Lampeter Grapevine Issue 13 Oct 2013

cysylltwch â ni / contact us: lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

Hydref /October 2013

GRAPEVINE digwyddiadau, newyddion a barn Llambed bob mis / Lampeter’s events, news and views monthly

regular features ...  listings & events  letters  kids in action  seasonal snippets  cookie’s corner  creative ideas  what’s on in the woods  local history  clonc  reviews  people’s market people  poetry corner

Cynhaeaf

Harvest FREE AM DD IM

Cynhaeaf (Harvest): reproduced with kind permission of Aneurin Jones

in this issue...  apple day  harvest: when everything happens at once  lampeter food bank  harvesting memories  harvesting a crop found on concrete  iechyd da ceredigion

Croeso / Welcome …

GRAPEVINE no. 13, October 2013 Post: c/o Victoria Hall, Bryn Road, Lampeter, Ceredigion SA48 7EE Email: lampetergrapevine@gmail.com Published by: Transition Llambed Development Trust, Victoria Hall, Bryn Road, Lampeter, SA48 7EE Printed by: TSD Reprographics, Lampeter, on paper from sustainable resources To list your event, submit an article, ad or letter or to make an enquiry, email: lampetergrapevine@gmail.com or post to address above Please include the reason you are contacting us in the subject box of your email (Ad, Listing, Article, Letter, Enquiry) Full guidelines for advertisers & contributors: see grapevine page on www.transitionllambed.co.uk Listings (events & courses) FREE. Display advertising rates: ¼ column £10; ¼ page £25; ½ page £40; full page £70 (back page £80) £25 off ads for one-off public events held in Victoria Hall Classified ads: £2 / 20 wds (min. £2) Therapists' section (max 35 wds): £10 for 6 editions in advance Copy date for Nov issue: Fri 11 Oct. Theme: ‘Make Do & Mend’ Circulation: 1,500 copies distributed free in the Lampeter area

to another busy issue of the Grapevine.

Whilst contemplating the theme of harvest in readiness for this issue, I heard an interesting radio programme (Costing the

Earth, Radio 4) about modern-day ’gleaners’ who travel around farms (largely in south-east England) to clear up leftover crops after harvesting has been completed. One result of

automated

harvesting

and

consumer

demand

for

unblemished, perfectly-shaped produce, is that a percentage of crops are left unharvested or unusable and therefore left to rot and wasted. Gleaning Network UK strives to gather these uncollected or discarded items from the fields and distribute them to people and places that need them.

This, in turn, led me to remember the image of ‘The Gleaners’

by Jean-François Millet, but in trying to find this I discovered the local work of Aneurin Jones and found his painting of ‘Cynhaeaf’ (Harvest) to be much more evocative. Huge thanks goes to Aneurin for giving us permission to use a copy of his painting for the front cover. I think you’ll agree it is a stunning image which shows a deep-rooted, organic relationship with the land. It has a timeless quality which, for me, represents both the heritage of our community and the desire to re-connect

to

contemporary

these way.

traditional Why

not

countryside

check

out

skills

the

in

gallery

a on

Aneurin’s website: aneurinjones.co.uk.

We have more new contributors this month, bringing a range of views and memories for our Harvest theme. Discover how historically people were much more involved in the process of growing food in ‘Local History - Harvest Time’ on pages 5 & 7, followed by ‘Harvest Memories’ on page 9. See how things have changed with ‘Harvesting a crop found on concrete’, page 26 and ‘Hunger strikes every community’, page 21.

If you grow your own food or have fruit trees in your garden, make sure you read ‘Harvest: when everything happens at once’ on page 12 and put ‘Apple Day’ into your diary: Saturday 5 October at the Organic Fresh Food Company, see poster on page 10.

Darllen hapus / Happy reading Angie Martin

We reserve the right to edit all contributions for reasons of space & clarity.

The views expressed in letters and articles are not necessarily those of Transition Llambed Development Trust or the newsletter group.

Other contact details:  Transition Llambed: www.transitionllambed.co.uk email: transitionllambed@gmail.com  Victoria Hall: www.vichall.org.uk To make bookings for Victoria Hall contact: admin@vichall.org.uk or phone/text 07891 632614  People's Market: To book a stall contact: rhydygwinfarm@talktalk.net or ring 01570 471432 2

room from the entrance hall, but at this time we have not got the funding – another one to work on.

Finally, as winter approaches we are working on our heating bills. We are in the process of switching our gas and electricity suppliers to more ethical companies that produce and sell renewable energy.

It has proved only marginally more expensive than using one of the Big Six providers, and combined with insulating the roof spaces and secondary glazing we hope to save money and improve the hall.

Did I mention the People’s Market on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month?

Tim Martin on behalf of the Directors, Transition Llambed Development Trust

Victoria Hall Refurbishment Update

The new kitchen is well and truly in full working order. In addition to the People’s Market Café, 10-1 on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month, (first shameless plug) serving great local foodstuffs, it is now being used a couple of days a week as a training kitchen and we are seeing increased interest from people booking the hall. As ever, always more to do – but we are getting there.

If you have been in the hall lately you will have noticed we are having the area under the balcony converted into 2 small rooms. One will be an office and administration base for the Trust and the other will be a small meeting room. The work is being carried out by local craftsmen using locally-sourced materials wherever possible. You may also notice For bookings please contact us on 07891 632614 we have had the floor sanded – isn’t it stunning! or visit the website at www.vichall.org.uk One day we may find enough money and time to do the rest of the main hall.

The design includes an additional set of double doors as you enter from the street. We hope that these will form a thermal barrier and improve the comfort inside the hall, whilst reducing our gas bill Cacennau cartref, and carbon footprint. I have to admit it can be a bit nd cyffaith a bwydydd sawrus draughty standing in the People’s Market on the 2 th Ffrwythau, llysiau a and 4 Saturday of the month (second shameless phlanhigion tymhorol, cartref plug).

Cig a gynhyrchir yn lleol Wireless broadband is all part of the project and as a dewis o waith llaw crefft soon as we have run power into the office we will Te a choffi be joining the modern era. I am thoroughly looking forward to facetwittering during the People’s Homemade cakes, Market, 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month (third preserves and savouries Homegrown seasonal fruit, shameless plug). vegetables and plants Only the adventurous may know that we also have Locally-produced meat and a room upstairs leading off the balcony. In the dim, a selection of handmade craft distant and architecturally-challenged past it was Tea and coffee converted into theatrical changing rooms complete with 3 toilets and make-up mirrors. It may have been functional but it was not pretty. We plan to convert this room into a warm, comfortable and airy space for small groups, complete with carpets and comfy chairs. Strip-out work has begun and we hope to see this room complete around the New Year. The long-term plan is to run a lift into this

Bring Back our Railway?

Copy date: Friday 11 October Theme: ‘Make Do & Mend’

Don’t miss the big debate Thur 17 October,7pm Victoria Hall

Send your articles/listings to lampetergrapevine@gmail.com 3

LETTERS

a new INSPIRE (or Green Impact) intern, Rosie

grapevine, victoria hall, bryn road, lampeter SA48 7EE email: lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

Scannell, working as the part-time Students'

Cygnus Book Club

The university's organic garden is Rosie's main

Union Environmental and Sustainability Officer. project for this year. The aim is for the garden to

Dear Grapevine Readers,

be an "eco-garden", made of recycled materials,

Who remembers Cygnus bookshop? Sadly, it

and worked on by students, lecturers, locals, and

closed a few years ago. When I previously visit-

other schools, as well as anyone else who would

ed Lampeter, I used to love going in there and

like to get involved. The garden will not be a

invariably met like-spirited people with whom

simple growing space but divided into many areas

to talk.

which will give everyone an opportunity to get

Now I’ve moved to Lampeter. Are there any

involved, e.g. arts and crafts, urban gardening.

other Cygnus subscribers who would like to

She hopes that involving Transition Llambed will

meet up?

help breach the gap between students and locals,

Please contact Shân,

encouraging locals to get involved in any way they

01570 218138 or 07940 375147.

wish, as well as joining in with the university's events planned for this year.

Rosie is hoping to set up some volunteering swaps

TSD Students' Union and Lampeter forging

with Carmarthen Campus which will give students

new links

who live in Lampeter the chance to go and work

Dear Grapevine,

with the Environmental and Sustainability Officer

As new University of Wales Trinity St David

in Carmarthen, as they have completely different

(TSD) Lampeter Students' Union officers this

projects. And students from Carmarthen will be

year, we are keen to make stronger links with the

able to come and work on our garden as well as

town and already have a number of ideas that we

other volunteering projects.

are excited about and hope could help with this.

She also aims to sort out the problem of cigarette

Flora McNerney was recently elected as the

butts that are dropped outside the SU, as well as

Welfare Officer for the Lampeter Campus:

tackling the rubbish in the river. During the

“Transition community is something that I have a

summer, if the river gets as dirty as last year,

personal interest in, as well as a rapidly-

she is planning to hold clean-up sessions where

developing work-orientated one. Having attended

people can get into the river to remove rubbish,

Transition Llambed's Big Gathering in the Victoria

and to try and get more rubbish and recycling bins

Hall in July, originally with the aim of just introducing

myself,

it

wasn't

long

across the university, especially around areas

before

where people spend a lot of time during the

discussions turned to things that got my ears

summer.

pricked up! I later left full of enthusiasm for the

Her final goal for a busy year is to distribute

year ahead, potential projects buzzing around my

information about volunteering projects in the UK

head - all rather exciting stuff!"

and abroad, helping anyone who is interested in

Flora’s aim this year as the Welfare Officer is to forge

and

strengthen

relationships

Lampeter's

Transition

community

how to apply for, plan and fund the projects.

between and

The SU are keen to lay foundations this year

the

which will then be in place for many years to

Students' Union (SU) and University. This looks

come. We really hope that working with Transition

like a more feasible year in which to achieve this

Llambed this year will form a strong foundation.

than previous years have, as this year the SU has

Flora McNerney and Rosie Scannell 4

Local History -

Harvest Time

Coedparc, Betws Bledrws – before World War I

Harvest was celebrated long before Christianity came to our islands. Lughnasadh (Loo-nass-ah from old Irish) is an ancient Celtic festival celebrating the beginning of the grain harvest and named after Lugh, the god of the sun and the harvest. The festival equates with the Welsh Gŵyl Galan Awst (Lammas Festival), being celebrated on or around 1st August. Followers of the old beliefs celebrated the harvest with games and contests long before the festival was Christianised. “Lammas” comes from the old Saxon word Hlaf-mas or “Loaf Mass”; “Harvest” from the Saxon word hærfest meaning "autumn”; and scythe (siðe) and sickle (sicol) also have Saxon roots. In history the scythe was first used about 500 BC, but the sickle is known to predate the Neolithic age.

The tradition of celebrating a harvest festival in churches as we know it today only began in 1843, in a Cornish parish where the practice of decorating churches with home-grown produce for a special service was first devised. The custom was started by Robert Hawker (once described as a “dotty Victorian pastor”) who based his idea on the old Lammas custom of making the Eucharistic bread from the first corn.

Betws Bledrws church, Harvest Festival Loaf, 2012 Harvesting was labour-

intensive. One man with a scythe could cut one acre of hay in a day, whilst a woman could bind the same quantity in the same time. These days two men, plus one combine and a cart can harvest an 80-acre field in a day. Neighbourly help (generally with hay) and also agreements with cottagers (labour in exchange for the use of land for growing potatoes, for example) helped to provide enough workers for harvest time.

Hay was raked into long heaps called windrows, before being loaded onto wagons. Scythes were used to cut hay, whilst cereal crops were generally cut with a sickle, and during the work there were pauses for Hoe Hogi - a stop to sharpen the tools.

There are records in Old habits die hard.

Cardiganshire of some Iorwerth Evans, a Llangybi farmer, sharpening his seasonal harvest workers scythe, 2013 travelling from as far away as Herefordshire and Glamorganshire to help with the reaping.

However, this work faded away and stopped altogether around the beginning of the 20th century when horse-drawn and then tractor machines began to affect Welsh farming patterns.

Continued on page 7

5

www.clonc.co.uk

Papur bro ardal plwyfi: Cellan, Llanbedr Pont Steffan, Llanbedr Wledig, Llanfair Clydogau, Llangybi, Llanllwni, Llanwenog, Llanwnnen, Llanybydder, Llanycrwysac Uwch gaeo a Phencarreg.

- The Welsh language community newspaper for Lampeter and the neighbouring parishes.

Digwyddiadau’r Haf Summer Events Rydym yn ffodus iawn i gael cymaint o We are very fortunate to have so ddigwyddiadau amrywiol yn yr ardal hon many diverse events in this area dros gyfnod yr haf. Bu’r holl over the summer period. All the ddigwyddiadau yn llwyddiant ysgubol events were a huge success oherwydd dygnwch y gwirfoddolwyr because of the organisation and sy’n trefnu a chynorthwyo. support of volunteers.

Trwy ffid newyddion gweplyfr a Through Clonc’s facebook and thrydar Clonc, ac yn rhifyn Medi twitter news feeds, and in the Clonc rhoddwyd cryn sylw i’r September issue of Clonc, digwyddiadau canlynol: Carnifal considerable attention was given to Llanybydder; Taith Cerddwn the following events: Llanybydder Ymlaen Rhys Meirion; Ffair Carnival; Rhys Meirion’s Cerddwn Pencarreg; Cinio’r Copa yn Llanfair Ymlaen Sponsored Walk; Pencarreg Clydogau; Ffair Fwyd Llanbed; Carnifal Fair; Kilimanjaro Cuisine in Llanfair Llanbed; Sioe Llanbed; Sioe Llanybydder; Sioe Clydogau; Lampeter Food Festival; Lampeter Cwmsychpant; Sioe Gorsgoch; Sioe Llanllwni; EiCarnival; Lampeter Show; Llanybydder Show; steddfod Llanbed; Cwmsychpant Show; Gorsgoch Show; Llanllwni Gŵyl Golwg a llawer mwy.

Show; Lampeter Eisteddfod; Braf yw darllen yr Gŵyl Golwg and much more. adroddiadau amdanynt a It is nice to read the reports gweld y lluniau diddorol a about them and see the dynnwyd gan unigolion. interesting pictures taken by Er mwyn rhoi sylw i’ch individuals. digwyddiad chi yn Gymraeg, In order to publicise your cysylltwch â Clonc drwy event in Welsh, please ebost: contact Clonc by email: golygydd@clonc.co.uk; golygydd@clonc.co.uk; Buddugwyr Sioe Gorsgoch Show winners gweplyfr: www.facebook.com/clonc facebook: www.facebook.com/clonc neu drydar: @Cloncyn. or twitter: @Cloncyn.

Rhai digwyddiadau mis Hydref a restrir yn Clonc Cwrdd Diolchgarwch Eglwys Betws Gwenan Gibbard a Meinir Gwilym, Festri Brondeifi Sioe Ffasiwn yr Urdd yn y Brifysgol Cwrdd Diolchgarwch Eglwys Cybi, Llangybi Cwrdd Diolchgarwch Capel y Bryn Cwrtnewydd Cwrdd Diolchgarwch Capel yr Erw Cellan Bingo Sefydliad y Galon Clwb Rygbi Llanybydder Cwrdd Diolchgarwch Capel y Cwm Cwmsychpant -

~ 4 4 5 6 7 8 15 17

Some local events in October as listed in Clonc - Betws Church Thanksgiving Service - Gwenan Gibbard & Meinir Gwilym, Brondeifi Vestry, - Urdd Fashion Show at the University - Cybi Church, Llangybi Thanksgiving Service - Bryn Chapel Cwrtnewydd Thanksgiving Service - Erw Chapel Cellan Thanksgiving Service - British Heart Foundation Bingo Llanybydder Rugby Club - Cwm Chapel Cwmsychpant Thanksgiving Service

Geirfa ~ Vocabulary Papur bro - Welsh Language Community Paper Gŵyl Golwg - 25 year anniversary festival of gwirfoddolwyr - volunteers Golwg magazine held in Lampeter Cerddwn Ymlaen - Sponsored Walk in aid Eisteddfod - a Welsh festival of literature, music of Wales Air Ambulance and performance Urdd - Welsh League of Youth Cwrdd Diolchgarwch - Thanksgiving Service 6

Dylan Lewis

Local History - Harvest Time, continued from page 5 A very early account of local harvest celebrations can be found in letters exchanged in 1760 between Lewis Morris, of Penbryn, Aberarth (Llanddewi Aberarth) and his brother. Lewis Morris had 40 or 50 neighbours helping with the reaping, who also are on record as drinking ale and beer, and eating various meals. Breakfast: “Brecwast o fara a chaws a llaeth a maidd - breakfast of bread, cheese, milk and whey”.

Then dinner: “Cinio o lymru a llaeth a bara ymenyn dinner of boiled and soured oatmeal [llumry - also known as succan], and buttered bread”. Supper was a brewing pan of beef and mutton with carrots, potatoes and potage, followed by white pudding made with wheat flour, plus twenty gallons of light ale, and twenty gallons of beer. All this was followed by dancing and fiddle playing (Welsh Gazette,1958).

The general schedule was potato planting in April, haymaking in July or August, and corn harvest in August or September, while potatoes were harvested in October. Old school logbooks (from around the mid -1870s) from this area faithfully record the absence of children during harvest times as their labour was needed in the harvest fields.

In Llanddewi Aberarth (where Lewis Morris fed his workers so generously in 1760) it is reported that on 8 September 1886 attendance was low, due in part to the corn harvest. In Llangybi in 1878, on 5 July the attendance was very small, the children being kept at home to work; on August 16 it was reported that school attendance was falling off owing to the harvest, and on October 12 the headmaster noted that attendance was thin: “Several children absent digging potatoes.” Again in Llangybi on 22 July 1892, the headmaster noted that there were many absentees: “Hay harvesting is general in the parish, and in order to render every assistance to the farmers to secure their hay, school is closed for a fortnight.”

Coedparc, Betws Bledrws - same fields, 2007

Only 83 years later, on 3 October 1975, the head teacher notes with great satisfaction: “Attendance for the week, 100%”, and nowhere in the summer months of that year is there any mention of children being absent for harvesting reasons.

In the past at harvest time there might have been very large groups of neighbours and hired labourers working the fields for days, but now we only see perhaps one man and a huge machine doing the work in a fraction of the time. He may also be seen at night working with the aid of spotlights on his cab - a feat impossible for our ancestors living in the age of candles or paraffin lamps. During the last fifty years or so the traditional ways of celebrating harvest have almost completely faded into folk memory. Even so, in spite of modern mechanisation, as Damian Thompson has said: “Harvest is one of those feasts that seem to stretch back beyond Christianity itself, synchronising the religious calendar with the ancient dance of the seasons.”

Jen Cairns Thanks to Ceredigion Archives for permission to quote from the Cardiganshire 1975 School Log Book.

Harvest photographs by Jen Cairns and family

Looking ahead to next month: Do you ‘Make Do & Mend’? Are you a hoarder - keeping things just in case you need them?

Do you find new uses for old containers or re-vamp clothes that don’t quite fit any more?

Can you create something from nothing in traditional ‘Blue Peter’ style?

If so, we would really like to hear from you.

Please contact: The Newsletter Team

lampetergrapevine@gmail.com Send us your recycling ideas or photos of things you’ve made.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Not keen on writing things down? We could arrange to pop round & have a chat instead.

7

You will need:  Glue (PVA is great as it dries clear)  Paint brush  Clear plastic lids (e.g. From yoghurt pots/Pringles)  White, red &/or green tissue paper  Hole punch  Stem with leaves (or brown pipe cleaner & green tissue paper cut into leaf shapes)  Apple seeds (or brown paper cut into seed shapes)

What to do: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Lay the lid down like a dish - then glue seeds into the centre & leave to dry overnight Decide which is the top of the apple - punch a hole in the rim as far away from the outside edge as possible Rip tissue paper into small pieces Squirt glue over the inside of the lid & spread evenly with paint brush Stick an overlapping layer of white tissue in the middle of the lid, to cover the seeds & paste a little more glue over the top 6. Rip red or green tissue into thin strips 7. Paste glue on the inside rim of lid & layer tissue paper gently around edge (use a bit more glue & the paint brush to ease the tissue into place - but don’t be too neat as it adds to the overall effect if it’s a bit messy) 8. Insert the stem (or pipe cleaner) into punched hole at top & layer more tissue over (like bandages) to secure it 9. Tie a thread or ribbon through the hole & allow to dry completely 10.Hang in your window as a sun-catcher

Why not try making a display of creepy shrunken apple heads for Halloween to scare any visitors You will need:  Apples  Lemon juice  Small knife Potato peeler

1. Fill a bowl with cold water & add a good glug of lemon juice & spoonful of salt 2. Peel the apples & drop into lemony, salty water 3. When ready carve each apple with a small knife but remember to exaggerate the features as they are going to shrink (so not too much detail). You could add cloves in the eye sockets or grains of rice as teeth 4. Put the finished carvings somewhere dry and allow them to dry out slowly. You will need to be patient, it could take 1-2 weeks! (You could try drying them out on a baking tray in a very low-temperature oven but be careful not to cook them!)

5. Fix each apple head onto a stick and arrange in a vase or other suitable container or just line them up on your windowsill - you decide Take a photo of your finished sun-catcher or apple head & send to lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

Enjoy!

8

Harvesting Memories: Can Community Spirit be Revived? community disintegration as a whole. These practices were key elements in bringing people together, helping to keep other community events thriving, such as village carnivals, dances, markets and sports. More and more we have seen a decline in these events.

We moved, as a family, to the beautiful Aeron Valley twenty-six years ago. We left behind our families, friends and a large bustling town to move to a small, predominantly farming community where we knew almost no-one. This soon changed, as neighbours arrived to say hello and welcome us to the area and also to offer us much-needed help (no water, gas, electricity on our arrival - but that is another story).

In the twenty-six years we have been here we have seen any number of village schools, post offices, public houses, shops, markets and village halls close. Some of the surrounding villages now have none of these key institutions which, as we know, are the heart of a thriving community. We are very lucky: the village we live in has all these key elements and we have a thriving community. However many of these farming practices are sadly long gone.

One of my most abiding memories of that first summer is watching a local farmer harvesting barley in a field adjoining our land. Okay, so he was using the usual tractor and harvesting equipment of the time, but what really sticks in my mind was the arrival of a group of people to collect and load up the bales of barley straw onto the waiting trailers. The group consisted of men, women and children of all ages. It was a happy industrious scene, everyone working and laughing alongside each other. They waved to us and called hello as they continued their work.

So what can we do about this? Do we care?

I believe that we are beginning to wake up and realise how important community life is and recognise the role these crumbling institutions and dying practices play. A number of village halls have received recent renovations, not least the Victoria Hall in Lampeter, instigating a revival of their use.

Small markets are making a comeback, e.g. the twice-monthly People's Market in Lampeter and the monthly Lunar Market at Llanfair Clydogau. We are seeing a growing number of local food festivals and fairs which bring people to the area. There are also an increasing number of community events such as the Community Apple Day, run by the Lampeter Permaculture Group (see page 10 for details).

Before long we began to learn that there were key activities that brought a farming community together, to share labour and machinery. These key activities were shearing, haymaking, potato picking and Christmas poultry plucking. Farming families and other local people would go from farm to farm to help where they could, with no expectation of any kind of payment other than a shared meal supplied by the host farm and assistance in their turn. The children’s half-term holiday in October was commonly known in this area as ‘potato picking week’ and was arranged in order that the local children could help their parents with the harvesting of potatoes.

Can we together build a revival of Community Spirit?

I’m sure that we could all benefit from a little extra neighbourliness. I truly hope that there will be the chance to create more memories like these for the future.

We soon became involved with these events and joined in with the local work parties, taking our two young children with us. We learnt a lot during those early years and made many friends. It helped us greatly to integrate into the community.

Pauline Bambrey

But times, as we all know, change. The pressure on farmers to produce more and to modernise their practices has been great. Machinery has become larger and more complex, replacing manpower in most cases. Gone are the small bales of hay and straw, replaced by large bales that can only be moved by machines. Potato harvesting has also become mechanised. Rules and regulations surrounding the slaughter and preparation of poultry have halted any kind of processing on the farm. We have lost the community involvement in these annual events and I fear this has also contributed to

Next Grapevine Theme November: ‘Make Do & Mend’ Copy Date: Friday 11 October Send your articles/letters/adverts to lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

9

10

people’s market people

and two Catering Support Workers, creating work for three Ceredigion residents. They will be starting shortly, once all the necessary checks have been completed.

Once these new staff are in post, the kitchen will be used four days per week.

New menus are being developed We will be developing menus in keeping with the procurement policy of TLDT, and these will be available on request. We are looking forward to receiving enquiries from, and catering for, the many different users of the hall.

The new kitchen in full operation during the People’s Market

Training Pathway

Cwmni Llond Bol at Victoria Hall has formally entered their agreement in co-working with Transition Llambed Development Trust (TLDT) and will be operating from the Hall two days per week.

COASTAL has hired Victoria Hall to run a ten-week Arts4Wellbeing course for participants from Canolfan Steffan and Canolfan Meugan. The full day courses offer the opportunity to provide lunch, the ideal start for Cwmni Llond Bol, with some excellent feedback received for their lunchtime menus.

The training pathway for our participants will be:  Acceptance - Level One Basic Food Hygiene  Week 1 - kitchen induction  Weeks 2 & 3 - accredited qualification ‘Preparing cold drinks and snacks’  Week 4 - assessment, review & action planning for: * general competency skills as a catering assistant (to work in the local authority's kitchens) * entering employment or moving on to college for continuing education in the catering field.

COASTAL will be running a painting and decorating course very soon at Victoria Hall to repaint the foyer and the small hall.

I would like to pass on my thanks to the clients and staff of Canolfan Steffan for their support, ideas and assistance during this transition period.

Darren Phillips, COASTAL Development Manager

Full cooked breakfasts now available at the People’s Market We continue to run the café at the People's Market and with the refurbished new kitchen available, our range of snacks now include full cooked breakfasts with eggs, sausage and bacon, all purchased from the market and freshly cooked to order. We have committed to providing this service until June 2014.

COASTAL have recruited their Catering Manager

Canolfan Gwirfoddoli CAVO yn cynnig: CAVO Volunteer Centre offers: · Gwybodaeth am ddim ynghylch gwirfoddoli · Free information service on volunteering · Cyngor ynglŷn â‘r cyfle gorau i chi · Advice on the right opportunity for you · Help a chefnogaeth wrth wirfoddoli · Help and support during your volunteering journey Diddordeb…? Galwch: 0800 328 0940 Interested…? Call us: 0800 328 0940 E-bost: infovb@cavo.org.uk Galwch i mewn www.cavo.org.ukwww.gwirfoddolicymru.net

Email: infovb@cavo.org.uk Call at our drop-in session www.cavo.org.ukwww.volunteering-wales.net

Hydref 11

October 11

Hydref 25

October 25

Tachwedd 8

November 8 11

Harvest: when everything happens at once!

Although this is true for all crops, I am thinking in particular of apples. So often we see an apple tree in a garden where the grass is covered in the fallen and spoiling crop. Of course some fallers are good, and the blackbirds do appreciate them in the winter.

However, where all the crop is allowed to drop and rot, or worse still gathered up and thrown away, it's a shame.

But, you may say, there are only so many raw apples one person can eat. That may be true, but how many other ways are there to eat an apple?

Well, we can cook them in pies and crumbles or core them and bake them. It doesn't really matter if they are not cookers. You can cook eaters, but you have to love a sharp apple to eat a cooker raw! There are of course dual-purpose apples which cook early in their season and then ripen in keeping, giving a mellow apple suitable for eating. All apples are multipurpose to a greater or lesser extent.

The classifications of eater, cooker, cider, are only guidelines. There is a cider apple, 'Morgan Sweet', which as its name suggests is sweet, though it does have an underlying astringency. At one time it was grown in quantity, being a favourite for miners' lunch-boxes. I eat it (though I am not a miner) and find it very refreshing.

So what else can we do with our apple harvest?

I have already mentioned cider, which can be made from almost any apple, though it may not be a prizewinning vintage. A perfectly drinkable cider can be produced from assorted eaters and cookers and is a good way to use up those too small for other purposes. One of the main characteristics looked for in a cider variety is the ease of juice extraction.

Milling and pressing non-cider varieties may not be so easy, but is not impossible. And if the apples were going to waste, do we care if we only get 400ml per kilogram instead of 500?

That approximates to a 1-litre container of juice

Jam and chutney are other good ways to use up surplus and extend use into winter and spring.

Crab-apple jelly is well-known, but apple jelly can be made from any variety. Chutney has always been a traditional way to preserve surplus produce.

Dried apple rings are another traditional method of preservation. At one time, when every kitchen had a range, apple rings would have been put on wire trays in a warm oven and left for many hours or days until dry. Now, however, when energy costs are soaring and ranges are much rarer, we find other ways to achieve the same ends. I have dried apple rings by cutting them thin, putting them on bamboo skewers in a box and blowing the air from a dehumidifier through the box from bottom to top. It takes a couple of days and is finished when the rings are like leather without a pithy core.

So there we have it: many ways to use up our apple harvest by preserving it for use over a longer period, and I haven't even mentioned bottling apple purĂŠe.

Why not bring your surplus apples to Lampeter Permaculture Group's Apple Day on Sat 5 October at The Organic Fresh Food Company (see page 10 for details) and turn them into juice. Quantity limits may apply! There will be other displays of apple-related interest.

Richard Bambrey

from a good-sized carrier bag of apples.

Did you know ...

Of course, if we do not wait for the juice to ferment into cider we can drink it as apple juice. This can be drunk fresh, or kept in the freezer if you use plastic bottles and leave a good air space at the top. Juice expands when it is frozen!

12

that smelling a sliced green apple is claimed to reduce the intensity and duration of migraines. - Eds.

Send in your photos of appley creations to lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

Victoria Hall: regular activities and classes Bryn Road, Lampeter SA48 7EE To book the Victoria Hall phone: 07891 632614 Email: admin@vichall.org.uk Please note that room booking fees for Victoria Hall have changed E.G. for community groups & local small-scale commercial: Large hall is now £12/hour; Small hall £7/hour; whole building £18/hour. See www.vichall.org.uk for more details.

Day

Weekly (W) Fortnightly (F) Monthly (M)

Time

Activity / Class

Monday

W

6.308pm

Tuesday

W

Wednesday

Thursday

Contact Name

Number

Yoga suitable for all

Cathy Crick

01570 421144

7.308.30pm

Zumba keep fit session

Julie Lancaster

01570 470542

F 2, 16, 30 October

1.304.30pm

Young at Heart

W

7-8pm

Zumba keep fit session

Louise Evans

07584 199372

W

10-3pm

Two Welsh classes

Meryl Evans

01545 572715

Tea, sandwiches & social for the wiser folk of Lampeter

M Transition Llambed A chance for all those interested in/involved 3rd Thur each 7-9pm ‘Big Gathering’ with Transition Llambed to plan and month co-ordinate activities. Everyone welcome!

Open mtg ‘Bring back our trains’ 17 Oct: Friday

W

4.306.30pm

LYTSS: Lampeter Youth Theatre & Stage School

Saturday

2nd & 4th Sat each month

10am1pm

People’s Market

M 2nd Sat each month (12 Oct)

2-4pm

Sing Out, Harmony Song Workshop

Clara Clay

07929 018928

W

10am7pm

Lampeter Evangelical Church

Gareth Jones at the Mustard Seed café

01570 423344

W

7-9pm

Brazilian Jujitsu

Mike A. Banica

07783 582081

Sunday

courses_______________ Denmark Farm Conservation Centre, Betws Bledrws Fri 27 - Sun 29 Sept: Mosses, Liverworts and Lichens Sat 5 - Mon 7 Oct: Pond & Stream Invertebrates Fri 11 - Sun 13 Oct: Habitat Restoration & Recreation Sun 13 Oct: Felt Slipper Making Workshop (rescheduled) Fri 18 - Sun 20 Oct: Reading the Landscape with Patrick Whitefield

Annie May

Local food, produce and crafts. Plus café, live music and other attractions

Sat 19 Oct: Monthly Volunteer Day Fri 25 - Sun 27 Oct: Biomass Crops & Biodiversity Fri 1 - Sun 3 Nov: Identification & Ecology of Fungi Mon 4 - Tues 5 Nov: Phase 1 Habitat Survey Sat 23 Nov: Monthly Volunteer Day Sun 24 Nov: Spec ial W EA Stoolmaking Workshop (FREE!) Many more opportunities and further details: 01570 493358, www.denmarkfarm.org.uk

Send your listings to lampetergrapevine@gmail.com 13

01570 423080

DID YOU KNOW? If you place a paid advert for your local event in the Grapevine, you can also have it included on the Victoria and Cellan Millennium Halls' websites for no additional charge?

Please email your poster (preferably JPEG format ) to: admin@vichall.org.uk or admin@cellanmillenniumhall.co.uk Thanks!

what’s going on listings are free. send details of your event to lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

creative_______________ Cellan Quilters - Knit, Natter and Sew, Wednesdays 12noon-4pm, Cellan Hall. £10 per month or £4 drop -in fee. Informal group for all who enjoy quilting, sewing, knitting, socialising - & female chatter? All ages, all abilities welcome. Contact: Amanda, 01570 421338.

events ________________ Coffee morning and Sale, St Thomas' Methodist Church, Lampeter, Sat 12 Oct, time TBC. Proceeds in aid of the Kinango sponsorship programme in Kenya.

Everyone welcome.

Coedwig Gymunedol Long Wood Community Woodland:  Open Public Meeting. Mon 7 Oct, 7.30-8pm. St. Thomas Church, Lampeter. Long Wood welcomes you to attend this monthly drop-in open forum to share your ideas or discuss issues. Contact: 07557 386755  Seed Gathering Walk, Sun 20 Oct. Come and learn about tree seed identification and propagation at Long Wood. Plus seed-gathering treasure hunt for children. Meet at Gwili Jones Tractors, Lampeter, 12 noon. * Fungal Foray, Sat 2 Nov. Join us for a guided walk through Long Wood & learn about the myriad of fungi found in the woodlands. Meet Long Wood car park 12 noon. Contact for both events: 07557 386755  Woodland Wednesdays. Join Sarah, our Warden for regular volunteering sessions at Long Wood every Wednesday. Develop your wood skills and feel the benefit of working in this beautiful environment.

No experience required; training provided for these supervised sessions. Meet 10am, main car park (Llangybi end).

Contact: 07557 386755, info@longwood-lampeter.org.uk Cymdeithas Hanes Llambed/ Lampeter History Society meets every third Tuesday of the month at 7.30pm in the Old Hall of the University. Tues 15 Oct, Guest speaker: Lyn Ebenezer, well-known journalist and author from Pontrhydfendigaid, on ‘Memories of Bont’. All welcome/Croeso cynnes i bawb. Season’s membership £5, casual visitors £1 per session.

People’s Kitchen Sunday 6 Oct, 1pm at Llanfair Clydogau Village Hall - not only delicious vegan lunch, but also a film and speaker on the subject of fracking.

The Scientific And Medical Network Lampeter and West Wales Group presents an illustrated lecture

by Dr Howard Jones, on Sir Alister Hardy's life and work. Sat 12 Oct, 10.30 am. Free admission to all.

Founder's Library, University of Wales TSD, Lampeter campus.

The local SMN group co-ordinator is Eric Franklin, 01570 471367, erf678@googlemail.com The Welsh Quilt Centre's 2013 exhibition, Kaffe Fassett Comes to Wales. The exhibition is open until November 2 at the Welsh Quilt Centre, Lampeter. Admission: £5, £4 concs, £2.50 students.

health & well-being courses & classes ______ Yoga classes suitable for all, with an Iyengar-trained teacher: Mon 6.30-8pm Vic Hall, Lampeter Tues 10-11.30am Cellan Hall 6.30-8pm Ffarmers Village Hall Weds 5.30-7pm Tregaron Chapel Vestry; Contact: Cathy Crick Stanton, 01570 421144 / 07748 031614, cathycrick@hotmail.co.uk Building Confidence to sound your note in the world: introductory session, Thur 17 Oct, Lampeter. Do you want to express yourself clearly, honestly and appropriately, and say no when necessary? To stand the best chance of achieving your goals, with integrity? Contact Shân (qualified with Redwood Institute), 01570 218138, 07940 375147, www.livingexcellently.co.uk New! Mat-based Pilates. Physical and mental toning; improve your posture and co-ordination; increase your energy levels; learn to live from your centre. Taster session, Cellan Millennium Hall, Mon 21 Oct, 2.30-3.30pm.

Classes weekly thereafter. Shân Rees, OCR-qualified Pilates instructor with extensive experience of movement and exercise: 01570 218138, 07940 375147, www.livingexcellently.co.uk Meditation day hosted by Caroline Jones on Sun 17 Oct, Cellan Millennium Hall. Caroline teaches at Gaia House and internationally.

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Please book in advance: Colette, 07890 835 873, colette@mindfulnesscourse.co.uk.

kids______________ Ray Ceredigion offers free, openaccess outdoor play sessions.

Maes Y Felin play area, Lampeter, every Mon (term time), 4-6pm. Also at Rhydlanfair play area, Llangybi, Mon, 3.30-5.30pm. Contact: Helen Lewis, 01545 570686 Playsessions on Maes y Deri Playfield every 3rd Sunday each month throughout the year, 11am3.30pm, with Ray Ceredigion playworkers. On the right up hill beside St Peter's Church, all welcome.

Little M’zzz new indoor soft play centre, Llanybydder. (In old church Hall near Evans Bros market). Open Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat & Sun 10am6pm, 7 days a week in school holidays. Birthday Party bookings welcome. Tasty menu & free WiFi. Contact: 01570 480268, www.littlemzzz.co.uk

markets______________ People’s Market, Victoria Hall, Lampeter, 10am-1pm every 2nd & 4th Sat each month.

Next markets: Sat 12 & 26 Oct. Lampeter Farmers' Market Market Street, Lampeter, 9am-2pm alternate Fridays Next markets: Fri 4 & 18 Oct Ffarmers Market Neuadd Bro Fana/Village Hall, Ffarmers, 10am-12.30pm 1st Sat in the month Next market: Saturday 5 Oct Llansawel Market Llansawel Village Hall, 10am 12.30pm 3rd Sat of the month Next market: Saturday 19 Oct Lunar Market. Saturday 5 Oct, Llanfair Clydogau Village Hall, 10am-3pm. Local produce and crafts and refreshments. Contact: 07920 063773.

move your body ________ Belly Dance & Belly Fit classes in Lampeter are cancelled till Mon 4 Nov. Please contact Rose Barter about coming to alternative classes during Oct: 01239 851737, rosebarter@btinternet.com

lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

move your body contd_____ Belly Dance & Yoga classes. Belly Dance: Tues 7.30-8.30pm. £3.00.

Beginner Yoga: Thur 7-8.30pm, £5.00.

Crugybar Village Hall.

Contact: 01558 685321, elenamgilliatt@hotmail.com BlackSheep BellyDance. Fortnightly W ednesday classes with Lyza Chthonia: 6.30-7.45pm. £5 per person per class (first class is free!) Open Level (Adults, 14yrs+) Shiloh Hall, Lampeter (behind police station). Join our Facebook group – ‘Chthonia BellyDance Classes Lampeter’. www.chthoniabellydance.co.uk and Tribal Dance with Lyza. Alternate Wednesdays 6.30-8pm, Shiloh Church Hall, High Street, Lampeter.

Contact: lyza_darkestwish@live.com Cerddwyr Ramblers, Lampeter, Do you enjoy exploring the local countryside, discovering historic sites, socialising and mixing, having fun and chit-chat? Lonely, low in mood, recently widowed? Need a change or inspiration to exercise enjoyably, meet up with people outside your usual circle? Do you have a passion to maintain and improve our footpath network by surveying footpath problems or legal diversion orders? Or perhaps lead walks that you know and would like to share. Then join Lampeter Ramblers, we have much in common! Choice of varying walks throughout the year.

See our programme in Library or Creative Cove. James Williams, 01570 480743.

Coedwig Gymunedol Long Wood Community Woodland. Do you need to get out and about more? Join our FREE 1/2 hour Health Walks, held on the last Sunday each month. Next dates: 29 Sept & 27 Oct. Especially for people who find walking difficult.

Please wear sensible shoes. Meet 2pm at Penlan Goetre, SA48 8NE. Contact: Andrew, 07557 386755 info@longwood-lampeter.org.uk Flamenco Dance classes weekly in Lampeter and Aberystwyth with Dixey Ruscelli.

Tues 6-7.15pm, Sally Saunders Dance Studio, Lampeter Industrial Estate, Tregaron Rd, Lampeter (next to Organic Fresh Food Co) Wed 6-7.30pm, Aberystwyth Arts Centre, with live flamenco guitarist.

Men and women welcome. Please bring strong chunky-heeled shoes.

Contact: 01570 493138, dixeyart@gmail.com Footpath Maintenance volunteering with Ceredigion County Council rights

of ways staff every Friday. Trashing, clearing, erecting stiles, footbridges and installing gates mainly in the south of the county. Fun and cost toward transport included. No experience needed, just join our team! Contact: James Williams, 01570 480743 Friday Walkers: meet up with us for ambling rambling on a Friday morning.

Easy access walking for about an hour, depending on the weather and the mood. Meet Friday morning, rain or shine, 10am at Rookery Car Park.

Free, followed by coffee and more chat. Not able to manage the stroll but would like company? No matter, just meet up with others like you for coffee.

Philip Lodwick 01570 480181.

Yoga, Wednesdays 5.30-7pm Cellan Millennium Hall. Small friendly group led by Pat Beaton, 01558 650594.

Send your listings to lampetergrapevine@gmail.com Canolf an Hamdden Llambed Leisure Centre. 01570 422552, Lampeter-leisure@ceredigion.gov.uk Autumn/Winter activity programme as follows:  Cardio Circuit Training gyda/with Sands & Paul Butch. £3.50. Mon 6.307.30pm. All-over body workout.

Conditioning. Resistance training.

Improve mobility, strength & stamina.

Ymarfer i’r corf i gyd. Cyflyru. Ymarfer gwrthsafiad. Gwella symudadwy, cryfder ac egni.  J’s Workout 01559 362690.

Oedolion/Adults £3.90, Henoed/ Myfyrwyr/Iau/O.A.P/Student/Junior £3.20. Tocyn consesiwn/concession ticket (12 dosbarth/classes) Oedolion/ Adult £39, Conc. £32. Mon 5.306.30pm, STEP. Tues 5.30-6.15pm, Zumba. W ed 12noon-12.45pm, Ffit rw ydd Rhw ydd/Ease into Fitness. Wed 6.30-7.30pm, Kettlecise. Thurs 5.15-6pm, Dawns Aerobig/Aerobic Dance.  Yoga/Pilates Ann Inshaw, 01570 481319, 07826 692110. Mon 5.307pm, Yoga (pob lefel/all levels). Tues 6-7pm, Pilates (pob lefel/all levels).

Wed 5.15-6.15pm Pilates (canolol/ cynyddol/intermediate/advanced).

Thurs 6-7pm, Pilates (pob lefel/all levels).

Fri 10-11.30am, Yoga (pob lefel/all levels).  Spinning £3.90 sesiwn/session, £39 for 12 sesiwn/sessions. Bwcio gyda taliad yn unig!/Booking with payment 15

only! Tues 5.30-6.15pm, Wed 7.158.15pm, Fri 5.30-6.15pm. Cofiwch ddod a photel o ddŵr a thowel/ Remember to bring a bottle of water & a towel.  Clwb Ymladd Cleddyfau Llambed/ Lampeter Town Fencing Club Sean Slater, 01570 493139, anpiobaire1@aol.com Croeso i bawb dros 10 oed. All aged 10+ welcome. £4.50. Os ydych am hwyl, ffitrwydd a her o frwydro yna ymladd cleddyfau yw’r peth i chi. If you want fun, fitness and a challenge of combat then fencing is for you. Tues 3.30-5pm & Fri 6.30-8pm. Darparir offer/equipment provided.  Clwb Badminton/Badminton Club Weds 5-6.30pm: advanced players.

Fri 5-6.30pm: all players welcome.  Clwb Rhedeg Sarn Helen Running Club Thurs 6.15-7.15pm. Croeso i blant dros 8 oed/ All children over 8 years welcome.  Ysgol Gymnasteg REES School of Gymnastics Islwyn Rees, 01570 422979. Sat 9.15-10am, Oed meithrin (dan 5)/Pre-school (under 5); 1011am, Dechreuwyr (6 oed i fyny)/ Beginners (6yrs+); 11am-12noon, Gwellhawyr (6 oed i fyny)/Improvers (6yrs+).  Disco Sglefrio/Roller Disco every Saturday 3-4pm. Oedolion/Adults £2.60, Plant/Children £1.90. ‘sgidiau i’w llogi/boots for hire £1.30

music_________________ Sing Out Harmony Workshop 2-4pm 2nd Saturday every month at Victoria Hall, Lampeter. Next date: Sat 12 Oct. Contact: Clara Clay, 07929 018928 Lampeter Music Club has two exciting concerts in November at University of Wales TSD, Lampeter campus.

Sun 3 Nov 2.30pm, Arts Hall: Scottish Trumpet Ensemble.

Sun 10 Nov 2.30pm, Old Hall: Mazeppa, violin duo.

Tickets on the door: £10; concessions £8.50, students free with a Union card, 2 children admitted free with a paying adult. To join mailing list (post or email) contact: 01570 422436, cockburn.david@gmail.com

photography ___________ Lampeter Photography meet on 1st & 3rd Friday of every month, 7.30pm at the Kings Head, Lampeter. Monthly competitions, exhibitions & workshops.

All welcome. FREE. Contac t: Stef, 07958 772035, lampeterphotography@yahoo.co.uk

photography contd________ Tracy Dove, Llanfair Clydogau-based photographer, has an eclectic selection of her photo cards available at the Town Hall Cafe/Deli in Lampeter. Open Mon-Sat 10-4 with free wi-fi, great food, drinks & regular art exhibitions.

religious services & groups ________________ Lampeter Parish St Peter’s Church, Lampeter. Main Sun Service: 10.30am (bilingual), Other services: 8am Holy Communion (English), 9.15am Cymun Bendigaid (trydydd Sul yn y mis yn unig, Cymraeg). Church Hall available for hire, £8.50 per hour. Kitchen facilities.

Enquiries/bookings contact: Beryl, 01570 422324, www.lampeterparish.org St Cybi’s Church, Llangybi. Main Sun Service: 9am (bilingual).

St Bledrws’ Church, Betws Bledrws.

Main Sun Service: 10.45am (English or bilingual).

St Sulien’s Church, Silian. Main Sun Service: 2pm (bilingual /Cymraeg).

St Mary’s Church, Maestir. Main Sun Service: 2.30pm (2nd Sun in month only, English).

Times apply to the first four Sundays in each month. For the few fifth Sundays there will be a single United Parish Service at 10am: location will be published in the local newspapers.

St Thomas' Methodist Church Sun service 10.30am, creche & youth activity. Tuesday Coffee morning 9.3012noon. All welcome. See chapel notice board.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Roman Catholic Church, Lampeter Sunday Mass is 10am. For other services see church notice board.

Emmaus Christian Fellowship meets Sundays, 10.30am and 5pm, at rear of 78 Bridge Street, Lampeter. Contact: David Patterson 01570 422529 Interested in Buddhism?

A Study Group for Women. Exploring the underlying principle of Buddhist Practice and how we can apply this in our daily lives. Meets one day a month near Aberystwyth. Meditation, shared lunch. Contact: Lesley, 01970 617129 or Noel 07988 745364 Lampeter Evangelical Church meets every Sunday at Victoria Hall, 10am– 7pm. Contact: Gareth Jones at The Mustard Seed café, 01570 423344 Lampeter Quakers. Every Sunday at Canolfan Steffan, Peterwell Terrace at

10.45am. All welcome. www.quakersinwales.org.uk (English) Crynwyr Llambed. Cwrdd bob ddydd Sul, Canolfan Steffan, Rhodfa Peterwell, 10.45 yb. Croeso i bawb. www.crynwyrcymru.org.uk (Cymraeg) Contact / Cysylltwch: Deborah Rowlands, 01570 480083, deborahjrowlands@gmail.com Seventh Day Adventists meet fortnightly on Sat at Cellan Millennium Hall, 10.15am-3.15pm.

For more details: www.cellanmillenniumhall.co.uk

social ________________ Cancer support group: Thur 10 & Thur 24 Oct, 2-4pm, Cellan Millennium Hall. We have backing and funding from MacMillan Cancer Support; leaflets and information books to give away. Get together once a fortnight, easy parking, quiet (discreet). It's also on a bus route! So if you need support, information, or know someone that does, or you just want to escape from the four walls (shouting CANCER at you) come along and have a chat.

Variety of games available too.

Contact: Jane, 01570 423010 CY D Llambed. Ym arf er eic h Cymraeg/Practise your Welsh. Dydd Mawrth 11 yb-12yh/Tuesdays 11am12 noon, Gwesty y Llew Du, Llanbedr P.S./Black Lion Hotel, Lampeter.

Croeso i bawb/All welcome. Croeso i unrhyw Cymro/Cymraes sy'n fodlon i ymuno â ni.

Cysyllt â/Contact: Mary Neal, 01570 470092 Golden Broth Lunch Club: a free lunch and social club for the senior citizens of Cellan and Llanfair Clydogau, offering a FREE light lunch of soup, roll and cake, plus tea/coffee.

Gather for a social and play cards or dominoes, or just relax and natter to friends. All ideas are welcome. Come along and join in the fun.

Fortnightly on alternate weeks at Cellan Millennium Hall and Llanfair Hall on Mondays, 11.30am-2pm.

Next dates: Cellan - Mon 30 Sept.

Llanfair - Mon 21 Oct (no Cellan club in Oct). Amanda (Cellan) 01570 421338, or Linda (Llanfair) 01570 493706 Coffee Stop, Thursdays 10.30am-3pm at Emmaus Christian Fellowship, 78 Bridge Street, Lampeter. Soup, toasties, cakes. W arm friendly environment. Contact: David, 01570 422529 Lampeter Friends is a new SelfAdvocacy group for people with learning disabilities, set up by Eich 16

CELLAN MILLENNIUM HALL CLASSES AND GROUPS Classes subject to change: please check www.cellanmillenniumhall.co.uk for updates & contact details.

See our website What’s On page for one-off events MONDAY Line Dancing 7-10pm Lunch Club 30 Sept, 11.30-2pm Pilates (mat-based) - taster session 21 Oct, 2.30-3.30pm TUESDAY Healing Yoga 10-11.30am Lampeter Home Education Group 12-5pm Qi Gong 6-7pm Tai Chi 7-8pm Beekeepers 2nd Tues of month, 8pm WEDNESDAY Table Tennis 10-11.30am Quilting Club 12 noon-4pm Yoga 5.30-7pm THURSDAY Cancer Support Group 10 & 24 Oct 2-4pm Village Improvement Society Cttee1st Thurs of month 7pm W.I. 2nd Thurs of month 7.30pm Qi Gong & Meditation 6-7pm FRIDAY Art Group 10am–1pm Film Night fortnightly 7.15pm See box on page 22 SATURDAY Seventh Day Adventists, fortnightly 10.15am-3.15pm SUNDAY Bridge School 7.15-10.30pm Dewis Chi (soon to be Ceredigion Advocacy). Every W ed, 2-4pm, CAMFA building, Lampeter. A welcoming and supportive space for people with learning disabilities to meet and talk about issues important to them. Free, all welcome. Meet new friends, find support, take part in activities, build confidence, learn new skills & hobbies & have fun!

Contact: Rebecca, 07976 023486 Whist Drives, Wed 9 & 23 Oct at Hafan Deg, Lampeter, every fortnight.

All welcome. All Funds to Hafan Deg League of Friends.

Contact: Gwen Davies, 01570 481152

Seasonal snippets - more garden & wildlife goodies

by Mara, Ian and Tomos Morris who live in Llangybi

October Ian’s Tweet October is a good month to look for the nomadic wintering thrushes, the Fieldfare and Redwing.

They start arriving from the north about now, and their numbers often peak in the first half of the winter before many pass on through, heading further south and west. Clear nights in October are ideal for migration and the high calls of Redwings can often be heard in the blackness overhead.

Mara in the potting shed - Glutney and chucks

Fieldfares and Redwings are very common in the Lampeter area and can be found throughout in all sorts of habitats. They may even visit your garden during harsher weather. They are joined by large numbers of Blackbirds which augment our resident population.

Glutney season! Today I am mostly making glutney - a tasty chutney made from medley of garden vegetables which I am struggling to even give away. Those of you who know me will have discovered large bundles of purple-podded beans and courgettes after my visits during September, and if you don’t know me you would have been more than welcome to have some. September’s harvest after the summer’s sunshine and showers provided a glorious glut and reminded me just how good it can be. As well as beans and courgettes, we are overwhelmed with onions, garlic, salads, kale, spinach, chard, pumpkins, tomatoes (a wee bit late but great nonetheless) and chilli peppers galore.

In contrast, Song Thrushes are very scarce in winter locally and most of the breeding population around here appears to move away, perhaps to the coast or maybe much further afield to Ireland, France and Spain, before returning in early spring.

We have also acquired three new fine point-of-lay hens to supplement the very few eggs that we currently get from our old ex-battery ladies. These new chucks have a completely different nature to the very well-behaved ex-bats and have taken us a bit by surprise. They seem to like our salads and freshly-planted crops even more than we do, and I’ve spent a lot of time devising ways to keep them off. They also like to spread their wings and fly…up into the beech tree to roost at night, over the fence and into Tomos’s treehouse! Maybe a bit of wingclipping is required soon but for now we are just enjoying all this very natural behaviour. Our poor old ex-bats just don’t know how to enjoy themselves.

Fieldfare

by Tomos (age 8)

17

small ads & classified complementary & alternative therapists Charlotte Allen RSHom Homeopath 14 years' clinical experience.

Homeopathy is a safe, holistic method of treating both emotional and physical conditions. Llanfair Clinic, 41 Bridge Street, Lampeter, SA48 8EG. 01570 493746 Val Allen, BACP senior accredited counsellor/psychotherapist. UKRC Registered. Offering counselling, ps yc h oth erap y, h yp n oth er ap y, EMDR. 23 High Street, Lampeter SA48 7BA, 01570 493522, valallen@surfanytime.net Rolfing - Structural Integration.

Res tore your bod y's natur al alignment and grace. Caroline Body, Lampeter, Carmarthen and Cardiff.

07917 360595, www.rolfingwales.co.uk.

Transformational Bodywork. Iain Cameron Watson Trauma Release, Alexander Technique. Relief from stress/anxiety, PMT, insomnia, neck, back, shoulder, period pain, headaches. By donation. 07852 626001, cameronbodywork@gmail.com, http://transformationalbodywork.co.uk Jo Camlin BSc WSHom. Homoeopathy. Empower your own healing (or your child's) by telling your own story. Then a vital, energetic remedy is matched to your unique, personal experience. 01570 421480 (a.m.)

The Light of Love, a short but powerful treatment harnessing and directing the power of the Universal Life Force, relaxing, healing by touching into the heart's gentle energy. Ceredwin (thirty years of energy work experience), 01570 421476 Cathy Crick Stanton. Yoga teacher / therapist (Iyengar trained) and Barbara Brennan Healer. For class details, or to book 1-2-1 yoga or therapy/healing sessions: 01570 421144 / 07748 031614, cathycrick@hotmail.co.uk

storytelling & books_____ Storytelling Group/Noson Storiau Croeso i bawb, Cymry, Saeson a Thylwyth Teg, dynion a merched, oedolion a phlant.

Everyone welcome from complete beginners to talented bards. Come to listen, come to tell. Friendly, informal group 7-9pm every 3rd Monday in the

Glynis Florence, BA, Cert. Couples Counselling, Dip Psychosexual Therapy. Member of COSRT. Relationship counselling and therapy to address sexual concerns in Aberystw yth and Lampeter .

Contact: 07780 458763 The Art of Well-Being: Reflexology and Indian Head Massage. Glennis Gratwick, MAR, FFHT, fully qualified, insured, 10 years' experience. Stall at Lunar Market (see listings) selling aromatherapy products.

Contact: 01570 493288 Pearl Jebb. Bowen Technique, Reflexology and Massage to help rebalance and heal the body in a gentle holistic way. Contact Pearl 01974 299224, 07967 647920, www.bowen-reflex4wales.co.uk Alison Kaye MBAcC. Traditional Chinese Acupuncture. Llanfair Clinic, 41 Bridge Street, Lampeter, SA48 8EG. 07779 256388 Living Excellently: 'Build confidence to sound your note in the world.'

Assertion Training, ConfidenceBuilding, Positive Ageing, Mat-Based Pilates, Style Coaching. Qualified, decades of experience helping people towards fulfilled lives.

Contact: Shân Rees 07940 375147, shanharmony@aol.com Susan McAllister (Bsc Hons).

Transformational Teacher, Therapist & Consultant. Over 20 years of teaching, complementary therapy & healing experience. Available now for Crystal Healing Workshops & Angelic Tarot Readings. To book, contact: 01570 493006 / 07572 672986, sue@tranquillight.vpweb.co.uk Louise Nadim BSc Hons, Ph.D. Fully qualified, insured Brennan Healer.

Working in the Human Energy Field assessing, balancing and healing, to restore physical, emotional and spiritual health. Contact: 01570 421144 /07920 112228, louise_nadim@hotmail.com month, Denmark Farm, Betws Bledrws. Next meeting Mon 21 Oct. Please bring a small donation to cover room hire and refreshments.

Contact/cysyllt â: Rachel 01570 493222, rachauck@yahoo.co.uk Llangeitho Book Group meets 2nd Weds each month, 2pm in Llangeitho Village Café. We choose a book to read and chat over a paned/ 18

Dr Colette Power. Mindfulnessbased Stress Management, MB Pain & Illness Management; Introduction to Mindfulness Courses; 1-2-1 coaching. For future courses, or to discuss ways of working with mindfulness for you/your group, Contact: 07890 835873, colette@mindfulnesscourse.co.uk

www.mindfulnesscourse.co.uk Wild Cherry Coaching. Battling stress, low confidence, or simply feeling stuck? Move forward with sensitive and holistic life coaching with Ros (BSc (Hons) Psychology, Diplom a Stress Managem ent, Advanced Diploma Life Coaching).

Free consultation. 07462 746248, www.wildcherrycoaching.co.uk Eva Ryan MTI. Wholistic massage to help rebalance and heal body, mind and emotions. Treatment tailored to your unique needs.

Registered, insured practitioner. At Taliaris, or arrange home visits.

Contact: 01558 822390 / 07792 748191 Christine Stephenson BSc MNIMH. Medical Herbalist at Llanfair Clinic, 41 Bridge Street, Lampeter. Contact: 01239 858946 Ashley Ward MAR GJC (Dip Reflex).

Dan cing T re e R efl exo log y .

Reflexology in the comfort of your own home, within 15-mile radius of Lampeter. Fully-insured member of Association of Reflexologists.

Contact: 01570 422985 / 07811 767563, www.dancingtree.co.uk Reflexology. Annie Zakiewicz MAR is a fully-insured member of the Association of Reflexologists and practises from Cellan. Contact: 01570 493295 / 07790 107521, www.reflexologywithannie.co.uk Could you advertise here?

Contact: lampetergrapevine@gmail.com cuppa. Contact: 01974 821213 to register your interest or just turn up! gillymail22-book@yahoo.co.uk Creative Writing Workshop. Sat 12 Oct, Tysul Hall, Llandysul, 2-4 pm. £10, refreshments available. Tutor: Katherine Stansfield from Aberystwyth University. Sponsored by Literature Wales. Contact: Kelly, 01267 235336

MEDDYGON MYDDFAI PROJECT

on i t c A n i Kids

MEDICINAL HERB GARDEN PROJECT at YSGOL Y DDERI

A Year 5 & 6 project investigating the work of the Physicians of Myddfai and Native Welsh Medicinal Herbs has led to pupils growing, harvesting and processing a number of traditional herbs from the school’s community garden. Local experts were consulted to ensure the best growing conditions and best design for a new medicinal herb garden to enable pupils to produce their own herbal remedies for sale.

Pupils were inspired by a trip to the reconstructed Victorian Apothecaries’ shop at the National Botanic Gardens and a visit to Llyn-y-Fan, the lake near Myddfai, where they listened to the legend of the Lady of Llyn-y-Fan and met Lewis Jones, a direct descendent of the famous physicians still living in Myddfai. Pupils were able to study a special copy of the ‘Meddygon Myddfai’ manuscript extracted from the ‘Llyfr Coch Hergest’ which details the medicinal properties of 175 native herbs used by the Physicians of Myddfai in the thirteenth century. They discovered it to be a fascinating resource for the study of Welsh language as well as for exploring ancient recipes for herbal remedies, many of which are still used today. Pupils planted a large quantity of marigold seeds to produce the Calendula Ointment planned for the project. As well as keeping the marigold bed weed-free, the children regularly dead-headed the plants to ensure a good crop of high-quality blooms from which to make the infused oil needed for the ointment making process. They also made observational drawings of marigolds for use in the labelling and marketing of the healing ointment produced. A qualified medicinal herbalist helped pupils undertake all the processes to make 100 30ml jars of Calendula ointment, and provided a theatre_______________ chemist’s certificate, covering required regulations, Lampeter Youth Theatre and Stage to approve it for sale to the public. The ointment is School (LYTss) Every Fri, 4.306.30pm, Victoria Hall. available at Mulberry Bush Wholefoods, Lampeter Contact: Annie May, 01570 423080, and the Myddfai Visitor Centre, Myddfai. annie@themay.co.uk

will be starting soon and we invite you to a launch party at: Victoria Hall, Lampeter on Thursday 9th October 10am – 1pm.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided plus some exciting workshops! Open to all.

Please come along to find out how the club can help you:      

Write a CV and cover letter Complete an application form to meet the job requirements Prepare for a job interview Learn how to search for jobs online and upload your CV Become a volunteer in many rewarding roles Gain qualifications

Please contact Becky on 07875 272834 or beckyturton@hafancymru.co.uk

19

COEDWIG GYMUNEDOL LONG WOOD COMMUNITY WOODLAND Late summer at Long Wood Although it is October now and summer is beginning to wind down, there is still plenty going on at Long Wood. Perhaps due to a combination of a wet summer last year and the warm sunny summer this year, Long Wood has been positively overflowing with blackberries and wild mushrooms, attracting foragers, both human and otherwise. The long flowering of the rosebay willowherb this year attracted teams of bumblebees and other pollinators making the most of the nectar flow as the summer nights began to draw in.

What’s been going on in the Woods It has also been a busy summer for the Long Wood project. The visitors’ centre build has tentatively started with the erection of our new noticeboard and the frame of our compost toilet in the car park. These structures have been designed and created by a local roundwood timber craftsman, Jamie Miller, using Long Wood’s own timber.

Our regular Woodland Wednesday volunteer sessions continue to be well-attended with new volunteers turning up to lend a hand and learn some new skills. They have been upgrading the existing firepit at the forest school site and creating oak shingles for the roofs of the impending structures. With over 1,500 shingles needed, their efforts will be instrumental in achieving the goal of having a roof!

On 28 August a guided Twilight Bat Walk was hosted by the North Ceredigion Bat Group. Those attending were able to use bat detectors to locate and identify bats as they passed along the wooded edges of Long Wood. The unique tone of the bats identified them as Pipistrelles.

On the evening of 7 September we welcomed Liz Snell from the Ceredigion Moth Group who led a small group through the process of light trapping for moths. We were amazed at not only the quantity but also the diversity of species of these beautiful invertebrates resident in the woodlands.

Long Wood plans other themed walks for autumn and winter - see listings on page 12, or check out our website and our Facebook page.

On a sadder note, Long Wood has unfortunately been the victim of a break in - an Echo brush cutter and Stephill petrol generator were stolen from our lock-up on the night of 27-28 August. This is obviously disappointing, not only as the funds we have for this project are already limited, but also that a project working strictly for the good of the community should be targeted this way.

However all we can do is brush ourselves off, increase our on-site security, and push forwards with the task of developing Long Wood into a thriving social enterprise.

We do therefore ask that any members of the public be vigilant if offered used equipment of this nature.

Andrew Gajlikowski Join our mailing list or find us on Facebook. Contact: 07557 386755 or info@longwood-lampeter.org.uk 20

Hunger strikes every community: Banc Bwyd Llambed/Lampeter Food Bank Food Banks are now an international service in all major countries.

Because of an unexpected stoppage of income or benefit, illness, redundancy, bereavement or loss, all sorts of people can find themselves temporarily in a crisis with no savings. Some people - through no fault of their own - live on the edge of poverty; even fairly prosperous people may be tipped into poverty by losing a job, breakdown in relationship, or other unexpected event. Family, relatives, even friends may not be there, or live too far away to help, so there may be a crisis with worry, fear, shame, guilt and a feeling that life is out of control. There may be strain on relationships, health problems and even debt.

The role of Banc Bwyd Llambed/Lampeter Food Bank is to provide a supply of food and other necessities for a limited period while underlying issues are tackled.

We point people to the organisations which can help in their particular circumstance. We offer a hand of fellowship if that’s appropriate.

A 78% rise in food bank inquiries has taken place over the last six months in the UK, according to the Guardian. Figures from Citizens Advice raise serious concerns that more people have ransacked their savings to tide themselves over and are now running out of financial options. A YouGov survey, commissioned by Citizens Advice, revealed that more than half of those on low incomes have raided their

savings accounts in the last six months to meet basic living costs.

Due to changes in the benefits system, even people in employment are seeking emergency food supplies, and affluent parts of the country have experienced greater demand for food banks.

Here is our list of needed supplies (please always check that the "use by" date is at least 3 months ahead): Tinned items: meat, e.g. beef, turkey, ham, corned beef, meat pies. Fish, e.g. tuna, mackerel.

Vegetables, baked beans, pasta meals, casseroles, soups, fruit, puddings, custard.

Jars: potted meat or fish, pasta sauces, Indian sauces, "cook-in" sauces, fruit, jams, marmalade, coffee.

Packet items: instant mash, pasta/rice/noodles, cereals, cup-a-soups, puddings, teabags, sugar, fruit juice.

Non-food items: Children’s needs, toilet rolls; and remember that pets need to eat too!

How you can get items to us: ring 07790 077467 and we’ll make arrangements.

Banc Bwyd Llambed/Lampeter Food Bank is a project organised and run voluntarily by a group of local Lampeter churches.

John Swan (Secretary)

From Iechyd Da Ceredigion (health info from Ceredigion County Council/ Neuadd Cyngor Ceredigion) Walking Challenge How do you fancy the idea of an office ‘step count’ challenge? Ceredigion County Council has some pedometers available to give out and a step recording booklet has been made available on Cardinet to assist in keeping track of the steps you take: http://cardinet.ceredigion.gov.uk/index.cfm? articleid=21596. Start recording your steps and challenge your work colleagues, or if you’d rather, set up teams and record your steps over weeks or months – whatever suits you best. If you’re interested, just get in touch with Keith.holmes@ceredigion.gov.uk who can arrange for a pedometer to be sent out to you.

Her Y Cerdded Beth am roi cynnig ar her ‘cyfrif camau’ yn y swyddfa? Mae gennym nifer cyfyngedig o fesuryddion camau i’w rhannu ac mae llyfryn cofnodi camau ar gael ar Cardinet i helpu pobl gofnodi eu camau: http://cardinet.ceredigion.gov.uk/index.cfm? articleid=21596 Gallech ddechrau cofnodi eich camau a herio eich cydweithwyr neu sefydlu timau a chofnodi eich camau dros wythnosau neu fisoedd - beth bynnag sydd orau gennych.

Os oes gennych chi ddiddordeb, cysylltwch â Keith.holmes@ceredigion.gov.uk a gallwn drefnu i anfon mesurydd camau atoch chi.

Tourism website has ideal walking and cycling routes If going to the gym doesn’t take your fancy, visit Ceredigion County Council’s tourism website: www.discoverceredigion.co.uk which has sections on walking and cycling along with downloadable maps of local footpaths, trails and cycle routes.

Llwybrau cerdded a seiclo gwych ar y wefan dwristiaeth Os nad yw’r gampfa’n apelio, ewch i wefan dwristiaeth Cyngor Sir Ceredigion: www.darganfodceredigion.co.uk sy’n cynnwys cerdded a seiclo a mapiau i’w lawrlwytho o lwybrau cerdded a seiclo lleol.

21

Blackberry & Apple Crumble

Cookie’s Corner

For the Fruit Base: 700g apples - scrumped, peeled, cored and sliced 300g blackberries - picked locally 150g caster sugar 1 tablespoon plain flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon - optional 100ml water For the Crumble: 75g porridge oats 50g chopped walnuts 125g plain flour 225g dark brown soft sugar 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 125g butter, melted Preheat oven to 180° C / Gas 4.

1. Place apples and blackberries in a 20x30cm or similar-sized baking dish. Mix together caster sugar, flour and cinnamon. Sprinkle over fruit. Pour water all over.

2. For the crumble topping: combine oats, walnuts, flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and melted butter. Crumble evenly over the fruit.

3. Bake in preheated oven for about 45 minutes.

Unable to earn a living as a cookery writer (“shame!” I hear you cry), I have to resort to pretending to work for a living. I work mostly from home but I had to go into the office recently and what I saw brought a smile to my face. On the desk of every one of my colleagues were a couple of apples and on top of the filing cabinet was a box full of ‘em. All shapes and sizes, the kinds you will never see on the supermarket shelf because somebody thinks they won’t sell. I don’t know what variety they were, and nor does Keith, the proud owner of a couple of apple trees, but they were very tasty and so much healthier than the mid-morning trip to the vending machine!

What is a better reminder of the natural cycle of things than the stuff that grows all on its own - particularly important for somebody with my (lack of) growing skills!

Apples, pears, raspberries, blackberries and my personal favourite, damsons. I’m not that fond of eating damsons but my childhood memories of grandad Bill sending me up rickety old ladders to pick them by the bucketful are my most precious. (Damsons do make the best chutney – much better than plums.)

We do seem to have stopped taking advantage of this free harvest. My grandmother, now 101 years old, was the world’s greatest blackberry picker – nothing stopped her. To me, she had thorn-proof fingers, a picking technique that Greek olive pickers would die for, and the stamina of Bradley Wiggins. Me, I adopted the eat one, drop one, bucket one technique – nothing like as effective. However, what was most important were her blackberry and apple pies and my personal favourite, the CRUMBLE. (I have a horrible feeling it may have had something to do with lard in the ‘pastry’ but we will skip over that). Her puddings were quite simply legendary. And she made real custard! What is it about memories and food?

Back to the recipe, I hear you cry, enough of the nostalgia.

I got back from work the other night, having eaten a couple of Keith’s apples on the journey home, to find an oven dish in the middle of the table – an oven dish that evoked memories. Memories of burnt and chewy crumble. Memories of the delicious sweetness of apples. Memories of the tartness of blackberries.

Memories of being able to eat around the sides whilst the crumble topping stayed intact. Memories of the juice having burnt onto the outside of the oven dish. But this memory had a twist: the crumble was different, good different – but different.

I had to promise to read every edition of the Grapevine for the rest of my life – but I finally got the recipe, and here it is, reader...

Serves: 6 real helpings, 12 if you have friends over.

By the way, I had a quick look on the interwebby thing for a crumble recipe and found that apparently Raymond Blanc “pre-cooks the crumble topping to avoid gluey, uncooked crumble and retain the texture of the fruit”. Maybe in France mate, not in my house, my grandmother would give him a real talking-to.

Tim Martin

Fri 11 Oct “Much Ado About Nothing” (12A) Amy Acker

Fri 25 Oct “Behind the Candelabra” (15) Michael Douglas, Matt Damon & Debbie Reynolds

Fri 1 Nov “Summer in February” (15) Dan Stevens

Fri 15 Nov “The Great Gatsby” (12A) Leonardo Di Caprio

Fri 6 Dec “Man of Steel” (12A) Henry Cavill

DOORS OPEN 7.15pm for 7.45pm start Admission by Donation £2.00 BIG SCREEN & DIGITAL THEATRE SOUND WWW.CELLANMILLENNIUMHALL.CO.UK

22

Recent Reviews arnynt. Pan ganodd y grŵp mewn dinas arall ychydig ddiwrnodau yn ddiweddarach yn sgwâr chwedlonol Bukhara, ar ddiwrnod Annibyniaeth Uzbekistan, gwelais fod y bobol hynny hefyd wedi eu cyfareddu ac yn chwilfrydig iawn."

Cenhadon cerddoriaeth Cymru ar y brig yn Uzbekistan

Yn sgîl eu llwyddiant yn yr Ŵyl, mae 'Pentan' eisoes wedi cael gwahoddiad gan un o'r beirniaid rhyngwladol i Ŵyl Ryngwladol Gerddorol yn Indonesia ddiwedd y flwyddyn.

Welsh winners in Uzbekistan The recently-formed group Pentan has already succeeded in winning second prize at the prestigious Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival in Samarqand, Uzbekistan. Held biannually, this traditional music festival is the largest in Asia, with 53 countries invited to take part this year. Musicians from all over Europe, Asia, Africa and the USA gathered together for a feast of music-making.

Pentan, a female trio (voice, fiddle and harp) were overwhelmed by the hospitality of their Uzbek hosts. Singer Lynne Denman from Brechfa, Carmarthenshire, Clara Clay, fiddle, from Llandeilo & Sioned Webb from Saron near Caernarfon, playing the Celtic harp, came together for the festival. They were thrilled that there was so much interest shown in their performance and in the unique quality of Welsh music and were delighted to win 5,000 dollars. All the performances were held in the majestic and magical sixteenth-century Registan Square in Samarqand, a world heritage site.

Eva Skalla, an international music producer living in Llandysul, was invited by the British Council and the Uzbek Embassy to find a group. She said "I am so proud of their achievements and hard work, performing to people who were hearing Welsh music for the first time. Their sincerity and professionalism caught the judges’ attention and the beauty of the songs charmed them. When a few days later they sang in the main square in the legendary city of Bukhara at the Independence day celebrations, I could see people were intrigued and fascinated.”

As a result, Pentan has already been invited by one of the judges to perform at an international music festival in Indonesia at the end of 2013.

Eva Skalla

Er mai yn ddiweddar y ffurfiwyd y grŵp 'Pentan', maent eisoes wedi llwyddo i gipio'r ail wobr yng Ngŵyl Gerdd Draddodiadol Ryngwladol Sharq Talonari yn Samarqand, Uzbekistan. Cynhelir yr Ŵyl fawreddog hon bob dwy flynedd a hi yw'r fwyaf yn Asia, gyda 53 o wledydd wedi cael gwahoddiad i gymryd rhan eleni.

Daeth cerddorion at ei gilydd o wledydd Ewrop, Affrica, Asia a'r UDA i fwynhau a chreu cerddoriaeth ddiwedd Awst a daw'r beirniaid o safleoedd cerddorol o bwys dros y byd i gyd.

Roedd 'Pentan', triawd o ferched sy'n cynnwys ffidil, llais a thelyn wedi eu cyfareddu gyda'r derbyniad a'r croeso gafwyd gan drigolion Uzbekistan. Daeth y gantores Lynne Denman o Brechfa, Sir Gaerfyrddin, Clara Clay, ffidil, o Landeilo a Sioned Webb, telyn, o Saron ger Caernarfon at ei gilydd ar gyfer yr Ŵyl arbennig hon. Roeddynt wrth eu boddau fod cymaint o ddiddordeb wedi'i ddangos yn eu perfformiad a cherddoriaeth Gymraeg a Chymreig yn benodol. Yn naturiol hefyd, roeddynt hefyd wedi gwirioni cipio'r wobr o 5000 o ddoleri. I ychwanegu at yr holl swyn o fod yn y wlad hyfryd hon, roedd y perfformiadau i gyd yn cael eu cynnal yn Sgwâr Registan, Samarqand; safle cwbwl hudolus gyda chysylltiadau hanesyddol arwyddocaol (world heritage site/ UNESCO) sy'n deillio'n ôl i'r unfed ganrif ar bymtheg.

Gwahoddwyd Eva Skalla sy'n awr yn byw yn Llandysul; hyrwyddwr a chynhyrchydd rhyngwladol, i ddod o hyd i grŵp ar gyfer yr Ŵyl ar gais y Cyngor Prydeinig a Llysgenhadaeth Uzbekistan. Roedd wrth ei bodd gyda'r canlyniad a llwyddiant y triawd. "Rydwi'n falch iawn o'u gwaith caled a'r hyn mae nhw wedi'u gyflawni, yn perfformio i bobol oedd yn clywed cerddoriaeth Gymreig am y tro cyntaf", meddai. "Roedd eu proffesiynoldeb a'u didwylledd wedi mynd at galonau'r beirniaid ac roedd y safon yn eithriadol. Cafodd y caneuon, eu pryferthwch a'u naturioldeb effaith fawr 23

September Swallows

Poetry Corner Squirreling Someone is up in the beech tree Filling her cheeks to the brim.

From up there she reads the weather warnings Signalling shortages that are to come.

Human sounds glide, invisible, Inside the dark horizontal wires You casually balance on.

Vibrating, pulsing under your tiny claws are Words.

Of‌ Love, imploring or shouting; Reproachful silences; Lonely, one-sided messages; Bedtime stories; News of bereavement; Impromptu songs; Blood test results; Laughter; tutting; huffs and sobs; Sarcasm; snide comments; Babies' giggles, gurgles; Last words of love; lust; love lost; Teenage love, just beginning; Friendly chats.

She knows what it means with the yellowing of the leaves And she’s grateful to reap the nuts fat, 'Cos soon it will be time for sleeping And she needs to put weight on her bum.

The call of the hoarder is strong now Full seeds and tubers abound, With keeping and storage an issue, To keep other hungry creatures at bay, She hoards her foodstuffs in a dry space, away. maj ikle

You chat too, and preen your glossy jackets.

And sing your own percussive, vulgar song.

Twisted and unlovely to all but a swallow's ear All scrapes and clicks and rising spirals.

You are: brothers; mothers; sons; sisters.

All gathering before the off.

You seem to like our lines, And sit (straight, for once) Like fidgety children in class.

You are nearly still After a rich summer of swooping And curving and snapping up flies.

You arrange yourselves like morse code Or, each one of you, a quaver, a semi-breve.

Along our staves of sound, Our lines of communication.

Then, at some unseen signal, A hush.

A moment of still.

A breath - a smooth leap into the air, And the great, long song to Africa begins.

Your quick hearts beating To the rhythm of your wings.

24

Zia Hall

Recent Reviews Lampeter Town Twinning Trip to Saint Germain sur Moine At the end of August, twenty-six adults and children left Lampeter for an exciting trip to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the twinning of Lampeter and Saint Germain sur Moine in France.

We sailed from Portsmouth to Caen. Wyn, our driver, was excellent throughout our six-day trip. We visited Pegasus Bridge, the Arromanches Beaches and Bayeux on the way down to St. Germain.

The people of St Germain had prepared a fantastic three days of activities, trips and delicious picnic lunches for us. First, we visited the Chateau de Tiffauges where the children especially enjoyed the “knights” on horseback and the 3D film presentation.

Earlier on we had walked round the schools and sports centre of St Germain. Later on we had a very nice picnic in the hot sunshine alongside a river bank.

Next day, we went to the famous market at Clisson where everything was sold, from hens to furniture.

Afterwards we enjoyed dinner at Chateau Thebaud and the children were able to play and wander along the riverbank.

On Friday evening, the children of the Lampeter Youth Theatre and Stage School, under the guidance of Annie May, performed an excellent mime act.

Afterwards, members of the French community

entertained us with a comical French sketch.

On our last full day, the people of St Germain took us to Cholet which was followed by a very nourishing picnic alongside the lakeside at Ribou. After the picnic the children enjoyed playing in the new park.

The Committee of the Town Twinning were very pleased to see so many new faces on the trip and everybody had a very entertaining time.

We all had a very enjoyable and successful trip. We are all very grateful to our French hosts for arranging the three days of outing, dinners and picnics. We look forward now to the future when we’ll be able to arrange a visit for the people of Saint Germain to return to their twin town, Lampeter. We are eager to have new members to Lampeter Town Twinning, and will soon have a meeting which we will advertise in the Grapevine and locally.

Denise Hicks

THE SUNDAY CLUB Sunday 8 September saw the inauguration of the Sunday Club – a group for people who live alone and who sometimes find Sundays to be non-event days and wish they had someone with whom to ‘hang out’, or go somewhere interesting.

For our first outing we attended the People’s Kitchen at Llanfair Clydogau Village Hall, where we were served a scrumptious lasagne and salad, with homemade flapjacks for pudding. We’ll probably go there on the first Sunday of each month* and initiate some shared activities in the afternoon, such as music, board games or storytelling, or a walk for those who wish, if the weather permits.

One person who attended suggested that some people can’t admit they are lonely. However, anybody who lives on their own must feel lonely at times, especially on traditional ‘family days’ such as Sunday or Bank Holidays. Loneliness can be a huge factor in physical and emotional health, and as people are living longer it’s important to remain well and active as long as one can.

The Sunday Club is not just for ‘oldies’ however; younger single people and lone parents would be valuable additions and the children would feel part of a larger community. No matter what age you are, pluck up courage and come along. There is no commitment to attend every time as you can dip in and out as you please.

There will be no set programme, but each Sunday we can decide where we would like to go the following week. The idea is to share friendship, fun and laughter and have a good time. If you would like to join us, please phone Ceredwin on 01570 421476. * the September People's Kitchen was postponed to the second Sunday!

There are lots of new ideas for things to do in the listings this month - Eds 25

Harvesting a Crop found on Concrete I know what you’re thinking: Lampeter, farming community, crop cultivation? But it’s not that kind of harvest I’m on about! What I’m speaking of has been at the heart of this town for a number of years, and it’s the harvesting of trade within the town through small local businesses.

Now from what I know about its history, Lampeter is, and has always been, a vibrant little market town perhaps not so much now, I must admit. We once had a railway that brought in travellers from outside the town; likewise, the livestock market attracted farmers from across the county to do business and commune with those with similar interest. Both now have gone and, with them, so has some of the town’s pull.

Clichéd I know, but the decreasing attraction in every small market town is a broken record being played across the length and breadth of the nation.

still, many people would still rather travel to Carmarthen to find what they're looking for in terms of clothes, shoes, electricals etcetera.

According to The ecology of food deserts (2004), a PhD thesis by Hillary John Shaw of Leeds University, in 1970 the number of supermarkets in Britain stood at a miserly 30. This number, as you might have guessed, spiked astronomically afterwards. Now, as reported in 2009 by the IGD, we are now closer to 56,000. That’s the fight Great British independent businesspeople have on their hands but, with the help of a loyal market of supporting customers, they are doing pretty well!

Lampeter is home to many of these now longstanding businesspeople; the newest member to their ranks is Oh my Cod. It’s well-known that the word of good business and produce spreads fast, and, in the opening week, they demonstrated that fact.

Newcomers and early regulars perpetually queued for their food and from what I hear they’re still doing pretty well! More impressively, I know for a fact that some have even travelled from miles away to sample the fish and chips, and doesn’t that speak volumes?

When something is done well and is reported sufficiently, the customers pilgrim and are consequently introduced to what the rest of the town has to offer. The domino effect might not be colossal, but I’m sure it will still inspire others to think about bringing their own little twist to our hallowed streets.

Society has changed, the emphasis has shifted and so has the British mindset. Back in the 60s, 70s and 80s the local inhabitants would have stopped, stared and pondered over where to shop. Today, the answer is pretty simple but it never used to be. Back then, instead of a Sainsbury’s or Co-operative it would have been one or two independent and competitive businesses.

Today, there isn’t an argument over the supermarkets' contribution to bringing people into the town as the proof is there on a daily basis, filling up their car parks. Although here's the truth: they might be “super” markets, but their abilities aren’t as spec- David Henry tacular as it might "say on the tin". The town offers Are you a local business? Let us know what you think most of what the commercial behemoths cannot, but about trading in Lampeter. - Eds.

Lampeter Town RFC Senior Men’s 1st XV

Ladies’ XV

Away

Sat

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Sept

2.30

Furnace Utd

A

Sun

29

Sept

2.30

Bargoed

A

Sat

12

Oct

2.30

Trimsaran

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2.30

Penybanc

Home

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19

Oct

2.30

Swansea Uplands

H

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13

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2.30

Haverfordwest

A

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2

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2.30

Nantgaredig

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2.30

Nantyfyllon

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2.30

Fishguard

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27

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2.30

Kidwelly

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Sat

7

Dec

2.30

Penybanc

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3

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2.30

Bargoed

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2.30

Aberaeron 26

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small ads & Classified

Cegin Pantygwin

Can't knit? No time?

Outside catering provided for parties, agricultural shows,

You provide the pattern and wool, I will handknit it for you.

Price list available.

01570 218045, florriescrafts@gmail.com

Celebration cakes made to order Many years' experience and Council licensed Contact Rhonwen, 01570 423651

Want to keep your business local?

Contact: the newsletter team to advertise here

LAMPETER TOWN FENCING CLUB

Wanted by independent artist/writer:

Tues - 15.30-17.00 Fri - 18.30-20.00 LAMPETER LEISURE CENTRE Contact: Sean Slater Tel. 01570 493139

Space for a 14-foot caravan.

Rural retreat for occasional use.

Please contact: John 07809 612367

Can you offer a service?

Is there something you need?

This space is for You! Contact us at lampetergrapevine@gmail.com

in November Issue

Do you have things to sell?

Fri 11 October

through the Grapevine?

Final Copy Deadline

Why not advertise

Miss it & you risk not being included

Email: Anpiobaire1@aol.com

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