Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 67

News | People | Features | History | Lifestyle
Whitchurch &
Llandaff Living
At the heart of the community
Issue 67
Your multi award-winning community magazine

Inside this issue
Welcome / Croeso
Seasonal
Poems
Seasonal poetry
to reflect the time
of year from local
poets and authors
Robin Horsfall
From boy soldier to
SAS veteran - the
former paratrooper
tells how he
has overcome
adversity.
Distribution: 6,000 copies of Whitchurch and
Llandaff Living are distributed to retail outlets and
public places across Whitchurch, Llandaff and
Llandaff North.
2
The Plough
Nigel Lewis takes
a look back into
Whitchurch's
unknown past - this
time taking a look at
the village's popular
landmark
Coastal Walks
Take time out
from the rush of
modern life and
soothe the soul
with walks along
our wonderful
coastline.
Late Summer deadline:
13th August 2023
Published late August 2023
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 to your latest issue of
Whitchurch and Llandaff Living.
The summer months are all
about being free and easy and
feeling good. The days and
nights are longer, and the warm
weather allows us to go out and
explore the world around us.
But sometimes, it's not that
straightforward. In a world where
we can often feel alone and
detached from others, despite
the cheery weather, Tim Riley
outlines the benefits of signing
with others.
We've also got a great feature
about stoicism. This philosophy
is designed to help you live
your best possible life by
maximising positive emotions,
reducing negative emotions, and
helping you hone your virtues of
character.
If retail therapy is more your
thing, we've handpicked
essential travel items to pack for
your holidays this year and we've
also singled out some books to
take with you.
The seaside is one place we
love to spend our time during
the warmer months and we've
shortlisted some wonderful
coastal walks to enjoy.
If you're of a certain age, you
may remember the SAS raid
on the Iranian Embassy in 1980.
Watched by millions on TV,
the army's elite were sent in to
rescue hostages that were being
held at gunpoint. It was a defining
moment in British history. Robin
Horsfall was one of the troops
that stormed the building that
Bank Holiday Monday evening.
The SAS veteran now lives just
outside north Cardiff. His life story
so far is like something out of a
novel. We spoke to him about his
extraordinary experiences.
While we are on the subject
of the military, Whitchurch
War Memorial was recently
rededicated to commemorate
those who gave their lives for our
freedom. Ceri Stennett outlines
the importance of the memorial,
both for the present, and for
generations to come.
Nigel Lewis returns with more
wonderfully detailed history of
our local area. The Plough on
Merthyr Road is perhaps one of
the most well-known landmarks
in Whitchurch. Nigel's research
into the back story of the pub
tells a tale of innovation, robbery,
and mystery.
There's more history to discover
throughout our local area as we
take a look at Roman Wales.
The area was a great source of
mineral wealth when the Romans
landed here in 48AD and they
made themselves very much
at home. Evidence of their time
spent here can still be explored
today; we show you where.
We've also got plenty of other
features to whet your appetite
for a great summer so enjoy the
lovely weather and we'll see you
in our next issue!
Danielle and Patric
Editors
@WhitchurchandLlandaffLiving
www.facebook.com/
whitchurchandllandaffliving

news
Recycling trials
could extend to
other areas
Llandaff Pound celebrates first year
of activities and innovation
Llandaff Pound has celebrated its
first year of supporting individuals
and groups from the local
community.
The innovative Centre for Older
People, run by Llandaff 50+
volunteers, now hosts popular
activities such as Tai Chi, talks and
art. A recent survey of users of The
Pound has shown that 76% were
very positive about the benefits of
The Pound to themselves and the
community, and 24% were positive.
The development of The
Pound has coincided with the
development of Cardiff as an Age
Friendly City. The number of citizens
in Cardiff aged 65-84 is set to rise
by 44% during the next 20 years.
The number over 85 is expected to
double.
‘The World Health Organisation
Global Network of Age Friendly
Cities’ was established in 2010 with
the common vision of ‘making their
community a great place to grow
older’. Cardiff is now a member
and Cardiff Council will shortly
be publishing its first-year annual
report that will be publicly available.
It will feature much of the progress
at The Pound that has been made
in the first year.
Nicola Pitman from Cardiff Council
said:
"The Pound is a great example of
age-friendly good practice and I
am very grateful to the members
that have given us support during
our Caring for Carers consultation
by distributing our newsletters and
attending events. It is so fantastic to
see the work that is going on at The
Pound to help older people stay
active, get support from each other,
and stay so connected to the local
Community."
Llandaff 50+ was first formed in
2008 and has gone from strength to
strength over the following fifteen
years. When the opportunity arose
from Cardiff Council to convert
a derelict toilet block next to a
medieval castle in the very centre
of the village, Llandaff 50+ couldn’t
refuse it.
Planning and fundraising began
in 2016 and with the support of
Downs Merrifield Architect and A&N
Lewis builders, work on the building
began in February 2020 - the same
month as the pandemic hit the UK.
The builders toiled through a
very difficult time until the building
was ready to use and, once socialdistancing
rules allowed, it opened
with a flourish on 23rd June 2022.
Following a successful first year,
Llandaff 50+ is now looking to
start up more activity groups at
The Pound. It is hoped that a Craft
Group will begin in the autumn and
possibly a Music Group, as well as
a group about Welsh Culture and
conversation. These groups will also
be run by volunteers, so everyone
interested in taking part is asked to
contact Llandaff 50+ for a chat.
The Pound initiative is now very
much putting Llandaff on the map,
and their doors are always welcome
for more volunteers.
Contact info@llandaff50plus.com to
find out more about this innovative
project.
A recycling trial - which has seen
10,000 homes across Cardiff
separate their recyclable waste
at the kerbside - has proven so
effective that the Council is looking
to buy 9 additional specially
designed trucks to collect glass
separately so the scheme can be
rolled out across the city.
Residents, including those in
Llandaff, who took part in the
recycling pilot, were given reusable
red and blue sacks to separate
their recycling into, with paper and
cardboard going into red sacks,
and plastic, tin and metals into blue
sacks. Residents in the trial areas
were already using a separate
container for glass jars and bottles.
The results, when compared with
the rest of the city where residents
put all recyclables into green
plastic bags, were startling. The
contamination rate - items that are
put out for recycling but cannot be
recycled - reduced from 30% to
approximately 6%.
Over a 3-year period, the new
three-bag recycling collection
system could be rolled out to other
residents across the city.
Cannabis farm
closed down
A cannabis farm that was operating
in Whitchurch has been closed
down by police.
South Wales Police has seized £5
million worth of drugs and found six
large cannabis factories in Cardiff
as part of their Op Sceptre Team.
Three other cannabis farms were
found in Roath and two in Cathays.
3

news
Calls for more
'Tree Guardian's
to help Cardiff's
trees
Local tennis courts could benefit from
major citywide investment plans
An army of willing volunteers
has planted more than 50,000
new trees in Cardiff in the past
two years as part of the ‘Coed
Caerdydd' mass tree-planting
programme in the city.
The council-led project,
which aims to support
biodiversity and increase
tree canopy coverage in the
city from 18.9% to 25%, was
launched in 2021.
But pushing on from this
success, Cardiff Council are
asking more residents to join
their team of existing ‘Tree
Guardians'. The aim is to help
provide water for the new
trees, and also look after the
thousands that line the city's
streets.
Coed Caerdydd Project
Manager Chris Engel said:
"You can generally spot
when a tree is dehydrated by
looking at its leaves - if they're
starting to wilt, their leaves are
yellowing, or they're losing
leaves, then that's a sure sign
they need some water.
"Trees will always benefit
from a drop of water every
day - the larger ones we've
planted need more - but really
anything will help, especially
early in the morning or in the
evening once the temperature
has dropped."
4
A popular tennis scheme that has
boosted the number of people
taking up the sport in the Heath
area of Cardiff could be rolled out
to six other parks across the city,
including Llandaff Fields.
Tennis Wales, the governing body
for tennis in Wales, has approached
Cardiff Council with a plan that
could see £750,000 invested in 29
of the city's tennis courts.
Should the plan be agreed, local
residents could possibly benefit
from affordable and free tennis
programmes, and activities run by
local coaches.
The plan was being considered
by the Council at the end of June.
Tennis Wales say that they would
manage, operate, and maintain the
courts for a minimum of ten years.
They would also look to invest
Investiture
Service
St John Ambulance Cymru held
its Commemoration, Rededication
and Investiture Service in Llandaff
Cathedral in June.
The Priory for Wales of the Most
Venerable Order of the Hospital of
St John of Jerusalem is the Welsh
branch of the Most Venerable Order
of the Hospital of Saint John of
Jerusalem, which traces its origins
back to the Knights Hospitallers in the
Middle Ages.
The Annual Investiture Service
acknowledged those who have
supported St John Ambulance
Cymru and their local communities.
Dr Dale Cartwright, CStJ DL was
promoted to Commander of the
Order, being presented by the Grand
Prior, His Royal Highness The Duke of
Gloucester.
financially into the long-term
security of park tennis courts,
resurfacing, repainting, and
repairing existing facilities.
There would be plans to introduce
online booking software so local
people can find a court, book,
and pay online and this would be
backed up by installing gate access
technology at the courts. The aim is
to provide a safe place to play and
minimise misuse of the courts.
Cabinet Member for Sports, Parks
and Culture, Cllr Jennifer Burke,
said:
"Tennis Wales's investment at
Heath Park has converted a site
that was in poor condition with very
limited tennis activity into a vibrant,
tennis hub...it's very exciting to think
this could be rolled out across the
city."
Friends of Hailey
Park Pilgrimage
Members of Friends of Hailey Park
took part in a sponsored pilgrimage
in June to help raise funds to fight
development of the Green Flag
award winning Park.
The pilgrimage took place from
Llandaff Cathedral to Penrhys, a
walk of just over 20 miles.
The group is currently seeking
legal action to prevent a sewage
pumping station being built on the
park. A Judicial Review took place at
the end of June.
​ The group says that the sewage
pumping station project threatens
Hermit Wood SINC (Site of Interest
for Nature Conservation) which is on
the opposite bank of the river Taff
from the Hailey Park, in addition to
other green spaces on the route of
the pilgrimage.

letters
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editor@livingmags.co.uk
The Boss
My name is Atticus, I’m a Goldfinch
and this is my story.
I’ve lived all my life in the old oak
tree on the Coryton line. To humans,
he was just another oak tree but
to us birds, and the bats who lived
there, he was ‘The Boss’.
He was a pedunculate, a common
oak, which ‘takes 300 years to grow,
300 years to live and 300 years
to die’. The Boss was about 100
years old, in the prime of his youth
and truly magnificent. Even before
global warming, nobody in their
right mind would bring any harm
to such a fine living specimen and
example of everything that’s good
about God’s world.
The Boss provided safety and
shelter for a murder of Crows, an
unkindness of Ravens, a parliament
of Rooks and a conventicle of
Magpies. The clattering of Jackdaws
spent their days down in the village
but returned home every night to
roost.
Throughout the summer, the
cauldron of bats that lived with us
could be seen flying together from
dusk onwards as they set out to
catch their suppers.
The Boss knew all of us since we
were eggs, and all our families for
generations and, night after night,
he regaled us with stories of how
life had been ‘back in the good old
days’.
We felt safe in his boughs.
There were other trees, Ash and
Sycamore, but none felt like our
mighty Oak.
The Boss was everything to us
and he had time for us all. We built
our nests in The Boss, raised our
chicks, sheltered from the worst of
storms and he provided the bugs
we needed to feed our young, all
hidden in the ivy he allowed to grow
around his magnificent form.
The Boss stood overlooking our
village for almost 100 years. He
was older than most of the human
inhabitants, and he felt he knew all
of them as for so long he’d watched
them going about their daily lives.
He’d seen the worst of winters and
the best of summers. Most years he
saw snow settling on the mountain,
the twinkle of the pretty Christmas
lights from the village and the first
Swallows arriving for summer. He’d
seen the Prairie tank steam engine,
the old late night railway specials
from Ninian Park, today’s diesel
trains and he couldn’t wait for the
new electric powered trains.
Life went on day after day, as it
always had until, one incredible
night in mid-June.
Everyone spent that evening just
like any other. The sun had set and
the chicks were tucked up in their
nests. Tod the Fox wandered past
on his way to search for food for his
cubs.
Roland the Rat made his way over
the weeds that engulf the railway
track and under the ancient Hedera
helix covered bridge, neglected
for years, but somehow made
charming by the hanging ivy fronds
which hit the trains as they pass
under.
Then, it happened. A gang of
humans arrived, loud and brightly
coloured, hauling their machines.
The still of the urban country night
was shattered by the sound and
feel of death and destruction.
Sub-contractors were carrying
out orders to raze to the ground
anything and everything ‘within
8–10 metres of the track’.
The thunderous noise of the
murderous chainsaws terrified us
all. Those who could fly, us birds
and the bats, took to the wing and
flew for our lives, no option but to
leave behind us our families and
loved ones.
Humans on the bridge pleaded
for the Boss’s life. The evidence of
bats living in his mighty boughs was
briefly discussed, and dismissed, by
his assailants.
The Boss would not have wanted
us to try to describe his pain and
suffering as humans ripped him
apart, but he would have wanted us
to pose questions.
He stood for 100 years, regal and
serene, and reasonably expected
to do so for the next 800 years.
Humans decided to upgrade
the track for electric trains, and
The Boss became a ‘fire hazard’,
because cost-saving dictated an
unsightly overhead cable system
rather than a single track-level live
rail. ‘Health and safety’ masks costsaving
as the real issue.
Trees are the largest plants on
earth and they provide more than
just oxygen to humans. They
ensure the stability of the soil that
other plants grow in, and provide
shelter and food for animals and
us birds, and help control weather
patterns through natural aspiration.
Therefore, trees mean life, literally,
for all of us, not just humans.
Human research shows that
old oaks will increase their C02
absorption by up to a third to meet
the increasing C02 levels.
The Boss can’t because he’s dead;
humans killed him and that’s just
not right.
To quote the other Atticus Finch, in
To Kill a Mockingbird, ‘the one thing
that doesn’t abide by majority rule is
a person’s conscience’.
Albert Ross, Cardiff
5

THERE’S
A NEW
THAI IN
TOWN
Luscious Thai
curries, sizzling
stir fries, vegan
dishes and more
29 - 33 The Hayes,
Cardiff, CF10 1GA
029 2002 499
www.gigglingsquid.com
@gigglingsquid

Inspired by Thailand’s abundance of natural ingredients, Giggling Squid
offers Thai classics to be enjoyed in a beautiful setting in Cardiff
Thai restaurant where she fell in
love with hospitality and dreamt
of opening her own place with a
unique approach.
Pranee says:
“I wanted to create a different Thai
vibe, not like the rest of the Thai
restaurants full of carved wood like
a temple. I wanted to set my own
trend and not just follow what other
people had done."
Get ready for a Thai feast for your
eyes and palate as Giggling Squid
finally brought its bright floral
interiors and bold flavours to Cardiff
on June 12th in St David's.
Giggling Squid is all about bold
flavours and exotic ingredients,
cooked by expert Thai chefs and
shared with warmth and generosity.
At its heart lies the spirit of Thai
mealtimes – lively, informal with a
feast of dishes to share with friends
and family.
Founded by husband-and-wife
team, Andy and Pranee, in a tiny
fisherman’s cottage in Brighton,
Giggling Squid was inspired by
Pranee’s food memories of growing
up in Thailand. Her passion for fresh,
exotic ingredients comes from
visiting food markets as a child and
being awed by stacks of vibrant
spices, herbs and vegetables and
barrels of live seafood.
When Pranee moved to the
UK to study, she waitressed at a
This is a sponsored feature
With its unique décor of vibrant
colours, cosy banquettes and
stunning lighting inspired by
Thailand’s abundance of ingredients
from the sea and land, Giggling
Squid is as much known for its
gorgeous interiors as its food,
offering a feast for the eyes as well
as the taste buds.
Twenty years have passed since
Andy and Pranee opened their
first restaurant, but their original
Thai tapas are still a hit. Alongside
old favourites, new dishes are
always being created and there’s
something for everyone on the
lunch and dinner menus including
luscious curries, stir fries and
vegan options, served alongside an
extensive list of cocktails, bubbles,
and exotic spirits.
And the question they always get
asked – Giggling Squid was the
nickname for one of their three kids!
A: 29-33 The Hayes, Cardiff CF10
1GA
W: www.gigglingsquid.com

SING
In a world where we can often feel alone, isolated, and detached from
society, Tim Riley outlines the benefits of singing with others
Do you like to sing a bit of opera in
the bath? Are you the sort of person
who turns up the radio in the car
and sings along at the top of your
voice? Or perhaps you love the idea
of singing, but are simply too afraid
to open your mouth and have a go?
One thing is for sure - you don’t
need to sing like the late, great Tina
Turner to enjoy the sense of fun,
camaraderie and well-being that
comes from singing in a choir.
Singing Is Good For Us
I think most of us already
instinctively know that music
making and singing is good for us
- after all, people have been doing
it for thousands of years. However,
in recent years, there has been a lot
of scientific research that has been
quantifying the benefits of music
making and more specifically, the
benefits of singing in choirs.
Jacques Launay, a Postdoctoral
Researcher in Experimental
Psychology at the University of
8
Oxford has this to say:
“Music has been used in different
cultures throughout history in many
healing rituals, and is already used
as a therapy in our own culture.
Song is a powerful therapy indeed.”
He then went on to sum up some
of the broader findings of research
conducted with choirs:
“Regular choir members reported
that learning new songs is
cognitively stimulating and helps
their memory, and it has been
shown that singing can help those
suffering from dementia, too. The
satisfaction of performing together,
even without an audience, is likely
to be associated with activation of
the brain’s reward system, including
the dopamine pathway, which
keeps people coming back for
more.”
Singing Helps Our Brains
Jacques Launay isn’t alone in these
findings. Sarah Wilson, a clinical
neuropsychologist at the University
of Melbourne conducted MRI
scans on people as they sang and
reached the following conclusions:
“When we sing, large parts of our
brain ‘light up’ with activity. There is
a singing network in the brain which
is quite broadly distributed. When
we speak, the hemisphere of the
brain dealing with language lights
up, as we might expect.
"When we sing, however, both
sides of the brain spark into
life. We also see involvement
of the emotion networks of the
brain. Regions that control the
movements we need to produce
sounds and articulation also light
up.”
Singing Releases Feel Good
Hormones
Baishali Mukherjee, an officer for the
World Federation of Music Therapy
is able to sum up quite nicely what
the likely benefits of singing are
going to be:
“Endorphins are related to an

overall lifted feeling of happiness,
it gives a feeling of euphoria so it’s
all associated with a reduction in
stress. In any situation whether it is
under stress or with any physical
ailments, illness, psychological
deprivation, music has the potential
to affect our body and mind.”
Singing Releases Stress
A study in 2017 showed that singing
can help reduce stress levels. The
study took samples of saliva before
and after the participants sang. It
showed that levels of cortisol, the
hormone that is produced as part
of the body's stress response, were
lower after they had belted out a
great tune. This was found to be
true whether the participant was
singing alone or as part of a larger
group.
The only time cortisol levels went
up was when the participants were
performing to a large crowd.
Another direct benefit was
improved lung function. Because of
the improved supply of oxygen via
the lungs, singers often experience
improved moods and greater social
connection with their peers.
A Personal View
Speaking personally and as a
musician who has been singing and
conducting choirs for more than
thirty years, I know that running a
choir is one of the most joyful and
least stressful parts of my work.
The coming together of people.
The control of breathing, the
emotional uplift of the music and
the camaraderie of being with
others with a common purpose -
Stephen Moore, Head of Music,
Llandaff Cathedral leads a
masterclass with Insole Court
you don't have to be a scientist to
know that’s going to be good for
you on every level!
Every rehearsal leaves me feeling
elated and I know that my choristers
feel the same way. And the good
news is that you don’t even need
to be a strong singer to get all the
benefits. Indeed, I suspect that
people that make music for fun
(and not a living) have the most
joyful and carefree experience.
How To Get Involved
If you’re interested in joining a choir,
here are a few questions to ask
yourself:
● What sort of music would you like
to sing? Pop or Classical?
● Can you read music or are you
starting from scratch?
● Would you enjoy singing in other
languages (not just Welsh, many
Singing improves our moods
choirs embrace a lot of different
languages and cultures)?
● How do you feel about
movement - do you fancy a bit of
choreography?
● Would you prefer to go with a
friend?
Local Choirs
wellbeing
Wales has a rich tradition of choral
singing. More specifically, if you
live in the West and North of
Cardiff, there are many excellent
opportunities to sing with
community groups.
For instance, if you enjoy church
music, Llandaff Cathedral has a
community chorus (as well as their
main choir) aimed at the wider
community and not just singing
experts.
Then there’s Gabalfa Community
Chorus, Roath Community Chorus,
The Ardwyn Singers, Rock Choir,
and the charity Tenovus runs Sing
With Us.
The Insole Court Children's
Choir will also be relaunching in
September, aimed at primary school
children aged six and upwards.
The choir is led by Anna Williams, a
hugely experienced music teacher.
For the adults, the Insole Court
Community Choir has been singing
since the house reopened six year
ago. With over 50 members, this
prize-winning choir welcomes
people of all musical abilities. You
don't need to be able to read music
to take part (although they do
provide music and assistance in the
form of backing tracks) and there's
also no audition.
Do your research and find out what
suits you best. Before you know
it, you won't just be singing in the
shower!
9

SUMMER SALE
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all SS23
lines with this advert Summer ‘23
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9-11 Lon Fach
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tel: 07929 239012
email: info@calonrhiwbeina.com

Music making is best done with friends!
At Primo Piano, we offer group piano lessons for children from 5yrs in our music school at
Insole Court, Llandaff. We are currently planning beginner’s sessions starting in after the school
holidays.
We believe that the best way for children to become good musicians is learning in a small group.
Group lessons are often considerably cheaper than private lessons (and siblings receive a further
20% discount on fees). But the real value of group lessons lies in the fact that music making is
by its very nature a group activity. All of our students benefit musically and personally, from the
experience of playing and interacting with others every week.
With more than 200 children learning in this way, we are able to make sure that children are
always in the most suitable group and learning at a rate and level appropriate to them. We also
make full use of technology with simple online practice updates containing links to videos of
absolutely everything we do.
Enrol for a FREE introductory piano lesson now!
www.primoschoolofmusic.com (O29) 2002 4948

Rockpooling
Rockpools can last only a few hours but within each one, you can find
a multitude of interesting creatures, all waiting for the tide to return
Beadlet anemone
A common sea anemone found
on rocky shores around all
coasts of the British Isles, the
beadlet anemone displays up to
192 tentacles, all arranged in six
circles. They use these tentacles
to sting and catch passing prey
like crabs, shrimp and small fish.
When the water recedes,
the anemone retracts these
tentacles and the anemone
ends up looking like red or
orange blob around two inches
wide.
They can be spotted all year
round in rockpools and along
the rocky shore.
Green shore crab
Commonly found around the
UK, the green shore crab is
usually green in colour but can
sometimes be orange or red-ish
in colour. If you spot one with an
orange blob on its stomach, it'll
be a female carrying its fertilised
eggs for safekeeping.
You can also recognise the
green shore crab by the fact that
it has five upturned spikes on
each side of its upper shell and
three rounded lobes between its
eyes.
Bladderwrack
This type of seaweed is found on the
coasts of the North Sea, the western Baltic
Sea and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
It was the original source of iodine,
discovered in 1811, and was used
extensively to treat swelling of the thyroid
glands related to iodine deficiency. It is
especially common on sheltered shores.
Dog whelk
They may look pretty but dog whelks are
predatory sea snails. Wave action tends to
confine this carnivorous marine gastropod
to more sheltered shores.
To feed, it uses a modified tooth to bore
holes in the shells of prey. An organ on its
foot secretes a shell-softening chemical,
which it releases into the hole, paralysing
the shell's contents, which it then sucks
out.
Common periwinkle
This small, edible sea snail looks
similar to its land-based cousin
but primarily feeds on algae on
rocky ledges.
Also known as winkles, they
have been an important food
source for humans with evidence
of this happening in Scotland
dating back to 7,500 BC.
They are commonly harvested
in baskets at low tide, and its
meat is high in protein, omega-3
fatty acids and low in fat. They
are considered a delicacy in
African and Asian cuisines.
12

outdoors
Common goby
The common goby can be found along most of the UK's
coastline; in fact, it can be found anywhere from the Baltic
Sea to the western Mediterranean.
You'll find these little fish in estuaries, saltmarshes, along
the coastline and in intertidal pools. They do prefer open
water areas that are muddy or sandy, but can often be
found in dense vegetation. Because of their colour, they
can often blend in with the mud or sand beneath them.
They grow to about 6cm long and you can distinguish
them from other species by the fact that its nape and
throat are completely scaleless. They have large eyes that
are positioned on the sides of their heads.
Common starfish
The common starfish has five arms
and usually grows to between 10–
30cm across.
It is dioecious, meaning that each
individual is either male or female. In
the spring, the females release their
eggs into the sea. A moderate sized
starfish is estimated to be able to
produce 2.5 million eggs.
They eat by opening up shellfish,
inserting a part of their stomach into
the shellfish, digesting its contents,
and then returning its stomach back to
its body. They can live for up to seven
or eight years.
Common limpet
These small cone-like structures
clamp onto the rocks and wait for
the tide to return.
When it does, they release
themselves and get on the move,
eating algae with their tongue - the
world’s strongest known biological
structure as it needs to constantly
scrape algae from the tough rocks.
Its tongue contains hundred of rows
of sharp teeth that are known to be
stronger than steel.
Brown shrimp
Also known as the common
shrimp, this crustacean can be
found on all coastlines in the UK.
often lurking in estuaries and
shallow waters.
Adults typically measure 1-2
inches long, with large antennae
They can also change colour to
better match their surroundings
using special cells called
chromatophores. Usually brown
to blend in with the sand, if they
are threatened by predators,
they bury themselves in the
sand. During the day, they remain
buried in the sand to escape
predatory birds and fish, with only
their antennae protruding.
13

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D R I V E T O G E T H E R

Para.
mercenary.
sas.
sniper.
bodyguard.
SAS veteran Robin Horsfall has overcome adversity time and time
again. His life story so far is like something out of a novel.
"I'll have a bowl of porridge please."
It's early summer. In a small cafe,
just outside of north Cardiff, Robin
Horsfall is ordering breakfast.
Among the chatter of the
cafe, most are unaware of the
extraordinary life of the man with
the moustache sat quietly in the
corner.
"Until the age of seven, I had
no father figure in my life," says
Robin. "There was a gap in my
development because there was
no one there to put me straight or
tell me how to behave. As a result,
I grew up lacking confidence and
became vulnerable to bullies."
Robin was born in Surrey and
following a divorce from his birth
father, Robin's mother Hazel
married what was to become
Robin's step-dad.
"He adopted me and gave me
his name Horsfall. He had no
experience of bringing up children
and could get violent with the
frustration of my behaviour."
Robin's broken family life
impacted heavily on his education,
and as a result, he developed a
resentment to authority.
"Nobody asked me if I wanted
to go to school. I tried hard there
but I was always put down by the
teachers. My voice was silenced."
With his home life falling apart at
the age of 15, Robin decided to join
the Army as a boy soldier.
"I'll always remember having to
walk across a trainasium as part of
our Para training in 1973. I was 16
years old. A trainasium is essentially
two steel poles arranged almost
symmetrically 60ft up in the air.
My job was to walk across them
but the thing is, there's a six inch
high scaffold clamp on each bar
in the middle so you can't just run
across and get it over with quickly.
You have to stay in control, adjust
midway, and continue over.
"I got halfway and froze with fear.
My trainer, a man by the name of
Mick Lee, came up the other side
and walked out to meet me. He
actually held my hands and walked
backwards across the bars until we
got to the other side. Then he told
me to do it again alone. Which I did.
It was the first time someone had
shown me what true leadership
was.
"Joining the Army was my decision
to let them have authority over
me. I quickly became unhappy
with failure. The only way for me to
hold my head up was to excel - to
be faster, fitter, and quicker than
anyone else. I learned to stand up
for myself."
Despite bullying by his peers and
colleagues in the forces, Robin
became a full member of the
Parachute Regiment in 1974 and
served three tours of Northern
Ireland as part of Operation Banner.
In January 1979, Robin passed
selection for the SAS at his second
attempt.
"SAS selection is nothing like it's
depicted on TV. There's none of
this shouting or criticism. Parts of
the training took place here in the
mountains of South Wales."
On 30th April 1980, a group of six
armed men stormed the Iranian
embassy on Prince's Gate in South
Kensington, London. The gunmen
took 26 people hostage, including
embassy staff, several visitors,
and a police officer who had been
guarding the embassy.
Within 48 hours, the SAS had been
dispatched and had set up camp in
the adjacent building.
"We were there next door for
16 Images: ©Crown & Robin Horsfall

most of the siege. No one knew we
were there. We camped down in
a surgeon's office and I remember
lying on the floor, fully kitted up,
looking at the primitive-looking
tools hanging up."
By the sixth day, the terrorists'
patience had worn thin. They
executed one of their hostages and
dumped his dead body on the steps
of the embassy. They told police
negotiators that they were going to
kill the rest of the hostages, one at a
time, over the next few hours.
"The police finally handed over
control to our guys and we all got
into our assault positions," says
Robin.
To distract the gunmen, the SAS
detonated a huge explosion to blow
out the skylight on the embassy
roof. As the world's media watched,
SAS troops then blew out one of the
windows at the front of the building.
"I entered on the ground floor at
the rear of the building. We could
hear the commotion going on when
the first blasts went off."
The deadly raid lasted just 17
minutes. Five terrorists were killed
and one was captured.
"We'd formed a human chain down
the staircase to get the hostages
out. We wanted to get them out
as quickly as we could and we
also wanted to get out of there
ourselves.
"Then suddenly, someone
shouted 'He's a terrorist!' and when
we looked, there was this guy
stumbling down the stairs with a
grenade in his hand.
"It was only as he came clear at the
bottom of the stairs that myself and
two other guys opened fire. There
was no warning shouted. He had a
grenade. We shot him."
The raid had brought the SAS into
the public domain for the first time.
"At that point, we were
the world's most famous
anonymous people."
The following year, Robin
married Heather and in
1982, during Operation
Sandy Wanderer, Robin
discovered a measles
epidemic in the Bedouin
population of Oman.
"We got some vaccines
to them and saved a lot of
lives, especially children."
Later that year, Robin was
heading to the Falkland
Islands for what seemed like a
suicide mission to destroy assets
of the Argentinian Air Force. It was
the first time since WW2 that the
SAS were involved in large-scale
conflict.
"I remember having to leave my
pregnant wife and not knowing if I
was coming back. That was hard."
By 1984, and with a growing family,
Robin decided to leave the Army.
"I bought myself out. I'd had
enough. By 1986, I was bodyguard
to Dodi Al-Fayed in London. I also
qualified Black Belt in Karate.
"I then moved on to become a
'contract soldier' in Sri Lanka. I was
only there a few months but I soon
realised I'd made a mistake. There
was a lot of genocide, torture and
media control going on, so I left."
In 1991, as the medical officer for
a Gold mine in Guyana, Robin built
a medical facility from leftover
materials and as a Registered
Emergency Medical Technician, he
trained the staff there. In only four
months, he'd completed his task,
saving several lives along the way.
"Throughout the late 80s, I
was bodyguard to leaders and
politicians and by the early 1990s, I
was teaching karate professionally
in London. I set up my own karate
school there before retiring in 2012.
"I broke my neck so that wasn't
good. My son now runs the school
so we've kept it in the family."
Yearning to assuage his creative
streak, Robin completed an English
Literature with Creative Writing
degree at Surrey University in 2013.
"I was the only older man there so
it took the students a long time to
accept me."
Robin has since written a number
of books, and continues to write.
"It helped me through when I was
diagnosed with bladder cancer
in 2018. The treatment was grim
and although I never tried suicide,
I did consider it an option - that's
how low I felt." Robin now gives
inspirational talks about his life, and
recently raised £1,200 for charity at
a talk held at Abercwmboi RFC.
These days, he resides in the
South Wales mountains near where
he started his SAS training in the
late 1970s.
"It's so quiet where we live. I've
got time to reflect, to think, and
to write. You're never alone either
- the community is so helpful.
The mountains have been my
playground so I feel at home here."
www.robinhorsfall.co.uk
people
Jungle warfare training is designed
to push recruits' mental and physical
fortitude to the absolute limit
Watched by the world's media, the SAS storm the Iranian Embassy in May 1980
17

Welcome to
Llys Herbert,
Lisvane,
Cardiff
Llys Herbert care home, opening Monday
3rd July on the outskirts of Lisvane, will
provide high quality care to its residents in
luxurious and comfortable surroundings.
Hair and beauty salon
Café
Cinema and bar
Trusted to care.
Marketing suite now open
029 2168 2158
careuk.com/llys-herbert
Scan to register your interest.

Company Registration No: 12246095
COMPLETE BATHROOM & KITCHEN REFURBISHMENTS
Supply & fitting of kitchen units, sanitary ware, tiling,
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• All household maintenance • Plumbing • Painting and decoration •
Wet rooms • Fences • Roof repairs • Ramps • Grab rails •
Mobility home adaptations • Garden paths • Driveways • Gutter clearances
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
Serving your
local community
CARDIFF BED &
FURNITURE CENTRE
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02920 615719 info@cardiffbedcentre.co.uk
Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm Sat 10am-4pm
www.cardiffbedcentre.co.uk

the plough
One of Whitchurch's well-known landmarks has a curious history.
Nigel Lewis explains where the pub got is name and lots more
By Nigel Lewis
A pub has been on this prominent
corner of Whitchurch village for
over 170 years.
The sketch above shows
the Plough, one of our most
recognisable pubs, with patrons
sitting outside. It wasn’t always like
that though.
In the 1840s, a blacksmith called
Reuben Lewis was living with
his wife and family in a newlyconstructed
house on the corner,
with his smithy off (old) Church
Road. It was very prominent and
busy, shoeing horses and making
and repairing metal items for the
local farmers.
Reuben was something of an
inventor too. A newspaper article
of 1848, reported that Reuben had
invented a ‘novel plough’ and had
demonstrated it on a field behind
Whitchurch Common, to great local
interest.
Over the next few years, Reuben
won numerous prizes for his
plough; he even exhibited it at the
20
Great Exhibition at Crystal Palace in
1851 and won a prize!
It's no surprise then that after
that, we find him living in a pub,
called ‘The Plough’, almost certainly
named after his invention. Local
expert Terry has suggested that
Reuben actually displayed his
plough over the front door of the
pub, to entice customers in!
Why a pub you might wonder?
Reuben had probably been
brewing his own beer all the years
previously; blacksmithing being
a strenuous and thirsty job. And
providing beer to his customers too,
whilst they were waiting.
Business was obviously booming
for Reuben and he was advertising
for staff to work in the smithy; the
word was getting around about his
entrepreneurial talents. He built five
cottages behind the pub (perhaps
for his workers or local folk) and in
all likelihood, moved the smithy and
forge into the lane behind.
The five cottages are still there,
but today form part of the pub
restaurant and kitchen.
I guess that it was a common
occurrence back then of pubs
falling foul of the licensing laws,
and in March 1856, the Cardiff and
Merthyr Guardian reported that:
‘Reuben Lewis, beer-housekeeper
of Whitchurch, was charged with
keeping his house open for the sale
of intoxicating liquors in prohibited
hours on Sunday 10th of February.
This was a third offence and the
defendant was fined 20 shillings,
with seven shillings and sixpence
costs’.
Until the middle of the last century,
you couldn’t drink in a pub in Wales
on a Sunday, unless you were a
‘bona-fide’ traveller. Lots of locals
over the years tried to blag their
way out of the ‘Sunday drinking’
rules, protesting that they were not
locals (the local bobbies always
knew differently of course!).
Reuben continued with his
inventing/blacksmithing and
won another award in 1858 for his
plough from the Bath and West of
England Society. By 1860, he was
advising that the premises now had
Sketch: Nigel Lewis

steam power to meet the increased
demand for his ploughs, harrows,
drags (whatever they were!),
scarifiers, clod crushers (ditto) and
the like.
However, Reuben’s story as a
successful businessman didn’t
last. This was a time when
mechanisation and technology was
advancing rapidly, and probably,
Reuben just couldn’t keep pace. He
was threatened with bankruptcy, all
culminating with a sale-by-auction
in 1864. The lots included the pub,
brewhouse, blacksmith’s shop,
foundry and the five cottages. That
seems like everything.
What happened to Reuben’s wife
and family? I hope that they stuck
with him.
After Reuben’s time, the Plough
was taken over by a man called
William Williams (his nickname was
‘Bill Twice’).
As a postscript, there was another
newspaper article of September
1866 (two years after Reuben’s
bankruptcy). The report states:
‘John Phillips, a gentleman with a
penal servitude caste of features(!)
was charged with stealing money
from an old man named Reuben
Lewis’.
It seems that Reuben, travelling
back from Canton turned into
the Rollers Arms in Llandaff Yard,
and fell asleep in the pub toilet.
Whilst asleep, John Phillips robbed
Reuben of 25 shillings and ran away.
The wife of the pub landlord
and her son were witnesses to
the crime. He was spotted behind
Whitchurch Cricket Club outside the Plough in 1970
the Town Hall in Cardiff and was
arrested whilst trying to escape
again. The Bench committed John
Phillips for trial, noting that he
had previously been convicted of
highway robbery and nine times of
minor offences.
I wonder what happened to John
Phillips or Reuben after that? I
bet that Reuben didn’t get his 25
shillings back though.
Over the years (and without
Reuben and the smithy), the
Plough expanded to take in the
adjacent shop. There’s an old
photograph taken from the tower
of St Mary’s Church of the Plough
having expanded into the adjacent
property (the one with the higher
history
roof). Another photograph of similar
vintage shows the Plough with
huge advertisements for Bass beer.
Through two world wars, the
Plough served beer for a number
of different brewers, and no doubt,
fell foul on numerous occasions for
licensing offences. Does anyone
know of tales from those times?
In the course of time, SA Brains
acquired the Plough and recently
added a restaurant and outdoor
seating, developing the pub that we
see today.
Nigel Lewis is a member of AWEN@
thelibrary (awen.cymru@gmail.com)
The Plough in 1909
Images: Steve Nicholas
21

The Art of Stoicism
Stoicism is a philosophy that maximises positive emotions, reduces
negative emotions, and helps individuals to hone their characters
Control the controlables
As we travel through our daily lives,
there are things that will happen that
will be out of our control.
No matter how much we moan
about them and expend energy
cursing them, these things will never
change because they are beyond
the realms of our control. We cannot
control the weather, other people,
and world events, for example.
When we are able to accept that
fact, and instead turn our energies
and focus onto the things that we are
able to control - that's when you can
become happier. You'll also be able
to claw back the time and energy
that you spent cursing the things that
you couldn't change, and put them
to better use.
22
Journal
Reflecting on the day that has
passed and learning from it is
one aspect of journalling that
provides us with wisdom and
introspection.
Its power lies in the repeated
diligence and concentration
required to complete a daily
journal. It builds routine into
your life, which makes you feel
secure, but it also helps build
self-discipline.
Repeating this long-term
will also allow you to reflect
on patterns of mistakes and
bad influences that you make
throughout life, and to adjust
your ways accordingly. Learning
lessons is part of your selfdevelopment
and these are
best learnt by going through
them yourself.
Practise adversity
Being comfortable in your life
can often lead to a feeling of
entrapment in that you worry
about if and when it's going to
be taken away from you.
Fear and worry often lie in the
unknown - and the uncertainty
that life brings.
This brings us then to the
notion of practising adversity.
Take time once a month to
live without the luxuries and
trappings that we have in life
and then ask ourselves if this is
really what we are afraid of.
This removes the fear and
anxiety that comes from the
uncertainties of life.

Change perceptions
When problems in life arise,
as they invariably do, we often
catastrophise and think the
worst.
What we often miss is the
opportunities to benefit from
these problems. These can
come in the form of learning,
so for example, we have the
opportunity to learn patience and
understanding if we are dealing
with an unruly child.
Turning obstacles into
opportunity and it's down to you
to change your perception of the
'problem' into one of opportunity.
wellbeing
Be humble
There are many in the world who
overestimate their importance in other
people's existence.
Of course, we retain our importance
in other people's lives - family, friends
and so forth. But by retaining a humble
quality, you will never have to fear
falling from a great height. Being a good
person and doing the right thing in
every moment will ease your mind and
make life better for everyone.
Take a bird's eye view
Stepping away from ourselves and
looking at things 'from above' can
help us realise how much time
we worry about things that are
probably out of our control.
When man first started exploring
space, one of their overriding
comments was how small and
insignificant Earth looked from
space. The astronomer Carl Sagan
famously pointed out that 'To my
mind, there is perhaps no better
demonstration of the folly of
human conceits than this distant
image of our tiny world.'
When we look up at the stars, we
realise that our worries can often
carry us away to dark places. Don't let your imagination become your
information. Try and gain a higher perspective.
Making the most of the moment
Treating everything that happens to us in
life with equality means that we learn to
embrace the opportunities presented to us
in challenges in the same way that we can
enjoy the happier moments in life.
Making the most of what we do have
instead of wasting time and energy moaning
about the things we don't have frees you up
to enjoy your life. There is a famous quote
that says that if a man is not happy for the
cup of coffee he has in the morning, he
won't be happy for the luxury yacht that he
treats himself to.
How will you be
remembered?
Ask yourself this - if you were to leave
this life right now, is this how people
will remember you for the rest of their
lives?
Asking yourself this question alerts
you to the fact that you have to live
in the moment, and to be the best
version of yourself in every moment.
Mortality will come to us all and none
of us know when. Remembering this
morbid fact will serves to remind us to
make the most of each moment and
each day.
Prepare for adversity
One stark fact of life is that it's
never fair. Setbacks, large and
small, are part and parcel of our
existence.
Planning for things that can
go wrong works on both an
emotional and practical level. It
prepares our minds so that when
things do invariably go wrong,
we've anticipated it and can
swing into action.
On a practical level, it also gives
us a chance to have a backup
plan that we can implement
immediately, leaving us feeling
calmer and more in control.
23

1
2
3
4
from plane to pool
1. Face mist
Hydrating natural water
mist infused with the 21
minerals of the Dead Sea.
This multi-purpose mist is
ideal for re-mineralising the
skin, using in place or toner
or misting over make up for
extra glow and hydration
throughout the day.
2. Sleep mask
Manta sleep masks
perfectly cover and
conform to your eyes to
block 100% of light, even in
broad daylight. You always
get deep, uninterrupted
sleep, putting zero pressure
on your eyes, and allowing
you to sleep anywhere.
3. All-natural
sunscreen
Protect yourself and your
family with this waterless
solid, organic, Iberian
strength, SPF 50, vegan
sunscreen that protects
against UVA, UVB radiation,
wind and pollution.
4. Cabin case
With a design that packs a
punch, this polycarbonate
suitcase is strong, light
on its feet and wheels
like a dream. Beautifully
packaged, this cabinsize
case nests inside the
medium and large versions
for easy storage.
hollandandbarrett.com
mantasleep.uk
botanivie.co.uk
antler.co.uk
24

5
6
summer
7
5. Wireless charger
This power bank features a
built-in magnetic back that
allows it to securely attach
to your phone, making it
easy to charge your device
wirelessly on the go. This
lightweight device is perfect
for your pocket or your bag,
wherever you go.
6. Pool float
If there's ever anything
you needed in life, it's an
orange Spritz Pool Float
with an orange slice pillow.
Whether you're taking it to
the beach or to the pool,
you can while away lazy,
sunshiney hours in comfort
and style.
7. Kindle for kids
Feed your little ones'
imaginations with this
pink Kindle Kids Edition
e-reader. With 8GB of
storage space, you can
store up to 6000 books,
giving you the room you
need for all the children's
literary classics.
8
8. Women's hat
Whether you’re sunbathing
on the beach or strolling
through cobblestone
streets, Jacquemus' 'Ficiu'
hat will suit all holiday plans.
Woven from beige raffia, it
has a low brim to shield the
eyes and is finished with an
embroidered logo patch.
amazon.co.uk stone-and-mason.com amazon.co.uk
net-a-porter.com
25

Down the canal
If you're needing a calming, relaxing break without the
hassle of international flights and long queues, a barging
holiday could be just the thing you need this summer
Canal barging
The waterways that criss-cross
the UK reflect a time when the
country relied on canals rather
than the road for transportation.
The Industrial Revolution
shaped most of the waterways
that we can now discover for
our own enjoyment. Gone are
the working barges, laden with
coal and timber. These days, it's
pleasure boats that quietly ply
the miles of water.
The beauty of a boating holiday
lies in the fact that there is so
much to explore at your own
pace. No queuing at airports, no
long transfers and definitely no
jetlag!
But there are also other
benefits that are not perhaps
so visible on the surface.
Connecting with nature in such
an intimate way can leave a
positive and lasting legacy on
our well-being. Boating can help
you collect new moments that
you can cherish forever.
26
It slows your world down
In a world of 'everything now', we
crave and devour so much that is
instantaneous and disposable.
This is especially true when it
comes to our daily lives and it's only
when we take breaks from all hustle
and bustle that we realise how fastpaced
our world has become.
Taking a break on a canal boat
physically forces us to slow things
down. With a top speed of 4 or 5
miles an hour, you're not going to
get anywhere fast. Nor are you tied
to schedules that dictate your day.
And because of the slow nature
of boating, we are more inclined
to appreciate both the time and
space that we have around us as we
meander through miles of endless
countryside.
On many of the waterways, you'll
often have the river or canal to
yourself. Now and then, you'll
come across another boat but
because the waterway world is a
lot slower, you'll have plenty of time
to navigate your way past them.
Everything gives you time to think,
reflect, and to consider each action
you take.

The views
Gorgeous valleys, endless
meadows, and slow-rolling
countryside. These are the
sort of views you're likely to
experience when you're out on
a canal.
Waking up in a different place
every day means that no two
days are the same. And it's not
only the views from the river
that you can savour. The best
part about boating is that you
can park up and go for a good ol'
explore.
And if your idea of a great view
is an ice cold beer or a glass of
white, you can also stop off at
many of the riverside pubs that
dot the banks of the waterways.
holidays
Visit new places
With hundreds of miles of the UK's rivers
to explore, the possibilities of new places
to discover are almost endless.
The best part about it is that you
can literally create your own holiday
adventure. You have the freedom to
choose which location you want to stop
at and discover. You create your own
itinerary, you create your own schedule,
and you create new memories that can
last a lifetime.
Historical landmarks
Many of the UK's canals were built during the country's great Industrial
Revolution. Many of the waterways included revolutionary feats of
engineering and world-firsts. Thomas Telford's Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on
the Llangollen Canal, now a world heritage site, has been described as ‘a
masterpiece of creative genius’.
The 18-arched stone and cast iron structure was completed in 1805,
having taken ten years to design and build. It stands at 12 feet (3.7
metres) wide and is the longest
aqueduct in Great Britain
as well as the highest canal
aqueduct in the world.
Not too far away, the Chirk
Aqueduct, also designed by
Telford a few years prior, was
briefly the tallest navigable one
ever built, and it now is Grade
II listed in both England and
Wales as it spans the border of
the two countries.
Holidays for all
There are over 100 hire firms
operating on UK's waterway
systems, giving you a vast choice of
both locations and boats for hire.
Whether it's a romantic boat for
two on the Monmouthshire and
Brecon Canal or a larger cruiser for
you and your friends on the Norfolk
Broads, the sheer variety of boating
holidays is as wide as the Thames.
From busy city waterways to rural
bliss, there's simply a holiday for
everyone on a canal.
The boats that are available to
hire these days are a real home-from-home too. Many feature showers,
flushing toilets, central heating, full-sized cookers and fridges, microwaves,
TVs, DVD and CD players.
Ditch the car
Our over-reliance on our cars
means we often never take in
the scenery that we are passing
through.
Exploring the country via the
waterways provides you with a
chance to fully appreciate our
surroundings while on the move.
Meet the wildlife
The varied habitats that you'll come across
will gift you sightings of creatures both
above the river, on the riverbanks and in the
water.
Expect bird sightings along the riverbanks,
ranging from ducks and kingfishers to
larger species such as swans and herons. If
you're lucky, you may even spot otters and
water voles. Butterflies and dragonflies are
also common during the summer months.
27

outdoors
PENARTH CLIFFTOP
Considered an easy
route, you can start at
Penarth Pier, along the
promenade and head up
the hill westwards. This
will take you up onto
the cliffs that overlook
Penarth beach and on
towards Lavernock and
The Bendricks.
There are also some
quiet meadows behind
- perfect for summer
evening strolls.
COASTALwalks
After the scorch and burn of a hot summer's
day, head to the coast to cool off and chill
out. Here are our hand-picked favourites.
NASH POINT
You can park your car at the small
car park (pay and display) before
heading off down the path that
leads to the lighthouse.
On summer evenings, you'll be
rewarded with gorgeous views
across the Bristol Channel - all
the way to Somerset and down to
Devon.
If you want to venture further
on, there is a cliff top walk that
includes a few steep steps.
There is also a small cafe at the
lighthouse, which is open during
the daytime.
LLANTWIT MAJOR
You'll follow the Col-huw River on
the way down to the coastal path.
The beach has some patches of
sand but mostly pebble, and is
backed by ancient cliffs, where you
may find a fossil or two. Views from
the beach extend to Minehead and
Exmoor and there is also a small car
park available.
SKER BEACH
Sker Beach is the most
westerly of Porthcawl's
beaches and can only be
reached by walking from
Rest Bay or the Kenfig
National Nature Reserve.
It is a mostly flat and
sandy beach, one that's
used mostly by the locals,
meaning that it is one of
the quieter beaches in the
area. As such, there are
no amenities there.
GOWER
Further afield, the coastal path at the Gower takes in the
whole range of our fabulous coastline, from wide golden
beaches and dramatic cliffs to saltmarsh and sand dunes.
The path itself acts as a section of the 870-mile Welsh
Coast Path but even small sections are perfect for an
evening walk. The beach at Rhossili is three miles long
and Cefn Bryn
and Rhossili
Down rise above
the inland hills
to soar over
the coastline,
affording
you fantastic
views towards
Pembrokeshire
and Devon.
29

nature
As Cardiff's Coed Caerdydd project takes root in the city, here are
some of the amazing things you probably didn't know about trees
Carbon dioxide removal
Trees are often referred to as 'the lungs of
the planet' and for very good reason - they
absorb and store huge amounts of carbon
dioxide - almost one-third of the carbon
dioxide released from burning fossil fuels
every year. That's around 2.6 billion tonnes!
The entire woodland ecosystem plays an
important role in locking up this carbon
for centuries. They are the ultimate carbon
capture and storage machines.
Wildlife
In the UK alone, oak trees support over
30 different types of mammals, while the
common hawthorn can support up to 300
different types of insects. The RSPB also
say that more than 500 invertebrates feed
on birch trees. And that's even before you
begin to count the huge number of birds
that use the trees for their homes and
food sources. The UK has lost 13% of our
native species abundance since 1970,
leading to a loss of wildlife.
The underground
'internet'
Sometimes referred to as the
wood wide web, trees are able
to communicate with each other
using a huge underground
network of fungi.
Technically known as the
‘mycorrhizal’ network, the trees
and the fungi work with each
other to share nutrients and even
messages with each other via the
network.
If one tree is under attack from
insects, it can warn other trees
in the network about the attack,
and they can then adjust their
defences accordingly.
Mycorrhizal plants are often
more resistant to diseases since
the shared information via the
network allows trees to trigger
their immunity defence.
Trees speak to each other
Trees may seem like inanimate objects but they do in fact communicate
with each other. Scientists have proven that some trees send airborne
chemical signals to each other to warn them of a possible insect attack.
These airborne signals can even convey information outside the plant
kingdom. Some have been shown to attract predators and parasites that
kill the insects that are attacking the tree. A 2013 study found that apple
trees that were under attack by caterpillars released chemicals that
attracted caterpillar-eating birds.
30

They help our mental
health
It's likely that a walk through a forest
of trees will make you feel better - and
there's a scientific reason for that.
Trees emit phytoncides to ward off
potential threats. When we inhale these,
it reduces our cortisol levels (the stress
hormone) and boosts our immune
system. This helps us deal with stress in
calmer and more productive ways.
They help stop
flooding
Many of our mature trees consume
vast quantities of water, which
comes in handy for low-lying areas
that are prone to heavy downpours
or persistent rain.
A single mature oak is able to
transpire more than 40,000 gallons
of water in a year—meaning, that's
how much flows from its roots to
its leaves, which release water as
vapour back into the air.
Trees can grow very old
The oldest individual tree in the world is thought to be in the United States,
where a Great Basin bristlecone pine in California's White Mountains has
been aged at more than 5,000 years old.
Trees can live anywhere from less than 100 years to more than a few
thousand years depending on the species. Ancient trees, meaning that
they have passed maturity and entered the third and final stage of their
lifespan, are a vital part of the UK environment.
Trees are good for
the soil
Soil is essential to life on earth.
Some species of trees provide
habitat for bacteria and fungi
in their root structure. These
organisms perform nitrogen
fixation, which is a significant
factor in soil fertility.
Trees also recycle important
nutrients by drawing them up
from the deeper layers of the
ground and bringing them up to
the surface. The decomposition
of leaf and plant litter also form
soil organic matter.
Tree canopies can also trap
varying amounts of nutrients
from the atmosphere, a source
of free fertilizer which is washed
from the leaves to the soil by the
rain.
31

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Keeping their
memories alive
This summer sees the rededication of Whitchurch's well-known
war memorial. Ceri Stennett explains why the memorial is
important to the village - and for generations to come
A special event at Whitchurch's
Library Park and Gardens held this
summer have commemorated the
lives lost during two World Wars.
The rededication of the Parish War
Memorial took place one hundred
years to the weekend after the
original ceremony in 1923.
It was just four years after the
formal end to the Great War,
that several thousand people
packed the park and gardens, with
hundreds more outside of the gates
watching on as the Earl of Plymouth
34
unveiled the monument of the
brooding soldier, assisted by Sir J.
Herbert Cory MP. The memorial was
dedicated by the Bishop of Llandaff,
Joshua Pritchard Hughes.
Council members and other local
dignitaries were on hand to assist in
the original dedication one century
ago, along with church leaders,
ex-servicemen, the Whitchurch Boy
Scouts, the Melingriffith Cadets, and
the band of the Glamorgan Royal
Garrison Artillery.
The names of 116 of the fallen
were listed on two sides of the
monument, together with the
inscription: 'In Proud & Honoured
Memory of the men of Whitchurch
who laid down their lives in the
Great War, 1914-19. Semper Fidelis
(Always Faithful).'
Following both World Wars,
there are now some 280 names
on the memorial, covering service
and sacrifice across the globe,
on land, sea and air. A century on,
the time had come to rededicate
the memorial for the Whitchurch

citizens of tomorrow.
A working group was set up at
the start of this year, including
Father John Davis of St. Mary’s
Church, Whitchurch, with others
representing the Royal British
Legion, the Earl Haig Club, AWEN at
the library, Council representatives,
service personnel, and schools.
Father John said:
“In these current times of war in
Ukraine, the importance of a place
of remembrance within each local
community needs to be recognised.
The very real, local, and tragic
cost of war, paid for with the lives
of those who made the ultimate
sacrifice for our freedom, should
never be forgotten.”
He added:
“Our Whitchurch War Memorial not
only reminds us of the tragic human
cost of wars past, but for 100 years
it has stood as a powerful reminder
of the hopes and aspirations of
those who fought so bravely for the
peace they entrusted to our care.
My prayer for the future is that we
learn from the lessons of the past,
and pursue peace always as the
hallmark of our community, our city
and our country.”
Local historian and AWEN trustee,
Ceri Stennett added:
“Whilst I was researching and
writing the book on the First World
War casualties from the Whitchurch
Parish with colleague Gwyn
Prescott ('In Proud & Honoured
Memory') in 2018, I realised that the
centenary of the monument would
be with us in 2023 and felt it was
important that the date was marked
accordingly."
November 2021 saw the
publication of ‘In Proud & Honoured
Memory 2’, compiled by Ceri
Stennett, and was a follow-up to
the 2018 publication.
While researching 'In Proud &
Honoured Memory 2' Ceri found
a further 103 casualties who
had connections to the area.
Neighbouring areas covered
people
are Llandaff North, Birchgrove,
Rhiwbina and Tongwynlais, which
were also included in the first
volume.
From sixteen-year-old Merchant
Navy Cadet, Emrys Williams, to
seventy-five-year-old Civilian Air
Raid casualty, Elizabeth Gilbert, all
their stories are told in the book.
During Ceri’s research for his
books, the original order of service
for the Memorial's dedication
was found and much of that was
incorporated into the 2023 version.
Members of AWEN at the library
were on hand to help host
the event. The Tongwynlais
Temperance Band also played, with
students from Whitchurch High
School also participating in the
service.
Many ex-servicemen from the
Royal British Legion, the Earl
Haig Club in Penlline Road, and
further afield, made the journey
to the event. One of them was
Derek Porter, a descendant of
Military Medal winner, Stephen
Porter, who died of wounds in 1918
and is named on the memorial.
Stephen lived on Caerphilly Road,
Birchgrove, just before the First
World War. Derek laid a laurel
wreath on the memorial together
with a member of 30F (City of
Llandaff) Air Cadets.
The organisers hope that the
recent rededication of the memorial
will renew the recognition of those
who made the ultimate sacrifice in
two World Wars.
The Memorial was first unveiled in 1923
Further information about the
memorial and books, you can
contact Ceri Stennett on 07848
109901 or email:
ceristennett@gmail.com
35

Roman
Wales
South Wales was a great source of mineral wealth and when the
Romans landed here in 48AD, they made themselves at home
Cardiff
Cardiff Roman Fort was a significant
military installation established by
the Romans in the 1st century AD.
Located in present-day Cardiff, it
played a crucial role in protecting the
Roman frontier and controlling the
local tribes.
The fort covered an expansive
area and housed soldiers and
their families. Excavations have
revealed impressive structures
such as barracks, granaries, and
a commanding officer's house.
The fort's strategic position along
the River Taff and its proximity to
important trade routes made it an
essential hub for Roman influence.
Cardiff Castle today stands on this
Roman fort that was begun in AD55.
36
Caerleon
Established in the 1st century
AD, Isca Augusta served
as a major Roman fortress
and regional administrative
hub. It was one of only three
permanent fortresses in Roman
Britain, the others being in York
and Chester.
The remains on view at
Caerleon provide visitors with a
vivid picture of life in secondcentury
Roman Britain. The site
includes the most complete
amphitheatre in Britain, fortress
baths, and the only remains of
a Roman Legionary Barracks on
view anywhere in Europe.
The remains of a Roman
harbour were also uncovered in
Caerleon in August 2011.
Neath
The remains of a 1st century
Roman auxiliary fort known as
Nidum stands on the west bank
of the River Neath. The remains
of two gateways can also be
seen, as well as the line of a
rampart wall.
It is estimated that the fort
could hold up to 1,000 men
and horses and was likely built
during the first phase of Roman
advance into Wales. The fort
was most likely abandoned not
long after it had been built and
a large number of artefacts have
been found over recent years.
The remains of the southwestern
gateway is preserved
behind railings beside the Neath
Abbey Road, and the southeastern
gateway is situated
at the corner of Roman Way
beside the railway embankment.
Image: Cedwyn Davies

outdoors
Penydarren
Built in the late 1st century
AD, Penydarren Roman Fort
served as a crucial defensive
outpost along the Roman road
connecting Cardiff to Brecon.
The fort protected the nearby
ironworks, which played a
vital role in the production of
iron for the Roman Empire.
Excavations at Penydarren have
revealed the remains of stone
buildings, granaries, and a
commanding officer's house. The
fort's strategic location and its
association with the iron industry
highlight its economic and
military importance.
Image: Jaggery
Barry
Situated at the Knap, overlooking the
Bristol Channel, the monument consists
of the remains of a Roman rectangular
courtyard building dating to the 2nd or
3rd centuries AD.
Excavated in 1980-81 by the
Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological
Trust, the interior was found to have
a cobbled floor, on which was a thick
layer of debris containing building
stones and Roman tiles.
Caerwent
Established in about 75–80
AD, Caerwent served as a
settlement of the Silures,
a native tribe who became
Romanised following the
conquest of Britain. The site
was a busy one, complete
with public baths, all
spread out in a typically
well-ordered Roman grid.
Known as Venta Silurium,
this Roman town that was
created for the Silures by the Romans, stretches to 44 acres, much
of it enclosed within 2nd century walls.
Large sections of the Roman town walls are still in place, rising up to
16ft high in places. Excavated houses, forum-basilica and a Romano-
British temple also remain.
At its height, the town would have been home to 3,000 inhabitants and
there is no evidence that there was any military present on the site.
Image: Chris Andrews
Loughor
The Roman Auxiliary Fort was built
around 75 AD to guard the lowest
crossing of the River Loughor.
Its location provided good visibility
across the region and enabled it to
support the Roman naval units that
were operating in the Bristol Channel.
The site wasn't fully recognised as a
Roman garrison fort until as late as
1969.
Its Roman name was Letocetum,
taken from the Celtic name for the
River Loughor. In translation, it read as
'shining water'.
Gelligaer
The fort at Gelligaer occupies a
position on a long broad ridge
between the Taff and Rhymney
valleys. At the time, it would have
commanded an extensive view
of the woodlands that existed
then. It was one of a line of forts
that existed between Brecon and
Cardiff and although no masonry
is visible today, the defences can
still be seen as a broad bank.
The site is listed as a scheduled
ancient monument and was first
excavated in 1894.
Llanwern
Recent excavations at a site in Llanwern
uncovered a Roman complex that
included several stone-founded Roman
buildings, terraced into the hillside.
Many finds were recovered during the
excavation, including Roman pottery,
animal bone, ceramic building material,
tiles, brooches, and coins. A large number
of spring heads were discovered and
a well-made Roman road leads up the
slope from the valley floor to the site.
The buildings appears to date from the
2nd to the 4th centuries AD.
Image: Philip Halling
Image: Jeremy Bolwell
37

THE PICNIC
A basket of joy.
An afternoon of dreams.
A rolled up blanket opened
And spread like warm butter
On the parched earth.
Thin sarnies
And melted Penguins
Soft berries
And bashed up scotch eggs
Wrapped in foil
And love.
Warmed water
A platoon of ants
And buzzy things
And mozzies
And crawly things.
Sandwich crusts
And Penguin wrappers
Mushed up berries
And half-eaten eggs
Still wrapped in foil
And love.
We return home
Through whispering meadows
And wandering lanes
Sleepy and happy
To our bedtime rest.
David James
Whitchurch
Seasonal
Poems
NOW DOES SUMMER
Now does summer in all its glory reign
The season brought more fine by the herald that is spring
Its cloak of green that to winter did so restrain
And its warming breezes that of coming joys did sing,
In a field of so new a life to stand there proud
With golden rays its glory path to light
And creatures all their voices to trumpet and to sound out loud
That it may make their echoes wide and bright,
So then do blooms and blossoms on countless boughs to swathe
Their fragrance to float wherever air may flow
To meadows, hedgerows and many a garden to bathe
And further life to touch and there to onward grow;
The summer is of greatness in many forms to take
That nature in its span of time is ever more to make.
David Morris
Llandaff North
NEXT LIFE, YEAH?
We dreamed together, apart
Of a summer's day at the beach.
Just us. Doing normal things.
Watching the slow dance of the colours.
The creams, the blues, the pinks.
But we never existed.
And our outcrop stays empty.
Alec Harvey
Cardiff
38

poetry
Poems penned by the local community
NO-MOW SUMMER
A polite suburban no-no.
Old mowers on go-slow.
Pianissimo.
The bowling green no longer
"Comme il faut,"
For longer is the educated,
Rated, stated - the hype of stripes old hat -
"Status Quo."
Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow.
Be a bumble bee impresario
Apropos
An insect's mojo
Apropos
The sward's proposal for
A norm of swarms,
And wingey thing that
Sting,
Unsung -
And throng.
Let the shearers reappear.
Let the meadow overthrow
Slick Sunday - bracered blades.
Let the scythe arrive.
Let the buttercups and yellow vetches
Thrive. Accolades!
Let the trove of nature's giving
Salve and save forlorn lawns shorn.
And so, "Bravissimo,"
Let it grow, let it grow, let it grow.
Nigel Phillips
Whitchurch
BARRY HARBOUR
IN JULY
I saunter past the Ship Inn
And the boat which is now a
flowerbed
Sporting a magical kaleidoscope
of colour.
The wrecked boats in the harbour
Have yet to be removed yet I
sense their ghosts
As people try to restrain excited
dogs
On this warm summer's day by
the seaside
As I watch a tanker and seagulls
glide.
It is low tide on Barry Harbour;
The sun paints the placid estuary
silver
And the Quantock Hills are
perfectly clear
As my shadow lingers at my side.
I travel to the water's edge
Where half-hearted waves sizzle
on the shore
Then I wander past the grey
harbour wall
Which unlike myself, has not
aged at all.
Guy Fletcher
Pantmawr
Rhiwbina
39

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ooks
LOVE UNTOLD
Ruth Jones is best known for her
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Her debut novel Never Greener,
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Debut of the Year at the British Book
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Love Untold is her latest book -
meet Grace, Alys, Elin and Beca - a
family you'll come to know, and to
love.
This is a story about mothers
and daughters: the love inherent
in that bond and the heartache
that miscommunication can bring.
More than anything, it's about the
importance of being true to oneself.
It's been described as '...heartfelt,
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and '...beautifully warm and totally
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SUMMERbooks
If you're looking for engaging books to read
while you sit in the sun, here's our handpicked
selection for this season
THE LOST RAINFORESTS OF
BRITAIN
Tracing the unexpected remnants
and legacy of the temperate
rainforests of Britain's past, this
revelatory book by the author of
Who Owns England? travels from
the Western Highlands to Cornwall
in pursuit of these neglected
ecosystems.
IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER
The first in a spicy and unforgettable romcom
duology from #1 New York Times
bestseller and Tiktok favourite Tessa Bailey,
in which Hollywood 'It Girl' Piper Bellinger is
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captain Brendan, who thinks she doesn’t
belong.
OFF THE BEATEN
TRACK
Discover the
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to spectacular
drives and offbeat
adventures by
camper van,
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kayak and paddle
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on foot, around
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Wales.
SUMMER AT THE CORNISH
BEACH CAFE
Thirty-year-old Jessie is
broken-hearted after being
jilted at the altar. Humiliated
and certain she will never
trust anyone again, she runs
away to Indigo Cove, the
little seaside village on the
Cornish coast where she
spent so many childhood
summers, to bury her head
in the sand. Except, on her
first night, fate has other
ideas and Jessie finds
herself face to face with tall
and brooding Ashton, the
first guy she ever loved.
41

Magpie
Over a cup of tea in his garden, Thomas Llewellyn rues a life full of mistakes as he
faces his own mortality. Is he too late to put things right?
How can you make up for a lifetime
of wrongs when you've got so little
time left to put things right?
Tom Llewellyn pondered this
problem as he sat in the small
garden at the back of his house.
Summer had arrived early this year.
It was just as well as it would be his
last and he knew it.
He reached for the cup of tea
that his daughter Louise had put
next to him five minutes previously.
The sun was strong but the
parasol protected Tom from its
overbearing heat. Tom liked the
shade, especially when there was a
cooling breeze. It reminded him of
the holidays he took to Spain with
the family in the mid-80s. When life
was good.
Tom sipped his tea. And thought
some more.
His life, up until this point, and on
the surface of things, had been
pretty routine. He'd left school
back in the late 70s and started a
mechanic apprenticeship at the
local bus station at the age of 14.
By the age of 21, he was driving
the buses on the local route. And
it was there, driving the 63, that he
first met his wife Kath, who boarded
his bus at the Monico cinema one
Wednesday night; she was all jet
black hair and white dress.
Tom and Kath spent the early
part of their lives doing what
was expected of them. They got
married at St Mary's Church on a
sunny Saturday in May 1981. It was
a modest affair. Thomas borrowed
his Dad's suit as his wages didn't
stretch far enough for one of his
own. The reception included jam
sandwiches and cakes baked by
Kath's mum. The guests spoke
42
about the cakes for weeks after.
The newly-wed couple bought
their first house, a bungalow, which
they named The Nest, with money
given to them by Kath's parents.
Tom often felt indebted to them for
giving them the money. He had no
choice but to take it. He had none of
his own.
The bungalow had three
bedrooms and a modern kitchen.
Kath was sold on the idea that she
could do the washing in the new
washing machine in the kitchen.
Tom was proud of his new shed,
where he started collecting garden
tools.
Their first child came along in 1983.
Another followed two years later. It
wasn't long after that that Thomas
started putting a few bob on the
gee-gees.
At first, it was a small flutter on the
horses down at the local bookies.
His friend Jim worked there and on
one sunny June afternoon, Tom won
£100 on a horse called Pica Pica.
Feeling flush, he bought his wife
some new Tupperware. She was
thrilled. He'd finally come good.
"They gave us a pay rise in work,"
he'd said. It was the first lie of many.
Still on the high from his win, Tom
took the remainder of his money
and went back to see Jim.
"Any tips?" he'd asked Jim at the
desk.
Jim wrote a name on a small piece
of paper, turned it around, and slid it
to Thomas.
With a stubby pencil, he'd written
down the word 'Magpie'; an outside
shot on the 3.40 at Doncaster.
Thomas walked out of the betting
shop half an hour later with £300 in
cash. He treated himself to a few
pints in the Three Bells on the way
home. Kath had his tea ready but
all Thomas could do when he got
home was slump drunkenly into his
favourite armchair.
Kath brought his food in on a
tray. But Tom was already asleep.
Without hesitation, Kath tipped the
cooked dinner all over his head.
He jolted upright as he was rudely
woken.
"How do you like that?" Kath had
snapped. Tom curled his tongue
around the side of his mouth to
lick off some of the gravy that was
slowly sliding down his cheek. He
smacked his lips together to get a
good taste of it and looked up at
her.
"Thank you, petal. Could do with a
bit more salt and pepper though,"
he replied.
It was in that moment that Kath
realised that Thomas William
Llewellyn wasn't the caring, doting
man she'd exchanged rings with on
a sunny Saturday afternoon in May
1981. She retired to the kitchen, lit a
cigarette and sat at the table.
Over the next half hour, she
wondered what had become of
him. The new Tupperware pots that
sat on the table were just a token
gesture. A pathetic attempt to make
it look like he cared.
Kath chewed her thumbnail. She
couldn't go on living like this. Things
were getting worse. Within a few
years, the kids would have fledged
and everything would be stripped
bare, she thought. It would just be
the two of them again, without the
distraction of bringing up children
to cover over the cracks.
Six long empty years later, a month
after their second child left home,

Kath packed a suitcase and walked
out on him forever.
High in a tree, the rustle of a bird
at the end of the garden brought
Tom back to his cup of tea in the
sunshine. A flash of black and white
told him it was the magpie that had
seemed to have made its home
there for the last 20 years.
Tom looked down at his hands. He
studied them closely. Now mottled
with age spots and wrinkles, they'd
got him through a lot. Then he
studied his wedding ring. The one
that had bonded him to Kath all
those years ago. Its lustre may had
faded but his love for her had never
dimmed, despite her leaving. When
she passed, he only found out from
the man on the bus stop.
"I never deserved her," Tom
muttered. With his right hand, he
wrenched the ring off his finger and
threw it down the full length of the
garden, where is disappeared into
the uncut grass.
Louise appeared at the back door.
"You ok Dad?"
"Yes. I'm fine," he replied as his
daughter took a seat next to him.
Tom took another sip of his tea,
hoping she hadn't seen what he
had done.
"I let you down. I wasn't there for
you," he said.
Louise looked at him, confused.
"What? When?"
"In life."
"Course you were there for us! You
worked all the hours God sent you
to keep a roof over our heads. Of
course you were there for us."
Tom stared ahead. He knew in his
heart this was true, but there was
more to being a father than just
working and getting the money in.
"I wasn't there for you when you
were getting bullied in school. I let
your mother deal with it."
"She was the feisty one though. It
was probably best left to her."
"That's no excuse. I should have
spoken up too. I was scared
myself. I should have put my fear
to one side and been there for
you. To make you feel that at least
someone was fighting your corner.
That at least someone was there to
protect you. That's what fathers are
supposed to do, right?"
Louise looked out into the garden.
He had a point. He would often say
that he'd be there for her but when
it came to the test, he was found
wanting.
"I was never brave enough. Not like
your mother."
"She was fearless," replied Louise.
Tom looked at his daughter.
"No. Not fearless. That suggests
she had no fear to begin with. She
was just as scared as I was. She just
put that to one side and stuck up
for you. She did it frightened."
"Hey Dad. What is all this about?
Stop beating yourself up. It's all in
the past now."
"I know. But I was never there. I was
always wondering where the next
win would come from. The next
lucky horse."
Louise took the cup of tea from
her father's hand and placed it on
the garden table. Then she faced
him and took his hands in hers.
She smiled.
"Dad. Do you remember when I
was 12 and I went on a school trip to
Paris?"
"Yes. You brought me back a
French beret," said Dad, chuckling.
Then his face dropped. "But I wasn't
there to pick you up when the
coach got back late at night. See? I
wasn't there for you."
"No. You weren't there. You weren't
there because you were working in
that pub."
"Oh, God yes. I wasn't there long
mind. I got caught throwing back a
few shorts to keep me going on the
late shifts. Sticky fingers."
"The reason you were working in
the pub was because you weren't
earning enough on the buses to
keep us all going."
"True," Tom nodded. "They were
long nights up that pub, I tell you. I'd
finish at midnight and be up again
at 5am to head to the bus yard,"
pondered Tom.
"Yes. That's right. I remember
seeing you come home one night,
drop your wage packet into the
ceramic chicken that we used to
have on the dining room table, and
then disappear straight back out
to start your pub shift. You worked
hard, Dad."
Tom nodded, the memories
coming back to him in dribs and
drabs.
"If it wasn't for you Dad," continued
Louise, "I wouldn't have afforded my
school trip. And if I hadn't gone to
Paris, I wouldn't have fallen in love
with the language and I wouldn't be
loving my translator job right now."
Tom smiled. This was true. He
looked at Louise proudly.
"So I did have a few good points?"
he asked. "One at least?"
"You gave me life, Dad. A chance
to experience this world. That was
your gift. That's all you needed to
do. I figured out the rest. No one is
perfect. And you didn't need to be."
Louise placed her father's hands
short story
back into his lap. He was smiling an
awkward smile.
"As I was getting older," said Tom, "I
realised that I was fast running out
of time to fix all the wrongs I'd done
in life. And then, when I got this
diagnosis last month, I realised my
life had been one long failure."
"Failure is part of life. Failure is
part of learning. Failure is part of
success. You had to fail to win."
A loud chattering from the magpie
in the tree disrupted their moment
together. The magpie fluttered
down onto the lawn at the far end
of the garden. They both looked at
it.
"It's gorgeous, isn't it?" said Louise.
"Yes. They mate for life apparently,"
said Tom.
The magpie pecked at the ground
where Tom's wedding ring had
landed.
"Erm! Can you fetch me a biscuit
to finish off my cuppa?" asked Tom
abruptly.
"What would you like?"
"Just get me whatever's there." Tom
cast an eye to see what the magpie
was doing.
Thankfully, Louise stood and
stepped into the house just as the
magpie lifted its head. There, in
its beak was Tom's wedding ring,
gleaming in the summer sunshine.
"Shoo! Shoo!" Tom tried to usher
the bird away but the magpie stood
there defiantly, looking directly at
him. And then, without warning, it
hopped across the lawn straight to
Tom.
"I can't find the Hob Nobs Dad.
Do you want me to open the
digestives?" called Louise from the
kitchen.
"Keep looking for the Hob Nobs,
love. They're in there somewhere,"
replied Tom, tracking the magpie all
the way to his feet.
The magpie stopped and cocked
its head to the side, looking at Tom.
His wedding ring was still in her
beak and for a moment, Tom was
captivated.
He cast his eyes over this beautiful
creature. Up close, its black
plumage had taken on an more
colourful hue; there was a purplishblue
iridescent sheen to her wing
feathers and behind, there was
even a green gloss to her tail.
"You?" said Tom quietly.
The bird lowered its head and
dropped Tom's ring at his feet. Tom
leaned forward and picked it up.
"Thank you, petal," said Tom.
"Thank you."
43

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summer
soups
Soups aren't just for the colder months. Here are some refreshing and
delicious soups that are perfect for the summer season
Pea and mint
soup
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil,
6 spring onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, 1 sliced and 1 halved
750ml vegetable stock
700g frozen peas
a small bunch of mint, leaves picked
and shredded
100ml single cream, plus a drizzle
4-8 slices ciabatta
150g ricotta
1 lemon, skin removed and juiced
handful pea shoots
☐ Heat the oil in a stock pot over a
medium-high heat and fry the spring
onions and sliced garlic for a few
minutes until they are soft. Add in
the stock and peas, and bring the
mixture to a simmer. Cook for 6-8
minutes or until the peas are tender.
☐ Add the majority of the mint, and
blend with a stick blender until it's
smooth. Add in the cream and blend
again until the mixture is creamy. You
can run the mixture through a sieve
at this point if you'd like a smoother
texture. Warm the mixture through
on the hob.
☐ Toast the ciabatta, then rub both
sides with the halved garlic clove.
Whip the ricotta in a bowl with the
lemon zest, a squeeze of juice and
some seasoning. Spoon over the
ciabatta.
☐ Divide the soup between the
bowls, drizzle with a little more
cream and olive oil, and scatter with
pea shoots. Serve with the ciabatta.
46

Watermelon
gazpacho
500g watermelon flesh, roughly
chopped, plus a little extra finely
chopped to garnish
2 vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
¼ small red onion, roughly chopped
¼ cucumber, roughly chopped, plus
a little extra finely chopped to garnish
½ red pepper, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove
¼ red chilli, deseeded
40g stale white bread
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus
extra to drizzle
☐ Put all the ingredients into a
blender and blend until it's smooth.
Thin the mixture out by adding an
ice cube and blending again if this is
required.
☐ Season the mixture with salt,
cover, then put it in the fridge to chill
overnight.
Celery soup
2 tbsp olive oil
300g celery, sliced, with strings
removed
1 garlic clove, peeled
200g potatoes, peeled and cut into
chunks
500ml vegetable stock
100ml milk
crusty bread, to serve
spring onions, chopped
☐ Heat the oil in a large saucepan
over a medium heat.
☐ Add the celery, garlic and potatoes
and coat them all in the oil. Add a
food
☐ Divide the mixture among bowls
or glasses and garnish with extra
watermelon and cucumber.
☐ Finish with a grind of black pepper
and a drizzle of oil.
splash of water and a pinch of salt and
cook, stirring regularly for 15 minutes.
Add more water if the vegetables
begin to stick to the base of the
saucepan.
☐ Pour in the vegetable stock and
bring the mixture to the boil. Then
turn the heat down and simmer for 20
minutes further, or until the potatoes
are falling apart and the celery is soft.
☐ Blend the entire mixture in a
blender, then add in the milk and
blend again. Adjust the seasoning to
taste and sprinkle the chopped spring
onions on top.
☐ Serve the soup with warm crusty
bread.
Cucumber & mint
gazpacho
1 cucumber, halved lengthways and roughly chopped
1 yellow pepper, deseeded and roughly chopped
150ml pot fat-free natural yogurt
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 small avocado, chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
small bunch of chopped spring onions
small bunch of chopped mint
snipped chives
☐ Place all the ingredients in a food processor or blender
(reserving half the yogurt and mint) and blitz until the
mixture is smooth. Add a drop of vinegar and season to
taste. If you require the consistency to be thinner, add a
splash of water.
☐ Chill the mixture for a few hours and then serve with
the remaining yogurt and mint, adding a few snipped
chives.
47
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