Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 43

News | People | Features | Competitions | Lifestyle

Whitchurch &

Llandaff Living

At the heart of the community

Issue 43 Jun/Jul '17

Win tickets to the Family Proms

summer

Your multi award-winning community magazine

Inside this issue Derek Brockway The popular weatherman speaks about his life, his career, and his love of Whitchurch and

Llandaff

Competitions

We've teamed up with St David's Hall and the New Theatre to offer you family tickets to some great shows this summer!

Father's Day

With Father's Day just around the corner, we've got some fab gift ideas for Dad from our local villages

Gino D'Acampo

We caught up with TV's famous chef when he recently came to Cardiff.

Find out why he took up cooking, why he still does it, and why he loves our great city

High summer deadline: 15th July 2017

Published August 2017

a: 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG t: 07772 081775 / 07974 022920 w: www.livingmags.co.uk e: editor@livingmags.co.uk or danielle@livingmags.co.uk Distribution: 6,000 copies of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living are distributed to retail outlets and public places across Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North five times a year.

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any matter in any way arising from the publication of this material.

Every effort has been made to contact any copyright holders.

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living is an independent, apolitical publication.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written permission of the publishers.

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Welcome / Croeso Welcome to your early summer issue of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living.

Our villages are full of talented and interesting people. Derek Brockway is one name that everyone is familiar with. The famous weatherman has great links with the villages of both Whitchurch and Llandaff and he's told us all about his career to date and his love of everything meteorological.

Eric Heyman, a former fireman based at Whitchurch Fire Station, is now making his name as a children's book illustrator. More about his work on page 12.

The arrival of the warm weather means that we can finally get out into the garden. Kevin Revell explains how hanging baskets can dramatically improve the look of our home, while our Kids Craft page includes a lot of outdoor activities that will keep children entertained for hours.

Father's Day is around the corner and we've featured some wonderful gifts that can be picked up here in North Cardiff.

Gino D'Acampo came to Cardiff in May and we were delighted to speak to the celebrity chef about his love of Cardiff, his passion for cooking and his rise to stardom.

Whitchurch High School has played a very important role in the lives of many in the area and continues to do so. Former student Rachel Nurse looks at the history of the school and its place within the village today.

If it's dining al fresco you'd like this summer, Whitchurch writer

Sara Wells puts together the ultimate guide to picnicking so you can just get on with the eating and socialising. We are also on the lookout for Junior Reporters to feature in our forthcoming magazines.

Youngsters are a very important part of our communities and we are keen to hear their stories and views on everything local.

Resident Celfyn Lewis takes us on a journey back to the 1930s when Whitchurch and Llandaff were very different places. It's a fascinating insight into how our villages used to run.

Lastly, we've got some delicious salad recipes to rustle up - perfect for a warm summer's evening.

We'll see you next in August so until then, make the most of the sun and enjoy this issue!

Danielle and Patric

Editors

@Whit_Llandaff

www.facebook.com/ whitchurchandllandaffliving

What’s on Friends of Forest Farm Allotments BBQ Sunday 18th June From 1pm Forest Farm Allotments (North Site) Mid-summer barbeque with food, drink, competitions and prizes.

Llandaff North Fun Day Saturday 24th June 11am-4pm Hailey Park, Llandaff North Family entertainment, crafts, stalls, beer tent, barbeque, live music, fun dog show, Bake Off, family bike ride. Drop into Lew's Coffee Shop in Llandaff North for more information.

Rainbow Fair, Llandaff Friday 30th June 6pm-8pm Llandaff Green, Llandaff Annual Summer Fayre featuring stalls, activities and local talent.

Vintage For Victory vintage festival Saturday 15th July - Sunday 16th July Library Gardens, Whitchurch village Whitchurch's famous vintage festival includes live music, dancing, food, drink, emporiums, fancy dress and even a replica Spitfire and Hurricane.

10% of all the festival's proceeds go to Cancer Research Wales.

news

Plans for proposed new Velindre New Bishop Cancer Centre are unveiled of Llandaff appointed

Artist's impression

Plans for the new proposed Velindre Cancer Centre have been published.

The plans look to build a new Velindre Cancer Centre approximately 0.5 miles north east of the current Velindre Cancer Centre in Whitchurch, as well as new additional satellite units.

Paul Edmonds of Velindre Cancer Centre told Whitchurch and Llandaff Living: "Cancer is the second biggest cause of death in Wales.

According to Public Health Wales, there were 19,088 new cases of cancer in 2015 compared to 17,389 in 2006. The increase in cancer cases is part of a long term trend in Wales.

"The incidence of cancer is forecast to increase by 2% per year. Soon it is expected that one in two of us will develop cancer in our lifetime.

As the incidence of cancer is forecast to increase, so too is the number of referrals to Velindre Cancer Centre. By 2025, we forecast to see an 18% increase in referrals along with a 48% increase in demand for our radiotherapy machines.

Unless we transform the way we provide our cancer services, we'll be

unable to meet the future needs of our patients."

The Welsh Government has asked Velindre NHS Trust to develop a Business Case to improve cancer services across South East Wales.

During 2017, the Centre will aim to finalise and seek approval of their Business Case to redesign cancer services across South East Wales which they are developing in partnership with Local Health Boards. Their proposals are designed so that more services are available closer to home.

2018 will see the start of the road improvements, in preparation of the new buildings.

"The new Velindre Cancer Centre will be accessed via the M4 Coryton roundabout which will improve access for patients and visitors, as well as easing traffic congestion for the local community," said Paul.

"Construction of the new Centre will begin in 2019. During 2018 and 2021, we also plan to open a number of satellite units across South East Wales. The new state-of-the-art Velindre Cancer Centre is planned to open in 2022," he added.

Llandaff North Lidl finally opens its doors Lidl opened its doors in Llandaff North in May after many years of planning and debate.

The new store is the eighth store in the city of Cardiff and is part of the company’s plans to take their current number of stores in the UK from 850 to 1,500. The Llandaff North store was finally given planning permission in November 2015. Lidl said that they had taken on board residents’ concerns and implemented them.

The new store includes an instore bakery, longer tills with dual packing spaces, toilets and baby changing facilities, and bike and car parking spaces. The glass front is also designed to maximise natural daylight coming into the building.

The new store has created 40 new jobs and is Lidl's first metropolitan store in Wales, designed to fit into inner-city areas where space is limited.

One of the most senior and experienced church leaders in the UK will be the next Bishop of Llandaff.

June Osborne, who has served as Dean of Salisbury for the past 13 years, has been chosen as the 72nd Bishop of Llandaff, a diocese which serves most of Cardiff, the South Wales Valleys and the Vale of Glamorgan.

A ground-breaking figure in the Church of England, Dean June was the first female Dean to be appointed to a medieval cathedral, having served as Salisbury Cathedral’s Canon Treasurer for nearly 10 years.

The announcement was made in late April by the Church in Wales who became responsible for the Bishop of Llandaff appointment when no candidate nominated at the Electoral College in February secured enough votes for election.

The appointment will be confirmed on July 14th at a meeting of the Sacred Synod of Church in Wales Bishops in Brecon Cathedral, where Dean June will be consecrated as Bishop the following day (July 15th). She will be enthroned at Llandaff Cathedral on July 22nd.

“

It is a very great privilege to be nominated as Bishop of Llandaff, an ancient post with many noble predecessors 3

news

Danescourt Cardiff Met Primary School FC reflect on cycle track opens incredible first season

It may not have been quite the result needed to make footballing history in mid-May but there is still plenty to celebrate for Cardiff Met FC, despite just losing out on a Europa League place with a defeat at the hands of Bangor City.

Following a fantastic breakthrough season in the Welsh Premier League - finishing an impressive sixth - the University team was on the brink of becoming the first university side to ever qualify for Europe and while that was not to be this time, the side has achieved something extraordinary, and will now look forward to building on this season’s great successes.

Cardiff Metropolitan University director of football and former Wales defender Christian Edwards said: “I just cannot express how proud I am of this team - the dedication and commitment shown through each and every game has been phenomenal to see.

“It’s even more of an achievement when you take into account the fact that our team comprises solely of students, unlike any other we have faced to reach this remarkable point.

“We’ve been on an incredible first season journey in the Welsh Premier League and while we might not quite have reached the European stage, we now look forward to the next exciting phase in the club’s history.”

President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff Met, Professor Cara Aitchison added: “There has been real excitement about the progress of our Cardiff Met team and everyone has been willing them on.

We are immensely proud of their journey up to this point."

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The Danescourt Primary School community were delighted to gather on the last day of Spring Term for the official opening of their Cycle Track. The new cycle path has been installed around the perimeter of the school field to provide an allyear round facility for cycling.

The project was completely funded by the Parent Teacher Association's fundraising efforts.

Pupils from Nursery through to Year 6 will now be able to make good use of it.

The track was opened by Ffion, a pupil in Year 3, who also happens

to be the Welsh Under 8s CrossCycle Champion. She completed a lap of honour before being joined on the track by fifty fellow cyclists and scooter riders from Year 3. The short ceremony was watched by hundreds of pupils and parents who had gathered for the occasion.

Rainbow Fair set to shine in Llandaff

A summer fair is once again set to entertain the residents of Llandaff.

The Rainbow Fair has been a part of the Patronal Festival at Llandaff Cathedral for many years, taking place on the Green in the heart of Llandaff village.

Organised by the Llandaff Cathedral Social Committee, it is run along traditional lines, inviting community and church groups to participate by hosting a stall, game or activity. All the proceeds go to local organisations or charities.

The traditional activities always prove popular, from the coconut shy and 'Splat the Rat', to face painting, tombola, donkey rides organised

Forest Farm Allotment BBQ The Forest Farm Allotments 2017 MidSummerfest Barbeque is taking place on Sunday 18th June.

A special addition this year will be a Scarecrow Competition, with prizes for both adult and children’s categories. This will be judged on the Sunday before BBQ day (11th June) and participants are asked to register beforehand at forestfarm.web@ gmail.com. Last year’s barbeque

by the Llandaff Society, a variety of refreshments, a licensed summer drinks stall and this year, a fancy dress competition for the 'Best Dressed Owner and Dog'.

The fair is also a place to showcase the talents of local children. Pupils from the four local primary schools and Sunday School are invited to take part in a poster competition to advertise the event and prizes are awarded for the most original and colourful entries.

One of the highlights of the evening is a display by the members of the Llandaff City Church in Wales Primary School folk dancing group and in recent years, the festival has been very fortunate to have the support of the Caledonian Scottish Dancers who get everyone up and dancing. They will be accompanied by Simon and Sarah, two members of the ceilidh band Uisge ContraBand.

This year, the Rainbow Fair takes place from 6pm to 8pm on Friday 30th June. was a resounding success but as is tradition, the barbeque will take place whatever the weather. More details at www.members.forestfarmallotments.org.uk

Your letters Star Letter

Boundary Confusion I am writing in response to settle a debate that was mentioned in an earlier issue of Whitchurch and Llandaff Living regarding boundaries in the North Cardiff area.

If you head down Pantbach Road towards Birchgrove from Rhiwbina, directly opposite St Thomas’s Church, there is a small concrete marker with the words 'City of Cardiff 1922' on it. This is the old boundary between Cardiff city and the rural suburbs. If you look up towards the Wenallt, this is what is technically Rhiwbina and if you look the other way, that’s Birchgrove. If you look to the west, this is what is officially classed as Whitchurch. The boundary runs along the brook, near the allotments. In 1905, Cardiff gained city status and in 1922, the boundaries were extended to encompass the remainder of Llandaff and most of the parish of Whitchurch.

During the war, the boundary threw up a strange situation in that the children on one side of Pantbach Road were evacuated while those on the opposite side of the road were taking in evacuees.

Mr Evans, Greenfield Road,

letters WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! We love to hear what you've been up to so send us your letters and photos!

We'll do our best to print them all!

Spring Trips for Cats Your previous issue (Issue 42) had such an eye-catching cover that it brought a whiff of spring right indoors! From an upstairs window, I have been watching all the magnificent magnolia trees in the area exploding into copious, colourful blossoms. We cats had a celebratory ‘Magnolia Sunday’ walkabout in Whitchurch in the third week of April. It might be a splendid idea for human non-cats to promote a similar excursion around the village in aid of a suitable good cause.

I have been greatly enjoying spring trips with some of my new admirers introduced to me through the good offices of this magazine.

Firstly, I must thank Kato publicly (a regular contributor himself to your Letters Page) for his outstanding poem, written I believe, in a little known, old Welsh form, called Ianto

Parameter.

It was full of charm, character and faultless rhyming (see Issue 42).

Kato invited me to join a group of his friends on an exciting venture of his, and it was all quite new to me!

The plan was for a group of us to meet up on the Taffissipee Trail and sail down the river to the Bay. It was a quite a wonderful experience.

I enclose a digital photograph of myself taken by Pixel, a neighbour cat who is known as The Party Cat, as he never misses a local social event.

Felixitations Princess Yasmin of Whitchurch

Monument Restored

I have just received the latest Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazine, sent by our good friends from Whitchurch, which includes the article on Dr Barry Morgan.

My husband grew up in Rhiwbina before he joined the Royal Navy in 1964. We have now retired and live in Cascais, Portugal.

The monument [pictured] known locally here as the Monument to the 'Inglês Morto' (Dead Englishman) is dedicated by his fellow officers to Captain Conway Shipley, Royal Navy, who was killed by the French at Belém on 23rd April 1808.

The monument will be restored in June and the rededication ceremony will take place in September. We have invited Dr

Barry Morgan to conduct the rededication service, to which he has agreed.

The Hon Owain Grenville RowleyConwy and his wife, will be attending the rededication on 21st September.

Jackie Kennard, Cascais, Portugal

If you have anything you’d like our readers to know about, drop us a line at editor@livingmags.co.uk or by letter to 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter

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Supported by

Celebrating the 1940s to the 1960s

s n e d r a G y r a r L ib f if d r a c h c r u Whitch 7 1 0 2 y l u J h t 6 1 / 15th L ive Music dancing fairground great food great drink

shops fashion Design by Living Magazines Cardiff

Big Mac's Wholly Soul Band • Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer • Elle and The Pocket Belles The Big What Band • Jackson Sloan & The Rhythmtones • The Daisy Chains Rocket Joe Joe and The Old Time Bangers

For tickets and information go to www.vintageforvictory.co.uk Registered Charitable Incorporated Organisation Number: 1167290 Cancer Research Wales

Vintage for Victory Festival

Inspired by the romance and glamour of vintage fashion and nostalgia, we are delighted to announce the return of the Vintage For Victory weekend to The Library Gardens in Whitchurch Village this July.

Live music

The hub of the Vintage for Victory Festival is the NAAFI Tent, where you will be able to see and hear some fantastic vintage-inspired performers, with plenty to get your feet tapping. If you are feeling brave, get out there and dance the night away!

Drift back in time to those halcyon days and soak up the unique atmosphere in the period costume of your chosen era.

Set in the past, the Vintage For Victory vintage festival celebrates all that was great from the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. It is an opportunity to dress up to the nines in timeless style, amongst a crowd of people doing the same.

The festival’s organisers said: “We are looking to build on last year’s festival to make this an event that Whitchurch can be proud of. This type of festival doesn’t take place in any other suburb of Cardiff - we are looking to bring the community of Whitchurch together in a fun way. We want you to forget about your worries for a weekend, dress up and come and have a good time with your friends.”

There will be plenty to see and do at the festival amid a very musical backdrop. Taking centre stage is the NAAFI Tent, which will be home to live music from vintage-inspired performers such as Big Mac's

Wholly Soul Band, Elle and the Pocket Belles, The Big What Band and Mr B, The Gentleman Rhymer.

There will be plenty of toe-tapping music to dance to, including jive lessons.

Away from the main tent, there will be an array of vintage emporiums to browse, as well as a wide range of great food and drink stalls.

There will also be a formation of vintage military vehicles on display, including full-scale replicas of a Spitfire and a Hurricane. Cars and bikes from the 1940s, 50s and 60s will also be on show.

What to wear

The 40s, 50s and 60s were all key periods for fashion, much of which wouldn’t look out of place on the high street today. So let your imagination go wild and bring some glitz and glamour to the village.

Sat 15th July 2017 10am until 9pm Sun 16th July 2017 10am until 9pm Tickets are on sale via www.EventBrite.com Child under 12 FREE with a paying adult. Youth under 18 from £10 (plus fee). Adult 18+ from £15 (plus fee) Discount for Saturday/Sunday ‘Weekender Tickets’. Daily Pass Outs will be issued to allow you to exit and re-enter the site throughout the day. Please feel free to bring all you need to enjoy a family picnic, including hampers, blankets etc.

For tickets and information, go to www.vintageforvictory.co.uk

Vintage vehicles

An iconic full sized replica Spitfire and Hurricane will be on display, along with a re-enactment RAF flight crew to tell you all about the Battle of Britain, the people and planes.

Eisteddfod 2017 On 8th March, the Bishop of Llandaff High School community celebrated yet another successful, exciting and most enjoyable Eisteddfod. For many years, Eisteddfod Day has been one of the major highlights of the school calendar and is the perfect opportunity for the school’s house system to fully and effectively operate, and for our students to showcase their many otherwise hidden talents. It is wonderful to experience seeing and hearing students reciting in both Welsh and English, creatively dancing and playing a range of musical instruments, to name but a few skills.

Eisteddfod Day 2017 again staged some amazing performances from students across the three Key Stages in music, oral presentations and dance. Towards the end of Eisteddfod Day, the Bishop of Llandaff staff group once again engaged the audience with their choreographic skills, commanding yet again a well-deserved standing ovation. The standard of this performance has risen year on year and continues to do so.

As always, the staff dance is an annual ‘You Tube’ sensation!

With an increasing emphasis on bilingualism in school and across Wales, the Eisteddfod, as in every past year, has successfully promoted the use and usefulness of Welsh in a cultural context. It’s a very tangible part of what it means to be ‘Cymry’- Welsh people.

After an intense day of competition, St Paul house emerged as the winners with a very impressive 1508 points.

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Schools Students at the Bishop of Llandaff High School visit Disneyland, meet a famous author and compete in their annual Eisteddfod

Author Griff Rowland inspires Year Seven

Disneyland Visit Year 9 students Eve and Mia write: In early March we were lucky enough to spend three nights in Disneyland Paris for the St David’s Day Welsh Festival. We were able to spend two days in both of the parks, having lots of fun on the rides, buying souvenirs and eating out in the fantastic restaurants.

As well as getting to experience all the fun of Disney, we all agreed how much we’d learnt along the way in handling our own money (Euros can be tricky), being independent and having responsibilities like getting to meeting points on time.

There were Welsh stalls in the Disney Village selling Welsh food and love spoons, a Welsh choir performing in the Cinemagique and you could even get dragons painted on your face! The fireworks were amazing and in the colours of Wales too.

We feel very fortunate to have been able to go on this fantastic trip with the lovely teachers who helped us enjoy it even more.

Last term, several Year Seven students got the chance to meet Griff Rowland, an author on his, to quote, ‘holiday', where he was meeting with different comprehensive schools across Wales. Here at the Bishop of Llandaff, the students were very pleased to hear that he was coming to our school to read his first book, The Search for Mr. Lloyd.

He informed the students of what inspires him and why he had become an author. He told them of his upbringing in Bangor and present life in London, where he works as a director for famous TV programmes such as Casualty, Hollyoaks and more.

He has always had a love for reading, he said, but not so much writing, and told students: “When I was a young boy, I would have never dreamed of becoming an author in my life!” Despite this, he has won the Tir na n-Og, a Welsh writing competition.

News in brief • Year 11 student Will, a member of the Army Cadet Force for the past three years, has achieved the great honour of being appointed Lord Lieutenant’s Army Cadet for 2017.

• Year 13 student Seb produced a short documentary film to mark LGBT+ History Month. Within three days, the film was viewed over 1000 times on YouTube.

• A group of Year 12 students visited the Welsh Assembly to take part in the annual A Level Government and Politics conference.

News

Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf is celebrating sporting success

Glantaf girls lead the way

It’s been an outstanding winter and Spring Term for Glantaf girls, who have dominated the county sporting scene and winning national titles in a variety of sports. Here are some of the highlights: Netball Yr 7 County Champions Yr 7B County B Champions Yr 8 County Champions Yr 8B County B Champions Yr 9 County Champions Yr 9B County B Champions Yr 10 County Champions Yr 11 County Champions U16 County Champions & 3rd at Nationals U18 County Runners up

Cross Country Yr 7&8 South East Wales B Championship Winners Yr 7&8 Welsh Schools Championships Runners up Yr 8&9 Cardiff & Vale Championship Winners Yr 8&9 Cardiff & Vale League Winners Yr 9&10 South East Wales B Championship third place Yr 9&10 Welsh Schools Championships third place Senior Girls Cardiff & Vale League third place Senior Girls South East Wales A Championship Winners

Hockey Yr 7A&B County Champions Yr 8 County 3rd place Yr 9 County Runners up Yr 10 County Champions U16 County Champions & National Runners up U18 County Champions & National Runners up

schools Welsh Cup Winners

On Wednesday April 26th, the Welsh Schools Finals were held at Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli.

Year 9 were competing for the Under 14 Cup in the first game of the day. This was the third time that Glantaf has competed in the Under 14s Welsh Cup Final in the last 5 years.

From the first minute, the Glantaf boys demonstrated their excellence as they scored try after try and by half time, the score was 47-5 to Glantaf. Ten changes were then made to the team, and it was wonderful to see 25 pupils from Glantaf getting the opportunity to play at least half a game in the Welsh Cup Final. The final score was 64-31 to Glantaf.

British Champions

Congratulations to Glantaf's fencers who gained the British Foil Under 18s champions title during the Spring Term. Harri Hayes, Mathew Williams, Rhodri Gibbon and Celyn Lewis stood strongly in the final against Eton College to gain the title. The school is very proud of the boys!

Badminton Course

The girls football teams also did the double by winning the Cardiff and Vale Cup at U14 and U16 level.

At the National U18 Rugby Sevens champions, Glantaf were respectable quarter finalists.

The first Shuttle Time course in South Wales was completed at Ysgol Glantaf Cardiff in May. The course consisted of 11 participants ranging from primary and secondary school teachers, local club coaches and university students.

The course is a schools badminton programme supporting the principle that children should lead a healthy and active life, both in and out of school. Shuttle Time is currently being implemented in 101 countries.

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Address: Dan-Y-Graig, Pantmawr Price: ÂŁ289,950 Property Type: A 3 double bedroom semi detached house.

Features: The current property has been sympathetically modernised throughout to provide well proportioned and neutral family accommodation. Situated on a corner plot, the property enjoys a sunny aspect and the well established gardens to the front, side and rear are well stocked with flowers and shrubbery.

The property also benefits from a garden room, detached garage and off road parking.

Want to view this property?

Just give us a call on 029 2052 2106

Chambers Estate Agents

35 Merthyr Road, Whitchurch, Cardiff CF14 1DB 02920 522106 www.chambersestateagents.co.uk

Our Professional Opinion: A competitively priced property offering ample accommodation in a popular residential location close to amenities, public transport links and schools. The current owner has put a lot of thought in to the modernisation of the property and a lot of effort has been made to create a very comfortable home with the kitchen/ diner a lovely feature room.

Part Two ICHI Zilch Toupy Pour Moi Mistral Thought (formerly Braintree) SIZES XS - XXL

Friday Fizz

Browse until 8pm on the first Friday of each month with a complimentary glass of fizz

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9-11 Lon Fach Rhiwbeina CF14 6DY www.calonrhiwbeina.com tel: 029 20610722 email: info@calonrhiwbeina.com

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A warm and friendly florist shop located in the heart of Rhiwbina.

We stock quality flowers and plants along with gifts from Green Gate, Sia, Parlane and Burgon & Ball, and deliver to all areas in and around Cardiff

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02920 627587

e n i L e n i F a g n i w a r D Eric Heyman is a self-taught illustrator and artist. The former Whitchurch firefighter talks to Living Magazines about his life and work

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own in Rhiwbina, while the village sleeps, there’s a light on. In a workshop at the bottom of his garden, Eric Heyman is putting the final touches to another of his artistic creations.

“I was brought up on Lon Isa in the Garden Village. I went to Rhiwbeina Primary School and had two wonderful teachers there – Mrs Jones and Mr Thomas. They were very inspirational, not just with my art but in life too. I then went to Whitchurch High School, where I had an art teacher called Mr Reynolds. I spent more time in that art room than anywhere else.”

Eric’s teenage years were to prove a time of bloom for ideas and influence:

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“At that point in my life, I wanted to be a political cartoonist, but the older I got, the more I was interested in the likes of Disney animator Ken Anderson and people like Quentin Blake.

“I remember watching Quentin hosting Jackanory once and he was drawing the characters on the wall as he was telling the story. That fascinated me and always stuck with me. I began drawing cartoons and illustrations and got my first commission from a local lady called Pat Campbell in Rhiwbina. She wanted me to do some illustrations for Rhiwbina Tennis Club and that’s how I earned my first 10 shillings.”

Eric completed his education at Whitchurch High School, but as far

as his art training was concerned, that was as far as it went.

“I’m totally self-taught. I never went to art college and I’ve never had any formal training. Rhiwbina Library

people was a great source of information for me and I’d head there to take out books on anatomy. I was interested in drawing cartoons but I was also wanting to develop my own style.”

For Eric, illustrating was a love that he had to nurture in his spare time, the duties of life beckoning him to other forms of employment.

“I was a Police Cadet for a while when I was younger and almost went into the Royal Marines. In the end, I joined the Fire Service, starting out at Adamsdown Fire Station and ending up based at Whitchurch.”

But his affection for art was never far away: “I did some illustrations for a few of their information guides and started getting into the illustration industry via a friend of mine called Mike Collins.

He was one of the artists who drew the Wolverine character for the Marvel comics. He told me to put a portfolio together, so I did and I sent it off to lots of publishers. I had lots of rejections.

The Welsh Books Council did get in touch however, and wanted me to work on a few projects for children’s books, including work for the Oxford University Press, Sony Pixar and Disney Animation. I was still employed as a firefighter at this point, but a few years before I was due to retire, Emma Ball Ltd contacted me wanting me to work on their greetings card products. I spent about 4 or 5 years creating cards but the main goal I’d set myself was to get a good agent and a big publicity deal.”

Eric is keen to pass on his skills to others, particularly those who are setting out on their own journeys of discovery.

“I’ve run a few workshops at the National Museum Cardiff and I recently worked with the Welsh Books Council at Rhoose Primary School which was great.”

The pull of creation is something that’s driven Eric for most of his life: “I’ve always had an interest in illustration because each one creates a new story. I love being creative and when it comes to sitting down with a blank piece of paper, I try and imagine the story behind what I’m looking to achieve.

It might take me a morning to finish a piece or it might take me a few days. There’ll always be a lot of waste paper hanging around my workshop and sometimes, I like to leave a piece that I’ve worked on

and come back to it a few days later.

“I’ve developed my own style over the years but I take a lot of inspiration from Ronald Searle who was an artist and satirical cartoonist.

He was responsible for the creation of St Trinians School.

My style is more ‘scratchy’, which is achieved through several different techniques that I’ve learned. I use a dip pen, which is almost like one of those old quills that people used to use. I also use a knife to literally scratch away at some of the paint I’ve laid down. I apply this to drawings of trees to help it create that look of depth. I create collages which are interesting because it’s another medium by which I can create scenes.”

Looking ahead, Eric has every reason to be excited: “I’m in the process of developing a few of my own characters.

The main one I’m working on is one called Blue Bear, who I’m hoping to feature in a picture book. Blue

Bear is concerned about the environment and draws other animals in the books. He’s not quite there yet. More than anything I’d like to get a big book deal under my belt. Then I’ll be really happy.”

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08/05/2017 14:16

Llandaff North’s new Lidl store has finally opened, bringing new life to the village.

Across the road are the showrooms and workshops of James & Jenkins, who are celebrating more than 35 years in the community. Providing vehicle sales, MOTs, servicing and vehicle hire, James & Jenkins have everything under one roof

James & Jenkins Garages James & Jenkins has been synonymous with Llandaff North since the early 1980s.

Since their opening over 35 years ago, the well-respected car dealer has evolved into something much more, and can now boast a wide range of services for the local community.

“We are thrilled to be part of the multi-million pound development of the newly-opened Lidl store that now sits opposite us on the site of our old showrooms,” says Director Mark James. “The new store offers over 100 car parking spaces and is ideally placed for us to provide shoppers with their fuel, National Lottery and cashpoint needs.

“Of course, we can also provide everyone with their motoring needs as we have done for many years - we’ve got nearly new and used Vauxhalls to suit all needs and budgets. We also stock Fords, Fiats and Renaults too.”

But perhaps the icing on the cake is the fact that James & Jenkins is now the only Subaru dealer in the entire city of Cardiff.

“We are the first Subaru main dealer to be found in Cardiff for more than five years,” says Mark. “We can offer motorists access to all of Subaru’s cars, including the latestgeneration Forester, Outback, XV, WRX STI, and much more.”

Customers will also find a great choice of Subaru vehicles among their Approved Used stock: “We thoroughly assess all preowned examples before they go on sale, so you can purchase with complete confidence.

“Our showroom is filled with friendly and attentive staff who will offer you a completely personal service whatever your motoring needs are. With have a long list of finance options available, and affiliations with leading financiers such as Black Horse and Motonovo to make sure that you drive away happy and with the best possible deal.”

James & Jenkins also pride themselves on the other services that they provide for the community.

“We’ve got everything under one roof. We can provide MOTs, servicing and even vehicle hire. One of the oldest established vehicle hire companies in South Wales, Charter Vehicle Hire became part of the James & Jenkins family in 1991.

Operating nearly 300 rental vehicles from our three sites in Cardiff, Bridgend and Pontypridd, we offer quality cars, vans and MPV’s of all shapes and sizes. All can be hired for a day, a month or a year with business and personal accounts welcomed.

“We are always raising the standards in vehicle sales,” says Mark. “Our after-sales care is also second to none and we are always evolving with the times to give our customers the best service they can get.”

So if you’re in the area, trying out the new store, be sure to pop over to James & Jenkins and see what they’ve got to offer, and to enjoy a free coffee and wifi. You won’t be disappointed.

A: 14 Station Road, Cardiff CF14 2FF T: 029 2030 4020 W: www.jamesandjenkins.co.uk

Find us on Facebook and Twitter

Come Rain or Shine:

Derek Brockway -

our favourite weatherman Derek Brockway has become the face of Welsh weather over the last 20 years.

He talks to Living Magazines about his life, his career and his passion for the weather

H

is name is synonymous with the weather and his face has been recognised all over the world. For Derek Brockway, becoming Wales’s bestloved weather presenter wasn’t something he set out to achieve.

“It started when I was 8 years old during the drought and heatwave of 1976. It was an exceptional summer; I distinctly remember the TV and newspaper reports of that time.

We had our water turned off and I became fascinated by the weather over the course of those long, hot weeks. My dad bought me a thermometer and I started watching the sky, taking measurements and I even kept a weather diary.

“I was brought up in Barry and as

Derek is now filming his 11th series of Weatherman Walking 16

I grew older, I used to always pop in and see my grandparents. My grandfather would always keep a bag of potatoes under the stairs and he’d always rustle up some chips for me. I can still remember my nan’s apple tarts too!

“Like most kids, I had a paper round plus a summer job working over Barry Island in my late teens. I’d push a trolley round the ballroom wearing a silly hat and selling seafood. After leaving school, I joined the Civil Service and worked briefly for the DSS in Barry but I applied for a position at the Met Office. I got the job and could have been posted anywhere in the UK but I was lucky - there was a vacancy at the Cardiff

people

Weather Centre. I started there in September 1986 and took weather measurements, plotted charts and observed the sky – much like I’d done as a kid. I was more of an assistant at that point and even worked at Cardiff Airport, keeping an eye on the weather for Air Traffic Control.

“The Met Office offered me a posting to the Falkland Islands in 1993. I spent 8 months there which was quite an experience and I’d like to go back one day. It was my first time away from home. The RAF were very kind to me – if they had room in their helicopters, they’d take me to different parts of the islands for me to explore and then pick me up on their way back. There were hardly any trees but lots of penguins and a few sheep too!

"I came back, got myself a few more science qualifications and became an official forecaster in 1995.

“Eventually, I was posted to Birmingham Weather Centre which was fine by me as I love the Midlands. I passed my motor bike test there on my second attempt after a going through a red light in Acocks Green! But I wasn’t there long and applied for a job in London. It was a new contract to become a TV weather presenter. I went for the audition and got the job. And that’s how it all started.

I had the pleasure of working

alongside Siân Lloyd, who gave me some great tips when I first started out. Then I got the job at BBC Wales in 1997. My TV appearances at first were very enthusiastic shall we say. My arms were waving about all over the place, probably due to nerves. Someone once called me Tigger because of my bouncy nature.

Someone else said that it looked like I was feeding chickens and someone even once asked if I had nits! I’ve calmed down a bit now. I’ve being doing the job here in Wales for nearly 20 years.

Like a lot of things in life, it was a case of being in the right place at the right time.

“My job involves a lot of off-screen stuff. Some people think I just work a few minutes each day but I do all the preparation myself. Essentially, I’m a one-man band in that respect although all the nation’s weather presenters keep in touch so that we all sing from the same hymn sheet. I do all the forecasts, put all the TV charts together and prepare my script. I provide forecasts for BBC Radio Wales too and then there’s the social media side of things so a lot of work goes into it. It can be busy, especially when the weather is bad!

“Away from work, I do enjoy walking which is why Weatherman Walking was such a great thing for me. We are now on our 11th series of the show and although we are

Photos: bbc.co.uk

I once got recognised in Cuba by a guy from Pwllheli

still finding places to go, we’ll run out of places to visit one day! I do love walking though – it’s not something I do just for the cameras.

I’ll be taking part in a charity trek in Peru later this year for Velindre Hospital too. Rhod Gilbert will be leading the walk, so there’ll be plenty of laughs.

“I never set out to become famous.

I’m very lucky in that I love what I do and it’s also opened up other opportunities for me which may never have come my way. Weather is my passion – I never wanted fame for the sake of it. It’s also a doubleedged sword. The vast majority of people I bump into are lovely and want to chat about the weather but there are occasions when I would rather not be recognised. I was in the supermarket the other day and had a pair of sunglasses on because I wanted to just get on with my shopping. Someone sidled up alongside me and said ‘Don’t know why you’re wearing those. We can all see it’s you.’ I sometimes get recognised when I’m abroad too because there are Welsh people everywhere. I even got spotted in Cuba once by a guy from Pwllheli!

“Looking forward, the BBC of course is moving from Llandaff to the city centre in a couple of years.

I spend a fair amount of my time in Whitchurch and Llandaff. I often have breakfast in Llandaff and head to Whitchurch for an evening meal.

They are great suburbs of Cardiff with plenty of shops, restaurants and places to chill out away from work.

“As for myself, I’ll continue to do what I’ve been doing. There will always be someone waiting to jump in and replace me but I’m not ready to hang up the seaweed just yet.”

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The Spooky Men’s Chorale 12.07.17

Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra The Glory of Strauss & Elgar 15.07.17

The Wiggles Big Show!

06.08.17

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra The Music of Eric Whitacre 02.06.17

Kevin & Karen Dance 2017 21.06.17

The Roy Orbison Story 24.06.17

The Bowie Experience 14.07.17

Family Prom: The Dance-Off Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra feat. Connie Fisher 23.07.17

Win tickets to the proms and a top show Win a Family Ticket to the Family Proms at St. David’s Hall

Get ready to bust some moves as the Family Prom returns to St David’s Hall on Sunday 23th July – and this year, it’s The Dance-Off! The city’s own Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra are joined by special guest presenter, Connie Fisher for this orchestral spectacular of dance featuring popular pieces from your favourite films and musicals.

Sling on your dancing shoes and put your best foot forward to the likes of West Side Story, Beauty and the Beast, Harry Potter, Pirates of the Caribbean, The Hunger Games, Danse Macabre, Puttin’ on the Ritz and Swan Lake.

Sharing the stage will be squads

of local young dancers who will bring the Hall alive with exciting and diverse visual displays worthy of the vibrant sound.

The host for this fun-filled afternoon is Welsh musical theatre star and TV personality Connie Fisher, who earned rave reviews for her leading part as Maria von Trapp in the West End production of The Sound of Music.

This family-friendly concert has been specially developed for the Welsh Proms by the Arts Active team at St David Hall, and is the perfect introduction to large scale orchestral music! It starts at 3pm perfect for adults and kids.

To be in with a chance of winning a Family Ticket, all you need to do is answer this very simple question: Who is the special guest presenter of this year’s Family Prom? a) Wynne Evans b) Connie Fisher c) Mike Doyle Please email your answer to SDHpress@cardiff.gov.uk with your full name, address and a contact number. Alternatively, please write to St David’s Hall, The Hayes, Cardiff, CF10 1AH. Closing date for entries is Friday 7th July.

Win tickets to see the hit comedy The Graduate Unforgettable characters from the landmark novel and Oscarwinning film are brought to life in this brilliant stage adaptation of The Graduate.

Benjamin Braddock returns from college to high expectations of a bright future in aspirational, middle-class America. The trouble is, the thought of that future makes him sick to his stomach. When he meets another disillusioned soul in his parents' best friend Mrs

Robinson, their relationship takes on a thrillingly destructive force.

Catherine McCormack, playing Mrs Robinson, has worked extensively in film, television and theatre. She is best known for her starring roles in the multiple Academy Award-winning film Braveheart with Mel Gibson, and Spy Game with Brad Pitt. She has also received an Olivier Award nomination for her role in All My Sons at the National Theatre,

alongside Julie Walters. Starring opposite her is Jack Monaghan as Benjamin, who has played the lead role in the record-breaking West End production of War Horse, as well as featuring in Charlie Brooker's Black Mirror and Richard Curtis' film About Time.

The Graduate plays at Cardiff’s New Theatre from Tuesday 20th to Saturday 24th June.

To win a pair of tickets for the first night performance simply, email competitions@livingmags.co.uk with the answer to this question: Who played Mrs Robinson in the 1967 film version opposite Dustin Hoffman?

The competition closes on 18th June. Please provide your name, address and a contact telephone number along with your correct answer.

For full details about the play, visit newtheatrecardiff.co.uk or call 029 2087 8889.

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SUMMER crafts Button Flowers

3D Suncatcher

These beautiful 3D suncatchers are made from nothing more than a cardboard box, some contact paper and some of nature’s little treats.

This first part is best undertaken by an adult: take a cardboard box and with some scissors, cut out ‘frames’ from each of the sides to make windows.

Cut out sheets of adhesive contact paper (available from hobby shops) and stick them into the box so that the sticky side is facing out.

Head out into the garden and pick out some lovely fern, petals, leaves and anything that catches your eye.

Once back inside, add the bits that you’ve brought in to the sticky side of the contact sheets.

Finally, place another contact sheet over the items that you’ve just stuck down to secure them.

Then it’s a simple case of hanging them in the summer sun to enjoy.

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Summer Necklaces What you’ll need Oven bake clay String Skewer Spring flowers Warm up a piece of clay in your hands and roll it out into a flat oval shape and then roll it around your fingers. Pinch the bottom and side closed to make a basic vase shape.

Create two holes in the top of the vase using a skewer. Bake in the oven according to your oven bake clay specifications.

Then allow the vases to cool naturally. Thread your string through the holes, add a small amount of water and flowers.

These are great to keep for yourself or for giving to friends!

What better way of using up Mummy and Daddy’s big pile of left-over wine corks than by making something creative?

You can make these beautiful homemade flowers using a mixture of white card stock, acrylic craft paint, wine corks, rubber bands, styrofoam produce tray (or something flat to pour your paint into), scissors, buttons, green drinking straws (or pipe cleaners or craft sticks) and glue or a glue gun.

Using the elastic band, tie a bunch of corks together. Pour a small mixture of paint colours into the tray and dip the corks into it.

Stamp your corks onto the blank white card and leave to dry. You can then cut around the shapes to make petals and attach green straws to it to make your flower.

crafts Butterfly Feeders

Butterflies are very important visitors to your garden as they help pollinate flowers and plants.

You can help them along their way by making these wonderful feeding stations. All you'll need is an old jar, some string and a small piece of sponge.

You'll need to cut a small hole in the lid of the jar. Take a piece of sponge, preferably a piece of natural sponge, and poke it through the hole in the lid. You'll

want the sponge to be a tight fit.

Make sure that the sponge is large enough - you don't want any water dripping out.

It's now time to decorate your feeder and you can do this in any way you want. You can add flowers or bright stickers anything that will help entice your winged friends to your feeder.

Fill the jar with 9 parts water and 1 part sugar - this will be their food. Seal the jar with the lid.

Once this is done, turn your jar upside down and fasten string around the jar, remembering to leave a loop at the top for hanging.

Birds on a Wire

Take a blank piece of white paper and paint it blue (or any other colour if you’re feeling daring!) and let it dry.

Cut out bird shapes from coloured or patterned card. Attach a piece of string from one end of the paper to the other. Then glue your bird shapes to the paper so that it looks like they’re sitting on the wire.

Homemade Kites

Create a butterfly template by folding a piece of paper in half and cutting out one half of a butterfly shape. When you open the paper, you should have a symmetrical butterfly shape to work with. Templates are also available to download online if you are struggling with this.

Colour in the templates with bright colours. You may want to use pens to do this as paint may weigh your kite down.

Wrap the middle of your butterfly lengthways around a long straw.

You will need to glue this in place to give your butterfly some strength.

Make two holes towards the top of the spine and tie some string here. Bear in mind that you will need to consider how long you want your string to be when taking your kite out.

Take another straw and attach it to the back of your butterfly horizontally so that the two straws now form a cross shape. You can tape this down to secure it in place.

The last thing you will want to do is add some tails to your kite.

Try not to make these too heavy as they will stop your kite from flying. The tails are best made out of crepe paper and stapled to the bottom of your butterfly.

Kites can also be made from old plastic bags. Simply build a frame from wooden skewers (ends chopped off!) and overlay the plastic over the frame.

Kites usually take off best when you are heading into the wind.

Tin Can Windchimes

Sometimes, there's nothing more relaxing than sitting in the sun and listening to the gentle melody of a windchime.

You can make your very own colourful windchimes out of old tin cans. You'll need to wash them and remove any labels and let them dry before you begin. Gather your tins and tape around the rims of the tins with coloured tape in case there are any sharp edges.

Decorating your tin cans is the next step and you can do this in whatever fashion you want. The illustration above uses coloured tape wrapped around the tins, but you can use paint and glitter if you fancy it. High gloss paint will give your tins a great shine. Let it dry before moving on to the next step.

You'll now need to punch a hole in the bottom of the tin can. You can do this with a hammer and a nail. Be careful of any sharp edges. Thread a piece of string through the hole and tie two washers onto the end of the string inside the tin. One washer is used to hold the string in place, the other is placed at the end of the string to make a lovely clanking sound when it hits the tin can.

Hang the tin cans so that they are in close proximity of each other and will collide with each other when they are blown by the wind. You can hang them from one single point, or you can hang them from a stick or a wooden circle.

21

PRW Construction are a family run business with over 32 years of experience within the building and construction industry, references available.

Our company is a progressive family run business, offering a variety of building and maintenance services. We recognise the importance of planning and control in the execution of building projects, whilst using a great deal of creativity and innovation in successfully managing projects to your timescales and your costs.

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Contact us for your free quotation Andrew 07718 621716 Rachael 07753 293444 or 02920 842333 www.prwconstruction.co.uk enquiries@prwconstruction.co.uk

• House extensions • House refurbishments • Luxury bathrooms • Design and architectural services • Full structural design services

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Rhiwbina Sheds & Fencing Ltd

Designers & Manufacturers of bespoke sheds, cabins, pavilions, fencing, gates, decking, log stores and home offices Based in the heart of Rhiwbina village

1c Beulah Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6LT

02920 616921

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father's day gifts With Father's Day just around the corner, here are a few gift ideas from our advertisers to bring a smile to their faces this year

1. Huc and May glasses case £15/18 This is one for the boys with its textured natural fibres.

Personalisation also available.

From Huc & May Email: enquiries@ hucandmay.co.uk

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2. Blake the Bulldog £29.95 Meet Blake the Bulldog. Oozing charm and character, he will delight his new owner. A good size too at 12 inches tall.

From Tŷ Bach Twt Interiors, Whitchurch

3. Greenhouse Caddy £22.99 Keep your twine, labels, ties, seeds, snips and greenhouse paraphernalia tidy and to hand in this incredibly useful caddy.

From Flower Lodge, Rhiwbina

4. Hozelock Pressure Washer £149 Dad and his shiny car will be the talk of the street. There's even a free car wash set worth £36.99 thrown in, while stocks last!

Pugh's Garden Centre, Radyr

5. Dad's BBQ Cutlery Holder £14.99 With the weather warming up nicely, Dad will definitely be needing a cutlery holder for his barbeque tools!

From Tŷ Bach Twt Interiors, Whitchurch

home interiors

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10 9 6. Metal Fix-it Shop sign £7.25 Dads are there to fix all sorts of things.

This metal sign has been purposefully distressed around the edges to create a rustic finish.

From Tŷ Bach Twt Interiors, Whitchurch

7. Dad mugs £15.95 All dads like tea that's a fact. This fantastic mug will remind dad that he is the best dad ever - and it will also serve to remind him who bought him the best mug ever.

From Flower Lodge, Rhiwbina

8. Metal planters £25/£35 a pair If dad's a gardener, these planters are an ideal thing to keep him busy. Each planter has a secret water reservoir to keep his plants well fed.

From Secret Shed, Rhiwbina

9. Design Toscano Biker Gnome £40 This guy is bad to the bone, a genuine class Gnome Biker with attitude.

He has a tattoo, shades and a black gnome crumpled lid (helmet).

From Secret Shed, Rhiwbina

10. Welsh Ales £2.90 each (stand £5.95) After all that hard work in the garden, dad deserves to put his feet up with a glass of something cold. These Welsh ales will do the job.

Pugh's Garden Centre, Radyr

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ST MICHAEL’S CENTRE CANOLFAN MIHANGEL SANT

Improve your health with 80% off Practitioner Anna will be bringing Shiatsu and Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to Whitchurch Clinic from the start of May EFT is a simple yet strong healing tool that will enable you to overcome physical and emotional obstacles, fears, phobias and addictions you may have by tapping on specific points on the meridian channels whilst thinking about the negative emotion to resolve the issue.

Shiatsu is a deeply relaxing yet powerful form of bodywork using touch, hold and comfortable pressure on specific points to stimulate the body’s natural healing ability.

• 7 well equipped Meeting/Function rooms of varying sizes for hire • 32 en-suite bedrooms • Dining Room • Mix of traditional buildings and modern facilities • On-site Parking

EFT £10 per 1 hour session (Promotional offer, usual price £50) Shiatsu £45 per 1 hour session

An ideal venue for Corporate Functions, Dinners, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Retreats, Meetings, Conferences and Workshops.

Great facilities, food and/or accommodation at a reasonable price and we can tailor make a package to suit you.

Contact us to make an appointment today or to ask any questions

Whitchurch Clinic: 029 2061 7700 Anna: 07487 511516 anna@cardiff-shiatsu.co.uk www.cardiff-shiatsu.co.uk

Please contact us to find out more or to discuss your requirements.

54 Cardiff Road, Llandaff, Cardiff. CF5 2YJ Tel: 029 2056 3379 Email: info@stmichaelscardiff.co.uk Website: www.stmichaelscardiff.co.uk

This is Jane. She’s busy cleaning her oven!

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DISCOVERY DAY every nEw ADVEnture stArtS sOmEwhere…

CurREnt YeaR 5 pupilS Are InVitEd tO A taster day fOR YeaR 7 entry sEptembER 2018 wEdneSday 7th junE to bOok A plACe, pleasE COntACt Mrs Pam Critcher, Registrar 029 2083 8504 registrar@cathedral-school.co.uk www.cathedral-school.co.uk

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Gino I

love Cardiff. Do you know of any sites here where I can open one of my new restaurants?” he asks.

Gino D'Acampo is on the Cardiff leg of his latest tour and he's looking for somewhere to open a new eatery.

Now an internationally-recognised chef and TV celebrity, Gino’s hectic tour schedule is a distant cry from his quiet childhood in Italy.

Gino was born into a large family in Napoli. The food they ate was very traditional – simple recipes based on fresh and healthy fruit, vegetables, fish and meat.

“I have great memories of my upbringing. My mother and my grandmother were always in the kitchen and always let me help with the cooking from the age of about 7 or 8. My grandfather said that a good recipe doesn’t need many ingredients because if the ingredients are good quality and full of flavour, why do you have to cover up or change their taste?

"He used to let me help him in the kitchen and taught me so much not just about cooking but about life too. If I close my eyes, I can still see him rolling gnocchi into shapes while I helped him serve it to our Photograph: Matt Russell

TV chef Gino D'Acampo reflects on his life, his cooking and his love of Cardiff

huge family.

When I saw the pleasure and happiness that good food can bring to people, I thought 'This is what I want to do'.

Gino went to catering college at the at the age of 18, and in 1995, aged 19, moved to London to work in The Orchard Restaurant in London, followed by the Cambio Restaurant in Guildford.

“London for me is the food capital of the world.

The variety of restaurants and chefs there means that it really is the place to be if you want to be a chef.

That’s why I came to the UK in the first place.”

Gino’s original intentions weren’t to be what he has become today though: “I didn’t set to become famous – absolutely not. I feel at times as if I’m living someone else’s dream. I did set out to do things on my own terms though and I think that’s something that has happened.

Nothing I do is false, I’m always myself and it works for me as I have a lot of fun.

“My cooking is designed to inspire other people to cook. It’s not difficult – it’s tasty and colourful - anyone can do it. As a chef, it’s easy to over-complicate things but I’ve got better things to be doing in

life than that. I want my cooking to be quick and easy and when a total stranger comes up to me and says that they’ve cooked something, or gotten involved in food because of me, that’s when I know I’ve done my job properly. That’s my favourite part of the job.

"For me, food is a lifestyle. People should cook from the heart and you should only cook when you are in a happy mood. It really does make a difference when you are in the right frame of mind. People should also not be scared to try out new things.

You might even surprise yourself!"

Despite his well-respected cookery skills, Gino reached a new audience when he appeared on ITV's I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here.

The show, set in the Australian outback put Gino's culinary expertise to the test but his personality shone through and he was duly crowned King of the Jungle in the show's ninth series.

"It was an incredible thing to do and was even better to win it," says Gino. "Most of the people who knew me before the show knew me through my daytime TV work but I'm A Celebrity allowed me to reach new people. I did miss everything about food though - I missed buying it and cooking it.

"One thing I did learn about myself was the fact that my family and my business carried on without me while I was away."

But it's not TV work that's been Gino's biggest challenge to date.

"Work isn't a challenge to me because it's fun and I am passionate about it. Being a father on the other hand it's fun but that's the greatest challenge for me.

“I’ve been to Cardiff many times – it’s a place I really, really love. I already have restaurants open around the UK but would love to have one here in Cardiff. If you know anyone who can help me find a site, let me know!”

I didn't set out to become famous.

I feel as if I'm living someone else's dream

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Caerdydd

A real voice for Cardiff’s older citizens

Are you 50+?

Do you want your voice heard?

Do you want to influence services in your area?

If yes, come to a Cardiff 50+ Forum Meeting For details contact: Andrew Lucas Tel: (029) 20 872 536 Or email: alucas@cardiff.gov.uk

House Clearances

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We also offer the following services: • Reports for probate purposes • Valuations & advice on selling at auction • Auction service • Cleaning service • Sympathetic handling of deceased’s estates • Small removals & deliveries, nationwide • Rubbish removal • Recycling We comply with current legislation; we are waste management registered and have public liability insurance.

House Clearance Specialists www.houseclearancecardiff.com Contact: Jan Richards T: 02920 692704 M: 07715 622406 E: janrichards4@hotmail.co.uk W: www.houseclearancecardiff.com

Recliner Chair Centre

An award-winning, family firm, established for over 40 years

We all have a favourite place to sit in our homes, whether it’s our seat at the dinner table, our spot on the sofa, or the plush chair in the living room.

Unfortunately, for many of us, there comes a time in our life when our favourite chair no longer gives us the support we need. That's where the Recliner Chair Centre in The Heath can help

look for a showroom.

"We finally found our spot here in Heath after I visited someone in UHW and saw a For Sale sign on the building. It was exactly what we were looking for and gave us a presence in the local community."

The floor area showcases over 100 products and more lift and recline chairs than anywhere else.

"We used the opportunity to move to major brands. We embraced

For more than 40 years, the Recliner Chair Centre has been providing the UK with the highest quality electric and leather recliner chairs. The story behind the business reveals the true extent of its first-class customer service.

“We’ve been in these premises for 35 years and been in business for 40,” says owner Alun Williams proudly.

"I was one of the first to bring rise and recliners into the UK and helped develop this product for a number of manufacturers in Wales and England. Our experience and knowledge has resulted in us claiming to be the UK's leading showroom retailer of the vast differences and ranges of actions used on this type of chair."

At first, the chairs were made in Talbot Green but as it wasn’t deemed a safe place for their customers to visit, Alun decided to

Parker Knoll, Sherborne, Celebrity and Cintique, but stock all major brands for optimum choice."

Every chair on display has to 'earn its place' by showing a different variation of size and mechanisms.

"Lift and recline chairs now account for over 80% of our business and over the last six years, we have also sold the wonderful Sherborne motorised bed in all its variables. The bed essentially uses the same generic type of linear motors on which our expertise is founded - crossing the disciplines

31 St Anthony Road, Heath Cardiff, CF14 4DF

of engineering and upholstered furniture. I think this is why any new customers usually give us a pyramid of recommendations and therefore further sales," says Alun.

Their genuine commitment to customer service is backed up with the fact that members of staff don't receive commission on sales.

"We have heard terrible stories about people buying chairs at obscene prices or with a free offer of a bed, but if something goes wrong, there's often no ongoing support. Our team can offer their extensive knowledge about the products we display including the variety of rise and recline chairs available. Sue has been here for 20 years and Chris for well over a decade.

"It’s in our nature to look after our customers. We've been here for such a length of time that we see people again and again over the years. It's lovely to deal with people and have that ongoing relationship with them."

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history

A school rich

WITH HISTORY AND CULTURE

'Dysgu Gydol Oes', or 'Learning for Life' is the motto for the foundation school that we all know as Whitchurch High School.

Many young people study at Whitchurch High School; many people work there and thousands have passed through its doors over the years. The school is rich with history and culture, and can claim many success stories for its alumni.

At the start of the 20th century, Whitchurch village had a population of nearly 5,000 people, due mainly to the development of the Melingriffith Tinplate Works.

The village's first school was founded by Thomas Phillips, and he ran the school for over 35 years until his retirement in the 1850s.

Several other private schools existed in and around the area but many parents could not afford to send their children there.

In 1934, 21 acres of land were acquired for a large secondary

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school in Whitchurch. The new school was opened on November 17th, 1937. Mr AJ Richard was appointed Headmaster. Even so, the new school proved inadequate to meet the needs of the community and a proportion of pupils requiring secondary education had to travel to Penarth.

Extensions to Whitchurch School were delayed by the outbreak of war in 1939.

Whitchurch High School, as it became known, was founded in 1968, following the government circular of 1965 that saw many Local Education Authorities converting their schools to the new Comprehensive System. There had previously been a threetier system of schooling, but the new circular reflected the Labour government's view at the time that schools should

It's currently the largest school in Wales with 2,400 pupils registered there. Former student Rachel Nurse takes a look at its history and its place today in our community provide entitled curriculum to all children. As a result, it marked the abolition of the old grammar schools and secondary moderns, and the 11-plus examination.

Whitchurch High School was thus created by combining the existing Whitchurch Grammar School with the Whitchurch County Secondary School that accommodated for a large catchment area. The two were combined into one at the beginning of 1967 and followed the traditional idea of catering

getting in to Oxbridge and Russell Group universities. The school uses the media platform Moodle to update students about homework, extra work and to add additional materials from taught lessons. for as many students as possible ranging from Rhiwbina, over to Llandaff and all the way to Tongwynlais situated in northern Cardiff.

Originally, Cardiff County Borough ran the school programme until the reform of 1974, where Whitchurch and several areas of Cardiff North became part of the new County of South Glamorgan. In 1996, the school reverted back to Cardiff County Council. The school was granted foundation status in 2011 by the Welsh Assembly. This arose from the debate by the local authorities around reducing the school’s intake or keeping it over-subscribed. The decision was made to allow the school to decide for itself about how it was organised. As a result, the school received more powers, more financial freedoms and more choices over teacher hiring.

Today, the school's intake is drawn from seven link primary partner schools based in northern Cardiff. These are Birchgrove, Coryton, Gabalfa, Hawthorn, Llanishen Fach, Rhiwbeina and Whitchurch Primary. The school is based on two sites - Years 7, 8 and 9 are based on the lower school site off Manor Way, with Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 students on the upper school site in the village.

As a foundation school, the Governors are the Admissions Authority and therefore directly manage all mainstream admissions. This means that parents and carers can apply directly to Whitchurch High School to secure a place.

Whitchurch High School also has the largest SEN Specialist Resource Base (SRB) in the city, located on both sites which admits up to 70 pupils from across the city.

The school is now a mixed gender school, with ages ranging between 11-18 year olds. The school's Sixth Form offers AS/A2 levels, stages of the Welsh Baccalaureate, and some vocational courses. Up until 2012, it was one of a few secondary institutions in Wales to offer the International Baccalaureate. The Welsh Baccalaureate regularly receives high grade standards and the school helps support students

Facts and Figures Recent statistics for Whitchurch High School show a strong attendance score and students reaching expected academic levels. Many A level students go to Russell Group universities with additional students attending Oxford and Cambridge each year.

The school released this data in 2016: Number of students: 2,202 Pupil teacher ratio: 19 students Attendance during the year: 95.1% Pupils who have reached the expected level - Core subject indicator (Key Stage 3): 94.5% School budget per pupil: £4,616 • The white church tower on a blue background is the school’s badge with the words ‘Album Monasterium’ around the sides.

This is the Latin translation of the school’s name and is not to be confused with the school’s motto.

• Whitchurch High School was first awarded the prestigious International School Award validated by the British Council in 2005.

A Student's View When I studied at Whitchurch High School, I enjoyed studying English, Government and Politics, Geography, and Sociology.

The teachers are helpful and encourage each student to do their best. During my A levels, I did the Welsh Baccalaureate and received an ‘A’ grade thanks to Mrs Thompson and Ceri Lane [pictured with myself] supporting me throughout each unit and re-reading numerous drafts of my work. Studying at Whitchurch High School was a great experience to prepare me for university life.

The Wall of Fame Whitchurch High School has a ‘Wall of Fame’ in the upper school, near the hall and the reception desk. The school has had many success stories over the years, especially in the field of sporting achievements. Its strong sports department has many facilities on offer, including a swimming pool and AstroTurf pitches. Students can participate in many extra-curricular activities such as water polo, rugby, netball and rock climbing. The school has shaped many athletes who have represented Wales or Great Britain at the highest level in recent years. It was classed as the Sports State School of the Year in the 7th Annual Aviva Daily Telegraph School Sports Matters National Awards in November 2011, in recognition of its sporting achievements. Some of these notable pupils include: • Sam Warburton, captain of the Wales national rugby union team.

• Gareth Bale, football player for Wales and Real Madrid.

• Elliot Kear, rugby league player and Wales international.

• Matt Elias, athlete who represented Wales and Great Britain.

• Geraint Thomas, cyclist, gold medalist at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games.

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t x e n r u o u o y e Ar rter?

o p e R r e p u S

We are looking for super-duper reporters from Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North Here at Whitchurch and Llandaff Living magazines, we have always prided ourselves on the fact that we actively engage with the local community, publishing numerous news stories and features that are created by our readers.

We're on the lookout for younger reporters who can help capture the stories and news that sometimes gets overlooked by the mainstream media.

We are now welcoming submissions for our magazines, including news items, features, letters - in fact anything that our readers would like to hear about.

We'll also be posting entries to our website and sharing across our social media platforms.

We have three age categories and we'll be awarding prizes for the best submission every issue.

The age categories are: Ages 0-7 Ages 8-11 Ages 11-18 We are looking for work that's relevant, engaging and wellwritten. If you've got what it takes, email us at editor@livingmags.co.uk or write to us at our usual address.

Do you have a story to tell?

They say that everyone has a story to tell. Well here's your chance to tell it. There are four main types of writing that we can publish. These are: Expository – Writing in which author’s purpose is to inform or explain the subject to the reader.

Our news stories and most of our historical features are expository because our magazines are mainly designed to inform our readers.

Persuasive – Writing that states the opinion of the writer and attempts to influence the reader.

You will often find many of our letters trying to persuade readers towards a certain way of thinking.

Narrative – Writing in which the author tells a story. The story could be fact or fiction and we have published many short stories in our magazines. who knows? It could be the start of something big!

Descriptive – A type of expository writing that uses the five senses to paint a picture for the reader. This writing incorporates imagery and specific details. We tend not to publish this type of work but if it's relevant to our readers, we're open to ideas!

Some of the things we are looking for: News stories - this could be from your local school or group. Maybe you have achieved something and want to tell people about it? Maybe some major event is taking place in your village? We want to hear about it!

Features - features are usually longer than news items and are usually based around a certain theme. These can be written in a third-person tense if you are looking to inform our readers. You can also come at it from a personal angle. Written in first-person, maybe you want to give your opinion on local matters.

Short story - can you write a satisfying short story in under 500 words? Keep it local, entertaining and engaging.

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gardening

Hanging around

Hanging baskets and window boxes can bring your garden alive with colour.

Kevin Revell shows you how to create and maintain them

H

anging baskets have become a universal currency in our gardens. Those with small flats or no garden at all can usually put one or two by a door or find room for at least one window box.

Those with large gardens can find numerous places to site them - on walls, fences, sheds and around seating areas.

These baskets of joy bring a smile to the faces of visitors, improve the visual amenity of the area and are often employed as a tactic to encourage potential house buyers, brightening up a house that has been on the market too long.

The arrival of the hanging basket

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plants in garden centres in April is treated with the same level of fevered excitement as hearing the first cuckoo of spring; invariably too early, wise gardeners wait until the reliably warm weather of May before planting. Some people just can’t wait, but provided they are given protection at night in a greenhouse or porch, they usually get away with it. They also steal a march on the neighbours who are left scrabbling around in crowded garden centres, for the greater diversity and availability of plants is found early in the season. Of course, some people can’t be bothered with all the fuss and they buy a hanging basket kit which contains all the plants necessary to plant a basket in a pre-ordained range of pastel or hot shades.

Pre-planted baskets are also readily available but most keen gardeners engage in the annual ritual of planting their

own.

Hanging baskets come in all shapes and sizes but the pre-lined woven rattan or willow baskets now seem to have taken over from the rather fiddly wire baskets which require lining with moss, the advantage being that it is possible to plant many trailing plants under the basket rather than just spilling over the sides. On the downside, nesting birds will frequently make off with the moss and invariably more is needed than stated on the packet. Artificial liners made from coir or recycled wool may prove easier to use but are less easy on the eye. Pre-formed papier-mâché lines are thankfully largely banished these days. Large wrought iron manger-style baskets are perhaps the preserve of pubs and restaurants and will require some industrial strength fixings for the average house. When filling the basket, don’t skimp on the compost - this is the engine room of the basket and will keep the basket going right through the summer.

Multi-purpose compost alone will not be up to the task. Either add additional slow-release fertiliser and wetting gel or buy a specific hanging basket and container compost formulated for this task.

gardens

When it comes to planting, there are no rules - it is entirely up to you as to which plants in what colours are used, but tradition dictates that there should be a taller plant in the middle to give a bit of height to the arrangement. Three or five smaller or trailing plants are then arranged around this and if possible, trailing plants are inserted around the basket sides and base to give an all-encompassing show of foliage and flowers. Ideally, no trace of the basket or liner should be visible once the plants are established.

Usually it will be a fuchsia or geranium giving height, and trailing forms of fuchsias and geraniums are a popular choice for the rest of the basket. Baskets planted with single varieties of these plants can make a spectacular long-lasting display but a mixture of other plants will add to the interest. Trailing

lobelias are the best plants for inserting in the sides of the basket as they cascade down to a great length and are available in a range of shades from white, pink, pale blue and dark blue.

Trailing petunias or surfinias are another popular choice coming in many bright colours, including outrageous shades of hot pink and hot red. These plants are extremely vigorous and three to five plants will be more than enough to fill a basket with colour long into the summer. The trumpet-shaped flowers blast out the message that summer is here – enjoy it while it lasts! Double forms have become popular recently but both types will need regular dead-heading to keep them looking good. They have now been superceded by mini petunias or million bells which have masses of tiny flowers in many hot

bright or cool pastel colours. Other useful contenders include the tiny white stars of bacopa, fragrant nemesia, colourful verbena and the cool, contrasting foliage of nepeta and helichrysum. All these smaller flowering plants require little in the way of ongoing maintenance.

Having planted the basket, give it a good water and feel the weight – this will enable you to judge whether it needs watering in the future. A lightweight basket is on the verge of collapse. Keeping the display looking good is not easy, particularly if the baskets are exposed to too much wind or sun.

They will need watering on hot days and perhaps twice a day but always try to water in the cool of the evening or early morning to avoid scorching the plants.

The compost used in the basket will be good enough to get the plants growing but once established, they will need regular feeding once or twice a week to keep the display looking good.

The volume of compost for the plants to root into is relatively small and great demands are made of it once the flowering display is in full swing. If the display starts to look a bit ragged in mid-summer, don’t despair – a hard trim and a good feed will have it back in good fettle long into the autumn.

Of course, a hanging basket or window box doesn’t need to be full of flowers if these are not your thing.

It is a very good way of growing herbs and salad vegetables which can still look attractive and will be out of the way of marauding slugs and snails. In hot positions, a display of garden succulents will be a low maintenance alternative for those with less time on their hands and they make a very stylish, on-trend display while bees would certainly appreciate a window box full of flowering lavender or thyme.

35

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pets

Your pet questions answered

Chris Troughton is clinical director of Heath Vets. He’s here to answer all your pet questions. If you’d like to ask Chris a pet-related question, drop us a line I’ve heard that grapes and raisins are toxic to dogs. Is this true and if so, how toxic are they?

Sadly, this is true. In recent years, it has been realised that on rare occasions, dogs develop kidney failure after eating grapes, raisins or sultanas. The toxicity appears to be very inconsistent, in that many dogs will have eaten some without any effect, and others will succumb after eating literally one or two. Lots of research has failed to identify the toxin, and because the toxic dose can be so low, it is essential to be sure your dog never eats any. If he does ingest some, take him to the vet immediately, where he can be made to vomit them up. If you are too late for this, we recommend 2-3 days of intravenous fluids to try to flush the toxins from the blood before they can harm the kidneys.

My cat always seems to get himself into fights of some sort. Up until now, he’s never suffered any nasty wounds but I’m worried that one day, he’s going to come home with a wound that could get infected.

If this happens, what do I need to do before I can get him to a vet?

Cats are very territorial creatures and will defend their patch against all trespassers. This applies to male and female, neutered and entire – the only difference is the size of the territory. Intruders will be warned off by displays of hissing and howling, and actual physical fighting is only a last resort when all else fails. Given the number

of weapons cats have available to them (18 claws and 4 fangs) that’s fortunate! Even so, the damage done is not usually severe in terms of wounds, but bites often get infected and cause abscesses. So if you suspect your cat has been fighting, check him over very carefully. A bite can be identified by a tiny tuft of hair matted with blood. Part the fur and look at the skin to find the wound. First aid for these injuries is limited to cutting the hair away so the wound is visible and applying some antiseptic (not TCP – toxic to cats). If the area becomes red, swollen or tender, get your cat to the vet as he will need antibiotics. The sooner these are started, the less severe the infection will be.

I’m thinking of getting a rabbit for my son as a pet but I’m worried about flystrike as I hear that this is unpleasant. Is it common and what would I need to look out for?

‘Flystrike’ is a very nasty condition where bluebottle and greenbottle flies lay their eggs in damp soiled fur of animals. When the maggots hatch out, they feed on the dirt in the coat, and then will often progress to feeding on the skin and tissues, particularly if there is a wound or if the skin is inflamed. Most animals keep themselves clean and do not have a risk of developing flystrike, but some rabbits get accumulations of faeces stuck to the fur around their anus and this is the commonest area to suffer flystrike. There are several reasons this happens, most

of which can be prevented.

A poor diet with not enough grass and hay and too much concentrate food is a major cause. Poor grooming behaviour can be because the rabbit can’t reach the anal area due to obesity, or arthritis in the spine in older animals, or because of oral discomfort from dental problems.

Rabbits should be examined every day, checking that there are no faeces stuck to the fur. If there are, they must be cleaned off. There are several effective insecticides to prevent the problem, but they should only be necessary if you are unable to keep the rabbit clean, or if he is elderly or debilitated. Rabbits should never be kept singly.

They are social animals forming very strong bonds, and their mutual grooming behaviour helps to prevent flystrike. So please don’t buy your son a rabbit – buy him two!

The extraordinary people of north cardiff In a new series, we hear from local residents who have been recognised in the Queen's Honours Lists over the years

Janet Jeffries BEM

I

am proud to say that I was awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours list on 31st Dec 2016. The citation said it was for ‘Services to the community, particularly Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in Wales’.

When one of my sons ‘came out’ to us as gay in 2000, I felt quite upset and anxious and thought it would help me to understand things better if I could speak to a parents’ helpline, but discovered that there was no such provision within Wales.

Through mutual friends, I found Gloria Jenkins from Roath, who has both a gay son and a lesbian daughter, and who was thinking along the same lines as me.

Together we co-founded SPLAG Wales (Support for Parents of Lesbians and Gay men), based very much on our own experiences and with training from an established group over the border.

Cardiff Council generously gave us a grant from their equalities budget and we were soon providing a telephone helpline and organising support groups, as well as meeting families face to face if they preferred. I wrote a bi-monthly newsletter filled with positive stories about LGBT people and related news, and went on to speak at conferences on LGBT issues, participated in equality training courses for the South Wales Police, and took our publicity stall to the

38

Cardiff Mardi Gras and to 6th Form colleges.

Gloria (who nominated me for this award) took a well earned break from the organisation a few years ago, but by then, other mums and dads had joined our committee and we were able to continue the work.

Over the years, we’ve helped many parents to accept their son or daughter’s sexuality, allowing them to continue loving them and being proud of them. The organisation’s aim was always to keep families together by helping parents to accept and understand their son's or daughters’ sexuality, and allaying any fears they may have about their future life.

When parents first learn that their child is gay, they are often frightened that their child will have a lonely and unhappy future, that they will be ostracised by society, and that their safety may be compromised. We can talk through these concerns however, and show them that most LGBT men and women lead very similar lives to those who are straight, and that their sexuality is only a small part of who they are and what they can achieve.

During this time, I was also active in supporting the Lesbian and Gay Christian movement in South Wales, as well as being a governor at Greenhill Special School in Rhiwbina for many years and setting up a boys’ club in Bethany Baptist Church.

Sadly, I had to give up my involvement with SPLAG when I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma a while back, though I continue to take an interest in LGBT issues. I have been receiving exceptionally good treatment at the Haematology Cancer Day Unit at the Heath Hospital, and last year I organised a number of fundraising events for them which enabled all the treatment chairs to be replaced.

To my surprise, the Lymphoma Association awarded me with a

Beacon of Hope award for this, of which I am also very proud.

I didn’t find out about my British Empire Medal until a few weeks before Christmas and I had no idea that I had been nominated for it until I received a confidential letter from the Cabinet Office. I had to keep it a secret for a few more weeks, but felt very grateful for the nomination, very proud and altogether delighted!

My family were particularly pleased to hear about the award as I was quite unwell at the time and it lifted all of our spirits.

I am still waiting to receive my medal which will be presented by the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan, but have been invited to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in June which is very exciting.

Emily Foley MBE

I

received an MBE for services to George Thomas hospice care on 31st December 1999. I volunteered at the hospice on Ty Gwyn Road, in Pen y Lan (which is now in the grounds of Whitchurch Hospital) and set up the first charity shops for George Thomas Hospice, along

people with two other ladies. We set up five shops altogether across Cardiff and Penarth and they are still there, along with an additional one now in Whitchurch.

I saw myself as being involved in the hospice, rather than working there. For three years I was Chairman of the council, but other people spent time being Chairman as well. I first became involved with the hospice through a GP I was working with in the surgery and he told me about the people he looked after with cancer and the care they needed. I was interested in finding out more as I was keen to help in some way - and then it snowballed.

I so enjoyed being a volunteer in the hospice and meeting so many different people.

It was a wonderful service that was provided at the hospice.

People were so caring and gave so much support to those who needed it. Being someone to talk to was so appreciated. As a family, we received first hand care from the hospice when my daughter Catherine was diagnosed with cancer. Catherine was always ready to help with fundraising for them and had always been part of the hospice. Sadly, she passed away two years ago.

All my family were involved in helping with the hospice in some way. They were all supportive; they got involved in activities and were understanding that when I was doing things at the hospice I wasn’t able to be home with them. My late husband John worked hard on helping to set up the shops, along with a lovely neighbour at the time.

So many people helped.

I was told I had received the MBE in a letter. I was delighted, surprised and shocked and had had no idea!

You wonder why you get picked out as different as there were so many other people doing what I did. The letter said loud and clear that you must not tell anyone. I did share the news with John but didn’t say anything to anyone else.

For the presentation of the award, I chose to go to Cardiff Castle and my MBE was presented by Prince Charles, and it was lovely. My husband John, daughters Catherine and Lynne and two sons Gerard and Jonathan and their wives came.

All my family were thrilled. What happens to you in a family happens to you all. It was like we shared the award. My late husband John in particular was so delighted and was always so supportive of everything – he should have had one too!

Les MacNeil BEM

I

received a BEM (British Empire Medal) for my work as a volunteer within the Royal Voluntary servicewhat used to be known as the WRVS, but which now includes men and young lads, hence the change in name.

I have run the trolley at UHW for the past 30 years serving patients whilst they have been an inpatient.

I was project manager for 18 years, but that wasn’t always the case as I was also working part time as a supply teacher at Eglwys Newydd Primary School.

I found out about the award last November but couldn’t say anything until 30th December.

I did tell my husband but didn’t tell anyone else, as I was worried that my daughters might put it on Facebook! I was in bed on 30th December when the New Year’s Honours List was published by the Press and then my phone started beeping with all these messages coming through!

Jayne Cowan had picked up the list and shared it online and then it all went mad with people contacting me! We were in the Juboraj on New Year’s Eve and people were coming up to me and bowing and curtsying.

I went to work in UHW on 2nd January, which was my birthday, and everyone was coming up to me and saying ‘well deserved’. People didn’t expect me to be in but we still volunteer on Bank Holidays as patients still need serving. Everyone was bowing, from cleaners to consultants and it was lovely.

I first got inspired to help out at the hospital when I suffered from bacterial meningitis when I was eight months pregnant with my daughter. It was terrifying and I felt the staff saved both the baby and I, so I wanted to give something back. That’s what started it. So when my daughter was 8 years old and in school, I started working on the trolley.

One of my friends, Angela who I was in junior school with, nominated me for an Honours award years ago, so this letter from Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, last December came out of the blue. I was really surprised and pleased, and couldn’t believe it really. If my friend hadn’t persevered and written letters I wouldn’t have got it. To be honest, I think that there should be a fairer system of people getting awards as

it all depends if you are nominated and so many people do such valuable work.

I think the service we provide at UHW is very important. A lot of patients don’t have relatives or visitors that are near and able to visit, for example some patients come from as far away as Pembrokeshire and have no relatives able to visit who can help out. We have been known to go and buy nighties and special magazines for patients who have no-one else to rely on, and go out of our way to help if we can.

My husband got quite emotional when I received notification of the award. My parents have passed away and it’s been lovely to hear people say that my parents would have been so proud. Everyone is really pleased and say it is ‘well deserved’ and ‘about time’. I’ve had lovely letters of congratulations from various politicians in the area and from friends. Many people have seen me in the hospital over the years. But you don’t do it for that, you do it because you enjoy it and you get a real thrill from helping people.

Volunteering is vastly underrated and lots of people won’t do anything for nothing. You do feel privileged that your hard work has been recognised, but there are a lot of people out there that could be similarly rewarded. Jayne Cowan recommended me the same week for the bouquet of the week, but I had had one three years before, so said I'd had enough media attention and so nominated another lady who had done the trolley with me for 17 years – and she was thrilled.

ITV Wales wanted to come and film with the trolley in hospital, but I said no. It would have been disruptive for patients, and I’m not really that sort of person!

I was invited to have my award presented to me at a mansion house by the Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan. There was also an invite to the Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in May. I took my husband.

39

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Constituency News with Julie Morgan AM

This spring, there has been lots going on in the Assembly and the constituency alongside the local elections and the June general election.

At the beginning of May, I spoke in a debate on diabetes to highlight the need for greater awareness of Type 1 Diabetes in children and young people.

I was pleased to be able to highlight the work that has been done by Beth Baldwin from Whitchurch. She has done much to raise awareness of the ‘4Ts’ symptoms (more thirsty, tired, thinner and needing the toilet) after the tragic death of her son Peter, a Whitchurch High School pupil, whose flu-like symptoms masked his diabetes.

Also in the Senedd, I welcomed a group of French visitors on an exchange visit to Cardiff from Nantes in Brittany. It’s great that two of the main organisers of the exchange, Angela Tebboth and Jenny Frost, are both constituents (pictured with me at the Senedd) and I know lots of people across the constituency get involved in the exchange too.

The Cardiff Nantes Exchange has been going for 30 years and the city twinned with Nantes for 50 years – and I think with the UK leaving the European Union, it’s more important than ever that we retain cultural ties and friendships with our European neighbours.

Earlier this spring, I attended the opening of the new ‘Hyb’ at Llandaff North library (pictured at the opening).

This is a fantastic resource for the community. As well as the library, there is a community café, a children’s area, space for community events and meeting rooms. There’s also an IT suite and a drop-in advice service. I hope it’s well-used and think the Hyb is a great improvement on the old library. Well done to all who helped bring this project to completion.

In April, I attended a British Deaf Association event called ‘Taste Your Future’ for deaf pupils in secondary education, to give them practical ideas about possible future careers. It was great that they could see the wide range of jobs that they could do and there was a very positive feedback that hearing problems should not be hold them back. I wish the bright young people I met every success in the future.

How to get in touch If you have any concerns or issues please contact my office on 029 2061 4577. I can also be contacted via Twitter @juliemorganlab and email julie.morgan@ assembly.wales.

outdoors Picnics are the ultimate way to enjoy your food in the summer months. But being away from home does mean that you won't have everything to hand. Sara Wells' ultimate guide to picnicking will help make your next outing that little bit more stress-free

Summer dreams

Before you leave In this wonderful world of internet access, politics and interest rates, why not take a moment, grab a few essentials and head out to one of Cardiff’s many parks or gardens?

In Whitchurch and Llandaff alone, we have Whitchurch Common, Hailey Park, Llandaff Fields and Forest Farm where you can chill out and have a relaxing picnic. A picnic is a brilliant way to spend time with a loved one, family and friends, or to simply take time out and compose your thoughts or read a good book.

Who knows you could even make a new friend?

A picnic can be as simple or complicated, as cheap or expensive as you choose - it all depends on you. Plan your day from start to finish before you leave the house - this will

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make things a lot easier.

Don't be tempted to go taking folding tables and tents unless necessary. You will want to take something to sit on so a simple blanket will suffice in most situations.

Most people take a blanket as they are easy to roll up afterwards. If the ground is a little damp, maybe an old shower curtain or plastic bag underneath your blanket will keep you comfortable. A blanket around your shoulders will keep you warm if it gets chilly - summer nights can get cold rather quickly. On hot days remember the sun block and a hat!

Slice anything that needs slicing before you leave. The last thing you want to do is to be carrying around a knife. And lastly, remember to bring something to do, especially if you are taking the kids. Board games and colouring books should do the trick.

Your picnic basket You can buy off-the-shelf picnic baskets from any good retailer these days. Look out for enamel tableware - enamel plates are light but unlike paper plates, they are sturdy and won't collapse or go soggy. Always take a few extra cups, plates and utensils, just in case. Most picnic baskets now come with chopping boards, napkins, wine glasses and even a corkscrew.

If you are thinking of cycling to your picnic destination, picnic backpacks are now also available.

These include detachable wine storage and a blanket.

outdoors

Food Finger foods are the ideal things to take on a picnic. Sandwiches are

the obvious contenders but it goes without saying that you will need some kind of cool bag to keep everything in. Sliced meat sandwiches will be ok without refrigeration for about an hour so you'll need some ice packs to keep them cool if you are planning a longer trip and/or the weather is warm. Try and eat perishable items first.

In terms of fruit, think fruit with peel - something that will hold up in your bag. Try and avoid bananas as they get easily bruised in transit.

This also goes for fruits such as strawberries and raspberries.

You can also avoid soggy salads by keeping any dressings in a separate (preferably chilled) tub. Mayonnaise will need to be refrigerated as its egg content could prove dangerous if left in a warm bag. Lastly, avoid bringing bottles of condiments. You’ll probably find that you don’t use much. If you really want to take them, maybe take small sachets or decant into a smaller containers.

Drink If you are heading out on a warm day, it's

important to remember to stay hydrated.

Frozen bottles of water can double up as ice packs and should be suitably defrosted to drink by the time you're ready to eat and drink - very refreshing! Infused water can offer a delicious alternative to plain water.

Iced tea tastes great on a hot day, as do herbal teas.

If you're out on a cooler day, maybe a flask of hot water and a few different sachets will allow your guests to choose their tipple.

Avoid carbonated sugary drinks as these go flat and sticky very quickly.

How to keep those wasps away Picnics can be disrupted by bugs, perhaps none more so than the wasp. Here are a few tried-andtested methods of keeping them at bay.

• Spray-on repellents are effective, as these contain ingredients that wasps really don't like. Clip-on wasp repellents are available from most supermarkets and you may want to try these if you're worried about spray going in your food.

• Brown paper bags are also a very effective deterrent. It sounds daft but these are one of the most effective and harmless repellents around. Simply inflate a large brown paper bag and tie it off on one end and hang it up. The wasps mistake this for an enemy wasp nest and will stay well away.

• Tumble dryer sheets are an easy way to keep wasps away. Simply place them at various places around your picnic.

• Mothballs are another firm favourite of picnic-goers. Though mothballs are intended to kill moths in enclosed areas, in open spaces they perfectly safe for humans.

Desserts

Local places to go

What better way to round off your picnic than with a yummy dessert?

Traybakes and loaf cakes are ideal since you can slice them before you leave the house. Brownies, shortbread and cookies are also easy to wrap up and share out.

If you're after something more sophisticated, jars make perfectly portioned vessels to transport softer sweets such as strawberry and cream cheesecakes or Eton Mess. Prepare them beforehand for a no-stress dessert!

• Hailey Park • Whitchurch Common • Llandaff Fields • Forest Farm • Bute Park • Cardiff Castle • The Wenallt • Victoria Park • Roath Park • Heath Park

Days out • Porthkerry Park, Barry • Waterfalls at Neuadd, Brecon Beacons • Pontsticill Reservoir, Merthyr • Rhossili Bay, Swansea • Oxwich Bay, Gower If you are likely to stay out after dark, remember a torch or a solar powered light to keep everybody safe, especially if you are near a river or somewhere that could become dangerous after dark.

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Celfyn H Lewis recalls early school days in Whitchurch

Steam trains,

Woodbines & Mr Gordon I

was born and brought up in Whitchurch. Born in Bishop’s Road, when I was old enough to go to school, I was escorted by my mother to the end of the road at the junction with Merthyr Road on my first day. Mother announced ‘Cross now’, and over I went, through Mrs Davies’ farmyard and following the current path to cross the brook, taking care to watch the cows.

When it came to crossing the brook, there were perfectly adequate stepping stones - if you could judge them correctly. Like many others, I often could not but at this time (1932), there was no need for the Lollipop Lady!

The infants school was located where the small bridge gave access over the brook. When everyone got there, we were paraded alongside the brook to the rear of the Tabernacle Chapel, opposite

44

St David’s Road, and using the small bridge (still there though not looking quite so safe) we headed into the school room which had been set up as a dentist’s examination room.

There, we had our teeth examined.

The next step was to separate boys from girls, the boys going to the old school on the mound at the junction with Old Church Road and Tyn-y-Pwll, where the Whitchurch Community Centre now is.

This was an old church school and the classroom was heated by a coal stove in the front which was handy for the teacher.

Celfyn Lewis reflects on a long-forgotten era in Whitchurch and Llandaff North - a time of childhood, school days and train journeys to Penarth During my time there, my teacher was Mr Cecil Lawrence. As a pupil, you didn't realise that your teacher knew your parents, especially as this area was much smaller then. I was told in later life that he and my father were members of the bowling club where they exchanged school gossip.

Like all ‘events’ of local and national interest, there was the obligatory essay to complete, and of course, St David’s Day was one of those occasions. My effort began thus: “St David was born in Pembrokeshire because his parents were away

The classroom was heated by a coal stove

touring at the time.”

At this time, Whitchurch Secondary School (Grammar School) was just opening and the number of marks you got determined your school. Those who achieved a certain grade went to the new school. Those who didn't went to Penarth County School. I went to the latter.

There was a perfectly good rail link – Llandaff North direct, via Cardiff General (renamed Cardiff Central considerably later), Grangetown, Cogan, Lower Penarth and Penarth Town. Every morning, I had to pass No. 33 Bishop’s Road, timing this carefully as the man living there was Mr Gordon, the station master at Cardiff General.

The train left Llandaff North at 08.25 so if I was behind Mr Gordon, I’d need to get a move on. If he was behind me, then all was well. On the platform, a porter had a door to a first class compartment open and waiting. When Mr Gordon stepped aboard, whistles blew and away we went, everybody checking their watches.

To the casual onlooker, the platform at Llandaff was just full of a group of noisy school kids but if you looked closely, there was a certain order.

The children at the front were the beginners; those halfway along the platform were the middle school, while those on the end were the seniors. This arrangement was especially suited to ensure that at Cardiff General Station, the senior compartment would stop exactly at the cigarette machine at the station platform. The Woodbines were 5 for 2d. Four of us gave 1/2d each and we drew lots for the odd fag.

As the years went by, we were aware that there would be at least one change of teacher every now and then.

Our Geography teacher left to join the RAF and schoolboy gossip speculated as to his

replacement. We were assembled, watching the members of staff taking their places in the school hall when I got a dig in the ribs and someone whispered ‘Look who’s here!’ - our new teacher had shared our compartment on the train on the way into school.

At his first lecture, he surveyed us and carefully identified his travelling companions.

"I have seen you before. And you.

And you. And I have a message for you all – the headmaster will be doing rounds this lunchtime including the gardener’s shed, so great skill will be required if you are to hide your cigarettes."

Needless to say, he immediately became one of us and his lectures were never missed, hence my love of Geography.

In all this, I must confess a very close family connection. My

history

The senior pupils' train

carriage would stop exactly at the cigarette machine

on the station

Photos courtesy of People's Collection Wales

platform

grandfather was the chairman of the Whitchurch Parish Council, and among the many offices he held was his appointment to the School’s Board (1905) and also the Library Board, his name being on the plaque in that building. My grandmother was a teacher prior to her marriage, having a certificate in Religious Teaching (whatever that meant!).

I hope these few memories may be of interest, recalling as they do, a long forgotten era, prior to, and eventually through WW2. But that is for another day.

Llandaff North and Whitchurch during the 1930s

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recipes

SALADE NIÇOISE 2 eggs 500g broad bean pods 4 ripe tomatoes ¼ cucumber 2 spring onions, finely chopped ½ red pepper, thinly sliced 50g small black olives, pitted 1 tbsp capers 4 anchovies, cut into slivers a few basil leaves, roughly torn For the dressing: 1 small clove of garlic pinch of coarse salt 2 anchovies, finely chopped small handful of basil leaves, torn 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil ½ tbsp red wine vinegar black pepper · Boil the eggs by putting them in a pan of cold water and slowly bringing them to the boil. Simmer the eggs for 7½ minutes, then slowly put them into a bowl of iced water. · Take the broad beans out of their pods, rinse them and cook them in salted boiling water until they are tender. · Drop the tomatoes into boiling water for 15 seconds, then peel them. De-seed them and cut them into slices. Peel the cucumber into stripes, then de-seed and cut into half crescents. · To make the dressing, start by pounding the garlic to a paste in a pestle and mortar along with a pinch of coarse salt. Add in the anchovies and then the basil, and continue to pound into a paste.

Add the olive oil and the vinegar as you go and then season with black pepper. · To construct the salad, toss the beans, tomatoes, cucumber, spring onion and red pepper together with two-thirds of the dressing and place into a bowl.

Peel and quarter the eggs and arrange them on top. Add the olives, capers, anchovy strips and basil leaves. Spoon the remaining dressing over the salad and serve straight away.

A bowl of goodness CRANBERRY, CORIANDER AND QUINOA SALAD 340g dry quinoa 350ml water/vegetable stock 170g dried cranberries 3-4 tbsp fresh chopped coriander juice of 1 lime 1 additional lime, sliced into wedges 1 1/2 tsp curry powder 1/8 tsp cumin 170g bell peppers, diced 85g chopped red onion 115g toasted sliced almonds 170g carrots, grated/shredded 2-4 tbsp pumpkin seeds salt and pepper to taste olive oil for drizzling

· Rinse and drain your quinoa. · Add your water or stock to the quinoa, set it on a high heat and bring to the boil. · Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered with the lid slightly off, for 12-13 minutes or until the quinoa is fluffy. While the quinoa cooks, chop and prepare the remaining ingredients. · Combine the freshly cooked quinoa with the lime juice, curry powder, cumin, peppers, onion, almonds, pumpkin seeds and carrots. · Season to taste and stir to combine. Serve with lime wedges. · This dish can also be chilled in the fridge before serving.

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Unit 8, Fieldway, Heath, Cardiff, CF14 4HY