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G R A P E V I N E
contact us: [email protected] February 2013
digwyddiadau, newyddion a barn Llambed bob mis/ Lampeter’s events, news and views
In this issue...
local born wood
biomass is best for
Denmark Farm
how to be ‘Green &
Clean’
Store-cupboard spring
cleaning tips
listings
letters
reviews
also this month:
Transition Llambed
Development Trust
(TLDT) Directors’ Report
FREE
AM DDIM
STOP PRESS: TLDT granted £12,500
from
Ceredigion Community
Grant Fund to refurbish
Victoria Hall
toilets!
Read more in TLDT
Directors’ Report Pages 3-4
2
G R A P E V I N E no. 6, February 2013
Post: c/o Victoria Hall, Bryn Road, Lampeter, Ceredigion SA48 7EE Email: [email protected]
Published by: Transition Llambed Development Trust, Victoria Hall, Bryn Road, Lampeter, SA48 7EE
Printed by: TSD Reprographics, Lampeter, on paper from sustainable resources
To list your event, submit an article, ad or letter or to make an enquiry, email: [email protected] or post to address above
Please include the reason you are contacting us in the subject box of your email (Ad, Listing, Article, Letter, Enquiry)
Listings (events & courses) are free Display advertising rates: ¼ column £10; ¼ page £25; ½ page £40; full page £70 (back page £80) Discount on ads for public events held in Victoria Hall: £25 off ad Classified ads: £2 / 20 wds (min. £2) Therapists' section (max 30 wds): £10 for 6 editions in advance
Copy date for March issue: Fri 8 February 2013
Circulation: 1,500 copies distributed free in the Lampeter area
Other contact details:
Transition Llambed: www.transitionllambed.co.uk email: [email protected]
Victoria Hall: www.vichall.org.uk To make bookings for Victoria Hall contact: [email protected] or phone/text 07891 632614
People's Market: To book a stall contact: [email protected] or ring 01570 471432
We reserve the right to edit all contributions for reasons of space & clarity. The views expressed in letters and articles are not necessarily those of
Transition Llambed Development Trust or the newsletter group.
Next month’s theme: ‘Hungry Gap’
Copy date: Fri 8 February
Info for advertisers & contributors:
for full guidelines, see grapevine page on
www.transitionllambed.co.uk
Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Happy New Year!
The Grapevine this month is all about beating the Winter
blues and finding ways to keep ourselves warm. While
we’re confined to staying indoors by the increasingly
inclement weather, how about doing a spot of spring
cleaning to get that feelgood factor? See pages 15 & 16
for tips ... or try the ‘Creative Ideas’ on page 17 to
recycle your old Christmas cards into perfect gifts for
Dydd Santes Dwynwen or Valentine’s Day.
If de-cluttering & cleansing are not your thing, then how
about a brisk walk in some of our local hot spots? See our
resident bird expert’s tips for this month on page 9 ... or
perhaps you would rather be working up a sweat by
splitting more wood to keep the fires burning? See Maj’s
suggestions on page 6 …
There are lots of other interesting things to read in this
issue, so why not put an extra log on the fire & cosy up
with a cuppa and your Grapevine. We’re experimenting
with a new location for the ‘Listings’, so don’t forget to
fill in the Readers’ Survey (tear-off section of back page).
Make some comments … we really want to know what
you think!
Planning ahead? You’ll find the themes for the next 3
months inside - so put your thinking caps on and send us
your articles.
We look forward to hearing from you soon.
Angie Martin
3
Our 20-year lease with Ceredigion County Council became effective on 5 December 2011, but we technically
began trading the following January, so the Trust’s first year of activity has just ended. During the early stag-
es, however, we happily ‘inherited’ existing users of the Hall, notably the Evangelical Church, Young at Heart,
the Poultry Auction and Lampeter’s Polling Station, and we remain extremely grateful for their continuing sup-
port.
Since that ‘rebirth’, we now have an additional 30 or so regular users, and many more occasional bookings.
We believe that it is significant that few of these activities were already either in Lampeter, or in existence,
prior to the Victoria Hall becoming a venue once again. This chimes completely with the Trust’s aim of help-
ing to reinvigorate Lampeter life. Indeed the Lampeter Youth Theatre, which is proving itself a really important
outlet for Lampeter’s talented children and young people, only came into being as the venue once again be-
came fully available, as did the Castanet Club. The People’s Market, another Trust initiative, champions local
food, crafts and produce, and has proved to be equally at ease as a social gathering every second and fourth
Saturday. Transition Llambed’s own ‘Big Gathering’ meets at the Hall in the evening of the 3rd Thursday
each month, and provides a forum for discussion, information and action related to our general ethos.
In order to publicise events and opportunities within the Victoria Hall, and throughout our wider local commu-
nity, the Trust publishes our own ‘events’ magazine locally with a run of 1,500, which of course is where you
are reading this report on the year. The Grapevine accepts local advertising and promotes local events,
church services etc, as well as contributing articles of interest. This edition is the sixth to date. It is published
monthly, and contributions are most welcome. Our dedicated and talented editorial team can be contacted at:
Naturally such an enterprise - running the Victoria Hall, organising events, publishing the Grapevine etc -
implies a good deal of effort, and we are extremely grateful to all those directors and volunteers who have
made this possible. Beyond that, however, are those responsible, for instance, for the smarter appearance of
the Hall’s exterior: Ivor Williams and Greg Evans – and for the interior: TSD students, Derek Wilson, Lam-
peter Youth Theatre volunteers, Charles Burton and Debbie White, as well as local members of Transition
Llambed. Thank you all.
We have received fascinating insights, primarily through Selwyn Walters and Dorothy Williams, into the herit-
age and history of the Victoria Hall, and it is intended to make such information freely available to users in its
original setting as refurbishment proceeds.
We are also grateful for the support and forbearance of our neighbours. We do inform all those who book of
the necessity of respecting their peace and tranquillity, but it is by definition a busier place now than even a
few months ago.
We do not yet have any employees, but we do have a professionally-produced Business Plan to support our
future development and grant applications (funded and supported by Co-op Wales), and we do intend there-
fore to support local employment as and when the opportunity arises in the near future.
Other local links of significance see the Trust as members of Lampeter Chamber of Trade, members of
Development Trusts Wales, liaising closely with the Lampeter Food Festival, and being the current recipients
of Sainsbury’s Local Charity of the Year award together with the Lampeter Youth Theatre, which is based in
the Hall. The running of our People’s Market café was initially managed by Lynn Humphreys and was then
split between the Lampeter Youth Theatre and Ceredigion’s Coastal Project. It is now managed entirely by
the Coastal Project, which provides opportunity, experience, and income to this excellent local initiative.
We are pleased to promote the ethos and activities of other local organisations, and so there are posters and
information boards for Denmark Farm Conservation Centre and Coedwig Gymunedol Long Wood Community
Woodland within the Hall, and we advertise other local events in village and church halls in the area.
As well as hosting WEA classes, we are delighted to have been asked to permit the Victoria Hall to become
the WEA office for the Lampeter area.
Director’s Report: Transition Llambed Development Trust (TLDT), Victoria Hall, Lampeter
4
We would like to make special mention of the talented and industrious youngsters of the Youth Theatre, to-
gether with all those volunteers who make their sessions, rehearsals and productions such a centrepiece for
the Hall, and such fun. If youth truly is the future, then we are in good hands!
With the guidance of David Morgan, and the contribution of Steph Bond, plans have been drawn up for the
refurbishment of the toilets and kitchen, and Ynni i Ffynnu have produced an exhaustive Energy Action Plan.
We also have quotations, and permission, to create office space within the Hall, and quotations to signifi-
cantly improve disability access throughout. When funds permit we shall address the stage, including light-
ing, sound and access.
With the generous support of the Town Council, and with what we have managed to accumulate elsewhere,
notably from our Ceredigion grant, a donation from Menter Llambed of £800, and our own contribution of this
year’s surplus of some £3,000, we are in good shape to match-fund the grants we are currently seeking to
refurbish the Hall. We have managed to put aside the entirety of our grants, without them being used to
manage the Hall day to day. So we are currently running entirely on income received from, and generated
by, our lettings and other activities.
Quotations have now come in to begin renovation, and in keeping with our ethos we have insisted upon only
local firms, craftsmen and companies being centrally involved. Indeed, all of our expenditure, wherever pos-
sible, has been through local sources, so we are pleased to be playing a small part in supporting our local
economy.
As you may imagine, there has been much to do this year. Our accounts closed on 31 October for our first
year of trading, which shows a turnover of £15,000 with some £3,000 in surplus, all of which, bar a small
contingency fund, will go towards refurbishment. For those of you who have followed the Starbucks saga on
Corporation Tax recently you will be interested to learn that in our first year of trading, this small enterprise
will contribute some £250 towards that tax! In order that the hall, directors, and volunteers are as fully pro-
tected as possible, we hold Public Liability insurance; have conducted a professional fire safety inspection;
have refurbished the emergency safety lighting; are registered with the Performing Rights Society; hold an
appropriate Entertainments Licence, and, through Ceredigion, and at our cost, insured the Hall itself. All our
market traders hold appropriate certificates and insurances. Our local purchases are guided by our ethos, of
course, articulated in our Procurement Policy, and we have also put in place Child Protection and Equal Op-
portunities Policies whilst developing a full Health and Safety Policy for the Hall.
Life is not without problems for any business, of course, and we do not underestimate the challenges of
modernising a rather elderly building, but we are being well supported in our endeavours by Andrew Harries,
Ceredigion’s Principal Estates Officer, and we look forward to next year, and further progress, with great
optimism.
The support and encouragement of our local community has been crucial to our efforts, and we remain
grateful for the significant early support afforded to the Trust by Aled Lewis, of ADVE Solicitors, Lampeter;
Jenny Regan, Accountant to the Trust, and our County Councillors: Ivor Williams for his very practical expe-
rience and support, and Hag Harris who facilitated at an important moment in the lease negotiations, both of
whom have been supportive throughout.
We should also like to extend a warm thank you to all our volunteers, to those who have encouraged our
traders by buying at the People’s Market, (please do come and sample the excellence of the food and crafts
on offer!) and to those who have made this journey possible by hiring the Hall over the year. The astonishing
and growing range of activities can be seen elsewhere on these pages! We anticipate that refurbishment will
begin very shortly now, so we should all soon be able to enjoy facilities worthy of such an iconic building in
the heart of Lampeter. Thank you all.
Derek Marshall, Treasurer on behalf of the Directors, Transition Llambed Development Trust
STOP PRESS! TLDT is very pleased to report that we have just been granted £12,500 from the Ceredigion Community Grant Fund for
the long-overdue renovation of the toilets in the Victoria Hall. The other half of the cost will come from previous dona-
tions from the Town Council, funds the Trust has generated through increased usage of the hall, and Ceredigion
County Council. The work needs to be completed by the end of February.
5
To give everyone visiting Denmark Farm Conserva-
tion Centre a warm glow, we’ve had a new biomass
boiler heating system installed.
This will maximise our sustainability, using locally-
sourced wood pellet fuel to produce heat for the new
holiday self-catering eco accommodation, as well as
serving all existing Denmark Farm offices and build-
ings.
Swansea-based company Biofutures have installed
and commissioned the system. Kedrick Davies from
Biofutures says: “The biomass boilers will produce a
super-efficient burn and, provided good quality wood
pellets are used, there is no visible smoke once the
boilers are up to temperature. Also, using pellets in
comparison to oil or LPG means a significant reduc-
tion in carbon outputs (including extraction, pro-
cessing and transport costs for each fuel).”
Wood pellets are generally produced from conifers -
and those made from UK forestry residues have the
lowest emissions of all. As the pulp industry is in de-
cline - and you can't use a whole tree for timber - pel-
lets make use of an otherwise unused resource that
is, arguably, best used for efficient energy generation.
Our suppliers, PBE Bio Energy from Pembrokeshire,
only use timber from sustainable sources (i.e. FSC or
equivalent) or reclaimed timber (i.e. from manufactur-
ing, building or recycling centres).
We are also eligible for the Renewable Heat Incentive
(RHI) which means that our biomass heating not only
makes sense environmentally but also financially. Ad-
ditionally, we are generating some of our own electric-
ity by solar photo-voltaic (PV), giving us plenty of
‘green power’ for a more sustainable future.
Now that we have heat and power, just watch this
space for news about our sedum-based green roof
and the finishing touches for the new build. Our Eco
Holiday Accommodation will then be ready to wel-
come guests from Easter 2013.
More info: see www.denmarkfarm.org.uk or ring
01570 493358.
From the Denmark Farm team
Biomass is Best for Denmark Farm
6
Wood is good: a carbon-neutral fuel that is sustaina-
ble, versatile and potentially free. It can be used to
heat a home as well as cook a meal. With less re-
peats than a television, the oxygen-licking flames are
even a mind-awakening form of entertainment, as
well as a planet-friendly way to keep a party alive.
So with the price of fossil fuels beginning to reflect
their scarcity, many are turning to burning wood as a
local resource that can be grown at home. Burning
wood is said to be ‘carbon neutral’ because the car-
bon dioxide that is released would have been pro-
duced anyway, in the natural process of dead wood
decaying, but this doesn’t meant there aren’t environ-
mental impacts. Collecting or ‘gleaning’ deadwood
can have a negative environmental impact if none is
left on the forest floor for vital invertebrates. Also,
burning wood that is not fully dried or ‘seasoned’ can
cause acrid smoke as well as a dangerous build-up of
creosote on the inside of chimneys.
But, given the proper care, wood is a renewable re-
source, which means that it can be replenished by
nature in a period of time that is compatible with our
human use. Provided they are cared for and man-
aged properly, our forests can be a perpetual source
of fuel, unlike gas, oil, and coal, which are being de-
pleted at a rate far faster than the millions of years it
took nature to make them. On a smallholding it is pos-
sible to plant more trees than we cut down, and if we
buy logs from a wood merchant we have the oppor-
tunity to make sure they come from a sustainable
source.
Wood nerds can endlessly discuss which tree gives
back the most calories for the work we put into felling,
chopping and cutting - but all agree, wood can warm
us twice; in the collecting as well as the burning.
Although many claim ash wood burns even when
freshly cut (extremely useful in an emergency) its long
-term use ‘green’ will still clog up your chimney.
Once collected, green wood should be stored until its
water has evaporated so that it is lightweight and the
bark is sloughing off. Some say a month for every
inch in diameter, others a minimum of a year, and this
is the meaning of ‘seasoning’ - so that it has under-
gone all the seasonal effects. The French apparently
advised three years from fell to fire: one in the field,
one in the barn and one by the fireside. A word of
warning to the hoarder though: too long stored and
the vital volatile oils are lost and the wood becomes
paper; it will burn but with no heat. Storing is im-
proved when air can circulate freely around the stack.
If you are lucky enough to be sourcing larger trees
from your own land, it is best to chop immediately us-
ing a splitter or maul, a type of axe with a heavy wide
head. A splitter does not need to be particularly
sharp, unlike a felling axe, which slices at wood. It is
possible to use a felling axe for splitting logs, but it is
much harder work. The trick is to let the weight of the
head do the work: swing it over your shoulder and let
the head fall on to the log without forcing it down. In
this way the wide head forces the fibres of the wood
apart. Having the log you are splitting at a good
height – on a tree stump or larger log about two feet
off the ground - makes the job easier and avoids hurt-
ing your back. Maj Ikle
For the past 15 years Maj has heated her home using only
wood
Logs to burn! Logs to burn! Logs to save the coal a turn!
Beechwood fires are bright and clear. If the logs are kept a year,
Chestnut’s only good they say If for long ’tis laid away;
Birch and fir logs burn too fast. Blaze up bright and do not last.
It is by the Irish said: Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread.
Elmwood burns like churchyard mould. Even the very flames are cold;
Poplar makes a bitter smoke. Fills your eyes and makes you choke;
Applewood will scent your room With an incense like perfume;
Oak and maple if dry and old Keep away the winters cold:
But ashwood wet or ashwood dry, A queen shall warm her slippers by!
A poem by that famous woman poet 'Anonymous' gives us a handy guide to which wood burns best:
Isn’t it good - local born wood?
7
Annwyl Olygydd/Dear Editor,
I would like to write in response to Susan's letter in
the Dec/Jan issue of Grapevine. I was shocked to un-
derstand that Susan was disappointed to see Côris-
ma's website written in Welsh. Being a choir in a
Welsh-speaking town like Lampeter, this is just what's
expected, and shouldn't be a disappointment to its
residents and any Grapevine readers.
However, this shouldn't exclude any non-Welsh
speakers from joining. To the contrary, music is a uni-
versal language, and anyone with a passion for sing-
ing, good company and culture should join either Côr
Meibion Cwmann or Côrisma.
And if looking for evidence to support this, may I men-
tion the new Chief Executive for the Royal Welsh Ag-
ricultural Society, Steve Hughson, speaking on BBC
Radio Cymru during the Winter Fair. Although not yet
fluent in Welsh, he learnt the language and gained
confidence by joining choirs like Bois y Castell
(Llandeilo) and Côr Meibion Caerfyrddin
(Carmarthen).
Well done Steve - he joined choirs that sang in Welsh
and as a result mastered the Language of Heaven,
which gave him the confidence to apply for such a
prominent post in Wales and speak so authoritatively
on a Welsh Language Radio Station.
Côr Meibion Cwmann members have been extremely
busy during the winter months entertaining residents
in local care homes. What a valuable service to the
community! It was also a pleasure to see Côrisma
taking part in concerts recently by raising money to-
wards charities such as Diabetes UK and Christian
Aid. It was nice to see so many Grapevine readers
attending the concert in St Peter's Church, Lampeter,
on 22 December. This was Lampeter entertainment at
its best.
You've correctly assumed, Susan, that Côr Meibion
Cwmann and Côrisma are Welsh choirs, based in
Lampeter - in Wales, and singing mainly in our lan-
guage - Welsh. Both choirs could possibly sing in a
foreign language and what's the problem with that?
My appeal in this letter is for everyone to follow Steve
Hughson's example if they're interested in singing.
While contributing to the entertainment and cultural
scene in the area, take advantage of Welsh singing
and Welsh singers to gain confidence in Welsh and
possibly play a greater part of our bilingual communi-
ty. Diolch.
Yn gywir/yours sincerely, Dylan Lewis, Cwmann
LETTERS
letters: grapevine, victoria hall, bryn road, lampeter SA48 7EE
email: [email protected]
Lampeter Rising at Victoria Hall
Thur 14 February, 1pm
Part of the ‘One Billion Rising’ worldwide event,
bringing attention to continuing violence against
women & girls in the 21st century:
Singing, dancing and drumming
Bring your feet (or wheels), your voice, and a drum,
bell, whistle, tambourine or indeed a saucepan!
Bring your lunch. Beverages available
Donations welcome - towards heating the hall,
& we'll also be donating to a charity
(to be decided, suggestions to Yolanda:
Anyone willing to start us off with singing, dancing
and drumming, is most welcome.
Women & men: come & make some noise!
More info: www.onebillionrising.org/pages/about-
one-billion-rising or www.vday.org/home
8
Working together as a community for the benefit of
everyone, in ways that are sustainable for the envi-
ronment, is central to the Transition Town ethos. But
we’re not skilled at it yet. We are better at creating ‘us
and them’ separations and exclusions - between peo-
ple who think and behave like us and those who are
different from us, between our own back garden and
the wider environment, between what's good for us
now and what's best for the future. We are much bet-
ter at noticing what’s wrong with ‘them’ than we are at
finding common ground and creating ways forward for
‘us’. So I am always on the lookout for more ideas on
how we can communicate and work together more
effectively in our communities.
One such idea is Sociocracy (see http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociocracy) It seems to be a
way of giving everyone a voice in making decisions
that affect them, held within a solid, understandable
framework. Sociocracy, sometimes known as Dynam-
ic Governance, is a model that has been tried and
tested, particularly over the past forty years, in many
settings – corporations and small businesses, hospi-
tals, schools and universities, eco-villages and co-
housing groups, non-profit and community organiza-
tions as well as professional associations.
This has happened mainly in the Netherlands (where
the ideas were developed in the mid-20th century and
continue to be explored and implemented today) and
America (where the ideas first germinated in the late
19th century and then more recently, with the publish-
ing in 2007 of the first book on Sociocracy written in
English by American authors). The book We the Peo-
ple: Consenting to a Deeper Democracy, by John
Buck and Sharon Villines, has given English speakers
access to the ideas and principles of sociocracy, and
it is catching on fast! Here’s the ‘blurb’ about the
book:
“We the People describes a new method of governing
ourselves that creates more inclusive and efficient
organizations [...] all human beings are created equal-
ly and endowed by society with the unquestionable
rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. In
practice, however, these rights are often limited to the
majority, the rich, or the property owners. Sociocracy
ensures these rights to everyone, and in the process,
makes profit-making businesses more profitable and
non-profit organizations more effective. Using consent
and collaboration as a foundation for decision-making
and communications, it builds a strong governance
structure […] using the new sciences of cybernetics,
systems thinking, and complexity theory and creates
organizations that are as powerful, self-organizing,
and self-correcting as the natural world.”
It is a fascinating book, which I read 18 months ago
and have been talking about ever since! So I am de-
lighted to announce that we will be hosting the first
ever ‘Introduction to Sociocracy’ workshop in
Wales, at Denmark Farm, on Saturday 16 and Sun-
day 17 March. The course is an ideal way to learn
about the principles of Sociocracy and how to intro-
duce them into your life – whether it is for your busi-
ness, voluntary organization, charity, social enterprise
or even within your family or social group. There will
only be places for a maximum of 20 people, and the
cost for the 2 days will be £100, with an Early Bird
price of £80 for anyone who books and pays in full by
Friday 15 February.
The weekend will be facilitated by Julian Howell of
DecisionLab (http://decisionlab.org.uk). To book a
place, or for more details, please contact me:
[email protected] or 01570 471717.
Linda Winn
An inclusive alternative?
9
in the vegetable garden with Mara ... I’ve been eagerly looking out the kitchen window for
several weeks, imagining that Spring is here. Writing
this in early January, with robins singing for territory
all around and that warm springy smell wafting in,
it’s all too easy to believe that winter is departing
already. This has tempted me out into my shed,
dangerously early, on more than one occasion to
start planning my growing.
However the wizened veggie grower in me has
helped me see a little sense about the reality of try-
ing to grow early-season crops in Ceredigion for the
past 2-3 years - way too many failed sowings! So I
have held back sowing my broad beans and winter
salads, knowing that if I leave it for a few more
weeks it won’t make much difference to the harvest.
One thing I couldn’t resist sowing now, though, is
garlic. After a great crop last year I’ve saved some
of my bulbs for seed this year. These have divided
up into masses of the fattest, juiciest, most promis-
ing cloves I’ve seen. For safety I’ve potted these into
small pots of compost and put them into the poly-
tunnel, just in case we are blanketed in snow from
mid-January until March.
Ian’s birding tips for the month… February is a good time to look for overwintering
wildfowl. The actual numbers that arrive depend
somewhat on the severity of the weather to the east
of us in England and beyond. A visit to Falcondale
Lake could turn something up. A walk along the
banks of the Teifi may be rewarded with a sighting
of the beautiful Goosander, a large fish-eating duck.
Perhaps best of all is the quarry pool near the rugby
club. If you approach carefully and quietly there is a
good chance of seeing Mallard, Teal and Mute
Swan. In addition, well-camouflaged Snipe occa-
sionally skulk in the poolside vegetation, and the
scarce and declining Willow Tit has also been rec-
orded here.
Seasonal snippits - what’s hot and what’s not in nature
by Mara, Ian and Tomos Morris who live in Llangybi
february
Drawing by Tomos (aged 7⅗!)
Copy Dates
& Themes
March issue
Copy: Fri 8 February
Theme: ‘Hungry gap’ - x -
April issue
Copy: Fri 8 March Theme: ‘Spring Watch’
- x -
May issue
Copy: Fri 12 April Theme: ‘Come Outside’
Dychwelwch ef i’r pwyntiau
casglu yn: Neuadd Fictoria; Llyfrgell
Gyhoeddus Llanbedr Pont Steffan,
Organic Fresh Foods Co (stad
ddiwydiannol, Ffordd Tregaron) neu
Bush Mulberry (2 Stryd y Bont)
Os byddai'n well gennych ei lenwi ar
-lein ewch i wefan Transition
Llambed
www.transitionllambed.co.uk a
chliciwch ar y ddolen ar gyfer Arolwg
Darllenwyr Grapevine
Diolch
Please return surveys to the col-
lection points at: Victoria Hall;
Lampeter Public Library; Organic
Fresh Foods Co (industrial estate,
Tregaron Rd) or the Mulberry Bush
(2 Bridge St)
If you would prefer to fill the survey
out online go to the Transition
Llambed website
www.transitionllambed.co.uk and
click on the link for Grapevine
Readers’ Survey
Thank you
10
Swell Performance
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
adapted & directed by Annie May
performed by Lampeter Youth Theatre
Victoria Hall, Lampeter, 13–15 December 2012
In its three productions over the course of the last
year, LYTss has displayed a healthy versatility that
has run from rollicksome trad panto, the weird and
wordy Lewis Carroll in the unpredictable and testing
conditions of the great outdoors, and finally to a gen-
uine drama of darkness and redemption. In its eight-
een months of existence the theatre and stage
school, though running on a shoestring and a prayer,
seems to have completed a three-step course to ma-
turity.
They showed us their potential in the knockabout Al y
Deyn, they got to grips with dialogue in Alice, and
thus prepared were then able to grapple with the seri-
ous business of emotions in the feast of misanthropy,
poverty, heartbreak, hopes and fears that Chas the
Dick is always good for. As well as great entertainers,
they’ve grown into a committed and confident band of
performers: no mean feat for a bunch of kids ranging
from teenagers to miniatures.
It was good to see the full length, breadth and height
of the Vic Hall being exploited. Its tall, high windows,
its asylum-like gloom and its faded grandeur are per-
fect for such a tale. The vignette-like scenes were
played here and there, across the floor and up in the
gallery, pools of light floating in a sea of darkness.
But amidst all the Scroogian drama and riveting per-
formances we also had the leavening effect of the two
tiny Carrington boys in dickybows doing a enchanting
bit of perfectly executed song and dance (‘We're a
Couple of Swells’) that even Sammy Davis Jnr & Julie
Andrews couldn’t better when they tried themselves it
a few nights later on TV.
The troupe thoroughly deserved all the rosettes be-
stowed on them by the mayor after the final show.
Someone should have pinned one on their director,
who has worked wonders. The LYTss gang are get-
ting a serious education in the performing arts, and
the project clearly deserves some serious funding.
Andy Soutter
The Cast taking the applause from a well-packed house
Recent Reviews
Individual and Collective Magic:
Ouroborus play Lampeter,
December 2012
You should have been there...French and Welsh
folk songs, classics like Aretha Franklin's Say a Lit-
tle Prayer, Neil Young's Harvest Moon, a bit of
Charlie Parker, soulful ballads, inspired piano play-
ing and as for the guy on sax...what can you say
but "marvellous"?
The band: Maggie Nicols on keyboards and vocals,
Sid Thomas on keyboards, Peter Stacey on sax
and flute. I get the feeling when I watch and listen
to musicians that I'm witnessing the desire to be
famous as much as anything. This performance
was an invitation to participate in a musical experi-
ence, the kind of unfolding that encourages you to
feel warmth towards other human beings.
Another excellent and affordable event organised
by Shirley Hall and hosted by the welcoming folk at
Castle Green. You can catch Ouroborus when they
play again in Lampeter in 2013.
Colette Power
Send in your reviews to
11
Victoria Hall: regular activities and classes
Bryn Road, Lampeter SA48 7EE
Day Weekly (W)
Fortnightly (F) Time Activity / Class
Contact Name Number
Monday W
not 11 Feb
12.30-3pm
Autobiographical writing
Annette Ecuyere 01559 370969
W 7-9pm Wing Chun Kungfu Flo Hunt 07796 796259
Tuesday W 7.30-
8.30pm
Zumba
keep fit session Julie Lancaster 01570 470542
Wednesday
F
6 & 20 Feb
1.30-4.30pm
Young at Heart Tea, sandwiches & social for the wiser
folk of Lampeter
W 7-8pm Zumba
keep fit session Louise Evans 07584 199372
Thursday W
10am-12 noon
& 1-3pm
Welsh classes Meryl Evans 01545 572715
Friday W 4.30-
6.30pm
LYTSS: Lampeter Youth Theatre &
Stage School Annie May 01570 423080
Saturday
2nd & 4th Sat each month
10am-1pm
People’s Market Local food, produce and crafts. Plus café,
live music and other attractions
Sunday W 10am-7pm
Lampeter Evangelical
Church
Gareth Jones at the Mustard Seed café
01570 423344
W 7-9pm Brazilian Jujitsu Mike A. Banica 07783 582081
NOTICE OF
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING:
TRANSITION LLAMBED
DEVELOPMENT TRUST
(Victoria Hall Project)
AGM
Thursday 31 January 2013
7.30pm Victoria Hall
All welcome
Remember
Copy date
March issue
Friday 8 February 2013
Theme: ‘Hungry Gap’
Send your listings to [email protected]
For full guidelines & more
information for advertisers
& contributors:
see grapevine page on
www.transitionllambed.co.uk
12
what’s going on listings are free. send details of your event to [email protected]
music Lampeter Music Club at the Arts Hall, University of Wales Trinity St David. Tues 12 Feb, 7.30pm: Fabien Gen-thialon, cello. Sun 10 March, 2.30pm: Inner City Brass, brass quintet. Tickets on the door, £9/£7.50 concs. Students free with a Union Card. Two children free with a paying adult. Contact: David Cockburn, 01570 422436 Lampeter World Sacred Music Festival, 22-24 March. Karl Jenkins conducts his peace requiem, The Armed Man. Contact: [email protected]
theatre
Lampeter Youth Theatre and Stage School (LYTss) Every Friday, 4.30-6.30pm, Victoria Hall. Contact: Annie May, 01570 423080, [email protected]
move your body
Belly dance & Belly fit classes Belly Dance: Mondays. 1.30-2.45pm (all ages). Belly Fit: 3-4.00pm (over 50s) Shiloh Church Hall, Lampeter (next to the police station on the High Street). All fitness levels welcome. Contact: Rose Barter, 01239 851737
Belly Dance & Yoga classes Belly Dance: Tuesday 7.30-8.30pm. £3.00. Beginner Yoga: Thursday 7-8.30pm, £5.00. Crugybar Village Hall. Contact: 01558 685321, [email protected]
Gentle Yoga classes suitable for all: Mon 10-11.30am Pontrhydfendigaid Village Hall Tues 10-11.30am Cellan Millennium Hall; Tues 1.45-3.15pm Llangeitho Village Hall Weds 5.30-7pm Tregaron Chapel Vestry Contact: Cathy Crick Stanton, 01570 421144 / 07748 031614, [email protected]
Folk dancing Every Wednesday, 8- 10 pm. Talsarn Village Hall. Every-body welcome (including musicians). No partner or experience needed. £1.50 including refreshments. Contact: 01974 272098
Cerddwyr Ramblers, Lampeter, organise a variety of weekly walks throughout the year. Anyone interest-
ed in walking with the group is warm-ly welcomed to join. A walking pro-gramme is available from the Town Library or James, 01570 480743.
Flamenco classes in Lampeter and Aberystwyth Enter the intoxicating world of rhythm, movement, grace and fire that is Flamenco. Tuesday 6-7.15 pm, Sally Saunders Dance Industrial Estate, Tregaron Rd, Lampeter (next to Organic Fresh Foods). Wednesday 6-7.30 pm, Aberyst-wyth Arts Centre, with live flamenco guitarist. Men and women welcome from 15 yrs old. Please bring strong/ chunky- heeled shoes Tutor: Dixey Ruscelli, 01570 493138, [email protected]
courses
Denmark Farm Conservation Centre, Betws Bledrws 16 Feb (am): Feel Like Felt? (Making felt for beginners) 16 Feb (pm): Little Treasures - Mak-ing Decorative Felt for Jewellery and Decoration 17 Feb: Soft Shoe Shuffle - Felt to Fit Slippers 21 Feb: Hats off to Felt - Make a Felt Hat in a Day 24 Feb: Material Matters - Nuno Felt-ing 9 Mar: Sustainable Beekeeping Contact: 01570 493358, www.denmarkfarm.org.uk
health & well-being
courses & classes
The Mindfulness-based Stress Management Course 2013. 4 Sun-day sessions: February 10 & 24, March 10 10am-2pm, March 24, 10am-4pm. Early bird and student savings. Contact: 07890 835873, [email protected]
Meditation, Qi Gong and Breathing exercises class to deal with stress of modern living. Self-help practices for health, awareness and insight. Thurs 7-8.30pm (except 3rd Thurs of month), Argoed Hall, Tregaron. £5. Before attending please contact: Iain Cameron Watson, 07852 626001, [email protected]
women’s workshop Wednesdays 10.30am-3pm, St James’ Hall, Cwmann. Every Weds: 11am Qi Gong - gentle
exercise. 12noon lunch. 1pm work-shop. 6 Feb: Painting 13 Feb: Half term - no meeting 20 Feb: AGM followed by board games 27 Feb: Knitting & crochet 6 March: Storytelling to celebrate World Book Day 13 March: A Celebration of Interna-tional Women’s Day
20 March: Creative writing
27 March: Card making
Wheelchair access to hall & toilet. Free car park. Only £2.50 a session (includes vegetarian lunch and all activities). Pay on the day, no mem-bership fee or advance fee - drop in when you please. Come and see if you like our group. New members always welcome. Contact: 01570 423167 / 01545 590391
markets
People’s Market, Victoria Hall, Lampeter, 10am-1pm Sat 9 & Sat 23 February
Lampeter Farmers' Market
Market Street, Lampeter, 9am-2pm
alternate Fridays
Next market: Friday 8 February
Ffarmers Market Neuadd Bro Fana/Village Hall, Ffarmers, 10am-12.30pm 1st Sat in the month Next market: Saturday 2 February
Llansawel Market Llansawel Village Hall, 10am-12.30pm 3rd Sat of the month
Next market: Saturday 16 February
Lunar Market. Saturday 2 February, Llanfair Clydogau Village Hall, 10am-3pm. Local produce and crafts and refreshments. Contact: 07920 063773.
storytelling & books
Storytelling evening. Friendly, informal group meets every third Monday per calendar month in Cellan. Next meeting 18 Feb 7pm-9.30pm. Croeso i bawb/All welcome. Contact: [email protected]
Llangeitho Book Group meets eve-ry second Weds of the month, 2pm in Llangeitho Village Café. We choose a book to read and chat over a paned/cuppa. Contact: 01974 821213 [email protected]
13
writing
Teifi Writers meet on 2nd Saturday of the month in Llandysul, and have workshops with professional writers. Contact: Kelly, 01267 235336.
events
People's Kitchen, Sun 3 Feb (& eve-ry first Sun of the month), Llanfair Clydogau Village Hall 2pm - meet your friends for a delicious vegan feast and maybe some music. Car shares possi-ble.
Contact Mandi, 07976 536983
Coedwig Gymunedol Long Wood Community Woodland. Open meet-ing, 1st Monday each month. Next meeting: 4 February, 7.30pm. St Thomas’ Church, Lampeter. All wel-come. Contact: Philip or Carolyn Swain, 01570 493284 Why not join our regular volunteer days? Contact: [email protected]
Hanes Llambed / Lampeter History Society Change to published programme. Please note: February and April talks have been switched around. The March talk will take place as planned. Talks are at 7.30pm, Old Hall, Univer-sity of Wales Trinity St David. All wel-come. Tues 19 Feb Penny David: 'Gardener to the Gentry: a Gogerddan diary (1897)' Tues 19 Mar Jen Cairns: 'Miss Saun-ders fach, Undergrove: our link with Senghenydd 1913' Tues 16 April Margaret Bide: 'Woollen textiles in modern Romania: a parallel with pre-industrial Wales'. Contact: Penny David, 01570 422041
Lampeter Permaculture Group is a collective of like-minded people, inter-ested in the practice & principles of permaculture and sustainability. Find out more at our Community Seed Swap event on Sat 23 Feb, 10am-1pm, at the People’s Market, Victoria Hall. See www.lampeterpermaculture.org
The Alister Hardy Society for the Study of Spiritual Experience meets approximately monthly during term, at University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Free lectures; open discussions of per-sonal experiences; bookstall. Sat 16 Feb 10.30am, Founder's Library. Jenny Jones, NFSH, Natural Energy Healer, on Healing with the Feminine Principle: Relationships. Look out for posters, or join our email list. Contact: Eric Franklin, 01570 471367, [email protected]
Ecumenical Accompaniment Pro-gramme in Palestine and Israel. Mon 4 Feb 7pm. Experiences of Occupa-tion: Life as a human-rights observer in the Occupied Palestinian Territories – an eye-witness account from Jane Harries. All welcome. Cliff Tucker The-atre, University of Wales Trinity St Da-vid. Sponsored by Lampeter Amnesty Group and Lampeter Quakers. Con-tact: Glynis Florence, [email protected]
Rhaglen Hebryngwyr Eciwmenaidd ym Mhalesteina ac Israel (EAPPI). Dydd Llun, 4 Chwefror, 7yh. Profi-adau dan Oresgyniad: Bywyd fel gwylwraig hawliau-dynol yn Nhiriogae-thau dan Feddiant Palesteina – hane-sion llygad-dyst gan Jane Harries. Theatr Cliff Tucker, Prifysgol Y Drin-dod Dewi Sant. Croeso i bawb! Noddir gan Grwp Amnest Rhyngwladol, Llambed a Crynwyr Llanbedr Pont Steffan. Am wybodaeth bellach cysyl l twch â Glynis Florence, [email protected]
Lampeter World Sacred Music Festi-val, 22-24 March (see poster page 20) A public meeting will be held on Mon 19 Feb at 7pm, Mulberry Bush Café. Anyone interested in helping with the festival or finding out more about it is very welcome. Please arrive between 6.45 & 7.15pm; if the door is locked ring 01570 423317. If you would like to help and cannot attend the meeting please contact: 07788 962612, [email protected]
photography
Lampeter Photography meet on 1st and 3rd Friday of every month, 7.30 pm at the Kings Head, Lampeter. Monthly competitions, exhibitions & workshops. All welcome. FREE. Contact: Stef, 07958 772035, [email protected]
religious services & groups
Lampeter Parish
St Peter’s Church, Lampeter. Main Sunday Service: 11am (bilingual), Oth-er services: 8am Holy Communion (English), 9.30am Cymun Bendigaid (trydydd Sul yn y mis yn unig, Cym-raeg).
St Peter’s Church Hall in Lampeter is available for hire at £8.50 per hour. Includes use of kitchen facilities. For enquiries or bookings contact: Beryl, 01570 422324. For more information visit: www.lampeterparish.org
St Cybi’s Church, Llangybi. Main Sunday Service: 9am (bilingual).
St Bledrws’ Church, Betws Bledrws. Main Sunday Service: 10.45am (English or bilingual).
St Sulien’s Church, Silian. Main Sun-day Service: 2pm (bilingual /Cymraeg).
St Mary’s Church, Maestir. Main Sunday Service: 2.30pm (2nd Sunday in the month only, English).
Times apply to the first four Sundays in each month. For the few fifth Sundays there will be a single United Parish Service at 10am: location will be pub-lished in the local newspapers.
Seventh Day Adventists meet fort-nightly on Saturdays at Cellan Millenni-um Hall, 10.15am-3.15pm. For more details: www.cellanmillenniumhall.co.uk
Lampeter Evangelical Church meets every Sunday at Victoria Hall, 10am– 7pm. Contact: Gareth Jones at The Mustard Seed café, 01570 423344
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, Lampeter Sunday Mass is 10am. For other ser-vices see church notice board.
Lampeter Quakers. Every Sunday at Canolfan Steffan, Peterwell Terrace at 10.45am. All welcome. Crynwyr Llambed. Cwrdd bob ddydd Sul, Canolfan Steffan, Rhodfa Peter-well, 10.45 yb. Croeso i bawb. Contact / Cysylltwch: Deborah Rowlands, 01570 480083, [email protected]
St Thomas' Methodist Church Sunday service 10.30am with creche and youth activity. Tuesday coffee morning 9.30-12noon with Beacon of Hope drop-in. All wel-come. Details on chapel notice board. Everyone welcome.
Interested in Buddhism? A Study Group for Women. Exploring the underlying principle of Buddhist Practice and how we can apply this in our daily lives. Meets one day a month near Aberystwyth. Meditation, shared lunch. Contact: Lesley 01970 617129 or Noel 07988 745364
14
Introduction to Sociocracy
The First Weekend Workshop in Wales!
10am to 5pm, Sat 16th and Sun 17th March, 2013
£100 (£80 if booked by 15th February)
Light Lunch and Refreshments included
Sociocracy (also known as Dynamic Self-Governance) is a form of organising by consent - a structured way
of working collaboratively. Giving everyone a say and encouraging autonomy can build trust and understand-
ing in an organisation. Using feedback processes and links between teams, Sociocracy collectively steers an
enterprise towards its aims.
This workshop will introduce you to the principles of Sociocracy and offers some techniques for organising
by self-managing circles, running circle meetings, electing people to roles and making decisions by consent.
The weekend is suitable for anyone who seeks inclusive alternatives to top-down management or unstruc-
tured consensus.
Self-catering dormitory accommodation or NEW eco-accommodation in single or shared rooms, is available
at Denmark Farm (see their website www.denmarkfarm.org). Prices range from £15 per person per night in
the shared dormitory to £22.50 per person per night for a single room and £17.50 per person in a double or
twin room.
To book a place or for more details, please contact:
Linda Winn 01570 471717 [email protected]
Fri Feb 8 “Anna Karenina” (12) Keira Knightley
Fri Feb 22 “Shadow Dancer” (15) Andrea Risborough
Fri Mar 8 “Skyfall” (12) Daniel Craig
Fri Mar 22 “Hope Springs” (15) Meryl Streep
Fri April 5 “The Sweeney” (15) Ray Winstone
... and to follow ...
“Life of Pi”
“Great Expectations” (Helena Bonham Carter)
“Les Miserables” (Russell Crowe)
“Quartet” (Maggie Smith)
“The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey”
DOORS OPEN 7.15pm PROGRAMME BEGINS 7.45pm
Admission by Donation £2.00
BIG SCREEN & DIGITAL THEATRE SOUND
WWW.CELLANMILLENNIUMHALL.CO.UK
CELLAN MILLENNIUM HALL
CLASSES AND GROUPS
Classes subject to change: check
www.cellanmillenniumhall.co.uk for updates &
contact details. See our website film page for
movies & What’s On page for one-off events
MONDAY
Line Dancing 7-10pm
TUESDAY
Healing Yoga 10-11.30am
Lampeter Home Ed. Group 12-5pm
Qi Gong 6-7pm
Tai Chi 7-8pm
Beekeepers 2nd Tues /month, 8pm
WEDNESDAY
Table Tennis 10-11.30am
Quilting Club 12 noon-4pm
Yoga 5.30-7pm
THURSDAY
Five Rhythms Dance 1st Thursday of Month 7pm
Village Improvement Society Cttee1st Thursday
of month 7pm
WI 2nd Thursday of month 7.30pm
FRIDAY
Art Group 10am–1pm
Film Night fortnightly 7.15pm (see ad)
SATURDAY
Seventh Day Adventists
fortnightly 10.15am-3.15pm
15
Kitchen Cupboard Cleaning Ingredients You'll recognise the ingredients in some of the clean-
ing tips below, but did you know you could use them
like that? There are loads of ways the things you have
in your cupboards can help you around the house.
Don’t go to the supermarket for expensive cleaners.
Flour, cornflour, bicarbonate of soda, vinegar - even
ashes and olive oil can do the trick.
Remember Shake and Vac? Cornflour does the
same trick. To freshen your carpets, sprinkle a little
cornflour on the carpet and leave for about half an
hour before vacuuming.
A cardboard tube extends your reach when vacuum-
ing and lets you get to the high corners where cob-
webs live.
Have you got a fishtank that needs cleaning?
Reach for an old pair of tights first.
You can use a wet and dry vacuum to empty the wa-
ter out of the tank, but remember to put the nozzle
inside one of the feet first. This way you will suck up
the water and leave the gravel in the tank.
Got a headache cleaning the loo? Drop two Alka-
Seltzer tablets in the toilet and add a cup of white vin-
egar. Leave to stand overnight and in the morning
your headache will be gone.
Polishing brass and copper is easy when you mix
equal parts of flour, vinegar and salt to make a clean-
ing paste. Dab the paste on, leave it to dry and buff
off with a clean cloth.
Getting stains off the stainless steel sink is easy
with a sprinkle of flour and a rub with a clean dry
cloth. The sink will be shining within seconds - just
rinse any leftover flour down the sink.
Freezing your candles will give extra hours to the
burn time.
Charcoal is great for getting rid of smells and col-
lecting damp, so hide a few bits of charcoal around
the house and in the bathroom. If you are storing
books or anything you are keen to keep dry, put a bit
of charcoal inside the storage boxes with the items.
Bicarbonate of soda is a brilliant cleaner too.
Here's a few ways you can use it around the house:
Add a teaspoonful to washing-up water. The dirt and
grease won’t stand a chance.
For chopping boards: mix a teaspoon of salt and
bicarb together with a little water and scour your
board clean.
Burned and scorched pans can be saved by leaving
a solution of 5 tablespoons of bicarb and boiling water
in a pan overnight. By morning the pan will clean
easy.
Vinegar has lots of uses too - here's a few:
You can wipe away mildew by using neat vinegar on
a damp cloth.
Does your vehicle smell? Soak a slice of white
bread in white vinegar and leave it overnight inside
the car. By morning the smells should be gone.
By adding 200ml of white vinegar to the rinse cycle of
your wash, you'll soften your fabrics and kill bacte-
ria. It'll clean the machine as well.
Olive oil will clean and polish your furniture, when
rubbed on and polished off with a soft cloth.
Ashes from the fire will clean the glass on your
wood-burning stove. Mix a little ash with some wa-
ter, spread the mixture on the glass and rub off with a
damp cloth.
Tricia Durkin
Store cupboard
Spring Cleaning Tips
Your nearest Bra Bank is:
Victoria Hall, Bryn Rd, Lampeter SA48 7EE
For more information visit
www.againstbreastcancer.org.uk
Against Breast Cancer,
Leathem House,
13 Napier Court,
Barton Lane,
Abingdon
Oxfordshire OX14 3YT
Tel: 01235 534211 Fax: 01235 535109
Email: [email protected]
Having a clear out?
Recycle at you
r
local Bra Bank
16
by Gro-Mette
Essential cleaning
What about using essential oils for cleaning? Forget
about even environmentally friendly products - just
follow these simple hints and become totally green
Baths and basins
Four drops of lavender or lemon oil on a damp cloth
to wipe clean
The fridge
Dilute six drops of grapefruit oil in a litre of water and
wipe with a clean cloth
Work surfaces
A bucket of warm water with four drops each of lemon
and geranium oils. Wring out a cloth and wipe surfac-
es, tiles and wooden chopping boards
Lavatories
Four drops of lemon oil on a cloth to wipe around
Floors
A few drops of lemongrass and lavender oil in a buck-
et of warm water. Lavender relaxes and soothes,
lemongrass has deodorising, antiseptic and anti-
bacterial properties
For a natural and aromatic air freshener
20 drops of essential oils from a chosen mix (see ta-
ble), 80ml water, 20ml vodka (as a preservative). All
goes into a pump-action spray bottle. Shake and
spray to deodorise, freshen or disinfect a room
Add essential oils to the dustbag in a vacuum
cleaner
It makes the whole house smell fresh and purifies the
air at the same time
Welcome your visitors with a beautiful aroma
Drop some oils on your doormat, or place a cotton-
wool ball with your favourite
oil behind a radiator
Get rid of tobacco smells
Soak a pad of cotton wool
with grapefruit or peppermint
oil and insert in the hem of
the curtains
Discover how to be ‘Green’ & Clean
Essential Oils Use
Lavender, Bergamot, Eucalyptus Gets rid of airborne germs; colds, flu
Lemon Air freshener for lavatories
Grapefruit, Peppermint Removes smell of cigarette smoke
Tea Tree, Pine Disinfects lavatories
Lemon, Lavender Cleans basins, baths and sinks
Pine, Rosemary, Lavender Disinfects bathrooms and rubbish bins
Ylang Ylang, Sandalwood, Geranium Instills confidence
Grapefruit, Lemongrass, Geranium Invigorates, uplifts
Thanks Trish & Gro-Mette
I’ll definitely be trying some
of these out!
LAMPETER AND DISTRICT
BEEKEEPERS' ASSOCIATION
Beginners' Beekeeping starts Sunday 10 Feb,
2pm in Cellan Millennium Hall. Classes will be
held fortnightly where possible, until the beginning
of May, with a longer gap at Easter.
From May to September, there will be practical
lessons every Sunday, 2pm-4pm at the Associa-
tion's Apiary in Abermeurig. You're not expected
to attend all the sessions but it would benefit you if
you attended at least the first four or five.
All last year’s beginners bought hives and bees
last summer and are now beekeepers.
The cost for the sessions is £75, which includes:
* membership of Lampeter and District Beekeep-
ers' Association (£17)
* membership of Welsh Beekeepers' Association,
which has Public Liability insurance cover for all
members, plus a quarterly magazine
* Bee Diseases insurance for up to three hives
A “Taster Day”, for those of you who may be a
little apprehensive of bees, will be held on Sat 6
April, 10am at Cellan Millennium Hall. (£15 - in-
cludes light refreshments), consisting of theory in
the morning, lunch break, and if weather is fine, a
practical session in the afternoon. We will have an
exhibition hive, so if it is wet you can see Bees
and the Queen as they would be in the hive.
For further details contact: Gordon Lumby, on
01570 480571, [email protected]
17
Members of LYTss describe their experiences
My Experiences in Lampeter Youth Theatre and
Stage School
My name is Bruno and I'm 10. I joined Lampeter
Youth Theatre and Stage School (LYTss) a year and
a half ago. I played Widow Twanky's fiancé in our
production of Al y Deyn, which was great fun. I had to
chuck sweets out to the audience, which the younger
kids really liked. The mayor of Lampeter came to our
last performance, A Christmas Carol. He was really
nice and quite funny and gave a speech about Lam-
peter Youth Theatre and how it has developed over
the last year. We had an awards ceremony too, with
the Mayor giving out the awards.
At LYTss we learn loads of things - not just about act-
ing or learning lines. We do circus skills, dancing and
voice projection and lots more. I would like to learn
how to throw my voice so that I could trick my friends.
My granny helped me to prepare for my part in A
Christmas Carol. I played Scrooge's nephew, Fred,
who tries to convince Scrooge not to be so mean, to
have some fun and be kinder at Christmas. My gran-
ny taught drama when she was younger and was on
the telly and on the stage a lot, a long time ago. I
would recommend joining LYTss to anyone interested
in performing. We do really good plays and have
massive audiences who seem to really enjoy them-
selves. I often think that the audience would be sur-
prised if they could see the total chaos that goes on
backstage - kids telling jokes, laughing, having fun,
eating sweets and generally messing around. And
yet, when it comes time to tell the story on stage, eve-
ryone takes it seriously and tries hard to give a good
performance. Our last performance got a standing
ovation. It's really nice standing up and bowing, side
by side with all the other members of the cast, know-
ing that the play is behind you and you did a good
job.
Bruno Hall (aged 10)
Acting in 'A Christmas Carol' with LYT
Learning the lines wasn’t that hard. On the day of the
performance, when I was about to say my lines, I felt
as though I was going to make a big mistake and it
would all go wrong. But when I actually spoke it was-
n’t hard at all. The other actors in the theatre group
are very nice and they help you when you are stuck.
It felt really cool to dress in Victorian clothes; I mean
the clothes looked so Victorian that I really felt I was
from that time! I loved playing young Scrooge in the
play and just occasionally I liked to show off a bit! It's
quite an experience to be an actor.
Rosie Nasr-Butler (aged 10)
Kids in ActionKids in Action
'I felt proud when I went up to get my certificate
and the mayor said how well he could hear me'
Maddy Thorogood (aged 7)
Why not recycle your old Christmas cards?
Cut out ‘Heart’ shapes from the picture
side - stick them to a blank card - send
to someone special for Dydd Santes
Dwynwen (25th Jan) or for Valentine’s
day (14th Feb)
String together lots of Hearts of different
sizes to make a bunting for decoration
Use 2 larger heart shapes back to back -
staple, stick or sew together leaving a gap
at the top - fill with leftover bits of card
to act as stuffing before sealing the gap -
make a hole in the top to lace a ribbon
through & hang as a decoration (save it to
put on your tree next year )
Send in photos of your crafty makes to
18
Poetry Corner
Oblation
Snowflakes amble earthwards;
Hurryless flurries that gently
Unfurl her mind
To the ephemeral beauty
Of this life:
Falling snow;
A baby's chuckle;
A swooping flock of starlings;
Stars through leafless branches;
A dragonfly hunting on the wing.
These fleeting glimpses are all we are
allowed,
Because this beauty
Aches as it nourishes us.
It creates a yearning for something
Nameless that cannot be tasted in this life.
Still the snow falls,
And she laughs at its casual grace,
And waits for its gentle blessing on her
tongue.
Z. Hall
Can you help us to make the
‘Poetry Corner’ a
regular feature of the
Grapevine?
Send your musings to
Eye-witness account shines a light on
daily life in the West Bank
Jane Harries, a Quaker from Bridgend, who has
recently come back from three months living in a
Palestinian village as part of the Ecumenical Ac-
companiment programme run by the World Coun-
cil of Churches, will give a slide-illustrated talk in
Lampeter on Monday 4 February at 7pm in the
Cliff Tucker Lecture Theatre at Trinity St David’s
University. The talk is jointly sponsored by Lam-
peter Amnesty International and Lampeter Quak-
ers.
Says Jane, “Whilst attacks on Gaza tend to hit the
headlines, people hear very little about the ongo-
ing plight of Palestinian communities in the West
Bank. For three months I lived alongside ordinary
Palestinians in the tiny village of Yanoun and saw
at first hand their daily struggle to feed and edu-
cate their children, farm their land and gain access
to water supplies, healthcare and other services,
in the face of severe restrictions imposed by the
military occupation, as well as constant harrass-
ment from hardline settlers living in nearby illegal
Israeli settlements.
“As part of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Pro-
gramme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) it was my
job to help provide a protective presence, to be
the ‘eyes and ears’ of the international community,
and to make widely known what I have seen, in
the hope of encouraging action to bring about a
just and sustainable peace for the sake of both
Israelis and Palestinians. Palestinians have told us
that they feel safer with an outside presence, and
feel reassured that the world has not forgotten
them. Israeli peace groups too feel isolated and
beleaguered, and appreciate the support and soli-
darity they get from EAPPI.”
The EAPPI programme aims to contribute to end-
ing the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territo-
ries and to work for a resolution of the conflict.
EAs do not ‘take sides’, nor do they discriminate
against anyone, but rather seek to uphold human
rights and international humanitarian law. The pro-
gramme supports both Israeli and Palestinian
peace groups and co-operates with other non-
governmental organisations, including the UN and
the Red Cross/Red Crescent.
For further information/Am wybodaeth pellach
(yn y Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg) contact/cysylltwch
â: Jane Harries, 01656 768910,
19
from the bottom
continuing annie may’s narrative of surviving losing everything in the late 1980’s crash
PART 6 Christmas by any other name
Christmas by any other name is a festive time. We
call it Christmas because we like the cultural signals
of this time of the year: the smell of wine and cinna-
mon, Christmas carols, decorations, lights, greetings,
feasting. Let’s face it - they all make sense. It
doesn’t matter whether Christmas Carols are about
the birth of Jesus or about the music. It doesn’t mat-
ter what your particular god is, or if you have no god
at all, the fact is that in this country it’s cold, windy,
dark and dank. Well if you want to stay dark, dank,
cold and miserable that’s your choice. Me, I prefer to
light the lights, brew up something warm and rather
alcoholic, love my fellow beings, sing carols in and
out of church and feast.
At Panteg we had a tiny ancient wood-burning Ray-
burn and plenty of wood. Our first Christmas in Pan-
teg was celebrated with a 24-hour power cut. The
Rayburn and heating system was gravity fed from a
well on the mountain behind us. We had rib High-
land beef for Christmas and lots of vegetables from
the garden and there was a Christmas pudding. The
tiny kitchen was cosy with candle light and we only
realised that there had been a power cut when we
went to bed and the bathroom light wouldn’t go on.
The next morning there was still no electricity. We
did the yard work, went on the rounds, came back,
got dressed up and went to town for a Boxing Day
feast. The electricity was off in town too but things
were managed with great good humour; there was a
gas cooker, a coal fire, lots of people and candle
light.
It’s amazing how we adapt to change. Nearly 50
years ago when I was living in Malta I was an avid
Science Fiction reader - the real stuff, not the fantasy
that we now call Sci-Fi. Arthur C. Clarke described a
world where people were able to live in comfort in
remote places working from home in houses pow-
ered by wind and water, and where we would shop
from a screen in the house rather than going out with
basket and list. Well, here we are, doing just that
and it doesn’t seem so odd now. In fact it seems so
natural I can’t understand why I thought it was such a
silly idea in the first place. Annie May
Oil Syndicate
The Llanddewi Brefi Oil Syndicate was set up nearly
four years ago and has consistently made significant
savings for its members during that time.
The idea is simple: by ordering our heating oil at the
same time, we negotiate with the oil companies to
ensure that all of our members benefit from sav-
ings, regardless of the quantity of heating oil that
they are ordering.
The average household saving per year is approxi-
mately £150.
The Oil Syndicate is open to anyone and we are
opening up our membership to encompass all of
Ceredigion. There are smaller schemes already op-
erating, and some have already joined forces with
us in order to maximize our purchasing power.
Over the last five years the cost of filling our oil
tanks has risen by an astronomical £500 - so join
forces with us today and keep warmer this winter
for less. Together we are stronger.
The Llanddewi Brefi Oil Syndicate
For further information, phone 07884 302173 or
email: [email protected]
a reminder of harder times
20
The Mental Health Foundation commissioned
Opinium Research to carry out a poll of 2,007 Brit-
ish adults over the period 16-19 June 2009 to ex-
plore their attitudes towards the practice of medita-
tion, and their thoughts and feelings about the
pace of life in UK society. 86% agreed that “people
would be much happier and healthier if they knew
how to slow down and live in the moment”. 53%
agreed that “they find it difficult to relax or switch
off, and can’t stop themselves from thinking about
things they have to do or nagging worries”.
So why don't we all just slow down, and then we'd
be less stressed and happier? If only it were that
easy. The truth is that slowing down, living in the
moment (whatever that is), learning to 'be' rather
than 'do', switching off, just isn't that easy. When
we feel stressed or threatened, very often instead
of stopping, taking stock, checking out what’s hap-
pening emotionally, re-tracing our steps, under-
standing fully how we came to be where we are,
we do the exact opposite, we go into overdrive and
start ‘doing’, doing more and doing faster, and
thinking, thinking, thinking! As soon as we open
our eyes, there they are! The same thoughts going
round and round as the mind desperately tries to
work out, fix, sort. This kind of processing leads to
exhaustion, anxiety and eventually ill-health.
It's not easy to change long-standing habits, pat-
terns of thinking and behaviour; we need help to
stop and support to slow down. Once we've got
the basic techniques in place then we need to
practise regularly. We need support for this too.
Mindfulness can help us to become more aware of
how our mind works, more aware of our thoughts
and feelings, so that instead of being overwhelmed
by them we’re better able to manage them. Being
present in this way enables us to make more con-
sidered and appropriate choices about how we
want to live our lives, to respond instead of react
and to meet challenges more skilfully.
Mindfulness-based approaches do something else
very important: they allow us space and time to
meet ourselves, just as we are - the bits we like
and the bits we don’t like. We practise meeting
ourselves, our experience, our lives, with gentle-
ness and kindness instead of criticism and dissat-
isfaction. It is this emotional processing which un-
locks human creativity and human potential.
Learning to be kinder to ourselves, we improve the
quality of our life and develop a powerful antidote
to stress.
With mindfulness we can: reduce stress levels,
learn to respond more skilfully to life’s challenges,
and be present for our life as it happens. Mindful-
ness training can help restore a sense of perspec-
tive, balance between ‘doing’ and ‘being’ and spa-
ciousness in our thinking and emotions. This kind
of work is an investment in a sense of peace and
ease, our mental, emotional and spiritual health,
our human potential.
Mindfulness techniques can help you if you suffer
from anxiety, critical or negative thoughts, low self-
esteem, phobias or feelings of panic, low mood,
feelings of hopelessness or depression, addiction
or eating disorders, difficulty relaxing, sleeping or
concentrating, illness or pain. Mindfulness-based
approaches help us to take care of our mental,
emotional and physical well-being. Attending a
mindfulness course will help you to establish a
regular practice and encourage you to keep going.
For more information please contact: Dr. Colette
Power
[email protected] or visit
www.mindfulnesscourse.co.uk
Mindfulness - based Approaches: The Long -Term Health plan
Copy Dates
& Themes
March issue
Copy: Fri 8 February
Theme: ‘Hungry gap’ - x -
April issue
Copy: Fri 8 March Theme: ‘Spring Watch’
- x -
May issue
Copy: Fri 12 April Theme: ‘Come Outside’
21
22
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This space is for You!
Do you have things to sell?
Can you offer a service?
Need something?
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March issue Copy date:
Fri 8 February Theme:
‘Hungry Gap’
23
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Arolwg Darllenwyr Grapevine Cymerwch ychydig o funudau i gwblhau'r arolwg darllenwyr
hwn. Gwerthfawrogir eich atebion yn fawr a byddant yn
cael eu defnyddio i'n helpu i wella'r cylchlythyr hwn.
1) Rhifyn hwn o'r Grapevine (Chwefror 2013) yw'r 6ed
argraffiad ers ei rifyn cyntaf dyddiedig Gorffennaf /
Awst 2012. Gan gynnwys y rhifyn hwn, faint ydych chi
wedi gweld?
(Rhowch gylch am un opsiwn)
1 2 3 4 5
2) A fyddwch yn cadw llygaid amdano eto’r mis nesaf?
Byddaf Na fyddaf
3) A oes gennych unrhyw hoff adrannau? (Ticiwch
gynifer ag yr hoffwch)
i. Digwyddiadau
ii. Llythyrau
iii. Nodweddion rheolaidd
iv. Erthyglau unigryw sy'n ymwneud â thema’r rhifyn
v. Arall, rhowch fanylion
vi. Nid oes gennyf
vii.Unrhyw sylwadau eraill ...
4) A hoffech weld unrhyw un o'r canlynol fel nodweddion
rheolaidd? (Ticiwch gynifer ag yr hoffwch)
i. Ryseitiau Darllenwyr
ii. Tudalen y Plant
iii. Hoff gerddi Darllenwyr
iv. Hanes lleol
v. Posau
vi Cynaliadwyedd lleol
vii.Arall, nodwch eich sylwadau
5) Pa mor bwysig yw hi i chi i weld mwy o erthyglau
Cymraeg / dwyieithog yn y Grapevine?
Ar raddfa o 1 i 5, gydag 1 yn "ddim yn bwysig" i 5 yn
"bwysig iawn" (Rhowch gylch am un opsiwn)
1 2 3 4 5
6) A oes gennych unrhyw sylwadau eraill am y Grapevine?
Diolch i chi am gwblhau'r holiadur hwn
Dychwelwch ef i’r pwyntiau casglu yn: Neuadd Fictoria; Llyfrgell Gyhoeddus Llanbedr Pont Steffan, Organic Fresh Foods Co (stad ddiwydiannol, Ffordd Tregaron) neu Bush Mulberry (2 Stryd y Bont)
Cookie’s Corner
Hot! Caramelised Roast Parsnips Parsnips, my favourite root vegetable - far too
often misunderstood and mistreated. Like many
root vegetables, they benefit from a bit of frost,
as the cold turns some of the natural starch into
sugar. Don’t ask me how - it just does.
This simple recipe exploits their other great
characteristic - they love a bit of spice. Think
spiced parsnip soup, spiced parsnip cupcakes
(really!) and cumin-roasted parsnips with custard
– ok, I made the last one up.
Don’t go for the weedy thin ones - by the time
you have peeled and quartered them you will not
be able to roast them without producing match-
stick charcoal. The huge ones won’t cook
through, so go for the middle ground.
Peel 'em, cut out the woody centre and boil them
for 8 or 9 minutes depending upon size – catch
them before they go floppy. Whilst they are boil-
ing, heat up a 50/50 mix of butter and veg oil in
a roasting tin – on about 180°C (gas mark 4)
and, in a mixing bowl, mix some icing sugar,
salt, pepper and just a pinch of chilli powder.
Drain the parsnips and throw them back in the
hot saucepan for a few seconds to dry them off.
Toss the parsnips in the sugary powder until
coated.
Get the roasting tin out of the oven and put it on
a burner. It’s important you keep the oil hot so
that the spicy coating quickly seals the parsnip.
Turn them over in the oil and, when done, throw
in the oven for 30 minutes or so - all depends on
the size of the parsnips.
Great with a roast dinner - even better in granary
bread, mayo and nut roast (or stuffing) sandwich
- honest, trust me!
Pedja Pavlicic
24
Grapevine Readers' Survey Please take a few minutes to complete this readers’ sur-
vey. Your answers will be much appreciated and will be
used to help us to improve this newsletter.
1) This edition of the Grapevine (Feb 2013) is the 6th
edition since its first edition dated July/August 2012.
Including this edition, how many have you seen?
(Please circle one option)
1 2 3 4 5
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5) How important is it for you to see more Welsh lan-
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Please return surveys to the collection points at: Victoria Hall;
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Arolwg / Survey
Dychwelwch ef i’r pwyntiau casglu yn:
Neuadd Fictoria; Llyfrgell Gyhoeddus
Llanbedr Pont Steffan, Organic Fresh Foods
Co (stad ddiwydiannol, Ffordd Tregaron) neu
Bush Mulberry (2 Stryd y Bont)
Os byddai'n well gennych ei lenwi ar-lein
ewch i wefan Transition Llambed
www.transitionllambed.co.uk a chliciwch ar y
ddolen ar gyfer Arolwg Darllenwyr Grapevine
Please return surveys to the collection
points at: Victoria Hall; Lampeter Public Li-
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estate, Tregaron Rd) or the Mulberry Bush (2
Bridge St)
If you would prefer to fill the survey out online
go to the Grapevine page on the Transition
Llambed website
www.transitionllambed.co.uk and click on the
link for Grapevine Readers’ Survey
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