ISSUE 210
OCT 2026
Unsplash / Nick Fewings
WHERE PEOPLE, BUSINESS & COMMUNITY CO NNECT
GO YELLOW in memory of Kory & Ben | Page 28
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Where People, Business and Community Connect
Advertorial
Right now, a child in your local community needs someone like you. Hi, I'm Bridget People sometimes ask me what my proudest moment as a foster parent has been. But the truth is that I couldn't tell you because there’s been hundreds of little moments. Like the little boy who used to hide under café tables because he was afraid. But a year later, he quietly walked up to the counter to order his own drink. I couldn't have been prouder. Or the little boy who stood looking at a bowl of fruit in my kitchen for days before finally asking, "Can I have some?" He genuinely didn't know he was allowed. When I took him to buy new shoes, he chose a pair that were far too small because he thought if I measured his feet, I'd tell him he couldn't have them. The things most of us take for granted can mean the world to a child who's never known them. I won't pretend fostering is always easy. The hardest part is knowing what some children have already been through. Some days you wish you could simply scoop them up and take away their hurt. But then, little by little, they begin to trust. They begin to laugh, ask for help and believe in themselves.
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People often tell me, "I couldn't do that." But children don't need someone perfect. They need someone who'll keep showing up. I choose to foster with Barnardo’s, a dedicated children’s charity. And when I've needed advice, reassurance or simply someone who understands, they’ve always been there. I’d even say over the years, the team have become more like friends than colleagues. So if you're wondering whether you could do this, I'd simply encourage you to have that first conversation.
Maybe you've never thought about fostering… until now. Right now, more children than ever need safe, loving foster homes in Cardiff. You don't need to have all the answers today. If you're curious about fostering, Barnardo's Cymru will help you understand what's involved and support you every step of the way.
Find out more: www.barnardos.org.uk/foster/wales
Because somewhere near you, a child is waiting to share those little moments with you.
Love from, Bridget Barnardo's Foster Parent
Cardiff Times | 03
In this Issue October 2026
#CT210 Dog Man: The Musical
Appearing at Utilita Arena Cardiff on 5 and 6 November 2026.
This October, wear yellow. Raise funds. Help save a life.
Showing at Wales Millennium Centre 16 & 17 October
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Go Yellow in memory of Ben and Kory
P9
Professor Brian Cox interviewed by Carl Marsh
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Cardiff Times | 05
In The Words Of by Carl Marsh
October 2026
B
efore I get into anything this month, I have to mention the new look of Cardiff Times. Firstly, as you know, it's bigger! And I mean literally bigger, as in the actual magazine you're holding in your hands. I'm genuinely impressed by the increase in size, and I hope you lot reading it feel the same. The layout and design inside have also been overhauled, and the website has improved too. I might be slightly biased, since they still let me fill some of those bigger pages every month, but I think the whole thing looks rather good. How I Get The Interviews Something I get asked quite often is how I manage to get such a varied mix of people to interview, and occasionally some pretty big names and exclusives. There isn't really some massive secret to it. I'm just a firm believer in making contacts and, more importantly, treating people properly. I source and arrange my own interviews independently, and over the years I've dealt with people from PR companies, record labels, film and TV, publishing and pretty much every other corner of the entertainment industry. I've always treated everyone the same, whether they're running the company or they've just started there. Basically, I treat people the way I'd like to be treated. Some of those new starters from years ago have since moved up through the industry or started their own companies, and those relationships stay with you. I suppose that's one reason I'm now able to get some of the chats I do. I also write syndicated interviews, which you might not even realise you've read. When you see an interview with somebody famous appearing across different magazines, newspapers or websites, sometimes without a journalist's name attached, there's a good chance it has been syndicated. Rather than a PR 06 | Cardiff Times
company arranging individual chats for dozens of outlets — most of whom probably wouldn't get that access anyway — one interview can be supplied to publications around the country. Some of my chats get sent around the UK like this, occasionally with my name attached but, annoyingly, more often without. That's just how it works.
a criticism from me. Theo James and Kaya Scodelario remain great together, Vinnie Jones gets more to do, and overall I think I actually preferred this series. Darker, nastier and increasingly bonkers as it went along. Pretty much what I wanted.
What I will say is that every interview you read from me in Cardiff Times is mine. I did the chat, and I've got the audio and/or video to prove it! Cardiff Times gets snippets from those conversations, while the full interviews can then live on my In The Words Of portfolio website and YouTube. Granted, I haven't uploaded anywhere near all of them yet, mainly because there aren't enough hours in the day, but that will change over the coming months. I've got a ridiculous archive sitting there, including plenty of older interviews, so some of those will finally see daylight too.
Sticking with people generally trying to kill one another, I also watched Knightfall, the independent British spy thriller from Jonathan Sothcott and Shogun Films. You have to judge something like this for what it is. It hasn't got a Bond-sized budget, so if you're expecting Aston Martins flying through buildings and half of London being blown up, you're probably watching the wrong film. What it does have is a cracking old-school cast, including Ian Ogilvy, Jeanine Nerissa Sothcott, Geoffrey Moore — yes, Roger Moore's son — Nick Moran and Michael Paré.
Review: The Gentlemen Series Two
I really enjoyed the first series of The Gentlemen, so I was looking forward to seeing where Guy Ritchie would take it next. What surprised me most about series two was just how much darker it became as it went along. It still has everything you'd expect — the humour, ridiculous situations, great characters and plenty of violence — but there's something a little nastier sitting underneath it all this time. The further I got into the series, the more it started reminding me of MobLand. Whether having two Guy Ritchie shows edging towards similar territory is a good or bad thing is probably down to personal taste, but I'm going with the former. MobLand is excellent, so that certainly isn't
Review: Knightfall
Does everything work? Not quite. I found some of the background music a tad annoying, and a few of the effects and accompanying sounds probably highlight the budget rather than disguise it. But I admire independent British films like this for having a go, particularly when attempting something as ambitious as an old-school spy thriller. There's a certain charm to Knightfall, and considering the obvious budget constraints, it's a fine effort and perhaps one of Sothcott's better films thus far. Not perfect by any means, but certainly worth a watch. That's me done for another month. I'll hopefully have emptied a little more of that interview archive by the time you read my next column. Although, knowing me, I'll probably have added even more to it. Oh, I also forgot to mention that I've just done a Welsh exclusive with Jack Whitehall. See you next month, Carl Marsh Twitter
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Interview
Interview
Transvision Vamp
Man/Woman/Chainsaw
Words: Carl Marsh
Words: Carl Marsh
Transvision Vamp return to Cardiff's Tramshed on Sunday 18 October, but Wendy James has little interest in looking backwards. For her, this is a band firmly living in 2026.
Man/Woman/Chainsaw bring their unruly six-piece sound to The Globe, Cardiff, on 3 October. Vera and Lola talk about finding their sound, six microphones, creative arguments, and simply making a living from music.
What made this the moment to bring Transvision Vamp back — not five years ago, not ten, but now? It happened in a very natural way. I'd released The Shape of History, my tenth album, and was looking to go to Australia because, along with Britain, it was one of our massive breakout locations.
I got put in touch with a promoter, and he said, "Let's do Transvision Vamp." I literally just said yes. Dave from Transvision Vamp had already joined my line-up on bass, so it all felt very natural. It was never an ambition or a plan. Was there ever a temptation to rebuild the past exactly?
Who wants to do that? I'm not a nostalgia person. This isn't a nostalgia trip. This isn't some kind of jazz puppet show version of 1988. We are playing very much in 2026. I'm not interested in dipping my toe into that memorabilia circuit. I'm approaching this as a band that is competitive in 2026. Going back to Pop Art, did you know exactly what you were creating?
I was quite young, so I don't think there was much philosophy behind it. It was serendipity. The overarching idea for Transvision Vamp was to meld girl groups like The Ronettes and The ShangriLas with Blondie and Marc Bolan's T. Rex — big riffs, pop sensibility, and a little bit of that sassy girl attitude. And Velveteen became much bigger musically. How does it feel finally playing the title track live?
The original line-up never once contemplated playing Velveteen live because it's nine-and-a-half minutes long, with all the orchestrations and a high level of musicality.
For the first time ever, we've been doing two encores, and our final encore is the entire duration of Velveteen. It's a showstopper. Incredible. What still feels dangerous about songs like Baby I Don't Care now?
We're not doing a polite session-musician version of these songs. We walk onto the stage with the intention of making sure it's one of the best shows you've ever seen, and being quite aggressive in our passion for these songs. When you stand on stage now, what feels different that the audience probably wouldn't notice? The sources of confidence change over time. When I was 18 or 19, I had absolute certainty that nothing could go wrong, everything was going to be amazing, and I was the best in the world. That youthful exuberance goes a long way.
I'm probably, in some ways, a better performer now because that confidence is based on experience. The instinct to perform live is the same as when I was a teenager. It's really interesting, the metamorphosis that happens between the dressing room and walking onto that stage. I'm five foot four, but when I walk out on stage, I'm six foot.
Do you remember the first moment Man/Woman/Chainsaw actually sounded like Man/Woman/Chainsaw? Lola: I remember it being a big struggle when all six of us officially joined and started trying to make music together, because we were all trying to be impressive and overplaying. But I think we naturally started writing a certain kind of song. We always like to mix soft and harder-sounding things. Vera: Lucy seems like the beginning of it to me, but I don't remember the first time it happened in rehearsal or live at all.
Lola: Ode to Clio felt like we maybe established some sort of sound. Would I be right to say the band feels more like a collective than a front-person band? Vera: I like that maybe we can avoid frontman syndrome, or at least dilute it. It makes for a more versatile sound. Right now, we've been experimenting with all six of us having mics. There's a certain magic to people singing together.
Lola: We're a slight nightmare to venues. On the last tour, we hadn't updated our tech spec, so we just came in and said, "Can we have six microphones, please?" They weren't very happy. When we started doing gang vocals in the studio, it initially sounded a little bit like Matilda the Musical, like kids singing together. But multiple voices are fun.
When songs first appear, are they usually ideas, arguments, jams or accidents? Lola: All of them. Vera: Only Girl was totally a jam. It was really shoegazy, with Billy doing this big guitar thing, and then it turned into something else. Lola: Cleo put the violin on top, and suddenly it was like, "Hmm." With Nosedive, Cleo played violin and held down an arpeggiated synth with her toe. We had completely separate ideas and ended up bringing them together. Vera: It can go a million different ways. You can't really predict it. What do people misunderstand about the band? Vera: I think people take us at face value. We're not very mysterious. Lola: People take music really seriously, and we do take music very seriously, but people start trying to analyse what you mean by things. We're still working in the same way. We're not trying to orchestrate this crazy image. Vera: One thing people misunderstand is that you get paid! A mate said, "You must be making money, right?" I was like, "Yeah…" I'm manifesting the dollar bills to come rolling this way. What does success actually look like, then? Vera: My dad always says there's only one type of making it in the music industry, and that is making a living. If we can make a living, that's perfect. If you get to do that doing something you love, that's the f*****g cherry on top. Lola: Making a living. Totally. That is it.
Wendy James brings Transvision Vamp to Tramshed Cardiff on Sunday 18 October as part of the band's 2026 UK tour.
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Man/Woman/Chainsaw play at The Globe, Cardiff, on 3 October.
Cardiff Times | 07
Interview
Laura Smyth Words: Carl Marsh
L
aura Smyth brings Born Aggy to Cardiff's Glee Club on Thursday 29 October. She talks about bluntness, teaching, ambition, cancer and finding comedy in life's mess. What makes somebody "born aggy" rather than temporarily annoyed? When you look at your childhood pictures, and you've just got an absolute mood on all the time, I think it's that sort of thing. I'm always annoyed, things get on my nerves, and I like ranting about them. I've always been quite highly strung, and now I'm looking at my own children stomping about the place and thinking, "Oh, maybe this is genetic." At what point did you realise bluntness was becoming your comedy voice rather than just your personality? Sometimes you don't know what you're like until you see yourself reflected back. Even during teacher training, one of my lecturers said I was pugnacious. I remember thinking, "I'm not pugnacious. I'll hit you for saying that." I think I'm quite chill, but actually I do see life as a bit of a battle. That's probably given me some tough edges. I like cutting through on a punchline hard. There's nothing particularly soft about my approach. Other than it being funny, I suppose that's what softens the edges. You often sound like somebody permanently negotiating with the world rather than peacefully existing in it — is that fair?
Yeah. I've married such a nice man, and my husband says a couple of things to me. One is that not everything has a solution. I want solutions. I want to solve things. I'm trying to learn that you can't solve the world's problems, and you can't always solve your kids' problems either. The other thing my husband says is, "Tread lightly." He says, "Just try and tread lightly," as I stomp out of the house ready to go. Did teaching prepare you well for standup, or did it emotionally destroy you? The main parallel is that when you first start stand-up, you're saying, "Here are my jokes and I'd like you to enjoy them." When you first start teaching, you're saying, "Here is my lesson and I'd like you to learn." But as you become more experienced, you realise the jokes and the lesson are only part of it. The main thing is to meet your class or audience where they are. There's a lot of love and care in teaching, and there's a lot of love and care in stand-up. Even hecklers are just an ADHD kid who wants attention; do you know what I mean? I love the craft. Has success changed your relationship with ambition? It has. I only really had ambition when I had my eldest daughter. I was 20 when I had her, and I had so much ambition for her that becoming a teacher felt like such a nice, solid thing to give her. Having more children, I realised I wanted to be the fullest expression of myself so I could model that for them. That was no longer in teaching; it was in the creative life. Every level up, every bit of success, every bit of telly, bigger tours — it requires a new version of yourself. You want more, and you need to be more to meet those demands. How much of your comedy comes from frustration rather than observation? I think they're in equal measure. I love the phrase that says every joke is a small revolution, because you're saying, "You're allowed to think like this." Everything feels so homogenised now through social media. The sweet spot is honesty. When you're honest, you permit other people to be honest too. I love the phrase that
08 | Cardiff Times
the audience don't come to see you; they come to see themselves. As a comedian, your job is to say, "No, this is actually what happens in a long-term marriage," or, "This is actually what happens on the school run." I don't want anyone to think they're coming to see a woman on the edge ranting. It's our delight in human fallibility. Going through cancer must reorder your priorities — what mattered less afterwards? Getting on panel shows or following a particular career trajectory. From being a single mum on benefits to getting a first in English, then teaching, then getting a husband, everything felt hard-won. I remember saying to my sister, "I've fought for everything in my life. I don't think I've got the fight for this." Cancer taught me that it wasn't a fight. It was about slowing down, learning how to breathe, honouring myself and loving myself. I remember thinking, "Okay, I'll let the doctors treat the cancer, and I'll treat myself." Being born aggy is just another way of saying I don't want to change. It's good. You need someone with the hump. Anger is an energy. Did surviving something that serious make everyday annoyances feel ridiculous, or weirdly even more irritating? Oh mate, you should see me if I'm held up at Bart's Hospital for an appointment. I can't bear incompetence, and I can't bear things that aren't allowed to be said. We can honour the fact that the NHS is underfunded and a receptionist can still be an absolute b***h. And lastly, if life finally became peaceful, would you still be funny? Yeah. Oh gosh, yeah. Life is meant to be messy. Embrace it. There'll always be death. There'll always be loss. There'll always be challenges. And there'll always be diarrhoea, even in utopia, I'm sure. Those things are funny. That's how you keep it light.
Laura Smyth brings her Born Aggy tour to The Glee Club, Cardiff, on Thursday 29 October.
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Interview
Professor Brian Cox Words: Carl Marsh
P
rofessor Brian Cox brings Emergence to Cardiff's Utilita Arena on 5 and 6 November, exploring complexity, our place in the universe — and why admitting what we don't know matters. Your new tour, Emergence, looks at how complexity emerges from simple laws of nature. Why did that become the subject this time? It started with Johannes Kepler and this beautiful book called The SixCornered Snowflake. He asked: why do snowflakes have six corners? It's a brilliant question, and many historians cite that time, around 1600, as the beginning of modern science. People like Kepler and Galileo started seeing patterns and asking why. That was absolutely radical. This idea that patterns come from something deeper is the foundation of modern civilisation. Now think about human experience, intelligence and consciousness. Fundamentally, a human being, like everything else we can see in the universe, is made up of quarks, down quarks and electrons, and there are four forces of nature. Three ingredients, four forces — a human being. Intelligence is an example of emergence. Kepler ends his book saying he doesn't know the answer to the question he asked. Essentially, he says: "I don't know, but it was great trying". Has understanding more about the universe made it feel more mysterious or less? More mysterious. Many scientists have said it, including heroes of mine like Carl Sagan and Richard Feynman. Look at the night sky knowing nothing, and it's beautiful — you see these points of light. Then you learn they're suns and it becomes more interesting. From the 1990s onwards, we started finding planets. Now you know that probably every point of light in the sky is a solar system. It becomes even more remarkable. Anything you look at becomes infinitely more magical when you know something about it.
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After everything you've learned, what still puzzles you most? A friend of mine in Manchester once said to me, "I'm astonished that one f***ing atom exists." And it's true. When you get to those very deep questions about why anything exists at all, it's astonishing. You can theoretically change the laws of nature and ask what happens. Almost every time, you end up with a universe that's basically boring. There don't seem to be many setups that can produce emerging complexity. It's astonishing that the laws of nature are such that things like us can exist. Is there one question you particularly hope we answer within your lifetime? I'd like to know if there's life beyond Earth. We're trying quite hard to look for life in the Solar System at the moment, so I really would like to know if there's life on Mars or Jupiter's moons. When you look at humanity from a cosmic perspective, what worries you most? Without doubt, that we're stupid and we might mess this up. We have the power to eliminate ourselves, and I'm not sure we have the wisdom not to. In the show, I speak about the Fermi Paradox, often framed as the Great Silence. As far as we can tell, there isn't anyone else out there. We haven't detected anyone, despite the many stars, planets, and the time available. If we're the only place where intelligence currently exists in the Milky Way, it does seem like we have some responsibility to the universe not to erase ourselves. It took four billion years to produce us from the origin of life. It would be astonishing to go: well, there we are, four billion years of evolution — sod it.
The universe thinking about itself, really, is just a collection of atoms. Science can tell us how things happen, but can it ever tell us why they matter? No, but it gives us the framework. There's a musical element to the show. There's a song by PJ Harvey that we did together and recorded, which starts the second act and is about the Voyager spacecraft. The reason the music is there, in part, is because if you want to discuss what these things mean, then that's the province of art, music and literature. That's where meaning lies. The framework within which you have to find meaning is delivered by science. We know there are two trillion galaxies in the observable universe. That has a bearing on how you think about our place. But the way you explore that meaning isn't through the eyepiece of a telescope. That's necessary, but not sufficient. You need music, literature, art and philosophy. Science is often presented as certainty. Is it actually a discipline built on doubt? That's the message of the show. You can't make progress if you think you know everything. By definition, there's nowhere to go. The whole scientific endeavour — which actually means our whole civilisation — rests on that idea of doubt. Richard Feynman said doubt isn't to be feared, but welcomed and discussed. You have to be the first to say, "I don't know." Otherwise, you can't make progress.
Does spending your life thinking in billions of years change how you view your own limited time? As far as we understand the laws of nature, the only way things like us can exist is as temporary structures. Complexity at our level seems necessarily a brief phase in the evolution of the universe. You can look at it both ways. You can say it's a shame we haven't got longer, or you can say it's absolutely astonishing that we have any time — this time to think about the universe.
Professor Brian Cox brings his Emergence world tour to Utilita Arena Cardiff on 5 and 6 November 2026.
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No limits. by Wyn Evans
T
ime was when I used to work for a living. My two most recent jobs were with the Welsh Office Health Department and the Llandough Hospital and Community NHS Trust. Well, I say ‘most recent’ with some hesitation; I took a redundancy package twenty years ago when our daughter, The Girl, was born to us. She had an extra copy of Chromosome 21, meaning that she has Down Syndrome. We decided that one of us would become The Girl’s full-time parent. My wife, The Boss, earned more than I did and it was a relatively straightforward decision for me to retire from paid employment to care for The Girl. The job I retired from had many all-Wales responsibilities which meant that in any given week I might be in Gwynedd, Ceredigion, Powys or Gwent. That job also took my team to Belfast, Edinburgh, the House of Commons and, wait for it, the south of France, specifically, Toulouse. Thus my ‘patch’ was the whole of the UK. My patch as a full-time carer was heavily circumscribed by The Girl’s Down Syndrome. In 2006 she had open heart surgery in Bristol, scores of appointments in the UHW and dozens more in clinics and private homes across Cardiff, Gwent and the valleys. My patch was significantly smaller than it had been. It’s fair to say that The Girl’s patch grew corresponding with the growing number of activities she took on. Thirteen years ago, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease which entailed a further reduction in the scale of my zone of influence. Whereas, before, I could at least call Cardiff my patch, as my condition worsened
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it would be all I could do to walk a radius of sixty yards. At this time, I amassed an interesting collection of walking sticks. Also, I started casting envious glances at The Boss’s powered wheelchair. That’s my Xmas pressie sorted then! The net result of all this is that my patch is now more or less confined to the kitchen-diner, the bathrooms and the bedroom and one-third of the length of Wellfied Road. When I exceed the limitations imposed upon me by my Parky’s I seize up or fall down or have to sit.
However, The Girl has been moving in the opposite direction: increasingly independent and confident. She’s still not yet ready to, for example, take a bus into town unsupported. (We wonder whether she’d be able successfully to cope with an unexpected incident en route.) But still, she’s looking outward, for sure. Her mum’s taking her up to Derby next month for the finals of the Trampolining League. All those doctors and midwives who told us, in as many words, that she’d be unable to walk or learn to read, to write and speak, did nothing more
than show their ignorance of Down Syndrome and the kids affected by it. Again, in as many words, they urged us to terminate our unborn daughter. Here is a headline from a BBC article: Ninety per cent of women whose unborn babies are diagnosed with Down's syndrome choose to have an abortion, which is legal right up until birth. But campaigners say expectant parents are routinely given outdated advice and encouraged to have a termination. At the other end of life,the recent, appallingly drafted, Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was defeated in the House of Commons on September 11, 2026, with 270 MPs voting in favour and 286 voting against. The Bill proposed to legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults. There were insufficient safeguards against, for example, people with learning disabilities being pressurised into seeking an assisted death. Many if not most parents of people with Down Syndrome believe that, as drafted, this Bill’s passage would have been another example of prejudice against the disabled. Luckily, today The Girl had an another opportunity to demonstrate her thirst for life, winning two gold medals and a shield and becoming Welsh Trampolining champion in her class. That’s our gal!
Cardiff Times | 13
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Cardiff Times | 15
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And Another Thing... by Vince Nolan
The By Yer Tapestry
Be
fair, even by my standards that is some title. Let me explain. Much has been made in the National Press of the Bayeux Tapestry being on show at The British Museum in London until July next year. As you will know, this is a 70m long hand-made depiction of the events surrounding the Battle of Hastings in 1066 which led to the Norman Conquest of these fair islands. Closer to home, the Keep at Cardiff Castle is of course of Norman origin. However, I read recently with great admiration that a group of Cardiff crafters, called “Let’s Get Crafty,” based at the Rhydypennau Hub, have crafted their own tapestry depicting famous views of Cardiff and going by the aforementioned title. Good stuff and worth a look. Of course the Bayeux Tapestry is not strictly accurate, historically. The whole story has been embroidered, typically, by the winners. Some say it was a stitch-up! This just in: With the recent random renaming of Lake Ontario to Lake America, there will be other changes. The English Channel will now be called the French Chanel. The Straits of Hormuz will now be known as the Straits of Hummus. The China Sea will be the Porcelain Sea. (It is both classier and glassier). The Atlantic Ocean will be known as the American Ocean and the Pacific Ocean will be known as the American Ocean Too. The Canada Goose will now become The Donald Duck and the San Andreas Fault will be renamed Joe Bidens’ Fault. Staying overseas, I need to tell you about the recently discovered Hekawi Tribe of West Africa. These are vertically challenged peoples who live in the tall elephant grasses which grow locally and run about all day shouting “We’re the Hekawi, we’re the Hekawi.”
You will no doubt recall the poem read as a eulogy in Four Weddings and a Funeral penned by W.H.Auden entitled Stop All the Clocks. Well strange events at Chateau Nolan reminded us of these words. In a bizarre coincidence our kitchen clock and mantle clock both stopped at the same time and needed their batteries replacing. Very odd. Whilst this was happening I was on the phone to my great mate Anna when a strong breeze blew around the room knocking over a table lamp and the vase Anna bought us as a wedding present. No damage done but nothing like this has happened before and hopefully never will again. Given spooky things happening and Halloween approaching, a man was crushed to death by a gigantic prize-winning pumpkin. The post-mortem concluded he was gourd to death.
The Current Mrs Nolan and I were out and about in sunny Weston-Super-Mare and witnessed these amazingly talented sand artists. How they managed to sculpt a vertical dorsal fin, on a life size shark sculpture, in sand, was quite amazing. Oh and the collective noun for sharks is a Shiver of Sharks which I like. Staying with the occupants of the sea, I bought a packet of peppered mackerel from a well-known high street emporium and was fascinated (not for the first time) with the labelling. I am all for the traceability of our foods but this gave the sea area (off Northern Norway) where these little critters were caught. Too much detail. Son and Heir lives in New York so I purchased some “Authentic New York City Bagels” to remind me of him and the family. Made in Rotheram! (The bagels that is). TV listings the other day advertised a programme called Air Fryer: The Secret Genius of Modern Life. Not something we watched but it
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was presented by Hannah Fry. We visited our local hostelry, The Voluptuous Vixen, which throughout the Summer had live music on each Saturday eve. I know, still living the dream. We were greeted by the fantastic music of Jean from St. Lucia and his steel drums and synthesiser. The ladies what run the pub were travelling through sunny Blackwood a few weeks before and Jean was busking on the high street. Ignoring the queuing traffic they pulled over, blocking the road and booked him for their pub. Excellent work. Still in Gwent, I don’t know if you read about the recent Greggs food heist. It seems that a delivery van was hijacked as it was about to restock a Newport branch of Greggs. The miscreants got away with hundreds of pasties, sausage rolls and cakes. Given the relatively low cost of these items at point-of-sale, The Leader of the Opposition and I both wondered how these could then be sold on and short best-before dates would have made it more difficult again. A perfect crime by no means. Picture the scene, a police officer stopping one of the thieves for a body search and finding pockets jammed with flaky pastry claiming it wasn’t him what done it like. Back at lunch: An Englishman, a Welshman, and an Irishman are working on a high-rise building. At lunch, the Englishman opens his box: "Ham again! If I get ham tomorrow, I’m jumping off this roof." The Welshman opens his: "Egg! If I get egg tomorrow, I’m jumping too." The Irishman opens his: "Cheese! One more cheese and I’m joining you." The next day, same food all round so they all tragically jump. At the funerals, the English and Welsh wives were crying, saying they would have changed the sandwiches had they known. The Irishman’s wife just looked confused and said: “ He made his own flaming sandwiches.” I gave She Who Must Be Obeyed a bracelet for her recent special birthday which belonged to my Grandmother. She liked it but asked what DNR meant which was engraved on it. I said Dazzling Nolans Rule which she thought was nice. (Do Not Resuscitate really). And finally, I need a muzzle for my aggressive pet duck. Not sure where to get one but it’s got to fit the bill.
Until next time Chums.
Cardiff Times | 17
£12 £12 £12
18 | Cardiff Times
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Walking Into the Mystery
The museum is self-guided, with an audio guide available for those wanting to delve further.
Jack the Ripper Museum and Jack the Ripper walking tour in Whitechapel
Despite the enduring fascination with the identity of Jack the Ripper, we do know a great deal about the five women he murdered in
The Jack the Ripper experience is unique from other walking tours because the museum provides that additional layer of historical context before you step out onto the streets. For true crime amateur sleuths, it makes for a far more immersive experience. The official 90-minute walk begins at the museum at 3pm and 5pm and takes visitors through key locations around Whitechapel before finishing near Aldgate Station. It is recommended that visitors experience the museum before embarking on either the walking or taxi tour.
by Ashley Lovell
Following last months true crime London weekend feature we wanted to add in something all true crime enthusiasts really need to do when visiting London.
F
or any true crime enthusiast visiting London, it soon becomes evident that there are very few mysteries quite like Jack the Ripper. Almost 140 years on, we still don't know with certainty who Jack the Ripper actually was. There have been suspects, theories, books, documentaries, films and enough speculation to keep the case alive for generations. There are also plenty of walking tours showing the key locations, but if you want a truly authentic experience, the Jack the Ripper Tour, along with its unique Jack the Ripper Museum, is the experience we would highly recommend. Housed in a Victorian building on Cable Street, the museum is designed to take visitors back to London in 1888. Its rooms recreate different aspects of Victorian life and the investigation, while information throughout the museum explores the murders, the police response and the people living in the East End at the time.
Victorian London. Their lives, circumstances and the events that ultimately led to their premature deaths are treated sensitively and respectfully, ensuring they remain more than simply names in a notorious murder case. And this is where the experience really comes together. The museum invites you to become an amateur detective, examining the evidence, suspects, police investigation and the world of Victorian East London in which the murders took place. Then, following the museum visit, you take off on a walking tour – or London black taxi tour – to visit the key locations, linking the stories to the places where they unfolded. The walking tour gives you the geography that the museum cannot, adding another layer of detail and intrigue and bringing the whole experience to life in a respectful and poignant way.
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For more details, visit www.jacktherippermuseum.com
Cardiff Times | 19
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Cardiff Times | 21
Exciting new leisure destination takes shape in north Cardiff
An
exciting mixed-use destination is taking shape in north Cardiff, with The Padel Club and fitness operator SW7 Gyms confirmed as the first leisure occupiers at Llanishen’s Stride Park. The signings mark an important step in the redevelopment of a prominent site just 3.5 miles north of Cardiff city centre, bringing together sport, fitness, leisure and commercial uses in a location that was in significant need of investment and renewal. The Padel Club, which is set to open in 2027, will bring its community-focused approach to Cardiff with a new seven-court venue, comprising four indoor panoramic courts under a towering 10‑metrehigh roof, offering year‑round play in a light‑filled, high‑ceiling environment.
stimulate the local economy and deliver significant health and wellbeing benefits through sport, fitness and active leisure.
I was obsessed with performance and getting the best out of myself, and I was lucky enough to experience some incredible training environments around the world. “Since retiring, creating a space that brings the best of those experiences to everyone has become a real passion project. To open our first site in north Cardiff, where I grew up, makes it even more special. I want it to be a place the whole community feels welcome, whatever their background, ability or goals — and hopefully the first of many.” The two signings are the first major announcements for the leisure element of Stride Park, with further occupiers expected to join the mixed-use scheme as redevelopment progresses.
The facility, the first in the north of the city, will provide opportunities for players of all abilities, from those picking up a padel racket for the first time to more experienced players looking to compete.
Co-founded by former Wales rugby international and two-time British & Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton OBE and his business partner Andrew Jones, SW7 Gyms is inspired by the principles of elite sport but designed for the everyday trainer, the club will offer a welcoming, designled environment for people who take their health, performance and longevity seriously, regardless of age, ability, physique or profession. Sam Warburton OBE, Co-Founder of SW7 Gyms said: “Optimising my health and performance has always been a huge part of my life. Throughout my youth and rugby career, 22 | Cardiff Times
Kris Ball, Founder & CEO of The Padel Club, added: “Cardiff is a hugely exciting market for padel, and we’re delighted to be bringing The Padel Club to north Cardiff. Stride Park is a fantastic opportunity to create something that goes beyond simply building courts — we’re creating a destination where people can play, train, socialise and become part of a community.
“We’re really looking forward to becoming part of the Cardiff community and seeing Stride Park come to life.”
The venue will also feature a Clubhouse serving beverages and snacks, premium seating, lockers, showers, and an onsite retail and coaching hub, making it effortless to drop in, learn, or compete - creating a social destination around the sport rather than simply a place to play.
Alongside The Padel Club, SW7 Gyms will open at Stride Park early next year. The modern performance and wellness club will bring training, coaching, recovery and wellness together in one connected space, featuring a premium gym, dedicated recovery suite, group classes, one-to-one coaching, and café.
“The Padel Club and SW7 Gyms are an excellent fit for the scheme and we look forward to announcing further additions to the site in the coming months.”
“Our ambition has always been to make padel feel accessible, premium and genuinely enjoyable, whether you’re picking up a racket for the first time or competing at a high level. With seven courts, our Clubhouse, coaching, retail and social spaces, the new venue will bring that experience to a part of Cardiff that has been crying out for new investment and high-quality leisure facilities.
Two canopy courts allow for outdoor play, whatever the weather, and one outdoor court for high season play.
Founded in 2022, The Padel Club has been expanding its presence across the UK, with Cardiff representing its latest move as it brings its distinctive combination of sport and community to the Welsh capital.
“The project has been delivered by the Walters Group, supported by a wonderful team of contractors and consultants who have helped bring the vision for Stride Park to life.
The wider Stride Park redevelopment includes refurbished commercial units ranging from 5,250 sq ft to 15,750 sq ft, which have been marketed by Knight Frank. Stride Park forms part of the wider Cardiff Business Park which is home to established occupiers including Screwfix, Toolstation, Royal Mail, Greggs and Pelican Healthcare. The area is also close to Llanishen Leisure Centre and the Lifestyle Shopping Park, which includes M&S Simply Food, Boots, HomeSense and Pets at Home. The scheme benefits from strong transport connections, with Parc Ty Glas railway station within walking distance and services connecting with Cardiff Queen Street and Cardiff Central. It is also well served by local bus routes, providing access to the city centre and surrounding suburbs. Richard Walters of Avalon Glen, which owns Stride Park, said: “Stride Park is entering an exciting new phase, and the arrival of The Padel Club and SW7 Gyms gives us a fantastic starting point. “It is great to be bringing a mixed-use development to such a well-connected location. The site was in huge need of redevelopment and our ambition has been to create somewhere that will benefit both the local, and wider, Cardiff community,
Rhys Price, Knight Frank Associate Partner, commented: “The development has created a balanced mix of both commercial and leisure uses and builds significantly on the site's prominent position within the north Cardiff market. Further units, due to be delivered next year, remain available to lease and will comprise a mix of approximately 1,500 sq ft and 2,500 sq ft units. “With The Padel Club and SW7 Gyms now confirmed, the transformation of Stride Park is gathering pace, creating a renewed destination that will support jobs, encourage investment and provide new opportunities for people to work, exercise, socialise and spend time in north Cardiff.”
Avalon Glen is focused on creating new opportunities across south Wales and England through property, leisure, renewable energy and sustainable development. It is led by owner Richard Walters, whose family has owned and driven a number of Wales’ most respected companies including Walters Group, Ffos Las Racecourse and Pennant Walters.
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Cardiff Times | 23
Tackling loneliness together by Natalie McCulloch
In
1975 Nobel Peace prize winner, Mother Teresa, famously declared that "Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty." Over 50 Years later sadly it is still a societal problem that needs tackling across the globe. Thankfully, there are an array of schemes being set up to do just that including the amazing South Wales group aptly named, ‘The Social Circle’, which is the incredible initiative of one lady on a mission to combat the loneliness she had firsthand experience of. Sue Edwards , the founder of ‘The Social Circle’ explained to CT her reasoning behind establishing the group “When my husband and I moved to a new area, I didn’t know anybody. My husband had recently gone through a bone marrow transplant and, because of his illness, had been made redundant. We sold our house and moved down here, and suddenly I found myself in a completely new area without the social network I had always had. At 64, making new friends isn’t always easy. When you’re no longer working, you don’t have the natural opportunities to meet people that come with work, children, school runs and everyday life.” Sue decided to be resourceful to combat her sense of loneliness and despite social anxieties, reached out to local ladies groups in the hope of meeting people. However, she found it incredibly difficult to become involved as everyone seemed to already know each other. But, instead of being disheartened, Sue courageously took another approach and decided to host something herself, and so ‘The Social Circle’ was born! And the results speak for themselves, Sue tells CT “I advertised in local groups,
24 | Cardiff Times
worked hard to promote The Social Circle and encouraged people to get involved. And very quickly it became apparent that there was a real need for something like this in our community. Socialising is good for the soul. It can help with your mental health, build confidence and self-esteem, give you a sense of worth and, perhaps most importantly, give you that wonderful feeling of belonging. I know this because I needed it myself.” She is a strong believer that “Nobody should ever have to walk into a room and feel like the stranger standing on the outside looking in.” which is why ‘The Social Circle’ is committed to being there for you when you need it, without payment or commitment, you don’t have to subscribe to go to a group regularly, but you just have to know you’re always welcome. “ Sue is true testament to the quote by Dalai Lama X1V who stated “If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” And hopefully the group will continue to go from strength to strength and make a huge difference in more lives. As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding, so here are a few words from ‘The Social Circle’ members “I really like what the social circle is about – bringing people together without any pressure or judgment. You can pick and choose what you feel like attending and just enjoy meeting new people.” – Sarah “You don’t always realise how much a group like this can mean until you become part of it” – Mike “It has opened up my world again” – Angela “Ive been able to meet some genuinely lovely people, make new friends and enjoy some great times along the way” – Mike “‘The Social Circle’ has been a lifeline for me, encouraging me to join events with other people who love life” – Patricia. “‘The Social Circle’ has allowed me to explore and do lunch in places I haven’t known about” – Val “‘The Social Circle’ has given me so much self confidence and improved my mental health” – Sian “‘The Social Circle’ has given me confidence to go out and meet new people. I have met some lovely ladies over the past couple of months” – Sue So, as you can see from these amazing testiments, People may join, ‘The Social Circle’ for all sorts of reasons for example, loneliness, which is something considered
by many to be one of the largest public health challenges we face. Perlman and Peplau used a cognitive deficit model to explain that loneliness is a discrepancy between ones desired and achieved levels of social relations. According to Government statistics, around 23% of people experience social loneliness (the absence of a broader social network), with single, divorced, or separated individuals showing the highest rates. So, by offering opportunities such as those ‘The Social Circle’ offers, people may have the opportunity to find something compatible with their lifestyles and thus counteract loneliness. Another reason people may join is to make new friends, fill spare time or start a new hobby, or perhaps to do new things, for example, to try a new restaurant or go to a Christmas market all things which could be enjoyed alone but may be enhanced in a crowd – the social circle is an ideal nonjudgemental space to suggest or join in with these type of things – you never know who might benefit. Whatever your reason if it’s something which you might enjoy or could help you do not hesitate to reach out and join in. Sue and the gang are waiting to welcome you with open arms! And what better time to get started than the autumnal months where many people struggle with motivation due to the darker evenings, SAD or colder climates, having a friendly face to prompt a social outing may be just what the doctor ordered! Plus, World Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10th 2026 and this year it is an opportunity to meaningfully engage with people with lived experience (PWLE) of mental health conditions and to recognize their knowledge as a vital form of expertise which is quite a fitting theme when considering group activities where inevitably some people will face mental health challenges but also a key reminder that we have the greatest gift to offer people, sometimes, which is the ability to ‘Pay it forward’ by telling others about the ‘treasure’ you’ve found! If all this sounds good and something you wish to know more about please do not hesitate to find ‘The Social Circle - South Wales’ on Facebook. It may be just what you need this Autumn!
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Cardiff Times | 25
Interview
Dean Williams Welsh Road Warrior Part 2 by Ralph Oates
In
this months edition of Cardiff Times we conclude the interview with Dean Williams regarding his career in boxing and his opinion on various aspects of the sport.
Questions: Ralph Oates
Who is your favourite old time boxer? DW Sugar Ray Robinson who’s real name was Walker Smith jr. He was a true great hold-ing the welterweight and middleweight world titles. He almost won a world title in the light-heavyweight division on the 25 June 1952. He challenged the reigning champion Joey Maxim at Madison Square Garden and looked to be ahead on points. The heat in the arena at the time was a reported 104 degree’s and this became to much for Robinson who retired in round 13. During his career he participated in an amazing 201 bouts winning 174 with 19 defeats,6 drawn and 2 no contests. In 1990 Robinson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Do you think professional boxing would be bettered served with just one world boxing organisation rather than four, or are you happy with the present situation? DW I am happy with the present situation because it gives fighters more opportunity to put themselves out there and thus a 26 | Cardiff Times
better chance to fight for a title. If there was just one champion he would be unable to accommodate all the contenders who would be knocking on his door. Which would mean that many worthy contenders would not get their deserved shot at a world title and that would be unfair. Also with just one champion in the top spot the situation would be politically controlled which isn’t good for the sport.
Over the years there have been a number of boxing commentators on TV who was your favourite? DW Roy Jones and Andre Ward two former world champions who really know the sport and this comes across when they are commentating on TV. They give the viewers a punch for punch account on what’s going on in the ring.
How do you feel about women boxing? DW Truthfully, I am fine with it there are been a number of contests in recent years in which they have shown their skills are at first class.
Looking back at the history of Welsh boxing, who in your opinion was the best professional boxer to emerge from Wales? DW Joe Calzaghe he was a talented southpaw and during his career won all versions of the world super-middleweight title, WBO, IBF, WBA and WBC. He also won the Brit-ish title at supermiddleweight. Calzaghe won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2007. A great honour was bestowed on him in 2014 when he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Lets not forget that he retired from boxing with an undefeated professional record of 46 fights.
Who do you think will be the next professional world champion to emerge from Wales? DW I think it will Gavin Gwynne, he has held the European, British and Commonwealth lightweight titles to date. He’s had a few setbacks in his time in the ring but he’s a determined competitor who always gives his very all when boxing. You cannot write him off.
Do you feel that women’s world title fights should be increased from 10 rounds to 12 or stay as it is. DW I think the rounds should remain at 10.
How do you feel about there being so many weight divisions in boxing? DW I thinks it’s great this gives so many fighters a better chance. Where People, Business and Community Connect
Apart from boxing what other sports do you enjoy? DW Football (soccer) and I am a big MMA fan.
What are your ambitions for the future? DW My main ambition is to keep growing, keep teaching and making champions. I have had 46 years of experience in the sport. I would love one of my young fighters to make it all the way to becoming a world champion. That would be a very proud day of me.
Do you have any hobbies?
Dean Williams with Sylvester Stallone. (Image courtesy of Dean Williams)
Do you have a favourite boxing film? DW Creed 2 because I am in it. It’s amazing when you think that as a kid I was inspired by Rocky, never believing for one minute that one day I would be chosen to be part of the Rocky franchise movies. When I met Sylvester Stallone, yes Rocky himself he treated as if we had known each other for years. This was really something. There is an old saying Dreams Can Come True. I am living proof of that.
What changes if any would you like to see in professional boxing? DW I would like to see some kind of health care plan for fighters even after they have left the sport. Something like this is greatly needed. cardiff-times.co.uk
"There is an old saying, 'Dreams Can Come True'. I am living proof of that."
DW My hobbies are spending time with my Bulldog Chelsea and my Bunny Rabbit Bugzy. This gives me a great deal of contentment. No one could ask for more.
I would like to thank Dean for giving his time to take part in this interview. His views on boxing are interesting and its clear that he still has much to give to the sport. Over the years Wales has produced a number of world title holders, it would be fan-tastic if Dean was able to bring a fighter through who would add his name to the list of champions. We at Cardiff Times wish Dean every success for the future.
Subscribe to Dean's Youtube Dean Williams Welsh Road Warrior
Cardiff Times | 27
Wales invited to Go Yellow in memory of Ben and Kory Two young lives lost. One campaign helping to save the next life. Thousands of hearts protected.
Every family hopes they'll never receive the phone call that changes everything. For the families of Ben McDonald and Kory Russell, that moment came far too soon. Both were vibrant young men with their whole lives ahead of them. Their sudden deaths left families, friends and communities devastated, and raised the heartbreaking question that so many families ask afterwards: Could this have been prevented?
37,000 defibrillators into communities across the UK. Yet every week, an estimated 12 people die from sudden cardiac death, often with little or no warning. Behind every one of those statistics is a family whose life has changed forever. The Go Yellow Campaign exists because Ben and Kory's families believe that awareness, early detection and education can change that story for someone else.
Rather than allowing tragedy to define them, Ben's mum, Ruth McDonald, and Kory's mum, Rhi Russell, chose a different path.
Whether it's wearing yellow to work or school, holding a bake sale, organising a sponsored challenge or bringing a community together for a fundraising event, every pound raised will help fund the charity's lifesaving work and spread one simple message: Screen Early. Save Lives. Since it was founded, Calon Hearts has screened almost 38,000 hearts, trained almost 605,000 people in CPR and helped place more than 28 | Cardiff Times
Sharon Owen, Founder and Chief Executive of Calon Hearts, said: "Go Yellow is about standing beside families who have turned their greatest heartbreak into hope for others. Every fundraiser helps us reach more communities, screen more young people and save more lives." Calon Hearts is encouraging schools, businesses, sports clubs, community groups and individuals to download its fundraising pack and organise their own Go Yellow event during the campaign.
Today they serve as President and Vice President of Calon Hearts, working alongside the charity to help ensure fewer families experience what they have. Together, they have transformed personal loss into a powerful mission to save lives through heart screening, CPR education and access to defibrillators. Now, throughout 1–16 October, Calon Hearts is inviting people across Wales to join them by taking part in the Go Yellow Campaign.
"Kory should still be here. But his legacy isn't defined by how he died, but by the lives that can be saved because people choose to act. If his story inspires just one family to book a heart screening, one school to hold a fundraiser or one person to learn CPR, then Kory's legacy will continue to save lives."
Because behind every yellow ribbon, every yellow shirt and every fundraising challenge is the chance to help another family avoid the unimaginable. Rhian Russell (L) and Ruth Macdonald (R)
This October, wear yellow. Raise funds. Help save a life.
Ruth McDonald, President of Calon Hearts, said: "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about Ben. If sharing his story encourages just one young person to be screened or inspires someone to raise funds that help save another family from experiencing what ours has been through, then his legacy lives on." Rhi Russell, Vice President of Calon Hearts, added:
Scan here to download your fundraising pack
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BEYOND Hospitality launches UEFA EURO 2028™ Official Hospitality sales – online and via network in key countries
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Official Hospitality sales for the UEFA Euro 2028 packages are now available, with packages available across all nine tournament stadiums.
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A range of hospitality options for fans, businesses and groups will be available, combining official match tickets with premium seating, hospitality facilities, food and beverage, and entertaining opportunities.
Individual football fans and corporate supporters will now be able to secure their ticket-inclusive UEFA EURO 2028™ Official Hospitality packages for matches across all nine tournament venues.
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Platinum: premium, restaurant lounge inside the stadium.
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Prestige: contemporary and cool, lounge in stadium or adjacent location.
With an exceptionally developed and mature market for football fixtures established in the host nations, demand for 2028 – when Europe's best national teams come together across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – is expected to outpace prior editions of the tournament.
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Club: festive and fun, shared hospitality venue in stadium or adjacent location.
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Supporters Club: teamthemed, shared venue in stadium or adjacent location.
BEYOND Hospitality, the Official UEFA EURO 2028™ Hospitality Provider, will offer ticket-inclusive Official Hospitality packages across the tournament. Whether hosting clients, celebrating with friends, or following your team through the tournament, Official Hospitality offers many ways to experience UEFA EURO 2028™, with level of service and benefits commensurate with the tier purchased. This ranges from family-friendly and social, to exclusive and ‘executive’ provision:
Executive Chairman of BEYOND Hospitality, Jaime Byrom said: “UEFA EURO 2028 will be a major celebration of European football, bringing Europe's best national teams and their supporters to four host nations and some of the most iconic football cities in the UK and Ireland. We are excited to welcome returning guests, new fans and those looking to experience this tournament on home soil. We are exceptionally proud of the opportunity we have to deliver for this landmark event. Our Official Hospitality programme – under the slogan ‘Raise the Game!’ – has been designed to make the most of nine outstanding stadiums and the unique character of each host city, with a range of hospitality options for enjoying the football, entertaining guests, and embracing the occasion.”
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Skybox: private suites with adjacent seating, and dedicated service. BEYOND Platinum: a signature experience in an elite, shared stadium lounge, offered only in select venues.
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UEFA EURO 2028™ will be one of the largest sporting events ever staged across the UK and Ireland, with 24 national teams competing across 51 matches in Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Newcastle, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and London. The tournament will open at the National Stadium of Wales in Cardiff on 9 June 2028 before culminating with the semi-finals and final at Wembley Stadium.
NOW ON SALE Official Hospitality sales packages are now available through BEYOND Hospitality and its international sales network. Existing stadium box holders have had access to a presale period. Official Hospitality uses fixed pricing, rather than dynamic. This ensures transparency for corporate and individual buyers, allowing for planning and budget approval as needed.
For more information and to register for Official Hospitality, visit www.euro2028.beyond-hospitality.com.
Cardiff Times | 29
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Cardiff Times | 31
The Now Bring Moments in Motion to Life at Cardiff's Clwb Ifor Bach
F
or a band called The Now, there is something rather appropriate about the feeling of Friday night's show at Cardiff's Clwb Ifor Bach. This was a band firmly rooted in the present, but with one eye very clearly on what comes next. South Wales four-piece The Now brought their latest headline show to the capital as part of a three-date run through Manchester, Cardiff and London, giving fans an early taste of their eagerly anticipated second album, ‘Moments in Motion’, ahead of its release on 27th October via Trew Music. The Now have come a long way from their beginnings in the South Wales live scene. What started with frontman Shane Callaghan and guitarist Callum Bromage meeting through local jam nights has grown into a band that has played major festivals, toured the UK and shared stages with some of the country's best-known rock and alternative acts. For a band with such strong South Wales roots, the Cardiff show offered a chance to see where The Now are heading next and importantly, hear some of that new material in a live setting. This was their home region, their audience, and an opportunity to show just how much has changed. The set opened with ‘Just You’, one of the new album's tracks, before ‘Infection’ immediately raised the energy. Rather than treating the forthcoming record as something to be saved for release day, The Now gave it a starring role from the outset, weaving new songs throughout a set that also celebrated the band's journey so far. 32 | Cardiff Times
Image: Jon Herron
‘Roll With It’ followed, before the title track ‘Moments in Motion’ arrived, which was a particular highlight. There is a noticeably different energy around the new material. Moments in Motion represents a significant evolution from the band's debut, Too Hot To Handle, bringing a stronger emphasis on groove, melody and movement while keeping the guitars firmly in the picture.
"This was their home region, their audience, and an opportunity to show just how much has changed."
‘Wild Curse’ and ‘Did You Miss Me?’ came next, the latter is arguably one of The Now's most immediate songs yet, built around a huge hook, an infectious bassline and a distinctly eighties-inspired mix of guitars, keys and synths, and it is easy to imagine that chorus becoming a regular singalong. The band kept the momentum moving with ‘Fake It, Until You Lose It’, before making room for a few unexpected moments. Their inclusion of Chappell Roan's ‘Pink Pony Club’ showed another side to the band, adding a playful change of pace, and ‘Drug’ brought the energy back up, with ‘Drug’ offering a darker counterpoint. The song explores the addictive pull of a
destructive relationship, comparing the highs, cravings and withdrawals of love and obsession to dependency. The Now ended with ‘Get Out’, taken from their debut album ‘Too Hot To Handle’, it represents an important part of The Now’s growth. The track began life almost as a joke, but its reaction from audiences helped point the band towards the more electronic, dance-rock direction that would eventually become a major part of their new sound. It is also a song that singer Shane has previously singled out as a favourite to perform live, and it is not difficult to understand why. By this point, the band had the room with them, and the performance brought the night to a suitably emphatic close. What makes Moments in Motion so intriguing is just how far The Now have allowed themselves to move from their beginnings. The album takes the guitar-led foundations of Too Hot To Handle and opens them up, bringing groove, melody and space much further into the band's sound. This was The Now playing Cardiff, surrounded by an audience who have watched the band grow from the South Wales scene into something considerably bigger. And with Moments in Motion approaching, there was a feeling that the band are ready for the next step. The album arrives on 27th October via Trew Music. The Now’s album ‘Moments In Motion’ is out on October 27th.
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Cardiff Times | 33
Dog Man the Musical
him to create stories and supporting his creative interests. Their support and love were vital in helping him develop as a reader, writer and illustrator. This was how characters such as Captain Underpants and Dog Man began. Aneirin was diagnosed with dyslexia while studying at Oxford University. “I’ve always had a love of literature and words, ever since I was very young. When I was younger, I was an enthusiastic reader, but I would spend more time than others reading content, sometimes reading the same line twice.
D
og Man The Musical comes to Wales Millennium Centre this October. This funny and heartwarming new musical is based on the hugely popular book series by author Dav Pilkey, whose books have now sold more than 70 million copies worldwide. The books have been published in 48 languages, including Welsh, thanks to the work of poet and author Aneirin Karadog and publishers Rily. With Dog Man The Musical arriving in Cardiff on 16 and 17 October, the poet is excited to see the show live with his family, as well as to celebrate his latest publication – his second Welsh adaptation of the Dog Man series, Penci: 2 Ar Garlam, which is published on 28 October. “It was harder than expected to find the right name that would work in the same way as Dog Man does in English, as neither Ci-Ddyn nor Dyn-Gi sounded right. When Penci came along, it worked. It feels playful and appropriate, and the publishers agreed,” says Aneirin. The Welsh-language author had some awareness of Dav Pilkey’s work before taking on the adaptations, but what brings him the most joy is seeing young audiences in Wales reading the work and entering the unique universe of the stories. Aneirin’s experience is very similar to that of the original author of the Dog Man books, as Dav Pilkey lives with dyslexia and ADHD. Pilkey has been very open about the difficulties he experienced at school when he was young. He was often sent out into the corridor by teachers because of his behaviour in class, and at the time there were few resources available to support children with dyslexia and ADHD. This could leave him feeling isolated and as though he did not belong, but his love of creating comics became an important focus for him. His parents were hugely supportive of his creativity, encouraging
34 | Cardiff Times
“By the time I reached university, there were signs that I was finding things more difficult. The university paid for me to have a dyslexia assessments – in-depth tests to find out exactly what was happening. The psychologist found that the literacy side of my brain was working well, but the perceptual side wasn’t as strong. “I was given the dyslexia label, and I wrestled with it for a while. I was grateful to have an explanation, but the whole thing was new and unexpected.” The adaptation of the Penci books has been a hugely rewarding experience for Aneirin. “I’ve discovered a world of entertainment through adapting these books, and there is such a wealth of books in the series that it’s possible the Welsh-language world of Penci could continue and continue.” The first Penci adaptation was published last year and received an excellent response among young Welsh-language readers. This prompted the publication of the second adaptation, Penci: 2 Ar Garlam, which is due to be published by Rily on 28 October. “The response has been fantastic. I received a message from a Welsh-speaking family in Scotland who were looking for books to encourage their children to continue with Welsh, and they absolutely love Penci. Some parents and their children have also sent me videos showing their appreciation. “My son has devoured the Welsh versions of Penci. He loves comics, just as I did when I was young. I loved Asterix, and that inspired me to read it in French after
learning French while spending summers with my family in Brittany.” “The adaptation process is a mixture of all sorts of discoveries. Some of the English jokes don’t translate into Welsh, but the fact that there are two characters in the story, Gwern and Heulyn, who create the story, makes things more interesting because there is a story within a story.” Aneirin is encouraging children across Wales to read the first book, Penci, to get to know the characters and understand the background, as the second book continues from there. “Things get even crazier and funnier in the second book. More possibilities open up for the characters, and new characters join them too. There are twists and turns along the way, all as a result of the incredible imagination of the original author, Dav Pilkey.” Aneirin also spoke about his excitement at seeing Dog Man The Musical on stage: “I’m really looking forward to seeing how the Dog Man books have been adapted for the stage and how the adventures have been brought to life through song. It was a pleasure watching the Dog Man film when it came to the big screen, and it shows that fun and iconic characters can live across many different forms of media. “My son and my partner’s son, who both enjoy the books in Welsh and English, are really looking forward to it too – almost as much as I am!” This epic musical adventure has a book and lyrics by Kevin Del Aguila (two-time Emmy Award-winning writer of the PBS show Peg + Cat), music by Brad Alexander (Drama Desk-nominated See Rock City & Other Destinations); and is directed and choreographed by Jen Wineman.
Dog Man The Musical Wales Millennium Centre 16 & 17 October Penci: 2. Ar Garlam On sale – 28 October
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Cardiff Times | 35
Prevention before crisis
for problems which may otherwise remain undiscovered in people who feel perfectly well.
What heart health can teach us about mental health
Cardiff Times is supporting the charity this October and, while reading about its work, I kept coming back to one thought.
by Gareth Strangemore-Jones
Cardiff charity Calon Hearts shows why acting before an emergency can save lives through heart screening, CPR training, and accessible defibrillators.
I have never heard anyone apologise for checking their blood pressure too early.
We are surprisingly comfortable spending time and money preparing for a heart problem that may never happen.
There is a difference, obviously. The heart is an organ and mental health describes a vast and complicated part of human experience. A defibrillator can correct certain dangerous heart rhythms. There is no box on a wall which can restore a marriage, undo childhood trauma, fix a bullying boss or make somebody stop grieving.
Good.
Nor would I want us to start treating ordinary unhappiness as disease.
Mental healthcare can learn from prevention, with earlier support helping people before anxiety, depression, stress, or other difficulties become overwhelming.
Prevention must never replace specialist care or ignore wider causes such as poverty, housing, relationships, workplace culture, and excessive workloads.
Mental Health Matrix offers more than 500 programmes, free resources, and professional support, helping people understand and address difficulties before crisis.
I started noticing defibrillators when I began looking for them. There is one outside a shop I use. Another at a gym. They are at railway stations, workplaces, sports clubs, schools and community buildings. Usually, nobody pays them much attention, which is exactly what you want. If the box stays shut all year, that has been a good year. Calon Hearts would like a lot more of them. The Cardiff charity has now placed 37,434 defibrillators and trained 604,463 people in CPR. It has also screened 37,629 hearts, looking 36 | Cardiff Times
who almost apologise for coming to therapy because somebody else, somewhere, must surely have it worse.
Life hurts sometimes. Bereavement hurts. Rejection hurts. Losing your job can be frightening. Being angry does not give you an anger disorder, and feeling anxious before an important event does not necessarily mean there is anything wrong with you. But a considerable gap exists between saying that distress can be normal and deciding we should ignore it until it becomes unbearable.
Why are we less comfortable doing that with our mental health? I ask this partly because of what I have seen in my own work. I have now delivered more than 10,000 therapy sessions, and people rarely arrive with a life which was fine on Tuesday and fell apart on Wednesday.
Research gives us some reason to take that gap seriously. In 2024, The Lancet Psychiatry published an analysis of 30 randomised trials involving 7,201 adults who had depressive symptoms but had not developed major depressive disorder.
More often, there was a run-up. They tell you they have not slept properly for six months. Work has become horrible. They stopped seeing friends. The Sunday night dread now starts on Saturday. They have become short-tempered at home. They know they are drinking more than they used to. Quite often they knew something was wrong long before anybody else did. Yet many waited. Some hoped it would sort itself out. Some did not know where to go. Others felt their problem was not serious enough. There are people
Those receiving preventative psychological interventions were less likely to develop major depression during the following year. The effect was not shown at 24 months, which is important. It would be easy to turn the study into the much more exciting claim that psychological intervention can inoculate people against depression. It cannot. What the research suggests is less dramatic and more useful. For some people, doing something earlier may alter what happens next.
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The Welsh Government appears to recognise this. Its Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2025 to 2035 puts considerably more emphasis on prevention and earlier intervention.
use a resource and get what they need. Someone else may want a conversation. Another person may need ongoing therapy, while someone with a different problem should speak to their GP or another specialist altogether.
There is a catch
We offer a free initial consultation so people can talk about what is happening before deciding which category they belong in.
Prevention can become a lovely word for spending less money. If somebody needs specialist mental healthcare, giving them an online course and calling it early intervention is not progress. If a worker is becoming ill because three people are doing the work of five, a resilience workshop does not magically make the staffing problem disappear. NICE guidance on mental wellbeing at work specifically asks employers to look at things such as workload, autonomy, management and workplace culture. Quite right too. I teach mindfulness. I use it clinically and believe it can be enormously helpful. I still do not believe you can meditate your way out of bad housing, poverty or an abusive relationship. Sometimes we need to change how we respond to life. Sometimes life needs changing. Prevention should widen the staircase, not lower the ceiling of specialist care. That distinction has influenced how we have developed Mental Health Matrix The platform now offers more than 500 structured programmes, plus hundreds of free resources and access to one-to-one professional support. Some people come because they are struggling with anxiety, sleep, stress, grief, relationships, confidence or trauma. Others simply want to understand something about themselves better. Not everybody needs therapy. That sentence matters to me. Someone might read an article, cardiff-times.co.uk
None of that guarantees anything. Neither does a heart screening. CPR training does not guarantee that the person you help will survive. Installing a defibrillator does not guarantee it will be used. Calon Hearts is not in the business of guarantees. It is trying to improve somebody's chances.
MentalHealthMatrix.com has the programmes, free resources and details of professional support.
That may be the useful connection between heart health and mental health after all. Not that they are the same. They plainly are not.
And this brings me back to those boxes on walls
It is simply that waiting for the worst possible moment is a peculiar way to look after either.
On 24 October, Calon Hearts is holding a screening day at The Fitness Quarter in Cardiff Bay. Screening is free for people aged from 15 and a half to 26, while subsidised screening is available for older adults. Most of the young people who attend will presumably arrive hoping to be told that everything looks fine. Nobody will accuse them of wasting the cardiologist's time if it does.
For heart screening, CPR training, defibrillators and information about supporting Calon Hearts, visit calonhearts.org. For a free mental health assessment and immediate access to free support information and practical resources, visit www.mentalhealthmatrix.com.
That attitude is worth thinking about. Perhaps prevention doesn't always need to be a programme, a strategy, or another health campaign. It might begin with becoming a little less embarrassed about paying attention. You have not slept properly for weeks. Pay attention. Your friend who was always out has vanished. Give them a ring. You dread going to work, and you did not six months ago. Ask yourself what changed. Your child is suddenly not themselves. Do not automatically dismiss it as a phase.
Gareth Strangemore-Jones is Founder, CEO and Clinical Lead of MentalHealthMatrix.com. He is a clinical psychotherapist and pluralistic counsellor who has delivered more than 10,000 therapeutic sessions, including more than 5,000 online.
And if something seems beyond the sort of help that friends, families, employers or self-care can reasonably provide, involve somebody qualified to help. Cardiff Times | 37
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