use 

- it's those little touches that mean 

a lot when saying goodbye for the 

final time," says Mark. 

"We like to be honest and open 

about our pricing so that there 

are no nasty surprises. We have a 

secure prepayment scheme that we 

arrange with Golden Leaves and for 

just £30, we can come to your home 

and go through everything for you, 

providing you with complete peace 

of mind, even if you don't want to 

prepay." 

Neil also helps create hand-turned 

urns right here in Cardiff. 

"All of the wood is sourced from 

South Wales and we can also offer 

you the opportunity to have loved 

ones' ashes inlaid into resin candle 

holders and bowls," adds Neil. 

These caring touches are what 

sets Ivor Thomas Funerals apart, 

allowing them to give back to the 

community in which they work. 

"This year, we have been able 

to help local charities, including 

the City Hospice and the Five C’s 

charity.” 

Helping with the little touches 

can make all the difference 

So if you have ever been 

tasked with making the funeral 

arrangements for a loved one, you 

can rest assured that it doesn't have 

to be daunting or expensive. As a 

family-run business, Ivor Thomas 

Funerals can help you through one 

of the toughest times of your life. 

"People especially seem to love 

Neil," laughs Mark. "You'll often see 

families giving 

him a hug after 

the funeral, which 

is something I've 

never seen before." 

Ivor Thomas Funerals 

02921 690022 

info@ivorthomasfunerals.co.uk 

www. ivorthomasfunerals.co.uk

your ga 

gardening 

How gre 

We all love our gardens but with the current climate crisis dominating the 

headlines, Kevin Revell looks at the choices we face in our own homes 

Concern has been raised in the 

last few months regarding the 

impact of garden centres on the 

environment in relation to plastics 

in the environment, the destruction 

of peat bogs for the manufacture of 

compost, and biosecurity. 

Of course there are two sides 

to every story and although the 

garden retail sector is not perfect, 

great strides have been made in 

the last few years to address these 

issues. Even if the environmentally 

friendly alternatives are not always 

taken up by the general public with 

any great enthusiasm, the choice is 

there. 

Before the rise of garden centres in 

the 1960s, plants could only be sold 

bare root or as hessian wrapped 

root balls in autumn to early spring. 

The invention of the plastic pot 

enabled plants to be grown and 

sold on the large scale we see 

today. However, these pots cannot 

be returned to the growers because 

of the fear of spreading disease and 

also because of cost effectiveness 

and transport issues. A few keen 

gardeners reuse them for growing 

their own plants or hoard them in 

the shed but overall, they end up in 

landfill having been thrown out with 

the rubbish. As the current debate 

about plastic has shown, it will take 

many centuries for this material 

to break down and even then, it is 

46 

still a hazard in the form of microplastics 

which enter the food chain. 

We are all familiar with green bags 

and recycling; Cardiff Council has a 

good record for recovering a high 

percentage of recyclable waste 

from our refuse so why can’t plant 

pots go out in the green bags? After 

all, they usually bear the familiar 

three arrowed recycling symbol 

imprinted on their base. 

The fact that most of the pots 

are black means that they are not 

recognised by the mechanised 

process to separate out 

the various recycling 

streams and so are not 

collected. They can 

always be donated 

to schools and clubs, 

while it is perfectly 

possible for us to take 

our own waste to the 

Council depot at Lamby 

Way where a large skip 

is filled with plastic bread crates, 

patio furniture and guttering. It is 

only the home collection service 

that seems to be affected. All in 

all, this is not a very satisfactory 

situation. 

The British garden retail industry 

has come together on this issue 

however and you may have noticed 

that the black pots are now being 

replaced by taupe ones which 

can be washed and put out with 

By next year, 

black pots will 

largely be a 

thing of the 

past 

the recycling along with cans and 

bottles. By next year, black pots 

will largely be a thing of the past. 

Mission accomplished? Well not 

quite because it seems that all the 

plastic that we are dutifully sending 

for recycling far exceeds our 

capacity to recycle it. 

It was formally sent to China 

and the Far East where it was 

often burned or dumped so not 

surprisingly, this arrangement has 

come to an end. It now accumulates 

on former airfields awaiting political 

decisions on investment 

in recycling processes. 

Peat bogs are sites 

of scientific interest 

and support a wide 

range of wildlife. 

They take centuries 

to build up but are 

destroyed by peat 

extraction in decades. 

Peat-free alternatives 

have long been available, are 

more sustainable, are increasingly 

recommended by TV gardeners 

and the gardening press, but public 

uptake has been relatively poor. 

There is currently nothing available 

to substitute the thick plastic bag 

in which we buy our compost. They 

can at least be reused; I use them 

to bag up rubble and 

garden waste 

before taking

en is 

rden? 

it to the tip and they are often used 

on allotments to smother weeds 

under a layer of bark or gravel. 

They can also be used to contain 

homemade garden compost when 

the bin is emptied. Eventually that 

plastic ends up in the environment, 

however. 

There was once an initiative to 

supply dry compost which could be 

re-hydrated at home. This type of 

material might work in a paper bag, 

but consumer interest was low at 

the time; perhaps its time will come. 

Compostable plastic would seem 

to be the future, but this material 

is fraught with difficulties and may 

only decompose at temperatures 

available in an industrial-sized heap 

or may not be robust enough to 

contain the compost for any length 

of time. Clearly more research in 

this area is needed. 

Another stick with which to beat 

the garden retail industry has been 

the movement of plants around 

the world with the high likelihood 

of inadvertently importing pests 

and diseases with the plants. 

Government agencies such as 

DEFRA, the department for food 

and rural affairs and border control 

customs checks, have robust 

systems in place but it is only a 

matter of time 

before something 

unwanted 

comes through, in 

addition to the 

occasional foreign snail 

or earthworm. It could be 

argued that the UK has plenty of 

successful plant nurseries so why 

bother importing plants at all? 

Traditionally garden centres 

were reliant on Dutch suppliers to 

provide relatively cheap plants but 

with increased transport costs and 

the current Euro/Pound exchange 

rate, the differentials have become 

eroded. The ongoing possibility 

of Brexit has further muddied the 

waters but the plant passport 

system in place should enable 

traceability and drive out the cheap 

plants of unknown origin being sold. 

There is also an established trade 

in specimen plants from Spain 

and Italy but with diseases such 

as Xylella spreading up through 

Europe, olive trees are no longer 

being imported by reputable 

companies for fear of this disease 

entering the UK, where it is likely to 

affect several native trees. 

Of course, this then creates 

a demand that will be met by 

disreputable operators and sold 

off in cheap shops and from the 

backs of lorries. Perhaps we should 

leave such plants growing in the 

Mediterranean as they seldom do 

less well in rainy Wales. 

Discerning customers are advised 

to ask about the origin of their 

plants and favour home grown 

produce wherever possible. 

47

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J. PIDGEON & SON LTD, 539 COWBRIDGE ROAD EAST, CARDIFF 

As professional Funeral Directors, the company subscribes to the Membership of the National Association of Funeral Directors 

Online price list and brochure www.pidgeonsofcardiff.co.uk

outdoors 

Winter Wonderland 

Winter doesn't have to be a time of staying indoors. Nature offers a 

wealth of experiences that can shake off the winter blues. Here are a 

few creative ideas that the whole family can enjoy together 

Collect items for a 

Christmas wreath 

Creating your own Christmas 

wreath will have so much more 

meaning if you've collected all 

the items yourself. Collect some 

evergreen clippings, and some 

fresh moss or grass that you can 

add if necessary. 

You may also want to collect 

pine cones and berries that will 

add colour to your wreath. 

Add all of these to a wire frame 

once you get home. There are 

online tutorials and local classes 

that can help you create your 

own Christmas wreath. 

Go on a scavenger hunt 

We often associate winter with quiet 

times in the forest but they are still full of 

wonderful things to discover. 

Create a list of things that you'd like 

to come across on your walk - frozen 

cobwebs, an evergreen tree, pine cones 

perhaps. You may want to add certain 

birds or animals to your hunt. If there are 

things that you can take home with you, 

put them into a scrap book when you get 

back. 

Track the animals 

If you want to turn detective 

when it's snowed, you can find 

out who's been out and about 

in the forest by tracking the 

animals' footprints. 

Do some research online before 

heading out to find out what the 

different footprints look like. You 

can then take a printout with you 

so you can identify any that you 

come across straight away. 

Footprints will come in all 

shapes and sizes and also at 

different parts of the day. Fresh 

footprints will be more defined, 

especially if snow is still falling 

when footprints could be 

covered back up. 

If you haven't been lucky 

enough to have snow, seek out 

muddy areas at a riverside where 

animals may have been taking a 

drink. 

Make animal dens 

Animals are often left to the mercy of the elements at this time of year and 

are often looking for cosy places in which to snuggle. 

Have a think about what kind of animal you'd like to build a shelter for and 

make a plan about how you'll create it. Choose a place that's out of the 

wind so that it won't get blown over. You can create a small shelter using 

sticks or stones. Other pieces that you can find in the forest can also be 

used but remember not to go disturbing any shelters that already exist. 

It may be worth popping back a few weeks later to see if any of the forest 

animals used or are using your shelter. 

50

Make yourself a den 

If a den's good enough for the animals, it's good 

enough for you. 

The first thing you'll need to do is find a solid 

foundation to work with. Ideally, you're looking 

for a strong-looking tree with lots of lumps and 

bumps that you can utilise. 

Find some large branches and wedge them 

up against your tree. Aim to give yourself a 

horizontal branch that you can then rest smaller 

branches on to form your walls. Pack them 

tightly to give them strength and then fill the 

gaps with smaller branches and leaves. 

Blow frozen bubbles 

Blowing bubbles doesn't have 

to be just a summer activity. In 

fact, blowing bubbles in very 

cold weather can be much more 

interesting. 

The temperature will need to be 

below freezing and it also helps if 

your bubble solution is very cold 

to begin with. Blow the bubbles as 

high as you can to give them the 

best chance of freezing before they 

hit the ground. 

Listen to nature's orchestra 

Taking the family out into the forest isn't just about what you will see. The 

sounds of the forest are just as impressive but these are often missed 

because we aren't listening for them. 

Anyone who walks in the countryside will know the skylark’s song. Often 

inconspicuous on the ground, it is easy to see when in its distinctive song 

flight. Winter is also the best time to listen out for the sound of foxes due 

to their three to six day mating period which takes place during winter. If 

you head out on an early morning walk, it's possible that you may hear a 

tawny owl. Despite them being nocturnal birds, they are at their noisiest in 

December. The chances of them being heard in daylight on a Christmas 

family countryside outing are particularly high, most especially near dawn 

and dusk. 

Grey squirrels can often be heard on winter walks too. Chattering, rasping 

and barking are all examples from the grey squirrel's vocabulary who 

become particularly noisy when alarmed or angry. 

Go on a Christmas hunt 

Forests can be magical in winter, 

and there's an extra bit of sparkle 

at Christmas when the weather 

gets cold. 

Before you head out into the 

woods, make a list of Christmassy 

things you'd expect to see in the 

forest - a robin maybe or what 

about some holly? Look out for 

mistletoe or even some ivy. 

If the weather is snowy, look out 

for snowflakes and icicles and 

tick off everything on your list 

when you spot them. 

51

&Morgans 

Northwood & Morgans, 1A - 1B Heol-Y-Deri 

Rhiwbina, Cardiff, CF14 6HA

The Why Behind 

Your Home Move 

Director of Northwood & Morgans, Kate Gwinnutt 

talks about her experiences of helping families 

move home in Rhiwbina and beyond 

Are you thinking about moving 

house? Is your current home too 

big, too small, or just not quite right 

for you and your family? Maybe 

it’s a dream job or the need to be 

close to someone special? 

Moving home is often a complex 

decision, one most homeowners 

take time to make. If you have 

spent a lot of effort and money 

on making your current home just 

right, it can be hard to walk away. 

Whatever your reason for 

moving house, the decision to 

stay or go focuses not just on the 

hard-headed realities of costs, 

fees, timescales and investment 

returns – as important as they are 

- but also on the emotional pulls 

guiding us through one of the most 

important decisions of our life. 

Having helped families across 

Rhiwbina and Cardiff, chatting 

across living room coffee tables 

and kitchen worktops, I’ve 

identified the strongest emotional 

factors homeowners experience 

when making their next move. 

1 

Family first 

A few years on from getting on 

the property ladder, the house 

you saved hard for is now a home 

for your expanding family. Maybe 

the tiny baby who kept you up at 

night has been joined by brothers 

and sisters? Perhaps a bigger house 

would give them all their own 

space? Or a larger garden to run 

around in? 

2 

Empty nester? 

If however, you’re soon to be 

an empty nester, why waste 

money on space you don’t need? 

Why not downsize to a smaller 

home or apartment to free up cash 

not just on your mortgage but also 

on utilities, repairs, cleaning time, 

and more? 

3 

Your storage space is fit 

to burst 

We all love a good de-clutter and 

spring clean, especially in the new 

year, but sometimes all that sorting 

makes you realise your storage 

space no longer fits your lifestyle. If 

your cupboards, closets, nooks and 

crannies are fit to burst, it may be 

time to accept you just need more 

space. 

4 

Lifestyle changes 

Maybe your passion is no 

longer just a hobby but a 

fledgling new business you need 

space at home for? Perhaps 

you’re ready to take the plunge, 

go freelance and start working 

from a dedicated studio space? If 

your current circumstances don’t 

allow for these new opportunities, 

perhaps it’s time to find a home 

that will accommodate the office 

or work space your new career 

demands. Moving to a new place 

could be just the spark you’re 

looking for! 

5 

New challenges 

Of course you may be similar 

to the buyers I often meet who 

are looking to fix up a home - but 

once the work and remodelling is 

complete, are you ready to move 

onto the next project? Perhaps 

you’re somebody who prefers 

nothing better than selling up and 

moving on to the next fixer-upper? 

6 

The kitchen you’ve 

always dreamed of 

We’re not all master chefs but 

if you are, or aspire to be, then 

perhaps a state-of-the-art kitchen 

with big shiny surfaces, built-in 

appliances and the latest culinary 

tech is all the inspiration you need? 

Maybe you’re looking for a brand 

new home with kitchen space to be 

proud of? A space to show off when 

socialising or make into the heart of 

daily life? 

7 No more commuting 

Commuting to and from work 

takes hours out of your week. 

Rather than wasting time in your car 

or on the train, buying a new home 

- better suited to your work life 

balance - means spending more 

time with your family, enjoying life, 

doing more of whatever you want 

to do. 

Finding love 

A new relationship doesn’t 

necessarily mean it’s suddenly 

time to pack up and move in. But 

if you’re seriously considering 

something permanent, buying a 

new home you can enjoy together 

is often a logical step. If you or 

your partner already own homes 

but want to move in together, one 

or both of you might need to sell 

quickly or consider letting their 

property under a managed or 

guaranteed rent scheme. 

Do you recognise yourself or these 

emotional pulls when planning 

your next move? Or do you have an 

entirely different reason for putting 

your home on the market? Drop me 

a line on 02920 512400 and let me 

know. I’d love to hear about your 

moving story and how we can help 

you. 

P.S. if you’d like to donate to one of 

the great local charities and causes 

we support let us know. 

1A & 1B Heol Y Deri, Rhiwbina, 

Cardiff, CF14 6HA 

02920 301141 

www.northwooduk.com 

Sponsored feature 53 

8

Make 

The 

Change 

As a new decade dawns, we present a psychological model that 

can help you make positive changes in your life - and keep them 

Precontemplation 

This is the first stage of the model. In this stage, people do 

not intend to take action in the foreseeable future (defined 

as within the next six months). People are often unaware 

that their behaviour is problematic or produces negative 

consequences. They also often underestimate the benefits 

of changing behaviour and place too much emphasis on 

the cons of changing behaviour. They are often not aware 

of these processes. 

If you are in this stage, begin by asking yourself some 

questions. Have you ever tried to change this behaviour in 

the past? How do you recognise that you want to change? 

What would have to happen for you to consider changing 

your behaviour? 

Contemplation 

During this stage, you will start to become aware 

of the benefits of making a positive change. Bear in 

mind that many people never make it past this stage. 

Generally, if you are considering making the change 

within the next six months, you are at this stage. Ask 

yourself some important questions: 

Why do you want to change? Is there anything 

preventing you from changing? What are some of 

the things that could help you make this change? 

You may still feel ambivalent towards making the 

change but the fact that you are contemplating is a 

step in the right direction. 

Others can help you at this stage by encouraging 

you to work at reducing the cons of changing your 

behaviour and emphasising the pros. Learn from 

those who have already made changes. 

54 This feature is based on The Stages of Change Model, developed by Prochaska and DiClemente in the 1980s

feature 

Preparation 

If you are ready to start taking action within the next 

30 days, you are at the preparation stage. You may 

have even started making small changes to your life. 

Gather as much information about ways to help 

you change. Look at various techniques and seek 

outside resources and help. Don't be tempted to 

start making the big change yet as you may be 

under-prepared and this is where others often 

fail. The first week of the New Year is where many 

people start and fail their resolutions because 

they haven't given their aims enough thought or 

preparation. 

Take time to refresh your reasons and motivations 

for wanting to make the change. 

Action 

During this stage, you will take direct action towards 

your change. If you are looking to lose weight, you will 

start your new diet or cut back on snacks. If you are 

looking to quit smoking, you will start cutting down 

your daily intake. These steps are, of course, integral 

to making the change but skipping the previous steps 

could end up with your attempts to change being 

abandoned. 

Set yourself mini goals to achieve and reward 

yourself when you reach them. Keep the bigger 

picture in mind but remember that you can't reach 

your ultimate goal without hard work and dedication. 

Positive reinforcement from outside sources is helpful 

and if you have prepared thoroughly, you will have 

those to help you in place already. 

Maintenance 

The maintenance stage involves awareness of 

successfully avoiding former bad habits and keeping 

up new ones. 

There will naturally be times when you feel like you 

are doing well and equally, there will be times when 

you feel that you are making no progress at all. What's 

important to remember is that one mistake doesn't 

mean that you are back to square one. Start a new day 

with new vigour. Relapses, as you will discover, are 

part and parcel of the maintenance stage. But they are 

not fatal - you simply start again. 

Relapse 

In any behaviour change, relapses are a common 

occurrence. Feelings of failure, disappointment and 

frustration all occur when experiencing a relapse - and these 

are normal feelings. It doesn't mean that you have failed. 

To overcome a relapse, it's worth taking another look at 

your motivations and identifying what triggers led to the 

relapse in the first place. Try and figure out what barriers 

are stopping you from achieving your goal and make 

adjustments to remove them from your life, or strategies to 

deal with, or overcome them. Resolutions fail when there 

aren't proper preparations or actions. Understanding all of 

the stages will give you the best chance of succeeding. 

55

The best home 

to be in is 

your own 

Having Home Instead Senior Care 

help me around the 

house means I don’t 

have to go anywhere. 

COMPANIONSHIP | MEALS AND NUTRITION 

PERSONAL CARE | MEMORY CARE 

If, like Stanley, you would like to remain 

in your own home, we can help. 

homeinstead.co.uk/cardiff 

or call 02920 569483 

Each Home Instead Senior Care ® franchise office is independently 

owned and operated. Copyright © Home Instead Senior Care 2019.

Flooring the 

Competition 

Carpet Castle in 

Caerphilly are celebrating 

45 years in South Wales 

Carpet Castle in Caerphilly 

have become one of the 

region’s biggest success 

stories by selling brand name 

carpets at 

bargainbasement 

prices. 

As this family 

business 

continues 

to grow, we 

caught up 

with director 

Andrew 

Graham to talk about the 

secret of their success. 

So how are you able to sell the 

same carpets as the big national 

chains at these incredible prices? 

People in South Wales love a 

bargain and by keeping our costs 

low and being really selective with 

our buying, we’re able to beat the 

competition virtually every time. 

We buy only in full truck loads, 

direct from the best manufacturers 

across the UK and Europe, and we 

have a very large storage facility 

in Caerphilly, so when we find 

a bargain, we can buy massive 

quantities. When we do a deal, it’s 

quite common that we’ll clear out 

an entire factory. Just last week, a 

manufacturer contacted us about 

an oversupply issue, so we took 400 

room-size pieces off their hands and 

these were top brands - the sort of 

stuff that would fetch £30 a square 

metre normally and we’ll be selling 

Sponsored feature 

them at about £10 a square metre. 

How have you expanded the 

business? 

Honestly, when you get the prices 

and the service levels right, the 

customers just seem to find you. 

Word of mouth is the best form of 

advertising. Like I said, we don’t like 

to waste money on anything and 

that includes expensive advertising 

campaigns! 

How have things changed in the 

industry over the last few years? 

We’ve noticed that our customers 

have responded really well to the 

improvements we’ve made to our 

service levels. We have an amazing 

team in-store, a really lovely group 

and they go out of their way to help 

people. We deliver within 24 hours, 

measure up free of charge and 

even dispose of the customers’ old 

carpets. The team will always do 

their best to help every customer 

save money. We’ve also worked 

really hard to ensure 100% stock 

availability on all our best-sellers. 

How has the internet impacted the 

business? 

The transactional side of things 

hasn’t been affected at all, but the 

visibility stuff has, so we’ve built 

up our online presence in terms of 

SEO and PPC. However, the biggest 

factor has been the online customer 

reviews. Many of our customers 

leave reviews on Facebook, Google, 

Trustpilot and other portals and 

we’re really lucky to have received 

hundreds of five star ratings and 

lovely reviews. These days it’s really 

important to engage with social 

media and I think the transparency is 

appreciated by potential customers. 

The business is entering its 50th 

year. How did it begin? 

It actually began as a DIY discount 

centre in the 1970s. My Dad started 

it with his own savings and an 

incredible work ethic. He really 

built it up from nothing. Today it has 

obviously grown into something 

a lot bigger but the central ethos 

of incredible value for money and 

down-to-earth service is just as 

present now as it was when he 

began all those years ago. We 

actually still have customers who 

remember it opening. They have 

trusted us for almost half a century 

and that’s something we’re really 

proud of. 

What do you think the future holds 

for Carpet Castle? 

Hopefully we’ll keep growing. Every 

year we take on more staff, expand 

our product ranges and look for 

new growth areas - like our amazing 

artificial grass business. We will 

always look at new ways that we 

can disrupt the marketplace and 

offer better value for money for the 

customer. 

Andrew Graham is a director at 

Carpet Castle 

Nantgarw Road, Caerphilly 

029 20884951 

www.carpetcastlecaerphilly.co.uk 

Wales' biggest independent 

carpet showroom

Lovely 

Leftovers 

Christmas is often a time of excess but there's no need to let all that lovely food 

go to waste. Use up your leftovers with these delicious recipes 

Turkey and 

ham pie 

400g plain flour, plus extra for 

dusting 

pinch of salt 

65g chilled butter 

160g frozen butter 

45g butter 

2 large leeks, washed and sliced 

1 orange, juiced and finely grated 

zest only 

50ml medium sherry 

3 tbsp plain flour 

500ml chicken stock 

1 heaped tsp wholegrain 

mustard 

600g leftover turkey meat, cut 

into bite-sized pieces 

250g cooked ham, cut into bitesized 

pieces 

2 tbsp chopped tarragon 

200ml single cream 

1 free-range egg, beaten for egg 

wash 

salt and white pepper 

☐ To make the pastry, mix the flour 

and salt together in a bowl. Using 

your fingertips, rub in the chilled 

butter and add enough cold water 

to form a dough (about 150-180ml). 

☐ Dust your work surface with flour 

and roll your dough into a rectangle. 

Grate 60g of the frozen butter over 

58 

the bottom two 

thirds of the dough. 

Fold down the top 

third and then fold 

up the top third as 

if folding a letter. 

Turn by 90 degrees 

and roll out 

again. Repeat this 

process, adding 

the remaining 

frozen butter and 

fold as before. Rest 

in the fridge for 

30 minutes before 

using. 

☐ For your filling, 

melt the butter in 

a large frying pan 

over a medium heat and add the 

leeks to the pan, along with the 

orange juice, zest and sherry. Cover 

and cook gently for 6 minutes, 

stirring occasionally until the leeks 

are just tender. Remove the lid 

and increase the heat, until the 

liquid has nearly all gone. Sprinkle 

the flour over the leeks and stir to 

mix. Gradually stir in the stock and 

simmer for about 5 minutes until 

the sauce has thickened slightly. 

Add the mustard, the turkey and 

the ham and stir. Finally add the 

tarragon and cream. Season to taste 

with a little white pepper and salt. 

☐ Preheat your oven to 200C/180C 

Fan/Gas 6. Pour the pie filling and 

sauce into a 1.2-1.5 litre/2-2½ pint 

pie dish and allow to cool. . 

☐ Roll out the pastry on a lightly 

floured work surface to about 5mm 

thick. Cut a 2cm/¾in strip of pastry. 

Brush the rim of the pie dish with 

egg, then place the pastry strip 

onto the rim and brush it with more 

egg. 

☐ To make the pie lid, cut the 

remaining pastry a little larger than 

the dish and lift it into place (use 

the rolling pin to help you). Make a 

steam hole to expose the funnel (if 

using). Press the edges to seal then 

trim away any excess. Re-roll any 

trimmings and use them to make 

decorations. Brush the pastry with 

egg wash, arrange any decorations 

on top of the pie and brush these 

with egg too. 

☐ Bake for 35-40 minutes until the 

pastry is risen and golden-brown. 

Allow to cool slightly before serving.

Boxing Day Soup 

1 tbsp sunflower oil 

1 medium onion, chopped 

2 celery sticks, chopped 

2 medium potatoes, about 350g, peeled and chunked 

1 tbsp curry paste 

1.2l vegetable stock 

550g leftover roasted or boiled vegetables, such as Brussels 

sprouts, carrots, parsnips and squash, roughly chopped 

natural yogurt or crème fraîche, to serve 

food 

Sprout 

colcannon 

1kg floury potatoes (King Edwards 

or Maris Piper) 

8 smoked streaky bacon rashers, 

chopped 

50g butter 

6 spring onions, finely sliced 

5 tbsp milk 

250g Brussels sprouts, trimmed or 

cooked 

☐ Cut the potatoes and boil in 

salted water. Simmer for 15-20 

minutes until the potatoes are 

completely tender. Drain and set 

aside, covered. 

☐ Heat a large non-stick 

frying pan until hot and add 

the chopped bacon. Fry over 

a medium heat for about 5 

minutes until crispy and golden. 

☐ Remove with a slotted spoon 

and drain on kitchen paper. 

☐ Finely slice the sprouts. Return 

the frying pan to the heat, add 

a little of the butter, then add 

the sprouts and stir-fry for 5-6 

minutes until they are tender 

and just beginning to crisp up at 

the edges. Add the spring onions 

and stir-fry for 1 minute. 

☐ Return the bacon to the pan 

and stir well. Remove the pan 

from the heat. 

☐ Add the remaining butter 

and the milk to the potatoes 

and mash until smooth. Season 

well. Fold in the bacon, sprout 

and spring onion mixture. Serve 

immediately. 

Christmas 

pudding 

brownies 

☐ Fry the onion in a large saucepan for 5 minutes until 

browned. Stir in the celery and fry for 5 minutes, then tip in 

the potatoes and fry for a further 1-2 minutes, stirring often. 

☐ Stir in the curry paste, cooking for a minute or so, then pour 

in the stock. Bring to the boil and stir well. Lower the heat, 

cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes are 

tender. 

☐ Tip the leftover veg into the pan and warm through for a 

few minutes and then blend in a food blender. Add water if 

you need to think it needs it and season well. 

☐ Serve in bowls with spoonfuls of yogurt or crème fraîche 

on top. 

150g unsalted butter at room 

temperature, plus extra for greasing 

250g dark chocolate (70% cocoa 

solids), broken into small chunks 

3 medium eggs 

150g granulated sugar 

1 tsp flaky sea salt 

4 tbsp cocoa powder 

2 tbsp plain flour 

300g leftover cooked Christmas 

pudding, crumbled 

☐ Preheat oven to 180C/Gas Mark 

4. Grease and line a 30cm x 20cm 

baking tin with baking parchment. 

☐ Melt the chocolate and butter 

in a large heatproof bowl set over 

a pan of barely simmering water. 

Remove from the heat and set 

aside. 

☐ Whisk the eggs, sugar and salt 

in another bowl, before beating 

into the chocolate mixture. Sift 

over the cocoa and flour, folding 

through with all but a handful of 

the Christmas pudding, until just 

combined. 

☐ Pour the brownie mix into the 

prepared tin, spread out and scatter 

the rest of the Christmas pudding 

on top, pressing it in gently. 

☐ Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until 

a crust has formed on top. Cool 

completely in the tin before slicing 

and serve while still warm. 

59

Providing full tree, grounds 

and estate maintenance and 

landscaping services. 

We’re very proud of what we do for our clients and like most 

people who work in nature we spend a lot of time on our 

knees in one way or another. This is always humbling. 

Now, whether you call it humility or respect or admiration 

for nature, if you’re looking to work with a company that 

cares about these things TR33 could be what you’re after. 

For a free no obligation quote please contact 

0800 298 3686 I info@tr33.co.uk 

www.tr33.co.uk 

1 st 

Choice 

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• Interior & Exterior 

Painting 

• Wallpaper Hanging 

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garywoldfield@hotmail.co.uk 

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• Regular lawn mowing 

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Everything you 

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Decorating 

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Hypnotherapy 

Help with weight loss, body confidence, 

self-confidence, relationship issues, smoking, 

addictions, fears, phobias & anxiety 

Appointments in Rhiwbina or online via Skype 

janeclarkehypnotherapy.com 

jane@janeclarkehypnotherapy.com 

07538 474807 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy 

Helping to bring balance back into our lives 

♦ For Couples and Individuals 

♦ Relationship difficulties, Conflict resolution, Anxiety, 

Depression, Addiction 

♦ Melanie Coles, PG Dip Counselling (CBT), Registered 

MBACP (Accred) 

♦ Level 2 trained in Gottman Method Couples therapy 

T: 07980 183933 

E: melaniecolescbt@gmail.com 

w: www.cardifftherapist.co.uk 

The Back & Neck Clinic, 87 Beulah Road, Cardiff CF14 6LW

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Starlight 

A short Christmas story 

by Alice Morgan 

If you were stood outside a 

particular church in the early hours 

of Christmas morning, when the 

black sky was interwoven with stars 

and the winter wind was breathing 

down the back of your scarf, you 

may have heard the triumphant 

sound of an organ emitting through 

the old, stone walls. You may have 

heard the voices of a choir as they 

harmonised those beautiful notes 

of the traditional Christmas hymns 

written so long ago; the light from 

the huge arched windows casting a 

glow over where you stood on the 

cold pavement. And saints of times 

past watching over you from the 

stained glass. 

The final hymn was sung and the 

people were leaving Midnight Mass, 

exchanging Christmas greetings. 

Peter, a tall man with black hair 

brushing over his eyes, carried his 

little girl on his shoulders, her red 

coat buttoned up to the top and 

a bobble hat bouncing along with 

every step her father took. Walking 

a few paces behind them were his 

wife Iris, a slim lady with long dark 

hair that fell around her shoulders 

and draped over the head of their 

sleeping baby boy in her arms. 

‘I’m going to have a really big car 

for Christmas, Daddy,’ the little girl 

said as she held onto her father’s 

hair. 

‘Are you, love?’ 

‘Yep. Father Christmas is bringing 

me one.’ 

‘Wish he’d bring me one.’ 

‘I’ll ask for one for you, Dad. He 

won’t mind.’ 

Peter smiled to himself as he lifted 

little Molly from his shoulders and 

put her into her car seat. Iris was 

shifting baby Leo uncomfortably 

from arm to arm as she attempted 

to place him in his car seat next to 

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short story 

Molly until Peter took him from her 

and tucked him in safely. Iris smiled 

gratefully and slipped into the 

passenger seat. 

‘Pete, can we put the heating 

on? It’s freezing!’ she said as 

she toggled with the buttons. 

In approval of her mother’s 

suggestion, Molly shivered 

overdramatically and Iris turned 

and winked at her. Peter climbed 

into the driver’s seat, adjusting 

the heating so that warm air blew 

onto their faces and demisted the 

windscreen. He rubbed his hands 

together quickly to try and thaw 

out the icicles that felt as though 

they were attached to his fingers. 

Iris wrapped her hands up in her 

scarf while Molly pretended to be a 

dragon, watching her breath float in 

front of her before it disappeared. 

‘Do you know where I think we 

should go? Where no one else at all 

will be on Christmas morning?’ Iris 

asked Molly. 

Molly shook her head while Peter 

looked on curiously. 

‘The beach,’ Iris whispered 

excitedly. ‘We can have the whole 

place to ourselves and see the 

stars.’ 

‘Yeah!’ Molly replied. 

Peter sighed to himself as he knew 

this was an argument he would not 

win. Turning the keys in the ignition, 

he put the car into gear and pulled 

away. 

‘You’re crazy,’ he told his wife, 

smiling as he remembered this was 

the reason he had fallen in love with 

her. 

And so they drove to Barry Island, 

abandoned as everyone else was 

either awaiting Santa or playing 

him. Peter took Molly out of the car 

while Iris stayed behind so as not 

to disturb ‘her sleeping lump of 

Leo.’ Molly held her father’s hand 

as they walked to the east end of 

the promenade and ran down onto 

the sand together. The only light 

upon the beach was thrown upon 

them from the stars above and the 

moonlight that shone on the sea. 

Molly ran away squealing while her 

father chased her and suddenly 

stopped when she came to the 

edge of the water, the tide trying 

to catch her little black shoes with 

its liquid fingers. Peter scooped her 

up, adamant that he wouldn’t let 

the crafty sea steal his little girl and 

ran around with her as she laughed 

uncontrollably and threw her head 

backwards. 

‘Daddy?’ 

‘Yes, precious?’ 

‘Where do the stars live?’ 

‘In the sky. They look after you in 

the dark.’ 

‘Do they look after me when I’m 

sleeping then?’ 

‘Yep. So one day, if I’m not here, 

you won’t have to be scared ‘cos 

they’ll be watching you, see? And if 

you have nightmares, the stars will 

rummage through your head and 

pull all the bad dreams out, just like 

I do.’ 

Molly found this an extremely 

funny thing for a star to do and 

she wriggled out of her father’s 

arms and ran ahead of him, all the 

way to the west end, laughing and 

screaming. Suddenly she stopped 

and turned to him. Her face was 

very serious. 

‘Dad? When are you not gonna be 

here?’ 

‘Never. Never, ever. I’m always 

going to be here.’ 

Molly grinned and ran back to her 

father’s open arms. 

‘Good,’ she said, ‘I’d miss you very 

much if you weren’t here.’ She 

squeezed his face between her 

chubby little hands and put her 

face against his; her big blue eyes 

staring at him without blinking. 

Peter smiled and gave her a kiss. 

‘Come on you, it’s too cold to 

stay out here. Let’s get you home 

and cosy, shall we?’ he said as she 

nodded and nuzzled her head into 

his neck. 

He carried her back to the car 

and drove his little family home to 

their small terraced house. They 

had left the hallway light on and 

the warm glow invited them inside. 

From Molly’s bedroom window, 

she could see a small star shining 

in, looking after her. After Iris and 

Peter had changed the children into 

their pyjamas, they arranged their 

Christmas presents around the tree, 

sneaking some up to the bedroom 

to put in the children’s stockings. 

Safe in the knowledge the children 

would be truly happy to receive just 

what they wanted in the morning, 

they cuddled up next to their small 

coal fire. 

Unlike the children, they would be 

not truly happy because of what 

they received. But because of what 

they already had. 

Read more of Alice's work at 

www.alicemariarose.com 

63

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Rhiwbina Living Issue 49

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