Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 60

News | People | Features | History | Lifestyle 

Whitchurch & 

Llandaff Living 

At the heart of the community Issue 60 Spring '21 

Your multi award-winning community magazine

Distribution: 6,000 copies of Whitchurch and 

Llandaff Living are distributed to retail outlets and 

public places across Whitchurch, Llandaff and 

Llandaff North. 

2 

Inside this issue 

Interview 

Esteemed actor 

Michael Sheen 

tells us about 

how his life and 

career have been 

affected by the 

pandemic 

Declutter 

Creative ways to 

declutter your 

home, your mind 

and your life 

History 

A look back at 

the village of 

Tongwynlais 

through a 

collection of old 

postcards 

Nature's Finest 

Discover the 

beauty and 

serenity of the 

local nature 

reserves that 

we have on our 

doorstep 

Summer deadline: 

9th July 2021 

Published late July 2021 

a: 222 Pantbach Road, 

Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG 

t: 07772 081775 / 07974 022920 

w: www.livingmags.co.uk 

e: editor@livingmags.co.uk or 

danielle@livingmags.co.uk 

While every effort has been made to 

ensure the accuracy of the contents, 

the publisher cannot accept any 

responsibility for errors or omissions, 

or for any matter in any way arising 

from the publication of this material. 

Every effort has been made to 

contact any copyright holders. 

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living is an 

independent, apolitical publication. 

No part of this publication may be 

reproduced without the express 

written permission of the publishers. 

Welcome / Croeso 

Spring has finally 

arrived and we 

welcome warmer 

weather with our first 

publication of the 

year. 

It's been a torrid 

time for many of us 

this last year but with 

Summer on its way, 

there is hope that we 

can finally put the 

struggles and pain of 

the pandemic behind 

us. 

With that in mind, 

we've put together an issue that 

will hopefully spread a little bit of 

positivity. You can start by finding 

out how you can declutter your 

life. Giving your home and your 

mind a thorough Spring clean 

will make you feel lighter and full 

of energy. We've even handpicked 

some self-care treats for 

you to savour too. 

Our recipes page features some 

delicious dishes that will help 

you shift some of that lockdown 

lag while property blogger Erica 

Willmott shows you how to get 

your home ready for Summer. 

If you're struggling for space in 

your garden, we've got some 

great tips to make the most of 

your limited room. 

The warmer weather gives 

us more time to get out of the 

house and we have several 

features that can help you 

embrace the great outdoors. 

First up, we highlight some of 

the wonderful nature reserves 

that can be found in and around 

Cardiff. We've also put together 

details of places where you can 

go and simply sit and admire the 

stunning scenery. And if you want 

to walk in the footsteps of history, 

we've featured some iconic 

South Wales venues to visit and 

marvel at. 

While we're on the subject 

of history, we are honoured 

to feature old postcards of 

Tongwynlais that have been 

provided for us by our friends at 

CastellCoch.com. 

Our featured interview for this 

issue is with actor Michael Sheen, 

who spoke to us via Zoom from 

his apartment in New York, where 

he was filming. His career started 

out right here in Cardiff and he 

told us the story about his rise to 

prominence. 

Betty Campbell MBE is another 

name that is recognised 

all around the world. Sadly 

no longer with us, we retell 

Betty's story that saw her 

shape multicultural education 

throughout the UK and beyond. 

Born in nearby Caerphilly, 

Tommy Cooper went on to 

entertain millions for decades. 

We chart the legendary 

comedian's rise from the streets 

of Caerphilly to the stages of 

London and TV screens all over 

the world. 

Local trade is the lifeblood of 

our communities and like us, if 

you run a small business, you'll 

know how difficult life has been 

during the pandemic. We've got 

some expert tips to help you 

use social media to boost your 

visibility and reach, and to help 

you get back on your feet. 

And last but not least, we've got 

a short story that you can settle 

down to read with a cuppa and 

maybe a biscuit. 

We are thrilled to be able to 

bring you this Spring issue of 

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living 

but it's important now more than 

ever that we support our local 

businesses and advertisers. It 

may take a while for things to get 

back to some sort of normality 

but if we are there for our local 

tradespeople, they'll be there for 

us when we need them too. 

We'll be back with our Summer 

issue in July but until then, enjoy 

the sun and stay safe. 

Danielle and Patric 

Editors 

@WhitchurchandLlandaffLiving 

www.facebook.com/ 

whitchurchandllandaffliving

Protests over £180 controversial 

cancer centre announcement 

news 

Metro station 

to be built on 

derelict land 

Hundreds of people have taken 

part in demonstrations against 

the announcement that a £180 

million cancer centre will be built in 

Whitchurch. 

Protesters claim that the hospital 

will be built on an out-dated model, 

potentially putting patients' health 

at risk. The Welsh health minister 

Vaughan Gething gave the green 

light for the development of the 

new Velindre Cancer Centre in 

March. 

Gething announced that the plan 

could go ahead, and added that 

the proposals had been subject to 

a detailed scrutiny process by the 

Welsh Government. 

“Our current Velindre Cancer 

Centre has delivered exceptional 

service to people for many 

Speed limit 

reduced on 

Western Avenue 

A new speed limit has been 

introduced on one of Cardiff North's 

busiest roads. 

A 30mph zone has been 

introduced on the westbound 

stretch of Western Avenue, heading 

towards Llandaff. The area was 

previously a 40mph zone. 

Cardiff Council said that the 

changes were being introduced 

to improve road safety and air 

quality on one of the city's busiest 

routes. The new 30mph area 

extends from Gabalfa through 

to the Ely roundabout. Drivers 

travelling eastbound from Gabalfa 

Roundabout towards Newport can 

decades. It is known as a special 

place by those people who have 

needed its crucial support at one of 

the most difficult times in their lives," 

he said. 

But his announcement has drawn 

criticism from both residents and 

medical experts, who say that the 

proposed model is out-of-date. 

"This is not the right model of 

cancer care for the future and it is 

not the right location," said the Save 

The Northern Meadows group. 

"We will continue to fight this 

decision which disregards the 

needs of future generations, of the 

local community, of biodiversity, 

and our commitment to the 

climate." 

The new centre is expected to be 

ready by 2025. 

increase their speed from 30mph 

up to 50mph until they reach the 

Llanedeyrn Roundabout. 

It was announced earlier this year 

that parts of north west Cardiff will 

see speed limits cut from 30mph 

to 20mph as part of a Welsh 

Government pilot to improve safety 

and pollution. The change will 

affect areas including Whitchurch, 

Tongwynlais, Llandaff North, 

Rhiwbina and Heath. 

Cardiff Council has announced that 

it plans to build a new Metro station 

on land previously earmarked for 

student flats in Gabalfa. 

The Welsh Government has 

bought the land that was recently 

set aside for residential property. 

Developers were wanting to build 

361 flats on the former coal yard, 

but they fell into administration. 

The Cardiff Capital Region Metro 

plans to create a network of 

transport options across the city, 

with at least four services running 

an hour across the entire network. 

The new station would be situated 

between the existing Cathays 

and Llandaff stations. It will also 

be within walking distance of the 

University Hospital of Wales, Heath. 

Llandaff football 

club suffers 

repeated 

vandalism 

A football club in Llandaff North 

has yet again become the target of 

consistent vandalism. 

Cardiff Draconians, who play 

at Lydstep Park, have recently 

reported broken fences, handrails, 

and even seating after more 

attacks. 

The club has worked hard during 

the lockdown to maintain the 

pitch and its facilities, but have 

become increasingly frustrated 

at the continued damage. It has 

spent thousands on anti-vandal 

paint, fences and repairs. The club 

was subject to further vandalism 

last August, when two men in a 

4x4 were spotted doing 'donuts' on 

the lower pitch, cutting it up and 

making it unplayable. 

Anyone with any information 

on the vandalism has been 

encouraged to get in touch with the 

police, who are investigating. 

3

news 

Former WHS 

student 

shortlisted for 

Cardiff Singer of 

the World 2021 

New BBC drama filmed in Cardiff 

A former Whitchurch High 

School student will be 

performing to win Cardiff 

Singer of the World 2021 this 

Summer. 

28 year-old Sarah Gilford 

is currently a member of 

the Opernstudio at the 

Bayerische Staatsoper. 

Aside from her presence in 

Munich, Sarah recently won 

the Welsh Singers Showcase 

2021. 

She will be representing 

Wales at this year's Cardiff 

Singer of the World 

competition, which will take 

place online this June. 

Cycleway 

Consultations 

Cardiff Council is currently 

consulting on proposed 

options for a cycleway which 

will connect Western Avenue 

with Llandaff village. 

Cycleway 4 will provide a 

key active travel connection 

for employment sites, 

residential zones, education 

centres and visitor 

destinations in the central 

and north west of the city. 

The route will connect the 

City Centre, Bute Park, Cardiff 

Metropolitan University, 

Llandaff Cathedral and 

village, several schools and 

eventually the new housing 

developments in the 

north west of Cardiff. 

4 

A new high profile BBC crime drama 

has been filmed in and around 

Cardiff. 

Filmed across Wales, The Pact is a 

new BBC thriller featuring a starstudded 

line-up. It is the first show 

made by Little Door Productions, 

who are based in Cardiff. 

Actor Julie Hesmondhalgh, known 

for her role as Hayley Cropper in the 

ITV soap opera Coronation Street, 

told the press that she took full 

advantage of filming in Cardiff, using 

Sophia Gardens and Bute Park 

Tributes paid to 

John Dawes 

Tributes have been paid to former 

Wales and Lions captain John 

Dawes, who died in late April. 

Dawes was a common sight in and 

around Llandaff, and is still the only 

man to have skippered a triumphant 

Lions tour of New Zealand. He also 

led the Barbarians to a famous 

victory over the All Blacks in Cardiff 

in 1973, playing his part in 'that' try 

scored by Gareth Edwards. 

He is credited with being a major 

influence on the Welsh teams' 

success in the 1970s, and in the 

attractive, attacking, free-flowing 

rugby that they played. 

His funeral was held at Llandaff 

Cathedral in early May, and was 

attended by many of the Welsh 

greats. Significantly, the funeral 

took place almost 50 years to the 

day since the Lions embarked on 

the successful 1971 tour of New 

Zealand, under his captaincy. 

A framed Whitchurch and Llandaff 

Living interview with John Dawes 

hung in the Butchers' Arms pub for 

many years, a place where he used 

to sit and share a pint with other 

rugby legends. 

for her daily walks and runs when 

filming on location there. 

She said: 

"My favourite thing to do has been 

hiring a bike and cycling down to 

the Bay or up to Castell Coch along 

the Taff Trail through Llandaff Fields. 

It's such a cycle-friendly city with 

unbelievable amounts of green 

space, that I could enjoy even in 

lockdown." 

The show will be broadcast 

throughout May and was written by 

Pete McTighe, who lives in Wales. 

Voting queues 

investigated 

A review is taking place after some 

voters queued for two hours in 

parts of Wales to be able to vote. 

Voters in Whitchurch were affected 

by the delays, which saw some 

queues snaking around the streets. 

People in Wales went to the polls 

in early May to elect a new Welsh 

Government, as well as regional 

Police and Crime Commissioners. 

A spokesman for the Electoral 

Commission said that the rule was 

that anybody who was in the queue 

to vote by 10pm was allowed to 

vote. Social distancing rules and 

other Covid factors were also said 

to cause delays.

Your letters 

WE 

letters 

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 

Let's save our 

precious planet 

together 

My name is Ffion M. Marshall. I’m 

11 years old and I’m extremely 

passionate about climate change. 

Climate change is a deadly 

cause and the biggest challenge 

to the world and humankind. 

Unfortunately, global warming 

and climate change are results of 

human behaviour and we need to 

do something about it. 

There are many children that are 

passionate about climate change 

just like me, but don’t know how 

to help. Well, there are many 

things you can do to help save 

the world, no matter how small 

it is. 

It could be from getting more 

recyclable products to eating a 

bit less meat. Without a doubt, it 

all counts, so even making sure 

that you put products into the 

right bin contributes to helping 

the world become a better place. 

Every month I will write in with 

a new article and tip to help your 

home become as much of a 

carbon-free zone as it can be. My 

tip for this month is to cut down 

on the crisp packaging you use. 

Now, normally in most children’s 

lunch boxes there is a packet of 

crisps. And once the child has 

finished them where does it go? 

The waste bin. 

So the way you save that from 

happening is getting just one big 

bag of crisps. Then you can take 

some out, put it in a pot and pop 

it in your lunch box. Easy! 

And that means that you're 

quartering the amount of the 

crisp packaging plastic you use. 

Also, that contributes for the 

better even more, because it 

takes longer to get through a big 

packet of crisps so you won't be 

buying one a day! 

Please stop parking 

on our pavements! 

I wrote to your publication several 

years ago about the perpetual 

problem that we seem to have 

here in North Cardiff - that of 

inconsiderate parking. 

The prolonged lockdown did 

give us a glimpse perhaps of 

what life would be like with less 

traffic on our roads. We were free 

to move around the area on foot 

unhindered. 

But sadly, as restrictions have 

eased, we have seen the return 

of the parking curse. On many 

of our roads now, it is becoming 

increasingly difficult to pass 

parked cars with wheelchairs and 

or prams. On several occasions 

this week, I have seen mothers 

wheeling pushchairs out into 

oncoming traffic to get past cars 

that are parked on the pavements. 

It's not just the residents who are 

to blame either. Delivery vans and 

contractors are also clogging up 

our pathways and these people 

are causing real safety hazards. 

For those with visual impairments, 

it must be a nightmare! 

In addition to the immediate 

dangers presented by these 

irresponsible motorists, there is 

also the added headache of the 

destruction of our verges. 

In my street, several residents 

have taken action into their own 

hands by placing large rocks or 

cane sticks into the verges outside 

their houses to stop the parking. 

But it seems that motorists will do 

almost anything to park their cars 

- even if that means leaving deep 

gouges in the grass. 

I would like to appeal to those 

motorists who do park like this 

to think twice before they mount 

our verges and put people at 

risk. Do you really need to park 

there? Could you not just look 

for somewhere that is both safer 

for pedestrians and kinder to our 

communities? 

Cars are designed for roads, not 

for pavements! 

One last thing - what will it take 

for our Council to sort out some 

decent parking areas, especially 

in Llandaff? The upgrade that took 

place on the High Street a few 

years ago has deprived people of 

even more parking spaces! 

Andrew Neville 

Llandaff 

Ffion Marshall 

email 

If you have anything you’d like our readers to know about, drop us a line at 

editor@livingmags.co.uk or by letter to 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff 

CF14 6AG. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter 

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Michael Sheen sighs. His 

fingers stroke his grizzly 

beard and for a moment, 

he's no longer in New York; he's 

stepping onto a stage for the first 

time back in his home town of Port 

Talbot. 

Gone are the days of a telephone 

interview. The pandemic has seen 

to that. Zoom is the new way of life. 

And across the internet, across the 

Atlantic, Michael's voice is beaming 

right into North Cardiff. 

He's in the US, filming for the 

acclaimed drama series Prodigal 

Son. It goes without saying that he 

has come a long way since his early 

days in South Wales. But he traces 

the success of his career back to his 

days of youth in Port Talbot. 

“As I’ve got older, I’ve realised 

more and more about what went 

into allowing me to have the path 

that I’ve had in life. I’m very aware 

that I had a supportive family, a 

family who would be involved with 

performing in one way or another. 

"They also pointed me in the 

right direction, not necessarily 

professionally but my parents and 

aunts and uncles and grandparents 

were all involved with the amateur 

dramatics society. Coming from an 

area that had a tradition for actors 

in the form of Burton and Hopkins, 

there was a lot of respect for it." 

Michael has followed in the 

footsteps of the giants of stage 

8 

and screen; but in doing so, he has 

forged his own path, straight out of 

the industrial South Wales town that 

he still calls home. 

“If anyone was to take a look, they 

wouldn’t think that Port Talbot 

would have that kind of output. 

I was very involved with West 

Glamorgan Youth Arts groups 

that were borne out of the local 

education system. Godfrey Evans 

was the man responsible for 

founding the West Glamorgan 

Youth Theatre Company. He 

changed the lives of generations of 

young people from the same sort of 

South Wales area – myself, Russell 

T Davies and Catherine Zeta Jones, 

who I’m currently working with on 

Prodigal Son." 

Michael was to then train with the 

National Youth Theatre of Wales in 

the Welsh capital. 

“We never moved around much 

when I was young so moving to 

Cardiff during the Summer holidays 

to do the National Youth courses 

– that was like going on holiday. 

Even going to Neath back then 

seemed exotic so to go all the 

way to Cardiff seemed like going 

to Mars. I remember we stayed in 

the university's Senghenedd Court 

halls of residence. We'd rehearse in 

various places around Cardiff and it 

honestly felt like a mixture of being 

on holiday and going to space. 

It was so exciting. That was my 

Prodigal 

son 

Actor and activist Michael Sheen speaks to Living Magazines about his 

career so far, and how he adapted to life during lockdown 

introduction to Cardiff." 

The National Youth Theatre of 

Wales was to give Michael the 

grounding that has underpinned his 

career since. 

"It was a brilliant youth theatre. It 

taught me great work ethics; it was 

very disciplined. Once I went to 

London, I realised that I'd taken it for 

granted about what was available in 

my area. I'm not too sure about how 

it compared to others in different 

parts of the country, but I started to 

see how my life could have gone 

a very different way. I owe a lot to 

the hard work of others. I'm amazed 

that I ever made it." 

In 1988, like Hopkins and Burton 

before him, Michael moved to 

London to train as an actor. He 

attended the Royal Academy of 

Dramatic Art (RADA), where he 

picked up his first professional 

role, and graduated in 1991. 

Throughout the 90s, Michael's 

stage work brought accolade after 

accolade, and he made his first TV 

appearance in 1993. 

"Stage work is where I started but 

theatre work has a tendency to take 

over your psyche. You wake up in 

the morning and all you can think 

is that you’re performing that night. 

You can’t concentrate on anything 

else. That may be the way for other 

actors too, I don't know, but that’s 

how it is for me. And it’s strange 

because the performance only 

Photographs: Glenn Dene

takes up a few hours of the day but 

it takes over an actor's life. I do a 

lot more work now in front of the 

cameras these days and despite 

it sounding grim, I’d say that I feel 

more at home on the stage." 

Michael's breakthrough screen 

role was as former Prime Minister 

Tony Blair in the 2003 film, The Deal. 

It was to mark his first collaboration 

with screenwriter Peter Morgan. 

They were to team up again for the 

2006 movie The Queen, Michael 

once again reprising his role as 

Tony Blair. He was nominated for 

a BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a 

Supporting Role. In that same year, 

he also appeared as English actor 

Kenneth Williams in BBC Four's 

Fantabulosa! 

For the following year, Michael 

starred as the television 

broadcaster David Frost in Frost/ 

Nixon in the West End, before it was 

adapted into a movie in 2008, in 

which he again played Frost. 

I'd like to 

run a book 

shop where 

we could drink 

tea and talk 

about books 

"I’m very lucky to be in a position 

where I’m able to express who I 

am as a person. People always 

come up to me and say 'Oh, you’ve 

probably heard this before but I 

love your work'. But I’ve been on 

the other side of that - I've done it 

myself, so I know how important it is 

for them to do that. What really puts 

a smile on my face is if someone 

says that they’ve been deeply 

touched by something that I’ve 

done." 

Michael has gone on to become a 

household name, both here in the 

UK, as well as in the US. But what 

would he be doing if he wasn't 

acting? 

"I was only talking about this the 

other day actually. If I wasn't doing 

all the acting stuff, I’d like to run 

a book shop. But I wouldn’t want 

anyone to take the books. I’d want 

people to come in and talk about 

the books. They'd have to come in 

and we’d drink tea and talk about 

them. But I wouldn’t want them 

walking out with the books." Michael 

pauses. "Maybe it’d have to be a 

library instead." 

Meeting people is one thing that 

many across the world have 

had to think twice about 

doing since the outbreak 

of Covid19. In June 2020, 

Michael starred alongside 

his friend David Tennant 

in a six-part television 

lockdown comedy called 

Staged, which was made 

using video-conferencing 

software. A second eightepisode 

season aired in 

January 2021. 

“The pandemic has made 

me realise how vulnerable 

we all are. I’m working in 

New York at the moment 

and it really saddens me to 

see how many businesses 

are closed down – and 

for good. It’s startling to 

see how our economies 

have been brought to 

a halt. It’s frightening 

how many conspiracy 

theories have sprung up 

but overwhelmingly, it's 

heartening to see how 

people have worked 

together." 

The actor has taken a keen 

interest in the fate of small local 

businesses, especially those faced 

with the challenges presented by 

the pandemic. He's also keen to see 

Wales get a better quality media, 

suited to the country's needs. 

"Most of our news comes from 

outside of Wales and that has sent 

conflicting messages to the people 

of Wales during the pandemic." 

Despite his international fame and 

success, Michael hasn't forgotten 

his roots, or those who are in a 

place that he was once in. 

"I'm lucky in that I can use the 

reach that I have to help change 

aspects of society for the better. 

I don't do charity work in the 

traditional sense but I do see my life 

as two distinct parts and the acting 

Michael is currently 

filming a new season of 

Prodigal Son 

people 

side of it allows me to support 

causes that I care about." He is 

currently the honourary President of 

Wales Council for Voluntary Action 

and in 2017, he founded the End 

High Cost Credit Alliance, which 

works to promote more affordable 

ways to borrow money. 

As we wrap up the interview, 

Michael has spoken for more than 

half an hour. It's still early morning in 

New York, his coffee has long since 

gone cold and he has another day 

of filming ahead of him. 

"It's a little unnerving being here 

with the pandemic still going on, 

but we'll get through it somehow," 

he says. 

It seems it's all in a day's work for 

Michael Sheen. 

9

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4.9 

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home 

Summer 

Ready 

It's been a long winter but property expert and interior design expert 

Erica Willmott is on hand to help you get your home for summer 

Erica 

Willmott 

This winter has dragged out, 

even more so because we 

couldn't celebrate Christmas 

or see the back of 2020 with a 

party. I feel like I have had the 

January blues for months now! 

However, recently the nights 

are getting lighter and the 

warmer weather is on its way so 

it's time to think about opening 

up the house and getting our 

home summer ready! 

Let’s look at some ideas on 

improving your home for the 

summer! 

Follow Erica's blog at 

www.curatedcartref.co.uk 

12 

Spring Clean 

First, think about spring cleaning 

your home. Open up the windows, 

and let the invigorating fresh 

spring air in. Pop on your favourite 

radio station and throw out what 

you don’t need. 

Box up items for charity and sort 

out the recycling. Invest in some 

storage to hide away what you 

don’t need or reduce space taken 

in wardrobes or cupboards. Don’t 

forget the little places – like the 

medicine cabinet, and don’t forget 

the big things either – like the junk 

in the garage. Getting rid of the old, 

makes way for the new! 

The outside of your 

home 

Is the outside of your house 

looking tired? I love the idea of 

spraying your UPVC windows and 

doors and updating the colour to 

look modern. You may need to get 

a professional in for this but the 

difference can be amazing. 

Paint the surrounding windowsill 

and freshen up any woodwork. 

Brush away any old leaves, remove 

dead flowers. Make your home 

inviting; don’t forget it’s all about 

the kerb appeal!

Tidy up the garden 

Chop the trees that stop the 

sunshine getting in and tidy 

up overgrown hedges. Fix any 

fencing that has blown down 

in the winter months. Mow the 

lawn, clean the patio and tidy up 

the garden area, after all this is 

where we hope to be spending a 

lot of time! 

Plant some new bulbs that will 

be in full bloom by summer. 

Don’t forget to plant some new 

flowers in the front too! 

If you have no garden 

Create a room inside which emulates the 

outside space. Think about buying a few 

potted plants to introduce some greenery; 

look at introducing some flowery paintings 

or scenes of summer to walls. 

Change the curtains for something 

colourful, or flowery; maybe add a blind 

that will still allow light in, or if you can 

afford it how about a plantation shutter, 

really bringing a touch of abroad home. 

Introduce some natural textiles and hang 

up an extra mirror which can reflect space 

and light into the room. 

Change your soft furnishings 

If you are content with the look of your home but just like to change the 

soft furnishings and brighten up with a few cushions, then how about 

replacing the velvet, fluffy and dark colours with some summer fresh 

bright cushions? I have seen some amazing neon colours! You can even 

change the colour of your lampshades 

and don’t be afraid to use contrasting 

colours. 

Introduce some tactile textiles and 

accessories. I love the hessian rugs which 

remind me of being abroad. Get some 

large vases and maybe add Pampas 

grass, which is very in-fashion, and it 

comes in some very bright colours! 

Upcycling 

'They don’t make them like they used to’ is a very true saying about 

furniture. Now, more than ever, people are upcycling old pieces of furniture, 

from chest of drawers to sideboards, and their grandfather’s old chair. 

The easiest way to update pieces is 

to paint them; however, there are a 

fantastic range of sticky back vinyls 

which are just as easy to place on 

and trim with a craft knife. These can 

be easily removed so be bold and 

colourful for summer! 

Reupholstering chairs is a very tricky 

business so I do recommend getting 

a professional to do this, but it’s such 

a lovely way to keep a well-loved 

relative's chair in the family. 

A room out back 

As many of us may not be able to go on holiday 

again this year, or perhaps you have decided 

you actually quite like being at home, how 

about investing in a summer house or cabin for 

your garden? These can be adapted and used 

as anything, from a home gym to an office or 

even as a spa to chill out in. In the summer, 

these would be great to carry on the party in 

the cooler evenings! 

Or create a space in the garden with some 

decking and trellis. Invest in some garden 

furniture, inject warmth with cushions and a 

few bright coloured blankets for the cooler 

evenings, and finish off the look by draping 

solar lights through the trellis above. 

Paint 

If you are too frightened to use 

any colour in your home, then a 

standard white will make such 

a difference to your rooms, 

brightening them up. Next step 

(ok quite a big one!) would be 

to add a feature wall with a bold 

colour. Purchase a few samples 

and paint a 10cm x 10cm patch 

to really get a feel for the colour. 

Don’t panic if you hate it after a 

few weeks; it’s easily corrected. 

Paint can also be used on 

kitchen cabinetry to update and 

modernise the doors. There are 

a few companies who sell paint 

specifically for this purpose and 

it’s so much cheaper than getting 

a new kitchen! 

13

YOU & YOUR HEALTH 

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING REGULAR HEARING TESTS BY VINEY HEARING CARE 

THE LAST 12 MONTHS HAVE REALLY SHOWN US HOW IMPORTANT 

COMMUNICATION IS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE 

HAVE BEEN FORCED TO BE APART. FOR THOSE SUFFERING WITH HEARING 

LOSS, THIS HAS BEEN A VERY LONELY AND ISOLATING TIME 

Our hearing is a very 

important sense. 

It allows us to 

communicate with loved 

ones, appreciate our 

favourite sounds and process the 

world around us. Your ears and 

brain work together to provide a 

soundscape of every environment, 

even when you’re asleep. Your 

ears collect the sound but it’s your 

brain's job to interpret it. If our 

hearing changes, then our ears 

aren’t collecting all the sound 

that our brain needs to work 

properly. 

Do you have a regular hearing test? 

Hearing loss is a major public health 

issue; it is the third most common 

physical condition after arthritis 

and heart disease and 

currently there are 

more than 10 million 

people in the UK with 

some form of hearing 

loss. However, because 

hearing deterioration 

can be gradual, it takes 

the average person 10 

years to recognise that they have 

a problem and finally do something 

about it. This time lapse can have 

some severe health and social 

consequences. 

Gradual hearing loss can affect 

people of all ages and depending 

on the cause, it can be mild to 

severe, temporary or permanent. 

There are many causes of hearing 

loss such as genetics, ageing, noise 

exposure, medications, illness, 

viruses (including COVID) and many 

more. The most common form of 

hearing loss is Presbiacusis and it 

relates to ageing. 

What are the effects of hearing loss? 

When hearing deteriorates, 

understanding speech becomes 

difficult. We lose clarity, voices 

become muffled and we can begin 

to muddle the beginning and ends 

of words. We might then start to 

make mistakes, get the wrong end 

of the stick or ask people to repeat 

themselves. 

It can also become difficult 

to hear in restaurants, work, 

meetings, social situations, or 

watching television. This can cause 

frustration, upset and reluctance 

to socialise in those ‘difficult’ 

environments. But if hearing loss 

is caught early on, there is a lot 

that we can do to eradicate these 

problems; the longer it's ignored, 

the more difficult this becomes. 

Treating hearing loss will not only 

help you to hear better but it also 

helps with balance, the ability 

to tell which direction sounds 

are coming from, short-term 

memory processing and the icing 

on the cake - it helps to slow the 

deterioration preventing cognitive 

changes. 

We get our eyes and 

teeth checked on a 

regular basis to flag up 

any underlying issues. We 

need to add hearing to that 

maintenance list. 

Most types of hearing 

loss can be corrected with 

the use of hearing aids. Hearing 

aids should, put simply, help you to 

hear all you need, and comfortably. 

We understand that it is essential 

to give your brain as much sound 

information as possible in order 

to hear properly. Research has 

demonstrated that the brain needs 

access to a full sound scene in 

order to focus and hear clearly. 

By helping the brain to process 

sound in the most natural way, we 

will better help reduce the health 

and life problems associated with 

untreated hearing loss. 

We need to do a better job of 

looking after our hearing, and in 

turn, keep our brains and balance 

healthy. It takes less than an hour to 

assess your hearing health. 

If you would like to arrange a free 

hearing assessment, please call 

Viney Hearing on 02920 250121 or 

call into our Whitchurch branch 

NEW AT VINEY HEARING! 

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We need YOU! 

We are looking for 20 volunteers 

to trial a new innovative invisible 

hearing device proven to mimic 

the way our brain naturally hears. 

More TM is the world’s first 

hearing aid to give the brain the 

full perspective. This is thanks 

to a breakthrough in hearing aid 

technology like nothing before. 

The trial will include full 

audiometric testing, FREE 

microsuction wax removal, aid 

calibration and progressive 

monitoring to review the hearing 

performance. If you decide 

following the trial to keep the 

instruments, there will be a 10% 

discount off the cost as a thank 

you for taking part. 

Recommend a friend 

reward 

If you feel that any of your friends 

or family would benefit from our 

help, we also have a ‘recommend 

a friend’ reward. 

When they choose to have 

hearing aids with us, you both get 

a choice of the following: 

• A FREE year’s supply of hearing 

aid batteries (2 boxes) 

• £30 Marks & Spencer’s vouchers 

• £30 donated to a charity of your 

choice. 

Sponsored feature

Nature's 

finest 

The Cardiff area is 

bursting with nature 

reserves. Here are some 

of the finest on offer 

65 1. Y GWEIRA 

Located at the north-eastern corner of Llantrisant 

Common, this site lies west of the village of 

Beddau, and less than one mile north of Llantrisant. 

It mainly consists of marshy grassland and low wet 

heathland. 

6 2. COED-Y-BEDW 

Coed-y-Bedw, east of Pentyrch, contains ancient, 

broad-leaved woodland, prettiest in springtime 

when the ground is carpeted with dense fields 

of bluebells and wild garlic. Several streams run 

through it, and the wood spans the boundary 

between acidic and basic bedrock. 

5 3. LAVERNOCK POINT 

Lavernock is made up of a variety of habitats, mostly 

coastal Jurassic limestone grassland and scrub. Most of the 

area is made up of open meadow, including some unusual 

varieties that can survive on the limestone. Butterflies 

abound here and the elusive Purple Hairstreak butterfly, 

that relies entirely on the oak tree to survive, is known to 

visit the reserve. 

6 4. HOWARDIAN RESERVE 

Howardian Local Nature Reserve in the lower 

Rhymney valley Penylan, is a wildlife oasis of 

woodland, wildflower meadow, ponds and 

reedbeds. 

A network of paths now weave between the 

variety of habitats that are packed with interesting 

flora and fauna. It's located on Ipswich Road, just 

past the tennis centre. 

16

5 5. PWLL WAUN CYNON 

Travelling further afield, Pwll Waun Cynon is 

situated south of the River Cynon between the 

A4059 and the A4224. It was previously one of the 

most polluted parts of the UK but began its revival 

in the mid 1980s. It now boasts an impressive 

number of water birds and also provides a habitat 

for aquatic insects. 

8 6. PARC SLIP 

This reserve in Bridgend consists of over 300 

acres of different habitat types and supports many 

different species. It also includes 4km of cycle 

paths and 10km of dog walking tracks. 

65 7. CWM COLHUW 

The coastline at Llantwit Major is well known for its ancient 

historical features but it's also home to Cwm Colhuw 

Nature Reserve, which runs along the cliff tops to the 

west and back towards the town. The site was used for 

allotments during the Second World War and also contains 

part of the boundary bank and ditches of an Iron Age 

Promontory Fort. 

8 8. BRYNNA WOODS 

The woods comprises of 38 hectares of secondary, and 

some ancient, semi-natural woodland, scrub, marshy 

grassland, dry grassland and ruderal habitats. 

There are plenty of public footpaths and bridleways 

throughout the woods, and is a haven for wildlife, most 

notably the dormouse. 

65 9. ROGIET POORLAND 

This reserve hosts areas of woodland and scrub, as 

well as a small remnant of limestone grassland, a 

habitat that is becoming increasingly rare in Gwent. 

The woodland is rich with aspen, ash and alder 

and at the margins, red campion and sweet violet 

flourish in the shade. Full of fascinating wildflowers, 

it's a magnet for foraging insects such as the Brown 

Argus butterfly. The reserve's name came about 

after the area was set aside for the local labouring 

poor at a time when the rest of the land on the 

Tredegar Estate was enclosed. 

6 10. COED GARNLLWYD 

This reserve is less than a mile north-east from Llancarfan, 

not far from Barry. Its ancient broadleaved woodland 

features scrub and a meadow, and you'll also find 

varied and active bird life here too. From buzzards to 

woodpeckers and tawny owls, the woodland is also 

teeming with a large range of trees. You'll also find plenty 

of bluebells and buttercups at this time of year too. 

17

Betty 

Campbell 

The hidden heroine 

Later this year, a statue will be 

unveiled outside the headquarters 

of BBC Wales in Cardiff's Central 

Square. 

The statue will be that of Betty 

Campbell MBE, a community 

activist and Wales's first black head 

teacher. The decision to honour 

Betty was taken by the public, who 

chose from a poll of five 'hidden 

heroines' from Welsh history. She 

was actively sought out by Nelson 

Mandela when he made his only 

visit to Wales in 1998. 

Born in Butetown in 1934, Betty 

grew up in the docks area of Cardiff. 

Back then, it was known as Tiger 

Bay and the area covered both 

Butetown and the docks area, and 

was one of the UK's first multicultural 

communities. 

Her mother, known as Nora, was 

Welsh Barbadian. Her father, Simon 

Vickers Campbell had come to the 

UK at the age of 15 from Jamaica. 

World War 2 would bring tragedy 

to the family when Simon was killed 

in action; a torpedo slammed into 

the side of the ship that he was on. 

His ship, Ocean Vanguard, had been 

one of the designated cargo ships 

supplying the UK with goods from 

the US. 

After her father's passing, it was 

Betty's mother that took on the 

pressure of providing for the family. 

She struggled financially, reportedly 

working as an illegal bookmaker to 

18 

Betty Campbell MBE helped transform education in Wales. Her 

contribution has also been recognised around the world 

make ends meet from time to time. 

But she was to be an inspiration, 

once telling Betty that 'you’re no 

better than anyone else but then 

again, no beggar’s better than you 

either.' 

At school, Betty excelled, and was 

even awarded a scholarship to the 

Lady Margaret High School for Girls. 

She left school when she married 

Rupert Campbell, a fitter's mate, in 

1953, but from a young age, Betty 

aspired to become a teacher. From 

the outset, she faced hindrance 

from society and her peers. 

Studying alongside mostly 

white, middle-class girls, one 

of her teachers told Betty that 

the problems facing a workingclass 

black girl would be 

'insurmountable'. 

“I went back to my desk and I 

cried,” Betty once said. “That was 

the first time I ever cried in school. 

But it made me more determined; I 

was going to be a teacher by hook 

or by crook.” 

To do so, Betty would have to 

overcome racism and setbacks. 

But in 1960, she became one of six 

female students at Cardiff Teacher 

Training College. The college had 

only just started admitting women 

for the first time but juggling 

responsibilities of life with a young 

family, Betty successfully qualified 

as a teacher. 

But that was just the start of 

her teaching challenges. When 

a teaching post popped up in 

Butetown, Betty thought that the 

position was perfect for her. But it 

wasn't straightforward: 

“They hadn’t seen a black teacher 

before,” Betty later recalled. “It was 

as if you could do a job, but if you’re 

black you’re weren’t quite as good.” 

After briefly teaching in a 

Llanrumney School, Betty landed 

herself a job at the Mount Stuart 

School in Butetown. She was to 

teach there for 28 years, making 

history by becoming Wales’s first 

black headteacher there in the 

1970s. 

Having staked her claim in the 

history books, she decided that she 

wanted her pupils to know about 

their history too. Betty once said: 

"I was determined that I was going 

to become one of those people 

and enhance the black spirit, black 

culture as much as I could." 

She began by teaching her pupils 

about slavery, black history and 

the system of apartheid which 

was operating at the time in South 

Africa. 

She helped set about creating 

Black History Month and set up a 

series of workshops that charted 

the role of Butetown's citizens, and 

their countries of origin in World 

War 2. 

Under Betty's direction, Mount 

Stuart School became an inspiration

for multi-cultural education 

throughout the world. Schools 

across the UK used her template, 

ensuring that students across the 

country learned about the positive 

contribution to British society by 

people of colour. 

“I looked at black history, the 

Caribbean, Africa and slavery and 

the effects," she once remarked. 

"There were people that said: ‘You 

should not be teaching that.’ Why 

not? It happened. Children should 

be made aware.” 

Betty's influence reached far 

beyond the gates of Mount Stuart. 

She was a board member of BBC 

Wales during the 1980s, overseeing 

editorial and production issues. and 

went on to became a Butetown 

councillor from 1991 to 1995. 

She served as an independent 

councillor for Butetown from 1999 

to 2004. 

And as her influence grew, the 

more she became sought after. 

RELIGION 

OR COLOUR 

DIDN'T MATTER 

we ALL 

RESPECTED 

EACH OTHER 

AS PEOPLE 

She became a member of the 

Home Office’s race advisory 

committee and a member of the 

Commission for Racial Equality. She 

was invited to be part of the Paul 

Hamlyn Foundation Commission 

on Education, which published 

a number of research papers on 

education. Practice examples from 

Mount Stuart Primary School were 

included in the 1993 book 'Learning 

to Succeed', published by the 

Commission. 

In 1994, Prince Charles visited 

Mount Stuart School as part of its 

St David's Day celebrations. He 

also met and spoke to residents of 

Butetown. 

Cardiff Metropolitan University 

(then known as UWIC) made her 

an honorary fellow in 2003, the 

same year that she was awarded an 

MBE for services to education and 

community life. 

And in 2015 Kebba Manneh, 

chairman of Unison Cymru’s 

black member’s group, 

presented her with a 

lifetime achievement 

award for her contribution 

to black history in Welsh 

education. 

Despite all the awards, 

it was the positive effect 

that Betty had on people 

that has been her lasting 

legacy. As councillor 

for Butetown during 

the area's regeneration, 

she helped guide the 

community through a time 

of significant change. 

But it is perhaps, her gift 

of self-belief to those who 

needed it most that have 

the most profound impact. 

After retiring, Betty said: 

“Even now I have expupils 

in their 60s saying 

‘Thanks for the black 

history that you taught us’. 

“What should come out 

is that you can eventually 

rise up from these depths.” 

Betty died at the age 

of 82 on 13 October 

2017. Hundreds of mourners lined 

the streets of Cardiff to pay their 

respects. 

The then First Minister of Wales 

Carwyn Jones described Betty as 

'a true pioneer' and an 'inspiration 

to other black and ethnic minority 

people.' 

In response, Race Council Cymru 

called for a statue to be erected 

in her memory. They pointed out 

that the only statue of a woman in 

Cardiff who actually lived was that 

of Boudicca in the City Hall. That 

contrasted sharply with the number 

of statues of famous Welsh men. 

So in 2019, the BBC launched the 

'Hidden Heroines' campaign. They 

asked the public to decide which 

woman should be the subject of 

Cardiff's first statue of a named 

Betty grew up in the 

Tiger Bay area of Cardiff 

people 

As councillor for Butetown during 

the 1990s, Betty helped guide the 

community through the regeneration 

woman. 

Betty was the chosen winner in 

early 2019, beating off the likes 

of the suffragette Lady Rhondda 

(Margaret Haig Thomas), the poet 

and teacher Cranogwen (Sarah 

Jane Rees), the political organiser 

Elizabeth Andrews, and the writer 

and anthropologist Elaine Morgan. 

On seeing the design, Elaine 

Clarke, Betty's daughter, 

commented that it encapsulated 

her mother 'in a way that ensures 

her legacy of determination, 

aspiration and inspiration lives on 

for generations to come'. 

Betty once summed up her life's 

mission in just one sentence: 

“In our own unique way, we were 

establishing an area where religion, 

colour didn’t matter – we all 

respected each other as people.” 

19

FIVE MINUTES A DAY 

Getting started is often the 

hardest bit of any project 

so ease yourself into your 

decluttering by devoting just 

5 minutes a day to it. Even if 

it's clearing off a busy dining 

table or collecting all your 

unopened mail to be dealt 

with on another day, you'll 

soon start to see and feel the 

difference in your home. 

DECLUTTER YOUR MIND 

Taking the time to declutter your mind 

will help you feel lighter and more 

energised. Mindfulness has become 

a very popular concept over the last 

CREATE A CHECKLIST 

few years and many are embracing 

Decluttering your home 

it because it offers an opportunity to 

can be broken down room 

connect with your own mind. 

by room. In the kitchen, list 

Yoga is also a great way to work on your 

things such as pots and 

flexibility and strength, but it's also a 

pans that you no longer use. 

fantastic way of soothing the mind. Some 

Bathrooms are also a great 

yoga styles use meditation techniques 

place to get rid of a lot of 

that focus on your breathing. This 

unused items. Drawers can 

usually results in feeling calmer and 

be more easily organised 

less stressed. It can help centre 

and cupboards will be 

your attention levels and 

more manageable. 

help with concentration. 

Ticking things off 

Carrying less in your head 

your list will also 

will certainly makes your 

give you a sense of 

days easier to deal with. 

achievement. 

DECLUTTERyour life 

Simplify your life by giving yourself less to worry about, less to clean 

and less to stress you out. Here's how you can declutter your life 

20 

TAKE THE 10-10-10 

CHALLENGE 

Every day, make it a habit 

to throw out ten things, 

return ten things to their 

proper places and find 

ten things that you can 

give away. 

Before you know it, 

you'll start to see the 

compound effect of 

doing this every day. 

Disposing of, re-homing 

or giving away small 

things will help make 

your home feel more 

spacious and more of a 

sanctuary. 

VIEW YOUR HOME AS A FIRST-TIME GUEST 

Sometimes, all it takes is to stand back and look at 

things for how they really are. 

One of the best ways to do this is to view your 

home as a first-time guest. 

Start by coming in 

through the front door 

and observing your 

home as if you've just 

entered it for the first 

time. 

What would 

you think if it was 

somebody else's 

house? What would 

you change? Looking 

at things objectively is 

a bit of an eye-opener!

wellbeing 

CREATE A LIST 

There's perhaps nothing 

more satisfying than ticking 

things off a to-do list. 

Creating a decluttering 

list will allow you to plan 

your project and feel a 

sense of completion as you 

progress. Break your list into 

manageable sections so 

that it's not overwhelming. 

CLEAN OUT YOUR 

WARDROBES 

Decluttering your 

wardrobe is a powerful 

way to take back an 

amount of control in your 

life. 

The first step is to 

completely empty your 

wardrobe. Decide on 

some rules before you 

start sorting and then 

be totally honest with 

yourself as you plough 

through your clothes. 

Keep the basics but ditch 

the things that you've 

probably worn once or 

twice. Don't be tempted 

to keep stuff in the hope 

that it'll come back into 

fashion one day. 

WORK TOGETHER 

If you share a home with 

a partner or family, get 

them involved and you'll 

be declutter quicker and 

help create a feeling of 

solidarity. 

Delegating others can 

allow you to focus on 

your own areas, and 

save time in the process. 

TAKE BEFORE AND 

AFTER PHOTOS OF 

YOUR DECLUTTERING 

One effective way of 

staying motivated is to 

take before and after 

photos of the specific 

areas you're working 

in. 

When you're finding 

it hard going, remind 

yourself of where you 

started and how far 

you've come. 

STREAMLINE YOUR 

STORAGE SOLUTIONS 

This applies to many areas 

of your home, especially 

rooms like kitchens and 

bathrooms. Only buy 

products that you know 

that you love and are 

going to use. 

In the kitchen, go through 

cupboards and throw out 

anything that's past its 

sell-by date. If you have 

items that you're unlikely 

to use, donate them to a 

local food bank. 

Using clear jars for 

storage of dry foodstuffs 

like pasta and rice will 

mean less packaging and 

can easily be replenished 

from your local eco-shop. 

It's also useful to arrange 

food items according 

to their type. More 

frequently-used items 

should be easier to reach 

while things that you use 

less often can be put away 

up on higher shelves. 

21

Shop Local 

from your independent electrical retailer 

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SHOP LOCAL L A5 v1.indd 1 09/11/2020 14:51

outdoors 

TINTERN ABBEY 

Tintern Abbey is a 

national icon — still 

standing in roofless 

splendour on the banks 

of the River Wye nearly 

500 years since its tragic 

fall from grace. 

It was founded in 1131 

by Cistercian monks; 

construction of the 

abbey began in 1269 and 

was abandoned in 1536 

during King Henry VIII’s 

Reformation. 

SILENT giants 

If you fancy spending time in the company 

of our historical past, these places are all 

within an hour's drive from Cardiff 

LLANTHONY PRIORY 

It’s easy to see from the 900-yearold 

ruins that Llanthony was once 

one of Wales’s great medieval 

buildings. 

The priory dates back to around the 

year 1100, when Norman nobleman 

Walter de Lacy reputedly came 

upon a ruined chapel of St. David in 

this location. 

MARGAM COUNTRY PARK 

Set in 1,000 acres of glorious 

parklands, Margam Country Park 

offers natural beauty, history, 

wildlife and things to do. 

1793 saw the completion of 

the Orangery, designed by the 

eighteenth century architect 

Anthony Keck. Construction of 

a new manor house, to become 

Margam Castle, had begun by 

1830. The estate is noted for its 

peacock population. Also on 

the estate are deer, which have 

existed on the site since at least 

Norman times. 

CAERWENT ROMAN 

TOWN 

Caerwent, established in 

about AD 75–80, served 

as a settlement of the 

Silures, a native tribe 

who became Romanised 

following the conquest of 

Britain. 

Impressive remains 

include walls still standing 

up to 17ft tall, excavated 

houses, market-place and 

Romano-British temple. 

BLAENAVON IRONWORKS 

Blaenavon Ironworks is internationally recognised 

as representing South Wales’ pivotal role during the 

Industrial Revolution. 

The iron that was forged here built engines, tools and 

machines. It was used to construct 

bridges, ships and railway lines 

across the world. 

The ruined furnaces are still 

visible today alongside the 

impressive remains of the 

foundry, cast house and water 

balance tower that 

raised wagons 80 

feet into the air. It 

was awarded World 

Heritage Site status 

in 2000 and was 

renovated in 2001. 

23

1 

2 

3 

4 

self-care treats 

1. Little Adventurer 

Children's Gift Box 

£26.50 

After everything our 

children have been through, 

it's only right that they are 

thought of too. This little 

adventurer gift box will help 

them to explore the world 

around them. 

2. Dwarf Umbrella 

Tree Gold Capella £90 

The dwarf tree has 

beautiful leaf foliage that 

grows from a single stem, 

fanning out in an umbrellalike 

pattern. It will also 

help to purify the air in 

your home by filtering out 

airborne toxins. 

3. Mother and Baby 

Collection £45 

Treat mother and baby with 

this award-winning, natural 

and organic collection. The 

skin-nourishing, organic 

mother’s range helps 

expectant mothers during 

and after pregnancy, and 

includes goodies for baby. 

4. Lavender and Lime 

Candle £8.95 

Let the day float away! 

The candle is heavily 

scented with lavender 

but is blended with a 

contemporary twist of 

lime. It's both relaxing and 

uplifting, and is cruelty-free 

and vegan. 

boxtreegifts.com 

bloomboxclub.com 

nealsyardremedies.com 

lily-flame.co.uk 

24

home 

6 

5 

7 

8 

5. Spa at Home £39 

The carefully selected, 

luxurious Hebridean 

seaweed products in this 

collection will provide a 

relaxing and rejuvenating 

experience, and the ishga 

Hebridean Dreams Candle 

will add to the perfect 

ambience. 

6. Wooden Oil Diffuser 

£25 

Take time out of your day 

and breathe in the calming 

mist of essential oils. This 

vase-shaped diffuser 

produces a fine mist, which 

helps create a soothing and 

calming atmosphere. It also 

has a soft light. 

7. Perfect Night's 

Sleep Reed Diffuser 

£38 

Contains 19 dreamy 

essential oils including 

English lavender, precious 

jasmine and sweet basil, 

plus little touches of other 

perfectly chosen natural 

essential oils. 

uk.ishga.com amazon.co.uk neomorganics.com bettys.co.uk 

8. Tea and Scones Gift 

Box £16.50 

This box comes packed 

with delicious, buttery 

scones full of plump 

sultanas, classic Tea Room 

Blend tea, a tasty Yorkshire 

Tea Loaf, and a jar of 

Strawberry Preserve. Just 

add cream! 

25

Venerable 

Viewpoints 

If you're not planning on going 

abroad this year, there are 

plenty of places in Wales where 

you can sit , be still, and 

admire the gorgeous views 

Tryfan 

This mountain in the western reaches 

of Snowdonia punctures the sky for 

miles around. It's easy to access from 

the A5 and on a good day, the views 

from its 3,010ft summit are extensive. 

But this mountain is no easy stroll. In 

fact, it was used as a training ground 

by Sir Edmund Hillary and his team 

who tried out oxygen equipment, 

as well as practising rescue and 

safety routines there. If it's an easy 

ramble you're after, you're better off 

leaving the mountain to those more 

experienced and prepared. 

Stick to the lower paths instead, in 

and around Llyn Ogwen, where you'll 

be rewarded with gorgeous views of 

the mountain itself. The routes cover 

rocky ground which can get slippery 

when wet, so extra care is needed 

when you're out exploring. 

26 

Rhossili Bay 

With 3 miles of golden beaches, 

it's easy to see why Rhossili Bay 

has been voted many times as 

one of the best beaches in the 

UK. 

The bay includes one of 

Wales’s most famous landmarks 

- Worms Head. Penrhyn Gwyr, 

as it's known in Welsh, is a 

tidal island just off the coast. 

Walkers have access to it 2 and 

half hours either side of low 

tide but due to the sharp rocks 

that you'll find there, it's best to 

stay away if you have dogs or 

mobility problems. Remember 

to check the tide times before 

you venture out! 

If it's a gentle amble you'd 

prefer, the beach's sandy 

shores offer the perfect place to 

unwind. There is also a coastal 

path that you can take that offers 

wonderful views. 

Three Cliffs Bay 

Another bay in the Gower that 

offers a spectacular shoreline 

of sand dunes, salt marsh and 

three famous limestone cliffs. 

About 500 yards from the 

main beach, overlooking the 

bay are the ruins of Pennard 

Castle, which was eventually 

abandoned due to the 

encroaching sand dunes. 

Pennard Pill, a large stream, 

flows into the sea down the 

middle of the bay, which is often 

awarded Blue Flag status. Dogs 

are also allowed on the beach 

all year round. 

Eagle-eyed TV viewers may 

also recognise it in the opening 

titles to the 1980s comedy, 

Me and My Girl, which starred 

Richard Sullivan and Joanne 

Ridley.

Nefyn 

The north coast village of 

Nefyn on the Llŷn Peninsula, is 

popular with visitors for its sandy 

beaches. 

The history of the area can be 

traced back to 300 BC and the 

sea has played a crucial role 

in the town's survival. Fishing, 

particularly for herring, became 

the prime trade for most of the 

18th and 19th centuries. 

Today, the town offers walkers a 

great place to base themselves, 

the village being situated 

midway along Llŷn’s north coast 

path. The beach is well known 

for its clear blue waters and 

stunning views of the bay. The 

distant three peaks of The Rival 

Mountains (Yr Eifl) can be seen to 

the east. 

The golf club, way up on 

the headland, offers players 

spectacular views of the sea and 

the coastline on every hole. 

outdoors 

Penmon Lighthouse 

Trwyn Du Lighthouse, also known as 

Penmon Lighthouse, is a lighthouse 

between Black Point near Penmon and 

Ynys Seiriol, or Puffin Island, situated 

at the eastern extremity of Anglesey. It 

marks the passage between the two 

islands. It has been unmanned since 

1922. 

The surrounding area contains a cafe, 

shop and toilets and is reputedly good 

for fishing. 

Ynys Llanddwyn 

Situated at the far end of a 

gorgeous beach, this narrow 

finger of land is the perfect 

place to enjoy the summer 

sun. Its rolling dunes, large 

rock outcrops and mixture of 

historic buildings makes it an 

ideal place for an afternoon of 

exploration. 

There is a mile-long walk 

from the car park along the 

beach, and there are more 

than ten miles of footpaths 

in the surrounding areas to 

explore. 

The island is rich in legends, 

in particular in its association with St. Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint 

of lovers. Tŵr Mawr lighthouse marks the western entrance to the Menai 

Strait. 

Pont Ar Elan 

Walks around the River Elan 

are famed for their expanse 

and beauty. Walkers are 

rewarded with views of wild 

landscapes and flowing 

rivers. 

The area is also popular 

with star-gazers, who take 

advantage of the area's Dark 

Sky Discovery Site status. On 

a clear night, the Milky Way 

is clearly visible to the naked 

eye. 

Ceibwr Bay 

Ceibwr Bay is a small inlet of rocks 

surrounded on both sides by tall cliffs. 

This remote little beach consists 

mainly of pebbles, and sits at the end 

of a deep valley with cliffs extending 

far out along both sides of the cove. 

It's not the place to go swimming due 

to the fluctuations in the tides but it is 

popular with scuba divers, and those 

who enjoy kayaking and snorkelling. 

On a good day, you may even spot a 

porpoise out to sea. 

The views from the clifftops though 

are worth the climb. 

Llandudno Sea Front 

Llandudno may be the largest 

holiday resort in Wales but that 

doesn't mean that it can't boast 

its own fair share of wonderful 

viewpoints. 

In 1902, the Great Orme 

Tramway was built to transport 

visitors to the top of the Great 

Orme. In 1969, the Llandudno 

Cable Car was also constructed 

to take visitors up to the summit 

attractions. These include a 

tourist shop, cafeteria, visitors' 

centre, play areas, a licensed 

hotel, and the vintage tram/ 

cable-car stations. 

27

A care home in Cardiff has become 

the latest to have its residents 

receive the Covid-19 vaccine. 

Residents and staff from 

Tŷ Llandaff, an ‘all-inclusive’, 

residential, nursing, palliative and 

respite care home in Conway 

Road, Pontcanna, had the Oxford/ 

AstraZeneca jab which was the 

second vaccine in the UK to be 

approved against coronavirus on 

December 30th last year. 

NHS staff visited the home 

in January to administer the 

inoculations with each one taking a 

few minutes. 

Residents had a short rest in the 

Fab news as residents at 

Tŷ Llandaff receive Covid jabs 

home’s fabulous home cinema area 

for a period to ensure none of them 

suffered any side effects afterwards. 

They will need to have a second 

dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca 

vaccine within the next 12 weeks. 

Staff at Tŷ Llandaff also received the 

jab. 

Despite the mass vaccinations at 

the home, Tŷ Llandaff, however, will 

continue with strict infection control 

guidelines at the home including 

the required personal protective 

equipment (PPE) by all staff. When 

visits from family members are 

allowed inside the home’s ‘Covidproof’ 

pod, all visitors are required 

to wear full PPE, including gloves, 

aprons and face masks, have their 

temperature checked along with a 

complete risk assessment. 

Tŷ Llandaff was one of the first care 

homes in Cardiff to close its doors 

last Spring when the coronavirus 

outbreak started before the first 

national lockdown was introduced. 

The home did so, in order to create 

a ‘cocooning environment’ for its 

residents and keep those in their 

care safe. 

Tŷ Llandaff service manager Lisa 

Cristina said: 

“Everybody at the home is 

delighted that all the residents 

have had their first dose of Covid-19 

vaccine and we look forward to 

everybody receiving the second 

dose in the next 12 weeks.” 

For more information about Tŷ 

Llandaff call 02920 600 100, 

email info@tyllandaffcare.com or 

visit www.tyllandaffcare.com 

Sponsored feature

Just 

like 

that 

Caerphilly-born Tommy Cooper made the world laugh with his jokes 

and his magic, becoming a comedy icon of the 20th century 

He was the man who didn't 

even have to say a word to 

make people laugh. 

Born Thomas Frederick 

Cooper in 19 Llwyn-On Street in 

Caerphilly, Tommy was born two 

months premature; doctors warned 

that he might not survive infancy. 

But survive he did and went on to 

become a comedy legend. 

In those days, Caerphilly 

was heavily polluted from the 

surrounding industries so his father 

accepted a job in Exeter, which is 

where Tommy gained his Westcountry 

accent that he is renowned 

for. 

He was given a magic set at the 

age of eight, and dedicated hours 

of his time to perfect his tricks. After 

leaving school, Tommy went on to 

become a shipwright, helping to 

build ships in Southampton. 

One Christmas, when he was an 

apprentice at the British Power Boat 

Company, the management asked 

him to perform in the canteen. 

Tommy later said: 

"I did everything wrong. But 

the audience loved it. The more 

I panicked and made a mess of 

everything, the more they laughed. I 

came off and cried, but five minutes 

later I could still hear the sound of 

the laughter in my ears and was 

thinking maybe there's a living to be 

made here." 

In 1940, Tommy joined the army, 

where he put his talents to good 

30 

use entertaining the troops as part 

of the Navy, Army and Air Force 

Institutes (NAAFI) entertainment 

party. During one fateful show that 

he was performing in Cairo where 

he was stationed, Tommy had 

forgotten a safari helmet, which he 

was using as a prop. Instead, he 

whipped the fez from a passing 

waiter, which got a huge roar of 

laughter from the crowd. The idea 

of a fez stuck and Tommy wore 

it for most performances after. 

Even today, the fez has become 

synonymous with Tommy. 

After the war, Tommy decided 

to try and earn a living in 

showbusiness. He had crafted his 

act throughout his army years, but 

he wasn't an immediate success. 

After auditioning for a BBC show, 

one the verdict from an executive 

read: 

"Unattractive young man with

indistinct speaking voice and 

extremely unfortunate appearance." 

But slowly, he began making his 

name. During one show in London's 

East End, some rougher members 

of the crowd began throwing bread 

rolls at him on stage. After politely 

asking them to stop throwing bread 

rolls, a voice from the audience 

shouted out 'Why should we?'. 

Tommy replied: 

"Because I haven't got an ad lib for 

people throwing bread rolls at me." 

During the 1950s, he toured 

extensively. In one week alone, 

he performed 52 shows. Through 

his shows, he became renowned 

as the magician whose tricks 

very rarely came off. But it was 

his appearances on TV that really 

propelled him to national fame. 

Following his TV debut in 1948, 

he soon began starring in his 

own shows, notably with London 

Weekend Television from 1968 to 

1972 and with Thames Television 

from 1973 to 1980. 

The secret to Tommy's act was 

the perfect blend of magic and 

comedy. He was an accomplished 

magician and a member of the 

Magician's Circle. Sometimes, he 

would drop in a successful magic 

trick unexpectedly to keep the 

members of the audience on their 

toes. But his mixture of innocence 

and childlike nature lent an added 

dimension to his act. 

The late magician Paul Daniels 

once said of Tommy: 

"This great big man just stood 

up. That’s all he did. He just stood 

up and the place was in absolute 

hysterics at a man standing up. 

Now, I don’t care how much you 

study comedy, you can’t define 

that, that ability to fill a room 

with laughter because you are 

emanating humour. After several 

minutes of laughter, he turned to 

his wife and said, 'I haven’t said 

anything yet.' And the whole place 

went up again.“ 

His ability to make people laugh 

continued away from his acts too. 

At one memorable Royal Variety 

performance, he was introduced 

to the Queen, where he enquired 

whether he could ask a personal 

question. 

“Yes," replied the Queen, "but I 

might not be able to give you a full 

answer.” 

“Do you like football?” asked 

Tommy. 

“Well, not really,” said the Queen. 

“Can I have your Cup Final tickets 

then?” asked Tommy. 

But it wasn't all laughs and japes. 

Photos: Jaggery/Sam Salt 

There was a dark side to Tommy 

that ultimately contributed to his 

downfall. 

By the mid-1970s, alcohol had 

started to eat away at Tommy's 

professionalism. Complaints from 

club owners began to mount up, 

with stories of him turning up late 

for work or rushing through his 

routines. Worse still, there were 

stories of Tommy getting violent 

with his wife Gwen, whom he had 

married in 1948. 

His physical health began to suffer. 

He struggled with chronic 

indigestion, lumbago, sciatica, 

bronchitis and circulation problems 

in his legs. He attempted to cut 

down on his drinking to help relieve 

the problems, but that, along with 

his heavy smoking, would cause 

problems for the rest of his life. 

He once appeared with Michael 

Parkinson but forgot to set the 

safety catch on a guillotine trick, 

which he had persuaded Parkinson 

to take part in. Only a last-minute 

intervention by the floor manager 

saved Michael Parkinson from 

serious injury or worse. 

In 1977, while performing in Rome, 

Tommy suffered heart attack but 

made a full recovery and was 

back on television within a few 

months. But by the early 1980s, TV 

executives at Thames Television 

were not impressed with his heavy 

drinking and told him that he would 

not get another series. 

He did continue to make TV 

appearances though and worked 

with Eric Sykes on several 

productions. 

It was on a Sunday night 

in April 1984 that Tommy 

collapsed midway through 

his performance on the 

London Weekend Television 

variety show Live from Her 

Majesty's. The show was 

being broadcast live to the 

nation and millions watched 

him fall, thinking it was part 

of his routine. 

After a few moments, it 

was clear that something 

was terribly wrong and the 

director of the show cut to 

the adverts. 

Behind the curtain, 

comedian Jimmy Tarbuck, 

who had been hosting the 

show, and his manager, 

struggled to get the 6'5 

frame of Tommy behind 

the curtains. Attempts were 

made to revive him and he 

was moved to Westminster 

Hospital, where he was 

people 

A statue now stands in 

Tommy's home town 

pronounced dead on arrival. 

His death shocked the nation 

but it was not officially reported 

in the media until the following 

day. He was cremated at Mortlake 

Crematorium in London. 

A statue of Tommy was unveiled 

by Sir Anthony Hopkins in Caerphilly 

in 2008. He was a true original - the 

trademark Fez, the distinctive laugh, 

the clumsy delivery, and his jokes 

and catchphrases make him one of 

the most instantly recognisable of 

all comedy icons. 

Despite arguments and fights and 

an affair, Gwen still appreciated her 

husband’s many good qualities. She 

said of him: 

“He was the nicest, kindest – and 

most awkward – man in the world.” 

31

Social media 

for small 

businesses 

If you're running a small business, social media can become an 

effective part of your marketing strategy. Award-winning digital 

marketer Patric Morgan shows you the basics of how to use it 

Why use social media 

for your business? 

The pandemic has changed the 

way that businesses operate. 

Those that fared best were 

those that were quick to adapt 

to the changing landscape 

and social media played, and 

continues to play, a key part 

in connecting businesses 

with their customers. While 

many businesses were closed, 

the need to communicate 

information fell to social media 

channels. 

If you don't currently have any 

social media channels, or do 

but are in need of revisiting, 

start by thinking as if you were a 

potential customer. What does 

your online presence look like? 

Are you approachable? Do you 

come across as professional? 

You'll know where most of your 

potential customers come from 

so ask yourself which social 

media platforms are they likely 

to be on? Focus then on those 

platforms. 

32 

Twitter 

Twitter is a divisive platform, 

that many people say that they 

don't 'get'. But used correctly, 

you can use Twitter to reach a 

huge amount of people for your 

business. Unlike other platforms, 

Twitter also allows you to find 

prospective customers using the 

hashtag feature, which allows you 

to seek out certain people and 

build business relationships with 

them. 

You don't necessarily need a large 

following on Twitter since the more 

engagement you're involved in, the 

more your tweets will show up on 

other people's feeds. 

The key to success on Twitter 

relies on providing good content, 

and engaging with your audience 

consistently and professionally. 

Becoming an authoritative voice 

on Twitter also helps build the 

narrative that you're an expert in 

your field, which is when you'll 

find people coming to you for your 

services. Share what you know, 

helps others, and you'll soon find 

your account growing. 

Facebook 

While becoming increasingly 

complicated and bloated, 

Facebook still commands a 

dominant position both in terms of 

business and in society as a whole. 

You'll need a personal Facebook 

profile to create a Facebook 

business page, which is designed 

specifically for businesses. What 

you're aiming for is to gain page 

followers, so that when you post 

something to your page, your 

followers will see it on their feed. 

Customers can also contact you 

via your Facebook page, which is 

useful if you don't have an official 

website. Advanced users can even 

use it to create an online shop.

LinkedIn 

Often viewed as the 

professional's choice of social 

media, LinkedIn is perfect 

for building long-term B2B 

relationships. As of February 

2021, LinkedIn had 740 million 

registered members from 150 

countries. 

Building a network is the core 

principle of LinkedIn, but it 

can also be used to seek out 

employees for your business. You 

can also post lengthy articles, 

which is great if you are looking 

to build a brand, either around 

yourself or your business. Other 

users can interact with these 

posts and can also endorse you 

for your listed skills. 

Focus on building quality and 

meaningful relationships instead 

of adding connections for the 

sake of it. 

business 

Snapchat 

Snapchat launched in 2011. And as of 

early 2020, Snapchat was still one of 

the top 15 most-used social media 

platforms in the world. 

It's not right for every business but if 

you connect with a younger audience, it 

could be the one for you. The platform 

was designed to be casual and fun 

so your content should reflect that. 

Business accounts are available too. 

Instagram 

If your business lends itself to photos and videos, Instagram is one of the 

platforms that's worth looking at. 

You can ramp up some pretty decent engagement by posting photos 

and videos to the main news feed by adding up to 30 hashtags. The only 

snag is that you can't add a live link (eg. to your website) unless you have 

over 10,000 followers. One way around this is to add your website in your 

bio and refer your followers to in your posts. 

Stories are another way of getting people's attention and you can add 

links to these. Viewers can swipe 

up on a story or tap an arrow at the 

bottom of their screen to access a 

link without leaving the Instagram 

app or navigating back to a 

business’s bio. 

To get access to this feature, you 

will need to convert your account 

to a business account, which can 

be done from inside the app's 

settings. 

YouTube 

Imagine having your own TV channel. Well you can! Over 1 billion hours of 

content are watched on YouTube every day and hundreds of hours of video 

being uploaded every minute, YouTube 

can be a great way to connect with your 

customers. 

Used effectively, you can use YouTube 

to build trust and authority between 

you and your audience, especially 

when it comes to granting them access 

to see 'behind-the-scenes' footage. 

You can also use it to promote your 

products and services or even tutorials 

that customers will lap up. 

TikTok 

One of the newer members of 

the social media big-hitters, but 

by no means any less effective, 

TikTok has become a useful 

tool thanks to its easy-to-use 

features and creative elements. 

The video-based platform has 

an audience for every kind of 

voice, so whether you're selling 

clothes or plumbing services, 

you'll be able to create your 

own channel and keep your 

business in people's minds by 

posting regularly. 

Email lists 

One of the most often 

overlooked ways of using social 

media is by using it to build your 

email lists. 

Email lists are still one of the 

most powerful methods of 

getting people to buy and to 

do this, you may want to give 

something away digitally (eg. 

a guide to something that you 

specialise in) in exchange for 

someone's email address. 

Use social media to get people 

off social media and onto your 

email lists, where you will have 

more control and more direct 

avenue to your customers. 

33

Wall2Wall Home Maintenance Ltd 

is a family run business. We offer a 

full maintenance service along with 

excellent customer service. All our 

workmen are CRB checked and we are 

fully insured. Free quotations 

WE OFFER COMPLETE BATHROOM & KITCHEN REFURBISHMENTS 

Supply & fitting of kitchen units, sanitary ware, tiling, electrical, 

plumbing, decorating - the whole package! 

• All household maintenance 

• Plumbing 

• Painting and Decoration 

• Wet rooms 

• Fences 

• Roof repairs 

• Ramps 

• Grab Rails 

• Mobility home adaptations 

• Garden Paths 

• Driveways 

• Clear out gutters 

Our aim is to ensure that everyone has a home that is safe, secure and appropriate to their needs 

Office number: Rachael Wall 029 2252 0126 Out of hours: Phil Wall 07904 384409 

www.wall2wallhomemaintenance.co.uk info@wall2wallhomemaintenance.co.uk 

Company Registration No: 12246095 

OVER 25 YEARS 

EXPERIENCE 

INDEPENDENT 

WHITCHURCH- 

BASED COMPANY 

FENSA Certified Company 

38074

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 

Can animals catch and/or 

transmit Coronavirus? 

A very small number of pet cats 

and an even smaller number 

of pet dogs have been found 

to be infected with the SARS- 

CoV-2 virus worldwide since the 

pandemic began. All of these 

animals came from homes 

where there had been human 

cases. Almost all showed mild 

signs of respiratory illness and 

very few have died as a result. 

There have been no reports of 

people being infected through 

contact with an infected pet. 

However, pets can act as 

‘fomites’, whereby their coats 

become contaminated by 

contact with an infected person 

and then pass it on to another 

person who touches them. With 

this in mind, it is wise to avoid 

close contact with pets that are 

not your own. 

My cat often gets into scraps 

and sometimes comes home 

with a graze or a cut here 

and there. He always licks 

any wounds himself and I’ve 

always been told that saliva 

helps prevent an infection but I 

can’t help think that infection is 

always a concern. How worried 

should I be? 

The old wives’ tale of the powers 

of saliva to prevent infection 

persists! The oral cavity is one 

of the most contaminated sites 

of the body, whether it be cat, 

dog or human and there is no 

beneficial effect of licking a 

wound other than to remove 

gross contamination and dirt. 

Any occasion where you 

suspect your cat has been 

fighting should be taken 

seriously. Cuts and grazes 

should be cleaned with a mild 

antiseptic safe for cats (not TCP 

which is toxic to cats), and he 

should be discouraged from 

licking them. 

If there are any puncture 

wounds – ie. penetrating bites 

– veterinary attention should 

be sought at the earliest 

opportunity, as these frequently 

become infected and cause 

abscesses or cellulitis. 

How are Heath Vets coping with 

pets’ vaccinations throughout 

the pandemic? 

During the first lockdown, 

we were only able to provide 

emergency and urgent 

treatment, so all vaccinations 

were out of the question. As the 

rules relaxed, we were able to 

restart both puppy and kitten 

vaccinations and also annual 

booster vaccinations. 

With the second lockdown, the 

restrictions have returned but 

not quite as severe. We are able 

to do vaccinations where to not 

give them would harm animal 

welfare. It is very important that 

puppies are able to go out for 

walks safely as soon as possible 

because to keep them isolated 

indoors will cause many serious 

behavioural problems. To take 

them out before they have had 

their vaccination course puts 

them at risk of contracting 

serious infectious diseases - so 

puppy vaccinations are ok. 

On the other hand, it is not so 

important for kittens to socialise 

and experience the outside 

world at an early stage so they 

will not be harmed by staying 

indoors – so we don’t do these. 

Older pets do need their 

vaccinations to remain safe, and 

once they have had the first 

annual booster, the effectiveness 

of the vaccine lasts a bit more 

than a year. So for pets needing 

their first annual booster (ie. 

when they are about 15 months 

old), we are giving these on time. 

For older pets, we are delaying 

the booster vaccinations by up 

to 3 months. If delayed more 

than this, the primary 2-dose 

course has to be repeated. It’s a 

bit complicated, and guidance is 

liable to change, so if your pet is 

due for a vaccination, it’s easiest 

to phone us to see what we 

recommend. 

Danescourt 

02920 564 626 

Llantrisant Road Retail Park, 

Llantrisant Road, 

Cardiff CF5 2BF 

Rhiwbina 

02920 621 511 

123-5 Heol-y-Deri, Rhiwbina, 

Cardiff CF14 6UH 

Sponsored feature

Postcards from Tongwynlais 

7 The card above is dated 1908, when the 

castle still was still listed as situated in Taff's 

Well. The card looks colourised, as was the 

tradition back then. 

8 The card below is dated 1966. 

Academic interest in the property grew, 

with publications in the 1950s and 1960s 

exploring its artistic and architectural value. 

It wouldn't be until 1984 that Cadw took over 

looking after the castle. 

The Glamorganshire Canal is pictured here, featuring some of 

the original houses that sat along the riverbank 

36 

This 1968 postcard is from the Department of the Environment. 

The castle was the responsibility of the DoE after the Ministry of 

Public Building and Works was absorbed in 1970

history 

This is a rare photo of the River Taff from a different 

viewpoint 

This postcard was sent in 1977 and was produced by 

J Salmon, who established their business in 1880 and 

only closed down recently 

An undated, but undoubtedly old picture of St. 

Michael's Church, Tongwynlais 

Greenmeadow is believed to have been a medieval farmstead and later, a Jacobean farmhouse. The property 

came into the possession of Wyndham Lewis MP (1779–1838) in 1817. He renamed it Pantgwynlais Castle and 

had a grand new facade constructed. The house was left to ruin and eventually demolished in 1945 

Pictures courtesty of www.CastellCoch.com

The Small 

Garden 

38 

Secluded areas 

You can make your garden feel 

bigger than it is by dividing it up 

and adding areas of interest. As 

a result, you won't be able to 

see all of your garden in one go. 

Use bamboo screens, 

foliage or trellis to create 

hidden seating areas or cosy 

hideaways. If you have enough 

room for an arch, use one as 

a portal to other parts of your 

garden. 

The addition of trees can 

help give the illusion of space 

upwards and if are thinking of 

putting paving slabs down, lay 

them diagonally in diamond 

shapes. It creates a trick of the 

eye that will make your garden 

area look bigger than it actually 

is. 

Balcony gardens 

Not all of us have gardens but 

even if you have a small balcony, 

you can still create a small garden 

area for you to enjoy during the 

warmer months. 

You will able to include mature 

plants and you can mix these with 

younger ones. Of course, you'll 

need to grow them in containers, 

but with a bit of imagination, 

there's no reason why you can't 

surround yourself with wonderful 

plants. Summer bedding 

plants, like begonias, petunias, 

osteospermum and busy Lizzies 

will brighten up your balcony from 

late spring right through summer. 

Try and avoid heavy pots like 

terracotta as they will add to the 

weight on your balcony. 

Courtyard 

gardens 

Courtyard gardens have more 

potential than you might think at 

first. Keep colours of fences and 

walls neutral as brash colours 

will stand out and make your 

area look smaller than it is. 

One clever trick is to layer the 

flooring with durable faux grass, 

which will feel great underfoot 

and also bring a sense of depth 

to your small garden. 

Quirky statement pieces, such 

as statues, statement pots or 

ornaments can also distract 

from the surroundings. If you 

have the room to do it, adding 

raised beds can add another 

level to your space. Tall planters 

can be used instead if space is 

limited.

Pallet Planters 

gardens 

Pallets are the perfect addition to a small garden because they offer 

a place to grow plants upwards instead of taking up valuable room 

horizontally. The other great benefit is that you can move them around 

for different occasions if needed. 

You can either leave your pallets untouched, or you can add some 

colour to them to brighten up an area of your garden. You may need 

to add some sort of shelving to the beams, depending on the pallet. 

Trailing plants will also fill in the natural gaps of the pallet. 

Furniture 

If you are really wanting to enjoy 

your garden, you will need some 

form of furniture, even if it's just 

having somewhere to sit. 

Folding chairs are the obvious 

answer but if you're looking to 

include somewhere to dine, look 

for a dining set that allows you to 

tuck the chairs right underneath 

when it's not being used. 

You can also use outdoor rugs, 

cushions and bean bags that can 

be stowed away or used indoors if 

the weather's not looking too good. 

Slimline storage solutions can 

help if you don't have a shed and 

adding large mirrors around the 

perimeters may sound like a crazy 

idea but they can give the illusion 

of more space. 

Lighting is often a feature that is 

overlooked and you can use this to 

your advantage by adding outdoor 

wall lights to cast long shadows. 

You can use lighting to add 

depth to smaller areas and also 

showcase anything you want to 

highlight. Hanging lanterns in the 

trees and bushes will also increase 

the perceived height of your 

garden, and will create a wonderful 

space that you and your friends 

and family can enjoy. 

Living walls 

If you've got a sturdy wall or fence, 

it might be worth using as a vertical 

garden. 

Wall planters are perfect for 

artistic displays and attractive 

focal points and can be used to 

hold flowers, herbs and cascading 

vines. Wooden wall planters are 

versatile and unlike clay pots, a 

wooden wall planter won’t crack 

in freezing weather. Wood can rot 

of course, but galvanised metal 

planters will last longer. Make sure 

that they have drainage holes 

included and when it comes to 

planting, think ahead. In which 

direction will your plants grow and 

have you left enough room for 

them to do so? 

Use colour 

One of the best ways to make your 

garden look bigger is to camouflage 

the walls, either with trailing plants 

or foliage. If this isn't possible, you 

can always paint the wall green so 

that it blends in with the rest of the 

surrounding greenery. 

When it comes to painting other 

areas of the garden, avoid bold 

colours that stand out. Instead, 

try and blend your colours to give 

shapes length and width. You can 

create an illusion of height too by 

painting any fences in two-tone 

colours. 

Window boxes 

Window boxes make planting and 

growing manageable but also 

provide visual appeal to a small 

garden. 

Make sure that your window box 

is clean before you start planting 

and also ensure that the drainage 

holes are adequate. If you have a 

terracotta box, you can line it with a 

plastic bag to reduce the need for 

watering. Just make sure it has a 

few drainage holes cut out. Adding 

a shallow gravel layer at the 

bottom of the box will also help. 

You will need good quality 

garden compost as it contains the 

nutrients that your plants will need. 

Lastly, make sure that the plants 

are secured safely in the compost. 

39

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Back to 

health 

We've all perhaps taken too much comfort in our food over the last 

year or so. As we emerge back into normality, here are some 

healthy options that you can call upon without compromising on taste 

Avocado and 

egg on toast 

2 eggs 

1 avocado 

2 slices wholemeal soda bread 

dried chilli flakes 

handful of rocket 

Asparagus & 

Strawberry 

Salad 

250g fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch 

pieces 

250g fresh spinach 

250g fresh strawberries, sliced in 

half 

1 large spring onion, chopped 

100g pea shoots 

2 tablespoons sliced almonds 

goat's cheese, crumbled (optional) 

juice from 1/2 lemon 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 tablespoon honey 

salt and freshly ground black 

pepper, to taste 

42 

☐ Bring a large pot of water mixed 

with a teaspoon of salt to a boil over 

a medium heat. Also prepare a bowl 

of iced water nearby. 

☐ When the water is boiling, add 

the asparagus and cook for 2 to 3 

minutes. Drain the asparagus and 

immediately add it to the ice water. 

☐ In a large bowl, combine the 

asparagus, spinach, strawberries, 

onion, pea shoots, and almonds. If 

you intend adding goat's cheese to 

your salad, include that now. 

☐ In a small bowl, you can prepare 

the dressing by whisking together 

the lemon juice, olive oil, honey, salt 

and pepper. Adjust the seasoning to 

taste. 

☐ Pour the dressing over the salad 

and toss lightly to coat. Serve with 

ice cold mineral water. 

☐ Halve and stone the avocado. 

Scoop out the flesh and mash in a 

bowl with a fork. 

☐ Poach your eggs, removing them 

from the water just before the yolks 

harden. 

☐ Toast your bread. Add the avocado, 

the eggs and sprinkle with a few chilli 

flakes. Serve with rocket.

Shakshouka 

(poached 

eggs in spicy 

tomato sauce) 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 onion, chopped 

2 chilli peppers, seeded and 

chopped 

1 jalapeño or habanero pepper, 

seeded and finely chopped 

1 400g can chopped tomatoes 

120ml vegetable stock 

1 teaspoon cumin 

1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black 

pepper 

6 to 8 eggs 

2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

30g crumbled feta cheese 

☐ In a large, deep skillet, heat the oil 

over a medium-high heat. 

☐ Add the onion and peppers and 

cook until they are softened and 

beginning to brown. This should take 

about 7 minutes. 

☐ Add the tomatoes, vegetable 

stock, cumin, paprika, oregano, and 

salt and pepper; simmer for 20 to 

22 minutes or until the sauce has 

thickened. 

☐ Crack the eggs evenly on top of 

food 

the sauce. Cover and cook for 6 to 

8 minutes or until the whites are set 

and yolks are thick but runny. If you 

prefer firmer yolks, cook for 1 to 2 

minutes more. 

☐ Sprinkle with parsley and feta 

cheese and serve with warm pitta 

bread. 

Greek salad 

4 large vine tomatoes, cut into 

wedges 

1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, 

then roughly chopped 

85g feta cheese, cut into chunks 

½ red onion, thinly sliced 

16 Kalamata olives 

1 tsp dried oregano 

4 tablespoons Greek extra virgin 

olive oil 

☐ Place the large vine tomatoes, 

cut into wedges, 1 peeled, 

deseeded and chopped 

cucumber, ½ a thinly sliced red 

onion, 16 Kalamata olives, 1 tsp 

dried oregano, 85g feta cheese 

chunks and 4 tbsp Greek extra 

virgin olive oil in a large bowl. 

☐ Lightly season, then serve with 

crusty bread. 

43

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Car 

Park 

Ron Brown was at the beach car cup of ink-black coffee and Ron 

park by 6.30am that morning. watched as it wrung every last drop 

Like every other morning. out from its innards. 

Like every other morning for the “I’ll get you a new machine when 

last 29 years, 6 months, and 3 days. my numbers come up,” Ron would 

Except today was the end. But it say. 

was also the beginning. 

“I won’t hold my breath,” Mary 

It would be the last Monday would reply. Then they’d laugh. 

morning that Ron would ever work Today was another glorious 

as the car park’s only attendant. It summer’s morning. The forecast 

would also be the last time he’d that had been broadcast on Ron’s 

see Barry Island and its Old Harbour bedside radio promised a searing 

in the serenity of early Monday day. The early pink sky had slowly 

daybreak. 

diffused into a pale blue and the 

He had a morning routine. His cool air was beginning to fire up for 

bedside alarm would be set for the long sizzling day ahead. Ron 

5.57am exactly. That way, the sat himself on the rocks with his 

weather report would be the first coffee, overlooking the Old Harbour, 

and only thing he heard. He’d turn allowing the silk morning air to 

his radio off on the hour mark at caress his craggy face. 

6am. He last listened to the news For Ron, sitting on the rocks was 

29 years, 6 months and 3 days something he did every morning, 

ago. It had been depressing then. whatever the weather. It gave him 

He figured that he wasn’t able to time to reflect, time to think about 

help the world and its problems. his plan to get out of working. The 

Listening to them all made him only thing that kept him going was 

sad and feel utterly helpless. So he the fact that one day he wouldn’t 

decided that instead, he was going have to do this job; that one day, 

to focus on his own life. And his own things were going to be a lot better. 

future happiness. 

When that day arrived, he’d be sat 

At 6.30am, the day-trippers would on a faraway beach, anonymous, 

probably still be in bed; except sleepy, and slowly happy. But until 

maybe for the organised ones that day, he had to do what he had 

who’d be up making sweaty cheese to do. Like everybody else. 

sandwiches with thin white bread He sipped his coffee that scalded 

in faraway kitchens. But 6.30am his tongue and he let the hot bitter 

was perfect for Ron to get himself liquid slide freely down his throat. 

a coffee and prepare for the day He quite liked the fierce burning 

ahead. 

sensation as it trickled down, down 

“How are you today, Mary?” he into his empty belly. It fired him 

would ask as he approached the up for the day from the middle of 

serving window at the coffee shop. his being. And at 6.48am on the 

“I’ll be fine when I can afford a new dot, he looked up and raised his 

coffee machine. This one’s on its coffee to the plane that had flown 

last legs,” Mary would reply.” She’d over every day since he started 

bash the machine with her hand working. Destination: Owen Roberts 

and then she’d place two Biscoff International Airport, Cayman 

biscuits onto a napkin for Ron. Islands. 

The asthmatic machine was 

Coffee downed, Ron made his way 

indeed battered. It grunted out a to his place of work — the car park. 

46 

His hut wasn’t anything special — a 

battered wooden building that had 

soaked up the rains of winter and 

scorched and cracked in the heat 

of the summer over the years. It sat 

at the entrance to the car park and 

inside it sat an old armchair that 

used to belong to Terry, the resort 

manager and Ron’s boss for nearly 

30 years. 

The marvel of electricity had 

reached Ron’s hut in 1993, allowing 

Ron to run a kettle and a small 

fridge. Inside, from the roof hung a 

bare bulb on the end of a piece of 

yellowing flex and it hypnotised and 

vamped the moths on long summer 

evenings. Ron preferred to run his 

radio on batteries as it allowed him 

to take it outside and work on hot 

days, especially when the cricket 

was on. It was his home from home. 

By 7am, Ron would be at the hut, 

sat in his deck chair, waiting for the 

first day-tripper to come along. Next 

to the hut, he’d have placed the 

battered sign that read “£5 For The 

Day. Cash Only” so that the drivers 

could see it as they approached. 

And throughout the morning, he’d 

collect £5 off everyone who came 

in and stuff it firmly in his everpregnant 

money bag that was 

strapped around his waist. 

He’d only ever seen one car at the 

car park before 7am in his 29 years, 

6 months, and 3 days here — and 

that was a guy who had left his wife 

and had nowhere to sleep apart 

from his car. Ron had spent an hour 

talking to the guy before sending 

him on his way, full of renewed 

hope for the future. A few days later, 

Ron heard that police had found 

the guy’s car down the side of a 

mountain. 

The Monday passed like any other. 

The day-trippers came and went 

like the tide. And by late afternoon, 

Ron locked up the door to his hut 

Photo: D Noble

for the last time. 

He made his way up to Terry’s 

office and popped his head around 

the door. 

“I’m leaving early. I need to get to 

the bank before it shuts.” 

“Ok, Ron. Thanks for today.” 

— 

The bank was empty of customers 

and Ron approached the only 

counter that was open. Alys was 

there, as he had hoped. 

“How are you Ron? What are you 

doing here? Not your normal day,” 

she said, filing away some tenpound 

notes into the drawer in front 

of her. 

Ron didn’t answer. 

“Not cashing anything today?” 

she asked. Ron remained silent. He 

simply placed two hands on the 

counter and sighed hard. Around 

one of his fingers was a smiley face 

keyring with two keys on it. 

It suddenly dawned on Alys what 

was happening. Her cheery smile 

crumpled. 

“Oh no,” she said, putting a hand to 

her mouth. Ron didn’t utter a word. 

He didn’t need to. He knew that this 

was the day they had both been 

dreading for nearly 30 years. 

Under the glass, he slowly passed 

over his house keys; his life; his 

past. He kept his hand there. It was 

shaking. 

Alys reached her hand forward to 

collect the keys and for a brief few 

seconds, their fingertips touched. 

It was their first time they had 

touched for nearly three decades. 

Through blurry eyes, Alys looked at 

the man who had broken her heart 

all those years ago. 

Within a matter of seconds, Ron’s 

mind flooded with memories. 

Memories that clamped around 

his chest and suffocated him — 

the drunken night in the Ship Inn; 

standing waiting for his pint to be 

pulled while Alys plunged her hand 

into his trouser pocket and emptied 

the contents on the bar; the smell 

of the cleaner that the barman used 

on the table at throwing out time; 

the taxi driver who wandered in 

looking for his fare and who had lost 

patience and left. 

He remembered the drunken 

walk home in the rain through the 

sleeping streets; the sheen on 

the rooftops; the wet cigarette; 

the fumble for the door key; the 

lingering smell of roast dinner that 

Alys had cooked the night before; 

the first kiss in the hallway; the 

half-made bed; the memory of her 

heart beating against his; the sense 

of sheer abandonment through the 

lonely small hours; how he held her 

in his arms as he began to sober 

up; the sound of the town hall clock 

chiming four; drifting off to sleep 

while the rain hammered down 

outside; the awkward morning after. 

He remembered the blue walls 

of the clinic they visited together 

two months later; the words of the 

doctor who told them that she was 

due around Christmas time; the day 

they rented a room; the cold cup 

of coffee that the nurse handed to 

him while he waited in the corridor; 

holding Billy in his arms for the first 

time; the overwhelming sense of 

fear; the day they realised that it 

was never going to work and that 

they were best going their separate 

ways; the day, as a confused young 

man, he promised her that he would 

take care of them for the rest of 

their lives. 

“Thank you. Thank you for 

everything,” said Alys. 

“All the paperwork is in order. You 

don’t need to do anything. You can 

move your stuff in whenever you 

want. I still haven’t finished building 

that garden wall though. But it’s all 

yours.” 

Alys clenched her hand and held it 

to her mouth. She was hoping that it 

might stop the tears but it didn’t. 

“Take good care of Billy for me,” 

said Ron, his voice breaking. 

Alys pursed her lips and nodded in 

agreement. 

Ron ran his eyes over her pretty 

face one more time; over her grey 

roots and over her earrings. 

“Always,” was all she managed 

to say. He placed his hand on the 

glass between them. 

“There’s milk in the fridge and 

Custard Creams in the cupboard. All 

the bills have been paid for the rest 

of the year. It’s all yours, lovely head. 

Goodbye.” 

He started for the door but 

stopped and turned for one last 

look. 

“I love you,” he said “Always have. 

Always will.” 

Alys smiled and waved, a tear 

rolling down her cheek. 

And with that, he was gone forever. 

— 

It wasn’t until 9.30am the following 

morning that anyone had noticed 

that Ron wasn’t at work. Terry was 

on the phone to the Council. 

“Hi. This is Terry here from 

Barry Island. Yes. Can you send a 

replacement car park attendant? 

Ours hasn’t turned up this morning. 

Never known him not to turn up 

before.” 

There was a prolonged silence 

before Terry spoke again. 

“Barry Island car park. I don’t 

understand… so you’re telling me 

that for the last 30 years, you’ve 

never employed anyone for our car 

park?…He’s been taking £5 a day off 

everyone for the last 30 years. What 

the hell has he done with the…?” 

His mouth dropped wide open; 

Terry placed the phone back on the 

receiver and slumped into his seat. 

— 

For nearly 30 years, Ron had played 

this moment out in his mind. 

On the tray in front of him sat a 

small transparent plastic cup. At 

the bottom of the cup was a glug 

of vodka. And next to the cup was 

a chilled can of Coke, the beads of 

condensation catching the morning 

sunlight. 

Ron slowly lifted the cold can and 

pulled it open. Its sweet crack split 

the still air of the aeroplane. In his 

left hand, he lifted the plastic cup 

and brought the two together in a 

long-awaited marriage. 

He took a sip, toasted himself 

and let it slip down his throat. For a 

moment, he let the small bubbles 

fizz on his lips and the inside of his 

mouth. 

Bliss. 

The plane was still climbing, 

pulling away from his life forever. 

He was high above the clouds now, 

far away from his wooden hut, far 

away from his battery-powered 

radio, far away from the car park. 

He looked out through the small 

round windows at the Welsh hills 

as he passed over, now looking like 

sleeping scruffy bears, never to be 

seen again. 

He took a deep sigh, closed his 

eyes, and relaxed back into his 

Premium seat. His mind drifted and 

he thought about Mary, far below 

him and he wondered what starting 

the day would be like without him. 

She’d be taking delivery of her new 

coffee machine about now. He 

thought about the sweaty cheese 

sandwiches that were being made 

in homes across South Wales. He 

thought about Alys, who would be 

watching TV in his old house — now 

an official homeowner. He hoped 

that she had found the Custard 

Creams and he hoped that Billy 

would stick at his new job. And he 

thought about his half-built wall. It 

would just have to stay that way. 

Later that day, Ron’s plane would 

touch down at Owen Roberts 

Airport, Cayman Islands. He’d 

collect his small travel bag from the 

carousel, smile to himself, and start 

his new life in the Caribbean. 

More stories at medium.com/ 

@patricmorgan 

short story 

47

shenanilL 

BRIGHTER 

DAYS ARE 

COMING 

U n i t 8 

F i e l d w a y 

H e a t h 

C a r d i f f 

C F 1 4 4 H Y 

0 2 9 2 0 6 9 2 6 9 0 

info@cardiffwindows.com 

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Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 60

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