Cardiff Times - March 2024

Be who you want to be in Cardiff

At Care UK’s Llys Cyncoed and Llys Herbert care homes in Cardiff, you can continue to be who you’ve always been, or who you want to be, while receiving award-winning care and attention in a place you can call home.

We treat everyone as individuals so that you can take your life with you on your journey into care. You’ll be supported to continue much-loved interests, to rediscover long lost hobbies or to try something new, as well as making new friends.

It’s all about lifestyle

At our homes our teams are passionate about supporting you to enjoy a fulfilling life, full of meaningful experiences.

When you join us, we’ll learn all about your personality, your interests and preferences so we can create a fully personalised lifestyle plan to support you to live life in the way you want.

We organise an array of daily activities, such as exercise classes, pet therapy and gardening, as well as events, entertainment, outings and treasured one-to-one time. Then there are our strong ties with local groups, charities and schools so residents feel connected to local life.

Everything under one roof

Our homes in Cardiff are purpose-built care homes where every luxury has been thought of. There’s coffee shops, hair salons, cinemas, bars and beautiful landscaped gardens.

Trust us to care

At Care UK, we’ve been delivering high quality, person-centred care for over 40 years. That’s why over 8,000 families across the country trust us to care for their older loved one.

To find out more about our homes please call 0330 822 6781 .

Join us at Llys Herbert for our upcoming event

Friendship café

First Wednesday of each month, 2pm - 4pm

Come along to our monthly friendship café and join other members of the community, share your experiences and make new friends.

To book please email jenny.ashton@careuk.com

Letter writing; October 7th 2023

by Wyn Evans

To have one love song written for or about you must be an ego-boost. To have three love songs written for or about you by, two different people, is something else again. When one of those songwriters was a Beatle and the other was God a whole other level of ego might be justified. And when those songs were as fine as ‘Layla’, ‘Wonderful Tonight’, and ‘Something’ then it would be worth paying attention to what perfume you were wearing back in the 1960s. Yes, I’m talking about Patti Boyd, about whom George Harrison wrote Something and Eric Clapton (AKA God) wrote the other two. She was married to Harrison and was wooed by Clapton who was one of Harrison’s closest friends. Mark Savage, the BBC’s Music Correspondent, explains that Boyd originally rebuffed Clapton’s advances but, after her marriage to Harrison faltered in the early 1970s, the musician invited Boyd to join him on tour. Their romance flourished and they married in 1979 - with the blessing of Harrison, who took to calling Clapton his “husband-in-law”. The story ends not with love conquering all but in divorce in 1989, Clapton’s alcoholism and infidelity having undermined the marriage. This is in the news because Boyd is auctioning the two men’s love letters via Christie’s.

This got me thinking. Will my daughter’s generation (born 2006) send and receive love letters? Rest assured, I shall not be asking advice from my daughter – I shall spare her blushes. (Though I did note that she told her mother she intends to get a boyfriend when she goes to college.) What will be the TikTok generation’s take on love letters? And what has been the impact of social media more generally? Well,

there’s a lot been written on these questions and I’ll leave it to your good selves whether you want to seek out such social anthropological research. Because, for this piece I am more interested in whether people will actually write love letters and I am assuming that social media will not do away with the genre but probably will have a significant impact upon the writing of and look of such letters.

In my teenage generation (born 1958) we wrote love letters, that’s for sure. Worry not, I don’t intend to share with you examples from my own life experience (neither sent nor received). However, I do remember that we put a lot of effort into what we wrote and how we wrote them. To hand would always be a dictionary and a thesaurus, a book of famous quotations, Shakespeare, the Bible, books of Hollywood vignettes by David Niven and Frank Muir, that week’s Sunday Times, history and poetry books, and at least six different coloured biros. And because these letters were written in longhand manuscript one would always have to be prepared to re-read what we’d written so far tear it up and start afresh. (Minor editing could be managed using Tippex but anything major needed a total rewrite – there are advantages to using word processing packages on computers, as we all do now: copy, cut and paste!)

These were works of art as much as they were correspondence. And one looked forward to posting them because sending the letters meant we’d receive a reply all the sooner. And then the moment would come and one would hear the letter box open and the solid thud as that reply hit the floor. I’d pick up

treasure and retire to my bedroom, open the letter and pore over its contents, reading and rereading it throughout the day and, that evening, start writing the next instalment.

Ah, those good old days!

To close, a change of tone

Holocaust Memorial Day took place in January. On October 7 2023, Palestinian militants, especially Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), launched a land, sea, and air assault on Israel from the Gaza Strip. The October 7 attack resulted in more than 1,200 deaths, primarily Israeli citizens, making it the deadliest day for Israel since the Holocaust. More than 240 people were also taken hostage during the attack. The next day, Israel declared itself in a state of war. The war began

with the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) conducting air strikes on the Gaza Strip, followed weeks later by the incursion of ground troops and armoured vehicles. The Israeli government has been accused of intending to inflict genocide upon the Palestinians.

It seems to me that the October 7 attack has been all but forgotten by the majority of the broadcast and print media. A senior member of Hamas has hailed the systematic slaughter of civilians in Israel on October 7, vowing in an interview that if given the chance, the Palestinian terror group will repeat similar assaults many times in the future until Israel is exterminated(1). It is also the case that it is the Hamas Charter of 1988 (revised in 2017) that calls for genocide. The charter defines the struggle to be against the Jews and calls for the eventual creation of an Islamic Palestinian state in all of former Mandatory Palestine, and the obliteration or dissolution of Israel. The charter has been criticized for its use of antisemitic language, which some commentators have characterized as incitement to genocide. Hamas’s 2017 charter removed the antisemitic language and clarified Hamas’s struggle was with Zionists, not Jews(2).

Bearing Witness to the October 7th Massacre[1] is a compilation by the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit of raw footage from the Hamas attack on Israel. The film includes footage captured from body cameras worn by Hamas militants on October 7, and contains scenes of extreme violence recorded during and after the incursion (3).

I am writing this on February 27, 2024 and there is still no agreed cease fire (whether temporary or permanent). But, as we hope and pray that people of good will will find peace, I urge readers not to turn their backs on the events of October 7th 2023.

Footnotes

1.https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-official-saysgroup-aims-to-repeat-oct-7-onslaught-many-times-todestroy-israel/

2.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1988_Hamas_charter

3.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bearing_Witness_ (2023_film)

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‘And Another Thing...’ The Yorkshire Pudding Monkey

I saw this recently and thought it worth sharing with you: Don’t ever take down a fence until you know the reason it was put up. Talking of something that leaps fences, did you read the tale of the Japanese Macaque monkey called Honshu who recently escaped from a wildlife park in Kingussie in Scotland. He had much fun for many days helping himself to the varied fare on numerous bird tables in the area. He was finally trapped by a strategically placed Yorkshire pudding which he leapt upon only to be darted by his keepers. Quite how a Japanese monkey living in Scotland had developed a taste for Yorkshire pudding was not made clear by the papers.

All of which reminded me that I got a birthday present once and when I opened it a Yorkshire pudding fell out... it was from Aunt Bessie! So I went to the Doctors and said: “I’ve got roast beef in one ear, Yorkshire pudding in the other ear and gravy all down my legs!” The Doctor said: “I don’t think you’re eating properly.”

Staying with ears, I had mine dewaxed recently or had micro-suction if you prefer. I had feigned a problem when trying to hear

by Vince Nolan

She Who Must Be Obeyed.

In the online arranging of an appointment I emailed their lug-hole representative and said: “I look forward to hearing from you (no joke intended).” The silence was deafening or maybe I just couldn’t hear properly. In related matters, I was recently musing about the honours system with The Current Mrs Nolan. It struck me that if I had an OBE and was then made an Earl that would make me an earlobe. Just saying.

I have no wish to start an argument between the sexes since that would be fruitless and one-sided (interpret that as you will). However, I recently witnessed a husband and wife swap six tables in one hour at our local home for reformed alcoholics because the wife wasn’t sure where she wanted to sit.

They then looked in the bar area rather than the restaurant and finally settled for my table as I vacated it. My table was the same size as their most recent one, was adjacent to it and equidistant from the fire, bar and toilets. They must have completed 5,000 steps inside the pub before they finally sat down. Exhausting to witness and confusing for the waiting staff.

There is a lot of it about. A confused young man was in a difficult situation. He couldn’t decide whether to marry Kathryn or Edith. Even though he tried as hard as he could, he was unable to make up his mind. Not willing to give up either, he strung them along for far too long. This indecision continued until both young ladies got tired of the situation and left him for good. Moral of the story: You can’t have your Kate and Edith.

it’s

ones from the Taff Vale) and asked them whether they fancied having a free beer for the afternoon. Fearing some kind of honey trap, they took that my offer was genuine. Cautiously, they agreed to join us. Picture the scene, 5pm on a sunny weekday evening at the side entrance to the Brewery on

have questionable morels? deer who has lost both accident? No eye deer. when Trump dies, I will give “He is today how he was as President……….wearing make-up and lying in front

out the City hotels. The concerts were then cancelled and we found a City centre hotel £80, hurrah! However, the fickle finger

Tomlinson

will no longer be slapping each other as their routines unless they are given dispensation by our First Minister. this in a local pub on their specials board: Love Local and champion local farms fisheries.” All very laudable but the first on their menu was Mediterranean Olives. Overheard in the same pub: “Every time we here we come here.” You don’t say.

(meaty urologist, oh please yourselves).

tiny mistake and your whole post is urined.

was executed after the Supreme Court ruled he could turn it down if he wanted to. No pleasing some folk.

intervened and cancelled the office lunch leaving us to wander lonely as some clouds around the Castle and its outdoor bar facilities until frostbite got the better of us and forced us back to a hotel we did not need. Much fun, but quickly found out that there is a limit to how much mulled wine one can drink before falling over.

I was next to a lady in Morrisons who asked her husband if he would help her carry the shopping to their car. He said no! Don’t even start me. Similarly, a husband and wife were in another supermarket when the husband picked up a case of Budweiser and placed it in the trolley. “What do you think you’re doing?” asked his wife. “It’s on sale. Only £10 a case,” he replied. “We can’t afford it. Put it back,” said his wife. They continued shopping and a few minutes later the wife put a £20 jar of face cream into the when everybody seemed to have developed a few overnight. So I went to the Doctor who

something very much more Anglo Saxon in origin that he might better understand.

have not been directly observed but theoretical predictions based on their existence have been confirmed experimentally.” Oh please! And as for mesons and baryons, we could be here all night.

the factory, one of the team would read out the days’ news and the others would butt in with constant interruptions and a stream of “furious debate.” With this in mind I have collated some quality put-downs which comics have used to deal with modern day hecklers:

Continuing the rope theme: Soap on a rope Pope on a rope

How long have you had arthritis?” “I don’t have arthritis, Father,” the drunk said, “but just read in the paper that the Pope does.”

pensioners who could barely stand were seen hanging onto a lamppost, for support, rather

“What size of shoe does your mouth take?”

Another tale which caught my attention was from a local journalist who described the window blowing out of a Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger jet as “thousands of miles above the earth and just after take-off.” This plane cannot fly faster than 529 mph and they usually stay within the Earth’s atmosphere, in my experience. Who proof reads this rubbish? Not this rubbish, that rubbish, you know what I mean.

with Mark Dacey (on the leS) who is the dynamic CEO of Colleges. It does not need me to suggest the uncanny Tomlinson or vice versa.

brewery got on a bus and sat

The world has taken a strange twist – at least the parts I seem to occupy. I have been reading about a proposal for the 2027 Rugby World Cup which will prevent any team in red shirts and green shirts playing each other because colour blind people often struggle to distinguish between the two. Not criticising them of course but this would affect Wales, Canada, Ireland, Tonga, Russia, South Africa and Japan. This had me in mind of that quote from BBC snooker commentator Ted Lowe who famously said during one of his commentaries: “And for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green.”

ensure that we had properly warmed up since we didn’t want to pull any drinking Unfortunately, only six of us turned up and a minimum of ten were required or the off. I engaged four old-timers who were in the bar (could have been the aforementioned ones from the Taff Vale) and asked them whether they fancied having a tour and free beer for the afternoon. Fearing some kind of honey trap, they took convincing that my offer was genuine. Cautiously, they agreed to join us. Picture the scene, 5pm on a sunny weekday evening at the side pensioners who could barely stand were seen hanging onto a lamppost, for support, rather than illumination. An afternoon they would never…… remember.

“This is what comes from drinking on an empty head.”

drunk's shirt was stained, his face was full of bright red lipstick and he had a halfempty bottle of wine sticking out of his pocket. He opened his newspaper and started of minutes later, he asked the priest, "Father, what causes arthritis?" by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, and fellow man," the priest replied. "Imagine that," the drunk muttered. He reading his paper. The priest, thinking about what he had said, turned to the apologised: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had have arthritis, Father," the drunk said, "but I just read in the paper that

drink, there has always been attached to wine. Indeed, living from it, but I am making a the lockdowns. I’m giving up all month. No wait, that’s not Wine every day all month!

time it tried to other three shops I really and and sausage had enough of home school highlight of the it’s serious, excitement. phrase we 18th Century straight was and weft). Of the related call her Dr Dr R who We recently was pinned. door. Live Radio outdone we note: “Please

Staying with the drink, there has always been much snobbery attached to wine. Indeed, people make a living from it, but I am making a stand because of the lockdowns. I’m giving up wine, every day, month. No wait, that’s not it. I’m giving up. Wine every day all month!

I once owned one of the chewed pencils which Shakespeare used to write his famous works. He used to chew on it so much that I couldn’t tell whether it was 2B or not 2B. Staying with the Bard, in days gone by, in order to attract women, I used to use this quote from Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Act III, Scene IV, line 82:

“Hello.”

“I know where you were when they were handing the brains out………getting an extra helping of mouth.”

Two people out on a first date. “Do you like Merlot Tammy?” “Yes, but you don’t pronounce the “t.” “Oh, Ok.” Looks at waiter: “Two Merlots for me and Ammy.”

I was at the hairdressers the other day for my January scalping when the Jimmy Nail song “Ain’t No Doubt - She’s Lying” came on the wireless. Totally unscripted, we, the masked singers in the chairs and our masked stylists all started to sway and sing to the music in a scene reminiscent from The Full Monty when they all started dancing in the queue at the job centre. Fortunately all sharp implements were downed for a few short minutes and then without further comment, just like in a musical, everybody went back to their day job like nothing had happened. Lockdown has a lot to answer for but that was very funny.

“Do you know, if you wore soundproof trousers one would hear a word you’re saying.”

on a first date. “Do you like “Yes, but you don’t pronounce Ok.” Looks at waiter: “Two and Ammy.”

The Leader of the Opposition and I were sitting in our socially distanced local, The Funky Furlough, when a lady close by to us asked the Bar Manager if the toilets were still upstairs. He of course confirmed that they were but I thought this to be a very stupid question. I would have said something like: “I don’t know when madam was last with us but we moved them out to direct consequence of Covid19.” Perhaps this is why I do not run a pub.

minimum of ten were required or off. I engaged four old-timers the bar (could have been the aforementioned ones from the Taff Vale) them whether they fancied brewery tour and free beer for the Fearing some kind of honey trap, some convincing that my offer was Cautiously, they agreed to join us. scene, 5pm on a sunny weekday side entrance to the Brewery Street where four pensioners barely stand were seen hanging lamppost, for support, rather than An afternoon they would remember.

the son of a good friend a urology for his Dad’s the heart to say eulogy meant. Anyway, here is (he was affectionately because of his likeness leader), involved a trip play France. We year relationship with played them home and international weekends. On (Mike’s first), we did it in the bus to Dover, ferry crossing was sitting next to him. At Customs Officer came onto hold up your passports along and count them and and said “I didn’t know and I haven’t got one.” I words to that effect. Then, in a World War 2 prisoner of war ducked down into the footwell his coat and mine on top of move, whilst we were both uncontrollably. The Customs the count, missed Mike

said he thought I was probably suffering from am sure that we would all like safer roads but that is the responsibility of the driver and not the speed limits. I have been pretty quiet thus far about the 20mph limit but I now feel the need to comment. I understand that the limit is 20mph plus 10% (22mph) plus a special dispensation of +4mph making it over 26mph before we all are booked. Now we are told that Councils have the discretion not to impose these limits whilst some 500,000 Welsh citizens have signed a petition objecting to the whole thing. Meanwhile, Welsh Gov is reviewing this but has appointed the same person who helped introduce it in the first place. Gamekeeper turned poacher. However, the main issue with this limit is that bloke, permanently behind me, venting his spleen at me because I am driving within the limit. I want an electronic sign on back of the car saying “20 mph is not my fault” or perhaps

Apparently the Michelin Man’s name is Bibendum. Who knew? From the Latin phrase ‘Nunc est Bibendum,’ Now is the time to drink! I’ll drink to that.

one day leS on the sell-buy date. It takes an inordinate amount of skill to in-@me” with 24 hours to spare. Waste levels must be astronomical.

recent WalesOnline article bizarrely claimed GPs were working 40 months an hour overtime. I have no doubt they are ridiculously stretched at present, but 40 months an hour? over three years an hour. The only way this would be to time travel so maybe were referring to Dr Who. In my world this be like driving at 40 hours a mile which be quite slow but not unlike trying to negotiate the recent traffic carnage in Cardiff Centre as they impose bike lanes on the us.

Interesting lyric we heard on the wireless the other day: “Sports bra and a Maserati car.” Who would have thought of that combination? Apparently many have including a poet called Dave Cox whom I have just “discovered”. Intellectual property rules prevent me quoting any of his work here but I encourage you to look him up. A real comedy genius and hugely refreshing.

“Is that your real face or are you still celebrating Halloween?”

Recent crossword clue: “Brush under the carpet 5 and 4.” The answer was “gloss over.” Picture the poor student trying to learn English. Student – try it in a German accent: “If I understand zis correctly, in ze first place you are brushing benease your carpet and zen you add shiny paint over it. You British!”

“Your bus leaves in 10 minutes... Be under it.”

The Leader of The Opposition and I were listening to Michael Ball on the wireless. He was interviewing Donny Osmond who had been appearing in panto at the London Palladium. Donny was speaking about a former acting mentor of his who told him the following: “Theatre is the only place where you can dream in public. Your job as an actor is to deliver that dream” which we thought was rather good. Oh yes it is.

Staying with food, I have been doing some research into what is no longer the UK. The list is endless but here is a small sample: Pringles (Belgium), Colman’s English Mustard ( Germany), Terrys Chocolate Orange (France) Parliament) Sauce (The Netherlands). Staggering.

“I need you like Van Gogh needed stereo.”

This reminded me that many years ago our son started work as a trainee chef at a Michelin starred Indian restaurant. On his first day they showed him how to make the perfect Indian flat bread but he said he couldn’t give me the recipe though. Apparently, he had to sign a naan disclosure agreement on appointment. Sorry.

I was reading about a court case where the accused was described as “having murderous intent.” I was quite disappointed to learn that this had nothing to do with camping.

A wife sent her husband a romantic text message. She wrote: “If you are sleeping, send me your dreams. If you are laughing, send me your smile. If you are eating, send me a bite. If you are drinking, send me a sip. If you are crying, send me your tears. I love you.” Her husband texted back: “ I’m in the toilet, please advise.”

Our friend Dr H has trained her dog Daisy to bring her a bottle of red wine. No surprise really, she’s a Bordeaux collie. I was sat with She Who Must Be Obeyed the other day whilst she sipped a glass of wine and she said, “I love you so much, you know. I don’t know how I could ever live without you.” I said, “Is that you or the wine talking?” She said, “It’s me talking to the wine.”

“Well, it’s a night out for him.. and a night off for family.”

Here’s one for you: “Knock knock.” “Who’s there?” “LiKle old lady.” “LiKle “I had no idea you could yodel.”

Thanks to my cousin Lawrence for this joke. What do you call a Frenchman wearing sandals? Phillipe Flop! Quickly followed by a poem what I writ:

Staying with word games, I completed a word puzzle on my phone and I correctly guessed that the word they were looking for was Hadron as in the Hadron Collider. Having no clue what this was really all about I decided look it up. I wish I hadront bovvered (see what I did there): “Any member of a class of subatomic particles that are built from quarks and thus react through the agency of the strong force. The hadrons embrace mesons, baryons and their many resonances.” Trouble then wanted to know what a quark was.

A drunk who smelled like a brewery got on a bus and sat down next to a priest. The drunk's shirt was stained, his face was full of bright red lipstick and he had a halfempty bottle of wine sticking out of his pocket. He opened his newspaper and started couple of minutes later, he asked the priest, "Father, what causes arthritis?" caused by loose living, being with cheap, wicked women, too much alcohol, and for your fellow man," the priest replied. "Imagine that," the drunk muttered. He reading his paper. The priest, thinking about what he had said, turned to the apologised: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come on so strong. How long have you had "I don't have arthritis, Father," the drunk said, "but I just read in the paper that does."

sell-buy dates before supermarket on a Friday that would make the some doubt whether the journey home. nothing to do with EU inspection of the packaging fruit and veg like these comestibles picked, packaged, distributed around UK the shops and put on the sell-buy date. It skill to supply goods spare. Waste levels doing some research manufactured in the UK. The small sample: Pringles Colman’s English Chocolate Orange Parliament) Sauce (The knock.” “Who’s there?” who?” “I had no idea my tolerance as it used to

I walked into our local bar, The Moaning Monet saw Van Gogh sitting at the end on a bar stool. shouted “Hey Vince do you want a drink?”

Sainted Mother-In-Law was looking for car insurance now that her stunt driving days are managed to find a reasonable policy, it out and paid for it. She in turn kindly reimbursed me with this immortal covering “Thank you, the Monet is in the bank.” I course countered this with “There was really need to give me a priceless impressionist painting but thank you anyway.” have observed when people type

Roses can be red, Violets are purple. Just saying.

Finally, sad news, my friend David has lost his ID. Now he is just Dav.

I have also been reading Bob Mortimer’s autobiography which I also strongly recommend. Funny, poignant and very clever, but enough about me. In it he recalls a tale about having chronic flatulence as a child which was both embarrassing and at times very painful. During one particular attack he went to the Doctors who managed to “release the pressure” for him. He quotes the Doctor as saying: “Better an empty house than a noisy tenant” which I thought was very good. Presumably this was in the days before the Doctors were working 40 months an hour.

I am a man of a certain age so my tolerance threshold does work as well par@cularly when being asked to embrace new technology. I was therefore She Who Must Be Obeyed suggested I download a new app called What3Words. naviga@on aid which divides the World into 3 metre squares and gives each combina@on of three words. I s@ll drive about a lot for business, believe assured that this system would be much more accurate than using our sat the first @me the other day and the unique three word loca@on I was looking Are Lost!” Design fault or user error?

Adios Amigos

Finally, I have been reading about the recent national seabird census (I know, I need to go out more) Seabirds Count, which I thought was a rather neat self-explanatory title. Of course this is as opposed to See, Birds Count which would not be very PC and would mean something entirely different.

Happy New Year Dear Reader, the Year of the Ox. Apparently this year is going to be lucky with the Ox representing diligence, persistence and honesty. Not for going to be Trump’s year then is it?

Finally, a blessing for the drink: God, in his goodness, sent the grapes, to cheer both great and small. Little fools will drink too much and great fools none at all. My round.

He shouted back: “No thanks, I’ve already got ear.”

Finally, a top bathroom tip: Never leave your pile ointment next to your toothpaste!

Hasta la Vista.

Hasta La Vista Chums

Yamas Chums

Au Revoir Mes Amis

has trained her dog Daisy to bring her a bottle of red wine. No surprise Bordeaux collie. I was sat with She Who Must Be Obeyed the other day whilst

smelled like a brewery got sat down next to a priest. shirt was stained, his face bright red lipstick and he had bottle of wine sticking out of

If you would like to arrange a free hearing assessment, please call their Whitchurch branch on 02920 250121.

A: 66 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1DJ

World Hearing Day takes place in March, and reminds us that our hearing health is crucial to a happier life

According to the WHO, there are about 466 million people worldwide who have disabling hearing loss, and this number is expected to rise to over 900 million by 2050. Hearing loss can have a significant impact on the quality of life of individuals and their families, as well as on the social and economic development of communities and countries. Hearing loss can also affect communication, education, employment, health, and wellbeing. As a result of this huge impact, the WHO hold World Hearing Day in March each year. Its aim is to raise awareness on how to prevent deafness and hearing loss, and to promote ear and hearing care across the world.

The focus for World Hearing Day 2024 is on overcoming the challenges posed by societal mis-perceptions and stigmatizing mindsets, through awarenessraising and information-sharing, targeted at the public and health care providers.

"Hearing loss has often been referred to as an 'invisible disability', not just because of the lack of visible symptoms, but because it has long been stigmatized in communities and ignored by policy-makers," says WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

However, hearing loss can be prevented, treated, or managed in most cases, and ear and hearing care can bring many benefits to individuals and society. Some of the benefits of good hearing health include:

- improving cognitive functioning and preventing or delaying the onset of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Studies have shown that hearing loss is associated with accelerated cognitive decline and increased risk of dementia, as the brain has to work harder to process sound and compensate for the loss of auditory input. By restoring hearing through hearing aids or cochlear implants, the cognitive load can be reduced and the brain can function more efficiently.

- enhancing social engagement and reducing the risk of isolation and depression. Hearing loss can make it difficult to communicate and participate in social activities, leading to feelings of loneliness, frustration, and low self-esteem. By improving hearing through ear and hearing care, individuals can enjoy better social interactions and emotional well-being.

- increasing safety and independence. Hearing loss can impair the ability to hear important sounds and signals, such as alarms,

sirens, doorbells, or phone calls, which can pose a threat to personal safety and security. By improving hearing through ear and hearing care, individuals can be more aware of their surroundings and stay safer when alone.

All of this reminds us that World Hearing Day is an important occasion to raise awareness and advocate for ear and hearing care for all - it can bring many benefits to individuals and society.

By changing mindsets and making ear and hearing care a reality for all, the quality of life and well-being of millions of people around the world can be improved.

If you are in North Cardiff and are concerned about the hearing health of yourself or a loved one, Viney Hearing Care are on hand to provide first-class expert assistance to address your issues.

They offer guaranteed impartial and professional advice for a complete solution to your hearing difficulties. They are also able to select hearing aids from a range of internationally recognised manufacturing companies worldwide to ensure that you can confidently receive the most up to date technology and advice available.

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In The Words Of by

Carl Marsh

March 2024

The month of March and, for some, after your Birthday and Christmas Day, the 3rd most crucial day of the year: Mother’s Day on Sunday the 10th. It can even take precedence over your Wedding Day if you are married, hahaha!

I have done several interviews this month and needed to get five over three pages. It could have been more interviews, but I had to say no to many.

As stated last month, I am bringing you my review of Michigan. It is over two pages and done in diary style. I didn’t mention this in the review. Still, walking around Detroit, I didn’t feel uneasy at all, especially as I’d watched a Ben Fogle documentary a week before I came, which only reflected on the negatives, especially around the 8-mile area of Detroit. I felt safer here than I’ve ever felt in London. Granted, no place is secure, and you need to keep your guard up wherever you are, but still, negative press is often [always?] majorly blown out of proportion.

TV REVIEW

Mr Inbetween - Disney+

The show originally aired on FX in the UK, but now it’s available to stream on Disney+. It is a black comedy-crime drama TV series set in and around Sydney, Australia. It is a serialisation of the 2005 feature film ‘The Magician’, written by and starring Scott Ryan. In ‘Mr Inbetween’, Ryan reprises his lead role as Ray Shoesmith, the gun for hire with a heart. The show flows from scene to scene, and the cast is Australia’s finest. I don’t think any show of this type would ever come close to ‘Breaking Bad’, yet here I am, talking about a show that does just that. I want to watch it all over again. The episodes aren’t that long (roughly 28 mins each), and there are only three series of less than ten episodes each. To think Scott Ryan created, starred in and wrote the film and had a break for over a decade before this series got commissioned is beyond mind-boggling. I wish I’d watched the show when it was on FX a few years back, but there we are. I’m proof that it’s never too late to watch anything. This series will stay with you long after you’ve watched it.

SPORT REVIEW

Cardiff City FC v Stoke City FC

I don’t do many sporting events, yet when I do, the home team tends to win. And rightly so, Cardiff won 2-1. I don’t think I’m some lucky mascot; perhaps it’s that I get to see not the best opposition. Regardless, my trip to Cardiff City Stadium was effortless. It was a great afternoon; the staff was of high quality. The only gripe is the car parking costs at the stadium (£10) and food and drink costs inside! It’s no wonder supporters leave their cars outside the stadium and walk it. Surely if you’re paying good money for a ticket, car parking should be less than this. And £8 for a burger! I didn’t drink anything; I was too annoyed at the food prices. Still, the football was a good watch.

Enjoy March!

Carl Marsh Twitter - @InTheWordsOf_CM YouTube - InTheWordsOf

Interview with Paloma Faith

Words by Carl Marsh

With a new album out now, Paloma Faith has a UK tour starting in April, with a date in Cardiff on April 19th at the Utilita Arena. I thought it wise to notify you a little in advance before tickets all go, and I got a chat with her for you to enjoy.

Carl Marsh

Your new album, ‘The Glorification Of Sadness,’ is such an emotional and personal record for you after your breakup. Can you envisage how you think you’ll feel touring and performing it?

Paloma Faith

I don’t know because I’m not telepathic. [Laughter] I guess when I wrote this album, it was very healing and cathartic. But going onto do this promo for it is proving to be a bit more difficult than I anticipated because I’m talking about it all the time, and it is still quite sad. It’s an interesting one because it healed me in a way, but now it’s making me slow down by just going over and over it again. But, hopefully, when I get the songs out, I’ll be like, “This is cathartic and amazing.”

Carl Marsh

The first track on the album is ‘Sweatpants’, a song with lyrics that have a lot of meaning to you and anyone who listens to it.

Paloma Faith

As that’s the album’s first track, I start by saying, “Nobody’s perfect. At least of all me”, which I think is how I feel about the human condition. And it’s about self-forgiveness, as well. I think it’s a song about being in a relationship, worrying about what the future holds and whether you can be loved with all of you and your transitions.

Carl Marsh

And with ‘Say My Name’, what’s the underlying message you want to get out with that?

Paloma Faith

That’s just about that feeling - and what it looks like - when you’ve got a big ending. You’ve done - and been involved in - something that’s affected many people because I’ve also got two kids. It’s about losing your identity to that trauma and feeling like you don’t know who you are anymore. And just looking in the mirror and saying, “I need to remember who I am”.

Carl Marsh

The track ‘Let It Ride’ has more of a positive vibe to it in that it seems you want to move on from what’s happened in your life.

Paloma Faith

That’s a bit about letting go. I think many people find it difficult to let go of stuff in life and once you learn that, you’ll be in good stead because nobody owes you anything. Sometimes life can be disappointing, but it’s just about freeing yourself from being defined by your trauma or by the sadness and just moving on. You’ve just got to let it ride. You’ve just got to work through this feeling of sadness and move on.

Carl Marsh

And what sort of things are helping you to move on?

Paloma Faith

It has to do with not trying to distract yourself from your feelings. The last time I was single, I didn’t have children. So, I did a lot of distracting myself. I’d just jump onto another relationship or go out and get drunk, but you can’t really do that when you’ve got children. And I think it’s about accepting that life will be full of disappointments, and if we make our mistakes, we’ll feel misunderstood. Accepting that as part of it, but just knowing that time is a good healer. And it takes a lot longer when kids are involved. It’s been quick for me in the past, but I’m two years in, and I don’t feel healed.

Paloma Faith - Utilita Arena, Cardiff - April 19th.

Interview with Mobeen Azhar

The new BBC Studios and 5 Live podcast, ‘Gangster Presents... Catching the Kingpins’ details how police across Europe gained unprecedented access to the secrets of organised crime following the hacking by French police of EncroChat, an encrypted phone network favoured by drug traffickers, hit men and money launderers. I chatted with BBC presenter Mobeen Azhar, podcast host and investigative journalist.

Carl Marsh

I know you’re not averse to touching on topics that most journalists would shy away from, so when did your involvement commence for this podcast?

Mobeen Azhar

I’ve done a fair few UK and international true crime-type stories. I remember the first time I actually heard about EncroChat was towards the end of 2018. I was covering a drug trial in Leeds for a series I also made for the BBC. It was called ‘Hometown’. And as part of that, I remember one of the co-accused was asked about the fact that they had possession of an EncroChat phone. At the time, I remember thinking this sounded new, and it sounded different. So, I started doing a bit of research into what they were. I recall the co-defendant when he took the stand, and it’s quite funny; he said he had this encrypted phone because many girls asked for his number, and he didn’t want to give them his actual number. So, he used an EncroChat phone for that. [Laughter]

I got more curious, and I remember going into this kind of, you know, off-the-beaten-track type phone shops, and asking about EncroChat phones, and them saying, “You know, there’s only a certain type of person that would use that. They’re really expensive, and we can get you one. But that’ll take a bit of time. And they come from London or Liverpool.” I remember them saying that. And then, in 2020, I saw the initial reports that the Met Police had been involved in some hack and were using these messages at the time to secure arrests. I just knew that it was a story that I wanted to cover. And then fast forward a couple of years later, and BBC studios, you know, had helped negotiate this amazing access. Then, I just had to get involved.

‘Gangster Presents... Catching the Kingpins’ is available as a podcast now.

Words by Carl Marsh

Interview with Huw Stephens

Huw Stephens launched his new BBC Radio 6 Music show from 4-7 pm every Tuesday to Friday from the BBC Cymru Wales radio studios in Cardiff. I chatted to Huw about his big ideas for the show.

Carl Marsh

How will your new radio show differ from anything you currently do or have done in the past?

Huw Stephens

Well, we got live sessions on the program: a daily pop quiz and many interviews. I suppose I’ll try to reflect on the music I’ve grown up with and the music I love. But what I love about 6 Music is that it’s so eclectic. There’s a lot of different styles and genres. And the show is 100% about the music that we play. We choose interesting tunes that we haven’t heard on the radio in a long time, that kind of thing. So a lot is going on in this programme. I’m a massive fan of 6 Music as well as being a presenter. I absolutely love the show and will do the one that I would want to listen to between four and seven.

Carl Marsh

That’s also the magic of music, isn’t it? You can be a fan of one genre, but BBC Radio 6 Music will bring you out of your audio comfort zone and introduce you to new genres.

Huw Stephens

Absolutely, mate. You know, it’s about gigs, supporting new music and bands. We all know about amazing bands, but the others need that spotlight and that platform. So to have a show where I can say, “This is Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, The album was amazing. Go listen to them”, for example. And to play them next to big songs that we know and love. It works well. But 6 Music is important in putting in artists through all genres. And with people paying attention, I’ll try to respect that with every show.

“Hear Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 6 Music and BBC Sounds every Tuesday – Friday, 4-7 pm.”

Interview with Reginald D. Hunter

Legendary comedian Reginald D. Hunter is back in Wales at The Glee Club Cardiff on 17th March. Perhaps one of the best comedy exports from the US, Mr Hunter doesn’t suffer fools likely; heckle him if you dare!

Carl Marsh

When it comes to your live shows, do you ever anticipate any audience comments for anything you’ve said on social media or in the press?

Reginald D Hunter

Yeah, man. Well, I mean, I know that most people who come and see my show come to have a good time. But there’s a group of people who come to see my show, and they are into being recreationally… offended. So I hope to have something for everybody.

Carl Marsh

You’ve got to expect it.

Reginald D Hunter

[Laughs] I remember my sister told me a long time ago: “One of the problems with democracy is that idiots are encouraged to have opinions too”. [Laughter]

Carl Marsh

What main topics will you be touching on for the Welsh crowd?

Reginald D Hunter

Part of it is about mothers and sons. You know, as men, we may love our fathers, but we have an almost pathological protectionism towards our mothers even if we grew up to hate women, date women, or become women. So, there’s a little bit of that. And… I’m 54 years old, so I’m an old dude now. I’m a rookie old dude, but I’m still an old dude. So, I will talk about some challenging things you recognise from the 70s and 80s. And they’re coming back around. And you see through that, but then you know, you wonder if the world is spinning faster than it ever has. Or it just could be because you’re getting old and you’re getting more resistant to change. So, you know, stuff like that.

Reginald D. Hunter - The Glee Club Cardiff - 17th March.

Words by Carl Marsh

Interview with Tom Houghton

Comedian Tom Houghton brings his new show, ‘It’s Not Ideal’, to The Glee Club Cardiff on 21st May. After a fantastic break-out year, the multi-viral, social media sensation, star of Netflix’s “The Circle” and host of “Very British Problems: Live” and “Bad Manors” podcast, I caught up with him for a chat via Zoom.

Carl Marsh

Besides the title, which inherently gives nothing away, what’s the theme of your new tour?

Tom Houghton

Last year, the show was called ‘Absolute Shambles’. This one’s called ‘It’s Not Ideal’, which suggests that things are getting a bit better, even though they’re not perfect yet. And it’s a show I’ve had a year of tackling a couple of my shortcomings as a person and sort of reinventing myself a bit. So, I lived in the Tower of London for six years, and I’ve moved out, and I’m now in my new flat, which I’ve lived in for a year. I also went through a breakup as I moved in. So it’s been like finding myself and who I am, living on my own and being on my own again. It’s one thing having your own place where there aren’t Beefeaters and Queens [Kings] Guards running around anymore. Now, it’s just drunken students outside my house. I’ve also got house keys for the first time in six years, that’s quite interesting.

Carl Marsh

That’s enough to talk about! Surely nothing else?

Tom Houghton

I also had a long period of time going sober this year because I realised that I was - I think - maybe verging on going the wrong way with alcohol. So, I tackled that one and reframed myself. And then also, I believe this having a second wind of a reimagining of my identity has come at the same time as everyone else in the country. I suppose we’re having an identity crisis. We’re moving on, we’re progressing. We’ve got a King now instead of a Queen. So, I tackle the Coronation. My Dad was part of the Coronation, which was a very proud moment. So yeah, I think it’s a show about accepting yourself and the reality of things and then moving forward, progressing, and bettering yourself.

Catch Tom Houghton at The Glee Club Cardiff on 21st May.

Travel Review - Michigan

Words by Carl Marsh

When people think of Michigan, they instantly think it’s the birthplace of the Ford Motor Company and Motown - and rightly so - yet it’s got so much more than that. I got to experience a small amount of what Michigan can offer, as the State - like most of America - is vast. My trip was only for a week, but by the end of it, I wished it had been for a month or more!

Day One

My first destination was Detroit, having flown in from Heathrow Airport directly with Delta Airlines. My accommodation was the stunningly restored former Book Tower, now called the ROOST Apartment Hotel. Located in Downtown Detroit’s Historic District, it had only been open a few days, so the restaurants weren’t open until after I’d left. The rooms are more like a mini-apartment. I had a washing machine and a full working kitchen! Dinner that evening was at Union Assembly, where I got to sample a few house cocktails and enjoy delicious food while listening to the Major League Baseball game that was going on over the road at the Comerica Park stadium. The Detroit Tigers were playing against the Chicago Cubs, and unlike UK sports, Baseball games are played over a few nights.

Day Two

After a very early morning tour of Downtown Detroit, where I learned its history and its current restoration via hundreds of millions of dollars worth of investments, I visited the Detroit Institute of Arts. Located in Midtown Detroit, a vast place, it has over 100 galleries spread over 658,000 square feet. Home to one of the world’s most extensive and significant art collections. And it’s not just paintings to see; if you look for it, you will find the original Kermit the Frog!

Quickly stopping off at the original Motown House [Hitsville USA] - now a museum - it felt surreal walking around where the likes of The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and many others started. From there, I journeyed to the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum, where Henry Ford started making his original cars, then visited the Ford Motor Company Dearborn Truck Plant to witness today’s Ford F-150 constructed on a live assembly line with robots and humans working side by side. A shuttle bus took me to the Henry Ford Museum Of American Innovation, where the Ford family has collected many items over the years, not just cars made by themselves! You’ll be able to see the theatre chair Abraham Lincoln was sitting in when

he was assassinated, even the Lincoln Continental that John F Kennedy had his life prematurely ended on that dark day in Texas; the Wright Brothers bicycle shop and Edison’s laboratory are there too. It also houses some of the most enormous trains I’ve ever seen!

That night, I saw the Detroit Tigers v Chicago Cubs on night two of their home games. If Baseball is not on your wish list, within walking distance around the Comerica Park stadium are Detroit’s NFL, NBA and NHL teams. So, if American Football, Basketball or Ice Hockey are your thing, and time of season/home games permitting, you could be spoilt for choice in Detroit.

Day Three

From Detroit, I travelled to Holland, which was named thus by Dutch immigrants who settled in America in the 1800s. This town has more than a name and descendants to its credit, as you’ll find a De Zwaan windmill, Friesian horses and an authentic street organ from Holland at Windmill Island. The windmill was purchased in Holland and shipped over. It is a working mill, with wheat ground into flour like it has been for centuries in Europe. Holland (Michigan) is as picturesque and quintessential of an ideal US town. And it is, by far. Accommodation was at The Courtyard Holland Downtown, which ticked all the boxes for a relaxing stay. It also has an indoor pool.

Day Four

My following location was Grand Rapids, only a short distance from Holland. It got its name from the rivers’ rapids before dams were brought in. Just outside of Grand Rapids is the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. Created by the superstore conglomerate Meijer family to house and show their vast collection of sculptures from artists like Anish Kapoor, Rodin and Degas. The highlight for me was ‘Leonardo da Vinci’s Horse: The American Horse by Nina Akamu’. Set in bronze, this sculpture is 24 feet (7.3 m) tall and is a joy to behold.

In the afternoon, I went on a beer aficionado dream trip [for the record, I don’t drink beer] to a tour of Founders Brewing Company. Learning about the whole process of making beer from start to finish was fascinating. I was impressed at how the company had solved any issues making beer on a grander level once they’d wanted to expand and how they implemented bespoke equipment or building alterations to solve those problems. A visit to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market is a must. Seeing all the fresh meat and fish, various hot/cold food offerings, and popcorn sellers… I wish I could have brought full suitcases home, but it would have sadly gone off!

My stay was at The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Grand Rapids, a very opulent hotel, yet very welcoming and extremely relaxed. My room had floor-to-ceiling windows that looked upstream of the Grand River. I had a fillet steak at Bistro Bella Vita for the evening meal. What a meal. What a place!

Day Five

Today was the long drive up to Traverse City. Situated on the top left of the State of Michigan, it’s renowned as the ‘Cherry Capital Of The World’. And having tasted some there, I can’t disagree! After lunch in the picturesque town where I ate at the Grand Traverse Pie Company, I didn’t leave a morsel of the pie and dessert. Check this place out if you are in town.

In the afternoon, I went to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, an area of walks and biking trails that follows Lake Michigan to its left. The sand dunes are something else, rising over a hundred meters from the water’s edge, but sadly, even though I could have rolled down, the walk back up would have been impossible for me!

Before a perfect evening meal at Artisan, perhaps the best restaurant in Traverse City, enjoying glorious lakeside views over Lake Michigan, I went on a wine tasting to Black Star Farms. Open to the public, you can pay to sample the wines. Just don’t drive! I also learnt that their wine is not exported internationally as demand nationally outstrips supply. This seems to be the case for all the wine produced in Michigan. If you love golf, then my stay at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa is for you. It also has a casino. It’s huge.

Day Six

Saugatuck is a few hour’s drive south from Traverse City and the one place of this trip that, if money were no object, I’d want to have a holiday home here. It’s as old-worldly as it comes and so relaxed and friendly. After some free time exploring what the town and shops were like. I checked into my hotel, one of the town’s oldest buildings. Originally from the 1930s, it was restored to its former glory into the Judson Heath Colonial Inn. The owners are your hosts and are full of information about how this project was and is their life.

Following lunch at the Waterfront BARge, looking at all those fantastic boats, I went on a paddle boat [Star of Saugtuck] cruise out of the marina to Lake Michigan. I was surprised to find outand feel - that the lake is tidal, and the waves certainly cemented that for me! Afterwards, I went wine tasting at Modales in Fennville. I can get used to sampling all of Michigan’s outstanding wines. In the evening, dinner was at Borrowed Time, where live music was played, and I then watched the sunset at Oval Beach. This was the perfect end not only to the evening but also to the holiday.

www.puremichigan.org

www.visitdetroit.com

100+ hands-on exhibits Live science shows Star Tours KLA Lab workshops

OPEN 10am – 5pm every weekend & throughout the school holidays

Spring into Science in Cardiff Bay

Techniquest • Cardiff UK • Science Discovery Centre

There’ll be some egg-straordinary science at Techniquest this Easter as the doors are thrown open from 10am to 5pm every single day of the holidays. With over 100 hands-on pieces and puzzles to explore — including recent additions like a Coloured Shadows exhibit in the low-light zone, and a new Hot Air Balloon — there’s never been a better time to get egg-cited by science!

Take a look online to find out what else is happening at the science discovery centre this month: live science shows, Star Tours and workshops in the KLA Lab are all waiting to be discovered.

Feed inquisitive minds with something even better than chocolate this Easter, and remember to book ahead at techniquest.org to avoid disappointment.

Joshua John

by Ralph Oates

In this edition of the Cardiff Times I spoke with Joshua John, an exciting fighter who gives his views on various aspects of the sport.

Ralph Oates

In which year were you born?

Joshua John

I was born in 1994.

Ralph Oates

Where in Wales were you born?

Joshua John

I was born in Port Talbot.

Ralph Oates

What made you take up boxing?

Joshua John

I started boxing because my coach Pappy Jones opened a new gym just opposite my childhood home and there wasn’t anything like that around us, so me and all my friends joined the gym and I never left.

Ralph Oates

Which amateur club did you box for?

Joshua John

Fairfield ABC, it’s now called Briton Ferry ABC.

Ralph Oates

Can you remember how many amateur fights you had?

Joshua John

I had 99 fights.

Ralph Oates

Have any members of your family ever boxed?

Joshua John

No other members of my family ever boxed, I was the first to do so.

Ralph Oates

Who was your first amateur opponent?

Joshua John

Huwie, he was from Pappy’s brothers gym in Trostre in Llanelli, I boxed him in my 6th fight as well.

Ralph Oates

Who was your most difficult amateur opponent?

Joshua John

It’s got to be either Luke McCormack or Samson Sykes it’s difficult to split them.

Image courtesy of Umbreen Khan

Ralph Oates

Who has been your most difficult professional opponent to date?

Joshua John

I would say Mark McKeown.

Ralph Oates

In which stance do you box - southpaw or orthodox?

Joshua John

I box in the orthodox stance.

Ralph Oates

How do you feel about fighting southpaws?

Joshua John

I feel no difference in boxing a southpaw from one who boxes orthodox.

Ralph Oates

How many professional bouts have you now had to date?

Joshua John

At the time of this interview I’ve had 10 professional fights.

Ralph Oates

How many have you won?

Joshua John

8

Ralph Oates

Who is your manager?

Joshua John

My manager is Chris Sanigar.

Ralph Oates

What has been your greatest achievement to date?

Joshua John

My biggest achievement to date as a professional, is having two title shots which unfortunately, I came up short in. However, I hope to have other title opportunities in the future whereby I will be more successful.

Ralph Oates

Are you pleased about the progress women are now making in boxing?

Joshua John

Yes I’m pleased about the progress in woman’s boxing. I’m happy they are getting the recognition they deserve.

Ralph Oates

How do feel about there being so many weight divisions in professional boxing?

Joshua John

I think it’s good that we have so many weight divisions it makes the sport safer in my opinion.

Ralph Oates

How do you feel about there being so many world boxing organisations like the WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO in professional boxing?

Joshua John

I have never given it too much consideration to be honest.

Ralph Oates

Which is your favourite weight division?

Joshua John

Since it is the division I box in; it’s got to be super-bantamweight.

Ralph Oates

Who is your favourite old-time fighter?

Joshua John

Muhammad Ali, he was outstanding. The first fighter to win the world heavyweight title on three separate occasions.

Ralph Oates

Who is your favourite modern-day fighter?

Joshua John

Vasiliy Lomachenko another outstanding fighter whose record both amateur and professional highlights this very fact.

Ralph Oates

Do you have a favourite boxing movie?

Joshua John

It’s got to be Rocky with Sylvester Stallone who of course played the title role.

Ralph Oates

What is was the best advice you have been given with regards to boxing?

Joshua John

Work hard and believe in yourself but most of all enjoy it.

Ralph Oates

What are your ambitions for the future?

Joshua John

Win as many titles as I can and show the world just how good I am.

Joshua is full of ambition which of course is a must for any boxer looking to become a champion. Joshua is competing in the super-bantamweight division which is a tough category containing many outstanding fighters. However Joshua can succeed in time and add his name to the list of the many Welsh boxers who have achieved championship status. We at Cardiff Times wish him every success for the future.

With more than 35 different traders under one roof it is easy to while away an entire afternoon at this welcoming destination - you can even enjoy a coffee at the onsite coffee shop.

Here at The Pumping Station you will find so many wonderful examples of clothing, jewellery, antiques, furniture and home furnishings from the Victorian era right through to modern day, there really is something here for everyone.

info@thepumpingstation-cardiff.co.uk

02920 221 085

Monday to Sunday 10:00am - 5:00pm

A WORLD OF SUPERSTITIONS

SOME STRANGE - SOME SINISTER

The Rev. Alexander Macgregor (writing in 1922) explains that ‘Superstitions’ is a Latin word whose secret has been lost, so that except for a guess, the meaning of the word can never be recovered! However, he adds, the mere fact that it was once a living force commends it to our interest, for even when we laugh at old beliefs, and try and explain them away, they still intrigue us and win our interest.

In another dictionary, the everyday Readers Digest Universal Dictionary, tells us that it means:

a) An unfounded belief that some action or circumstance completely unrelated to a course of events can influence its outcome.

b) A fear of the mysterious or unknown.

c) Any belief, practice or rite unreasonably upheld by faith in magic, chance, or dogma.

d) A fearful or abject dependence on such beliefs.

When I was a child living with grandparents, they introduced me to a fund of recollections from their past, my grandmother’s past in particular. She was born in the 1880’s into a strong Welsh community and worshipped in a Welsh Baptist Chapel called Moriah. From her and at a fairly young age I linked many of her firmly held beliefs to the influence of the Welsh Baptist cause, remembering now, of course that many of the leaders of her community were

by Sara John

themselves born in the 1850’s, and spent their lives never leaving that tightly-knit community or ever living any distance from where they were born and brought up, either in the rural countryside or in the Welsh industrial valleys.

There were larger families in those days, poor circumstances, and low wages for the father, likely to be the only paid employee in the household, were not the best of backgrounds to raise children. My father, as one of thirteen children, was raised with his siblings in a family well used to poor health.

Houses, although spotlessly scrubbed and polished, were too small for purpose, and many working-class households even took in lodgers who, for a little extra income, with shift working as the norm, could share sleeping space with another man. Furthermore, it was only towards the end of the nineteenth century that doctors became available to tend to the poor. It had been agreed that miners and others working in the local colliery would contribute a penny or more each week, to an “Insurance Fund” in exchange for medical help when needed, for their families and for themselves. The earliest beginnings of the National Health Service!

These depressing circumstances affected Childrens’ education, beliefs, and potential opportunities. The expectation within the household was that at the first opportunity, when the boys had reached their fourteenth birthday, they would work alongside an older brother or their father underground.

The work was hard, the hours were long, it was unlikely that any young boy would be tempted to study mathematics, physics, or geology after the end of their working day.

There was a pattern, a tradition, having received only the bare bones of an education that youngsters looked to their reputations as strong boys, likely to grow into strong men for their future security. The downside was they did not seek answers from books, they were not good at finding answers to problems, they were often suspicious of learning of any sort. This might be why it took a number of educational acts, newly built schools, and better training for teachers before this new generation could let go of what they had learnt not from their parents but from grandparents.

Up until the early years of the last century there were no hospitals in the valleys, so they probably had to help look after a sick child. The seriously sick were whisked off to the infirmary in Cardiff. It was spoken, in whispers in front of children that if you were taken to Cardiff, the likelihood was you were going to die. For many it turned out to be true.

Gradually funds were raised in the Valleys of South Wales and cottage hospitals were built. There was a fever hospital in Ystrad mostly for children with diphtheria, scarlet fever, whooping cough, and measles. The cottage hospitals were small, immaculate, well run and very efficient. I would go so far as to suggest that young girls going to visit relatives who were patients there would make up their minds that they too wanted to nurse the sick. In those days, of course, most of the actual training of young nurses took place at the patients’ bedside and on the hospital wards.

This would have been in complete contrast to sick children being forced to drink a concoction grown and mixed up by Granny from an old family recipe. This was at a time at the beginning of the last century when the older folk preferred what they had known all their lives, and the younger ones welcomed the bright, new, and sunny cottage hospitals with kindly and trained staff who knew what they were doing.

The world was changing rapidly and old beliefs, family legends along with other folktales were being set aside.

With the new emphasis on children’s health, vaccinations were compulsory and if you did not agree with or organise an appointment for vaccinations for your children you could end up in court, and possibly be fined for non-compliance with the law.

The laws regarding compulsory vaccinations were less likely to be welcomed by the older generation. They

would have been fearful, suspicious, and worried about what was in the nurse’s hand as she was injecting the little patients. Sadly, some of that suspicion is still being discussed and argued over even today.

Today there is still a market for books about the abnormal, the suspicious activities of others, in particular groups of people who form an association with aims, rules, and beliefs that are outside the mainstream, often seen as cults. Newspapers often offer articles about how to “deal” with disputes with such groups who proclaim a different approach to life’s problems from what has been, in the past, the norm.

Closer to home, differences of opinion often erupt between the generations within families, frequently as the younger generation reach an age where they have confidence in their own opinions. Parents and grandparents can have difficulty in keeping up with changing fashions in new ideas, music, sport, clothing, education, jobs and future planning, often fed by online services. Slowly the lack of reliable research, coupled with the difficulties in appreciating the younger person’s argument. Some parents would by this stage wonder whether their expensively educated offspring can actually read and write. Questions arise as to who in the outside world is ever going to employ them?

This is where many of the old ideas, memories, habits, previous means of dealing with problems reemerge. Suggestions from grandparents (starting off with ‘Before the War’) and recall of their own past efforts are dismissed by the younger generation. Gradually the reliance on memories of home-made medicines, natural cures, self-sufficiency and so on have become eroded from everyday living as the new age beckons.

Against this background, the modern world has no truck with old ways, and particularly the dark forests of superstitions. Halloween has become a commercialised event and may not survive. The same goes for November the fifth. In mid-December of last year, I saw Cardiff shops almost overwhelmed with customers who were being reminded of the need to purchase enough food, candles, cards, presents, perfume, drinks to take them to December 27!

Any mention of the Baby Jesus??? No! Who?

Back to the title, back to the fascinating (perhaps only to my generation?) topic of superstitions. Topics for further coverage range from the “Little people”, ghostly houses, the dark, items disappearing, dreams and nightmares and, of course, the supernatural.

Nowadays, grandchildren have little knowledge of what,

for example, a wet Welsh Sunday was like.

Older folk were obedient to the still fresh, to them, instructions from their own childhoods. You went to church or chapel three times on a Sunday, or just once in the afternoon if you were a youngster. My grandmother forbade me to look in a mirror on a Sunday, you could read the Bible but no other books, magazines, or newspapers. No homework could be completed. No dressmaking, embroidery or sewing. No drawing or painting, no games, no housework apart from the basic essentials. No letters written.

These forbidden activities were adhered to in all seriousness. As I grew older, I did not ever observe terrible mishaps befalling those who dared sew a button on a garment ready for the following day. Also, you could not take the children to the park because there was a heavy iron chain and lock on the gate!

Activities were further curtailed because everywhere was shut. Barred. Locked up. Shuttered, closed, and forbidden. The radio in my grandparents’ home belonged to my grandfather and he and only he switched it on and off. He only listened to the one o’clock and six o’clock news broadcast and The Archers. That was during the week. Wireless listening for anyone else, at the weekend was out of the question. Well, you did not ask, the answer was always “No.”

The only exciting incident that I remember, and it happened more than once, was the likelihood of a heavy thunderstorm in the summertime, frequently on a Sunday.

My grandmother then demanded that the front door and back door, which led to the garden, stay wide open. This was to aid a thunderbolt, if it appeared to roll into the hall from the front door, over the hall rugs, through the house and aiming for the back door would disappear, or so they told me, and would come to rest in the garden. I pictured this “thunderbolt” never ever seen by any human being to be the size of a football, silver coloured and powered by some internal mechanism. Clearly it intended to blow itself up if any human went anywhere near it. But, disappointingly for me, it never came.

Traditionally it was mothers who laid the foundations for behaviour, play, interaction with other children, fair shares and so on.

However, in my case very much affected by the heavy presence of an elderly woman who believed so much nonsense, (my grandmother) yet was quite unaware of the effect these superstitions had on little ones. I welcomed a

visit with my father to my other Grandma, (his mother) a perfect example of a fair-minded, very kind and patient lady who had had thirteen children. She was much loved and told stories of fairies in green satin dresses in the woods of her native Pembrokeshire where she grew up, the fairies lured young men to dance with them on the green grassy hillsides. The young men wanted to stay, and thought they had, for at least the evening of the dancing. When they returned to their own homes, they were shocked to hear they had been away for a year and a day. Their families had been worried and feared the worst.

Rural communities were widely scattered over a map of the area. Communities were linked by tracks and roads, often these led to other tracks and roads and on to another not dissimilar church and village community. Up until the first World War, the Welsh did not travel far, we were not explorers. Families would all share their own ancient superstitions often based on a tale of either good luck or bad luck befalling a family member who risked starting a project on a Sunday, or collecting, cooking and eating the ‘Wrong’ mushrooms!

There are any many aspects to this topic including a favourite among young girls: stories about preparing to meet your ideal partner (tall, dark, and handsome), often by utilising tea leaves left at the bottom of a cup. The arrangements for a tryst, avoiding pitfalls, village gossip, and tears of disappointment when eventually realising no such person existed - for the moment perhaps. Later, if a union was on the cards, methods of avoiding any interference from the Little Folk had to be found.

This apprehension is still the subject of books even today for brides to be although the fairies may be disguised by using other terms.

Another area of concern would be preparations for the arrival of a baby. Clear instructions from senior relatives that the expectant mother MUST NOT use a New Cot. The sleeping arrangements for the new arrival must have been used by a previous incumbent!

I mentioned sickness and illness, the weather, travel arrangements, childbirth, the bidding, and so much more.

All to be rediscovered in future articles in this magazine hopefully by not walking under ladders, not stepping on the lines on pavements, keeping my fingers and toes crossed, that I am spared by the Almighty to survive long enough to find out more; remembering how to spell, and, recalling accurately, where to place the commas.

It’s good to know where to turn when the world throws you a curve-ball. At Harding Evans, it is our mission to provide clear, honest and high-quality legal advice in an environment that is approachable, inclusive and welcoming. When you need us, you can trust our experienced solicitors to be by your side; through the good times and the bad, in your personal life and your business dealings.

International Day of Happiness

It is said that as a child, John Lennon, was asked what he wanted to be when he grew up.

Do you know what he answered?

•To be 1/4 of one of the most influential bands of 1960s? NO!

•To have millions of copies of his songs sold worldwide? NO!

•To be idolised by fans globally? NO!

In fact, his answer was quite simple (but possibly unappreciated by teachers): -

“Happy”

They told him he didn’t understand the assignment and he told them they didn’t understand life.

A thought-provoking response perhaps.

But what does being “Happy” mean and how achievable is it?

Being happy is difficult to define. Some theorise that happiness is not a fixed objective goal, but an individualised subjective state, some theorise, it’s more of a collective, than an individual pursuit. Being happy is also said to differ within cultures and across generations as well as on an individual basis

By Natalie McCulloch

across time. So, perhaps the real question is, what does being happy mean to you?

In her book ‘The How of Happiness’ positive psychology researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky describes happiness as “the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile”

Aristotle amplifies this explanation by stating “Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and the end of human existence”

In terms of achieving true happiness, research suggests that what people think will make them happy quite often doesn’t play as large a role in happiness as people believe. For example, people equate holidays to exotic hot countries, high paying jobs, lavish lifestyles, and a perfect bill of clean health, as equating to happiness whereas research suggests the correlation between these things and a state of happiness in not strong at all.

Sir Richard Branson stated: -

“Too many people measure how successful they are by how much money they make or the people that they associate with. In my opinion, true success should be measured by how happy you are”

Some of the factors that have actually been most closely linked to happiness are:

• Having strong social relationships whether this be peers, friends, family, religious groups, or spouses.

• Genetic predispositions or personality traits such as having a stable personality, being outgoing, assertive, and sociable.

• Not comparing oneself to others.

• Having realistic and achievable goals and aspirations.

• Emphasising inner enrichment over material satisfaction.

A lovely visual explanation of this is the happiness pie, which is a model for the factors that determine happiness. It proposes that 50% of happiness is due to genes, 10% due to life circumstances and 40% due to personal choices we make and activities we engage in.

How achievable a state of true happiness is, is questionable, but the goal of happiness is something many people strive towards and the research behind why, speaks volumes…

Alongside the positive feelings that being happy gives us thanks to the ‘happy hormone’ serotonin and the ability to experience increased productivity, some of the health benefits of happiness are said to include:

•A stronger immune system

•Stronger resilience in the face of stress

•Less cardiovascular disease

•Quicker recovery times from illness or surgery

•More positive lifestyle choices (such as drinking moderately, eating well, and exercising healthily)

Considering this, why wouldn’t we all want a little more “happiness” in our lives?!

Of course, with anything barriers and obstacles to being happy can arise such as comparison, excessive worry, lack of gratitude, traumatic life experiences or burnout/overload.

Ask yourself this, ‘When did you last reflect on your own happiness?’

Why not take a moment or two to reflect now?

If, on reflection, you are not in a state of true happiness, do not fear, there are strategies, support, and small steps you can take to give your life a bit of a happiness makeover!

And guess what?! Now is the perfect opportunity to start becoming more aware of your happiness as March sees International Day of Happiness being celebrated!

But what is International Day of Happiness?

In 2013 the United Nations recognised that happiness and wellbeing should be a fundamental human goal and that increasing human happiness,

not just growing the economy, should be a priority as it is directly linked to the prosperity of the planet. So, they declared 20th March annually to be a day dedicated to just that!

11 years on The International Day of Happiness is not just another date on the calendar, but a global movement towards a happier, more inclusive, and resilient world.

… and guess what?! YOU are invited to get involved!

SO, on March 20th why not give it a go: -

Some ideas to boost your happiness are:

•Build strong relationships or strengthen existing ones (and don’t be afraid to filter out toxic relationships - as they say “some people bring joy from entering our lives, others from leaving).

• Start a gratitude diary – list 3 things every day you are grateful for.

• Help others, do random acts of kindness, volunteer (this actually helps to help you too!).

• Learn a new skill (It will help with a sense of achievement and boost your self-confidence).

• Review your goals or set new ones - become more reflective and mindful of achieving this day to day.

• Reflect on any stressors or unhappiness or fearful feelings that are compromising your sense of happiness and vow to make small changes to resolve them.

• Treat yourself to something nice – whether this be a nice walk somewhere, a bubble bath or watching a favourite film – you deserve it after all!

If the thought of these things feels a bit unfamiliar or overwhelming, fear not, you are not alone. Luckily there is plenty of support if you need it, such as online resources, self-help podcasts, groups that offer engagement with others or services through the charities such as MIND.

A great example is the ’Action for happiness’ website which offers a free online programme to boost your wellbeing, free coaching, free online talks and much more, simply log onto the ‘action for happiness’ website https://10daysofhappiness.org/

Of course, we all have our own definitions of happiness, so, however you choose to celebrate the day it is the right way! Make March the month to make your happiness your priority!

WELSH DIVING

Why not try a new hobby this spring by learning to scuba dive?

Welsh Diving is a PADI Five Star Scuba Diving School and Instructor Development Centre. We provide courses from complete beginner to professional dive instructor. From ages 8 years to adults

For more information please contact: kmartin@welshdiving.co.uk m 07753 691794

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