Sunday 24 June 2018
Saturday 23 June 2018
Gwalia Singers Annual Concert
One of the highlights of the Mayoral year is undoubtedly the Gwalia Singers annual concert, so I was honoured to be asked to attend tonight due to the Lord Mayor having other engagements.
The Gwalia Singers is a male voice choir formed in 1966 out of the remains of a small operatic society. As such they celebrated their 50th anniversary last year with a prestigious concert held at the Brangwyn Hall, with guest stars Shan Cothi, Trystan Llŷr Griffiths and compere Roy Noble.
Tonight the concert took place in All Saints Church in Mumbles, home of a striking stained glass window memorial to local lifeboatmen and the final resting place of Thomas Bowdler.
The Gwalia Singers were supported by Bella Voce, a four part ladies vocal group based in Pembrokeshire. Bella Voce means beautiful voice. The group were brought formed in 2013. Their repertoire was eclectic and their shoes were colourful and bright.
The Gwalia Singers treated us to individual arrangements of Morte Criste, Ave Maria, Nella Fantasia, O Gymru, Ay Hyd y Nos, Cwm Rhondda, Angels and American Trilogy to name just a few, culminating in a very spirited and inspiring Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau from both groups. The Welsh National Anthem is still one of the top three anthems in the world today.
It was an excellent concert and the church was packed, despite the rival concert featuring the Killers taking place at the other end of the City in the Liberty Stadium. Both groups of singers fully deserved the standing ovation they got at the end.
The Gwalia Singers is a male voice choir formed in 1966 out of the remains of a small operatic society. As such they celebrated their 50th anniversary last year with a prestigious concert held at the Brangwyn Hall, with guest stars Shan Cothi, Trystan Llŷr Griffiths and compere Roy Noble.
Tonight the concert took place in All Saints Church in Mumbles, home of a striking stained glass window memorial to local lifeboatmen and the final resting place of Thomas Bowdler.
The Gwalia Singers were supported by Bella Voce, a four part ladies vocal group based in Pembrokeshire. Bella Voce means beautiful voice. The group were brought formed in 2013. Their repertoire was eclectic and their shoes were colourful and bright.
The Gwalia Singers treated us to individual arrangements of Morte Criste, Ave Maria, Nella Fantasia, O Gymru, Ay Hyd y Nos, Cwm Rhondda, Angels and American Trilogy to name just a few, culminating in a very spirited and inspiring Mae Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau from both groups. The Welsh National Anthem is still one of the top three anthems in the world today.
It was an excellent concert and the church was packed, despite the rival concert featuring the Killers taking place at the other end of the City in the Liberty Stadium. Both groups of singers fully deserved the standing ovation they got at the end.
Sunday 17 June 2018
Saturday 16 June 2018
A petting farm in Hengoed Court
It is not often that I get to cut a ribbon, in fact, I believe that I have only wielded the ceremonial scissors once before in my 34-year political career. Today was an opportunity to repeat that experience.
The Deputy Lady Mayoress and I spent the afternoon at the Hengoed Court Care Home in Winch Wen. The complex is set in a fairly spectacular setting, perched on a ridge over-looking the Crymlyn Bog Nature Reserve. The former BP oil refinery which once dominated this area is long gone and instead, residents are able to look down on the Swansea University second campus in Crymlyn Burrows.
As they turn their gaze towards Llandarcy and Skewen the demonstration village, based on Poundbury and built to impress Prince Charles dominates the landscape. This is a small grouping of empty houses effectively stuck in the middle of nowhere, that kick-started the Coed Darcy estate, a development which will eventually engulf the pilot area and fill a large part of the area with 4,000 houses, a secondary school and two primary schools.
Residents need not fear though, the nature reserve remains protected, complete with its reed warblers,sedge warblers, Cetti’s warbler, grasshopper warbler, reed bunting, water rail and of course Britain’s largest and rarest spider, the fen raft spider Other birds they might be able to see there are the marsh harrier, bearded tit and the elusive bittern. They may also see buzzards, kestrels, sparrowhawks and the red kite if they are lucky.
Hengoed Court itself is huge and employs over 300 staff. I understand that the intention is to turn it into a care village, and a lot of work has gone into landscaping the grounds, including the creation of a lake, a vegetable garden and many more features.
The purpose of our visit was to officially open the new petting farm, which has been installed to upgrade the experience of residents and their families by enabling them to relax with the animals. A massive effort has gone into this venture, including the construction of stables and an aviary.
Many of the animals have come from the Woodfield Animal Sanctuary in Gower, a venture run by a husband and wife team on a voluntary basis. As a result of this partnership, Hengoed Court now boasts three ponies and three lambs. They also have peacocks, pheasants and doves in the aviary and more are to come.
We very much enjoyed the visit, meeting some of the residents, listening to the Salvation Army Band and experiencing the atmosphere in the complex. The petting farm will be a major asset.
The Deputy Lady Mayoress and I spent the afternoon at the Hengoed Court Care Home in Winch Wen. The complex is set in a fairly spectacular setting, perched on a ridge over-looking the Crymlyn Bog Nature Reserve. The former BP oil refinery which once dominated this area is long gone and instead, residents are able to look down on the Swansea University second campus in Crymlyn Burrows.
As they turn their gaze towards Llandarcy and Skewen the demonstration village, based on Poundbury and built to impress Prince Charles dominates the landscape. This is a small grouping of empty houses effectively stuck in the middle of nowhere, that kick-started the Coed Darcy estate, a development which will eventually engulf the pilot area and fill a large part of the area with 4,000 houses, a secondary school and two primary schools.
Residents need not fear though, the nature reserve remains protected, complete with its reed warblers,sedge warblers, Cetti’s warbler, grasshopper warbler, reed bunting, water rail and of course Britain’s largest and rarest spider, the fen raft spider Other birds they might be able to see there are the marsh harrier, bearded tit and the elusive bittern. They may also see buzzards, kestrels, sparrowhawks and the red kite if they are lucky.
Hengoed Court itself is huge and employs over 300 staff. I understand that the intention is to turn it into a care village, and a lot of work has gone into landscaping the grounds, including the creation of a lake, a vegetable garden and many more features.
The purpose of our visit was to officially open the new petting farm, which has been installed to upgrade the experience of residents and their families by enabling them to relax with the animals. A massive effort has gone into this venture, including the construction of stables and an aviary.
Many of the animals have come from the Woodfield Animal Sanctuary in Gower, a venture run by a husband and wife team on a voluntary basis. As a result of this partnership, Hengoed Court now boasts three ponies and three lambs. They also have peacocks, pheasants and doves in the aviary and more are to come.
We very much enjoyed the visit, meeting some of the residents, listening to the Salvation Army Band and experiencing the atmosphere in the complex. The petting farm will be a major asset.
Monday 11 June 2018
Sunday 10 June 2018
Carmarthenshire Civic Service
The collective name for civic heads is the 'chain gang' after the multi-varied chains each one wears. I have already commented on the Lord Mayor's chain on this blog. As Deputy Lord Mayor I wear the Gower chain, inherited I believe from the former Gower Rural District Council.
The various civic heads in South West Wales often support each other at important ceremonies, including investitures, but the biggest gathering tends to be reserved for civic services.
Most chairs and Mayors appoint a chaplain, who then holds a religious service to celebrate their year in office. Other chairs and Mayors attend these services, complete with chain. It is worth noting by the way that it is courtesy to seek permission if a civic head wishes to wear his or her chain in another local authority area.
Due to the non-availability of the Lord Mayor, it fell on me to attend the first civic service in this sequence, this time in Carmarthenshire. The service took place today in the Siloam Welsh Independent Chapel in Pont-ar-gothi.
The chapel itself was built in 1824, rebuilt in 1848, and then renovated in 1902 and 1986. It is situated in the community of Llanegwad which is represented by the present Council Chair, Councillor Mansel Charles.
This is not an area I am familiar with. It is on the A40 on the road leading from Carmarthen to Llandeilo, set in beautiful countryside, though we took an even more picturesque route past the National Botanic Gardens to get there.
It was a beautiful service in the Independent tradition and included some fantastic solo singing from a variety of youngsters and one County Councillor. The hymn singing was full-throated and inspiring as one would expect in this part of Wales.
Most of the service was in Welsh, so I relied on my wife to translate some of the more memorable parts. It was good-humoured and the chapel was packed with well over hundred people, reflecting the closeness of this rural community.
Afterwards there was tea, sandwiches and cake in the Millennium Hall, where we had the opportunity to meet some of the other civic heads and to learn more about their civic services for future gatherings of the chain gang,
The various civic heads in South West Wales often support each other at important ceremonies, including investitures, but the biggest gathering tends to be reserved for civic services.
Most chairs and Mayors appoint a chaplain, who then holds a religious service to celebrate their year in office. Other chairs and Mayors attend these services, complete with chain. It is worth noting by the way that it is courtesy to seek permission if a civic head wishes to wear his or her chain in another local authority area.
Due to the non-availability of the Lord Mayor, it fell on me to attend the first civic service in this sequence, this time in Carmarthenshire. The service took place today in the Siloam Welsh Independent Chapel in Pont-ar-gothi.
The chapel itself was built in 1824, rebuilt in 1848, and then renovated in 1902 and 1986. It is situated in the community of Llanegwad which is represented by the present Council Chair, Councillor Mansel Charles.
This is not an area I am familiar with. It is on the A40 on the road leading from Carmarthen to Llandeilo, set in beautiful countryside, though we took an even more picturesque route past the National Botanic Gardens to get there.
It was a beautiful service in the Independent tradition and included some fantastic solo singing from a variety of youngsters and one County Councillor. The hymn singing was full-throated and inspiring as one would expect in this part of Wales.
Most of the service was in Welsh, so I relied on my wife to translate some of the more memorable parts. It was good-humoured and the chapel was packed with well over hundred people, reflecting the closeness of this rural community.
Afterwards there was tea, sandwiches and cake in the Millennium Hall, where we had the opportunity to meet some of the other civic heads and to learn more about their civic services for future gatherings of the chain gang,
Sunday 3 June 2018
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