ISSUE 209
Where People, Business and Community Connect
SEPT 2026
FREE
Advertisement Feature
High quality care in Cardiff At Llys Herbert and Llys Cyncoed in Cardiff our highly trained teams are experts in providing high quality care from residential and dementia care to short-term care. Our homes offer luxurious facilities, including a coffee shop, hair salon and beautiful landscaped gardens with a passionate Lifestyle team that
Award winning care homes
means your loved one’s day will never be the same.
To find out more about all 0333 060 2897.
A lifestyle tailored to you
Llys Cyncoed care home 127 Cyncoed Road, Cyncoed, Cardiff, Glamorgan CF23 6AF
At Llys Herbert and Llys Cyncoed our teams are passionate about supporting you to enjoy a fulfilling life. We’ll learn all about your interests and preferences so we can create a fully personalised lifestyle plan that you’ll enjoy; whether it’s gardening, cheese and wine socials or playing chess.
Llys Herbert care home Ty-Draw Road, Lisvane, Cardiff, Glamorgan CF14 0AW careuk.com/cardiff
Quality care, 6 weeks free* At Llys Cyncoed and Llys Herbert you can be sure that your loved one will receive the highest quality of care. What’s more, we’re offering new permanent residents six weeks’ free. Llys Herbert care home, Lisvane Llys Cyncoed care home, Cyncoed 0330 029 6609 careuk.com/cardiff Trusted to care
* Subject to availability. Visit careuk.com/cardiff for terms and conditions.
02 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
TREATMENTS Nail Cut & File Corns & Callus Cracked Heels Ingrown Toe Nails Verucca Treatment Diabetic Foot
Contact Heather 07887 332 753 Mobile Foot Health Clinic Cardiff cardiff-times.co.uk
feetfirsttherapy24@gmail.com www.feetfirsttherapy@co.uk
Cardiff Times | 03
04 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
VOTED NO.1 MOBILITY RETAILER IN THE UK OFFERS APPLICABLE 1ST JUNE – 30TH AUGUST
VISIT YOUR LOCAL ABLEWORLD STORE TODAY MOBILITY SCOOTERS
£549
*
NOW FROM GOGO GB ELITE BOOT SCOOTER
WALKERS
NOW FROM
£44
.99
JOLLY SPORT BOOT SCOOTER
*
WHEELCHAIRS
NOW FROM
£69
*
ATOM N-FOLD BOOT SCOOTER
EXCLUS IVE TO ABLEW ORLD
SALE PRICE
FEATUR ZERO ING TECHNOTURN LOGY
SALE PRICE
£1599
AVAILABLE IN 2 COLOURS
£949
SAVE £50
RED BLUE
SAVE £50
*
*
RISER RECLINER CHAIRS
LIGHT WEIGH T
SALE PRICE
£1599* SAVE £100
FREE BAG WITH ALL MOBILITY SCOOTER AND POWERCHAIR PURCHASES
£299
*
FROM
NEW
UNMISSABLE STAIRLIFT OFFERS STRAIGHT STAIRLIFTS OFTEN FITTED NEXT DAY
NEW STRAIGHT £1695* NEW CURVED
FREE 7 DAY / 24HR MANNED HELPLINE
RECONDITIONED FROM ONLY * RECONDITIONED FROM ONLY * £795 CURVED £2295 STRAIGHT
FRIENDLY LOCAL
ENGINEERS
FROM ONLY
SAVE
FROM ONLY
£3345
*
SELECTED VOUCHER ON ALL PLUS £250 ABLEWORLD £250! ONSTAIRLIFTS NEW STAIRLIFT PURCHASES
WE PROVIDE A FREE, NO-OBLIGATION HOME SURVEY
STAIRLIFT FREEPHONE 0808 161 7179 – FREE SURVEY
CARDIFF
www.ableworld.co.uk Voted UK’s no.1 Mobility Retailer 2019, by Access & Mobility Professionals
ABLEWORLD
Penarth Road Retail Park Penarth Road, Cardiff, CF11 8EF
Tel: (02921) 321072 cardiff@ableworld.co.uk
NHS Vouchers Welcome Where Applicable *VAT Exempt - Ask in Store for Details MRP- Manufacturers Recommended Price Previous Price - Sold for 28 days in last 6 Further details on all our stores can be found on: www.ableworld.co.uk months at our Nantwich Store cardiff-times.co.uk Times 05 Insurance/Warranty is arranged by Ableworld UK Ltd and provided through Mark Bates Ltd t/a Premier Care, Premier House, Londonthorpe Road, Cardiff Grantham, Lincs,| NG319SN who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FRN308390. Calls made to this number may be recorded for monitoring and quality purposes
NQP270726012
Between Brewers Paints and Crown Paints
In The Words Of by Carl Marsh
September 2026
W
ell, September already… and I'm still talking about Japan. I did warn you last month that it was coming, and having finally sat down and gone through everything I did there, I'm not sure one page is ever going to be enough. South Korea was class, and somewhere I absolutely want to visit for a second, probably even a third, time, but Japan got me in a different way. From Fukuoka, Hiroshima and Osaka through to Kyoto, Nara, Mount Fuji and eventually the madness of Tokyo, almost every day gave me something completely different. You can read my full Japan travel review in this issue so that I won't repeat it all here, but I have to mention Nara again. Those nodding deer! I went there expecting to enjoy it and came away genuinely wondering whether I could live there for a month or two. It wasn't only the deer, although making several hundred new fourlegged mates certainly helped; it was the whole feel of the place. Then there was Tokyo: Street Kart across Rainbow Bridge, DisneySea — where Soaring: Fantastic Flight was immense — Shibuya, teamLab Planets, far too many Pokémon and Nintendo shops, and finally getting a decent view of Mount Fuji from Shibuya Sky after barely seeing the thing when I was actually staying near it. Typical. I've also reviewed THE BLOSSOM HAKATA Premier in Fukuoka, which became one of the real surprises of the trip, especially that executive lounge. Japan… what a place. I will be back.
06 | Cardiff Times
Interviews Back home, I've got two very different interviews for you this month. The Amazons return to Cardiff's Tramshed on 27 September, celebrating 21st Century Fiction: Epilogue, the expanded version of their 2025 album with four new tracks, and I spoke to Matt Thomson about the record, how the band has changed and what nearly a decade of songwriting has taught him. The second chat was with Barry From Watford, who, at the grand old age of 92, is finally heading out on his own tour with Shooting From The New Hip at The Glee, Cardiff on 24 September. Even better, after Barry spent time supporting Clinton Baptiste, Clinton is now supporting him. Oh, how the tables have turned. And, as you can probably imagine, Barry had absolutely no intention of letting that one pass quietly. Review: Flight Club Cardiff I've been to Flight Club a few times now and recently went back with two of my staff for another night. Before I even get to the darts, food or drinks though, I need to mention just how welcome the three of us were made to feel. Honestly, nothing was too much trouble. From the moment we arrived until we left, the staff were friendly, attentive and actually seemed to care that we were having a good night, rather than simply showing us to an oche and disappearing. It makes such a difference, and when somebody gets service right, I think it deserves mentioning. Then there's the actual darts. Now, this is only my opinion, so any serious darts players reading this can forgive me, but normal darts can get a bit tedious for me after a while. Throw, collect your darts, throw again… you get the idea. Flight Club completely changes that because the games they've created around it are genius. You're still throwing real darts at a real board, but the technology handles everything else and turns it into something much more competitive, fast-moving and, most importantly, fun. You don't even need to be particularly good at darts — which helps — and nobody spends half the night trying to work
out scores. Pick a game, get on with it and suddenly you're wondering where the last hour went. I've been several times, and that part never seems to get old. And then there's the food. Firstly, the size of the pizzas! They're enormous. There's plenty more on the menu, too, with a really varied choice that works particularly well when you're there as a group, and everyone fancies something different. The drinks selection is just as good, obviously with plenty of alcoholic choices. Still, in my case the nonalcoholic options were very welcome and, importantly, didn't feel like an afterthought. I've been to enough places where not drinking alcohol seems to mean choosing between a cola, lemonade or water, so it was nice to have some proper choice. I've been to Flight Club before, and I'll definitely go again, but this visit reminded me why places like this work so well. Yes, the games are clever, the food is good, and the whole place has a great atmosphere, but sometimes it's the people who make your night, and the way the three of us were looked after from start to finish was probably the thing I remembered most afterwards. Class.
That's September done. Japan might finally be out of my system on these pages… although, actually, who am I kidding? I'm already thinking about going back. For now though, it's back to Cardiff, plenty more gigs, interviews, food and whatever else I somehow end up doing between now and the next deadline. See you next month, Carl Marsh Twitter
@InTheWordsOf_CM
YouTube
InTheWordsOf
Website
InTheWordsOf.com
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Interview
Interview
Barry From Watford
The Amazons
Words: Carl Marsh
Words: Carl Marsh
At 92, Barry From Watford has decided it's finally time to headline his own national tour. Shooting From The New Hip arrives at The Glee in Cardiff this September, complete with home movies, nostalgia, plenty of jokes and one familiar face relegated to support duties: Clinton Baptiste. Oh, how the tables have turned.
The Amazons return to Cardiff's Tramshed this September as 21st Century Fiction: Epilogue expands their 2025 album with four brand-new tracks. Ahead of the show, I spoke to frontman Matt Thomson about unfinished songs, a changing band, growing as a songwriter and why inspiration still has to come before craft.
You supported Clinton Baptiste on his last tour. How does it feel having Clinton supporting you this time?
The four new tracks on 21st Century Fiction: Epilogue aren't simply bonus material. Why did they deserve to become part of the album's story?
Barry From Watford: Well, it's really nice to get out of the house. There's only so much looking out at people parking in your space you can do before you decide you really have to go out and get a proper life. Margaret, my wife, is there every day. She's a constant companion and very supportive, but in this weather she does tend to smell a little bit, so it's quite nice to get away into a hotel room with at least a bit of Glade. At 92, why finally tour the country yourself?
There is a certain amount of "I've got to do it now before it's too late." I must have been to about 94% of the Premier Inns when I was supporting Clinton Baptiste, but I want to get the last 6%. I don't feel I've had quite enough cheap sausages in my life. I'll also be showing my home movies, cine film from this country from about 1950 to 1980. There's a lot of nostalgia, a lot of fun and a lot of bleeding jokes as well. And is Clinton happy now that he's the warm-up act?
He'd like to do more. He'd like to earn more money from it! I had the thin end of the wedge, getting changed in the toilets on his tour. Now it's his turn. The thing is, he likes to dress up like Torvill and Dean, so he needs more space in his dressing room. What do I need? My clicker for my laptop and my nice blazer. Him, he's all feather boas and Copacabana when he comes o//n. You've lived through rationing, rock and roll, the internet and now influencers. Which invention has done the most damage to civilisation? Without doubt, Instagram. I cannot leave it alone. I'd be embarrassed to show you how many hours I spend on my phone. For some strange reason, I want to watch people doing silly dances in their kitchens or eating very hot chilli. The best invention, without any shadow of a doubt, was Linda Lusardi. Always loved her work. After 92 years, what's the best lesson life has taught you?
Carpe diem. Seize the day. Don't waste any time. No one cares about your standing; it's all in your own head. Go out, see your friends, have a good time. I've had Wagyu beef, I've passed Gloria Hunniford on the South Bank, and I've eaten a mild curry. I've achieved pretty much everything I wanted to do. Just enjoy yourself — which can be done by coming to see my bloody show. That's the first step.
Barry From Watford brings Shooting From The New Hip to The Glee, Cardiff on Thursday 24 September 2026, with Clinton Baptiste — yes, really — in support.
cardiff-times.co.uk
Matt Thomson: I think with these songs, it was half songs that hadn't really been finished in time for the record, and that were gnawing at us to finish. Then there were a couple, in the case of One Hot July especially, that we wrote when Ella was joining the band for real, and that was our first totally co-written song. We really believed in 21st Century Fiction, and we wanted to go on tour again and hit towns and cities that we hadn't the first time around. We had new music and more dates we wanted to do, so it all felt like a good fit for this particular album campaign. For someone who has never heard The Amazons before, would you point them towards the original album or straight towards Epilogue? I'd say Epilogue, mostly because it builds on what we were doing on 21st Century Fiction, but I think it's definitely a strong indicator of where we're going in the future. I can see Ella taking on more and more of a central role in the songwriting and in the songs themselves. Blood on the Bone, One Hot July, and another one called Kicking In are really good indicators of where we're going sonically, which is exciting. Nearly a decade on from your debut, are you chasing different things when writing songs now? Yeah, I think there's more consideration of things like lyrics. Over ten years of songwriting, the songs that have lasted for me are the ones where I really painted a proper picture with the lyrics. In the beginning, lyrics were kind of an afterthought; it was all about how the music made me feel, the urgency and excitement. Over the years, I've developed more of a worldview as an artist and lyricist. I think we're better songwriters as a whole now. The trick as you get older is not letting the spark and that urgency leave you. Are the best songs discovered or deliberately crafted? At the point of inspiration, it's nothing but discovery. They just come, and there's no rhyme or reason. You could be playing the same chord progression you did the day before, but sing some different melody, and suddenly you're onto something. Now I'm better equipped to capitalise on discovery and inspiration. It really is a bit of both.
The Amazons play Cardiff's Tramshed on 27 September 2026. 21st Century Fiction: Epilogue, the expanded edition of their 2025 album, features four brand-new tracks.
Cardiff Times | 07
Japan... What A Place Words: Carl Marsh
A
fter South Korea, it was on to Japan, arriving in Fukuoka after getting the overnight ferry across from Busan, and I've already mentioned elsewhere just how much I loved Fukuoka and my stay at THE BLOSSOM HAKATA Premier, so I won't go over all that again. But Japan… Honestly, where do I even start? I'd wanted to go for years, had ridiculously high expectations before getting there, and somehow it still managed to exceed pretty much all of them. One of my first stops was Miyajima, and this was probably the first time I had one of those proper "I'm actually in Japan" moments. You've got the deer wandering around everywhere, which I obviously loved, and then the famous huge red torii gate sitting out in the water, or seemingly floating in it when the tide is high. It's one of those images you've seen hundreds of times before, but actually standing there looking at it is completely different. From there it was Hiroshima, which is a difficult place to describe without getting too heavy, because you obviously know what happened there before you arrive, but actually being there and seeing it for yourself does make you stop and think. Then Osaka, which couldn't have been more different. Lights, people, noise, food, the famous Glico Running Man at Dotonbori — another one of those things I'd seen countless times in photos and suddenly there it was in front of me — before also getting to Himeji and then heading onto Kyoto. I loved Kyoto, especially the temples and the older, more traditional side of Japan, but it was from here that I went somewhere that really did become one of my favourite places of the entire trip… Nara. Oh, Nara. I absolutely loved it. Yes, there are temples, history and some beautiful places to walk around, but I'm not going to pretend the stars of the show for me weren't the deer. Hundreds of them wandering freely around Nara Park, and if you buy the 08 | Cardiff Times
special crackers, they actually nod at you for them. If you can picture me just nodding at deer, the deer nodding back at me, and within about ten minutes I'd basically made hundreds of new mates!! They can get a little [very!] pushy when they know you've got food, but that made me like them even more. I loved the whole atmosphere of Nara too, though, not just the deer. It felt calmer, very open, green… just somewhere where I could imagine spending more time. And now that I am back, I'm already thinking of heading back for a month or two, using Nara as my base, and then heading off to explore different parts of Japan from there. That's how much I liked it.
Next up was the Mount Fuji area, and I was finally going to get that view I'd been waiting for. Except I didn't. Well, I saw clouds. Lots and lots of clouds. Fuji was definitely behind them somewhere, but it really wasn't playing ball, which was slightly annoying after travelling all that way. Thankfully, a few days later Tokyo sorted that one out for me, because Tokyo is just bonkers. Brilliantly bonkers. I went to Shibuya several times, both during the day and at night, and that crossing really is as crazy as it looks. People everywhere, all crossing at once, and somehow nobody seems to walk into anybody else. Shibuya Sky was superb too, and then, finally, there it was in the distance… Mount Fuji. I'd travelled to Fuji and barely seen the thing, only to end up getting a better view from the top of a building in Tokyo. Typical. I also did Tokyo City View and teamLab Planets, which is hard to explain until you've actually been inside, but definitely worth it. I spent
far too much time in Nintendo and Pokémon stores and bought loads of gacha too. If you've never seen these before, they're little capsule machines that are absolutely everywhere in Japan — put your money in, turn the handle and out comes a random collectable. Mine were Pokémon, and once I started collecting them, it became slightly addictive. I regret nothing - I have about 40 of them! Then there was Street Kart, which was completely mad. Driving an actual go-kart through Tokyo traffic and across Rainbow Bridge, at one point hitting around 60mph, was one of those moments where I genuinely thought, "How am I actually doing this in the middle of Tokyo?" You do need an International Driving Permit, but it's easy enough to sort in the UK before you travel, and if you're comfortable driving, I'd absolutely recommend it. DisneySea was another huge highlight and probably the best Disney park I've visited. I did loads there, but Soaring: Fantastic Flight was immense. Easily my favourite ride of the day and one I'd have happily gone straight back around and done again. My last proper day was completely different again, as I went to Sengaku-ji to see the graves of the 47 Ronin. If you know the story, you'll understand why this place feels special, and after all the neon, crowds, Pokémon shops and madness of Tokyo, standing there was strangely peaceful and probably the perfect way to finish. Japan clearly wasn't quite finished with me, as my Etihad flight developed a problem and I ended up delayed for another 24 hours. Annoying? Absolutely. But if someone is going to tell me I have to spend an extra night somewhere, Tokyo isn't exactly the worst place for it to happen, and Etihad really did look after me. So, to sum it all up, Japan… What a place. Seriously. I loved South Korea and absolutely want to go back, but Japan got to me in a different way. There's still so much I haven't seen, so many places I want to visit and, yes, a lot more nodding deer waiting for me in Nara. I genuinely can't wait to go back; next time I will stay much longer and may not come back.
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Review
The Blossom Hakata Premier Fukuoka – A Hotel I'd Happily Return To Words: Carl Marsh
B
efore this trip, if you'd asked me to name cities in Japan I wanted to visit, Fukuoka probably wouldn't have made my top five. Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka… they're the names everyone knows. Yet after spending just over a week travelling around South Korea and arriving in Japan on the overnight ferry from Busan, it was Fukuoka that completely caught me off guard. It felt calmer than I expected, ridiculously easy to get around and, for somewhere with more than 1.5 million people, surprisingly relaxed. Looking back on my travels now, it was probably the perfect place to start my Japan adventure. My stay at The Blossom Hakata Premier was provided on a complimentary basis by the hotel. That being said, if I didn't enjoy somewhere, I wouldn't say I did, because that's not fair on readers or on the hotels I pay to stay in myself. The hotel's location was one of the first things that won me over. It's only a short taxi ride from the ferry terminal; I checked in, dropped my suitcase and was back out exploring within minutes. The hotel is only a short walk from Hakata Station, which is far more than just a transport hub. Attached to it is AMU Plaza, packed with shops, cafés and restaurants, plus the excellent Pokémon Centre Fukuoka, which I somehow couldn't walk past without popping in. More than once, if I'm honest. Having all of that so close by meant I spent far more time enjoying the city and far less time getting from A to B. Check-in couldn't have been easier, and everyone was really welcoming… then I opened the door to my room… and, no exaggeration, I just stood there for a minute taking it all in. I stay in quite a few hotels every year, and I don't throw compliments around cardiff-times.co.uk
for the sake of it, but this was the best hotel room I've stayed in for years. It wasn't trying to be flashy. There wasn't a gold-plated bath or a view from the 70th floor. It just got everything right. The room felt bright, modern and incredibly well thought out. There was plenty of space, the bed was ridiculously comfortable and, despite being only a few minutes from one of Japan's busiest stations, it was wonderfully quiet. After a full day walking around the city, I genuinely looked forward to getting back there each evening. What I probably didn't expect to enjoy quite so much was the executive lounge. Hotel lounges can sometimes be a bit of an afterthought, but this wasn't like that. I actually found myself making time to go back. Throughout my stay, there were complimentary soft drinks, coffee, tea, alcoholic drinks and snacks, plus a freezer full of ice cream that I definitely visited more often than I should have. Thankfully, the ice creams were still there in the evening too, making it the perfect place to sit with a drink and plan the next part of my journey through Japan. Breakfast was another pleasant surprise. There was loads of choice, whether you wanted to try Japanese dishes or play it safe with something more familiar, and it set me up perfectly before heading back into the city. Fukuoka itself deserves more attention than it gets. It has brilliant food, friendly people and a pace of life that suited me down to the ground. I arrived expecting it to be little more than my first stop in Japan before moving on to Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo. Instead, I left wishing I'd booked another couple of nights. Sometimes a hotel is just somewhere to sleep. Thankfully, this wasn't one of those. The Blossom Hakata Premier became part of the trip itself, and that's probably the biggest compliment I can give it. If I find myself back in Fukuoka one day, I already know where I'll be staying.
www.jrk-hotels.co.jp/Hakata_premier/en
Cardiff Times | 09
Legal Services for You | Legal Services for Business
Trusted Legal Expertise & Advice Redkite Solicitors is a full-service law firm rooted in local communities, delivering trusted commercial and personal expertise to the clients we serve. A Law Firm Like No Other
Contact our Cardiff Office 01994 240 305 | enquiries@redkitelaw.co.uk redkitesolicitors.co.uk/contact/cardiff Floor 8, Churchill House, 17 Churchill Way, Cardiff, CF10 2HH Redkite Solicitors is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority ID: 557521
Create the mood, add timeless style with plantation shutters from Solar Sunshades. Shutters Awnings Blinds and Motorisation Conservatories Curtains Cardiff showroom
Bridgend showroom
Gripoly Mills Retail Park, Sloper Road, Cardiff. CF11 8AA
North Road, Bridgend Industrial Estate, Bridgend. CF31 3TP
Barry: 01446 438103
Bridgend: 01656 349473
www.solarsunshades.co.uk
10 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
AT VILLAGE HOTEL CLUB CARDIFF
Village Hotel Club Cardiff 29 Pendwyallt Road, Cardiff CF14 7EF cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 11
12 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
A T N SA dash 5K
NOW IN IT' S 15TH YEAR!
SAT 6TH DEC SAD 6ED RHAG 12PM ROALD DAHL PLASS CARDIFF BAY PLAS ROALD DAHL BAE CAERDYDD KIDS FREE UNDER 5
LET'S GET CARDIFF DASHING THIS CHRISTMAS!
£12pp OR £40 FOR TEAM OF 4
y pen NEU PLANT AM DDIM £12 £40 AM DAN 5 OED DÎM O 4
FREE T-SHIRT AND
CERTIFICATE CRYS-T AM DDIM A
THYSTYRSIAD
book now | calonhearts.org | bwciwch nawr cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 13
CONNECT COLLABORATE GROW A friendly, supportive community that connects local businesses, shares ideas and creates real opportunities.
WITH TWO LOCATIONS AVAILABLE
Bridgend BUILD CONNECTIONS
SHARE IDEAS
Join Aspire Today 14 | Cardiff Times
CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
Connect, learn & grow with businesses across the Bridgend area.
Stronger Connections. Greater Opportunities.
Port Talbot Build relationships & opportunities within the Port Talbot community.
Aspire Business Network
aspire-bn.co.uk
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Choices, choices, choices. by Wyn Evans
S
pecifically, the choices made by students in Years 11 and 13; for their GCSEs and ‘A’ levels. GCSEs first. Will the students have achieved their grades and gotten into the sixth form to study ‘A’ levels? Or are they hoping to take an apprenticeship, technical or vocational route? For those who are completing their ‘A’ levels have they achieved the desired grades to get into the university of their choice with or without having to go through the clearing system? The local BBC and ITV education teams are ready to roll with their radio and TV reports: delighted looking young men and women opening their envelopes and exhibiting various degrees of joy with their 12 A* grades; or rather less delight but, hey, still mostly pleased, with a positive set of grades that will open the doors to an apprenticeship or a job. It depends on whether the broadcaster has an agenda as to whether they interview students who did not achieve their desired grades: does the bottom line show overall results still going upwards; are boys closing the attainment gap with girls; are arts subjects somehow beyond the pale; should individuals be encouraged to study maths, sciences and STEM subjects the better to galvanise ‘GB PLC’? What about student loans – everything else being equal would it be more efficient to get a job allied to further study and pick up a salary from the age of 16 or 18? Or should you hold out for a place in university all the while worrying about the affordability of funding and the impossibility of repaying the loan? This last fortnight I’ve been listening to our mid-teen friends through twenty somethings and comparing their challenges with my own generation. I was born
cardiff-times.co.uk
in 1958, sat my ‘O’ levels in 1975 and my ‘A’ levels in 1977. There were plenty of places to aim for at universities, and plenty of choice of subjects. Likewise, there were practical options for those who were up to here with formal education and wanted to develop a career. Maintenance grants were available as of right and there were jobs enough to go around through schemes like the ‘Milk-round’. People could still hope to buy homes and there was less pressure to return to the parental nest. Young men and women in their 20s could still hope to own a property, get married, get a job and not have to live with their parents.
Michael Gove
What is the point of education? Is it for personal self-actualisation? Is it about being better able to give something back into society? In 1996 Tony Blair said the three priorities of his government were ‘education, education, education’. In 1999 he outlined a plan to ensure that 50% of young people would attend higher education to study traditional university degrees, foundation degrees, and higher technical courses. By 2019 this target was more or less achieved. Yet agreement on what education is for came there none. Michael Gove set in motion a series of reforms which led to English education rising up the PISA rankings for English, maths and STEM subjects, whilst devolved Scotland and Wales fell away. Lucy Powell and Bridget Philipson take issue
with Gove. I guess it all depends on who is asking the question. Hundreds of thousands of people went to college who normally would not have gone. There was less focus on trades - critics say the push made people look down on hands-on jobs like building and plumbing. Many students left school owing a lot of money for degrees that did not always guarantee high pay. Leaders started to change focus back to practical job training - Prime Minister Keir Starmer moved away from the strict 50 percent university target to support more apprenticeships and technical skills instead. What I do know is that from the perspective of a twenty-something today, the baby boomers had the most choice of any generation before or since and they pulled the ladders up after themselves at the expense of their own kids. I want to conclude by paying tribute to our young people. We have bequeathed to them a future that is more challenging than it need be and I hope every last one of them achieved what they needed to take their education to the next level. The Girl, my 20 year old daughter who has Down Syndrome starts a Supported Internship next month. She can’t wait to get started! Aha! That’s what her education is for!
"What about student loans – everything else being equal would it be more efficient to get a job allied to further study and pick up a salary from the age of 16 or 18?"
Cardiff Times | 15
16 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Canna Festival October 17th King's Road Yard
Canna Festival is a new festival of music and community for Pontcanna, Canton and beyond. It takes place on October 17th at King’s Road Yard, and promises something for everyone. Join us for our family concert, as we take our younger music lovers on a magical journey. Then come to hear fabulous visiting musicians from the best of the UK music scene as they join together for our showcase concert. Top it all off with a chance to meet your neighbours and raise a glass while enjoying vibrant performances of music from around the globe!
PROFESSIONAL ADULT CARE Based in Cardiff Within my 20 years experience in the care giving industry, I have shown that I am very hard working & extremely reliable. This is whilst always making sure to meet all the official standards, procedures & policies. The wide range of expertise gained from working within so many varied professional establishments, has given me the ability to be able to offer important guidance, support & advice that is very often beneficial to my clients & their families. Helping people in all aspects of life is something I love to do & is a real passion of mine. My friendly, compassionate demeanour makes me easy to talk & relate to. I’m naturally a genuinely loving & caring person, who always goes the extra mile to put a smile on someone’s face.
Mobile: 07917 878 411
cardiff-times.co.uk
Here to care for, help keep active & put a smile on the face of your loved ones.
My Credentials Prevent (WRAP)
ASD Awareness
Flexible Hours
Mental Health Awareness
First Aid Training
Food Hygiene
Data Protection (GDPR)
Covid-19 Vaccinated
Own Car
Special Needs Experience
Driving Safety
DBS Checked
Home Pickups
Liability Insured
Email: selena@homeheartedcare.co.uk
Web: www.homeheartedcare.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 17
18 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Professional advice. Personally delivered. #ProfessionalMadePersonal Scan the QR code for local cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 19
20 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
drab to fab From
SUPPORTING
unning Create your own st Joe’s Doors. h it w le c a ir m n e h c kit
LOCAL BUSINESS
BEFORE
We believe in miracles – and so will you!
At Joe’s Doors, we give your kitchen a brand new look – without the mess, stress or massive price tag. We replace your existing doors, panels and trims to completely transform your kitchen – often in two days. Ready for your miracle? Choose from a huge range of designs and enjoy a stunning new space today. H Transform today, pay later H Free design, quote and survey H No pressure – just honest advice Ready for your miracle?
HHHH NOW AVAILABLE
Up to
7 years’
interest-free credit* Spread the cost of your new kitchen with up to 7 years’ interest-free finance
CALL FOR DETAILS
Book your free visit today with Joe’s Doors – and fall in love with your kitchen all over again.
✔ NO NEED TO EMPTY CUPBOARDS ✔ NO MESS, NO FUSS ✔ FITTED IN A DAY OR TWO ✔ MADE TO MEASURE
JOE’S DOORS & OVERLAYS 02920 098739 • joesdoors.co.uk Lines Open: Mon - Fri: 8.30am - 8.00pm, Sat: 8.30am - 6.00pm, Sun: 9.00am - 5.00pm. cardiff-times.co.uk
Over 30 years experience. Cardiff Times | 21
CARDIFF, MAKE YOUR MOVE Choose a Better membership that works around you. With exclusive access to gyms, fitness classes, swimming pools and Live Better digital wellbeing tools - whatever your starting point, make your move with Better. better.org.uk/cardiff-moves
22 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
FIND YOUR WAY TO MOVE Whether it’s your local pool, a class on the way home, or a workout wherever life takes you, there’s a membership built around how you actually live. Here’s what’s included in each.
• Gym, swim and classes at your chosen centre • Live Better digital wellbeing tools • A budget-friendly way to move more, your way
• Access to participating centres across your borough or local area • Live Better digital wellbeing tools • The flexibility to move whenever your day allows
• Gym, swim and classes at 250+ centres nationwide
• On-demand workouts, anytime, anywhere
• Live Better digital wellbeing tools with 24/7 GP and prescriptions
• Virtual health and wellbeing support
• Freedom to work out near work, home, or away
• Affordable monthly access
Better is a registered trademark and trading name of GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited), a charitable social enterprise and registered society under the Co-operative & Community Benefit & Societies Act 2014 registration no. 27793R. Registered office: Middlegate House, The Royal Arsenal, London, SE18 6SX. Inland Revenue Charity no: XR43398.
cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 23
No job too big or too small !!
A Family Run Business for over 50 Years!
Tractors • Ride-on’s • Lawn Mowers • Brush Cutters • Chainsaws • Spares • Grass Seed • Fertilisers, etc
LARGEST DISPLAY OF MACHINERY IN THE LOCALITY - DOMESTIC & COMMERCIAL! PART EXCHANGE AVAILABLE - GET IN TOUCH FOR MORE DETAILS
1. QUOTE CT24 FOR UP TO 30% OFF IN STORE!
“SOUTH WALES ONLY HONDA PREMIER RETAILER”
info@celticm.co.uk
www.celticmowers.com
01792 641517
CELTIC HOUSE, FABIAN WAY, SWANSEA, SA1 8QB
24 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 25
Interview
Dean Williams Welsh Road Warrior by Ralph Oates
In
this months edition of Cardiff Times we speak to Dean Williams in a two part feature about boxing and his career in the sport. While now retired from active boxing he still contributes to the sport, training up and coming fighters giving them the benefit of his experience. Questions: Ralph Oates
In which year were you born? DW I was born in 1972.
Where in Wales were you born?
How did you obtain the nickname Welsh Road Warrior? DW The ‘Road’ part of the nickname hence came about because I am Welsh and was travelling. The Warrior part of the name came from the fact that I would seek out the best to fight, that was always my aim. To share the ring with the best.
I understand you did a stint in the Navy DW Yes I did I was blessed to be a sailor aboard the QE2 for two years. In that time my job consisted of life boat maintenance and safety plus. I was also Quarter Master on the bridge steering the wheel. In fact I steered the ship down the Hudson first time we arrived in New York City and at that time I was only 17 years of age so it was an exciting moment for me.
DW Merthyr Tydfil.
Did you ever meet one of your boxing Idols?
When did you start boxing?
DW Yes I did one of my boxing idols was Larry Holmes. After living alone in Australia I moved
DW It was in 1980 when I was aged 8 years old.
to America in 1994 and settled for a time in Brooklyn New York. I sought out Larry Holmes who I found was in Easton, Pennsylvania. I eventually came into contact with the man himself. A fighter who I used to watch on TV from my home in tiny Wales. Little did I realize that one day I would meet him, such a thought never entered my mind. Holmes was the dominant heavyweight when in his prime. He held the WBC and IBF world heavyweight titles during his career. He fought them all and really showed his class in doing so. He was the only fighter to stop the great Muhammad Ali inside the scheduled distance. This occurred on the 2 October 1980 when Ali was attempting to regain the WBC version of the world heavyweight crown which Holmes was holding. Ali failed in his bid when he retired in round 10. True Ali was only a shadow of what he use to be. This wasn’t the man who beat Sonny Liston, George Foreman, and Joe Frazier etc. However he was still a difficult man to overcome. I actually had the honour of sparring 4 rounds with Holmes when training in the gym, after which he took a shower. When he finished showering he came to chat with me and complimented
Larry Holmes (Left) with Dean Williams (Right) Image Courtesy of Dean Williams
What made you take up boxing? DW I was bullied as a kid when growing up and decided I had to do something to remedy the situation. Boxing was the answer. I was hence inspired to start boxing after watching the Rocky movie.
Did you have many amateur fights? DW Yes I did I participated in a number of amateur bouts which took place both in Wales and Australia.
26 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Who do you think is the best boxer to have held the world heavyweight title?
me saying I had what it took to be a champion and that I would achieve that status one day if I believe in myself. That gave me a tremendous boost. We later took some photographs together. Holmes often gave me tips when hitting the heavy bag. His advice was truly priceless.
DW In my view Oleksandr Usyk who is incredible talented. He won the undisputed world heavyweight crown, which was really something. Usyk was also the undisputed world cruiserweight champion. Lets not forget he won the Olympic Gold medal at heavyweight in the London 2012 games. The man as a great resume and is certain to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the future.
Did you ever meet any other boxing legends? DW Indeed I did I was in training camps with legends like Lennox Lewis, and of course Larry Holmes who I previously mentioned and Tim Witherspoon. I was also chosen by Emanuel Steward to spar with Tommy Hearns in preparation for his fight with Nate Miller. That was a great honour. Steward was one of the truly great trainers, you could say he was a legend.
What in your opinion was the best world heavyweight title fight to have taken place?
You won the vacant World Boxing Federation Inter-continental cruiserweight title on the 22 September 2001 stopping opponent Eric Rhinehart in two rounds. That must have been a great moment for you?
How many professional bouts did you participate in?
DW Yes it was, I was the first boxer to win the World Boxing Federation Inter-continental championship.
DW I had 20 professional fights, winning 16, with 4 defeats. I scored 11 ko’s.
Have any other members of your family ever boxed? DW Yes my family were no strangers to the ring. My uncle Lance Boswell was a Welsh champion and my other uncle Malcolm Price Was a Welsh champion, who fought both amateur and professional.
Which do you prefer amateur or professional boxing? DW I prefer professional boxing but I do like training and teaching amateur boxing. cardiff-times.co.uk
"I would seek out the best to fight, that was always my aim. To share the ring with the best."
DW The Mike Tyson contest which saw him defend the world title against James Buster Douglas on the 11 February 1990 in Japan. This looked a certain win for Tyson who was going into the fight with an undefeated record of 37 bouts. However Douglas upset the odds and knocked out Tyson in round 10 to take the championship. This was a massive upset one which shook the boxing world.
Who is your favourite modern day boxer? DW Without a doubt Tyson Fury who brings a great deal of excitement to the ring when ever he performs. He seems to collect titles the same way as some people collect stamps. Winning at heavyweight the English championship, British, Commonwealth, European, WBO Inter-Continental crowns. He has also won the WBA, WBC IBF, IBO world crowns.
Part Two of this interview with Dean will continue in next months edition of Cardiff Times Cardiff Times | 27
£12 £12 £12
28 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
WELSH DIVING
NEW ADVENTURE! Why not try a new hobby this Summer by learning to scuba dive?
bubbles illustration: @upklyak/freepik
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 cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 29
Why Ableworld
Get in touch for a quote today
FREE no obligation surveys
hello@bdp.wales
Fully fitted in your home by our trained engineers FREE 7 day / 24 hr manned helpline plus engineering support
Straight Stairlifts
01792 456 661 www.bdp.wales Quality Design & Print Since 1953
Design Services
Curved Stairlifts
Business Printing Brochures & Leaflets Large Format Print Exhibition Displays
Often fitted next day
Fast track installations
New Straight Stairlifts
Reconditioned Straight Stairlifts
From £1695
*
(Subject to Availability)
From £795
Offer Available - 1st June 2026 - 30th August 2026
Scan for more
*
Quality Design & Print Since 1953
Tel: 0808 161 7179 30 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 31
And Another Thing... by Vince Nolan
No Phones or Ming Be fair, even by my dubious standards this is a strange title. Let me explain. The Current Mrs Nolan, The Sainted Mother-in-Law and I recently attended the New Theatre to see a marvellous performance of High Society. A fantastic cast and show. However, before kick-off, or curtain-up as us former thespians say, the ushers moved amongst the audience holding up white boards with the following warning written on them: “No phones and no filming.” Our usher unknowingly held her board up with her hand obscuring some of the message so hers read: “No phones and no ming.” I am not sure of the incidence of bringing rare and ancient Chinese artifacts to the theatre but we judged that it must be a growing problem to require a public written warning about it. All of which reminded me that my friend Ming advised me that I would look more professional if I stopped wearing my funny bow tie. I responded by saying: "But I am nothing without my comedic tie, Ming." I trust you would agree. Now to more serious matters and a health warning chums. We recently bought a bag of carrot batons from a local supermarket (I know, living the dream). For no particular reason I read the label which you will see warns against eating the carrots raw and to fully cook before eating. It seems that they can contain pathogens - E. coli, Salmonella or Listeria because of the processes or the lack of processes they have been subjected to. Who knew? We and many of our friends have eaten these before straight from the bag so be careful out there. Customer: Is this carrot genetically modified? Carrot: Why do you ask? Staying with food, we gave blood recently or more accurately, She Who Must Be Obeyed did as I was unable to do so this time around. The reward is a hot drink and a Club Biscuit. One of the Little Bleeders around our table advised that Club biscuits no longer contained chocolate. Their TV jingle, as us older citizens will remember, used to say: “If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit join our Club.” Now it would say: “If you like a lot of chocolate on your biscuit buy somebody else’s.” Catchy ain’t it. Apparently Penguin 32 | Cardiff Times
bars, also made by McVitie’s have gone the same way too as they switched to other ingredients after the rising cost of cocoa. I read about an amazing and pioneering lady recently. Elisabeth 'Elsie' MacGill was determined to have a career in aviation. In the 1920s she became the first woman in Canada to graduate with an electrical engineering degree and would go on to be the first woman in the world to graduate with a Master's in aeronautical engineering. She became known as the "Queen of the Hurricanes" as Chief Aeronautical Engineer at a facility in Fort William, Ontario during the Second World War. She oversaw the manufacture of nearly 1500 Hawker Hurricane fighter planes. These were flown by the RAF, Polish and Royal Canadian Airforce’s and helped win the Battle of Britain. I bet nobody messed with her.
In other military news, I also read that ARMEXIS, a Yorkshire-based tracked armoured vehicle designer and manufacturer, had secured its first orders, worth some £17.5m, to supply an initial four armoured vehicles for Ukraine. The company is headquartered in Killinghall in Yorkshire which seemed appropriate somehow. Of course these type of word associations are nothing new. Adobe is headquartered in Adobe Creek, California and Nokia is based in Nokia Town, Finland. More locally there is a fish and chip shop in Pentre called A Fish Called Rhondda. Whilst going slightly off track, I was much amused by the Harlech based clothes emporium Damsel In This Dress which is very clever don’t ya think. Out and about with The Leader of the Opposition recently at a well-known supermarket, (I know how to show a girl a good time), when we came across this little critter working away on the floor. Apparently Tesco has partnered with cleaning technology company, ICE, to deploy autonomous floor cleaning robots at 600 of its Express Stores. Suggested names for these critters might include: Optimus Grime, Meryl Sweep, Dustbin Hoffman or Dust-inTimberlake.
This techno advancement was not made in isolation. A man bought a robot that slapped people when they told a lie. He decided to test it on his family at dinner one night. He said to his lad: "Son, what did you do after school today?" The son replied, "Oh, I just did some homework" whereupon the robot slapped the boy. The son said , "Okay, I watched a movie with my friends." The father asked: "So what was the movie?" The son said: "Star Wars, Episode 5." The robot slapped the son again. The son stammered "Okay it was Showgirls." The father laughed and said: "Ugh, I would never watch movies like that." The robot slapped the dad. Mum laughed and said: "He certainly is your son." The robot slapped the mum. Of course the slapping of children is banned by law in Wales but can be viewed as “reasonable punishment” in England. In Northern Ireland, under the old Sunday Observation Act, it is technically illegal to visit a cinema on that day. Whilst under Scottish law dating back to 1872, it remains an offence to be drunk in charge of a cow. Not to be left out, England features several famously eccentric and unusual laws from its history, including one preventing the handling of salmon under “suspicious circumstances.” Finally, an American tourist at a Welsh car boot sale spotted a dusty human skull and asked the seller, Dai, whose it was. "That," Dai said proudly, "is the authentic skull of Owain Glyndŵr." "Incredible!" said the tourist and he bought it on the spot. The next week, the American walked past the same stall and saw a much smaller skull for sale. "Whose little skull is that?" asked the tourist. "That," Dai said without missing a beat, "Is also Owain Glyndŵr's skull." "Wait a minute," said the tourist. "I bought Owain Glyndwr’s skull from you last week!" "Aye," Dai nodded. "This was when he was a boy." Hwyl Fawr
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Every Employee Is A Walking Advertisement. The question is... What are they advertising? Turn every member of your team into a professional ambassador for Embroidery your business with high-quality branded workwear.
DTF
From one garment to one thousand. Embroidery • Print • Uniforms www.vps-clothing.co.uk cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 33
CrimeCon 26 London
Saturday 3rd October and Sunday 4th October
The Ultimate True Crime Weekend If you're fascinated by true crime, why not head to London this October and make a weekend of it, with CrimeCon London 2026 at the heart of your trip? Returning for its fifth year on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th October, CrimeCon is the UK's leading and most prestigious truecrime event. Each year it brings together some of the most respected names in forensic science, criminology, policing, investigative journalism, documentarymaking, podcasting and true-crime writing from across the world. And there is a Welsh connection at the heart of the event. Swansea-born-andbred David Jones, Executive Producer of CrimeCon UK and the True Crime Awards, is at the helm of the prestigious event, working remotely to make it all happen from his home in Swansea. CrimeCon offers the chance to get behind the headlines and hear directly from the people who investigate, analyse and document cases, as well as those whose lives have been changed by them. It also has a strong sense of community. David is keen that nobody attending alone should feel left out, which is why CrimeCon has its Flying Solo initiative. The Friday evening event at the Hyatt Place London City East, the official CrimeCon host hotel, gives solo attendees the chance to meet fellow delegates, buddy up and make connections so they are very much part of the community for the weekend. One of the speakers offering an insight into what happens behind the headlines is crime analyst Sam Robins. With almost 20 years' experience working with Surrey and Sussex Police, specialising in major crime and serious sexual offences, she now works on cold cases and is appearing in several documentaries on the TRUE CRIME channel. Crime analysts, she explains, are often considered the unsung heroes of major investigations, piecing together information about people, places and vehicles while identifying the gaps in what investigators don't yet know. Her work has included the investigation into the murder of Sharon Birchwood, 34 | Cardiff Times
working closely with the senior investigating officer at Surrey Police. The investigation ultimately led to a contract killer in Thailand being extradited and convicted of her murder by the team recovering DNA recovered from cutlery he had used to eat lunch in Thailand being surreptitiously flown to the investigation team in Surrey to provide the crucial evidence. Her ex-husband was also convicted of commissioning the murder. It is a remarkable example of how apparently insignificant evidence can unlock an investigation and take police thousands of miles from the original crime scene. At CrimeCon 2026, Sam will take part in an interactive event with Inside Justice, bringing together legal, investigative and scientific expertise to investigate potential
Sam Robins
miscarriages of justice. Attendees will be placed in the position of decision-makers and asked to consider the evidence before reaching their own conclusions. Sam will also appear on the main stage to discuss her work and how modern technology could provide new lines of inquiry in historic cases.
Awareness Month, Gabby’s parents will discuss not only their daughter's story and its devastating aftermath, but also how they have channelled their experience into advocacy through the Gabby Petito Foundation, supporting work around domestic violence and missing persons. Another important session, Forgotten Lives, will examine the way victims can become overshadowed by perpetrators. Hosted by Samantha Renke and Dr Hannah Mason-Bish, the panel will explore how, in cases involving familicide and caregiver-perpetrated homicides, coverage can focus on the circumstances of the perpetrator while victims – particularly those with disabilities – often become forgotten. That emphasis on victims is central to the ethos of CrimeCon. Alongside the investigation and forensic science, it provides a forum for advocacy, discussion and meaningful connections around the human impact of serious crime. And the experience continues beyond the conference itself. The Hyatt Place London City East is the official CrimeCon London host hotel, just a short distance from the conference venue at Convene 133 Houndsditch. With delegates, cast and crew staying there, it becomes the social and networking hub of the weekend, with events taking place on Friday and Saturday evenings. An exclusive rate has also been secured for CrimeCon attendees, making it a convenient option for anyone travelling from Wales who wants to stay close to the action. CrimeCon is partnered by the TV Channel TRUE CRIME. For more details, the full programme and accommodation information, visit www.crimecon.co.uk.
Elsewhere, forensic experts will explore how evidence can make or break an investigation, while Inside Justice will examine miscarriages of justice and how forensic evidence can work both ways – helping to exonerate those wrongly convicted while also ensuring that offenders are brought to justice. But perhaps the most powerful element of this year's event is its focus on the people behind the headlines. Coinciding with Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Petito family will appear at CrimeCon for the first time in the UK to share the story of their daughter Gabby Petito. Many will recognise Gabby from the Netflix documentary where the video diaries of her cross-country road trip was documented with her partner at the time, before she was tragically murdered by him in Wyoming in 2021. Coinciding with Domestic Violence
Where People, Business and Community Connect
London's Guiltiest Pleasure by Ashley Lovell
Agatha Christie’s Witness To The Prosecution, County Hall, London
While London’s visitors dutifully make the five-minute pilgrimage to the South Bank along the well-worn tourist trail from Waterloo to the London Eye, true-crime devotees have another destination in mind. Just before the Eye, they peel off down Belvedere Road towards County Hall – and into the splendour of a grand courtroom for Agatha Christie’s fabulous Witness for the Prosecution, where the audience becomes the jury. Now in its ninth year, this truly is a unique and special theatre experience like no other. The production’s director, Lucy Bailey, explained that her profound admiration for Agatha Christie led her to this location, which she describes as ‘a gift of a space’. Most Londoners know County Hall as the former headquarters of the Greater London Authority, but within it, this secret chamber is majestically transformed into a recreation of the Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey. And so the scene is set for the gripping production of Witness for the Prosecution, with the audience immersed within the courtroom setting as active participants. County Hall itself has a fascinating history and has been used as a location for numerous films and television programmes, including Austin Powers’ swinging pad in Goldmember and Sherlock’s ‘Mind Palace’. It is also home to hotels, restaurants, apartments and a host of attractions, but behind one of its grand doors lies something altogether more intriguing: a courtroom where the audience must ultimately decide the fate of the accused. The case revolves around a murder trial, with 12 audience members who selected to purchase the VIP jury seats called upon to decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty. They are ‘sworn in’ immediately
cardiff-times.co.uk
before the performance. Although the ending is dependent on the verdict given by the 12 jurors, the rest of the audience are far from passive spectators. Sitting in the surrounding circular courtroom gallery, they are sufficiently immersed to become emotionally engaged in the proceedings, scrutinising the evidence and questioning the testimony almost as intensely as those in the jury box. There is even an understanding that all audience members are sworn to secrecy regarding the content of the play. It all adds to the mystique – and the compelling urge to experience it for yourself. I don’t ever recall an audience being quite so completely gripped and hooked on a performance. That is partly due to the unique and riveting nature of the production, but also to the compelling and authentic performances by the cast. The little details add to the experience too, with the tickets uniquely stating ‘You have been summoned’ and the programme boldly declaring ‘See you in Court’. The theme begins the moment you book, intensifies when you walk into the setting and continues right through to the very end. It results in a superbly crafted production packed with twists and turns along the way. It is, without doubt, a must-see experience for anyone visiting London, providing one of the most distinctive, unusual and characterful theatre experiences you are likely to encounter. Witness for the Prosecution, The Chamber, London County Hall, Belvedere Road, London SE1 7PB. Situated on the South Bank of the River Thames beside the London Eye and Westminster Bridge, opposite the Houses of Parliament. Running time is approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 20-minute interval. National Rail: Waterloo, Charing Cross Underground: Embankment, Waterloo, Westminster.
Accommodation
The Hyatt Place London City East Hotel
As the official CrimeCon London host hotel, the perfect place to stay for your true crime break would be at the Hyatt Place London City East Hotel. It is quite simply where the CrimeCon community comes together. With social and networking events taking place on Friday 2nd October and Saturday 3rd October, the hotel will be a hub of activity throughout the weekend, giving delegates, cast and crew the perfect place to continue the conversation, meet fellow true-crime fans and soak up the CrimeCon atmosphere. And when you’re ready to relax, there’s plenty to enjoy without even leaving the hotel. Head up to the 9th floor to discover PocketSquare Skyline Bar & Terrace, where you can enjoy expertly crafted cocktails alongside spectacular views across London’s skyline. Or make your way down to the lower ground floor for Sotto Cucina & Bar, a fantastic Sicilian restaurant serving up delicious food in a relaxed setting. With the conference venue at Convene 133 Houndsditch just a short distance away, you’ll be right at the heart of the action, while still having somewhere stylish and welcoming to retreat to at the end of the day. An exclusive special rate has been secured at the hotel for CrimeCon attendees making it easier for you to enjoy your true crime break experience. Equally the hotel is ideally located for the Jack the Ripper Museum and walking tour too, as you’ll be in the heart of East London for these attractions too. Please be aware there are quite a few Jack the Ripper walking tours, but the one we recommend starts and ends outside the Jack the Ripper Museum at 12 Cable Street, London, E1 8JG. Finally, just eight stops on the tube from Westminster to Aldgate East on the District Line (green), the hotel is a perfect retreat with the calm oasis of immaculate rooms, private balconies and rooftop cocktails after a gripping evening at the theatre watching Witness for the Prosecution at County Hall, Westminster too. For those attending CrimeCon, please visit https://www.crimecon.co.uk/ accommodation-2026 for details of the host hotel special offer. Details of the hotel are available on the website of Hyatt Place London City East Hotel Cardiff Times | 35
Freshers, firsts and fear The hidden emotional side of starting university by Gareth Strangemore-Jones
Excitement, fear and homesickness can coexist during a normal university transition. Freshers’ Week does not determine anybody’s friendships or future university experience. Belonging usually develops through repeated contact in ordinary, shared activities. Persistent distress or impaired daily functioning deserves early, appropriate support. Starting university is sold as a jubilant leap into freedom. The photographs show parties, new friends and instant belonging. Outside the frame are the students eating alone, missing home, fearing they chose badly or wondering why everybody else appears better at being new. University begins with an odd social ritual. Thousands of people who have barely unpacked are expectwed to behave as though they have already found their tribe. Freshers’ Week has somehow acquired the job of providing best friends, romantic possibility, personal reinvention and proof of independence, preferably by Friday. That is a ridiculous burden to place on seven days. The first week myth Starting university can be thrilling. It can also involve separation from home, unfamiliar streets, shared kitchens, money management, academic uncertainty and repeated conversations with strangers. 36 | Cardiff Times
Excitement and fear are not opposites here. They are common responses to the same fact: life has suddenly become larger and less predictable. A 2024 systematic review led by Amanda Sundqvist examined 32 studies of educational transitions. It found positive and negative experiences, with social support and accessible, targeted help emerging as important protections. A UK study led by Eilidh Cage reached a similar conclusion after speaking with students and university staff. Participants wanted practical preparation, stable support networks, inclusive cultures and recognition that transition lasts far longer than an induction timetable. This matters because we too readily medicalise understandable discomfort. Homesickness is not a diagnosis. Feeling awkward at a society event is not evidence of social failure. A tearful phone call does not prove that university was a mistake. Almost everything is new, from the bedroom ceiling to the lecture system. Familiarity has not yet had time to do its calming work.
although the size of the benefit remained uncertain. The practical lesson is modest. Do not demand that one room, one night or one friendship group supplies your entire university life. Choose two places where repeated contact is likely. One might be connected to your course; the other could involve sport, music, gaming, faith, campaigning, work or volunteering. Then return before deciding that you do not belong. Familiar faces become acquaintances, and acquaintances sometimes become friends. There is no honest shortcut. Loneliness can be especially bewildering in a busy city. It is possible to be surrounded by people and still lack anyone with whom you feel known. Social media complicates this. It can maintain valuable contact with home and help students find communities, but it is a hopeless instrument for measuring how well everyone else is coping. You see their night out, not the call home afterwards. Missing home without going backwards
Belonging is usually built, not discovered The cruelest Freshers fiction is that friendship should happen instantly. Real friendship tends to grow through repetition: sitting beside the same person, returning to a club, sharing a walk after a lecture, cooking with a flatmate or volunteering each Thursday. These encounters may look unimpressive beside a crowded party. Psychologically, they are doing serious work. Fiona Campbell and colleagues reviewed 31 UK studies and found that strong, supportive social networks were among the factors associated with better student wellbeing. A separate systematic review by Olivia Ellard and colleagues found that loneliness interventions which fostered social connection, often through group activity, appeared more promising,
Homesickness is often treated as faintly childish, as though adulthood were demonstrated by immediate emotional detachment. In reality, missing people and places usually says something healthy about attachment. The task is not to sever those bonds, but to stretch them while building new ones. Regular contact with home can help, but permanent commentary from the family group chat may keep a student psychologically stationed in the life they left. Agreeing when to call can be kinder than either silence or surveillance. Bring familiar objects into the new room, learn the route to lectures, find a reliable shop, café, library corner or patch of green. A city becomes manageable through landmarks and habits before it feels like home.
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Protect the ordinary machinery When everything feels urgent, basic routines look trivial. They are not. Sleep, regular food, daylight, movement and some order in the week give daily life a more predictable shape. A large evidence review led by Ann Kristin Bjørnnes mapped 515 studies of students and sleep. Most were observational, so grand causal claims would be misplaced, but sleep problems were repeatedly associated with poorer mental health and academic outcomes. The useful response is not perfection. It is a roughly consistent waking time, enough opportunity to sleep, meals that exist outside crisp packets, and nights when alcohol is not required as an entry ticket to company. Alcohol can lower inhibition for an evening while worsening sleep, judgement and anxiety afterwards. Students who do not drink, or drink little, are not failing Freshers. Any social culture that requires intoxication before conversation has mistaken conformity for connection. Academic fear deserves similar realism. The independent study expected at university is learned, not magically activated by receiving an identity card. Ask how lectures should be approached. Attend study skills sessions. Use tutors, libraries and peer support before confusion becomes shame. The student who asks early is not exposing incompetence; they are acquiring the method. Money is emotional as well as mathematical. A rapid review led by Tayla McCloud found little consistent relationship between the amount of debt and mental health, while subjective financial stress was more reliably associated with poorer outcomes. The researchers judged the evidence weak, so causation remains uncertain. In a national study of 454 first year British undergraduates, Thomas Richardson and colleagues found that financial difficulties and mental health could reinforce one another over time. Unanswered bills and cardiff-times.co.uk
avoidance deserve attention. A basic weekly budget and an early conversation with university money advisers are more useful than trying not to look at the banking app. Different students, different starting lines
Students can contact their university wellbeing service, their GP or NHS 111 Wales. For urgent mental health support in Wales, call 111 and select option 2, which is available at all hours. If there is immediate danger, call 999 or go to an emergency department.
There is no single Freshers experience. Commuter students, mature students and international students may stand outside the familiar halls narrative. Autistic students, those with dyslexia or other disabilities, and students with existing mental health conditions may be managing sensory, organisational or access demands alongside everything else.
"When everything feels urgent, basic routines look trivial. They are not. Sleep, regular food, daylight, movement and some order in the week give daily life a more predictable shape."
Support should not begin only after a crisis. Cardiff University and Cardiff Metropolitan University both advertise confidential wellbeing and disability services, including help with adjustments. Every student should check what their own institution provides. Asking before difficulty becomes emergency planning is not special treatment. It is sensible use of an education system for which students have already paid dearly.
Cardiff’s newest students do not need to conquer the city in a week. They need time to become familiar, places where they can return, and permission to admit that firsts are frightening precisely because they matter. Belonging seldom arrives with the lanyard. It accumulates quietly, through ordinary participation, until one day the unfamiliar route is simply the way home.
What parents can do For parents and carers, departure can produce a peculiar mixture of pride, grief and helplessness. The temptation is to interrogate every pause, repair every setback or interpret a quiet day as catastrophe. Try listening before solving. Ask, “Do you want ideas, practical help, or just somewhere to say this?” The answer may change from one call to the next. Keep the door open without standing in it. A difficult week is information, not a verdict. Yet persistent withdrawal, marked changes in eating or sleeping, inability to attend or function, hopelessness, escalating substance use, self harm or thoughts of suicide require more than reassurance.
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.
Cardiff Times | 37
Frustrated with Your Current Accountant? Private Equity Takeovers: Has your accountancy firm been bought out, leaving you with declining service levels and rising fees? Communication Blackouts: Tired of your accountant failing to return calls or answer basic questions? Financing at Risk: Concerned that late or inaccurate financial reporting will threaten your funding? HMRC Delays: Worried your accountant dropped the ball and exposed your business to penalties? Zero Visibility: Unsure what your accounting team is actually working on—or if they're working at all?
Direct leadership. Unrivaled communication. Measurable results for your business. 01639 887723 info@accountancy-solutions.co.uk
38 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
The Handyman ‘A man for all reasons’
Locally based | Free no obligation estimates References a pleasure
Under New Ownership Still Going Strong Since 1991
• DECORATING • PAINTING • ODD JOBS • BATHROOM FITTING • KITCHEN FITTING • GARAGE CONVERSIONS • EXTENSIONS
• PLUMBING • FENCING • CARPENTRY • ELECTRICAL • ROOF REPAIRS • UPVC WINDOWS & DOORS
No job too small, no matter how trivial you think it may be...
MOB: 07973 713 002 or email: leighasus@live.co.uk leigh@thehandymanteam.co.uk
LOCKSMITH
SERVICES CARDIFF DBS Checked NCFE Certified Fully Insured No Call Out Fees Trusted Local Service
Our services include: Emergency Lockout Assistance Lock Repair & Replacement uPVC Door Lock Repairs Security Upgrades
Lockworx
Tel. 02920 793429 Mob. 07870 625433
www.lockworxcardiff.co.uk
cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 39
Equity Release Use our equity release knowledge to !nd how to: Equity release lets homeowners aged 55 and over unlock some of the value tied up in their property as tax-free cash, without having to move home. The most common form, a lifetime mortgage, lets you borrow against your home's value while retaining full ownership. The loan, plus interest, is normally repaid from the sale of the property when you pass away or move into long-term care.
• Release tax-free cash from your home • Enjoy your retirement • Retain full ownership of your property • Help your family purchase a home • Repay debts • Improve quality of lifestyle • Access independent legal advice
Norman Martell Y O U R A DV I S E R
Elite Independent Mortgages Ltd is a member of the Equity Release Council and is authorised and registered by the Financial Conduct Authority (Reg. No. 301502). Contact details: 01656 745065 / 07884162076 norman.martell@elitefs-uk.net web:www.elite-mortgages.co.uk 61 Commercial Street Ken!g Hill CF 33 6DH
40 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
Protect your business Before problems become expensive EMPLOYMENT LAW
HR
HEALTH & SAFETY
Barry Quinn
07772 320 508
Scan to learn more about me or arrange a FREE business review
peninsulagrouplimited.com
cardiff-times.co.uk
Cardiff Times | 41
On the move?
If you’re moving home, our Residential Conveyancing team can help take the stress away, leaving you to focus on what’s important.
Get an instant quote for our conveyancing, 24/7! With our online calculator, you can get an instant quote for our conveyancing services any time, day or night, at a time that suits you. If you’re happy with it, you can instruct us straight away. Simply visit hardingevans.com, or scan the QR code below. That’s one thing ticked off the to-do list, right?
Contact us...
029 2267 6819 hardingevans.com client.engagement@hevans.com
42 | Cardiff Times
Where People, Business and Community Connect
SAVE £600 WITH A FREE OVEN & HOB Available from 1st July to 30th September 2026.
M O D ERN
CLAS S IC
Up to 50% less than a new fully fitted kitchen
TRADI TI ONAL
CONTEMPORARY
146 Whitchurch Road, Cardiff, CF14 3NA
Replacement kitchen doors Cost effective made to measure solution Quick installation in 2-3 days by local professionals
Call us now for a free estimate:
02921 321077
9.7/10 Terms and Conditions apply. Offer only applies to selected oven and hobs. Participating showrooms only. D Rcardiff-times.co.uk EAM DO O RS .CO.UK
Cardiff Times | 43 TH E UK’S # 1 KITCHEN MAKEOVER COMPANY
Leading the way in providing an AFFORDABLE PROFESSIONAL service
WESTMINSTER LAW Wills ,..., Estate Planning ,..., Probate
If you are over 60 it will cost you only £95* for us to prepare your Will. We are also Lasting Power of Attorney Specialists only £12O* each LPA if instructed during the Will appointment. Our prices include free home visits*, VAT and Inheritance Tax advice. ...
Call us now for a no obligation chat on
...
02920 023481
www.westminster-law.co.uk email: jc@westminster-law.co.uk Westminster LawCaerdydd Ltd, 12Cathedral Road,CardiffCF119LJ *These very special rates are only available if you are aged over 60. Our normal price for a standard single Will is £160, or £270 for a couple. Minimum spend for a free home visit is £95. The Office of the Public Guardian 44 | Cardiff Times Where People, Business and Community Connect (OPG) registration fee, when applicable, is not included in these prices..